My right hand holds a bowl of gold,
And my left holds one of silver.
Never one without the other,
Two unseen bowls for each of us.
The golden one is filled with joy,
shining warmly.
Since we met, my golden bowl
cannot hold all my happiness and love.
Golden joy, silver sadness,
I would leave my past behind...
For you, for the sake of love,
I would empty the bowls of my past.
Based on the manga by the beloved Ikeda Riyoko
Who are you? Who are you?
A long time ago we had a brief encounter..
Nobody else remembers it now.
You were on the other side of the hedge with a red shovel in your dirt-covered hands.
You spoke with brightly beaming eyes...
Who are you? Who are you?
Bye-bye! See you again!
See you again!
It was a rainy day,
A long time ago. A brief encounter...
If someday, somehow, I discover that you remember that moment,
On that day, I intend to confess to you that I also remember.
Who are you? Who are you?
What are you doing, Nanako?
You are going to be late.
Yes...
Ouch!
Don't tell me you are going in that dress!
But why not?
Even thought the school does have a uniform,
the rules do say that it is ok to wear regular clothes.
...at least, as long as the clothes are SUITABLE.
Never mind that. Who in the world would wear ordinary clothes...
to attend their high school orientation!
But...
Check with your father before you act foollish.
That's what you always say!
Good morning, Daddy.
Nanako, that looks really good!
Now you look like a genuine high school student.
It's very cute. It's splendid!
Daddy, You're always exaggerating...
See you later!
Brother, my dear brother...
Today I started high school.
Of course I am not so naive
as to think it will change my life completely!
After all, this year's cherry blossoms will be just the same as last year's...
But... But still, my brother...
I feel so excited...
Can you hear my heart racing?
1. The Magnificent Ones
We barely made it!
Good morning, Tomoko!
You look so good in the uniform!
You too!
You were not going to wear a uniform...
You weren't either!
You were going to wear your favorite dress, you said.
There is someone in my family who is hard-headed...
Same here...
She is not a Kiyouiku Mama, but she's still VERY conservative.
Same here. She said, "It is common sense to wear a uniform for your orientation."
What's so funny?
That is exactly what MY mom said..
Too bad... We choose Seiran school because they allow regular clothes.
But he said...
"Cute!"...
...and "Splendid"...
What's so funny!?
Daddy's little darling!
So what?
Brother, to tell the truth,
My father is not my father by birth.
When I was five, my mother remarried.
[We are proceeding to City Hall by way of Seiran School.]
[Next stop is Gouen-mae.]
But now... I love my father.
He is kind, and intelligent...
I'm sorry....!
Ummm...
Uh...
What a beautiful bracelet...
[This stop is Seiran School.]
Oh, I'm getting off here!
Please let me get off!
I'm sorry!
I'm not used to this bus yet.
Here... you dropped this...
When she spoke her voice was clear like a bell,
yet also deep and soothing, like a gentle breeze blowing through my soul.
NOBODY is wearing a uniform!
You're right!
Let's see, I'm in section A...
How about you?
I'm in... ummm... section B.
That's too bad.
We have been in the same section since grade school.
Will you miss me?
A little, I guess...
[Please assemble in the Auditorium.]
[The orientation is about to begin.]
See you later!
I'll be seeing you!
You must be an outsider.
Most of the students in uniform are from outside.
None of the students from the Fuzoku schools would be wearing a uniform.
Being from the outside, though, you must really be smart.
Now I'll show my secret to you!
I have red nail polish on my thumb nails.
So red! So beautiful!
You are cute and likeable.
Let's become friends!
You are... I hope... in section B?
Yes...
I thought so! Me too!
Thank goodness!
My name is Shinobu Mariko. And you?
Misonoo Nanako.
An unusual name...
You must be using that herbal shampoo...
I love that too!
Let's go. Or we'll be late!
Kaoru no Kimi!
That's Kaoru no Kimi!
Look! that's Kaoru no Kimi!
It's really true!
She didn't leave after all...
What a relief!
Udaishow Kaoru no Kimi?
Kaoru no Kimi-sama! How have you been?
We were worried that you might leave our school.
From today on, I will just be a freshman like you.
So, hello!
So, you intend to continue the club activities?
Of course.
Her real name is Orihara Kaoru.
She is in our section, too.
Let' sit down! The orientation is starting!
She is a year older than us, but she was away for a long time due to illness.
You two, go on and sit down!
O - Ok!
My brother,
perhaps this year's cherry blossoms
will end up being very different from last year's after all...
[The class president will now speak to us.]
You may not believe me --
...but her lips are wet and shining like wild berries!
Look! Look at her!
She is Ichinomiya Fukiko. We call her "Miya-sama". She is our queen!
