Well. Perhaps unsurprisingly for this game, that date went down like a lead balloon.
It seems Taro should just stay focused on the one thing he’s good at… Zero Yon.
Let’s try and enter the championship.
Bring Bring
Oh, the phone is ringing again!
:
Yes?
:
I'm Hiroko.
:
Oh, Hiroko….
Uh oh. Are we about to get an earful about how we treated Ritsuko?
:
What up?
:
You see, Ritsuko, whom I introduced the other day, wants to meet you, Taro.
:
Huh, Ritsuko?
:
That's right, after that I called you a terrible guy.
:
What kind of wind is blowing?
: I
guess she's finally realised how good I am
:
That's probably not the case.
:
What does that mean?!
:
Anyway, you're probably free today…
:
Why do you assume I have free time?
:
Because you’re a college entrance exam ronin without a girlfriend.
:
Of course you have free time.
The translator read this differently the couple times I ran it.
The most readable translation was ‘Because you’re a student who doesn’t even have a girlfriend’ - but the concept of a ‘College Entrance Exam Ronin’ is hilarious. And probably more accurate - after all, Taro didn’t pass it.
:
………………
:
I feel ashamed of myself for being so bored.
:
Well, at 12 o'clock at Minato Park. Good bye.
Wow. I don’t think Hiroko could have ended that phone call any quicker...
It’s strange that Ritsuko wants to meet us after that last encounter…
:
I was also looked down upon…
:
But what does Ritsuko want?
I don’t know Taro, but I’d tread lightly. I don’t think you gave a very good impression before…
:
Maybe…
Oh god no. Not again…
:
“At first sight, I saw Taro. I fell in love with you.”
:
Actually, me too.
:
"Saying things I don't mean. I'm sorry."
:
It's okay, it happens all the time.
: "
You're so kind.“
: "
I can't take it anymore. Do whatever you want to me!"
:
Just kidding! Just kidding! So awesome!
Well. That was...
... disturbing…
:
Ah, this is no time for this. I have to go to Minato Park!
Tread lightly Taro… Remember, in your last interaction, she openly wished for you to die. I don’t think this is going to go the way you want it to.
:
Ritsuko-chan!
: Hello
Wait. Is that Asami with her?
:
Hey, what about you?
:
Let me introduce you to my friend, Mayumi.
Mayumi? I can’t keep track of all of Asami’s names. She was Mamiyo Matsunaga in the first game and Asami Matsunaga in the second. Now she’s Mayumi?
:
My daughter who went to America with me.
Wait… Mayumi is Ritsoku’s daughter?? How old is she?
Well… I guess it’s been pre-established that incest does exist in this family…
:
She really wants to see you today. I had no choice but to come because she asked.
What is this? Is Taro some sort of horrible hot potato that each girl has to pass off on one another to avoid having to deal with him?
Taro doesn’t seem to mind all this attention from all these girls however… Regardless of the type of attention he’s getting…
::
And I don’t even have that in mind…
Sure you don't...
:
Is your name Mayumi?
:
I met you at Minato Tower the other day.
Yes, remember? Taro was the guy who was on a hot passionate date with himself.
:
Thank you for that time.
:
Did you guys know each other?
:
We're not exactly acquaintances, though, I've met him a couple of times.
If by met, you mean Taro watched you in the distance, listening to your conversations before awkwardly trying to ask you out for a date.
:
Ah, if that's the case, you don't need me. Good bye
Whoah - just like that Ritsuko disappeared in a flash. Leaving Mayumi alone with Taro… Just like Hiroko did before her.
These girls really don’t like each other, do they?
: Ah, Ritsuko chan!
:
Well, it's okay because Mayumi is here.
You can almost feel Taro’s eyes, shifting away from the cloud of dust that was Ritsuko and settling on the target that is Asami / Mayumi.
:
That's why you can't get a girlfriend.
:
Ugh, this is tough again.
:
You were protecting Champ at the circuit.
:
I wasn't trying to protect you or anything, that's for sure.
:
His speed was truly overwhelming. No one in Japan can beat him. You might not have searched the whole world for it.
:
I'm here, soon I'll beat the champ and become No. 1…
:
First of all, it's impossible.The levels are completely different.
:
No way, the difference between me and the champ is only about a second.
:
Are you really doing a zero-yon? You have no idea how much of a difference one second makes…
:
Is that a good thing? In this case, the difference of one second is…
:
By the time you finish the 400m, the champ is running at the 500m mark. That's it.
:
That's right. Is there really a difference of 100m?
:
That's right. He’s 100 meters ahead of you. Can you overtake the champ?
:
…………………….
:
So, I have something to discuss.
:
What is it?
:
Would you like to use me as a tuner?
:
Eh! You? That’s impossible.
:
Why?
:
How old are you?
:
Tune is...It takes years of experience.
:
For a young girl like you, it's not a job you can do
:
You won't know until you try.
:
I know you can't do it
:
So you want to bet?
:
Betting?
:
You came by car today, right? Let me work on that car for just an hour.
:
If that increases the power, I win. If it doesn't go up, you win. How about this?
:
Okay, but what are you betting on?
:
If I win, I'll tune up the car you'll use to race against the champ.
:
If you win…
:
What if I win?
:
I'll do whatever you say
Oh god. We’ve been in this situation before… It didn’t end well…
:
Anything?
:
Yeah
Oh dear..
:
(Whatever you want, this and that… Guhehe)
Somehow I don’t think Taro is just thinking of some light housework…
:
What are you doing?
:
No, nothing.
:
How about it? Let's bet?
:
(I see, I get it.)
:
(This girl simply wants to be my girlfriend.)
:
(So she made a tune that she couldn't even make. I said I would do it...)
:
(If that's the case, you should just say so. But that's just how women are..)
Or… and stick with me here Taro. She’s a noted supporter and friend of Hiro, the current champ. You’ve seen multiple times in public with him, defending him or spruiking him to others.
She’s got a history of ill-deeds - one of which was sabotaging Hiro’s car to get him to travel to America…
She’s only come into contact with you after her friend told her about how much of a spectacularly horrible date she had with you… And that's also when she learned that you are contending for the Zero4 Championship…
And now, out of the blue, she’s asked you to give her unrestricted access to your championship competing car in exchange for… some loosely defined favours?
:
What do you think?
I think anyone who accepts this deal is a complete and utter moron.
:
Okay, I get it. If you say so, let's try it.
