Fruits Basket Volume 1: Chapter 1 Translated by Zeynep (zgoral@gmail.com) Found at Chiisana Inori http://fruits.prettysenshi.com/ It's the first chapter of Fruits Basket! This is the start to my little Fruits Basket manga translation project, found at my Fruits Basket site, Chiisana Inori. You can also find scans for the manga there. This translation is not to be reproduced anywhere else, under any circumstances. It was made for people who have the Japanese Fruits Basket manga (or want to buy it) but don't know Japanese. I hope you enjoy this great manga series. =D % Lines that aren't spoken $ Lines that are flashbacks [] Actions/descriptions are in brackets () My own notes on the translation are in parentheses. Enjoy! Questions and comments are welcome! E-mail me at zgoral@gmail.com. ------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------ P6 NARRATION Yuki is said to be a beautiful prince, but... %YUKI %This is a pretty horrible condition. It'd be bad if we don't clean it up soon... YUKI .............................. %YUKI %Oh well. [side print: The unpleasant situation has gotten bigger.] NARRATION This is the extent of the laziness of the said person. This Yuki is also a very clumsy person. P7 NARRATION Let's start the banquet and have fun with everyone. TOHRU Uwa... Today's going to be hot again. I haven't forgotten anything. Then mother, I'll leave you to watch the house. P8 TOHRU I'm leaving! %TOHRU %Good morning! I'm Honda Tohru. %May of this year, I lost my mother who raised me by herself. %After that, I've secretly been living in this tent. %TOHRU %I have extra time today to take a walk. %TOHRU %Though this isn't an easy life, %I'm fine. My motto is, "No matter what the circumstances are, Never give up." P9 %TOHRU %A new discovery. There was a house here... What a quiet place. Ah... cute... SHIGURE How strange, for a girl to be here. TOHRU He... hello! I took a look while passing by. %Tohru: %Hyaaaaa~~! Someone is here! SHIGURE It's okay. I put them out to dry in the sun. P10 SHIGURE But there aren't many young people who think these are interesting. %TOHRU %Uwaa~~ What a beautiful person! TOHRU No, not at all! These Juunishi ornaments are very cute! (Note: The Juunishi are the twelve animals of the Chinese Zodiac. These include the Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Boar in that order.) SHIGURE Is that so? I feel the same way. TOHRU But, as I thought, there is no cat... SHIGURE Cat? Ah, the folktale of the Juunishi, where the cat was left out? TOHRU Yes. My mother always told me about it. $KYOKO $Once upon a time... P11 $KYOKO $God said to all the animals, $"Tomorrow I invite you all to a party, and on no account be late." $Hearing that, the mischievious rat told his neighbor, the cat, $that the day of the party was the day after the next. $The next day, the rat rode on the back of the ox and arrived at the $meeting place, and after him the ox, the tiger, and so on all arrived $and had a good time until morning. $All except the cat that was fooled.' $KYOKO $Why are you crying, Tohru? $TOHRU $Poor, poor Mr. Cat... P12 TOHRU I decided then, that I would stop being a dog, and become a cat instead!! SHIGURE Hmmmm~~~? I wonder what 'he' would say if he heard that. TOHRU What? SHIGURE But you're born in the year of the dog, then? We have chemistry, can you feel it? I mean, we both are born in the year of the "dog"... (Yuki's bag fx: GAGAN!) SHIGURE Hey... YUKI Shame on you, getting closer and closer. SHIGURE That really hurt, that bag! Are you carrying dictionaries in there or what? YUKI Yes. Two of them. P13 YUKI Are you okay, Honda-san? Did my cousin do anything weird? TOHRU Souma-kun!! Go--good morning! YUKI Good morning. SHIGURE Don't talk about me like I'm a pervert. FAN CLUB GIRL1 Honda-san!! What was the meaning of that?! Hmm?! P14 FAN CLUB GIRL1 Wh~~y were you walking to school with Souma-kun in the open like that?! Explain right now! FAN CLUB GIRL2 That's right! That's right! FAN CLUB GIRL3 Geez! The nerve! FAN CLUB GIRL4 All of