Skip Beat Chapter 144 Translation
[001-1] Narration: There
are things
you
can’t hold back.
*This is a shoujo manga.
The Magnificent Show Biz Challenge
Skip Beat!
Act 144 Valentine’s
Gorilla
Nakamura Yoshiki Volumes 1-22 Now On
[002-2] Woman: .
. .Aki-san. . .?
[What
in the world. . .?]
Manager: ~~~
Caption: This
is Sho.
A Statue of one of
the Guardian Deva Kings
Vishnu,
Shiva, or Brahma.
Manager: .
. .I actually preferred him as a demon. . .
[At least he was
flesh and blood.]
[002-3] Woman: What
happened to him?
Manager: Um.
. .
Let’s see. . .
[002-4] Manager: Actually,
yesterday. . .there was a mysterious event serious
enough to turn Sho’s
heart and body to stone.
Woman: [Eh?]
[002-5] Woman: What?
What happened. . .?
[Is
this going to be scary? Like with UFOs and UMAs?]
Manager: . . .
[002-6] Manager: .
. .Actually. . .
[002-8] Woman: .
. .Kyoko-chan. . .
And the vocalist from
Vie Ghoul. . .!?
[003-1] Woman: How
could such a baffling development occur. . .!?
Manager: . . .That’s
why I said it was mysterious. . .
[003-2] Woman: .
. .If it’s true,
how
terribly humiliating for Sho. . .
[003-3] Woman: More
humiliating than her being snatched away by Tsuruga Ren.
Manager: Yeah.
. .
Really.
. .
Woman: .
. .Even so,
[003-4] Woman: He
can’t go on like that.
[I sympathize with
him, but. . .]
Manager: To
be honest. . .the song he recorded yesterday was no
good, either.
[003-5] Manager: He managed to make it through the piece on
sheer pride, but. . .
Afterwards. . .
[003-6] Manager: His face became less and less human,
SOUND CRACK
CRACK
Caption: [Probably
because he was blitzing through several expressions.]
Manager: [Eeeek!]
~~~!! ~~~!!
[003-7] Manager: And
then he ran off to the recording studio.
A shiver runs down my
spine when I think what’ll happen if he’s ever on some
show with Vie Ghoul. . .
Woman: [???]
Sho
can always sing, no matter what happens, so I’m not worried about that,
but. . .
[004-1] Woman: His
appearance is important as well.
[When the girls see
his Deva face, their love for him will cool in an
instant.]
[This is no good!!
Girls are very fickle!!]
Manager: [That’s
so true.]
. . .That face. . .would be fatal to his career.
[004-2] Woman: .
. .Yes. . .
. . .Girls are fickle. . .
That’s why
we
can’t tell Sho definitively that Kyoko-chan doesn’t have that kind of
relationship
with
the vocalist from Vie Ghoul.
[004-3] Manager: .
. .Ahh. . .
What are we supposed
to do now?
[We have to fix his
face and soon!]
[004-4] ~Woman: . . .If
it’s true,
how terribly humiliating for Sho.
. .
[004-5] Manager: --But
that’s not how it is.
[004-6] Manager: That’s not the problem. . .
[004-7] Manager: Sho. . .
~Sho: I
don’t get it.
[005-1] ~Sho: I
just. . .
don’t get women. . .
[005-3] ~Manager: . . .Are
you in shock. . .?
You
must be.
SOUND KACHAK
~Sho: No,
I’m not!
[005-4] ~Sho: I’m
just sick of her disloyalty!
How
dare she be all chummy with my enemy!!
[005-5] ~Sho: Has
she no pride at all!?
SOUND KICK
~Manager: Sho. . .
[005-6] ~Manager: . . .
[006-1] ~Manager: . . .Maybe
this is all in Kyoko-chan’s plan.
[006-2] ~Sho: What. . .?
[006-3] ~Manager: Carrying on with a guy you hate. . .
She’s
trying to upset you.
[006-4] ~Manager: [Rather]
She’s
trying to make you jealous.
[006-5] ~Sho: .
. .
.
