Chapter 34: Anxiety

Karin is worried and anxious over what she saw in the anime cafe.

### Transition Milestones

Karin begins to doubt and worry over her relationship with both male Minami, and female Karii Maki. She hints of jealousy towards Chiyoko.

### Relationship Evolution

Karin's efforts to date and ship with Minami / Karii Maki take a step backward, as Karin becomes overwhelmed with anxiousness and jealousy.

### Skills Learned

Karin get a big dose of honest loving concern and a lesson in maturity from her Mom, that is, if she decides to follow the good advice.

### Lessons Learned

What you see is what you get---but not always !

ANXIETY

CHAPTER 34 OF THE MANGA

 ( Part 2 of the Karin Becomes Suspicious Story Arc )

## Previously

Karin many times has seen male Minami interact with the Club President, Chiyoko, during the club sessions held after school. Nothing to write home about ! Everything is on the 'up and up'. However, one day during summer break Karin is invited to go out with a very bored male Minami. However, she declines. Later that day she, by pure coincidence, sees male Minami and Chiyoko having fun together at an anime cafe, apparently on a date. What gives ???

## Chapter Overview

Karin sees male Minami and Chiyoko seemingly on a date together, and really having fun at an anime cafe. Karin takes time to spy on them, and what she sees does not sit well with her. At home in her bedroom, she is crying her heart out, with her trust and self-confidence in shambles. When Mom offers dinner, Karin declines, as she is not hungry at this time. Mom picks up on what is eating away at Karin, and offers some wise counsel for her to ponder and meditate on. But how did Mom come to know that Karin is not only infatuated with Minami, but has been trying like hell to get them to date her ? Mom's final advice is for Karin to confront Minami in an honest and respectful way, to find out what it was that she saw. Despite it being late, Karin calls Minami, who is at that very moment trying on pajamas as Karii Maki !

## This Chapter's Story

Karin sees it all !!!

From her vantage point behind a telephone pole, she looks inside the anime cafe through the front picture window, to the table where Minami and Chiyoko are seated. The two sure look like they are on a date together, and *Minami is in male* *mode !* But Minami insists on female mode as Karii Maki whenever they are around me ! Karin thinks to herself that it is terrible that she is spying on them, but now is not the time to second guess herself. Finally, the two leave the cafe out the front door, as Karin continues to gaze. They sure seem to be having a lot of fun together.

But suddenly something unexpected happens to the two. Karin watches in horror as Chiyoko seems to bend forward and place her face and hands upon Minami's chest, as he wraps his arms around her and hugs her ! Karin's eyes grow wide like saucers, and she has a shocked, 'deer in the headlights' stare on her face. Completely flabbergasted ! Karin sees enough, and turns tail and staggers away ! Now with enough time passed for Karin to disappear, Chiyoko disengages from Minami, and apologizes to him for tripping and falling into him !

Karin is in her bedroom, sitting on the bed and hugging her cat plushie for dear life. Tears occasionally stream down her already wet face. Her broken heart tries to piece together what might have happened. Well, she promptly ran away, that's for sure! She can't believe that they would have 'that kind of relationship'! Where did they go after that ? Did they go to Chiyoko's empty apartment ? *Did they hold hands ?* **Did they kiss ?**

" NO ! That's wrong ! And I'm even more wrong for imagining things like that !!! ", Karin's mind and heart scream at her.

She lays back on the bed, and a fresh river of tears bursts loose from her watery eyes. She tells herself that she is being ridiculous ! In a while, Karin's Mom knocks on her bedroom door, to announce that dinner is ready. Karin yells from her bed that she is not hungry! Mom pauses for a few moments, then asks through the closed door if something unpleasant happened to her ? Or did something come between Minami-kun and herself, maybe ? Suddenly, the bedroom door is jerked open from the inside, and Karin peeks out with an stern, angry, 'mind your own business' look upon her wet face.

" Why did you mention ***Minami-kun ???*** ", barks out Karin !

" My, my ! Did I get it right, after all ? ", Mom asks innocently as she thoughtfully places her hand over her mouth.

**"** uh huh ! **"** , squeaks out Karin, as another flood of tears make their way down her streaked face.

Now with Karin sitting on her bed, and Mom sitting on a chair, Mom continues to piece together the unspoken puzzle of what happened to her daughter. Perceptive Mom says that this is about Minami-kun and that *sempai* from the Club, right ? Mom says that there is nothing to worry about.

" HOW CAN YOU SAY SOMETHING LIKE THAT ??? ", screams a very frustrated Karin.

" But, Karin, weren't you also invited, too ? " , inquires Mom.

Continuing with her line of reasoning, Mom mentions that because you couldn't go (see Chapter 33), Minami-kun merely asked *sempai* to go, it's as simple as that. Karin asks why they had to hug one another, since she saw that much ? Mom notes that they were not acting like that all the time up until now. Maybe, just maybe, since Karin was not standing right next to them, maybe Karin misunderstood what happened ? Mom suggests that Karin ask them directly.

" I CAN'T DO THAT !!! ", shouts out Karin !

You can run, but that won't solve anything, intones Mom. Mom states that she knows that Minami-kun is precious to Karin. However, the shipping can't work if the two of you can't face one another in earnest (how did Mom know that Karin has been trying like hell to date and ship with Minami-kun?). Mom further says that it is all right. Minami-kun already holds you dear in his heart, Karin. Mom knows this 'like the back of her hand' (again, Mom knows! But how?)! Mom says to hurry and come to dinner, as she walks out of the bedroom and closes the door.

Alone again in her bedroom, Karin is perplexed. Face each other in earnest, huh ?

At this very moment Minami has morphed into Karii Maki, and is trying on a new set of pajamas in their bedroom, behind locked door. Karii is staring in the full length mirror---

" Look at me in these pajamas ! Wow, I could just explode with cuteness . . . . . . " , Karii thinks to herself.

Suddenly, the ring tone on her iphone goes off. It is a call from Karin . . . . . . . .

## Chapter Lookback and Commentary

Mom knows all about Karin and her possible shipping with male Minami, but can't recall the name of the club where the two spend so much time together. That said, Mom may or may not know that Karin is now an anime girl.

Manga Fan's Commentary
Gekikido / 5 months ago
There needs to be more characters like this mom. A voice of reason that pushes the jealous angry girl through her own mind games. So many just want to jump to the girl being angry for a while, and that's so lame. But no. Karin was given logical reasons for [what happened] and is now breaking her shell and possibly progressing the relationship.

LoliMagician / 8 months ago
Karin [is] best girl!!!

gum\_rummy / 11 months ago
Mom coming in with the great advice.

Mistic-san / 11 months ago
Oh, yeah, it's so funny when the romantic interests are jealous or have a misunderstanding, right? No, it isn't. Realistically, it would be as with Karin here: she knows she's jumping to conclusions, but she can't help it. She feels sad, doubts herself, loses her appetite and is about to cry. Thank the 'god of magical girls' that she doesn't suffer from the "absent parents syndrome" and has a mother who can help her.

Nevos / 11 months ago
A good mother doesn't let her daughter fall for the misunderstanding plot.

fatalystic / 11 months ago
For (potentially) deftly sidestepping a misunderstanding plot, Karin's mom is Mom of the Year.

Nazdrovie / 11 months ago
Keep going, Karin! Don't fall into the misunderstanding pothole! You've got this!

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(Click on Chapter 35: Someone Precious to be taken to the next chapter.)

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