Monogatari (化物語)

We're going on a date.

What?

Well... Umm...

What's with this situation?

I've seen similar intimate conversations before in comics and stuff,

but somehow I'm not happy at all. If anything, I'm scared!

What's wrong, Araragi-kun?

Say "ah~".

There.

Seeing you smile makes me really happy.

Araragi-kun, there's a clump of rice on your cheek.

You put it there!

I'll remove it for you.

There you go.

Anyway, we're going on a date.

No, that's wrong. That's not how it's said.

Shall... Shall we go on a date?

How... How about we go on a date...?

What? Don't you want to, Araragi-kun?

No, it's not that I don't want to.

I see. Then go on a date with me, Araragi-kun.

So in the end, you're that calm.

Do you have any complaints... No, any questions?

No.

I see. Then I'll make up an excuse and go home early after school today.

As soon as you're done with the preparations for the cultural festival, come over to my house.

Fuck yes!

This makes today, June 13th, my first date with my lover.

It was a day to remember, but...

I spent too much time in front of the school talking to Sengoku and Hanekawa.

I'm a little late.

Still sooner than I expected.

Oh well.

All right, let's go. Follow me.

Hey...

What's wrong, Araragi-kun? You're being pretty quiet.

Come on, don't you understand the current situation?

I don't understand. What do you mean by "current" and "situation"?

You don't even understand that much!?

Man, her dad's coming along on our first date.

This date is like torture. What kind of hellish memory is it going to be!?

It makes sense that you would be nervous on your first date,

but don't be, Araragi-kun. The night is long.

Yeah...

I'm not nervous because it's my first date!

Hey, Araragi-kun.

Do you love me?

Tell me if you love me.

What, aren't you going to answer?

Could it be that you don't really love me, Araragi-kun?

I... I love you.

I see. I love you too, Araragi-kun.

Thanks a lot.

Don't worry about it.

You're being really quiet, Araragi-kun.

You're not talking at all. Usually you chat a lot more.

Is something wrong today?

No, I'm fine.

Oh, I see. There's something wrong with your head.

You're just taking advantage of my confusion to say whatever you want!

Araragi-kun, you're always so naughty with your retorts.

Very well. Then I'll kindly start the conversation.

You can just answer me.

What do you love about me?

It's pretty obvious what I don't love!

Dammit!

I was really looking forward to this! It felt like my dreams had come true!

Calling it a dream is a hyperbole.

Didn't you know, Araragi-kun?

If you write "fickle" next to "person"... Hmm I wonder what that makes?

She probably means me.

Hey, Senjougahara.

Just what are you up to?

Senjougahara? Are you talking to me?

Or are you talking to my father?

Daddy, Araragi-kun is talking to you.

Hitagi-san! I'm talking to you, Hitagi-san!

What, Araragi-kun?

But you won't call me by my name. Oh well, I don't really mind.

So, Hitagi-san, I'll ask again.

Can you tell me what you're up to?

What are you scheming?

I'm not scheming up anything.

By the way, Araragi-kun. There's a famous mystery novelist named Kuroiwa Ruikou,

but you can rearrange his name to mean "wicked, bad child".

Do you think this was intentional?

That doesn't matter! You're the wicked, bad kid!

You're saying horrible things about me in front of my father.

Daddy, it seems that your daughter is a wicked, bad girl.

Oh my, you've gotten quiet again.

Perhaps I teased you a bit too much. Araragi-kun, you respond so easily that I dig at you even when I shouldn't.

That line cuts the deepest.

So, what do you like about me?

You're nice, cute, and like a prince who would rescue me whenever I'm in trouble.

Well sorry!

By the way, Tras- No, I mean Araragi-kun.

Did you just call your boyfriend "trash"?

What are you talking about? Stop putting words in my mouth.

By the way, Araragi-kun. How did you do on the exams?

I went through so much trouble, day and night, to study with you at my place.

