BRONZE: Zetsuai since 1989BRONZE: Zetsuai since 1989 Volume 1 Ozaki Minami Margaret Comics/ Shuueisha 1992 I’m putting my little notes right here because I don’t want to interrupt the story for them… First of all, Japanese is a very non-gender-specific language compared to English. Towards the end of Act 1, onstage, Kouji talks to the audience in a paragraph that constantly uses the words “ano hito,” or “that person.” My English version of that monologue really seems kind of evasive—as if he was trying to hide the fact that “that person” was in fact a man—but the Japanese version, while vague, doesn’t sound so evasive, because it’s quite common to say “that person” rather than “he” or “she.” It may seem strange that Kouji calls Izumi by his family name rather than his given name, Takuto, but it’s not unprecedented for characters who have a close relationship; in ‘Kodomo no Omocha,’ Sana calls Hayama by his family name, for instance. I was somewhat confused about the minor characters, having not read Zetsuai. So you might want to check out the character guide at http://members.xoom.com/fireflower/bronze/whoswho.html if you’re equally confused. Contents: Act 1 … p. 3 Act 2 … p. 81 Kouji : For three days and three nights after that, he suffered from nightmares and a high fever. --No! (giggle) We have to start the photo shoot! <> --The poster for the new album, remember? Kouji : But this is the only time I can be with you, Yuri-san. --(Giggle) Tell me a better lie. Kouji : I’m being serious. <> --There are so many people you’re ‘serious’ about these days. What about the ‘true love’ I’ve heard so much about? Kouji : Be quiet. <> --Nanjou-kun! What are you doing to the hair stylist? Kouji : Damn. --Oh my. <> --You’d think a guy with a ‘true love’ might be a bit more discreet! --Wow, you’ve cut all your hair off! I wonder why? After all, you let it grow for four or five years. Kouji : It got burned… --I’d like to ask you, as your manager, who is this ‘true love’ you have? Kouji : …I think you’re better off not asking. --Then I won’t ask. --Don’t you think you should just give up? Only death will cure a playboy like him! --And he’s been getting even worse lately! Kouji : Shut up! <> Kouji : There are many different kinds of love, so you shouldn’t go poking your nose in trying to find out who I really care about. You don’t want to know. And last night, he had a fever again. --Go! --Pass the ball! --You’re wasting time! Kick the ball! --Izumi-kun! --Wow, he’s so cool! <> --This is really intense for a practice match! --Your #10 has really been distinguishing himself lately! --That’s just his inborn talent. I suspect he’s been holding back for some reason until now. It’s as if he’d been possessed by something. --Izumi’s going to play soccer in Italy next year! He’s not going to lose. <> Kouji : It’s not normal for you to get fevers so easily! Go on, get into your futon quick! Izumi : Shut up! My normal body temperature is a little high! Kouji : Your normal temperature is 38.2 degrees? Izumi : Look, I’m all right! I’ll be better after a good night’s rest. Kouji : No. <> Kouji : Do you feel like throwing up? Are you hungry? Izumi : Maybe a little hungry… Kouji : Wait just a minute! But even though I said that, the truth is that I’ve never made anything in a kitchen before. Maybe there’s some instant rice at the convenience store…although it wouldn’t be very nutritious… <> Kouji : Let’s see now…’wash rice well until the water runs clear and the smell of rice bran goes away. Drain off the water and put 5 to 7 parts water for each part of rice in an earthenware pan with good heat transfer.’ Earthenware? Is this all right? All I’ve got is a frying pan…I don’t understand this at all… Izumi : Kouji, I’m hungry… Kouji : Dammit…all you really need to do is boil the rice in water, right? Kouji : All right…fifteen minutes over low heat…huh? It went out! <> Kouji : Now I’ve got it…Ack! No! Yeow! Kouji : I made something kind of strange… Izumi : What’s this? Kouji : I don’t want you to die, so I went to the convenience store. I don’t think it’ll kill you. Izumi : What happened to your hair? Kouji : Heh heh…it was my first time using a gas stove. <> Izumi : It takes a real idiot to burn his hair like this… <> Kouji : His breath is hot… I’m fine. My hair will grow back