Men

"Men" is the third chapter of Gokinjo Monogatari by Ai Yazawa.

Plot
This chapter begins with Mikako in the early Sunday morning walks into kitchen and unexpectedly sees her mother awake. Ruriko tells her that she actually couldn't get to sleep at all, because she struggles with writing the next part of story of her manga. She even thought to tell the editor that she will skip next month's chapter. Mikako asks her to not feed Kuro on top of the table. Ruriko tells her that catfood, Kuro is so happily munching, was brought by Tsutomu yesterday in the morning. He brought a bag of other stuff too. Mikako had already left for school then, so she didn't know about it. While looking through contents of the bag, Mikako finds Tsutomu's note with apologies. She embarassadly recalls her angrily reaction to his attempt to apologize to her in school. She realizes that she was too hard on him. Ruriko asks her to cook something, but Mikako yells back that Ruriko has to make it herself every once in a while, hurriedly dresses up and rushes to Tutomu.

Tsutomu is still sleeping, his mom asks Mikako to help to wake him up. His room is so messy, Mikako admits in her head, that everytime she sees his room, it gives her a headache. She smacks Tsutomu with some magazine, which turns out to be a foreign porn magazine, full of blondes.

Then she follows him around the house while he's getting ready. Finally, they make up and decide to go buy some more catfood together, but when they already in the door, Mariko calls by phone and hastily asks him to come to her right away. Tsutomu is going to visit her and tells Mikako he will go with her later. Mikako makes fuss and asks him why he even cares about Body-ko, (because she thinks that Mariko only uses Tsutomu). Only to hear that Tsutomu now is going steady with Mariko. Tsutomu promises to be back in the afternoon and leaves her completely dumbfounded.

At Body-ko's place, Mariko tells Tsutomu that she forgot that she even called him, she just couldn't record some movie and panicked. Tsutomu suspect that she just toying with him. While drinking coffee, Tsutomu learn that she lives by herself and her parents bought that apartment for her. He also spots on the table photo of her together with her sempai from Junior High, both in tennis clothes. Tsutomu admits she looked very cute back than and changed a lot. She is so flustered about it, that he figures out that guy was her first love. Her reactions makes him laugh. She embarrassedly explains that she was an angel in those days and her hair is naturally light brown, so she doesn't need to color it. Tsutomu tells her that he noticed she is not wearing any make-up today and he likes it. She totally shocked by it. Then Tsutomu is going to leave, wich makes her even more perplexed because she thought he come for sex. He says he was just worried about her and leaves her dumbfounded too (because Mikako waits for him).

In the shop Mikako trys to persuade Tsutomu that Mariko is toying with him. On what he replies that Mikako just hasn't gotten to know her better.

After shopping, Mikako goes talk to Toku-chan in the Blue Parrot. He trys to reassure her that going out with someone for Tsutomu is only natural.

On the next day, Tsutomu comes to Mikako as always to go to school together and they keep squabbling.

In school Yuusuke criticize Tsutomu for not having it with Body-ko. On his immature opinion, who falls in too deep in relationship is the loser. Tsutomu points out that Yuusuke never had a girlfriend. On their way they meet Body-ko, who completely changed her sexy style on cute and lovely. Jiro says she looks like Shino-chan (Shino Harada, TV Idol in the 1990s). Mariko also made a lunch for Tsutomu, wich leaves Yuusuke incredibly perplexed. News about Mariko and Tsutomu going out quickly spreads around the school and causes a big stir.

Risa worries about Mikako and tells her that her attitude about Tsutomu is not good. Mikako, distracted by Tsutomu's relationship, sews the wrong sides of clothe together and is told by Hamada to stay after school. When she finally is going to leave it's already pretty late and dark outside. And there was rumors about rapist roaming around. But unexpectedly she sees Tsutomu and Yuusuke, waiting for her in front of entrance. Tsutomu says that her punky looking red-haired friend asked them to take Mikako home, since it was growing dark. Mikako notice that Yuusuke riding a Super Cub and compliments him about it. While Mikako excitedly chirps around Yuusuke's vehicle, Mariko unexpectedly shows up and thinks that Tsutomu waited for her. It happened so, she also had to stay after school, to finish her interior design homework. So Tsutomu takes home Mariko, while Yuusuke takes Mikako. It obvious that Tsutomu jealous about Mikako going home with someone else.

Mikako cooks omlette rice for Yuusuke to thank him for giving her ride home, even so it's far out of his way. She also admits, she usually just eats instant noodles so she hasn't much products at home. They starting to change their adverse opinions about each other.

On his way home, Yuusuke meets Tsutomu. He tells Tsutomu that his childhood friend realy cute and asks if he can go after her.

Mikako plays with Kuro at home, thinking that she feels realy relieved and amazed by Tsutomu is burning with envy over her. Because even so she can't show her feelings, she wants to be of importance to him.

Character appearances

 * Ms. Hamada
 * Hiroaki Tokumori
 * Jiro Nishino
 * Ken Nakagawa
 * Kimiko Yamaguchi
 * Kuro
 * Mai Oota
 * Mariko Nakasu
 * Mikako Kouda
 * Noriji Sunami
 * Risa Kanzaki
 * Ruriko Kouda
 * Shuuji Shintani
 * Tsutomu Yamaguchi
 * Yuichirou Yamaguchi
 * Yuusuke Tashiro

Trivia

 * There are several Tenshi Nanka Ja Nai references in this chapter:
 * A Sudou Saurus can be spotted in Tsutomu's bedroom.
 * Tonko and Kayo make another cameo at the Blue Parrot.
 * Jiro comments that Mariko looks like Shino Harada, TV Idol in the 1990s, but there is Shino Harada who is also a character in another Yazawa Ai's manga "I'm not an angel", whom Mariko resembles as well. Double reference.