CHITOSE IS IN THE RAMUNE BOTTLE
Do you think those guys from yesterday are the type to stalk someone?
If anything, they'd be more likely to resort to brute force.
But they may have a specific kink
or just be trying to gather information.
By "kink," I mean they might get off on following a girl around
or feel pleasure at seeing her fear at being stalked.
Dude...
How can you even hit upon those creepy, scary ideas?
Well, I do read a lot.
For the "gathering info" part, they could be looking for a weakness to exploit.
When you have dirt on someone,
blackmailing them is a safer option than violence.
I see...
Chitose-kun, right?
I'm Tomoya Naruse from Class 7.
Can I call you Saku?
Sure. This is Kenta Yamazaki.
Hey.
Do you mind giving us a moment?
O-Of course.
Kenta!
I'm eating with him right now.
If you don't want him hearing it, come back some other time.
Yeah, that was my bad.
I'm sorry, Yamazaki-kun.
I-It's okay.
So, I know this is out of nowhere and rude...
But is it true that you're dating Nanase-san?
Yeah, it's true.
And you're not just pretending to be together?
She didn't seem like the type to randomly start dating a guy one day.
So, Tomoya, can I assume you have a thing for Yuzuki?
I saw her during our entrance ceremony last year, and it was love at first sight.
Can you keep a secret?
And are you prepared for the consequences if you spread it around?
Of course.
This doesn't leave this group.
You're right. Yuzuki and I are pretending to be a couple.
But I can't tell you why.
Really?
Whew!
In that case, there's something else I'd like your help with!
You're awfully demanding for a guy with such a cutesy face.
Please tell me stuff about Nanase-san?
This escalated quickly, you smug ass!
You don't have to tell me anything you don't want to!
And while you're at it,
I'd like some dating advice too.
Listen, even if I do give you advice, I'm still gonna go on dates with Yuzuki,
and if I fall for her, I'm gonna go out with her for real.
That's too bad.
But I'm okay with that.
Fine, you got me.
King, could you come with me for a sec?
I left something in that room there.
BIOLOGY LAB
Did we even go to the biology lab today?
Don't worry about that.
Just open the door, King.
What's gotten into you?
Hey, what are you playing—
You set me up, you asshole!
Saku.
Saku-kun.
Sit down.
Okay.
Hup!
Ow!
Who said you were allowed to sit on a chair?
Huh?
Get your ass on your knees.
Yes, ma'am!
I deeply apologize for what happened yesterday.
Now, what did I tell you on the roof?
Er... You disapproved of me being okay with getting targeted in Yuzuki's place.
We were super-duper worried, okay?
I'm really sorry.
Listen here, Saku.
I get that sometimes words won't get through to people like that.
That! Said!
If you must put yourself in danger, know that what you're doing is serious!
Have the mindset of only doing it to protect yourself and loved ones!
"Eh, it'll work out if I do this" isn't going to cut it! You hear me?
We want to help Yuzuki-chan too.
But that doesn't make it okay for you to get hurt instead.
Please talk to us when you feel you're really out of options.
Knowing that will help us deal with the pain of being unable to do anything but watch.
Got it. I promise.
Moving on...
I've been able to see up your skirts this whole—
Sorry, Yua-chan! No choky!
Sheesh. Why are you like this?
Saku, pinky promise.
Break it, and I'll hate you forever!
Can I get an encore?
Students aren't allowed to be up here without permission.
Didn't you know? I'm the Number Two Rooftop Cleaning Officer.
Damn that Kura-sen.
He kept it from me on purpose.
Asu-nee, can I ask for the usual?
You want some counseling, do you?
There are a couple of things that make you so enigmatic and so lovely.
For one, you assume you can do it all,
and you haven't been proven wrong yet.
Next, you act like you have people to lean on,
but in reality, it's just you.
And yet, even if you act like you're all you've got,
the truth is that you always have someone.
Just like a wind chime out on the veranda tinkling in the breeze of a hot summer day.
Saku?
That's it for this counseling session.
Yuzuki.
Sorry, am I interrupting?
Nah, we just finished.
Let me introduce you. This is Asuka Nishino, a third-year.
Asu-nee, this is who I was talking about. Yuzuki Nanase.
Nice to meet you. I'm Nanase.
The pleasure's all mine.
I don't want to offer unwanted sympathy when we've only just met,
so I'll just say this:
Please don't look away.
What do you mean?
From what I've heard, Nanase-san is just like you.
Hey, uh...
Nishino-senpai, what kind of relationship do you and Saku have?
Ah.
So you want my answer?
Well...
Whatever you're picturing our relationship to be, Nanase-san,
it's a little more complicated
and a little more tasteful than that.
What else?
An older girl and younger boy whose dynamic you should be a little more wary of,
maybe?
Wha?
I'm a bit surprised to learn you have someone like that in your life.
What do you mean, "someone like that"?
Someone who's special to you
and considers you special, too. That kind of relationship.
She just sees it as messing around with a younger boy she meets now and then.
There's no way you haven't noticed.
Nishino-senpai called me by my last name,
but she only ever addressed you directly as "you."
Getting jealous over the sudden appearance of a rival?
You're starting to get into that girlfriend mode.
I kind of assumed that was my role.
That the only one who knew the real you and spoke to you on a similar wavelength
was me, Yuzuki Nanase.
Well, you are more like me than anybody else I can think of.
Turns out, I'm more girly than I thought.
Listen, Nanase.
Exactly. I'm "Nanase," and you're "Chitose."
We're less than friends and not yet lovers.
I may see you as special, but the feeling might not be mutual.
It was just a shallow assumption I'd made.
