Karaoke
July 16
I was out on a morning jog. It rained last night, so there were puddles of water everywhere. The moist leaves of the trees seemed to glow in the morning sun.
The air felt humid, making me sweat even more than how I usually do. I'm used to it though, with me growing up on an island. Being surrounded by water made me perspire more because of the humidity, especially in the summer months. That's pretty much why I maintained a fit body. I'm just sweating off all of the fat.
Sweat dribbled down my face like teardrops. My hair and shirt were soaked with sweat. A warm breeze blew through the Japanese landscape. In the distance, the tall buildings of the city towered over the waking people.
Rock music blared in my ear from my Bluetooth earbuds. I always listen to rock whenever I exercise, work, or just as I wake up in the morning to start my day.
I turned right, turning right onto my street. I was just finishing my morning jog. I mapped out a route in our subdivision so that I would be able to run one full mile. I decided to finish strong, so I started sprinting back to my house.
I felt the shock of my bounds in my feet every time they hit the ground, my rubber running shoes not absorbing the shock. I didn't really care, though. I just kept on running.
I was running as fast as I can, motivated by my music. I kept running and running as I listened to the lyrics of a certain song by a band called The Score. I silently mouthed the lyrics of the song as I ran.
"That I run like a rebel
Run like a rebel, run like a rebel, run like the rebel
Shake off the devil, shake off the devil
Run like a rebel, run like a rebel
Like a rebel!"
I was completely focused on finishing this jog. The only reason why I stopped just 15 feet short was that I heard my ringtone ring. It completely threw off my focus.
Disappointed, I took out my phone and looked at the caller ID. It said Takeuchi-san's name surrounded by green heart emojis. I saw a picture of her taking a selfie with my phone with one hand and holding up a peace sign with the other. She snapped that picture when I left my phone on my desk because I had to use the restroom.
"Hello?" I asked as I answered the call, "Takeuchi-san?"
"Hey, Lee-san," she said, "I was wondering if you were free." Is she asking me out? That's one line that people would start a conversation if they wanna go out on a date! Is this my chance?
For the love of God, I called myself out, Sawyer, you're desperate!
"Yeah," I said, my voice almost cracking, "Whaddya need?"
"I'm asking you out on a date," said Takeuchi-san, followed with a sweet giggle. "I hope you'll accept." Wha-, I thought as I was caught off guard by that request. Honestly, it came out of the blue. I never expected it.
Though there was no one around, I still felt my face turn red from embarrassment. Or was it excitement? Perhaps both? At the time, I never really knew. I never had someone ask me out, nor that I had the guts to ask someone out. It's weird. I always meet attractive girls who are into what I like, but I never had the courage to take the first step. Hell, my dad would probably describe me as a pussy when it comes to girls.
My jaw dropped as well. I was speechless. It was as if someone punched me in the face from out of nowhere and I was trying to process what just happened.
"Uh," I only managed to vocalize. As smart as I was, I was dumbstruck. "Uh"?, I screamed at myself silently, You only thought of "Uh"?
"Pfffft! Ha ha ha!" laughed Takeuchi-san in a very impolite way, "Did you really expect that I am actually asking you out!" Damnit! I fell for it again!
"Yeah yeah," I chided while Takeuchi-san's hysterical laugh rang in my ears. Before she could get on my nerves, she finally calmed down. "Why did you call me?"
"I was gonna ask if you were free today," asked Takeuchi-san. Okay, maybe she wants to hang out with the club today. What does she want to do?
"I'm free every day," I said, making my voice as deep and gravelly as possible as a joke. I jokingly did a little heroic pose when I said that, imagining fireworks and explosions were going off behind me while a bald eagle screeches.
"Was that supposed to be an America joke?" asked Takeuchi-san.
"Yeah, kinda," I said as I dropped my arms back down to my side. I hope no one saw that. "But yeah, I'm free. Whaddya wanna do?"
"Um," said Takeuchi-san, "I was hoping for us to go out to a karaoke bar. I wanted to go with you and the rest of the club."
Ah, karaoke. I've done it before. I remember hanging out with my brother's squadron mates. We all went to one of their houses because they had a karaoke machine. It was fun watching my brother and his friends try to sing while drunk off their asses. Have you heard a surly drunk trying to sing Call Me Maybe while slurring every other word? It's funny as hell. It wasn't exactly fun trying to drag their drunk asses back to the car though. The putrid smell of puke stunk up my brother's car for a good few days every time we went out to karaoke, but it was worth it.
