I absolutely didn't want anyone to know that I was a magician.
I'll be killed if they catch me.
So, please.
Don't tell anyone that I'm a magician.
Hold on!
Hey, wait up!
Don't involve yourself with me anymore.
As I said, I am not your childhood friend.
We're complete strangers.
Goodbye.
Magician
Wow, amazing!
You can see Vega, Deneb, and Altair all so clearly tonight!
It's the Summer Triangle!
Our school outing is next week.
Kuroneko, you've never seen the ocean, have you?
Nope.
So you must be looking forward to the trip.
Not really.
I don't know how else you can explain that thing.
I'm really not!
I'm just preparing for the worst-case scenario!
But Kuroneko...
...died before she got to see the ocean.
How many times have I had that dream?
Kuroha didn't have the moles Kuroneko had.
But is she really not her?
Well, I'll take things slow and see if I can find anything else out.
We're in the same class, anyway.
Is Kuroha absent today?
All right then, Murakami.
Y-Yes?
Could you bring this residential paperwork to her after school today?
She has to get it in by tomorrow.
Judging from her address, she lives near the observatory.
Drop it off on your way to club.
Oh, yeah. Could you also bring her the guidebook for the summer trip next week?
Were there even any houses around the observatory?
Why are there JSDF vehicles driving around these parts?
Did something happen?
The address she gave them was a viewing platform?!
Well, with the laboratory people hot on her trail, she couldn't very well use her real address.
There's a village down there?
Oh right.
It was abandoned because it would've been flooded by the dam, but then construction got suspended.
Maybe she's hiding down there.
Entry Forbidden
I am an invincible magician!
Anyone I face'll get all beaten up!
With my black hair flowing up and down...
This voice...
Kuroha?
Rushing onto the scene...
Time to help those in need! Those in need!
I'm gonna save people's lives! Rawr!
Making her grand entrance, it's Neko-san!
Darling of all throughout the...
Um... Kuroha?
What?
Man, I'm surprised you can sing so cheerfully.
What do you want? Why did you come here?
This.
Our teacher asked me to bring you this residential paperwork.
He said to fill it out and bring it in by tomorrow.
I have no need for that.
I've already saved the people who were going to die.
There's no reason for me to go to school anymore.
Hold on. Is that the only reason you transferred in?
Yes.
Well, I was also a bit curious about what school would be like.
I've always wanted to go, you see.
During my ten years at the laboratory,
I spent all my time being experimented on for their magician project, so I had no time for studying.
Then...
Then there is a reason for you to go to school!
Come back to school tomorrow, Kuroha!
Please stay out of my business.
You're a nuisance.
Kuroha, why did you save my life?
Isn't that obvious? Letting you die would've weighed on my conscience.
I feel the same way.
If the laboratory people find you, they'll kill you, right?
I can't let that be.
Besides, if you don't even know your times tables, what are the chances you'll survive out here?
Times tables have no use in day-to-day life!
Don't treat times tables like calculus or trigonometry.
I'll be fine without you.
Either way, I'm going to...
What's that sound?
Is it coming from that house?
Don't mind it.
Isn't that a human voice, though?
No.
Hel...
Help...
That's a person yelling!
Why are you lying to me?
I'm not lying.
That voice is not human.
I'll just have to check for my—
Go home.
I forgot to show her the guidebook.
Entry Forbidden
Kamakura has a beach, doesn't it?
What's wrong with me?
No matter how much I try not to, I can't help but worry for her.
Is it because she looks like Kuroneko?
Is it because I still think she might be Kuroneko?
I must seem like a creepy stalker now.
It's okay. I got him to leave.
I might have been a little too harsh on him,
but it was for the best.
We can't get too close to others.
If I got close to him...
...when they catch me, he'll be killed as well.
They'd kill me too?!
It's fine. I'm not lonely.
We won't live very long, anyway.
It's better if we don't make any friends.
Won't live very long?
What does she mean?
Does she think she'll be caught soon?
Until then, we'll do what only we can do.
Oh, no. It's time for your medicine.
I'll go get some water.
Who was she talking to?
I didn't hear anyone respond to her.
Was she talking to herself?
Who... is this?
She's not moving at all. Is she alive?
She looks like a corpse.
Is she just a well-made doll?
Kana-chan is alive.
Sorry.
My curiosity got the better of me.
Kana-chan became completely paralyzed during the magical experimentation.
But in exchange, she acquired an incredible power.
An incredible power?
Was she the one making all those forecasts?
Yes.
Kana-chan can't speak,
but she can still move the fingers on her left hand a bit.
She uses this keyboard to tell me what she's thinking.
What you heard earlier wasn't a human voice.
It was this machine.
The machine gets a little wonky once in a while, so it can make some horrific sounds.
I see.
You pervert!
Why were you sneaking into my room?
I thought you were going to violate me!
You hypocrite! You pretend to be all nice and then you come peeping on us!
And to think I saved you from that boulder with my forecasts!
You're just a dirty pervert!
Sorry. Kana-chan is a little foul-mouthed.
Well, putting this dirty hypocrite aside,
I have some news, Neko.
I wasn't sure if I should tell you, but I might as well.
They got Kanade.
No way...
Maki-chan!
They got her?
They got Kanade-chan?
Who's Kanade?
A girl who was with us in the laboratory.
She ran away, just like we did.
We have to go save her!
Impossible. They've already taken her to the laboratory.
There's nothing we can do now.
But...
Neko, we don't even know where the laboratory is.
Think rationally.
Kanade-chan!
Kuroha...
Go home!
