Chapter 16: Because I Like You

BECAUSE I LIKE YOU

CHAPTER 16 OF THE MANGA

Previously
Ever since the time that Yasuna and Hazumu went on their date together to the aquarium, Tomari has been somewhat miffed by Yasuna's romantic attention to Hazumu. After sulking for a while, Tomari not only begins wearing light makeup to impress Hazumu, but also invites her out on a date to the same aquarium. Meanwhile, Yasuna has been sick with a low grade fever and a mild cough, but she magnanimously offers to take Hazumu's place for an after school project, freeing Hazumu to go on the date. This proves to be a bad choice for Yasuna, she falls victim to the illness and faints.

Chapter Overview
Tomari and Hazumu are having a great deal of fun during their date to the aquarium. Little did they know that Yasuna is gravely ill, and soon faints outdoors during the scientific observations. Sora intervenes, taking her to the Infirmary. Yasuna is put to bed, and when she stabilizes, falls asleep and begins to dream. Her dream is about how she came from a gaunt life of loneliness, to that of falling in love for male Hazumu. But Yasuna only likes girls; but now Hazumu is a girl !

Sora leaves the Infirmary to transport to the aquarium to tell Hazumu the bad news about Yasuna. Hazumu is instantly changed from a happy, carefree girl on a date, to that of a distraught, guilt-racked girl who blames herself for what happened to Yasuna.

This Chapter's Story
Hazumu and Tomari are at the aquarium, looking into a huge tank containing a wide variety of colorful, interesting fish. Suddenly, Hazumu turns around and looks behind her. Tomari wants to know what is wrong ? Although having a strong and vivid premonition, Hazumu tells her to never mind, it must just be her own overactive imagination. Soon, both girls are at a snack stand, enjoying flavored snow cones.

Asuta is hovering over Yasuna who is laying on the ground, unconscious. In an instant, Sora is stepping through an opening door in front of an outdoors grassy area and a bush, a door that links to another dimension. Sora kneels down and scoops up Yasuna into his strong arms. He tells Asuta that he is taking her to the Infirmary, and for him to continue the scientific observations.

Meanwhile, Hazumu and Tomari are at the shark tank, remarking how huge they are ! Tomari asks why Hazumu is so enthralled; isn't this her second visit here ? Hazumu, being somewhat naive, says that she doesn't remember too much from the first time. Why ? Because she couldn't stop thinking about Tomari at the athletic camp ! Tomari's knee-jerk reaction is to call Hazumu baka ( stupid ) and a moron ! This for some unknown reason causes both girls to become very self-conscience. For the next hour or so, both girls would sneak a peek at one another, then blush ever so sweetly.

The door to the Infirmary opens with a " SHOOP " sound, just like on Star Trek ! Sora goes in and gently places Yasuna on one of the beds. Namiko, the homeroom teacher, is outside making her rounds. But seeing through the windows what is happening in the Infirmary, she dashes towards it. Bursting through the door, she only ends up tripping and landing on, then under a large table loaded with bottles and jars. The crash is spectacular; she is 'down for the count' ! Meanwhile, Sora has placed Yasuna under the blankets, and put a cold compress on her forehead. He then turns and with a swipe of his hand in the air, a computer screen instantly appears hovering next to the bed and begins monitoring the vital signs of Yasuna.

At the park, the picture of Yasuna telling Hazumu to 'go have fun' appears in Hazumu's mind. She silently berates herself for accepting Yazuna's generous consideration. Tomari wants to know why Hazumu is 'zoning out' ? Hazumu says that it's nothing, as Tomari takes her hand. The two girls begin walking hand-in-hand, just like Tormari prefers to do.

Sora is at Yasuna's bedside. Yasuna is now sleeping peacefully, but she begins to dream. Sora, quietly, by whatever means, begins observing her dream on the computer monitor, just as if he was watching a movie---

YASUNA'S DREAM

Yasuna sees herself as a little girl of about 8 or 9 years old. She in a classroom, but she is all by herself. She muses to herself that she has never gotten along with the other children in school. She notes that she can't see the boys in her class, they are all gray and fuzzy, and the girls in class were all 'different' from her. She kept to herself, all the way through primary school, middle school, and into high school. Now in the present time, she would tell herself over and over that she did not mind being alone.

