English Translation by Yamazaki Masatomo and Karen Duffy © April 1999

ENJOY YOUR YOUTH...
Azuki Ryo

Ribon Magazine January 1999

Chapter 3 Title: How Is The Battle Between Rika-chan-sensei and Sahara? You Can't Take Your Eyes Off Them!

The title page has a very amusing front picture of Rika with a band aid on her cheek and a sucker to her tongue (that looks like a toosie roll pop) and someone's hand pointing a hand gun to her head. Below her, is Sahara with a band aid on his cheek, a regular sucker to his mouth, and someone pointing a RAY gun to his head. Makes me think "one-upmanship by Rika".

Page 1

Sign: Teacher's office. The results of the second semester mid-term.

1st place: Watanuki Kumiko.

2nd place: Sahara Leo.

Rika: We're already getting the mid-term results up (on the wall). Oh, thought so. They're (Sahara and Jimiko) smart enough to handle it on their own.

Teacher: Something's wrong. A lot of third ranking students did really poorly.

Teacher: What's gotten in to them?

Girl: Sahara-kun, wanna go to karaoke after school now that the midterms are over?

Page 2

Sahara: Sorry Inari-san. Today, I've got a committee meeting.

Rika thinks: Since that time, Sahara-kun has been unusually quiet. That concerns me.

Inari: Aaaaaw, you hardly ever socialize.

Girl: Oh, I saw the results of the exams. She's referring specifically to his scores on it.

Rika remembers: "Fine, if you take revenge on Jimiko-san, I'll show you no mercy. You understand me?"

Rika thinks: I made myself clear so perhaps there isn't going to be anymore trouble.

Page 3

The art goes old style again....

Rika thinks: Now, finally, begins the "bravo, fresh-youth school life".

Girl: There's Rika-chan.

Guy: She's in her own little world again.

Page 4

Rika: Before the lecture, I need to get Garuko and Kanta fed.

Some guys grab hold of Rika-chan.

Kyaahh!

Page 5

Rika: Wh-What?! Excuse me?!

Guy: Don't worry, we won't hurt you, Rika-chan. If you're a good girl, it'll all be over soon.

Rika thinks: What? WAI..! STO...!

Page 6

The sound of splashing water: Basha! The kangaroos attack the boys with a water hose.

Guys: Wh-What?!!!

Rika: Kanta! Garuko!

Guy: That's COLD!

Guy: Knock it off!

Rika: YAY! Thanks guys. (to the kangaroos)

Rika thinks: What the heck were they....?

Sahara: What a close call.

Page 7

Sahara: They almost made it.

Rika: Sahara-kun. Can't be! You made them do that?

Sahara: Looks like it. As we agreed, I won't do a thing to Jimiko.

Rika: I see. Then...

Page 8

Rika: Kanta,Garuko!! Punishment #2 , GO!!

Sssssssph! Sahara sprays something at the kangaroos, which they don't take to too well.

Rika: Huh? What's wrong, you two?!!

Sahara: Taking pets to school is banned.

Rika: AH! THAT'S... a limited edition kangaroo repellent!!

Can says: "Kololi-kun. One part punch KO (knockout). With the smell that kangaroos hate, you can repel them. Not harmful to humans. Made in Australia."

The word "Kololi" is the sound of being knocked out.

Page 9

Rika: ANIMAL ABUSER!! OGRE!! DEVIL!! EVIL SPIRIT! BOOOO!

Sahara: Let's get back on topic. That was... an example of the NEW game.

Rika: Game?

Sahara: From now until 5 PM, 3 days from now, the one that cuts Usami Rika's hair will receive the reward.

In Japan, it's said that a woman's hair is her life. So the symbology of cutting Rika's hair is VERY strong. Masatomo is adding that it's important to a guy there too. KD again: MB fans will remember that Ginta clipped off his hair. This was a really heavy duty self punishment on his part. Maybe more than we would ever experience here.

Sahara: I've made that announcement to all the punks in school.

The bottom picture shows on the right a group of 90's punks (Sahara's imagination) on the left is Rika's imagination of "punks" but these look like guys from the 70's.

Note above her group: These are Rika's image of them.

Page 10

Sahara: If you get your hair cut by anyone, I win. If you get escape it, you win. But, if you interferi with my activities, the game'll never end.

