Translation by: Emi (emichansribon@yahoo.com)
 
Pochi
by Obana Miho
 
60 pages
Ribon July 99
 
----
 
Narration : Around the time when the seasonal uniforms changed ----
Kanou Sayaka (third year of middle school)
[school bell rings]
Teacher : Quiet -- I'll report on the results of the survey
you did the other day.
Students : Oh~~ That! What was that sir? There were weird
questions.
Teacher : To tell the truth, that was to survey how much "Stress" you
kids have these days. And what do you know, the person with the most
stress in the whole school is in our class.
Students : Hey, who?
Teacher : It's Kanou. Kanou, you're the top in the school. You're a
stress queen~
Sayaka monologue : One day, I got a strange nickname --
Sayaka : [thinks] Me?
Teacher : You're always getting the top for everything! Amazing~
Sayak : [thinks] Uh.. Being the top for that kind of thing doesn't
make me too happy...
Teacher : Well I didn't know you had built up so much stress...
I was surprised -- Are you okay? Aren't you pushing yourself too
hard sometimes? This class has others who don't have any stress
at all. Hey guys - give the queen some advice about how to live life
without too much stress!
Sayaka : [thinks] I don't need any~~!
Students : Righto queen!
  Leave it to us, queen!
 Sayaka chan~ Are you that stressed?
[bell rings for end of school]
Guy 1 : Hey, there's the stress queen! Seeya!
Guy 2 : Stress queen?
[Sayaka walks away with sweatdrop]
Sayaka monologue : Stupid teacher~~~ I don't think I have that much
"stress". I'm just doing what I should --
(Some girls she isn't very good friends with appear)
Girl 1 : Sayaka chan! I was so surprised that you were the stress queen!
You do seem busy all the time!
Sayaka : Yeah, well I'm surprised too.. Umm..?
Girl 2 : Hey, if you want, you can come with us to go out somewhere!
Sayaka : thanks, but...
Girl 2 : You can't? Are you busy?
Sayaka : Yeah, a bit... I have to go to the class representative meeting..
then I have to pick up my sister from kindergarte and look after her..
then after that I go to cram school and I have a test today so I want
to study for it.. I have to prepare tomorrow's lunch... and there's
other things I want to do..
Girls : [crying with pity] No wonder you're stressed...
Girl 1 : Just skip cram school! You gotta have fun sometimes!
Sayaka : Well that's not good.. right?
Girl 2 : Then after that is okay! There's a good place that's open
'til late. Right, queen!
Sayaka : [thinks] Don't call me queen.. [aloud] Okay..
Girls : Right! Then we'll pick you up--
Sayaka monologue : I said it was okay because I appreciated their kind
gesture... but now I have even more things to do. I think the queen
feels a little heavy hearted...
(Obana note : She's calling herself queen.. And on top of that she's
carrying something on her back)
(There is a stress monster on her back cackling)
 
(At kindergarten)
Ayaka : Oneechan (older sister)!! You're late today--
Sayaka : Sorry Ayaka! There was this thing called a class rep meeting..
[Rides home fast on a bicycle]
[Gets home and does everything at the speed of light.. literally]
Sayaka : I have to go to cram school today... [brings in laundry]
So until mum comes hom, be a good girl okay? [folds up laundry]
Ayaka : I'm hungry~
Sayaka : [takes food out of microwave] Here, eat this!
[gets changed out of school clothes] And if someone comes to the
door, don't open it!!
Ayaka : Ye--s.
Sayaka : Ittekimasu! (I'll be going!)
[Runs off]
 
Sayaka monologue : Oh no, I've got a test today! i didn't have time
to study~~ [thinks] My textbook, my textbook... [looks into her bag]
[aloud] Here it is!
Man : [bumps into Sayaka] Oops, sorry..
[the textbook slips out of Sayaka's hands and falls off the bridge]
Sayaka : Aaaaaaargh!
 
