1. "Great choice! Western music is all the rage with choirs these days."
2. "Oh! This is what you went with?"
4. "Oh... Well..."
5. "I'd like to at least check with tomita-san."
6. "I haven't gotten anyone else's input yet, though."
8. "Uh, sure..."
9. "Okay!"
10. "Make copies for the rest of the class, would you? Thanks!"
11. "Wha?!"
12. "I'm sure we can just go with this!"
13. "Huh?"
14. "I'm told tomita-san..."
15. "...is going to be absent for a while."
Memuatkan…Memuatkan…
Memuatkan…Memuatkan…
1. "...is ebony and ivory by paul mccartney and stevie wonder."
2. "...the song we'll be doing..."
3. "So, um..."
4. "Huh!"
5. "Try to read up on what the lyrics mean, too."
6. "...please make sure you get a copy of the cd or listen to it online."
7. "Lame!"
8. "Western music?"
9. "Before we start practice..."
10. "..."
11. "It'll help if you can get familiar with the song ahead of time."
1. "Up to you. Later."
2. "I don't want to be here any more than you do."
3. "Did she ditch us?"
4. "Wait..."
5. "No, no..."
6. "Tomita-san..."
7. "That's all!"
8. "Oh, y-yes!"
9. "..."
10. "Is that all?"
11. Heck, I hope we'll be all right!
12. I hope she'll be all right...
1. "Nice pick, saki-chan."
2. "Did you already know about it before?"
3. "I mean, yeah, it's in english, but it's nice and slow. I think we can swing this!"
4. "I like this song!"
5. "Hey..."
6. "..."
7. "Wow!"
8. "No! Miura-sensei just happened to have a song-book with him, and I found it in there!"
9. "It is what it is, I guess..."
10. "Ah."
11. "She told me... ...she can lip-sync."
12. "What's kanon-chan gonna do?"
1. "We're at an all-girls school."
2. "Why a guy?"
3. "Oops..."
4. "I was thinking back to middle school."
5. "It's not like when one of the guys gets bored and just starts mouthing along!"
6. "Y-yeah, that's right!"
7. ...but if that's her only option...
8. I wish she didn't have to...
9. "You're singing ebony and ivory?"
10. "Oh!"
11. ...but isn't there a way kanon can participate?
12. I know there isn't much we can do...
13. "Uh..."
14. "What's with the laugh?"
15. "Someone has good taste..."
16. "Heh heh heh."
1. "No, not at all."
2. "I didn't suggest any particular song."
3. "What? So it was your idea, miura-sensei?!"
4. "Well, you see..."
5. "...I'm the one who lent kindaichi-san the book where she found that song."
6. "Ebony and ivory was their way of reflecting on society without being too pushy with the message."
7. "The story behind the song is, paul wrote it and reached out to stevie about collaborating."
8. ...that stevie wonder lost his sight right after he was born.
9. "You know, I looked it up online."
10. "That's when I found out..."
11. "..."
12. "Huh."
1. "He wrote a song at the age of eleven that got picked up by a record label, he debuted at twelve, and since then, he's written one hit after another. Some of them are even famous here in japan. Songs like isn't she lovely, I just called to say I love you... Mind you, he's also an excellent pianist. Just listen to him playing on ebony and ivory! Between him and a multi-instrumentalist like paul mccartney, they could probably make a whole orchestra by themselves!"
2. "Uh..."
3. "I see..."
4. He really knows his stuff.
5. "That's exactly right."
6. "Also..."
7. "...and to champion accessibility¹ for people with disabilities."
8. "Needless to say, he's one of the most successful artists of all time."
9. "He's used his global fame to fight discrimination and poverty..."
10. "I think you'll find it quite engaging."
11. "I can lend you his biography, if you like."
1. "It might also inform how you approach your I-novel. Speaking of which, how's that coming?"
2. "Uhh... I've had some... Stuff going on. So I haven't really..."
3. "Mom?"
1. "But first..."
2. "Kanon? What is it?"
3. "Hurry up and take a bath."
4. "Yeah."
5. "Could you come here a minute?"
6. "I will."
1. "What?"
2. "Mom..."
3. "You mean by paul mccartney and stevie wonder?"
4. "Do you know the song ebony and ivory?"
5. "What's this all about?"
6. "Really, now, kanon."
7. "Mom."
8. "But I don't understand what that—"
9. "Yes, I do!"
