Strobe Edge Chapter 35

Dear Fellow Strobe Edge Fans,

Finally, I’m done translating the chapter. I took a longer time this time cos there were plenty of conversations; it’s rather difficult and I’m trying to get it right. Again, you are warned that there may be some mistakes. Those of you who r more proficient with the language, please correct me. Let's begin. Oh, before that, I LOVE the cover of this chapter!!!

This chapter continues from Ren trying to get answers from Ninako as to the reasons she was at his seat.

Ren:"Tell me, why were you at my seat?”

Ninako:"I thought that was my seat…”

Ren asks Ninako for the reason of her lying. Ninako thinks to herself, :"What should I do now?" Ren tells her that from her attitude he can sense that she will say anything to avoid telling him the truth.

Ren: "You won't face me or look at me..." Ninako is getting increasingly anxious, she wonders what she should do... Ren:"Isn't it strange? ... Nevertheless, why are you at my seat?" Ren continues to press Ninako for an answer.

Ren:"Having seen that (you at my seat), I can't remain calm even if I want to... (Poor Ren... Ninako, please answer him!!! )

Out of desperation, Ninako shouts:"No... but to me, the various reasons I have given are real!" Ren was taken aback...

Slowly, he releases her and straighten up... Ren: "I did not intend to corner you... correction..." he pauses trying to find the right words to say... Ren:"I meant I was wondering if you have been swayed (a little) due to my confession. I was hoping you will consider... cornering you, I hope somehow, you will consider..."

Ninako thinks to herself that in her haste to deny, she has put him in a spot.

Ren:"I'm sorry..." and he leaves the scene...(Ninako... T___T... don't do this to Ren...)

After Ren has left, Ninako thinks to herself:"...if only Ren didn't feel bad..." she resigns to the fact that she can't do anything to the situation... She is frustrated that she is unable to give him the real reasons... She wonders what will become of this...

Back in school, the next day, Ninako is surprised to see Andou back in school. She asks whether he is fine. Andou replies that he is...

Without further conversation, Ninako turns to leave: "See you, I will make a move." Looking at Ninako's back, Andou thinks to himself: "Oh no! I still like her...". At that moment, Ren appears in front of Andou. Ren is shock to see Andou. Andou quickly bids a hasty goodbye and leaves.

In class, all is surprised to see Andou and greets him. Ren walks into the class behind Andou. Andou thinks to himself:" Must I watch them (Ren and Ninako) being a couple in class..." To his surprise, he observes that Ren and Ninako going on about class without acknowledging each other. He wonders what is going go...

Andou finds an opportunity to speak to Ren alone. With much difficulty, Andou asks Ren:" Were you rejected?" Andou is shocked. He asks Ren again: "Why? How?" Ren replies:" I have damaged the situation." and he turns to leave. Andou reaches out to stop Ren from leaving: " What are you going to do?!"

With a leveled look, Ren tells Andou: "I am not going to do anything ." and Ren elbowed Andou away and leaves. (the look they exchanged... wow... Ren is pissed...) Andou is speechless. He wonders why Ren doesn't want to turn the situation around. Andou turns to look at Ninako and thinks that she cannot be like this too. Andou wonders what are the reasons for Ren's confession to be rejected...

Andou looks at Ninako and thinks to himself:" I'm sorry Ren, I wonder whether this time I'm forced to be behind you, at your back." (I think this is with reference to previous chapter where Ren visited Andou and told him that he is always sitting behind him, staring at his back, perhaps Andou is suggesting that he will be the one to look out for Ren this time)

Meanwhile, Ninako sits in a quiet corner and wonders what she wants. She is thinking of these differing feelings she is going through. She is thinking that Ren's mood, for quite sometime, has remained unchanged. She wonders whether she hesistated providing Ren the truth because she doesn't know how to handle her feelings of guilt towards Andou... She wonders whether there is more to it... She sighs and laments that she has all these different feelings she has to handle...

Ninako walks towards the classroom and thinks that whether there is a reason to her having to contend with these different feelings that are going inside her... Ren is in the classroom too and they see each other. Without looking at Ninako, Ren assures her that he will not ambush her again after the last time when his behaviour frightened her... Ninako realises that Ren is doing class duty today. Ren continues to assure her that he is finishing the book soon and will leave as soon as possible...

Ren:" Goodbye, I'm leaving." Not being able to stop herself, Ninako makes a sound:" Aa..." Ren stops in his tracks, without turning around to face her, his eyes widen. Ninako regains control of herself and bids him farewell. Ren, with a resigned look continues to walk out of the class... (sigh..., Ren is so sensitive to Ninako's response, he is still hoping for a change in her...)

