You changed me so much I don't remember what I was like before we met.
The breeze caresses our cheeks.
Lullaby of the badlands...
As we run down the slope,
our flimsy shadows extend.
It's like a neverending summer vacation.
It feels like when we snuck into the pool.
Yeah, let's swim with our clothes on. Jump in!
It's an intense spiral of temptation.
A beat pierces my heart. A strange one.
It vanishes after a quick spark.
Even on bad days, I dress up
and dance to some swing. The music quickly surrounds me.
What is this dance exactly? I can't stop it.
Don't leave me. It's stuck in my head, and I can't get it out.
The melody...
is like love.
I hate all of this.
This sunshine beating down on you from the moment you wake up...
These students, who don't have a thought in their heads...
And having to hike up this hill from now on, just to get to school...
It all makes me want to throw up.
Nishimi Kaoru
Joining us today is Nishimi Kaoru, all the way from Yokosuka.
Nishimi Kaoru
He was at the top of the class at his previous school.
I hope you all will study just as hard as he does.
Nishimi Kaoru
I'm Nishimi. Nice to meet you.
Yokosuka?
Isn't that far?
I'm used to this routine, but...
What a nerd.
Spoiled rich kid.
Their unreserved stares...
Their Kyushu dialect that I can't follow...
This is my most memorable welcome yet.
Nishimi. Nishimi!
Have you decided what club you're gonna join?
Are you interested in radios?
Look at that loser, Maruo.
Two four-eyed bookworm runts!
They're made for each other!
S-Sorry.
They picked on you because of me.
Infantile creeps like that can't do anything unless they're in a pack.
I'm not interested in them.
Nishimi!
I'm not interested in radios either.
Nishimi, one thing.
Whatever you do, don't irritate the guy who sits behind me.
He's a notorious thug. Not even the teacher can manage him.
His name is Kawabuchi, and if he starts targeting you, you're done for.
Oh, no. Just thinking about it is nauseating.
Nishimi.
Nishimi?
I'm Mukae Ritsuko, the class representative.
I'm supposed to show you around the school during lunch.
I'm glad to meet you.
I don't feel sick anymore.
The gym is back there.
And the nurse's office is in this building.
A-Are you okay, Nishimi?!
Be careful!
Whoops! It just slipped out of my hand!
Sorry about that!
What is it?
Who's that?
Never saw him before.
Um, Mukae, how do I get to the roof?
I've moved from school to school ever since first grade.
Nishimi Kaoru
If something unexpected happened, I would lose my equilibrium,
and even minor stress would trigger my nausea.
But eventually, I found a place at school where I could regain my bearings.
That's right. If I can just get to the roof...
What's this?
You've finally...
come for me?
Who the hell are you?
Why you holdin' my hand?
You're the one who grabbed my hand!
I get it. You must be the key thief.
In that case, I ain't holdin' back.
Are you Sentaro?
Is this what you're looking for?
Then you goons are the thieves, huh?
The roof belongs to us senior smokers!
W-Wait!
I want the key to the roof.
A candyass like you has no business being up here!
You want it that badly?
I-I want it!
Hold on to this for me.
H-Hey! Are you all right?!
Hey, wake up!
How reckless can you be, going up against three seniors?
This is what you wanted, right?
I can really have it?
Yeah, here.
For 100,000.
Don't tell me you thought I'd hand it over for free.
I put my ass on the line to get this.
100,000 is cheap.
Damn it!
Well, I'm goin' home.
Come to think of it, I didn't even go to class once today.
City boy like that's got no common ground with us country boys.
I can't believe you, Sentaro!
You got in another fight?
It's just some scratches.
You... Hey!
Ri'ko, who's this guy?
I'm not gonna answer a guy who does nothin' but fight.
Maruo! Tell me.
Th-That's Nishimi Kaoru, a new transfer student.
He's supposed to be rich and a real brainiac.
Oh?
Later, Maruo!
Hi there, rich boy.
From now on, your name is "Richie."
Let's me and you be pals, okay?
Sentaro's got a new target.
It's curtains for him.
I feel sorry for him.
Oh, no. I feel sick again.
Sorry. I've got a favor to ask.
Huh?
I can't pay 100,000, but could you lend me the key just this once?
Oh, this?
But it's...
Hey! It's raining outside!
I'll be fine if I take an umbrella!
It sounds like fun! I'll go too!
What the hell? This ain't much fun at all.
Of course not. I'm not up here to have fun.
Then why come up here?
If you're bored, you can always go back.
Nah.
Class ain't my thing.
Quit following me!
Creep!
This feels good.
Richie, take a shower with me!
Leave me alone!
What are you scared of?
Nothin' good's ever come out of bein' scared.
Let yourself get a little wet!
What happened?
You two...
I swear.
You never stop causing me trouble.
We're going right to the nurse's office so you can borrow a towel!
Oh, that's right. I'll get your gym clothes!
I'll meet you there!
Is that jazz?
What, you can tell?
Well, sort of. I play the piano.
Classical, though.
Classical, huh? What a drag.
Here I am.
