Why do you want to die? A beautiful person like you.
It’s necessary for me to die.
Your tears are the proof of how you’ve not yet lost hope in the world.
Jin-san painted me.
I feel like the me in that painting is forgiven for existing.
“The I Portrait” by popular artist Aoyama Jin, representative of Japan, is his masterpiece.
The model of that series is Izumi-san.
This is the new piece of “The I Portrait”
I’m not there.
Goodbye Izumi.
I can’t paint you anymore.
Please give my paintings strength by being my model.
Let’s go to Florence together.
From now on I will be the place for you to turn to.
My happiness is making pastry on off days.
Happiness is when choux paste you made swells up perfectly.
The meaning of happiness is different for each person.
But come to think of it, everyone has the right to be happy.
Yes, this is it.
I think Tsune should be more honest.
Or else happiness will escape.
Say it clearly if you like Akamatsu-sensei.
NOOO!!!
Stop being violent! Be nice!
Viva being dumped!
A beautiful farewell party to the ex-lover!
Yes, we finally put an end to Izumi-san being the on-going affair of a married man.
As expected, she was discarded like a rag by Aoyama Jin-sensei without problems.
Wait! Can’t you say something more encouraging?
- Let’s toast then! - Cheers!
Aren’t you gonna drink?
Izumi-san doesn’t drink.
How about tea?
No. I will drink.
Kawai Shunichi, Fujifilm block! *Kawai Shunichi is a former volleyball athlete*
Nice block!
I’m sorry.
It seems I can’t drink.
I’ll go wipe my face.
Poor girl.
If she got completely drunk then at least for a while she could forget about Jin-sensei.
You, on the inside is Kei Unsuku, right. *Kei Unsuku is a popular enka artist in the 80s*
Eh? You got me!
Yosh! How about we go karaoke?
Let's do Ohguro Maki’s medley “Boys are Soap Bubbles!”
What is that?
Let's go to Ageha in Shinkiba and stay up all night!
You still go to junior high, don’t you?
Look look!
What’s that?
What's wrong?
Tsune-chan..
Would you cut my hair?
Looking in the mirror, I am the same girl as Jin-san’s “I” painting.
It makes me remember many things.
Even if it’s just on the outside, I want to become something different from the “I.”
Yosh. Let’s do a mohawk.
Yes, we have no choice.
No way.
If we do a normal short cut, she’ll conversely be more popular.
Go bald, so her beautiful shape will really stand out.
Hey, everyone..
Well, please wait, ladies & gentlemen.
If you try to make her less popular by doing a mohawk, it will be trouble during shopping or job hunting.
Yes, that’s correct.
I, Vidal Sassoon, have a suggestion. *Vidal Sassoon is a British hairdresser, famous for his hairstyle creation, the wedge bob*
Not caught in latest trends, being universally individual.
And the symbol for independent women who don’t fawn over men.
Yukine’s short style. *Hyodo Yuki is a Japanese talent & essayist*
No way, no matter how..
I’m doing it.
Izumi-san, please calm down.
What? Mega-matsu?
Yukine’s famous guide “Grief Broken Heart Bus Tour” concept was..
Izumi-san.
Will you be able to forget Jin-sensei if you cut your hair?
You won’t, right.
You can stay as you are now.
I’m..
I can paint you more beautiful than Aoyama Jin did.
So, let’s go to Florence..
Izumi-san, congratulations!
I heard you’re going to Florence with a talented new painter?
Please take care of Izumi.
Actually, not yet..
Florence is the best!
Jin-san also brought me there when he won the Rookie of the Year award.
Jin-san bought me my engagement ring on Vecchio Bridge,
and then Jin-san proposed to me at San Giovanni Plaza,
and after that we both made our vow of love.
Oi, now you’re just adding insult to injury. Stop it!
Then let me ask,
what about my injury?
When Izumi-san and Jin-san were enjoying their artistic activities,
did you know what I went through?
All I did was go shopping!!
Using the money earned from his lover’s nudity!
I cannot even keep my pride by not using it!
Yeah that is my quality, I got no pride!
Hey, it’s already over!
