#this is when they're in sapporo about to rendezvous with tsurumi in pursuit of jack the ripper and they haven't seen tsurumi in a while

[eyedelater]

i wanted to know the exact line when koito suggests to tsukishima that they exchange menko (chapter 249).

the sentence: そんなに心配ならお互いのメンコを交換して肌身離さず気を張っておこう (sonna ni shinpai nara otagai no menko wo koukan shite hadamihanasazu ki wo hatte okou)

breakdown: そんなに心配なら if you're that worried お互いのメンコ each other's menko を交換して exchanging, swapping 肌身離さず carrying close to one's person, carrying at all times, implication of keeping it next to the skin 気を張っておこう let's steel ourselves.

my translation: "If you're that worried, then let's steel ourselves by exchanging menko and always keeping them close to us."

EH scans translation: "If you're that worried about it, then we can exchange our own menko and always keep them with us." (that's perfect, but i liked the part about steeling themselves.)

VIZ translation: "If you're worried, how about trading menko pieces for mutual encouragement?" (as usual leaving out a lot of detail for no reason, but i do like "mutual encouragement.")

analysis of what koito means: he wants to communicate something to tsukishima like, "we both feel weird about tsurumi now, but what's important is that we are closer and understand each other better than ever, so as long as we remember that we have each other, we can get through this." and he also wants tsukishima to look at the cool menko he made of himself and be impressed.

(and then tsukishima's reply is just, "I haven't made one, though.")

#golden kamuy #koito otonoshin #tsukishima hajime #golden kamuy translation notes #golden kamuy spoilers #this is when they're in sapporo about to rendezvous with tsurumi in pursuit of jack the ripper and they haven't seen tsurumi in a while #bc koito was recovering in the hospital after getting stabbed. then there was the ordeal surrounding inkarmat giving birth around ch230. #koito's koito menko got wet with beer after this unless he left it somewhere else. #the real question is did koito really think tsukishima had made a menko of himself and was ready to trade. or did he just want to show off #tsukikoi flavored posts