Tokyo Babylon :: Clamp
 VOLUME 2
:: translated by tenno yukie ::
:: volume 01 :: DREAM :: ANNEX.SMILE :: volume 03 ::
Annex

volume 2

(a girl comes home from school as usual, going up to her apartment, on the way, groups of women are gathered together gossiping)

woman : recently there has been some worthless bad kids wandering in the vacinity.
others : oh yes, the cars and bikes are so noisy in the middle of the night, i can't even sleep. (they see the girl) oh, mitsuki-chan, welcome back.
girl (at first upset to see these women, but still squeezes a polite smile) : i'm home. (nodding politely)
women (as she walks away, continues to gossip) : now that you mention it, have you heard?
others : what?
woman : i heard that some in this area has been raped by those gangsters. (the girl heard them as she walked by and seemd really upset)
women (continues to gossip x.x) : really!? it surely wasn't on the news. but you know, of course the victim wouldn't want to come out with it. well yes, nobody would want to talk about their own wounds.

(the girl just couldn't take it anymore and runs back to her own apartment and locks the door. leaning against the door, she seemed really pained)

text : "now that you mention it, have you heard?" "what?" "i heard that someone in this area has been raped by those gangsters." (the girl seems more and more upset, the gossipy women's words just can't get out of her head) "really!?" "it surely wasn't on the news."
mitsuki (trembling) : u... uh...
text : "of course the victim wouldn't want to come out with it."
mitsuki (trembling and crying) : uh.......
text : "well yes, nobody would want to talk about their own wounds."
mitsuki (covers her ears and scream) : WAHHHHHHHHHH (but you can't run... and you can't hide)
text (she falls to the ground) : i want to forget it all, all the bad things. when i "wake up" i will hear everyone's voices, and think about all the bad things. therefore i will sleep, for ever and ever, in an eternal dream.

Tokyo Babylon
VOL.2.DREAM

setting : november 11th, kyoto sagano, sumeragi clan's family mansion

(obviously traditional japanese styled rooms and garden, subaru is kneeling expressionlessly and solumnly on a mat, his grandmother is making tea... the old way)

grandmother : how is your work?
subaru : oh... yes, well... it's ok.
grandmother (passes him a bowl of tea) : about the incident at tokyo tower, i received a thank you call from the ministry of health and welfare.
subaru : oh......
grandmother : it seems like for some reason, subaru-san performed the exorcism together with another young man...... was it your friend?
subaru (nervous looking, ^^ so cute, with a sweatdrop) : n... no, um, well...
grandmother : i don't know what it is about, but it's not recommanded to bring an amateur to your work place. fortunately tokyo tower was not too difficult of an exorcism, but it would be troublesome if anything happened to your companion.
subaru (thinking to himself, while drinking tea) : [i think it should be alright since seishirou-san is also skilled......]
grandmother : subaru-san, you are the 13th and present master of the "sumeragi". the sumeragi clan has been protecting japan spiritually since ancient times and is entrusted with the important duty to oversee all the currently still existing onmyoujis. even I, as the 12th master and your grandmother, hesitates to say this but...... subaru-san, the spiritual power that you possess is most rare, even among all the past masters of the sumeragi...... (of course because he is going to be a DoH) but you should be a little more careful with people...... right? subaru-san.
subaru (sweatdrops + nervous) : yeah.... [grandma would probably freak out if i told her i knew one of the sakurazukamori.]
grandmother : by the way, the sakurazukamori...... (how cute ^^ subaru is so freaked out with like a million sweatdrops and dropping his tea bowl)
subaru (super shock expression) : EHHHHH!?
grandmother (serious face... she's obviously not the joking type ^^;;) : what are you doing in the middle of tea? don't get so upset.
subaru (sweatdrops) : i... i'm sorry.
grandmother : so you too know much about the existance of the sakurazukamori, subaru-san. the assassin organization that uses sorcery to kill, even we the sumeragi do not know much of the truth behind them. yesterday i've met with the head of investigations from the ministry cabinet. they fear that a recent strange death of an important politician is the work of the sakurazukamori.
subaru : [sakurazuka......]
grandmother : they are onmyoujis just the same, and who knows when subaru-san may even be in danger of the sakurazuka, please do be very careful.
subaru : um...... obaa-chan *grandma*...
grandmother : what is it?
subaru : is everyone with the name sakurazuka...... related to the sakurazukamori......
grandmother : not everyone with the name sakurazuka is related to the sakurazukamori. do you know how many people in japan has the last name "sakurazuka"?
subaru (scratching head, with a ^^;; face) : t...... that's right. [it would be so strange for someone so nice as seishirou-san to be an assassin. (me: *start coughing* n, nice!? ;_;)
grandmother : actually, the sakurazukamori is really only one person.
subaru : one person? but then the "assassin organization"......
grandmother : ............ (smiles) how are you doing on your own? (change of subject...)
suabaru : eh... uh... alright for now......
grandmother : although hokuto-san and subaru-san you both live in the same apartment, it is still your first time alone far away in tokyo...... do take care of yourselves.
subaru : yes.
grandmother : is it alright? that even in front of hokuto-san, you must not remove those gloves. it's an absolute promise.
subaru : yes......

