A/N

I used a reasonable amount of Japanese in Niko's diary - and some in Maki's - to give it atmosphere and more in Niko's diary to give Niko a different voice than Maki (in addition to many other changes for the same purpose). I will try to put all of them here in the order they appear. I may also put notes on the works so far. Both Niko and Maki's diary stories are finished, except for what I'm calling in my mind "the boring middle part." the last few chapters of both are finished, so the stories are almost finished. I may also put in notes on the stories so far.

risetto - reset

Akihabara, Kanda, Jumbocho - Akihabara has kind of grown around Kanda to a degree but they're all in the same region of Tokyo. Akihabara is for otaku - fan nerds - and electronics. Kanda, which is where Niko lives, is full of shrines and temples. Jumbucho is full of bookstores. Lots of college kids in all three but high schoolers go to Akihabara more. Otonokizaka Academy is in the border area of Kanda and Akihabara.

wear/put a cat on your head (neko o kaburu) - the steel fist is in a velvet glove.

shuudansoshou - class-action lawsuit

douseisha - same-sex, gay

kouhai - lowerclasswoman, junior

kissaten - coffeeshop (tea shop, cafe)

chikushou! - damn it! crap!

Kuso! - shit! crap! used where we'd say "oh, fuck!"

naraku - hell

aho ka - are you an idiot? in this case, it's being applied to Niko and/or her mom. It has overtones of (person being addressed) what the hell?

tsundere - a combination of behavior that's bitter (tsuntsun) and sweet (deredere)

kenritsu - prefectural

ichinensei - first year

Hajimemashite - nice to meet you

Chiyoda - elementary school in the Akihabara/Kanda area

Joshigakuin - a girl's middle school in the Akihabara/Kanda area

Has fortitude (gaman) - Maki admires Kokoro's bravery and maturity in bearing up under pressure.

shougakko - elementary school

borrow a cat's paws (neko no te mo karitai) - you're so busy you'll take any help you can get.

cat's tongue (nekojita) - if you use one, you're tasting a hot drink very carefully.

adoption as gay marriage - the founder of Japanese yuri fiction did exactly this with her girlfriend in the 1920s.

Hachikou (also Hachi) an Akita dog that waited every day at the same place at a train station for 10 years for its master to return. His master had died suddenly. Hachikou died waiting. He was mourned by his master's wife and train station personnel. His name is synonymous with "Loyalty" in Japan.