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.
It's so cold out here.
I'm sleepy.
Can I really keep these?
It's probably some mistake.
Good morning, Mukae!
Morning!
Good morning, Kaoru.
Cold today, isn't it?
Good morning.
Morning, Ri!
Morning!
That's right.
Can't let myself get my hopes up.
I've already been rejected once.
Do you have the usual, ma'am?
There you are, the usual.
Thank you!
You're looking beautiful as always, ma'am!
Oh, it's you.
What's with the long face?
I'll take a guess.
You're in shock over the news that Yurika eloped?
It's all over the school!
Did you tell him about it?
Oh, Kawabuchi? I told him this morning.
I don't think he's in the classroom!
I didn't expect to hear anything like this.
How must he feel about it?
Ah, that's the one that won the Prefectural Governor's Award.
We'd better take it down now.
You take that side.
Um, what are you doing?
There's no way the school will display
a painting by a student who's involved in a scandal.
We were told to remove it.
And what's going to happen to it after you take it down?
You got me.
Wait a moment!
This painting is important!
Please!
What's she to you, anyway?
Had eyes for her, did ya?
Wha...
Let it go, Richie.
Sorry. You can take it away.
Sen.
Hey, Sen! Why?
Don't you care what happens to that painting?
Hey!
What are you doing? Let go!
What are you laughing at?
Your stupidity must be contagious.
What?
Seriously, how stupid are you gonna be for somebody else's sake?
It's ridiculous.
Wait, so what about the painting?
Oh, I already said my goodbye to it back there.
I feel much better now.
Sen.
Have you gotten a present from someone recently?
Like something that was knitted?
Yeah, I did.
I knitted Sentaro a sweater and used the leftover yarn to make the mittens!
That's cruel, but it figures.
This. It's called Lily-yarn or something.
Sachiko gave it to me yesterday.
Anything else?
Nope. This is it.
But what am I supposed to do with this string?
Huh?
Strike!
What the heck are you doing? You...!
Now you're gonna get it!
Wait, Richie!
Richie!
U-Um, these are really warm. Thank you.
Ow! Damn it! What are you doing?
Hey, I'm over here!
Nope, over here!
Come to think of it, we'll be changing classes again soon.
I guess third-years are split up according to their grades,
so you probably won't be in the same class as Kaoru.
Goin' for college entrance exams, right, Richie?
Y-Yeah.
I'm planning on going to college too.
I'm thinking about becoming an elementary school teacher.
So you're gonna be a teacher, huh?
What about it?
A long time ago, you said you wanted to have a bakery or cake shop.
What? When was this?
Come on, don't you remember? You were a glutton.
That's why you wanted an entire shop.
I never said that!
Kaoru, where do you want to go to college?
Oh, I... haven't decided yet.
As for me, never mind about college.
I might not even make it to third year.
I see.
Wait, what did you just say?
All right, everything depends on the next make-up exam.
Start with these basic problems.
I'll make you some flash cards in the meantime.
You handle that.
Hey!
I'm just not cut out for studying.
What are you going to do if you fail this?
Oh, I'll just quit school an' get a job.
You must be jo—
It ain't a joke.
When I think about my family, I can't afford to repeat a year.
No way!
I won't let that happen!
I'm not gonna let you flunk this test!
I'm tired. I need a break!
Wait! You're in the middle of these questions!
I can't take anymore.
If you're going to rest, it'll have to wait till you're done with these problems!
I can't! My head's gonna explode!
B-Bro.
Hey, Sen.
You look really happy when you're surrounded by the kids.
Wh-Where'd that come from?
I bet you're going to have a big family of your own,
and have lots of kids around you.
It'll be a warm...
Chi'ko wet herself!
Wet herself?
Yay, Chi'ko!
The bath's over there.
My ma will dry your pants, so relax till they're ready.
This is an unusual setup for a bath.
Sa?
You're out of soap, right? Here.
S-Sorry.
I-I don't understand.
Isn't this Sen's family's bath?
Our families share it.
Um... I wish I had given you those mittens earlier.
It's almost spring, so you won't need to use them anymore.
Oh, that doesn't matter.
Since you knitted them, I'd like to wear them all year round.
Cold!
Condensation?
Drops often fall in there.
Sentaro lets out a yelp once in a while himself.
So, why did you give me those mittens?
Wh-Why?
Why me and not him?
I mean, if you've liked him all this time...
Richie! How about havin' dinner here?
Your pants aren't dry yet anyway.
I'm going home now.
Thank you for the hospitality.
Wait, your hair's soakin' wet! You'll catch cold!
That's enough!
Sorry.
Well, see you tomorrow.
I didn't mean to say that to her.
But I can't get the idea out of my mind...
that she probably still has feelings for him.
