TITLE: Hohoemi no Nichijou -- "Everyday Smile"

note: another short story from the collection by the same name.

AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR: Naono Bohra

PUBLISHED: Reijin Selection, 2002
note: individual story published in Reijin '97, Volume 11.

ISBN: 00170-2-179210

SHORT INTRODUCTION:
The cheerful smile of a fellow coworker brings out the softer side
of the otherwise emotionless business chief. -cirrus

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scanning: cirrus
japanese text translation: cirrus
editing & touchup: cirrus
typesetting: cirrus
project completion date: May 4, 2003

transcription, notations (9/18/03) by San

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Legend:

[text] = text in bubbles, boxes
{text} = text outside of bubbles or boxes
/text = small handwritten texts
text = dialogue

sfx: *text* = onomatopoeic (otherwise, it is a description of the noise)

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- pg. 49 -

Title Page: Everyday Smile
by Bohra Naono

- pg. 50 -

Man: [Why?]

SFX: *Rub, Rub*

Man: [Why?]

- pg. 51 -

Man: [Why did it have to turn out like this?]

Caption: One Month Ago

Employee: Excuse me...Chief Iwakiri...this is the proposal for the new company project...

/I need it looked over for the next conference.

Iwakiri: Alright then, have the new kid, Asou, collect it.

Asou!

SFX: *Chatter, Chatter*

Asou: Yes, Sir!

- pg. 52 -

Iwakiri: Here is the proposal that was requested.

Asou: Yes, Sir! I'll make the printout right away!

Iwakiri: I...I see.

After you two are done confirming it, bring it to my desk.

Asou: Yes, Sir!

- pg. 53 -

Iwakiri: .....

Employee: Wow, Asou! You've sure been taking with the Chief a lot.

I could never do that... I get too nervous around him.

/He's kinda scary...

Asou: Well, what's so unusual about talking with him?

Iwakiri: [How can Asou smile so cheerfully like that?]

[And even to me!]

Employee: /I have no idea.

Asou: /Uh...

- pg. 54 -

SFX: *Stare*

SFX: *Grin, Grin*

Caption: Staff Cafeteria

- pg. 55 -

Iwakiri: !

........

SFX: *Slurp*

SFX: *Clack*

SFX: *Phew*

Iwakiri: May I sit here?

Asou: !!

Uh...Y-yes, Sir! Of course!

SFX: *Pch*

- pg. 56 -

SFX: *Munch, Munch*

/Roll

Asou: /Oops!

SFX: *Munch, Munch*

/Roll

Asou: /Oops!

SFX: *Slip*

Iwakiri: Asou.

Asou: Yes, Sir?

Iwakiri: I've noticed that you're always smiling.

Asou: O-oh, is that so...?

Iwakiri: /Yes.
You do all the time. And to anyone.

Asou: To...Anyone...?

- pg. 57 -

Iwakiri: I'm envious.

Asou: Huh!?

Ah!

Iwakiri: Your hand!

Asou: /Ah!
!!

Iwakiri: I'll clean up here while you go run some water over your hand.

Asou: Huh? But...
Y-your handkerchief...

/It'll get dirty...

- pg. 58 -

Iwakiri: I don't mind. Here, it's yours now.

Asou: Th-
Thank you very much!

Iwakiri: [That was when...]

[I saw how happy Asou's smile seemed.]

[And I realized that I always wanted to see it...]

- pg. 59 -

Iwakiri: [From that point on, we began to get closer little by little.]

Employee #2: Chief, looking at the new document, I would like to confirm the points that were altered...

Iwakiri: /Ah.
I see. You might want to take a look then at Asou's data. His is the most reliable on the subject.

Iwakiri: Would you like me to handle it, then?
/It'll be hard because there's some left over data.

Employee #2: /Oh!
Uh, no! That's alright. I'll just hand it in to Asou.

Hey Asou!

Ah, Man...

I really couldn't keep my cool around him.

Looks like you're the only one who can work well with him.
/He's just so inimidating...

- pg. 60 -

Employee #2: /Erm...

Asou: /What are you talking about?

Iwakiri: [And then, just last night...]

- pg. 61 -

Asou: Iwakiri-san, are you feeling okay?

/You couldn't handle your liquor.

Iwakiri: /Mm...

You're so cute, Asou.

You're always smiling cheerfully...

Asou: B-but...!