"I'm free. I could bring along Ono-chan as well. That is if she wants to wake up."
"She's not awake already?" asked Takeuchi-san.
"Nope!" I responded.
"But it's 12 noon!" cried Takeuchi-san. Ono-chan tends to sleep in late. I wouldn't blame her. I have to force myself to get outta bed this morning. If there ain't a reason why I should wake up, don't expect me to wake up on time.
"You know her. That's why I'm late for school sometimes! I'll get her up though," I said. Looks like I'm gonna wake her up again. She does this quite a lot, doesn't she? Oh well. "I'll pay for my own stuff."
"Oh, no," said Takeuchi-san, "I got it. You don't have to pay a Yen."
"No, I insist," I said, "It's the least I can do since you're treating us." If there was anything I learned from my brother, it is to never let the lady pay.
"No, I got it," Takeuchi-san pressured, "You know I got money to spare." God, this girl doesn't wanna give up. Who doesn't want free money?
"I'm paying."
"Ugh, fine," said Takeuchi-san, "Meet me at the coffee shop near the school at 2 o'clock?"
"It's a date!" I exclaimed as I ended the call. I put my phone back in my pocket.
The Kobayashi couple was at work, so I was home alone. I dropped my house keys onto the kitchen counter and went upstairs.
In the shower, I peeled off my soaking wet shirt. Meanwhile, the shower was warming up. The steam from the hot water rose to the sky like mist in a rainforest.
After my shower, I wrapped a towel around my waist. I looked at myself in the mirror. Using my hand, I wiped the glass like windshield wipers to clear the mist. I saw the blond and messy hair on my head, with my stark blue eyes complimenting my hair. Using my hand as a comb, I parted my hair to the side. "I gotta get a haircut," I said as I dried my hand using the towel at my waist.
I changed into a simple gray t-shirt and a black hoodie with a sweater, as well as a pair of ripped jeans. I put my running shoes back on and headed outside again.
I made my way to Ono-chan's house. Chances were that she was still asleep. I would do the same too a year ago. I just made it a habit that whenever I started to feel like doing that, I would force myself to go outside. It sure beats seeing a therapist about it.
The sun above was shining like a spotlight. There were a few clouds that dot the blue skies, but not enough clouds to cover the sun's rays.
I knocked loudly on Ono-chan's door, making sure she would be able to hear it from her room. Meanwhile, I was thinking of what I should do. If she was still sleeping, how would I get in there? If I somehow managed to get in (within legal parameters), should I wake her personally? Or is it an invasion of privacy? What if I do wake her? Do I make breakfast for her? Clean her room? I might just do that.
...She didn't answer. I knocked again. "Hello?" I called out, "Ono-chan?" I didn't want to throw pebbles at her window today because I felt like I was gonna break the glass.
She didn't even answer the door. I decided to call her on my cell.
I tried to call her, but she didn't even answer her phone either. It's as if she was dead or something. Looks like I'll have to wake her myself.
I tested the lock on the door. Most likely, it would be locked but to my surprise, it wasn't. I was able to open the door. She didn't lock the damn door? That's scary!
Might as well go in, I thought.
I've come in unannounced before when her parents weren't home. I knew that she kept a spare house key under the mat just in case she gets locked out. Really, I've done this because we were running late for school. It's a habit of mine to wake her up, whether it is by conventional or unconventional means. Though she never left the door opened.
I knocked on the door of her room. "Ono-chan," I said, "Wake up you dummy." There was no answer. I knocked again. "C'mon, it's the afternoon already. You've been sleeping for a while." Still no answer.
Outside of her room, I contemplated whether to go in. I've done this before during the school year. But this time it's different. It's summer, she has no need to wake up. Hell, I had no need to wake up. It's also a breach of privacy. I know I've done this before, but not during when there's no need to. Besides, isn't this something that a boyfriend would do?
Fuck it, might as well.
I gently open the door. "Ono-chan?"
…
…
…
I opened the door a little wider. Wider. Wide enough to see her buried under her covers, still in her slumber like Sleeping Beauty… I really should stop saying creepy shit like this to sleeping women.
Her room was indeed a mess. Clothes lay on the floor and toys scattered everywhere. Who still plays with toys these days?
My OCD kicked in and I immediately started to get to work. I put all the clothes in one corner, the trash in the bin, the toys on the shelves. I didn't care if I woke her or not. That's why I'm here, isn't it?
As I bent over to pick up a candy wrapper off the floor, a voice, still afflicted with morning drowsiness, spoke up. "Lee-kun," Ono-chan grumbled with a yawn, "What are you doing here?"
