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Ge-ge-ge no nyobou 5/19
a.k.a. Saturday is the day!
When Fumie peeked through the barely open door, she saw Genbee, her father, standing there like a guard at the door. Fumie and her sister said, "Father!" He called them into the kitchen and held court.
Genbee paused for a moment, and said, "Where's the bathroom?" Fumie pointed down the corridor, and he stepped out. Fumie and her sister looked at each other. Fumie asked, "What's he doing here?" Her sister said, "He's on a business trip. Mother called, but he isn't supposed to be here yet."
Genbee came back, and started quizzing Fumie again. "So where is Shigeru?" "He's talking to the publisher." "If he works so hard, why are you so poor?" Fumie looked thoughtful. "Kiyo says that something is wrong with society." Genbee said, "What?" Fumie said, "Never mind." Genbee looked at his watch. "Well, I have to go today. I can't stay. But I'll be back on Saturday. And I want the truth then."
He picked up his bag and walked out. Fumie and her sister slumped. Then there was a call from the entryway, "Aren't you going to say goodbye?"
The theme ran here.
In the street, Genbee looked at the two women and said, "Well, goodbye." He turned and started up the street. The two women looked at each other and sighed. Then Genbee called, "Oh!" He came back, and said, "I almost forgot. Fumie, these are for you." He took three large jars of honey out of his bag and handed them to her. She looked at them and said, "Thank you." He nodded, and said, "Saturday, then."
Back in the kitchen, Fumie asked her sister what she thought Genbee was doing. Her sister said she wasn't sure, but he doesn't really know anything about manga.
Fumie looked at the jars of honey, and said, "Funny, he carried these heavy jars."
Outside, Genbee looked at the old house and shook his head. "I really hoped she had a better life."
Later, Shigeru showed the new book to Fumie. He squeezed it. "See how thick it is? Normal manga are just 124 pages. This is 176 pages." He handed her the book, and said, "Feel the paper, it's really good paper." Fumie dutifully rubbed the paper, and said, "Yes, it feels thick." Shigeru looked at her and said, "What's the matter? I've got a new book out, and you don't seem happy at all." Fumie looked at him and said, "No, I'm really happy about the new book. It's great. It's just... I'm worried about father." Shigeru opened the book and laughed at something. Fumie said, "Why did he have to come today? And run into the upstairs guy and your brother. Now he's got a terrible impression."
Shigeru said, "Actually, maybe it's a good thing. When the first impression is bad, later has to be better. It can't get worse." Then he laughed. "I wish I could have seen him fighting the upstairs guy. I think it would've made a good manga." Fumie said, "I wish you would be serious. This is a big problem."
Shigeru said, "I understand. But can't we be happy about the new book right now? We'll take care of the other stuff later." Fumie said, "So you'll explain everything on Saturday? About why the letters never said anything was wrong?" Shigeru said, "Well, naturally we didn't want to worry them. But look at my book, all the hard work that went into that, and we've got money now." Fumie said, "As long as you don't waste it." Shigeru said, "What do you mean?" "Buying candy and other expensive stuff." Shigeru said, "We already talked about that. You've got to enjoy a little bit. Now drop it."
They ended up back to back, sitting in the work room, fuming.
The sketch of the white ribbon on the wall in the kitchen held its head in its hands and shook it.
That evening, back in the Iida home, Fumie's mother said on the telephone, "He went to her house today? Oh, thank you for calling and letting me know." She hung up the telephone. Fumie's brother asked, "Was that Fumie's sister? And did you say father went to their house today? His first day in Tokyo?" Fumie's mother agreed, and he started laughing. "Well, that's Dad." Fumie's mother looked at the telephone. "At least he could've called me himself."
The next morning, Fumie was hanging up the wash. Shigeru came out, and she asked, "Are you going out?" He said, "Just taking a walk."
As he stepped into the street, Inui, the strange fan, said, "Oh, Mizuki! Good to see you." Shigeru greeted him, as Fumie stepped out behind him. Inue swept his hand around, "And I've brought someone to meet you." Fumie said, "Michiko?" Michiko stepped forward and bowed. She said, "I've got a favor to ask." Inui looked at Shigeru and said, "Are you going out?" Shigeru shrugged, and said, "No, no. Let's all go inside." As he led the way inside, Michiko noticed his empty sleeve flopping.
In the kitchen, Fumie served tea to Inui and Michiko. Shigeru asked, "And how did you two end up here?" Inui said, "Actually, I went to the rental bookstore to see your new book. Congratulations. Then I was talking to Michiko, and offered to bring her to meet you." Shigeru and Fumie looked at Michiko, and Shigeru said, "You've done so much to promote my books, and we've never met. Thank you so much." Shigeru and Fumie bowed to Michiko. She said, "Oh, this makes it hard to ask, but... Mizuki-sensei, do you think you could come to the store? There's someone who would really like to meet you."