. .Jealous. . .?
[006-6] ~Sho: Me?
About her?
[006-7] ~Sho: [Gasp. . .!]
[What the hell!?]
That’s
ridiculous!! Why would I be jealous just because she caught herself a
man!?
~Manager: Of course. It’s none of your
business whether Kyoko-chan becomes someone
else’s now.
[007-1] ~Manager: So, just in case,
to show her you don’t care one whit about her little plan,
[007-2] ~Manager: why not send her some congratulatory
flowers or something?
[007-5] ~Sho: .
. .Th. . .
[007-6] ~Sho: That’s
brilliant!
I’ll
get some ridiculously huge bouquet that costs like $150!!
[Haha!]
~Manager: . . .If it
makes you that angry, you don’t have to do it.
[If you’re going to make that scary face.]
Caption: [With Vishnu,
Shiva, or Brahma]
[007-7] ~Sho: I. . .I’m not angry!!
[Not at all!!]
Spring
has finally blossomed for that unsexy, plain girl!!
[I’ll
send them with a grin on my lips!]
~Manager: Shoooo. . .
[You’re
not smiling at all.]
[008-1] ~Manager: If you spurn her that way,
their relationship will only grow deeper.
Is that all right with you?
[008-2] ~Manager: There’ll be no more room for you.
[008-3] ~Manager: . . .You
might. . .
[008-4] ~Manager: still be able
to make it in time.
[009-5] Sho: What
do you mean
“Make
it in time”?
[009-6] Sho: She means
something about her attitude towards me
could change.
[010-3] Sho: But I don’t. . .
[010-4] Sho: really want her
to go back
to the boring, servile woman she was.
.
. .
I
don’t. . .
but. . .
[010-7] ~Kyoko: I’ll never hand
him over!!
[010-8] ~Kyoko: He. . .
[010-9] ~Kyoko: belongs to me!!!
[011-1] ~Sho: .
. .That’s enough. . .
I’m
still
[011-2] ~Sho: the
most
important person
[011-3] ~Sho: in
her
life.
[011-4] ~Manager: Is that all right with you?
[011-5] ~Manager: There’ll be no more room for you.
[011-6] ~Manager: . . .You
might
still be able. . .
[013-1] SOUND KNOCK
KNOCK
[013-2] SOUND GASP
Ren: Come in.
[013-3] SOUND KACHAK
Voice: Good
morning, Tsuruga-kun~~ <3
Ren: [Oh]
Good morning.
[013-4] Voice: I.
. .
made
this chocolate for you. Will you accept it?
Ren: Eh? Really? Thank
you so much.
Voice: [Yaaahhh!]
I just made them
because I wanted you to have them.
[013-5] Voice: I’m
the one who should be thanking you.
[Thank you!]
Ren: [Heh heh]
Oh no, no.
Voice: So
you definitely don’t have to get me anything for White Day!
[You really don’t
have to!!]
Ren: All right. If I can still remember that by
next month, I definitely won’t.
Voice: [Ehhhhh!?]
Oh, no! You can
forget that by tomorrow, if you want!
[Kyaa
kyaa]
[014-1] SOUND SHUT
[014-2] Yashiro: .
. .Hoo boy.
[014-3] Yashiro: There
have been staff women running in and out ever since we got to the
dressing room.
You’ve gotten a lot
of chocolate this year, huh?
[From the staff.]
Ren: [Haha]
Yes, that’s true.
[014-4] Yashiro: But
you still haven’t even gotten to the actresses yet,
or
the people from
Ren: Well. . .I don’t
know if they’ll give me any. . .
[014-5] Yashiro: If
they do. . .
Ren: Yashiro-san.
[014-6] Ren: . . .Um.
. .
[015-1] Ren: Could you stop looking
so obviously disappointed every time you see someone
at the door?
[It’s a little rude.]
Yashiro: Ehhhh?
Forehead: Disappointed
Yashiro: Buuuuuut. . .
[015-2] Yashiro: I
thought this was how you were feeling on the inside.
[My face reflects
your emotional state.]
