I call first dibs!
Hey, not yet!
Ready to pop some champagne?
Let's do it!
Five Years Ago New Year's Day
This is starting to become our own little tradition.
Thank god. I'd rather be here than with my relatives.
Same.
Kotoko, pace yourself now.
I'm just getting started.
Oh, this looks good!
I'm your biggest fan!
Whose?
Oysters.
Makio, you haven't been home for New Year's in forever.
Yeah, even outside of New Year's.
My older sister's there with her kid a lot.
Wait, what about your guy? That Kasamachi fella.
Oh, yeah. We split up.
What? No way.
Really? Why?
Huh?
I get you.
Uh-huh, uh-huh.
Yeah, right. That was all gibberish.
I dunno. He was too perfect. It was draining.
What? Like he'd nitpick you about things?
No, never.
I just felt stupid and got tired.
Be more specific.
I need more drinks first.
C'mon, gang! It's New Year's!
Doesn't anyone have any juicy updates?
Nope.
Me neither! I'm never falling in love again.
What? You're not? Like ever?
Never ever.
You mean it's set in stone?
Yup, I decided recently.
Rather, I had an epiphany.
Oh man, an epiphany?
That's right.
Now everything in the past makes sense.
All crystal clear?
It is.
Yes. She seemed willing to go today, so...
I'm sorry for the trouble.
Present Day November
Yes, I'll see how she does for the time being.
After all, she has to process things for herself.
Journal with Witch
Episode 9\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hIntersect
Yes, thank you.
Goodbye.
I'm drained...
The whole world feels noisy...
Hello.
Oh, Asa-chan!
She's finally back.
My bad. It's been a while.
Hey, Takumi-san, I heard you caught a nasty cold.
Yeah. Knocked me out for ten days.
I wish I could have ten days off!
Musaka Band Club
Winter Live Concert 2018
We're working on fliers?
The job fell on us first-years without a place in the band.
Nothing's changed for us since the school festival.
Is that...
Mimori-chan?
Yeah, she got picked while you were out.
She's debuting with the second-year band.
What?!
Well, she's good, you know?
And she's got stage presence.
We either have to get really good at playing or write our own original songs.
Those are they only ways to snag a spot.
Original songs...
They get priority as a rule, remember?
Okay, wanna do a run-through?
Yes, please.
So cool...
It's not fair.
Man, why can't we do that?
Counselor's Office
Is there anything you'd like to talk about?
Uh...
I don't know.
It could be anything.
What do people usually talk about?
Anything at all. There's no right answer.
It's not fair. Screw this.
Is that something I'm supposed to come up with?
What's counseling good for, anyway?
She's like, "Talk about anything."
I couldn't come up with anything.
Probably because your head's always empty.
Shaddup!
Counseling, huh?
A guy from cram school told me he goes just to chat.
Apparently, he doesn't go to school much.
Huh...
Wait, who's this guy?
There you go again. So annoying.
Forget it!
Come on, spill!
Is he your boyfriend?
You have one now?
Get off my case!
I'm not talking romance with you anymore.
What? Why? How come? Tell me!
Because you're annoying.
"Can you pick up some meat? Any kind."
Any kind?
Is that Makio-san?
Yeah, she's been totally zoned out recently.
She's wiped most of the time.
It's because of work, I guess.
Really? Is being a novelist that hard?
Got nothing in the tank. Can't do anything else.
Get whatever meat you want.
Who knows?
But she gets to do something she loves.
She even day drinks sometimes.
Seriously?
I hope I get to do something I like too.
Like what?
I dunno. It's impossible to know, right?
Yeah. I wish someone would just choose for me.
Then it wouldn't be something you love.
But I don't know what I'm good at.
Seize your dreams with your talents
Yeah, that's true.
Maybe you're good at writing like Makio-san.
What?!
Who knows? You could be a genius!
Just maybe!
The exit will be on your right.
Attention passengers.
I'm standing out in the open alone. In the middle of desert, with no one in sight. If only there were colorful da
I'm standing out in the open alone. In the middle of desert, with no one in sight. If only there were colorful day
I'm standing out in the open alone. In the middle of desert, with no one in sight. If only there were colorful days
Please refrain from using cellphones...