(Sayaka is searching in the dark)
Sayaka : Ohhh I don't believe this~~~.. Where is it~~ Textbook~~
Wah.. It's dark~ I thought it fell somewhere around here...
[A faint voice calls out "Pochi--"
[Sayaka sees a woman with a dog leash]
Sayaka monologue : I wonder if she's walking her dog. How cool.
(Obana note : She's a dog lover)
Woman : Come here--
[A boy runs out from the grass and wears a collar]
[Sayaka is bewildered and stares]
Woman : [smiles and clicks the leash onto the boy's collar] You ran
a lot.. Let's go home now..
Boy : Woof!
Sayaka monologue : Wha.. What is that.. No matter how you look at it,
that's a human boy..? And a woman.. as well as an old lady...
Sayaka : [thinks, crouching in the grass and looking worried] Isn't that
kind of thing called hentai play or something? With a dog collar and..
(Obana cuts in : Where'd you learn that?)
Sayaka : [thinks] But they don't look like hentai people.. It's a strange
scene but.. I'm drawn to it.. I wonder why.. My heart hurts--
[Sayaka makes a sound in the grass]
Old lady : Is anyone there!? [shines torch]
[Sayaka runs away]
Old lady : [mumbles] It's been 10 years or so and we haven't been seen..
Woman : Pochi.. Look. The stars are beautiful. Can you see them?
Boy : Woof!
 
Sayaka monologue : [running away] Whoa, that was a surprise.. What was
that.. It seems like only that place was a different world.. [walks into
cram school] Ahh.. reality..
(During test)
Sayaka : [thinks] Hmm.. I can't remember this.. I didn't ene up studying
either..
[Test ends]
 
(After cram school, the two girls meet her)
Girl 2 : Sayaka cha--n!
Girl 1 : Let's go!
Sayaka : Sorry to keep you waiting~
(A sign reads : Cafe & Bar I's Hill)
Sayaka : Huh? We can't go in a place like this...
Girls : It's okay! This place is our friend's brother's. Theres quite a
few kids from our school~ It's fun~!
[They enter the cafe]
[Sayaka is introduced]
Boy : A third year? Konbanwa (good evening) I'm Tomishige, 2nd year!
Boy with glasses : I'm Kikuchi!
Girl : I'm Machii!
Another boy : Sayaka chan huh? You're cute-- I'm 3rd year~
Sayaka : [thinks] I've never been in this kind of atmosphere before.. but
everything is an experience..?
 
Tomishige : "Stress queen"!? The top in the school! Whoa! [laughs]
Sayaka : [thinks] Don't laugh~~
Tomishige : That's so funny! Well in our class, there's this totally
opposite guy! He should be here soon..
[A boy bursts in]
Boy : Evening!
Tomishige : There he is!
Boy : Master! Can I have a refill? [holds out cup noodles]
Master : Don't bring it in-- [sweatdrop]
Boy : It's just a snack!
Tomishige : Kanou san, he's from our class, 2 - B. His name's
Aruga Tomo and from that survey, he's the #1 in our school for
having no stress! [laughs] I guess you could call him the
_____ (noutenki) king!
Sayaka : Uh huh..
(Tomo's friends are playing with his hat)
Tomishige : Tomo-! This person's #1 stress queen! As a _____ (noutenki) king,
give her some advice or something!
Sayaka : [thinks] I don't neet it (sweatdrop)
Tomo : ... Queen? ... Advice? Ease your shoulders... and live life..
[puts his funny hat on Sayaka]
(Everyone laughs)
Sayaka : ..... [sweatdrop]
Sayaka : Have I built up that much stress?
Boy : You aren't aware of it?
Sayaka : What is stress anyway... [gets out a compact electric dictionary]
Kikuchi : What's that?
[the dictionary displays the meaning of stress]
Voices : Wow-! It's a dictionary! Hey look, she's looking it up in a dictionary!
Whoa-- No wonder you're the queen!!
Sayaka : [reads] A variety of external incentives which become a burden when
working and so, it causes function alterations to the mind and body---
[Everybody is in awe]
Sayaka : [thinks] "A burden"? I don't have any at all..
Voice : Pochi~ You know today... [laughter]
[Sayaka swivels around instantly]
Tomo : Hey, isn't this placy dark today?
Kikuchi : That's cos you've got your sunglasses on.
Tomo : Oh, right. [laughs]
 
Sayaka : Pochi? Is he called Pochi?
Tomishige : Yeah, his nickname.
Sayaka : Why?
Tomishige : When we were first making up nicknames for each other, he said
to call him that. He said "I'm used to being called that". In a way, he is like
a dog! [laughs]
Sayaka : [thinks] Hang on... is he the boy from before!? I can't tell by his face,
it was dark back there... but it was that kind of boy.. I think..
[Tomo laughs, taking off his sunnies]
Voice : Pochi, what's this? [holds a textbook]
Tomo : Oh! I picked it up just before, at the river!
Sayaka : [thinks] That's mine!! Could it have been him!?
Voice : Don't pick up anything... What were you doing at the river?
Tomo : Umm... doing laundry with my grandma.. (Momotaro style)
Sayaka : ... Aruga.. Tomo kun? I have to talk to you alone!
Tomo : Doki!? [screams] It's the first time I've heard this from a girl!
Sayaka : Just come... [pulls him]
Voices : What? What!?
 
