CHITOSE IS IN THE RAMUNE BOTTLE
How could you do this to me, Saku?!
I kept running around all over school until you called me!
Uh, I'm really sorry, man.
I'll treat you to a bowl of Hachiban's for the trouble.
Yeah? Make it a large, with gyoza on the side!
Sure. Anything you want.
See you on Monday.
A school date on the weekend? Way to go, man.
I didn't know you liked basketball.
Tch.
Nazuna, not me.
She played in middle school, and I hear she was pretty good, too.
So where is she?
It ticked her off that Nanase got to be the hero. She left as soon as the game ended.
Yeah, I guess that was quite the display.
Anybody would get annoyed at her stealing the show like that.
Let me ask you one more thing.
Do you know anybody at Yan High?
Huh? No way.
Does Nazuna?
What's this about?
I seem to remember her saying a friend of hers went there.
Yeah? Thanks.
I got into a bit of a scuffle with some guys from Yan High the other day.
What, so you quit baseball so you could get into fights?
If only.
Sorry to keep you.
The puzzle's still missing too many pieces.
Brr!
'Ice job, 'iwose.
You too. That was a good game.
Thanks!
Where's Yuzuki?
Cooling down. She'll probably be a while.
Hup.
She did get really fired up in the last stretch and all.
You two were amazing.
I mean, Nana's always good,
but she was god-tier today.
You don't normally see anyone swish a catch-and-shoot from that far downtown.
Well, we had a bet going.
She must've really wanted to win and go on that date with me.
You got it all wrong, dumbass.
A certain someone went and acted out of character today,
and that's what made her want to act out-of-character too.
Hup.
What's this about, Haru-san?
I'm double exhausted today because I had to keep up with a fired-up Nana.
Give me a massage.
Not something you ask from a boy your own age.
What's this? You getting all flustered over sexy ol' Haru-chan here?
Okay, you asked for this!
Ow! Ouch!
Somehow, my feet actually feel lighter.
Say, Chitose.
If it had been my shoes that went missing,
would you have looked for them the same way?
Where'd that come from?
Nowhere. I'm just curious.
I don't know.
I feel like you'd've told me to forget about it and just watch the game.
Oh.
On the other hand, I probably wouldn't give Yuzuki a massage even if she asked me.
That's only for you.
Why?
She's too hot. I wouldn't know where to put my hands.
Hmm?
Hey, what's that supposed to mean?!
HACHIBAN RAMEN
What do you make of the shoes thing?
The Yan High guys might not've been behind it.
An outsider wouldn't think of the archery range on the fly.
Wait, are you saying the stalker might be someone from our school?
Nah, I'm pretty sure the Yan High punks are involved in some way.
I'm just saying they might have an accomplice.
It could've been anyone in Fuji High.
We basically have no information to narrow it down with.
Actually, weren't Ayase and Uemura there today?
What? Are they friends with anyone on our team?
Not that I know of.
Did you talk to them, Chitose?
Do you really think I had the time for that?
I'm not ready to tell them about the secondhand info I got from Atomu yet.
Chitose.
Lemme try a bit of your spicy ramen and fried rice.
Sure, go for it.
You can have some of my char siu ramen and gyoza in return.
Appreciate it.
Want some, Yuzuki?
That's not it.
What...
Does it bother you that I'm using Chitose's chopsticks and spoon?
Please. I'm not a little kid.
Oh, yeah? Well, I got him to give me a massage earlier, too.
Excuse me? Tell me more.
Gosh, the bossman had all the moves. I was so surprised.
What the heck?
Seriously, I mean it.
It was crazy.
Oh, right. Where are you guys going for your date tomorrow?
Wait, what? I kinda assumed you'd told her.
It's not a date date.
We're pretending to be a couple and all, so we're just trying to sell it.
Really? I seem to remember someone asking me if I wanted to go on a date.
Y'know, Yuzuki, you probably don't realize it,
but you're a pretty typical gal.
What's that supposed to mean?
Exactly what I said.
Are you really okay with this, though?
Just so you know, I won't pull any punches with you.
I won't pass to you if you can't keep up.
No idea what you're talking about, but you're on.
I'm not gonna let a girl who needs a guy to fire her up outdo me.
And I won't let a girl who can't bring herself to get help from a guy beat me.
FUKUI LEISURE LAND Y-PLAZA
How did we end up here?
Your attacks are always so uncreative, Haru!
Meanwhile, you're so set on your game plan that you can't adapt on the fly!
Gotcha!
Not so fast!
Heck yeah!
Say, Nana.
Let's raise the stakes for the last round.
How so?
If you win, it counts double. You get the comeback win.
What's in it for you, Umi?
Well, if I win, I get to go on tomorrow's date instead.
Wha?!
Okay, I'm up 1-0.
You challenged me using my on-court nickname.
Can I take that to mean this is an all-out duel?
Okay, all even at 1-1.
Huh...
You're really looking forward to that date with Chitose?
Meh. I just don't feel like losing to you, Umi.
Then you'd better put on your game face, Nana.
I'm not you. I don't need to lose my cool to win.
Sure, keep up your "ice in my veins" act.
Just don't come crying to me after you lose like that one time!
What are you even talking about?
Grawr! Nana!
Give it a rest, Umi!
Their heated back-and-forth became wordless after a point
and echoed off into the distance.
A summer festival for our first date?
How like us to be so over-the-top showy.
Sorry. I kept you waiting today, huh?
For some reason, I suddenly got really sentimental.
Saku?
You look so good, I wanna unwrap you with a spin like a stereotypical Edo villain.
Can't you give a straight compliment for once?
By the way, I gotta ask. Do you have anything on underneath?
