Thank you.
You changed me so much I don't remember what I was like before we met.
The breeze caresses our cheeks.
Lullaby of Birdland...
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.
Her name is Fukahori Yurika.
2nd year, class six, seat number 22.
She's a year ahead of us.
She moved here from Tokyo during her first year of middle school.
Her hobbies are oil painting and naginata fencing.
Her birthday is February 10th.
That's all. Just for your information.
Wh-What are you talkin' about?!
Don't play dumb.
This has gotten as hard as a rock.
When you think about her, you get a lump in your throat,
and you can't get the food down, right?
Poor thing.
You're completely lovesick.
L-Love?! This is love?
Don't tell me you've never fallen in love before?
Nope.
You've got to be kidding.
Wait. If he really falls for that girl,
then he won't get between Ri and me.
All right, we'll skip jazz after school today and meet up to make a game plan instead.
Mikanomachi
End of
Summer Sale
Huh? At my house?
We ain't goin' to Ri'ko's basement?
You'll be able to relax more at home, right?
I don't mind, but...
She might overhear us if we discuss our plans in the basement.
Here it is.
This is Ri's shop.
We live in a row house, so our places are connected.
Hey, Ma!
Bro!
Welcome home, Bro! You're back early today, huh?
Play with us!
Hold on, hold on. Where's Ma?
Ma, Bro's home!
Richie!
What're you doin'? Come on in.
Ma, this is Richie.
Oh, hello there.
I appreciate you always looking out for Sentaro.
Oh, you're too kind.
Don't be shy. Dig in, Richie.
I thought you didn't have an appetite today.
I can always eat watermelon.
Sentaro loves his watermelon.
He told me he wasn't feeling hungry, which is unusual for him,
but I had a hunch he'd be able to eat some watermelon, so I iced one up.
Bro! Bro!
What's up, Taichi?
We found a weird bug!
A bug?
Is it a big one?
It's over here!
Bro, if you plant a watermelon seed, will it grow?
Let's plant one an' see.
Look, there!
Oh, there it is!
It flew!
Yeesh, don't cry about it!
A group date?
Yeah. Ri and I will tag along.
She'll be on guard if you start with just the two of you.
Yeah, I get it.
Of course, you'll be the one to invite Miss Yurika.
What's the point if you're not the one who does it?
I can't! I just don't have it in me!
Look...
What's that sound?
Sarah.
Sarah?
My girlfriend.
Huh?
What's wrong, Sarah?
You're in a bad mood.
Cute, ain't she?
Her full name is Sarah Vaughan.
A pigeon, huh?
What is it, Sarah?
You're lookin' upset today.
She's probably jealous.
You've been talking about another girl, after all.
Huh? What's going on?
When did I start enjoying myself?
That was so funny!
I know!
Oh.
U-Um...
I-Idiot! Who goes up to the girl and then runs away?
I can't do it, man!
Remember the note!
Y-Yeah.
He's coming back.
I'm sorry...
for suddenly interrupting you.
Are you free this weekend?
I would like to take this opportunity to cult... cult...
"Cultivate."
cultivate... our friendship!
That idiot.
Richie! Richie!
She said yes! She's goin' with us!
We're going to Rendezvous Rock, right?
Shall I pack us a lunch?
Um, that'd be great.
Something light like onigiri would be good.
Okay, leave it to me.
By the way, just so I know,
which one of you is inviting me?
Oh, that would be...
This guy! He insisted on inviting you!
Huh?
Oh.
I see.
Well, I'm looking forward to it.
You agreed to go on a date?
Really?
You really are a fool!
It was going smooth as can be, and then you blew it!
Yeah, I dunno why I said that.
Wind back time for me, Richie!
As if I can!
Sorry to keep you waiting!
Ah, there's Kaoru!
Hey, what happened to your face?
Just another one of his fights.
Let's go, Kaoru.
Wait a minute, Ri. One more person will be joining us today.
I'm sorry!
I'm late!
Making lunch took longer than I thought it would.
You're the girl those hooligans were harassing at the beach.
Th-That's right!
You remember her, huh? Actually, today...
Hey! Get a hold of yourself!
The one with the glasses invited me.
Are you all right?! Hey!
Kaoru invited you?
Yes.
What the heck are you doing?! Hey?!
Is it okay for a newcomer like me to intrude?
Get up already!
O-Oh, of course. The more the merrier!
What's wrong with you today?!
Really? Good.
Oh, so it was Kaoru that asked her.
She's beautiful.
Kaoru must have a weakness for pretty faces.
What is it?
Nothing. I was just thinking that your hat is really stylish.
Oh, this?
Even if I wore it, I'd still look like a yokel.
Oh, that's not true.
Pardon me.
Ri, when did you change your hairstyle?