Fumie said, "Taichi? Did something happen?" Michiko said, "Yes...the other night..."
Michiko had been standing outside in the street, waiting. Taichi turned the corner, and she said, "Taichi? You look healthy. I haven't seen you in a while, and I was worried." He started to smile, then said, "Is there some reason to talk?" Michiko shook her head. "A reason to talk? No, not really." He nodded and started to walk away. Michiko said, "The new book is out. By Mizuki, about Kitaro. Don't worry, I put one aside for you. Anytime you want to come in, I'll have it for you." Without turning, he said, "Don't bother." Michiko said, "Mizuki is coming to the store." Taichi turned, and said, "What? When?" Michiko said, "Oh...Saturday afternoon. He'll be at the store then. Please come?"
In the kitchen, Michiko said, "I know I shouldn't have promised that you would be there, but it was the only thing I could think of." Fumie asked, "So did Taichi say anything?" Michiko said, "Well, no. But I'm sure he'll be there."
Inui said, "Which brings us to my idea. I think you should have a signing party!" Shigeru said, "What?" Inui said, "it's really good promotion. It builds communications between your fans and you. Those manga about atom boy do it all the time." Shigeru said, "But those are big authors." Inui said, "That's how they got big. It would be really good, I think, on Saturday, good timing with your new launch."
Fumie shook her head. "Saturday? I can't. Father is coming." Shigeru nodded. "Saturday father is coming to judge us." Inui and Michko looked at each other. "Father?"
Shigeru and Fumie explained. Michiko said, "Well, of course, you can't."
Inui frowned, then smiled. "Wait a minute. You need to appeal to your father, right?" Fumie nodded. "And he doesn't know anything about the manga business, really. I think a signing party, a kickoff for your new book, might be really good." Fumie looked thoughtful. Then she said, "It...it might make him happy to see you with a lot of fans." Fumie and Shigeru looked at Inui and said in chorus, "I see what you mean."
Then Shigeru looked worried. "But... what if no one comes. That would be terrible." In his imagination, he saw himself sitting outside the book store in the empty street, with no one there. And Genbee glaring at him. Shigeru leaned forward and banged his head on the table.
Michiko smiled. "I'll get people. You'll have lots of people." Shigeru sat up and rubbed his forehead.
<to be continued>
When Fumie peeked through the barely open door, she saw Genbee, her father, standing there like a guard at the door. Fumie and her sister said, "Father!" He called them into the kitchen and held court.
Genbee paused for a moment, and said, "Where's the bathroom?" Fumie pointed down the corridor, and he stepped out. Fumie and her sister looked at each other. Fumie asked, "What's he doing here?" Her sister said, "He's on a business trip. Mother called, but he isn't supposed to be here yet."
Genbee came back, and started quizzing Fumie again. "So where is Shigeru?" "He's talking to the publisher." "If he works so hard, why are you so poor?" Fumie looked thoughtful. "Kiyo says that something is wrong with society." Genbee said, "What?" Fumie said, "Never mind." Genbee looked at his watch. "Well, I have to go today. I can't stay. But I'll be back on Saturday. And I want the truth then."
He picked up his bag and walked out. Fumie and her sister slumped. Then there was a call from the entryway, "Aren't you going to say goodbye?"
The theme ran here.
In the street, Genbee looked at the two women and said, "Well, goodbye." He turned and started up the street. The two women looked at each other and sighed. Then Genbee called, "Oh!" He came back, and said, "I almost forgot. Fumie, these are for you." He took three large jars of honey out of his bag and handed them to her. She looked at them and said, "Thank you." He nodded, and said, "Saturday, then."
Back in the kitchen, Fumie asked her sister what she thought Genbee was doing. Her sister said she wasn't sure, but he doesn't really know anything about manga.
Fumie looked at the jars of honey, and said, "Funny, he carried these heavy jars."
Outside, Genbee looked at the old house and shook his head. "I really hoped she had a better life."
Later, Shigeru showed the new book to Fumie. He squeezed it. "See how thick it is? Normal manga are just 124 pages. This is 176 pages." He handed her the book, and said, "Feel the paper, it's really good paper." Fumie dutifully rubbed the paper, and said, "Yes, it feels thick." Shigeru looked at her and said, "What's the matter? I've got a new book out, and you don't seem happy at all." Fumie looked at him and said, "No, I'm really happy about the new book. It's great. It's just... I'm worried about father." Shigeru opened the book and laughed at something. Fumie said, "Why did he have to come today? And run into the upstairs guy and your brother. Now he's got a terrible impression."