He's implying that she'll be forever having to protect her hair, instead of it being over in 3 days.

Page 11

Sahara: What do you...?

Rika sprays water into his face from a hose.

Rika: You're always luring people with money or threaten them. Can't you gain them straight forwardly.

The way she says it is "Can't you gain them by using your body", but the above is what she means.

Rika: Rika-chan is never worried by threats. I accept the conditions of the game.

Page 12

Sahara: Hm. Interesting. Give it your best shot.

There are people in the background gathering, getting ready to go after her hair.

Rika: Eeeesh.

Sahara: Gaaaame.....

Page 13

Sahara snaps his fingers as a signal.

Sahara: .....START!

Rika runs.

Rika: Kyaaaah!

Guy: She ran off!

Sahara: Jimiko! Since we have no need of you, we'll leave you be. But if you interfere with me, I won't let you get away with it.

Page 14

Rika thinks: I can't be running and hiding for 3 days. I have to find some other way.

Guy: Have you seen her?

Rika suddenly shows a light bulb like our old cartoons used to do when someone had an idea. In both the US and Japan this is an old-fashioned symbol.

Sign: We're saying don't express it that way. (the light bulb)

Rika: The bottom line is, I refuse to let my hair by cut by ANYONE.

Page 15

Rika: Now, Inuzuka-kun, translate the sample sentence.

Unuzuka in English: Can she get over the trial?

Sign: Helmet with a kanji character for love on the front. To make it more interesting, she put rabbit ears on it.

Sign: Bodyguard - Kanto. (The kangaroo is hanging on her).

Girl: What's that she's wearing?

Guy: Beats me.

Rika thinks: My defense is foolproof.

Sign: She's already feeling triumphant.

Rika thinks: 3 days, no sweat., no sweat.

Sahara thinks: You can only make fun of me for so long. On second thought, she might be serious.

Page 16

Rika thinks: But, I feel mortified having to be the passive victim. I feel like giving him a good scare.

Girl: Aaaaaaw, how cute!. I want one!

Girl laughs: Sahara-kun would be mad.

Rika: Who'd get mad?

Girl: Eesh! Rika-chan!

Page 17

Rika: Did you get those by taking them secretly?

Sign for the girl: Photography Club member.

Girl: I'm always asked to by friends and senpais. Good pictures (of him) get a good price. The shots have been taken without him knowing.

Girl: You moron! Don't spill it!

Rika: Sahara-kun is that popular?

Sign: Surprised.

Inari: Course he is. He's intelligent and a favorite with his friends. And better yet, he's as classy as a shoujo hero. Can you believe such a miraculously beautiful guy exists?!

Girl's Imaginations show Sahara reading something titled "Gete".

Girl: He has so many fans, even among the senpai, that we don't even stand a chance.

Since Sahara is a first year student. That means that older girls (senpais of the girl's talking) are the senpai of Sahara too.

Rika thinks: They can't imagine what he's REALLY like. But this means...

Page 18

Rika thinks: ...that they can be of use to me.

Rika: Say everyone, I have some information. There's a amusing game that's beginning. Why don't you take part in it?

Inari: Sahara-kun...

Page 19

Sahara: Inari-san, you usually go to karaoke after school, don't you?

Inari: Forget that. There's something I need to do. Will you help me? This way. This way.

Sahara: I have a committee meeting to go to.

Inari: It won't take long.

Sahara: What?!

Sign: The girls are holding him tight.

Inari: Don't mistake me, Sahara-kun. I'm not just doing this for the reward.

Page 20

Sahara: Re-reward?!

Inari: A rather naughty game has begun. Starting today until 5PM three days from now, any girl who kisses Sahara Leo, 1st Year Class B, and does it first, will get rewarded.

Girl: I don't know who organized the game. But if we get the evidence with a photo, it will qualify. Then we'll divide it up.

Inari: If I could kiss Sahara-kun, I wouldn't need to be paid for it.

Sign: She won (the right to kiss him) by rock, scissors, paper.

Sahara thinks: Aaaaaah!

Page 21

In his imagination there's a super deformed picture of her with her rabbit ear helmet on, sticking out her tongue and pulling down the skin below her eye...the usual way Japanese do.

