Track 12

Gravitation by Maki Murakami
Translations by Yuki Machikawa
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I make no solid guarantees as to the accuracy of my translations. I did the best I could do, and I think you will be able to get the jist of the story. If anyone has comments regarding my translations, email me [y.u.k.i._.m.a.c.h.i.k.a.w.a.@yahoo.co.jp]. (( remove the periods between the letters prior to the (@) symbol when emailing. I do this to avoid automated bots getting my email. Thanks.))
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Track 12
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pg 127
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Shuichi: [There's no place to sing except on a music show!!]
Director: That's an interesting idea!! Suspend the show for a bit!!
Stagehand: *sign* "Sing what?"
Sakano: Oh man. This isn't a variety show!
Noriko: Frivolous publicity isn't a good.

pg 128
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Host: Ah, sure thing!! When Bad Luck answers the question correctly, they will exchange the 100 million yen prize to sing one song! So, let's see what they answer!! This is the only hint, "it hurts when hit"! Well!? Your answer? C'mon!
Hiro: ... you sure about this? Hey!

pg 129
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Shuichi: A rock.
Noriko: ... too late, too bad there is no problem with his head.
Sakano: Sorry.
Ma-kun: Ken-chan! Taki! We've got a problem!!

pg 130
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Taki: What's with all the noise Ma-kun? We've already started the first rehearsal.
Ma-kun: Bad Luck is on "Quiz de Pon!" ...
Taki: Yeah, I know .. what of it?
Ma-kun: Turn on the TV!! They're doing a live broadcast!
Taki: Again, so what? I hate such uncivilized shows, so I don't watch them.

pg 131
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Host: Question number 4! Hands on your buzzers. Using the finger of the hand, you display the direction of the power which electric current receives in the magnetic field according to what English ...
Hiro: Fleming's Rule.
Host: Correct!! Next question ... 1 box is 4 sacks of 10 sticks of the best Pocky mow comes in 5 packs of 10 sticks!! What is the percentage of increase?
Hiro: 25%
Host: The author of "Shiosai" (The Roar of the Sea) and "Yuukoku" (Patriotism) ..
Hiro: Yukio Mishima
Host: Right again! The formula for calculating a trapezoid?
Hiro: (top side + bottom side) x height/2
Host: The main food Maki Murakami eats is?
Hiro: Potatoes.
Host: 3 plus 500,000,000 is?
Hiro: 500,000,003
Host: Hiroshi Nakano of Team Bad Luck, is amazing!! You're a smart guitarist!

pg 132
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Taki: They're gonna sing one song in exchange for the prize money?
Ma-kun: *nodding*
Taki: I see. So he thinks that a music show isn't the only place to sing huh? Well, then ASK .. no, I, Taki Aizawa will confront him on it .. it's a challenge.

pg 133
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Ma-kun: Taki ..
Taki: I don't like it .. the new kid's more popular than me .. damn that brat!!

pg 134
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Host: Last of all, it's time for "Dash de Pon!" Each team must chose one representative to go to the ramp to run. When the ramp light is lit, you can answer!
Shuichi: What are we gonna do Hiro!? I don't know any of the answers!
Hiro: Don't give up, you wanna sing don't you?!
Shuichi: [Oh man .. Oh man .. Oh man ..]
Host: Because he seems fast, Shindou kun is representing Bad Luck team. But the intelligence level is lower ...

pg 135
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Host: And now, the question. In English, "inu" is "dog", what is "neko"?
Sakano: Or this question ...
Shuichi: Yaaaaaah!!
Host: Wow, Shindou-kun is fast!! You really know what animal it is? Face the mic and give me your answer!
Shuichi: DOG!!
Hiro: ... Give up.
Noriko: Idiot. Big flop ...
Sakano: At this rate, there'll be nothing when the show is done! There has to be a way!

pg 136
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Controller: Producer, you sure about this? Even they were raised to be the big guests .. now that he was chosen te represent them, there's no way they can win.
Producer: Dumbass! Yes I'm sure you fool! who in their right mind would sing on a quiz show!? It's about numbers! got it? NUMBERS!! It's their last chance and they can't let victory escape them!! You'll see! There's no better picture!!
Seguchi: Uhm, so you're rigging the game and decieviong Shindou kun?

pg 137
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Seguchi: That's uncalled for.
Producer: What the hell? Only authorized personnel are allowed in here!!
Controller: Producer! That guy is ...
Producer: I don't care who you are, get out!!
Seguchi: You should watch your mouth when you don't know who you're talking to. Somehow, you don't seem very wise though.

pg 138
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Tohma: So, you'll never succeed ...
Producer: Seguchi Tohma!? What are you doing here? Uhm, I mean .. forgive my rudeness awhile ago ...

