Translation by Emi (http://ribon.toxikon.org)
 
Note: This isn't a very exact translation because I'm doing it in a hurry ^^; Sorry..
I might skip a few words, but I haven't left anything out. Just for people who might
pick up that I just made a few things vague or something.
 
Ribon Oct 2000 issue
35 pages
Gals! by Fujii Mihona
 
Chapter 21 - Typical GALS * The two of them together · The two of them break up!?
 
[Ran is explaining to Nakanishi sensei]
Ran: Yeah, seriously! And then~~~! I was shaking my maracas around when this
Mexican Mambo group scouted me~~! And I went to the real Mexico to train
myself when all of a sudden this cactus attacked me~~! And I got pricked by the
cactus and I slept all holidays, that's why I could only do half of the summer
holiday homework! Oh~~ well~~~ geez, it was sooooo bad... Blugh!!
[Nakanishi hits Ran on the head with his paper fan]
Nakanishi: Cacti do~~ not~~~ walk~~~~!!!!
Ran: The abducted by aliens excuse, the Spain cow stampede excuse and now this
Mexico cactus attack excuse. How many points this time?
Nakanishi: Hmmmm.. I guess on the account of impact, it'll be 65!
gah..! Nooo~~~~~!!! Tell me your real reason~~~~~!!!
[chases Ran with the paper fan]
[Ran runs away]
Ran: It's cos I went and had heaps of fun~~~!!!
[Ran jumps on the desks in the staff room]
Ran: [shaking maracas] But I'm hell serious I improved on my mambo!! Wanna see!?
Nakanishi: [sweatdrop] NO!!! And get off the table~~~!!
Ran: Well then how will you let me off~~~ Oh!! How about if I win the sports
carnvial again this year!? HOW ABOUT IT!?
Nakanishi: Nuh uh! Sorry!! But this year, we're having a culture festival this
Autumn, so there~~~~~!
Ran: [squawking] Hey!! The way you said it sounded mean!! Then I'll win the culture
festival!!
Nakanishi: We don't have a competitive event in our culture festival, so there~~~!
Ran: Uuuuuurgh!!!!
[The principal looks on]
Other teacher: It sounds just like a child's argument...
Another teacher: It does...
Ran: [angrily] THEN YOU SHOULD THINK OF A COMPETITIVE EVENT!!
[Principal thinks]
Nakanishi: THAT'S NOT THE POINT IS IT!!
Principal: You. That's quite a nice idea.
Nakanishi: Si... Sir!?
Principal: It's true that when our school is the main school for the culture festival,
it's quite dull. And we don't have many participants from other schools.
Ran: That's no good! If you have a culture festival, you gotta do it looouuuud!
Nakanishi: Aaaah!! Oi!! Don't speak that way to the principal...!!
Principal: Loud?
Ran: Yeah, loud meaning all big!
(*note* Ran uses one of the kogyaru terms, "de-ha-" which is a word for "hade"
meaning "loud" or "flashy". I just uhh kind of replaced them in English seeing as I know
no word for "loud" or "flashy" in teenager terms)
Ran: If you leave it all to the festival girl, Kotobuki Ran, everything will be a-ok!
Principal: I see--. What club are you in?
Ran: Shibuya club!!
Principal: Shibuya club?
[Nakanishi watches, panicking]
Ran: The Hounan students sing Japanese music (karaoke) aaaand we learn
Japanese dancing (para para). It's a very cultural and diligent club!!
Principal: Ah ha! It sounds like a very good activity!
Ran: So please, give me permission!! Our supervisor will be Nakanishi sensei!!
Nakanishi: What!?
Principal: Here, I give you permission!!
[Stamps a sign of approval]
(small print) Principal: Increase our school's popularity at the festival!!
(small print) Ran: Of course!!
(small print) Nakanishi: Si... Sir~~~~~~~~!?
 
