SKIP BEAT! (by NAKAMURA Yoshiki) Chapter 1 (as appeared in "Hana to Yume" #3'2002, Hakusensha) translation by anime-cat v.1.0 (12.jan.2002) [Cover Page] Magnificent Show Biz Challenge Whatever the road, whatever the time, let's make the most of it!! SKIP BEAT [Page 1] Narration: Long ago, it was created by God. A box, made with many, many locks so that no one could open it by themselves. Narration: All people are given this unopened box by God, and then come into the world. Narration: And, a still unopened box hidden inside, Kyouko: "Alright, let me repeat you order," Narration: A young woman commendably living her life, Kyouko: "A double cheeseburger, medium French Fries and cola, one each. A Teriyaki burger, fillet of fish and cola, one each" Narration: We find right... [Page 2] Kyouko: "Is that correct?" Narration: Here. Co-worker: "Mogami-san, sorry I was late. You're off now. I'll take over for you." Kyouko: "Oh, right!" Kyouko: "Good work everybody, bye!" Co-workers: "Good work, bye!" Kyouko: "5:10!! (No way!) If I don't hurry I won't make it to 'Darumaya' (Her next part time job) in time!" (Undressing while running) [Page 3] 'Dressing Room' Maruyama Kuniko: "From now on, it's definitely Shou for me..." Friend 1: "What? Shou, you mean, the guy whose stuff has started selling recently, Fuwa Shou?" Friend 2: "No way! (Wait a minute.) Kuniko, weren't you totally into Ren!?" Kuniko: "I've changed over to Shou." Kyouko: ("Yesss!") Kuniko: "I mean, after all, Shou sings better and he's cuter." Kyouko: ("It's true, it's true.") (bragging) Friend 2: "Wait a minute! 'Shou is better?' Don't talk like Ren sings worse than Shou! (We've never once heard him sing after all.) " Kyouko: ("Obviously he sings worse. He's just an actor with a good face.") Kuniko: "Anyway, I've changed over to Shou! And the proof of that is.." [Page 4] Kuniko: "This! I got his second single first pressing bonus! Two Shou Fuwa, life-sized posters!" Friend 1: "(Which means you bought 2 CDs?)" Kuniko: "(One is to save. Of course.)" Friend 2: "(She really is serious, this chick.)" [Page 5] Kyouko: "No....way..." Kyouko: "I also bought two CDs but (a life-size poster? First pressing bonus? What the heck is that!!) They didn't even give me one of those...!!" Kyouko: "(W...WHHYYY!?!? (CD store-guy!!!!)" (Deep sea of despair, 200 miles. Deep sea fish.) "That's soooo cruel!!!" [Page 6] Kyouko: "Even though I waited outside the store the whole night before it went on sale and was the first to buy it!!" Friend 1: "Do people do that? (Normally..)" Kuniko: ("It's not like it's some game software that adults and kids have been dreaming about...)" "You can buy it without waiting all night for it..." *stare* Kyouko: "Shou-chan posterrrr! (I want one, toooo~~~)" Kuniko: "There's a hand coming out of her mouth! (Stop it! This is mine!)" Friend 1: "(Ah..she's sinking deeper.)" Friend 2: "(Won't she suffocate if we leave her like that?)" [Page 7] Friend 1: "Say...Mogami-san...didn't you get a receipt when you bought the CD?" Kyouko: "Yes, I got one." Friend 1: "Well, then, show that receipt to someone from the store and try to convince them of what happened. You might be able to get at least one copy." (Into the deep sea, a ray of light.) Friend 1: "Probably impossible, of course... (In all likelihood they won't agree to it.)" Kuniko: "A nice, courteous person like Mogami-san wouldn't be able to pick a fight with a stranger like that." (SLAM! Boom! Boom! Boom! SLAM!) Friend 1: "She left. (And faster than the eye could follow...)" Kuniko: "I thought for sure Mogami-san was a quiet-type of girl... (Serious about her work, never refusing to do whatever she's asked.)" Friend 2: "(Surprising...") "And besides that, most of all..." [Page 8] Friend 2: "I thought Mogami-san seemed like she had absolutely no interest in entertainers." Friend 2: "But she's a person who really gets serious about it..." Kyouko: " Move move move move move!!" Guy on bridge: "What, what!?" Kyouko: Shou-chan's poster Shou-chan's poster Shou-chan's poster Shou-chan's poster Shou-chan's poster Shou-chan's poster Shou-chan's poster Shou-chan's poster Shou-chan's poster Shou-chan's poster Shou-chan's poster [Page 9] Kyouko: Shou-chan's poster!! Kyouko: "I...I..." [Page 10] Kyouko: "Didn't get... Shou-chan's poster." Store clerk: "B...boss!" Store