Nobody's gonna come by in this rain.
Guess I'll close up shop.
Excuse me, can I apply for a job here?
We're not actually taking applications at the moment.
I don't care how low the pay is. I want to work here.
Come in.
What's your name?
Arashiyama Sayako.
Arashiyama?
Yes.
Please call me Arashi.
No matter how much time passes, the warmth of summer never changes.
So, every time summer comes around,
I remember my days as a young boy of thirteen, when I knew nothing at all...
Even now, it remains unchanged within me.
July 21st
Summer
I'm lost.
The Ark Café?
Girl A
Arashiyama Sayoko
This isn't good - this place looks pricey...
Sorry, I've got the wrong address!
Welcome!
A table for one?
Yes.
Is a seat at the counter all right for you?
Yes.
Please call me over when you've decided on your order.
I'll have an iced coffee.
Of course. One I.C, coming up!
Yo.
Are you in middle school?
Yeah, I'm in seventh grade.
Really?
Thank god...
So am I!
I came to stay with my grandpa in the countryside, but I got lost...
I was starting to feel all alone.
Are you from the city?
No, I'm from a place even more out in the sticks than this.
I'm Yasaka Hajime. Nice to meet you.
Kamigamo Jun. Hi.
Here you are, sir.
Please enjoy.
So, what's your grandpa's address?
If you want, I can take you there late-
Hey, Kamigamo.
The first time I laid eyes on that waitress, a strange feeling ran right up my butt!
Do you think this is a premonition of love?
Master, some salt, please.
Man, women older than me are so great...
Their adult ways and words stimulate our imaginations and reveal an almost indescribable divinity...
You're just looking at her tits.
How could you tell?
What do you mean by women older than you? Pervert.
It's natural for guys to look at those things!
Besides, it's no fun looking at girls our age.
Man, you're such a loser. I bet all the girls hate you.
What the hell?! What did I ever do to you?
Hey, kid.
Shut up.
S-Sorry.
Arashi, we're out of beans.
Fetch me some more, will ya?
Right!
Her name's Arashi?
Excuse me. About that salt...
Here's my card.
A private detective?
I'm looking for someone.
Her name is Arashiyama Sayoko.
Sixteen years old.
Female.
Long, straight black hair.
Can't help you there. Never seen any girl like that.
That so?
You sure?
Whaddya mean by that?
I've done some background research on you.
I know all about your real job.
I can take that info to the cops, if you like. You sure you've never seen her?
I've finished grinding the beans, Master.
Arashi!
Arashiyama-san, is it?
I've come to pick you up.
Your family is looking for you.
You're coming with me.
No, I'm not.
I understand your feelings, but I've been ordered to drag you back by your hair if I have to.
Though, I'd rather it doesn't come to that.
Just come along quietly and nobody gets...
JUMP KICK!
Hey...
Are you all right, miss?
Idiot, you...
Hey,
you know what happens now, right?
Wait a second!
Yasaka!
Wh-What?
What just happened?
I see.
That'll be all for today.
I'll be back later.
Thank you for saving me.
Huh? Oh, no, I did it without thinking...
I wasn't really any help at all.
No, you were awesome.
Wh-What the heck...
We connected?
Come with me!
Quickly!
Wait a second!
Arashi-san...
What was that?
Static electricity?
Excuse me... the salt, please?
This is Sogoru.
Put me through to Yoshiyama.
Yeah, we've got a new job.
Where are we going?
Just come with me!
Her hand is so cold... and she's not sweating at all.
We're jumping straight through!
Wh-What?!
Where are we?
Wh-What the hell is this?!
We did it!
You connected with me!
Wh-What are you on about?
Where are we?
What the heck is going on?
This is how the city looked when I was alive.
"Was"? Then, that means you're a...
Yes.
I am a gho-
A dream?
Are you awake yet?
Arashi-san?
I'll take you to your grandpa's house.
Yeah, it must have been a dream, or an illusion, or heatstroke!
Scientific speaking, that's impossible.
