Published 1998 by Flower Comics ISBN 4-09-137134-5

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

All translations done by Crystal. Please do not copy unless I give you persmission to. Thank you!

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Part 1

Kasumi is touring Rome and enjoying all the sites. She accidentally steps on something and some man yells in Italian, "You dumb ass! What are you doing at a place like this!?" Kasumi jumps and turns around to see a Japanese man. The Japanese man realizes that Kasumi is Japanese also and points to the "NO TRESPASSING" sign in Italian. He scolds her and asks her if she even looked at the sign. Kasumi tells him that she can't read any Italian. Then the man gets even more angry and tells her to go on a tour guide if she can't understand the language. He tells her to hurry up and leave because she's in the way and takes off. Kasumi gets really angry and thinks how different he is from Shinoki-san. She has a flashback to the time she was in a cafe when Shinoki-san was breaking up with her. He tells her that since Kasumi is a strong woman, she'll probably be alright without him.

The next day, Kasumi ponders on where she could go next. She passes by a hair salon and remembers Shinoki-san saying, "I like long hair, so don't cut yours off, okay, Kasumi?" She decides to go into the hair salon and chop off her hair. She looks at her reflection through a store window and notices the Japanese man, that was mean to her the day before, working behind the window.

They sit down and chat as he tells her that he got fired from his ancient excavation part-time job yestereday because some of the fragments they had dug up broke and he was responsible for the site. Kasumi flashbacks to something that she stepped on yesterday and realizes that she's the one who broke the important findings! She apologizes to the man and tells him that she's the one who broke the fragments. She asks if there's anything that she could do for the trouble she's caused as her stomach growls big time. So,the man asks her if she could treat him out to lunch.

They sit at a stairway outside eating a sandwich with some water. Kasumi asks him if that's all he wanted. He smiles and says that it's great to just sit around outside in the beautiful weather with a girl. He asks her if she agrees and Kasumi agrees. Kasumi is a little taken by the man's smiling expression and starts to wonder about him. What's his name? Has he been in Rome for a long time? She wants to know more.

The man asks her why she's in Rome by herself and before Kasumi could even answer, he guesses that she's probably here because she just got over a relationship. Kasumi gets upset and tells him that she's not here by herself because she wants to be. She goes on to say, "If you're told that you'll be okay by yourself, you have no choice but to come by yourself. You have no right to judge me when you don't know anything!" Kasumi runs off and the man chases after her. He grabs a hold of her and Kasumi tells him to leave her alone. He warns her that it's a dangerous part of town and just as he tells her this, some strange men come up to them. They start to run away, but get stuck at a dead end. The man covers Kasumi and tells the strange men that they have no money. The strange men tell the man that they don't care if Kasumi doesn't have any money and to just give her to them and they'll let the man go. The man tells them that he won't move even if he has to die. The strange men start beating him up and Kasumi tells him to get out of the way and that she has a little bit of money to give to them. The man says, "Stupid...then you can't treat me out to eat anymore." Kasumi tells him to stop saying such silly things and cries for help. Eventually, some people came after hearing Kasumi's shriek and they go to a water fountain as the man is cleaning his wounds. Kasumi apologizes for the trouble she's caused and tells him why she's hear in Rome by herself. As he guessed right, she's in Rome by herself because of the end of a 2-year relationship. Kasumi tells the man that her ex-boyfriend was a very elite business man, so she tried so hard to be like him. But the more adult she was, the worse it got. It all backfired on her because in the end, he wanted some spoiled girl. The man tells her that she's not strong at all. He hugs her says that she's so troublesome that he can't leave her alone. They look at each other and begin to kiss and make love.

Kasumi returns to Japan and her mom is back from New York (where her job is) to visit. Her mom has something very important to tell her... She says, "I know you were only 5 years old when your father and I divorced and you probably don't remember much of him, but he died last week in a car accident. And that's why I'm here in Japan is because I need to be here for the funeral service." Kasumi is shocked that her father, that she hasn't seen in 15 years, is gone. Her mom tells her that that was the agreement and even she, herself, has only seen him a couple of times after the divorce. Then her mom asks Kasumi if she could live with her sibling (that the father took care of). Kasumi is even more shocked that she has a sibling! Her mom shows Kasumi a picture of her and her sibling when they were children and the picture is of her and a little girl. Kasumi's mom tells her that they got along really well when they were kids.

