Fruits basket is property of Natsuki Takaya, Hakusensha and Hana to Yume magazine

Summary by Pixbell(Bell)



SUMMARY chap 56 (Hana to Yume #9 2002)

This chapter is about... *drumroll* Mayu and Kana! Who are Mayu and
Kana, you ask? I blame you not for forgetting. Mayu is the main
cast's teacher (famous for being violent and rude), with a ponytail
and a birthmark beneath her left eye. It was remarked once before
that Shigure went out with Mayu for a while ("I was young and
foolish," he says), and is friends with Kana. Kana is Hatori's tragic
would-be-wife. The chapter also features Slut!Shigure and MarryMeNOW!
Hatori. Mmm. Nummy.

The cover page is of Mayu and Kana being happy and friendly-like
together.

The first Mayu is working in her parent's bookstore (since her father
is sick and her mother is looking after him), and Shigure,
surprisingly enough, is there, browsing the shelves. They're talking
rather naturally, like two people who know each other well enough not
to have any pretenses between them, but aren't necessarily friends.
The Japanese in this chapter is frustratinly full of vocab I don't
know, so I don't know what's running through Mayu's head at this
point. But she starts thinking back to two years ago, when she met
Hatori. Kana introduced the two of them (this is my best friend Mayu,
and this is Sohma Hatori; I'm his assistant). Mayu notes that she
figured out nearly immidiately that Kana and Hatori were romantically
involved, and despite that, "I'm an idiot," she falls for Hatori
anyway. (and the audience gasps! at this outrageous scandal). Mayu
doesn't do anything about it, 'cause, really, Kana is her best
friend. So.

Hatori goes to check out Mayu's parent's bookstore, because it has a
lot of old books, which Hatori is apparently interested in (I thought
that would be Shigure's interest, not Hatori's...?). Mayu is rather
put-off that Hatori came alone (she expected Kana to be with him),
and when Hatori calls her by first name, she notes that he's forward.

Hatori: Oh, sorry. Kana always refers to you that way, so it stuck.
Hatori: She talks a lot about you... you must be close. She trusts
you.
Mayu: ...That's because we're best friends. We met in college, and
ever since graduating we've been close. ...It's strange being with
Kana. She makes you feel you can be that much kinder.
*there's an adorable picture of Kana smiling and being flowery at
Mayu*
Mayu: When she's happy, she smiles, when she's sad, she cries, and
when she's care-free, she's bright.
Mayu: (I wanted to be that way, too. I admire that).
Hatori: ....Yeah. I feel as though I can understand her.
*Mayu, for whatever reason, doesn't take that answer entirely
happily*
Mayu: You have a couple of close friends, too, right? Kana told me
about them... Shigure and Ayame.
Hatori: They're my close friends?
Mayu: Don't ask me! I wouldn't know.

XXD Love Hatori. Anyway, Mayu continues to pine after Hatori, even
though she just wants to forget about him. But she can't. She's
introduced to "Aya-kun" and Shigure (and we get ONE panel of dear
beloved Ayame, which makes me far happier than it should XD), and
comes to learn more and more about Hatori. "I really am an idiot."

What we can assume to be some time later, Shigure and Mayu are
hanging out. They're talking about Kana and Hatori. Mayu wonders why
the two of them haven't said a word about their relationship. Of
course, I don't understand what Shigure says: "Shiranai hou ga mi no
tame ni koto mo aru deshou. Kana-chan ga kimi no himeta koigoro ni
kizukanai hou ga heiwana you ni ne." What it basically comes down to
is that Shigure knows Kana's feelings. She asks him how he knows; "No
reason, I'm just attuned to that sort of thing."

If I'm not wrong, Shigure suggests stealing Hatori. o.O;; Mayu waxes
poetic about the various reasons why she couldn't, how she wants them
to be happy, etc, etc. I would translate it all but I'm a lazy bum.
Anyway.

Shigure: ...That's pretty smart of you.
Shigure: So how about you try going out with me?
Mayu: ....HUH?
Shigure: You're lonely, right? And anybody is fine, so long as
they're by your side, right?
Shigure: I'm bored, too, so how about I let you go out with me?

Shigure's face is distinctively spooky at that last bit. And skanky.
(Hatori's and Mayu's expressions, though, when they are told of this
new relationship, are hilarious. Blank faces and ".....").

