SKIP BEAT!  (by NAKAMURA Yoshiki)


Chapter 3 (as appeared in "Hana to Yume" #5'2002, Hakusensha)
translation by anime-cat
v.1.0  (08.feb.2002)


[Cover Page]
Magnificent Show-biz Challenge

Stand By, OK!? (Are you ready to go for it!?)

SKIP BEAT!

Act 3: The Hair-raising Party (1)


[Page 1]
Kyouko: ("Ugh ugh...!! Tsu...")

[Page 2]
Kyouko: ("Tsuruga Ren!!!")
Ren: *pick up* *stare*
Kyouko: "Ah!"
Ren: "New talent search audition... Huh...So you broke down Sawara-san."
Kyouko: "... (uh...) Umm... (the application form...)" ("..wah... what a pain... he looks like he's
going to say something....")
Ren: *glance*
Kyouko: !
*sigh* *shake shake*
Kyouko: "Wha..!?"
Kyouko: ("What the heck does that mean!! How rude!!") *pissed*
Kyouko: "Wha...What do you mean by that? That "you're wasting your time, you'll just fail
and regret it in the end" sigh!!"

[Page 3]
Ren: "That's amazing, do you have psychic powers? (Telepathy? Psychometry?)"
Kyouko: *Pissed* "Anyone would understand when you're being so obvious about it!! (It
isn't telepathy or psychometry!!)"
Kyouko: "I...I don't think I'm wasting my time at all!!" ("After all, I believe I can do
it!!")
Ren: "You don't understand, do you? You wouldn't be the only person wasting their time.
I'm saying you'll also be wasting the time of the judges who have to deal with you. (It's
not like they have nothing to do without you bothering them.)"
Kyouko: *Fury* ("How rude can you get!!?")
Ren: "The entertainment industry isn't for just anybody. Besides which, you want to get
into it even though you don't really like the entertainment industry? "
Kyouko: ("Well, it's true... I don't have the purest of motives.")
Ren: "Why do you want to get into this business so badly that you'd go so far as breaking
down Sawara-san? Popularity? Or maybe you want some excitement?"

[Page 4]
Kyouko: "To get revenge!! On Fuwa Shou!!" ("Do not...")
Kyouko: "Do you have a problem with that!?"

[Page 5]
Kyouko: ("Compare me to some bored, spoiled high school girls!!")
Ren: "..."
Kyouko: ("What do you think of that!? Making fun of me...!!")
Ren: "Fu..."
Ren: "fuwa FUWA Fuwa Fuwa..." [Accessing the internet with his cel phone]
Kyouko: "Why are you looking him up?! It's Fuwa Shou!! You've heard of him, haven't you!?
You know of him, don't you!? He's popular right now!! A popular musician!! His debut
single shoot to the top of the charts, he's a genius!!"
Kyouko: "Why do I have to put all my energy into praising him like this!! Waaaaaaaaah!!
(Who's a "genius"? Infuriating!! Stupid me!!)" *Bang bang bang*
Ren: "Ah. I see, this guy."
Kyouko: *stop*... *peek* ... ...

Ren: "Well, if this is all you're up against you don't even have to be able to sing a
decent song to get your heart's desire. (heh...)" *Pat*

[Page 6]
Ryouko: ("'If this is all,' what does that mean!? 'heh,' he says... He's laughing!?")
Ryouko: ("He's completely making fun of me!! Y...you...")
Ren: "But... of course, that's only if you pass the audition, you know?"
Kyouko: "I'll pass! I'll definitely pass! (I'll make sure I pass!)" *hmph hmph*
Ren: "Don't be so sure. The audition will be different from convincing just Sawara-san
alone."
Ren: "Don't think that determination alone will always carry you through."

[Page 7]
Kyouko: ("Wha... What!?")

[Page 8]

Ren: "But...well, you seem to be the type that doesn't understand even if you're told
straight out so, just go ahead with your confident "determination"..."
Kyouko: ("Ah... huh...?")
Kyouko: ("For a second there... I felt so much hostility but... Was it my imagination?")
Ren: "With all your might, plowing ahead at full speed..."
Ren: "Coming to an ultimate defeat without even leaving a memory. (All talk and no
action.)"
Ren: "Here you go." 
Kyouko: "I will not be "defeated!!"
Kyouko: ("For some reason he's saying all these infuriating things to me but...")
Kyouko: ("It's just, even though I've felt hostility towards him since I first met him, I
can't think of any reason for him to be hostile towards me!! That's right! It doesn't
make any sense!!")
Daruma clock: [2:35am]
Kyouko: "Besides which, what does he mean by 'Don't think that confidence alone will
always carry you through!!' Like he's so great!!"
[Audition form]
Kyouko: What was he doing, trying to scare me?!
[She was scared.]
Kyouko: "I'll show him."

