Skip Beat [Chapter 229]

There is a scene of Kyouko crying to Saena not to throw her away. Kyouko thinks then it is on the body [physical abuse?]. “Inside, there is no sufficient news of the difficult past or perhaps, *gulps* there is..actually, a sufficiently shocking ‘difficult past’--..!!!” There is a scene of Kyouko with Kanae. Saena says that everything is Atty. Katagiri’s ‘best way’ decision. “And he introduced me to the Fuwa family and make you live at Fuwa-san’s house. It is to protect you who is with [/beside] me.” Kyouko stiffens and thinks, “No!!! For real!!! Evacuation system!!? Is the situation that bad, up to that kind of degree!!?” After snapping out of it, Kyouko asks about Atty. Katagiri. She thinks that isn’t that the ‘make you laugh crocodile-faced lawyer’..? Eh!? Kyouko asks, “Why, Croc..Atty Katagiri would..” Saena says, “..Yayoi, Shou-kun’s mother, is Atty Katagiri’s younger sister.” Kyouko is mentally freaking out for it is totally not the similar. [<- Yayoi and Katagiri] Kyouko mutters that she never once saw him [at the Fuwa’s].. Saena says that she shouldn’t have seen him for generally speaking, there is no one who would frequently go to a married relative and besides that place is also a business shop.

Kyouko thinks ah, is that so, then lady owner’s former surname is Katagiri. Saena says that besides, what’s more important is even if Atty Katagiri would visit the Fumas, he would also avoid her because just upon seeing him, Kyouko will definitely cry for she is like that when she is young. “It is like someone is going to take your life that you’ll wail like some lament.” She totally couldn’t remember it so Kyouko can only apologize for that. Kyouko thinks but it totally feels that she can understand that it isn’t ‘it is like’ rather, it is really feeling like ‘going to be eaten’ for the the infant Kyouko. “It is possible that the first time I saw Crocodile-faced lawyer on the television, my heart is seizing up in pain is also because of this..” Flashback: While watching television with the Daruma couple, Okami said that person is also in the news yesterday. The TV announcer introduced almost becoming a regular team, Making people laugh crocodile-faced lawyer, Atty Katagiri Kenichi—  While some kid is crying on the television, Kyouko thought that he looks very scary. And she felt a seizing pain. End flashback.

Kyouko feels a seizing pain just by recalling that. Kyouko starts thinking that in the homepage of the law firm, she is indeed very shocked to learn that Katagiri is this person’s boss but she thought that it is someone whom she saw for the first time on the television. “Unexpectedly, I saw him so many times before. Besides, I even received a lot of kindness from him.. –it’s truly an inconceivable fate--.. This also a fragment that molded the current ‘me’. Perhaps, at some corner of the past that I didn’t know, there is still a discarded blank fragment that didn’t change me into my current self. I cannot think like that--!!! *Saena is startled when Kyouko suddenly slams her head on the table* Besides!! As if that fragment, that can dye brilliant colors and change shape, still survives [/exists] Then, my future dream can also have a bigger change-something. Absolutely cannot have this greed--!!! *grimacing while holding her head* That is about wanting this person to talk out about my birth!! That is making this person dig up the root and revealing the inside story of this person which is like a landmine-type of dramatic past..!!...

...How can I!! For my personal gain and personal desire, opening up someone’s scar [/remaining trauma]-something!! She had already said ‘land mine’ that my birth is definitely something that isn’t a good thing for her!! Even if I asked, there also won’t be some useful information!! But..wasn’t there a proverb saying about better to make youth eat bitterness [/suffering]--!!! [<- the whole proverb is actually translated like this ‘Heavy work in youth is quiet rest in old age.’ Basically, it means that after suffering while young, one will be more experienced and probably can deal with problems compared to someone being spoiled while young] compared with playing around at present, and caring about the more distant benefit. Ah ah ah Besides, the fact is that idiot made me taste bitterness and right now, it also has a result [/purpose]..” Saena calls out to her and says that Kyouko has something in mind so she came to look for her today, right. As Kyouko looks up to her, Saena says that she should have not only come to say thank you to her for giving birth to her- that type of talk, right. “If you have something to say, don’t dilly-dally and quickly say it clearly.”