Ren: Yashiro-san. . .
[015-3] Ren: . . .I’m
sorry to disappoint you, but. . .I think you’re reading too much into
things.
. . .I. . .
[015-4] Ren: I’m not jealous at all
that you keep getting stuffed animals with your
chocolates. . .
Yashiro: .
. .Honestly, why are
they doing this. . .?
SOUND VMMMM
Caption: [80%
are chocolate + stuffed animals]
[Lovely Zone]
Yashiro: This didn’t happen last year. . .
Something
must have happened without me knowing. . .
[016-1] Yashiro: No!!
[Here’s
the chocolate and the stuffed animals and my own inner monologue]
[Cut off!!]
Ren: And for some reason,
[016-2] Ren: They’re all stuffed
dogs.
Yashiro: [Eh]
[Ah]
You’re right.
[When you point it
out]
[Heeh]
This must be one of
those Pomeranians.
[016-3] Yashiro: [It’s
so little and round!]
It’s cute, isn’t it?
[016-5] Yashiro: .
. .Hey,
wait,
no.
[016-6] Yashiro: I
think. . .
you’re
trying to change the subject on purpose. . .
[This
whole time.]
Ren: Eh?
What
do you mean?
[016-7] Yashiro: Don’t
play dumb!
There’s
only one subject I want to talk about with you today!!
Ren: Yashiro-san.
[017-1] Ren: I’m sorry, but. . .
[017-2] Ren: if you just want to
bring it up to
tease me. . .
[017-3] Ren: I would prefer it if you
avoided that matter. . .
[018-2] Yashiro: Sc. . .
[018-3] Yashiro: Scarryyyyyyyy!!
SOUND THUMP
THUMP THUMP THUMP
Yashiro: I just saw Ren’s
real dark side. . .!
[018-4] Yashiro: . . .
. . .He really is. . .
[018-5] Yashiro: worried, after all.
[018-6] Yashiro: About
that chocolate. . .
Chocolate: Hatred
Yashiro: . . .Yikes. . .
[019-1] Yashiro: Just by making him dance around that subject and pretend he doesn’t
care,
the mood has become uncomfortable.
SOUND THUMP
THUMP
Yashiro: What should I do?
[019-2] Yashiro: If Kyoko-chan came
right now. . .
SOUND KNOCK
KNOCK
Ren: Come in.
[019-3] SOUND KACHAK
Kyoko: Ah.
. .
[019-4] Ren: . . .Ah.
[019-5] Kyoko: Tsuruga-san!
[020-1] Kyoko: Good
morning!!
Yashiro: She’s here!!!
[The
best possible person at the worst possible time!!]
Ren: Good morning.
[020-2] Ren: You’re always here so
early.
Since
you have to do your Mio makeup.
[020-3] Kyoko: Oh,
no.
Today, I have
something I want to give you before I do my makeup. . .
SOUND EASE
EASE
KSH
[020-4] Yashiro: !!!
[020-5] Yashiro: P. . .Perhaps this is. . .!!
[The
long awaited!!]
Yes!!
It’s bigger than that other one!!
Kyoko: Tsuruga-san.
Ren: Hm?
[020-6] Kyoko: Happy
birthday!!
[021-2] Yashiro: . . .Hm?
[021-3] Kyoko: .
. .I’m sorry. . .
it’s
late. . .
[021-4] Ren: . . .Oh.
. .
I see.
You said you sent
away for something. . .?
Kyoko: Yes!
[021-5] Yashiro: . . .Come to think
of it. . .
She
did say that, didn’t she?
That
Ren’s birthday present would arrive on the 13th.
[021-6] Yashiro: And she’s giving it to him today. . .
Ren: Thank you.
I’m very happy.
[022-1] Ren: . . .I
wonder what it could be. . .
Can I open it?
[022-2] Kyoko: NO.
[022-3] Ren: Eh?
Kyoko: Please, don’t open it here,
under any circumstances!
Go
home and open it alone, please!!
[022-4] Ren: . . .Alone. . .?
It’s
common courtesy to open a present while the person is still there. . .