If you're so curious, would you like to see for yourself?
I surrender. Let's behave ourselves and get a candied apple or whatever.
I'm surprised. Not many guys have a yukata on hand.
A certain someone forced me into it last year.
Ooh, you have a secret someone?
I wouldn't bring it up if it was secret.
Yeah?
It's a special day.
Surely the gods are willing to overlook this much.
I've always loved festival nights, ever since I was a kid.
I'd head out with a tiny allowance and try to decide what to use it on,
spending so long debating that I wouldn't end up using it at all.
And whenever I spotted girls from my class among the crowd,
there was always that special excitement.
And look where I am now,
coming to one on a date with one of the prettiest girls in class.
Hey, Saku.
GOLDFISH SCOOPING
Let's give that a shot.
Okay, but will you actually take care of them?
Yeah!
You amateur.
Show me how it's done, then.
Get me the red one and the little black one.
Wakin goldfish and telescopes swim at different speeds.
You shouldn't put them together.
If you just want a red one, how about that ryukin over there?
Yep, yep.
There's a trick to it.
First, it's harder for the paper to break if you scoop with the back side.
Second, keep your cup ready as close as possible.
Then you scoop quickly and at an angle.
There!
One down.
Whoa!
Do the same thing again...
Wow, amazing!
I was actually so good at this, I got banned from it as a kid.
I would've never guessed.
I thought you'd be the type to watch your friends try and call it stupid.
Listen. Believe it or not, I'm a hype man for festivals.
I get into it carrying those portable shrines.
Wearing a happi and all? I so wanna see that!
What should I call them?
Red and Black.
Talk about literal.
It's not uncommon for goldfish to die as soon as you get them.
Getting too attached and giving them actual names only makes it sadder.
They can be Chitose and Saku, then.
Do you want a pie to your face?
I'll take good care of them and keep them alive.
Gazing at her innocent face, lit up by the festival lanterns,
I felt the same way I did when I first saw her tonight—
melancholic and sentimental.
Because the feelings taking over my heart,
the scent of the festival, and the hustle and bustle
were all part of this fleeting moment, one I couldn't capture and keep forever.
And the thought made me hopelessly sad.
But it was still too early to give this emotion a name.
We should eat the food before it goes cold.
Yeah.
Gimme.
Here.
One, two, and...
Take that!
Yuzuki laughed, and I laughed in turn.
I laughed, and she laughed in turn.
Even the ramune bottles joined us with a fizzy laugh.
A colorful night unfolded in that upside-down world.
Nobody—not the frolicking boys, nor the dolled up girls,
nor anybody else here worried about the ups and downs.
You know, you're pretty handsome seen through a marble.
And you're pretty beautiful seen through a marble.
Even Yuzuki and I here were caught up in the festival mood.
Just as this place would go back to being a small, ordinary shrine when tomorrow came,
this fever we shared would be gone without a trace, too.
So I felt it would be okay for us to stay caught up in this moment just a little longer.
Shall we do another lap?
What's up?
HUSBAND AND WIFE GINGKO TREE
"Husband and Wife Gingko Tree"?
Apparently, this shrine had a bunch of trees that had two trunks intertwined,
and it was said to be a good spot to pray for love.
Come on. We might as well.
I could more or less guess what she wanted me to do.
I glanced at Yuzuki and kept staring at her.
Even if I closed my eyes, I wouldn't know what to pray for.
This feels more like a two-timing tree than a husband and wife tree.
Are you trying to get yourself cursed?
All I could do was play it off for laughs.
Yuzuki couldn't go any further either, not that she'd want to.
Heya, Saku Chitose.
You okay?
What a sorry sight.
Whew, looking sexy,
Yuzuki Nanase-chan.
How passionate! Puppy love, eh?
Is that the "senpai" who gave Cock-a-Doodle Doofus over here his marching orders?
Long time no see, Yuzuki.
Yanashita-senpai...
I'm okay now. Just a rush of blood to the head.
Let's play it cool.
What do you want with my girlfriend?
Get outta the way if you don't wanna embarrass yourself in front of her.
I'd love to, but as you can see, Yuzuki's not letting me go.
It's hard being so beloved.
That bitch was mine!
News to me. Are you her ex or something?
Come on, Yuzuki. You told me you didn't wanna date anyone,
but you get it on with this playboy the second you start high school?
If you'll let anyone hit at this point, why not me?
You don't wanna go through that again, do you?
Go through what?
You wouldn't know. When this bitch gets all scared and teary,
it's hot as hell.
I think I'm done with this.
Just take one step and sock him in the nose.
That's all I need to do to put an end to this garbage.
Though it's not the way Saku Chitose is meant to go about things.
Oh, right.
That's not the way, and now's not the time.
Help, police!
Some punks are messing with Fuji High's best and brightest!
What's that about?
Hey, shut yer trap!
He says he fell for my girlfriend at first sight!
He says he'll make her his by force!
Are you really willing to let these brutes have their way with his cute little girl?!
Enough.
Punch and kick me all you want!
I won't let you lay one finger on my precious girlfriend!
Hey, what's going on here?
A real man who cares for his girl
should be ready and willing to embarrass himself for her.
Are you okay?
Sorry about that.
Thank you. You showed up in the nick of time.
While I hoped she'd be smiling a bit, Yuzuki's lips were tightly pursed.
And in her eyes dwelled a darkness far removed from the festival lights.
Translation: Sriram Gurunathan
Subtitle Editing: Geoff Mazzolini Subtitle Timing: Krzysztof Kunc
Quality Check: Riley Dalton Translation Check: Rei Miyasaka
NEXT TIME HOW TO END THE UNENDING RAIN
"How to End the Unending Rain."