(well, there ends that stuffy scene... time for some fresh air, or not. absolute darkness in the next 2 pages... x.x;;; i mean NOTHING other than blackness, and subaru)

subaru (look around) : [what...... what is this place......] (he finally sees a little girl, the only other *thing* in this utter blackness) hey you......
little girl (hops away) : heheh, heh......
subaru (go after her) : wait!
little girl (running away) : heheheh...... heheheh hahaha

(subaru catches up to her and tries to see her face...)

little girl (slowly turning around) : subaru-kun, i hate you. because, (turns around, very cute smile) you are not "normal".

(subaru wakes up in his bed sweating... cute note : he's wearing polkadot PJs ^^;;; and of course has his gloves on even as he sleeps)

subaru (sits up) : [was it a dream...... (his alarm rings, it's 7 am)]
little girl (recap) : subaru-kun, i hate you. because, you are not "normal".
subaru : [......so i still remember it.]
setting : november 12th tokyo shinjuku kabuki county
subaru (stretch/yawn) : awww...... (gets up and notices some rustling/movement in his bed sheets, flips open the sheets) what's there!
hokuto (magically appear under his bed sheet... *sweatdrop*) : hohohohoho, subaru, you allowed others to get so close to you without even realizing it, what a failure as an onmyouji.
subaru (*shoku*) : h, hokuto-chan.
seishirou (also climbs out from under the bed sheet -_-;;) : oh subaru-kun, you sleep in polkadot pajamas.

(long silence-------------- with subaru w/ this multi sweatdrop face and seishirou and hokuto both sitting on his bed... later when eating breakfast...)

