(Shiisaa yaibin! Yotsuba pets a shiisaa.)
There's a bicycle with a basket on it. In the basket are some bags of stuff. The rider is Fuuka. She stops to talk to someone in the neighborhood. Fuuka is in charge of errands during summer vacation. The woman says that's quite grown-up of her, unlike her lazy kids. Fuuka departs.
At the Ayase home, Asagi gives a box to Ena, who thanks her and starts opening it mildly excitedly. Mrs. Ayase wonders where hers is. Ena finds that her own present is a stuffed creature. She calls it cute, and asks to be reminded what it is. Mrs. Ayase knows; it's a shisa. Shisa are creatures who supposedly ward off evil. Ena gives a "gaooo" (written as "ROWRR!" here). (She's sah cute! ^_^ )
The next gift is a shirt, for Fuuka. It says "Go~ya~" (bitter melon) on it. The others are unsure, but Asagi reminds her of her habit of wearing "weird, dumb" t-shirts around the house. Ena still isn't convinced. Just then, Fuuka calls that she's home. And: "So hot! A/C! Cold tea!" As she's getting tea, either Ena or Mrs. Ayase calls in to tell her about the souvenirs. She looks at her shirt. She kind of likes it! Mostly the "limited" aspect. Asagi says she's real glad Fuuka is happy with it.
Mrs. Ayase's present is a bag of... SAATAA ANDAGI! They look like donut holes. In fact, they're often compared to donuts. Ena doesn't know what they are. One bag is purple yam-flavored.
The next gift is Okinawan music CDs, for the girls' dad... only...
(Cue the poignant music. Choose your own; this is a manga and doesn't have it.)
Asagi calls herself silly for forgetting... that dad... is already gone...
She looks out the window...
(Now turn the page and make a record scratch noise.)
Fuuka points out that dad is still alive, and she knows it; he's just at work. Ena notes Asagi's habit of "killing him off", i.e., pretending he's dead. Mrs. Ayase decides to open them up so they can have them. Fuuka decides to make coffee.
Iced coffee, looks like. Fuuka remarks that the saataa andagi tastes like Okinawa. Mrs. Ayase asks what that means, and guesses that Fuuka doesn't know herself. Asagi asks Ena if she recorded a show. Ena confirms that she did, having set it on the schedule. Both Fuuka and Mrs. Ayase think it's incredible that you can schedule recordings now, but Ena contends that it's easy. One of them used to know how back when they used a VCR, but this one uses a hard disk, which Fuuka finds too complicated. Ena still says they're simple.
Fuuka wants to see Ena's shisa. (Meanwhile, Asagi has wiped out her savings.) She thinks it looks like Jumbo. Ena hasn't named it yet. Fuuka comes up with "Caesar". "Et tu, Ena?" Ena would rather have an Okinawa-ish name. (Asagi thinks the saataa andagi she had in the store were better.) Fuuka considers names like Amuro
, Gushiken, and Shimabukuro. Ena decides she'll think of something herself. She figures she'll think of something from Okinawa and name it using that. She asks Asagi what's in Okinawa. Asagi says "Nothing, really." Fuuka tells Ena that that "thing" they have is "nothing". ... I don't think I get it. Whatever it really says took Ena a bit to get. Fuuka's a little too "Geddit? Geddit?" about her little joke, and Asagi chops her on the head. Fuuka thought it was clever, but it ticked Asagi off. Fuuka flops at the reception of it.
Then she notices the CDs, and asks if they can play them. Asagi doesn't mind, since it's their dad's. As she goes to do so, Asagi considers microwaving the saataa andagi, and Mrs. Ayase goes to try it. Fuuka remarks that the music is "Okinawa-ish". (Asagi seems to be having a nice conversation with Ena. :) ) Fuuka plops on the couch to listen. Ena asks what the instrument is; it's a sanshin. Asagi looks at the liner notes. Fuuka has an idea, accompanied by a bell, that of the microwave, going off. She leaves as Mrs. Ayase sets out the freshly heated treats.
Fuuka gets something from her room. Asagi relates that she touched a dolphin. Ena seems impressed. She starts to go on to tell about the hotel program, but is interrupted by Fuuka on a ukelele. She thought it might go well with the Okinawan music, but...
ASAGI: That's really annoying.
ENA: You're terrible.
MRS. AYASE: Knock it off.
Fuuka asks if she's being booed off stage. The ukelele is set aside, and she lies face down on the couch. "Music is supposed to be about the enjoyment of sound," she says. (Or is it Fuuka saying that? It could well have be Asagi, saying her playing wasn't enjoyable.) Someone says something about trying the saataa andagi warmed up, as they're really yummy.
Mrs. Ayase remembers that they're going to grandma's house (hers, or theirs?) for Obon, so they're told to make sure their schedules are open. It's apparently in 3 days. Fuuka wishes her family had come from Okinawa. She tries to pull a pillow, but is unbalanced, and falls off.
Ena is reminded of Yotsuba. (First mention of her this chapter!) She lived at her grandma's house before, and before that, she lived on an island. Mrs. Ayase remarks that she has the energy to be from a tropical island such as Okinawa. Asagi asks if she said which island, but all she said was that it was to the left. Mrs. Ayase takes a little while and thinks maybe she was talking about Hawaii. Asagi and Fuuka wonder why that would be, but Fuuka notes that Hawaii's to the right.
Ena asks Asagi if she got souvenirs for Yotsuba, pointing out that she'll probably be over again. Asagi didn't, however, she figures a few saataa andagi would be appreciated. Ena thinks that's taking the easy way out, but the others are sure she'll love them.
On the last page of the chapter, Yotsuba's voice belts out a "GOOOOOD AAAFTERNOOOON!!" Ena remarks that it was as she said. On the penultimate panel, she stands in front of the row of shoes. Finally, they invite her the rest of the way.
On the copyright page, the information is rotated clockwise and put at the top. At the bottom, the Ayase's shoes are lined up nicely, although two are facing the mat and two are facing away. Next page, Yotsuba's shoes are near them, but not lined up and kind of haphazard.
On the back cover, Yotsuba, Mr. Koiwai, and Jumbo strike fighting poses.
One more thing. Whereas the blurb on the back of the ADV Manga covers is written from an external perspective, the back covers of the Yen Press volumes are written as though it's Yotsuba talking. For this one, she sums up part of chapter 8.
Next time: Volume 3, Chapter 15!