I looked up to face her. She wore an oversized black tank top with a Pokeball on it, the straps of her shirt not even staying on her shoulders. Her hair was messy and her bow was missing. She rubbed her eyes with a closed fist. She looked kinda funny, actually.
"I thought I'd wake you," I said, shrugging my shoulders, "It's already the afternoon and you're still under those covers."
She yawned. "What do you mean it's the afternoon? The moon is still…" Ono-chan looked at the window and noticed that there was sunlight peeking through her blinds. "...up."
"No, you just overslept," I said, "Sleepyhead."
"Eh? Meanie…" she groggily groaned. Her head dropped and she closed her eyes. She seemed as if she fell asleep while sitting up.
"Come on," I said, "I'll make you breakfast. Do you want pancakes or waffles?"
Later
I ended up making waffles with strawberries and syrup for her. I had one too because I wanted to taste the fruits of my labor. I made mine a little crispier because I wanted that crunch. Both of us happily enjoyed our breakfast before we headed out.
Both of us were walking down one of the many streets in the suburbs. The houses were all identical for the most part. Some houses had flowerbeds, others had a garden.
We walked, talking about random stuff like the weather or school. I was telling rather inappropriate jokes as well.
As we approached the cafe near our school, we noticed Takeuchi-san happily sipping an iced tea at one of the cafe tables outside. She wore a light blue long-sleeved shirt and dark skinny jeans, accompanied with off-white canvas shoes. She had her earbuds in and was looking at her phone, probably scrolling through her feed on Instagram or something.
"Hey Takeuchi-san," I said, waving. She looked up from her phone and smiled. She used her other hand to remove one of her earbuds.
"Hey, guys!" she said, "I'm glad you could make it. Sayori, did you make Lee-san wake you?"
"Yup!" she beamed with pride for some reason, "He also made me breakfast!"
"You know," she said teasingly, "That sounds like something a boyfriend would do."
I turned beet-red for the second time today. I looked at Ono-chan who got as red as the ribbon she's wearing.
"So are you guys going out?" asked Takeuchi-san, making me feel even more awkward and embarrassed. I'm sure Ono-chan was as embarrassed as me.
"M-M-Monika!" stammered Ono-chan, "W-w-we're not going out! A-at least, n-not at the moment. Hehehe." She gave an embarrassed giggle at the end.
"Oh? And what do you say to that, Lee-san?" she asked. She had an evil grin growing on her face. Damn this woman!
"N-no!" I stammered, "We're not going out!" Takeuchi-san laughed her obnoxious little laugh again. Grrr! I'll get her back one day!
"Wh-whatever," I said, gathering my wits, "I'm gonna get an iced coffee. Ono-chan, do you want something?"
"Can you get me a blueberry slushie please?" she asked. I nodded and walked in to buy our beverages.
After paying about 300 Yen, I walked out with a bright blue iced treat in one hand and a brown iced mochaccino in the other. I handed her the blue beverage and started sipping on my chocolate latte.
Five minutes later, Saito-san and Nakano-san arrived. Saito-san wore a black long-sleeved shirt and a pair of black leggings. She had a book in one hand. Nakano-san, on the other hand, wore a yellow sweater and ripped jeans. She had a cheeky grin on her face.
Wandering the streets of the nearby city, we saw a bunch of ramen bars and curry places. Despite curry being Indian cuisine, it is very famous here in Japan. They have their own curry. Maybe I'll try it out later.
We made our way to the karaoke bar that Takeuchi-san says that she visits often. It was down some alleyway, hidden from the city.
She ended up paying for everything. Oddly enough, it wasn't much money. All we had to pay is the rental for one hour in one of the booths down the hall and for beverages. That's cool. I can just come down here just for fun.
The booth had two maroon couches facing each other with a wooden coffee table in between. There was a tablet and a couple of microphones on the coffee table. There was a TV hanging on one wall with a karaoke machine under it. The display had a colorful collage of images of scenery like a sunset on the horizon or a waterfall in a rainforest.
We sat down on the couches, with Saito-san and Nakano-san on one couch and Ono-chan, Takeuchi-san, and I on the other couch. I sat between the two girls. I felt a little awkward, but it's really just sitting in between two girls. I leaned back on the chair. Ono-chan did the same, while Takeuchi-san was scrolling through the tablet.
"So what kind of songs do you guys listen to?" asked Takeuchi-san.
"I really like pop music," said Ono-chan, "J-pop and K-pop are my favorites."
