Chapter 3

**He's Not Tanned At All** (全 (ぜん) 然 (ぜん) 焼 (や) けてねえ, *Zenzen Yaketenē*?) is the third chapter of Tsubasa Yamaguchi's Blue Period.

## **Synopsis**

Yatora gets called into the school counselors office, Mr. Fujii, to review his college choice survey. Yatora has written "Tokyo University of the Arts." Mr. Fujii initially thinks that he is joking, but Yatora explains that he's serious. Mr. Fujii then tells Yatora that he is going to have to convince his parents first, which startles Yatora, who thinks it will be very hard to convince them.

Later, Yatora introduces himself to the art club at his first meeting. At first, everyone seems on edge about his appearance, especially Umino and Yamamoto, who worry the art club is going to turn into a "delinquent den." However, they begin to warm up to him once they realize he is serious about his art career.

Because it is the last meeting before summer vacation, Saeki announces the summer menu for 1st and 2nd years. The menu includes creating 7 still-lives, 3 watercolors, a scrapbook, a daily photo journal, and one independent art piece. The menu is meant to improve your skills, which Maru Mori confirms, but the class says it is very difficult to complete as it is a lot of work. Yatoua asks what a dessin is, and Saeki explains that it is a way of training to help improve shape, texture, and area. Umino asks why they have to do dessin, because there are many skilled artists who have never done it, and Saeki describes how dessin can improve your art in many areas, so it is a very useful skill to have. They begin to draw, and Saeki lends Yatora art supplies. She also gives him many helpful tips to improve his art. While Saeki is talking with Yatora, he seems distracted by Mori, who he sees as very talented.

Yatoru gets home, and almost immediately falls asleep, leaving his school bag out with his college choice survey visible. While he is sleeping, his mother, Marie Yaguchi, walks into the room and sees is survey.

The next day at at club, Saeki evaluates their work one-by-one. She gives a rather harsh criticism to the other students, but goes easy on Yatora, leaving him frustrated.

School lets out for the summer, but the art club meets twice a week. Ayukawa is surprised when they see Yatora at the summer meeting, assuming he was not going to attend. Yatora continues to attend every meeting. Once again, his mother walks in on Yatora wile he is asleep, this time seeing his drawings. She is impressed by how much he has improved in two months, and realizes it is best to support his interests.

The club is back in school now, and are looking through each others assignments from the break. They are impressed by how much he's excelled at his work. They look through the completed scrapbooks, and are able to pick up on everyone's personality. Yatora remembers that Mori was attending a cram school over the summer, and asks how she did, assuming she was top in her class, but as it turns out, she was fifth from the bottom.

## **Characters in Order of Appearance**

Ryuji Ayukawa

Yatora Yaguchi

Masako Saeki

Fujii (Debut)

Maru Mori

Shirota

Umino

Shirai

Yamamoto

Marie Yaguchi

Yaguchi's father (Debut)

## **Trivia**

* The title of this chapter is a line said by Umino in regards to Yatora. Because he has stayed home all break to practice his art, he is "not tanned at all".

### Cover Reference

The information below is not confirmed by an official source.

Apples and Oranges by Paul Cézanne served as a reference for the Chapter 3 cover.