Nervous Venus Number 7

Translator's note: This one's been a long time in coming, so sorry to all of those who were waiting for the next part (if any of you was actually waiting). Life's been stressful, busy, exhausting, etc...but hey, I'm in college, so I can complain all I want, right? As always, these translations are not perfect, and any comments or suggestions are appreciated.

Translation notes:

Words in parentheses or brackets are comments added by me Words in bold are emphasized words. Words in italics are thoughts.

pg 85

Kiss: noun, verb meaning to kiss. To use one's lips to make contact with another's lips or hands. Used to express affection, love, respect.

pg 89

Seki gets slapped across the face.

pg 90

Haru snatches her pencil from her desk and wields it in a stabbing motion. Seki grabs her arm, stopping her in mid-motion.

pg 91

Haru looks extremely pissed.

Haru: Let go!

There is total silence in the class. Seki releases her hand. Haru throws the pencil on the desk.

pg 92

She storms out of the classroom. Seki stands up in order to follow her.

Classmate: Sekiya is so scary...

Seki glares at them. The door slams behind him

Classmate: She just really chewed Seki out

Classmate 2: Yeah...

pg 93

Seki: Hey!

He attracts the attention of the students in the hallway.

Seki: I won't apologize! Don't underestimate me too much!

pg 94

Seki: I didn't do it just because I wanted to do it, I did it because I'm captivated!

Haru: You…

Seki: I’m infatuated with you!!

Haru punches him in the face.

Haru: You bastard!

pg 95

Haru: Lowlife! [I'm not sure of the translation here…]

Useless lowlife!

She runs down the hall, to the bewilderment of the students. After she leaves, everyone starts to whisper about her and Seki.

Seki: …It hurts.

pg 96

Seki: Want to do it? Who? Me? With Sekiya? If I were to do that, I would die of shame.

pg 97

Seki slowly collapses on the floor.

Seki: If it was with other people, I wouldn't have a problem no matter how many times I do it. Doing it with anyone would be fine. If it was with Sekiya however, I probably won't have the face to see her again.

pg 98

Seki lies on the floor in the hallway.

Seki: Why do even those words come out of my mouth?

Pg 99

Sound of water running. Haru is in the bathroom, standing over the sink. She is furiously washing her mouth out. There is the sound of footsteps behind her.

Someone: Uh, Seki...

Haru snaps her head around, giving the intruder a ferocious glare.

Haru: What!?

Pg 100

The newcomer is a tall, dark (I guess among Japanese people), good-looking guy.

Newcomer: You're very…scary. So you 're that kind of person?

Pg 101

He smiles.

Newcomer: I say, forgive him. It's better to be not angry rather than angry.

Haru listens, and she slowly relaxes.

Newcomer: Shouldn't you wipe your face?

Haru: Ah!

She searches her pocket for a handkerchief, but can't seem to find one.

Pg 102

He hands her his own. There is a moment of consternation, since Haru, a girl, doesn't have one, while a guy does.

Haru: You're class six's Dai…

Newcomer: It’s Onada.

Haru: Yeah, You're Fujii’s's friend.

Onada: Fujii’s's busy with club activities, and I'm not so busy, so now I'm the P.E. head. So, she wants me to give this to you.

Some shouts nearby, " Haru's over here, I found her!!"

Pg 103

Haru's friends arrive. They are surprised to see him.

Friend: Ah, Daiko! I haven’t seen you for a month! Is your leg already better?

Onada: Don’t call me Daiko.

Friend (jokingly): Did you receive special attention from the nurses when you were in the hospital? Your cute little face!

Note: They graduated form the same middle school.

Onada looks peeved, as she tells everyone, “He’s very popular. His face is so small, I’m so jealous!”

Haru: Huh? But is Daiko his real name?

Onada: Everyone calls me that

Pg 104

Onada: Because my name is Onada Hideyoshi*

Everyone breaks out laughing at this point.

*He shares the same name with Toyotomi Hideyoshi, a 15th warlord who unified and ruled Japan after the reign of Oda Nobunaga. Unable to become shogun, he held the positions of kampaku (emperor’s regent) and *taiko (retired regent), which is where Onada gets his nicknames. *I’m not sure whether it’s taiko or daiko, as LaPy told me Daiko, but Wikipedia says Taiko.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyotomi_Hideyoshi                                                                 

Haru (still laughing): I’ve always thought your name was strange.

Onada: Sometimes I’ve even been called. If there’s nothing else I’m leaving.

Haru: Ah! I 'll return the handkerchief after I wash it.

Onada: No need to.

Pg 105

He smiles as he leaves.

Girl: Soccer boy's left. [Onada is in the soccer club] He strikes a pose too.

