Translation by Emi (emichansribon@yahoo.com)
 
Published: August 1998 Ribon Original
 
Words in () are descriptions
Words in [] are actions
 
Combini Crises
by Kitazawa Kaoru
 
---
 
Cover narration: As long as we're born human, everyone
comes across a "crisis" in their life. This store is
for someone like you. Now, what is your wish?
 
Girl: Please tell me a way to get back at the guy who
dumped me.
Author's note: Suzuhara Kotone age 16.
Male store attendant: ... 'Scuse me miss.
Kotone: Uh, yes?
Male store attendant: Do you know what this place is?
Kotone: Yes, I know. I heard it's a really weird store
that takes on a job as long as you pay money.
Male store attendant: ... Er, you say it in a nasty way,
but you're right. This is the "Crisis" Convenience Store
where you pay money for something you yourself wouldn't
bother to do. It's kind of a "do everything shop".
Kotone: "Do everything shop"?
Male store attendant: That's right. I'm managing this
store along with my two brothers who are out at the
moment. Anyway, so that's why I'm going to be serving
you. So relax and let me serve you... But, wait a
minute, do you not like guys or something?
[Kotone is standing 3 metres away from him]
Male store attendant: Well, that's a bit of a pity, but
is the reason related to your request?
[Kotone feels hurt as she thinks of it]
Male store attendant: [laughs] ... It's obvious in
your face.
Kotone: [shouts] Wh... Why do you have to laugh!!!
Kotone: [is teary] ... Why are guys like that? You hurt
people by your laugh. I have feelings just like anyone
else!!
Male store attendant: Sorry. That was wrong of me. I'll
apologise for laughing at you. So please, don't cry.
[Pats her on the head]
Male store attendant: So as a token of my apology, I'll
give you a discount on the payment! Usually it's two
thousand yen for one night and two days, but I'll make
it a special discount of one thousand yen...
[Kotone faints]
Male store attendant: ... Oi! What? Hey!! Wait a minute
miss! Aaah!!
 
Kotone monologue: I'm really, really not good with guys.
I thought it might be okay if it was a guy I didn't know
but... If I go on like this, what if I can never like a
guy ever again??
Male store attendant: Hey, are you okay miss?
[Kotone opens her eyes and sees him]
Male store attendant: Did you hit your head?
Kotone: ...... [thinks] Huh? [aloud] Where am I?
Male store attendant: Your house.
Kotone: Oh, I see. My house... What? Why are you in my
house?
Male store attendant: Just listen, miss. For starters,
I'll introduce myself. My name is Ran. My full name is
Kagura Ran. And right now, there's only one reason why
I'm at your house. That's because you've become my
master.
[Ran takes money out of Kotone's wallet]
Kotone: [thinks] WHAT!?
Ran: Well, although it's only within a day. Until the
time limit tomorrow, you can use me for whatever purpose
so nice to meet you.
Kotone: [looking horrified] You have GOT to be kidding!!
[Ran looks at her curiously]
Kotone: Oh... I'm sorry, but I'm really not good with
guys. So I'm sorry, but...
Ran: The way you say that is a bad habit of yours.
Kotone: [thinks] What?
Ran: Hey, you came to our shop to change yourself,
right? Then maybe you should try, even if it's a little
bit, to try and give it your best shot. As much as you
wish for something with words, if you don't act towards
it, nothing's ever going to happen.
Kotone: I.. I know, but... I don't know what to do...
Ran: [gets up] So, you just "change".
Kotone: What? Hey! Where are we going!? I'm really not
in the mood to...
Ran: You know what they say, "you've got to believe it
in your mind to do it".
(Emi's note: I couldn't find the English equivalent of
the Japanese saying, "Yamai ha ki kara", so it means
something like that)
Ran: Well, I suppose we would start with "appearance"
in your case. I noticed that aside from when you're
talking, you're always looking down. So I thought maybe
you have more confidence in yourself and you can look
straight in front of you, maybe they way you view guys
might change too. That's what I'm thinking.
Kotone: Um... Do you really think even I can change?
Ran: [smiles] Of course!
 
