It's always you playing my opposite.
And I was the one who said it must be fate.
A Hundred Scenes of AWAJIMA
Kayo Yomogida & Saori Yamagata
Indeed, the first upperclassman I became enamored with was two years my senior.
At an all-girls school, of course.
But I moved on soon after.
Not because she graduated or anything, but because I got over it.
Pardon me.
Would anyone like more tea?
Hey, we're in an interview!
Oh, it's fine.
Mihoto Yuuki-san?!
Why, I haven't been called that in a long time.
I go by my real name, Kayo Yomogida, now.
So you really did retire.
I help take care of odd jobs around here these days.
It's my uncle's agency.
Kaburagi-san.
What?
I don't think it's good for your image when you talk like that.
What do you mean?
There are people who used to admire the two of us.
So?
So it's not a good idea to brush it off,
saying things like, "It was a lapse in judgment."
Seeing Mihoto Yuuki serving tea at an agency is the bigger letdown.
No smoking.
You still want to sing, don't you?
Take better care of your throat.
You're a product, after all.
Then you should quit too.
I don't want your secondhand smoke.
I'm not into getting people's hopes up.
Do you think those two are actually going out?!
It's out of the question, obviously.
Well, you're right.
But that you joined our agency after leaving the troupe is its own fantasy.
I'm telling you not to be a buzzkill.
There are folks who make a living off the illusion of the day.
I seriously hate how calculating you are.
I don't like clinginess.
I'm not being clingy.
Aren't you?
You always take me to the bathroom with you.
And you never go to the school store by yourself.
You always wait for me, even for private lessons.
To be honest, I'm worried about your future.
I don't know how you're going to survive on your own.
People are saying we make a funny couple, you know?
The one playing the boy is a sissy,
and the one playing the girl is always taking the lead.
I hate the word "sissy."
It's just the way I am.
Yuuki Kaburagi
Yuuki Kaburagi?
You got the same name I did.
Yours is a family name.
Mihito Yuuki
Which is fine, I mean, but...
Yeah.
It could be amusing.
Mihito Yuuki Yuuki Kaburagi
The Double Yuukis.
No, that's so lame!
I never heard you were retiring.
I never told you.
I thought it through on my own and made the decision myself.
What's going to happen now?
I'll start by finding work at my uncle's agency.
I'm not talking about you!
I'm talking about our future!
Mihito Yuuki
"Our" future?
It's not like we were partners or anything.
You're the one who called us the Double Yuukis!
I was just desperate.
So it's my fault?
Is it because I took this name?
Obviously not.
Yuuki Kaburagi
I am worried about how you'll fare without me around, though.
But that has nothing to do with why I'm leaving.
You have a bad habit of thinking that the world revolves around you.
You need to grow up.
Don't ever make that face in front of the fans.
You're their prince.
Yes, I've taken the liberty of checking over the draft.
And I'm sorry, but if you could please remove the part about me and Yuuki...
Yes, it's fine as it is otherwise.
Yes.
What a waste.
I think the fans would enjoy it.
You're the one who betrayed our fans.
That's painful to confront.
You want me to move on, don't you?
I'm going to live my life without your idealistic fantasies.
That's some big talk!
Especially from someone who chased me all the way here in tears.
It's always you playing my opposite.
And I was the one who said it must be fate.
And we both laugh that we'll never be rid of each other.
Wakana Tabata & Saeko Tabata
With the support of my fans, I had a joyous life at Awajima.
I wonder if our girl's really going to become an actress.
My deepest thanks for all the love.
Huh? What are you on about?
PRESS RELEASE: TOP STAR RETIRES
Oh, they've been talking about her all day.
I'm expecting more than just anxiety in leaving Awajima and jumping into the rough seas.
Yeah, I know.
Nah, only a small handful make it.
You're right.
I'm eager to see what kind of world awaits.
Still, I'm amazed our daughter made it into that school.
She might turn out to be a natural, you know?
The life I'd lived couldn't be further from the world of Awajima.
Doofus!
People judge how interesting you are by how attractive you are.
I've always loved potato-faced folks.
Even if I might stare at a beautiful man, that's as far as it'd go.
Comedy Club
Theater
I hope we get tickets again.
Right?
Glitz and glamour aren't important to me.
Oh, jeez.
I forgot to return this to Auntie.
Waka-chan, you're so tall.