10. "Oh, you know it? Great."
11. "I want you to listen."
12. "I'm going to sing it now."
1. ""Hey, mom!""
1. "Really? What song was it? Let mommy hear!"
2. "It used the canon progression!"
3. "It's the song we sang in music class today!"
4. "Listen!"
5. "What'd you think?"
1. "My singing!"
2. "Was I singing?"
3. "I mean, did I do it right?"
4. "Mom!"
5. "Were you even listening?!"
6. "Uh..."
7. "Oh!"
8. "Of course. What did I think... about what?"
9. "Here."
10. "What score?"
11. "I memorized everything from the score..."
12. "Lyrics, melody, tempo... but I wasn't sure if..."
13. "...and our class is singing this for the choir contest."
14. "The school festival's right at the start of second semester..."
15. Ebony and Ivory
16. —128—
1. "...I decided I actually want to join in."
2. "But saki's going to accompany us on the piano, and she picked the song..."
3. "And when I looked into the lyrics... Like, what they mean..."
4. "At first, I was just gonna mouth along."
5. "That seemed like a good plan."
6. "In that case..."
7. "I see."
8. "Don't hold back!"
9. "So I want you to tell me how I did!"
10. "It was terrible!"
11. "First, the tempo!"
12. "You were rushing right from the start!"
1. "...is the whole concept of a choir."
2. "But your most basic issue..."
3. "If you're going to sing in English..."
4. "...you'd better get the words right!"
5. "Next, pronunciation!"
6. "Your musical sense is superb, and I'm not just saying that because I'm your mother."
7. "If it were only a matter of diction and tempo..."
8. "...I'm confident you could fix the problems with enough work."
9. "However!"
10. "It's not just volume, timbre, and balance... it's the off-key notes, too."
11. "Sure, you have to follow the conductor and the accompanist, but first, you have to harmonize with each other."
12. "In a choir, everyone has to sing together."
13. "Which is both good and bad."
1. "I'd almost forgotten..."
2. "Yup... you're a fiend, all right..."
3. "You told me not to hold back."
4. "...or they'll have to match you."
5. "Those are the only two options."
6. "If you try to keep up with music you can't hear..."
7. "...you'll either get it wrong and throw everyone else off..."
8. "But..."
1. "...as your mother..."
2. "...I couldn't be happier to hear you say you want to be part of this."
3. "I don't need anything else."
1. "...I'd never get to hear you sing again."
2. "Oh, kanon. I was starting to think..."
3. Singing in a group isn't going to be easy.
4. I kind of figured.
5. "Thanks for listening, mom."
6. "Of course."
1. ...that mom said what she did.
2. I'm glad...
3. "Huh?"
4. But I don't want to give up. Not yet.
5. ...but I guess I'm actually pretty stubborn.
6. "It just hit me..."
7. They should get knocked down to begin with!
8. Why should you have to get over any barriers?!
1. "Saki's a real character..."
2. "...isn't she?"
3. Heh!
4. "Why would I think of that now?"
5. "..."
6. "It's almost like being with Saki..."
7. "...makes me realize stuff I hadn't before..."
8. "...and see sides of myself I didn't know were there."
9. "...I'm sure I wouldn't be trying to sing now."
10. "If I hadn't met her..."
11. "...and she's already this huge part of my life!"
12. Hee hee!
13. Gosh!
14. "It's barely been six months..."
1. "Ahh... I guess she's not the only one who goes overboard..."
2. "I might like her way too much, myself."
3. I just can't get into it... I keep thinking about kanon!
1. After all...
2. ...so I'd better do it!
3. I have my own stuff to do...
4. No! Stop!
5. ...I'm the one who picked this song.
6. And that means I'm gonna practice...
7. ...until I get it right.
1. Three days later.
2. "Tomita-san... She's still not here today?"
1. "Hey..."
2. Why do tomita-san and her friends have to be so... Aggressive?
3. "Do you have a sec?"
4. "What?"
5. "Yeah?"
6. "Uh..."
1. "I asked Sekiguchi-sensei, but she wouldn't tell me what's going on."
2. "We can't start practice without our conductor."
3. "You're friends with Tomita-san, right?"
4. "Um..."
5. "Have you talked with her at all recently?"
6. "I'm worried."
7. "She doesn't even read our texts."
8. "But she won't answer her phone. We don't know any more than you do."
