How I've Waited For You (君まてども, Kimi mate domo?), also known as "Even Though I Wait for You..." in the first Viz translation, is the 26th chapter of the Urusei Yatsura manga.
Summary[]
The boys of Ataru's, class upset by Mendō's popularity with girls, decide to invent a girl and have her fall for Ataru in an attempt to make Mendō jealous. Ataru's happy to know it, but Lum is not and she threatens to leave him for Mendō. It doesn't stop Ataru, as he makes a bet with Mendō that he will give up his class presidency if the girl does not come and meet him, and if she does, Mendō has to give him money. The day of the date arrives and fortunately, it is not ruined, thanks to Lum herself...
Plot Overview[]
Introduction[]
Ataru reads the letter aloud
At the beginning of the chapter, the boys of Ataru's class are shown ranking girl classmates, although it is purely based on looks. Kumiko, Momoe, and Shinobu occupy the first, second, and third places respectively. Mendō then shows up with a love letter to Kumiko, making the stormtroopes really angry. When they realize that in fact it was the other way round, that it was Kumiko who gave the letter to Mendō, they shrug it off saying there is Momoe. However when Momoe too gives Mendō a letter, they are broken beyond words. Upset by the fact that all the girls love Mendō, they devise a plan to get back at him by writing a fake love letter to Ataru, hoping it would make the former jealous. After writing up the letter, they give it to Ataru. Ataru is elated seeing the letter and begins reading it out aloud. Mendo hears Ataru read it, but gets suspicious about the way it is written. He says that whoever wrote it clearly is uneducated and that he would not expect someone pretty with this kind of writing. Ataru, who is not bothered by all this, finds the girl's name to be Kumino Otoko and gets even more elated than before. Just then Lum comes flying in and asks why Ataru is so happy.
The bet[]
Ataru gets ready... for the date
Mendō explains the situation about Ataru getting crazy over the love letter, causing Lum to angrily charge at Ataru. Mendō tells Lum that Ataru's not worth it, causing Lum to cry on Mendō's chest. Although she does it to induce jealousy in Ataru, Ataru is not moved and comments that Lum and Mendō deserve each other. Mendō counters, replying that Kumino is probably a repulsive girl. However, Ataru argues that she is not ugly. Mendō then puts forward a bet, which Ataru accepts: if the girl is repulsive, Mendō will take over the title of the class president from Ataru. Ataru says that if he wins, he will take 10,000 yen from Mendō. Seeing there's no other way to put a stop to it, the group of boys find a girl who promises to portray Kumino for 3000 yen per hour.
Ataru receives another love note saying that he should meet her at the Pigmon Coffee Shop by 4:00 pm. While Ataru starts getting ready for the date, Lum comments that he is making a fool of himself. She then says that there is something wrong with a girl falling for Ataru and also states that she may switch to Mendō. Ataru then pretending to be concerned asks Lum if she really meant it and just when Lum starts replying, leaves her to Mendō and proceeds to go out, but ends up electrocuted by a furious Lum.
The day of the date[]
Lum overhears the plans
On the day of the date Lum is in a tree pondering over the things that happened and overhears the boys' plan to make Mendō jealous. She learns that the girl who was supposed to portray Kumino, fell sick with a stomachache (presumably due to overeating the previous day), so now they don't know what to do. The boys walk back to the classroom to break the news about the date, only to find him very excited for the date. Just then, Mendō declares that he will become the class president after the day, but Ataru denies it and instead offers the boys a treat when he receives the 10,000 yen from Mendō. Although irritated that they can't tell Ataru the story, the boys then start worrying about what Mendō will do to them if he becomes the class president. Lum, who had been overseeing all this, decides that she will not help Ataru out in the situation that he has gotten himself in to.
Shinobi appears[]
Shinobi??
Later that day, at the Pigmon Coffee Shop, the boys tell Ataru that it's 4:15 and that she is not coming, but Ataru disregards what they are saying. Lum, seated on an electrical pole, wonders if Ataru is being teased at the coffee shop. It is already 5 o' clock and there is still no sign of Kumino. Mendō is pretty confident as he proudly announces that it is just 15 minutes away from his victory. Meanwhile, Lum has a change of heart and sets off to save Ataru from embarrassment. As soon as the time runs up, and the boys become completely hopeless, Kumino steps in. Everyone, including Mendō, is surprised at her appearance. An elated Ataru rushes to her, but realizes at first glance that it is actually Lum! Ataru almost screams her name out, before she cuts him off saying she was the one who wrote those love letters. She then asks Ataru to play along lest he should be humiliated in front of everyone. Ataru agrees and Kumino (or Lum) escorts him out of the coffee shop, leaving the guys stunned.
Lum and Ataru walk hand-in-hand
Once out, Lum describes the plan to Ataru, causing him to get angry. However, Lum mentions that it was his fault and had it not been for her, he would have been humiliated. Ataru replies that he owes her one, but pauses abruptly when he notices something – Lum is very pretty, something he had not noticed before. Lum starts flying off, but Ataru pulls her hand tells that they should walk some more, together. Lum agrees, and they start walking together, holding hands.
Characters in Order of Appearance[]
- Shinobu Miyake
- Shūtarō Mendō
- Ataru Moroboshi
- Lum
- Otoko Kumino (fictional)
Trivia[]
- This chapter marks the first time that Ataru is shown remarking Lum's beauty.
- The first anime counterpart of the chapter, Episode 10 bears many similarities as well as differences. The notable differences are:
- The girl that the boys hire to act as Kumino actually appears before the cafe, only to be stopped by Lum before she can enter.
- The story in the anime is set during Christmas eve.
- Mendō was not in the anime version of this chapter.
- Some material in the anime adaptation is also taken from Chapter 34, which was not yet fully adapted until Episode 44.