to be frank with you; to tell you the truth; I'm going to lay my cards on the table
from out of nowhere; from who knows where
begging; pestering; pleading; coaxing
university graduate; bachelor; bachelor's degree
to be hard pressed; to be at a loss; to become poor; to be reduced to poverty
Ōu (the two former provinces of Mutsu and Dewa); Tōhoku
extremely cold feeling that makes one feel numb; sharp pain that is almost numbing; heartrending; touching the heart
to come to a mutual understanding; to cancel mutually (contract, etc.)
chattering; prattling; gooey; messy (from mud, ink, etc.)
(student) exchange; study abroad
nothing new; same as always; an old story; nothing new about it; not the first time it has happened
dialogue; discussion; conversation; interaction
contrived; false-sounding
still; even now; to this day
completely empty (of a residence, etc.); vacant; body from which the soul has left; corpse; shed skin (of a snake, insect, etc.)
command of English; proficiency in English; knowledge of English
traditional Japanese dance
rebounding; recovery; repercussions; tomboy; rashness; incautiousness
forget it; forget what I just said; scratch that; check that
boiled octopus; person as red as a lobster
example; exercise (for the reader)
unshapely; unsightly; clumsy; unpresentable; uncouth; awkward
reskilling; improving one's skills
well-bred; of good upbringing
to cramp; to be cramped; to contract
study; library; bookstore; bookshop; publishing company
coward; sissy; weakling; loser; milquetoast; good-for-nothing
anyone and everyone; anybody at all
the body is honest; your body reveals what you really think (or want)
to be turned up; to be lifted up (e.g. by the wind)
to throw oneself down; to lie down
to hesitate; to hold back; to be reluctant; to be unwilling; to have loose painful bowel movement; to suffer from tenesmus