Huh? Where's the nurse?
Looks like she's out.
I didn't notice with your glasses on,
but you have a really pretty face, Nishimi.
Wh-What?
Oh, is it rude to call a man "pretty"? I meant "handsome."
N-No, I'm not.
What are you doing?
I'm a human hair dryer!
Sentaro!
There he goes again, bein' scared.
What a fraidy cat!
I'm not scared!
Oh, yeah?
How could I be scared anymore?
After all... that rain felt way better than I could've imagined.
It's weird.
Even with everyone staring at me, I can breathe normally.
What kind of magic is this?
That's great, Dad!
You can play the piano, even though you're a sailor?
Kaoru, I'm going away again for quite a while.
Be a good boy while I'm gone, okay?
When I play the piano,
I can forget about the loneliness caused by Dad being away and the rest of the bad stuff.
Don't worry, Kaoru.
Your uncle in Kyushu has a huge grand piano.
Dad... I don't want a grand piano.
What I want is...
Oh, Kaoru.
You're up really early this morning, huh?
You wanna play the piano? Go ahead.
Mariko feels like hearing a tune that'll wake her up.
But playing this early would—
I wanna hear it right now!
Mariko will take responsibility, so please!
All right, fine.
Dad...
Excuse me? What do you think you're doing?
Playing the piano at this hour... Don't you have any sense?
I'm sorry, Aunt. Mariko wanted—
See? This is why I told you to stop.
Putting the blame on someone else...
I guess it's difficult for a father to raise a child alone.
Although, it's your mother who's responsible for abandoning the two of you.
Nishimi.
Mukae?
Sentaro didn't come today, huh?
Are you lonely without him around?
Sorry. I wasn't able to comprehend that question.
I'll be quite pleased if he sees fit to extend his absence.
I-I see. It looked to me like you two were hitting it off.
Everyone else is afraid of Sentaro, but you act normally in front of him.
I bet you and Sentaro could become buddies.
Mukae...
Give me a break. That smile...
I mean it. As his childhood friend, I can guarantee it.
Childhood friend? So that's why you're so casual with each other's names.
Oh, you can call me by my first name too.
And then maybe I'll call you "Kaoru."
Kaoru, Kaoru, Kaoru...
Wh-What is this echo?
Sorry, I said that without asking. If you don't—
No, it's fine! I don't mind at all.
Oh, that's right. Ri...
Yes?
Do you know of any record shops in town that sell classical music?
Records? We've got tons of them at my place!
You should come over!
You understand what I really mean, don't you... Kaoru?
I-I think things are moving a little too quickly.
Is this how Kyushu girls behave?
This is our shop.
And this is my father!
Fath—
M-My name is Nishimi Kaoru.
Your daughter has been very kind.
The classical section is right here, Kaoru.
Right.
What kind of records are you looking for?
Well, mainly piano pieces.
I play the piano myself.
You play the piano?
Oh, it's not a big deal.
Come with me!
Ritsuko! Outsiders aren't allowed down there.
Dad, Kaoru is a good friend of mine and Sentaro's.
Sen's friend?
No, I'm not his friend, just—
Come on, let's go.
Go ahead.
What is this?
What the hell are you doin' here?
Th-That's what I want to ask you!
Ri'ko! We got an intruder!
Listen to this, Sentaro!
Kaoru says he can play the piano!
Yeah, I already know that.
I'll bet you anything it's just rich kid classical crap, though.
Jazz is the only music for me.
Kaoru. Kaoru?
Hey, Kaoru, have a try at the piano!
Oh, I don't...
Ri'ko, only jazz is allowed in here!
If it's the piano you want to hear, I'll play it.
Oh, I know this piece.
I can't take it any more. It's like this.
Wrong! That ain't even close!
What are you talking about? I played it exactly right!
I couldn't feel any swing!
If you play it without feelin' it, it don't sound like no jazz to me!
You know what? I'd love to hear you two do a session together!
Huh?
Nah, Ri'ko. That's a no-go.
This guy don't get jazz, and he's got no sense for it.
A little practice and playing that'll be a cinch!
Thank you for having me over.
Um, Kaoru! Come back again, okay?
Ri, do you know the name of the piano piece he played?
Um...
The only thing Sen can play on the piano is the intro to this.
Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers' Moanin'.
I'd like this, please.
Wasn't he here to buy classical music?
Yeah.
I don't know why,
but his drums just wouldn't stop thundering in my head.
Kaoru?
Wh-What?
Aren't you walking strange?
Really? This is how I always walk.
Ow!
Ri'ko! Richie! See ya's!
You're running down the hill that I hate so much like it's nothing.
What can you see beyond it?
Is it a view that I've never seen before?
I was waiting for you on that slope.
We made a promise to meet after school.
The goodbye blurred into the distance.
So weak, so twisted, so fragile
had I been back then,
but you gave me a small pair of wings.
I'm searching the sky beyond the twilight
for the faint flicker of light
because I want to tell you I love you.
I wrote a letter to you in my textbook margins,
but I could never give it to you.
It's still just there.