Access granted.
Here we go!
Please give us your signatures to keep Sakura Hall from closing!
If two-thirds of all students show their support,
we can protest the school's decision.
Please help us.
Please show your support!
This is harder than I expected.
It has nothing to do with the other students.
Hey, I heard Sakura Hall's in trouble.
Miyahara-kun.
I'll support you.
We oppose the closing of Sakura Hall!!
Good luck.
Um, Miyahara-kun...
I...
Thank you for everything.
I'll tell my friends about it.
Sure, thanks.
See you later.
Thanks, Miyahara!
Please give us your signatures to keep Sakura Hall from closing!
We oppose the closing of Sakura Hall!!
We spent all morning gathering signatures and only managed three.
#20 In Order To Keep Saying We're Home
Kamiigusa-senpai and Mitaka-senpai should be...
going around the third year classrooms right now.
Kanda.
Akasaka, what happened to you this morning?
We agreed to gather signatures together.
What's this?
Suimei University of the Arts High School
Board Meeting Minutes (2012)
Obviously, the minutes of the board meetings.
What?!
Mitaka-senpai was curious about them.
Reading them should make it clear what the board was thinking.
You got this from hacking?!
Is it all right for us to do something like this?!
Do you really think I'd do anything that'd get me caught?
That's not the problem...
Take a look at the first page.
It's the specialist's report on the condition of Sakura Hall.
"In the name of safety, residents should be moved out...
and the building torn down within five years."
Five years is a long way off.
In other words, there's no reason for us to leave in such a hurry.
Keep reading.
Vice Principal
I agree. Shiina Mashiro should be moved into the regular dorms immediately and made to focus on studying art.
Shiina...
Vice Principal
Sengoku-sensei is Shiina Mashiro's cousin.
Because of this, we have respected Sengoku-sensei's opinions and tried to settle this as amicably as possible.
Shiina...
Shiina's name keeps coming up.
They're skirting the issue,
but simply put, it seems that keeping Shiina Mashiro in Sakura Hall...
is inconvenient for them.
What?
The board feels that Shiina using her artistic talents for manga...
is a threat to the school.
They must do something before the school is accused...
of squandering Shiina's talent.
Having determined it to be a negative influence on Shiina,
they decided to tear down Sakura Hall.
Hold on!
Shiina's decision to become a manga artist...
has nothing to do with Sakura Hall!
The board doesn't seem to think so.
I'm going to explain the situation to the principal!
Wait, Kanda-kun!
Kanda-kun, wait!
If I were the principal, I would ask you the following:
How did you find out about the contents of the meeting minutes?
You don't intend to blurt out that we hacked into...
the school's servers, do you?
We'll be even worse off if you say something like that.
Besides, Sengoku-sensei explains Shiina's manga and Sakura Hall...
have nothing to do with each other.
Sengoku
As I have stated repeatedly, Shiina Mashiro did not begin drawing manga because of Sakura Hall.
She began drawing manga before coming to Japan.
You're right.
It seems Chihiro-sensei's persistence has kept Sakura Hall from closing.
So what are we supposed to do?
We can't just do nothing!
What should we do?
The answer seems pretty obvious to me.
Shiina's presence in Sakura Hall is their reason for tearing it down.
The solution's there for all to see, isn't it?
Shut up.
Kanda, your time is more valuable than anyone's right now.
What about your preparations for the game title screening?
It would be smarter to settle this quickly...
and focus all your attention on that.
I said shut up!
Mashiro.
Were you listening?
Never mind, it's nothing.
Is something wrong?
I got Shiho to write her name.
We oppose the closing of Sakura Hall!!
I see.
There are people in your class who'll support us.
How many more do we need?
A lot. Enough to fill this notebook.
I'll go ask more people.
Most of the third years aren't on campus at the moment.
In other words, getting signatures from two-thirds of all the students...
would mean we need nearly all of the first and second years to sign.
I know that.
Even if you do get enough signatures,
as long as Shiina stays in Sakura Hall,
there's no guarantee the board will reverse its decision.
I don't understand.
The solution's staring you in the face.
Why are you casting it aside?
Don't you care if Shiina leaves Sakura Hall?
It doesn't matter how I feel.
It's the best option.
That's not—
How can Sakura Hall be Sakura Hall...
if someone who belongs there is missing?
I don't want anyone to leave.
