Part 104: Tokimemo Girl's Side Chapter 14: A Spoonful of Sugar
Tokimemo Girl's Side Chapter 14: A Spoonful of Sugar1/1: New Year's Day, manchild edition
Goonko: The new year begins today!
Tsukushi: Sis! Sis! Mail's here!
Tsukushi: Here're your cards.
Goonko: Hey! You're barging in again!
Tsukushi: Don't worry about it.
Tsukushi: If you keep sweating the small stuff, you'll get wrinkles.
Goonko: Stop talking.
Tsukushi: So, who sent you a card, huh?
Goonko: Get out.
Tsukushi: Don't push me!
Tsukushi: Hey! Augh!
Goonko: Now, let's see who these are from.
Goonko: This is Mizuki-chama.
Goonko: Ummm, it's gorgeous.
Bonne Annee [sic]
Mizuki Sdou [sic]
I'm pretty sad at both of these typos.
Goonko: This is from Arisawa-san. She's probably studying, even on New Year's Day.
Happy New Year
I hope from the bottom of my heart that the new year is filled with blessings for you.
May good fortune fall on both of us this year.
Arisawa Shiho
It took me an embarrassingly long time to figure out that the image on the bottom left is not in fact a snowwoman wearing a bra. It is actually a traditional kagami mochi (note the persimmon on top) adorned with glasses.
Goonko: This is from Hibiya-kun. Wow, he made a potato stamp!
Goonko: That's so cute!
Happy New Year, dude!
Let's have a great time, dude!
Hibiya Wataru
The potato stamp says "New Year's Day", while the red stamp means the Year of the Monkey.
Goonko: This is Mihara-kun's. You can tell from a mile away.
(New Year?)
S. Mihara
Goonko: Hahahahaha! This is so like Kazuma-kun.
Happy New Year
Hope you have a good year
Suzuka
(ring)
Goonko: Who could that be?
Goonko: Hello?
Kazuma: Hey, Kimiko. It's me, Suzuka...
Goonko: Hi, Kazuma-kun. Something going on?
Kazuma: I, I'm bored around here, and...
Kazuma: Uh, I was wondering if you were bored too.
Kazuma: S, so, you know, you wanna go to hatsumoude together?
Goonko: Yeah, let's do it.
Kazuma: Uhh, cool. I'll meet you at your place.
Kazuma: Mind getting ready and waiting there?
Goonko: Got it. I'll be waiting.
Goonko: (Yay! What should I wear?)
We spent so much on this, we have to wear it.
But not without adding a little personal touch.
What I think Goonko looks like right now, part 22:
Kazuma: Hey. Happy new year, Kimiko.
(silence)
Goonko: Wh, what is it?
Kazuma: Oh, uh, just...
Kazuma: That haregi looks really good, that's all.
Goonko: Oh, thanks.
Goonko: (He really liked it!)
Kazuma: Y, you gonna be okay? Feels like we're gonna get lost in the crowd.
Goonko: Yeah, it really does.
Kazuma: So, uh, I, I washed my hand and everything.
Kazuma: So why don't we, uh, you know...
Goonko: You're right, it would be better if we held hands.
Goonko: (Kazuma-kun seems happy about something.)
Good job, Goonko. You may be awful at reading comprehension in school, but you somehow managed to decipher Babbling Teenager. That has to count for something.
As always, we wish for academics. It's tradition at this point! A reliable source told me that wishing for luck in love in the Girl's Side series is a pretty good idea because you can specify which character the wish applies to. However, it's long past the point where that would be useful since Kazuma is already on the short track to maximum affection.
Kazuma: Fortunes, huh? Hey, you wanna try your luck?
Goonko: Yeah, let's do it.
Kazuma: Yeah, this is the best part of New Year's.
Kazuma: They say your entire year's fate is on the line.
Goonko: Really?
Goonko: (Kazuma-kun's acting very serious for some reason.)
Goonko: Let's see, my fortune for the year is...
Goonko: Kichi, good fortune. Hmmm, I guess that's pretty normal, I guess?
Goonko: (What did Kazuma-kun's fortune say?)
Kazuma: Hey, Kimiko, can we trade?
Goonko: What? Wait, you mean you got it again?
Kazuma: Bad luck. Lemme pull another one!
Goonko: You can't do that, that's not how it works!
Kazuma: Damn. Well, you know, they say that a man makes his own fate.
Kazuma: Alright! Nothing to worry about.
Goonko: (That's... pretty optimistic, I guess.)
Kazuma: Ugh, this is our last year on the basketball team, too.
Goonko: That's true, isn't it.
Kazuma: But I'm gonna keep practicing even after we're done.
Kazuma: This year's going to be critical.
Goonko: (Everyone's starting to charge for their goals...)
Cultural note: Due to the way the Japanese school year starts in April while most of the big sporting events happen during summer vacation, third year students retire from their teams after summer. They're expected to spend the rest of the school year preparing for their college exams, or whatever they plan on doing after they're done with high school.