You ought to go to that revue school.
Sheesh.
Look what you went and did, Auntie.
You convinced Wakana to try for Awajima, and now she's there.
Wow, rare to find you watching this kind of thing.
Yeah.
I have to. She'll ask me what I thought of it later.
Auntie sure does love that stuff.
Der Tod!
Elisabeth.
Elisabeth...
D-Der Tod!
Hey, Wakana's home!
I'm back.
Are you staying for the whole summer?
For ten days, maybe?
Man, I'm starving.
How about we order some sushi today?
Sounds good.
I'm beat!
Welcome home.
Ooh, why Elisabeth?
Auntie recommended it to me.
She's been watching it over and over.
Auntie wanted it back, so I bought my own copy.
We only ever have comedy shows or stand-up on in the living room.
I never expected to see Elisabeth.
And it's the one with Leo Asagami's absolutely gorgeous performance!
You sure have entered a spectacular world.
I don't know if you'll ever make it big or if you'll even graduate.
But you must have something going for you
to have made it into that school.
Who knows if anything will come of it?
But I've realized I might have nipped that bud
before it had a chance to bloom.
Gotta thank Auntie.
It was Der Tod that made your mom's interest blossom.
It sure was.
Who'd have thought there could be such a beautiful man?
Your mother had no idea.
Auntie's going to take me next time.
She looked so proud of herself.
I recalled what Takehara-senpai said.
Platitudes won't get you anywhere.
Whoever makes it onto that stage wins.
That's how this world works.
I don't know if I can survive in such a world.
One of my friends promised she'd go here with me.
And yet... I wound up attending alone.
I spent my whole first year thinking about that.
About her.
Then my first year came to an end...
And I was still thinking about it in my second year.
I felt as though I'd be there until I stopped thinking about her.
That girl...
Why isn't she at Awajima? I don't know.
I'm there instead, and I'm not her.
Why am I at Awajima?
I should put more thought into that question.
What?! You got into Awajima?!
Yeah.
It has to have been a fluke.
No way I'd make it otherwise, right?
I shouldn't have said that.
The truth is...
I worked really, really hard for it.
I have a campus leave form.
All right, looks good.
Make sure you're back by curfew.
Yes, ma'am!
Yay!
Where should we go first?
Takuto Kashiwagi & Sayaka Yoshimura
Shopping Center
I-I'm sorry!
No, that was my fault!
Sheesh, what are you doing?!
Awajima Revue School
Campus Leave Request
Name
Wakana Tabata
Oh, I'll pick it up!
Oh, that's okay!
I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!
No, no, no, no, no!
I'll bring it back washed!
What?! No, you don't need to worry about that!
I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!
It's really okay!
She was an Awajima lady.
Awajima Revue School
That's what Grandma would have called her.
An Awajima lady, eh?
Go get 'em!
Crap, I must've creeped her out...
I bet I did.
I'll bring it back washed!
What kind of guy goes that far? Ew.
That's probably what she's thinking.
I mean, maybe not, but people have said that to me before!
I always carry an ironed handkerchief with me.
No, it isn't because of my mother.
It was my choice.
I've been laughed at for being the weirdo with the hankies.
What gives, though?
You wash your hands when you go to the bathroom!
I like being tidy.
I'm a clean freak.
I've seen the Awajima Revue a few times.
My grandmother used to love them.
Himawari Daycare Center In Transit
Grandma!
You're home from daycare?
Yep, just now.
Tadano-san gave me a lift.
And I got these.
Awajima Revue
You and I are the only ones in the house who like opera.
Let's go together.
All right!
There's no way he bothered to give it a second look.
What? Why wouldn't he?
It was a total mess!
It was just sitting at the bottom of my bag.
I totally forgot about it.
And it's the one thing he picks up!
He was a good kid, though.
Right? He offered to wash it for me.
I wish I was that thoughtful.
I wonder if I'll see those girls onstage someday.
What am I going to do when Grandma dies?
I don't have any close friends.
My hobbies are doing household chores and watching Awajima.
Find Friends
I've gotta find like-minded people!
Hello?
Oh, good, there you are.
Takuto, can you skip cram school today?
Huh?
Kashiwagi Takahashi Takeda
Y'all are making such a fuss over nothing.
It's not nothing!
You aren't built like you used to be, y'know?
I swear.
I'm sorry, Taku-chan.
