Junior

Corrections are always welcome!

Warning: Not everything on each page has been translated. Also, some... creative translating... has occurred.

Thoughts are in ().

My interjections and descriptions of the pictures are in [].

Page breaks are marked by (*).

Ready? Go!

[Sumire holds up a funny looking baby for inspection.]

Sumire: So -- Let's say 'hello' to your big brothers. "I'm Midori-kun. Good afternoon!"

Narr: Hasukawa Midori (a boy)

[Mitsuru, Shun and Shinobu study him intently.]

Mitsuru: A! [Reproachfully to Nasu Yukie] Don't be so carefree!

[Nasu-sensei flees with her hands over her ears in a "La-La-La-I'm-not-listening!" fashion.]

Nasu-sensei: Carefree --

(*)

[Title page with a cute pic of Hasukawa sitting on a moped.]

(*)

[Group shot of Mitsuru, Shun and Shinobu laughing. Shinobu's holding Shun's hand. Hmmm.]

(*)

Narr: One day...

[Hasukawa is on the phone.]

Hasukawa: Yes?

Sumire: [On the other end] Ah! Hello, Yakkun? It's me.

Sumire: I received some admission tickets to an ice skating rink. Since I can't go, I thought you guys...

Hasukawa: [In room 211 reporting his conversation] ... she said, but --

Shun: I'll go! I'll go! [Heart symbols]

Mitsuru: [Turning to Shinobu] How about you, Shinobu?

Shinobu: [Not looking up from his book] I have no objection to going.

(*)

Mitsuru: Okay. Let's go this coming Sunday. Where is the place?

Hasukawa: Not far from here. I'll call and have her send the tickets.

Mitsuru: No, wait. That's inexcusable. Let's stop by Hasukawa's house and pick them up. While we're at it we
can see Hasukawa's little nephew!

[Big Kanji: Approval!]

Narr: So then...

[The boys are sitting on the floor in the Hasukawa living room. Sumire is holding the baby in front of her.
Shun and Mitsuru look happy and interested, Shinobu neutral, and Hasukawa long suffering.]

Sumire: The newspaperman is always so nice. He's always giving us various things.

Hasukawa: Sumire-chan. That newspaperman shouldn't give you things. [?]

Narr: Kou natte iru wake da ga...

Hasukawa: (I haven't come home in a while. The inside of the house is completely changed.)

[Hasukawa sits a little forlornly, looking at all the baby stuff everywhere.]

Note: Because the baby is an only child, the inside of the house is utterly [covered with his stuff(?)]

Hasukawa: (The inside of the house smells good... She'll raise him to be a proper human being.)

Hasukawa: (It seems like it was just the other day when I first saw him. He had just been born.)

***Flashback to the day Midori was born***

Sumire: We named him Midori-kun. Isn't he cute?

Hasukawa: Uh, yeah.

***End flashback***

Hasukawa: (He was like some unfamiliar object X that I'd just see that one time. [?])

(*)

Hasukawa: (This kind of tiny being...)

[Hasukawa reaches out to the baby, thoughtfully.]

[Utterly shoujo pic of Mitsuru laughing. Kawaii!]

Hasukawa: (...was discarded, wasn't it?... By Mitsuru-sempai's birth mother...)

[In the background, Sumire is talking while Mitsuru and Shun smile and blush girlishly and Shinobu looks on.]

Hasukawa: (Since then, even though I could have asked Mitsuru-sempai the many things I wanted to...)

[Pic of Mitsuru kidding around with a classmate.]

Hasukawa: (Mitsuru-sempai's spirits have always... always... been such that he wouldn't give me the answers
to my questions.)

Hasukawa: (If I think about it, he's always been like that.)

[Mitsuru is bending over the baby with a gentle expression on his face.]

Hasukawa: (It's unfair, I think.)

(*)

[A serious-looking Mitsuru points to a shocked Hasukawa.]

Mitsuru: The baby looks like Hasukawa, doesn't he?