[Kotone & Ran go shopping]
Kotone monologue: I wonder what's wrong with me...
[Kotone gets a haircut and Ran gets her to change to
contacts]
Kotone monologue: Actually, I've been afraid of guys
for so long. And when I got dumped that day for the
first time, I should have been afraid to even look at
a guy, but... But...
[Kotone gets dragged around by Ran to try on different
clothes]
 
[Back home]
Kotone: Err... Um... Ran?
[Kotone is hiding behind a curtain]
Ran: What?
Kotone: Do... Do I really have to wear... this?
I definitely don't think I'll look good...
Ran: [snaps] "Won't look good"? "Definitely"? You should
say those things AFTER you wear it.
Kotone: [thinks] Eeep! [aloud] Well, I'm already wearing
it...
Ran: [smiles] Then get out from behind that curtain!
How long do you want to make me wait!!
[Ran pulls back the curtain]
[Kotone screams]
(Kotone is wearing a singlet and a floral print skirt)
Kotone: I look weird! I definitely look weird! I look
weird don't I? I really don't suit cute clothes!
Ran: No, you do look good. You look much cuter that way.
Kotone: [blushing] Wha... What are you saying, you liar!
[Slams room door]
Ran: .... Er, I was only telling the truth though...
Kotone: [thinks] Liar!
[Kotone gets her glasses and ponders]
(flashback) Ran: Maybe you should try, even if it's a
little bit, to try and give it your best shot.
 
[Ran sees a photo frame with a photo of a guy]
[He picks it up and looks at it]
Kotone: [knocking on door] Um, Ran, are you there?
Ran: Oh! Uh, yes!
[Puts photo back]
[Kotone looks puzzled]
Kotone: Um... Um I'm sorry it's such a sudden request,
but.. There's somewhere I want you to go with me...
Ran: Where?
 
(At an amusement park)
Ran: ... Oi, we're at...
Kotone: That's right, an amusement park. The couple's
place to be, night time at an amusement park!
Ran: ... Why all of a sudden?
Kotone: Well, I'd never be able to come here otherwise.
Not together with another guy amongst all these other
guys! [smiles] You said nothing would happen if I didn't
start acting towards my wish, right? So I figured I'd
slowly start to do something.
Ran: You're awfully optimistic.
Kotone: [laughs] Are you proud of me?
Ran: Sure am, I feel like it's worth doing my job.
[Kotone's heart beats fast]
Kotone: Oh yeah... It's your job! You have to do your
best, don't you!
Kotone monologue: Why am I.... No, I...
Kotone: Sorry, I have to go to the toilet.
Ran: Oh really? Are you okay? Then I'll walk you...
Kotone: No, it's okay! Sorry...
[Kotone runs off]
Ran: What the...? What was all that? Why did she look
like she was going to cry all of a sudden?
 
Kotone monologue: I forgot it was a job. I was just so
happy. The words he said to me made me so happy... But..
[Kotone is crying]
Kotone: [thinks] No! Don't do this Kotone! There's no
time to be wondering things! I have to do my best!!
Kotone monologue: That's right. I'm changing. This isn't
the time to be getting depressed!!
 
(The next morning)
Kotone: What? What are you saying, all of a sudden? What
visit? Who's coming over?
Ran: Well, you see... At 1 o'clock, the guy who dumped
you said he was coming over.
Kotone: What? Wh.. Why!? When did you do that!?
Ran: Well, the reason you came to our shop was to
"get back at the guy who dumped me", right? So meeting
him is naturally the thing to do, isn't it?
Kotone: Oh... Oh yeah...
Ran: Oh, by the way...
Kotone: Hm?
Ran: I forgot to mention this, but ever since my great
great grandfather's time, the time limit is at 6 o'clock
when the bell tolls. That's the rule. And anything after
that time is out of my duty. Oh well, not like saying
this is going to do anything. After all this is just a
relationship out of money. There's 2 hours until the
visit. What you do is up to you.
[Kotone's heart beats fast]
Kotone monologue: Oh no, what am I going to do? I'm
getting so scared now... Even though this is what I
wished for... What am I going to do? Maybe, maybe I've
just made myself get into a lot of trouble!?
 
