I'm uh... gonna go buy a drink.
Wait, Amamiya.
I'm coming too.
Without a word...
We've arrived...
[REACTION}
Hey, hey,
When they come back to the classroom from getting their drinks, what do you
think they'd do if we suddenly weren't here?
THE TWO HAVE COMPLETELY LOST FOCUS
Should we?
THUMP, THUMP, THUMP
So hot.
- Minato! - So cold.
Mm? Oh.
Hey, how's it going Kenta!
You studying the past exams I gave you?
It's a senior.
- Scurry, scurry, scurry. - I was studying them, but I just
- took a break. - Is that really true?
- An underclassman? - Yeah. Ain't he cute?
Is Kenta being a good senior to you?
He's always acting like he's hot stuff, but he's mostly just trouble.
- Fade... - What're you saying?
- See ya. - Later.
- Bye. - Later!
Are you done talking?
HIkawa.
You know you didn't have to lie low just because of them.
Oh, it's more like I was kinda just hiding because they were
upperclassmen I didn't know.
Were you afraid?
MEMORIES OF JUNIOR HIGH
- Kinda. - Mmm.
Shy around new people.
Oh.
- Hey, Hikawa - Uh-huh?
Then are you afraid of me?
Huh?
- Mm-mm. - Not anymore.
No, absolutely not.
Man, I'm so glad.
- Huh? - That's right.
Amamiya's human just like me, and gets hurt and worries about things, too
I mean that should be obvious but...
How had I been acting toward him this whole time?
Hey, Amamiya.
What do I do?
I can't look her in the eye.
- [REACTION} - [REACTION}
Huh?
Co-! Co-!
- Co? - Cockroach! There's a cockroach!
- Whoa! - Ah! See?!
- There! There! - Huh? Wait, what?
Ugh!
Uh...
- Uh. - Uh.
GIGGLE
CHUCKLE
I can't!
You were losing your mind!
I was.
Sorry.
I don't wanna get close to her by forcing my way through the door.
I wanna do it the right way, and be friends.
And see her smile.
That's all.
That's all I want.
And yet...
Self-awareness
Well, those two aren't coming back.
Don't you think they're taking way too long of a break? Do they even plan
to study? We have exams!
That doesn't sound like you at all.
EXECUTING THE "WILL THEY BE SURPRISED IF NO ONE'S HERE WHEN THEY COME BACK?"
Do you like anyone?
Wh- why do you wanna know?
Well, I never hear stuff like that about you, so I couldn't help but be curious.
Miki.
Koyun...
Huh?
Hayato, Daichi, and Gin.
Dad, Mom, Haruto, Sakura...
Wait, wait, wait. You're missing someone.
Why aren't you mentioning Minato?
Well, Yota.
If you ever do find someone you like, I just want you to know that you have my
full support.
After all, you've done so much for me.
- You're such a good friend! - Yay!
Oh, they're back!
Huh? They're gone.
Their bags are still here.
Bathroom break?
Well, they'll be back eventually.
I guess you're right.
The way Yota hides his feelings for her, while trying to stay friends with
her and pretending it's fine...
You can tell he's working hard to shove it down.
On that note, if Hikawa were to fall for Yota, then her feelings wouldn't be
reciprocated.
She shouldn't go there.
Or that's what I thought.
But easier said than done.
That's not something you can just turn on and off at will.
Ahhh...
I wish I hadn't noticed.
I feel like she finally opened her heart up to me a little, but now...
I have to be more careful moving forward.
Amamiya.
Here you go. I only had two of them left.
So I want you to have one.
Uh. Th-Thanks.
Ahhh. I really hate this.
You weren't gonna share the candy with us, huh?
You were there?
ART ROOM
Hey, Tsukiko, have you always eaten in the art room?
Yeah.
This way I can eat quickly and then continue working during
my lunch break.
- How practical. - Remember me?
From episode six!
Tsukiko Shimojima.
So towards the beginning, I started out by eating with everyone in the classroom
But our group was pretty big.
But there was this kind of unspoken rule that no one would start eating 'til
everyone was there.
I started to think, "Wait, hold on, this isn't right."
"This doesn't mean being close."
Then I just started to slowly distance myself, and broke away from them.
HA HA...
Ah!
Oh, but just to be clear, I'm not on bad terms with anyone.
I hang out with them separately, even now, and...
Oh no! I just told her something that reveals how terrible I am! Ahhh!
- I get it. - Huh?
In fact I get it so much I feel sick.
- Empathy. - Um. A- Are you okay?
You see, I'm not good in group settings either.
To be honest, I can totally tell.