a sudden, this! TOHRU Aren't you exaggerating a little bit? FAN CLUB GIRL1 Stuuuupid! There wouldn't be a need for police if you can use the word "coincidence" here! TEACHER Hey! Stop making a racket in the halls!! %TOHRU %That's right. Because of how handsome Souma Yuki is... %Even though he's only a first year student, he's like the prince of the school. FAN CLUB GIRL1 You must think highly of yourself because Souma-kun was a little bit kind to you! TOHRU [small print: I don't!] UO [off page] Hey... P15 UO Tohru said it was a coincidence, didn't she? Stop going on about useless things. (Girl fx: gulp!) TOHRU Uo-chan, Hana-chan... [small print: Good morning...] FAN CLUB GIRL1 Wha--What! This yankee thinks she can threaten us! (Note: 'Yankee' is a slang term used for unattractive people.) HANA With Poison Electro-Magnetic Waves I will, "BIIIIIIIIIII-----" TOHRU I'm saved. UO That was a calamity, wasn't it? Hanajima, don't use Electro-Magnetic Waves for real, okay? $SHIGURE $[off page] Ah, I see. So you're Yuki-kun's classmate. P16 $SHIGURE $I'm Souma Shigure, Yuki-kun's cousin. $TOHRU $Nice to meet you. I'm Honda Tohru. $YUKI $Honda-san, why are you here? $TOHRU $What?! $Ah, well... I live closeby!! $YUKI $Closeby? From here? $SHIGURE $Ohh? $YUKI $Well, nevermind. Shall we walk to school together? TOHRU I was nervous... Yuki-kun is so handsome and I was trembling. P17 HANA I feel very unusual Electro-Magnetic Waves from him. UO It's Hanajima's Electro-Magnetic Wave information again. TOHRU What do you mean by "unusual?" HANA I'm not sure exactly... UO But still, there's a mysterious feeling around him. He never talks about himself. [Small print: I don't care if he does or not, personally...] Before that, I heard that when a 2nd year girl confessed to him, she tried to hug him and he pushed her away and frightened her. [Small print next to Yuki: The Prince's crab walk] TOHRU? I wonder why I've never heard that story before?! P18 HANA That's why it's weird. UO Well, those kinds of things make the girls like him even more. TEACHER Hey! You three! Don't use your mouths, use your hands!!....... What...? [Print: PRECISELY] UO Stuuuuupid. The octopus is already cooked. TEACHER Why are you so proud?! It's all Honda-san's work!! UO Good perception. (Microwave: BIIII!) HANA Oh? The rice is also done. UO Oh yeah. At the end of today, Hanajima and I are going to go shopping, But do you have your part-time job again? TOHRU Ah, yes. That's right. HANA It's troublesome, you promised that you'd pay your school tuition by yourself. But is it really necessary for you to work so hard every day for it? [Small print: Since this is a public school.] P19 TOHRU I think I want to start living by myself after graduation. That's why I have to start saving up now! UO Damn, that kind of talk moves me to tears! You're so smart, Tohru! Stay strong! TOHRU Yes! HANA This was made by Tohru. UO Are you still staying with your relatives on your father's side? Do you need any help?! TOHRU (Gulp!) Yes! UO Are you getting enough to eat?! They're not cheating you out of your part-time job pay, are they?! HANA Tasty. %TOHRU %I can't tell them... %If she knew I was living in a tent, Uo-chan would be furious. %She might go to my relative's house on bike and attack it. P20 TOHRU Ah! Souma-kun!! Thanks for this morning! YUKI The pleasure was mine. Sorry Shigure caused you trouble. TOHRU No, not at all!! He's a great person! He showed me the Juunishi ornaments. YUKI Ah, what were you talking about, something like, "I will become a cat?" TOHRU When I was a kid I was kind of silly... yes. YUKI The cat is stupid. Its nature is bad. TOHRU What? [Small print: Its nature is bad?] YUKI Honda-san, do you know? That the Juunishi were actually the Jikkanjuunishi? P21 YUKI They were used for numbers and telling time. The Yin-Yang's Five Elements and dual forces were added and it became a form of fortune-telling. TOHRU It had nothing to do with animals?! YUKI Yeah. I don't know when the original turned into the animal-basis we