hokuto (eating) : seriously, subaru, you are so careless. even if you are asleep, it is inexcusable to let an enemy climb into your bed sheets.
subaru (also eating) : but that's impossible because hokuto-chan, you're not an enemy.
hokuto (jump up) : you moron! where would it put sei-chan if you had a nightly visitor! and those gloves! i didn't know you had them on even in your sleep!
subaru : i use to take them off before, but since hokuto-chan always decided to suddenly enter into my room......
hokuto : but we are siblings. despite the fact that we came to this tokyo desertland and live alone in the same apartment, in a strange sense, we are also neighbors.
subaru (matter of factly) : but i'd prefer if you only warned me before entering...
hokuto : ohohoho (slap subaru on the shoulder) minor detail! don't take everything so seriously!
subaru (-_-;;;) : ............
seishirou (also eating, sitting next to subaru) : hokuto-chan is great at cooking.
hokuto (cheery as always) : i'm collecting experience for the future.
seishirou : what do you want to be in the future, hokuto-chan?
hokuto (*_*) : a housewife!
seishirou (very funny face x.x) : ohhh, that's a great dream!
hokuto : by the way, subaru, did you go back to kyoto to the sumeragi mansion?
subaru : yeah, up till yesterday.
hokuto : was grandmother same as always?
subaru : y... yeah
hokuto : did you say anything about seishirou-chan?
subaru (big sweatdrop) : n... no i didn't......
hokuto (l_l <- bet you never seen that face typed out before) : she would kill you if she found out that the master of the "sumeragi" is in love with one of the "sakurazuka". (subaru literally choked, his bowl of rice fell too...)
seishirou (as if nothing happened) : the miso soup tastes great.
hokuto (sigh) : but i wonder how grandmother is doing, the image of her hasn't changed ever since we were born and she's like a youkai.
subaru (sweatdrops) : hokuto-chan!
hokuto (hands him a piece of paper) : anyway, here's a fax from the sumeragi mansion.
subaru : thanks. (reads)
hokuto (with interest) : what is it? work again?
subaru : yeah.
seishirou : sending your work information through fax, onmyoujis these days have become quite trendy *modernized* haven't they.
hokuto : since subaru is so disoriented, he can't find the work place through phone.
subaru : hokuto-chan, if you go to school, can you tell the teacher i'm taking today off.
hokuto (^^) : alright.
seishirou : where is it?
subaru : in ebisu.
seishirou : are you in a hurry?
subaru (look at the clock) : no...... if i get there in about an hour......
seishirou (gets up) : then i'll take you.
subaru (protest) : no you can't, seishirou-san, you have work too......
seishirou (^^) : it's alright because there are no pets coming in today.
subaru : but!
hokuto (looks bored, leaning on the counter) : don't have the same damn conversation everytime.
seishirou (while subaru has a number of sweatdrops on his head) : please don't mind, come on, i've seen this on tv and in magazines lately. driving the car for her sake...... what is it called again? rasshi or is it nesshi......
hokuto (probably the i-give-up glare) : it's asshi.

(therefore... subaru is obviously defeated again x.x;;;; and they are now on the road, in seishirou's car, driving through the city)

seishirou (while driving, he pays more attention to subaru than the direction -_-;;) : what's wrong? you don't look too well. (subaru has been staring out the window blankly)
subaru : oh, no, it's not that.
seishirou : did you had a bad dream?
subaru (surprised) : h...how
seishirou (^^) : because you seemed to be a bit upset this morning.
subaru : ............ i saw...... a "dream" from long ago.
seishirou : long ago?
subaru : a dream of a classmate girl from elementary school...... i don't remember much of her, but even though i tried to forget, she appeared in my dream today...... (smile a bit sadly) she "hated" me...... because i am not "normal"...... it really made me sad when she said that...... it is strange but "the pain in your chest" that they use so often on tv is real. i always remembered that i wanted to forget her. probably... because i'm not "normal".
seishirou : i have heard that people see dreams in order to wake up and think, "oh what a relief." to see a very frightening dream, is to think "oh i'm glad it was a dream" when you wake up. to see a very good dream, is to think "oh i'm glad i had a good dream."
subaru : well, perhaps there really is no other meaning to it, but my dream......
seishirou : subaru-kun, you have held a special spiritual power different from others ever since you were born. it brings up other possibilities, such as...... a prediction dream (what, is he a yumemi now? well, subaru seemed a bit upset at that) what's wrong?
subaru : nothing, ......it's just that...... i am different from others.
seishirou (fixing his rearview mirror which is at a nice angle to reflect subaru as well) : subaru-kun, what do you think is "normal"?
subaru : eh......?
seishirou : what do you think is the meaning of being "normal"?
subaru : isn't it "to be like everyone else"?
seishirou : anyway, that girl is probably just subaru-kun's "first love".
subaru (very red with a funny face) : EH?
seishirou : a wound in the heart does not bleed, and so one wouldn't even know where and why it hurts themselves. dreams are important in telling you where your heart has been hurt.
subaru (they reach the parking lot) : thank you very much.
seishirou (staying in the parking lot, seeing subaru off) : subaru-kun, when you come back, why don't we go for afternoon tea and muffins at ikebukuro?
subaru : eh... but i don't know when it will be over and you would have to wait......
seishirou : i'll wait here until my appointment this afternoon. (he always seems to have excuses to stay around ^^)
subaru : but......
seishirou : don't worry about it since it's my choice to wait. (as subaru goes off, he waves exaggeratedly in the background ^^;;) itterasshai~! *what you say to someone who's going off, like farewell* (which really embarrasses subaru ^^;; who's pretending to straighten his hat ^^ as seishirou watches subaru goes further off, seishirou leans against the fense and smiles slightly in a much different fashion) it's much easier to lend a hand when you're near by.

