So, how do you like our new parfait?
It's so sweet and cold and delicious!
That's all you care about, huh?
My ice cream!!
Episode 9
Yellow Jackets Are Diuranal
Jeez, that Daigo.
I wondered why he wanted
to go all the way to town.
Go figure: a dirty bookstore tour.
What's that supposed to be, anyway?
Huh?
Sakai?
Hoshino.
What are you doing here all alone?
Sakai!
Do you have a fever?
You don't.
So then... what's wrong?
I'm... hungry.
I guess when you're starving,
even you eat like that.
No, I didn't mean it like that!
I actually prefer that.
So I guess you like girls who eat a lot.
Well... actually...
Anyway... what happened?
Why were you dying on the side of the road?
I ran away from home.
You ran away?!
It's when you leave
your home with no intention of returning,
without telling anyone in advance.
I know what it means!
I got into a fight with my dad
and I just ran out.
I didn't bring my wallet
or a change of clothes or anything.
So now what are you going to do?
Don't look at me like that!
I'm already freeloading at Yorozuyo.
I understand.
Thanks for the food.
I'll figure something out.
Sakai!
Hello?
Sakai...
Is this your room?
It's small, but you can stay here for now.
Oh, the ceiling slopes, so be caref-
Brother, you're home!
Uh, yeah...
Sis says it's dinner time.
Okay.
Aren't you coming?
Uh... I've got this thing I need to do.
Just tell her I'll be right there.
Okay.
What are you going to do for dinner?
I had a lot of food before,
so I'm fine for the rest of the day.
Oh, okay.
I'm going to go eat, so please wait here for me.
Wet Wipes
I'm sorry I kept you waiting.
Kazuma, is everything okay? Why are you yelling?
Uh, it's nothing!
J-just a yellow jacket that flew into my room.
Yellow jackets are diurnal insects;
they don't fly around at night.
Whatever!!
Are you sure you're okay?
I-I-I'm fine!
It already flew out!
What were you doing anyway?
I was sweaty
so I wanted to wipe myself down.
You could've just said something!
I would have brought you a moist towel or something.
It's fine, I've put on my clothes.
Don't scare me like that.
If Sis finds out you're in here, she'll...
I forgot to put that back on.
This feels so good.
Nothing beats a bath after a long day of work!
You can sleep here tonight.
Where are you going to sleep?
I'll sleep on the floor.
I can't let you do that.
I'm the one who is imposing myself,
so I'll sleep on the floor.
I know,
but I can't let a girl sleep on the floor
and take the bed myself.
Then let's do it this way.
If we do this, we can both sleep on the futon.
Uhm... this is a little...
I never toss and turn so it'll be fine.
It's more that...
I won't kick you or anything.
Uh huh...
So, why did you have a fight with your dad?
Oh, you don't have to tell me if you don't want to.
I want to go to a university in Tokyo,
but my dad is against it.
He thinks that if I go to the big city,
I'll never want to come back.
Just smelling sake makes me feel woozy,
so I could never produce it.
I could help on the business side though.
Which is why I thought I could
go to a university and study management or product development.
Those are the kind of things I'd really like to study.
Then I could get our sake to even more people, in different ways.
in all kinds of forms.
So this is what
you talked to your father about?
I've tried to, many many times.
The first time I told him
I wanted to go to a university in Tokyo,
he just yelled at me.
The next time I tried,
my mom and dad got into a fight with each other.
The next time, my dad yelled at me again.
The next time,
there was panic because of a fire.
The next time I tried,
some customers came in right then.
And then the next time I tried to say something...
I think I get it.
You haven't had a chance to talk about it yet.
I feel like I never will.
I'm sure you will.
You've just got to wait for the right opportunity.
That's right.
Hoshino?
What?
I'm sorry.
Oh, you don't have to apologize.
You needed help and I happened to be-
That's not what I mean.
I'm talking about when we first met.
You said my charm was cute
but I misunderstood and got mad at you.
Oh, that...
Don't mock me!
I've been wanting
to apologize for that for so long,
but I never could and
it's really been bothering me.
Sakai.
You just said something you've been
wanting to say for a long time.
I'm sure it'll be the same with your dad.
One of these days, you'll be able to tell him.
Hoshino...
Yes?
Thank you.
Kazuma, it's time to get up.
You can't sleep all day
just because it's summer vacation.
Kazuma, are you awake?
I want to fold up the futon, so I'm opening the door.
One moment, please!
I understand the circumstances.
I don't like that you didn't tell me
from the very beginning, but...
When a bird begs for shelter, even a hunter...
is surprised?
When a bird begs for shelter,
even a hunter can't kill it.
That's it! That's exactly it!
So, as the landlady of Yorozuyo,
I can't watch you suffer.
But.
If you don't work, you don't eat.
You'll be expected to
help out like an intern while you live here.
Understood?
You look good!
So why do I have to do this too?
Tsumugi left yesterday to go on vacation
with her family and
I'd already been thinking it would be nice to have an extra person!
All right, you two, I'm counting on you.
A Bridge To the Starry Skies
Hoshizora E Kakaru Hashi
Welc-
Dad?!
So it's true! You really are working at Yorozuyo as an intern!
