verbal promise; one's word
to be disappointed; to be dejected; to be downhearted; to feel exhausted; to feel drained
superior; excellent; brilliant; outstanding
NHK; Japan Broadcasting Corporation
Kōhaku Uta Gassen; annual contest between male and female popular singers on New Year's Eve (sponsored and broadcast by NHK)
honorific/polite/humble prefix; honorific suffix
dissatisfaction; discontent; displeasure; complaint; unhappiness
to happen to have on hand or in stock
to doubt; to distrust; to be suspicious of; to suspect
what?!; what did you say?!; why?; what for?; anyone; anything
anyone; anybody; everyone; everybody; whoever
good-natured person; good person; (one's) lover; boyfriend; girlfriend
awfully; frightfully; desperately; violently; unduly; extremely
to sting one's eyes; to make one's eyes smart
thanks to ...; owing to ...; because of ...
grace (of God); benevolence (of Buddha); assistance; help; effects; influence
female high-school student
gear; speed (e.g. 4-speed transmission)
tightly; closely; exactly; precisely; suddenly (stopping); perfectly (suited)
gradually; steadily; slowly; little by little; step by step; by degrees
creak; squeak; creaking sound
to jar; to creak; to grate
(way of) life; living; livelihood; life circumstances
token (effort); something done for form's sake
to use (a thing, method, etc.); to make use of; to use (a person, animal, puppet, etc.); to employ; to use (time, money, etc.); to spend
staying the night; lodging (at)
care-taking; house-sitting; house-watching; caretaker; house-sitter
reaching; attaining; arrival
dot; spot; mark (in an exam, etc.); grade; point (in a game); score; point (in geometry)
clamour; clamor; uproar; tumult; furore; furor
weekly pictorial magazine
to loiter; to putter; to prowl; to be confused from not knowing what to do
meticulous; careful; discreet; scrupulous; prudent