Sahara: Damn her!

Rika: You got me right!

Inari: I don't want to force this, but I heard that the senpai fans and the ones that want the money have already gone into action. If other girls steal this...

Page 22

Inari: Forgive me for this...

Sahara rapidly drops to the floor and Inari ends up hitting her head on the wall.

Sign: SAHARA DASH! (He runs off quickly).

Inari: THAT'S what happened because YOU GUYS didn't hold him tight enough!

Girl: What?!

Sahara: Let's stop kidding around!

Yurizono: Oh Sahara-kun.

Sahara: Yurizono-senpai.

Yurizono: If you don't hurry, you'll be late for the committee meeting.

Sahara notices that her friend has a camera.

Sahara thinks: EEeesh!

Page 23

Yurizono: Oh, he ran off! Wait, Sahara-kun! Won't you respect you senpai's demand?!

Sahara thinks: I never realized how HARD it is to go against girls. The situation's so ridiculous that it's embarrassing to even use my flunkies.

Rika laughs from the school rooftop: How coooool to be soooo popular, Sahara-kun.

Sahara mimics her: Ha, ha, ha, ha?

Rika thinks: An eye for an eye. You're paying for pretending to be nice for so long. Tooth for a tooth. A kiss for a kiss.

Page 24

Rika: This game will end on 5PM, 3 days from now.

Sign: Round 2, Start!

Sahara: Whichever of us stays safe is the winner. I see.

Guy: Rika-chan, there's no place to run. It's time for you to give up.

Page 25

Guy: If you're a good girl, we won't clip off all your hair.

Sign: Today, she's wearing a Keloloin helmet (probably a TV character).

Rika: Heh! Heh! It won't be that easy, Tsuppli Troop.

Tsuppli by itself mean teen gang. This too is an outdated word.

Guy: Who's a Tsuppli?

Rika has two chalk erasers and are banging them together to make chalk fly.

Rika: CHOKE SMOKE SCREEN!

Sign: Now, good children, don't copy her.

Guys: Wwwwwaaaaah!

They begin coughing.

Guy: Son of a Bitch!

Rika: Justice always wins!!

Okami: Shouldn't we help you get away from the girls?

Sahara: No, not when I haven't given orders to.

Page 26

Sahara: Girls chasing me is something I can't ask for help on.

Sahara remembers Rika saying: "Can't you gain them straight forwardly."

We see various ways that Rika and Sahara have been escaping their hunters.

Sign: Rika's wearing another helmet. Today's is a kitten helmet.

Rika gives a head butt to someone.

Rika: Rika-chan head attack!

The kangaroos fight to protect Rika.

Sahara jumps out a window.

Sahara sprays a repellent at a girl.

Sign: This is how the game of survival has been going for the last 3 days.

Page 27

Sign: This is the last day.

Note from the author: It's kind of sudden, but I'm giving you a quiz...

Title: Which girl will kiss Sahara?

Answer the quiz and win a prize.

How to apply: Write the name of the girl that you think will kiss Sahara. Send to the address that's on the far side of the next page. The one who gets it right will be given an unusual gift. Due date is December 28, 1998.

Author: I've done it again.

Kagetora: Lately, our school has been in a uproar, hasn't it? Something up?

Miketani: Yes, there is. The rumor among the girls is that there's a contest going on.

Kagetora: Hm?

Page 28

Kagetora: Pretty interesting.

Rika thinks: It's after school. It'll be smooth sailing if I'm not alone until 5 PM. Sahara-kun has kept himself safe too, so the game will end up tied. No good.

Boy: Rika-chaaan...we have an additional mid-term but the supervisor had to leave with a sudden emergency. So she'd like you to take her place.

An additional mid-term is equivalent to a make-up exam.

Rika: Fine, where's the classroom?

Rika thinks: During the test, I'll have no worries about getting pounced on.

Page 29

Student: What additional test do we have today?

Guy: It's news to me. I just got the message from Sahara.

Inari: Hey, if so, where'd Sahara-kun go?

Guy: Beats me. I figure he wouldn't have to deal with an additional test.

Girl: Ah! It's almost 5 o'clock!

Sign on the door: Mid-term Addition Exam here.

Rika thinks: Oh, this room.