Strobe Edge Chapter 36

Dear Strobe Edge Fans,

This is the last chapter of Strobe Edge. I have such mixed feelings when translating and summarizing it. I wanted to get it up asap for all you fans (knowing that you are probably waiting anxiously for it), yet, I wanted to savour the moment. This is afterall, the LAST chapter. T_T.

Although, they didn't even kiss, but the mangaka was able portray the intensity of their feelings for each other. To me that is unforgetable lovey-doveyness. As Freesiane has pointed out, the smiling couple. Yes, they are the cover page of the last chapter of Strobe Edge. I so wish to see more of a smiling Ren...

Ninako is thinking that she wants to convey her thoughts and feelings to him...

Ninako blushes as she comes face to face with Ren. (Gosh... Ren is looking at her so intensely... ) Ninako: "Well... you see..." Ninako thinks to herself that she had refused him so now she must explain herself to him.

Ren: "Kinoshita San... I..."

Ninako to Ren :"I wish for you to listen to what I have to say."

Ren is surprised to hear this and he gives her his attention. Ninako feels Ren's eyes on her.

Ninako:"Perhaps, I am not apt at expressing and what I have to say may be long but... I wish for you to listen." Ren is looking at Ninako as she talks.

Ren:"Yes..."

Overwhelmed, Ninako tears. She quickly wipes it away. She wonders why she is crying and that she should not cry now as she has not said the things she wants to say. She wonders why her chest feels tight.

In between tears, Ninako pleads with Ren:"..listen, ok?"

Ren looks at her: "Yes, I am listening." Looking at her intently, he says:"I will listen properly."

Wiping away her tears, she says:" To like Ren and to have you said that you liked me, this is beyond my dreams and my thoughts... but at that time I could not give you any response... this feeling of guilt... at that time, I thought it is cruel for me alone to feel blessed... My thoughts were filled with hopelessness....

Ninako continues :"However, I was terrified of being moved...and each time, I tried to find a plausible explanation for my behaviour... I protected only myself... because of that..." Ninako wants to explain her feelings and thoughts clearly but she cannot. She wants to convey her feelings properly but she can't. Frustrated, she tears again.

Ren, looking at her struggling:"It's ok."

Ninako looks at Ren and tells herself to convey her feelings across. Ninako:"I have endured this confused state for awhile..."

Ninako:"I have various things I have to say but even if these are not said, there is one thing I must say to you..." Ninako wonders how would what she has to say next affect the feelings between them. She must tell him.

Ninako bursting into tears confesses:"I love you Ren Kun." She wonders whether he feels the same.

Ren:"Ki.."

Ninako interrupts:"Ren Kun, I love you. I want to become the most important person to you." Blushing and crying at the same time, Ninako continues:" I want to be able to do things like talk to you on the phone, send mails, share a cake with you, although I have a great appetite, I want to see you smile... I want to hold hands with you like a couple, I'm just saying it. We need not do that... but it does seem common to hold hands..." Ninako rambles on incessantly...

At that moment, Ren...

...reaches out and envelopes her into his arms. (T___T , I've waited so long, sooooo looongg for this...T____T, good job Ren. You are such a good, sweet boy. I just love this moment....sigh....)

Ninako blushing says:"I too, I want to hold you tight too... can I?... Ren blushes as he realizes what Ninako is asking... (so sweeeetttt)

Ren:"Please do." (this is unforgetable lovey-doveyness to me... I just love how they fit in each other's arms... sigh...)

Ren:"Don't let go."

Slowly, Ren pulls apart and looks into Ninako's eyes:"Kinoshita San, I love you, I love you very much." (the look that passes between them... Io Sensei, you are the best!!!)

Ninako:"Me too, I love Ren Kun very much..."

Narration: A world where the person you love, loves you too. Such a world glitters and sparkles...

Back in school the next day... Ninako is being surrounded by the girls in her class. Someone has seen Ninako and Ren at the train station yesterday. Some of her classmates express that they are shocked.

Someone asks:" Ninako, I thought you said Ren Kun is merely a friend?"

