original story by: Watase Yuu
English translation by: Tetris no Miko

from Shocomi magazine, issue #14…

=page 1=
Tanpopo: I OVERSLEEEEEEEEEEEPT! again!! And I was supposed to take care of the garden this morning!!
poplar: *yaaaawn*
*whap! Whap!*
Tanpopo: I shouldn’t’ve stayed up so late reading gardening books!…

=page 2=

[Tanpopo leaves for school…]
Tanpopo: Kugyou-kun’s gonna be mad at me again… oops, dropped my handkerchief!
flashback-Kouki: I’ll let you have it.
Tanpopo: ….I guess this is a symbol of our friendship, huh! But come to think of it, this’s the first time a boy’s ever given something of his to me before…

=page 3=

[Tanpopo gets to school barely on time, but the entrance is crowded]
Tanpopo: Nyo, the entrance is too crowdeeeeeed! Because computers are keeping track of the attendance, it’s sure hard to sneak in!
[Saionji steps on Tanpopo’s foot, tripping her. Tanpopo drops her ID card]
Saionji: *stomp* Oh, good afternoon, Yamazaki-san.
[In the original Japanese, Saionji said "Osou gozaimasu" instead of "Ohayou gozaimasu". It’s a little joke the Japanese have since "good morning" literally translates to "it’s early" ("hayai"). "osoi" means "late". I was using this joke all the time in Japan before I even found out that it’s a normal gag ^_^; ahhh, another joke I thought I had invented, but didn’t. damn.]
*flap*
Tanpopo: ….Good morning, Tsuki-chan! Your unique way of greeting is lovelyyyyy!
Saionji: Not so fast!!

=page 4=

[Saionji threatens Tanpopo with a trowel]
Saionji: You and I are to become fierce RIVALS over "Kugyou Kouki"!! it is FOOLISH to assume we are friends!!
Tanpopo: NYOOOOOO! Did you do the gardening in my place this morning?! Thaaaaanks! I’m so glad you’re one of the gardeners with meeeee!
Saionji: I’m your RIVAL already! Stop drooling on me!

=page 5=

Saionji: You’re in love with him, too, aren’t you? But the part of him I love is his money and power!
Tanpopo: Love…? ?
Saionji: It is only natural for me to help out my future husband with the school gardening!
Kouki: Your HUSBAND? I never said "I do"…
Saionji: *squish* Good morning! Kugyou-san!!
Kouki: ….’llo….hey, why don’t you girls go in already.

=page 6=

Kouki; ….Yamazaki? What’re you waiting around for? The bell’s gonna ring!
Tanpopo: Oh! ohdear, oh dear… the card, card….ah!
*slip*
[the guy with the headphones picks up her card]
Tanpopo: ?!
*boom, boom, chink! Boom boom chink!*

=page 7=

Tanpopo: …Thanks!…you’re in my class, aren’t you….you’re Kyougoku-kun?…
*LICK*
Kouki/Saionji: ?!
*bonk*
*click*
[he has licked her card, tossed it away, and gone through to the school]

=page 8=

Aoi: *hmph*
Kouki: What’s his problem…
Tanpopo: NYO!! HE PUT GUM ON MY CARD!!!

=page 9=

Saionji: …Let me see….Oh, this is no good! Even the corner is bent….
Tanpopo: How mean!! If Kugyou-kun hadn’t been with me, I wouldn’t have been able to get in!
Kouki: You should probably go to the office and apply for a new one.

=page 10=

Kouki: But you can’t get there without a card….I’ll go for you.
Saionji: No need! Your wife shall do that for you!!
Kouki: I never married you… It’ll get done faster if I go….she won’t be able to even make it to the office with everything computer-run and all.
Tanpopo: Grrrrr, I’m gonna give him a piece of my mind!
*tappity tap, tap*
Kouki: Let it go. This’s nothing to squabble over. And besides….his seat may be close to ours, but he’s always absorbed in his computer and music, so he won’t even hear you.
*type, type*

=page 11=

*tappity, tappity*
Tanpopo: …he’s right. Doesn’t look like he’s paying attention at all. Wonder why the teachers don’t get mad at him?…
flashback: You’re in love with him, aren’t you?!

=page 12=

*BONG*
[Saionji crumbles up a note and throws it at Tanpopo; this IS common practice when passing notes in Japan. That’s how Rumi-chan and I’d often pass notes during class ^_^]
Tanpopo: ….Tsuki-chaaaaaan….
Saionji’s note: Yamazaki, And just WHY are you staring at him all class long?! -Saionji
Tanpopo: She’s completely got the wrong idea…. [in the cafeteria…] Nyo! ….you mean, I can’t even eat lunch?!
Saionji: you can’t buy lunch here without your ID card.
Tanpopo: Not even drinks?!

