No matter how much time passes, the heat of summer never changes.
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.
Hajime-chan!
Come on, it's morning!
Hajime-chan!
You'll be late!
Kaya's gonna yell if you're late, Hajime-chan.
Morning, Arashi-san.
Morning, Hajime-chan.
What were you doing? Were you up all night?
Yeah.
In our time, there's this annoying thing called "Free Study" that's part of our homework.
What do you think this is?
Just looks like a strawberry.
It is a masterpiece created by I, Yasaka Hajime!
And I call it...
THE STRAWBERRY BOMB!
Strawberry bomb?
At first glance, it just looks like an ordinary strawberry...
HOWEVER!
In reality...
Inside is a mix of pop rocks, Cayenne, Japanese, and normal pepper, along with powdered wasabi!
Huh?
I'm sure made three of these...
Why is there only one?
Sure you weren't just sleepy?
Grandpa...
No way!
The destructive power of the strawberry bomb is unfathomable.
I may have created something incredible.
Anyway, I don't think "bomb" is really a good idea.
Then what should I do?
Change the name.
Call it "Cutie Strawberry-chan," maybe?
I'm turning this in at school!
I can't name it something like that!
But it's cute!
The matter's settled.
Cutie Strawberry-chan it is!
Come on...
Morning!
You two are late. We're just about to open.
Uh-oh, Kaya-san...
And, Arashi!
What kind of greeting was that?
A lady must be more elegant.
Ladies don't sigh.
Kanako-san.
We have to get the store ready to open; you need to get to work earlier.
A-chaa...
"A-chaa"? I think you're getting further and further from ladylike.
Don't worry about the little things, Jun!
I see you're as unmanly as ever.
Stop it! Don't touch me!
Oh. Good morning.
Arashi-san, Hajime-san.
Yo!
Yo, Yayoi-chan.
"Yo" is not a proper greeting!
You've been slacking these past few days.
And lately you've been flying off to the past on a whim;
you're not thinking about the circumstances we're in.
I've got something to do, so I'm going on ahead.
Look, look, it's Takakura Ken!
Excuse me.
You like him, don't you?
I do too, actually.
I wonder if it's really him.
Maybe I'll go look, too.
Even the master...?
I guess you got saved.
Aww, Hajime-chan, you ran away, didn't you?
Whatever do you mean!
Kaya-san needs to do something about her lectures.
She's famous for being a proper lady, even at her girl's school.
She's German, but she really knows Japanese culture,
and is great at tea ceremonies, flower arranging, and dancing, all that stuff!
Wow. That's pretty impressive.
That's Kaya-san's voice.
She must've met Ken-san.
Great!
You done, Hajime-chan?
Yup!
Well? Does it all look OK?
Perfect!
Welcome!
It's too hot...
Man, that feels great.
I love how this place has its air conditioner running.
What will you order?
Water, get me some water.
Order something that costs money.
I don't have any money right now.
You just came to cool off then?
What's wrong with that? I'm a regular!
When did that happen?!
Shut up; it's too hot to argue.
Why you...
Please don't tease Hajime-chan.
Sorry, sorry.
I know. I'll hit you with the new weapon I've developed, Cutie Strawberry-chan.
But I only have one of them...
I need to save it for the coming final battle.
BUT!
What kind of ultimate weapon is it if I can't use it on the enemy right in front of me?
What should I do?
What are you doing, Hajime-chan?
Arashi-san.
I know!
Please, Arashi-san.
It's to avenge a man's humiliation!
I'm begging you!
When do you want to go?
Arashi-san!
Just this once.
Thanks!
Here we go.
Yeah!
Four in the morning.
The Cutie Strawberries are still safe right now.
Let's hurry!
I'll get them before Grandpa eats them!
I'm disappearing?
Oh, I see... It's because you're sleeping nearby.
Dammit!
Multiple "me's" can't exist in the same time at the same place!
If you accidentally encounter yourself, you'll cease to exist!
What should I do, Arashi-san?
Oh, he really did make three!
Now, this'll really get you!
Have you decided on your order?
How about our famous strawberry iced coffee?
Perhaps strawberry cola?
No!
A strawberry sandwich?
No!
Strawberry curry.
No!
Strawberry spaghetti with meat sauce?!
What kind of weird crap are you trying to feed me?!
I've come all this way and I have to stop here?
I guess I've saved these as long as I can.
I'll get rid of them while there's somebody here with a strong stomach.
Here you are!
Mixed fruit juice!
I didn't order that.
It's a special for our regular customers. 300 yen.
I told you I don't have any money today.
Then, 200 yen.
A bit lower.
195 yen!
I don't have any change!
200 yen will do.
Thanks!
What are you looking for, Hajime-chan?
I can't find the Cutie Strawberry-chan...
Th-This is...
Were they too far past their expiration date?
Welcome!
Yo, Arashi-san.
Yamashiro-san!
I brought it.
The book you were talking about yesterday.
All right!
Can I borrow it?
Of course!
Thank you!
That jerk!
I thought it was just the one time, but now he's being all friendly with Arashi-san again!
But I'm one step ahead of him!
