Stepped on...
your shadow!
My turn to be "it"!
You'll never catch me! I'm a crabbity crab!
Gotta catch the crab...
Step, step!
How do we get Manaka back to normal?
How do you get someone to be able to fall in love again?!
I do not know the answer to that.
It's possible it will return when the time comes, and it's possible it may never return.
But...
Hikari, you understand now, don't you?
There are indeed some things in this world you cannot do anything about.
Stepped on your shadow, Hii!
Step!
Hikari!
Dad asked me to pick something up for him.
It's at the fishery cooperative. Could you come help me?
S-Sure.
Do you need me too?
No, that's okay.
Can you keep an eye on Akira instead?
'Kay!
'Kay! 'Kay, 'kay!
furitsumoru konayuki ga mau
Little snowflakes dance in the air
akiramekaketa yume ga mata namiutsu
I'd almost given up on my dream, but it washes in again,
ano hi no mama de
like it did so long ago
kawaranai egao mitsumeta
I watched your frozen smile,
somaru hoho ni fureta kaze ga
and the wind turning my cheeks red
sora takaku nuketa
disappeared high into the sky
I was always looking at you, never far away,
and yet you seemed out of my reach.
doushite
Why?
to toikaketa koe mo yureru
Even your voice is rough as it asks me
yurayura minamo ni ukanda
The moon's reflection quivered on the waters,
tsuki wa nanimo kataranai
and it told us nothing about the future
tada no boukansha
The moon merely watched us
onaji ne nigiru te ga itai
We hold hands even though it hurts
Episode Twenty-Three
Who Do These Feelings Belong To?
Quit trying to act so grown-up.
Huh?
I'm sure you thought you'd try to save me from the situation, but...
Thanks.
You've been a real crybaby lately,
so someone has to act the adult here.
Shut up.
Back then, she said...
she wanted to tell me something as soon as we were done with the Boatdrift Ceremony.
Oh, I see.
I've been wondering what it was, but I think...
she was gonna ask Tsumugu out.
Where did that come from?!
Huh?
If she told you she wanted to talk and made such a big deal out of it,
then it's pretty obvious to me the one Manaka wanted to ask out was...
You think it was me?
Uh...
That's not gonna happen.
Huh?
That's definitely not gonna happen.
"Definitely"...
Let's talk to everyone about what Lord Uroko said.
Huh?
Everyone?
Including Manaka.
Manaka too?
Yeah.
Because if it were about me...
If it were me, I'd want to know.
There's no way we can do that.
That's "definitely" not gonna happen either?
Her ability to fall in love...
There's nothing we can do about the sacrifice.
But we might be able to do something about Manaka's condition,
so I wanna try to think of a way.
Is this something you can just think up a solution to?
We're talking about someone's feelings.
It's different from trying to find the sea village or trying to wake up Mukaido.
But if we don't do something—
To be honest,
how much harm is there in not being able to fall in love?
Manaka looks like she's having fun.
It doesn't seem to bother her at all.
That's not the issue here!
What do you think, Chisaki?
Huh?
I-I...
I might...
actually be a little relieved.
Chisaki!
Anyway, I think that depends on the person.
I don't think it's something we can all just solve like we usually do—
How self-centered can you be?!
Sayu?
You guys think you can just decide someone's better off without the ability to love?
You haven't even asked Manaka about it!
Sayu...
What the hell?
You think she's better off not knowing?
Stop trying to act all mature!
You're still a kid, too!
You're so stupid!
Sayu.
You know,
there's something wrong with you guys.
What?
It makes me sick.
Ugh, this is pissing me off!
Sayu.
It's so stupid!
Love is really important!
Everyone should be able to feel it!
Right, Miuna?
Wait!
Are you okay leaving the others?
Yeah. That's enough for today.
Damn it. Stupid Kaname.
Don't call him stupid!
Didn't you just do that?
It's different when I say it!
What?
Anyway, I have homework to do.
Bye!
I'll never understand her.
Sayu...
There they are!
There!
Akira wanted to come find you guys.
I-I see.
DANGER: Demolition Site
Keep Out
.
Ugh, Akira!
We're never going to make it home with Akira in tow.
This isn't so bad every now and then.
Manaka?
What's that shining thing?
Hold on a sec.
Rock!
It's from a red-bellied sea slug.
Wow, those are rare.
Oh yeah!
I told a red-bellied sea slug something once.
What was it?
Hm...
Huh?