[Page 9]
Kyouko: ("How superior is the entertainment world!? Who does he think he is!? Don't think
that just by seeing someone famous everybody's going to be so moved they're choked with
tears and put their hands together to worship them, Tsuruga Ren! Ultimately we're all
just human beings!!") "Just watch, Tsuruga Ren!!"
[Tack] 
Kyouko: "I'm going to make a speed debut and skip directly into stardom!! I'm gonna fly
past the preliminaries."
[Cut out of a magazine left behind by a customer in 'Darumaya']
Kyouko: "Then you are going to stand next to that idiot in front of me and say this!!"

[Page 10]
Kyouko: (Shou/Ren: 'WE GIVE UP! We underestimated you, Kyouko.')
Kyouko: (Ren: 'Please let me be your follower.')
Kyouko: (Shou: 'Please let me be your slave.')
[This is a poster from a magazine she also got from a customer.]
[The difference in size represents the difference in Kyouko's malice.]
Kyouko: "AHAHAHAHA, This is such a joyous thrill!! Good, good, say more!! HOHOHOHO!"
[The next room]
Okami-san: "Dear...Kyouko-chan is laughing out loud all by herself... And talking to someone...
in the middle of the night..."
[It's kind of scary...]
Narration: And with that, at last it comes, Kyouko's magnificent revenge play begins with
a flourish.

[Page 11]
Narration: The day of the audition.
Sign: LME Entertainment Production 
         27th Live New Talent Audition
          No. 31 ~ 61 Waiting Room
Kyouko: "W...o..ooow....."

[Page 12]
Kyouko: *stunned* ("Ama~zing... There are so many people... So, I just have to catch the eye
of the company president from among all these others. Incredible. They are all so
beautiful!! I'm sure they've all put on such beautiful make-up because they're trying to
become famous. *sigh* That's not right!! Is this the time to be sighing in admiration!?
They're making me look insignificant!!") *fading*
Other girls: *crystal clear*

[Page 13]
Kyouko: ("That's not fair!! It's obvious that a person with nice make-up is going to look
more appealing to anyone!! NOooo!! Before it even starts they have an advantage over me!!
No, but that's right. Just because I don't (can't) wear make-up, it doesn't mean everyone
else won't. Ah... dammit! If only this audition was next month!! I could use the money I'll
get paid at the end of the month from 'Darumaya'! What is with this horrible timing!?
Shoutaro's curse!? Stupid Shoutaro put a curse on me!? Infuriating!!")
Kyouko: "I guess Voodoo dolls do need the hair of the person you're putting the curse
on."
[A fun crafts project she's begun recently]
[She really wanted to use a proper straw or wax doll but she didn't have the money so
she's challenging herself to make them by hand.]
[A sewing kit borrowed from 'Darumaya's' Okami-san.]
Angry Lady: "Unbelievable!!"
Angry Lady: "Who is it?! Who brought a brat to a place like this!? I'm here for a serious
battle with my life on the line!! Don't go bringing domestic stuff into a kill or be
killed place like this!! It destroys the mood!! Unbelievable!!"
Kyouko: ("That girl sure complains a lot.")

[Page 14]
Angry Lady: "Where is the mother!? The mother!!" *glare*
Kyouko: "Huh!?"
Angry Lady: "Get out of my site!!"
Lady 1: "She threw her!"
Lady 2 "She threw her!"
Lady 3 "She threw a child!"
Lady 4 "What a horrible woman!!"
Kyouko: "She isn't my child!!"

[Page 15] 
Angry Lady: "I know that!! In this day and age, a young girl sitting here sewing with a
needle and thread!! What are you, a housewife!? Ah!! Horrible!! It's so domestic!! Stop
it stop it stop it stop it!!! Geez!! This is a place that creates an air of excitement!!
Don't go giving off the scent of everyday life!! It's annoying!! An eyesore!! It's
infuriating!!"
Kyouko: "Wha..."
Angry Lady: "That's why I want you and that kid to disappear!! You don't belong here!!"
Kyouko: ("Why... do I have to be talked to like that by a person I've just met, whose name
I don't even know...? I was just making a voodoo doll... Somehow, she is the only person I
don't want to lose to... In that case, what does it matter if I don't have any make-up on!?
 A person's appeal doesn't come from make-up!! Right!!")
Lady 2: "Are you all right? Did you get separated from your mother, little girl?"

[Page 16]
Kyouko: ("There's a weapon that every person is born with.")
Lady 2: "Or maybe from your big sister? Can you tell us your name?"
Little Girl: *Sniff sniff whine whine*
Lady 3: "As I recall, there's also a waiting room for numbers 1 through 30."
Lady 2: "Maybe there?"
Little Girl: *Whine whine sniff sniff*
Kyouko: ("And that is...")
*STRETCH*
Lady 1&2 : "~~~~!!!"
Little Girl: "!!!"
Lady 1: "Wha...what are you doing!? To a crying child... Another horrible woman!!"
Lady 2: "Are you a monster!?"
Kyouko: ("A holy light that people release from inside themselves...")

[Page 17]
Kyouko: ("An aura!!")
Lady 1: "Aah! What...!?"
Lady 2: "She's started eminating something evil!!"
Kyouko: *Roar roar roar* "Little girl..."
[Apparently, this is the ultimate beauty humans possess.]
Kyouko: "...You..."
Kyouko: "Women and children think that if they cry someone will come help them, don't
they?"

