When the Calm Ends - Oneshot

[MangaDex]

 

[PredatorDuck]

Yes this was already done before. Quoting the Translator: "The previous translation, while a valiant attempt, has made fundamental misunderstandings of the script that affect the entire story".
The translator of the other version also said they did not understand the themes and symbolism, so my TL decided to redo it.

 

[EnFiveFour]

Thank you for the translation!

 

[ghostkun]

fucked up yo

 

[EchoGirl]

Still not sure what happened, but thanks

So did she die/kill herself and the friend feels like they're 'drowning in guilt'? or so (if so might need a ' tragedy' tag )

 

[Lustrist]

great tl

 

[Hicleric]

Still not sure what happened, but thanks

So did she die/kill herself and the friend feels like they're 'drowning in guilt'? or so (if so might need a ' tragedy' tag )

A large part of "what happened" is deliberately left vague so it's up to the reader to decide how to interpret the girls' circumstances. Drowning in guilt is definitely part of it, but for me the question is "for what?"

Now that I've read through it a second time, I'm leaning towards the protagonist being responsible for her friend's passing. Perhaps physically (in some way, on account of the tale of them earlier trip to the sea feels disconcerting), and likely emotionally on account of what reads as a toxic relationship.

I'm still split as to whether the protag just took her own life, though. The "year later" part puzzles me since it's not clearly connected to the rest of the story.

I'd liked to have seen the TL leave a note at the end regarding their interpretation, honestly. I understand why they left it TN-less (more groups should take note!) but this is a story that really needs discussion from a variety of perspectives

 

[sanshouowo]

This is the translator. If anyone is having trouble understanding the gist of this one-shot, here is a list of key information.

• The main character is Koma, not Yura. All depictions in the manga are implicitly made from her point of view.
• The story spans one in-world year and follows a chronological order: High School 1st year summer (pg. 527 to 540); 1st year autumn (pg. 540 to 553); 1st year winter (pg. 553 to 560); 2nd year spring (pg. 561 & 562); 2nd year summer (pg. 563 to end.). It is easy to get swept away by the flow without appreciating how much isn't shown. Even if the seasons are of different length on paper, I think they should be considered on equal footing. Otherwise, you might get caught on a red herring.
• Some sections have changed immensely from the other available translation. If you've read the previous version, comparing what was changed can help unearth more insight.
• This is an incredibly dense and rather "technical" manga. Seemingly trivial lines of dialogue or set-plays are used to foreshadow future scenes or hint at more fundamental characterisations that are obscured by the rising emotional tides later in the story. Perhaps you might have missed something out?
• There is character development, both negative and positive.
• They are in love, but this is (not) a love story.

Also, as a titbit, some schools have enforceable regulations on innerwear. Some schools don't.

 

[moikkai]

I was surprised for a second to see that so many people didn't immediately know what was happening, but then I remember not everyone has personal experience with being suicidal lol. that's a good thing!

The reason for that particular date one year later is because she always planned to die that day. It's quite common for suicidal people to plan, even a long time ahead, for their death. Often, it's a satisfying length of time (in exactly a year, a month, on christmas, etc) perhaps because the person themselves are sure they don't want to live anymore, so a time limit is convenient for them.

Whether she herself made the post (it's mentioned that it's a random blog post) or just latched onto it as a convenient moment to end her life, that's unknown. She told her friend (detail: while smiling) about this supposed end of the world, which tracks perfectly with how real life depressed people sometimes hint at their plans as a last ditch cry for help. The friend either willfuly ignored it or just didn't understand. The latter seems more likely, even though ignoring the problem was convenient for her, it's unlikely due to her age that the author wanted us to think it was fully conscious.

By the end though, her friend realises completely what's happening; the fact that she benefitted from it, and how it's too late now. She's unable to stop her from dying, and too scared for a lover's suicide. Her friend is swallowed by the sea, and she's swallowed by guilt.