And don't ever come back!
Actually Neko, there is something you can do.
Go to school.
And enjoy it for both of us.
What are you saying?
Our lives are short.
You should at least enjoy what's left.
Kana-chan!
Don't worry about me.
I'd be long dead if it weren't for you.
I'm very grateful to you.
Integrated Japanese
Modern Literature
...is made from the flesh of drowned humans eaten by sharks.
The savor of sea bream broth notwithstanding,
Kuroha really came.
they fasten themselves to the sterns of great ships and turn man into fish.
Now, next is... Kuroha-san.
Please read the next passage.
Ah... um...
What's the matter?
Nothing.
She can read, right?
And no-wuh...
And... no-wuh?
now
Don't tell me...
Heh-reh, theh-reh, and...
Here, there, and
Me eating.
Um, Kuroha-san?
Sensei!
Murakami-kun, what is it?
I'm not feeling well. Could I get Kuroha-san to take me to the nurse's office?
Huh?
Sorry to interrupt.
Come on, let's go.
Ah, just a second.
Excuse us.
I don't know how you managed to get into this school,
but if you keep this up, they'll find out.
What? Really?
How is that even a question? You don't know your times tables or your kanji!
How rude. I can read kanji.
You couldn't even read the first grade-level ones!
Whatever. Let's just kill some time here.
It'd look weird if we went back immediately.
Oh, right.
I handed the residential paperwork in.
Good.
Have you taken a look at the summer trip guidebook yet?
We're going to the beach next weekend.
You're coming, right?
I'm not sure.
You're not sure?
Why?
It's a private matter.
Why do you care so much?
Remember the childhood friend I told you about?
She was really looking forward to seeing the ocean.
She has nothing to do with me.
I know.
But I want to show you the ocean.
I feel like that would let me atone for what happened.
CQ, CQ.
Kana-chan?
Neko, I saw something.
Someone near you is going to die.
Who's going to die? Where?
In fifteen minutes, at the curry stand by the train station, an old woman in red clothing is going to be run over by a car!
Fifteen minutes? That's cutting it close!
Why are you coming too?
You don't know where the curry stand is!
Hey, you kids!
Watch where you're going!
I'm sorry.
We're in a hurry.
There must be something wrong with you.
Seriously, kids these days...
Why does she have to yell at us?
We have to hurry!
Yeah!
This is bad! It's already been fifteen minutes!
We didn't make it in time.
If I'd have just run a little faster, I might've been able to save her.
I see. When you can't save someone you know will die,
it feels as if you killed them yourself.
That's why Kuroha can't let anyone die.
I'm surprised no one died, given how destructive that crash was.
Yeah, me too.
Excuse me, what did you just say?
He got distracted while driving, but it doesn't look like he hit anyone.
I still haven't paid it off yet!
What, no one died?
So Kana's forecast was just dead wrong?
That's strange. What's going on?
The woman on the bicycle from earlier...
I get why no one died now.
That's the woman who was going to be run over by the car.
But because she almost crashed into us, it threw off the timing.
Seriously. If it weren't for us, they'd be snapping pictures of her right about now.
Don't say things like that.
I'm really glad that no one died, though.
Yeah, me too.
Where's Maki-chan?!
What did you do with her? Maki-chan has nothing to do with this!
She's a normal human!
Let her go!
As I'm sure you're aware, she is a witness to your magic,
so we cannot afford to let her live any more than we can you.
Where are the other runaway witches?
I don't know! I really don't know!
We all ran in different directions!
Eject it.
No! Stop!
I won't run away again! Please, stop!
Please!
Go hunt down the remaining witches.
I'm hungry! I'm hungry!
I'm hungry!
I'm hungry, too.
I'll go forage in the mountains.
No! I've had enough of wild grasses!
Don't be spoiled.
Hey. What's with all the clamor?
Neko, could it be?
What's that nice smell?
Wow, you found out right away.
I bought you some food.
What is it? What's inside?!
Yakisoba bread.
Yakisoba bread?!
And cake.
Cake!
By the way, can you even eat?
O-Of course, you dunce!
I'd die if I didn't eat!
Kana-chan can't bite down, but she can drink liquids.
Hey, can we open the cake?
Huh? S-Sure.
Kana-chan, look. It's cake!
Whoa, it's been ten years!
It's such a pretty cake...
Cute!
Have they not eaten proper food since they escaped?
Let's eat the cake together.
Just a minute.
Straight to the cake?
The cute cake...
The fact that you can use a blender means you have electricity, right?
Yes. But we don't get gas, so we use firewood to boil water and cook.
Firewood...
Wasn't that delicious, Kana-chan?
We'll save the rest of the cake for later.
Um, that was supposed to be my cake.
What? Are you crying over this?!
Hey! Don't make Neko cry!
Fine, I got it. You can have it.
R-Really?
I'll put this cake away, then.
Isn't this great, Neko?
What's this feeling?
It's like I want to stay here forever...
Is it because Kuroha looks like Kuroneko?
Seriously, just how much did I like her?
Thanks for everything today.
It's fine. Don't worry about it.
I'll bring stuff again sometime.
Hey, I...
Huh? What is it?
I'm going to participate in the summer trip.
It's not like I'm doing it for you.
I just haven't seen the ocean in a long time.
I see.
I'm going to go to school, too.
It'd be weird for me only to go on the trip, right?
Wh-What happened to you?
What, is there something wrong with me going?
No, that's not it.
You're bleeding.
H-Hey!
Are you okay, Kuroha?
Kuroha?
The next day, Kuroha didn't come to school.
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.