Happiness (しあわせ Shiawase?) is the one hundred and nineteenth chapter of Jibaku Shounen Hanako-kun by AidaIro. It was released alongside Houkago Shounen Hanako-kun Chapter 28. It details Teru's Team's investigation into the Red House, Yashiro Nene's capture by Minamoto Kou, and then her fateful second encounter with Yugi Amane.
As implied by the Chapters title, the theme is on the question of happiness as is defined by both Nene and Amane.
Summary[]
Prologue 1: At The Entrance Of The Red House[]
The Chapter begins with the members of Teru's Team (Minamoto Teru, Akane Aoi, Aoi Akane and Yashiro Nene) standing at the entrance of the Red House's gate. Akane remarks that this is the Red House of the current world, the Yugi Twins' childhood home. Nene remarks that it is still as run down as the Red House from the Original Timeline, but Akane remarks that it is in better shape, as the Red House in the original timeline had burned down many chapters ago.
Akane then asks Teru if the house is just as cursed as the Original Timeline one, and Teru answers "Maybe". Akane asks Teru what he meant, as he should have done his research by searching his own house for info, in addition to his family being exorcists. Teru answers that he did, but he had found no record of it in his house (Which is very suspicious). This shocks Akane, who says "Huh", and Teru says further that either the House had been rendered harmless or that it had become more dangerous that any actual records pertaining to it are kept hidden. Teru then concluded that the fastest way to find out is to enter the house itself.
But before they could do so, Teru notes that Aoi is with them, and as she still hasn't remembered her original iteration's memories, it would be too dangerous for her. He tells Aoi that she could just go home, as it might be dangerous, but she responds that she'll be fine, because Nene is with her, and she can easily take care of herself, while giving a "hmph" look. Teru remarks that "That's my fiancée for ya!" but it angers Akane, telling him that he shouldn't be so happy about that. Teru then says "Well, shall we?", and thus he and his team enter the Red House.
Prologue 2: Inside The Red House: The Team's Perspective[]
Teru enters the Red House first, followed by Nene, and finally, both Akane and Aoi. The room is dark so they take out their phones and turn on the flashlight function. Once they do that, they can really see how dilapidated the house looks, with broken tiles on the floor and grass growing from pits where other tiles used to be, cracks on the walls, and lamps with their paper linings torn. As they look around, Aoi sees a file with "Medicine" written on it, and picks it up. Suspiciously, Nene seems to disappear soon afterwards.
Then as they explore deeper, Teru tells everyone their goal:
| “ |
Our common goal is to figure out what the Clock Keepers have changed. And while we are regretfully divided on whether to keep this world the way it is or not, that doesn't change the fact that we all need to have a firm understanding of the way this world ticks.
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” |
Akane then tells Teru that although he had no objections as to the investigation of the source of the changes, he wonders why they have to investigate the Red House. Teru responds that they need to find something, no matter the cost, and that if Akane remembers, the Clock Keepers had a goal in mind when they changed the past. Then both Teru and Akane lookat a pair of photos, revealing that one of them is a family picture of the Yugi Family...minus one of them. Akane remembered and exclaimed that the Clock Keepers' goal in changing the past was to get rid of Yugi Tsukasa, and it seemed to have worked as he is nowhere in the picture. Teru remarks that he is right, and that there is a high possibility that the Clock Keepers did something to the Tsukasa of the past.
Teru was also wondering why the Clock Keepers did what they did in the first place when Aoi returns shouting to the two men. They ask her what's wrong and she exclaimed to them that Nene is gone. This shocks the both of them, as now they also have to get one of their own out of the House alive.
Part 1: Inside The Red House: Nene's Perspective[]
After the Cover for the chapter is shown, we now return to Nene's point-of-view. She imagines herself as a necromancer and the other members of Teru's Team as RPG/Medieval Fantasy Party members, with Teru and Akane as knights, and Aoi as a wizard. She calls herself a "Ephemeral Occult-loving Maiden", and then recounts that while she was investigating the Red House with her friends, she was suddenly grabbed from behind. The figure that captured her closed the door and as a result, Nene proceeded to have a struggle with the figure. She begins to perform many punches, causing the figure to be surprised at her actions, and tell her "Time out".