(subaru follows the fax paper and enters the hospital)

fax : "name/kaburagi mitsuki, gender/female, age/16, father died when she was 12 and lives alone with her mother. four months ago on July 14th, after returning home (apartment, Grand Heights Ebisu, room 804) from school, she went to sleep in her own bed, up till the present, and has shown no sign of awakening."
subaru (following signs, got to the reception window) : kaburagi mitsuki-san's room is......
nurse (behind the counter) : oh, kaburagi-san, (checking her books) that way down the hall. (while all the nurses came crowding to the counter and looking at subaru dreamily *_*)
subaru (politely to the bunch of overly friendly nurses) : thank you very much.
fax : "when her mother came home from work, she was already asleep and has not changed since. (all the nurses starts to gossip as subaru passed by, about how cute he is) that morning she had went to school as usual, and since her mother was not home, her situation when she returned is unknown. (subaru finds the room) it's a special condition where it is beyond medication."

(subaru enters and immediately reach out his mind to get a sense of the surrounding, probing...)

subaru : [i don't feel any spiritual power...... not even anyone's thought. (the girl lies in bed, peacefully asleep... and subaru has a major reaction when he sees her) EHHHHHHHH!? i...... it's her!]

(a flashback in the rain, little subaru talking to a girl... had i neglected to mention before that the girl had an umbrella? well, minor detail, ohohohoho ^^;;;)

little girl : i hate you, subaru-kun. because you are not "normal". (little subaru looked so sad... and stood in the rain as he watched the girl ran off)

(subaru now looks at the sleeping girl with somewhat of disbelief)

subaru (scratch head) : [w... why did i see her in a dream today...... (but then smiles a bit helplessly) so I really am not "normal". (sit at the bedside) she's so thin...... poor girl...... it's not strange after continuously sleeping for four month, but even that "mitsuki-chan" has become a high school student......] (suddenly realize w/ a cute blushing face) ah, (sweatdrop, holds his hands together and thinking) must concentrate... (start to use his aura but it doesn't seem to have any effects on her) [that's strange, nothing is happening.] it's neither anger nor spiritual interference, there's no choice but to ask her personally. (sudden sweatdrop, thinking) but i'm not really very good at that, it's not so difficult to have my conscious leave my own body, but to enter into someone else...... uh, uh--------h (puts his hand on her forehead) [if only mitsuki-san still has some remaining memory of me inside her......] (start chanting) noubouakyasha kyarabaya onarikya ariborisowaka...... [i suppose she wouldn't remember.] (his hand that's touching her starts to glow) noubouakyasha kyarabaya o......n...... (start to fall sleepy on the bed) [a......rikya mariborisowaka noubouakyasha kyarabaya]

(he begins to decend *in spirit* into a darkness that is her consciousness...)

subaru (moving towards a light in the darkness) : onarikya mariborisowaka noubouakyasha kyarabaya (almost as if going through a portal, he lands in this totally dark place) [onarikya ariborisowaka] (look around) eh...... that wasn't too hard to get in. it's strange, that she hasn't shown a bit more rejection...... (walk around) [where is mitsuki-san's "consciousness"...... (look around) there......]

(not far away, there's a plain in the darkness, the only thing in the darkness actually, and it's carved in more sophisticated looking symbols. subaru goes there and sees two kids, a little girl and a little boy)

subaru : [i found it, it's mitsuki-san. (obviously the little girl, and the boy slowly turns around and he sees that...) ehhh!? m...... me? (blush furiously) so she still remembers me!] (the girl and the boy are playing) mitsuki-san. (he begins to speak but the image disappears) [they vanished! mitsuki-san has seen yet another dream.]