Kyouko quickly sit up straight and immediately got rid of her dilly-dallying mode. While thinking that it isn’t something that she can say after being told to say it, Kyouko says, no..about that.. Saena says that she has that right. “It is okay, whatever you think, whether it is what you want to say and what you want to ask. I won’t refuse [to answer]. Ever since then, I always haven’t done something that a ‘mother’ should do. So right now, whatever you wish, I’ll do my utmost ability to satisfy you. That is my inevitable bounden duty.” Kyouko thinks ah..yes..she also doesn’t have any expectation and she also knows that what Saena said should be that kind of meaning. Kyouko says, “..even if what I want to know is something that it will make your heart’s wound ache dully. ..is it also okay..?” Saena says that if it is her wish “but, perhaps you also won’t be intact.” [<- probably meant Kyouko won’t be unaffected by it] Kyouko says that there’s no problem, she already prepared herself [/have awareness]. Saena closes her eyes and takes a deep breath.

Flashback: Saena opens her eyes to see the office. With wide eyes, she immediately thinks that it is bad, could have she dozed up a while ago. After rubbing her eyes, she looks at her watch. It is 12:25am. She thinks that it seems that she only slept for around 10 minutes. “This is no good. I have to properly pull myself together!!” She slaps her face and opens the drawer to find her eye drops. She is startled when the door opens. It is Fujimichi. He says that it turns out that she’s still here.. Then, Saena looks at a take-out bowl of oden on her table. While her stomach is growling, she says ..that..this..this is.. Fujimichi says that it is because if she started to bite into work, that biting of her lip in order to eat, just makes her forget to leave work. “You should also bend your ear to listen to that sound that makes people feel sorrow.” <- referring to her stomach growling. Looking at Fujimichi drinking some coffee in a can, Saena thinks that he is in casual outfit, could it be that he already went home but still particularly came back to give her a gift.

Saena thinks then she’ll do as he says as her sincerest form of respect. She puts her hands together and says itadakimasu. While Saena is eating, Fujimichi tells her that she is a bit excessively apprehensive. “It is alright since you’re not alone in making Yamaguchi patch up the remaining loopholes. During the public trial, it isn’t your fight alone. Even if due to her [Yamaguchi] original plan of “must go back to her hometown’ after the ‘Jou’ public trial” has been shifted to an earlier date so perhaps, it make you feel pressured and is making this thing more difficult for you but from how bystanders look at it, this can be very rude to Fukuda [guesswork from 福田] who is the oldest so depend more on him a bit. Easily and steadily doing his work, it can be said that he is a capable person.” Saena nervously says that she isn’t saying at all not to depend on them but she actually doesn’t want to hold everyone back. “Except for this reason, there is still this outcome that will approximately be Katagiri’s promotion...

...Thinking of this.. Even if my strength is insufficient but no matter what, I want to contribute my strength. I’m always thinking that I must make this ‘Jou’ problem, which is a tangled and complicated situation, as well as the [legal] battle’s progress, to flow towards making everything thoroughly clear.” Fujimichi says that this is a firm conflict that exceeds 5 years and besides there is still war about the inside information’s complicated ‘special permit’. “Apart from the battle situation ‘special permit’, it is also necessary to have knowledge about nut products so it is very exhausting. While sipping her soup, Saena thinks that honestly speaking from where did it got drilled into a dead end..first of all, if she cannot remember the specialized terminology, then she won’t be able to accurately understand the situation. Looking at the calendar which shows that it is April 6 on that day, Saena thinks that obviously there is only a week before the public trial.. Looking at scowling Saena, Fujimichi says that it would be good if he can join this group.. Saena puts down her bowl and says that is so.