pg 139
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Seguchi: Didn't you hear me? I said it was insignificant ..
Producer: Huh?
Seguchi: During the live broadcast of the quiz show, the guest contestant proposed to exchange the 100,00,000 yen prize to sing one song should be taken seriously. There's no outrageous scnadal for foolishness like this. In front of the TV, everyone expects Cutters to win right? You want the ratings and the audience is expecting an "interesting ending". How about we do something simple?

pg 140
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Host: Now! The current scores, Team Yuki Matsuri Suishin leads with 30,000 points! Next, with 25,000 points is Team Bad Luck following by a narrow margin. Two teams left! Will we see this century's most amazing comeback by Team Bad Luck!?
Shuichi: Dammit! I knew I should have studied a little more .. dang ..
YMS Contestant: We can't build a giant hair crab snow sculpture Without the 100,000,000 yen prize money!
Maiko: How sublime .. *sweatdrop*
Sakano: Good Luck Yuki Matsuri!

pg 141
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Host: The Question! What's another name for the American men's basketball team?
Hiro: RUN!!!
Shuichi: Ehh .. I don't know ...
Host: Yes! Tokyou University Quiz Research Society (contestant) ...
TUQRS: The Dream Team!!
Host: Correct!!
Maiko: It's hopeless ... I got up and came down here for this .. what a waste.
Sakano: No, more like a disappointment ..

142
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Host: Alright, the last question will be worth double the 10,000 points!! Everyone, this could be the chance to make a come-back in the game!!
Shuichi: [Aww man .. ]
Host: Now then, the question!!
Hiroshi: We're gonna look stupid in a minute for having made the proposition, "If we win can we sing 1 song?" Run Shuichi!!
Shuichi: [Without Hiro here to help I don't know the answer .. ] But I don't know the answer!! I'm an idiot!

pg 143
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Hiroshi: You gonna sulk or answer the question!?
Host: Sublte sensitivity and transparent feelings, making use of this literary style is the author's forte ... in the book "Cool" by last year's Naoki Prize Candidacy recipient!!
Shuichi: No!! I'm going home!
Host: A super beautiful young author, assuming fame from his charismatic way with women, of young adult novels.
Shuichi: ........

pg 144
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Ken-chan: Wow, I didn't know the "Naoki Prize Candidacy recipient" was Japanese ...
Ma-kun: It's not over yet .. watch.
Shuichi: [Prize candidate for what ..? Love stories are his strong point ... then ... The biggest playboy in Japan ... worst personality ... sleeping face ???
Host: Ooooooooh!!! Shindou kun has amazing acceleration!
Shuichi: Hair colored brown, born on February 23 with a AB blood type personality!! He likes to eat chocolate cake!!

pg 145
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Hiro: And who's your honey!!?
Shuichi: *laughing like mad*
Host: Shuichi Shindou kun lit the lamp, give us your answer!!
Shuichi: Yu ... Yuki Eiri!!!
Hiro: Of course.

146
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Host: THAT'S CORRECT!!!!
Shuichi: YESSS!!!
Host: Bad Luck makes a surprising comeback to win the game!!!
Shuichi: We did it Hiro!!!!
Hiro: Yeah we did! Nice job Shuichi!

pg 147
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Banner: Other living rooms around the country
-- Shindou House --
Maiko: Yeah! Way to go big brother!!
Mom: He did it!
-- Unknown House --
Man: Uhm, Dear.. strange, they won.
Wife: My, my ...
-- Unknown House --
Boy: Hey Sis, Bad Luck is a boy band, so why are they hugging each other?
Sister: For the fans ...
Noriko: [Was it just a lucky question?]
Sakano: No .. no way!!
Ma-kun: They get to sing?? Aww man ...
Taki: Not likely! They don't even have equipment for it! Besides it's a live broadcast ...

pg 148
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Seguchi: Congratulations! Hurry and accept your prize guys.

pg 149
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Noriko: Tohma!!
Sakano: SIR!?
Girl 1: Yah! He startled me.
Girl 2: No way ... they're really gonna sing!?
Seguchi: I got you guys 3 minutes of on-air time. Oh, Nakano san I hope it's okay to use the back-up tape from you.
Shuichi: Seguchi-san ...
Seguchi: Now, now .. I'll start the intro tape, you guys finish it up!

pg 150
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Seguchi: Go! Please sing for your 100,000,000 yen share of screams!!
Shuichi: You got it!!

pg 151
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Host: Uhm .. eh ...
Announcer: Well, the championship prize ...
Shuichi: Let's do it!!
Noriko: Tohma kun!

pg 152
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Staff members: NG's Tohma is on "Quiz de PON!"!? 8 stars!? Hurry up, let's go!! Hey wait up! The ratings will easily go up by 25% this time, heh.
Taki: .... grrr ... those idiots! How could he possibly have known who the Naoki Prize Candidate recpient was?! I don't think he knew the previous questions! It's SO unfair!!
Ma-kun: Yuki .. hmm .. Yuki? That brat said his name, must be some connection ...

