Karafuru Page #4

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Secret! Secret!

Ah!

Let's try this one instead.

Just pick one already.

Damn, not this one again...

If you don't need it, give it to me.

- No way! - Hey, no fair!

Hiroka came here...

She bought some stuff, and then went home.

Back when Makoto saw her here, I'll bet she...

...just came to buy sweets too.

The middle-aged man she was with...

...will've just been her dad or something.

He was shopping at Takashimaya...

...and took a short cut through here.

He was just wandering past that love hotel on his wy home.

What a moron... It's not like it's hard...

...to tell the difference...

...between her father and...another man...

Ah...

Huh? Wha...!?

I'm burning up here. Gotta take something off.

Ah...

You're pretty bold when you wanna be, huh Makoto?

What was with that old creep?

Just one of my fans.

He started chatting me up after seeing my mobile phone profile...

...and when we met he didn't seem so bad.

Things were going pretty well...

But that's...!

Everything I want is really expensive...

Clothes...bags...acessories...

My pocket money can't cover it.

Can't you wait 'til you're an adult?

I want it now!

While it still looks good on me.

I've only got to do this like three times to buy stuff.

I've got to go. He'll be waiting for me.

Then...are you going to come to the hotel with me?

Eh?

I don't mind.

Huh?

If it's you, I'll even do it twice.

Forget it.

I see...

I had fun running in the rain with you there.

See you later.

Yeah, I'll talk to him again...

Ah, here he is at last.

Okay.

Makoto, can I ta...

Huh? Where's your umbrella...?

Wait, I'll get you a towel!

What're you doing? You could've bought an umbrella at a store...

Leave the damn light off!

Here, use this...

I'll leave it here.

Didn't you have something to talk to me about?

It's fine. We'll talk later.

What is it? Spit it out.

I just got a call from Mr. Sawada...

And he said that at next month's parent-teacher meetings...

...the students would be deciding their final choices for schools.

I told you the damn lowest ranked school is fine.

I don't have any grades. I spent too long away after trying to kill myself.

I...it's just that...

I'm worried about that, so...

You can drop this whole mother act.

Huh?

You've got this loving mother thing pretty well practiced, huh?

Practiced...?

Let me ask you something.

Stop it!

How's your flamenco teacher?

Purapura...?

Gimme your damn wallet!

I don't have it...

Don't gimme that sh*t!

Hmm...

He ain't got a thing.

Ugh...

Guess we'll take these fancy shoes instead.

N...no!

Hey...

Tch...

Makoto! Makoto!

Ow...

Are you awake?

How do you feel? Does it hurt?

You've been sleeping for nearly half a day. Since you got back from the emergency ward.

Apparently you were attacked by some bad kids.

Mitsuru found you at a shrine.

Are you hungry? I can make you some rice porridge.

So you're just going to pretend nothing happened.

Don't you have anything else to say to me?

I'm sorry...

I slept like a stone for three days after that...

Makoto...?

A friend's come to check up on you.

Go on.

Ah...

Oh...it's you...

Can I come in?

Come on then.

This is for you.

Thanks.

U...um... H...ho...how are you?

Mostly better, if that's what you mean.

Think I should be back in school next week.

I see...good...

Hey, is it okay for you to come see me like this?

If the class finds out you'll be in for it, right?

Huh? What do you mean?

Aren't you...?

I don't care what they think.

Ah...

You...

...l...like Hiroka, don't you?

So what if I do?

Did something happen between you guys?

Some people said they saw you together in Nikotama...

Umm...not that that's a bad thing...

Well...umm...there are lots of b...bad rumours about her, but...

I t...think she's quite nice, so...

And even if the rumours were true, I wouldn't just start hating her...

So...if she's the reason you've c...changed...

I won't p...pester you to go back to the way you were.

I'll leave you alone.

Y...yeah...

Can you tell me HOW I've changed?

What'd I used to be like?

You always looked very closely at things...

You were pure...and honest...

And you took on all the sadness in the world.

There isn't a middle schooler in the world who's like that.

Look at this.

Even pure, sweet little Makoto has the same basic human desires.

Hey, when you take off your glasses...

...you're even uglier than ever.

N...no!

Makoto, I've got some tea for you.

Hey, don't forget your glasses.

What happened?

Wait!

What'd he do to you?

Did he do something horrible?

I...it's fine...

I told you to enjoy yourself, but you're just being an idiot.

So you disappear for all that time...

...and then pop up again just to lecture me?

Why don't you try actually acting like a guide for a change?

If I just tell you what to do, it's not a test.

Hey, I've been wanting to ask you for a while, but...

What'll happen to Makoto?

What'll happen to his body if I fail, and my soul goes back to where it belongs?

The moment your soul fades into nothingness...

...he'll die. This time for real.

Aren't you gonna go home?

I don't want to be in that house.

You should talk to your mum.

You're not being fair to her.

It's too late.

You humans all make mistakes.

Heck you made some big ones in your past life.

Makoto's done for. I'm not going to succeed.

Huh...?

Him again...

Hey!

Oh! Makoto!

Whatcha looking for? Your ticket?

Yep. Lost it somewhere.

It's stuck in the pages of that book.

Aha!

Jeez...

They really did a number on you, huh? Didn't believe it when Mr. Sawada told us...

- Are you okay? - Y...yeah, I guess.

Whatcha up to today?

Huh? Just wandering, I guess...

Can I take you somewhere, then?

Huh?

Do you know about this?

The Tama Line?

I only heard about it recently myself.

The Tama Line.

A tram that ran from Shibuya to Futagotama

It was shut down in 1969, but...

But look! You know the Setagaya Line? The one that runs from Sangenjaya to Shimotakaido?

That line was a branch line salvaged from the old Tama Line.

Cool, huh? Wouldn't it be nice to have rode it?

Huh? Yeah, I guess...?

My dad said he rode it when he was a kid.

So jealous...

You like trains and stuff?

Not really. Just got interested in 'em after hearing about this.

Or rather, researching this was a good way to escape from exams for a bit.

What I find most interesting is...

This branch line from the Tama Line called the Kinuta Line.

I kind of wanted to follow where that line used to run on foot.

When I met you around here a while back...

Y...yeah...?

I was gonna walk it then, but...

I gave up when the rain started.

I was actually supposed to be going to my cram school, near the station.

But I cut class.

The next station is this way. It's not far.

Don't you have cram school today?

Got a test. Don't feel like going.

Have you decided what school you're aiming for?

Not yet. I'm pretty dumb, so...

...I don't even know if I can find a place that'll take me.

Ah, me too.

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