Just like I thought.
What is?
You're someone who will cherish me.
What's that?
I don't want to have anything to do with someone who won't cherish me.
If that's the case, I'd rather be alone.
Miyako...
I don't want to disappear from someone's heart again.
If it's like that, I'd rather we had never met.
Can I stay here?
Yeah.
Can you look at me alone at all times?
Yeah.
I don't want to let go of something important to me anymore.
What's this about?
Kei...
Is this what it's about?
Your...
Kei!
Don't go.
Miyako...
Don't go, please.
But...
Who do you choose, her or me?
You're not going, are you, Hirono-kun?
Look at me alone. Don't look at anyone other than me!
Miyako...
Please.
Wait here. I'll be back real soon.
You left after all.
Kei-chan...
Don't worry about me!
Don't you want to shoot this?
You want to shoot this, right? Shoot it!
Just shoot it. Such an amusing scene won't happen a second time.
Shoot it!
Kei-chan...
Kei...
It's me.
Sorry, I'm busy right now.
Because of Kei-chan?
Can we meet?
What do you want all of a sudden?
I'm the one who should be asking you that.
What are you planning to do, Hirono?
Planning to do...?
Are you going out with Miyamura?
How is that relevant?
What about Kei-chan then?
What are you saying? Kei and I don't have that kind of relationship...
What the heck is this about?
You're leaving things half done.
You're half-assed about your studies, about your work.
Don't abuse others like that!
Stop saying things I don't understand!
Do you think you can beat me with your left hand?
My right hand is for work!
You're half-assed even at fighting.
What?
You try to run away from everything like that, don't you?
I've never tried to run away!
Taking something on without thinking about it and then dragging it along
is the same as running away!
Didn't you run away without trying to persuade your dad too?
What do you know about my family?
What is Kei-chan to you?
Is she family, or a woman?
Neither. Kei is Kei.
That's why I said you're half-assed!
She cried because you didn't make yourself clear!
You're making her suffer because you're running away with your indecisive attitude.
At this rate, she'll follow you forever, crying like a lost child.
You're the only one, Hirono, who can help her with her feelings.
I'm back.
Miyako?
Miyako...
Hirono-kun?
Miyako...?
I've thought about it.
About what?
Let's not see each other anymore.
What are you saying, Miyako?
It's painful for me to think about you.
I know I'm saying something selfish. I also know it's wrong for me to do this.
But your heart doesn't belong to me and me alone after all.
Miyako...
One day, I'll disappear from your heart again when it fills with other things, right?
Therefore, let's break up before that happens.
Wait, Miyako! Miyako!
Miyako...
Hiro-senpai.
Hayama.
What are you doing here?
Nothing.
How was Kei-senpai's sandwich?
Eh?
She suddenly called me up last night and asked me how to make it.
How frustrating.
O-O-Ouch.
Wh-What on earth is that about?
She suddenly began to cook. I thought it was strange, so I asked her.
And she said boldly, "It's for Onii-chan."
Plus her face was all red.
I had no choice, so I taught her how to make it while holding back my tears for her happiness.
I-I see.
Well, I got something in return.
What's that?
The subscription postcard to the monthly publication MIMI.
This month's present to the reader is extremely valuable.
What are you doing?
Hayama, are you a fan of Shindou Nagi?
Yeah, since his name is similar to Kei-senpai's.
That's it?
Eh? It's a different author for "works of interest"?
Because lately, Shindou Nagi's works haven't been interesting.
Somehow his vigor has decreased. His works used to have more sparkle to them.
Lately, his works have been too ordinary. They're not Shindou Nagi-like anymore.
Even though you wouldn't understand that.
Y-Yeah.
Being half-assed at everything... huh?
I know that.
Knowing something and understanding it are different.
I know that too.
They're all important to you, so you don't want to let go of any of them, right?
Yeah, something like that.
But one day you'll have to give up on one of them.
For the sake of not letting go of what's most important to you.
As I said, they're all important to me.