Iwakiri: I could never do that.

- pg. 62 -

Iwakiri: I'm bad at expressing my feelings, always with this strict face. And I'm awkward at converstations.
I hate myself for that sometimes.

Asou: How can you say that?
At times I hate myself for always being so polite to everyone. Regardless of whether or not I like them.

Sometimes, I can't even stand myself, what a fake I really am...

Iwakiri: But I like your smile.

- pg. 63 -

Iwakiri: I normally don't like being around people, but I love your smile. I want to look at it forever.

Asou: Huh...? But...uh...

Iwakiri: You're a special case, Asou.

Asou: S...special?

SFX: *Thadump*

Iwakiri: Yes.

Asou: D-do you like me...?

SFX: *Thadump*

Iwakiri: Yes.

- pg. 64 -

Iwakiri: Why are you crying?

Asou: Oh, it looks like I'm also drunk.

Iwakiri: [After that...]

- pg. 65 -

Iwakiri: [How did this ever happen...?]

[All I can remember is...]

[His weight on me, and his heat...]

[And that's how...]

Asou: Iwakiri-san...

SFX: *Haa...*

Asou: Iwakiri-san...

Iwakiri: [He's the one that invited me...]

- pg. 66 -

Iwakiri: Good Morning.

Employee #3: Good Morning.

Employee #4: 'Morning.

Iwakiri: !

Good Morning.

Asou: Good Morning, Sir.

- pg. 67 -

Employee #5: What's up with Asou?

I thought he was close to Chief Iwakir.

Employee #6: /That's right.
And what happened to all his energy?

Iwakiri: Asou.

- pg. 68 -

Iwakiri: I need to find the materials from the last installment of data. Would you please give me a hand?

Asou: Yes, Sir.

Iwakiri: So?

My memory may not be very clear about what happened before, but...
Why did you do that--?

Asou: I'm sorry.

- pg. 69 -

Asou: I was also very drunk, so I don't remember too much...

Iwakiri: You were drunk?

Asou: Yes...
So let's just forget about the whole thing.

Iwakiri: You...
You're saying you don't remember? Is that the best you can come up with!?

Asou: But...!

- pg. 70 -

Iwakiri: You're the one who invited me over, right?

So, how long do you intend to simply run away?

Asou: I'm not running away!

Iwakiri: And what's with your attitude? Even the other employees noticed the change.

...I get it.
It would be to your advantage that I just forget it.

We'll just pretend happened...

I...

- pg. 71 -

Iwakiri: I'm sorry for taking time away from your work.

[Perhaps there's nothing I can do to get Asou to smile at me again...]

Asou: You...

It was all your fault!

- pg. 72 -

Asou: You're the one that smiled at me!
You said that you liked me! That I was special!

I was happy just looking at you!
I was happy just being next to you!

- pg. 73 -

Iwakiri: Asou!

Asou: I wanted you.

Even though I knew that you weren't good with people... That you could never understand this feeling...
It made me want you.

Iwakiri: Feeling?

Asou: I love you.

- pg. 74 -

Asou: I'm sorry.

I'm sorry.

SFX: *Grab*

Iwakiri: Let's make sure you didn't get any glass stuck inside.

Asou: !

- pg. 75 -

Asou: N-No!

Please stop it!

Iwakiri: I already told you, but...

you're special to me.

- pg. 76 -

Asou: ...Yes.

Iwakiri-san!

Iwakiri: The door's locked.

Asou: /But...!

!!

Iwakiri: There's something I want, as well, Asou...

Asou: ...Nn!

- pg. 77 -

Asou: Nn! Iwa...kiri-san...!

Iwakiri: Is this better?

Asou: Y-yes...

Mmph! Ah!

SFX: *HAA!*

Asou: Aah!

...!

Haa!

SFX: *Sqush*

Asou: Aah! Ah...!
More...! Deeper...

SFX: *Haa! Haa! Haa!*

- pg. 78 -

Asou: Ah!

Nn...!

Mmph! Aah!

Iwakiri-san...!
Iwa--!

Iwakiri: ...!

Asou: !

Ah!

- pg. 79 -

Asou: Aah!

Aahn!

Aah!

Iwakiri: Oh...how's your hand?
/Sorry.

Asou: It's fine.

- pg. 80 -

Iwakiri: You finally smiled for me again.

[The truth is...]

[I want to keep your smile forever.]

- END -