By the way, Arashi-san?
What's with your huge bag?
Don't climb up so high that you can't get down again!
This is my luggage.
I'll be living with you from now on.
Because...
I'm a ghost and I'm possessing you.
Ghost? Possessing?
I'll be living with you from now on, OK?
I wonder if it's going to end...
No, it won't.
We've found hope.
We've found our future.
Anyway, I'm amazed your grandfather was fine with it.
He's got a soft spot for pretty girls...
"Oh, you can stay as long as ya like, little missy!"
Am I heavy?
Not at all...
It's weird, isn't it? Even though I'm a ghost, I'm still heavy.
You still don't believe me.
Well, whatever.
I'll help you!
Let me steer.
We'll crash! We'll crash!
I'm fired?
I'd seriously love to hire you, but...
Don't blame me.
Wait! She hasn't done anything wrong!
That dude with the shades was sniffing around here again.
I don't want any trouble.
Shouldn't you just call the police?
If only it were that easy...
Why can't you?!
Geez, be quiet.
Stay out of this.
You have no idea what's going on!
That's not true!
Arashi-san is...
Anyway, I don't care about the past of the girl I'm in love with!
Fine, fine.
Then, you want to settle this fairly?
Odd numbers are "han".
Even numbers are "cho".
If you win, I'll do anything you say.
OK, I accept!
All set?
All set.
Cho or Han?
OK...
They fell out!
She didn't notice?
OK, the dice are down!
This is what you get. Idiot.
Cho!
Too bad.
It's han.
No way!
What the hell was that about?!
You thought you'd win?
You're such a kid.
You're the one who tricked me!
A loss is a loss.
Now pay me.
Let's go again!
One more time, fair and square this time!
All right.
Cho or Han?
Han!
Cho with a two.
You've got no clothes left to take off.
All done?
No, I'm not!
He'll strip!
No, I won't!
Enough.
You can't beat me.
And this is better for Arashi, isn't it?
I don't know if you ran away or whatever, but if you don't want to be dragged back,
now's the time for you to disappear.
I'm sorry I couldn't help you.
It's fine, don't worry.
It's not your fault.
You'll have to find a new job.
No, I'm not gonna bother.
I only know this area of town.
And I like that café.
Arashi-san...
OK, I'm going shopping.
Hold down the fort for me.
Are you insane? Asking a middle schooler you don't even know to stand in for you...
Don't complain. I beat you fair and square.
Just be glad you got to keep your clothes on.
Why has this happened to me?
What am I doing?
Excuse me, pass the salt...
Oh Master, did you forget something?
You know what I'm here for.
I'm the only one here right now.
Liar.
What kind of nutjob would let a middle schooler she doesn't even know tend shop for her?
He's pretty annoying too...
You say something?
The master is out shopping at the moment.
She'll be back soon.
Like I care.
She's not even the real master of this store.
She's a con artist.
A pretty famous one.
Sham marriages, fake businesses, stocks, gambling, insurance scams... tons of stuff.
And she's never been caught for any of them.
She's a crazy old fox.
This coffee shop's a place she rolled into a while ago.
Once she finds something to sell, she'll be gone in an instant.
Something to sell?
Like the deed to this place or something.
The place is falling apart, but if you wanted to sell it, it'd be worth a pretty penny.
But Arashi-san, what's so special about that café?
I guess because it hasn't changed at all since I was alive.
And they say there's something important hidden in there.
Something important?
A secret treasure no one knows about.
Oh, there you two are.
I've been looking everywhere for you.
I was so worried!
What the hell...
That's creepy as hell.
So, Arashi...
You're related to that coffee shop?
I...
Don't say another word.
Was that lunkhead trying to take you back to your mansion or something?
Come to think of it, I can picture you as a rich girl...
I think I can see what you're after too...
There you are.
This time, miss, you're coming with me.
Oh no you don't, Shades!
Kid, I let you win yesterday, but you know what's going to happen if you fight me, right?
Shut up!