But if you don't choose one, you'll end up losing everything.
Even so, I can't abandon something I got involved with and pretend nothing happened.
You're not abandoning it.
They're asking you to abandon it.
That's why it's painful.
I don't want to get hurt anymore.
But as long as you live, you can't run away from pain.
I know. I know that, but...
Letting go of a bond that you created will cause you the same pain as having your body torn apart.
Can you guys bear it?
We shouldn't run away even if we can't bear it.
You're right.
You actually knew the answer from the very beginning, didn't you?
Even if I did, I lacked the courage to understand its meaning.
I feel like... I've seen the color I've been looking for.
Kei, are you there?
What are you doing here?
You forgot your crutch.
Go home.
Don't push yourself before your knee recovers.
It's none of your business.
Kei, thank you for the sandwiches.
I ran into Hayama and heard about it from her.
And she told me that my manga wasn't interesting.
Kei, I'm going to quit school and devote myself to being a manga artist.
It wasn't right to do an indifferent job on it till now.
I can't draw something well if I'm indecisive about it.
Is that related to Miyamura-senpai?
It's not unrelated, but it's something I thought through myself.
You've decided?
Yeah, I've decided.
I see. You were always like that.
You decide everything on your own and proceed ahead by yourself.
Kei...
You fulfill your dream and do what you want to do.
You carry it through to the end, even though it's hard.
Because you've been watching out for me.
Eh?
I wanted to act cool in front of the girls who called me "Onii-chan."
I wanted to make you two happy. That's why I started drawing manga.
Onii-chan...
It was fun back then.
Do you remember? We fought while we were reading this manga.
Yeah.
What was that about?
The last chapter took an unexpected turn. We were surprised.
The three of us, including Chihiro, argued about whether we liked or hated the way it ended.
You took the side of the girl who got dumped at the very end.
You insisted it was her fault that she got dumped.
She didn't make any effort, just because she was kind of pretty.
Now that I think about it, that was already the end.
But we didn't even realize it and were absorbed in the ending.
That's what reality is.
Yeah.
It's impossible to have a fair ending.
That ending was more realistic.
One day, it suddenly comes to an end without prior notice.
The one who's been dreaming about it before then like an idiot is destroyed in an instant.
Kei...
Don't say it!
Don't end it yet.
Kei...
I thought our relationship would continue forever and ever.
You'd be with me, I'd be with you.
You'd always be sloppy and need me to take care of you.
But I'd always do my best to support you, and you'd support me when I was having a hard time.
We'd fight sometimes, then make up.
Eventually, our relationship as brother and sister would turn into being lovers.
Before long, we'd get married and have kids.
It would... it would keep going on like that.
Kei...
What did you think, Onii-chan? Tell me the truth.
I thought something like that as well. I thought it would somehow turn out that way.
Really? So it was just too late for me to find out.
I should've admitted my feelings sooner.
Sorry, Kei.
Onii-chan, I love you!
I love you.
I love you, Onii-chan.
Yeah.
All this time, since we were small.
Yeah.
I yearned for it.
Yeah.
It was my pride.
Yeah.
I had... I had always loved you.
Yeah.
I want to go back. To the time when we were always together.
To the time when you were with me.
We can.
Let's go back, Kei.
Even though we're not related by blood, you're my younger sister.
You're someone important to me.
That's why...
What... it was painful for you too.
I see.
Kei...
I'll be all right.
I think it'll take some time, but I'll definitely be all right.
Okay.
This is my last time looking at this place too, eh.
Are you running away again?
It's the same as before anyway.
I just need to turn a blind eye to what I don't like.
I just need to stop my ears against what I don't want to hear.
I've always done that, and I've survived until now that way.
You won't be able to choose anything then.
It's fine. I gave up on that from the very beginning.
But that person is trying his best.
I can't be as strong as Hirono-kun.
That's a pity. I wanted to watch it.
A dream that might bring someone like me happiness.
A dream?
Is this Miyako?
Yeah.