It’s over, it’s over, you say!
But I also have to rebuild again from the start! Stupid!
A wife who got cheated on has no time to cry.
From now on, I have to do everything to make over my broken marriage.
Izumi-san, do you understand?
You have crushed my life
I have thought this many times.
That it would be better..
if you just disappeared.
“...if you just disappeared.”
You could cry doing that.
I’m sorry.
Izumi-san..
I’m a human that shouldn’t exist.
I should have died back then.
"Izumi-san, due to her beauty has caused an outrageous event back in her hometown."
"She hurt the most important person she liked so much."
"That person’s words to Izumi-san were,"
“It would be better if you just disappeared.”
Izumi-san, what happened in the past?
Would you please tell me.
It wouldn’t help anything if you knew.
I want to be able to help her!
Please tell me.
Wait a minute!
If you want to tell it, then make it presentable.
It happened in a really hot summer.
But why did it turn like Inagawa Junji’s Ghost Story Night? *Name of famous radio show*
Because the story is dreadful like that.
Red Wedding Dress incident?
Are you ready?
I am!
Tessy foo!
Who called you?
Due to my profession I’m sensitive to the smell of this case.
You never ever act like a policeman.
- Well, shall we listen to the story about the past and so on.. - Please don’t interrupt.
My family business was managing a ryokan. *Ryokan is a Japanese inn*
It started.
But mother left and business was bad,
and father had been driven into a corner.
"You are the only one who can save your father."
"Izumi is pretty."
"Come on, take off your uniform."
"Now, smile brightly like SPEED does."
"Let’s start."
"One two three four!"
"That’s wrong."
"You’re doing it wrong."
"Whatever the song is you’ve got to dance like Hitoe-chan does." *one of SPEED’s member*
"If you can’t do it you can’t enter actor school."
"I can’t do it.
"Why?"
"Why you can’t be like Hitoe-chan?"
"Father, sister won’t be able to do it."
"She can’t sing or dance, plus she doesn’t like being in front of people."
"If Izumi becomes an idol, our house will be saved from bankruptcy."
"But she has entrance exams next year."
"A beautiful person doesn’t need to attend high school."
"I’m going to compete in the prefecture soccer tournament.."
"..would you like to come and see?"
"Not again."
"I’ll tell off those girls in the class."
"It’s okay."
"Konno, you must not give up on your life."
"I’m sure there are ways for you to be happy."
"Going to school is one of them."
"Study harder than anyone else and get away from this town."
"Then find yourself a job that you like, what do you think?"
"Together we will try to persuade your father, okay?"
"Sensei.."
"But there is another way to be happy."
"Getting married to me and loving each other forever!"
"Konno! I will take care of you my whole life!"
"Konno! I love you!"
"Konno! Konno!"
"It was all your fault."
"Bring back Omori-sensei!"
"You’re a slut! Bitch!"
"The harassing phone-calls won’t stop."
"That’s enough!"
"Hm? Actor school? Eh?"
"She passed? Izumi got in? Hooray!"
"Are you really going to Okinawa?"
"Father will come back soon."
"If want you to escape, now is the time."
"Nozomi.."
"Go to Tokyo."
"I heard there are a lot of pretty girls in Tokyo."
"You won’t stand out anymore."
"But.."
"You don’t have a place you belong to, right."
"I’ve been told many things at school."
"You are so beautiful, even serious teachers are crazy about you."
- Compared to her little sister.. - Stop it.
"Even though we’re siblings, we’re so different."
"Goodbye, Sis."
And then, three years ago..
came a mail from her that she will get married.
Time for the climax.
And three years ago..
came a mail from my little sister, saying that she will get married.
Finally the climax.
She said I don’t have to come to her wedding.
Because father has still not given up on making me an idol.
But I..
I wanted to congratulate her in person, no matter what.
"Congratulations!"
"Thank you for coming today for my daughter."
"Oh right. We received saffron cod the other day from grandmother in Tomakomai."
"Though unfortunately she couldn’t attend today."
"Konno? Is Konno coming? Konno?"
“Getting married to me and loving each other forever!”
"What do you think?"
"You are the most beautiful person in the world."