Why do you have to put it like that?

So, how did you do?

I scored better than I expected.

I've always been pretty good at math, but this time I did better than usual.

It was because of you. Thanks, Senjougahara.

Daddy, I think Araragi-kun is thanking you. Are you listening?

Thank you, Hitagi-san!

I was hoping that you'd do it right after the exams.

Well, expecting that from your current self would be too cruel.

I'm a bit surprised even though I was the one who taught you.

Surprised?

Yes, I see that you don't find it funny.

I didn't get your help in order to be laughed at!

I was sure that you were going to tell me: "I studied too hard and ended up doing worse than usual."

So I'm kind of disappointed.

Expecting that to happen is pretty cruel!

Oh, I see.

But really, your results are a big deal. I'm proud of you.

If you keep it up, Araragi-kun,

perhaps you can aim even higher.

Higher?

If you'd like, Araragi-san, I can keep helping you with your studies.

Well...

I honestly wouldn't mind.

I see.

Then let's study at my place every day.

E-Every day!?

Do smart people really study that much?

No, it's obviously only necessary for you.

Smart people are smart before they even study.

But it seems that Hanekawa studies every day.

Unfortunately, the studying that Hanekawa-san does is on a completely different level from ours.

Hanekawa-san's the real thing. She's in a completely different world.

But doesn't Hanekawa-san usually ace all her tests?

If Hanekawa-san doesn't ace it, there's probably something wrong with the test.

But I wonder.

Just how great is the pressure? I honestly can't say I envy her.

Pressure, huh?

Or you could call it stress.

Stress, eh?

You don't even begin to compare to her. You have to use all your energy just to crawl up out of the mud.

So let's study every day at my place.

Sure, thanks.

We can do it at Kanbaru's place too sometimes.

Why are you talking about Kanbaru now?

I have to hang out with her sometime.

I promised.

Didn't you say you wanted to hang out with her too?

Well, she is a pretty fun person.

Oh right, about Kanbaru.

What about Kanbaru?

Why is she so kinky?

Kinky? Kanbaru?

Am I wrong?

Even Oshino said that Kanbaru was more of a kinky character than an athlete.

I see. Isn't that just what males see?

She's just honest with herself.

I see.

I can't ignore your mistaken "kinky" impression of my cute junior.

If you can't ignore it, what are you going to do?

What am I going to do?

I'm going to sway the basis for your judgment.

If I do that, you'll think of Kanbaru as a pure and innocent girl.

Oh... Oh crap!

Nibble.

How about that, Araragi-kun?

Just do whatever you want, Hitagi-san.

Wait here a second, Araragi-kun.

I'm going ahead by myself to get everything ready.

To get everything ready?

You should have a chat with my father.

Araragi-kun, right?

Yes. I'm Araragi Koyomi.

I see. Take good care of my daughter.

Just kidding.

You've probably heard that I'm the very picture of a workaholic.

I have barely any time to spend with Hitagi.

I don't know if you'd believe me, but it's been a long time since I've seen Hitagi this happy.

You heard what happened to her mother, right?

Yes.

Then you heard about her illness too.

Yes.

Well, that's not all.

Of course, I'm at fault for being so caught up in my work too.

Hitagi completely closed off her heart.

But lately, she's been asking me things that she hasn't asked me in ages.

She said she wanted to help with my work.

And this time. Both of her requests involved you.

Causing that change in her is pretty impressive, Araragi-kun.

I'm thankful that you're that impressed. But it was by accident.

Really? I heard that you played a big role in curing Hitagi.

I don't think it matters that it was me.

And really, Hitagi was saved by herself. I was just present at the time.

That's good enough.

The most important thing is just being there when you're needed.

I didn't do my job as a father.

When she needed me, I wasn't there for her.

But even if I'm like that, I'm proud of my daughter.

I believe in my daughter's judgment.

If you're the man she chose, you must be the right one.