Where are you now?
That's a secret.
Can we talk face to face?
No. My determination will waver if we meet.
Determination means...
I'm going to leave this town.
And then I'm going to a place nobody knows.
Miyako...
This is my last call.
This is my last farewell to you, who has been nice to me.
Miyako...
I think I might've been testing you till now.
Testing means...?
Ever since we met on Christmas night...
I think I've been observing your reactions since then.
To see if you were someone who'd cherish me.
You didn't need to go as far as testing me for something like that...
If I wasn't going to be cherished, I didn't want to get involved with anyone.
And then? How was it?
The result of the testing. Did I fail?
Nah. You got full marks.
You're a nice person, and too good for me.
Don't say that.
I have an eye for people.
Then why'd you say you're going to leave town?
I don't want to be erased from your heart.
I'm going to make myself disappear while you still love me.
Miyako...
There wasn't a sound in my house.
Sound?
My parents were always at work.
Both papa and mama kept their mouths shut at home.
They didn't talk at all. They didn't even want to hear each other's voices or footsteps.
Their minds were full of hate for each other, and they were too busy to care about their own daughter.
My name...
Name?
They hardly ever called my name.
That's how little talking there was.
No matter how well I did in school, even if I was number one in sports, they never praised me.
I even learned how to prepare the fish recipe that papa and mama loved.
I cut myself a lot with the kitchen knife, but...
Miyako...
It was strange though. I didn't really need to mimic them, but I always felt breathless anxiety.
Finally, they got divorced about six years ago. Frankly speaking, I felt relieved.
Because of that, I was free.
After that, I quit that house without sound, and started going wherever I wanted to go freely.
I hoped that I'd find a home somewhere one day.
It was relaxing not to be involved with anyone.
I didn't feel tired, and I didn't need to be careful to avoid being hated.
I could go anywhere, whenever I liked.
Yeah, I could go anywhere.
But... but, being able to go anywhere meant that I didn't have a home anywhere.
Not having a place I wanted to go to or return to was like being all alone in the world.
Shut up!
Stop babbling by yourself!
Hirono-kun...
Besides, why didn't you tell me about this sooner?
You felt lonely, didn't you? You felt pain, didn't you?
If so, you should've told me!
There's no way I could tell you! If I had told you, you'd have pitied me.
I wanted to be cherished, not pitied!
In that case, your home will be by my side!
In that case, your family and your life by yourself will become your past. It'll be okay then, right?
Even if I have a home, I'll be afraid of losing it!
You won't!
How can you be so sure?
Trust me.
I want to. I want to trust you.
Is there something you're not satisfied about?
Because I'm horrible! You'll definitely hate me one day.
That's not true!
I knew how you and Kei-chan felt!
I thought I couldn't win against Kei-chan.
But I wanted to stay by your side so desperately that I held onto you.
And I knew you were suffering!
I'm the worst. I only think about myself!
Let me think about my problems. You're just fine as you are.
That's more like you.
I've found the answer to my problem.
The rest is up to you!
Can I really trust you?
Yeah.
I don't want to disappear anymore.
I'm right here, so I don't want to be ignored!
I'm always looking at you. How could you disappear?!
I want to stay!
I want my cooking to be eaten while it's still warm!
I want to be with you!
I want someone to praise me!
I'll say you're amazing if you do well in school!
I'll scold you if you do something bad!
And of course, I'll eat your cooking!
No matter how disgraceful it is, I want to cling to you!
You can just do what you want to do! I'll accept it all!
Hirono-kun, I...
Listen carefully! I...
I... love you!
Hirono-kun!
I didn't know this place.
I've gone to all the public telephones in Otowa.
Hirono-kun.
Miyako.
You have to bear the responsibility.
Responsibility?
You caught me, so don't let me go anymore.
You didn't want to be bound by anyone, did you?
Human feelings can change.
Carve me into the memories that won't disappear.
Next episode, ef - a tale of memories:
Ever forever.
Do you have memories you don't want to forget?