[Page 18]
Judge 1: "Whew.... Oh, man... At last~~, we've finished with numbers 1 through 30, the first
half of the primary judging... "
Judge 2: "It's a little early to be relieved; there are still half of them left."
Assistant: "Excuse me."
Judge 1: "I know that."
Judge 2: "But, you know, there weren't many with talent that really grabbed me."
[Acting Department.]
Judge 1: "Really? There were quite a few I liked."
[Singing Department]
Judge 2: "No, that's not what I mean. You know, people who become stars, from the time
they first start they have an air about them and you just know they'll be a star."
Judge 1: "Oh yeah, an aura, right?"
Sawara-san: ("Man, didn't she have a better picture than this? You have to smile in a
picture you use for an audition, you know? She's got this cold, stern crease between her
eyes...")
[Because she took these herself using a (cheap) disposable camera, most of them were out
of focus and in all the ones that were decent she was making this kind of face. (Because
she was desperate.)]

[Page 19]
Sawara-san: ("If I hadn't pulled a few strings, you wouldn't have passed the application
judging...")
Sawara-san: ("Wouldn't have passed...!? Wait a minute!! If she doesn't pass this primary
judging, what will happen!? What will become of me...")
Sawara-san: (Demons: "Horrible! Horrible! Horrible! Horrible! I curse you for life! I
curse all the generations after you! I curse you forever!! Your happy family!")
Axe: Hate
Sawara, Daughter, Wife: "AAaaah!!"
Judge 1: "Oh, it's about time for the second half of the judging to start."
Sawara: *ba-bump*

[Page 20]
Assistant: "Then I'll go call for contestants number 31 to 61."
Judge 2: "Please do."
Sawara: (" A...AAaah!!" Just wait a little longer!! I'm not mentally prepared!!")
Assistant: "All right, everyone, I'm going to show you to the audition hall so please get
ready."
Lady 1: "Aaah!! It's finally time! What'll I do?"
Lady 2: "I'm so nervous."
Angry Lady: "It's finally our turn!! I was getting tired of waiting!!"

[Page 21]
Assistant: "Please get in two rows by number."
Kyouko: (" ...At last!!")
Little girl: *smirk*

[Page 22]
Ren: "It's about time for the second half to start I guess."
Suit: "Huh? What's starting?"
Stage crew: "Scene 21 set is ready."
Ren: "... The second half."
Suit: "The second half of what?"
Ren: "The LME auditions."
Suit: "... "
Stage Crew: "Kiuchi-san, please do the camera rehearsal."
Suit: "Well, this is unusual. Ren is actually concerned about the company auditions. Even
though we have new people coming in every year, you only just realized they have
auditions. Is there someone in particular you're interested in?"

[Page 23]
Ren: "...Yeah... in a way..."
Ren: ("'Revenge.' With such a stupid motivation...")

[Page 24]
Ren: ("How long will she last?")
Sign: New Talent Search Audition Hall
Announcer: "All right, everyone, all of you get on the stage. Numbers 31 to 46 in the
front row and all the rest in the back row. After we introduce the judges, we'll want all
of you to present yourselves one at a time."
Kyouko: ("Ah... It's Sawara-san!!")
Sawara: ("S...she's looking at me. Is she threatening me!?")
Sawara: (Kyouko: "You know what you have to do.")
Announcer: "And the second person from the inside is the Talent Section Chief Sawara."
Kyouko: ("Does Sawara-san have a headache?")
[He kind of has a headache.]

[Page 25]
Announcer: "And on the inside, who in recent years became independent from LME..."
Kyouko: ("!?...Wait a minute? Where is LME's president!?")
[An important person from the singing department.]
[An important person from the acting department.]
[Sawara-san, who seems to be out of it for some reason.]
[After hearing the word "independent," someone who doesn't matter.]
Kyouko: ("The all important president of the company isn't here!!")
*BAM!*
Girls: YAaaah!!

[Page 26]
 Kyouko: "Wha... wha..."
Voices: "Rurururururururuururururu"
*Boom boom boom boom*
*Shake shake shake shake*
*spin spin spin spin*

[Page 27]
Voices: Ruwabo!
Angry Lady: "What is this?"
[Unbelievable use of the hips to draw the attention of the eye.]
Kyouko: "And... what I've been wondering about is who that guy is who almost seems to be
swimming from the center of all those enthusiastic girls?"
Voices: Ruwami!
*spin spin spin*
Voices: Ruwami!

[Page 28]
Kyouko: ("No way")
Angry Lady: ("No way")
Lady 1-6: ("No way")
Announcer: "Umm... And now I'd like to introduce to everyone the president of LME
Productions." *embarrassed*
Hat: *toss* *spin spin spin*
[In a deep voice]
LME President: "Rolly... Takarada." [His personal mike]

[Page 29]
LME President: "Nice to meet you, everybody."
*shock*



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Translation by anime-cat. Do not use without permision!
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http://www.zaha.net/shoujo/nakamura/skip/skipbeat.html
Contact email: zahara@washuu.swb.de
Thanks!
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