Arakure Volume 7 (Chp 34 - 38) -- Words Can't do Justice

Words can't do Arakure volume 7 justice, so I'm not even going to try to write a summary in detail.  It really is a volume you should buy.


Chapter 34


Kazuya likes Miho and intends to confess to her, but Miho likes Rakuto.  Kazuya now hates Rakuto.  Meanwhile the teachers are pressuring Rakuto and Sachie to choose a career path. Back to Kazuya:  he decides to find Rakuto's weakness and expose it.  In passing, Rakuto congratulates Takaya (Sachie's class president and the son of the police detective) for winning the  election and becoming the next Student Body President.  Kazuya hears a rumor about Rakuto's past.  It is said that Rakuto was known as "Buddha Raku," the leader of a Kanto area street gang in junior high."  Instead of it being a bad thing, the girls think Rakuto's even cooler because of it.  The truth behind it is that Rakuto was in a street gang, he moved up quickly through the ranks to become the leader.  As the leader he told his members the gang life would lead them nowhere and told them to follow his example into the light and become good and responsible citizens. Consequently, he left the gang, thereby leaving a strong impression on the some of the gang members, one of them being Takaya.

In the career center (or someplace akin to that), Sachie and Takaya are doing some research.  Sachie asks Takaya whether he's going to follow in his father's footsteps and become a cop.  Takaya says he went through a rebellious phase, but that neither that nor his father's legacy affect him.  He then throws the question back at Sachie, asking her whether she intends to take over her "family business."  Kazuya locks Sachie and Takaya in the career center, thinking that Rakuto's in there, so Rakuto can't go and recieve Miho's confession.  Rakuto meets up with Miho, but nothing happens because Rakuto recieves a text message from Sachie, telling him she's locked in the career center with Takaya.  Rakuto comes and grabs Sachie away.  Sachie tells him to let her go and that Takaya didn't lock them in.  Takaya notes Sachies stubborness and the fact that Rakuto caved in.  Takaya says Rakuto has changed and Rakuto replies that he and Sachie can't both be stubborn.  With great admiration, Takaya confesses to Rakuto and is met with swift rejection.

As the chapter comes to a close, the teachers decide to do a home visit because Rakuto still hasn't filled in his career survey.



Chapter 35


The teachers decide Rakuto must go to a top university because he's too smart not to and they need a source of pride for the school.  Rakuto's teacher comes over to the Clan house for a home visit.  The Yakuza try their best to act like a normal responsible family.  The teacher thinks the household is too noisy and disorganized for Rakuto to concentrate on his studies.  However, the clan gets together to defend themselves and express their love for Rakuto.  The teacher relents.  After the teacher is gone, Sachie tells Rakuto that she's glad he wasn't taken away and she wants him to graduate safely and go to college.



Chapter 36


During her grocery shopping trip, Sachie wins a pair of tickets to a theme park.  Azuma and Rakuto both want to go with Sachie, so they take a compatibility test with Sachie to determine who will go.  Azuma gets 86% and Rakuto gets 3%.  Regardless of the test, Sachie buys an extra ticket so the three of them can go.  The guys vie to get paired with Sachie on the rides, however, Sachie chooses rides they can all go on together. During a break, Sachie goes to get drinks.  While alone together, Azuma makes a bargain with Rakuto.  Azuma wants to ride the Flower Gondola (there's a love superstition associated with the ride) and is willing to give up on the other rides for that one.  The two argue about the love compatibility scores and Sachie overhears.  She says she's going to double check, but when she returns she has checked Azuma and Rakuto's capatability, which happens to be 100%  While Sachie is doing this, Rakuto notices his name is spelled incorrectly on form displaying his compatibility with Sachie.  Sachie comes bounding back and Rakuto is completely frustrated.  He corners Sachie and asks her to consider why he and Azuma are in bad moods.  Clueless Sachie responds, "Because you both wanted to come here!" and then explains that she's been intentionally picking rides they can all do together.  Rakuto is saddened because he now thinks Sachie only sees him as a friend.  Sachie, further misinterpreting matters and sends Rakuto and Azuma onto the Flower Gondola together so they can improve their relationship.  There they complain that it is like they've been dating each other all day.  While they are on the ride, Sachie goes and gets another compatibility reading and this time it's for her and Rakuto.  It's 99%.  Sachie doesn't appear to be fully aware of why she's done this.


