I had always thought...
that one day I would become someone special.
One day,
I would find something where it was clear I had talent.
For a long time now,
I had always imagined that I was a knight who had fought many battles to protect a princess.
But...
it seems I didn't make it.
What should I do?
I liked that place.
The quiet, empty train station where nobody came was the best place for reading alone.
However,
someone got here before me today.
N-No trains come to this station.
Ah, sorry. It's nothing.
B-Bye.
Yeah.
Today was the first time I met her.
That was...
an encounter that lasted less than forty-five seconds.
Argh, I don't get it.
Maybe I should go and do some research.
What? It's just Kei.
Merry Christmas.
Onii-chan, don't forget about the party!
I guess I have no choice.
I guess I'll stop by there on my way.
Okay, cut.
Did you get a good shot, Kyosuke?
I only take good shots.
If it snowed, that would be the best.
No, no.
That would make it difficult when you edit later on.
Oh well.
The library has it anyway.
Let's go eat.
Yeah.
What's wrong?
Nah, I was thinking it would be nice to take a shot for the cushion too.
There must've been a pretty girl.
Again? Is that it again?
Aw, that hurts. O-O-O-Ouch...
I'm home.
Ah, welcome back, Kei-senpai.
Sorry, Mizuki.
The bakery was crowded.
Eh, where's onii-chan?
He's not here yet.
Are you serious? I wonder if he's really coming.
I told him I wouldn't let him off if he stood us up again.
Hiro-senpai always seems to be busy,
even though he's not in a club or cram school.
I'm sure he has his reasons.
Mizuki, help me set them up.
Okay.
But he's a weird person.
The other day, when it looked like he was deep in thought,
he suddenly started scratching his head like crazy.
As if he were a manga artist facing a deadline.
What's wrong, Kei-senpai?
Ah, nothing.
I'll send him another e-mail.
Merry Christmas, onee-chan.
Chihiro...
I wonder if I'm late.
Eh, so this is how it looks inside.
It's a pity.
Mass has already ended.
Ah, nah, I'm not a believer.
I'm just here to do some research.
Who are you?
There's someone I have to meet here.
You're waiting for someone?
Well, I'll be leaving then.
Ah, just a moment.
What is it?
Merry Christmas.
It's cold.
You're late. Where are you now?
Ack, Kei is mad.
Thief!
Wait!
Hey, did you see a bike?
I did.
Do you know which way it went?
That way.
Thank you. I'm borrowing this.
Eh, wait!
My... bicycle!
You bicycle thief!
Hello.
It's not "hello."
Onii-chan, don't tell me you forgot about the party?
I didn't.
I'm just standing you up.
What's with that defiant attitude?
I don't have a dress for the ball.
Are you Snow White?
Nah, right now I'm Cinderella.
They're the same!
I don't have time for that now.
Eh? Could it be that you got an urgent job?
Yeah, I'm busy right now. We'll talk next time.
"We'll talk next time," you say... eh, wait!
Onii-chan, you idiot! Go die!
I-I'm going to die!
My bicycle...
Hey, are you alive?
Is this 119?
When the ambulance gets here, I have to go with her, huh?
Give me a break.
She's alive, right?
She can't be dead...
Eh?
What was I doing?
Why are you asking me?
I remember!
W-Wait a second!
You have to lie there.
I was robbed.
My important bag was stolen!
What are you going to do if you hit your head?
Wait till the ambulance gets here.
No, that bag was expensive,
and both my wallet and cell phone were inside.
I'll definitely catch him!
Hey, wait!
Being in the park at night calms you down.
What about the purse-snatcher?
Didn't you say you'd definitely catch him?
I ran too much and got tired.
You give up quickly.
It's okay, it's okay.
There's no money in my wallet anyway,
and the only number on my cell phone is my grandma's place.
Besides, I was thinking of buying a new bag.
It doesn't matter anymore.
That's totally different from what you said earlier.
More importantly, are you all right?
Does it hurt somewhere, or do you feel like throwing up?
Nah, not at all.
Maybe you just don't feel the symptoms yet.
You did pass out after all.
I didn't pass out.
You lost consciousness just like that.
No way, I don't remember it at all.
There's no way you'd remember passing out.
Ah, really?
Thank you.
For what?
Thank you for worrying about me.
Wh-What are you saying?
You're nice.
Shut up.
Anyway, it's better for you if you went to the hospital.
Yeah, I'll think about it.
Ah.
It's snow. Snow.
Amazing.
Snow.
Don't you think it's nice?
To have a white Christmas like this with someone.
Wh-Who knows?
Geez, how cold.
Isn't it sad to be alone on a day like this?
It doesn't matter.
I can live just by myself.
I don't like being alone.
I haven't told you my name, have I?
I'm Miyamura Miyako.
I'm Hirono Hiro.
Hirono Hiro... Hiro Hiro, eh?
What a strange name.
Aren't you the same? Miyamura Miyako, Miya Miya.
Hah, you're right.
You found something interesting. You're smart.
Say, Hirono-kun.
Wh-What?
There's no one...
at my home tonight.
You were thinking of something perverted, weren't you?
Idiot.
What are you talking about?
Anyway, my house key was in that bag.
So?
I can't get into my house even if I go back there.
I have to stay out tonight.
On that subject,
isn't it dangerous for a girl to stay out by herself?
Don't tell me... you want me to come along with you...