(in another scene, the little girl is running, and not far ahead, little subaru is hugging a puppy protectively, surrounded by three taller bully-like kids)

kids : hand over that dog! it's a stray dog so we are going to raise it. and since it's our dog, we can beat it and kick it as we feel like it. (tries to take it from subaru) give it back! (but subaru hugs it even tighter, the kid punches subaru who doesn't do or say anything but only glares back at them, and still hugging the dog protectively) you bastard!!

(this is what kids do... they gang up on one person... so they beat subaru up who is still hugging the dog and actually shielding it. little mitsuki stood on the side and watched sadly, afterwards the kids run away and subaru gives a sigh of relief)

little subaru : hmph.

(he smiles at the puppy and it licks him cutely, although both of them are beaten up ^^;; little mitsuki walks up to him and hands him a handkerchief)

subaru (watching on the side) : mitsuki-san, you still remember something from so long ago...... (standing on the side watching with him, is mitsuki in her kiddie form, and after that particular memory ends, she runs off again) wait!

(little mitsuki runs to another memory, where subaru is playing with many birds and they laugh and talk, the little mitsuki on the side has a rather stern expression on her face as she watches... and runs off again, and subaru chase after her again)

little mitsuki : heheh
subaru : wait!! (catches up to her)
little mitsuki (turn around) : i hate you, subaru-kun. (smile) because you are not normal.
subaru : mitsuki-san!
little mitsuki (a bit confused) : ......who are you?
subaru : i don't think you'll understand even if I explain...... but i'm sumeragi subaru.
little mitsuki : su ba ru?
subaru : you have been sleeping for four month already, if you don't wake up soon, your body in the real world will die! therefore......
little mitsuki (smirk) : liar, you are not subaru-kun. you are lying. (points to the little boy next to her) subaru-kun is right here.
subaru : no, that boy is......
little mitsuki (scream) : LIAR!
subaru (suddenly a lot of... liquid... *stuff* surrounds him) : ! (look around) blood!? (the blood is surrounding him) mi...... ! (suddenly he's surrounded by infinite # of little subarus)
little mitsuki : subaru-kun is right here.
subaru (struggling with the blood) : please listen to me! this is the world of your dreams, you are 16 years old right now! (tied down by blood, yeah who would believe it...) MITSUKI-SAN!!
little mitsuki : why can't i live in my dreams? (smile, but with tears in her eyes) i am happy, i am much much more happy than in the real world.
subaru : !! (start to chant) om...
little mitsuki (crying) : why it is just me...... why am i the only one has to suffer......
subaru (couldn't bring himself to do it ;_;) : [i can't. i am inside mitsuki-san's dream, if i hurt the world here, mitsuki-san's consciousness will also be damaged. (meanwhile, he's letting himself get hurt...... by the blood -_-;;)

(outside... seishirou lights a cigarette... oh yes, where would subaru be without seishirou?)

seishirou (lighting) : subaru-kun, you are really too kind.

(he stretches out his arm with the cigarette, and although there is nothing on it, in his shadow projected on the wall behind him, there is a falcon standing on his hand)

seishirou (says to the falcon) : please go lend a hand to subaru-kun. (and the bird flies off towards the hospital room. well, you can't really see it except for its shadow but it does make sounds ^^;; and he smiles slightly, like amused i guess) so such "fatal kindness" still exists in these times.

(in the hospital room, you see a shadow of a bird enter and then disappear into mitsuki's body, subaru is still in sleeping mode at the bed side)

subaru (inside, trapped in blood) : [mitsuki-san doesn't want to wake up. (look at her memories) but why......] (the falcon shows up, if you don't know this yet, it's called a shikigami) ! (it attacks mitsuki... well, kinda just flapped its wings in her face)
little mitsuki : KYAAAAAAAH
subaru : MITSUKI-SAN!

(the whole dream image shatters into pieces and reality breaks through, where one day when she was walking home, a few young men dragged her into a car and raped her)

little mitsuki (screams) : STOP IT-----! (crouching down and crying) stop it...... stop it already...... [i'm scared.] i thought this only happened on tv...... i thought it had nothing to do with me. not one of them was serious...... [help me.] everyone was laughing. they said...... "this is only a game"... "since you've done so well, we'll play a different game next time" [help me...!!]