A tiny blow to the ego of a girl who thought she alone was special.
I wanted to brush it off with a light joke, but I couldn't bring myself to
because I realized that I was thinking the same thing.
You shall not pass?
Look, if you see this as anything but the universal gesture for "let's hold hands,"
I think you have serious issues in life.
What brought this on?
I thought that maybe it'd make me just a little bit special.
Cut it out before it becomes a habit.
Bah.
Okay, I'll head home.
Sure. Thanks again.
Wait, Saku!
Look at this.
What do you think it is?
No stamp, no address, and no sender.
I'm taking a look inside.
Photos?
Show me.
I wanna say you shouldn't, but that won't stop you, huh?
Pics of me and you?
Looks like you weren't imagining things.
Damn it.
Way to ruin a guy's photogenic good looks.
BREAK.UP.NOW
Hmm... "BREAK.UP.NOW," huh?
That's probably a link you don't wanna click on.
You have a real talent for turning serious situations into stupid jokes.
This confirms that there really is a stalker.
And unfortunately, it looks like he won't stop just because she got a boyfriend.
You okay, Yuzuki?
Shouldn't that have been the first question you asked, Mr. White Knight?
Right you are.
I'm not okay. This is creepy as hell.
But I guess I am calmer than you'd expect someone in this situation to be.
Looks like you're the one in the crosshairs, anyway.
Okay, she's putting on a brave face.
Real talk,
installing security cameras would be the most effective solution.
Sorry, I don't want to involve my parents just yet.
Figures. Got it.
I need to end this before she can't even keep that brave face up anymore.
Huh, so Nanase-san's a high school girl like any other.
I mean, duh?
I just saw her as being on a different plane of existence.
So I wanna know.
What about Yuzuki made you fall for her?
It was honestly just her looks at first.
I only truly fell for her a little while after school started.
Oh, so she stopped, turned on her phone's flashlight, and helped?
I have a feeling she wasn't just "being nice" like you thought.
She just didn't want to be the version of herself who'd walk past that without helping.
I'm not sure I understand.
Drop the image of her you've built up in your head and look at Yuzuki the person.
I know this probably won't sound cool,
but what ultimately moves a person is plain and simple, straightforward passion.
Not the words I pictured coming from you.
So if you actually wanna date Yuzuki, talk to her and build a rapport first.
Get to know her better, see your illusions crash and burn,
and if you still love her then, tell her how you feel.
Thanks. I'm going to try to learn more about her.
Good luck.
Tomoya kept calling me like that every night,
and I gave him whatever advice I could.
Two more envelopes were delivered to Yuzuki's place.
One of them included photos of her as a first-year.
Things were getting nastier by the day.
Heya, Saku.
Heya. You came to watch too?
They're clearly not the type to go catch a game on a date.
How unusual.
What's up? You need to take a dump?
Come with me!
Huh? O-Okay.
What do you want, Chitose and Asano? Spectators go to the balcony.
Did something happen, Misaki-sensei?
Yuzuki's basketball shoes are gone.
Was the clubroom ever left unlocked with nobody inside?
During our team meeting.
If they were stolen, that must've been when it happened.
It's okay. I still have my indoor shoes.
Like hell it is! Kaito!
Right!
Saku?
You better not come back empty-handed, bossman!
You betcha!
Yuzuki, you just focus on the game and our bet!
You get nothing if you don't win!
I'll go look outside.
Kaito, you check all the garbage bins around here.
Roger that!
You're on, you stupid stalker!
I'll make you regret picking a fight with Saku Chitose until the day you die!
FUJI - AIMEI
There's a 50 percent chance I find the shoes.
They're long gone if the stalker just wanted something of Yuzuki's.
But if he just wanted to mess with her, then there's still a chance.
If he just wanted to mess with her, then he'd want to keep this low-key—
leave her without shoes for the game but have them found soon after.
Hey, there is one place I haven't looked!
FUJI - AIMEI
Yuzuki!
Timeout!
Hey, you're losing.
FUJI - AIMEI
You're all talk, huh?
Saku, you've got leaves in your hair.
And you scraped your elbow.
Thought I'd switch it up and go with the dirty-and-wild vibe.
If you've got the shoes, put them on already.
Oh, right.
Nana, Umi, are you ready?
Make sure this fool's effort wasn't wasted.
Right!
FUJI - AIMEI
Watch this, Saku.
I'm probably about to put on a real show for you.
You can watch from our bench.
I appreciate it.
By the way, do you think you could spare some team budget for hedge repairs?
Hedge?
Yeah, by the archery range.
I'll pretend I didn't hear that.
So, which one is it? Nana or Umi?
Even you get curious, huh?
Is this your first time watching Nana play?
Nah, I've seen it a few times.
She's always cool and precise, just like she is right now.
Then you don't know the first thing about her.
Unlike Umi, who's full pedal to the metal,
Nana stays in control of herself.
She's always thinking about how to bring the best out of Umi and the team.
But every now and then, she goes wild.
Nana!
FUJI - AIMEI
Hit the dagger, Nana!
In that moment,
Yuzuki looked like a lonesome weeping sakura tree in full bloom.
Elegant and beautiful, ethereal and fleeting.
Showy yet dignified,
methodical and cold.
The arc she painted in the air was so perfect,
nobody here could touch it.
FUJI - AIMEI
Translation: Sriram Gurunathan
Subtitle Editing: Geoff Mazzolini Subtitle Timing: Krzysztof Kunc
Quality Check: Riley Dalton Translation Check: Rei Miyasaka
NEXT TIME UPS AND DOWNS
"Ups and Downs."