even if; even though; however; no matter how
bitter smile; wry smile; forced smile; strained laugh
partly open; in half bloom
no use; useless; not fit for its purpose
lesson; class work; teaching; instruction
I got it; I see; I now know; So that's the reason
having nothing to do; having time on one's hands (and not knowing what to do); being at a loose end; being bored
living; life (one's daily existence); livelihood
secret; secrecy; mystery; secret (e.g. to success); esoteric teachings
present age; present day; today; modern era; modern times
first generation; founder
article; news story; report; account
four-panel comic strip; yonkoma
character (esp. kanji); letter; handwriting; penmanship; the ... word (e.g. "the L word" = "love")
junior high school; middle school; lower secondary school
life; living; I; me; student
settlement; solution; resolution
position; situation; viewpoint; standpoint; point of view
what; so-and-so; such and such; what?; wait; well, well
fourteenth day of the month; fourteen days
missing (of a person); lost; unaccounted for; whereabouts unknown
last night; yesterday evening
shade; shadow; behind (something); other side; background; behind the scenes
famous; noted; renowned; celebrated; well-known
activity (esp. energetic); great efforts; conspicuous service; to flourish; to participate actively; to play an active role
whereabouts; place; location; place where one belongs; where one fits in; place where one can be oneself
original; unique; distinctive; independent; one's own; personal
investigation; examination; inquiry; enquiry; survey
to find out; to discover; to detect
protection; safeguard; guardianship; preservation; conservation
arrest; apprehension; capture
matter; affair; counter for (received) emails, text messages, voicemail messages, etc.; counter for accounts (on a website, email service, etc.)
to ascend; to go up; to ascend (as a natural process, e.g. the Sun); to rise; to go to (the capital); to be promoted; to add up to
certainly; surely; undoubtedly; just; precisely; exactly
newspaper story (article, account)
carefree; optimistic; careless; reckless; heedless; happy-go-lucky
imposing stance; daunting pose
rumour; rumor; report; hearsay; gossip; common talk
to thrust (something) into (something); to cram; to plunge into; to charge into; to delve into (a matter); to go into depth; to press (someone) about
to put on airs; to assume importance