Ninako apologises:"I'm sorry, in truth, my feelings for him never did change since the beginning..."

Ninako's close friends teasingly calls her:" Hey, Ojousan (young lady), we can see that you are in a great mood." They wish her their blessings.

Of course amongst the girls, there are those who are not so enthusiastic with the news. One of the girls says:"Since Ren likes Ninako so there's nothing I can do..." One of them even says that she is surprised that Ren likes a commoner. Ninako is hurt to be called commoner.

Ren's buddies comment that they will support Ren's partner. Manabu:"I wonder how did Ren confess his feelings to Ninako, I'm going to tease him when he comes." At that moment, Andou who has been listening quietly to the comments stands up and leaves the class.

Andou bumps into Ren outside the classroom.

Ren:"Andou." Andou ignores him.

Ren calls out to him a few times but Andou refuses to acknowledge. Ren reaches out to stop Andou. Andou turns around tells him to hold the conversation. He doesn't want to listen to him now.

Andou to Ren:"Stupid bullshit!"

Ren calls him again. Out of frustration, Andou tells him to shut up and that he really doesn't want to listen to anything he has to say.

With a smile, Ren tells Andou that when he behaves in such a manner he is getting better (as in he is healing).

Andou replies Ren:"What do you know, idiot!" (Ren understands Andou : ) )

As Andou leaves the scene thinking how Ren can remain so calm towards him who has stolen Ninako's first kiss (I wonder how Ren will react when he knows this). As Andou leaves, a girl asks him whether he is free tonight and wants to play. Andou replies that he is sad and he doesn't want to go out. (Andou is healing...)

Back in class, Ren enters the class and sees Ninako telling about how Ren hugged her and she hugged him back... At that moment, Manabu sees Ren and announces:" Here comes the boyfriend!"

Ren walks up to Ninako:"Wait a minute, Kinoshita san..."

Ninako:"You heard it just now...

Minabu:" It's just sharing of happy tidings."

Teasingly, Minabu asks Ren:" Please teach us how you confess your feelings."

Ren with a straight face:" No."

Ren intending to silence further teasing tells the whole class:" This is between the two of us and it will remain a secret between us."

With that announcement, everyone in class turns a shade of pink at his bold declaration.

The class bursts into an uproar of teasing. They shout:" He says two of them.... their secret..." Ninako blushes furiously. Ren looks on and thinks that they are so noisy... Ren bends down and apologises to Ninako. He asks whether she has been harrassed by their teasing. Blushing as she replies Ren:"Actually, I'm quite happy (to be teased)."

Ren covering his blushing face replies:" In that case, it is good..." (So sweeeettt. Only Ninako can make Ren blush)

At the end of the day, as they leave school, someone shouted:" Ninako, Ren is going home. Do follow him. Please the two of you can you show more lovey-doveyness?"

Ren stretches out his hand to Ninako as they walk. In shock, Ninako stares at his outstretched hand and stares back at Ren.

Ren blushes and replies:"Isn't it common for people to hold hands? (he is repeating what Ninako said to him earlier).

Ninako lifts her hand slightly and Ren holds her hand.

Ninako comments:"I know I said about wanting to hold hands but I'm still feeling shocked..."

Ninako:"...I know this is common, I'm having difficulty. When will I get use to it .."

Ren:" You will soon..."

Ninako:"I feel a sudden tightening of my chest..."

Ren:" Me too."

Ninako is surprised to learn that boys feels so too.

Wanting to know more, she asks whether he feels his throat tightening too. Ren replies that he feels his collar bone creaking. (Bawhahahaha.... these 2 are so kawaii!!)

(Buchan, the cat has kittens!)

Again, love gathers.

Gosh. I'm overwhelmed. The sweetness level between the two more than hits the roof! Sigh... I am satisfied yet I want more... Io Sensei, please.... I love the ending statement. Love gathers or love piles up. I'm pondering over this phrase...

Ok. There will be a special edition chapter in the coming issue of Betsuma. The magazine seems to suggest that we will be able to see their first date! I am hoping we can see more lovey doveyness as well as a good ending for Andou. Ok. I would love to hear from you. Leave me your comments.