to listen carefully; to strain one's ears
yellow; high-pitched (voice); shrill
please don't fuss over me; don't go to any trouble; don't bother
readiness; preparedness; attitude; kanji "vapor" radical
thereabouts; vicinity; that area; that situation; those circumstances
schoolgirl; female student
circumstances; sequence of events; how things got this way; details; particulars
crummy; shabby; petty; lousy; puny; cheap
to tighten; to stiffen; to brace; to strain
challenging; defiant; provocative; aggressive
fireball; ball of fire; will-o'-the-wisp; jack-o'-lantern
wisdom; jnana (higher knowledge)
collecting tickets; ticket collector
to be upset; to lose one's composure; to lose self-control; to put in disorder; to mess up; to disturb
to wither (of a plant); to be blasted; to die; to mature (of one's personality, abilities, etc.)
dotage; feeble-minded old man; senile old fool; dotard
several years; a few years
in a tousled manner; in a ruffled fashion; in a disorderly manner; with a fluster; confusedly; messily
to pat (e.g. a dog); to rub; to stroke; to fondle; to caress
to fall to one's knees; to go down on one's knees (e.g. to express respect)
cheerful; merry; sunny; bright (sky, day, etc.); fine; clear
balance of power (in a relationship); power dynamic
in a sense; in some way; to an extent
erotic humiliation; sexual humiliation; deliberate provocation of shame or embarrassment for erotic pleasure
ignoring (someone); ostracizing; leaving (someone) out
to become an adult woman; to come of age; to lose one's virginity (of a woman); to become sexually active
bygones; the past; past event
neck; head; dismissal (from a job); firing
ball; sphere; bead (of sweat, dew, etc.); drop; ball (in sports); pitch (e.g. in baseball); pile (of noodles, etc.)
swallow (bird of the Hirundinidae family); martin; barn swallow (Hirundo rustica); younger man involved with an older woman; boy toy
cowrie (esp. the chocolate cowrie, Mauritia mauritiana); cowry
in general; generally; mostly; gist; point; main idea