Kuroneko...
That's what I called the girl I played with in my childhood.
Hey, have you really seen aliens?
Yeah.
And on that day ten years ago, I made two mistakes I'll never be able to undo.
The first mistake...
...was that I didn't turn back.
Ryouta!
And as for the second mistake...
At that moment, why...
Why did I grab Kuroneko's hand?
Every night since then,
I've been looking up at the stars alone.
Kuroneko...
I want to see you again...
While Waiting for You
I'm in my second year of high school, and my current goal is to become a scientist at NASA.
Large Equatorial Mount Observatory
From the place on earth closest to space, I will prove what Kuroneko couldn't—the existence of aliens.
Large Equatorial Mount Observatory
This is all I can do to atone for my sins.
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Hey, how are you so sure aliens exist?
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You won't believe me, so I won't tell.
I'll believe anything you say, Kuroneko.
Well, you see, I've seen them myself.
Aliens.
I even know where they are!
Then take me there!
Okay.
Just make sure you never tell anyone else.
I played with Kuroneko every day.
I liked her.
I thought I knew everything about her.
But that was the first time I heard her talk about aliens,
so I couldn't believe her that time.
The aliens are just ahead.
When you see them, you have to believe me.
That's when the accident occurred.
Ryouta!
When I woke up, I was in the hospital.
By some miracle, I survived.
They told me that Kuroneko was recovering in a different hospital.
How could I get Kuroneko to forgive me?
Would she forgive me if we proved the existence of aliens together?
That was all I could think about while I was in the hospital.
On the day of my discharge, they told me the truth.
Kuroneko fell from the dam and died soon after.
It may sound strange, but I don't know her real name.
All I remember are the moles by her armpit
and the fact that I called her "Kuroneko".
Morning!
Morning...
Morning!
Hey Murakami, did you see it yet?
See what?
The results of the last national practice exam.
You scored first among the second-years.
But I was only third when you include all high school students.
I still have a ways to go.
Don't say that.
Being top of your year is plenty to be proud of.
Thank you, Kashiwagi-san.
Blunt as ever.
Murakami never pays any attention to the girls.
Seriously...
It's not that I don't think about girls.
I'm just bad at handling them.
Hey, homeroom's starting!
Get back to your seats!
We have a transfer student today.
Transfer student?
That's rare...
Our transfer exam is supposed to be really hard, too.
This is Kuroha Neko-san.
Kuroha... Neko?!
Please get along wi—
What's wrong, Murakami?
She looks just like her! She feels a bit different, though...
But isn't she Kuroneko?!
That's right.
I never actually saw her die.
They just told me she did.
Could it be?
You're alive?
I don't believe I've met you before.
No! We were really young, so you might not remember, but...
You and I used to know each other!
We did?
I can prove it!
What are you getting at?
That's enough!
Just shut up and show me your armpits!
Did he just say armpits?
Hey, hey...
Is he serious?
All that studying must have turned his brain to mush.
I didn't think he was that kind of person.
Hey hey, Kuroha-san!
That uniform's really cute!
Is it from your old school?
It's an original.
Original?
I guess it's not her.
Today we're practing holding your breath underwater.
We're not here to play, so be careful.
Okay!
Look at that!
Yeah, that figure is out of this world!
High school girls this beautiful really do exist!
All the other girls in our school are boring bookworms.
Calm down, Kuroha-san!
Your feet will reach.
Look at that!
You can see everything from this angle!
I should "accidentally" fumble my way underwater to the girl's side and feel me some boobs!
This is why they put the girls on the other side.
Is the next group ready?
Yes...
Okay then, get started.
Kashiwagi-san!
What's wrong?
Sensei, Kashiwagi-san's leg got sucked into the pipe and we can't get her out!
She can't breathe!
Go tell them to stop the pump!
Y-Yes...
Kashiwagi-san!
I knew this would happen.
That today, two of the students at this school...
No, we won't make it in time!
