Chapter 10

## Chapter Chronology

**“Midterms and Mama”** (中間 (ちゅうかん) 考 (テス) 査 (ト) とママ, *Chūkan Kōsa to Mama*) is the tenth chapter of the *Kill Blue* manga series, written and illustrated by Tadatoshi Fujimaki.

## Summary

The teacher is currently informing the students about the upcoming mid-term schedule which will take place next week. As a result all club activities will be temporarily suspended.

While Juzo and his friends are strolling together, they begin discussing how quickly time has passed and how they are now approaching their mid-term exams. Ryo curiously asks Juzo how he is feeling about it but Juzo's intense expression makes Ryo feel a bit frightened, playfully suggests that Juzo's intense eyes make him look like a hitman causing Kotatsu to remind Juzo not to blow his own cover. In response, Juzo turns to Ryo and seeks guidance admitting that he has never taken mid-term exams before. Ryo reassures him that they are all in the same boat as first-timers while couldn't help but comment on how Juzo sounded like a middle-aged man when asking for advice.

A few days had passed and Baba and Takada found themselves approached by Noren who appeared to be radiating. She revealed that she had never been approached by anyone at school before as everyone was prioritizing their studies for the upcoming midterms. She even wished that midterms could last for a year, while expressing how she is getting a restful night's sleep.

As the three of them walked along, Baba accidentally collided with Juzo who turned towards them with dark circles under his eyes. Takada humorously remarked on the stark contrast between Noren's radiant glow and Juzo's tired appearance jokingly comparing his dark circles to a black hole.

During lunch in the school cafeteria, Ryo noticed that Juzo seemed visibly stressed evident from the tired look in his eyes. Ryo approached Juzo and expressed his concerns about his well-being. Juzo likened his current state to that of a boxer preparing for a major fight which left Ryo feeling a bit lost in their conversation. Meanwhile, Shin, who had finished his lunch, interrupted the discussion and offered Juzo a pacifier. This act surprised Juzo prompting him to ask Shin why he always carried one.

At Juzo's home, he is engrossed in his studies while Kotatsu is brewing a cup of black coffee for him. However, Kotatsu concerned about Juzo's well-being, interrupts him to offer some friendly advice. He suggests that Juzo should take things a bit easier and avoid overworking himself. In response, Juzo shoots Kotatsu a stern glance instructing him to be quiet while also expresses gratitude for the coffee. Kotatsu finds it odd that he would be cautioning someone against excessive studying. Nevertheless, he decided to change the topic informing Juzo about something he needed to take care of that evening and grab some food over at Mama's place instead. Initially resistant to the idea of going out, Juzo rejected at first bug eventually he acknowledged Kotatsu's request and agreed to it.

Noren, who is currently at her uncle's Ramen Shop, is having to leave because she had midterms to prepare for. Although she initially expressed readiness and assured her uncle, he insisted that she go home due to doubts about having any customers. On her way home, Noren spotted Juzo walking in a nearby alley and decided to follow him. Upon both of them exiting the alley, Noren was surprised to find that the area Juzo was heading to a particularly not so nice part of town. From a distance, Noren watched as Juzo was approached by a tall woman who appeared to her as someone who might identify as a man but was dressed in women's clothing. Juzo and the person he called "Mama" then entered the shop named Jabami.

Mama shared with Juzo how she takes delight in introducing him as her nephew. She still finds it amusing to reminisce about the time when Juzo, a tiny kid, was first brought to her bar by Kotatsu. While happily devouring the delicious meal prepared by Mana, Juzo expressed his heartfelt appreciation to her. In response, Mama couldn't help but feel a sense of protectiveness towards this younger version of him.

After a few minutes Eri made her way to the bar visibly exhausted from work. However her weary expressions instantly vanished when Juzo called out to her. Mama interrupted to inquire if Eri wanted her usual order. This reminded Juzo of Kotatsu's plan to set up a meeting with his ex-wife today.

Juzo opened up about his stress from midterm exams to his ex-wife, Eri. Her response was laughter, and she jokingly pointed out his visible under-eye bags. Juzo then inquired about her presence at the bar and their daughter Kozue. Eri reassured him that Kozue was doing well, explaining that she didn't visit Mama's place often and didn't resort to drinking when she comes. She emphasized that their daughter had become responsible on her own.

After a brief silence, Eri remarked that Juzo was never the responsible one. She clarified that it didn't matter if he failed his exams and that she didn't mean it the way he might have taken it. Eri mentioned how Juzo had never enjoyed his previous hitman job, which was the only way he maintained balance before. Now, things were different because Juzo had developed a genuine interest in studying.

In the past, with his older body, Juzo had been solely focused on completing every mission assigned to him, without the freedom to fail. During their teenage days, when they used to visit Mama's place for a drink, Juzo was always preoccupied with his work. However, now he didn't need the same level of dedication for studying. Eri encouraged him to embrace failure, even in areas he had never dared to fail before. She fondly noted that Juzo appeared much happier since starting middle school, all while playfully mentioning his under-eye bags.

Eri and Juzo said their goodbyes to Mama and left her bar together. Noren, from a building across the street, observed them. She felt confused because Juzo had entered the bar with a person dressed as a man and was now leaving with someone dressed as a woman. It left her wondering about the true identity of Juzo.

At the end of their midterm exams, Juzo didn't actually fail, but due to sleep deprivation, he forgot some things and made mistakes during the test. It was a mix of mild success to celebrate and mild regret to ponder, but there's always the next time.

Noren, who had been observing Juzo from her seat, couldn't help but reflect on what she had discovered about him the previous day. She realized that Juzo was never a typical middle schooler, not in a negative way, but he displayed a maturity beyond his years, reminiscent of both his uncle and father when they were his age. This made her wonder if he was truly just a middle school student.

## Quick References

### Chapter Notes

* Noren is seen leaving her uncle's Ramen Shop to prepare for midterms and spots Juzo. She decides to follow him and finds herself in an unfamiliar part of town.
	+ Juzo is observed entering a shop named Jabami with a person named Mama.
* **Mama's Interaction with Juzo:** Mama introduces Juzo as her nephew. Mama recalls the time when he was brought to Mama's bar in his child form by Kotatsu.
* **Eri's Arrival and Conversation with Juzo:** Eri arrives at Mama's bar, initially tired from work.
	+ Juzo opens up to Eri about his midterm exam stress.
	+ Eri remarks that Juzo was never the responsible one. She discusses Juzo's previous hitman job and his lack of enjoyment in it.
	+ Eri notes that Juzo has developed a genuine interest in studying. She encourages him to embrace failure and happiness in middle school.
* **Noren's Reflection on Juzo:** Noren reflects on her discovery that Juzo is not a typical middle schooler. She compares his maturity to that of his uncle and father at his age. She wonders about Juzo's true identity

### Characters in Order of Appearance

**Baba**
**Shin Kohazame**
**Noren Mitsuoka**
**Takada**
**Juzo Ogami**
**Ryo Shiraishi**
**Kotatsu Nekota**
**Noren's Uncle**
**Mama**Debut
**Eri Wanibuchi**