The ladies behind her are the Sorority members.
Miya-sama? Sorority members?
I want so much to become a Sorority member.
That has been my dream since I came to this school.
I am confident I will be selected as a candidate
What is a Sorority?
It is a social group popular in the U.S.
New members are chosen by established members of the Sorority
based on their looks, grades, family and health.
During your freshman year, all of you become eligible
to become candidates for entry into the Seiran Sorority.
If you become a member,
you are invited to parties, meetings, seminars, finishing lessons...
...and you are introduced to nice boyfriends too.
It is a ticket to a wonderful life here at our school.
So, those who have even the least confidence in their looks or grades...
...are desperately seeking to be noticed by the Sorority sisters.
Soon our members will select a few candidates who meet our standards.
We will invite the candidates to a party to finalize selection.
This year the number of candidates will be limited to ten.
Ten? Only Ten!
The piano!
It must be Saint-Juste! Hana no Saint-Juste!
Saint-Juste-sama! Saint-Juste-sama!
Hana no Saint-Juste-sama?
There are three beautiful ladies here that everybody adores.
Kaoru no Kimi,
Ichinomiya Fukiko-sama,
and Hana no Saint-Juste-sama.
Why don't you go see her.
Go to the Music hall.
You should get to know her too.
She's the one!
Who wants this lucky red rose?
I'm sorry, Tomoko!
You're late!
I saw her, I saw her!
What?
I saw Hana no Saint-Juste-sama!
What?
The lady I saw in the bus today.
She plays piano so beautifully.
So?
Well, never mind...
That's Kaoru no Kimi.
Kimi?
She is in my section.
She looks very healthy...
For someone back from a long sick leave...
Let's hurry up. It's going to rain.
A Spring storm...
The cherry blossoms will end soon, won't they...
Probably with this rain.
The rain comes... every time...
What?
It always rains on the days important to me...
I think that's great...
I like things like that.
Maybe it's just in my head...
It didn't rain that other day...
What other day?
It's such a shock!
The Sorority will only take ten new members!
That's all our class talks about.
The whole school seems to be excited about it!
Our class section seems to talk about nothing else.
In our class we have daughters of company presidents,
daughters of ambassadors, and of politicians,
and daughters of professors of prestigious colleges!
And there's you, the daughter of a professor...
My father would laugh until he burst...
We don't really travel in such circles, you know.
So anyway, let's start thinking about what dresses to wear to school!
We should! You bet!
But Misaki-san - surely you would be the best possible candidate!
Your father is a famous lawyer,
and in every criteria you are superior.
Well...
Well, it depends on how they will judge...
You know her?
She is also in section B.
Saint-Juste-sama! Hana no Saint-Juste-sama!
Why is she called Saint-Juste? What's her real name?
I suppose outsiders like you wouldn't know much at all.
She is Asaka Rei from the sophomore class.
Asaka Rei?
Miya-sama is going home.
I wonder if I can ever fit in here...
You are the one I met in the bus.
Yes...
Yes. Please use this...
Nanako.
For goodness sake, Nanako!
What's the matter? Are you day dreaming?
Let's go home!
The bus won't come for another fifteen minutes!
And we don't have umbrellas to walk to the station!
You know that!
Another letter from that girl?
Yeah.
So, why'd you want to see me?
I need a break from working on my thesis.
Why don't we go for a drink?
Ah, I see. Sure, fine with me.
Before we go, I need to go shopping for a present.
Shopping?
I want to buy a Nyugaku-iwai.
Acceptance into high school?
Right.
Small world, isn't it --
her going to Seiran...
Yeah...
Are you sending that with your name on it?
I guess so.
You really want to do that?
Then the professor and his wife will find out who you are.
Even so...
Brother...
My dear brother,
This is how my first day at high school ended.
Surrounded by some beautiful upperclasswomen and a rather worldly classmate...
It is with a sense of wonder and bewilderment
...that I now see my Junior High years fading forever into the past.
What a wonderful day!
A Spring Storm!
I... couldn't imagine anything more fabulous!
I dreamed I was chasing a rainbow...
Then the rainbow I was chasing was you.
Before, I had no strength, no will.
But now because of you, I do.
Feelings of love, like raindrops
Come pouring from the sky.
This is surely a game
Of some mischievous fairy...
Always dancing,
Always capricious...
As the sorority selection day approaches,
all the girls, including Shinobu Mariko and Misaki Aya, are getting more and more nervous...
On the day of selection,
some of the names Miya-sama spoke surprise everyone...
How will Nanako and Misaki-san react?...
Next episode:
The Glass Slippers
Brother, Dear Brother...
There is no end to my tears...