I heard it's bad.
You meet eyes with her for three seconds, and...
I know!
Something bad happens a week later.
Yeah.
I'm scared.
Seriously.
So Yuka met eyes with her and she got a cold.
It's the real deal.
Hey...
You dropped this.
I'm sorry, I'm sorry!
Everyone apologizes to me for some reason.
I heard she's got a really strong psychic aura. She's attracting something.
I mean, even her name is Sadako, like from Ringu.
Her parents gave her a pretty blunt name, huh?
Go ahead, I'm done.
I don't mean to burst your bubble, but I can't see ghosts or anything.
And my name's not Sadako, it's Sawako.
It's written as "breezy child." Sawako.
For some reason, everyone's afraid of me.
I wish I could just fit in.
This time, for sure.
I heard they get lots of celebrities.
H-Hirano-san, Endo-san.
Good morning.
I think that was a cheerful hello.
Morning.
Walking?
Kazehaya-kun.
Wow.
He's always the center of attention
and he's cheerful and cool.
Morning, Kuronuma.
He's so nice!
He doesn't treat me differently!
Kazehaya-kun is the exact opposite of me.
Everyone flocks around him
and forms a clique.
At the opening ceremony when I came to high school...
H-Hey...
If you're heading to Kitahoro High School, it's that way.
Thanks.
People only ever apologize to me.
But he smiled and thanked me.
Kazehaya-kun's been my idol ever since.
I want to become like him someday.
So...
we're going to have a test of courage on the day before the closing ceremony.
Wanna go?
I'll post this on the bulletin board. Write your name down if you're coming.
Be sure to come if you can.
Everyone? Then that means...
I wonder if Sadako's coming.
I bet we'll see real ghosts if she does.
I can't live up to that!
I might let everyone down if nothing happens.
Summer break starts after the closing ceremony.
And summer break means...
study sessions.
Anyone want to come to school before the sessions and help me out?
It's just once.
If no one volunteers, I'll choose myself.
N-No one wants to.
Um...
Will I do?
Oh, sure.
Kuronuma, then.
Sensei,
Kuronuma's always doing that sort of stuff.
No way.
I'm not sure we should make her keep picking up tasks.
You want to do it then, Kazehaya?
Whatever. Sure.
He knew.
He knew what I've been doing.
Um...
Let me do it.
I don't have much to do during the summer.
I'm bored.
And I live nearby.
And I'm really bored.
Well, if you insist...
That was close, Kazehaya.
He knew.
I'm so dull, yet he knew what I've been doing.
He's such a good guy.
I'm so happy.
Sadako.
Shino-chan.
Long time no see.
Yeah, now that we're in different classes.
How's class?
No one from grade school or middle school, is there?
Yeah,
but there's this guy named Kazehaya-kun.
Oh, that cool guy.
He's not just cool,
he's 100% cool.
More like, he's made of cool.
Kazehaya-kun.
That was bad, he heard you.
You should apologize.
Apologize?
I was complimenting him. Did he take it the wrong way?
Hey,
what am I supposed to make of what you just said?
It was a compliment.
Gotcha.
I'm coming over there, just a second.
I haven't really had a chance to talk to you yet.
That's awesome, Sadako.
I heard he likes to talk to people who don't fit in.
I'm relieved.
See you.
Kazehaya-kun's such a nice person.
He understood what I meant to say.
He took me seriously.
Thank god.
I thought you might have hated me.
H-Hate you?
N-No way.
All the time, I've wished I could be cool like you.
But yeah, I'm not particularly cool.
No,
you are.
Even your name.
What about your name?
Sawako.
Kuronuma Sawako, right?
No one ever calls me that.
I think this is the first time someone didn't misunderstand me.
But when you talked, you said what was on your mind.
I like him.
I like this person.
This is the first time I've been called by my name.
It's the first time I've felt like this.
You'd better come to the test of courage.
It's the first time in my life.
I'm going to quietly write my name on the list.
Sadako?
Yeah.
It'll be more fun with someone as a ghost.
Everyone would freak out just seeing her there.
Hey...
S-Since when were you here?
Um, about that...
may I be a ghost?
You don't have to.
Not if you don't really want to.
But when you talked,
you said what was on your mind.
I never didn't want to.
I wanted to fit in with everyone.
But that doesn't mean I was doing it begrudgingly.
I just like being helpful.
I have to warn you though, I can't live up to your expectations.
What?
I can't make real ghosts appear.
Huh?
I don't have any psychic aura.
You don't?
No.
Not at all?
No.
