The Yamaguchi Family's Tsutomu-kun

The Yamaguchi Family's Tsutomu-kun is the first chapter of Gokinjo Monogatari written by Ai Yazawa. It was first published in Ribon sometime in 1995.

This chapter introduces the main characters, Mikako Kouda and Tsutomu Yamaguchi, as well of the many side characters.

Introduction
Mikako recalls a song called "Yamaguchi-san's Tsutomu-kun," which her childhood friend, Tsutomu was arrogant about. Today Tsutomu bears a strong resemblance to the popular singer, Ken Nakagawa, which causes many girls to flock to him. Mikako is constantly irritated by this.

At school, Mikako, and her friends see a magazine with a picture of Ken Nakagawa, and how much Tsutomu does look like him. Mikako says that it bothers her, and Risa starts to think that Mikako likes him. Mikako makes a speedy getaway.

Mikako is a first-year design student at Yazawa School for the Arts, and dreams of one day owning a boutique, and brand. She works fast, but tends to sew roughly, according to Ms. Hamada, and that her work will never sell like that.

Mikako's problem
Mikako is walking home with her best friend, Risa Kanzaki, who is from Hokkaido, and hopes to design children's clothes one day.

stopped to talk to the apartment building manager, Noriji Sunami. Mikako is by her apartment when, she saw Mariko Nakasu, better known as "Body-ko," kissing Tsutomu on the cheek. Mariko left, and Mikako slapped Tsutomu out of anger, when he had tried to grab her hand.

She ran to the Blue Parrot with Tsutomu chasing after her, the bar is owned by Hiroaki Tokumori, who is like a brother to Mikako. Hiroaki asked first thing what had happened between them, and he made his judgement that Tsutomu was wrong, mostly because Tsutomu still had Mariko's lipstick on his cheek. Tsutomu went to go wipe off his cheek, and Mikako left.

Mikako went to the park by her apartment to feed a small black kitten she had previously befriended. This encounter under the elephant slide, reminded Mikako of when, she was a child, and Tsutomu had came her rescue there, after her parents had decided to get a divorce, and how happy Mikako had been when he had came to get her.

Tsutomu had gone back home, when Mikako's mother came to his apartment frantic, because Mikako had not come back home yet. Everyone from their apartment went to look for her, when they learned that a rapist was known to be in the area.

Mikako woke up to find that she had fallen asleep on accident underneath the slide. All of a sudden, Mikako saw a man in front of her. Tsutomu came just in time to push that guy out of the way. Tsutomu thought that Mikako did not want to leave the kitten, when he laid his eyes on it, and that was why she had not came home. The man got up, and they saw that it was just Noriji.

They went back to their apartment, and with the help of her mother's tears, Mikako was able to keep the kitten in her apartment. Tsutomu went back to his apartment, just across the hallway from Mikako's, and she apologized for slapping him.

Character appearances

 * Ms. Hamada
 * Hiroaki Tokumori
 * Hirohiko Sakurada
 * Ken Nakagawa
 * Kimiko Yamaguchi
 * Kuro
 * Mai "P-chan" Oota
 * Mariko Nakasu
 * Mikako Kouda
 * Noriji Sunami
 * Risa Kanzaki
 * Ruriko Kouda
 * Tsutomu Yamaguchi
 * Youichirou Yamaguchi

Trivia

 * A girl comments that Tsutomu looks just like Monchhichi, a popular toy in the 1970s and 1980s.
 * Ken Nakagawa from Tenshi Nanka Ja Nai makes a cameo appearance in a magazine. Tsutomu also looks a lot like Ken.
 * According to the author's comments, the Gokinjo Monogatari anime was already airing by the time the first volume came out.
 * Tonko and Kayo from Ten-nai make a small cameo at the Blue Parrot.