Chapter 37 - 38

This begins the awful and way too long Midori story arc.  Basically, Sachie interrupts Midori's act of bravery.  Midori challenges Sachie and the prize is Rakuto.  Midori also happens to be a Yakuza Princess.  Midori wins, so Rakuto has to be Midori's personal butler and Sachie has to be a chambermaid to replace Midori's caretaker, Kotarou, who is ill.  It ends with the elevator scene that is replayed in chp 39.


---- End Volume 7 ----

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Arakure Volume 6 (Chp 30 - 33) Summaries

Chapter 30 

The chapter begins with Azuma complaining to himself about what Sachie told Rakuto ("I guess it's not so bad if it means you'll always be around") and thinks Sachie, in so many words, has confessed to Rakuto.  Meanwhile a pudgy guy name Tataki Yoichi and his son show up and ask the gang for money to help save their restaurant.  Apparently, in his younger years, the pudgy guy used to be a skinny and very skilled burglar.  He left the gang to buy a house and open a restaurant with his wife.  Anyhow, Tataki's wife died a few months earlier and since then, the food quality decreased, which in turn, led to a significant decrease in the number of customers patronizing his restaurant.

In a little side conversation, the other yakuza bring up the fact the position of "caretaker" doesn't change unless the caretaker dies.  Azuma thinks to himself, as things are now, Sachie and Rakuto will eventually end up with each other.

Later, Sachie and the gang head over to Tataki's restaurant.  It's a shabby looking restaurant with roaches skittering about and bad food.  Sachie and the gang clean up the restaurant and Sachie cooks a bunch of food.  Tataki's son thinks Sachie's cooking tastes like his mother's and Yoichi says he was attracted to his wife because her cooking tasted like Yukie's (Sachie mother).  Tataki's son, Sokichi begs Sachie to teach him and his father to cook.  Raizo cautions them that Sachie is a good home cook, but not necessarily a restaurant cook.  Later Rakuto hints to Sachie that she should turn down the offer at the restaurant and Sachie considers it.  The next day they go to the restaurant and find it completely wrecked and some thugs from another gang are there roughing up Tataki.  Sachie asks what's going on and the Yakuza tells her this is what happens to people who don't pay back loans.  Sachie gets a self-righteous burr up her butt and says she'll take on the debt and signs a contract to do so with a bloody hand print.  The debt is stupidly high, but Sachie is determined.  Sokichi is dazzled by Sachie and asks her to be his girlfriend.  Azuma jumps in and says Sachie is his girlfriend and tells Sokichi to back off.  Rakuto is, of course, pissed.  Furthermore, Azuma decides to help out and tells Rakuto that he (Azuma) will confess to Sachie if they save the restaurant.


Chapter 31


Back at home, Sachie explains she signed a contract in blood for the restaurant debt totaling 20-Million Yen (about $200,000US).  Apparently, blood is legally binding which puts the Asagi group in a pinch. Later that night, Azuma tries to cheer up Sachie while rubbing in his "pretend boyfriend" status, urking Rakuto further.  The next day, the whole gang goes to the restaurant to repair the damage and get things back in working order.  Rakuto completely dominates Sachie, justifying his actions because he's her "caretaker."  When they open up the restaurant, female customers pack in, lured by the young and handsome waiters Azuma and Rakuto.  After the busy night, Azuma decides to further irritate Rakuto and asks Rakuto whether he is helping because he wants to cheer him (Azuma) on with regards to confessing to Sachie.  Rakuto says he's doing it because he is Sachie's caretaker.  Azuma, tired of Rakuto's nonchalance, grabs Rakuto by the collar and asks him what he really wants to do.

The next day at school, Sachie happily tells Rakuto that they did 1-million Yen in business in a day.  She says she's going to see this effort through to the end and invites Rakuto to go back to help at the restaurant after school.  Rakuto says, with a very fake smile, he has a student council meeting and, therefore, can't help out.  Later at the restaurant, Rakuto over hears the rival thugs talking about how they want the land and not the money and that is why they asked for the ridiculous sum of 20-million Yen.  Rakuto confronts the bad guy and the bad guy seems to want to make a deal after realizing Rakuto seemingly has no interest in seeing the debt paid.  Later, the bad guy comes back to the restaurant and says the debt is due the next day.  That's when the Asagi and Tataki realize they've been "loan sharked."  The group decides to head out to "take care" of matters.  Rakuto calls the rival group and tells them that the Asagi Clan is on their way.  Is Rakuto a traitor?



