NERVOUS VENUS  Chapter 4    
        (by WASEDA Chie, originally published in Amie May'97)


        "I don't wanna see 'em, even a dream."

        Seki makes a great shot in volleyball.  The largely female 
onlookers cheer, and one of the guys on the team says they might be 
headed for the nationals.  But Seki casually says, "Oh, sorry. I'm 
quitting volleyball."  Everyone is stunned.

        But no one is more stunned than Haru when Seki announces he's 
joining the swim club!  "But aren't you on the volleyball team!?" she 
shouts.  Seki replies, "Foreign trips, national championships, I already 
experienced all that in Jr. High.  Now I'm done with it."  Seki says he 
just wants to be with her all the time.   Haru growls, "You're like a 
stalker!!"  "I beg your pardon!  I don't make dinner at night or 
anything, I restrain myself."  (**Note**  "dinner" = okazu, "attack" = 
okasu, it's a pun, implying he's refraining from "attacking" her at 
night)  All the guys laugh, catching the joke immediately, but Haru is 
totally lost.  Kanda says, "Not only doesn't that fit the conversation, 
it's too vulgar!  Bad!!", and hits him.  Seki pleads, "Aah!  Scold  me! 
 Make me your kind of man!"  More laughter.

        Seki and Kanda are both announced as new  members, which 
surprises the manager.  "You're not just "accompanying" him?  You're 
actually joining?"  "Yep, cause we're " nakayoshi"!"  (**Note**  
Nakayoshi = close female friends)  Kanda continues, "And if I don't get 
married by the time I'm 35, Seki's gonna have my baby!"  Turning to 
Kanda, Seki says, "Wait a sec, it's _you_ who's having _my_ baby!"  They 
argue over this while everyone laughs, then the manager stands up and 
says, "President, I think it'd be best not to let them join."  Haru 
emphatically agrees.  But the president allows them in, along with the 
other members of the boys volleyball team, who quit cause they got bored 
without Seki.  Both Haru and the manager are shocked."The boys 
volleyball team's disbanded, yet they're all so casual about it,"  
thinks Haru.  The manager just says, "the guys really love him, huh."

        One of the members asks Seki to jump in the pool.  Everyone's 
thinking, "He looks fast", and chatting excitedly.  Meanwhile, Haru 
gets a strange, uneasy feeling, "Why do I feel like this?"   Just then, 
Seki dives impressively into the pool and doesn't come up.  When they 
drag him out, half drowned, Haru yells at him, "If you can't swim, then 
you should say something!!  Are you nuts!"  Junpin' in like that!!"  The 
club president says, "I-I'm so sorry Seki-Kun!  I thought for sure you 
could!"  Seki coughs, then smiles and says, "I felt like I could become 
a fish."  Haru tells him to shut up, but he just looks back directly into 
her eyes, "watch me!"

        Haru's eyes widen as she  thinks "Aa, I know this!"  While Seki 
and Kanda are talking to the manager, one of the other girls says, "But 
I was surprised.  He sure looks like he could swim well!"  Haru clenches 
her teeth, saying "If he can't swim then don't let him in the club!"  
"Aw c'mon, Haru-Chan!" 
(Haru's thoughts: "This feeling, with everyone, in this place, like 
this. Deja vu?  No, it's different.  No!  No!!  NO! !  NO!!!!!!" ) Stlill 
frames of Haru smiling.(Thoughts:  "I'm being invaded.")
  
        Haru looks down at the headstone, thinking, "Dying young, damn 
you!!", and angrily kicks it.  Just then Takatsuka appears.  Both are 
surprised.  "You come here often?", Haru asks. "No, once a month, that's 
a good rule."  Then as he bows down for the ritual prayer, he goes on, 
"But I don't do anything _here_."  "Me neither," Haru agrees, "I just do 
it as a formality."  Takatsuka rises and says, "I was thinking about 
calling you."  Haru looks mildly surprised, then Takatsuka 
continues "They found it, Aki's right hand."

        Haru's face and eyes drain of all color (Haru's thoughts: 
"God...")

        "They did all kinds of tests, even checked the DNA.  They're 
laying the ashes under the tomb next Saturday."

        ("There's no "God" anywhere?)

        "I'm not going." Haru says.

        ("Just where is this "God"?!)