=page 13=

Tanpopo: How meeeeean! Why does everything have to be run by computers??
Saionji: What a shame, huhhhhh. Hohohohoho!
arrow: devil
Kouki: Stop looking so pathetic! What do you want to eat?
Tanpopo: Nyo?
Kouki; I’ll letcha use my card.
Tanpopo; *sniffle, sniffle*
Kouki: Okay, I know you’re grateful, already! So get off me! people’ll start to think less of me!
Tanpopo: ….Thanks! I’ll pay you back later…

=page 14=

Kouki: Pay me back?! The Kugyous do not fight over petty things like money!! Just eat!!
Tanpopo: Ye…yes, sir!! did he mean to say…"it’s on me"?…

=page 15=

Tanpopo: Why didn’t he just say so… *giggle,giggle*
Kouki: What’s so funny? Here’s the application form! Hurry up and fill it out so I can turn it in!
Tanpopo: Nyo!….Kugyou-kun, have you ever noticed your hand is big? *starrrrrre*
Kouki: Huhhh? Is it?
Tanpopo: Yup! Just look at my hand!

=page 16=

[Tanpopo touches her hand to Kouki’s; Kouki blushes]
Tanpopo: Look!
Kouki: *gasp* …well, that’s only natural! Because I’m a man!
Tanpopo: Oh…
*rattle*

=page 17=

Kouki: excuse me!
Tanpopo: Oh, bye! ….I had boy-friends in Hokkaido, but….their hands weren’t so big…
?: ….did you see that? She tried to hold hands with him. How grosssss.
?: She sure is too familiar…. Thinks she so hot because she’s on the same committee as him!
boy: I wonder what he sees in her?
?: she’s always clinging onto him. It must annoy Kugyou-san, too!
boy: But what if he actually LIKES it….

=page 18=

*SMACK!*
Saionji: ….Now, you and I both know that’s rubbish…!
Tanpopo: Tsuki-chan! I knew you’d understand!
Saionji: I shall never forgive you as long as I live!!
Tanpopo: But, Tsuki-chan, listen to me!
Saionji: You shall not defeat me!
Tanpopo: Tsuki-chaaaaan!

=page 19=

Aoi: *slurrrrrrp* ……… *crunch!*
*tappity, tappity*
[back in class…]
Tanpopo: Arrrrrrgh, I just don’t know what to do with Tsuki-chan!

=page 20=

Tanpopo: I don’t even understand computer class… She won’t listen to me at all….For starters, Kugyou-kun isn’t the slightest bit in love with me…
*tappity, tappity*
Kouki: …..
*poof*
[a message appears on Kouki’s and Tanpopo’s screens]
"You’ve got mail"

=page 21=

screen: "There was a mistake in your application form to acquire a new student body card. Report to the main office immediately."
Tanpopo: Immediatelyyyy?
Kouki: Why?…
teacher: Kugyou-san! Yamazaki-san! You two have been called to the office!
Tanpopo; Okay…
Saionji: SENSEI! DO I NEED TO GO, TOO?!
teacher: This doesn’t concern you, Saionji-san. *bluntly*
*tap…*

=page 22=

[Aoi’s looking at his computer]
screen: "3 messages sent; transmission was successful"
[Kouki and Tanpopo are walking to the main building’s office]
Kouki: That’s strange…
*tappity*
Kouki: I didn’t think there were any mistakes in your form. And why’d they call us in the middle of class?

Tanpopo: But the teacher got the same announcement, so it must be okay!
*tappity, tap*
Kouki: Hmmm…maybe it’s because I tried to do it for you? sorry.
*tap…*
Aoi: One more minute…

=page 23=

Aoi: Senseiiiiii! Kyougoku Aoi, requesting permission to take a pissss! I can’t hold it in much logerrrr!
Tanpopo: Nyoooo, this’s the first time I’ve ever been in the main building. How biiiiiig!
Kouki: There’s the teachers’ office, the planetarium… and also the main computer room….and some other offices.
Aoi: ….30…
computer screen: "in 25 seconds"
Aoi: *tappity, tap*
Aoi: 20…

=page 24=

Aoi: ….5
Kouki: Hurry up! the elevator’ll leave without you!
Tanpopo: Sorry, sorry.
Aoi: 4….3…..2….1…

=page 25=

Aoi: BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!
*shhhht!*
Tanpopo/Kouki: ?!
*clunk!*

=page 26=

*crrrrreeeeeak*
*silence….*
Kouki: ….Huh? What’s going on here?! power…outage?!
Tanpopo: ….
Kouki; …Yamazaki? Hey…what’s wrong? where are you?…

=page 27=

Kouki: You’re shiveri…
Tanpopo; ….gyou-kun….I’m scared.
Kouki: WHAT?!
Tanpopo: I’m scared…of the dark…and small areas…
Kouki: …!! you’re joking, right?! Okay!! Wait a minute!

=page 28=

*slide, slide, slide*
Aoi: *chuckle, chuckle, chuckle*
Kouki: ….my card won’t work…are we trapped…?!