Turning to face him, Saena says that she thought that this is a question that she cannot inquire of him so she always didn’t ask but from the start, she has this question. “How come someone like Fujimichi-san, this outstanding talented person isn’t a member of the ‘Jou’ project?” Puzzled Fujimichi says that wasn’t this question already directly answered by sensei [/boss; probably Katagiri] before. Flashback 2: Katagiri said that regarding becoming a promoted member when there is this proposed request, he refuses. While standing beside scowling Saena, Katagiri points at Fujimichi who is speed typing and says, “I don’t want to bear the same destiny with that freak.” [<- I think that whoever are in Katagiri’s team for the Jou project will be promoted along with him to Tokyo. So, he probably doesn’t want to work with Fujimichi since he considers him a freak] End flashback 2. Saena is speechless that she says that Katagiri is joking at that time, right. Fujimichi says no, for he thinks that sensei seriously said that. Saena is speechless again. She couldn’t believe it for how can one be fooled by such a silly reason.

Fujimichi calls out to her and tells her not to force herself. “Calm down and go do it like your normal self then there’s no problem. On that day, I’ll also go to the court. Although I have to wait until my own work is finished then, I’ll be able to go--..” After looking surprised, Saena looks at him and says, okay. After a few days, there are some women meeting with each other, a couple of guys talking with each other and an old man talking on the phone in the streets. Misonoi calls out to Saena and says that he thinks that she is getting more and more exhausted. With some eyebags, sleepy Saena snaps out of it and apologizes. She slaps her face and assures him that she is fine. She wonders if her expression a while ago is very strange. Misonoi says that it always felt that lately, it seems that she is very exhausted and could it be that she has been assigned to a major lawsuit. Saena says yes even if it can be said that as the appearing main defense lawyer’s.. “But because there is also a core expectation that I have taken upon myself..”

Misonoi says that the sensei-s [lawyers] at his workplace are also loaded with several cases but they aren’t like Sae-chan, as if she is going to quickly burnout when obviously, she is comparatively young so it’s so strange. Glaring at him, Saena says that she..lately sometimes is that like that’s all..and she is doing good self-management.. Misonoi looks at her and says is that so.. Then, he smiles and says, okay, today, they are going to stop the food trip today. He suddenly stands up that it surprises Saena. While Saena calls out to him to wait a bit, she wonders what is this, how can he hastily decide by himself and go back on his own and actually, is it really alright! Misonoi says that they won’t be going, instead they’ll go eat at his place. This surprises Saena. At Misonoi’s place, Misonoi gives Saena her share of a bit spicy clam and broccoli pasta but today since she looks quite tired today so he pressed a bit more spice compared to before. Saena thanks him. Misonoi says that there’s no need. Saena says that because when he cooked for her before, she also felt that it is very delicious.

There is a scene of Misonoi carrying some grocery bags and saying that this time, as thanks for the mock exam, let him cook for her. Saena says so she already thought of really wanting to eat it again. Carrying some drinks, Misonoi says that it’s really great that he wasted time practicing and he can only cook this kind of stylish cuisine. “Here, Sae-chan, want some Oolong tea.” Saena thanks him. After they itadakimasu together, Saena enjoys the pasta and talking with Misonoi.  Later on, after some dessert, Saena’s sight starts to become blurry. Rubbing her eyes, Saena says that it feels unexpectedly..[she's] immediately going to..sleep. Misonoi says, really? “No matter how I see it, Sae-chan is very exhausted. I think that your stomach is so full that you’ll want to sleep. It is really great that you’ve come to my house to eat. Sae-chan, go sleep first for today, okay.” Very sleepy Saena can only see a blurry image of Misonoi. As her head is already leaning on the table, Saena thinks that it is no good, because there are still four days left before the public trial.. Then she sees a blurry Misonoi reaching out his hand towards her then she has fallen asleep. Misonoi says, “-good night, Sae-chan--” The next chapter will be out in Japan on November 20th.