Sen, how did the make-up exam go?
Oh, you passed?
Yeah.
Good for you.
It's thanks to Richie.
I gotta thank 'im proper.
Come to think of it, I haven't seen him around lately.
The day before yesterday, he passed out in class with a fever,
so he's restin' up at home.
You didn't hear?
Nope, Ritsuko didn't say a thing.
"Someday My Prince Will Come"?
N-No! That was just...
Ri'ko, would you come with me?
Look, isn't his house huge?
All right, go on.
Thank him for me for helpin' me study.
But...
Sentaro, wait!
Go on by yourself.
Why? Let's go together!
Kaoru, one of your classmates has come to wish you well.
E-Excuse me.
Hi, Ri.
Um, is your fever down?
Yeah. Sorry to make you worry.
I see. That's good.
Oh, that's right. These are for you.
Eat them if you're up to it.
Oh, thank you.
Did you go out of your way to buy them?
Um, no. I didn't buy these. Uh...
Sentaro did.
Ri, he came here with you, didn't he?
I saw you two out the window.
He should've come in with you.
Kaoru?
Never mind. I understand.
What are you talking about?
It makes sense.
You two have been together since you were little.
There's no way I could be a match for him.
Unlike me, he's strong and built.
He's so handsome that he even takes my breath away once in a while.
You're better off with him.
Stop it, already!
I know what you're saying, so don't say any more.
I'm going home now.
Kaoru, don't you like me anymore?
Or is it...
you just don't have any confidence, so you're trying to keep your distance?
You told me to have confidence in myself.
Those words have saved me a number of times now.
But if it looks like you don't have confidence,
I have a feeling I'll lose mine, too.
Huh? What the heck am I doing?
What I've wished for all this time...
Oh, you're leaving already?
Excuse me!
Oh, boy!
I bet something happened between those two!
Ri!
Kaoru?
Don't come here! I'll go over to you.
Ri, let me tell you how I feel about you one more time.
I love you!
I love you, Ri!
I love you! I love you!
K-Kaoru!
I love you!
P-Please! Your relatives can hear!
Let them!
I'm not muscular, and maybe I'm not as manly as I should be,
but when it comes to my feelings for you, I'm second to no one!
You might catch my cold.
I won't mind.
Kaoru!
Hey! You're burning up! And you're heavy!
Excuse me! Somebody!
That was really something.
Kaoru! Excuse me!
It's already summer, and I haven't made any more progress with Ri.
I was so bold when I had that fever.
What's wrong with me when my temperature is normal?
I want to touch...
Touch what?
How long have you been in here?
Just got here.
Did you hear anything?
Like what?
Nothing!
Both of you! Take a look at this!
"The Olympus Has Thrown Down the Gauntlet"?
What's this?
"The Olympus is going to win at this year's festival.
It seems there are still some old-fashioned jazz musicians around,
but this is the era of rock n' roll."
They were handing this out all over the school.
What are you gonna do?
You can't take this sitting down, right?
You two are gonna perform in the festival, aren't you?
Huh?
I've been thinking...
Me too.
We start with "Moanin'" to fire up the people that saw us last year
an' trick 'em into thinking we're gonna do the same routine.
But then we move into some other songs that we want to play.
I was thinkin' the same thing!
All right, let's choose our next song!
Starting today, we'd better practice every day!
'Course!
How about this one?
I'm home.
Welcome back, Bro!
Hey.
Welcome home!
Look, I got surprising news!
Dad says he's comin' home!
This way, the whole family can live together!
Sa.
What are you doing here all by yourself?
I can't say that I'm actually scared, but...
Scared?
See, our Dad, who was working far away, is coming home tomorrow morning.
Richie, I'm one of those that ain't got a place in the house too.
Richie?
I'm home.
Hey, you're back late, Sachiko.
What's Richie doin' here with you?
I see. Unlike Kota and the others,
you remember how scary Dad was when he was drunk.
But don't worry, Sachiko!
Ma told me that he worked really hard an' quit drinkin' over there.
Really?
Yeah. You got nothin' to worry about, Sachiko.
Now how about comin' inside an' we can prepare together?
Yeah!
Sen.
Oh, thanks for lookin' after her.
You're the one I'm worried about, Sen.
Dope! What are you lookin' so serious for?
What? I am serious!
Richie, don't worry so much.
I'm fine.
Bro, look!
Comin'!
Sen!
Are you coming to practice tomorrow?
Yeah. After all, playin' with you is the most fun I have.
Bro, what are you writin'?
Hm... Nah, that's no good.
It's not comin' out right.
Ah, well. Let's get to sleep.
Richie, I'm sorry for lying to you.
I was looking forward to the festival too. I wanted to perform.
Be good to Ri'ko.
Take care.
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.