(the childish image starts to turn into her current age)

mitsuki : a girl would rather die than play with them. (cries) i tired to forget. if mother knew about this, she would be so sad. when everyone started rumors, i just couldn't stand to live in that apartment anymore. therefore i want to forget everything. but no matter how I tried to forget, everyone is still gossiping. it's as if their smiles without meaning any harm are accusing me. as if they are saying, they know "everything". it hurt so much that i prayed every night before going to sleep, that i would never wake up. although certainly no one has the right to destroy another's happiness, the right to ruin another's happiness and future, yet in reality, it is a common thing. I have thought everyday since then how good it would be if this was a dream. if that incident, and the gossip in the apartment was all a dream. if i can only stay in a dream forever...... [how much better it would be if i can stay in the dream forever.] subaru-kun was always the one who appeared in my dreams. even though i'm in high school and has someone I like, the one who appears in my dreams is still "subaru-kun" whom I liked in elementary school. i liked him, subaru-kun who always had a kind smile. i was still too young then to know much about like or love, but subaru-kun was kind to everyone, so i wanted him to notice me alone and told him "I hate you". I said it so keenly that subaru-kun is not "normal" to me. because he is "special". (sadly) but subaru-kun always seemed so sad, i have hurt him too.
subaru (the falcon is now standing on his shoulder) : that's not true. (mitsuki is crying) .........because i am not you, i don't think i can really understand how your heart aches. but i do understand the feelings of your mother and the doctors who are worried about you.
mitsuki (looks at him, surprised) : subaru......kun
subaru : no one can change the past. no matter how we try, time cannot turn back. but the future... from now on, your future can only be changed by yourself. i'm sure that your mother will be sad if she hears of what happened to you, but if you continue to sleep like this, you mother will surely be much much more saddened. please, for all the people who are waiting for you, wake up. (holds out his hand to her) you have said this before, mitsuki-san. certainly...... no one has the right to ruin another's happiness and future. if you continue to sleep, your mother will not have her happiness, and...... i will also be sad.
mitsuki (crying) : subaru-kun...... really... really you will be sad, subaru-kun. (wiping away her tears and smile)
subaru (looking really embarrassed) : y...... yes.
mitsuki : I have always been calling, "help me, subaru-kun". that...... if you came, subaru-kun, all the bad dreams will go away.
subaru : i'm sorry...... i'm late.
mitsuki (smile) : there is something i must tell you, subaru-kun. (in her memory as a child, she holds the hand of little subaru and says) "i'm sorry", and...... (in her present form, she holds subaru's hand and says) "thank you".

(and her image fades away... in the hospital room, subaru slowly wakes up, and slowly, mitsuki wakes up too)

subaru : g... good morning.
mitsuki (smiles) : good morning, subaru-kun. "i'm glad" that i woke up, and is able to meet subaru-kun in the "real world". (subaru smiles)

(he goes out of the hospital room, and the mother and doctors runs towards him. the mother sees the mitsuki is up and runs over to hug her, subaru watches with a smile the happy reunion... then as he is walking out, it suddenly hit him... yes i know he is a bit slow...)

subaru (O.o) : but that shikigami-san *the bird* ...... who did it......

(x.x;;;; outside, leaning against his minivan, in seishirou's shadow, there is a bird on his shoulder)

seishirou (super cute and funny ^^ face) : hm~ a love rival has appeared. [ahahahaha~]

end of DREAM

yukie's note : i have noticed that no matter how... seishirou turns out in the end as a person, he has taught many lessons to subaru during the time they were together. i really often wonder how he could know so much yet understand so little.
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annex.smile

Tokyo Babylon
ANNEX.SMILE

(the annex stories are more like side stories, there are a few of them here and there... in here, the other character who appears is a foreigner and she doesn't speak japanese so well, so as indicated that all her speech are written in katakana)

guys (on the street at night) : hey you, miss, you alone? you're a student right, junior high? or high school?
hokuto (the girl that they are surrounding) : are you guys in public service? (ie, government workers... the guys look at her funny... apparently that's not the answer they have expected)
guys : eh?
hokuto (making their heads spin) : do you have a company? a grave? savings? (they all shake their heads, and hokuto does the ohohoho laugh) [O-----HOHOHOHOH] if you don't have any of these then don't even talk to me, you are a hundred years too early!! (and she goes away, leaving the 3 guys still looking at her funny)
a voice (suddenly) : AHHHHH!!