Narrator: However...
[Kotone & Ran sit outside and the sun is setting]
Kotone: ... Hey...
Ran: What?
Kotone: Um... The sky's getting kinda red...
Ran: Well, yeah... It is sunset.
[They sit there silently]
[Kotone starts to laugh]
Ran: What is it?
Kotone: Oh? Well, I was just... I just felt so relieved
just then when I thought he wasn't coming any more.
But thank you. You know, it's been a year since that
guy broke my heart. I actually thought I was over it,
but I guess not. The reason why I got dumped was, of
course, my face.
(flashback) Guy: Sorry, but I hate ugly girls.
Kotone: And since then, I got so scared of guys...
I started to look down all the time and it was all
because I lost confidence in myself. But now, I think
I'm fine about it all. Well, maybe it's too hard to
get over it completely, but I feel so much better now
that I've talked to someone about it.
Ran: What!? It's that easy!?
Kotone: Well... It's because you said so, to "change".
But if I was still the same me as I was yesterday, I
probably wouldn't be able to say something like this.
Kotone monologue: Until yesterday, I was always looking
down, but now... Now I have a little more confidence to
look up.
Kotone: I think so, anyway.
Ran: Yeah, that's true. Even in one day, I feel as
though you've changed so much.
[The bell tolls]
Ran: It's already time to go, huh? Seems like such a
pity...
[Kotone remembers about the time limit]
(flashback) Ran: The time limit is at 6 o'clock
when the bell tolls.
Kotone: No it can't be. Is it time already?
Ran: Sure is.
[Kotone thinks]
Kotone monologue: I....
Ran: Well... I'll leave the rest up to you, Suzuhara
Kotone chan.
[Ran pats her on the head as he leaves]
[Kotone's heart beats fast]
Kotone monologue: What? What is this feeling? I feel
really lonely...
Kotone: [to herself] Uh, well, I'll just run after him!!
I'll talk later...
[Someone grabs her wrist]
Voice: I'm the one who wants to talk to you,
Suzuhara san.
[Kotone makes a face as she sees it's the guy who dumped
her]
Kotone: [thinks] It's... It's him...!!
Guy: Sorry I made you wait, Suzuhara san. I'm a little
late, but I'm here to let you ask me for my company.
Kotone: What? Oh, I'm sorry but I'm in a hurry...
Guy: What? Then why did you ask for me? Isn't it because
you wanted to transform into someone with a decent face
and then ask me out?
[Kotone snaps]
Kotone: Wha... I just wanted to tell you that I'll never
like a guy like you ever again!
[Ran kicks the guy in the back at the same time]
Ran: [frowning] Think about other people's feelings a
bit more before you open your mouth, you moron.
[Kotone stares at Ran]
Kotone: Ran...
Kotone monologue: It can't be...
Ran: What?
Kotone: It's you...? Wait a minute! I thought you left?
What are you still doing here?
Ran: I just overheard what that moron said! And also...
I don't care if it's overtime or whether or not it's
someone my customer once had a crush on, but anyone
who's rotten gets punished. That's how it goes in my
rules. And, well, I didn't want to see you cry any more.
Kotone: But you broke the time limit.
Ran: Oh well, no big deal. I feel better too, so we'll
just let it go.
[They laugh]
Kotone: ... Um Ran?
Ran: Yeah?
Kotone: I want to ask one more thing, since you've
already gone overtime. If it's okay with you. I wonder
if you could be friends with me?
[Ran is surprised]
Kotone: When I'm with you, I feel as though I can be a
whole different person.
Kotone monologue: I found it... I found what I really
want. A fragment of happiness.
Kotone: Of course, without any payment.
Ran: You got me there. But, I suppose that's okay. Then
I'll allow it without payment either. But I'll take my
fee from you.
[Ran pulls her close to him]
Kotone: [thinks] What?
[Ran kisses her on the forehead]
Ran: Nice to meet you, Suzuhara Kotone chan.
[Kotone blushes, then faints]
Ran: Huh? Hey! Oh, wait a minute! This is exactly the
same as what happened at the beginning!!!
 
[Ran's brothers look on from the store]
Brother 1: Oh dear...
Brother 2: He finally made a move.
Brother 1: I told him so many times not to lay a hand on
our customers.
Brother 2: [laughs] Oh well, I suppose it's okay, isn't
it? If he's happy.
 
Narration: Surely, everyone is different.
[Ran's brothers close the door]
Narration: This is Crisis Convenience Store. It's a
store that aids in achieving your happiness, no matter
what it may be. Someone to talk to, or someone to send
out to help. Everything is dependant on your desire.
Now, what is your wish?
 
THE END