There are times in a man's life when he can't step aside, even if it costs him his life!
Oh, I'm aware.
In that case, die.
Wait, wait!
Hold up a second, mister.
How about the two mature adults work this one out between them?
Who asked you to help us?
Who said I was helping you for free?
Hey, Arashi, that treasure you were talking about - could you tell me where it is?
What?
If I don't help you, he's going to take you away, you know.
Are you a demon?
All right.
Are you sure, Arashi-san?
You're going to hand over something that important to someone like her?
Yeah, we've got no choice.
OK, then it's decided.
Make sure you keep your end of the bargain.
What?
You're going to challenge me to a game?
Let's play and whoever loses just walks away.
No way. Who'd be dumb enough to play games with a con artist?
Neither of us want to cause a scene, do we?
I don't really care.
That so?
These "relatives" that want you to take her back to... You checked up on them?
You might end up being charged with kidnapping.
So don't you think we oughta avoid violence here?
OK, I'll decide the rules.
Then, it's decided.
First one to the café wins.
OK.
Is this really OK?
I won't lose to a bonehead like this.
What tricks are you going to use to win?
You underestimate me.
I always win when it counts.
Listen to her babble.
She's just waiting for her chance to pull one over on me.
I bet she'll pull ahead and toss coffee beans on the road behind her.
But that plan won't work.
Ready?
You'll never get in front of me.
Because...
Go!
My machine's got an extra-large cab, headers,
a bored-out engine with iridium spark plugs,
a lightweight chassis, a reinforced clutch, a high-efficiency exhaust manifold,
and to top it off, a nitrous kit powered by a dentist's anesthetic!
I'm not gonna lose to an old jalopy!
Come on! Just you try and keep up!
Just you try!
You're in quite a hurry.
Would you mind pulling over?
I'm actually in the middle of a race here...
You've got some guts, buddy.
OK, your license please.
You shouldn't break the speed limit, mister.
You reported me, didn't you?!
Good work, officer!
Good work!
Good!
That's cheating!
Please sign here, sir.
This is how I pay my bills.
But are you sure it's OK to tell her where the treasure is, Arashi-san?
Yeah.
I was told not to tell anybody, but it's OK.
The person who hid it there is long gone now anyway.
No, it's nothing.
How is this treasure?
What the hell am I supposed to do with this?
You're pretty good, Master.
This is...
Tops?
You're burying it again?
Yeah, it's for the best.
Whose treasure was it?
My neighbor's, Kan-chan.
They told me to keep it a secret.
Kan-chan?
Jinjou Elementary
Kan
Jinjou Elementary...
Yeah, an acquaintance from when I was still alive.
The summer I'll never forget, when I was thirteen.
This is how my stormy summer began.
How are you feeling, Yayoi?
I'm feeling good, Kanako.
The book that detective gave me was so enjoyable, I lost track of time and kept reading late into the night.
Perhaps that's why I feel so good today.
I see.
I'm glad to hear that.
What's the name of this book you like so much?
Well...
I forgot the title.
Then, can you remember what happens in it?
Yes. I'd be happy to.
It's a story about a journey through time,
where a visitor appears before a young boy from beyond the distant horizon of time.
This visitor is a messenger of good fortune, weaving the future in a dream seen by a distant relative.
To cut the chains of destiny binding his descendants to an unhappy fate,
the visitor travels with the young boy through all eternity.
Holding in his breast a rift between time and space,
within which lie contrivances formed from hope and dreams,
he invites the young boy on a journey to the other side of time!
My, what a wonderful story!
This azure feline automaton has a catchphrase he always says.
And what would that be, pray tell?
Dokodemo Do-
When you think of summer...
...you think of fireworks!
Aren't snake fireworks great?
Yeah, pretty standard!
Smoke bombs and stuff.
Those too!
Clacker balls!
All of those are fireworks for the daytime...
The night is for getting drunk and sleeping.
Get up bright and early again tomorrow!
Get up bright and early next time!
Drawing by Houjyou Yutori