CHITOSE IS IN THE RAMUNE BOTTLE
DINER 2F
So...
How'd it go last night?
I learned that festival dates are a wonderful thing.
I bet. You got to walk around with a yukata-clad Nanase-san.
Come on, you look green with envy.
Anyway, it's not often that Nanase-san takes the day off school.
I wonder if she's dealing with something.
Listen here.
Don't blow up and romanticize every little thing a girl does.
Sorry. It's just that I wanna help if she's having trouble.
Ultimately, people have to help themselves.
Same for you, Tomoya.
Unless you start talking to Yuzuki, you won't get anywhere.
True.
Get to know the other person, and get them to get to know you.
Put in effort to get them to like you.
Tell them how you feel in clear terms.
These three steps are essential.
So just go talk to her nervously, text her hesitantly,
and ask her out on dates every now and then.
Couples take these straight-up ordinary things and call them "destiny" in hindsight.
And what if she still doesn't give me the time of day?
Write a heartbreak poem crying in a dark room by yourself,
and once you're bored of that, buy a guitar and turn it into a song.
Form a band and play that song at the school festival,
and voila, a new romance may begin.
You only say that because you've never actually been in love.
Only a person who's never met someone who made them feel
like they'll never find anyone better could say that.
Maybe so.
Sorry. I shouldn't have have said that to you when you're the one helping me out.
No need to apologize.
I spoke my mind,
and you did the same. That's all.
ENTER A MESSAGE
If I went to nurse you,
would that trigger an "I'm all sweaty, so wipe me" scene?
Maybe if that transfers the cold to you and I get to nurse you in turn.
Listen, Saku. That wasn't who I am.
Too late for that.
I'll never forget you getting caught up in the festive mood and acting extra girly.
You were acting more like a boy than usual yourself.
Are the goldfish Red and Black doing okay?
Saku and Chitose are swimming around happily in a bowl on top of my desk.
Glad to hear it. Tell them you love them every night before bed.
I LOVE YOU, SAKU CHITOSE.
Don't forget the "and." You'll give me the wrong idea.
I want you to, at least right now.
Yeah, she's still not back to her usual self.
ENTER A...
NANASE, DO YOU WANNA BE MY GIRLFRIEND FOR REAL?
ANY OTHER TIME BUT RIGHT NOW, CHITOSE.
I'm glad she's still herself.
Come to school tomorrow, Nanase.
I'll go to school tomorrow, Chitose.
GOOD NIGHT, YUZUKI. GOOD NIGHT, SAKU.
And so we went back to being a proper fake couple.
Yikes, I don't think I emptied my desk. We have exams today, too.
Oh, sorry.
What's with these photos?
Photos?
So annoying.
Hah. What're you doing?
You didn't do anything wrong, so why don't you just own it?
What, Hiiragi didn't know?
Didn't expect you to play dirty like that.
Yuzuki and I got a little too into it back then.
What a letdown.
You really aren't good enough for Chitose-kun.
S-So... How'd everyone do on the exams?
Let me ask you something.
You two held hands, didn't you?
With the pinky, just like this?
Yes, ma'am.
I was under the impression that you were in a fake relationship. Was I mistaken?
No, you are correct.
How do you suppose that leads to a festival date in yukatas, Kentacchi-san?
Huh? Y-Yeah, that makes no sense!
Now, I'm not telling you not to hold hands or anything like that.
All I want to know is...
What are you playing at?
What do you mean?
Yuzuki, I'm asking if it has to be Saku for you.
I don't really have the right to say this,
but if anyone will do, please stop this.
"Anyone will do"?
I don't think that's the case.
If it were Kentacchi instead, you wouldn't have held his hand?
Nope.
What about Kazuki or Kaito?
Still no.
So it had to be Saku?
Sorry...
I don't know.
Okay, I get where you're coming from now.
That makes us rivals.
Uh, I'm not sure I'd go that far.
I know. That's how it begins for everyone.
But get this. He's not someone you can land if you don't even know what you want.
This dumbass sitting next to you, I mean.
Right now, neither of us is special to Saku.
But I'm fully aware of that, so I'm in the lead.
You're kinda weird, Yuko.
I just call it like I see it.
Not everyone's capable of getting right to the heart of the matter like that.
And you, Mr. Dumbass!
Yes?!
You. Listen. To. Me!
Sure, being nice and overindulging is part of what makes you great.
But if you have the time to dress up in a yukata, something you've never done for me,
how about you spend it on getting Yuzuki out of this mess already?
And in the summer, I'm wearing a yukata too, and we're gonna go see the fireworks.
That's that!
All good, then.
Hey, Saku.
Do you think I've been able to move forward?
Unless you're Michael Jackson, it's hard to walk backward.
And yet you're doing just that as we speak, my dear Michael.
Wow, you're right.
"I hope Yuzuki finds it easier to smile tomorrow than she did today."