pg 153
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Taki: Say what?
Ma-kun: Huh? Oh, here in this magazine .. "Love confession!? Shuichi kun calls out, 'Yuki chan'!"
[ED. Note: The magazine article pretty much just covers the concert at the Pelshana where Shuichi saw Yuki and shouted to the crowd that "Yuki is my guy!" You can find that scene in volume 2. The magazine article just poses speculative questions like who is Shuichi referring to? Is it THE Yuki Eiri or some other Yuki? Was it a love confession? ... etc.]
Ma-kun: Could it be that Eiri Yuki is the one that he was referring to?
Taki: ... he didn't said "he's mine" to his friend did he?

154
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Ma-kun: Yeah, so what? You think it was a love confession? To his partner ...?
Taki: ... no, more like to him. *holding the magazine with Yuki's pic on it* And because it's a guy ... this should worry him, right?
Ma-kun/Ken-chan: You gotta be kidding ..! A male lover .. I know you're in a foul mood but ...
Taki: Oh? Am I? Have a look for yourself ..
Ma-kun: ... I ... if this is the case .. you're not kidding.
Ken-chan: but .. but this .. is a guy right? A guy ... just a guy ...
Taki: You guys seriously worry me ...

155
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Taki: Yuki Eiri .. heh. Hmm, possibly ...

pg 156
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Noriko: Tohma kun! 6 stars for the performance don't you think? Although irritating, thanks for flexing some of your corporate power. Sakano kun would thank you, but he's still swooning.
Seguchi: I simply helped write a question to assist with upping the ratings of "Quiz de PON!".

pg 157
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Noriko: Suggestion? There's no other reason for cooperating? First of all, I joined as a support members for those guys, then throw in Ryuu chan at the live debut .. finally a new TV appearance ... and upon winning a quiz show their prize is to sing. If you're getting involved, it's sudden and yet inevitable.
Seguchi: Yeah well, the money making has only just begun, with proper sales promotion, there's no telling how much they'll make.
Noriko: You're beautiful *sarcastically*
Seguchi: But from now on, Bad Luck ... Shindou san will be huge.

pg 158
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Seguchi: Sakano san once felt Shindou san had a certain "gravity" about him. Now I see through this electro-magnetic field, hundreds of thousands of people will now see the proof. It's only one part of the responsibility I have.

pg 159
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Noriko: Later the figures will be what decides they're fate, eh?
Seguchi: Yeah. The selling price for Bad Luck and for ASK ... it will be goodbye for one of them. It's just business, Noriko san.

pg 160
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Taki: Damn it! What the hell did they do ... *cursing and very mortified* What the hell do you want!?Name yourself!!
Ma-kun: Oh, sorry Taki ... were you asleep?
Taki: What the ..? Ma0kun!? It's my day off!!
Ma-kun: No, wait .. I found a very interesting woman ... You remember that guy Yuki from the quiz question?
Taki: Eiri ... Yuki Eiri ..
Ma-kun: Yeah, yeah that's the one ..

161
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Taki: Yuki ... uhm ... What about it?
Ma-kun: Here ...
Hitomi: Hiya! I'm Hitomi. You're Taki kun!? Wah!! *heart* Hmm, now then .. give me Tohma's signature .. you do know him right?
Ma-kun: Idiot! Why you! You're babbling! I carry this because of the phone charges ..
Hitomi: What's your problem? Oh be quiet, I understand .. geez.
Taki: I'm hanging up.
Hitomi: Don't! Wait! You wanna hear about Eiri? I know plenty of good stuff on him.

162
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Hitomi: I've only slept with him 2 or 3 times .. man is he good in bed ...
Taki: Hanging up now.
Hitomi: Nooo! Just kidding! Not exactly ... Lately he's been going out with guys. The other day, I remember having some free time to go out ... and because he was on the phone ... He should be living alone, but another guy came out. Eiri ... There's no type of guy suited for him. It wasn't his brother's voice. I thought it was suspicious. Anyway, the guy .. he said .. "Yes, it's Shindou".
Hitomi: Huh? Yeah, that's it ... Shindou ...
Taki: Shindou ...?
Hitomi: How's that for a new low, eh?
Taki: Shindou Shuichi ... I knew it ..

163
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[ED Note: The headline for the paper is "Sudden Confession of a Debut Rivalry!?" (more or less) The article talks about their debut, mentioning Seguchi and NG records and stuff like that.]

164
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Eiri: By tomorrow ... it's been one week. Bye bye. This is the end. Shuichi kun.

[ED Note: This is one of the few times he isn't calling Shuichi a brat, kid, punk, or other derrogatory name ... too bad Shuichi is asleep. But it's kinda bitter sweet, ne? ^_^]

--- End Track 12 ---