nakushita yakusoku wa hoshi ni Send the lost promises to the stars
omoide wa tokenai My memories won't fade away
yotsuba no clover sagashinagara kimi no kao I steal a glance at you as we look for four-leaf clovers,
chirari nusumi mite wa me o sorasu But then divert my eyes
yasashii ame wa furu watashitachi no ue ni The gentle rain falls above our heads
surechigau hito no kazu dake dramatic ni naru no as it becomes as dramatic as the number of people passing by
kowareta taisetsu na mono to I wonder if we'll ever be able to
itsuka mata aeru hi ga kurukashira reunite with those precious things that were broken
nokoshita kizuato ga kienai The scars that were left behind won't go away
sorezore no basho made Now we must depart
mou ikanakucha To our own separate ways
8 more days until the Hamabi Festival
Melt the wax from inside with the torch.
It cracked again.
Shuu-chan, how in the world should I...?
Keeping the strength and speed the same, slide it down slowly like this.
Get it?
The monthly magazine "The Handbook of Art"?
That's right. It's a special edition on school festivals.
I've been asked to include your work in it again this year, Hanamoto-kun.
But that doesn't mean you should feel pressured.
Just relax and do what you always do.
Okay? Just as you always do.
Shuu-chan...
It's all right. I just have to do it like I always do.
One more time... Just like always... Just like always...
Well then, I'll take the trash out.
And I'll wash all the washrags, so please throw them all in the basket.
Oh, thank you, Yamada-kun!
Wow, it's cold!
As to be expected during the school festival — everyone's working late.
Amidst the faint scent of the fragrant olives, an orange flame lights up.
It's already the fifth time I'm seeing it.
Sign: Hamabi Festival
Until last year, he was somewhere around these lights.
I would make errands for myself and repeatedly walk by places where I might see him.
I just wanted to see a little bit of him.
I hoped to just hear his voice.
Is Hagu-chan here?
Hey, Yamada. It's been a while.
W-Why are you here?
Why?
Well, I thought I'd visit before the school festival.
Look, Ayu! Roll cakes and steamed bread!
The chocolate one is mine!
Cute...
Thief!
Hey, you two, don't fight!
What? You glutton!
You were just gloomily doodling until a second ago!
I want a broach of a little bird Like this
I-I wasn't gloomy!
You were! Your work hasn't been progressing at all lately!
What happened to your usual pace?
Now! An opening!
My roll cake...
Mayama-san, may I open this bag of steamed bread?
Could it be that they haven't eaten dinner yet?
Probably.
9:55 PM... We'll barely make it for Kinka.
Chinese Food Delivery Oshinagaki Kinka
Here. You have a minute to decide. My treat.
What? Really?
Really?
For real?
Mayama? Why?
Because I'm a working man now.
Oh, hello?
Are you still open? Can I place an order for delivery?
I... I want miso ramen!
I want roast pork ramen!
I want a fu rong bowl!
U-Um, I want Japanese-style fried rice!
I love you, Senpai!
I love you, too!
So please...!
I should also say it like everyone...
I love you! I love you! Okay! Okay!
M-Mayama...
Okay! Fine!
Um, I am, too.
Fine, I told you already!
Don't think about it too hard.
Me too!
I-I really...
Just casually...
I...
Why?
Everyone is saying it so easily.
Why...
...can't I say it?
Mayama!
There... you... go!
W-What the...?
Yamada... Hey, Yamada...
Ayu!
Are you all right?
M-Mayama's so close.
I-I-I'm all right.
H-His voice... His hands...
Mayama-san! Morita-san ran away!
My roll cakes!
Are you all right? Eat slowly.
Ayu, get a hold of yourself.
O-Okay.
Isn't this the key to the material room?
Morita-san left something so important here?
I'll return it on my way back.
I want to go get some scrap wood.
Thanks for the meal, Mayama-san.
I'm off!
I-I'm sorry.
I'm eating so slowly.
It's all right.
Take your time.
O-Okay.
Right to left: Work Room (1), Material Room, Storage
Hagu-chan, how's your work coming along?
Is it progressing?
No.
I thought I just needed to do it like I always do, but...
What is it?
Yeah. I need to get to work, too.
I'm gonna work!
Hagu-chan?
Oh, it's Takemoto.
Did you come to steal back the roll cakes?
I'm not giving them back!
That's not it.
Damn. Fine.
Just a bite, okay?
You don't listen to what others say, do you?
What are you looking for, Morita-san?
A block of wood?
Yeah.
One that's hard, dry, and white-ish.
Oh, there are also some over here.
How's this one?
Yeah. This is good.
I'll go with this.
