<Anyone who would like to read this chapter in English, please send PM to A Pierrot's Aria for the info. >



Chapter Summary:
(To be filled)

Characters in this chapter:
Hachiken
Aki (classmate)
Ichirou (classmate)
Mr. Nakajima (Equestrian Club Advisor)
Tamako (classmate)

Places:
Stables
Racing Tracks/Obihiro Racecourse
Cafeteria

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Again, a RAW of this chapter for people to look at if, like me, they actually miss their dose of Silver Spoon (and want to take a sneak peak at how Hachiken and Aki's "date" is going to go! Ahahaha...from what I can see, Ichirou just crashed it. It puts me in mind of how Domeki always seems to be there when Watanuki wants to be alone with Himawari in xxxHolic. )

It's a shame we're not getting early spoilers on account of MangaHideout closing. But it's great we have such an early scanlation release. XP

ETA:
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|/ Thank you so much Tombow! You're awesome! I can't wait until the next chapter!

Thank you, A Pierrot's Aria!!

Wow, this is exciting chapter...in a way.

Warning!! Quick Spoiler-Chapter-Summary ahead!!
This chapter got some exciting "race" scene, XD That's like equivalent of having "fighting" scene for shounen manga, I guess. XD But, instead of fight scenes, we see horse race in this chapter. XDD Yes, Hachiken's "date" was "going to the horse race track". Because, a horse from Mikage's family farm is in the race. And, Mikage also invited Ichirou Komaba. (awww, disappointing Hachiken. xd) And they run into Nakajima sensei who showed them very different side of him. (Also, is that Tamako there???) Turned out this is not an ordinary horse race, but "farm horse" race in which horses also pull tons of load behind them, and the race is carried out with the speed of humans walking. And, not only that, there are two hills on the course.
Mikage's horse almost won, but unlike regular horse race in which the race is decided when any part of the horse touches the goal line, this horse race is decided when the horse finishes pulling the whole load past the goal line, and Mikage's horse stopped with its nose at the goal line, and ended up as the 3rd place. Nakajima sensei betted all his money on Mikage's horse, Mikagehomare (pride of Mikage) and lost ... awww... (And again, is that Tamako who is stuffing her face at the food stand? XD)
After the race, Mikage, Komaba, and Hachiken go to the food court at the race track and chat. Mikage is happy because Mikagehomare finished as 3rd place, and that means it can avoid being butchered another awhile. Ichirou tells Hachiken the reality of being farm animals, that when they can't produce favorable "results" they are butchered and eaten. That was the case for the smoked chicken Hachiken ate, that the whole flock gets killed off when their egg productions go down. Meantime, Hachiken can't get over the fact that Mikagehomare "almost" won but missed being number One, saying that he doesn't like it that its efforts didn't get rewarded. Ichirou catches that, and asks Hachiken what happened before he entered Dai-Ezo Ag high school, and why Hachiken came to the agricultural high school....and that's the end of this chapter! The side caption says in the next chapter we'll learn Hachiken's past!!!
They will skip a week again, and the next chapter will come out on May 25, 2011.

...and that's the quick spoiler summary. I skipped a few details, like when Ichirou explains about this horse race which is kind of unique to Hokkaido. I may come back and fill them in later.

I liked how this chapter was fun, but ended on a pretty serious sounding note.

At the beginning, I chuckled when the first thought that came to Hachiken's mind, when Aki was describing where they were going, was Disney Land. And like I mentioned before, Ichirou appearing reminds me of when Watanuki wants to be alone with Himawari in xxxHolic, but Domeki ends up being invited along to wherever they go. xD

During the race, I had pretty much the same reactions as Hachiken. xD When Mikage Homare stopped before the obstacle I was thinking "why did he stop!?", "He's going to lose!", "oh, he won!". It's a shame that the whole sled had to be across the line in the end. XP It was a pretty exciting race.

The interactions with Mr. Nakajima were also really funny. xD

But as I said before, I like how serious-sounding it got in the end. Now Hachiken has learned that if animals aren't deemed efficient for what they're needed for, then they are more than likely killed (like the chicken that Hachiken ate, as Ichirou points out.) It makes me wonder if Hachiken's dream is to be the best because at one point he didn't feel good enough despite all of his effort? We'll have to wait and see-- why do we have to have a week's break? I can't wait for the next chapter! xD