Wh.
. .
Why.
. .?
[022-5] Kyoko: Because
it’s embarrassing!!
[023-1] Yashiro: She’s not just being modest. . .
I
wonder what it is for her to overreact that way. . .
Caption: [Something
a girl could give that makes her embarrassed. . .]
Ren: . . .Something for me that embarrasses you to have others see. .
.
Kyoko: Um. . .let’s see. . .
[All
right.]
[023-2] And then.
Kyoko: Now,
to shift gears a little.
[023-3] Kyoko: Yashiro-san.
Yashiro: Eh?
[023-4] Kyoko: Here.
[023-5] Kyoko: Please
accept it.
[024-1] Kyoko: It’s.
. .
[024-2] Kyoko: Valentine’s
Day chocolate.
[024-3] Kyoko: I
made some for everyone who’s helped me this year.
[Ehehe.]
[But really,]
It’s nothing special,
though. . .
[024-4] Kyoko: So
please, if you’d like. . .
Yashiro: [I-]
I
don’t like---!!!
Why me!!?
[025-1] Yashiro: Why am I before Ren!!?
[Why
didn’t you just give the chocolates to Ren after his
birthday present!?]
[025-2] Yashiro: [Kyo. . .]
Kyoko-chan.
. .
[C’mere a
minute.]
Kyoko: Eh?
Yes?
[025-3] Yashiro: I’d
be glad to accept your chocolates, but. . .
SOUND WHISPER
WHISPER
Yashiro: Come
on. . .there’s a proper order to these types of
things.
SOUND WHISPER
WHISPER
Kyoko: .
. .I see.
Yashiro: If
these are for people who have helped you out,
[025-4] Yashiro: There’s
someone else
you
should be giving them to before me, right?
Kyoko: !
[Gasp.
. .!]
[025-5] Kyoko: I’m
sorry, I can’t believe myself.
That’s true.
No matter how
insignificant the occasion, one must always consider the order
of priority. . .
Yashiro: Yeah.
[What do you mean, no
matter how insignificant?]
Kyoko: I
understand.
[025-6] Kyoko: I’m
going to go give my chocolates to Mr. Ogata!!
[The entertainment
world is a hierarchy!]
Yashiro: That’s not what I meaaaaant!!!
[026-1] Yashiro: Why!!?
[026-2] Yashiro: Why did you leave Ren
out!!?
Did
you actually forget about him!!?
[No,
that’s impossible!!]
[026-3] Yashiro: This is no good, Kyoko-chan!!
[026-3] Yashiro: Even as a best case scenario, I lit a spark
to the fuse earlier!
Yashiro: I even suffered a glance from Ren-san of the
dark world!!
Caption: [It
seems appropriate to put “-san” here.]
*TL Note: The bubble order in
this panel is somewhat backwards. It goes top, then middle, then bottom right.
[026-4] Yashiro: If anything else happens.
. .!!!
Voice: Uwaaa!
They’re
so cute!
[027-1] Actress: Kyoko-chan, you’re so crafty!
[Thank you!]
SOUND KYA
KYA
Actress2: [Thank
you!]
Ogata: I
already ate mine. They were quite delicious.
SOUND EMBARRASSED
Caption: [Tsuruga Ren has been overlooked
three more times.]
Yashiro: Gyaaaah!
[027-2] SOUND GASP
[027-4] Ren: . . .Yes.
. .?
Yashiro: Noooooo!!!
[028-1] Yashiro: That smile!!
[028-2] Yashiro: It’s the same
[028-3] Yashiro: as back then!!
[028-4] Yashiro: I thought everything was fine because he
smiled normally back in the dressing
room!!
Ren: [Mr. Ogata first?]
[Heh.]
[Well, of course.]
Yashiro: But overlooking him three more times!?
Kyoko-chan!!
[028-5] Yashiro: It frightens me to think that this heavenly
visage will continue forever,
but. . .
[028-6] Yashiro: I’m even more afraid
[028-7] Yashiro: of what will replace it. . .
[030-2] To Be Continued in Volume 18, August 20th.