Hasukawa: EH?!

Sumire: You think so, too?

Shinobu: [Deadpan to Hasukawa] He's your child?

Hasukawa: [Panicked, arms flapping] WAAH!

Sumire: [Smiling happily] Hiro-kun said the same thing! He said Yakkun looked just like this when he was
small. [Heart symbols]

[Shun lets the baby play with his finger while Sumire talks happily.]

Sumire: Hiro-kun is able to do everything around the house. He's really been a great help.

Sumire: Kore mo Yakkun ga itekureta okage ne [heart symbols]

Sumire: And if you become fathers, you'll be able to help your wives too!

Hasukawa: (Wait a second...)

Kettle FX: Pii--

Sumire: [Getting up] Coming!

Hasukawa: (Just maybe...)

Mitsuru: [Sweatdrop] To say that kind of thing...

(*)

Hasukawa: (From Sumire's point of view, my existence...)

[Hasukawa sweats as giant kanji behind his head spell out "Younger brother --> Son"]

[Mitsuru and Shinobu sit in the background with knowing looks on their faces.]

Mitsuru: Is that how it is...

Hasukawa: (No... No way...)

Shinobu: That's right, and also...

Shinobu: That's the reason why more and more Hasukawa will have no place to return to.

Hasukawa: [Sweatdrop] What are you saying?

Shinobu: Think about it.

Shinobu: Up until now, Sumire-san and your older brother's interests were focused on you alone, but now
that Midori has appeared, their attention is divided...

Shinobu: From Sumire-san's point of view, Midori is her true child, while you're merely her husband's younger
brother.

Shinobu: Hijuu wa Midori no hou ga gutto omokunaru darou koto wa souzou ni katakunai.

[Hasukawa clutches his head in horror!]

Shinobu: And a more concrete problem: this house is your brother's. When Midori gets bigger, it's very likely
you'll have to give up your room to him.

(*)

[Shinobu sits down again... very far away.]

Shinobu: [Vein popping] (Kuso. I'll just watch.) [^__^]

Shun: Okay, okay. Good baby.

[The clock reads 12:18. Clock FX: Tick... tick... tick...]

Shun: Ah! It looks like he's falling asleep!

[Mitsuru, Shun and Hasukawa have a joyful realization.]

Shun: That's right! If he sleeps like this, it'll be fine!

[Shinobu holds up a cloth. (To cover the baby's face?)]

Hasukawa: [Angrily to Shinobu] That's wrong!

Shun: Shh!

Mitsuru: [Ordering sternly] Don't make a sound. Let him sleep quietly.

Clock FX: Tick... tick... tick...

[Midori sleeps peacefully.]

(*)

[The boys sit around the table uncomfortably drinking tea while Midori sleeps next to them.]

Clock FX: Tick... tick... tick... tick... tick... tick...

Shun: [Realizing something] Ah!

Mitsuru: Shh!

Hasukawa: What is it?

Shun: This situation just reminded me of a movie I saw...

Shun: It was on TV. The movie was called "The Quivering Tongue". It was really scary...

Hasukawa(?): Occult?

Shun: No, but even scarier! The story was about a little girl who got tetanus...

(*)

Shun: When she had convulsions, the child actor playing the part would scream in this great voice.

Shun: Her whole body would spasm and she would bite her tongue until blood flowed out of her mouth.

Shun: When stimulated by light or loud noises, she'd have convulsions, so even during the daytime her
room was kept in utter darkness, but...

Shun: She was admitted to the hospital... in the corridor outside her hospital room came a cart loaded with
trays and dishes...

[Untranslated stuff. Shun continues his story. The trays of dirty dishes stack up on the cart outside the
room of the noise-sensitive girl... until...]

(*)

Shun: GACHAN! [The noise of all those trays falling.]

Phone FX: RIIIIIN!

Shun: Wah! That surprised me!

Mitsuru: [Angry] That's because you're telling weird stories!

Shinobu: Hasukawa! This is your house! Hurry up and turn the ringer down!

