Zekkyou Gakkyuu Tensei [Chapter 20 - Doppelgänger’s Street]

Yumi narrates, “Hello everyone. Let’s start today’s class. Have you ever heard the word ‘doppelgänger’? It is rumored that if you meet your other self, you will die within three days. Suppose that a doppelgänger exists...would you want to see each other? Lesson 20 – Doppelgänger’s Street.

After school bell, a girl asks, “Someone who really looks like me?” Her friend exclaims that is right. “Yesterday, while I’m on my way home, I passed by that private school. I thought that it is another Ichika [guesswork from 一伽]!”

Ichika asks if they really look alike. Her friend says that the girl is simply identical to her. Ichika says fine, they go there right now to check it out. “Anyway, I also don’t have anything to do after going home. Let’s go-” She thinks that every day is so boring...

“Could it be that there is an interesting thing that can happen to reverse this daily life?” Ichika and her friend stalk outside the private school. Ichika exclaims that isn’t this British academy and it is a famous school. “Is it here?”

Her friend says that the girl is wearing the uniform from that school. While Ichika wonders if this is for real, she overhears someone says, “See you, Nika [guesswork from 二伽].” Ichika is shocked for this Nika looks exactly like her. Her friend says isn’t it so, a carbon copy, right. Ichika wonders what carbon copy when it is practically her...

Nika notices something so the two girls immediately hide. Excited Ichika thinks that it’s so amazing. At home, Ichika asks her mother what she would do if her own carbon copy exists in this world. While cooking, her mother asks, huh~~?

Irritated Ichika says that she said about one’s own carbon copy... Her younger brother says, isn’t that a doppelgänger. Ichika asks Kazuo [guesswork from 和人] if he knows it. Kazuo says that one will die if one sees that kind person. “By the way, everyone knows about that. It’s general knowledge~” That irritated Ichika.

Putting the food [veggies with meat] on the table, their mother tells her not to talk about nonsense things and quickly help serve the food. Ichika complains that it is that kind of meat again... Her mother tells her not to act spoiled for they have to be diligent and thrifty. This irks Ichika that she thinks that it’s too boring!!!

Stalking at the private school again with her friend, Ichika wonders why her family is damned like that. Her father is also...aloof. There is an image of her father lamely saying, ah ah, ya... Grinding her teeth, Ichika thinks that it is really too boring!

Her friend calls out that Nika had appeared. Ichika furiously wonders if she’ll die if she saw that kind of person. “...tsk, it’s simply completely silly. How can I possibly die.” They followed Nika to her house. Ichika thinks that it is such an amazing house.

Nika enters a huge mansion. Inside, they saw Nika being greeted by her mother who says that today’s snack is French style multilayer cake. Nika says that she really likes the cake her mother made the most. Ichika thinks, mother...she was totally different from her own mother [but looks the same].

A boy hugs Nika and exclaims that she’s back. Nika calls out to him, Kazune [guesswork from 和希]. This surprises Ichika for that is Ka... Then, the father says that Kazune really likes to clings on Nika. Nika exclaims that he got out of work so early!

Ichika gets nervous for they are all the same with her parents and Kazuo. Nika says that she’ll go to the garage to get the jumping rope. She opens the door and sees Ichika and her friend. Nika is surprised that she mutters, “I...I...?” Ichika and Nika freak out.

Soon, the three girls are in a public toilet. They all look surprised and speechless. Ichika and Nika both say, “Can I...” Then, they pause. Nika says, about that...it’s really amazing that this kind of thing can happen and it startled her to death.

Holding out her hand, she introduces herself as grade six’s Honda [guesswork from 本田] Nika! Ichika says that she is Honda Ichika...grade six... The two shake hands and greet each other. Ichika thinks that they unexpectedly became friends. In her room, she looks at Ichika’s contact information on her cellphone.

Then, she has a new message. She thinks that it’s quite fast. She reads the message from Nika saying that she has a proposal. “Can we try and switch places for three days? Just to see whether or not we’ll be exposed. Everyday is too boring. Okay! Treat it as a game.”

Ichika thinks, switch, boring, huh...she too... She recalls her nagging mother telling her not to be spoiled, Kazuo calling her stupid and her aloof father. Ichika immediately replies OK, no problem! She thinks that she wants a family that’s different from them!

At the public toilet, the two switch each other’s clothes. Nika exclaims that it is so amazing that they basically couldn’t tell each other apart! Ichika says ya. Nika says, then I’m under your care, ‘Nika’. Pointing to herself, Ichika says ah, is she referring to her.

At the mansion, Ichika nervously calls out that she’s home. Nika’s mother says that she’s back and does she want to eat some snack. Ichika drools over the berry cake. Kazune calls out to her that they play together. Irked, Ichika says why would she...

Kazune looks stunned that Ichika thinks wrong, right now, she is Nika. She puts on a forced smile and says that she also wants to play with him. Kazune happily says yay- Ichika nervously thinks that was dangerous. Nika’s father hugs them and says that he’ll also join them.