Yurika did it for me. What do you think?
It looks super. Really cute!
Oh, that's right. I'm told your family owns a record shop, Ritsuko.
Yeah. Do you like jazz, Yurika?
These two practice playing it together just about every day.
They play jazz?
Yup. Kaoru plays piano, and Sentaro plays the drums.
That's really something! I know some people who listen to jazz,
but this is my first time meeting anyone who actually plays it!
My two big brothers like jazz, so I listen too once in a while.
They frown and get a wrinkle between their eyebrows when they listen,
but I prefer music that really hits you with a bang, you know?
Yeah! That's it!
I'd love to hear you play the drums.
Y-You can't! I still, uh... stink at it!
Oh, but you know you can't improve unless you have an audience, right?
Come on, let me hear you play.
This... is an unexpected development.
Ow!
Oh, no! I think I got scratched by a branch.
Well, what do you know?
Looks like he's got some moves after all.
Hey, I heard a rumor that couples who climb to the top of that rock together will get married.
No girl's gonna get up that!
Richie, you up for it?
Why me?
Oh, I'm not letting you get away with saying that.
I can make it that high.
Would anyone like to go with me?
Go on!
N-No!
I mean, the sign says it's off limits... and it's dangerous.
Oh, that's too bad. I really wanted to see the view from up there.
You shouldn't have wolfed it down!
Those two seem to be getting on well.
Kaoru, you can have this.
Where are you going?
I'm just going to pick some flowers!
Probably the bathroom.
Boy, this onigiri is huge.
It's my fault.
I hurt her...
in the cruelest of ways.
I made the girl who's most important to me cry.
Those shoulders look so sad, but I have no right...
to try and comfort her.
Good morning, Kaoru.
Good morning.
Richie!
C-Come with me a sec!
Look! This handkerchief!
Yurika gave it to me as an apology for my towel yesterday!
It smells kind of nice.
Or is it my imagination?
What the hell was that for?
Kaoru?
I couldn't let you pick up this handkerchief!
I couldn't bear seeing that!
If you're here for the handkerchief, you can have it back.
I was in the wrong.
It's all my fault.
What're you talkin' about? Tell me already!
Shut up!
You're satisfied as long as you have this handkerchief, aren't you?
Go home and sniff it all you want!
That's enough.
You lookin' to start a fight?
Stop it!
Sentaro, let go of Kaoru!
This is stupid.
Don't get rough with him!
You owe him an apology!
I don't owe that guy nothin'.
Wait, Sentaro!
You can't forget this.
This handkerchief is important to you, isn't it?
Kaoru,
I bet Sentaro is drumming away like a madman right about now.
Richie, you stupid idiot!
Like that.
The sooner you make up, the easier it'll be.
Come with me to practice.
No.
Before you moved here, Sentaro always practiced alone.
Shutting himself in the basement, not letting anyone near him...
Even I didn't feel welcome in the basement.
But ever since you came, that feeling's been gone.
I'm positive he's happy that he found a friend to play with.
Kaoru, shall I guess what you two were fighting about today?
You like Yurika, don't you?
I bet you got mad at Sentaro for showing off that handkerchief.
She is really pretty.
I wish I'd been born looking like that.
Wh-What are you talking about?
Ri, you're plenty...
a-attractive.
Thanks for trying to cheer me up.
I'm not... I wasn't...
I wasn't trying to cheer you up. I...
Here we are!
Well, good luck!
Hey, Ri! Open up!
Let me out, Ri!
What's the ruckus, Ritsuko?
Drastic measures.
I-I didn't come here to see you.
What?
N-Nothing.
He feels the same way about the girl he likes.
Hey, don't just join in!
Huh?
I wasn't tryin' to join in.
He's following along again.
What the heck is this?
Jazz with a festival dance beat!
Cut it out! I can't play if I'm laughing!
Next time, maybe I'll play something just for Ri.
And then... maybe I'll try letting her know how I feel.
Sentaro.
I'm coming in.
Oh, don't be so stiff.
What the...
hell is he doing?
I'm sure Ri is thinking about him.
Meanwhile, he's...
Um, Ri...
There's a song that I'd like to play for you.
I've been practicing my heart out on this song.
I wish I still had more time to work on it, but I feel like I have to play this for her now.
Play through me, Bill Evans.
"Someday My Prince Will Come."
That's the title of the song.
So you're the prince?
I'm right, aren't I?
You've been practicing for Yurika, right?
And this is your "dress rehearsal"!
No.
This is the real performance.
You're the one that I like.
You don't have to give me an answer right away.
I just wanted to let you know...
that there's somebody here who's in love with you.
Ri's eyes are on him.
She's always thinking of him.
That doesn't bother me though.
You taught me that it was possible to fall in love like this.
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.