You're breaking the news now?!
And our “expectations”?
Seriously, you're so messed up.
You're seriously messed up.
Right, Chizu?
What are you crying about?
I have a soft spot for selfless kids.
You're messed up too.
You'll do the ghost thing for us, right?
It'll be our secret.
Scare the hell out of them.
Thanks.
They understood me.
I think I've changed, even if just a little bit.
Kazehaya-kun.
Thanks, Kazehaya-kun.
Set out every ten minutes.
We've got almost everyone.
So only Sadako's missing.
Oh, Sadako's—
It's a secret, remember?
I have to let everyone have fun.
Here goes!
I-It's so dark.
Creepy.
They're having fun!
T-Those screams...
What's going on?
Good job.
I'm so happy, I'm being so useful.
I'll try holding some hair in my mouth.
Kuronuma!
Kazehaya-kun!
W-What are you doing...
I-I was playing a ghost.
Oh come on.
You could have told me.
I'm the organizer after all.
I thought you weren't coming.
I thought you wouldn't get as much of a chill if I told you.
Chill?
What's that supposed to mean?
Aren't you scared being alone here?
I sort of like nighttime.
Especially during summertime.
The air, the smell,
the sound of the leaves, the insects' voices...
You're right.
It's sort of nice.
Can I stay here too?
But— What about the test of courage?
Thanks to you-know-who,
we had an odd number of people, so I had to go alone.
I'm scared.
What's happening right now?
Sadako.
Yano-san, Yoshida-san.
Why are you here?
Hey, you could have told me.
You're a gentleman.
You sure are cool.
Seriously, stop it!
Sadako,
good job, you.
Snack time. Drink up.
Thanks.
T-They're nice people.
More like, you're fitting in.
That's good.
Fitting in?
Me?
I— It's thanks to you.
I never did anything.
It's thanks to you that I could speak my mind.
I'm so glad I could play a ghost.
You're actually pretty cheerful.
You're so optimistic.
Cheerful?
Me?
That's the first time anyone's ever said that to me.
Don't stare at me like that.
Sorry.
I got carried away.
I'll be careful not to look at you for three seconds.
But that thing about bringing bad luck—
No, I mean...
You're embarrassing me. Don't make me say it.
He just stopped talking all of a sudden.
I don't know what to do anymore.
My mind's falling to pieces.
It's like I was just reborn.
So many feelings that're new to me.
Kazehaya-kun gives me a lot of new experiences.
I'm so glad I met Kazehaya-kun.
We're done!
It's summer break!
Let's announce the results of the test of courage before we go.
Kazehaya, you're in the penalty game.
You never got to the finish.
You found out, huh?
Tanaka gets first prize.
You win 60 scrub brushes.
I can't use all that!
And the loser, Kazehaya-kun, gets...
to go out with Sadako-chan for a week!
W-What did he just say?
You were with Sadako yesterday, weren't you?
I bet she was making a move on him.
You might as well go out.
That's too much, guys.
I'll do anything but that.
How could you call that a penalty?
That's impolite.
Kuronuma's a girl.
Not funny.
Don't worry about it, Kuronuma.
No.
He can't defend me.
It'll ruin his reputation.
That's not how it is.
Sure, I was with Kazehaya-kun yesterday.
But it wasn't...
it wasn't anything special.
It's because he approaches everyone without prejudice.
It'll be all right.
I know how to fix misunderstandings now.
It's true that I was attracted by his kindness,
his coolness, his honesty, his outgoingness.
That's... no mistake.
I-I'll be going now.
I think I did the right thing.
They must know now.
I didn't lie.
I just told the truth.
I'm sure I've protected his reputation.
What?
But it's summer break.
Yeah, I have to help my teacher.
Yeah.
I must have done the right thing.
But I'm still sad.
He might not even look at me after the break.
He might not say “good morning” to me.
He might avoid me!
I thought I was used to it.
I was too happy; I forgot I was used to it.
What I was like before I met Kazehaya-kun...
I don't remember anymore.
Why?
It's summer break.
They said you're the MVP behind the scenes.
They said they were sorry.
They understood?
You stood up for me and brought this to me and talked to me.
Thanks.
Hey,
I don't think you really understand me.
Don't worry,
I do understand.
No, you don't.
I can expect to see you over the summer, right?
Back then...
H-Hey...
If you're heading to Kitahoro High School, it's that way.
Thanks.
That feeling I had back then,
the way it's grown until now...
will it ever reach you?
New term.
Things are slowly changing around me.
Next episode: Seating Change