Yuku Haru - Script A short work that's part of the compilation in Short Program 2. The story's about Kenji and Tomomi, both of them from the same alma matar, and meeting each other once more at a rugby match. Much of it involves flashback, which begins to reveal more and more of their painful past. Another poignant story from Mitsuru Adachi which ending best exemplifies the mangaka's unique style of story-telling. p1 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- GIRL A rugby match? // I'm not interested in that sort of thing. Hey, Kenji! Wait! p2 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- (A RUGBY MATCH IS TAKING PLACE. KENJI TAKES HIS PLACE IN THE STANDS) p3 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- GIRL Wait up, Kenji! // Really! // GUY1 It's Uehara! GUY2 That bastard! BESPECTACLED GUY Leave him! p4 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- GIRL Which school's against which? KENJI My alma mata against Oorin Industrial. // GIRL Your alma mata? KENJI Tenkura Senior High. // GIRL Heh! So you were pretty smart! p5 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- KITAYAMA If...there were some girl's bloomer* and handkerchief here... // KENJI Huh? // KITAYAMA Don't sorry! I meant, IF. Stealing which of them do you think is a more serious offence? // KENJI I don't know. KITAYAMA It's the bloomer, right? Since that's considered perverted. // KENJI No difference to me. A theft is a theft. // KITAYAMA Huh? Really? p6 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- KENJI You idiot! Didn't you say IF? Isn't this Sakamoto Tomomi's? // KITAYAMA It's just happend that I was passing by the girl's volleyball club, and the door happened to be opened, and it happened that no one was inside, and... KENJI If jewels are taken out of a shop like that, it'll go bankrupt, mister customer! (idiomatic) // KITAYAMA Yes...a theft is a theft... If that's the case... // KENJI Perhaps a bloomer would've been a better choice? // KITAYAMA How many years do you think they'd give me? KENJI First offender? // KITAYAMA Ah! Of course! I've not stolen anything since the day I was born! KENJI Okay, I'll overlook this then, Kitayama. // But you're to split this with me. KITAYAMA Ah!! Stop!! p7 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- GIRL Ah-choo! // Hey, aren't you cold? KENJI That's because you're in that. p8 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- GIRL I'll wait for you in the car. // KENJI Came here again? // TOMOMI I come here quite often to get various procedures done. But they're all done today. // KENJI It's been four years since you left your parents for Tokyo. You've must have matured quite a bit. p9 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- TOMOMI A one-sided game, hmm? KENJI Ah... // Looks like our school's rugby team's not going to make it to the national meet again. p10 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- TOMOMI I... // Received a love letter from Kitayama. // KENJI (flashback) You're writing a love letter? KITAYAMA (flashback) Leave me alone! // KENJI I know. // TOMOMI It's the first time I've ever received a love letter. // That's why it took me three days to reply him. p11 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- KITAYAMA Kenji! // Give me a ride! KENJI No! // You're our rugby team's biggest hope. If something happens to you along the way, what am I to tell everybody? // KITAYAMA Just send me home! Please! It's an emergency! KENJI What's the hurry? // KITAYAMA Tada! // It's a reply -- Sakamoto's! KENJI Have you read what's in it? // KITAYAMA You idiot! How can I read it here? Not till I've locked myself in my own room, can I have the peace of mind to read it! Oh please, Kenji! p12 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- KENJI All right! // Take this! Put on the safety helmet! KITAYAMA What about you? // KENJI If anything happens to you, I'd rather die. KITAYAMA Touch wood! // GUY1 Too slow! Too slow! The passing's too slow! GUY2 What the hell are they up to?! Geez! // TOMOMI Does your arm still hurt? // KENJI ...not anymore. p13 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- (ACCIDENT. KENJI'S BIKE SKIDS OFF THE ROAD WHILE TRYING TO AVOID A DOG) p14 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- KENJI Are you all right, Tetsu (Kitayama)!? // KITAYAMA Ooh! p15 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- TOMOMI My reply... // You read it out to Kitayama... His mother told me... // KENJI Um. p16 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- KITAYAMA Read it to me, Kenji... // Can't just...put it to waste... // KENJI Are you free on Sunday? KITAYAMA Huh? p17 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- KENJI It's an 'okay', lady-killer! // She's got lots of things to say to you. This Sunay at nine o'clock, beside the fountain in front of the station -- don't be late. That's what she wrote. // KITAYAMA Nine in the morning...? But there's a game on Saturday... // KENJI That's fine...you can wake up a bit later the day after... // Don't worry! Even if you're tired you can still get enough sleep the day before your first date. // KITAYAMA ...of course. p18 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- TOMOMI Kitayama's mother thanked me. // "Because of the letter...he seemed so happy in his final moments"...she said. // KENJI ...... p19 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- GUY1 Yes! Yes! Well done! // GUY1 Don't cry, juniors! We're relying on you! p20 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- BESPECTACLED GUY That gentle, friendly person's no longer around... // Once, Kitayama angrily struck me. // Do you know why? // KENJI No... // BESPECTACLED GUY Because I bad-mouthed you. p21 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- TOMOMI Take care. // KENJI Ah.... p22 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- GIRL Is it over? Kenji. // Come on, let's go for a drive. // Kenji? // Kenji! p23 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- (TOMOMI WAITS FOR THE TRAIN AT THE STATION. KEIJI'S STILL IN THE SCHOOL) p24 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- TOMOMI (flashback) I'm from Sakuragi Junior High. My name's Sakamoto Tomomi. // TOMOMI'S LETTER It's Uehara (Kenji) I like. // I'm sorry. p25 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- KENJI (flashback) It's an 'okay'! // TOMOMI (flashback) Take care... p26 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- (TOMOMI LOOKS OUT OF THE TRAIN AS IT LEAVES THE STATION. SAKURA PETALS SPIRAL IN THE AIR) p27 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- (TRAIN PASSES OVER THE BRIDGE. THE DEFLATED BALL KENJI JUST KICKED IS LEFT ON THE GROUND. SAKURA PETALS CONTINUE TO FALL OVER IT) -------------------- END -------------------- * bloomer: P.E. attire worn by schoolgirls in Japan. Equivalent to shorts, but look more like briefs if you ask me. Should be interesting to know how THAT came about. ^_^.