Comment: Ah, there are a lot of theories that can be formed here. Let’s say that Misonoi is up to no good since that good night seems ominous. From what was mentioned, Saena seems to have successfully tutored Misonoi to pass the mock exam that he cooked for her before. It is already April so it is safe to say that this is the time she got pregnant. If a month is lacking, we can say that Kyouko is a premature baby. So, if that hand reaching out to Saena is her last memory of Misonoi, then that might be the reason why she feared being touched by Kyouko who has Misonoi’s blood. I’m not sure how much is depended on Saena regarding the Jou project but it must be a lot that she is overburdening herself about it. I can imagine that they lost the case which is probably mostly because of her and probably whatever Misonoi did to her after she fell asleep. So, some Chinese readers pointed out, she associates Kyouko touching her = losing a case (chapter 224). I think that he drugged her and it’s probably in the oolong tea. So, assuming that he did, why would Misonoi do that? I’m sure it isn’t just because he wanted Saena to get some rest.

It was mentioned that he is indeed working at a law firm so could it be he is going to steal some documents or make her miss the trial so that they’ll win the case that is if he works for the prosecution or the other party of the lawsuit? The latter seems impossible since there is still four days unless he kept on drugging her for four days and more. Again, it depends on they’ll fail the case without Saena. I’m not sure if Saena carries her files and other important documents out of the office. It isn’t like there is a smartphone at that time that Misonoi can hack into it. It is possible that Misonoi is just hired by the other firm/party because Fujimichi did mention that it isn’t his real name. I’m sure they did try to track him down later on. I wonder if there is a spy within that leaked out that the one the other party must target is Saena. So, there is also a possibility that he had raped her but then, why would he when they are already doing it. Is it to traumatize her enough so that she cannot work on the case? It is because she mentioned to Kyouko that telling her about it would affect her so surely, it won’t affect Kyouko if it is just because Saena got tricked that she lost a major lawsuit or getting pregnant because she has been doing it with someone whom she knew for a few months. So, being the product of rape, would that affect Kyouko?

So, from what we learn, I can assume that Misonoi did something bad that made Saena lose the case. She must had been pressured afterwards to finally succeed in the next major case to make it up to Katagiri so she refuses to have any association with Kyouko during that stressful time. So, Saena is angry that Kyouko took on a lot from Misonoi being not as good as her in studies, can cook <- slapping away the knife when Kyouko is cooking (chapter 227; probably to make her mom happy since she seems to like to a foodie), and probably act <- Misonoi is acting that he loves her just to deceive her. Definitely, it isn’t because Saena is pregnant that they lost the case for it will probably take 1-2 months before she realizes it. The trial is just starting in 4 days..unless it is because Saena is pregnant and having a difficult time which causes her to fail in her job but still, Fujimichi says that there are others who’ll help her out. Anyway, since Saena refused to touch her from the time Kyouko was born, that would make Yayoi as the one who brought Kyouko up. I would think that she had indeed brought up Kyouko as her own daughter so she wanted Kyouko to be her real daughter by making her as her daughter-in-law. No wonder Saena tends to spoil Katagiri, she owes him a lot. I do wonder if Fujimichi has some sort of grudge against Katagiri that he is making Saena stop spoiling him =P

Nevertheless, I would assume that later on, Fujimichi got into the team so they all got promoted and transferred to Tokyo. Saena’s situation here somewhat reminds me of Kyouko’s. They were too in loved and focused at someone else, and they didn’t notice the other one beside them who is also helping them out. Actually, I think Fujimichi is also very observant with Saena but I guess he isn’t exactly cute and affectionate like Misonoi. Lastly, when Kyouko is thinking about seeing Katagiri for the first time on the television but it turns out that she saw him many times before, and about a certain piece of the past that can change things and dye brilliant colors, it made me think, ah, just wait till she learns who Ren really is ^^ Anyway, since this mangaka is unpredictable, perhaps the cliffhanger isn’t the one that caused Saena’s trauma but something else. But for Misonoi to do something bad to her, I would really think it is very likely based on how she’s reacting to Kyouko and it doesn’t seem like just because of having a child out of wedlock though I’m not sure if one would act like that merely because of losing the case but who knows. Hopefully, we’ll know already by the next chapter. Scans by 红莲汉化组

You have to know the past to understand the present. ~ Carl Sagan