Looking at Ren's departing figure, Ninako resigns that again she could not tell him the truth. She cannot help but thinks that she should be able to tell him if she likes him. She wonders why she is so afraid. She thinks that she is the one who created the distance between them. She cannot be moved to tell him the truth... Trying to control herself, Ninako grasp the curtain and again tells herself not to be moved... From below, Ren looks up into the classroom and sees the curtain being bunched up, his eyes widens...

... Ren wants to go back into the class but he is reminded of what Ninako said when he cornered her. "But to me, all the various reasons are real." Ren stops himself and continue his way home.

Meanwhile, Andou calls out to Ninako to come to him. Ninako walks towards him. With a smile in his face, trying to sound as nonchalant as possible, Andou asks whether everything with Ren is normal..." Seeing that Ninako is not answering, Andou added: "... I have become cute, right?" Ninako tells him not to say such things. Andou digresses and asks whether Ninako has heard from Mao.

Andou continues to tell Ninako that in the past, Ren was his friend. He wants to protect himself from being thrashed by Ren, but in the end he lost to Ren twice. He asks Ninako whether she pities him. Ninako refuses to reply. Andou continues his story:" Anyhow, I became moody. Can you show me a happy face?" Ninako is taken aback by Andou's sudden change of topic. Andou tells Ninako that he will be satisfied with her happy look and that will strengthen him. Seeing Ninako's expression, he asks why she is offended. Andou tells Ninako:"Truly, if I'm cuter, consider me." He bends down and brings her head towards him and kisses her...

Andou:"Think about me and commitment." Quietly, Andou thinks to himself:" this time, he is behind Ren, looking at his back." Ninako looks at Andou with a hurt look, she raises her hand to slap him. Andou braces himself for the slap... Ninako stops at midway and lightly places her hand on his face... Ninako:" You did that on purpose..."

Ninako:"You did that on purpose. You did things to make yourself hateful." (T__T this is such a touching moment for me, to have Ninako knowing Andou so well and treating him so tenderly) Andou blushes and cannot believe that Ninako sees through his actions and knows his motives... Not being able to control her feelings anymore, Ninako cries and tells Andou:"Out of cruel sympathy for you, I did not accept Ren's feelings. I am the No.1 bad person. Andou realises that in truth, Ninako's real thoughts has been in conflict with her behaviour.

Ninako bursts into tears and apologises that she has made him do such things to her and she adds that she is unable to show him a happy face... Finally, unable to contain the truth any longer, Ninako tells Andou:" ...because I still like Ren." Andou gives Ninako an understanding look, kisses her gently on the forehead and tells her to go chase Ren. With that, Ninako flies out of the school...

With Ninako gone, Andou leans against the wall and talks to himself:"I can never look back again." He thinks to himself that this time it is really the end. Slowly, he sinks to the floor and with tears in his eyes:" She did not turn around to look at me." (T__T I'm tearing thinking of his pain...)

Suddenly, Mao walks by. Andou sees her and she glances at him. She says to him:" You are soft-hearted..."

Andou feels embarass... Mao suddenly turns around and tells him:"Now its my turn to head towards you fairly and squarely." (wow... is Mao professing that she will pursue him?)

Andou replies that for the current him, his attitude towards such matter is no longer simple. Mao seems to tell him she is serious about it.

Meanwhile, Ninako dashes down the street towards the train station in pursuit of Ren.

Ninako is running towards the train... She thinks to herself that she will communicate to him and let him know the truth. Meanwhile, as Ren gets into the train, he is thinking about the bunched up curtain and wonders what expression did Ninako has then... Ren is thinking of getting off the train and going back to school.

Ren tries to fight the crowd in the train so as to get off the train and meanwhile, Ninako is fighting the crowd to get to the train. (how poignant... they r at different points but heading towards the same direction, that is each other. Sakisaka Sensei, you are the best!) Ninako reaches the door as the train door closes. She is out of breath...

At the same time, Ren manages to get off the train.. They see each other. Ren:"Kinoshita Chan..." Ninako:"Ren Kun..., Ren Kun!" and she runs towards him. She wants to tell him how she feels.

I LOVE the ending of the chapter!!! Sometime ago, Ninako first confesses to Ren at the train station but was rejected and now, she is going to confess again at the train station. Gosh... I'm feeling so much for this story... It seems like the next chapter, we will be able to see some lovey-doveyness between the two. Please Sakisaka Sensei, show us more lovey-doveyness and don't end it so soon. I'm so hoping to see Ren at Ninako's house meeting her parents (just like in Kimi ni Todo ke). Ok. Tell me what you think of the chapter.