Shoujo Manga Pages
Index Page
Manga Pages
My art

These synopsis are done by Zahara Medina and can't be used anywhere else without her consent. As she is just a student of Japanese, there are bound to be mistakes. If you spot any mistake, please report it to me, thanks! :) (comments are also appreciated....)
(And remember to buy these tankobon if you like the summaries, it's the best way of thanking the authors and the synopsis are nothing compared to the real thing! ^^ )

Note: B/w scans are from the magazine, where the print is in low quality paper and different ink colors so it sometimes scans pretty bad and leaves lots of noise in the picture. The tankoubon quality is, of course, much better (perfect, that is).

previous chapter

Chapter 40 (May'2004)
Note: Dark haired Hanzou (our main character in this story) = Hanzou. Blonde Hanzou (main character of Tsuki no Toiki, Ai no Kizu) = Hanzou II. Hanzou Sr. = Blonde Hanzou's father. Outside, Kouga Lord confronts Hikaru as Hikaru throws a flaming arrow into a building, which causes another huge explosion that knocks the other man out. Inside, Hanzou wakes Usagi up and they all take Goemon outside as the buildings catch on fire. Rihei finds his brother with severe burns and he tells them it was Hikaru. Usagi then sees the whole town is on fire and remembers all the sick people that were inside. Usagi runs into the buildings wondering why Hikaru would punish the whole town. She helps people evacuate and then notices the little sick girl has been left behind. She goes to her, burning her feet and legs in the process and takes her out in her arms. But unfortunately the roof starts to collapse on her as she leaves... and Hikaru saves the day. Hikaru asks where Sasuke is, while Usagi wants to know why he burnt the whole town. Hikaru tells her he wanted to end it all, and leaves as Hanzou arrives to the scene. As Hanzou takes them back to the group, Usagi wonders why Hikaru saved them. Usagi tries to treat the Kouga Lord as well as she can, while Goemon defends Hikaru and tells them that he is the one who did something horrible to Hikaru. 13 years ago... A very young Goemon is on his way when he fids a stray kid lying on the road. He wakes him up and realizes he has blonde hair! The boy is scared and tells Goemon he is not a demon (*), but Goemon just wants to be friends and tells him he has very pretty hair. Little Goemon and Little Hikaru become fast friends. Goemon tells Hikaru about how he is a ninja and wants to become a fine man for the sake of his bride to be, cute little Usagi. Hikaru agrees he would also try hard if he had such an incentive, but Goemon tells him they should all try the same hard in living well. Goemon and Hikaru decide to meet again on each full moon and Goemon gives Hikaru a little monkey, which Hikaru names Sasuke. However the next time they meet, Hikaru appears all bloody and beaten up. Hikaru confesses he doesn't want to belong to Kouga anymore and Goemon says that next time they meet, he will take him to be an Iga ninja. But of course Goemon's lord wouldn't agree to it and Goemon couldn't meet Hikaru again and so wasn't able to keep his promise. Because of that, Hikaru doesn't trust anybody but himself. As Goemon explains all this, Hikaru is still searching for Sasuke. But Sasuke has been taken and Hikaru falls into a trap. As several men start to beat him up, Goemon asks for someone to help Hikaru. (*: In Japanese folklore/mythology, human-like demons have white hair.)
Chapter 41 (May'2004)
Note: Dark haired Hanzou (our main character in this story) = Hanzou. Blonde Hanzou (main character of Tsuki no Toiki, Ai no Kizu) = Hanzou II. The village men bring Hikaru to Usagi and the rest. Kouga Lord orders him to be executed, but Usagi stops them and tells them to use her killing medicine. Goemon notices what she is doing. After a bit, Usagi asks Hanzou to help her take Hikaru to the forest and bury him. After they've walked for a while, Hikaru suddenly regains consciousness and Usagi explains about the medicine to a surprised Hanzou. Usagi tells Hikaru that he has died for the Kouga clan, so he can't return there anymore, and can live his own life from now on. She tells him it's Goemon's wish. Usagi says that even now Goemon is still his friend. Hikaru leaves after telling Usagi to take good care of Goemon because she is the source of his happiness. Usagi is surprised at his words. Back at the town Kouga Lord seems to be getting better. Suzune's kids suddenly arrive, along with some people form Iga. Hanzou stops them before they reveal Suzune's real identity though. But just as they part ways and start to leave with Hanzou and Usagi... the kids call to "uncle Hanzou". Ooops. (^^; ) But Suzune/Kotone's husband Rihei tells her that no matter where she really is from, she is his wife. Romantic moment ensues. On the way home, Usagi is still pondering over Hikaru's words. At Iga, Yuuri is waiting for them. Yuuri is too harsh