Phone FX: RIIIN RIIN!

Hasukawa: It's not where the old black phone was! I hate that new kind of lightweight, toy-like telephone!

Mitsuru: Just hurry and pick up the phone!

Hasukawa: Hello, Hasukawa residence...

Mitsuru: Darn it...

Shun: S-Sempai! Sempai!

Mitsuru: Yeah?

(*)

[Mitsuru and Shun stare down at Midori as Hasukawa hears Sumire speaking on the other end of the line.]

Sumire: Ah! Hello, Yakkun? I'm sorry! It's me... I'm at the hospital right now, but I'm coming straight home.

[Mitsuru and Shun's eyes widen in horror. Midori is awake.]

Sumire: I'm really sorry. How's Midori?

Midori: HYAAAAAAAA!

Hasukawa: (GEH! [D'oh!])

Sumire: Oh no! He's crying?

Hasukawa: ...Yeah... Just started...

Midori: UAAAAAAAAAn!

(*)

Shun: Okay, okay! Don't cry! Don't cry!

Hasukawa:[Coming back into the room] It looks like she'll be back soon! [Midori: Aaaaaaaaan!]

Mitsuru: [Bending over the baby] That's fine to say, but what are we supposed to do until then?!

Mitsuru: [Picking Midori up] Yoishotto. [This is the sound one makes when picking up something heavy.]

Midori: Aaaaaaaaaaaaa!

Shun: Sempai, you're holding him in a weird way! [Midori: AnGyaa! AnGyaa! AnGyaa!]

Mitsuru: Huh?

Mitsuru: He's... wet. [Midori: AGYAAA~!]

Shun: Eegh...

Mitsuru: Hasukawa! A diaper! Diaper!

Hasukawa: Eh? Uh...

Hasukawa: [Frantically searching for diapers] (That's fine for him to say! I don't know where they are...)

Mitsuru: There must be a childcare book or something around here with instructions on how to change a
diaper in it!

(*)

[Hasukawa points to himself in disbelief.]

Hasukawa: Eh? I'm going to do it? [Midori: EGyaaa!]

Mitsuru: He's your nephew! Naturally!

Hasukawa: By myself?! I'm not superhuman!

[Shinobu is meditating. A globe of silence surrounds him.]

[Midori's cries bounce off harmlessly. ^_^;]

Midori: FuGyaaa! AnGyaaa! EGyaaa!

[Hasukawa, Mitsuru and Shun stare down at the baby. Sweatdrops.]

Shun: He's not going to stop, is he?

Mitsuru: Uh uh.

Hasukawa: What are we going to do...?

Midori: EAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!

[Baby's eye view of Hasukawa, Mitsuru and Shun looking down intently.]

[Sudden silence.]

Front Door FX: Gara

Voice: I'm home.

(*)

[A startled Kazuhiro stands in the entry.]

Shun (?): SENSEI!!

[Kazuhiro holds the now quiet baby. It's 12:30pm. (The boys survived 20 minutes alone with Midori!)]

Kazuhiro: I said I'd come back at lunch time.

Kazuhiro: I was thinking Sumire and I passed each other when I was on my way home...

Kazuhiro: However, you took good care of him. Thanks for your trouble.

Kazuhiro: [Checking the diaper] Ah. That's fine. [Sweatdrop] (It took three people to do this?)

Shun: For being so small, he's got an amazing crying voice. I thought he was dying!

(*)

Shun: I wonder where he gets all that power.

Kazuhiro: Well, babies just live to cry, don't they.

[Mitsuru leans over the baby. He has this lovely, gentle expression on his face.]

Mitsuru: (That's right. Crying loudly proves you're alive, doesn't it?)

Kazuhiro: Since I'm here, it's fine if you guys want to go to the rink or wherever.

(*)

[The boys stand, a little embarrassed.]

Mitsuru: ...Uh... but... the all-important...

[Sumire rushes into the room.]

