Here I come, Arashi-san.
Bring it!
Got it!
Jun, why do you wear men's clothes, anyway?
I was modeling some male uniforms around here one time,
and during my break, I wore them to the Ark.
Yasaka mistook me for a guy.
Are you planning to keep secret from everyone that you're a girl?
I...
Arashi?
Yasaka?
What are you doing?
Relations with Others
I think it's a goner.
Yeah...
It's been there for ages. Kind of sad to think it'll be gone.
Leave it to me, Arashi-san.
We need the weathervane there!
Why?
When we come to the Ark, it's the first thing to greet us.
Yeah, because we come up the hill.
When we see this, we know we're almost there
and use our final turbo boost on the bike!
So that's why you always pedal standing up, near the end.
I thought it was the steep incline.
No, that's part of it.
If you get tired and partially put your feet on the ground, you're a failure as a man.
Kid.
But I would be happy if you fixed it.
It's watched over the place for years.
Watched over?
In addition to telling which way the wind blows, the weathervane wards off bad luck.
Maybe it's thanks to this that the Ark wasn't destroyed during the air raids.
I see.
So, yeah! We need to have this here at the Ark.
We're climbing up there, Kamigamo. Time to prove ourselves as men!
Me, too?
N-N-No way!
I'm not going up there!
Come on, city boy.
We're guys. We have to do it.
We can't let frail little Arashi-san and Kaya-san do something so dangerous.
You say that, but...
It's just scary 'cause you're standing there freaking out about it.
Come on.
H-Hey, that's dangerous!
Man, it's nice.
That damn weathervane had this view all to himself.
Arashi-san!
You're the best!
Yasaka?
Arashi-san, you're wonderful!
Kamigamo, you try it, too.
It feels good.
No. Why would I do something so pointless?
I don't have anything to yell, anyway.
Come on, just yell something.
What idiocy.
I'm not doing it.
Just say what comes to mind.
Scream it out.
Say what's bothering you.
It always makes me feel better.
I'll pass.
Why not?
Next time.
Why "next time"?
If you don't say what you can now, that's really pointless.
Listen. A man should speak his mind,
tell people right away!
You forgot that Arashi-san's down there, didn't you?
Hajime-chan, I can hear every word you say.
And you wait till now to tell me that?!
Idiot.
Hey, a question.
Where were you until last summer?
Why this, all of a sudden?
I was just thinking you could've come to the Ark much sooner.
Well, you know, the whole place reminds her of that wimp with the glasses.
Wimp?
A woman's heart is complicated.
She dragged a kid into the middle of an air raid, waving her maiden's heart around?
Scary!
Excuse me, pass the salt.
Arashi! I've told you so many times to keep your mouth shut about things!
Oh, come on. It was long, long ago.
So, where were you?
Every summer, I was at Ookurayama, where the school is.
I almost never came to Hakuraku.
But she knew about the weathervane, for all that.
Must've heard it from the wimp with the glasses...
You two!
Then maybe there are others like Arashi-san and Kaya-san who just haven't come here?
Well...
Salt...
It's hard to believe, but I can't deny the possibility.
What would they have in common?
The massive Yokohama air raid on May 29th, Showa 20.
The day we died and this resulted.
If we go there, we may find the answer to the mystery.
Give it up.
You'll probably get killed.
Fine by me!
You serious?
Of course.
I'll risk my life for the woman I love!
I'd really like to hit you.
I don't think it's that funny.
Kamigamo?
I feel bad for Kaya-san, but I never want to go anywhere dangerous again.
I'm going shopping.
This is...
Jeez, why do I have to run their errands?
Damn, going in is hard.
Welcome.
Are you looking for something?
Um, well...
These aren't for me.
But ya, I'd like, uh,
magical, almost invisible p-
Panties?
Give me these.
He's such a girl.
It's the sane reaction.
It makes sense.
Nobody would want that.
It's normal.
Excuse me, pass the salt.
I'm fine with it,
Arashi-san!
Let's leave the wuss out of it and keep talking.
We can go now if you want.
Wait a moment.
You're still going to help people from the air raids?
Yeah, that's right.
Listen to me, Arashi.
Have you ever thought about how you affect the present by altering the past?
You might change history.
But even you were happy to be able to tell the master you loved him, right?
I didn't do it!
What? You didn't?
Why are you getting involved all of a sudden?
No real reason. I mostly ignored you because it was all about the past and future,
and all this stuff I didn't understand.
But if love's involved, that's different. That's interesting.
It is not!
Wait, you didn't tell him you liked him?
Of course I didn't!
If I did, history would...
And time passes, huh?
Um... Salt?
Jun?
Manami-san, Saki-san, Youko!
What are you doing around here?
And what's with that outfit?
Its so cool!
It's for a job or something?
You sure it's OK? Shouldn't you go through the agency?
No, this is...
Oh, I see. So that's what happened.
But I'm amazed they haven't figured it out.
She has a husky voice. Maybe she'll be OK.
But you know, I think you should dress up a little more womanly, Jun.
At the last group date, you were wearing jeans.
And you left halfway through.
You left just before it got good.
And there was a guy who said he was interested in you.