(two guys are holding on to a girl)

girl : help me!
man : please clam down!
girl (screams to the crowd of people) : help me! help me! (they all turn their heads to look at her but no one helps her)
man (getting violent) : hey! stop struggling. (suddenly someone taps him on the shoulder, he turns) what do you want!? (it's hokuto)
other man : who the hell are you?
man (hokuto without much effort, twists his arm behind him) : WAHHHHH!! have you made a mistake? that girl is......
hokuto (looking dark) : it doesn't matter what the situation is. but (makes a fighting pose, and girl hides behind her) men who abuse girls will go to hell.
man : you listen...... (but hokuto beats him up again) WAH! (she beat him down and the other guy yells hurriedly)
other man : w... wait, you!! let's talk...... (and hokuto suddenly jumped up into the air) !?
hokuto (gives him a flying kick) : HAH!! (in the face, and when both men are down, she drags the girl and they run for it) quick!
men (behind them) : uh...

(they run through the streets and the girl had a hard time keeping up, they finally stop in a dark alleyway)

hokuto : did you get hurt? (the girl only looks at her, hokuto smiles) a cute girl walking alone on the streets will make stupid men happy, i'll walk you.
girl : ......
hokuto (in english) : can you speak......
girl (before she finish) : i understand japanese.
men (coming their way with more people) : there they are! hey! over here!
hokuto (with this "whoops" look) : uh-oh.

(they run for it again kicking off garbage cans behind them... later when the girl is out of breath, they stop in an empty park... the girl's panting and suddenly a cold can of coke is placed against her head)

girl : ! (look up and hokuto hands her the can) thank you...... (hokuto smiles) i...... am an outsider. why did you help me?
hokuto (drinking soda) : you are not a outsider.
girl : eh...?
hokuto : an outsider is someone without a country. i haven't really studied about people of other countries but you are a citizen of your country aren't you? it's horrible to catagorize anyone as an outsider.
girl : why do you not ask me anything?
hokuto : i'm sure nothing would happen even if i asked. i'm sure there is something important to you right? that happens, "oh what's wrong? what happened? would you please tell me." and stuff would be rude to you.
girl (a bit in awe) : being rude......?
hokuto : but it's fine if you want to ask. as for now talking to anyone, even if you're speaking to some strangers on the street, you'd say different things.
girl (smile) : you are...... an interesting person...
hokuto (laugh) : everyone says that.
girl : i...... work in a "shop". the "shop"...... where men comes...... it's called a "kyabakura" *cabaret club* in japanese...... my country is far far across the ocean, it's already been two years since I came to tokyo. there are seven in my family and since papa is sick, mama cannot support the whole family alone, therefore I came out to work. in my country, there are more unemployed people than those who work, that's why we came to tokyo. but i don't know japanese and there's nothing I can really do. And as I sat in the shinjuku station here, poor and hungry, my pray was heard...... and began my current job.
hokuto (stare) : but your japanese is very good.
girl (blush) : I was taught by the customers.
hokuto (sweatdrop) : I'm glad that the customers speak in standardized *as opposed to dialects*
girl : there are both nice and scary people among the customers, but I was fine no matter how difficult it was. as long as I worked very hard, I earned money. but......
hokuto : but?
girl : the "police" are scary. I don't have a "visa", therefore if I am caught, I will be forcefully deported. The people who were chasing me before were the "police"......
hokuto (huge sweatdrop and a whoops expression) : UH... then that means I had the police............... (...beaten up? is that what you wanted to say? -_-;;)
girl : I ran away from the "shop" but was caught then. I know that I'm the one who broke the law, I'm the one who's wrong, (looks really desperate) but I don't want to go back. without the money I bring back, my family can't survive.
hokuto : .........
girl : tokyo is an incredible place. with money you have have anything you want, food or cloth or house. in my country, no matter how you tries and no matter how much you wanted something, it's no use. many things have become mine in tokyo. but of the things I had in my country, there are two things that I no longer have in Tokyo.
hokuto : what's that?
girl (sadly) : the first is "friends". although I was poor in my country, I had many friends. everyone else was also poor but they cried when I came to japan. but if I were to die here in Tokyo, no one would cry for me. (hokuto didn't say anything) the other thing... is "smile". even if I smiled, it won't make anyone happy. in my country, mama and my friends were all happy when I smiled. they say that they become happy when they see my smile. now it doesn't really matter if I smiled. in that dim shop, even if I smile, none of the customers would see. (gets up) thank you, this is the first time I have said so much to someone since I came to Tokyo...... everyone runs away if it seems like I'm about to say something. if I had only understood the language when I came to japan, I thought I could cross that wall between people, therefore I studied my best, I tried to hard to learn about Japanese people, but I was wrong. (looks quite hurt) no matter how good I become in Japanese, we "foreigners" still cannot understand the Japanese people's "hearts". even if I understand Japanese, I did not have "friends" and "smiles".