9. "Yeah. We tried to get in touch with her."
10. "Aw, well..."
11. Tomita
12. "She said, 'Leave me alone.'"
13. "Huh?! Why?!"
14. "See? She read mine."
15. "Really?"
1. Is she really fine, though?
2. Some- thing tells me she's not...
3. "Well, that's good..."
4. "It is not good!"
5. "Why would she ignore me?!"
6. "She said what now?!"
7. "So, y'know. At least she's not dead."
8. "...I have an announce- ment."
9. "All right."
10. "Let's start home- room."
11. "Before we begin..."
1. "Due to personal reasons..."
2. "...tomita-san will be absent..."
3. "...for the rest of the semester."
4. "..."
5. "She asked that I keep the details private."
6. Is she in the hospital or something?
7. "..."
8. "Sensei!"
9. "...but it's not a sure thing yet."
10. "She might be back after summer break..."
11. "...tomita-san has decided..."
12. "Since she won't be back for the foreseeable future... Now."
1. "... To withdraw as conductor for the choir contest."
2. "That means we need to choose someone else."
3. "If anyone would like to volunteer..."
4. "... Please see me after cl-"
1. "But please don't feel obligated to participate."
2. "I... Appreciate your enthusiasm."
3. "Given the, er, situation, I think we all understand if you..."
4. "O..."
5. "Oikawa-san?"
6. "Ahem! So, any other volunteers?"
7. "..."
8. "Well..."
9. "...I guess that settles it."
10. "..."
1. "Oikawa-san..."
2. "...is our new conductor."
3. "Saki?"
4. "Hey, better than her singing."
5. "Now I'm kinda worried..."
6. "I mean, oikawa-san conducting?"
7. "Yeah, but still..."
1. "Wha?"
2. "What'd you think when I volunteered to be conductor?"
3. "Bet you weren't expecting that, huh?!"
4. Heck...
5. "Ha ha ha!"
6. "I know, I know."
7. "But you're the one who said it!"
8. "What?!"
9. "...neither was I!"
1. "My arm..."
2. "But it caught me off guard."
3. "...just shot up on its own!"
4. "Like, for real."
5. "...If I'm the conductor, then I can actually be a part of this!"
6. "But..."
7. "I almost panicked."
8. "...only for a second."
9. "See, I realized..."
10. "I calmed down once my brain had a chance to catch up."
1. "...I've got a better shot at that than singing."
2. "But..."
3. "I should know!"
4. "...and for what it's worth, conducting's no walk in the park!"
5. "My dad does it for a living!"
6. "And besides..."
7. "I can keep time by watching everyone's mouths."
8. "...I'll have you, saki."
9. "Right there at the piano."
1. "I can keep in step if it's with you."
2. "I know I can!"
3. Yeah! I can't back out now!
4. "You're really doing this?"
5. "..."
1. "If we're going to do this, let's do it right."
2. "Couldn't have said it better!"
3. "Then no one can complain!"
4. "Besides, it's almost summer break."
5. "No. It'd be a pain getting permission."
6. "Go to the music room and practice every day?"
7. "So what's the plan?"
8. "Oh, shoot! The bell rang!"
9. "We're late!"
10. "We should-"
1. ...
2. Those two!
3. "...but we've got no choice!"
4. "Agh..."
5. "Ladies! No running in the hallway!"
6. "Sorry, sir!"
7. Once they're off and running with an idea, I don't think anyone can stop them.
2. Bronson, Fred, with Jun Kamachi, ed. The Billboard Book of Number 1 Hits, vol. 2: 1971-1985 . Ongaku no Tomo Shuppan.
3. Haga, Yuuko and Karin Matsumori, eds., with manga by Sayo Takeshima. Yuuko to Karin no baria furii komyunikeishon (Yuko's and Karin's Barrier-Free Communication). Shogakukan Inc.
4. Organization for Psychological Issues of the Hard of Hearing, ed. Nanchousha to chuuto shicchousha no shinrigaku: kikoenikusa wo kakaete ikiru (Psychology of the Late-Deafened and Hard of Hearing: Living with Hearing Loss). Kamogawa Shuppan Inc.
5. Outani, Kunio. Mimi no kikoenai hito, omoroi yan! to omowazu icchau hon (A Book That Will Leave You Thinking, "Deaf People Are So Interesting!"). Seikosha Inc.