"Oh yeah, me too," spoke Nakano-san, "I like listening to songs by BTS. Anime music though, that's my jam. Don't tell my dad that though." Nakano-san grinned a cheeky grin.
"What about you, Yuri?" asked Takeuchi-san. "Do you listen to music?"
"If I had to say, I like to listen to quiet music. Maybe something like guitar, piano, or violin. I like classical music, as well as those soft ballads you would hear on the radio," said Saito-san. Ha, she ain't gonna like the type of music we're gonna be singing.
I looked at Takeuchi-san. She was listening intently on what her friends were saying. I noticed that she pays attention to everyone even when she is insulting the shit out of them. That's how you know she's a good friend. She then focused her gaze at me, her emerald green eyes meeting my sky blue eyes.
"What kind of music do you like, Lee-san?" asked Takeuchi-san.
"Me? I'm more into rock songs from something as old as the 60's to something as new as now. I'll probably look for something myself."
"Oh yeah?" asked Takeuchi-san, "I'm more of an American pop fan. Can't go wrong with Taylor Swift or Katy Perry."
"Ugh, you like Taylor Swift?" asked Nakano-san, as if she was disgusted, "I don't like her music."
Takeuchi-san smugly smirked, unfazed by Nakano-san's comment. "Diss all you want about Tay Tay, but she makes great breakup songs and you can't change my mind." At that point, I was listening to Shake It Off in my head, not even paying attention.
"Ha! You have no culture!" insulted Nakano-san. Saito-san, on the other hand, watched this argument with apprehension.
"Says the one who listens to anime music. Like seriously? Can you get any worse?" Ouch, that hurts. Even for me, the otaku. Yeesh, I wouldn't be surprised if Nakano-san ripped Takeuchi-san's head off right about now.
"Tch!" groaned Nakano-san, "Take that back!" Meanwhile, Saito-san was getting a little worried about Nakano-san, who was standing up and towering over the smug Takeuchi-san. Christ, someone oughta put a leash on her.
I finally decided to put a stop to this fight. "Ladies, ladies, please," I said as I stood up, holding my hands between the two arguing girls, "We all got a different song in our hearts."
"Lee-san is right!" Ono-chan spoke up, "We should just sing instead of fight! Right, Yuri?"
"R-right! W-we have mics! Let's just sing!" stammered Saito-san. Takeuchi-san and Nakano-san looked at each other and smiled.
"Okay," said Takeuchi-san, "Might as well."
"I agree. Why are we even arguing?" asked Nakano-san, chuckling.
"So who's first?" I asked. The four girls all looked at me. Next to me, Ono-chan slowly grabbed the mic on the coffee table without breaking her gaze. Takeuchi-san, in the same fashion, grabbed the tablet next to the mic. Both of them grinned widely as they held out their items to me. "I guess I'm going first."
Grabbing the mic and putting it on my lap, I scrolled through the tablet. The blue background listed out a bunch of songs, all of them Japanese. Oh crap, I don't know any Japanese songs.
"You know, the reason why this is my favorite karaoke bar," said Takeuchi-san as I frustratingly looked for a song that I did know, "is because they have English songs on top of Japanese songs." English? That oughta be easier.
"How do I find that?" I asked, showing her the tablet. She scrolled right on the bar that had the different genres of music. She then pointed at one of the options.
"There," said Takeuchi-san, "You'll find a different interface with American songs." I looked at the option she pointed. It said "American" underneath. That seemed easier.
There was a search bar under the option. It prompted me to type in the song, artist, or album that I want to sing. I thought about it for a second. Maybe I can do one for my brother. As in like a tribute. Yeah, that's a good idea.
I typed in a song into the search bar and tapped on the song. The lights dimmed a little as a soft piano started playing. It was a simple repeating pattern commonly found in rock songs. The lyrics came up on the screen a few seconds later. I stood up and began to sing when it told me to.
"Step one, you say we need to talk
He walks, you say sit down, it's just a talk
He smiles politely back at you
You stare politely right on through
Some sort of window to your right
As he goes left, and you stay right
Between the lines of fear and blame
You begin to wonder why you came
Where did I go wrong?
I lost a friend
Somewhere along in the bitterness
And I would have stayed up with you all night
Had I known how to save a life
Let him know that you know best
Cause after all, you do know best
Try to slip past his defense
Without granting innocence
Lay down a list of what is wrong
The things you've told him all along
And pray to God he hears you
And I pray to God he hears you
Where did I go wrong?