Now, looking back to her childhood, she now knows that she did not really understand the meaning of the word---"loneliness". The many cruel and obtuse remarks that have been flung her way over the years, one by one, come to mind---

" Hey, you know about Yasuna ? Yeah ! She's really hard to get close to. She acts like she can't even be bothered with the likes of us. Exactly ! She is cold like that. Cold as ice. Yeah ! Can't get over something. What ? She's so, so beautiful, though. Too beautiful, really. Her uncanny cuteness and hardcore erotic personal presentation and demure kinda scares me ! Yo ! How can a girl be so innocent looking, and uncanny sexy at the same time ? "

Yasuna tells herself that she has long since gotten used to the rumors. Not that she really cares, she never expected to befriend anyone anyway. She knew that she could live her life, on her terms, quite well, all by herself !

Then she saw male Hazumu for the first time on the rooftop garden at school. She was surprised and very much intrigued. A boy ! A boy who talks to plants, and understands what the plants are feeling. A boy who even sings to the plants ! Wow ! A boy with such obvious feminine traits ! On this her first clandestine visit to the rooftop garden, Yasuna conceals herself and only watches from a distance how Hazumu tends to the plants and flowers. What is this strange feeling that has come over herself ? The breeze feels so kind, she notes to herself. Per chance, Hazumu turns toward her direction. '''NO WAY !!! '''She can see him, a male, clearly !!! This for the first time in her life ! As male Hazumu watches, Yasuna makes a mad dash out of the garden and off the rooftop. She is ''so embarrassed ! ''Why is she blushing so deeply ? What is this odd feeling that is telling her that she must know more about that boy ! Now in a classroom, Yasuna acknowledges to herself that this is the first time she has ever felt anything like how she feels now !

Yasuna's dream drifts forward in time to the day she actually talked to male Hazumu when the both of them were in the rooftop garden---

Yasuna asked Hazumu if he really knows what plants feel ? He replies that it is not a case of really knowing, but it's more like, if you listen really, really hard, you will feel it in your heart. You think that's weird, don't you Yasuna ? However, she is instead thinking in her mind---Why were you the only boy that she could ever really see ? Yasuna comes to the understanding that it is not a case if Hazumu is a male or a female by perceived outward appearance. Like the plants that grow luscious and green in the light of Hazumu's love, Yasuna would want to stay by Hazumu's side and the two live together. But this only if Hazumu would have been a girl inside ! But Hazumu, both inside and outside, ''is a girl right now ! ''If that is what Hazumu wants ? If being a girl will make Hazumu happy. . . . . . .? ( At this point, Yasuna's dream dissipates and slowly comes to an end. )

Yasuna is still sleeping, but for some reason she is blushing and breathing heavily. She softly utters Hazumu's name over and over. Sora takes note, and then creates another inter-dimensional door next to the bed. He glances at Yasuna one last time to make sure she is now quiet and stable, and then slips through the door.

As Yasuna is dreaming, Hazumu and Tomari are continuing to enjoy themselves at the aquarium. Tomari excuses herself to go to the ladies room, leaving Hazumu staring at another huge tank of fish. Suddenly, the head of the Space Alien pops through the tank glass and addresses Hazumu. He tells her that Yazuna has collapsed while doing the scientific research. She has had an abnormal body temperature of 39 degrees C ( 102.2 degrees F ) for quite some time now. Her being in the hot weather outdoors made it even worse. She is now resting in the school Infirmary. His head retracts back into the fish tank, and he is gone. The Space Alien berates himself for again interfering in human affairs, but he had to act to save Yasuna.

Tomari comes out of the toilet to see Hazumu in such a profound state of distress. But why ? With tears in her eyes and an agony in her voice, she tells Tomari that Yasuna-chan has. . . . . (unintelligible speech). . . . . . . sob, sob. . . . . . . .and it's all my fault !!! Tomari desperately tries to calm down a very distraught Hazumu, who only loudly bemoans the fact that everything that has happened to Yasuna is all her fault !

Chapter Lookback and Commentary

 * snakep2 / 8 months ago

This is my favorite manga ever made!