Sumire: I'm so sorry, Yakkun! How's Midori?

Sumire: I'm really sorry! Eh? The tickets? Ah!

[Sumire reaches into her purse.]

Sumire: I'm sorry! I put them into my purse!

Narr: At last, the four could go to the skating rink.

[Sumire hugs a grumpy Midori while Kazuhiro gently raps her on the head with his knuckles.]

Sumire: [Smiling] Sor-ry!

[Outside shot of the rink: AISU PARASU (Ice Palace)]

Jr. Toushou! / Owari

[The boys sit silently around the baby. Mitsuru and Shun are closest, Shinobu the furthest away.]

[Shinobu looks like he's just thought of something. He stands up.]

Shinobu: Well then, I'll be going.

[Hasukawa looks startled and annoyed.]

(*)

[Hasukawa latches onto Shinobu's arm while Shinobu tries to walk away. Mitsuru and Shun yell.]

Mitsuru: Already?!

Hasukawa: Shinobu-sempai!

Shun: That's not fair!

[Mitsuru glares at Shinobu, who is unperturbed.]

Mitsuru: Going, you say? You still haven't gotten the all-important ticket, have you?

Shinobu: I'll wait at the entrance. (There must be a store or something there...)

Shinobu: This problem is Hasukawa's alone. There's no need for the rest of us to get involved.

Shun: Ya think?

Hasukawa: [Sweatdrop] You cold-hearted person!

Shinobu: This is Hasukawa's house and this is Hasukawa's nephew.

Hasukawa: [Angry] What are you saying I do by myself?!

Shinobu: [Calmly] If we stay, what do you think we'll be able to do? No one here has seen how to deal with
children's problems, so we're all in the same boat.

Hasukawa: [Rounding on Shun] Shun! You have a one-year-old little sister, don't you?

Shun: [Raising his arm to ward Hasukawa off] (Crap!)

(*)

Telephone FX: Ri-n Ri-n

Sumire: Coming!

Sumire: [Answering the telephone] Hello -- Hasukawa residence. Ah! Mrs. Hayashi? Eh? What?!

Sumire: What's the matter? Hang on!

[The boys look up in surprise.]

Sumire: I understand! I'll be right over! Don't move!

Hasukawa: What's wrong?

Sumire: [Rushing past and grabbing her purse] It's awful! The lady next door fell down the stairs! She says
she's in pain and can't get up!

Sumire: She says there's no one else at her house right now, so I'm just going over for a moment. Yakkun,
you'll watch Midori, won't you? Please?

Hasukawa: [Pointing to himself in shock] EH?

Hasukawa: [Calling after Sumire as she closes the door] W- wait! Sumire-chan!

[The boys stare after Sumire blankly.]

Clock FX: Chi chi chi (Tick... tick... tick...) [The clock reads 12:10pm]

Shinobu: [Teacup in hand] She's a bit late, isn't she?

Hasukawa: [Getting up] I'll go look next door.

(*)

[Hasukawa rings the doorbell of the neighbors' house.]

Doorbell FX: PinPo-n PinPo-n (Ding dong Ding dong)

Hasukawa: Ah... What the...

[The sound of the doorbell echoes in the house. Hiragana: Echoing...]

Mitsuru: [As Hasukawa returns] They're not there?!

Hasukawa: I think they maybe went to the hospital...

Mitsuru: Which one?

Hasukawa: I'm not sure. They went by car.

Shinobu: Irresponsible.

Hasukawa: [Peeved] Well, it can't be helped, can it?! The lady next door made a big commotion and was
probably in a big hurry!

Shun: Be quiet! You'll make the baby cry!

[Everyone freezes.]

(*)

[Midori is lying peacefully on his back, looking up.]

Hasukawa: Now what do we do?

Shun: What do you mean? We wait, right?

Mitsuru: That's fine for now, but...

Mitsuru: I'm sure sooner or later he'll figure out that something's wrong and start to cry... and then what?

Giant Kanji over Midori: A TIME BOMB.