Chapter 32



After the phone call, Rakuto ponders Azuma's question.  Of course, Rakuto knows what he wants to do. The Asagi group arrives to find the rival group packing up to leave.  Someone within the Asagi group is a snitch!  Azuma recalls seeing Rakuto in a car with the members from the rival group, thereby, accusing him of being the traitor.  Sachie vigorously defends Rakuto, saying there's no way he would betray the family.  And then they go through the motions of "is Rakuto a traitor or not" until the police show up, saying they've got some interesting evidence with regards to the rival group's loan sharking activities.  All of this, of course, was provided by Rakuto.  Later they are celebrating and Rakuto leaves to get some air.  Azuma follows to taunt Rakuto about his (Azuma's) confession, asking Rakuto if he wants to know Sachie's response.  Rakuto says he doesn't care because he just wants Sachie to be happy.  Azuma then asks if Rakuto intends to let things be like this forever.  Rakuto responds, "Well, I am the caretaker."  

Later Yoichi thanks the Asagi group for allowing him to leave the family so he could have an honest life.  This is a revelation to Rakuto!  Seeing that Rakuto has just understood the possibility of a future outside of "the family", Azuma says to Rakuto, "I'll tell you what Sachie said."  He leans in close, as if to whisper a secret, and then kisses Rakuto on the cheek.  


The next day, Sachie is red and upset looking.  She tells Rakuto that Azuma confessed to her.  Azuma told her he can't eat raw foods and she feels bad because he's been eating all of her dishes regardless of whether they were raw or not.  Meanwhile, a pair of teachers are complaining to one another about how neither Sachie or Rakuto has filled out their career planning forms.  However, they still have time.



Chapter 33



This is a filler chapter with Jin and his cat Yuki.

Jin picks up a stray cat and takes it to the Asagi clan house.  There, they are all celebrating Obon (something like "Day of the Dead" in Mexico).  They have decorated the house with little vegetables with toothpick legs so the veggies look like horses.  The dead are supposed to ride the "horses" to visit the living.  Sachie has made a cucumber horse for her deceased mother.  Jin asks Sachie if she wants to go with him to visit Yukie's grave.  On his way out the "Slick" (that's what I call him), the Yakuza with the pompadour, asks what the cat's name is and reminds Jin that pets are named after loved ones.  


Flashback to when Jin was young and Yukie was still alive and living with the family:   Yukie is teasing Jin by asking him if he has someone he likes so she can name  his pet gerbil (maybe...though, it could be a ferret???).  He says he doesn't, so Yukie decides to name the gerbil "Yukie."  And then seriously she tells Jin, "until someone you love shows up, I'll be the one you love" (oh. way too cruel, Yukie!!!)


At the grave yard, Jin sees a hallucination.  Yukie has come to "close up shop" and says she didn't expect to see him at her grave.  Meanwhile, Azuma is calling the stray cat "Sachi"  and teasing Rakuto about it too, saying that Rakuto is actually the one who wants to name the cat "Sachie."  Azuma pressures Rakuto to call the cat "Sachie", but Rakuto can't because he way too embarrassed.  To add to the fun, Sachie, pondering who she loves, mutters that she would name the cat "Ra--" and then stops herself mid name.  Azuma and Rakuto are stunned, but then promptly interrupted because the other Yazuka have lost the cat.  As they look for the cat, they call it by all sorts of names, presumably of people each one of them loves.  Back to Jin's hallucination ... he and Yukie are having a beer at a restaurant.  Meanwhile, back at home, Raizo notices that Yukie's spirit horse has fallen over with no wind around to push it.  Back to the hallucination ... Jin and Yukie shoot some pool, go bowling, and end up at night on a star lit hill.  Jin "pushes down" Yukie and says he's not a kid anymore.  Yukie, though, tells Jin that he is still that same kid who was too scared to reach out for anything.  Yukie asks Jin if he's going to visit his father's grave.  Apparently, Jin hates his Dad.  Regardless, Yukie tells Jin that the dead can't visit unless there is someone alive to welcome the dead person's spirit.  She then gets up to leave.  As she leaves, she encourages Jin to reach out to the people who are now in his life.  And then Jin's cell phone rings and it's Sachie informing him that the cat is missing.  Jin returns to find the cat hiding under the house.  He calls out "Yuki" to the cat and the cat comes to him.  And then a little later, Jin and the cat are off to go visit another grave, presumably his father's.


-----End of Volume 6----


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