manager: "(I apologize, that day at that time, I hadn't yet told the salesclerks the details about the first pressing bonus)" Store clerk: "(Um, all we have now are the store posters. If this would be okay...?)" [Page 11] Kyouko: Thank goodness Kyouko: The people from the store were more understanding than I expected. Kyouko: ("I did't have any proof that I didn't receive it, I was all prepared for them to just tell me they must have given it to me. And they even said they'd make arrangements for the other one I didn't get if there are any left. [How very nice of them...I'm glad I tried so hard to get here and check!]") Kyouko: "Now I can go to my next job and not feel dow..." Kyouko: "Oh, noooo!! 5:45!! The boss is going to be furious with me!!" [Page 12] 'Darumaya' Okami-san: "Well, you know...Of course, we want you to come on time, we love that about your character, but you know, it's normally a distance that takes 40 minutes to travel!" Okami-san: "You didn't have to make it in 15 minutes you know?! (oh, this girl!) Just how much did you have to push yourself!!" (Pushed totally and completely) Kyouko: "Hohamihyan~~~" Okami-san: "Come on, can you drink?" Okami-san: "Ah..." (Doesn't even have the strength to close her mouth) Okami-san: "Oh dear, you're not going to be able to work like this." Okami-san: "Uh, Kyouko-chan..!?" (Moulting) [Page 13] Kyouko: " 'ill 'ork" ("Today I bought Shou-chan's CD after all...") Kyouko: "If I take off even one day, I won't be able to pay the rent." Okami-san: "You live in such an expensive mansion? (You've said you go to other jobs, right?)" "Do you live alone?" Kyouko: "........." Okami-san: "Well, I guess it doesn't matter... but, what ever your reasons may be, coming to Tokyo right after leaving middle school, working all day without even going to high school, there's something wrong with that!" [Page 14] Okami-san: "An adolescent, young girl with such dishevelled hair everyday... (today it's worse than usual of course)" "(But when you come here it's always messed up, isn't it?)" Okami-san: "Don't you want to try dressing up and stuff like other girls your age?" [Page 15] Teacher: "Kyouko-chan, you're always reading princess stories, aren't you?" Kyouko: Who at first, wore more worn-out clothes than anyone and had bad luck, Kyouko: In the end had become more beautiful than anyone and most loved by everyone, Kyouko: Living happily ever after with the prince "princess" stories were my favourite. Kyouko: Someday, I want to become like a "princess," it was my dream as a child. But... Kyouko: ("When you're growing up you figure out that you can't become "beautiful" for free.") [Page 16] Okami-san: ('Don't you think about dressing up and stuff?') Kyouko: Ah~~ Stop, stop!! Kyouko: ("The things that I want are secondary.") Kyouko: I'll just do without dressing up!! Kyouko: After all, even if I can't be a "princess," Kyouko: I am.... Kyouko: ("Ah....") [Page 17] Kyouko: The lights are one! Kyouko: No way! Kyouko: Could it be? Kyouko: Could it be? Could it be? Kyouko: He's come home!? Kyouko: After all, I am, [Page 18] Kyouko: "Shou-cha~~~n!?" Kyouko: With the prince, Shou: "You..." [Page 19] Shou: "Don't yell so loud. (I've told you.)" Shou: "What are you gonna do if the whole neighbourhood finds out!!" Kyouko: Happily, Kyouko: "Ah... (Sorry, I didn't mean to, I was just happy)" Kyouko: Living together. Kyouko: Shou-chan and I, Shou: "(OK, let's head out!)" Kyouko: "(Yes, commander!)" Kyouko: Are childhood friends. [Page 20] Kyouko: Ever since I was little, because of my parent's circumstances, I would often be taken in by Shou-chan's family, so it's like I grew up with him. (It was just like we were one person!) Kyouko: That's why I know, Kyouko: "Shou-chan have you eaten dinner?" Kyouko: What to say to make Shou-chan happy and stuff, better than anyone else!! Kyouko: "Shall I make something for you now!?" Shou: "Why wouldn't I have eaten? It's already 11 oclock." Kyouko: "That's right...it is..." (Hasn't eaten yet) Shou: "More importantly, why isn't there a single beer in the refrigerator? (What a drag.)" Kyouko: "Huh, but ... I don't drink beer and, lately, your cell phone is always on voice mail and you don't tell me when you're coming home so..." Shou: "So, it's my fault?" [Page 21] Shou: "I'm busy, you know. I