mata sonna kao wo shite
There you go, making that face again,
kuchibiru kamishimete
biting onto your lips.
yowasa wo kakushiteru kedo
You're hiding your weak side,
sono hitomi no oku
but deep in those eyes,
uzukumaru kimi ga
I can see you cowering.
honto no kokoro nara
If you had a true heart,
omotte, naite, hitoride, fuwande
you would care, cry, feel lonely and worry.
nande itai no mottenda
Why are you holding onto all of the pain?
boku ni sotto azukete yo
Share some of it with me.
sugu ja muri to omou no naraba
If you don't think it's possible right away,
sukoshi zutsu de ii
you can do it slowly, bit by bit.
tsubasa no nai bokura kitto
We don't have wings,
tobenai to kimitsuketeru dake
but it's only because we think we can't fly.
koe no kagiri kimi wo yobu yo
So, I'll call for you to the limits of my voice
mayowanai you ni
so that you won't get lost.
fuwari kokoro maiagare
Soar up to the sky with your gentle heart,
ano kaze ni nosete issei nose
ride on that wind, and spread your wings.
Nobody knows that I can see Youkai.
There's an umbrella flying.
An umbrella?
Where? Where?
Look, over there.
Where'd you say it was? Where is it?
Where is it?
Oh, it must've been a mistake.
Really?
Later, Natsume.
See you tomorrow!
Yeah!
You can see me, human child?
Then let me tell you this.
I don't want to touch any humans, but I don't have a choice.
Your body is mine.
S-Stop.
Now, give it to me.
Stop!
I told you to stop!
You're really short-tempered.
Nyanko-sensei...
There's some calcium, so eat it up.
No thanks.
Damn it, how careless of me.
You're pretty good for a human.
All right! I'll have that body by any means!
What do you want?
Wait, Akagane.
Human child, please forgive his rudeness.
He did it all for me.
There's a voice coming from the gourd.
Don't talk, Asagi. You'll get tired.
I...
She fell asleep.
Asagi... I've heard that name before.
There's an illusionary city where nobles gather.
Some say that there's a beautiful koto player named Asagi in Isozuki Forest.
So she's that Asagi?
That's right.
However, she fell ill and became unable to play the koto.
She was forced to go back home.
She used to laugh often, too.
Then suddenly, she became unwell.
So, human child, for Asagi's sake, lend that body...
If you don't listen to me, I'll bite off your ears and nose!
Hand it over!
Hold it, you shrimp!
He's mine!
A raccoon dog bit me!
What'd you say?!
Don't laugh, Jizou!
Nothing good comes from carelessly getting involved with Ayakashi.
And even worse, lending them your body?
She used to often laugh, too.
However...
I kind of pitied them.
I'm back...
Morning, Nyanko-sensei.
Coming back in the morning again?
Natsume, your hair...
My eyes are kind of blue as well.
Why did this happen?
Huh? It's back to normal.
Was it just my imagination?
Hey!
Morning, Natsume.
Ah, good morning.
M-Morning, Kitamoto.
Th-That surprised me. I thought I had the wrong person for a moment.
Ew, what's with those two?
Sorry.
Natsume.
Thanks for the dictionary.
It was a big help.
Yeah...
You dropped it, Natsume.
Thanks, Tanuma!
Tanuma?
Well, I thought you were a girl for a moment.
Sorry, I just imagined it.
S-Sorry!
Leaving Kitamoto aside,
if Tanuma could feel something, then could it be...
You did something, didn't you?
I placed Asagi inside your body while you were sleeping.
Looks like she's adapting to you well.
Well, I pray that you'll cooperate for a while.
So the blue hair and eyes from this morning were the manifestation of being possessed.
Forgive me.
I told him to stop,
but I had no way to control myself. Sorry.
This voice... You're Asagi?
Please don't blame him.
It's my fault.
It's okay, you don't need to apologize.
I'm sorry.
A way to get her out of your body?
Yeah, something not too violent.
Well, then you have no choice but to grant Asagi's wish.
When she feels satisfied, I'm sure she'll leave your body naturally.
But her wish?
There's no point in complaining.
Hurry up and finish this so we can go back, human child.
You shouldn't be the one talking.
Where'd you come from? What's your name?
I don't give my name to mere humans.
Then your name is Bullseye from now on.
After the bullseye from a bullseye-patterned umbrella.
B-Bullseye?!
Thanks for coming to pick us up!
Damned raccoon dog!
Ah, what a cute name.
Aren't you glad, Bullseye?
Even you too, Asagi?
Come on, isn't it fun?
Asagi...
This is creepy!
My body was just taken over.
Ah, I was too careless.
Forgive me.
All right, enough. I'll help you.
You'll leave once you can play the koto, right?
Of course!
So, we have to start by making the koto?
Right, since it's a special koto after all.
There's an Ayakashi called senbiki that looks like a carp with a white string in its body.
That's what we're going to catch.
So why do we need to catch a fish?
What? Stop complaining!
What's with that gloomy face?
I'm going to catch it!
I'm tired...
Forgive us, Natsume-sama.
Come on out!
No, it's okay.
What kind of relationship do you and Bullseye have?
Are you going out?
Not at all.
He was an umbrella holder.
Umbrella holder?
In Isozuki Forest, those with talent would come to calm the forest where the god Mibu-sama lived.
There would be those who held umbrellas for Mibu-sama and the others there.
Bullseye's duty was to protect everyone as a bodyguard.
He is very skilled.
Isozuki was a beautiful place, much like a dream.