soon. Izumi : Why did you grow your hair this long? Kouji : Eyes filled with fire… Well, yeah… Flushed cheeks, bare chest… There might be a reason… The one who inspired me unknowingly… <> Izumi : What’s the reason? Kouji : I don’t want to say it. Izumi : Why not? Kouji : Because it’s too girly. Izumi : Tell me! Kouji : Even when he’s feveri, he has a criminal’s eyes. I vowed, at that time… Kouji : I made a wish. There was something a girl told me in elementary school… I vowed not to cut my hair until my wish came true… Izumi…I can never embrace you again… --Half-time! --Oh, Nanjou-san! You cut your hair! Kouji : Don’t you think it suits me? --It’s wonderful! <> Kouji : You look cute too, Karika-chan. Izumi : Hey! Kouji : I, um… Izumi : Are you mad that you had to get your hair cut? Kouji : No, that’s fine. I’m just glad that you’re all right. Izumi : That’s right, I am! A little bit of training won’t kill me. Kouji : Good. <> --Izumi! Izumi : Hey, coach! --You’re doing great. Even the other team’s coach is praising you. I hear that some people from the Soccer Association are coming to see your next match. Good luck! Izumi : Thanks! Kouji : Don’t forget to buy me a souvenir when you go to Italy! Izumi : Don’t be silly! Oh, Kouji…how late are you working tonight? Kouji : I’ve got a video shoot ‘till 10, why? Izumi : I’ve got the day off from work today. I’ll make you something good, as thanks for the strange thing you made me! Kouji : I wish you hadn’t said that… --‘Strange thing’? Kouji : I love to see you bathed in sunlight, your arms and legs strong and brown from the sun, running across the field. I don’t want to wound you any more with my dark desires. <> Kouji : I can’t stand to see him said, so please, God, let me be the one who has to suffer. <> Kouji : Please don’t twist his smile with pain any more. --…ji. You’re drunk, Kouji. Kouji : Oh…yeah… --You’d better go home. You’ve got to be up early tomorrow. <> Kouji : Can I stay at your place, Aya-san? --So I’m the next step up after the hairstylist? No. Go back to your own home; I’ll take you there. Kouji : …can’t… --Huh? Kouji : I can’t go home… <> Kouji : It’s already been a month…I haven’t touched him once. I can’t say, ‘I love you’…because he feels safe. <> Kouji : If nothing else, at least I realize now that it’s over… <> Izumi : Stop…Kouji… <> Izumi : No…No! Kouji : Izumi! Izumi! Wake up! Izumi has been having nightmares every night since then, with his body trembling slightly and tears flowing down his cheeks. <> Kouji : Izumi, I won’t do anything anymore, so— Why? Why do I hurt you so much? So don’t cry! If I love you so much, why… Please… Why do I end up trapping you like this? <> Izumi : Huh? When did I get into bed? Him… <> Izumi : Kouji…hey, Kouji! Kouji : Morning… Izumi : You’re back. Kouji : Yeah…sorry about last night…I had to work later than I thought. But it turned out really well. Izumi : You stink of alcohol! Kouji : Sorry! Izumi : Oh, I don’t care any more. <> Kouji : You’re mad, aren’t you? I’m really sorry. Izumi : Mixed in with the smell of alcohol, the sharp smell of perfume… Kouji : You went to all the trouble of making me dinner…but I couldn’t help it, I had to work. Izumi : It’s awful… Kouji : Izumi… <> Izumi : Wash that smell off! You smell like women. It makes me sick! <> Kouji : What’s wrong with you? It shouldn’t have been this way. <> Kouji : Please, God—no more of this! Izumi : Let me go! <> Kouji : Even if a million people need me, even if they say that they would die if I weren’t there, if the one person I want doesn’t need me, then I wouldn’t care if those million people died. <> Kouji : If that one person doesn’t need me… Kouji : If you weren’t here, then I couldn’t even breathe. <> Kouji : Is it because—you’re jealous? Izumi : Of course not! <> Kouji : No, of course not. I shouldn’t get my hopes up. Izumi : What’s that supposed to mean? Kouji : No. If you were… Don’t say it. Then it might mean… No! That you love me too. <> Kouji : Or have you forgotten? I’m the stupidest man alive. About how much I love you? Izumi : Really? I didn’t know that. Every night you come home stinking of women! <> Kouji : This isn’t getting us anywhere. All I can do now… But it’s too late. Is press down my feelings so I don’t make you mad… <> Kouji : And distract my body which feels