Year 2012
Sakura Hall Resident List
I want Shiina and Aoyama,
Misaki-senpai, Jin-san, and Chihiro-sensei...
and you to stay in Sakura Hall.
All of you are my precious friends!
Let me ask you this, then.
Are your precious friendships so fragile that...
you would lose them just because a building is torn down?
No.
Such weak bonds would soon dissolve anyway.
I told you, they're not!
Even if you're able to protect Sakura Hall,
half of the residents will have left by next year.
You should think about that, too.
They're graduating, so it can't be helped, but...
What are you talking about?
You're the one who's leaving, Ponytail.
What?
The results of your audition should be out soon.
If you pass, you'll start working for a voice acting agency.
Your financial burdens will decrease,
and you won't need to live in Sakura Hall anymore.
Sakura Hall isn't a place one chooses to live in.
Once your issues resolve themselves, you can't stay.
There isn't much time left.
It may be better to spend your time with the other residents...
instead of wasting time trying to collect signatures.
If I pass my audition, I'll have to move back to the regular dorms.
I'd forgotten all about it.
You should be getting your results back soon.
Yeah. Every day when I go back to Sakura Hall, I get nervous.
I know how you feel.
I promised my dad I'd go back home if I don't pass.
Whether I pass or not,
I'll only be able to stay in Sakura Hall until spring.
Aoyama...
I'll still work hard to get those signatures.
I don't want Sakura Hall to disappear.
Can you only stay at your training school for two years?
Yeah.
Pass or fail, you graduate after two years.
I see.
That's kinda definite, isn't it?
If only they'd let you stay as long as you wanted.
I think the deadline forces some people to give up.
Telling someone to stop when...
they can't do something is a form of kindness.
Subject: My beloved Ryunosuke
Mashiro told me about Sakura Hall being torn down. Is there anything I can do? Rita
Ryunosuke-sama is currently at school.
He does not have any time for a former freeloader.
Wait.
Mashiro told me Ryunosuke isn't helping them get signatures.
Why not?
It has nothing to do with you.
If there's some reason for it, please tell me.
I'm worried.
If Sakura Hall disappears,
Ryunosuke may become even more alone than he is now.
Aren't you concerned for him, as well?
A bug has been encountered.
Beware of electrical currents.
It happened in middle school.
Ryunosuke-sama decided to make a game with his friends.
At first, things went smoothly.
However, Ryunosuke-sama's skills were already very advanced,
and the others were unable to meet his requests.
Ryunosuke-sama was frustrated and occasionally criticized them very harshly.
Ryunosuke-sama became isolated and was removed from the group.
They never invited him to join them again.
I have recovered from my system failure.
Please do not contact me again.
Farewell.
Shiina-san?
You're still here?
Shiho, thanks for signing my notebook.
That's a big canvas.
What are you going to paint?
The screening meeting will take place on March 7th.
You won't need to make a presentation this time.
The meeting begins at 11,
and the results should be posted roughly 30 minutes after that.
I'll let you know as soon as possible.
Shiina's presence in Sakura Hall is their reason for tearing it down.
How many more do we need?
I'll only be able to stay in Sakura Hall until spring.
What about your preparations for the game title screening?
Kanda-kun.
You seem out of it today.
I-I'm sorry.
Is there something bothering you besides the title screening?
W-Well, I...
Why don't we take a break?
What? We don't need to...
Two coffees.
I'm sorry.
I see.
I had a similar experience once.
Just before graduating from college,
I was busy preparing to start this job.
At the same time,
a girl I was interested in was having trouble...
deciding what she wanted to do.
Should she become an artist or an art teacher?
But I didn't have time to worry about her.
If you can't give up one,
there must be a way to manage both without choosing one or the other.
It doesn't matter which...
you choose as long as...
you consider what you want to do and what you should do.
What I want to do?
Yes.
What would you like to do? Should we continue?
Yes, please.
Title Screening Meeting
March 7th.
That's the day before the graduation ceremony.
What? Today was your last day?
Yeah.
Today was my last day after taking lessons...
for two years.
Two years.
Yeah.
Two years, huh?
Why did you say it twice?
I was just thinking... that's a long time.
Yeah, I guess you're right.
Hey, listen...
What?
Why do you want to become a voice actor?
In elementary school,
my teacher complimented me when I was reading aloud.
That's when it all started.
I became more interested in voice-over work...
and eventually decided to give it a try.
When I talked to my father about it, he was extremely opposed.
But that just made me more determined.