Looks like I have to clean the entrance next.
Jeez, Sis sure doesn't mess around...
No.
You're coming with me!
Hey! Stop that!
Who the hell are you?
Well, who the hell are you?
Dad, please...
Dad?
So then he's your...
You're that kid from the big city!
So you're the one
who has been giving her all these ideas!
No, he hasn't.
Hoshino doesn't have anything to do with this.
Shut up!
Just shut your mouth!
"Just shut your mouth"...
No wonder she can't tell you anything,
when you just yell at her
without listening.
And look where it's gotten you.
Are you trying to tell me how to talk to my daughter?
She wants to
go to college to help you with your business!
What?
She wants to get your sake out to more people.
That's why she wants to go to a university!
Is that true, Hina?
Then why didn't you just say that?!
Because you never let her talk!
Shut up and stay out of this!
I won't!
You damn brat!
You think you're hot stuff,
just because you came from a big city?
That's enough.
Mr. Sakai, I can't have you
behave violently here at Yorozuyo.
It only went this far because this little punk was giving me lip!
But I'm taking my daughter home now!
Kazuma is a very important guest here.
Since your daughter came to him for help,
she is essentially a guest as well.
And here at Yorozuyo,
we definitely don't let
our important customers get snatched away,
no matter what!
Sakai Sake
Honey,
the Yorozuyo innkeeper called just now.
She said that our daughter
was going to be staying there for awhile,
so we don't need to worry.
Are you listening?
I know you're not really asleep.
Ouch!
What the hell are you doing?!
See?
I knew you weren't asleep.
You idiot!
I would've jumped ten feet straight up
if you'd done that while I was really asleep!
So, the innkeeper told me
why Hina wants to go to college.
She said it was so she could help us here with our business.
I gave birth to a good kid.
Hey, you're not the only one who made her.
So what are you going to do?
What are you talking about?
It's not like I can't understand
that you want to keep her close
because she's our only daughter,
but you should think about what she wants, too.
You think I don't know that?!
Of course...
I know that.
What?
Her dad is challenging me to a duel?
Not a duel, per se. It's a challenge to tug-of-war.
Tug-of-war?
It's an old tradition in these parts.
Whenever the villagers had a dispute,
they would settle it by electing their strongest representatives,
who would then have a tug-of-war
on the grounds of the Kotama Shrine.
There are stories from when my grandmother was alive
where romantic disputes were settled
with a game of tug-of-war.
I would never have imagined that anybody
would suggest something like that nowadays.
But why does he want to have a round of tug-of-war with me?
It looks like he's under the impression
that you're a bad seed trying to corrupt his daughter.
A bad seed?
Well, what are you going to do?
Will you accept his challenge?
You don't have to accept it.
I don't want to cause you any more trouble.
No. I'm going to do it.
I'm going to show that stubborn old guy!
If Kazuma wins, she can do as she pleases,
but if Mr. Sakai wins, she'll have to go back home.
You got it?
Yes!
It looks like we're all ready.
Sis... do I really have to wear this?
Of course you do!
This is a ritual being performed at the shrine,
which means you must be dressed in the proper attire.
And what are all these people doing here?
Kazuma...
Ayumu! Why are you dressed like this too?
'Cuz.
Sis told me that I have to wear this
if I really want to show you my support.
All right.
This is a holy match laid down before the gods.
Make sure that you won't hold a grudge afterwards.
Young people have such nice butts.
I wish my butt was as smooth.
I wouldn't mind trading my rusty rear for that one.
You said it!
Ladies!
A holy match is about to commence,
so please refrain from watching it with the wrong eyes?!
Will you both please pick up the rope?
Begin!
Get him, Kazuma!
Hoshino...
Come on, Sakai!
Don't lose to that youngster!
I don't know who's going to win anymore!
Dad...
Sakai, please make sure to fulfill your dream!
It's over!
The match is decided!
Kazuma!
Sakai...
This is... uh...
Sakai?
Honey, are you okay?
Here we go.
Are you ready to eat?
Dad's still not here.
Just let him be.
He's been in a bad mood ever since the match.
He just stays locked in his room.
I guess he still hasn't forgiven me.
No, no!
His plan was to challenge Hoshino with a crazy proposal
and then lose to him on purpose.
Apparently he wanted to do the
"do things for your daughter without her noticing" spiel.
But before he went easy on the boy,
he let himself get all serious and burned himself out.
You saw how it ended.
It didn't go the way he planned.
It ended badly, so now he's sulking.
I guess he's getting old.
Even if he was fast,
he used to make up for it with the number of times he-
Hey, where are you going?
Dad...
Are you really sulking?
Dad,
that's cute.
Damn it, don't mock your fath-
It's also cute that you're embarrassed.
Dad...
Thank you.
Ayumu, it's time for the preview.
Oh, he's asleep.
That's fine, I'll just do it for him.
Next time on A Bridge to the Starry Skies: Episode 10
A Ring, Floating...
Episode 10
A Ring, Floating...
Dragonflies. There are dragonflies there!
Dragonflies... I wonder what he's dreaming about.
Now there's a Rat snake.
Rat snake?!
Oh, a cobra!
It's Kazuma's King Cobra!
Ayumu, run away!