The Alliance of the 15s Part 2 (pg 49-103)

Chapter 2

        After school on Friday, Tetsuya once again showed up in the music room.
        “I’m counting on you to tape tomorrow’s game too, you know that, right?”
        “I know. I’m charging the batteries right now.”
        Next to the grand piano were the video camera and tripod. Tetsuya gazed at them curiously as he asked, “Hey, how do you tape videos with this thing?”
        “You look into the viewfinder and just press the button.”
        “Oh, so it’s pretty simple, huh?”
        He took the video camera into his hands and crouched down.
        “If you think it’s so easy, why don’t you tape your own game?”

The Alliance of the 15s Part 1 (pg 1-48)

Chapter 1

        As I was playing Ravel’s “Pavane for a Dead Princess” in the music room, the door suddenly slammed open, and a tall male student sauntered into the room.
        “Are you Kitazawa?”
        He said in my direction in an arrogant tone.
        I nodded silently.
        “I have a favour to ask. Mind taping tomorrow’s game?”
        The way he said it, it sounded less like a favour and more like a demand. I knew of him; he was Hanege Tetsuya, the ace of the baseball team. He had prominent cheekbones and mature features.
        “There’s a camcorder in the music room, isn’t there?”
        “Yeah, there is.”
        “I’ve already gotten permission from Ms. Miyasaka. She told me that you know how to use it. I’ve got an important game tomorrow, so help me out, will you?”
        “I have plans tomorrow.”
        “What kind of plans?”
        “I have my listening lesson tomorrow.”
        “Oh?”

Working Status

UPDATED: March 29, 2013

Hello readers!

Just a quick update to let you know I am chipping away at the second chapter of “The Alliance of the 15s”.

I went on a week long trip last week (to Tokyo and Osaka!) so I didn’t have any time to work on this, but have no fear! I have about 15 more pages left to go and if things go as planned, it should be finished, proofread and posted by mid-April.

I hope you are enjoying the beautiful spring weather!

-Aya

When You Press the Switch by Yamada Yuusuke

Title: Switch wo Osu Toki [When You Press the Switch]
Author: Yamada Yuusuke
Published: 2005
Translated by: Aya M.
Summary:
To combat the rising suicide rate particularly among the youth, the Japanese government decides to set up the “Youth Suicide Control Group Project.”

In this yearly experiment, a group of randomly selected youth are isolated from the outside world, handed a red button which would allow them to end their lives, and are then placed in high stress environments.

Minami Youhei, a 27 year old who was one of the few chosen to supervise this project, is recently transferred to the facility that houses a group of four who have yet to press their switches even after seven years. When most children pressed their buttons not even a year into the experiment, what is it that makes them want to continue to live despite the bleakness of their future?

Alliance of the 15s by Mita Masahiro

Title: Alliance of the 15s
Author: Mita Masahiro
Published: 1991
Translated by: Aya M.
Summary:
Ryoichi, a soft-spoken and quiet fifteen year old, meets Naomi, a young girl who is battling a life-threatening illness through her childhood friend, Tetsuya, who is the ace player of their school’s baseball team.

As they become closer, she opens up to him about her fears and secrets, and he also comes to deeply care for her. But one day when he visits her at the hospital, she suddenly asks him: “Why don’t we commit a double suicide?”…

Lemon Incest Chapter 16 (pg 301-306) end

Chapter 16:

        “The moon looks beautiful tonight.”
        His words made me turn towards the lapis lazuli-coloured sky which was partly obscured by the tall buildings of the city. Through the windshield I could see the brilliant glow of the white moon; it was a sixteen day old moon.
        “It really is beautiful,” I agreed. “The last time we went to Yokohama, it was raining so I’m surprised it’s so clear today.”
        He nodded, and gave a brief glance my way.
        “What is it?”
        “Nothing. I was just thinking how beautiful you are.”
        “Well, aren’t you the smooth-talker.”
        I couldn’t think of what else to say. I wanted to make a light-hearted joke, but nothing came to mind.

Lemon Incest Chapter 15 (pg 287-301)

Chapter 15:

        Misao had begun to think as of late that all her fears were unfounded. At the very least, her efforts to think that way had begun to succeed.
        There was no need for her to waste her time thinking of such frivolous things. It must just be that Mio and Shougo were trying to fill the hole that was left behind from having been separated after twenty four years, and that was why they were suddenly so close.
        Mio’s striking change was proof of that. In a short amount of time, she had lost any excess weight and it was replaced by a rich sparkle to her eyes. You could say that kind change is an aspect typical of a woman in love, but it could also be something that could have come from the psychological shock of Shougo coming into her life. Now that she thought back to this past year as a whole, she could see that Mio was beginning to settle down, and it was clear that she was beginning to take into serious consideration her plans for the future.