I came to see you, Mizuho.
Showing up all of a sudden just "to see" me? What?
Our relationship ended a long time ago!
Don't come back to apologize now!
Mizuho!
I don't want to hear it!
These three years...
I kept thinking about it.
Why did Kizuki disappear from my life?
Why?
Fill your head with more thoughts of me.
I was always afraid.
I'm Kizuki... Hazawa...
I would have never imagined Kizuki leaving my side,
since he's always been with me.
Mi-chan, let's play.
Mi-chan. It hurts.
Hold on just a little longer, Kizuki.
Even if...
Mizuho! I'll go home with you.
I wish to become your boyfriend.
Mizuho.
Someday...
The day we get separated comes...
I want the current Kizuki.
Mizuho.
Am I still a little brother to you?
Mizuho.
No.
You're my boyfriend.
From this point on, you're my boyfriend!
Sorry to bother you!
I want all of you, Kizuki.
Just now, Mizuho...
Called me her boyfriend!
Say cheese!
Now!
Cheese!
Cheese! Okay!
Do I look good?
Looking good.
Nice.
Lemme take some from above.
From the top.
Okay!
Nishino
Mizuho.
Hey. You're late.
Why are you just standing there?
I was just about to go get you.
Thanks for getting the chicken for us.
Oh no, you're covered in snow.
Come on, let's head inside.
Sorry, Airu.
I can't.
I can't go to the Christmas party right now.
I'm going to go to Chika's. Sorry.
Airu?
What's wrong?
Let's head inside and eat chicken!
Mizuho said she's going to Chika-chan's place.
What?
Shin-chan...
No matter what happens from now on,
let's look after Mizuho and Kizuki, okay?
Well, we're heading home now.
You sure you don't need our help?
Nah. It's pretty much done.
I'm going to go home soon, too.
Okay, I'll leave the rest to you.
Yup.
How's it that the person who was looking
forward to the food the most isn't even here?
What's with that?
That Mizuho.
The world must be ending if she's not eating my cake.
Winter Break Starts Tomorrow!
So, what are you going to do?
I'm going to go talk to Shin.
I see.
Shin
Want to go ice skating after school?
What?
Does it hurt?
Nope. I'm okay.
All right.
Then let's go.
Ouch!
That was a dramatic fall.
You've gotten worse than before.
Shin... Why did you suggest we go skating all of a sudden?
When we used to come here, it was always the five of us together.
Syugo and Airu were the energetic ones, being louder than usual.
But I wanted to come here one day with you, Mizuho.
Just the two of us.
Like holding hands while walking...
Or drinking hot cocoa that we bought from a stall together.
Or exchanging Christmas presents here...
Right now, I understand it a little more.
The thing you told me back then.
"I want to stay friends."
"I don't want things to change."
But time didn't wait.
We kept changing with each passing moment.
Mizuho...
Did I lose to Kizuki?
Shin...
I...
I've decided to go out with Kizuki.
I see.
You've finally realized what your feelings are.
I wanted you to fall for me before that, though.
But you came to that realization a lot sooner than I thought.
What?
Shin... Where are you going?
It's so sweet!
So this is what hot cocoa tastes like.
I don't think we can go back to being childhood friends.
What?
I don't think I can go back to being friendly like we did before.
We can't... go back?
I lied.
I'll stay friends with you.
So stop making that face.
Smile.
If you're worried, I can at least lend an ear.
You're such a clown, after all.
What? A clown?!
Lame.
I-I'll have you know I'm doing my best, even as a clown!
Yeah, do your best.
Ow! That's cold!
You just adjusted the swing time, didn't you?
I love you.
I love you!
I love you.
Oh, it's snowing again.
I've always loved you.
So pretty.
Sorry, Mizuho.
I can't imagine myself giving up on you, even as an adult.
I hope things work out between you and Kizuki.
But, in ten years, if you're ever alone...
I...
Never mind.
Let's go home.
Okay.
Oh! Actually, hold on!
Sorry, I can't go back to being friends.
Hey, did you do the kanji homework?
Nope.
I see.
Oh, Shin!
For you! A present!
