Love.
Iizuka was holding Manaka-san's things for her...
So obvious.
Jeez, Sayu, you always say stuff like that.
Manaka-san?
Hm?
Your face looks a little...
Oh, it's Hikari.
Huh?
Hii-kun!
That's the sea slug's...
Yep. Miuna-chan made it for me
so I wouldn't lose it.
So you won't... lose it...
The five years I've spent with you...
I've been watching you that whole time.
Living by the sea,
just as I've come to understand the sea,
I think I'm starting to understand you as well.
I've come to know when you'll get angry, laugh, and cry.
And I feel...
I feel that your feelings are for me now.
Did I understand wrong?
L-Let go.
If it was a misunderstanding, I'll let you go.
Tsumugu...
But if it's not...
Stop!
I don't love you, Tsumugu!
The feelings...
are lingering.
Episode Twenty-Four: Detritus
Just five years...
The time I've spent with Tsumugu
is just five years.
I've been with Hikari and the others ever since we were born,
and yet...
Why just after five years...
Tsumugu?
Huh?
You haven't changed at all.
When it comes to the guy you like,
you get weird.
If you don't mind,
tell me how you feel.
If that'll help you feel better...
Don't worry about my feelings.
Kaname...
No matter how hard I tried,
I was always the odd man out.
Even if things didn't work out with you and Hikari,
I knew that it'd be Tsumugu next and not me.
No! I don't love him!
I'm not allowed to love Tsumugu!
That's right...
If I fell in love with anyone other than Hikari...
I thought I'd be betraying everyone still sleeping...
everyone whose time stopped!
I...
I love Hikari!
I made sure I wouldn't forget that!
I always made sure I didn't forget...
When Hikari came back, I was scared.
The fact that I was the only one who became an adult...
Not only that...
I thought he'd see through me
about various things.
But Hikari told me I hadn't changed.
I was so happy...
I still loved Hikari!
Even now...
But!
That doesn't matter anymore.
We're all here now.
We came back.
There's no reason to fool your own feelings.
Manaka loves Tsumugu.
In order to reawaken Manaka's feelings of love,
I can't accept Tsumugu's feelings.
Manaka has nothing to do with this.
She does!
You're also as stubborn as ever.
I hear the sea again...
Manaka-chan, are you done?
Can I come in?
Oh, sure!
Akira wrote a letter today at kindergarten.
Would you read it?
A letter?
Oh, for me?
I love Manaka
"I love... Manaka"?
Being his mom, I can't say I don't have mixed feelings,
but in a way, it sort of makes me happy...
Will you accept it?
What are you being all bashful for?
Right? Manaka-chan...
Huh?
Manaka-chan?!
Aw, man...
Rejected.
It's okay! Don't worry, Akira!
Don't give up.
Hey, don't you know your name means "don't give up"?
I love Manaka
What is this...
Quiet.
Quiet...
Hikari is doing whatever he can to get Manaka-san's
feelings back, no matter how much it hurts him.
The thing that I can do is...
Miuna.
Wh-What?
Manaka's pendant...
I hate to admit it,
but I have a lot to thank you for.
Why would you hate to admit it?
I don't know...
But you made a flag,
and we were able to go to Shioshishio thanks to you, too.
I can't treat you like a little kid anymore...
I don't know,
but I don't think I'll ever be able to repay you.
You're being rather honest.
What?
That's not like you.
I guess if it's for Manaka-san,
you can even change your personality.
H-Hey... Why do you have to say it like that?
The least I can do for Hikari who has feelings for Manaka-san...
I'm going to bed.
Uh, right...
Good night.
...is to make sure that Hikari doesn't find out about my feelings.
Good morning, Hii-kun.
Good morning.
Morning.
Here you go.
A large serving.
Thanks.
Hey, where's Miuna?
She said she was going to school early.
Where are Akari and Akira?
They said they were going to kindergarten early.
What the heck?
I don't hear it this morning.
Hm?
Hey, Hii-kun. Who do you love?
Wh-What are you talking about all of a sudden?
I don't really understand.
I don't know what "love" is...
It's strange.
I know that I love all of you,
but I get the feeling I don't really understand...
Why...
Huh?
Well, you know, it's like that!
"That"?
Yeah, that.
Well, anyway, don't panic.
Things will work out.
"Things"?
Yeah, you know, things!
Huh? What?
What, nothing!
The color in your face looks better today.
Yeah...
So...
Would it be okay if I started living in a dorm next year?
I asked my instructor about it,
and apparently there's a dorm room open.
I can take care of the housing fee with my part-time job...
So...
Do what you want.
Grandpa,
the story you were telling me about the Ojoshi-sama the other day...
After the Sea God took something precious from the Ojoshi-sama,
and she returned to the surface,
what happened?
The man she loved was dead.
What?
He went out to the sea to look for Ojoshi-sama and drowned.
A-And then...?
There was no one waiting for Ojoshi-sama when she came back to the surface.
That's all.
Tsumugu.
Are you headed home?
Y-Yeah.
Did you make that?
Y-Yes.
Is it that obvious?
Not at all.
It's really nice.
The red-bellied sea slug is really happy.
"Red-bellied sea slug"?
The thing that replies if you tell it your feelings?
You really do know everything about the sea.
Hikari, Kaname.
Do you have a minute?
I want to talk to you guys man-to-man.
"Man-to-man"?
Could you curse me one more time?
Huh?
When people ask me to curse them, I really don't feel like doing so.
I can imagine.
What?
You had us come with you so you could say that?
The Ofunehiki.
Huh?
If we offer an Ojoshi-sama,
I think the end of the surface will be delayed.
And Mukaido might get her feelings back.