like it’s going to explode with women. It’s too late to stop. You’re shaking even now. Are you really so scared of me? <> Izumi : Why aren’t you dodging out of the way? <> Izumi : Are you making fun of me? Why won’t you fight back? Kouji : What else can I do? What am I to you? I don’t want to be just a burden and a nuisance to you. But even if I am a burden, and even if you hate me, I can’t leave you! I won’t let anyone take you from me—not even you! <> Kouji : It hurts so much… Izumi : I have no idea what you’re thinking. Kouji : This wrong love that chases him and rips him apart… Izumi : But I’m even more unsure of what the hell I’m thinking! Kouji : I didn’t want this to happen…it’s hopeless… <> Kouji : He might never come back. --As members of the Soccer Association, we can see how wasteful it would be to leave things as they are… I sent a video of your team’s match to Italy, and they’re very interested. <> Izumi : I see… --Izumi! Please tell us your decision! --No, that’s all right. He may be anxious about it, since it’s a decision that could affect his whole future. --Next week I’m going to Italy to see a match. Would you come with me then? I’m sure you’ll be able to make up your mind if you see it for yourself. <> Izumi : The world. My future. I could devote myself entirely to soccer in Italy. Sorry for making you wait. I can’t believe it. It’s like a dream. That smell… Excuse me, Miss, what’s the name of that perfume? --It’s “Puwazon” (giggle). Do you like it? Izumi : No…err…sorry for disturbing you… <> --Why don’t you take a break, Takuto? Izumi : Thanks. It’s not such an unpleasant smell…why does it make me feel so sick? --And here’s this week’s number one song. It’s by the sudden star Nanjou Kouji, and it’s the title track off his new album, “Bronze.” Izumi : “Are you jealous?” <> Kouji : To hold your supple bronze back in the torn daybreak, This is what I desire… To hold your curving bronze hips in the ravenous thunder, This is what I crave… I can’t turn back now. Even if a million people need me, If the one person I want doesn’t need me, Then I wouldn’t care if those million people died. If that one person doesn’t need me… <> Kouji : If you weren’t here, then I couldn’t even… --What!? His voice isn’t getting through! --No, it’s not that! He’s not singing! Izumi : Kouji…What’s wrong? Did you forget the lyrics? Kouji : breathe… I’m… <> Kouji : I’m not going to sing anymore. --Nanjou-kun, what are you saying!? --Go to a commercial! --Don’t cut it here, this is interesting. Let’s listen a bit more. Kouji : Even if I sing this song, my feelings won’t reach that person. If that’s the case, then I’m going to quit singing. I want to stay by that person, do something for that person. If I do that, then maybe that person will… <> Kouji : Maybe the time will come when that person will need me… --Go to a commercial! --We’re getting a huge number of phone calls, all the lines are filled up. --Let’s do a follow-up after the commercial! --Nanjou-kun! What does this mean!? <> Izumi : It hurts…Kouji…my heart hurts… Shibuya : Hi! <> Shibuya : It’s been a while! Izumi : Shibuya… Shibuya : Can we take a walk? I’ll get right to the point. Did you watch the TV just now? Looks like you did. Then I’ll make this quick. I wanted to stop interfering so much, but…you’re on dangerous ground. <> Shibuya : Tell me honestly, Izumi, do you love Kouji? Izumi : Why would you ask me something like that? Shibuya : Because that’s the only thing that’s going to save either one of you. No…it’s not really a problem of whether you love each other or you don’t. But if you don’t feel anything towards him, don’t react to him at all, then all your kindness is nothing but cruelty, and it would be far kinder just to leave him. <> Shibuya : Don’t confuse friendship, sympathy, and love. Izumi : Frienship, sympathy, and love… Shibuya : Sympathy alone is an insult. It means you look down on the other person. You feel sorry for them so that you can feel better about yourself. I think that’s hypocrisy. Izumi : Shibuya…is there somebody you love? Shibuya : Sure. <> Izumi : Then you want everything about that person, right? Shibuya : Well, you know…it sounds pretty to say that if I could have the heart, I wouldn’t need the body, but it just doesn’t ring true. Izumi : It may be arrogant to say