(outside the cafe)
Tomo : What is it your highness?
Sayaka : My name is Kanou Sayaka, 3rd year.
Tomo : Oh, Sayaka chan!
Sayaka : umm.. That textbook is mine.. I lost it near the river just then..
Tomo : What? There was someone.. at the river.. huh?
Sayaka : I thought so! Are you the Pochi kun who was having a walk at the river!?
[Tomo screams with a funny face]
Sayaka : [thinks] I'm really interested in this boy!!
(Emi's note : Interested, not as in she has feelings for him.. @_@)
Sayaka : What was that before? I want to know in particular.. 
--- Sorry, excuse my bad manners.. Just that there's this creative urge with
your "character"...
Tomo : .. Don't tell anyone! Um.. the thing before, can you please not tell
anyone?
Sayaka : Yeah, sure.. I wasn't planning to tell..
Tomo : No one knows and I don't want anyone to know.. Please, I'll do whatever
you want. SO please keep quiet about it? [begs]
Sayaka : [thinks] Well... Doesn he have any pride?
Sayaka : I won't tell anyone, I promise.
Tomo : Really?
Sayaka : Yep! So if you want to, can you tell me your story?
Tomo : Sure.. but it's definitely a promise.
Sayaka : Yep!
Tomo : If... you break the promise... You'll have to die.
[Sayaka stares]
Sayaka : Yep.. I see.
Tomo : Okay, good. Do you want me to tell you my story now?
Sayaka : No.. It's getting late today.. Maybe tomorrow.. Take your time...
Tomo : Okay, bye. See you later! [smiles]
Sayaka : [thinks] Those words.. there was no malice or threatening tone. They
were his serious words. He just said them.. I can tell...
 
Girls : Sayaka chan! You seem to have taken a liking to Pochi kun.
Sayaka : Yep! When I look at him, I sort of... get this creative urge! He's got
a good character!
Girl 1 : What? What do you man?
Sayaka : I um.. want to be a poet.
Girls : A poet?
Sayaka : Yeah, writing poems and maybe with some drawings... Some day, I want
to publish some books!
Girl 1 : Really? Is it what they call poems? A poet? That's so cute!
Sayaka : Hey! You made fun of me! Last year, I entered one of those books and
I won an award--
Girl 2 : What, really? That's so cool!
Sayaka : It's a dream I haven't told my parents yet--
Girls : Wow~~ Well it's good the queen is enjoying herself--
Sayaka : Yeah! Thanks for inviting me. So anyway, what's the time?
Girl 1 : Umm.. 11:30!
[Sayaka is in shock]
 
(back home)
Sayaka's father : [shouts] Where where you, out this late!!
Sayaka : Sorry.. I was with my friends and..
Sayaka's mother : Well, well dear, she came home safe. Anyway, Sayaka told
us that she'd be home late.
Father : [shouts] But it's too late!
[Her father is still angry]
Mother : Sayaka, it's okay... Just go to bed now.
Sayaka : O-okay... Sorry..
Ayaka : [sleepily] Oneechan..
Sayaka : Ayaka, did I wake you?
Ayaka : Ayaka wants odango (buns) in her hair tomorrow.
[Sayaka is a little worn out]
Sayaka : I thought you liked plaits?
Ayaka : [whines] Today, Ken chan said Eri chan's odango hair was cute!
As a rival, Ayaka doesn't want to lose!
Sayaka : All right, all right.
Ayaka : Mummy's not very good at it so she's no good and her sense isn't....
Sayaka : [walks away, tired] Odango... That'll take time.. [thinks] I'd better
do my homework...
[Sayaka is doing her homework]
Sayaka : [thinks] Ohhh.. I want to write poems.. I want two bodies.. no three
or four.. But today was a pretty interesting day.. I met Pochi kun and all these
images are flowing... [nods off to sleep]
 
(next morning)
Ayaka : [with plaited odango] Waai! Thank you-- Oneechan, you should sometimes
dress up. You've always got the same hair--
Sayaka : I'm fine with this.
Mother : Sayaka, please go pick up Ayaka again!
Sayaka : Ye--s!
[Running around getting ready]
Mother : Where's lunch?
Sayaka : It's on the table!
Mother : Oh, here it is!
Sayaka : Ittekima-su!
Mother : Hai, Itterasshai! Dear, how long are you going to be in the toilet?
(Vocab note : 'Itterasshai' is the reply to 'Ittekimasu' which sort of means
'Off you go')
 