have now, but... Ever since the beginning, the cat wasn't included in the Juunishi. But I'm glad it's like that. What would happen if the cat joined the Juunishi? It really is stupid, the cat. P22 TOHRU So in other words, you hate cats, Souma-kun? YUKI .......... TOHRU What...? (fx: kinkonnn, kinkonnn) (watch fx: BAAAAA) %TOHRU %What?! TOHRU Ahhh!! No more time?! My part-time job!! Souma-kun, I'm sorry! I have to go to my part-time job! [Side print: I'm late already~~] YUKI Honda-san... P23 YUKI I thought so this morning, too, but your face looks a bit pale. It's hot again, you should take care of yourself. Bye. I'll see you tomorrow. TOHRU ...... He really is mysterious. %TOHRU %Somehow, I feel I understand. P24 %TOHRU %It feels like my soul has relaxed a little bit. FAN CLUB GIRL 1 Don't think high of yourself because of this. (Tohru's heart fx: DOKI) %YUKI %You should take care of yourself. FAN CLUB GIRLS Don't be spoiled by Souma-kun's kindness!!! TOHRU Yessss!! %TOHRU %But Souma-kun, I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that. %Because mother was always having a much, much harder time. %When I was three years old, my father got sick. %After that, the one who worked to support us was mother. %The mother who protected me. $KYOKO $[Small print: Tohru-cha~~n... Mama wants to eat sukiyaki~~~~] $TOHRU $[Small print: Yes, yes.] P25 %TOHRU %She was always powerful and bright. %I never would've thought that her kind of person would die in a car accident. %It was disputed who would be my guardian next. %There were many conditions. %Eventually I decided on my grandfather's house. %In order to not burden grandfather's pensions, %I promised that I'd pay for my tuition and living expenses by myself. %That was in May. Four months later... $GRANDFATHER $Actually, I've decided to live with my daughter in law. $In the meantime there will be renovations done to this house. $During the reconstruction I will stay at my daughter in law's. $Sorry about this, but is there a friend's house you can stay at in the meantime? %TOHRU %Uo-chan lives in a one-room apartment. Hana-chan has five members in her family. %I didn't know how long the renovations could take, and couldn't bother them. P26 $TOHRU $But! I've got it! %TOHRU %At any rate, I will make my lifestyle by myself! %From now, this is my chance to practice enduring the hard life! %Even if I have no money, I can live in a tent! GUY Lady, hurry and finish this! TOHRU Ah, yes! GUY [Small print: What?! It's a high school student?!] %TOHRU %There aren't any rumor-listening, annoying reporters, but in return %There are ants, mosquitos, and slugs that come into the tent. %A few days ago, something like a typhoon almost blew the tent away. P27 TOHRU [Side print: Never give up!] Giving up is not an option! You can get used to living in any situation! You can get used to living in any situation!! CLEANING LADY Since that girl came, work has gotten much easier, hasn't it? SHIGURE Ahh... it's already this late? I'm sick of eating out every night. YUKI Then Shigure, you cook the meals. SHIGURE Whenever I cook, you complain. YUKI There aren't many things you can put in curry without a complaint. SHIGURE Yuki-kun, if you're so smart, why don't you do the housework? As I thought, two guys living together need a "flower." (Note: Shigure means "girl" by the term "flower.") P28 YUKI You're so easy-going, Shigure. What are you saying, that if you're not a flower, you're not a man? Hey... (Note: I'm not sure if this is exactly correct. o_O;;) SHIGURE Isn't that Tohru-kun? YUKI You really do remember high school girls' names well. SHIGURE No, not only that... But to be here by herself at this kind of time, does she really live this close? [Side print: Somehow, I'm getting dizzy.] YUKI I don't know. I heard her mother died, maybe she moved? It's a bit overdoing it though, isn't it? To sell this area of land to a stranger... YUKI & SHIGURE ....... P29 TOHRU I'm so tired. I'm home, mother. I'm so sleepy, but I have to do homework. I'll wash