When Nene came to, she sees Minamoto Kou (Who had regained his memories by that point). She is surpised by this as he apologizes to her for what he did earlier. He also tells her that so many events had happened, and he wanted to talk to her alone, but that he didn't want to startle her if he just popped in and said "Hi", so that was why. Nene asks Kou what he was doing her, before soon realizing that it's possibly his New Present self. To make sure, she asks Kou if he remembered the Old World, to which he says he does, although he took a while. Upon receiving his answer, Nene begins to shed a tear, leading Kou to ask what's wrong. In her mind, she narrates that although Teru and Akane are reliable, Kou having finally regained his memories means that he can have him around and it makes her relieved. Outwardly, she tells Kou that she's fine, and what he had wanted to talk about.
Kou tells her that a lot had happened while he had searched around the place but he tells her as he leans in on her ear, that he found "something incredible". Nene asks on what that "something incredible" is, but he tells her that she'll understand once she sees it. He then tells her to come follow him, and so she obliges. As she follows Kou towards the spiral staircase (With a doll seemingly appearing and disappearing at the same time Nene took a step), Kou pointed in another direction, and in a moment, the wall behind him instantly changed from a dilapidated look to a clean look, leading Nene to wonder if the Red House was always that clean. Kou than approached a door, wherein the sound of writing could be heard. Kou secretly tells Nene to take a peek at the door, and so the both of them did. It revealed Yugi Amane at his desk, writing something on a book.
The pair quickly retreat from the door, and quietly but excitedly squeal and jump around at the realization that there is a "big Hanako-Kun" in the Red House, although Kou had no clue why he's there though. Nene asks if it could be the "wondrous" power of the Red House, to which Kou tells her that Teru might know, but if he finds out, then he may most likely come in to slice him, seeing if he's supernatural or human, with Akane nodding in agreement. Kou asks her what they should do about him, and in response, Nene begins to think. She wonders if the Hanako in there is really him, as it could just be a fake Hanako caused by another of the Red House's abilties, and it might get the drop on them if they reach it. But Nene also wonders if that is really a grown-up Hanako, as she remembered that seeing him all grown-up like that had stunned her and made her speechless. She also realized that she has so many questions to ask him. She then excitedly composed herself, and tells Kou that they have to take matters in their own hands. Kou responds "Ok", and so they proceed to enter Amane's room.
Part 2: The Second Encounter With Amane[]
Meanwhile, Yugi Amane was too focused on his writing that he didn't notice the door being opened by both Nene and Kou. It took Nene tapping his shoulder with her finger for him to look back and notice. Amane was shocked upon seeing Nene in his room, and he was about to ask who she is, but he was interrupted by her suddenly coming in and hugging him. It seemed that both Nene and Amane were about to have a heartful reuinion after their last encounter at Kamome Gakuen's Science Prep-now turned Storage Room, but it was actually a diversion, as she closed Amane's eyes and gives Kou the signal. Kou then comes in with the cord of an extension wire and wraps his arms and waist with it. All the while, his many books were thrown into the air and soon he was down on the ground, unable to move his arms.
Amane begins to angrily ask both Nene and Kou on what they wanted. He also didn't recognize their uniforms, and asks what school they go to. He also tells them that if they untie him now, then he wouldn't get mad at them. Upon him saying that, both Nene and Kou's expressions become a lot more happy and excited, with Nene being happy because he called himself "Sensei" (Given that it was his original future's occupation were it not for the original Yugi Tsukasa's actions that led to their tragedy), and Kou was happy because he sounds more grown up. Amane was dumfounded by their expressions, having wondered why the both of them reacted like that, and was also dumbfounded at Kou's comment on him sounding like a grownup, as he is grownup. He also wondered why they often mention "Hanako" so often, that he had no idea just what they were talking about.
Part 3: Nene's Question Of Happiness[]
Nene then responded back, addressing him as "Hanako-Kun" before correcting herself and addressing him as "Sensei", that she wanted to ask him something. Amane tells her to ask his question, which causes Nene to think of what to say in her mind once again.