that you want everything about someone, but that’s also naked, undecorated, human instinct. Normally you can’t expose it—so humans can’t live without a façade of normality. So the purest, most unsoiled kind of emotions are the ones coming from instict…but of course they’re also the most dangerous kind. <> Izumi : If people open up completely, then they lose control and they’re destroyed. Lay off the drinking and the smoking and the women. They’re bad for your health. <> Kouji : Izumi! Izumi, Izumi! I thought you’d never come back! Izumi : Kouji…do you love me? <> Izumi : Do you want to hold me, even now? Kouji : …Did you watch what was on TV? Please have some sympathy for me. Izumi : Don’t take me for an idiot! Do you really think that I would let you embrace me because of nothing but sympathy? <> Kouji : You’ve just been hitting me lately… I don’t want to get hurt, but I can’t leave you. Izumi! I love you! I don’t know what I should do… What is right? But I can’t stop! What is wrong? <> Kouji : Who is it that decides? Izumi : I might like your song…tell it to me. ”Don’t confuse friendship, sympathy, and love.” <> Kouji : What else can I do? Pretending to myself that I’m the only one who can save him, body and soul, I might be the one who pretends to be kind while actually hurting him. Does loving someone have to mean that you want them, body and soul, even if they’re torn apart, even if they cry out, even if they break? I must be a coward, to think all this and also think that I don’t want to lose you. <> Izumi : Kouji? Why are you looking at me that way? Are you crying? Kouji? <> Kouji : Izumi? “Somehow I forgot to tell you last night…” <> “I’m setting off to Italy today. I’m going for one week to watch soccer. I want to see real soccer being played for myself, and I want to test my abilities.” Kouji : It must have been too hard for him to say, “You can’t make me happy any more.” “I’ll be back soon.” Kouji : Why so suddenly? <> Kouji : One week? One minute is too long, one second too much. I don’t want you to leave me. Don’t go. I can still smell you in my hair! <> Kouji : If you can say everything with your heart, you don’t need a body. You don’t need words. Or eyes. Or ears. Or hands. Or feet. <> Kouji : No matter how much we may be separated, if our hearts can reach each other, it’s all right. So why then do I want someone to stop my breathing? <> Kouji : Please come here and kill me… <> Kouji : Izumi? Izumi? Why are you crying? Don’t cry, Izumi. I’m coming. <> Kouji : I have to go to where he is…I have to go… <> Kouji : He was crying. Why won’t my body move? Bronze: Act 2 <> --A-positive type blood, ready! --Hurry to treatment room 3! Doctor Kajikawa is standing by! --Are we ready to do a blood transfusion? <> --Hey, it’s some people from Shibuya![Kouji’s record company] --Apparently Nanjou Touji is in critical condition, but is it true that he was going 150 km/hour without a helmet? --Out of the way! --What’s his status? Is he going to live? Shibuya : This isn’t some kind of joke, Kouji. <> --What is it, Izumi-kun? You need to hurry up and get on board. <> Izumi : Right… Maybe it was just my imagination… Can I call home one more time? --Not again! That would be the fourth time. We don’t have the time for it. Izumi : Why do I have such a bad feeling about this? You’re right. Sorry. I should’ve told him before I left…that must be why I’m so nervous. Maybe the reason I can’t reach him is that he went out after reading the letter…if he was coming here… <> Izumi : Why am I so worried about Kouji, dammit? It’s only for a week. It’s not a lifelong separation. <> --Pulse getting weaker…heart rate dropping…blood pressure… --What is it? Shibuya : I know what happened. Izumi’s going on a trip to Italy today. He left this morning…I can’t get in touch with him. He was going to Narita airport, that idiot… What were you thinking, Izumi? <> Shibuya : Damn! I hate places like this! --His pulse is still getting weaker, doctor. Kouji : Izumi… <> Kouji : Izumi…is that you, Izumi? You’re really little. Yeah… it’s that dream I haven’t had in a while, of the first time I met you. So cute… Kouji : You’re crying? Izumi, why are you crying? I’m coming… I’m here…why do you always cry alone, Izumi? Don’t cry. It’s all right. I’m here, so you’re not alone anymore. <> Kouji : My body won’t move…why? That’s right. I was in an accident. Am I dead? <> ”Liar. Liar. Liar.” <> Shibuya : Doctor! --How’s Kouji? --We did the best we could, but it’s still uncertain… His external injuries were fairly light, and there doesn’t seem to be anything unusual about his brainwave pattern, but he hit his back hard, and the truth is that it will be a miracle if he regains consciousness. <> --He could stay in a coma forever… Shibuya : Kouji, you idiot! --Or he could die… Shibuya : Wake up, this isn’t a joke! Kouji! Kouji : Don’t…tell…Izumi… --Doctor, that’s— --No, he’s unconscious again! Shibuya : ”Don’t tell Izumi”… <> --This just in. At 9 am this morning, the popular singer Nanjou Kouji, age 17 years, was involved in a traffic accident and is in critical condition. Serika : No… --According to our investigation, Nanjou-san was travelling at over 100 km/hr without a helmet, when a car suddenly pulled out in front of his bike. --Serika-chan? <> --Oh no, is it true? --Unable to dodge, he was knocked to the ground. --Kouji’ll die! --The police are investigating to obtain more information. --What’s wrong, Minako? --This is divine punishment. <> --We’re in front of the hospital where Nanjou Kouji has been hospitalized. As you can see, a large crowd of people has gathered in front of the hospital. --Kouji! Don’t die! --Kouji! --Sorry, only those personally involved are allowed to enter. Serika : Oh, Shibuya-san! Shibuya : Serika-chan! <> Serika : Is Nanjou-san all right? Shibuya : He’s still unconscious. We can’t go in to see him. Serika : But why would he… Shibuya : He should’ve waited for him to come back. Instead, he chases after him, gets in an accident…now he could die… <> Shibuya : I don’t know. Maybe he plans on staying in a coma until he gets back—then he won’t have to face the reality of them being apart. I don’t think that anyone can save Kouji…anyone, except for Izumi Takuto. Serika : He really is an idiot… <> Izumi : Wow! Are these all soccer fields? --That’s right. There are fifteen in all, plus six more inside. <> --They’re first-rate accomodations so that you can play soccer even in the middle of a storm or a blizzard. Don’t you think you’d like to play against the athletes here, Izumi-kun? Izumi : Wow! The match I played yesterday was great, but this is on a completely different level than anything in Japan! Ah! I want to play soccer! --You didn’t get much exercise during your long trip here. Would you mind showing us your stuff? <> --Everybody, this is the great Japanese soccer player Takuto Izumi. Be nice to him. --You’ve got skinny hips. Can you really play soccer with a butt like that? --Hey, don’t make the kid cry! <> --Ah! --Oh-! --Gabriele! <> --Hey, watch out! Not bad, though! <> Izumi : Damn! I thought it was going to go in for sure! --This looks like it’ll be an interesting week. <> Izumi : Owwww…if nothing else, I’m grateful that those professional athletes don’t give me any special treatment because I’m just in high school. They really beat me! Hmm…no answer…I wonder if he’s mad at me? <> Izumi : Or maybe he’s sleeping with an actress…I wonder if he’s eating…ow, my body hurts…I feel numb to the tips of my toes…it would be the greatest to spend every day like this…who’s that stroking my head? <> Izumi : Yes…it’s my father. My father’s hand, strong and warm… but I can’t remember his face. Kouji? Kouji : I love you. I love you, Izumi. Izumi : It was Kouji? <> Kouji : I love you, I love you, I love you. Farewell. <> Izumi : What was that? Something startled me all of a sudden. <> Izumi : Kouji… The week passed quickly, and still I was unable to contact him. --So, it looked like your plans to watch soccer matches for a week turned into a week of practices! Did you like the team? Izumi : Yeah. I’ve gotta get home. Shibuya…Serika? Serika : My stupid brother! <> Serika : Izumi, he’s dead! <> Izumi : “Izumi, he’s dead!” What? <> Izumi : Dead? Shibuya : He went chasing after you with no helmet on, going over 100 km an hour. Somebody cut him off and he ended up falling over. Izumi : How could he be dead? <> Shibuya : Why did you leave him, Izumi!? Izumi : It’s…not true…Isn’t this a bit harsh for a joke, Shibuya? <> Izumi : I don’t believe you. Tell me you’re lying. Tell me you’re lying! <> Shibuya : Hurry up. I’ll be waiting