1/4 and 1/11: Quit the flower shop, work for the boutique
After taking a request from the audience, I had Goonko stop working at the flower shop, since it wasn't doing anything to help her grades and we'd seen a decent number of fun events already. So, on to Boutique Jes!
???: Yes, dear, this is Boutique Jes!
Goonko: Hi, I'm calling because I saw your opening for a part-time position.
???: Oh, yes, I see. Mmmm, could you come by every Wednesday and Friday?
Goonko: Yes, I can definitely do that.
???: I'll be waiting for you, dearie.
Goonko: (I feel like I've heard that voice before.)
1/14: The first day of work
Goonko: My name is Fudou Kimiko, and I'm starting here today. Nice to meet you!
Manager: So you're going to be here on Wednesdays and Fridays. Nice to meet you too.
Manager: Oh, before I forget, I'll introduce you to the owner.
Goro: Oh, nice to meet you. How are you today, love?
Goonko: Ha--Hanatsubaki-sensei!
Goro: Were you surprised? You were surprised, weren't you!
Goro: I am indeed the owner of this little shop.
Goro: Act lively, move quickly, and serve the customer with a smile, got it?
Goonko: O, okay.
Goro: Your face is freezing up!
Goro: Smile. Smile! Like this, see?
Goonko: Yes sir!
Goonko: (This might be tough!)
1/14-1/15: Shiki's birthday
Option 1: Collection of Rinolke poems
Option 2: Cute figures
Option 3: Early modern French-style compact mirror
If we think of Shiki like a vaguely-more-male Mizuki, that means the ideal birthday present would be the French mirror. Which is of course why we buy him the book of poems, in the hope that this will be the most neutral gift.
Goonko: Mihara-kun!
Shiki: Fudou-kun. What's going on?
Goonko: Here! I got you a birthday present!
Shiki: Oh my. I don't need any more gifts than I already have.
Goonko: Don't say that, just open your present!
Shiki: I see. Hmm, it's very pedestrian.
Shiki: It's just what I would expect from you.
Goonko: (Well, he seemed to like it, at least.)
As an interlude, here is the real reason to change jobs in Girl's Side: to see the new activity animations!
1/16: Heart to heart with Shiho
At this point, we're close enough to Shiho to call her Shiho-chan, so we're going to go with that from now on. Shiho's not one to show any outward affection, though, so no matter how high we get she's just going to stick with the formal form of address. She agrees to walk home with us.
Shiho: Fudou-san, have you heard the legend of the chapel?
Goonko: What?
Shiho: They say that two lovers who have been torn apart will be reunited there.
Shiho: If you wait there every day, praying and keeping your faith, then your prayers will be answered.
Goonko: That's so romantic...
Shiho: Don't you think it's a little childish?
Goonko: (Huh? It feels like I've heard this story somewhere before.)
As a note, all four best friend candidates have their own version of the chapel's legend. Mizuki's version, involves an alien prince, which she says is a pretty good story because she came up with it herself. Given her French background, I have to wonder if she's just cribbing The Little Prince.
1/24: Kazuma keeps the pressure on
Kazuma: Y, you wanna go to a live show with me?
Goonko: Uh-huh!
Kazuma: R, really? Alright, it's a date!
1/25: The date with Kazuma
In an effort to keep warm, we wrap Goonko's legs in the American flag and wear our sportiest jacket.
After that same skeezy salesman tries to accost Goonko, Kazuma steps in again.
This is the only time we'll see this background, but sadly, I don't see any recognizable references in it. There are bands called Straycat, Crackerjack, and Psycho, but they don't ring a bell.
Like the movie, this live show doesn't merit a description in Girl's Side. This is a classic two-man comedy show, complete with an angry overhead chop from the straight man/tsukkomi and a goofy look on the face of the comic/boke. As in previous Tokimemos, the show is followed by a generic choice of "that was awesome/average/awful".
Goonko: That show was awesome!
Kazuma: Yeah, that was really fresh. You can't see that on TV.
Goonko: (Yay! A perfect impression!)
Random note: Kazuma talks about comedy like he talks about fish.
Goonko: Say, Kazuma--
Goonko: Do you think about, you know, romance?
Kazuma: Koi? Well, they're really boney and hard to eat, you know?
Goonko: No, not that! Not the koi that swim in rivers and lakes. I mean romance!
The koi (恋/romance) and koi (鯉/carp) pun is one of the oldest Japanese puns in the repertoire, and I can't remember how better translators than I have rendered it, so you just get a liner note.
Kazuma: What a pain...
Goonko: What?! That's what you think?
Kazuma: It's not like that! But, y'know, I'm so nervous every time I--
Goonko: Huh?
Kazuma: Never mind! Anyway, I just need to concentrate on basketball!
Kazuma: For now.