(suddenly they stop talking *at a good time* and realize that people are coming their way, running around the park searching for them)

girl : we must go quickly! you will get in trouble if you stay here!

(to her surprise, hokuto takes her hand and smiles)

hokuto : I think you've said a lot, but the police are also doing their job. it's hard for them as well. even if they work so hard, the citizens will still fuss about it. many people say that "their tax money should be better spent", but the people who work as the police pay their taxes just the same. (man she's taking her time talking... while these people are towards them)
girl : hurry!
hokuto (as the men approach) : don't leave my side.

(she takes out her lipstick and start drawing on the ground *bye bye lipstick ;_;* lines and symbols that forms a magic circle around her and the girl)

hokuto : come in. (takes the girl's hand, and she starts chanting, an energy field forms around them) JUN!!

(the energy field blasts out and KOs all the policemen, the girl watches hokuto in disbelief)

hokuto (pulls a super cute face and bows apologetically to the unconscious policemen) : i'm sorry! (and she drags the girl and runs for it ^^;;) after you told me they were the police, i am the one who is at fault. (they kinda just wanders through the city streets)
girl : why did you save me?
hokuto (smiles) : because I want to be your "friend".
girl : eh?
hokuto : you may think you are in trouble, but I want to be your friend. it is a citizen's duty to cooperate with the police, unless of course, we are talking about "friendship" here.
girl : b, but...... i'm a "foreigner"-----
hokuto : I told you that you are not a "foreigner".
girl (hesitant) : and I work at a kyabakura......
hokuto : the service business is the worst job in the world. nurses and teachers, and idol singers, they are all in the service business. people who don't understand how difficult it is don't deserve to live.
girl (clutches on to hokuto's shirt) : are you "pitying" me?
hokuto : no. after hearing a little about all of your life, it would be rude if I "pitied" you. (smiles) your life belongs to you. you shouldn't bother with others, whether it's pity or happiness. "japanese" or "foreigner", don't catagorize people like that. we are "humans" all the same. (offers a hand) I have an "interest" in you, what about you? are you "interested" in me?
girl : y, yes...
hokuto (takes her hand) : then stage one has been cleared. I will be your "friend", your first "friend" here in "tokyo". (the girl doesn't know what to say and starts to cry) you shouldn't cry, "smile". since you are busy with work, I'm sure we won't be able to meet often. then I'll be worried if someone is picking on you, if you are having scary thoughts, if you are crying. now if the "friend" that I remember always "smiled", then it'll lessen my worry a bit.

(she puts 2 fingers on the girl's cheeks and makes a motion for a smile, the girl looks up with tears on her cheeks, but a very beautiful smile)

hokuto (in english) : "smile".

(the street lights fade out...)

hokuto : there, now let me formally introduce myself, i am sumeragi hokuto.
girl (hugs hokuto and says in english) : my name is......

end of ANNEX.SMILE
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