I'm standing out in the open alone. In the middle of desert, with no one in sight. If only there were colorful days a
I'm standing out in the open alone. In the middle of desert, with no one in sight. If only there were colorful days ah
I'm standing out in the open alone. In the middle of desert, with no one in sight. If only there were colorful days ahe
I'm standing out in the open alone. In the middle of desert, with no one in sight. If only there were colorful days ahea
I'm standing out in the open alone. In the middle of desert, with no one in sight. If only there were colorful days ahead
Bargain
Domestic Chicken (Thighs)
Hey, so...
Hmm?
Us first-years are all writing lyrics and...
Lyrics?
For the band.
Oh. What about the song?
No song yet.
We're starting with lyrics.
You mean I can look?
Yeah, lemme know what you think.
Okay. Let's see here...
There's this rule that people who write songs get priority to perform on stage.
I mean, I only started it today, so I doubt it's good, but...
Well?
Um...
Yeah. Wow... Okay...
What's with that reaction?!
Er, nothing. It's just so... young and fresh.
Wait, is this your first time writing lyrics?
You're totally weirded out!
Hang on. Am I embarrassing myself?
Don't tell me I'll never live this down!
No, don't worry about stuff like that.
Now's the time to write as much as you can.
I'm being serious when I say that.
So I am embarrassing myself!
Whatever. Any tips?
Gimme some advice.
What?
Okay...
First off, the main subject is unclear.
It's better to focus on one topic.
The first half is about small details,
so you could expand on that in the bridge to drive home your point.
And overall, your expressions are somewhat vague, so—
Not like that!
Huh?
Um...
What if you concentrate on what you want to say most?
I don't have anything I want to say.
O-Oh, okay...
What else? Any other advice?
What?
Hmm, well...
Write with the intent to kill.
Strike, forge, and polish like your life is on the line.
And stake your life on the kill.
That's what it means to write.
What gives?
How come you always talk weird like that?
It's like you're from another country.
Okay, then...
Can I have that back now?
Actually, can I keep it?
What? Why?
It gives me strength.
Oh! It needs more vocabulary!
Vocabulary!
That's it, I bet.
In that moment, I couldn't internalize what she was sharing with me.
It was like everyone was speaking to me in a foreign language.
But I wouldn't realize that until much later.
Hcum os uoy evol I, rehtom ruoy sa, asA.
I don't understand any of it!
My aunt's a novelist, my parents are dead, and I've got it so hard!
I should have all the pieces to write some deep lyrics!
So why am I still so plain?!
That was my biggest concern at the time.
Asa's First Year of High School
Journal with Witch
There's one last thing I need to tell you...
Must be nice.
Huh?
I want an epiphany too.
You can say that again.
Beat you to it.
Damn you.
November 16th
So, I picked up a few things.
Should last you a few days.
You're spoiling her.
Huh?
She didn't even come out to greet you.
Oh, she messaged me.
"Ten more lines," she said.
I think it'd be better for her if you were more strict.
Well, speaking from experience,
not much good comes from treating anyone strictly.
Besides, isn't it only natural to spoil someone you like?
Hey, Makio-san.
Did you finish those ten lines?
Wow, you really are working hard.
I brought you some food.
Like what?
It's all prepped, so just sauté it....
Say, what if you reached out to someone?
For what?
Ignore me if you'd rather,
but I was thinking someone in your line of work might understand.
Maybe help you out of this slump.
November 27th
Goodness me!
Oh my gosh, Juno-san!
So you're in a slump, huh?
Poor thing.
Tell me about it.
Thanks for having me.
Oh... Hello.
I hear she's taking care of you.
Not that you need to be grateful or anything.
Koudai-san decided this for herself, after all.
It all sounds swell!
Juno-san, is coffee okay?
Sure.
Let's have some dorayaki, yeah?
I see.
I was in a big slump myself until a couple of years back.
What? But you're constantly pumping out new work.
I think it was three years ago or so...
I could still write, but it all felt so bland.
Bland?
You know how novelists are.