Really?
See, this feeling again...
It was such a waste, wasn't it?
Yeah.
It's women...
I hate them.
Am I gonna end up like this someday?
Jun?
Kaya-san?
How did you find me?
Don't underestimate the person you connected with.
What are you doing in a place like this?
Weren't you going shopping?
Wow, she's so pretty.
Who's she?
A friend of Jun's?
This is Kaya-san. She works at the coffee shop I was telling you about.
Her name's Kaya-san?
Are these your friends?
They seem lively.
Um, they're fellow models.
That kimono looks really good on you.
Kaya-san, what country are you from?
Um, Germany.
You look really Japanese.
Your posture is great, just like my Japanese dance teacher's!
Like an old-fashioned, proper Japanese lady.
Y-You think so?
I wish I were like that...
Japanese dance, huh?
That brings back memories. It's still being done?
You can do that?
Yes, at an amateur level.
What style?
I'd like to see it!
Yeah!
Me too! Me too!
Wait, everyone-
All right.
Just a bit...
All right!
Are you sure?
Then...
Wow!
You're so pretty, Kaya-san!
Is there anything else you can do?
Hm, let's see... The tea ceremony, maybe...
We're learning that, too!
Can we see a bit of that?
Please!
Jun.
These girls have a lot of promise.
I guess I already knew, but it's pretty easy to get Kaya-san to do what you want.
Kaya-san, quickly. Quickly!
Yes.
Oh, I guess they're here.
This way. This way!
Hey, guys.
Good to see you, Tera-sempai!
What is this, girls?
We've got a group date today.
A group date?
Why don't you join us, Kaya-san?
But you'll probably get them all.
Yeah!
What?
Cute!
You guys got a foreign girl?
What's your name?
Ah, I... I...
Kaya-san?
I-I have something I must do!
Goodbye!
Kaya-san?
Hey, Master.
Where's Kaya-san?
She said that Jun was taking a while and left.
Dunno if she feels responsible or what, but she wants to help him out.
Anyway, this...
You did it.
Wh-What are you talking about?
You break it,
you buy it.
Damn it, who would do that?
Oh, sorry, Hajime-chan.
That was me.
You know, you should put your name on your things, right?
It'd suck if you lost them.
I had no idea there was more listed on the back...
Damn it.
Welcome!
Did you forget something?
Um, well... It's not for me, but...
I'd like a well-fitted, secret miracle b-b-b-
Brassiere?
Yes.
Are you OK?
In my time, contact between boys and girls was strictly forbidden.
Giving someone a love letter was grounds for expulsion.
Students were yelled at for simply walking together.
That's right...
I was taught to be chaste and virtuous, to avoid men.
And I think that that's right.
For...
Loving someone should be your whole life.
What truth and joy is there in love that can be redone?
Kaya lives exactly opposite to how my sister and the models around me do.
The mysterious hatred I feel towards them...
The feeling that someday, I may become like them-I hate it.
But living in this era, I sometimes find myself feeling very small and pathetic for thinking that.
Love truly does drive people mad...
I can't believe I made you go through that.
I'm sorry.
I shouldn't go see him, should I?
He's going to die anyway.
To think only of another...
To think of them far too much, so you just curl yourself into a ball and shake...
We simply got caught in the blast from a bomb dropped in an air raid.
There's no meaning to this body, no purpose.
We repeat the summer over and over again.
And perhaps someday, we'll just disappear.
You loved him, didn't you?
Kaya-san, you're just a coward.
It's not history you're afraid of destroying. It's yourself!
The person you loved died in the war before you could tell him how you felt.
You were overwhelmed with regret. That's why you're here!
If you won't say it now, when will you?
Tell him you love him with everything you've got!
Scream it out!
That's why you're alive.
You're right.
Look. Look, Hajime-chan!
Wow! A rainbow!
Awesome!
I won't lose!
Nice, Hajime-chan!
Hey, Hajime-chan...
When they get back, let's show Kaya and Jun this rainbow.
Of course!
I had no idea that it was sold separately.
Women put these things in?
It's fraud, I tell you.
Sir.
Is there something else?
No, no, no!
It's not for me.
But these!
Pads.
All right, one moment.
Ah, can I get a receipt for all that?
I'm sorry?
They aren't for me.
To Be Continued
How are you today, Yayoi?
I'm very good, Kanako.
I see. I'm happy to hear that.
I read another fascinating book.
My, what was it called?
Well... Oh, I've forgotten the title.
Will you tell me what kind of story it was?
Yes, gladly.
It was the beautiful, dazzling story of a young child.
The pearl, diamond, jade, and gold hidden within him
enchant all he meets, and the troubles they attract are endless.
The words from his pure, unsullied heart and the smile
of the young heir have an unmistakable and unique effect on his friends.
My, what a dazzling story.
This blessed heir had a phrase he would always say.
What is it? Would you tell me?
Fwiends-
When you think of summer-
You think of fuurin-wind chimes!
As fast as the wind, quiet as the forest, daring as fire, and immovable as the mountain!
That's Fuurin Kazan, a TV show.
Get up bright and early tomorrow!
Illustration by Takeshi Fujishiro