Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Hapi Mari novel: Update 1 1/2!


In contrast to myself, Hokuto is, as usual, in business attire.  He's dressed in a custom-tailored suit with an expensive necktie, his smart black hair neatly parted to the right.  With a defined nose bridge set between immaculate eyebrows and eyes so cold that they look almost cruel, he's undisputably a handsome man.  But handsome isn't entirely the correct word.  He projects more of a flawless mature image.  Hokuto brushes the paper bits off his hair and briskly goes to his room.

"I'm going to change."

"...Then should I change as well?"

Absently, I sigh at his blunt attitude.  Upon hearing it, Hokuto stops and turns around.

"Why?"

"Well..."

"You dressed up for me, right?  If so, you can't change out of it without my permission."

So he knew what I was thinking.  Then he should have just honestly complimented me.

"Alright!"

I smile despite myself, a little distressed that I can become happy so easily at his beck and call.  I think my standards for happiness have become too low.  Anyhow, I return to the living room to put the finishing touches on dinner, my footsteps echoing throughout the hallway.  For appetizers, we have an avocado salad tossed with prosciutto, and tomato and olive canapes.  This is followed with a cheese fondue, french bread, and roast chicken.  I also splurged on champagne.  My homemade cake didn't turn out as nice as I wanted, but overall I think this is a nice dinner.  There's nothing that Hokuto doesn't like either.

"All right, perfect!"

Just as I rearrange the dishes once more, Hokuto arrives in the room.  He has taken off his outer coat and suit jacket and loosened his necktie, but he still has his shirt and pants on.

"Eh, weren't you going to change?"

"You're having a Christmas party, right?"

"So you're staying in work clothes to match me?"

"We can't only have the wife all pretty and dressed up now, can we," said Hokuto passingly as he took his seat.

He said I was pretty!  Taken by surprise, I hurriedly sit opposite of him.  A table set perfectly for two and a Christmas for just the two of us.  I cannot contain my happiness.

"I know it's early, but Merry Christmas!" I chirp happily and raise my champagne glass.  Hokuto also raised his glass and clinked with mine.

"...Merry Christmas."

Huh?  His response seems a bit subdued and he has been avoiding my eyes earlier.

"Hokuto?  Is it the champagne?" I ask.  With a resigned look, Hokuto shakes his head gently.

"No, it's not that...it's just that this weekend, I'll be taking an overseas trip for one week."

"Eh, a business trip?" I remark, almost spilling my champagne over.  We already have little time to ourselves to spend together, and now he needs to take a business trip overseas.  And for an entire week too!

"Didn't you just return from an three-week overseas trip just recently?"

"I've just been handed the overseas department and I have to entertain the client CEO.  He has influences over several areas, and I need to be in his best favor."

In other words, to please the client, Hokuto has no choice but to take a quick overseas trip.

"...I see.  Well, do your best Hokuto!"

I put down my bubbly champagne on the table and gave him a thumbs up.  As president of Mamiya's Business Affairs, Hokuto has to work to gain the most benefits.  And by doing that, he has achieved today's results.  As his wife, I need to be understanding.  I need to support him.

"But is your schedule alright?  To suddenly have to accommodate this trip and rearrange other work?"

"It should be alright since I've left Souma to rearrange things.  It's just that I have craploads of things to tend to before the trip, and I may be even later in returning home tomorrow.  Or I might not return at all."

"Ah, as usual," I stabbed the chicken with my fork absentmindedly.

"How scary.  But I relax whenever I see you."

"Eh, really?"

"You're so simple and easy to understand."

"Should I take that as a compliment?"

Hokuto ignores my comment and brings the precisely cut chicken to his mouth.

"Delicious."

"Right, right?  It took me a lot of time to make this.  And the ingredients cost more than usual too."

"Costs?  Hmm...that's unexpected.  For you to think so carefully about these things."

"What do you mean unexpected.  Even if I look like this, I'm still a proper housewife," I say.  I know there's no need to budget my expenses as his wife.  Hokuto earns a lot, and he's indifferent about money compared to me.  If I'm not careful, I'm afraid that one day I may become an extravagant spender with no limit.  As Hokuto places another bite of chicken in his mouth, he said, "Why don't we go together to the supermarket next time?"

"Eh?  Hokuto to the supermarket?"

His unexpected words stimulated many images in my mind.  Hokuto holding a basket as he browsed through the aisles.  Hokuto getting irritated when trying to open the flimsy thin plastic bags.  Hokuto carrying an eco-bag.

"Hahaha"

"What are you laughing at?"

"I...wasn't laughing...haha.  It doesn't really suit you...haha.  I'm just a little surprised."

