Futaba-chan!
The donuts at the shop in front of the station are 100 yen now, right?
Want to stop by there with me today?
Yuuri...
Yeah.
Today, I might...
...lose a precious friend.
Today, no matter what, I will definitely, definitely tell Yuuri properly!
But still... I bet I'll still lose my nerve when it comes down to it.
Okay, here's how it is.
No matter what happens, if I don't tell her today, I'll give myself a crew cut!
I've decided!
It's Murao-san!
Shall we invite Murao-san, too?
What?
Murao-san!
Hey, wait!
Are you saying I have to talk about this in front of Murao-san?!
But I decided I'd give myself a crew cut if I don't tell her today.
If I don't tell her now, I don't think I'll ever be able to tell her.
You're seriously hanging out with Makita Yuuri?
Asumi...
Yes?
L-Listen...
The donuts at the station are 100 yen today!
Want to come?
What?
With me and Futaba-chan, that is.
Why?
Oh, sorry, it's so sudden.
I bet you have things to do. Right?
I'm actually free...
You sure have changed.
Thanks.
I wanted to change, after all.
So, I'm going to take that as a compliment!
I see.
Back then, I was so desperate to be liked that I never said how I really felt.
Kou said I had "friends in name only." He made fun of me for that.
I'm not like how I was back then.
I really have changed!
Futaba-chan!
Yuuri's not "in name only." She's a real friend I care about.
Murao-san said she'd come! Let's go!
And it's because I care that I want to be honest with her.
But...!
Look at this! I borrowed it from Mabuchi-kun today!
Isn't that great?
It's so hard to find the right time to say it!
If I don't tell her, I get a crew cut.
But I'm scared. I'm scared to tell her.
Yuu—
Are you okay?
I-I'm sorry! It didn't get on you, did it?
My heart feels like it's going to break...
But...
Yuuri.
There's something I have to tell you.
Um...
The truth is, I...
I... love Kou, too.
I fell in love with the same person as you.
I'm sorry.
You, too, Futaba-chan?!
It's because Mabuchi-kun's so hot, right?
Right? Right?
Are you two blind or something?
What? He's hot!
What?
What's wrong with Mabuchi-kun?
D-Does this kind of thing happen?
The fact that he's a brat.
Then I could have told her a lot earlier!
Oh, but in that case... you're so much closer to Mabuchi-kun.
I'm at a disadvantage.
That's not true! It's fine!
Kou's already told me he doesn't like me like that.
What? Futaba-chan, did you already confess to him?!
Oh, no, I didn't. It's just that it was mutual back in middle school, but...
When I saw him again,
Kou was really clear about the fact that that was in the past.
I see...
At first, I also thought I didn't like Kou the way he is now, but...
I see!
So from now on, whoever succeeds, no hard feelings on either side, okay?
Yeah.
Oh! I have to go to the bathroom.
That was scary...
Yoshioka-san?
I knew I had to tell her... but it was so hard to do it.
I finally managed to tell her.
Futaba-chan likes Mabuchi-kun, too?
We've fallen in love with the same person...
But... I'm sure she must have been scared to tell me, right?
Let's both be in love with him, fair and square.
I'm back!
W-Welcome back!
Oh, I finished my drink!
Yuuri. Her eyes are red...
Was she in the bathroom... crying?
I...
I love Tanaka-sensei.
What?! Where did that come from?!
What? You don't look surprised.
Is it possible, Yuuri, that you knew?
Um...
I didn't want to tell her. She just happened to find out.
I was afraid she might tell you, Yoshioka-san...
But I guess she really kept the secret.
Makita-san is a good person, you know?
You knew that, too, Yoshioka-san.
That's why you worked so hard
to say something that was hard for you to say, right?
Watching the two of you, I started thinking, maybe it's okay if they know who I like.
That's why I said it.
The truth is, this is the first time
I've hung out with anyone since I got into high school.
Murao-san...