Mayu, on Shigure: "Shigure's the kind of guy you could say is
silent ...He's like a wave. Even when we kiss, he doesn't hug me. He
was just, somehow, by my side." Mayu looks out the window to see Kana
touch Hatori's arm, and the two of them start making lovey-dovey
faces. When Mayu touches Shigure like that, though, he continues to
calmly read his book. "What is it?" Mayu retracts her
hand. "...Nothing."

At one point Kana asks if Mayu is really happy with Shigure, because
she notices something is kind of off. Mayu smiles, teases Kana that
she wants Shigure for herself, and silently thanks Kana for her
concern. Mayu wishes Kana to be happy. But... [BUT] of course.

The background panels feature snow. Mayu comes to visit Kana, who's
in bed in a room with all the shutters closed. Apparently it's been a
long time since they've met, and Mayu had to ask Shigure to let her
see Kana.

Kana: ...Have you seen Hatori?
Mayu: Huh? No, not lately. Why?
Kana: Hatori... you see, Hatori wounded his eye. Because, because...
because of me.
Mayu: Kana...
Kana: What should I do? Tell me, what should I do? It won't heal,
because me. I was by his side, I was there, but still, he got hurt
that badly. I couldn't, protect him. I couldn't....!

By this point, Kana is crying and reaching out to something that
isn't there. Mayu hugs her, for what else could she really do?

Shigure says, "See? I told you it would be better if you didn't
come." He asks her if she'll go see Hatori, but she shakes her head,
no. Shigure explains to her nothing of what happened. Mayu sadly
thinks, "It's destroyed. It's over. Just like that, their happiness
is gone." And there was nothing she could do to change it.

Later, the snow is gone, it's a bright day, all is happy again. Kana
apologizes to Mayu for having made her worry. When she talks of her
past illness, she is completely clueless of the cause. "You've really
forgotten it all, haven't you." Of course, Kana doesn't know what she
means.

"There's only one thing Shigure told me," Mayu thinks, "that Kana's
memory had been erased. I wonder how he felt when he erased it?"

Kana: Oh... hey, Mayu. Is it true that you broke up with Shigure?
Mayu: Yeah... I did.

Kana's happy that she did, for she thinks that Shigure was too good.

Kana: For you, you'd be better suited with, um, I know! Someone like
Hatori! Yeah, I think you'd be really well-matched.
Mayu: ...I think he'd suit you better.
Kana: Eeeh?! No way! Not me! We wouldn't match each other at all.
(Even if I do admire him).

Mayu has flashbacks of Kana and Hatori together, and of herself
wishing Kana to be happy. She starts crying. "Kanashiku narikute,
sabishiku narikute, hito wa hito o suki ni naru wake ja nai hazu nano
ni. Wasurete kiete hoshikatta no wa ano hi no futari nanka ja nakatta
no ni."

Mayu is brought back to the future when Shigure leans over
her, "You're the only one who hasn't found happiness, even after two
years have passed." Kana-chan has married, and Hatori has a new
girlfriend. "She's part of the Sohma family, Satsuki-san I think is
her name?" There's a flashback to the woman that Hatori was talking
to a couple of chapters ago.

Shigure: You could say she resembles Kana-chan.
Mayu: I... see.... (So he also eventually...)
Shigure: You must be feeling pretty stupid at this point. The two of
them have found happiness, you can't stop longing after Hatori; won't
you be lonely?
Shigure *sparkly*: If so, how about I let you go out with me again?
Mayu *hand out in refusal*: I've had my fill. I refuse. Please excuse
me. No thank you.
Shigure: That's cold...
Mayu: I wont' date anyone anymore just because I'm lonely.
Mayu: (Because I know it will only make it worse).
Shigure: ...That's what I meant when I said you were an idiot.

After a little more healthy bantering, Shigure leaves, saying that he
liked her. "sorya doumo," Mayu replies. o.O;;; (ee, harsh girl. but
Shigure being Shigure, you can't take him at face value). Anyway,
Mayu continues to think and mope: "I should go find my own happiness.
I wonder if I can? This time, it's not to be become sad." And as she
thinks this, Hatori strides (yes, strides in, strides in with a
thousand killowats of bishounen power) into the store. "This time..."

So. Anybody else wanna go with me to beat up Natsuki Takaya? Or at
least ask her where she's taking the story? Because she's being
loopily random. I've nearly forgotten who the main characters are,
it's been a very long time since we've had any fun animal wackiness,
and, and, ooooh, look at the FB figurines they gave me. XD Oh well.
Me likes the series. Just wondering where it's going. ^-^