...would die.
She's out! Are you okay?
S-Sensei...
Thank goodness, Kashiwagi-san!
Are you okay?
Hang on tight!
I thought she was done for.
That was really lucky.
The pavement collapsed and caused the pump to stop.
A collapse like that is incredibly unlikely.
And yet, the timing was perfect.
Maybe we just have to chalk it up to good luck.
After all that's happened today, the quiet stars will be a welcome sight.
I can't get it off my mind.
There's no way Kuroha could be Kuroneko.
That girl is dead, after all.
And yet...
No matter how much I tell myself to give up...
It still eats away at me.
Even after ten whole years, I don't want to accept it.
Maybe it would be better if my memories of Kuroneko...
...would all just disappear.
You!
Why are you here?
This place is for looking at stars, right?
Y-Yeah.
Back when the Apollo missions went to the moon, a lot of people got really into astronomy.
There was even enough interest to get this observatory built.
But now, I'm the only member of the astronomy club left.
The other members from last year graduated.
If we don't get any new members next year, we'll have to disband.
I'm sorry.
You looked just like my childhood friend.
That's why I ended up saying those things during homeroom.
Childhood friend?
Yeah, she was a weird girl who believed in aliens.
But...
Because of me, she died.
So, to find the aliens for her,
I look through this telescope every day.
Let me make myself clear.
I am not your childhood friend, and I have never met you before.
This is the first time we've met.
I know that.
But...
Then why did you come here?
I had something to tell you.
Two of the students at our school were to die today.
What?
One was supposed to die at the pool, but she was saved.
Hey, what are you saying?
And the other person to die...
...is you.
I'm going to die?
What do you mean?
The last bus leaves at 20:20.
Yeah, that's the bus I always take home.
No matter what, don't miss that bus.
If you do not board that bus, you will die.
Are you telling me to believe that crazy prediction?
I don't care what you believe. Just don't miss the bus.
Well, I wasn't planning on missing that bus anyway.
I wouldn't be able to get home if I did.
Okay. Good.
Then, I'll just...
How many constellations are there in all?
Oh, those are constellations from ancient times.
There's a list of them in the corner.
This?
One, two, three...
You don't need to count them one by one.
There are six columns and eight rows. Fourty-eight in total.
I'm impressed. You did that quite fast.
Are you making fun of me?
This is simple times table stuff.
What's a times table?
Don't tell me you don't know your times tables.
You learn them in second grade!
Of course I know them!
Times tables, right?
I'm just not a fan of how they taste...
What's two times two?
If you know your times tables, you should be able to answer that.
Two times two?
Um...
Two times two.
Flying squirrel?
Eight times two.
Stung by a bee?
Eight times eight?
Green and grassy.
How did someone who doesn't even know her times tables get into our school?!
Shut up, shut up, shut up!
There are all sorts of ways!
Ways?
Fine.
I'll concede that you may be a bit sharp,
but I'm leagues ahead of you in terms of arm strength.
Do you play a sport?
Huh? No.
Seriously...
What's with this girl?
She says all this crazy stuff.
There's no way I'd lose to a girl who doesn't exercise.
Come. Let's arm wrestle.
Sure.
Let's start.
Ready, set, and...
Ouch!
I'm sorry!
I couldn't control my power.
Show me your arm!
She's not especially muscular or anything.
In fact, she's incredibly delicate.
Huh? Why are you blushing?
I've never been touched like this before!
Of course I'd be flustered!
Huh?
Get your mind out of the gutter.
Now that I've got a good look at her, she's actually pretty cute.
I guess it makes sense.
She looks just like Kuroneko.
She's straight up my alley.
Are you satisfied?
No, not yet.
Could you flex your arm for me?
Flex my arm?
Yeah, please.
Is that all you can do?
How did I lose to such a squishy girl?!
How should I know? I'm sure you're just really weak!
CQCQ.
Yes, it's me. Over.
Why does she have a ham radio?