[Sayaka arrives at school on her bicycle]
Voice : Sayaka cha--n!
[Tomo is waiting for her, standing on top of the wall]
Tomo : It's morning! [shakes tambarine]
Sayaka : [surprised] ----- Yeah... Ohayo (good morning)... [sweatdrop]
Tomo : [jumps down] This is my mobile phone number!
[hands her a piece of paper]
Sayaka : Thanks.
Voice from behind them : Ohhh!? [laughs]
Teacher : You two! Are you friends? [laughs]
Sayaka : Sir..
Teacher : You ought to give each other advice! If you add together then divide
you two then you'd be just right! **
Tomo : Ye--s!
Sayaka : [blushes and thinks] Ohh.. I've had enough with that teacher..
Sayaka : Pochi kun! Is it okay this afternoon?
Tomo : That's fine! [blows her a kiss] Be gentle with me! (heart mark)
[Sayaka stands there, suddenly depressed]
Sayaka : [thinks] Can I keep up with him...
[Tomo shakes tambarine and skips off]
[The teacher continues laughing heartily]
Students : Hey look, the stress queen's got something on her back..
[Sayaka has the stress monster on her back again]
 
** note : This is a phrase I just translated literally from Japanese to
English, so it might not make sense. I think it means to 'add' Sayaka's
and Tomo's personalities, with Sayaka's sensibleness and Tomo's silliness,
then if they both split their personalities in half and each of them would
have half-half, then they'd be just right! So Sayaka and Tomo would have
both each other's sensibleness and silliness.

(After school, Sayaka takes Ayaka home, then meets Tomo at the bridge)
Sayaka : What? That was your mother? The lady from yesterday....
Tomo : Yup! And the other lady was my grandma.
Sayaka : [thinks] Um.. What should I ask..
Sayaka : What about your father?
Tomo : My dad is.. He's in hospital.. He's been in a vegetative state for
about 10 years.
Sayaka : [thinks] Wait a minute... Isn't he in a more serious situation
than me!?
Sayaka : And... Why don't you get stressed?
Tomo : Eh..? What about you, Sayaka chan? Why do you get stressed?
Sayaka : It doesn't matter about me! [thinks] I don't even know why!
Tomo : That's no fair! [shakes tambarine]
Sayaka : Your mother called you Pochi... didn't she?
Tomo : Oh yeah.. That's not a nickname, she's serious. My mum's a little
sick too... She's always thought that I was a dog, for real. [smiles]
Sayaka : [thinks] Impossible to understand....
Tomo : Well, this is what I heard from my grandma.. A long long time ago,
I had an older sister. She was apparently a very cute daughter. But she
dies when she was three.
Tomo : So the parents grieved and during their sadness, they met with
puppy that had been abandoned... [A puppy sits in a box, written on the box
is "Please look after me. I'm Pochi"] So the two picked up the dog, thinking
that it was a reincarnation of my sister. The dog was brought up with as much
love as if it were human... After a few years, they had a second child, me..
And there were very happy. But one day, Pochi died in an accident and went to
heaven.. Mum was so devastated that she lost conciousness. During her state,
her child was brought out and when she woke up..
 
Tomo's mother : [holding the newborn Tomo] Pochi..
Tomo's father : What? Dear..
Tomo's grandma : Yuuko?
 
Tomo : Mum might have somehow met with someone on the other side...
 
Mother : Pochi! You came back!
 
Tomo : She didn't doubt for a minute that her second child wasn't Pochi..
And she went on thinking that the child was a dog and brought him up..
And that's the story, apparently. What do you think?
Sayaka : What do I think? Um... It's an amazing story... I..
Tomo : You think? I guess so... To me, it's a normal everyday life.. Mum's
usually asleep in her room. It's only during feeding time and the walk, once
a day, that I see her. Otherwise, I just don't speak in front of her.
Sayaka : You kept living that way?
Tomo : Yup. Oh but, my grandma is normal so she makes me normal food. While
my mum's asleep. I thought this was normal, so I didn't think of it as anything.
But one day when I was little and my friends came over.. I met my mum and..
 
(flashback)
Mother : Pochi, come here..
 
Friends : He's called Pochi! Weird...
  You're mum's a freak!
Grandma : That's why I told you not to invite your friends over! We're moving
from here!
 