"Satoshi-san."
"Nozomi."
"Sister."
"Thank god I could meet you."
"At a wedding, apart from the bride, no one should wear a white dress."
"Is that so?" "I’m sorry. I didn’t know that."
"Why did you come?"
"Why of all days did you come today?"
"Satoshi-san."
"The ceremony will start soon."
"Can you take the vow?"
"Can you swear in front of God, until death do us part, you will continue loving your bride?"
"Yes, I swear."
"I will love you all my live.."
"Since I was a kid, I’ve been praying to God every night."
"Please make me be pretty like you."
"Please make me be kind like you."
"I knew it was impossible, but kept wishing."
"Sister.."
"..it would be better if you just disappeared. "
Everyone, please tell me your impressions.
- Yes. - Please.
I think the white dress that Izumi-san wore caused her sister to beat the groom to death.
Eh? He’s not dead, right? He isn’t dead, right?
Izumi-san, having no female friends who would ever invite her to a wedding ceremony, didn’t know of such a general rule, I think.
Wonderful point of view. Anyone else?
Even though her little sister was plain, she beat the one spouse she had found to death.
He isn’t dead, right?
But shortly after that incident, Izumi-san met and fell in love with a really good guy like Jin-sensei, which is lucky in a way, right!
The deviation value of love is too different between those two sisters.
That’s what it is!
And then, to the anticipated new star, Tessy, go ahead.
Hmm.. I think.
In the end, an ugly woman wearing a wedding dress is still ugly nonetheless.
Ah, I can’t with this man.
Or the ugliness will stand out even more. Look! The white cannot hide anything.
Disgusting. This guy’s the worst.
Thank you for all your unreserved comments.
In this incident, the bride has viciously hit the bridegroom
till he was beaten to death, becoming an unprecedented case.
You just wanted to say ‘beat to death’, didn’t you?
Putting it shortly, it’s a relief that we didn’t have to witness such an event.
But thanks to that incident we were able to meet Izumi-san.
You’re trying to see the good side in this..
But he got beaten to death with a vase!
Kyaa! Stop it with the ‘beat dead’ thing!
I wonder if we should find Izumi-san’s sister?
What would you do if you find her?
I guess she might have met a new partner and is living happily.
If we found that out, then Izumi-san too could move on a little, maybe.
But we cannot contact her parent’s house.
What should we do..
There is one way.
Eh? There is?
Yeah.
Before that let me ask you one thing.
What’s the point of doing it?
Is it for you wanting to take Izumi-san to Florence?
I just want..
Izumi-san to be happy.
Okay.
I want Izumi-san be to happy too.
What an elegant aroma.
The flavor of berries with innocence left.
Just like Izumi-san.
The next one-man exhibition is in 3 months.
This is the first exhibition since the end of the “I” series,
so the expectation is quite high.
The front cover of the magazine has already been decided.
The way it is right now we will also go bankrupt.
To that person the “I” is a treasure.
It might be over for him.
For real? After working at a bank, Nozomi-san is now working in a snack bar in this kind of run-down place?
A regular in our restaurant is a ryokan association member and main source for gossip. She couldn’t be wrong.
Err, why are you coming along?
Ah, don’t mind me.
I am just curious about how ugly Izumi’s little sister is.
You are truly horrible!
Oh, that shop!
Sorry. Could you lend me twenty thousand?
I don’t have any more money to give to you.
What did you say!?
Such an impudent woman. Do I have to slap you!
Don’t make Nozomi-chan cry!
Eh? This is.. Her sister quite obviously has sunk low.
What should we do? She isn’t living a happy life.
What happened to her in those three years?
She hit the groom, breaking of the engagement, the ryokan went bankrupt, was burdened with loans, went to the city and started working in the nightlife business, got entangled with a bad man, and ended up worn out, right?
Yes. That’s probably correct. You guys, go verify this!
OK.
You're going?
I’ll have whiskey. And beer for my little brother.
Okay. Beer please.
You two don't look alike at all.
I know right!
This guy has curly hair, is an otaku and is only drawing obscene paintings every day.
No, I’m not!
