The usual disclaimers regarding re-posting, disseminating, no use in scanlations etc., etc.
Final translation version (also ULed to the site). And again, no narrative. Some day I'll actually think about adding that back in for those who don't have access to scans but... ^^;; Someone posted scans of The Beans - Kokumono short stories. ^___^ I'm reading. :P
Banner: | The "release" that happened to Kyo's person, continued from one to the next, and has now reached Yuki who was about to tell Machi about the "secret of the 12shi"...!! |
Once upon a time That person was there. Since a long, long time ago, They were always alone. If they left the mountain, They knew many people lived there. But they were alone. |
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Having a thousand powers Having a thousand lives That person having a thousand memories Knew they were different from other people. |
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: | The one who stands at the top is normally also all alone--- |
That person was Afraid of people They were afraid of being hurt While having so many powers They were afraid Of themself for being different from the many other people And, one day A single cat visited. Extremely dismayed at the sudden visitor The cat adoringly bowed its head "I had the honour of seeing your presence before." |
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"You are a most unusual person. My attraction to you doesn't end." "I am just a stray cat, but Please, won't you keep me by your side." "Please, "God"." And since then, Per his words, the cat Did not leave God's side. He didn't leave even for a moment. God was so very, very happy by that |
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When a thought suddenly came to mind. "That's it. Maybe I'll be able to get along well, With those who aren't human." "If it's with those who have had the same sort of experience as I have Perhaps I'll be able to hold a fun banquet." God wrote many, many invitations |
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As a result, twelve individuals Came to visit God. After that, Those thirteen and God would hold a banquet every night when the moon shone. Singing, dancing, And laughing together. |
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And God too, for the first time, laughed aloud. The moon too watched quietly Over the banquet of those who were not human. However, one night The cat collapsed. He'd reached the end of his lifespan And so there was nothing that could be done. Each and everyone cried. Each and everyone realised |
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That some day, everyone would die. That the banquet would end Regardless of how much fun it was. Regardless of how much they cared, Some day God Cast A single spell And drew a circle around a sake cup And had the cat take a sip. Facing the others, he said "Our bond" |
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"Let us make it eternal here and now." "Even if I or everyone were to die and crumble away, Let us be joined by an eternal bond." "However often we may die We will also be reborn And again, in the same way However often Let's have another banquet." "Everyone getting along For all time, Let us be unchanging." |
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Everyone nodded And the rat took a sip first Next was the ox Followed by the tiger Followed by the rabbit In their turn They all shared the pledge cup And at the end when boar finished drinking, The cat cried out gasping "God" "Why, God. Why did you make me drink it. God, I Don't want eternity." |
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"I don't want 'unchanging'." Those Were most unexpected words. To God and all the others, they were words of rejection. And each and everyone of them were sad. They reproached the cat and tried to convince him. But even so, the cat said, "God. God. Even though you're afraid, Let's accept that things end. Even though it's lonely, Let's accept that lives come to an end." |
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"God, even though it was only for a short while, I Was so happy to be by your side. If We both die and are reborn And we are able to meet once again, Next time, rather than only during the moonlit nights, I want to meet you as you smile in the light of the sun. Next time, rather than only by ourselves, I want to meet you As you smile among people. At the end, the cat waved his tail, and died. |
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But no one cared about the cat any more. Everyone was filled with the feeling of having been betrayed by the cat. And soon after that, one by one, They all died. In the end, the dragon too died. And God became all along again. |
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And then eventually the day came that God too, died. However, he wasn't afraid. Because the promise that was made with everyone supported him. "Again" "Let's have a banquet again. Once again. Countless times. For all time. Without changing. Even though, right now, I'm all by myself and feeling lonely," |
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"Everyone's waiting on the other side of that promise." | |
[Right now, it's a story From very long ago Everyone has since forgotten That first memory That first promise.] |
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Yuki: | ...... |
Machi: | President...? |
Yuki: | Sorry... I'm sorry, all of a sudden... It's just ...Parting From someone I've Always been with...... While we were always together, Being together was always... so painful A burden... |
Yuki: | And yet, when it comes to actually parting ...... Being this way; I'm Being unfair... |
Machi: | ... Can you... Never Meet that person again...? |
Yuki: | ......Yeah. We'll never meet again. I know it... |
"Farewell" | |
Yuki: | In return He gave me "Freedom"... |
Yuki: | ... I'm sorry... You don't Understand, do you? What I wanted to tell you, Was a bit Different from this, but |
Yuki: | ...For now, this Is enough... |
Machi: | ... ...Uh Umm Actually There's Something I wanted To ask You... |
Yuki: | ...What? |
Machi: | Would it be okay for me ...to call you by name? |
Yuki: | ... Of course. Say it. |
Machi: | ...... ...Yu- Ki... |
Yuki: | ...Once more. |
Machi: | ...Yu- Yuki...... |
Yuki: | ...... However many times... |
That first Promise |
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When did it end up Becoming a "curse"? |
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When did it end up Becoming a "burden"? |
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Those days when we were so happy, That time when it was so difficult to part, |
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Love Was supposed to have been there then. Time went by, Things changed And ended up only causing torment. |
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I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. But Though the promise wore out, And though the promise lost its initial form, To everyone who continued to keep it What I most, most wanted to tell you is |
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Thank you Thank you |
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[That story from long, long ago That very first memory that everyone had since forgotten The story of when the cat's words were finally realised Was much] |
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[Much, much Later.] |
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Banner: | The time when the cat's words finally reached God's heart, the long, long banquet finally ended. A different today from yesterday finally comes to God... |
To be continued in issue 19, Sept 5 release. |
This was such a beautiful chapter. ;_;
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