[At karaoke]
Miyu: What~~~~!? You're the head of the culture festival~~!?
Tatsukichi: Sounds pretty cool that Ran's the head!
[Ran speaks into the microphone with an afro wig]
Ran: I'd do anything to cover up the fact that I didn't do my homework!
And oh, the culture fes. committee is the Shibuya club! Hope you all enjoy it!!
Okay, next we'll do Ayu!!! (Note: a song, that is)
Girl: So that's why it's Shibuya club meeting...
Miyu: But what events are we doing?
Girls: Yup yup!! Good guys championship!!
Who can eat the fastest Yakiniku (Note: a meat dish) contest!!
Para para contest!!!
The King of eating everything championship! (<-- Note: i think)
Docchi Cooking Show!
Girls singing competition!!!
(*note* Docchi Cooking Show is a show in Japan - oh duh - ^^; Anyway, "docchi"
means "which one" and the cooking show has two "sides" who vote for two types
of "dishes". There are about 5 people on each side, mostly talents, artists, whatnot
and in the end, they all decide which "dish" they should eat. If one side wins, they
get to eat the dish of their choice and the others uhh have to watch in misery XD
The dishes are usually very very very delicious and use the most high quality
ingredients!!)
Ran: Oh yeah and we do wanna do stuff like Idiotic Couple tournamnets!
Oh!! Yup, after that it's Konayagi Yuki~~! (a song, once again)
Tatsukichi: We'd win the Idiotic Couple, right Ran?
Miyu: Hey Ran-! Stop hogging the microphone!! Aya hasn't even sang one song yet!
Aya: It's okay.. I'm not really in the mood to be sociable...
Ran: [screaming into microphone] Oh my gawd!! Here we go, the Otohata disease!!
Forget about that ice man! Go on and sing one song!!
(small print) Girls: Ice man?
Because he's cold?
Aya: ..... Okay! Then one song.
Girls: Yeah!! Cheer up Ayappe senpai!
Ran: That's right!! That's the spirit!!
Aya: I'm going to sing "A Woman's Journey".
(*note* That's an Enka song ^^;;; Enka is usually really slow and very meaningful
lyrics about life and whatnot)
Ran: That's so depressing~~~~~~~!!!
Aya: [singing] My~~~~ later half of li~~~~fe~~~
Many mountains~~~~~~
And many valleys~~~~~
(Note: ie. Many ups and downs)
Miyu (?): Way way waaay too depressing~~!!
[Aya still sings in the background - "The~~~~y sa~~~y tha~~t dawn is~~
the da~~~rkest bu~~t"]
Girls: Oh, but you know~~~ This is so true too-
Yeah when you have a falling out with your guy and you feel so down~~ All your
energy for going out just disappears-
Even though we're gals, we're still at least girls~~
Hey, don't add the "at least"
[Aya still sings in the background - "Life~~~ My pa~~thwa~~y
Going ba~~ck and fo~~rth fro~~m the edge of a cli~~ff~~~"]
Ran: Don't get sucked into to the lonely mood~~!!!
Aya: [singing] Cha~~~sing~~ A~~fter you~~~~..... Sniff
[Aya cries]
Girl: Aaaah~~!! Ayappe senpai's started to cry!
Ran: Don't sympathise to an enka song at your age~~~!!
Aya: [not singing] I want to see him... But I can't~~~ I haven't heard anything
since that day. I... It seems like I've been dumped~~~
Ran: Dumped? But you're the one who said "you don't have to go out with me"
and ended it.
Aya: That was just my true feelings. But he's not following up on it or anything
so that must mean he's saying "we should break up"~~~!!
Tatsukichi: But you know~~ Otocchi isn't the kind of guy to follow up on
anything~~ right?
Ran: Yeah! He's got that "don't chase after something that's gone" thing which
is so difficult! If you wanna know what he feels, then you gotta see him first!
I'll do something and get him to come to the festival! If the festival's an excuse
then it'll be easier for you to see him right?
Aya: .... yeah... Thanks~~~~~~! [cries]
(small print) Ran: Geez you need so much looking after...
Girls: Ran senpai you're so cool~~!! [clapping]
 
[Rei and Yuuya are walking]
Yuuya: Really? You're working at two places?
Rei: Yeah. The DJ job is just like a hobby so it's not much money.
Yuuya: I suppose it's hard even if you love doing something. Hm?
[They both see a huge crowd]
Rei: What is that crowd?
[They see Ran]
Ran: Puhlease come to the Hounan Senior High festival!! Puhlease!
Girl: Puhlease~~~!
[Miyu is there too]
Guy: Hey, you're the one who got Queen last year at our festival right~~~~
Guy 2: Do you have a boyfriend!?
Guy 3: Cute~~~~!
Ran: Hounan's got lotsa good lookin' gals~~!! You really should come... Gah!?
[Rei pulls Ran back choking her with her choker]
Rei: What are you doing here?
Ran: Hey!! Otohata, bingo! I thought I'd be able to catch you if I was here~~~!
Guy: Damn, you're Otohata's girlfriend?
Rei: No she's not you idiot
Ran: Tada!! We're organising the Hounan Culture Fes~~!! You really should come!!!
Girls: You should come!!
Ran: We've got heaps of events~~! Number 2 and Mamirin should come too!
Yuuya: Y... yeah
Rei: .... okay.... I'll go if I feel like it
[Ran grabs Rei]
Ran: NOT "IF YOU FEEL LIKE IT"! Oi Otohata. If you can't even make one girl happy,
you've failed as a guy. You're making Aya cry every day and you call yourself
her boyfriend!?
Rei: ... I'm a selfish guy. That's what I told her in the beginning.
[Rei walks off]
Ran: .... ugggg YOU!!! GAAAHHH!!!! IF YOU DON'T COME I WON'T LET YOU OFF!!!
Yuuya: [holding Ran back] Calm down Ran chan!!
Guys: Ran chan! We'll go so don't worry!
Ran: Shut up!! You can just shut up~~~!!!
Miyu: What is she doing, chasing away the customers~~~?
 