He always orders strawberry shortcake, right?
I've got something to do, I'm going on ahead.
This morning, I swapped in a Cutie Strawberry-chan for the strawberry in the shortcake.
I'll give this to him.
There were two this morning.
Nobody but Shades seems to have been hit with it.
Which means...
Somebody ate the cake that didn't have the Cutie Strawberry-chan in it.
OK!
Taste my ultimate weapon!
Are you ready to order?
Yes, I'll have some English lemonade and my usual strawberry shortcake...
Here you are!
An accelerator?
Th-That was fast.
You're a regular after all.
Now, taste the ultimate masterpiece of Yasaka Hajime!
Embarrass yourself in front of Arashi-san!
The strawberry shortcake here sure is good.
Thank you very much.
A dud?
I, of all people, made a mistake?
Hajime...
What do you want?
I know all about your evil deeds.
What happened with Shades back there was your doing too, wasn't it?
Wh-What are you-
Where do you think the other cake went?
This morning Kaya-san asked me to save one for her.
Kaya-san did?
I bet she took it with her for a snack.
Oh no!
It's time for her break!
I hope you make it in time.
I haven't eaten it yet.
I-I see...
Looks like she didn't eat it.
I see...
Someone ate my strawberry shortcake?
I was looking forward to it, but oh well.
Is NOT what I'm going to say.
Unforgivable.
WHO ATE MY STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE?!
Horrible! Nigh inhuman!
Hajime, you didn't eat it, did you?
No, no I don't!
Then who?
I don't like sweets.
I was out shopping...
I was out on the floor the whole time.
Jun!
It wasn't you, wasn't it?
What did I ever do to you...
I... I mean I was in the back doing my homework.
That leaves one person!
Strawberry shortcake?
It wasn't you either?
Yeah.
And the only person to order one today is Yamashiro-san...
Should I not have eaten it?
Then, who took it?
What's with her?
She loves her sweets... seriously.
Is that all?
What do you mean is that all?
Fine, fine.
In our time there were barely any sweets to be had.
That image is still burnt firmly into her mind.
Then, where is the Cutie Strawberry-chan I used?
Well, if it's gone, it's gone. Why don't you give up?
No, I refuse.
I'm going to find the criminal!
Criminal?
And I'm going to teach them such a lesson, that they'll never be able do this again!
Jun.
Y-You can't mean...
That's right.
Let's go.
Oh no...
At this rate, she'll find the Cutie Strawberry-chan and I'll be the one taught a lesson!
Arashi-san!
How did I know?
9:45 AM.
Arashi and Hajime are changing in the back.
And we should be outside.
This was when we were looking for Takakura Ken?
I'll watch for the criminal to come...
OK.
My hand is invisible...
Be careful.
Encounter yourself at this time and you'll cease to exist.
You're nuts!
There's only one shortcake!
It was you two, wasn't it?!
N-No, we aren't the we from this time, we're the we who followed you from the future!
The shortcake was gone when we got here!
You can't fool me!
Listen to me, Kaya!
That strawberry shortcake is...
No talking!
Temporary retreat!
This won't be enough to stop me!
W-Wait, Kaya-san...
We'll go back to our time and then go back further.
Oh... Hey, Kaya, that shortcake...
I'm sorry, we're in a hurry and we can talk later.
If we jump here, we won't encounter ourselves back then.
9:30 AM.
Fifteen minutes earlier than last time.
We'll get there before they do.
I'm almost totally disappeared!
Because the you from this time is very close to you.
We're back.
You seem rather unstable.
You're always too calm about this!
We're here.
A lady must be more elegant.
Ladies don't sigh.
Kanako-san.
We have to get the store ready to open; you need to get to work earlier.
A-chaa...
"A-chaa"? I think you're getting further and further from ladylike.
Don't worry about the little things, Jun.
I see you're as unmanly as ever.
We'll have to get ourselves out of here if we want to get to the strawberry shortcake.
But how?
I know.
Jun, you can...
Look, look!
It's Takakura Ken!
Excuse me for a moment.
Jun, this way quickly!
I'm disappearing, I'm disappearing!
You like him, don't you?
I do too, actually.
I wonder if it's really him.
Where is he, I wonder?
The voice was close...
Maybe it was a trick?
He may really be here!
Great!
Brains win again!
Oh no... Kaya-san is here too!
You aren't in the shop right now?
You'll go this far to get in my way?
Th-That's not it.
My only hope now is to get that strawberry shortcake first.
Wait, Kaya-san!
You're still in front of the store...
Where did Takakura Ken go?
She slid through it!
That's not really a good use of ethereal energy...
We don't have time to stand here!
I'll go around from the back!
Hajime-chan, wait!
Right now we're changing in the back!
What?
No way...
It's all over?!
My strawberry shortcake.
This time you're safe.
It was a long journey...
Time to eat!
That's Kaya-san's voice.
She must've run into Ken-san.
When you think of summer.
You think of summer homework!
Whether you do it first and play,
or you put it off till the last second and do a rush job, will decide the rest of your life.
What if you just don't do it at all?
Then you're a horrible person!
Get up bright and early again tomorrow!