Kasumi meets up with her friend, Kazuki, later on and Kazuki is also shocked to learn that Kasumi has a silbing. Even though they're childhood friends, Kasumi reminds him that she didn't meet Kazuki until after her parents' divorce. Kazuki notices a difference in Kasumi and asks her if anything happened in Rome. Kasumi's heart starts to beat fast and tells Kazuki that it's probably becuase of the hair cut. Kasumi starts to think about the man she met in Rome and wishes that she could've at least gotten his name...although she'll probably never see him again. Kazuki notices Kasumi in deep thought and tells her that if there's anything that she needs to talk about, he'll be there for her. Kasumi thanks him and tells Kazuki that he's a great firend. As she leaves, she tells him that she'll go straight to Kazuki the next time she has a problem. Kazuki mumbles to himself, "Not friends...dummy."

At the funeral service, Kasumi looks around the house that she used to live in when she was a child. She closes her eyes and starts to have some flashbacks of playing with her sibling as a child. When she opens her eyes, the man that she had met in Rome appears in front of her! They are both shocked to see each other and are about to ask each other why they are there when Kasumi's mom comes up and says, "Yoshiki! Oh, Kasumi, you're here too. How is the 15-year reunion? Aren't you suprised, Kasumi? Since Yoshiki was cute as a girl, we raised you guys like sisters." Then she introduces them to each other, "Kasumi, this is your younger brother, Yoshiki Suzumura and Yoshiki, this is your older sister, Kasumi Suzumura." They stare at each other in deep shock.

Part 2

A lot of thoughts are rambling in Kasumi's head...God, for the past 19 years, I, Kasumi Suzumura, have tried to live my life to the fullest and tried to be a good girl. Even when my parents divorced when I was 5 or when my mom had to work all the time and I had to be by myslef a lot or when my 2-year relationship ended...I have never been crushed or stray from the right path. Even when I learned that my father, who I had never seen in 15 years, passed away and that I had a sibling, I was suprised, but I accepted it. But, God, THIS is too much...

Kasumi's mom suggest that the two take a walk so that they can catch up some things. As they are walking, Kasumi is still in disbelief that Yoshiki is her brother. All this time she thought she had a sister, not a brother. Yoshiki turns around to face her and Kasumi gets nervous and trips over something. She starts to fall down, but Yoshiki catches her in time. Yoshiki asks her if she's alright and adds in "Neisan" (meaning "older sister"). Kasumi is shocked and hurt that he could call her "neisan" with a straight face. Then she asks him if he remembers what happened in Rome and why he's not saying anything about it. Yoshiki ignores her question and tells her that they should probably head back to the funeral service.

Back at the funeral service, Kasumi, Yoshiki, and their mom are talking about what Yoshiki has been doing. Yoshiki tells his mom that he studied in Rome for awhile because he wants to study archeaology and Europe is the land of historic ruins. Then he tells her that he's moving back to Japan to take the exams for college. Their mom gets excited and asks Yoshiki if he would live with Kasumi. Kasumi and Yoshiki are shocked and Kasumi is angry at her mom for asking such a thing. Her mom tells her that she already has an apartment that she was planning on living in with Kasumi, but since she's always so busy with work in New York, it would be a waste not to use the apartment. She suggests that the two of them make up for lost time. Kasumi tells her mom that she doesn't want to, but Yoshiki says that he doesn't mind. This takes Kasumi by suprise. So, their mom says it's settled and leaves the room. Yoshiki starts to tease Kasumi and lifts her up and jokes about how short she is. Kasumi fires back that he's rude and that even though she's small, she has big breasts. Yoshiki gives her a deep, serious look and Kasumi's heart starts to beat. Their mom calls out for them to come to her and Yoshiki tells Kasumi that they should go.

The next day, Kasumi hangs out with Kazuki and he's shocked to learn that Kasumi has not a sister, but a brother!! Kazuki apologizes for asking her out to the movies when she has a lot going on. Kasumi smiles and says that there's nothing to apologize about because when she's with Kazuki, she has so much fun. Kazuki turns red and is about to confess his love to her, but Kasumi suggests having a "goukon" (a social gathering between guys and girls). Kasumi wants to meet somebody new and forget about Yoshiki. Kazuki is disappointed that she wants to do a goukon, but seeing how happy Kasumi is, he gives in.