Girl: Ran sa~~~n! Where do you want the sign? Up top? Or down the bottom?
(small print) Girl 2: Work harder guys!!
(small print) Guy: I feel sluggy~~~
Ran: Up up up~~~~! Make sure it's really eye catching! (small print) Ack!! No more
nails!!
(small print) Girl: Here's some more~~
 
[In a class room]
Voice: What? Everyone participating in the culture festival?
Girl: Excuse me from it please. I have lots of stuff to do.
(note: obviously this is Aya's uni-aiming class)
Aya: If you could, it would be good if you could participate... It's much more fun
if there's lots of people there.
Girl 2: I'm not interested in the culture festival. I'd rather use my time to study
at home. Why don't you participate as the representitive for the class? It'll be
good to lose a rival. [giggling]
Guy: I agree with Hoshino san's opinion. I think it's okay to spread our wings every
now and then and leave our competitiveness behind.
Aya: Katase kun.
Girl 2: But our studies...
Katase kun: You probably haven't gone out all summer and maybe your head is
getting too stubborn. We'll have a truce during the festival. Wouldn't that be good?
Girl: When the class rep says it like that...
Katase kun: Okay, then it's decided! So there we go! Was everyone listening? This
year's festival, everyone will participate!
[The class grumbles]
Katase kun: Don't grumble!
[Aya stares in amazement]
[Katase kun winks]
Aya: Tha... thanks. That was a huge help.
Katase kun: Don't mistake me. I only helped you because you're Hoshino san.
Aya: ...?
 
Girls: We're done handing out the pamphlets~~!
Girl: Ran sa~~~n! This stage is fi~~ne! You still reckon there's something missing~~?
Ran: Hmmm~~~~~~... THAT'S IT!!!
Girls: What is it~~
Ran: Hibiscus!! We need Hibiscus!!
(the next block of speech is all in small print)
Ran: Gals need hibiscus!!
Girls: Are you going to make it now~~~!!
That's impossible! Impossible!
Ran: It's not impossible!
Girls: That's crazy!
Ran: It's not crazy!!
 
[The day of the festival]
Ran: Wahahaha~~~!!! Success, success!!!
[Ran is fanning some barbequed corn]
Ran: This is the time to show off my barbeque corn techniques I spruced up at the
beach house!!
Aya: But it's burnt!!
Miyu: It was worth all the fliers we handed out!
Ran: Damn! I gotta go set up the stage~~~! I'll see ya later!!
Aya: She seems so busy~~~
 
[Ran and the mambo team are dancing]
[Ran lands after doing a flip]
Ran: Mambo!!!
Ran: [speaking into microphone] I'm Kotobuki Ran, the head of the Mambo team
from Hounan Senior High's Shibuya club!! We've got heaps of events coming right
up for you!! First off we have "Senior High Girls' Singing Competition"~~~~~!!!
Ran: [explaining their first contestant] "Last year I wore heeled boots too much
and my feet were covered in athlete's foot fungus... And my feet stank so much
I got dumped by my boyfriend. I finally was able to get over being alone... I will
sing with those emotions, the song is 'Lonely Soldier'."
Ran: [offstage] I'll leave you to watch the singing comp!
Girl: Sure.
[Ran is dancing Para Para at the dance lesson]
Ran: Bend your left arm, your right arm out to the front! Tatsukichi, I'll leave the
rest to you!!
Tatsukichi: Sure!
[Ran goes off to do several other events]
 