Tomo : I found out I wasn't normal.. So I don't tell anyone. I'm fine with it,
but it's bad for my mum if people make fun of her. But you don't seem like a
person to make fun of it, so I don't mind.
Sayaka : I wouldn't... Sorry.. Forcing you to tell, like this... I'll never tell!
Tomo : Yup! I hope not!
Sayaka : Who named you 'Tomo'?
Tomo : My dad!
Sayaka : It's a wonderful name. I like the kanji.
Tomo : Really? Yay!
Sayaka : [thinks] And even still... He hasn't been called his name by his mother..
Tomo : My dad is really supposed to have dies ages ago, but he probably can't die
because he's worried about mum.. It's sad.. Sometimes, I think that I ought to
make it easier for him.
Sayaka : What?
Tomo : If I pull out a cord..
Sayaka : No! You can't do that!!
Tomo : Why not? He'd feel easier..
Sayaka : Why not!? It's just bad! No!
Tomo : Okay.. If you say so.
Sayaka : Okay, good!
[Tomo runs around]
Sayaka monologue : His thoughts about life and death are different...? He says
those things with no malice whatsoever...
Sayaka : Tomo kun... Um, I'll call you Tomo kun.
Tomo : I don't mind whatever! Look! The stars are out!
Sayaka : What? Aaah! It's 6:40! [thinks] I don't have cram school today, I'd
beter go home quickly. I'll be scolded.
Sayaka monologue : Having no aftereffect from Tomo kun's amazing story and
having no time to spare to gaze at the stars, I sped off on my bicycle. That's
my everyday life.. It's not a nice one..
 
(at home)
Father : You're late today as well! Even though you have no cram school!!
Sayaka : Sorry! Where's mum?
Father : Still at work!
 
[Sayaka is cooking dinner]
Ayaka : Oneechan, daddy came home at 5:30 today.
Sayaka : His home early lately--
Ayaka : He was angry, saying he was hungry!
Sayaka : Dad has this thing called a risutora (reconstruction of an organization)
And he now works at a small company unlike before.
[Ayaka imagines a risutora and mistakes it for an animal, half squirrel and half tiger]
(Vocab note : Risu means squirrel and tora means tiger)
Father : [angrily] Don't tell Ayaka those things!
Sayaka : .... yes..
Father : By the way, how was your test at cram school?
[He sees three test papers, 2 have 100% and one has 95%]
Father : .. Why... Could you get 95 and not gotten 5 more?
Sayaka : [thinks] Dammit... if only I hadn't dropped my textbook then..
Father : I hope your M-Senior High School exam studies are going okay.
Sayaka : Yup, well.. My teacher says it's okay, but dad, I don't really want to go
to a high grade school... I thought maybe a normal local one would be okay too..
I have things I want to do too...
Father : What is it? What do you want to do?
Sayaka : [thinks] It's my chance.. I'll say it..
[Sayaka explains]
Father : Poems? Don't be ridiculous.. Don't talk about dreams like that and face
reality! You can do those things after you leave university!
Sayaka : [thinks] He's saying things similar to what my school teacher said.. Maybe
it's the right path..
Sayaka : Yes. [thinks] My dream is so far away..
 
(Sayaka goes to her room)
Sayaka monologue : But my dream was denied so easily... What worth does my dream have?
[Sayaka cries]
 
Sayaka monologue : ---- but.. I can't keep crying!
(Her busy week flashes by)
[Sayaka is making lunch]
Ayaka : Oneechan, can you do my hair?
Sayaka : Hang on a minute!
Mother : Sayaka, can you come here a minute?
Sayaka : Ye--s!
 
Sayaka : Another class rep meeting?
[Picks up Ayaka from kindergarten and goes to cram school]
 
Sayaka monologue : Even though I can't forgive myself if I don't do the things I
have to do ---- One day, I want to live a slow life like Tomo kun...
 
(on Sunday, she meets Tomo again)
Tomo : [waves] Sayaka chan!
Sayaka monologue : Tomo kun has no worries and lives slow and easy. He has a totally
different universe to mine...
Tomo : Amazing? Me? Why?
Sayaka : I don't know why... It's like.. How you seem to be above the world with a lot
of things...
Sayaka : [thinks] Good will and bad will, happiness and sadness, life and death...
Sayaka : It's like you're like God... Or primitive..
[Tomo laughs]
Tomo : You're funny Sayaka chan! A primitive God!?
Sayaka : [thinks] There's probably no one else like him---
[Tomo falls asleep]
Sayaka : [giggles] [thinks] And he falls asleep a lot
[Tomo gets up abruptly]
Tomo : It's my feeding time! And then after that it's my walk!
[His stomach growls]
[Tomo walks away cheerily]
Tomo : We'll go on another date!
Sayaka : [thinks] That was a date..?
 