I need to work hard, just like always.
Yeah.
Tea cup: Hanamoto Hagumi
Good morning, Hagu-chan.
Hagu-chan?
Yeah. This is good.
I'll go with this.
It's from Morita-san.
I wonder if she noticed...
Why am I not telling her?
Should I have told her?
But what?
What am I supposed to tell her?
Here.
I want to see her face again.
That "it might be from Morita-san"?
Or that "he might like you"?
You're napping in a place like this again?
There are leaves piling up on you.
Don't blame me if you catch a cold.
Hey, Morita-san...
Thank you so much for the other day.
What are you talking about?
It doesn't matter. Thanks.
The October breeze was cold, and the rays of the low afternoon sun were bright white.
The world, as if stopped, was stained a silver hue.
I dreamily wondered if the lunar surface looked something like this...
I just wondered so... dreamily.
What did you say?!
No Christmas party this year?
I was looking forward to it so much.
Back of the jackets: Hamadayama Central Avenue Shopping District
But why?
I need to help out at my family's store.
To be honest, our shopping district is going through a tough time right now.
run-down
Shopping District
A big supermarket opened on the other side of the train station, and...
Shuei
sparkle
I see.
But we won't lose!
It's the end for a small shopping district like ours if we lose out on spirit!
This Christmas, I'm going to put in a lot spirit and liven up our shopping district!
No way...
T-The Christmas party...
U-Um...
We finally found you!
bill
Morita-san! You ate the snacks we bought, didn't you?!
You better pay us back for it!
U-Um...
Morita-san!
No way! This is the second floor!
I can't pay with money!
A grappling hook...
Why do you have something like this?
Shinobu's name (忍) is the first kanji of "ninja" (忍者).
The "nin" in "Shinobu" is the "nin" in "ninja"!
Hey! Don't run away!
Give us back our snacks!
Or pay for them!
Hagu-chan has a slight idea of who gave her the broach.
But I, unable to give her the answer, didn't mention Morita-san.
That broach with the little bird is perched on her favorite bag with the blue sky design.
Hey, Ayu, until when will you be helping out at the store?
I think it'll be from the 22nd to the 25th.
I'll also be working delivering year-end gifts around that time.
I see.
Oh yeah, Hagu-chan, do you want to work with me?
We'll be selling Christmas cakes!
Working, huh?
I-I'd like to try!
We can dress up like Santa, and we'll be able to get all the leftover cakes and roasted chicken on Christmas day.
I'll do it!
Central Avenue Shopping District
Somehow, she doesn't look like a Santa. Why does she look more like a robot?
Hold on a second. Didn't we have a kid's costume or something smaller?
Are you seriously in college?
First, try saying "Welcome."
W-Welcome.
Your voice is too weak!
Welcome!
What? Haven't you worked before?
Are you one of those caged-up kids?
You mean boxed-up, Dad?
Oops, you're right.
It's just that her image overlapped with our Little Ham that died two years ago.
Little Ham?
It's the name of the hamster we used to have.
A hamster?!
Do your best.
Y-Yes, sir.
Wow, there are so many!
That's right. We're selling them all!
Bakery Matsumoto Whipped Cream Chocolate Marron
So you're Hanamoto-san?
I'll be counting on you during the christmas sale.
This is Ippei-san.
The cakes Ippei-san makes are really good!
It's nice to meet you.
Big Christmas Sale
Well then, let's work hard to sell them!
bread & cakes
All right!
Hamadayama Central Avenue Shopping District
Welcome!
Five whipped cream cakes. Just a second, please!
Bakery Matsumoto
Hagu-chan, eight of them!
Okay, okay!
Five whipped cream! Three chocolate!
No, Hagu-chan, that's a marron!
Can you get a large bag?
Welcome!
Hanamoto-san, your voice is too weak!
Okay!
Hagu-chan, can you get four rolls of 100 yen coins in the back?
Where are the five ice cream cakes?
Do you have the change yet?
Okay!
Here.
Let's take a short break.
So how's your first time at work?
I-I'm sorry.
I don't think I'm being very helpful.
What's important is that you calm down.
And you need to say "Welcome!" and "Thank you!" much louder.
Okay! I'll do my best!
But it hasn't been that busy today, so...
Rather, there aren't a lot of customers this year.
We usually sell half the cakes by now.
Just take a look.
All right!
The supermarket is completely beating us.
At this rate, not only this store, but the other ones will also be in trouble.
Ippei-san, we, the third generation, need to do something about this!
Let's gather all the third generations!
Oh, all right!
We have no time or money.
But we need to make something to attract customers.
You say that, but the only things we might be able to use are...
...the old cotton candy machine...