Girl: Oh yeah, Haru! How are you? What's up with you and Seki?

Haru: That…

Pg 106

Girl: It's like you changed into another person. Tell me what that jerk did, and I'll fix him

The other girl voices her agreement.

Haru (sheepishly): I got a little too angry.

The bell for class rings. Her friends rush off and tell her not to be late, while Reiko and Haru stay behind.

Reiko: I think

Pg 107

Reiko: It's a good thing to express your feelings out loud.

She leaves. Haru looks after her in surprise. She stands in the hallway, looking contemplative.

Pg 108

Seki's in the nurse's room, having his face attended to by the nurse.

Nurse: How did this happen? Did you fight with another person?

Seki: Don't be ridiculous, that kind of uncivilized stuff! It's a bunch of lies.

The nurse touches his cheek. There is a ring on her third finger. Seki is disturbed by the action.

Pg 109

He takes the bandage from her hand.

Seki: I can put this on myself.

He goes over to the mirror. The nurse watches him.

Nurse: Uh? Uh, Seki?

Pg 110

She touches his shoulder

Nurse: Did you grow taller again?

Sound of footsteps. Seki is walking very fast through the hallway. A group of girls is standing nearby.

Pg 111

He bumps into one of them.

Girl: Ouch.

Seki: Sorry.

Girl: It's okay…

He walks away. They whisper behind him:

"Don't you think Seki's really cool?" "Him being a joker is just a mask right?"

Seki: Unpopular, I'm unpopular. The world's most unpopular person.

pg 112

Kanda is reading while lying on a bench in the hallway. Seki suddenly grabs him from behind.

Seki: The person I like is a female high school student!!

Kanda: Aahh!

Seki: Can't stand it! Can't stand it! Can't stand it!

Kanda: Don't grab me from behind!

Seki: Quick, comfort me!

Kanda: I don't know what you're talking about!

Seki: In addition, I'm a male high school student!!

There's the sound of books dropping.

Pg 113

Seki and Kanda both look up. An old teacher is staring at them in absolute shock. His false teeth fall out of his mouth.

Seki: We've really scared the teeth out of someone.

Kanda gives Seki an exasperated glance.

Kanda: The teacher doesn't understand this kind of joke.

Pg 114

Seki and Kanda are walking along.

Kanda: I originally was going to skip English class.

Seki: Bad student.

Kanda: Oh yeah. I heard you had a big fight with Sekiya, right? The girls are all talking about it.

Seki rubs his neck, looking unhappy

Pg 115

Seki: Hoping for the person you like…to like you back. Is this a selfish thing?

Pg 116

Kanda looks at Seki. Then he grabs Seki's shirt.

Kanda: That's your formula for living life is it not? So why not become a carefree and dashing kind of guy?

Pg 117

Reiji: Ayah!

Reiji accidentally falls on them. They end up in a heap on the floor.

Reiji: Sorry, Youji?! I'm almost late - my PE class!!

He runs off. Seki and Kanda stand up, looking calm and collected for a moment. Then they erupt in consternation. Seki kicks the wall.

Seki: That kid, wait till I fix him when we're home!!

Kanda is in tears.

Kanda: My first kiss…

Pg 118

Once a person starts to like someone, he is not all right anymore. It's as if the sky and the earth are shifting, causing one to have no control.

Pg 119

Clearly no shadow [probably referring to Aki] can be seen, yet the heart has been firmly taken. Even though the right hand is cut off, still it's so tightly held.

Pg 120

Haru is brushing her teeth furiously. Someone calls her.

Girl: Haru! PE club is ready to begin

Haru: You go first.

Seki: You're brushing your teeth?

Pg 121

Seki (mad): Stop being disgusting! I didn't move around in your mouth or anything.

Haru ignores him, finishing up brushing.

Seki: If it was a joke I would be able speak about it right away.

Haru: I don't have any impression.

Pg 122

Haru: Nor the memory of being kissed, or the feeling of it afterwards. Does a thing for which there is no recollection have any meaning?

Pg 123

Haru looks very angry.

Haru: With regards to what you said, I won't admit it. Because remembering that kind of thing is very annoying. Also, regardless of whether Aki is dead or alive,

Pg 124

Haru: I will never like you. Report finished.

She walks away, elbowing Seki in the process.

Haru: Scram!

The door slams.

Pg 125

Seki: It's like being embraced…

Seki stares after her. He remembers the intense stare of her eyes.

Seki: Being remembered by such a strong heart…

Pg 126

No matter what, I just hope… She will come to like me.

Back in the classroom, Haru raises her hand.

Haru: I want to change seats.

Seki grabs his hair in shock.

Seki: You for real?!

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