with the poor man, so Usagi tries to keep taking care of him, even though Hanzou tells her to go take a bath (she's sill covered with burns and soot... ^^; ). Hanzou seems to be bothered by something... Hanzou II approaches him as he is watering Usagi's tree (see ninja training chapters). He wonders if something happened in Kouga and tells Hanzou to hurry up and continue his courtship, providing some examples of what he would do in his place. Hanzou slaps him around for a bit and then says that it's not yet time for that kind of things, as Usagi still has to continue her ninja training. Hanzou II warns him that if he continues like this, someone might come and steal Usagi away. Hanzou tells him to keep his hands off Usagi, but Hanzou II says it's not himself he is talking about but Usagi's former fiancee, Goemon. Hanzou looks like he just realized something in surprise, while Usagi happily tends a smiling Goemon, wondering what she can do to make him happy.
Chapter 42 (Jun'2004)
Note: Dark haired Hanzou (our main character in this story, Hanzou Hattori) = Hanzou. Blonde Hanzou (main character of Tsuki no Toiki, Ai no Kizu) = Hanzou II. While seeing Usagi try her hands at cooking and get all excited about cooking things for Goemon, Hanzou can't help remember HanzouII's words and is very brusque to Usagi. Then as he leaves and walks around, he overhears some workers talking about how he is being too strict on Usagi and how it would be better if he started a romantic relationship with her as soon as possible... which only makes Hanzou madder. (^^; ) Meanwhile, Usagi and Yuuri fight over taking care of Goemon. Yuuri reminds Usagi about her ninja training and Goemon encourages her to keep trying, since it's not all about the result but also about how you get there and that if she practices everyday, even Hanzou will see this. So Usagi goes to the "Usagi tree" (the one she and Hanzou planted, which is now a long sprout) and keeps trying to jump over it. But the tree has grown quite a bit by now, and with one of the jumps Usagi hurts her ankle. In that moment, Hanzou arrives. Usagi happily explains that Goemon encouraged her to continue her training every day although today there won't be anymore jumping and... Hanzou suddenly gets serious and asks her angrily if she is serious about her initiation into the ninja arts! He continues by yelling at her about how everybody else started training since childhood so she has to put 2 or 3 persons worth of effort into it if she doesn't want to fail. Usagi is shocked and upset and starts apologizing, but Hanzou tells her sternly to continue training instead of apologizing and then walks away coldly. Usagi mentally begs him not to hate her. But Hanzou is not as cool as he seems and Hanzou II, who has overheard them, asks him if there wasn't any other way to say what he said. Hanzou tells him that being indulgent with Usagi won't help her, and Hanzou II replies that being indulgent and being nice are two different things. Hanzou gets angry at him and tells him not to say he understands his feelings. Usagi continues her jumps even though her ankle is swelling up. Mamezou tries to make her stop, but Usagi believes that if she doesn't try hard now, she will lose Hanzou's respect. Later at dinner time, Hanzou thinks Usagi is with Yuuri and Goemon, but Yuuri arrives and tells Hanzou Usagi hasn't been with them since lunch time. Usagi is still trying to jump. However she is tired and her ankle eventually gives up, making her fall over the tree sprout and breaking it. Usagi is very upset because this is the tree she planted with Hanzou and doesn't want Hanzou to become angrier at her... Someone overhears her and assumes her relationship with Hanzou is as bad as ever... her grandfather! When Hanzou arrives to Usagi's tree, he meets the old man taking a crying Usagi by the hand. He wonders what happened and Usagi's grandfather starts to say it's about a sprout, but Usagi cries harder and tells him not to say. The old man then says that Usagi's relationship with Hanzou seems to be the same as always, and asks Hanzou if he hasn't changed his mind about not having a wedding until Usagi passes her initiation into the ninja arts. Hanzou blushes and says of course he hasn't. Usagi's grandfather waits for a moment and says that if that's the case then they should break off the engagement. Usagi and Hanzou are shocked. But the old man continues and says that he sent Usagi to be his bride so she could learn the ninja arts but if Hanzou doesn't intend to marry her then Usagi is to be pitied and he should cancel the marriage plans!(*) (* - As everywhere, girls tended to be married young. So for example if Usagi never gets better at the ninja arts and thus Hanzou refuses to marry her, Usagi will be too old to find a good (or any) marriage elsewhere and that's why she is the losing party in this deal.)

Next Chapter...

All images © Ueda Rinko, Shueisha (except backgrounds).