Summer Days with Coo Page #4

Any kappa can swim like that.

Kappas are amazing! I'm thrilled!

They aren't here, are they?

It's a river where you'd expect kappas to be around...

He told me a few more places, so let's visit them tomorrow.

Okay...

This is a Magari-ya. It was built toward the end of the Edo period.

Found in Nagano, Iwate, Fukushima and other areas of Japan that have heavy snowfall. The house is L-shaped to enable the stable to be built within the house so livestock would survive during the harsh winters.

So this is a Magari-ya? It's impressive...

The kids from Tokyo sure are different.

What? No, really! I'm not. Seriously!

Sure I live in Tokyo, but the house is surrounded by paddy fields. It's really a countryside.

Here you are.

Do you know what a Zashiki-warashi is?

Yes, vaguely.

It's something like a monster, isn't it?

It's said that a Zashiki-warashi lives in our house.

What?

So if you do see a Zashiki-warishi, I don't want you to be scared of it.

Zashiki-warishi is a good god that brings fortune to the house.

Erm, ah, so what's bent about this Magari-ya?

You came from Tokyo? On your own?

Kids from Tokyo are so independent!

No, it's nothing.

No. No, it's something!

It's something.

No, I'm not that...

And he eats well too.

Yes, he does.

Hmm, a kappa? That's unusual.

You must be the Zashikiwarashi-sama.

That's right.

I've come to look for my own kind, but I can't find them. Do you know where they might be?

I haven't seen any kappas in the last hundred years.

Coo...

Did my kind go elsewhere?

Or have they all died?

What?

s

~ The flower bloomed. The wind blew. ~

s

~ The snow danced and everything disappeared. ~

s

~ But I am still here, ~

s

~ and somehow, so are you. ~

s

~ Just sleep. Go to sleep. ~

s

~ It has, it does, and it always will; tomorrow will always come. ~

s

~ Don't think about your folks, sweet child. ~

s

~ Sleeping child, stay asleep. Sleep well, sleeping child. ~

I hope we'll find some kappas today!

Kouichi...

Yeah?

Let's just go home.

What?!

But you don't know if what the Zashiki-warashi said is true or not.

I know.

How?!

If you look hard enough, there may be some place...

Kouichi, our kind doesn't lie.

Humans are the only ones that lie.

Hey, Kouichi, let's go home.

We're getting the bullet-train that departs in the afternoon. We can't go back till then.

What to buy...

How about a Kappa rice cake?

A Kappa rice cake?

Yes, a pack of 10 pieces is only 200 yen.

Are they good?

Yes.

I'll have three packs then...

Hey, has Coo ever left the place he was born in?

No, this is the first time.

Right then!

Kouichi, where are we going?

Wait and see.

Ouch! Kouichi, don't throw me like that!

Coo!

I'm... speechless...

What a huge pond!

It's the sea.

Sea?

Why don't you have a swim?

Water! Water! Quick! Water!

It stings!

What salty water! I doubt there are any fish in such salty water.

There are a whole load of them!

Wow, it must be a really salty fish!

What're you saying! The fishes Coo eats at home were all caught from the sea.

Hey, when we get back, let's look for kappas elsewhere.

Yeah, sure.

I'm going to go and get stung again.

Hey, you!

Are you Uehara Kouichi-kun?

I'm working for this place...

I'd like to hear your story about your kappa.

Just for a bit!

Huh? Hey, isn't this it?!

Sorry, kid.

Take a photo!

What're you doing?!

I didn't do anything!

This thing... It did something!

What happened?

They took photos!

Coo?

Those people from the weekly pictorial magazine dropped by during lunch.

They were probably waiting for you.

Like I said, I'm asking you not to publish them!

Coo's swimming is super awesome!

He can jump like a dolphin!

That's exactly why I'm asking you not to!

It's true! Right, Coo?

What's a dolphin?

It's a f-i-s-h! Idiot!

You took it without our consent. There's no way!

Hey!

Who's more stupid? A dolphin's a mammal! Idiot!

Hey, wait! I'm not finished yet!

Kouichi!

Liar!

A dolphin's a fish!

Right, Mommy?

A dolphin's a mammal...

What?

I'll teach you properly about them next time.

Anyway, Coo's really amazing! He can swim by farting!

Seriously! How can you act like that in our current situation?

Apparently Coo can swim by farting.

What? Hey, hey, Coo's about to appear in a magazine. The whole of Japan's going to find out about him!

Don't take it out on us! Just think about what we're going to do now!

Come to think of it! I have a souvenir for Hitomi!

I picked it up from the sea. It's a pretty stone, isn't it?

It's an apology for eating your mai-mai the other day.

Wow, it's beautiful...

Hitomi, what about a thanks?

That's just glass, isn't it?

I'm sorry. Thank you.

It's fine.

He's beginning to take an interest in girls, huh?

Alright then!

Hey, what? I'm doing you a favor!

Jeez, he's still a brat...

Well, Kouichi still has a long way to go. That's all.

Why isn't Kouichi more friendly to her?

Humans are complicated creatures.

You understand a lot about humans.

Yeah, I've lived for a long time with humans.

Humans do scary stuff sometimes...

True...

Uehara-san!

Just one word, please!

Please!

Uehara-san!

Oh no, he looks old in that. His hair's strange too.

Not again.

Hello?

Yes? I'm sorry, but we don't want interviews. Excuse me.

Thank you for visiting. I'm sorry, but...

Sorry? About what?

Come on. Keep it strong!

Well, that is...

He's really frightened, and we'd like to decline all interviews.

By "He" do you mean the kappa?

Excuse me.

Please, hold on a second!

For today, we're altering the scheduled programs and providing live coverage on the kappa that's living in this present day...

Coo, you're really popular. Why don't you want to be on TV?

It's scary... Those people... and that thing with big eyes... They're scary...

The surrounding area is normally a quiet neighborhood, but...

Because of me, this matter's become huge. I feel really bad...

Do kappas really exist? Earlier on, the head of the Uehara family, Uehara Yasuo-san appeared at the front door, but...

Don't worry. It's quite fun!

He announced that the kappa was scared...

By the way Coo, that time, did you really break the camera?

I don't know.

...and now to summarize, the kappa is about a meter long...

I felt as though that eye and the flashing light were going to eat me, so...

Something that resembles hair is on its head...

It scared me, so...

It'd be really cool if you did have some supernatural power!

What are you going to do about work today?

I'll take a holiday today.

Additionally, the camera used to photograph the kappa was destroyed by some kind of power.

This may be evidence of kappas having so-called supernatural powers...

What is it?

Nothing...

Aren't we going to watch it?

No, we aren't.

For goodness sake...

You don't have to pick it up.

Someone's here.

dad/What?

dad/Damn it!

That's the house!

Yeah, I'm close by... Yeah, can you come over?

Hey, Mom, is that the house?

Let's go there! Quick!

That's the house!

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