I wonder what it was.
I can't quite remember.
Hikari?
Oh, well...
You know this rock?
If you tell a sea slug your feelings,
it'll tell you what will come of them.
If it spits up a white rock,
your wish will come true.
Doesn't it mean your feelings are true?
If your feelings are misplaced, it'll spit up a black rock.
You hold on to this.
Huh?
Make sure you take really good care of it!
O-Okay.
That's Manaka's rock.
How do you know?
Just a hunch.
Look at the color and shape.
It's flat and looks clumsy.
Rocks can be clumsy?
Manaka said she told the sea slug something but couldn't remember what it was, right?
Yeah.
In other words, whatever Manaka told the sea slug
has something to do with falling in love with someone.
I see.
I guess I'll just have to ask Tsumugu.
What?
If her feelings were so strong that she talked to a sea slug about them,
I think she'll be able to remember.
If she has help from the person she loves,
it'll happen for sure.
Hikari...
But you know,
if Manaka's ability to fall in love does come back...
Um...
What?
It's just...
I'm just saying I can sort of understand where Kaname and Chisaki were coming from.
That's all!
Oh, that.
The "if I don't love anyone, I won't be sad" thing?
You were saying that the other day—
well, five years ago.
Oh!
If I don't love anyone, I won't be so sad!
It's true that I don't know what will happen.
Just like Kaname and Chisaki said,
it might be easier if she doesn't remember.
But...
After seeing you guys, I think that's definitely wrong.
Hey! Don't get in the way!
You're the ones who showed me.
Dummy!
What?
Hey, wait a minute!
You were all able to love Akari,
Your butt's hanging out!
and look how happy you are now.
That's why I want her to remember
what it feels like to love someone.
Hikari...
Manaka, I went ahead and took my bath.
Oh, sure.
I'll take one a little later.
Are you not feeling well?
No, that's not it.
I just keep hearing the sound of waves in my head.
The sound of waves?
I wonder why Hii told me to take care of this rock.
Huh?
He's trying really hard to do something for me.
But I don't know why.
Can't you just ask him?
He would have told me already if he wanted to.
This rock is pretty,
but when I look at it, the world stops making sense,
and I feel weird.
Manaka...
Manaka's ability to fall in love was taken away.
So where her love was,
there is now a hole,
and it's screaming.
It's screaming that it's lonely.
Manaka, would it be okay if I borrowed that rock?
Huh? But...
I won't do anything bad to it.
I'll make it so you can take even better care of it.
Even better care of it?
Yes.
I promise.
On my life!
You're funny, Miuna.
Y-You think so?
Yeah, you're cute.
Back when you were little, and now, too.
Hikari is thinking of Manaka more than himself.
You're up early.
Oh, good morning.
It's right before exams, and I'll probably be home late,
so I thought I'd make extra for dinner, too.
I see.
Make sure you keep eating your vegetables when you go back to the university.
When you get really wrapped up in something,
you forget to eat properly.
I know.
Make sure you sleep properly, too.
You're not allowed to just nap on the sofa or the floor.
That won't make you feel any less tired.
I know.
You sure you didn't need to tell the others?
I'm just going back to the university. No need to make a big deal about it.
That's cold.
Can I ask you something too?
What?
Why would you feel relieved if you lost the ability to fall in love?
You're good with your hands, Miuna.
So, last night,
I was thinking...
What?
I really wouldn't like to lose the ability to fall in love.
It's better to be able to love someone,
even if they don't love you back.
Sayu...
These last five years,
the reason I studied so hard,
the reason I'd cry now and then...
was Kaname.
I'm sure it'd be easier for me if I lost the ability to love,
but I wouldn't be who I am right now.
So...
Sayu...
I'm going to ask Kaname out!
Ask—
I don't care how it turns out.
I don't care if he rejects me!
As long as I can come to terms with it.
This is my own problem.
S-Sayu...
Oh, right! I'm on duty today!
I have to write in the log and take it to Teach.
Her own problem, huh...
Miuna!
Manaka.
Huh?
Where are Hikari and the others?
Apparently they already went home.
I see.
Oh, yeah.
Here.
Is that the sea slug's rock?
Wow! It's so pretty!
It's just like Akari's pendant!
You know, the one with all the shells.
Yeah. The one you all helped me with.
Oh, now that you mention it...
It's starting to come back to me.
We all helped make it, didn't we?
I've still got a ways to go.
I have to try harder, right?
