I will protect Sakura Hall.
We'll all do it together.
You're right.
It's better together.
Please give us your signature!
Please lend your support!
Please help us gather signatures to keep Sakura Hall open!
Please give us your signature!
Please.
Please give us your support!
Please help us gather signatures!
Please.
Hey, you!
You look like you want to give us your signature!
Hey, wait!
Okay, okay!
That's right.
We'll do it together.
You can do it, Sakura Hall!
We support you!
Sorata-kun, give it your best shot!
Don't give up!
Guts! It takes guts!
Tomorrow's formation has been decided!
I feel like I'm on a school trip...
How's this, kouhai-kun?
Great. Thank you very much.
Please give us your support!
Please!
Thank you very much!
But...
Oh, perfect timing.
I thought I'd have to come back later.
Ayano, what are you doing here?
This.
You finally got a cover!
Congratulations, Mashiron!
That's great, Mashiro.
Yes, it's great.
But...
Come on, it's the last spurt!
We all knew.
Kouhai-kun's Game Title Screening Last Day to Gather Signatures | Graduation Ceremony
Tomorrow's our last day!
There were only a few more days we could spend like this...
Show some spirit!
All together, everyone. Ready, and...
Spirit!
#21 It's Not Anyone's Fault That It Rains
Please show your support!
Please help us gather signatures!
Please show your support!
We can't get any.
What are you painting?
It's a secret.
Oh...
Total: 335 People
Game Title Screening
Aoyama...
Aoyama-san?
What? What's wrong with Nanami?
I don't know. She seems to be crying...
Sensei, Aoyama doesn't seem to be feeling well,
so I'll take her to the nurse's office.
O-Okay, please do.
Let's go, Aoyama.
I'm okay now.
You should go back to class.
But...
Call me if you need anything, then.
Promise you'll call me.
Incoming Call Fujisawa Kazuki
Kanda here.
Thanks for all your hard work. It's Fujisawa.
Thanks for all your work.
Do you have a minute?
Yes.
The game title screening meeting is over.
Unfortunately, we didn't make it this time.
Kanda-kun.
Yes?
It turns out a second music game...
had been submitted to the game title screening.
Rhythm Battler
I can't give details,
but it uses songs from a popular musical anime...
and Vocaloid songs popular on the internet.
It's a simple game following the system of previous music games,
but that title passed the screening meeting this time.
Are you saying that they don't need two music games?
Yes, that would be the main reason.
That's... That's not...
If I had moved through our meetings faster and submitted it...
to the game title screening sooner...
No, I'm grateful for your help.
You made time for me even on your weekends off.
Thanks to you, I was able to work on my pitch.
I learned a lot from you.
You don't have to be so reasonable about it.
Your future is decided by forces beyond your power.
No matter how hard you work,
there are things you cannot change.
It's not fair.
You don't have to accept things so easily.
But the world is full of such unfairness.
I'll give you more information...
about the game title screening meeting at a later date.
Okay.
Is there anything you'd like to ask me right now?
What did you think of our pitch?
That's what I'd like to know.
As a creator, I wanted to create a prototype.
As a user, I wanted to try playing it once.
It could have become an interesting game,
but with the wrong balance,
it could also have been a flat and terrible game.
Thank you very much.
I feel a little better.
I'll call you again later.
This is too much...
I mean, seriously?
What is this?
Damn it...
A different music game?
There's nothing I can do about that.
What am I supposed to do about that?
I can't stand it.
Akasaka Ryunosuke No Subject How's Ponytail doing?
Akasaka Ryunosuke She said she was all right, so I left her to rest in the nurse's office.
Sending
Message Received Akasaka Ryunosuke
What are you? Stupid? Someone who's all right wouldn't cry like that.
He's right.
He's so right.
Aoyama!
Aoyama...
That's enough...
That's enough!
I was happy.
I was happy you worked so hard for Sakura Hall, for Shiina,
for Misaki-senpai and Jin-san.
I was really happy you cared so much about Sakura Hall.
But you don't have to sacrifice yourself to this extent!
I'm not.
That's not it!
Don't talk about me like I'm some kind of saint.
Why not?
I've been making all kinds of excuses.
"Sakura Hall is in trouble."
"I have to think of Mashiro's feelings."
"I won't cry in front of Kamiigusa-senpai and Mitaka-senpai."
They're all excuses!
I was...
afraid the last two years would go to waste.
I was so afraid.
That's why I prepared suitable excuses for Sakura Hall,
for Mashiro, and for Kamiigusa-senpai and Mitaka-senpai.
I did it so I wouldn't get hurt.
Aoyama...
I've only used excuses to pretend I'm not hurting.
Don't tell me that makes you happy!
It wasn't kindness at all!
It wasn't anything...
It was something.
It had to be something!