Isn't there a saying, "One might as well be hanged for a sheep as a lamb"?
The original idiom is "doku wo kurawaba sara made."
Come, let's go.
Hey, w-wait. I'm not coming with you.
I've still got things to do...
It seems that Christmas this year...
isn't ending just yet.
The furigana next to it says "Risou," which means "Dream."
During homeroom after school,
the printouts from the career interest survey were handed out to us.
Unlike the dream of the future we had when we were children,
we now have to define our future concretely.
"I want to be a prince who fights to protect a princess from disasters."
I'm far past the age that would allow me to write down a dream like that.
It seems I didn't make it.
What should I do?
And... why are you asking me?
I want to hear an adult's opinion.
I thought Himura-san might be able to give me some good advice.
Sorry to disappoint you, but I'm not a pastor, or a counselor.
But since you're always here,
it's natural for me to approach you for advice.
I'm just waiting for someone here.
You're waiting for someone?
What do you like?
Eh? What do I like...?
Reading, I guess.
I like fiction.
You can go with that then.
After you graduate from a liberal arts college, you can work in something related to publishing.
You can also write fiction yourself.
But, isn't it too hasty to just turn something I like into my job?
It's a thousand times better than doing something you hate.
Don't worry. Consider it.
No more advice.
This is my "adult's opinion."
Adult's... opinion.
I feel like I understand it, but I don't really get it.
Either way, I have to think it through myself.
He made it sound so simple...
The furigana next to it says "Omoi," which means "Feeling."
Yo.
Hello.
Did I interrupt you?
No.
Erm, can I ask you something weird?
Did we meet before?
Y-Yeah.
Really?
I'm sorry. As I thought, we did meet before.
Well, actually we just said "hi" to each other.
I guess you're right.
E-Erm...
Yeah?
Do you always come here?
Nah. Just now and then.
This is a nice, quiet place.
Yeah.
It's the most suitable place for reading.
Besides, I can openly act out "Stand By Me" here.
Renji is referring to the movie "Stand By Me," directed by Rob Reiner.
I mean walking on the railroad track.
No one will scold me if I do it here.
Ah, I see.
It sounds like fun.
Chihiro.
I'm Chihiro.
My name is Shindou Chihiro.
Lions drop their cubs into an abysmal valley.
It's written as Senjin and read as Chihiro.
Abysmal valley = (senjin no tani) is how her name is written.
I'm Asou Renji.
Asou-san, right?
Yeah.
Chihiro, you're early.
Early?
Yeah.
You came earlier than me the other day as well.
That's because...
I'm not attending school.
You're not... going to school?
Yes.
Ah, is that so?
Yes.
I'm sorry.
I'm going home now.
Eh, what's wrong?
This is your place.
I think I'm bothering you, and you seem to feel uneasy.
That's not true.
It's not like that at all.
I'm thinking something similar too.
Because I'm here, you can't take your time to read.
That's not true at all.
Please don't worry about it.
Same for me. Don't worry about it.
I'll walk you home. Do you live nearby?
Nah, I want to stay here a bit longer.
It's getting dark already.
I want to stay here.
I see.
Erm...
Can I still come here?
Of course.
Thank you.
See you, then.
...you.
What's wrong?
Nothing.
See... you.
See you.
A
The furigana next to it says "Negai," which means "Wish."
What were you looking at?
I wasn't looking at anything.
What about the sky?
Ah, you're right.
I was looking at the sky.
Are you all right?
What do you mean?
Well, you look different from yesterday.
Yesterday?
Erm, could you be Asou-san?
Eh?
Yeah, that's me.
What's wrong?
Yesterday's "see you"...
Yesterday's... what?
"See you"...
Ah, wh-what's wrong, Chihiro?
Erm, it's not like that.
It's not. It's not...
Oh no. Why... did I...?
Even though you ask me why...
It's not...
This is not what I meant to do...
A-Are you all right?
I'm okay.
I'm sorry. I'm sorry.
Erm, why did you come today, Asou-san?
Eh, well, it's because...
I-I don't really know why.
I see.
I'm sorry.
I was too happy and misunderstood.
I'm sorry.
Please forget about it.
Does that mean she was happy to see me?
But we've only met three times,
she couldn't be so happy that she'd hug me and cry...
That's impossible.
Asou-san.
That pocket...
Ah, it's the novel I'm currently reading.
Do you like fiction?
Yeah, it's like I'm a wordaholic.
I always carry a few books in my pocket.
If I don't, it feels unnatural, as if I'm not carrying enough weight.
It's just like a cat's whiskers.
Eh? Ah, I see.
That's cute.
That book of yours is like a cat's whiskers too?
Something like that.
I can't live without it.
Same as me.
Yeah.
Asou-san, I have a favor to ask you. May I?
What is it?
Can you...
be friends with me?
Friends?
You don't want to?
N-Nah, of course I do!
I'm the one who'd like to ask you to be my friend.
Yes.
See you.
Yes.
See you.
Yeah... yahoo!
Asou-san went home after saying that.
I was happy.
Asou-san made a promise to me yesterday, and he came to see me today.
Today he also promised me that he would come see me tomorrow.
And he became friends with me.
Even though I shouldn't indulge myself in something like this.
Kei-onee-chan.
The two of us meet again, and the uncertain time begins to move.
Next episode, ef - a tale of memories:
Upon a time.
Do you have memories you don't want to forget?