Simple, right?
That momentum might be necessary...
when you're setting out to achieve something.
You're right.
The same goes for collecting signatures.
Let's take that momentum and give it our best shot!
It'd be great if we both passed and Sakura Hall didn't get torn down.
Yeah.
Welcome home.
We're back.
What are you doing?
I was looking at Sakura Hall.
This arrived.
Okay.
I failed.
You couldn't have...
I did all I could.
I don't have any regrets.
Oh well. It's over.
Aoyama.
It's okay.
I'm not crying.
Don't push yourself too hard.
If I cry now, I'll end up being good for nothing.
I don't want to stop gathering signatures...
when Sakura Hall might be torn down.
I don't want to end up like that.
Kamiigusa-senpai and Mitaka-senpai are about to graduate, too.
I don't want to make them worry.
I want to send them off with a smile.
I'll be fine until graduation.
I'll cry a river after the ceremony.
Listen, kouhai-kun!
Why are you wearing that?
I came up with a great idea to get lots more signatures!
I call it my costume plan!
The critters of the forest are watching!
You're going to gather signatures wearing that?!
That's right!
Well, I'm not wearing that.
Oh, you definitely will!
Please help us gather signatures!
Don't interrupt their practice!
What a situation this is...
Nanami has so much energy.
Yeah.
This is some turn of events.
Did Misaki tell her, "I'll stop chasing them if you wear a costume, too"?
"That's not what you promised," she says.
Don't worry so much, Sorata.
But when I think of how Aoyama must feel...
Aoyama-san's probably trying way too hard to be strong.
But right now, she wants to act cheerful for the sake of Sakura Hall.
We should do everything we can, too.
If Sakura Hall disappears now, Aoyama-san will be beyond saving.
Incoming Call
International Call
Former Freeloader
Ryunosuke-sama, you have an incoming...
international call from Rita Ainsworth-sama.
I'm busy. Ignore her.
What's wrong?
I believe her reason for calling may be important.
I recommend you answer her call.
It's me.
Please give us your signatures to keep Sakura Hall from closing!
Please!
Jin-san's right.
Please show your support!
We can't give up when Aoyama's working so hard.
Please!
I don't waste my efforts on meaningless pursuits.
That's all there is to it.
I understand your reasoning.
But I'm asking about your feelings.
I heard that you had a painful experience in middle school.
I tried to abandon art and move away from Mashiro,
so I understand how you feel.
If you're only going to be disappointed,
you may as well abandon it before you start.
It's natural to think like that.
But I've kept on painting.
I still consider Mashiro a friend.
It's because I had Sorata, Nanami, Misaki, Jin... and you, Ryunosuke.
Ryunosuke, Sakura Hall must be important to you, too.
You have true friends who won't abandon or betray you now.
You must treasure those people.
Let's work hard again today.
Yeah.
Those first years...
They filled in our Nyapollon review survey at the culture festival.
They might give us their signatures.
Do I need to sign this one, too?
What?
I wrote my name in the notebook in the PC Lab.
It was on the homepage.
This is it.
It was in this classroom.
Look at this.
There was a link on the school's site.
Please give us your signature to keep Sakura Hall open
Information about Sakura Hall being torn down is summarized clearly.
Surely not...
It's gotta be.
There's only one guy who could've done this.
Dragon!
Stay back!
What are you doing?
Thanks for putting the notebook in the PC Lab.
Thanks so much.
Optimizing an impossible amount of work and making it possible...
is a programmer's job.
Anyway, get off of me!
You should have told us you were working on this.
That's right. Why didn't you say anything?
A programmer works in silence.
I'm starting to feel good about this.
Dragon, you'll wear a costume and collect signatures with us starting tomorrow!
What?
Anything but that!
And that's 100.
Sorata.
What is it?
What are you doing?
Counting signatures.
We've got about 300 signatures.
We're still a long way from our target of two-thirds, though.
What's wrong?
I like Sakura Hall.
So do I. So does everyone else.
Jin-san and Misaki-senpai, Aoyama and Akasaka...
Even Chihiro-sensei does.
That's why we protect it.
Yeah.
I will protect Sakura Hall.
We'll all do it together.
You're right.
It's better together.
I didn't think collecting signatures would be this hard.
#21 It's Not Anyone's Fault That It Rains
Can we sign our own names?
Why don't I use this as an opportunity...
to trick Jin into signing a marriage register?
Ah, good idea!