You saved me.
Thanks to you, I've been able to work hard for this long.
Because of you, I've managed to keep canvassing for signatures.
It's all thanks to you, Aoyama!
So you don't have to try so hard anymore, Aoyama!
I have to!
It doesn't matter anymore!
It does!
Enough already! Don't think of anything else anymore!
I'm the worst!
It's okay! That's enough!
Stare the results of your audition in the face!
Don't run from it anymore!
I'll listen to everything you have to say.
What about my two years?
I've been patient this whole time!
When my friends went to karaoke or went shopping, I had work.
I endured all of it so I wouldn't regret playing around or slacking off.
I know.
I even cut back on how much I spent...
I know. I know everything.
I wanted to have fun, but...
I gave it everything I had, but...
Yeah.
But it's pointless! There's no point!
If I fail the audition, it's not worth anything!
Aoyama!
Tell me. Tell me why, Kanda-kun.
What were those two years worth?
Why wasn't it me?
Why wasn't I good enough?
You worked hard.
Harder than anyone.
You worked harder than anyone in the world.
You really worked hard!
That should do it.
My face looks grody. Don't stare.
Grody?
It means I look gross.
That's not true at all.
If anything, you're cute.
What?
Nothing, sorry! That's not what I meant!
You had me worried.
If you feel well enough to flirt, I guess you'll be fine.
What?!
37.3 degrees. You've got a slight fever.
Here, your medicine. Take this, and get some rest.
But the signatures...
Today's the last day, isn't it?
So get some rest, and prepare yourself for the last push.
But kids with fevers can't.
Me?
I bet you want him to sleep beside you.
No, I don't!
Oh, really? You'll have to tell him what you want by yourself, then.
Listen, Kanda-kun...
What?
Could you stay with me until I fall asleep?
I'll stay until you wake up.
Just until I fall asleep.
Okay.
Don't watch me sleep.
I won't know if you're alseep if I don't look at you.
You're right. That's a problem.
Talk about something.
Huh?
Otherwise, I'll start thinking...
You know, I...
What?
I just got the results of the game title screening meeting.
I failed, too.
I'm sorry. I was only thinking of myself...
I failed, but I'm glad I did it.
I'm glad I failed the title screening.
No, that's a lie.
I'm not happy at all.
It sucks.
I feel like I'd cry if I let my guard down.
I feel like I can't take it anymore.
I need courage to try again,
but I'm a coward now.
I can't try again so soon, either.
So why don't you rest for now?
You should take a break.
You've been working so hard.
I think it would do you good.
You can move forward once you've regained your strength.
That's fine for now.
You've been running this whole time.
It's fine if you take a little breather.
Yeah.
You'll be fine.
You're kidding...
Hey, kouhai-kun! Listen to this!
We got 53 signatures today!
Look, look, look!
It's not enough...
We did everything we could.
We're a little short of two-thirds of the student body, though.
We didn't fall a little short.
It's not nearly enough.
I haven't done everything I can!
I haven't done anything!
Why... Why didn't you wake me?
Kanda, don't throw a fit.
You and Ponytail did a good job.
Besides, we felt sorry for you,
but we couldn't let Aoyama-san sleep alone.
Doesn't she need a partner-in-crime right now?
Thanks, Sorata.
Is Aoyama-san still in the nurse's office?
Yes.
Then, let's go get her!
Mashiro-chan, take care of Sorata.
Shiina.
How many more?
How many more do we need?
A lot.
I see. I'll get a lot, then.
Shiina, it's over.
You're lying.
You're a liar.
I'm not lying.
But...
I'm not lying!
We don't have enough!
Sakura Hall is going to be torn down,
and we don't have enough...
Shiina.
We're home!
Let's throw a "signature gathering...
and the night before the graduation ceremony" party!
What now?
Request for Character Design Work for Our Company's Products
"After seeing her fantastic illustrations for Rhythm Battler,
we would like to ask Shiina Mashiro-sama...
to design characters for our company's products..."
Shiina Mashiro-sama
Oh, right.
Could we ask the girl...
who drew this to do some additional illustrations for us?
It has such presence.
I think including more drawings would help us with the review board.
I get it. This is how it works...
Sorata?
The world isn't fair.
No matter what ordinary people try to do, it's no use.
No matter how much I want to catch up, it's still not enough.
Even if we give it everything we have, it's pointless.
Our hard work is never rewarded!
Everything works this way!
Even this business with Sakura Hall!
No matter how hard we tried,
there was nothing we could do!
Because of me.
Shiina...
Shiina!
I will protect Sakura Hall.
We'll all do it together.
Mashiro...
I can't call you by your first name in front of everyone.
#22 Run Through Those Sparkling Days
Without realizing it, maybe I'm trying to be formal.
But that's probably because...