don't have the time to be calling you about every little thing." Kyouko: "Yes... (that's true isn't it...) You have a point..." Kyouko: Somehow, every time Shou-chan comes home, he gets in a bad mood. ("Why?") When we first got to Tokyo he was so nice... '10:30pm' Kyouko: "No way! You waited to eat with me, Shou-chan?" (a gift from Darumaya) Shou: "I couldn't eat when you're working. (Nothing to eat anyway.)" Kyouko: ("Maybe, it's that when you become famous, your office is always telling you to do this or do that... ") Kyouko: Shou-chan really hates to be controlled by people. Kyouko: ("At a time like this, I need to buy that stuff that never fails.") Kyouko: I'm sure that's it... Kyouko: "Shou-chan, I'm going out to buy something. (I'll be right back, 'kay.)" Kyouko: After all, Shou-chan came to Tokyo to get away. He doesn't like to have his life controlled. Kyouko: Shou-chan's family is [Page 22] Kyouko: A prominent,, big, long-standing Japanese inn chain, that has it's main branch in Kyoto. Shou-chan is the only son of the owner's of the main branch. Someday, 'Marrying a nice girl and taking over the inn,' to him that life was as bad as dying. Shou: "You've go to be kidding! I want to have a more exciting life!! (An inn is run by a woman anyway. Why do I have to hide in the shadow of a woman!?)" Shou: "My future is as the guy to make a fortune for Japan's entertainment industry!!" Shou's father: "You're still on about that dream nonsense!!" Kyouko: Whenever it came to 'talking about the future,' the fight with his parents would never end. Kyouko: Shou-chan thought hard about it and at the same time as he graduated from middle school... Shou: "If I stay in that house any longer, they'll definitely set me up with some plain, boring, local girl!!" Kyouko: Aiming to become the entertainer he'd dreamed of being since he was little, he decided to leave for Tokyo. Shou: "The other day I overheard my dad and mom making up a list of girls to hook me up with! (It's terrible. I can't put it off a moment longer!)" Kyouko: And, after all, I also didn't want to see Shou-chan together with some other girl Shou: "Kyouko..." [Page 23] Shou: "Would you come with me?" Kyouko: The fact that Shou-chan didn't ask anyone else, but picked me made me so happy, I agreed without even thinking about it. Kyouko: Even though there were tons of other girls who swarmed around him. (He was the vocalist in a band.) Kyouko: That's why, as long as Shou-chan's dream comes true, my concerns, [Page 24] Kyouko: Are secondary. Kyouko: "Shou-chan, are you leaving again?" Kyouko: No way...won't he be home for today... Shou: "I just came to pick up a change of clothes." Kyouko: "Ah..." Kyouko: Oh...Oh no! "W...Wait!" Just when I finally get to see him after such a long time. Kyouko: "I just..." [Page 25] Kyouko: "Went out and bought some Kurigo Pucchin Pudding!! (Don't you want some?)" 'Pucchin Pud.d.ding' Shou: "Ya know, I'm just so famous now. I can't just walk into a convenience store or the super market. (Happiness... It's been so long...) And I'm so cool I can't just be so unhip as to ask someone to go buy some pudding for me." Kyouko: " Yup, yup!" Kyouko: Thank goodness. He's cheered up. (And I successfully kept him from leaving) Kyouko: ("This was just the medicine he needed.") Kyouko: That's right, there's one other subject that will make Shou-chan happy!! "That reminds me, Shou-chan," [Page 26] Kyouko: "A girl named Maruyama-san at my part-time job said that she's changed over from Tsuruga Ren to you!" Shou: "(What!!) Really?" Shou: "Grreat!! (I've captured one of that jerk's fans! Just what you'd expect from me!)" Kyouko: "She complimented you saying your singing was really good." Shou: ("It is isn't it, it is isn't it.") Shou: "The day when I take the seat of top guy in the entertainment world away from that guy isn't far!! (Just watch, peasant. That TSURUGA REN whose been standing in my way!!)" "The best man in Japan isn't you! (It's me!)" Kyouko: ("I better not mention that she said his singing was good AND he's cute.") Kyouko: ("Shou-chan is particular about being a 'cool guy'") TV Host: "Ok, everyone! Sorry to have kept you waiting! Today's big guest is HIM! That's right!" TV Host: "The number one guy you'd like to be held by. The uncontested 'Top Guy' of the entertainment world." [Page 