Well anyway, it's Mabuchi who'll be making the decision in the end.
You two snarling at each other won't affect anything.
And in the end, he might reject both of you!
That's true...
But even if things go better for one of you,
I'll always remain neutral, so...
Go for it, both of you.
Yeah, I will!
Thanks!
But you two really do have awful taste.
Hm?
Murao!
Did you say you're not coming to the after-test karaoke party?
Yeah.
You're skipping out on all class get-togethers.
You should at least come to one.
I don't feel like going.
I don't want to remember anything about my current class.
But...
It has nothing to do with you, Kominato-kun.
Shuuei Line - Sakigatani Station
Oh, it's dark already.
Girl talk is an amazing thing.
I'm glad I saw it through.
Now I can get close to Kou if I want to.
Kou?
Whoa! All of a sudden, at a time like this?
I need to prepare myself!
Okay!
Kou?
Hey.
Oh, it's that cat!
He seems to live in this area.
Looks like he's a little thinner than before, don't you think?
I wonder if he's getting enough to eat.
If you're worried, why don't you take him in?
No way. If I take him home, I'll start to care for him.
So why not just care for him, then?
Caring for things brings a lot of trouble.
Later.
You're taking a train?
Where are you going at this hour?
It's a secret.
Caring for things brings a lot of trouble.
So... Kou doesn't care about school, or his friends, either?
Hearing something like that...
It makes me anxious.
I followed him impulsively, but... where could he be going?
He got off!
What? What is this place?
There are teenagers everywhere.
Hey, Kou!
Hey.
Kou? He knows the people here?
Why?
Kou looks like a person from another world. I don't like it.
What are you doing?
That's my line! What are you doing?
Where did that come from? Why are you mad at me?
Well, because... um...
It's almost midterms! Shouldn't you be studying?!
Doing her best to argue
Kou-kun! You gotta study for your tests, you know!
Girlfriend?
No way.
Then can I put the moves on her? She's got a nice face.
She's seriously sloppy, she eats more than I do,
she's got chubby legs, and she doesn't have a trace of femininity.
What? What was that?
Oh? She looks pretty feminine to me.
Hey, sister!
What? Who are you?
I bet she's got it where it counts...
Who are you with?
Um, well...
Tits.
To hear that from a friend... you make me sick.
Sorry. I'm going home for today.
Turn right here, and you'll see the sign for the station.
Huh? What about you?
You aren't going to the station?
Stop following me already!
But... I just can't stand it!
It's like I haven't really gotten closer to Kou at all. I can't stand that.
Thanks.
Those people from before. What were they like?
I don't really know.
You go there a lot? How come?
I just started doing it. It kills time.
Do you do bad things, Kou?
You mean like drinking and smoking?
Well, some guys do it.
I don't, though.
I don't want to, for one thing.
I really just talk.
If you want someone to talk to, you could talk to me.
Y-You know, people like me, and Kominato-kun, and Yuuri!
Anyway, lots of people!
Anyway, looks like you're the one who's got "friends in name only."
I'm turning that back on you.
Aren't you letting your guard down too much? You could get assaulted.
Wh-What are you talking about?
I know you don't see me that way.
Besides, I know you wouldn't do something like that.
It's fi—
You take men too lightly.
You're a lot weaker, for one thing.
Even if a man doesn't particularly care for a woman, he can assault her.
Ow.
Well? Scary, wasn't it?
You flicked my forehead?
The only reason you weren't assaulted is because you happened to be with me, okay?
If you don't want scary memories like this,
you shouldn't go to places like that by yourself.
D-Does that mean...
He did that just to make me understand?
What? Are you crying?
Sorry. I frightened you too much.
I was shocked. And frightened.
But that's not the only reason I'm crying.
I said I was sorry.
It's more because I'm embarrassed over how excited I got.
But I'm keeping that a secret from Kou.
Next Episode . . .
I guess he's got friends who worry about him now, huh?
I'm sure he'll work his hardest for all of you, too.