(At the cafe again)
Girl 1 : Sayaka chan, are you okay? You've got bags under your eyes..
Sayaka : Do I? Last night, I stayed up late..
Boy : Queen, how many hours of sleep do you get?
Sayaka : 3 to 4, I guess..
Tomo : What!? I sleep 12 hours a day!?
Girl 1 : Maybe you ought to go home and sleep...?
Sayaka : But it's fun here... just a little longer..
 
(Walking home with Tomo)
Sayaka : Tomo kun, you don't seem to be studying for exams... Well, you're still only
in second year..
Tomo : Yup! I don't mind wherever I go.. Any high school that lets me in! Come to think
of it, I don't want to go either! It doesn't matter about what's ahead of us, as long as
right now, it's fun!
Sayaka : [thinks] That's nice...
 
[Sayaka is slapped]
Father : What time do you think it is!? How many times do I have to tell you?
Mother : Dear!
Father : You're an exam student! Don't go out playing at night!
Sayaka : [thinks] I... I want.... I want to take a break for a while..
Mother : Dear! You didn't have to hit her!!
Father : If you want to play around so much, then do that after you've done what you
need to do!
Sayaka : [thinks] But I do...
Father : Do you understand!!
Sayaka : I'm sorry...
Mother : I don't believe it you dear... Sayaka, quick! Go ice your cheek!
 
(the next morning)
Ayaka : Oneechan! Today, I want my hair to...
Sayaka : Get mum to do it.. I slept in a little today. I don't even have time to do
my own.
Sayaka monologue : I feel so irritable...
Ayaka : .....
Sayaka : Ittekimasu.
Mother : Sayaka, please pick up Ayaka today!
Sayaka : Yes.
 
(at school)
Sayaka monologue : My whole body... I can't stop trembling..
Sayaka : Here is a notice from the class representatives. It's to do with the sports
carnival in one month's time.
Students : [murmur] Why do we have our sports carnival in summer~~
Sayaka : Please be quiet. Anyway, every class needs another member for the sports
committee so can somebody please be a candidate?
[No one says anything]
Sayaka : It's only for one month so it isn't going to be any burden.. Anybody?
Sayaka : [thinks] Please, sombody do it.. [She looks over to the girls she goes out with
to the cafe] You've all got time don't you!? It's not fair! Everyone always just waits
until it passes by..
Sayaka : It's okay.. I'll do it. That's all, sir.
Teacher : Is that okay?
Sayaka : Yes.
 
(In the toilets)
Girls : Sayaka chan, you're already busy and you're carrying more weight. Are you okay?
Sayaka : [thinks] Then why didn't you be a candidate?
Sayaka : Well.... Somebody has to do it...
Girls : That's why you get so stressed!
 Yeah, you'll go bald!
Sayaka : [thinks] No... My irritation won't stop.. My breath is getting chocked...
Girl 1 : Huh? Oh no Sayaka chan! You really have!? You've got a small 10-yen bald patch!
Sayaka : [thinks] What?
Girls : See, here-- Didn't you notice?
 Sayaka chan... You really are stressed..
[Sayaka kneels on the floor, too weak to stand]
Girls : Sayaka chan? You should sit there... It's dirty..
Sayaka : No.. [thinks] I can't stand any more.
Girls : Sayaka chan?
[Sayaka screams]
Sayaka : [thinks] No. No. I can't stand any more!
[Sayaka runs out of the toilets]
 
(At Sayaka's house)
Mother : Sayaka, are you home?
Ayaka : Tadaima-- (I'm home)
Mother : Dear, where's Sayaka?
Father : I don't know either, I just got home.. Is she here?
Mother : Sayaka?
[Goes to her room]
Mother : What are you doing without even having the lights one! Are you asleep?
Sayaka : [crying] Mum... I'm.. Bald.. Help..
Mother : Why didn't you pick up Ayaka!? I was so surprised when I got a call from the
kindergarten saying "We're waiting for someone to come"... I had to come from work.
It's no good if you can't do things properly. You could have contacted us or..
Sayaka : ... uwa..
Mother : .. Hm? Are you crying? I'll turn the lights on..
Sayaka : Uwaaaaa!!
Mother : Sayaka!? What's the matter?
Sayaka : [crying] I can't stand it! I hate everything! I'm always doing things properly!
I don't even want to the class rep, but no one does it so... [sob]
Mother : Sa..Sayaka?
Sayaka : And why do I have to make lunch--- I don't even want to go to cram school or
M-Senior High but you tell me to so.... I'm doing everything properly! And I get yelled
at for getting 95%.. [sob] If I go to M-Senior High, I'll end up at some company and
then I'll get risutora like dad and it won't be any use! I've got dreams, but you say
they're stupid! Why doesn't that kindergarten have a bus!! And do your own hair! I only
ever get to have my hair in a ponytail...
[Ayaka starts to cry]
Mother : Ayaka
[Sayaka runs off]
Mother : Wha.. Sayaka!!
Sayaka monologue : I can't stand it. I don't want to stay at home. I hate school.
Help! Help!
 