Shigeru said, "Actually, maybe it's a good thing. When the first impression is bad, later has to be better. It can't get worse." Then he laughed. "I wish I could have seen him fighting the upstairs guy. I think it would've made a good manga." Fumie said, "I wish you would be serious. This is a big problem."
Shigeru said, "I understand. But can't we be happy about the new book right now? We'll take care of the other stuff later." Fumie said, "So you'll explain everything on Saturday? About why the letters never said anything was wrong?" Shigeru said, "Well, naturally we didn't want to worry them. But look at my book, all the hard work that went into that, and we've got money now." Fumie said, "As long as you don't waste it." Shigeru said, "What do you mean?" "Buying candy and other expensive stuff." Shigeru said, "We already talked about that. You've got to enjoy a little bit. Now drop it."
They ended up back to back, sitting in the work room, fuming.
The sketch of the white ribbon on the wall in the kitchen held its head in its hands and shook it.
That evening, back in the Iida home, Fumie's mother said on the telephone, "He went to her house today? Oh, thank you for calling and letting me know." She hung up the telephone. Fumie's brother asked, "Was that Fumie's sister? And did you say father went to their house today? His first day in Tokyo?" Fumie's mother agreed, and he started laughing. "Well, that's Dad." Fumie's mother looked at the telephone. "At least he could've called me himself."
The next morning, Fumie was hanging up the wash. Shigeru came out, and she asked, "Are you going out?" He said, "Just taking a walk."
As he stepped into the street, Inui, the strange fan, said, "Oh, Mizuki! Good to see you." Shigeru greeted him, as Fumie stepped out behind him. Inue swept his hand around, "And I've brought someone to meet you." Fumie said, "Michiko?" Michiko stepped forward and bowed. She said, "I've got a favor to ask." Inui looked at Shigeru and said, "Are you going out?" Shigeru shrugged, and said, "No, no. Let's all go inside." As he led the way inside, Michiko noticed his empty sleeve flopping.
In the kitchen, Fumie served tea to Inui and Michiko. Shigeru asked, "And how did you two end up here?" Inui said, "Actually, I went to the rental bookstore to see your new book. Congratulations. Then I was talking to Michiko, and offered to bring her to meet you." Shigeru and Fumie looked at Michiko, and Shigeru said, "You've done so much to promote my books, and we've never met. Thank you so much." Shigeru and Fumie bowed to Michiko. She said, "Oh, this makes it hard to ask, but... Mizuki-sensei, do you think you could come to the store? There's someone who would really like to meet you."
Fumie said, "Taichi? Did something happen?" Michiko said, "Yes...the other night..."
Michiko had been standing outside in the street, waiting. Taichi turned the corner, and she said, "Taichi? You look healthy. I haven't seen you in a while, and I was worried." He started to smile, then said, "Is there some reason to talk?" Michiko shook her head. "A reason to talk? No, not really." He nodded and started to walk away. Michiko said, "The new book is out. By Mizuki, about Kitaro. Don't worry, I put one aside for you. Anytime you want to come in, I'll have it for you." Without turning, he said, "Don't bother." Michiko said, "Mizuki is coming to the store." Taichi turned, and said, "What? When?" Michiko said, "Oh...Saturday afternoon. He'll be at the store then. Please come?"
In the kitchen, Michiko said, "I know I shouldn't have promised that you would be there, but it was the only thing I could think of." Fumie asked, "So did Taichi say anything?" Michiko said, "Well, no. But I'm sure he'll be there."
Inui said, "Which brings us to my idea. I think you should have a signing party!" Shigeru said, "What?" Inui said, "it's really good promotion. It builds communications between your fans and you. Those manga about atom boy do it all the time." Shigeru said, "But those are big authors." Inui said, "That's how they got big. It would be really good, I think, on Saturday, good timing with your new launch."
Fumie shook her head. "Saturday? I can't. Father is coming." Shigeru nodded. "Saturday father is coming to judge us." Inui and Michko looked at each other. "Father?"
Shigeru and Fumie explained. Michiko said, "Well, of course, you can't."
Inui frowned, then smiled. "Wait a minute. You need to appeal to your father, right?" Fumie nodded. "And he doesn't know anything about the manga business, really. I think a signing party, a kickoff for your new book, might be really good." Fumie looked thoughtful. Then she said, "It...it might make him happy to see you with a lot of fans." Fumie and Shigeru looked at Inui and said in chorus, "I see what you mean."
Then Shigeru looked worried. "But... what if no one comes. That would be terrible." In his imagination, he saw himself sitting outside the book store in the empty street, with no one there. And Genbee glaring at him. Shigeru leaned forward and banged his head on the table.
Michiko smiled. "I'll get people. You'll have lots of people." Shigeru sat up and rubbed his forehead.
<to be continued>