At the day of the goukon, one of Kazuki's friends can't make it, so Kasumi decides to invite Yoshiki. At the goukon, Kasumi starts to talk to a guy named Masanobu. Yoshiki gets up and bumps into the waitress, causing the waitress to drop the glasses of beverages. Kasumi helps Yoshiki clean the mess and they both cut their fingers at the same time. They both look at their cut and Kasumi thinks, "same blood". Yoshiki gets up, walks by Kasumi and says, "Let's forget about it." Kasumi is deeply hurt and wants to forget about what happened too, so she goes back to Masanobu and asks him if they could get out of the place and go somewhere they could be alone.

Yoshiki asks where his sister is and the girls tell him that she went somewhere with some guy. Kasumi is about to enter the hotel with Masanobu, but Yoshiki grabs her arm and stops her. He tells her to go home with him. Kasumi refuses to go back with him, so Yoshiki picks her up over his shoulders and forces her to go home. Kasumi demands Yoshiki to put her down and he finally lets her down as he tells her that he has a right to be worried about her because she's his sister. He apologizes for being so rough with her and notices that Kasumi opened up her wound even more, so he sucks the blood out of Kasumi's finger. Kasumi's heart is beating, but she tells herself that she NEEDS to forget about what happened. Then she asks in her thoughts, God, have met each other to sin?

Part 3

At Kasumi and Yoshiki's new apartment, they have a dinner party with their friends. Out on the balcony, Kazuki goes out to talk to Yoshiki. Kazuki tells him that he's glad that Yoshiki is going to live with Kasumi because she has been alone all her life. Yoshiki realizes that Kazuki is in love with Kasumi and asks him directly. Kazuki's face turns red and he tells Yoshiki that he's just a childhood friend...to Kasumi. Yoshiki says longingly to himself, "You know the Neisan that I haven't known for 15 years."

Kasumi's friends leave at the end of the night and Yoshiki and Kasumi are left alone. Before Yoshiki goes to bed, he asks Kasumi to stop by his high school to talk to his teachers, as his legal guardian, and discuss his route for college. Kasumi tells him that it's no problem and Yoshiki just stares at her. Kasumi gets a little embarassed and asks what it is. Yoshiki teasingly replies, "I was just worried that someone might mistakenly take you to the pre-school...". Kasumi throws a pillow at him and tells him to go to bed as Yoshiki shuts the door. They both stand by the door as Kasumi tells herself to forget about what happened.

The next day, Kasumi tries to look for the course discussion room at Yoshiki's school. A pretty girl comes up to Kasumi and asks her if she's Yoshiki's sister. She introduces herself as Kyoko Asada and that she's Yoshiki's classmate. Yoshiki had asked Kyoko to show Kasumi around the school. Kyoko goes on to tell Kasumi that Yoshiki and her have been friends since elementary school. Her father is a professor of archaeology at the college Yoshiki is aiming for, so he comes over to her house often. Kyoko's father is very excited for Yoshiki to come to his college since he even went to Rome to study archeaology. They reach the course discussion room and Kyoko invites Kasumi to visit her house sometime too. Kasumi thanks her as she thinks about what a different world Yoshiki lives in...and she's a little jealous that Kyoko knows the Yoshiko that she hadn't known for 15 years.

After Kasumi is done with the course discussion, she meets Yoshiki in the gym while Yoshiki is playing basketball. Yoshiki thanks her for going and Kasumi tells him that his teacher has no problem with where Yoshiki wants to go for college. Yoshiki throws a slam dunk and Kasumi is impressed and claps for him. Yoshiki asks if she wants to do one too and Kasumi gets mad because she thinks Yoshiki is teasing her about being short again. Yoshiki lifts her up to the hoop and tells her that she can do it too. Kasumi gets down and takes the ball telling Yoshiki that even though she is short, she played basketball in high school. Kasumi slips and is about to fall, but Yoshiki catches her in time. They are both on the ground as Yoshiki is holding her. Kasumi asks why Yoshiki fell too and he tells her that he tripped over her. Kasumi tells him to not treat his important sister like a rock and Yoshiki replies, "Yes, you are important." Kasumi tells Yoshiki that he's heavy and that he needs to move so she can go home. Yoshiki agrees, but doesn't move.