"You are laughing.  I was trying to be nice and you're getting all cocky."  Hokuto affected a deeper tone and plonked his glass on the table.  What's with his scary glare.  Or rather, why is he speaking like those villans in movies.

"Ho-Hokuto?"

I tense up as he stands up silently.  Hokuto briskly walks to my side and I thought he was going to just give me a dirty glare.  Suddenly, he swoops down and kisses me.

"Unghh.."

I tried to escape from his sudden kiss, but his large hands capture me and hold me down.  When I opened my eyes, all I could see was him, his image blurry from being so close.  What was that all of a sudden?!  We're in the middle of dinner for goodness!  All the retorts I have are swallowed down by his aggressive kiss.  His lips transfer warmth to mine, and all strength has suddenly gone from my arms.  The knife and fork drop onto the floor.  'I need to pick those up,' I think in the corner of my mind.  But all my thoughts melt away and disappear.  My mind goes numb, and before I realized it, I've slipped my tongue into his mouth.  But at that exact moment, Hokuto separates from me and returns to his seat.

"Huh...?  Ho-Hokuto?"

"If you beg me, I'll reward you in bed."

"Be-beg..?"

What do you mean beg?  You were the one who kissed me first!  I turn bright red and speechless while he coolly reaches for a canape, unruffled by what had just happened.

"What was that kiss all about then?!"

"Discipline," he answers nonchalantly.

"Whaat?!"

What nonsense is that?  He is handsome, smart, and he earns a lot.  But his personality is flawed, and very much so.

"Hokuto I..."

"Hokuto I what?"

Hate you, I wanted to scream.  It was supposed to be a loveless contract marriage.  And on top of that, he has a bad personality.  But before I knew it, I had fallen hopelessly in love and he can read my feelings like an open book.  Frustrated by his laidback expression, I thump the small box on the table.

"What's that?" Hokuto asks, a bit surprised.

"Your Christmas present!  Of course it's nothing big at all..."

"I'm going to open it then."

Comment: Phew, longer post than usual!  But I hope to keep my updates about this length, or longer if I can manage.  The book actually doesn't have chapters, so I can't do a chapter by chapter basis honestly.  Wording this has been, well, a little more troublesome than usual, but I hope it captures the mood.  And thanks for all the feedback guys.  To the 1st or 3rd person question- honestly I don't think it changes the book a whole lot if I do either, because all I will be doing is switching from "I" to "she".  But anyways, I suppose I'll keep it in first since that's what most want?  I was blushing while reading the kiss scene, and skimming some parts of the book where there was even more than that (look forward to those!).  I don't know if anyone else has ever felt this way when reading love/kiss scenes in books in Chinese or Japanese, but I always feel like the language is more raw than when I read it in English.  Also, I hope I can stick to weekly updates, but no promises though.


And on a side note completely unrelated to Hapi Mari, has anyone read The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins?  I HIGHLY recommend it.  It's one of the best books I've read in a while that I cannot put down.  The pages flew by, and I was racing to the finish last night until 3 am with the second book, Catching Fire.  The language is simple and easy to understand so it makes for a really fast read, but the story is amazing.  The plot is so gripping and jarring, and I felt emotionally drained after it (but in a good way of course).  I was doubtful first because I usually don't pick up novels about dystopian societies, and what was more, that it was marketed for teenagers.  Ever since the young adult section in Barnes and Noble became marred by vampire love stories and other paranormal romances, I've become more than afraid to venture into it.  But this is different, and although I think in some parts the language can be more graceful, it was more than worth my time.  For those that haven't read yet, I hope you can find as much enjoyment as I have.

40 comments:

  1. Oh! hokuto ia so cute. thnak you so much for your hard work

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  2. loved it!! <3
    thanks soo much!

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  3. Thanks a lot for the update!
    Can't wait for "those" scenes ^___^ Naughty me!
    Beg, discipline...God I can't stand him sometimes he's so arrogant, thinking he's all that. How I wish one time Chiwa would not give in to him and make HIM beg her!!!!!

    LOL I stand up till 3am too to finish my book it was so good. I recommend the trilogy I'm reading too. It's gripping and has a great writing style and passionate sub-romance plot. It's the study trilogy (Poison study, Magic study, fire study) by Maria v. snyder.

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  4. wow you are fast!! thanks a lot for your hard work ^^

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  5. thank you thank you!
    wew i love it..

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  6. Wow...this is incredibly Sooooooo.......GOOOOOODDDDD.....hohohoho.....nice and clean work you have done there......Hoorayyy...for Chiwa and Hoorayyy for Hakuto too......for the kiss scene...yeah it's a bit embarrassing....hahaha...you kidding me, what have you hope when you read shoujo+romance+smut manga......more kissing and romance mood....you are really bless actually can read the manga other than English language....and please don't stop translate them now.....because I want MORE.....Gambatte Neee!!!