Having such a disappointing lil brother causes me many troubles.
I also have a big sister that doesn’t resemble me at all.
- Hm? - Wait-wait!
What kind of person is she?
Her appearance and heart are really lovely.
- Oh, everyone! - Your friends?
I am Tokiko-mama from Miroir snack bar in Ginza.
I’m Komomo, nice to meet you!
The usual please.
Who are you? What kind of setting is that now?
Ah, my regular customer. Tsune-san, 48 years old.
Don’t mind us, please continue. And I’ll have a high-ball.
Oolong tea for me.
The usual.
Err, the sister you mentioned just now, where is she?
I don’t know. I didn’t contact her.
Why?
Well, a lot of things happened in the past.
How can we understand that ug..
Tessy! Hush!
Today, each time you said ugly, you have to pay one thousand yen, kay!
Then I’ll give you fifty thousand. I can say it fifty times right!
How badly do you want to say it!?
Err.. Nozomi-san..
Why do you know my name?
To tell you the truth.
We’re friends of your sister, Izumi-san.
- I’m her ex-boyfriend. - When was that!
These people?
Ahh, don’t mind them.
Nozomi-san, your sister has lost her will to live.
She’s still regretting what happened with you.
Why don’t you try talking with her?
Hey, wait!
There are conversations you can’t have unless you get drunk.
Mama-san, please let me reserve the place for tonight?
Ah, for the charge, Tsune-san will pay.
No problem at all.
Ahh! I’ve been dreaming to play “Sludge Women” in a real snack bar! *Nukarumi no Onna is a popular tv drama in the 90’s*
That’s what you want!?
Then, I’ll be Hoshi Yuriko. *Hoshi Yuriko is the lead actress of Nukarumi no Onna*
You can’t!
Akamatsu-sensei?
Sister?
Nozomi?
It’s been a while.
I’ve been wanting to apologise to you,
- I’m sorry. Please forgive.. - Sis..
Do you remember Valentine’s Day when I was in second year of junior high?
That time I gave my classmate Nakamura-kun chocolate.
But Nakamura-kun instead..
gave you cookies on White Day, right.
I didn’t get anything.
I’m sorry, I really didn’t kno..
Ogawa-kun from Biology Club..
I really liked him.
He said this to me..
“Humans are just an assemble of cells.”
“That’s why the quality of appearance is a concept that does not exist in biology.”
He said a good thing, right?
But I saw it.
The way Ogawa-kun was looking at your hair.
Contrary to what he said, Ogawa-kun was a complete pervert in the end.
I see.
Meaning in the microscopic world, he got sexually aroused.
I am not even a match for a single one of your hair.
Indeed.
That is because..
Kouno-senpai from baseball club.
He wanted to be a pro-baseball player, the people in town were supporting him.
He said this to me..
“You’re the sister of Konno, so why are you so ugly?”
Well, you are.
I wonder if Izumi-san will be alright.
It is now already episode 31.
We want her to move on but..
Yeah, got the opposite effect right?
Nozomi, I really don’t know anything.
I am sorry.
What should I do?
You shouldn’t do anything.
You are not to blame for anything.
Even on that day.
Satoshi-san fell for you on his own accord.
You were really beautiful.
With that white dress, you were sparkling as if wrapped up in light.
Everyone would just fall in love, right?
And forget a not so pretty bride like me.
No, it’s not that you’re not pretty, but ugly..
Go home!
Do you know what Satoshi-san’s doing now?
Satoshi-san’s now..
a bard somewhere..
near Sky Tree.
He believes that doing that, someday he would be able to meet you.
I wonder if that injury to his head caused his oddness.
I wonder why it turned out like this..
That’s right..
Maybe because you are beautiful?
Izumi-san..
go to Florence.
Let Akamatsu-sensei paint you there.
Then, I am sure..
you will find again your will to live.
Tsune-chan..
What is the “I” series!
People who don’t understand keep pushing me to paint.
So beautiful.
Beautiful.
translation & typesetting: cha2maruko
translation check: komorebi
timing: fanofta
final check: chuckles0505
This is a free fansub: not for sale, rent, or auction