I wanted to always be there.
I thought I would always live by Mibu-sama's side.
Forever...
and ever...
But he banished you because you couldn't play anymore?
What a small-minded god.
No, Natsume-sama.
Mibu-sama picked me up because I didn't have my own place.
I ran away because I couldn't stand being useless.
I got one! It's a senbiki!
I caught it!
See? This is used for the string.
So is this all we need for materials?
No.
Next is the body.
What?
We're going to search for a tree stump.
And it's got to be one with bamboo shoots that have just started growing out of it!
A little longer... A little longer and you can play.
Bullseye, really...
How'd you get so wet?
Ah, well...
Ah, I need to get you a towel.
Ah, Takashi-kun might catch a cold...
I'm really okay!
See?
All right, dry yourself thoroughly.
Your nose is all wet too.
I was always there.
Forever...
All right. Go take a bath, okay?
It just heated up, too.
Hurry up and get in, okay?
How long will I be able to stay here?
Was that a dream?
No, Asagi's?
Bullseye...
You've awoken, Natsume.
Yeah, but Asagi's asleep.
If you want to talk...
Asagi's fingers can no longer play the koto.
She has a sickness where her body dries up like dirt and crumbles.
She can't go back to being normal.
However, while she is in another body, its progression will slow down.
I'm grateful to you, Natsume.
The last time I saw her laugh was when she happily played her instrument for Mibu-sama.
And during her performance...
her body suddenly began to crumble.
Her white slender fingers and her bright cheeks were lost before her admired Mibu-sama.
Tomorrow is a full moon.
The path to Isozuki will open for a short time.
I want her to play before Mibu-sama, even if only once.
Please help us until then, Natsume-dono.
Why are you doing this, Bullseye?
Why do you go so far?
I...
Hello, Akagane.
I...
I'm just an umbrella holder.
Damn, I just can't find one!
Where are you?!
We can't find any.
Is it even here?
Are you looking for something?
A tree stump with a bamboo shoot growing out of it.
There's one in that thicket over there.
You're right, there it is!
What was I talking with just now?
I told you. I told you!
In exchange, I will have your guts!
Damn, I talked with some weird Youkai.
Hey, Natsume! Are you even looking?
You did it, Natsume! This is it!
All right, time to start carving it!
I'm feeling sick.
Is this feverish pain Asagi's?
If she performs when she's this weak...
Her life will...
Are you okay?
I'm sorry you have to go through this because of me.
Oh yeah, I haven't confirmed this with you yet.
Yes?
Do you want to play the koto too?
If I were given...
If I were given that chance once more, I...
I'm not dexterous and I have stiff fingers, so you might not be able to play well.
Is that still okay with you?
Yes.
Asagi, did you know?
Akagane always, always...
I did it! Wake up, Natsume!
Thank goodness.
We can still make it. Let's go.
Akagane? What is it? What's going-
Asagi, the path to Isozuki is still open right now.
Go and...
I found you!
We promised! I'm here for your guts!
The one from before!
Akagane...
Damn it!
The koto is...
Asagi's... Bullseye's... precious...
Natsume!
Natsume.
Natsume!
Are you okay?
Y-Yeah...
I chased him away.
How about the koto?
It's safe. You protected it.
I see, that's great.
Think you can stand?
We can make it if we hurry.
If you can't, I'll carry you.
What about you, Bullseye? You can't go with those wounds.
Let's go, Natsume.
Let's go!
I thought that if it were possible, I would like to play once more.
I always, always played only for him.
So...
If I could play once more,
it would be for my kind and precious friend.
I wanted to play for you.
Will you listen, Akagane?
I could hear music from far away.
A beautiful sound that I had never heard before.
But even so, that sound...
came from my fingers and made the air vibrate.
Asagi left my body as if she was falling towards the sky.
Thanks for everything.
What are you going to do now?
I'll take Asagi and return to my home.
I see.
She's just in a deep, deep sleep.
Yeah.
See you, Asagi.
See you, Bullseye.
Yeah.
See you, Natsume!
Where'd you go when I was in trouble, sensei?
Feel better now, nice guy?
I'm hungry. Buy me some steamed buns.
Nanatsuji isn't open yet.
Wh-What?!
Was there a place where you wanted to be forever, Nyanko-sensei?
I don't ever need that.
Me too, sensei.
That's what I always thought, anyway.
I-Idiot! Don't hug me!
Let go! Let go!
I tried to play on what they left behind,
but that beautiful sound never came from it again.
That sound didn't come from my fingers, but played through her heart.
Breakfast is ready!
Okay!
irozuku nishizora ni
In the western skies where the colors were changing
sashikomu hitosuji no hi
and rays of light were piercing through,
yuudachi no ameagari ni
the evening rain had stopped that day,
kizuku natsu no nioi
and I noticed the scent of summer.
hishimeku hikari ga terasu
Among the crowded, shining lights,
omoi ni mimi wo sumaseba
I strained my ears to listen,
kikoeshi tomo no omokage
and I could hear traces of my dear friends.
natsu yuuzora kaoritatsu
The summer evening sky, the fragrant scents,
azayaka na sugisarishi hibi
and the vivid passing days were just the same,
kokoro no mama warai atta
and so I laughed; it was just like
ano natsu no omoide yo
my memory of that summer.
Ah, sensei! What are you doing?
I wouldn't do that.
Don't play dumb! Get out!
Sure, I'll get out! You idiot!
And then I fell into a hole.
Ah! A white piglet fell!