The Invisible Man and His Soon-to-Be Wife (透明男と人間女～そのうち夫婦になるふたり～)

They say they feel more comfortable with full invisibility.

Though I wouldn't say I prefer being fully invisible myself.

THE INVISIBLE PERSON VILLAGE

The next stop is Third District Shopping Street.

Third District Shopping Street.

Akira-san?

Are you all right?

Oh, I'm fine.

I'm sorry we had to make so many transfers.

My hometown is really out there.

No problem!

I'm excited to visit the invisible person village!

It's in the middle of nowhere.

Nothing but fields.

It's very closed off, too.

Oh, really?

Well, it's a rather odd village.

An odd village?

THIRD DISTRICT SHOPPING STREET

The air is so fresh!

Yes, it's a serene, green place.

This is the shopping street.

I see. It's very lively!

Are these all the locals?

I sense so many people!

I should have expected that.

The village is exempted from certain laws,

so we're allowed to walk around with full invisibility.

Many of the invisible people who live here go around like that all the time.

I see!

Is the people being fully invisible what makes the town odd?

Well, it disorients a lot of people,

but I suppose it's an everyday thing for you.

Oh, my family's house is up ahead.

Are you all right, Shizuka-san?

I-I just got really nervous!

I know how you feel,

but I know you can handle it.

Y-Yes! I'll do my best!

Is that... Aki?

I'm home!

TONOME

Shizuka-san.

Sitting to your left is my father.

To your right is my mother.

I-It's so quiet.

Akira-san's always quiet, but they're even quieter.

It's like... a silent pressure...

What is it?

Um... My name is Shizuka Yako!

Akira-san is always helping me... um...

I-It's so good to meet you!

Yes.

Thank you for helping our Akira.

Her voice is so flat and impersonal.

Maybe she doesn't like me?

Wh-What do I do, Akira-san?

We're currently dating and considering living together.

R-Right to the point?!

Sounds fine to me.

Yes, it sounds fine.

Also, I've been wondering...

Why are you wearing those strange masks?

Huh? Masks?

You said you'd be bringing another species by.

We thought she'd be more comfortable if we had faces.

Shizuka-san is blind. They're not doing much good.

Ah, fair point.

Yes, fair point.

I thought I told you that.

I guess she can't tell.

Yes, I guess she can't tell.

Well, this might be okay!

Is it all right if we turn fully invisible, then?

Yes, that's fine.

They say they feel more comfortable with full invisibility.

Yes. That's the case for all invisible people.

Really?

Fully invisible is how we should rightly be, after all.

I should take her to meet Grandmother next, I suppose.

She's in her room because of her bad leg.

Though I wouldn't say I prefer being fully invisible myself.

Because you like people to see your favorite outfits, right?

Later, can I tell you all the details of the suit I'm wearing now?

I'd love to hear it!

Grandma, we're coming in.

Welcome!

Grandma, Shizuka-san is...

Well, I told them to let you know, too!

Oh!

In the Warring States period,

we were a house of ninja who served our lord well!

Ninja!

You were ninja?! That's amazing!

We have shuriken and such in the warehouse!

C-Can you do ninjutsu?!

Our fully invisible forms certainly seemed like ninjutsu to outsiders!

But we couldn't make our shuriken and other tools invisible,

so we had to use various other tricks!

I-I see!

So cool! So cool!

She's very excited.

Akira.

Hey. It's been a while, Aki.

Kiriguro-san! You're back in town?!

That's my line.

Hey, you've come a long way.

I guess I was still in school the last time we talked...

You were such a little kid.

You surprised me, dressed up in that suit.

I'm impressed you could tell it was me, really.

Who's that?

This is Masashi Kiriguro.

Do you remember the story I told you?

The first invisible person model...

Oh, that one!

What kind of introduction is that?

We were just talking old times.

I retired from modeling. Now I run this Italian place.

You surprised me, though.

I was opening the place up this morning and thought, "Hey, is that Aki?"

I'm impressed you recognized me. It's been over ten years.

Not many people around here who don't do full invisibility.

I just kinda figured.

Here, eat up.

It smells wonderful!

Thank you for the food.

Did you recognize me, Aki?

I didn't have all this ink the last time we met.

I knew you on sight.

When you were a child, you drew the patterns on with a pen, right?

Oh, right.

Guess I haven't changed much either.

But you were such a help to me then.

Oh, I remember!

You were crying your eyes out. "I dunno who anyone is!"

Come on, you don't have to bring up that part!

You were crying?

I grew up surrounded by other species.

When I was first brought to this village when I was young...

Oh, you're all alone?

Come over here! I've got some candy!

What a cutie-pie!

Hey, now!

Being surrounded by invisible people at all times frightened me...

And then I met Kiriguro-san, who had drawn on his face.

You came from the big city, right?

I thought, is this kid holding a one-man Halloween?

Hey. Lay off.

I thought you were such a strange child.

But you really set me at ease.

Thinking back now,

I drew a lot of different things on my face.

Not sure how I made it as a model.

At the time, he modeled fashions as the first invisible model.

I see! He did!

Back then, pretty much the only jobs for invisible people

were secret agent stuff or stuff here at home.

I was curious about the big city, so I packed a bag and went there.

Huh?

There's never been an invisible person model before...

I can see some appeal in showing off the outfit's lining...

Could be pretty cool.

But only for a moment.