my face so I can feel better. Aya, somehow, I feel dizzy. P30 SHIGURE AH HA HA HA HA HAAAAAA!! YUKI Shigure, that's enough laughing. I see. Then you've been living in that tent for how long, now? [Shigure fx: fu fu fu (He's trying to stifling his laughter.)] TOHRU It's been almost one week. YUKI I thought it was strange. All the land in this area belongs to the Souma family. [Shigure small print: A tent... living in a tent... haha] TOHRU Um... please, could you lend me that land for a little while? P31 TOHRU The reconstruction will be over soon. I don't have money but I'll pay for it. Please... SHIGURE It's dangerous over there. The land is weak and perverts come out at night. It's not good for a girl to live alone in a tent. [Small print: Ahh, that was funny.] YUKI Are you finally done laughing? TOHRU I'M FINE! I've even become accustomed to the slugs!! %SHIGURE & YUKI %Yes... TOHRU Because I've got plenty enough of physical strength and willpower! So ple...ase~~~~~~~ [fx: fall] YUKI Honda-san! P32 YUKI You've got a fever. You look pale. SHIGURE First of all, ice... ice... Ha... I wonder where it could be? TOHRU A thick forest, isn't it?... SHIGURE Ah! That's a good name for it! [Wolf fx: Howl~~~~] P33 SHIGURE Hear that? There's definitely been a landslide somewhere. TOHRU What?! SHIGURE The land in this area shakes a lot after a storm. TOHRU U--um, how are you so sure? SHIGURE Oh? Just a natural instinct. YUKI Don't joke around. Were you able to tell where it was? SHIGURE You're so cool, Yuki-kun. TOHRU Could it possibly... It couldn't be near my tent!! [Small print: It couldn't be!] SHIGURE No way. Hahahahaha! YUKI Then where is it? P34 TOHRU .......... This is horrible!! Mother's picture is in the tent!! Mother!! YUKI Honda-san? Honda-san, calm down, your fever will rise. TOHRU But--But but mother--What should I do? I have to get her out quickly! %TOHRU %Mother... TOHRU She's suffering!! P35 SHIGURE Right now the first thing is that you get better. If another disaster occurs, you might be injured. Then your mother would become even sadder, right? Yuki-kun is looking for some ice right now. You must be tired. Going after impossible things doesn't award, right? TOHRU I'm sorry... I lost my home again. P36 SHIGURE Is it painful? TOHRU No, I know of more painful things. SHIGURE Like what? TOHRU ..... SHIGURE Tell me! TOHRU I didn't say "Itterasshai," the morning my mother died. (Note: Itterasshai doesn't truly have an English counterpart. It's something one would say to someone leaving the house. It pretty much means "Go and come back safely.") There was a small test, I had been studying until dawn. Only that morning I couldn't say it. Even though I had always said it, only that morning. I was thinking of quitting high school in order to work, but mother said... $KYOKO $I only finished junior high school. P37 $KYOKO $But I'd always wanted to try and be a high school student. $That's why you'll be different and have fun as a high school student. TOHRU I understood then that she was always working for me. And yet, even for that kind of mother, I didn't say "Itterasshai." Even as she turned her back to leave for work. I'm so stupid. Even if I got a red mark, even if our house got blown away, The most important thing was mother. %TOHRU %I didn't have a second chance to tell her. TOHRU That's why, at least high school, the high school mother desperately wanted to enter, I will graduate. P38 %TOHRU %That is my goal. TOHRU I won't lose like this... to a fever...... YUKI She fell asleep? SHIGURE You heard? YUKI It suprised me. She always looks so happy at school. She always seemed free of hardship. It's amazing, isn't it? SHIGURE What do you mean, amazing? YUKI I could've run away from the Souma house, and eventually been in the same place as she is. I could've really been like Honda-san and lived in a tent. It's cowardly of me. I could've gone somewhere unknown. P39 YUKI I've behaved like a spoiled child. SHIGURE That's because you're the young master after all. Tohru-kun and