I lost a friend
Somewhere along in the bitterness
And I would have stayed up with you all night
Had I known how to save a life."
The song soon ended. A round of applause from the girls as I sit back down. "That was good, Lee-san," said Takeuchi-san, "One of my favorite songs out there too."
"I really liked it," Ono-chan chimed in with a giggle, "Though I didn't understand a word."
I gave her the mic and tablet and she chose her song. From the looks of it, she was gonna sing a song by a Vocaloid. She put down the tablet facing up as an energetic keyboard started playing. I looked at the name of the song. "Hello/How Are You" by Hatsune Miku.
"Hello
I pulled the window up
And looked into the sky to say
How are you?
Alone between these walls
There's no one but me
Morning
And here the daylight is
Covered up with pouring rain
Tick-tock
Would someone please come by
And wind me up today
Hello
I know from old cartoons
Characters like that exist
How are you?
Beloved by everyone
While I am here so out of place
Sleeping
No matter what my heart will tell me
I've gotta come back to today
Crying
So, I can raise my hand
Wipe my tears away
"Oh, whatever"
Is the mantra I live for
And though I didn't understand you
When you said it, I was floored
'Look, I'm sorry, but I'm through.
I've got no expectations of you.'
I admit, I feel the same way
'Cause nothing else is working
I can barely make it day to day
But, what made you think
That would be alright to say?
Fumbling, stuttering
The words that I still fight to say
Fantasy, reality
I hide from everyday
Once again, I couldn't talk
Another set of words I've lost
I'm stumbling through everything
Trying to live my life
Tell me why you run away
And keep it all inside
Tell me are you just afraid
Of letting free your mind?
Tell me if you don't want
Anybody to meet you
Tell me, is that the truth?
So deep within the waters
Of the ocean called "Indifference"
The pain is filling up my lungs
And I can barely breathe
And in the end, I have the urge to hear a person speak
I am so very weak
I settle into pain
As if I'm moving onto nothing
My head is feeling heavy
And my heart is slowly sinking
"Could there be a reason now
For me to go and settle down?"
Sorry, sorry
I know that it's selfish
I'm sure that I can do it
I'll simply muscle through
So, with that said
Would you please let me on my way?
A happy face or growing pains
It really doesn't ever seem to change
The sun will glow and brush my soul
For better or for worse
If I've tried my very best
And there is nothing of me left
What good could you expect to do?
What do you want from me?
Tell me, why is it you're feeling so defeated?
Tell me, do you really want to be completed?
Tell me, who was it that let your hand
Fall to your side?
Tell me, can you decide?
If my life is really going to end before I know
Then when can I begin to live, and learn to let it go?
I'm slowly coming to my limit, so where's my pay
For staying living this way?
Thank you
I really want to thank you for all you've done
Thank you
I really want to thank you for all you've done
Thank you
And even if I only can say this once
Despite whatever's going on, inside of me
I'm trying so, I really need to open up and thank you
Tell me why you run away
And keep it all inside
Tell me are you just afraid
Of letting free your mind?
Tell me 'cause I promise that
I'll take you seriously
So, just come talk to me
Tell me every bit of what you're feeling
Let it go
'Cause if you keep it locked away
Then I can never know
All the thoughts inside your head
I want to hear every one
Let your heart come undone
Hello
Hello, how are you?
…Not gonna lie, I thought those lyrics were a little depressing for a very upbeat song. Huh. Looks can be deceiving.
We all clapped at Ono-chan's performance. I passed the tablet and mic to Saito-san, who nervously took it. It took a while for her to find a song. Five minutes later, she put down the tablet and held the mic close to her mouth. Meanwhile, soft guitar started playing. Perfect for Saito-san, who's always had a pretty and quiet voice.
"I never had that many friends growing up
So I learned to be
Ok with
Just me, just me, just me, just me
And I'll be fine on the outside
I like to eat in school by myself
Anyway
So I'll just stay
Right here, right here, right here, right here
And I'll be fine on the outside
So I just sit in my room after hours with the moon
And think of who knows my name
Would you cry if I died
Would you remember my face?
So I left home, I packed up and l moved
Far away
From my past one day
And I laugh, I laugh, I laugh, I laugh
And I sound fine on the outside
Ha ha ha…
Sometimes I feel lost, sometimes I'm confused
Sometimes I find
That I am not alright
And I cry, and I cry, and I cry….
Ha ha ha…
So I just sit in my room after hours with the moon
And think of who knows my name
Would you cry if I died
Would you remember my face?"