After that bit of awkward conversation, Shiki drops his version of the bomb warning, which is much more forward than Kei's monosyllabic grunting.
Shiki: Fudou-kun. It's me.
Goonko: (Mihara-kun?!)
Shiki: Hey, how about we go out some time--
Goonko: Um, sorry, I'll call you right back!
1/26: Goro's winter column
Goro's column is starting to loop, so I'm going to stop translating them. This one highlights hip hangers, the color green, and broaches.
2/1: Setting a bomb-clearing date with Shiki
Shiki's bomb clears successfully as he agrees to go to the zoo the next week, but then...
Tsukushi: Sis, you awake?
Goonko: Hey, Tsukushi. ...What's wrong?
Tsukushi: Have you been really cold to a guy lately?
Tsukushi: I think you should follow up with that before it really becomes a problem.
This must be pretty dire, since Tsukushi actually knocked. The only bomb candidates are Kei and Wataru. I'm willing to put money on Kei.
Yup. We spend 2/8 making a bomb-clearing call to Kei, who remains monosyllabic and boring. It doesn't even merit its own entry since all he says is "Hi. No. Bye."
2/11: Rolling through the zoo with Shiki
The fashion in this game can get pretty awful sometimes. Who would wear a tiny pink vest over a collared shirt with long sleeves? But hey, at least it should be warm.
Shiki: This is the entrance to the animal kingdom! Let's go inside!
Okay, when he's actually enthusiastic about something, I can see why people like Shiki. His arrogant narcissism is as offputting as his innocent exuberance is endearing.
Shiki: Beauty is such a crime.
Shiki: Even the animals are staring at me.
Option 1: They're jealous of how close we are.
Option 2: Then we should stare right back at them.
Option 3: You're worrying too much.
After a lot of debate between 2 and 3, I decided to go with the response that doesn't make Goonko sound stupid.
Goonko: You're worrying too much.
Shiki: True, it isn't something to worry about.
Shiki: My beauty attracts unwanted gazes anywhere I go.
Goonko: (Yup, a pretty good impression.)
Shiki: Today was more fun than I thought. You might want to invite me out again.
2/13-2/14: The Valentine's Day Massacre
As with the previous year, the chocolate minigame was an unmitigated disaster. But don't worry, I planned for this.
The Tsukushi intro is exactly the same as the first year.
Goonko: I'll give my giri chocolate to Hibiya-kun.
Goonko: Hibiya-kun!
Wataru: Hmm? Hey, senpai.
Goonko: Here, I got you chocolate.
Wataru: Hey, thanks.
Goonko: (He seemed pretty happy about that.)
Goonko: I'll give the fancy chocolate to Kazuma-kun.
Kazuma: Y, yo, Kimiko. Wh, what's up?
Goonko: Here's your Valentine's chocolate!
Kazuma: Wh, what? For me? Seriously?
Goonko: Yup. I picked out ones that I thought you'd like.
Kazuma: Wow, since you went to so much trouble, I'll make sure to enjoy every one!
Kazuma: Thanks.
Goonko: (His face was so red. Hehe, I'm so glad he liked it!)
Goonko: And I'll give the
Goonko: Amanohashi-san.
STRANGER DANGER: Hmm? Oh, Fudou-kun. Is something the matter?
Goonko: Here. It's Valentine's chocolate.
STRANGER DANGER: Hmm. Hrrmmmmmmm...
STRANGER DANGER: This is--
STRANGER DANGER: Oh! Is it chocolate?
Goonko: (Ugh, it's pretty painful to see his reaction.)
STRANGER DANGER: No, ummm. Thank you, Fudou-kun.
Goonko: (Maybe it would have been better not to give him anything.)
2/16: Summons from Mizuki
The setup is the same for each double date, and the cast is going to be the same too. Here are the differences from previous double dates:
1: Mizuki looks like a cake.
2: Shiki almost--ALMOST--dresses like a normal human being.
3: I drag Mizuki into the haunted house for laughs
2/29: The flea market on leap day
Dear god, it looks like chocolate cake. And not even the good kind.
And this one looks like Moe from the Three Stooges.
No cosplay items in the shop makes for a sad sad report. We do buy a gold-plated pocketwatch and a rhinestone hairpin just to have handy, though.
Plus, on the way back, we bumped into Kazuma.
Goonko: (Hey, wait, who's that on the swing? Isn't that--)
Kazuma: Crap! Kimiko?
Kazuma: How long have you been over there?
Goonko: Huh? I just got here.
Kazuma: Never say a word about what you just saw.
Goonko: Why?
Kazuma: Th, that I was playing on a swing set and...
Goonko: Who cares?
Kazuma: I care, you idiot!
Goonko: Okay, then. I'll keep it a secret for you.
Kazuma: Really? I'll hold you to it!
Goonko: It'll be our little secret
Kazuma: Y, yeah.
Next time: Shooting the J one last time