your minds are totally different. But furthermore, saying 'amazing' to her face would be rude, wouldn't it? YUKI .......... Yeah. Can I leave the rest to you? I'm going out. SHIGURE Where are you... Don't tell me, you're going to get her stuff? You want me to help? It would be hard doing it by yourself. YUKI By myself? P40 YUKI Who do you think you're saying that to? SHIGURE .... Take care. $KYOKO $Tohru... P41 $KYOKO $You have a fever again. You don't have to work yourself so hard to help me $with the housework. Tohru is Tohru. It's best to go at your own pace. $Because it'll catch up with you someday. %TOHRU %But, as expected, I somewhat pushed myself too much this time. %The decision is dying at the roadside. (Note: I couldn't make sense of this; I'm thinking it's an idiomatic phrase. "Notarejini" means "dying at the roadside" or "dying like a dog" while "kettei" is decision...) P42 TOHRU ........ It's not a dream!! I have to dig out mother!! YUKI Good morning! How are you feeling? TOHRU Wha--ah--aha-- [Small print: Hasn't remembered yet.] YUKI Here, the photo. TOHRU What? YUKI I think I digged out everything else too, but would you make sure? TOHRU What?! P43 TOHRU Whaaat?! Souma-kun, you dug through all that soil by yourself--?!? YUKI Ahaha, no way. TOHRU 'Ahaha'? What?! But how? YUKI A secret. TOHRU ...? But--but--thank goodness! Thank you so much! YUKI Then I'll take these upstairs, okay? TOHRU What? YUKI Even though the house is dirty and there are only males living in it, there's a room upstairs. Until the renovations are done you can stay here. P44 TOHRU NO--NO WAY! I object!! YUKI Object, you mean... ah, if the room has a key? TOHRU Tha--that's not it!! How to say this... SHIGURE Tohru-kun, do you like housework? TOHRU AHH!! SHIGURE Like for example, cleaning or cooking? TOHRU Um, yes, I like to, but...? [Small print: You--you--you scared me.] SHIGURE Welcome to the Souma household!! Since the room's been closed off, open the window, ah, we'll have to make a spare of the house key. Yuki-kun, lend her some of your clothes. [Small print: Her clothes are dirty.] TOHRU This is not possible, definitely not!! You've nursed me enough! Giving me a room upstairs is too much!! YUKI Honda-san, P45 YUKI We're doing this on our own convenience, we don't think it's a burden. TOHRU Uh-- YUKI So should we go now? TOHRU Um, then, in order to not become a burden, please tell me all about the rules of the Souma household. YUKI That's okay. Honda-san is Honda-san. Your own pace is best in this house. P46 $KYOKO $Tohru is Tohru. %TOHRU %Like I thought, Souma-kun is an enigma. [Small print: Then I'll work hard! Leave it to me!] SHIGURE Really, who said this was going to be easy? Is living together really going to be okay? She's a girl! YUKI You were so happy a while ago, what now? %YUKI %Somehow... YUKI It's okay. We'll just have to be more careful. %YUKI %The story advances so quickly while talking. P47 %TOHRU %It's like I'm in a dream. To be living in THAT Souma-kun's house... %What? By the way, what about Souma-kun's parents? %But but is this really really okay, I wonder? %Even with this good fortune, I'm a bit anxious. P48 %TOHRU %What?! KYOU Yo. I've been washing my neck waiting, mouse lord. P49 %TOHRU %What?! %[Small print: That roof... the roof...] YUKI Really, don't you know how to enter a house correctly? That's enough, why don't you ever give up, since you're so weak? KYOU Why you... I'll make you feel the same pain I felt. Today I'll pay you back!! Let's go!! TOHRU Wa--wait!! [fx: slip] P50 TOHRU Ahhhhh!! KYOU What?! YUKI Ah!! TOHRU AAAAAAAA!! [fx: SLAM] %TOHRU %And then the cat who was excluded from the banquet, because of being deceived %is still angry. P51 SHIGURE Ah, Yuki-kun, I heard a loud noise just now. By any chance, did Kyou come? YUKI ........ TOHRU Ah! So--sorry! Are you okay?! Um-- %TOHRU %The cat pursued the mouse everywhere. KYOU ..... SHIGURE Oh my. YUKI The idiot. ------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------ End of volume 1 chapter 1