[Somewhere else at the festival]
Mami: Here you go Yuuya! Open wide!
[Mami has some ice cream]
Yuuya: Tha... That's a little tough.. In front of everyone..
Mami: Oh Yuuya you're such a shy person!
(small print) Girls: Look at that!! Isn't that the good looking... Who's that girl?
How annoying!
Mami: [chasing after them] Don't interrupt Mami and Yuuya's love love date~~~~!!
[Yuuya watches, devastated]
Mami: Talking of love love! [eyes sparkle]
Yuuya: Wha... What..
Mami: [with flier] We're going to enter the "The Idiotic Couple F1 Grand Prix" right!?
Yuuya: [thinks] Great...!! Hm.. Hmmm. I don't want to be seen being love love with
Mami in front of Ran chan. But if I don't enter, I'm scared of what'll happen after...
Ran dressed up as a ghost: Hey there Mamirin and Number 2-!!
Mami and Yuuya: Gahhhh Sadako!!
(*note* Sadako is a Japanese ghost)
Ran: It's me, Ranpyon! Phew~~ Seems like the haunted house was a huge success!
You two are gonna enter the IdiotGP right?
Mami: You bet! We're not gonna lose!
Yuuya: Uh.. well..
Ran: So where's Otohata?
Yuuya: Hmmm I haven't seen him yet.
Ran: Loser!! Aya really should break up with him!
Yuuya: I wonder if Aya chan's okay, I'm a little worried.
 
[Aya's information booth]
Aya: Para Para Lesson center is at the audiovisual room in building number 5.
It's on the first floor and after you turn left, it's at the room at the end of the hall.
Have fun!
Girls: We will!
Katase kun: [hands her a drink] How are you doing? Maybe you should take a break?
Aya: Thanks. I'm so surprised so many people turned up. Ran really is amazing.
Katase kun: The library is the only quiet place. Do you want to move there and talk?
Aya: No, it's all right. If I'm busy then I can put my mind off things.
Katase kun: Why?
Aya: .... I'm on the verge of a break up. Right now everything inside my heart is
just going around and around and I can't sit still every day. The last test for prep
school was horrible. That's why I'm keeping myself busy so I can't think about things
I don't want to.
Katase kun: .... Hoshino san, aren't you pushing youself?
Aya: What...?
Katase kun: It's because you push things that you see yourself straining.
You have to admit it if somebody isn't right for you. Isn't love supposed to be
something that both people feel for each other?
Aya: .....
Katase kun: Oops sorry. I said a bit too much there. But if I was your boyfriend
then I wouldn't let your grades fall.
Aya: [laughs] You're the top of the year, that's why Katase kun.
Katase kun: You were also the top for the senior high entrace exam.
Aya: But you see.... I...
[Aya glances and sees Rei sitting by a bench]
Aya: [running over] Otohata kun! You came!?
Rei: Hey.
Aya: Um... I...
Rei: Kotobuki said that "Aya cries everyday" so I came to see you. But your
laughing. I'm a little relieved.
[Aya starts to cry]
Aya: .... Inside, it's always raining...
Rei: What's that, is that my fault?
Aya: I don't know but I just feel so messed up...
Rei: Messed up huh... Well maybe it's like how that guy there says it is. Maybe it's
because you're pushing yourself so you feel "strain"?
[Rei walks off]
Katase kun: Is that your rumoured boyfriend?
[Aya cries]
Katase kun: Hoshino san...? Are you okay?
 
[At the Idiotic Couple comp]
Girl: Right! The semi final is pretty tight!! So!!! Tell us a love love message, Yuuya
style to Mamirin!! Zoooooom in!!!
Yuuya: Serious!? Uhh well... You know... Uhhh... I lo.. lo.. lo....
Girl: Oooh Mamirin is on the verge of snapping! 5 seconds!!!
Mami: [pulling Yuuya's mouth] Is it this mouth that won't say "love"!? Huh!? This!!
This mouth~~~~~!!!
Yuuya: Agagaga~~~ (sob)
Girl: Ooops!! It was 1 second til snapping!!
[Strum of guitars]
Tatsukichi: [singing] A rende~~svo~~us with you~~~~ And me, I am an
ukule~~le~~ beginner~~
(note: ukulele? some kind of string intstrument??)
Tatsukichi: Mmm~~~~ But it's kind of good and idio~tic~~~ I'll get Ran's heart~~
this wa~~~yy~~
[Ran hits him on the head]
Ran: I told you to practice!!! I can't dance the hula hoop with that you playing like that!
Tatsukichi: Sorrry~~~ And it's not hula hoop, it's hula dance~~~~
(note: Ran actually says "flamingo" because in Japanese, hula is pronouce "fula" and
it sounds like "fulamingo" ^^; But hula hoop and hula dance brings out the same thing)
Ran: Who cares, whatever! We're the most idiotic couple!!
Girl: It's a bother so could you please decide, principal!
Principal: Hmmm okay then I'll go for Kotobuki kun who made the festival a success!!
Mami: What the hell!? Oi you must be kidding!! Don't be biased-!!
[Ran's friend and Miyu watch]
Ran's friend: ... But you know, are they that happy to win the idiotic couple comp?
Miyu: Ran is sucker when it comes to the word "win"~~
 
*TO BE CONTINUED*