(At the bridge)
Tomo : You called me so I'm here! Tadaaa...!? Sayaka chan!? What's wrong!? You're
crying!?
[Sayaka cries on him]
Tomo : Sayaka chan? .....? I don't really understand, but umm.. There, there.
[Pats her on the head]
Tomo : There, there.... Woof, woof.
Sayaka : Tomo kun, I can't stand anything... I can't...
Tomo : You can't?
Sayaka : It's no good..
Tomo : No good?
Sayaka : My house, school, everyone... I hate it.. I want to die.. I want to disappear..
Tomo : You're going to disappear?
Sayaka : It's no good... I want to die... I want to die...
Tomo : I see.. Come here... Slowly.. That's right..
[He takes Sayaka to the water under the bridge]
Sayaka : It's cold.... [she realises where she is]
[The water rushes past]
[Tomo holds onto a ladder on the side, still holding Sayaka]
Sayaka : ......
Tomo : You can die here. Every year, a number of people drown and die. So what do you
want to do? Do you still want to die?
[Sayaka nods slowly]
Tomo : I see... Then it's time to part.. I'll miss you...
[Tomo is a little teary]
[He lets go of her hand]
Tomo : Bye bye...
[Sayaka gets pulled away by the strong current]
Sayaka : [thinks] Uh.. I can't breathe .... I'm scared!
[Tomo waits by the ladder, watching]
[He notices Sayaka splashing around and screaming something]
Tomo : [listens] ....?
Sayaka : H....e.. lp..
Tomo : What? Which do you want?
Sayaka : Help!!
Tomo : What------!?
[Tomo jumps in the water and pulls her out]
 
[Tomo gasps]
[Sayaka lies on the grass, still]
Tomo : Sayaka chan! Did you die?
[Sayaka coughs]
Tomo : You're alive! My house is nearby so I'll call my grandma to get us. Wait here.
[Sayaka nods]
[Tomo runs off to get his bag]
[Sayaka lies there, speechless]
Sayaka monologue : He.. He let my hand go when I said I wanted to die... Then when I
said help, he helped me..
[Sayaka starts to laugh]
[Tomo comes running back]
Sayaka : [thinks] He's.. really..
Tomo : Hey! You're laughing!? What's so funny?
Sayaka : Oh I don't know.... I just find it funny...
Tomo : ....
[Tomo kisses her on the cheek]
Sayaka : Why did you kiss me? Actually, it was more like a lick...
Tomo : Because I wanted to!
[Sayaka smiles]
 
Tomo : Look, there's my grandma! Can you stand?
Sayaka : Yup..
(in the car)
Tomo : Uhm.. We were playing in the river and accidentally got swept away. It's okay,
she knows about us..
[Tomo and Sayaka dry off with towels]
Tomo : Sayaka chan, you had a hard time... Are you okay?
[Sayaka laughs]
Sayaka : [thinks] You're asking me now?
Sayaka : I cried a lot... So I feel better.. And on top of that, I almost died..
After that, it seems like nothing really matters..
Tomo : Really.. That's good! I'm happier if Sayaka chan's alive!
[Sayaka smiles]
Sayaka monologue : After that, I went to the Aruga household... And I was allowed to
join them with "Pochi's walk" ----
 
[Sayaka watches Tomo and his mother]
Sayaka monologue : At first, it looked like a weird scene... But now I think there's
something undoubtedly pure... In front of Tomo kun's unique pureness, my worries seem
meaningless.. My heart settles ----
Tomo's mother : Pochi- Look, you can see the stars again today... They're beautiful..
Tomo : Woof!
Sayaka : [thinks] They really are beautiful... [sigh] I think I'm okay now.. I think I
can keep going...
 