27] TV Host: "Tsuruga Ren!" Ren: "Thank you." Fans: "(Ren! Ren! Look over here!)" TV Host: "As expected, you're extremely popular!" Kyouko: "H-half of those people are definitely fakes!!" TV Host: "Anyway, Ren-san, you have very long legs, don't you!! (How long is the inseam of your trousers?)" Ren: "I don't know, I've never had it measured so..." [Page 28] Kyouko: "I'm sure 15 cm are because he's wearing those "Mr. Hidden" things!!" (Mr. Hidden - Secret Shoes) TV Host: "And your face is so small." Kyouko: "His head, his head! She said his head was small not his face!! And his brain is the size of a die so when he shakes his head, of course it just clatters!!" TV Host: "In a survey of women in their early twenties you were chosen as absolutely the number one guy they want to be held by! Here are the results!" TV Host: "How do you feel about that?" Kyouko: "AH." (SLAM!) Kyouko: "Shou-cha~~~~n" Kyouko: ('Shou-chan don't worry about it!!') [Page 29] Kyouko: ('You're just still a little too young for women in their twenties!!'[You're just 16, after all.] When you become twenty like Tsuruga Ren, you'll also...') Shou: ('Are you also going to say that as a man I don't even measure up to that guys ankles? [As it is, I can only look just old enough.]') Kyouko: ('You're wrong, that's not what...') Shou: ('I'm not wrong!!') Shou: ('I want to match up to that guy right now!!') Kyouko: ('Shou-chan, wai...') [Page 30] TV Host: "And now, on to the thing your fans are wondering about. Ren-san, what kind of person would your ideal woman be?" Ren: "Well, let's see... A woman who is gentle, but strong inside I suppose..." Kyouko: "Tsuruga Ren, you JERK!! (Disappear)!!" [Page 31] Voice mail: "When your message is complete, please push the pound sign." Kyouko: "Shou-chan..." Kyouko: "I'm sorry about last night, I made you mad.Y, you know, to me, the way you are now you're way cooler than someone like Tsuruga Ren!!" Kyouko: "Even if other girls don't understand that, I do understand it." Kyouko: "To me you're number one!" Kyouko: ("[Hah...] I wonder if that will cheer him up...") [Page 32] Kyouko: I can't see his face over the telephone so I can't know... Kyouko: That's it! ("Today is the second Wednesday of the month, Darumaya is closed.") Kyouko: I'll go see him!! ("As I recall, he's suppose to be on a live song show... (Maruyama-san talked about it.") Kyouko: ("Whoa~~ [Ama~~zing]") ("There's a ton of girls... [Waiting for him to come out, I guess.]") Kyouko: That entire group is Shou-chan's fans. Fan 1: "The car's been called for." Fan 2: "This time I'm gonna find out what Shou's build is..." Fan 3: "Fight!" Fan 4: "Today for sure, I'm going to touch Shou!" Kyouko: It's kind of funny..." [Page 33] Kyouko: After all, way back when and now Kyouko: "Excuse me, I'm with a delivery service, Fuwa-san ordered it. (Specially.)" Kyouko: It's perfectly natural for me, Kyouko: "(Did it, I made it through.)" ("I'm glad I'm a Moz-girl!!") Kyouko: To be in a place where I'm in contact with Shou-chan. Kyouko: The fact that Shou-chan chose me, it's ok, for me to be a little hopeful about that, isn't it? Shou: "'Even if other girls don't understand, I do understand,' she says." [Page 34] Shou: "Even if I'm number one with you, it's not like it's something to be proud of or anything." [Page 35] Kyouko: Huh...? Shouko: "I'm surprised you can say something like that...." Shouko: "Up until now you've had that girl working all by herself earning the living expenses, haven't you? Are you being a little harsh?" Shou: "We're talking about me, ya know? I, the prince of Japan's leading inns, can't do things like clean and wash clothes, not to mention cook food." Shou: "Do you think I, helpless as a baby like that, could come to Tokyo alone and survive?" Shouko: "Oh man, the way you talk, it's as if you brought her with you in place of a housekeeper." [Page 36] Shou: ('Kyouko') Shou: "It's not 'as if.' Ever since we were kids that is what she's been to me. She'd help out a lot at the inn and she'd never get upset at anything I said to her. If not," Shou: ('Would you come with me?') Shou: "I never would have choosen her." [Page 37] Who at first... Shou: "Besides, It's not like I'm forcing her, ya know?" Wore more worn-out clothes than anyone... And had bad luck. Shou: "I asked her 'Would you