Hey, want to try it on?
Emergency Exit
There.
It's so cute!
Thank you, Miuna.
Now I really can take better care of it.
I won't lose it, and I'll always have it close to me!
Won't lose it, huh...
M-Miuna, what's wrong?
I'm sorry.
It's just that you're so pretty.
Huh?!
You're so pretty, and nice, and fun.
You have everything, Manaka.
That's exactly why you mustn't lose anything!
I-It's fine.
I'll take good care of it.
I won't lose it, okay?
Okay...
What are you doing?
Oh, just giving it some water.
And I thought I'd take these home.
Home?
You...
There are limits to what we can research from here.
I'm going back to the university.
Wha... Wait!
What about Manaka?
What?
At least wait until she gets her feelings back!
She's in love with you!
I wanna do whatever I can to get back her ability to love!
If you were able to trigger her feelings...
Trigger her feelings?
How am I supposed to do that?
Huh?
I-I don't know.
Like take her on a date, and...
Kiss her and hold her?
What are you, some kinda pervert?!
Sorry, but I don't feel that way about Mukaido.
Then just act like you do!
It doesn't matter if it's a lie!
Are you sure it's me that Mukaido is in love with?
Of course!
When she looks at you, she gets red in the face
and says your name all sweet.
And that's proof that she loves me?
You're gonna doubt Manaka's feelings?!
Knock it off.
I've had five more years of physical development than you.
Damn it!
Please stop!
Please give up, Hikari.
I'm not going to lie.
Especially if Mukaido does love me.
But why?!
If you say you love her,
Manaka might turn back to normal!
You should never play around with people's feelings.
No matter the reason.
And I'm in love with Chisaki.
Yeah, but...
Huh?
I'm in love with Chisaki.
Chisaki!
Wait, Tsumugu!
I can't breathe.
But if I lose her now...
I can hear it...
like a voice dimly remembered from so long ago.
Mukaido's Ena...
No. It's more than that.
So many feelings drift through these waters.
He doesn't even have Ena! What the hell is he doing?
Tsumugu!
Hey, Tsumugu!
Hikari.
Y-You can talk?
I see.
So this is what it feels like to have Ena.
I get it.
Tsumugu.
Sea.
It's...
Sorry, but will you let me go alone from here?
Huh? Alone?
But you've never even been to the village—
I want to face Chisaki properly. Just the two of us.
Otherwise, I can't move forward.
B-But...
Please.
Tsumugu...
I'm scared.
I'm scared to be alone in Shishio.
Or is it...
T-Tsumugu?!
H-How...
Why are you here in Shishio, Tsumugu?!
I came after you.
That's not what I meant!
You can breathe?
Are you okay?!
Ena?
My parents hated the sea.
They left behind Gramps, who wanted to stay by the sea, and went to the city.
But I love the sea.
So I wanted to stay close by as well.
Tsumugu...
Do you remember?
Five years ago,
when Hikari mistakenly thought that Egawa and the others broke the Wooden Maiden.
Yeah.
That time, you found out the truth
and tried to defend Hikari.
Because if everyone else finds out about this,
I couldn't believe how foolish you were.
Hikari will wind up looking like the bad guy.
I couldn't imagine how someone could make such a spectacle of themselves for others.
You're always so quiet and calm,
and yet sometimes you become so fierce that I can't handle you.
At that time, I...
I thought you were just like the sea.
mugon no kotoba de ayatori shite
I play a silent cat's cradle with my words,
jouzu ni dekita to warattemiru
and decide to grin in satisfaction
tokui na no wa dare ni mo kizukarenu you ni
The only thing that I am truly good at
kokoro oshikorosu koto sore hitotsu dake
is stifling my love so others won't find out
demo torimaku kirei na loop wa
It would be nice
yawai chikara de
if the love of those around me
taguriyosetekureru kara
drew me in gently
azayaka ni
Innocently
musunde kono kimochigoto
I tie my feelings into a rope
hanarenai you ni kataku kataku
so that we will never be apart
hitomusubi hito wo musunde
The knots tie us together,
kitai no yamanai saki he asu he yukou
so let us approach the future with hope in our hearts
Who do you like, Hii?
Why...
My feelings...
Was I mistaken?
Why did it take five years?
Stop acting like the tragic heroine!
This is a man-to-man talk.
The sound of the sea...
Manaka has nothing to do with this.
This is messed up!
Something I can do...
Episode Twenty-Four
Detritus