Huh? What?
A pencil box?
What's this about?
I may like animals, but I can't handle bugs!
Wait, really?
I thought you'd like it.
Bye-bye.
Mizuho always exceeded my expectations.
Announcing the candidacy for Ao High's 54th student council president!
First year, Class 3. Shin Kashiwagi!
Shin Kashiwagi
Please consider us!
Good luck on your election!
I'm rooting for you!
Thanks.
Oh my gosh, he shook my hand!
Wow! I'm not washing my hands today!
All right. The line for handshakes is this way.
Here you go. Please take a flyer.
Huh? Where's Mizuho?
She's staying behind for math right now.
Shin!
Sorry I couldn't help you with your campaign.
Are you going to pass your make-up math exam?
Only God knows, I guess.
Seriously...
I hate stupid women.
Anyway! Here!
A present for you!
What is this all of a sudden?
So sleepy...
I only slept for an hour last night.
Shin Kashiwagi
Student Council President Candidate
It's
Time
For
Reform
SHIN KASHIWAGI
Student Council President Candidate
Leave the Future
of Ao High to Me
Posters?
Dummy.
But Mizuho constantly exceeded my expectations...
She makes my heart race.
Shin!
Here, to repay you for the hot chocolate.
You must be cold, right?
Thanks.
Let's go home before the trains stop running.
Okay.
Sorry, Mizuho.
For falling for you this much.
I came to see you, Mizuho.
Sorry, it was an emergency call.
Mizuho?
Oh, yeah! Right.
Was everything all right with your call?
All good.
But before that, I'm sorry about yesterday.
I couldn't make it to the fireworks festival.
It's okay.
You're busy anyway, Shin.
But Airu and Syugo didn't even make it in the end, right?
You were all by yourself.
Those two asked me to treat you to something good to make up for it.
Yup.
Thank you very much.
Thanks for the meal, Kashiwagi-sensei.
Don't call me "sensei."
I wish I had seen the fireworks, too.
The Koigahama fireworks were as beautiful as always.
When you're in Tokyo, you can't help but yearn for the Koigahama fireworks.
Is Koigahama over there?
Nope. That's Fukagawa.
Koigahama is more south of Tsukishima...
But you can't even see it from here.
Oh, yeah.
Kizuki apparently lives around Tsukishima.
According to my mom's intel—
Shin.
Hm?
During the fireworks festival... Kizuki showed up.
What?
He said that he came to see me.
But no matter what he says, it's too late.
I...
I said something terrible and left him.
Even though Kizuki and I ended things a long time ago.
Are things with Kizuki really over for you, Mizuho?
It's not over.
It hasn't been over for me.
But I don't know what to do.
It'll be over.
I can make it end.
What?
I meant to tell you this during the fireworks.
Let's go out.
Shin...
But Shin, you...
Let me see if I still like you, Mizuho.
Like this...
If your heart races when you're with someone,
it means you're in love.
I hope things go well with you and Kizuki.
But if you see yourself being alone in ten years...
I...
If we keep this up, we'll both be stuck in the past.
Things with you haven't ended for me either, Mizuho.
Always. So...
Let's start anew together.
You can take your time with your answer.
Sorry, Airu.
I can't.
I can't go to the Christmas party right now.
I'm going to go to Chika's.
Airu!
Thanks for buying my drink!
What's a guy who skipped school because of a fever doing here?
I really wanted to go out for a run after my fever went down.
See? It really went down.
I'm all right!
I ate a full meal a bit ago, and my body feels light.
I feel better than ever.
I've heard a lot about it since last night.
Okay, okay. Congrats!
Good for you that Mizuho calls you her "boyfriend" now!
That tickles.
I haven't said anything at all today.
Your happiness is bursting out of you.
That's because Mizuho's always been looking my way.
Even when I was weak with my asthma,
or when I couldn't improve my time,
or when my soul was crushed...
She made me stronger when I was at my weakest.
That's why I'm so happy that my feelings were able to reach her!
I want to see Mizuho all of a sudden—
Mizuho's not the only one
that's been looking your way, Kizuki.
# 15 The Real Me