outside in the car. Serika : He’s been unconscious for a week… <> Serika : Be careful, because the media and the fans are still there. There’s been a huge commotion about it. Is it true that you’re going to Italy after you graduate from high school? <> --He doesn’t have any external wounds aside from a fracture in his left leg, so it looks like he’s just sleeping. But it’ll be a miracle if he regains consciousness, and he’ll probably be in a coma for life. <> --Just as the anesthetic was wearing off, he said not to tell you about this… <> Izumi : “I love you.” This isn’t true! “I love you, Izumi.” It isn’t! I love you, I love you…farewell. It can’t be true! <> Izumi : It isn’t true! Kouji, wake up! Did you think this was the end? --Izumi, stop! Izumi : I told you I was coming right back! Why didn’t you believe me? <> Izumi : Why won’t you wake up? I’m calling you! Open your eyes, Kouji! Let me go! I’m going to wake him up! <> Izumi : Let me go… <> Izumi : It hurts…mom, it hurts! --An ambulance, please, quickly! My child is hurt! Please save Takuto! Izumi : Dad, wake up! --I’m sorry, Takuto. Forgive me, please. Izumi : No…why? <> Izumi : Mom, no! Why!? I feel hot…someone, save me! --It looks like a double suicide. --The man died instantly. --But it seems the woman will live, since we discovered her quickly. --That’s because she called saying that her child was hurt. I suppose she didn’t want to take him along with her. --It looks like she only hit his left hip by chance, or in the spur of the moment. <> Izumi : Save me, somehow… --She’ll get 12 years of prison, but we still don’t know about a motive. She’s got three kids…she shouldn’t have given birth to them if she was going to die. Izumi : I’m burning up…nobody’s coming to save me. It hurts, and no one’s there. Kouji : Izumi…it’s all right, I’m here. I won’t leave your side. <> Kouji : I promise, I will make you happy. But am I too late? Is there nothing I can do? Izumi… <> Shibuya : You’re awake? Izumi : Where am I? Shibuya : A special ward of the hospital. You fainted…do you remember? <> Shibuya : You were holding your left hip…but the doctors couldn’t find anything wrong with it when they examined it. Kouji’s going to be brought over here tomorrow, so you should stay here too for a while. Izumi : OK… Shibuya : The press found out where your apartment was, so I cleared it out and brought your stuff here. I’ll write to the school saying that you’ll be absent, and you can take a break from soccer as well. <> Shibuya : I think too that if you call him, he just might open his eyes as if nothing had ever happened. He looks like he’s dreaming, doesn’t he, Izumi? <> Izumi : This isn’t a dream… <> Izumi : This isn’t a dream. This is reality. And it hurts. --Look at that kid. --By Nanjou-kun? --The poor guy… Izumi : He won’t awaken from his dream. <> --He’s been staying by his side all day. --He’ll make himself sick. --I’ve heard of cases when someone miraculously wakes up after years and years. <> Izumi : What if he really dies? What if he never calls my name again? <> Izumi : Things would be back to the way they were…there’d be no one following me around all the time, I could do whatever I wanted. I would have come right back, but you had to make such a big deal out of it, even though you went off on concert tours and didn’t come home for days! I could go back to that tranquil time. That time when… <> Izumi : You said you loved me, but you slept with all those women… I wasn’t trying to run away! I just wanted to see what real soccer was! That’s all! So why--? <> Izumi : Why didn’t you make me happy? <> Izumi : Kouji… <> Izumi : I won’t forgive you if you die! <> Izumi : In my dream, he was smiling gently. I promise that I will make you happy, he said. <> Izumi : He has been unconscious for many days, and I have been unable to save him. --Izumi, you have a visitor. <> Sasaki : It’s been a while, Izumi-senpai. Izumi : Sasaki!? Sasaki : I can’t stand it any more! Hasn’t he regained consciousness yet? <> Izumi : No. Sasaki : Why do you have to stay asleep? I won’t let you make Senpai miserable after taking him away from me! You shouldn’t make Senpai cry! Izumi : Sasaki… <> Sasaki : I just wanted to say that! I won’t come here again. Izumi : Sasaki, wait! Sasaki : Izumi-senpai, are you happy? <> Sasaki : I’m happy! This guy’s my boyfriend, and he loves only me. So I’m happy! Izumi : “He loves only me…” “Izumi…I love you, Izumi.” <> Izumi : “So I’m happy…” Sasaki! Thank you! I’m sorry! <> Minamimoto: Well, is the prince still asleep? Shibuya : Oh, Minamimoto. It’s been a while. <> Izumi : That smell… Minamimoto: Kouji… <> Shibuya : That’s Minamimoto Mieko, an actress who used to work with Kouji a lot. Izumi : I know that sweet smell, that permeated Kouji… Minamimoto: Won’t even a kiss from a princess wake you up? Perhaps just a kiss isn’t enough… <> Izumi : Why? Why does my heart hurt so much? Minamimoto: You look just like an abandoned kitten. <> Minamimoto: The prince might end up being carried off by a witch… Princess… Izumi : Abandoned? --Izumi-kun, your soccer coach and homeroom teacher are in the waiting room. You have a lot of guests today. Izumi : Me? <> --You look well, Izumi. You have a dangerous number of absences, and midterms are approaching quickly. Do you think you can come? Izumi : Yeah… --This is a very important time in your senior year, when you have to make plans for the future. Have you made up your mind to go to Italy? --If you don’t want to, you could go work for a company with a soccer team… --What’s holding you back, Izumi? This is pro soccer! There are thousands of people who long for an opportunity like this! <> --Or don’t you want to play soccer any more? Didn’t you like it that much? If you have a reason, say so! Izumi : Sensei… --I know about your household situation…that you were very shocked by your friend’s recent accident…though it may be indiscreet of me to say so… This is your life, Izumi! You can’t live it for someone else! It may sound beautiful to live for someone else, but what will you do after that? Look at reality. This is an important time for you. What do you want to do? How do you want to live the long life ahead of you? <> Izumi : What do I want to do in the long life ahead of me? How do I live? --Give it some thought, Izumi. The team over there wants a quick response. If you decide to join them, you’ll have to start quickly. Izumi : Ahead of me…that’s right, even if he dies, <> Izumi : I am…alive? <> Izumi : Ow…it hurts…why does such an old wound hurt so much? In ten years…in twenty years…will I still live here with this wound? “the time that’s left”… “like an abandoned kitten…” Abandoned…left behind… <> Izumi : Yes, I’ve been left behind, alone in the darkness. My entire world might disappear. I can live by myself. I had been doing so for a long time, so I can live by myself. I’m not the kind of cowardly man who can’t live if there’s not someone there. Those hands…those arms that held me tight enough to break…that gaze, always stubbornly pursuing me… You’ve opened up my old wound! Izumi : Take responsibility! Say something! ”I love you. I love you. I can’t see anyone but you.” Look at me like before! ”Izumi-senpai, I’m happy.” <> Izumi : It hurts… ”Even a princess’s kiss” ”I’m happy.” ”Can’t wake him up?” ”Because there’s someone who cares only for me” <> Izumi : Take responsibility! ”I’m happy.” ”Can’t wake him up?” Shibuya : Izumi? Where are you going? Izumi : Can’t you tell just by looking? <> Shibuya : Hey, Izumi! Izumi : I’ve stayed with him for forty-six hours. If he won’t wake up, he won’t wake up. Even if I go to school or play soccer, if the time comes for him to wake up, he will. <> Shibuya : Wait! Izumi : I could lose the scholarship that lets me go to school, and I have an important match coming up as well. I can’t stay here any longer. Shibuya : Are you serious? Izumi : Let me go. <> Shibuya : I used to have a sister! They said she wouldn’t live to be ten, and she died at thirteen. I couldn’t do anything for her. Nobody could. <> Shibuya : I would have done anything for Madoka, but even though I stayed with her, even though I prayed for her, she died. It’s because miracles hardly ever happen that they’re called miracles. But I don’t believe that he’s going to die! He might never open his eyes again, but… Izumi, if you can make a miracle happen… <> Shibuya : Don’t you understand by now? No one could do it but you! Izumi : I know. <> Izumi : That’s why I’m leaving. <> Shibuya : Izumi! Wait! <> Izumi : I’m going to Italy. It’s because miracles hardly ever happen that they’re called miracles.