...and this big pot for making sweet sake.
I'm sorry, Ayu. I wasn't helpful at all today.
Seriously. You were convincingly useless.
Hey now, Ippei-san! Today was only her first day.
She'll get the hang of things tomorrow.
But only cotton candy and sweet sake is a little plain.
The supermarket is very nicely decorated.
At this rate, we'll lose.
Ayu...
You say that, but for us to do something by tomorrow...
Yeah.
Hey, Ayu!
What is it?
Say, is there a bicycle shop around here?
All right...
Wow, it's cold.
What's that?
That's awesome!
We'll be passing out cotton candy and sweet sake at 1 PM.
Please come with your mommy.
Yamada Liquor Store
Wow, that's amazing.
It's cute. What is it?
What is that, Ayumi?
It's amazing.
Oh, Dad... and everyone!
I'm sorry for doing this on my own.
How did you make that?
It was Hagu-chan's idea.
We made it out of the balloons we had in storage.
It's supposedly called "balloon art."
You're pretty good!
Eh, Little Ham!
Little Ham?!
Well then, since it's about time for me to go to work...
Takemoto-kun...
Are you all right?
The sun is so bright, my eyeballs feel like they're gonna explode.
Thank you so much for helping out!
I'm sorry!
We wouldn't have been able to finish it if you hadn't come, Takemoto-kun!
As to be expected from the Hagu-master!
Seriously.
How can you understand her instructions so well?
I had no idea what Hanamoto-san was saying.
I'm used to it.
And so you squeeze this and that together and twist it around like so to make it pretty.
And you squeeze it some more and twist them...
Gotcha.
You can understand that?!
I'll be delivering the Hamadayama District today, so I'll pass by on my bicycle a few times.
Okay! We'll wave to you, then, so look out for us.
Takemoto-kun, thank you!
I used to not like Christmas.
I'll wave to you if I see you!
My heart ached every time I saw the colorful illumination.
It felt like I was being asked, "Are you happy right now?" or "Is there a place for you?"
But...
Takemoto-kun, please help.
But this year...
Even in this glittering December city, I didn't feel lonely even once.
Shuu-chan, I went to my first job today.
Wage
Here are my wage and cake.
Please eat it, Shuu-chan.
Namu...
We're telling you, Hagu-chan! This is wrong!
Merry Christmas.
Package: sushi
It's been a while.
Daddy's all worn out.
Mayama-san!
Welcome back.
You were working all throughout the break, weren't you?
Yeah.
I feel like I've put up enough Christmas decorations at work to last me a lifetime.
Thank you for coming!
And you said that you might have some work-related parties to go to.
It's probably that.
You tell us that it's a work-related party, but you actually took a present to that apartment you stalk.
But you saw that the lights were out, became disappointed, and dejectedly came our way.
That's about what happened, right?
Your mouth... I'll shut it up for good!
Right on the Spot
Mayama is serious!
Mayama-san, you can't!
Ah, such pretty flowers.
And I can see a big river.
He is referring to the Sanzu no Kawa (the River Styx).
Morita-san, you can't cross that!
It's all right, Mayama. There, there...
Hagu-chan...
That broach...
The person who made that broach is probably Mo—
Momo People!
Momo: "peach" in Japanese.
Wha-Wha-What is it all of a sudden?!
There's no deep meaning to it.
Hagu-chan, do you want some green tea, black tea, or maybe coffee?
C-Coffee, please!
I-I'll help out, too!
Let's eat the cakes.
Okay.
At that moment, I abruptly realized that this was the last Christmas that we'd get to quietly spend together.
It's so good!
Here's yours, Takemoto-kun.
And I keep blinking.
Like snapping the shutter of a camera, wishing to imprint this moment somewhere in my heart.
Amidst the sweet scent of the cake and everyone's laughter.
akanai mabuta kosutte mieru I rub my heavy eyelids to reveal
pastel moyou no mirai ni A future in the shape of pastels
chiribamerareta kigou o tadoru I follow the scattered symbols
taguri yoseta hyoujou As my expressions were pulled in closer
nee nandakke sagashiteita mono Say, what was it that we were looking for again?
are wa soune itsudakke That's right, exactly when were those days
bokura ga inryoku ni sakarai nagara deatta koro When we used to meet, denying the attraction that was forming between us?
sore ga waltz no you dane fushigi sa It's like a waltz, isn't it? It's quite marveling
sasayaku youna komorebi no kousaten de We paint away sceneries
futari waltz no youni ne mawari nagara As we waltz and spin
egaki dashite yuku mono Where the whispering sunlight falls through the trees and meet.
Next episode: We fly across the sky.