—
Kou?
Yuuri?
Huh?
Oh, there you are.
What happened? You're taking so long.
But where's Yuuri?
We weren't doing anything.
Did something happen... with Kou?
Nothing at all.
That doesn't feel like...
"nothing at all"...
There... that's right... this one's okay, too... hmm?
This one's...
Kou...
And Yuuri...
What happened between them?
She averted her eyes again!
What is it? What? What happened?!
Did one of them confess to the other?
Or is it possible, they...
No, no! Never mind!
So anxious...
By the way, how'd you solve this one?
Just like you said before.
I wonder, does Kou...
...like Yuuri?
What's with you, Kou?
You pick this stuff up so quickly.
Is your only problem that you don't listen in class?
Why'd you start hating studying so much?
I didn't come to hate it so much...
...as I just stopped needing it.
Huh?
That's right.
If I don't need it, why am I bothering with this?
It's stupid.
No!
If you don't try now, little by little,
you really won't advance to the next grade level!
I couldn't bear that!
That wouldn't make anyone happy!
Yuuri...
Eh?
Huh?
What... is this vibe between them?
Makita's a more passionate person than I thought!
You're right about that.
You want us all to enter third year together, right?
And if you do bad next term too,
you'll need to do supplementary lessons during summer vacation, you know.
If that happened, we couldn't all hang out together.
That'd be nice!
I'd like us all to hang out together!
What?
Please don't decide things without asking...
Hm... just make it any time except Obon.
So try just a little bit longer with us, okay?
Sure.
But for today, I'm tired.
Sorry.
Well, one way or another, we got a lot done.
Yeah, I guess.
But you got so passionate, Yuuri.
It was a little unexpected.
Something did happen with you and Kou, right?
That pause means...
It's nothing.
...that something did happen that I don't know about.
Shuuei Line - Sakigatani Station
Later!
Good work today.
Bye bye, Futaba-chan!
Bye bye!
I really do have to know!
Kou. Sorry. What?
Were you just about to head out?
Sorry...
Not yet.
It's a little later, so it's fine.
What's wrong?
U-Um...
I-I think I forgot my cell phone!
Oh, really? It's probably in my room.
I'll give it a call and see.
I'll check my room.
And... could I use the bathroom?
Can I have a glass of water?
I can't bring myself to ask...
7th Cup
So? What do you really want?
It was funny, so I didn't say anything, but...
He got me, huh?
D'oh
Kou...
Did something happen with Yuuri?
It's really nothing.
The same pause as Yuuri's.
It's not fair. Why won't they tell me?
But Yuuri's acting kind of strange...
Although she says nothing happened.
If Makita says nothing happened, she's right.
It's nothing for you to worry about.
I feel like I'm being left out of something.
So this conversation is over.
I'm flustered.
And also... I want to know...
...the reason why you changed.
That again?
I told you to stop searching for the old me, didn't I?
I'm not searching.
I'm not searching for the Kou from those days anymore.
I just want to know you as you are now, properly.
I want to know everything that's happened to you.
With most people,
if you talk to them a certain amount,
then start to avoid them,
they won't try to get involved anymore.
You're really something.
Is he...
...being sarcastic to try to change the subject?
But I won't lose!
Fine.
What? Kou?
Hey! What are you do—
My mom.
Don't give me that expression.
It's not exactly something I was hiding, but...
But I wasn't sure how to talk about it.
And I knew
it would make you have that expression.
Kou—
Makita...
...had exactly the same expression you do now.
Back there, Yuuri found out...
...about Kou's mom.
Yuuri was probably hesitant to talk about it without his permission.
It's nothing.
And yet... I...
I was so flustered about what their relationship was...
I'm sorry.
What are you apologizing for?
Kou and Yuuri both...
...were thinking about the feelings of people other than themselves.
But I was only thinking about myself.
You sure do cry a lot.
So, so annoying.
Sorry.
You're hopeless.
You're not...
...going to quit school, are you?
Do you not want to be with us?
I...
I want to be with you, Kou!
Ta-dah!
H-Hey!
It's not like that.
She started crying when she found out about Mom.
I see.
Oops. I'd better get going.
Where are you going?
Not there again...
Today it's my job.
Job?
Oh, you've got your job today?
You want me to drive you?
Nah.
Just drop her off for me, okay?
Wait!
What am I doing?
Tanaka-sensei, do you not get along with Kou?
I think Kou can't forgive me.
What?
From when our parents divorced.
Kou.
Take care of Mom, okay?
I will.
Because with those words, in what would become the hardest time...
...I put everything on Kou.
Was it a right here?
Yes.
When Mom got sick and was hospitalized,
I had just become a teacher.
I could only visit the hospital in Nagasaki, where they'd moved to, once in a while.
Seeing my mother so much thinner every visit...
It was very hard on me.
I was always scared of entering that hospital room.
Really...
...scared.
And he had to...
...feel things like that every day, all by himself.
Kou's really a kind, good kid. So...
I know.
Right?
He's a good kid.
Thanks.
Caring for things brings a lot of trouble.
Those are the words of someone who knows the fear of losing someone.
That's what made Kou who he is now, right?
Kou...
He's been walking through a night
I don't know anything about, hasn't he?
That's why...
But for today, I'm tired.
Sorry.
Nah.
Just drop her off for me, okay?
Wait!
But, you know...
Kou makes mistakes.
No matter how much he pretends he doesn't care,
no matter how coldly he tries to act...
...at the end of the day, he's kind.
I know that.
Sorry.
Futaba-chan, what's wrong?
Why are you apologizing?
Kou told me...
...about his mom.
You weren't sure if it was okay to tell me without his permission.
That's why you said it was nothing, right?
But I just got so worried about it...
It's pathetic, huh?
Not at all.
I'm the same way.
Whenever I see how well you and Mabuchi-kun get along,
I feel like I'm at a disadvantage.
It makes me really anxious.
I'm the one who said "no hard feelings"...
But the truth is, I'm always jealous.
I'm always anxious.
Part of the reason I didn't tell you about Mabuchi-kun's mom
was because I wanted to become more special than you.
So...
when you apologize to me like that... it hurts.
I'm sorry.
I hate this.
Why did we both have to fall for the same person?
I hate it!
Futaba-chan...
But Yuuri! I love you, okay?
I love you, too, Futaba-chan!
Should we go back?
Yeah.
Hey...
What's this?
Ahem!
I organized the math lessons to make them extremely easy to understand!
Please take it without hesitation.
How kind I am!
I so don't need this.
Hey! Do you know how hard I worked getting that stuff organized?
You're expecting a lot of gratitude for something I didn't even ask for!
What was that?
When someone does something...
Oh, I see! Oh, I see!
There, you see?
No matter how cold he acts, at the end of the day, he's kind.
Maybe I'll organize the science lessons, too.
Oh, please do!
When are we having the next study meeting?
Mabuchi-kun, when are you free?
Next time, we should do it with dinner. I'll make my best dish!
If Kou's still walking through the night,
we'll be the sign to lead him to the exit.
That's disgusting.
Let me think about it.
Next Episode . . .
It's too late!
The fact that you're scared shows that you already care about us!