I’ve been waiting three volumes for that ending. Now I can say, it would be interesting to go back and see everyone’s expressions to interpret what they’re thinking knowing that they all received a letter. Also, to speculate what kind of content might be in their letter since everyone’s is different.
I’ve been kinda expecting this to happen and my theory of Kakeru also getting a letter has even more reasons to be now. I feel like Kakeru’s letter will somehow be a peek into the other’s future after he’s gone (I don’t know the logistics of this, don’t quote me) and somehow his depressed self is justifying his death making everyone else happier or something and that is where we see the doubt he generally has to accept the other’s love.
On other news, I hate Naho. I think I have no patience for dense characters anymore hahaha. And the problem is that she is not only dense about the other’s feelings but with her own as well. I don’t know if this is a staple of the shoujo manga MC but I hate it
I think I have a slightly different take on this chapter than others …
Recalling this moment
from chapter 10, plus taking into account her very obvious character growth, I feel like Naho being romantically dense is used more for comedic effect in this volume rather than being the more serious concern of previous volumes. So when Naho didn’t recognize that Kakeru just wanted to hold her hand, I feel like it is more a reflection of how twisted up inside she is from the massive responsibility that the letters dumped in her lap. Everything looks like a mental health red flag to her right now, and she’s so used to not being able to talk about it that it’s not until her friends push her to tell them that she does, and it takes her friends laughing at her to realize that she’s been missing the obvious. That maybe she can also have a normal student life with crushes and holding hands. I’m so glad she has their help now!
Found this definition: 「やる時はやる(やるときはやる)」の意味や使い方 わかりやすく解説 Weblio辞書 which I couldn’t really read except vaguely by pasting it into jisho. I think basically, someone who is normally not particularly strong or great at anything, when in a situation where they really have to do something, does it to their best ability …?
What’s happening here … is it that Azu and Taka-chan told the other girl ahead of time that Naho wanted to be in the race (and Naho didn’t know that so that’s why she reacts the way she does)?
I thought this was Suwa saying that he’d been told to clean, but then it would have to be 言われて, right? So is he saying he’s told someone else to clean? I’m confused.
I’d say more like “does it well”, rather than to “the best of their ability”. Basically when it counts, they do well. The rest of the time? No so much.
Page 133-134: Azu’s speech bubbles lacks a lot of attribution as to who is saying what, which is where I was/is unsure too.
I think the other girl first mentions that she asked someone/Azu if they/Azu thought Naho might switch with her (菜穂ちゃんが代わってくれるって聞いてたから) and then Azu is "because/since (the other girl) said ‘I want to switch too’, if that was the case then (we) talked about “I think Naho would like to switch/run”. But honestly not entirely sure that is correct.
So yeah, I think your take is right.
Page 137: My dictionary says that 恥さらし means disgrace/shame.
Page 139: ておく can be used for something done in advance, so in this case I think he basically says: Oh/uh/eh, I already told you I have to clean.
This chapter had a nice pay off. We finally have the answer. Everyone (except Kakeru) has a confirmed letter. I still don’t think Kakeru have a letter because when the others wrote theirs, Kakeru was very dead.
I don’t know how I feel about Naho’s denseness, but I think @MaraVos has it right. When you’re so focused on complicated emotions and hidden meanings and assuming it all boils down to that, a simple gesture might just go you by. Also Naho is not the brightest when it comes to romantic gestures and such, we know she lives very deep in her own head.
But yeah, perhaps a bit of comic effect, and not as anchored in character’s personalities as we’re used to.
My read on this was that he’ll tell the club Kakeru will be late because Kakeru has cleaning duty that day. But this is one of those situations where I have trouble grasping ておく, so…
Since it’s -て form, isn’t it unlikely that he’s saying what he’s going to do? Or am I getting that confused? (The more we talk about this the less I feel like I know anything about Japanese grammar. )
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