WataMote Chapter 25

Chapter 25
Information
Volume Number	3
Chapter Title	Because I’m Not Popular, I’ll Nurse The Sick
Published	August 27, 2012
Previous Chapter	Chapter 24
Next Chapter	Chapter 26

私がモテないのはどう考えてもお前らが悪い!

Watashi ga Motenai no wa dō Kangaetemo Omaera ga Warui!

No Matter How I Look at It, It’s You Guys' Fault I’m Not Popular!

Synopsis

Tomoko drowsily faces another Monday dreading another week of school and, in particular, Monday PE class. Her only hope is that Friday is at least a holiday. At breakfast, her mother informs her that her brother has a cold. She gets angry that she has to go to school and suffer through PE while he gets to stay home. She enters his room, opens his window, and removes his blankets.

In PE class, the teacher Ogino excitedly directs the girls to form teams for basketball. She stands pretty much ignored by her and the opposing team while she inwardly gripes. She remembers having her nose broken by a no-look pass during middle school. History repeats itself. As she sits and daydreams into a fantasy of being a female assassin, a pass strikes her right in the face.

Sent home early, a delighted Tomoko initially plans to spend the day playing video games; however, she surmises if she catches her brother's cold she can skip the entire week. She enters his room to play her games. When he wakes and demands to know why she is there, she tries to pretend that she wants to be with him and suggests he should be "turned on" by his older sister in her school uniform which will, somehow, make him better faster. Tomoki inwardly declares her "retarded" and tries to ignore her.

Her mother enters, and knowing that her mother will get mad if she learns that Tomoko was playing video games, she lies that she thought she should try to take care of Tomoki. Her mother happily hands her a place of fruit to give him when he wakes and reminds her to bring him a towel from downstairs. While not wanting to do anything "that troublesome," Tomoko, as she eats the fruit and drops a sopping wet towel on Tomoki's head, decides to at least look like she is trying.

She continues to play video games in his room until her mother first calls her to bring porridge to Tomoki then asks her to answer the door. She opens the door to see two of Tomoki’s classmates who have come to drop off his homework. Upset that he gets visitors while no one comes for her, she spills hot porridge on his face. Tomoki violently kicks her in her stomach. As he demands to know why she did what she did, Tomoko begins to cry. When he protests that he did not kick her "that hard," she sobs, "How come it's only for you . . . how come no one comes for me?" and begins to cry harder.

Just then, her mother calls her to tell her someone has come for her. Tomoko immediately brightens. She returns sobbing that it was only an express delivery of something she ordered. She sticks her head under his covers to continue to cry.

Tomoko continues to stay in Tomoki's room. During the night, she does wake up and silently bring him a cool towel, without wringing it out first, of course. Three days later, a recovered Tomoki enters Tomoko's room asking to borrow a game. Tomoko protests that he cannot come near her when he is sick since her three day weekend starts the following day. Tomoki then informs her that a cold takes a few days to develop. Tomoko begins to cough. As she asks, "umm could you nurse me," he slams the door. The narration announces, "You'll feel better by the weekend!"

Characters

In order of appearance:

• Tomoko Kuroki
• Mrs. Kuroki
• Tomoki Kuroki
• Ogino (unnamed)
• Oka (unnamed)
• Sayaka Yoda (unnamed)
• Akari Iguchi (unnamed)
• Yū Naruse (flashback)

Referbacks

• When Tomoko does not get picked for a team, she says she should go outside to kill ants, which is something she did during PE in Chapter 11.
• This is the second time Tomoko has fainted in PE, the first being in Chapter 19 when she did not eat lunch.

Trivia

• Akari and Sayaka’s first appearance.
• Tomoko has physical education during second period.
• Tomoko’s middle school jersey number was 7.
• This chapter is adapted into Episode 3 of the anime.

Cultural References

• Tomoko gets a package from “konozama.co.jp,” which is a fictitious version of Amazon.

Memorial Moments

• Stereotypes: Tomoko seems to think her brother should be turned on by her in her school uniform; she still thinks attraction and relationships are merely reflexive.
• Tomoko still cannot deal with other people, and she primarily acts to avoid any interaction no matter how unrealistic the plan.
• Aside from the sibling comedy, these scenes give Tomoki clues that his sister has a real problem.

Quotes

• "That Bastard, getting to sleep in while I have to endure going to school . . . How dare you!!"– Tomoko Kuroki
• “What is this, Kuroki's basketball!? Is my presence so thin that no one notices me? Am I supposed to be the sixth man? Am I the phantom sixth?” – Tomoko
• "Just let me cry in here! It's filled with germs in here!" – Tomoko

Gallery

Tomoko has a nose for the ball in middle school. . . .

Tomoko delivers her brand of sibling love.