Hmm.
Oh, man.
You know, I really wish you and I had started talking way sooner.
- What? - Oh!
GRADE 1 CLASS 6 AFTER SCHOOL STUDY TIME
Are you in the mood... Hey.
For some curry?
- Huh? - Huh?
- Do you ever not want curry?
Come on.
Oh. You're going along with this. Good.
Apparently, there's a famous curry place in the new mall that opened
- I don't mind. - Me neither.
What about your family dinner?
Koyun, you always seem to be worried about that.
It's alright.
Uh, "Always?"
Yes! Alright!
Let's go!
- Trot, trot, trot, trot, trot, trot, trot, - Trot, trot, trot, trot, trot, trot, trot,
Wow.
Yota, you're able to hold onto that part?
What?
SPARKLE, SPARKLE
- That's so nice. - Is it?
I can stand without holding anything.
Core strength!
Why's it a competition?
- You're heavy. - Hold yourself up!
I'm not using my hands so it counts.
That's so cheating.
It wasn't all that long ago... that things were so different.
In junior high, it's like I was living in a fish tank, despite not
being able to breathe underwater.
Being different from everyone else was total agony for me.
I decided it wasn't where I belonged.
But then I found out I didn't belong anywhere.
I was ashamed I couldn't seem to figure out how to adapt.
It hurt.
A lot.
But...
Once I was able to get out of the fish tank, I realized that none of
it actually had to be that painful.
I just needed to break free from that small world I had been living in.
Everything just seemed so trivial then.
Club activities, school events and even friendships.
If I could get through high school in peace, I felt like nothing else
mattered.
The world around me has changed, but...
Wow!
The area around here has become so nice, hasn't it?
Can I say that I myself have really changed?
So much has changed since they built the mall.
I bet the rent around here has gone up like crazy.
Why do you care?
Yeah. It'll be okay.
Those bad memories...
I can act like they never happened.
GRAND OPENING SALE NOW IN PROGRESS
Okay.
We're right here and the food court is here, so this way.
POWER WALKING
Gah! Uh!
- Happen. It's the opposite direction. - Hm?
Here, this way.
Really? This isn't a trick?
I promise you.
What was that whole, "I know you so well" thing?
- Hm? - Seriously?
Yep!
Huh?
- Miki! - What?! What do you want?
Igarashi is here.
We're actually not on very good terms.
He and Hikawa really shouldn't see each other, right?
I'm assuming Koyun told you?
That they dated.
Yeah...
She told me a little.
Like they're on bad terms.
If they ran into each other, would they fight?
No, I don't think it would go that far, but...
Well, if it's going to upset Hikawa, then we don't want them seeing
each other.
Mm-hm, agreed.
Hm?
What's wrong, Koyun?
I can't let him see!
- Yota, look! A dog over there! Let's go - Huh?
- See it! - Uh, wait, what?
I mean, who knows, maybe nothing will happen either.
It's possible he may have just moved past it by now anyway.
Oh... That's possible.
Hikawa?
No, there was no one by that name in our junior high.
But still, I don't know how you could forget someone's existence.
Well, there shouldn't be an issue if things are going well with his new
girlfriend, right?.
Huh?
Oh. Never mind.
Thinking out loud here.
I don't know anything about his love life after starting high school.
Maybe he doesn't even have one. But it seems like he would, right? I have no
- idea, though. - Girlfriend?
Huh?
- Thank you for the meal. - Thank you for the meal.
- Hey, hey, hey! Get out of my way! - So loud!
PLAYER FOUR - PLAYER THREE
Huh.
- I'll be damned if I allow anybody to race - Oh man, someone's using it right now.
Ahead of me! Over my dead body, you hear me?
We'll go somewhere else.
ONDO MASTER
- Wah! - Oh!
UPPI PRINT STICKER
Do it! Why can't you?
- We're here, so we might as well just - Uhhh, are you sure I can go in here?
I get nervous.
Let's go! Three, two, one!
Yay!
I ended up having a really good time in spite of myself.
Goofing off before exams feels incredible.
I could get used to this.
Well, don't make a habit of it.
We'll study some more tomorrow.
Yota!
See ya!
- See you later. - Later.
Nicely done.
Huh?
For what?
There shouldn't be an issue if things are going well with his new girlfriend right?
I mean of course she's had past romantic relationships.
But it still took me by surprise.
And with Igarashi?
I mean, when I look at it objectively, it at least kind of makes sense how she
might have feelings for Yota, but...
No, don't think about that!
Ohhh, man.
I just don't get it.
Yep, vators are the best!