When Kasumi and Yoshiki are about to go home, it is pouring rain outside. Kasumi says that she has a folded umbrella in her purse, so they can both fit, but Kazuki comes to pick Kasumi up thinking that she did not have an umbrella. Then Kasumi notices that Kyoko is outside and troubled that she does not have an umbrella. Kasumi is about to offer her an umbrella when Yoshiki calls out Kyoko's name. Kasumi looks at him in shock. Yoshiki puts his jacket over Kyoko's head and Kyoko is glad that he is still at the school because she had thought that he had already went to the library. Yoshiki tells Kasumi that he'll probably be home a little late and takes off with Kyoko. Kasumi realizes that Kyoko is Yoshiki's girlfriend and becomes sad. Kazuki tells Kasumi that they should get going too and pulls Kasumi by the arm so he could see her face and Kasumi looks back at him crying because she's jealous of any girl, worldwide, that is named Kyoko at that point. Kazuki doesn't understand why Kasumi is crying and she tells him that it is nothing and that everything is alright. Kazuki hugs her and tells her that everything doesn't have to be okay and that she can show him that side of her. He tells her that he's loved her for a long time and kisses her.

When Yoshiki and Kyoko get to the library, Kyoko asks him why he had switched to another college all of a sudden. Kyoko tells him that their teacher was worried and asks why Yoshiki changed his choice of college to Meitokuin University all of sudden.

As Kazuki is kissing Kasumi, Kasumi thinks...Sorry, Kazuki. I probably knew all along that you liked me. I'm an awful person. As am kissing you, I'm thinking about why I cannot stop crying. I'm thinking about some other guy. Even though he's my brother and I'm his sister. I'm convinced that I'm going to commit a sin.

The last scene ends with Kasumi's umbrella with "Meitokuin University" imprinted on the umbrella.

Part 4

Kasumi's thoughts...My first love was Nao-chan in pre-school and we used to trade our lunches often. I had my first boyfriend in high school, but we really didn't click, so we broke up. In college, I started dating the business man, Shinoki-san, but I tried too hard to be who I wasn't, so the relationship failed. I thought relationships were always going to be something like that. I have never wanted someone so badly until now...

Kasumi and Kazuki are eating at a cafe/restaraunt and Kazuki is shocked as Kasumi tells him that Yoshiki switched to Meitokuin University from the elite college he was going to attend. She tells Kazuki that she didn't even know until he had already passed the tests for Meitokuin University. She tells Kazuki that she needs to find a part-time job, so she can get Yoshiki a graduation present. She mentions that March 14th, White Day, is near, so that there's probably a lot of part-time job openings. As they walk out of the cafe, some lady bumps into Kasumi and Kazuki grabs a hold of Kasumi. He gets embarassed for touching Kasumi and apologizes. Kasumi gets a little embarassed as well and thinks about what Kazuki told her the day he kissed her..."I'm not looking for an answer, so let's stay the same way." Kazuki asks Kasumi if she would like to hang out with him on the 14th just as friends and Kasumi agrees to go. Kazuki is really happy and this hurts Kasumi because she knows that Kazuki really wants an answer. She doesn't want to be his girlfriend, but she doesn't want to lose him as a friend either. She realizes how selfish and spoiled she is and apologizes to Kazuki, but Kazuki has no idea what she is apologizing for.

Back at Kasumi's apartment, she cleans up some of Yoshiki's clothes as she complains about how late Yoshiki is when it's already 2 in the morning. She picks up Yoshiki's jacket and decides to try it on. She laughs at how big the jacket is on her and feels like she's being held by Yoshiki. Just then, Yoshiki walks in drunk and hugs Kasumi strongly. She tells Yoshiki to let go and thinks that he's drunk, but when she looks into his eyes, his eyes are straight and serious...so she wonders if he's really drunk. Yoshiki, still hugging Kasumi, asks her why she thinks he switched to Meitokuin University. Kasumi tells him that she has no idea and Yoshiki says that he's going to tell her why, but he passes out. Kasumi cannot believe that he fell asleep and wonders what Yoshiki was about to say.

The next day Kasumi calls Yoshiki (who has a hang over) at home because she needs Yoshiki to bring her school I.D. for her new part-time job she's being interviewed for. Kasumi also asks him what he meant last night and what his reason was, but Yoshiki tells her that he has no idea what she is talking about. Kasumi gets really angry and tells him to hurry up and bring her I.D.

Yoshiki brings Kasumi her school I.D. and Kasumi thanks him with an attitude. Yoshiki is annoyed that she's in a bad mood and begins to leave. Kasumi is very upset because she thought that Yoshiki had something meaningful to say to her her. Then Yoshiki says, "I wanted to be with you as much as possible so we could make up for the 15 years we lost." Kasumi turns around and is suprised that that's the reason why he chose to come to Meitokuin University.