come with me?' with a question mark at the end." Shou: "I gave her a chance to make a choice." In the end, was more beautiful than anyone... Shou: "And then she came with me because she wanted to." And most beloved, Shou: "In which case," Happy with the prince... Shou: "It's only natural that she should work her tail off for my sake. (There's no way I'm shedding a single sweat drop on anything outside this business.)" [Page 38] Shouko: "Well, since you can survive on your own earnings now, why don't you let her go? She isn't even going to high school, is she?" Shouko: "You're being sent to school by the company, after all." Shou: "OK, I will, I will. I'll send her back to Kyouto." Shou: "As long as you, Shouko-san, take care of me in her place." Shouko: "Yeah, well...I'm already doing that...You come over and stay at my house and hardly ever go home... (Under the auspices of me carrying out my duties as manager.)" Shou: "After all..." [Page 39] Shou: "Someone like you is my type. (Pheromone-wise)" Shou: "In spite of that, when it came to my parents, they ignored what I wanted and tried to get me together with my childhood friend, Kyouko to take over the inn. (They said because she has good sense.)" Shou: ('If I stay in that house any longer, they'll definitely set me up with some plain, boring local girl!!') Shou: "You've gotta be kidding me!" Kyouko: In other words, [Page 40] Shou: "That makeup-less, unappealing girl." Sign: The plain, boring, local girl. (The lowest common denominator) [Page 41] Shou: "Kyouko" Shouko: "What? That childhood friend!?" Kyouko: "Even though I was plain and boring," Kyouko: "You were the one who brought me to Tokyo." [Page 42] Shou: "Because it was convenient." Kyouko: "I see..." *stagger* Kyouko: "Huh..." Shou: "Geez, don't cry! It's annoying...!!" Kyouko: "Ha ha ha ha" Kyouko: "Hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah" Shou: "...?" [Page 43] Demons: (Resentment, Malice, Hate) Kyouko: "AH HO HO HO HO HO HO HO!!" Angels: "As long as it's for Shou-chan, it's OK if the things I'd like are secondary. It's OK. Ah haha! Shou-chan is number one! Heh he he!" [Page 44] Kyouko: "Take that!" Kyouko: "To me, you were everything..." Kyouko: How dare you play around with my life like that~~~ Demon: Taking advantage of my affection Demon: Hatefulness, 100 fold Demon: Hate Demon: Hate Demon: You are Kyouko: HATEFUL!! [Page 45] Kyouko: "I'm going to get revenge!!" Shou: "Huh?" Shou: "You? On me? How?" Shou: "As it is, you can't even lay one finger on me." Shouko: "Throw her out, please" Kyouko: "NOoo. Let go of me! Put me down! Oooh! Don't get in my way!!" Shou: "No chance, no chance." Shou: "From here, I'm going to rise more and more in stardom." Shou: "A place a worthless, ordinary person like you," Shou: "Couldn't possibly reach." Shou: "Of course, I have no intention of returning to that mansion where you'll be waiting." Shou: "If you want to get revenge on me, you'll have to break into the entertainment business." Shou: "Of course, there's no chance you can do that." Hair stylist: "Alright," [Page 46] Hair stylist: "The back looks like this." Receptionist: "Well, miss, with just a cut and a colouring," Receptionist: "Your look has changed quite a bit, hasn't it?" Kyouko: "Y...yes, it has..." Receptionist: "I'll bet you yourself didn't even think you would change so much, did you?" Kyouko: "Y...yes, you're right..." *babump babump* Kyouko: ("No, this' ok...") Kyouko: Money is meant to be spent!! ("For my own sake!!") Receptionist: "Well, then, adding in the cost of styling, the total cost of your bill comes to 24,000 yen." Receptionist: "Alright, out of 30,000 yen." Receptionist: "Your change is..." Kyouko: "I don't need the change." Receptionist: "Huh?" Kyouko: "You can help me out." Kyouko: I'm... [Page 47] Kyouko: Really going to do it!! Kyouko: "As of now, I'm getting rid of my old self!!" Kyouko: Just watch, Shoutaro~~~!! (His secret, real, first name.) The battle has begun! Go! Kyouko! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Translation by anime-cat. Do not use without permision! More information about "Skip Beat!" can be found at: http://www.zaha.net/shoujo/nakamura/skip/skipbeat.html Contact email: zahara@washuu.swb.de Thanks! -----------------------------------------------------------------------------