The only person who'd call an elevator a "vator", would be you Mi- ki...
Huh?
In junior high...
I hated Tsubasa Igarashi.
- That doesn't look very interesting. - Mismatched personalities.
- A one-sided affection. - I'm serious!
Come on, you've got Igarashi, right?
Even those on the sidelines involving themselves in my life.
Yuishira, don't keep Igarashi waiting too long.
I hated it.
I hated everything.
But none of that's why I've been avoiding him or even discussing him.
This is a problem within myself.
Oh, it's you.
Huh?
What's with that hair?
GASP
What about my hair? Huh?
It was pretty weird the last time I saw you, too
What? I- It doesn't matter either way. I look good in anything, no matter
MATCHING HIS ENERGY FOR THE TIME BEING MATCHING HIS ENERGY FOR THE TIME BEING
I'm being treated as if I'm not even here.
After jumping out of the fish tank, the more I get to know myself, the
more I hate it.
I...
I never, ever had any feelings for you.
I avoided him because I was scared to face the person I hurt so maliciously.
That's all.
I'm just a coward.
Well, see ya.
Igarashi!
What do you want?
Uh.
Has high school... been fun?
Huh? What are you?
My weird old aunt or something?
BONG
Wait.
What do I do?
As expected the conversation doesn't flow.
It's going fine.
Huh?
I mean, not like I need your concern or anything.
You know, when you stopped Igarashi back there, man, I was totally surprised.
Oh, thank you.
I dunno.
Maybe it's because hanging out with you guys was so much fun.
That could be why I acted so outta the norm.
Koyun.
Here, thanks for this.
Huh? What's with the lame bag?
What, who cares what it looks like?
You're just going home.
It's not like you're gonna meet anyone on the way.
But I did meet someone.
And of all people...
Has high school... been fun?
That's rich coming from you.
Pain in the ass.
Hey, so...
It's my fault that you dated Igarashi, isn't it?
Sorry.
It's because I wasn't considerate of your feelings and said things I
should've have.
- Huh? - Huh?
Huh? What shouldn't you have said?
Hold on, wait.
Don't you remember what I told you when we chatted here awhile back.
How you should be glad to be liked and not be greedy?
Now that you mention it, I guess you might have.
What?! Wait, that's it?
Sorry to disappoint, my memory's a bit fuzzy.
CONFUSION
What?! Wait, then why did you date Igarashi?
Hmm.
- That's secret. - What?!
DEVASTATED
Because if I told you, you'd think less of me.
Wait a minute.
Huh?
- I'm not just gonna let that - I'm not just gonna let that comment
- comment slide. - slide.
Well, I...
I thought I'd feel better about myself if maybe I could fall for someone...
Someone who loves me back.
But instead of feeling better, I was just in pain the whole time.
And I ended up hurting Igarashi.
Or I went out of my way to.
My actions weren't lining up with my heart.
And I was really only thinking of myself.
You can't stand people like that.
Isn't that right?
I can't say anything.
Mm, because, no matter which path you chose, Igarashi would've gotten hurt
either way, right?
So, really, I don't think that's your fault, is it?
And also, I couldn't possibly start hating you out of the blue after
all these years of friendship
Besides, that's a dumb reason to hate someone.
BASHFUL...
Uh! All right!
Let's erase the past by having awesome love lives now!
What? That's okay, I don't really...
- You can go date for both of us. - I wonder what kind of guy he'll be.
Huh?
- Hmm. - Okay, let's see.
Obviously you should be with someone who's the complete opposite of
Igarashi.
Someone who's kind but maybe scatterbrained in a cute way.
You should be with someone who embraces everything you are, the way you are.
Someone who's extremely accepting and kind to other people.
Hold on, this is about you, not me.
WE SYNCHRONIZED...
Hold on, this is about you, not me.
Well, romantic relationships aren't everything, right?
And I'm having fun right now, but if we had boyfriends, it would add more color
to our lives!
Like the tomatoes in a bento box.
What kind of metaphor is that?
Yeah, I dunno.
Romance...
Tell me the truth Koyuki, are you really into Igarashi?
ATAGAWA
It's not like that.
They're all just repeating the rumor.
What?
So you know...
Atagawa's been coming on to me super strong lately.
Although, I'm not into in anyone but the girl I like.
She's barking up the wrong tree.
You know, Miki...
The harsh truth is I just don't have a pure heart like you do.
See ya!
I'll be waiting for your tomato report!
- If I'm honest, I really don't think... - Ha! "Tomato report"!
I should inflict myself on anyone.
And so...
I hope you go find happiness, Miki.