We frantically make stuff that we can guarantee is good, right?
And sometimes people give us that affirmative feedback.
Even if that skews around people of a certain taste.
But nothing I made had any flavor to it.
Nothing I wrote brought me joy.
It was so lonely. I felt helpless.
Lonely...?
Yes, very much so.
December 20th
Oh, wow, she's actually day drinking.
Got a problem?
I finished my work.
That's crazy.
Thanks for having me over.
Maybe some luxury brand store?
I'm interested in architecture too.
What about you, Asa?
Um... Live concert venues?
Yeah, sounds cool!
Hey, Makio-san?
Is being a novelist fulfilling?
Not at all.
My mother was a very sharp woman.
If not for having a child,
or perhaps if she'd been born a generation later...
I imagine she could've been someone important.
That's why I felt like...
I stole my mother's life in a sense.
Like what, original sin?
That's not on you. It's a societal flaw.
Right you are!
When I landed my first job...
At the bank?
Yeah.
To no one's surprise, my dad wasn't impressed.
"Dad, I decided to accept the offer at the bank."
"Is that so?"
Your father really could be...
I know, right?
But when my mom heard, her ears turned bright red.
She said, "I think it's very admirable." Or something like that.
She used to work at the bank before they got married.
I think that was the only time she ever got visibly upset,
now that I look back on it.
Yeah...
Ugh, no! I hate my mom!
She said, "It feels like just yesterday Emiri was pooping all over herself."
Stop making fun of me, Makio-san!
You're laughing, but I'm sure you were in the same state back then.
Ha, take that! Poopy Asa!
Oh, yeah, there was this one recipe.
In your mom's...
Oh, her bento journal?
Yeah. It was potatoes and pickled plum wrapped in pork.
Man, I wish I could have that again.
Our work can feel futile.
Like digging a hole, then filling it back up.
Anyway, Asa, did you decide about sci-lit?
Ugh, not yet.
"Sci-lit"?
Makio-san, have you been reading our handouts?
I haven't... yet.
Not yet, huh?
You're aiming for a national university?
I'd do science if I were better at math, but...
Oh, you meant science or literature?
Which one did you choose, Makio-chan?
Why, literature, of course.
Why, of course.
Of course.
Should I choose based on my career?
Or what I want to study at university?
Well, I'd tell you not to push yourself too hard, but...
That's not possible in your line of work, I suppose.
When did you decide to become a novelist, Makio-san?
It just happened, I guess.
That's not an answer!
Let's be serious.
Yeah.
I am being serious.
Please stay out of this.
Hey, whatcha writing, little one?
L-Little—
She's self-conscious about her height.
Really? I was talking about her age.
Sorry about that.
I'm still growing!
Who cares? I'm pretty short myself.
It's cute, don't you think?
No way!
I want to look good in wide-leg pants!
Can I have dorayaki now?!
Oh, right.
Come on, let's get along as fellow shorties.
No! I'm gonna become the person I want to be!
Well, even if you're boring or ordinary,
you'll find something you want to do eventually.
I guess that's my own story.
People say our futures are boundless, which only gives me anxiety.
The person you want to be, huh?
That's one for the ages!
Screw you...
Hey now. Don't be rude like that.
It's Asa, right?
You just picked a fight with the age-old question of humanity.
Ugh, I just want to be free.
I'm hungry!
Let's eat, yeah?
It's not too bad, actually.
All righty, let's whip something up.
I don't get any of it.
It's not fair.
Screw you.
It's not fair.
I don't get any of it!
December 19th
Emiri's coming over tomorrow. Is that okay?
Sure.
I'm heading out.
Have a good day.
Done...!
Good night.
I woke up in the middle of the night last night.
Were you cold? Do you need a heating pad?
I should get to morning practice.
By the way, what happened with your lyrics?
Please don't bring that up.
I'm not making fun of you.
I really think you should give it a shot.
November 27th
Juno-san
I want to become the person I want to be!
I'm off!
Okay.
Have a good day.
I wonder if I'll ever know...
who I am, what I do and don't love, and how I'll live my life.
Maybe someday I'll figure it out.
Someday...