        Haru continues, "I don't want  my  impressions of Aki to turn 
into _that_."

        (There's no help anywhere?)

        Takatsuka pauses, then smiles weakly and says, "I said the same 
thing"

        (Image of Aki, smiling, "Later"   Haru's thoughts: "How  much 
cruelty will it take 'till you're satisfied?)

        When Haru arrives for swim practice, she finds a new schedule 
for lunchtime pool cleanup.  Every one is paired boy-girl, starting with 
her and Seki!  Upon seeing the schedule, Seki proclaims, "This is my 
time!  It's a premonition of our love!"  "It's obviously a setup, you 
idiot!!"  Haru counters.  Much laughter, then one of the girls says, 
"But just what is it you like about Haru, Seki-Kun?"  "Yeah, spit it out 
this second, newbie!" laughs another.  After a moment of deep thought, 
Seki answers matter-of-factly, "It's cause shes got that "badness", and 
she's not sweet at all."  Haru scowls and says, "Oh, fine!" as everyone 
laughs.  (Note: this "Oh, fine!" Haru says is commonly used when one is 
picking a fight, kinda like, "C'mon let's go!" in English)

        "Hey you new guys!"  The manager says.  "You're doing muscular 
training, so get your gym clothes."  Kanda and Seki beat their fists in 
the air like little kids having temper tantrums, "You're not gonna let 
us in the pool?!  You liar!!  You mean you're not gonna  turn me into a 
mermaid?!"

        The manager looks at them, dead serious and says, "Just what 
swim club do you think this is anyway?"  Haru, taking a tough guy stance, 
says, "Serves ya right!!"

        While they are running, Seki says to Kanda, "She looked like she 
was gonna charge at me!"

        (Flashback: Seki first sees Haru sitting on the steps, smoking 
a cigarette and crying)

He continues, "People are pretty vulnerable when they're crying, right? 
 Well, she was so furious, like if I came near her she was gonna kill 
me!  I thought it was pretty funny, and then I fell for her."
Kanda says, "You do like weird girls",  while Seki laughs.  Then Seki 
adds, "I won't fall for the kinda girl that's gonna  come to you for 
support over a few tears!"   Kanda smiles, "Y'know, I like you cause 
you're unexpectedly tough."  "And I like you cause you're unexpectedly 
nice."  They both laugh and say, "Then we're in love!?"


        Haru bumps into a guy named Fujii and apologizes.  Fujii asks 
her if the volleyball team has really been disbanded.  "Yeah," Haru 
says,  then pointing at Seki and Kanda, "Those two dope's know all about 
it!"  Fujii replies, "Really, but then, Seki's not the kinda guy who'd 
play on our school's volleyball team.  Last year his team won the 
national championships y'know."  Haru's jaw drops as she thinks, "That 
_wasn't_ a joke!?"

        Later, everyone is laughing at Seki while Haru watches, thinking 
 "They've really getting used to him."  Seki  returns her gaze, then 
acts embarrassed, saying "That hot look says you  want me, but"  
"Who says!?"  Haru yells back.  Some other girls in the swim club say to 
Haru, "But it sure is fun with Seki around.  He's got such _presence_, he 
makes you laugh, he cheers everything up.  So go out with him already, 
Haru!  If you just overlook his personality, you won't even know!"   "No 
way!!"  Haru yells back, meanwhile, the manager looks over a two girls 
whispering.

        During practice an upperclassman asks Seki to bring him some 
eyedrops that are in his bookbag.  Seki gets them, and as he walks back, 
he overhears two girls talking (the ones who were whispering earlier), 
"Geez, I was thinking " what should I do?"   Those girls don't know 
about Aki." 

        ("Aki?"  Seki thinks)

The girls continue "But Seki's"
        
        ("Me?")

 "He's kinda like Aki, y'know, not his face, or personality but his 
presence.   Seki hasn't got a chance with Haru, not a chance."


End of Chapter 4.

This text is copyright of Suka-chan: sukachan@postoffice.worldnet.att.net
You can find other synopsis by her of this and other mangas serialized in the
Amie monthly magazine at: 
http://www.swb.de/~zahara/amie/amie.html 
Comments are welcome! And remember this is not for profit and is meant to be
a guide for the people who wants to understand the manga or read more about
it! ^^