Kinkyori Renai/Close Range Love Chapter 21

Thanks to Bebexiu, I have in my hands several chapters of Kinkyori Renai. Bebexiu has kindly offered me this opportunity to translate this manga. Thanks a million!!! I must confess that I have the chapters sometime ago but due to work commitments and many other distractions, I did not sit down to look at them until recently. I apologise for the delay (to Bebexiu and for those who were waiting).

After ploughing through the chapters in Japanese, I love how the story is developing! Some of you may know that I collect this manga and only 5 volumes have been translated into mandarin. Can't wait to get my hands on vol 6 and 7 (in mandarin). I love this series. I love the humour and I love the drawing style, especially Haruka Sensei (so cool!!!). Enough of me drooling...

Originally, I intend to give a brief summary but after ploughing through the chapters, I could not help but give a more detailed summary. Please let me know if you prefer a shorter version. : )

I mentioned in my last entry that Haruka has broken up with Uni. Reasons were not given and Uni is heart-broken. Let's pick up from there.

Chapter 21 (Uni's Lost Love)

It is the school's ball game tournament. The winning class will get lunch vouchers of unlimited value for a week. The whole class is excited. Some of the classmates comment that Uni will be the key person to help them win the tournament. However, Uni's response was out of character. She seemed rather upbeat. The class looks at her and wonders what has overcome her.

Azusa, Uni's childhood friend, asks her what happen when they are alone. She tells him she has been jilted. Azusa is taken aback but is secretly rejoicing as he likes Uni and habours the thought of getting together with her. Azusa takes the opportunity to express that for Haruka, a teacher, to meddle in a relationship with his student is not becoming and a horrible thing to do. However, Uni, surprises Haruka by saying that she sees it differently. She thinks that she deserves this and she has lost her confidence due to something she did. The only thing that is clear to her now is that her heart is broken.

On the day of the ball game tournament, Uni wakes up feeling slightly feverish. However, she turns up for the tournament and tries her best to help and concentrate despite feeling feverish. In order to take her mind off Haruka, Uni throws herself into the various ball games and plays all the games. Of course, she excels in all the games much to her classmates delight and their competitors despair.

After which, whilst taking a break, Uni finds herself feeling light and dizzy. She is thinking of eating some food to regain her energy when she suddenly feels faint and almost falls down a flight of stairs. At that moment, Haruka Sensei passes by and grabs hold of her hands. He chides her and tells her that her condition today is terrible. He insists that she goes to the sick bay and rests. Uni thinks to herself that no one notices her bad condition except Haruka. She cannot help herself but grabs hold of him from behind and asks him whether he will find her bothersome if he continues to like her. With a serious look, he tells her it is useless as he will find it a bother. Uni is hurt...

At the resting area, 2 boys from another class approach her and tell her that there friends would like to discuss some matters with her and seek her views. Thinking that they can be of help to her lost love situation, Uni immediately agrees. They trick her to the store room and lock her in there. Uni, who is already unwell, coughs and begs for someone to open the door.

Meanwhile, back at the ball tournament. Uni classmates realise that Uni is not around. When Haruka hears of it, he is worried that she may have fainted somewhere as she has not been feeling well. Azusa, is surprised to learn from Haruka that Uni is unwell. Azusa is also surprised by Haruka's response towards Uni's disappearance. Azusa follows Haruka to search for Uni.

Haruka and Azusa fail to find Uni. Haruka wonders whether Uni has taken a bus home. At that moment, they overhear someone talking about Uni being locked up. As Azusa and Haruka confront the group of boys, the key drops to the lower floor. Without hesitating, Haruka jumps to the lower floor to retrieve the key. Azusa is shocked: " Are you okay?" Haruka replies:"No worries."

At the storeroom, Haruka and Azusa find Uni unconscious. Haruka stops himself from touching Uni and tells Azusa to carry Uni to the sick bay. Haruka claims that he has to leave to attend to some other task. A confused Azusa asks Haruka to explain his frantic behaviour a moment ago as opposed to his current indifferent demeanor. Haruka walks away and tells him Azusa does not need to understand his behaviour.

At the sick bay, Uni asks Azusa whether anyone help him to rescue her. Azusa tells her he was the one who discovered her at the storeroom and brought her to the sick bay. Uni is sad and disappointed. She thinks Haruka will never look at her like he used to again...

My thoughts: Sigh... It is clear to me that Haruka obviously loves Uni and cares alot for her yet he broke up with her. Haruka did not explain his behaviour. It is frustrating. I don't understand why he thinks that is a mature way of handling the situation. Well, the next chapter is about Uni's wish. I took a peak at it and I do believe that the mangaka will end this agony and put the two back together. YES!