“I’m going to make an agreement with you guys. I’ll be on vacation these four days so papa can play with you these four days-” This made Ichika blush. Soon, she eats delicious hamburger steak, soup and salad. While happily having dinner with Nika’s family, Ichika thinks that it is totally different from her own family.

Meanwhile at Ichika’s house, Kazuo is shouting that it is this kind of cheap meat again when he occasionally wanted to eat a more expensive meat. Ichika’s mother thinks that it’s so annoying. Nika just keep quiet so Ichika’s mother says that it seems that Ichika is quiet today.

Surprised Nika says ah, itadakimasu. Ichika’s mother reprimands Kazuo who is whining loudly. She exclaims that in order for them to get in a good college, they are living frugally from now on. “Mama and Papa are thinking of a way.” Nika looks at the simple vegetable with meat dish, miso soup, rice and appetizer. Then, she smiles.

Back at Nika’s house, Ichika says that it is the first time she ate such delicious food. Nika’s parents are puzzled for she is eating that kind of food every day. Ichika says that ah, what she meant is her mother’s food is unrivalled in this universe!

“Ah, I also want to say... I’m very happy to be able to become part of this family...” The parents look surprise. They hug her and says that they are also happy. Ichika is really envious of the real Nika.

Soon, back at the public toilet, Nika says that three days are over in an instant. “I have a lot of beautiful memories. Thank you.” Ichika looks glum. She scowls and asks Nika if she can prolong it for another day. Nika recalls that her father’s vacation is only for four days.

Holding out her hand, Nika nervously tells Ichika that didn’t they agree on three days and they should switch back. Ichika slaps away her hand and says, “I beg of you... I don’t want to go back to that kind of home. I want to go back to your house... there are so many delicious food and everyone treats me well. I’m so envious of you!”

Looking really nervous, Nika grabs Ichika’s arms and exclaims that she absolutely cannot. “I definitely have to go back today. Ichika, you’ll regret it! *trembling* Quickly go back to that ordinary family!!” Ichika pushes Nika down on the floor.

She shouts, “Even if you beat me to death, I also won’t go back! I’m Honda Nika!!” Teary-eyed and flustered Nika mutters, “...Do you really want to become me that much...?” Ichika says yes. Letting her go, Nija says fine. Ichika let out a smile and runs off while Nika looks sadly at her. Ichika thinks that it’s great. “It’s great!! I can still continue on staying in that home!!”

Ichika arrives home and calls out to everyone. Her smile freezes when she sees Nika’s parents looking gloomy with an eerie smile on their faces. There is a knife, a rope and a letter address to ‘papa and mama’. They tell ‘Nika’ that she came back so late and they were waiting for a long time for her.

Ichika looks stunned as she notices a pool of blood behind the door with a pair of slippers in disarray. Nika’s mother says, “Papa’s company has gone bankrupt. This day had finally arrived... *the parents stand up with an eerie smiling expression* You are already aware of it, right?”

Looking scared yet shocked, Ichika says, “Ha...?” Then, the beautiful mansion looks really spooky. Later on, at Ichika’s house, while Nika is eating with Ichika’s mother and Kazuo, there is a news report.

 “Last night, at the wee hours, someone reported to the police about a child placed upside down [/hanged?] at the Honda mansion’s courtyard located at OO street. According to the police’s investigation, they discover whom they presumed to be the parents’ remains within the mansion as well as the remains of a boy.”

On the television, a picture of Honda Nika and Kazune are shown. Kazuo is complaining again about the cheap meat. Nika giggles as Ichika’s mother reprimands him to shut up, just be good and eat. Then, Nika looks serious. She mutters, “So, I was warning you earlier. Goodbye, Honda Nika...”

In the news, it wrote, “Family..Body...Commit suicide?” with a picture of ‘Nika’. Yumi narrtes: “If she properly switch back after three days as they agreed... But, if it is viewed from a never seen different point of view wherein one is being treated affectionately, then perhaps, it will be very hard to discover one’s own precious significance...

...If everyone also meets a person who is one’s own carbon copy, by all means, do not go forward and start a conversation with that person. Even if it isn’t a doppelgänger, there is a possible risk of dying within three days... *another Yumi passes by behind the crowd* Then, this lesson is up to here.”

Comment: Nika is quite nice for it would be really tempting to just let Ichika go ahead and switch with her for she knew what’s going to happen. I guess Nika wanted to experience a different family and have good memories before she gets killed.

I’m curious though why the parents would want to kill ‘Nika’ that way. I mean, the others are all in the house while she is outside and it was made into a ‘suicide’. Nevertheless, there are such parents who would rather kill their children when things turn bad.

Perhaps, that is their benevolent way of sparing the kids from ‘suffering’. I guess Nika’s family is living beyond their means so they ended up bankrupt. It is also inevitable for Ichika to want to stay in that family since she felt special and pampered but alas, it was too late when she learned the truth behind it. Scans by 离境汉化组

Word of the day:

By God’s grace we can learn to overcome comparison obsession by focusing on the life God has given to us. As we take moments to thank God for everyday blessings, we change our thinking and begin to believe deep down that God is good. ~ Our Daily Bread