In her mind, Nene notes that she had come to the Red House to figure out what the Clock Keepers have done to that world, and that if she can squeeze some questions about Tsukasa out of him, then she can figure out just what the Clock Keepers have done to Tsukasa. With her mind made up, she quickly unties Amane and then sits on the floor near him, and then she asks him this question:
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Sensei...Sensei are you...Are you...Happy?
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” |
— Yashiro Nene asking Yugi Amane if he's happy.
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Amane seemed dumbfounded by her question, then Kou only looks on as Nene asked him multiple questions like "how was his childhood", "what was high school like when he was her age", "whether he had friends or a girlfriend", "why did he wanted to become a teacher", and "is the work fun or was it still difficult for him after all". She had muttered so many things at once that Amane leaned in and told her that he didn't know why she was asking him all of this, but then he asked her if she's alright. As he leaned closer to her, he told her that she looked like she was about to cry.
Then as tears started welling on Nene's eyes, she told Amane that she came from another world. She then recounted to him that in that world, he was called "Hanako-Kun", and that she liked him. But then she remarked that the past was changed, and with it, the future as well, that she could no longer recognize the world that she's in. She admitted that at first, she wanted to return things to back as they are but now, she doesn't know if she should do that anymore. She then told him that if Amane is really happier in this world, then...
Part 4: Amane's Definition Of Happiness[]
But before Nene could continue, Amane asked her if the future changed. Shocked, Nene continues to look on as Amane tells her that someone had told him the exact same thing before, on his 4th Birthday to be exact. But before he could finish the sentence, he begins to break down and covers his eyes. Nene leans in and asks if he's alright and he tells them that of course he's happy, and why wouldn't he be. However, his breakdown begins to led to his transformation into a supernatural. He then captured Nene as as he said these words:
| “ | Of Course I'm Happy, why would I be? And so are Dad...Mom...My Little Brother...You...Every One...EVERYONE-EVERYONE-EVERYONE!!! | ” |
— Yugi Amane breaking down and answering Yashiro Nene's question, and then becoming derranged while transforming into a supernatural Chapter 119
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Once again, the Chapter ends on a similar cliffhanger like the previous chapter, with Yugi Amane in his supernatural form capturing someone with his tentacles.
Characters in order of appearance[]
- Minamoto Teru
- Akane Aoi
- Aoi Akane
- Yashiro Nene
- Yugi Amane (Indirectly mentioned, appears in the chapter)
- Yugi Tsukasa (Indirectly mentioned)
- Yugi's Mother (New Present) (Photograph and mentioned)
- Yugi's Father (New Present) (Photograph and mentioned)
- Yugi Tsukasa (Original Timeline) (As a child, Flashback)
- Kako (Indirectly mentioned and Flashback)
- Mirai (Indirectly mentioned)
- Minamoto Kou (Regained his original self's memories by this chapter)
- Hanako (Mentioned)
Release Notice Only[]
Note: The Release Notice for Chapter 119 was also the Release Notice for Houkago Shounen Hanako-kun Chapter 28.
Trivia[]
- The last time a JSHK and HSHK Chapter was announced through a single Release Notice was JSHK Chapter 107 and HSHK Chapter 26 exactly a year ago.
- It is unclear how Minamoto Kou survived his ordeal in the previous chapter as he was implied to have been kidnapped by Yugi Amane in that chapter. Presumably he was allowed to roam around a bit longer by Amane, perhaps to trap Yashiro Nene and her group, or that he managed to resist his being kidnapped and managed to get away before Amane can capture him.
- There is also the possibility that he was under Amane's influence, as he was seemingly not himself the entire chapter (Acting so coy and joyful despite being in the Red House, feeling more excited than cautious, etc), and that he was seemingly not captured in the final panel. The upcoming chapter will tell if that is the case
- Chapter 119 ends almost the same way Chapter 118 ends, with Yugi Amane in his supernatural form kidnapping or capturing someone with both his arms and tentacles.