6. Shirai, Kazuo, Teruo Koami, and Yayoi Satou, eds. Nanchouji/seito rikai handobukku: tsuujou no gakkyuu de oshieru sensei he (Understanding Children and Students with Hearing Loss: A Handbook for Teachers in Regular Education). Gakuensha Inc.
7. Wakinaka, Kiyoko. Choukaku shougaisha kyouiku: kore made to kore kara. Komyunikeishon ronsou/kyuusai no kabe/shougai ninshiki wo chuushin ni (Education for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing: Past and Present. With a Focus on Communications Theory, the "Age-Nine Barrier," and Disability Awareness). Kitaohji Shobo Inc.
8. Yamaguchi, Toshikatsu. Chuuto shicchousha to nanchousha no sekai: mikake wa kenjousha, kizukarenai shougaisha (The World of the Late-Deafened and Hard of Hearing: Outward Normalcy, Hidden Disability). Hitotsubashi Shuppan Inc.
9. See you next volume!
1. "They should get knocked down to begin with!"
2. "Why should you have to get over any barriers?!"
3. ...I didn't know what she meant.
4. To be perfectly honest...
5. I'd always thought it was up to me...
6. They should get knocked down?
7. After all...
8. ...to get over them.
9. ...I'd never even looked at it that way.
2. "Dad: I just heard!"
3. "DAD?"
4. "YIKES."
5. "MOM ALREADY TOLD HIM?"
6. NEWS TRAVELS FAST!
7. "Mom told me you're conducting at the school choir contest."
8. "Between you and me, she was THRILLED."
9. "..."
10. "I'm pretty happy myself!"
11. "If you have any trouble at all, let me know. Conducting isn't as straightforward as it looks!"
1. "I don't know why they're getting so worked up."
2. "All I said was I'm gonna conduct."
3. "I can't believe this!"
4. "They should get knocked down to begin with!"
5. It didn't make any sense to me when she said it...
6. "Yeah."
1. AND YET AS I LET THE WORDS SINK IN...
2. ...I FEEL A HAPPY GLOW SPREADING THROUGH ME...
4. "I'm pretty happy myself!"
5. "If you have any trouble at all, let me know. Conducting isn't as straightforward as it looks!"
7. "Thanks!"
8. "I think Saki and I got this."
1. Author's Notes
2. ¹That is, making it possible for everyone to acquire information and use facilities and transportation services regardless of disability.
1. Translation Notes
2. Prince of Ping-Pong, p. 39
3. A play on The Prince of Tennis, a manga by Takeshi Konomi that ran in Weekly Shonen Jump from 1999 to 2008. The reference involves not only the title of the series, visible on the cover of the book in this panel, but also the affectionate nickname by which Tanabe refers to it. She calls it Taku-Puri (a contraction of Takkyuu Purinsu [i.e., Prince]), just as fans of Konomi's manga refer to it as Teni-Puri.
4. I-Novel, p. 49
5. Known as watakushi-shousetsu in Japanese, the I-novel is a type of confessional, often semi-autobiographical book featuring a first-person narrator. The I-novel as a literary movement emerged in the twentieth century, giving rise to works such as Osamu Dazai's 1948 book No Longer Human. While the word shousetsu is often translated as "novel," in Japanese the term can also encompass short stories, novellas, etc. Presumably, Miura-sensei is referring to a short story when he encourages Kanon to write something in the vein of an I-novel.
6. The Canon progression, p. 127
7. A chord progression made famous by Johann Pachelbel's Canon in D. The progression has been used in a host of pop songs since the 1970s, making it instantly recognizable even to those without musical training.
The Moon on a Rainy Night 4
Kodansha Digital Edition
The Moon on a Rainy Night 4 copyright 2023 Kuzushiro
English translation copyright 2024 Kuzushiro
All rights reserved.
First published in Japan in 2023 by Kodansha Ltd., Tokyo.
Electronic publishing rights for this English edition arranged through Kodansha Ltd., Tokyo.
No portion of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without written permission from the copyright holders.
English digital edition published by Kodansha USA Publishing, LLC, New York.
ISBN: 9798889335313
Digital Edition: 1.0.0
Translator: Kevin Steinbach
Letterer: Jamil Stewart
Editor: Andres Oliver
Managing Editor: Dasia Payne
Production Manager: Claire Kerker
Kodansha USA Publishing edition cover design by Phil Balsman
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