You ought to take a friend with you to see the show.
It's fine.
You were looking forward to it, Grandma.
Let's go once you're feeling better.
No way. We can't waste those tickets.
Go.
Then tell me all about what you thought of it.
But I don't have any friends to invite...
Hmm?
Sure, I wouldn't mind, but I'm clueless about that stuff.
Oh, hey, wanna go with your brother?
Huh? Awajima? Sorry, not interested.
Fine! I'll go by myself!
Okay, then.
I wish I had friends I could casually invite.
Sayaka's Diary
Mountain Lilies and the Sea at Awajima
She isn't exactly a friend, but I've been talking with this "Sayaka-san" lately.
Still, we've only chatted a few times.
Would I be imposing?
I have two tickets.
Would you be interested in going with me?
Send
Back
THA-THUMP
Ding
Already?!
Message from Sayaka-san:
Oh! That's great!
I didn't think I'd be able to go, so I agreed to work that day.
I'll see if I can find someone to sub!
Please don't feel obliged!
Thank you so much!
That's a relief, though.
She seems enthusiastic about it.
Sayaka
Hello there!
I'm a free spirit who loves traveling and photography.
I love getting to chat with anyone who shares my interests and
I wonder what Sayaka-san's like.
She's always posting fancy photos.
It looks like she travels a lot too.
She seems really proper, but she's probably not that young.
Sayaka
And she knows a lot about the past.
I tend to be popular with seniors, though.
I'm glad I don't need to worry so much.
Okay, I'll meet you in the lobby!
Send
At the same time, part of me was expecting something else.
Are you Takuto-kun?
I'm Sayaka. Pleased to meet you.
You look just like Izumi Kazuki, who retired in '95!
I saw her so many times in Grandma's videos!
I'm tickled.
It was one of my dreams to get into Awajima.
Mine too!
If I were a girl,
I would have tried for Awajima, even if I didn't have a shot.
What the hell was that dream?
I love Awajima, but it's not like I'd ever want to go there.
And "if I were a girl"? Really?
Crap, I'm gonna be late.
Incoming mail
Sayaka-san
I forgot to tell you something important.
I'm a guy!
A GUY
A guy?
You're Takuto-kun, right?
I'm Sayaka.
I wasn't pretending to be a woman or anything! That's my real name!
Sayaka
Sayaka Yoshimura
No, it's fine.
I'm sorry I let you down!
No, I'm not let down!
Anyway, nice to meet you!
Come to think of it, we never used pronouns that would have given it away.
I'll be right there
I'm currently...
Me too
Here, these are for your grandmother.
Please give her my well wishes.
How kind of you.
He's a nice guy.
You know...
I've always adored Awajima.
Not something a guy in his mid-thirties should be saying, I know.
I've always loved things that sparkle and shine since I was a kid.
This is a menagerie of everything I adore.
It wasn't that I wanted to be a girl.
Awajima simply has everything that I aspire to.
I get that.
It's not like I want to be a girl.
It's just...
I feel a sort of guilt in being a man.
I'm glad I met Sayaka-san.
I think if I keep growing up the way I am,
I'll end up like Sayaka-san.
But that doesn't seem so bad.
All these sparkly, somewhat evanescent, beautiful things...
are things I love.
I've made a new friend besides Sayaka-san!
Housewife Minami Maeda-san
Granted, she's a cheery mother with a daughter my age in high school.
Heya!
Takuto-kun's such a good kid.
I'd love for him to be my daughter's boyfriend.
Oh, please.
I get that from my grandma's friends a lot too...
N-Nice to meet you!
Huh? Uh...
Go on, say hi!
Uh-huh.
Also, what's up? I'm in a hurry.
You'll join us for lunch, won't you?
Nah, you two can go together.
So much for trying to set you up!
I'm sorry about her attitude.
I've taken her to Awajima a few times, but she doesn't seem to care.
She's cute, but we clearly live in different worlds.
Still, she is cute.
She's cute, plus she's tall and slender, and she's got a great voice.
I wonder if she has any interest in acting.
You think so too, right?
I went to karaoke with Maeda-san and her daughter once.
She's even a good singer!
Wow!
Believe it or not, she's really close with her mother.
That's good!
I guess she was just feeling awkward because I was there.
We chatted it up all night about Awajima.
I realized that night...
that neither Sayaka-san or I were getting girlfriends anytime soon.