H-Hey, wait.
What do the Ofunehiki and Manaka have to do with—
Detritus.
The dead bodies of plankton
and the remains of other microorganisms are floating in the sea.
I felt it when my Ena awakened.
The multitude of feelings that are floating in the sea like detritus.
"Multitude of feelings"?
Like what we heard the other day—
all the Sea God's feelings that melted into the sea?
Not just the Sea God's.
I don't know if they were memories that belonged to the people who live in Shishio,
or if they belonged to the swimming fish.
Among the nameless, timeless feelings,
I felt a presence I knew very well.
I'm sure those were Mukaido's feelings.
Oh?
Because Mukaido became the sacrifice,
the scatterings of the Sea God's feelings and the sacred fire's will became one,
and balance was established.
Then if we offer another sacrifice...
Hey!
You aren't suggesting that Manaka be a sacrifice again—
That pendant.
If it holds Mukaido's feelings...
If we put that onto a wooden Ojoshi-sama,
wouldn't that serve as a replacement for Mukaido?
If the Sea God's feelings are led to believe that Mukaido returned,
Mukaido's feelings that were taken may return.
Think about what you're saying one more time.
It's baseless and insane!
I want to at least give it a try.
Will you help us out?
Hold on!
What if we involve a whole bunch of people like last time
and nothing comes out of it again?
I don't think there's a point unless we struggle.
But...
You said something similar five years ago, did you not, Hikari?
Very well.
How amusing. I shall lend a hand.
Uroko-sama!
But an Ofunehiki done just by those on the surface is merely a sham.
Are you still all right with that?
Yes.
Yeah.
It's better to do something than nothing at all.
Thanks.
Request for Volunteers
We're doing it again.
We're doing an Ofunehiki!
Please help us out!
Good!
Wow...
That's amazing...
This many people already showed up.
Everyone's been wanting to do the Ofunehiki again all this time.
Heyo.
Hey, are you—
Hey! Hikari, you really still are a kid!
Damn, talk about a surprise!
Egawa-kun?!
I brought my wife!
Hello.
Thanks for taking good care of him.
I contacted everyone that left as well.
I'm here!
It's been a while!
Everyone!
Hey, Sayama, hold that side!
Brash with people as ever, I see.
This is all...
sort of nostalgic.
Isn't it fun, Hii-kun?
Is the wardrobe moving along?
I wonder if this will really work in the place of the Ojoshi-sama.
We won't know if we don't try.
Yeah...
Manaka took the place of Ojoshi-sama for five years
while I was on the surface, right?
Then this time, I'll—
Chisaki!
Slacker.
So...
You like Chisaki-san.
You found me out?
Stupid!
Huh?
You totally tried to act cool and pretend it was nothing
when you asked out Chisaki-san, didn't you?
And apparently you heard about that, too...
Yeah, I did!
I don't know if she rejected you or what,
but why not attack this more head-on?
You know...
actually show her your pained face like the one you just had.
What good would that do?
If she pities me,
with how Chisaki and I are right now,
it'd be like Akari-san comforting Hikari.
That'd be way too damaging to me.
I did actually think about what would have happened
if I hadn't hibernated.
But I don't think it would have mattered.
Chisaki had some feelings for Tsumugu five years ago...
and I've always been the outsider.
Chisaki's eyes are always looking at someone other than me.
They aren't—
Stop acting like the tragic heroine!
"Heroine"?
Wait, not the hero?
You're the same as Chisaki, aren't you?
Huh?
I've always...
always been watching you...
I've always...
been watching you!
This whole time...
Because you were there...
That's why I was able to try hard.
So you could have some balance!
So you wouldn't treat me like a kid!
So you would see me as an actual girl!
Even while you were gone...
You were right here!
You were right here in my heart!
I see.
Huh?
I was in your heart.
In reality... I was lonely.
When I came back to the surface,
Hikari had Akari-san's family,
and Chisaki had Tsumugu's family.
I thought...
that no one was actually waiting for me.
What the heck...
You are a kid after all.
I am.
Are you disappointed
that the big brother you admired is actually like this?
Don't be so full of yourself.
Should I give you a reply?
I know there's no chance, right?
I had always been looking at Chisaki.
I know that. That's enough already!
I'll actually
start looking at you properly.
Not as a little girl,
but as a girl who's my age.
Would it be okay if I started there?
About my future with you?
You're so condescending.
Hey...
What?
Thanks.
Hikari!
I'm gonna head home soon.
All right.
Could you take Miuna home on your way back?
Sure. Hop on.
But...
I'll be counting on you again tomorrow...
actually, today.
Okay...
Thank you.
Sure thing!
You still haven't gone home?
Yeah.
The dawn is so pretty.
I see...
You seem down, Hii-kun.
Yeah...
Since that day, you know,
a lot has changed.
I'm scared that it might happen again...
I'm looking forward to it.
Manaka...
I don't know what will happen,
but right now, I'm with everyone...
And being with everyone is fun.
I see...
You know,
I have someone that I'm in love with.
Really?!
Yeah.
That's amazing!
Tell me!
I don't really get that feeling...
Oh, hey!
Who is it that you love, Hii-kun?
Saying who you love isn't that easy.
I-I see...
I'm no good, am I?
You'll understand soon enough...
Yeah.
As soon as the Ofunehiki is over.
When the Ofunehiki is over?
Let's make the Ofunehiki a success.
I'll wave that flag as hard as I can.
"Flag"?
Okay!
I love Namaka...
I love Manaka-san.
The sound of waves...
It hurts...
I love you, Manaka...
Love is...
Episode Twenty-Five: Love is Like the Sea
Love is like the sea.