I was genuinely surprised. This song was in English, but she still was able to sing it despite not knowing what the words mean.
Again, we clapped as Saito-san nervously sat down, her face red from embarrassment from singing her emotional ballad… except for Nakano-san.
"Okay, that's it," said Nakano-san in a harsh tone, "Why are you guys singing depressing songs? It's my turn and I'm going to play something better." She snatched the mic and tablet out of Saito-san's hands and plugged in her song. The lights dimmed and the screen showed the song. "Renai Circulation". Jesus, here we go.
"One, two
It's so hard to say it
But darling let's face it
These feelings revealing
Cannot be ignored
If you're scared that you'll say something you'll regret, well
Love is something that's best when quiet
Avoid a fight, and be polite
Just shut up! Wait a second, that ain't right.
Every journey's gotta start with a step
So go on out there and give it your best
I'm takin' a chance cuz I like you a lot
So I'll give it a shot! Give it all that I got!
La de da de da
La de da de de
Suddenly you call my name
And I lose my brain
And I float up to the moon
La de da de de
La de da de da
When you laugh it makes me smile
And I love your style
So I wrote a song to this tune:
Thank you stars for giving to me
The greatest gift that's still yet to be
I don't mind if fate's playing games
I'm happy all the same
It's so hard to say it
But darling let's face it
These feelings revealing
Cannot be ignored
So I'll work on this letter
'Til our timing gets better
Sincerely, yours truly
And forevermore."
You know, as a weeb, I would say that was pretty good. It did capture Nakano-san's cuteness anyways. Don't tell her I called her cute. I don't want to have a cupcake shoved down my throat.
We applauded as Nakano-san smugly sat down with a smug smile on her face. Damn, she really wanted to make Takeuchi-san lose their argument.
I handed Takeuchi-san the tablet and mic and let her choose her own song. She typed in a song name into the search bar and hit play. She stood up to sing. A soft piano playing chords accompanied with a cello and an acoustic guitar led into the song.
"Heart beats fast
Colors and promises
How to be brave
How can I love when I'm afraid to fall
But watching you stand alone
All of my doubt, suddenly goes away somehow"
At this point, I knew what song she was singing. It was my sister's favorite song. I remember doing a duet with her a few years ago. I decided to grab the second mic that was on the table and sing along, adding a bass harmony to Takeuchi-san's singing.
"One step closer
I have died everyday, waiting for you
Darling, don't be afraid, I have loved you for a thousand years
I'll love you for a thousand more
Time stands still
Beauty in all she is
I will be brave
I will not let anything, take away
What's standing in front of me
Every breath, every hour has come to this
One step closer
I have died everyday, waiting for you
Darling, don't be afraid, I have loved you for a thousand years
I'll love you for a thousand more
And all along I believed, I would find you
Time has brought your heart to me, I have loved you for a thousand years
I'll love you for a thousand more
One step closer
One step closer
I have died everyday, waiting for you
Darling, don't be afraid, I have loved you for a thousand years
I'll love you for a thousand more
And all along I believed, I would find you
Time has brought your heart to me, I have loved you for a thousand years
I'll love you for a thousand more."
Takeuchi-san dropped her mic onto her lap and looked at me, our gaze meeting once again. She smiled sweetly. I grinned back. It felt as if we were… dating. Upon that realization, I nervously look away, scratching my head. I saw Nakano-san smirking while Saito-san had a thin smile on her face. I looked at Ono-chan and saw that she was laughing. I sheepishly smiled. "Alright," I said as I picked up the karaoke tablet, trying to change the topic, "Another round?"
Honorifics: (Underlined honorifics are the ones used in current chapter)
-san: Most common, it is an all-purpose suffix that can be used in any situation where politeness is expected. Basically the titles Mr. Ms. etc.
-sama: This suffix is one level higher than "-san" and is used to confer great respect.
-kun: This suffix is commonly used at the end of boys' names to express endearment.
-chan: Feminine version of -kun.
Senpai: Superior/Upperclassmen.
Sensei: Master.
Translation notes:
1. 1 USD is about 110 Japanese Yen. 300 Yen is about $2.74.
A/N: Hey guys! Well, I ended up making a karaoke chapter. Oh God. Deal with it. Anyways, the next chapter is gonna be pretty long as well (hint, volleyballs and swimsuits). I might actually split that next chapter in two due to how long it is. The one after that is super important though, so stay tuned!
English lyrics for Renai Circulation and Hello/How Are You by Lizz Robinett.