I truly wished that for her from my heart.
Morning.
Hey, Nanase.
I didn't know you were into this kinda thing.
Going out with the bad boy? That's so typical middle school girl.
Sucking up to Chitose-kun again?
When... When have I ever been a suck-up?
Only all the time, what with your Miss Popular mask and your expressive act.
It's always ticked me off, y'know.
Is that why?
Is that what made you become a Yan High stooge and do all this?
Wha?
The day my deodorant got stolen, you'd stayed unusually late after school.
When my shoes went missing, you were there to spectate for some reason.
And yesterday, you accidentally walked into my desk to send those photos flying.
Quite the convenient series of coincidences, don't you think,
Miss Just so Happens to Have Friends in Yan High,
Ayase-san?
Excuse me? What are you trying to say?
Are you accusing me of sneaking around and harassing you?
I'm not saying it. I just laid out the facts.
Fuck out of here with that!
I mean, yeah, I'm not the nicest girl around.
And I certainly don't like you, but...
If I have a problem with you, I'll say it to your face!
I'd never stoop that low to avoid butting heads with you!
Oh, really? I kind of assumed you were into—
Yuzuki!
You're out of line.
Get this straight.
I know she has a foul mouth and can get on your nerves,
but that's not why she came to watch.
Hey, you shut your mouth!
She's a big fan of your game, Nanase.
Okay, everyone take your seats.
Whoa.
Kura-sen!
Fine, Nanase can take the exam later.
And you get an extra twenty minutes.
Get going.
I'm sorry.
Don't mind me.
You'd better apologize to Nazuna, though.
Yep.
You know you can't go outside, right? It's raining.
Yep.
Think you can take the exams after a little break?
Yep.
While we're at it, can I touch your boobs?
Nup.
Tch.
How can I make that rain go away?
If this were a musical, a nice little number would do the trick.
Okay, let's give it a shot.
Let's go, Saku.
Sure.
She's still holding on.
She's standing up and standing tall, trying to be Yuzuki Nanase at all times.
So I'm not allowed to be mad or sad around her.
Saku!
Those Yan High punks are here!
How many?
Two at the front gate,
two more at the back.
Four in total.
What now?
We'll go study in the classroom and wait for them to get bored and leave.
You have a plan in mind?
Kinda.
Anyway, you all just go home.
I promise I'll message you later.
This is going nowhere.
Let's go home.
Huh?
Don't worry. I set something up.
Though I'm not sure if it'll actually work out.
Hey.
I can't believe you waited out in the rain.
You didn't get the seat of your pants wet, did you?
Oh, time just flew by while I checked out the Fuji High girls.
Prep school girls need to work on their appearances more.
Those same girls were probably surprised to see a pair of pigs right outside school.
Compared to them, Yuzuki's in a league all of her own.
Wouldn't you agree?
Three more steps, I'd say.
Yeah, totally.
But if you're looking for a side piece, you've got a side of fried chicken right there.
Wha?!
I hope you don't think we won't lay a hand on you.
Course not. If you'd said you preferred to use your brains more than your fists,
my jaw would be on the ground.
Okay, asshole. You're done.
Hey!
You students over there.
If you're gonna fight, take it somewhere else.
You snitched?
You think a teacher scares me?
No cooties.
Ow, the hell?
You think a teacher's allowed to raise a hand against a student?
What, you didn't see it? Was I too fast?
I didn't raise my hand. I dropped it.
The hell?
Yan High, huh? Takes me back.
Back in my day, I'd see guys wearing monk pants and waistbands.
I guess that's gone out of style now.
Know what else is out of style? Tryhard teachers like you!
But I'm not. Didn't you hear me tell you to take it somewhere else?
Go be angsty teens out of my sight.
You know I could rat you out to the board, right?
The entire student body saw you hanging around here.
And I'm a teacher at an elite prep school.
I could punch you a few times and get away with it.
Listen up, you punks.
That's what it means to live in a society.
You think you're cool for living life outside the rules?
Don't be surprised when those same rules smack you down.
The rain pelted down on Yuzuki Nanase.
Under those gloomy, dark skies,
only the occasional flashes of headlights and splashes of puddles
brought her back and kept her grounded in reality.
Hey, Saku...
What did I do wrong?
Nothing. You only tried to be Nanase Yuzuki.
Let's go. I'll walk you.
Please. I can't be alone tonight.
I get how you feel, but come on.
Your place.
You said you'd do one thing for me if I won the game, remember?
I want it now.
But...
Please, Saku!
Take me home! Help me!
Translation: Sriram Gurunathan
Subtitle Editing: Geoff Mazzolini Subtitle Timing: Krzysztof Kunc
Quality Check: Riley Dalton Translation Check: Rei Miyasaka
NEXT TIME A RELATIONSHIP WITH A NAME AND A RIFT WITHOUT ONE
"A Relationship with a Name and a Rift without One."