The forecast has changed. It's gotten even worse.
Over.
If he's doomed whether he gets on the bus or not,
are we just going to have to let him die?
Over.
Oh, okay.
Got it. I'll tell him.
Out.
You can miss the bus.
Hey! What were you just talking about?
Actually, forget about the bus. Don't go outside at all.
If you're going to miss the last bus, you aren't going home anyway.
Please stay here tonight.
Got it?
This is a warning.
You have to believe me.
When you see them, you have to believe me.
Let's assume that everything she said is true.
That means my life depends on whether I get on that bus...
I see.
If her forecast is correct, it should start raining about now.
As if.
It's supposed to be clear all night...
It really started raining!
The second one should be saved now.
Get a hold of yourself!
Akane-san! Akane-san!
I... can't go on anymore.
Neko, take this and run immediately.
You can forget about everything else.
Just don't forget this.
You are the only one who can save this world from ruin.
Akane-san!
To be honest, I have no idea what it means to save the world.
But if it's about saving people who are forecast to die—then even I can do that.
CQCQ.
No way...
I didn't get on the bus, just like she told me to.
But I did leave the observatory.
According to her, this means I'm going to die.
Do I really believe her?
No, I just want to believe.
Even if I have to risk my life, I want to confirm what she said with my own eyes.
If my death can be determined by the slight time it takes to board a bus...
It probably won't be due to crime, given how I'm in the middle of nowhere.
And if was a large-scale natural disaster like an earthquake, it wouldn't just be me who dies.
Which means...
There must be a more specific cause...
A disaster that only happens during the rain...
A landslide!
It really happened!
Damn it!
I can't move!
That girl... really can see the future!
I told you not to go home!
Stupid!
What is she made of?!
She split the boulder?
Seriously...
The forecast said that you would die if you missed the bus and came here.
That's why I warned you.
But the moment I told you not to miss the bus, the forecast changed.
That's because if the bus had stopped to pick me up, the delay would've put it straight in the path of that boulder.
I could guess that much from your words and actions.
If the bus had been crushed by that boulder, even more people would have died.
So that's why you told me not to leave the observatory.
Why did you come here if you understood that much?
Putting that aside...
Just what are you?
Me?
I am...
...a magician.
Don't joke around.
Oh? You don't believe me?
You believe in aliens.
The existence of aliens does not contradict science.
Whereas magic, by definition, does.
No, I don't want to believe it,
but even if you're not a magician, I can't deny your abilities.
You split that boulder in half, and you beat me in arm wrestling with those squishy arms of yours.
How rude!
I'll accept that you're a magician,
but tell me, how did you get your power?
Surgery.
And drugs.
Why, you...
That's not magic!
Truth be told,
I never wanted to use these powers.
After I ran away from the laboratory,
I didn't want anyone to know that I was a magician.
At that point, I was no longer listening to what she was saying.
Somewhere in my heart, I was hoping against hope.
That maybe, just maybe, Kuroha was Kuroneko.
But she didn't have the moles that Kuroneko had.
kagayaku hoshi miagete
We've always admired
itsumo akogareteta na
the shining stars we gazed upon.
ashita wo yume minagara
And dreaming of tomorrow,
koi wo shite mitari
we played games of affection.
nai mono nedari de
I begged for something that wasn't there,
shiawase wa hito sorezore to
and you taught me that happiness
oshiete kureta ne
was different for everyone.
sonna kimi ga suki de nee
That's why I like you so much.
watashi wa ima koi ni ochita
Now, I'm enraptured
ichibanboshi
by the first star of the night
onegai shite
so I make a wish:
douka kimi to itsumo issho ni ireru you ni
"May I get to be with you forever"
watashi wa ima hajimete shiru
Now, I've come to understand
koi wa setsunai
that loving can be rough,
kurushiku naru demo ai wa tottemo
but hard as things can get, love itself is
hora atatakai mono nanda
a very warm thing.