It's March 14th, White Day (when the guy gives something to the girl; thanking the girl for Valentine's Day). Kyoko and Yoshiki are about to leave the apartment and go have dinner with her family. Kasumi asks Kyoko if her father is upset because of Yoshiki's decision to switch universities. Kyoko explains that her father is disappointed, but loves Yoshiki anyway. As they are about to leave, Kyoko goes back and tells Kasumi that next time, Kasumi should go with them too because she would like to talk to her about a lot of things. Kasumi smiles and thanks her.

Kasumi starts to get ready for her date with Kazuki, but Kazuki comes by with a horrified look on his face. He apologizes to Kasumi because he cannot go on the date with her because he just learned that his father had collapsed, so he has to go to him. Kasumi scolds him for coming all the way to her place when he could've just called and told her. Kazuki explains that this day was very important to him, so he wanted to come by and personally tell her before he left. Kasumi feels bad and thanks him and tells him to hurry to his father. Kazuki apologizes again and takes off.

Kasumi decides to call her new part-time job and sees if they need anybody to work and her boss is really happy that she came because a lot of his part-time job employees had just quit yesterday. Kasumi markets some wine outside and stares longingly at the couples. It starts snowing and Kasumi begins to wonder what she is doing. Will she be all alone for the rest of the day? Then she looks down at her hands and notices that it's not snowing around her. Yoshiki is standing behind her and he asks her what she is doing when she is supposed to be with Kazuki. Kasumi turns around in suprise and asks why he's not at the dinner. Yoshiki explains that Kyoko's father couldn't get out of work, so the dinner was cancelled. As he was going home, he said he saw Kasumi working and wanted to stop by and tease her. Kasumi is very happy that she gets to be with Yoshiki.

After getting off work, Kasumi gives Yoshiki some candy that she got from work and thanks him for hanging out with her because she did not have to be alone on White Day. Yoshiki tells her that she's making a big deal out of White Day. Then Kasumi notices that Yoshiki ate all of the candy and she complains that she wanted some too. Yoshiki tells her that he still has some of the taste left in his mouth and asks if she wants a taste of it too. Kasumi gets nervous and asks what he means by tasting. Yoshiki tells her to close her eyes and when she opens them, he is gone. She searches around for him and bumps into Kyoko and her father. She wonders if Kyoko's father had gotten off work early and Yoshiki had come back to have dinner with them. Kyoko introduces Kasumi to her father. Kasumi asks if Yoshiki is with them, but Kyoko tells her that she has no idea where he because he left all of sudden during dinner saying that he had something important to do. She explains that after they bumped into Kazuki at the train station, Yoshiki started acting funny and left less than 30 minutes after they got to the restaraunt. Kasumi is shocked and wonders why Yoshiki did such a thing.

She goes home to see if Yoshiki is there and notices that she has a message on her answering machine. She presses the button to listen to it and it's Yoshiki. He tells her that she'll probably listen to this message after she goes around looking for him and apologizes. He left that way because he wouldn't be able to stay with his decision to leave the apartment. He's decided to live on his own and tells her not to worry because he already has all his things and has found an apartment. Kasumi looks into his room and sees that the room is empty and she falls down to the floor in disbelief. Yoshiki's message continues on saying that he decided to leave the place after what happened the other night and because she is important to him, he cannot live with her. He knows that Kasumi might be upset, but wants her to understand. Kasumi begins to cry and tells herself that she doesn't understand because he had just told her that he wanted to be with her to make up for the lost time. Yoshiki goes on to say, "Happy 20th Birthday.  I'm glad I got to the spend the day with you...the day you were born. That's what I wanted to tell you the most. I'll call again after everything settles down..." The message ends.

All sorts of quotes run through Kasumi's head..."We saw your friend, Kazuki, at the train station and after that, Yoshiki started acting funny...he left saying that he had something important to do..." (Kyoko teling Kasumi what had happened), "I had nothing to do, so I thought I'd come over here and tease you..." (Yoshiki talking to Kasumi at her part-time job outside), "I'm glad I got to be with you on the day you were born..." (Yoshiki telling Kasumi on the answering machine).

Kasumi realizes that Yoshiki knew everything that was going on and that the "important" thing he had to do was for her not to be by herself. She starts to cry even more and grabs a hold of Yoshiki's jacket that he had left behind.

The next day at school, Kasumi sees Yoshiki and thinks...God, I will abandon all the happiness that is waiting for me. Please give me Yoshiki. Please forgive me for loving him.

<END OF "Tsumi ni Nureta Futari" VOLUME 1>