(back at Tomo's house)
[Sayaka's parents and Ayaka arrive]
Grandma : I rang them about it.
Sayaka's mother : Sayaka!!
Sayaka : [thinks] Wha!
[Sayaka's parents thank Tomo]
Sayaka's mother : She drowned, slipping and you saved her..
Sayaka's father : Thank you so much! You are a life saver!
Tomo : What? A life saver?
(Obana's note : His grandma made it that way)
[Tomo stands proudly]
Sayaka : ....
 
(In the car on the way home)
Sayaka's mother : Sayaka... I didn't know it was so hard on you. I'm sorry..
Sayaka : Well... um..
Sayaka's mother : Your father has always been a perfectionist... You've taken
after your father and you always do everything.. So we just left everything to you...
Sayaka's father : I'm sorry... Lately, it's been... With work.. It's harder..
Mother : We'll talk more at home. And we got a call from your friends.. It was such
a surprise, you're a stress queen? Oh and you've got a bald patch?
Sayaka : [sob] Yup..
Mother : Let me see. Oh no, this is nothing. And you're young, it'll grow back.
Sayaka : Are you sure?
Mother : I'm sure! If you get to be like your father, then it's over.
Father : .....
Ayaka : Daddy, you're over!
Mother : It's not good to always have your hair tied up.
Sayaka : Isn't it?
Ayaka : That's why oneechan should be more fashionable!
 
(at home)
Sayaka monologue : ---We had a family talk and decided to lessen my 'burden'.
I didn't even realise it was a burden so it couldn't be helped that no one else
realised... But I'm a little happy...
 
(at school)
Girls : Sayaka chan! I'll be part of the sports committee!
 This hair spray works on baldness.. Do you want to use it?
Sayaka : Err... thanks..
 
Sayaka monologue : After one month, I felt more relaxed (and my baldness is now
fixed). I don't think I can ever be "the queen" and more. Then one day, Tomo's
father who had been in a vegetative state, finally died...
(scene of the funeral)
 
[Tomo and Sayaka sit on the grass]
Tomo : While he was dying, he must have used up all his strength. He opened his
eyes... And he talked! A little...! It was amazing! Even the doctors were surprised!
 
(flashback)
Tomo's father : .. u..ko.... Yuuko... Take... care.... of.. Tomo...
 
Tomo : It should be the other way around. He should say to me, "Take care of Yuuko"
Oh well! At least now dad's feeling better... So it was... good... I'm feeling a little
lonely though..
[Sayaka hugs him]
Tomo : Hey! It's mum! And grandma!
Sayaka : What? Where?
Tomo : I wonder what the matter is... It's in the afternoon! And they're out.
[Tomo runs towards them, barking]
[His mother sees him and runs towards him]
Tomo's mother : Tomo!!
[Tomo is surprised and doesn't know what to do]
Tomo's mother : Tomo!!
[Tomo's mother hugs him]
Tomo : !? !?
Grandma : Tomo. Yuuko understood.. Finally..
Tomo : ....
Mother : Tomo.... I'm sorry... I'm sorry...
Tomo : Mum....?
Mother : Tomo...
Tomo : Yes...
[Tomo cries]
[Sayaka cries too]
 
Sayaka monologue : After Tomo's mother's illness was cured, what happened to Tomo kun
was...
(on the grass by the bridge)
Tomo : .... Well I'm kinda happy... but it's kinda difficult... I was Pochi for
14 years... And now I'm suddenly treated like a human~~~ It's too hard~~ I keep being
too polite~~~ I get so embarrassed
Sayaka monologue : He seems to have understood a little about what "stress" is [laughs]
Sayaka : But you're happy.
Tomo : Yeah, I'm happy.... I want to eat dogfood.. And I want to go for walks..
Sayaka monologue : -- I was always drawn to this boy..
Tomo : How do human boys and their mums talk?
Sayaka : That's a difficult question [laughs]
Sayaka monologue : To me, he was a human boy from the very start. One that I like a lot...
 
(flashback)
Teacher : If you add together then divide you two then you'd be just right!
 
Sayaka monologue : Yup. We're gradually becoming that way.
[Tomo and Sayaka walk away holding hands]
Sayaka : Hey, the stars are out!
Tomo : Oh yeah! They're so pretty!
Sayaka : It'll be fine weather tomorrow. Let's go-
Tomo : Woof!
Sayaka : You don't have to do that any more, right? [sweatdrop]
Tomo : It's kinda a habit now!
[laughs]
Sayaka monologue : We're going to be just right, taking everything slowly...
 

-- THE END --