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  7. thank you very much, looking forward to the next installment:)

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  8. Thanks whisperpuppies I like it so far looks to be going into their relationship a little more. THANKS ALOT FOR DOING THIS!!!!!!

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  9. so, that was happened on their 2nd year. it has been answered for skipping from the 1st year directly to the 3rd year on manga, i see.. :*

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  10. thanks for your hard work. Please keep updating.

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  11. wheres the continuation of hapi mari chapter 35?? it should be chapter 36 right??? what is this story, by the way?? its not the continuation right?

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    1. Chapter summaries will not be posted here, instead it will be on bxsmanga. This is the novel of Hapi Mari, written by another author but it has input from the original creator. So think of it as a separate story? Hope that clears up confusion

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    2. wow. is that so?? :0 i didnt know. sorry. i was so confused... by the way, thank you for the translation!!! i liked it.

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  12. Sadistic Hokuto :3
    Thanks for translating~ Will wait for new updates.

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  13. thank you so much you're the best.
    and you're so right about hunger games I'm reading hunger games 3 Mockingjay , it's a great story i can't let go of the book

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  14. nice!...really great that you are translating this...yes! i also like hunger games..finished the series already and looking forward to the showing of the movie =) (also looking forward to your next updat.=)kudos to you )

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    1. Me too! But I was somewhat disappointed by their casting of character...I always thought Peeta would be more boyish and cuter~

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    2. yeeaaah.. i didn't like Peeta on that movie.. but Peeta from novel version is better..
      aaaaahh...

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  15. thank you for the updates. I am looking forward to the next chapter.

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  16. Thanks so much! <3

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  17. oh yay! Your summary is so good. Sometime, I even feel like reading story even better than reading comic :)). I mean your writing is so interesting and refeshing ^^
    Hope to see more of your work :D

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  18. Thanks for your hardwork.I love your summary very much.

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  19. .so cute. .thanks for the summary :))

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  20. thank you very much for the update

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  21. Love it when Hokuto is so forceful on Chiwa ahaha. Thanks for the summary! :)

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  22. hi can i ask you a question? did you just stopped scanlating Hapi Mari? well, it says there in the bxsmanga.weebly.com that it has been dropped. I hope you won't stop scanlating it. I really Hapi Mari ever since it was first publish. pls?

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    1. BXS has stopped scanlating Hapi Mari because another translation group will be taking over... Granted they're a little slow, but you can always look forward to MAYBE getting an official translated one in your area... or Whisperpuppies having a summary translation. :)

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    2. wooow. what group is it? do they have a website?

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  23. thanks so much! i was blushing too when i was reading the kissing scene. Hokuto is so childish :))

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  24. Thank you so much once more! :)

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  25. I love it!! Thanks so much! Can't wait for more! Oh and The Hunger Games movie is coming out this year :)

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  26. huhu... my heart goes dokidoki!! haha.. thanks a lot..
    i wish i can read the raw one.. huuu..

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  27. Thanks for this.. I am looking forward to the next update.. The kiss scene was ... *blush**

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  28. Thank you for your work!

    They are so cute together. Now I want to read more, and more, and more...give me more!!!

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  29. THANKS! looking forward for your work! can't wait for those scenes. :)

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  30. so cute!!! tHANKS!!!!!!!!!!!

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  31. Thank you again! This was awesome, and you're right, reading a 'romantic' scene in English is different from looking at pictures of it. I'm not sure about the difference in English and Japanese, since I haven't read a Japanese romance novel before and as I said, it's different from reading a romantic scene in manga, but romantic scenes in English novels always make me blush! XD

    Ahh as for The Hunger Games, I've read the first two but haven't gotten around to reading the last one. I'm not a huge fan of them (maybe because I'm a big sci-fi/dystopian reader and am well acquainted with Battle Royale and similar Japanese manga which Hunger Games seems to be modelled on), to me it wasn't really anything new, and although it was a quick and easy read, I've never really felt connected to Katniss (especially Katniss...somehow she rubs me up the wrong way ^^;;) or Peeta or Gale. I'm also not particularly fond of the 'love triangle' Suzanne is trying to play at, I think it's pretty unnecessary because there really aren't enough scenes between Katniss and Gale for you to really feel like it's a possibility between them. XD That said, I am still looking forward to the movie because it looks like it's pretty well done! :) And I guess at some point I want to find out how it all ends. xD Maybe the end of the trilogy might change my mind?

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  32. love hokuto, hokuto's so cute

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