What am I supposed to do?
Sawako?
Sawako.
Sawako!
What's wrong? You're spilling your rice.
Are you all right?
I-It's nothing.
I was just thinking about my exams.
I see...
They start tomorrow, huh?
Yeah.
I'm done eating.
Already?
Yeah.
What am I supposed to do tomorrow,
when I meet Yano-san, Yoshida-san and Kazehaya-kun?
Oh yeah,
we've got exams now.
Everyone's sitting in attendance order.
Who's in my usual seat?
Yano-san.
She isn't avoiding my seat.
After all the rumors that went around because of me.
Those three never avoided me. They were never afraid of me.
They've always been nice to me.
'Morning.
Oh yeah, you're in Sadako's seat.
Sadako.
Normally she greets everyone even if it creeps them out.
She just went straight to her seat. She didn't even look at us.
Why?
I don't know.
But she's not being herself.
Being here in this different seat,
I feel like that other arrangement was never there to begin with.
Like it has never been that way.
It feels distant, like it was all a dream.
Begin.
I really wanted to be useful, not a nuisance.
But I still haven't fixed the misunderstandings about Yano-san and Yoshida-san.
Even if I find the people spreading the rumors and make them stop,
if I stay here, I'm going to end up hurting them again.
Such kind people.
I may be able to stop the rumors,
but I don't know how to make them feel better.
So I'm going to go back to what it was like,
before I got used to being around them.
That has to be the best thing to do.
I wonder if Yoshida-san used those notes.
I hope they were at least a bit helpful.
Yano-san, I can tell a scary story now.
I wanted you to be the first to hear it,
but I guess that won't happen anymore.
Kazehaya-kun, I...
I was so happy whenever you were around.
I've always longed for you.
I've always looked up to you.
I don't know how I used to live with being alone.
I've already discovered what it feels like to be kind, to receive kindness.
I don't know how to go back. I don't know.
How did I bear being alone?
How did I never lose my mind?
I've forgotten it all.
All of it.
The first day of summer,
Kazehaya-kun was here waiting just the same.
I still don't get it.
If you don't hate me, why are you avoiding me?
Don't talk to me.
I can't say it.
I can't say what I don't even understand myself.
What?
I'm sorry if I ruined your reputation.
Wait.
Kuronuma!
Speak properly so that I can understand you.
I'm going to ruin your reputation if I stay around you.
Reputation?
Who said that?
There are rumors.
Rumors?
Reputations, rumors...
What about how I feel?
That's not something for you to decide.
That's for me to decide.
I'll do what I want.
If I want to talk to you, I will.
If I didn't want to, I wouldn't be talking to you now.
I don't care about rumors.
The only Kuronuma I know is the one that I see.
I've always wanted this.
People like Yano-san, Yoshida-san and Kazehaya-kun.
I've always wanted
to care for people and to be cared for.
Feeling better?
Thanks.
I was thirsty.
Thanks.
I'll keep this, then.
I was feeling so hopeless until just now.
It's weird.
Whenever Kazehaya-kun laughs, I feel at ease.
As if my heart becomes untangled.
The only Kuronuma I know is the one that I see.
I was so happy.
I felt like I was being told that I could be here.
I was so happy.
I see.
So you were being awkward because of the rumors about Yano and Yoshida.
What if it were the other way around?
If Yano or I avoided you thinking we'd ruin your reputation.
No way.
I'd want to stay together.
That might be how they're feeling.
So it's all about how the other person feels.
I don't know how they feel,
but they might get worried.
I know I was worried.
I-I-I'm sorry.
No.
No way.
Never again.
People have refused to let me come near,
but I don't think anyone's ever refused to let me avoid them.
I guess I've been thinking about it all in my head.
But I wouldn't know unless I asked.
No, they wouldn't know unless I told them.
I want to tell them.
I want Yano-san and Yoshida-san to listen to me.
To my feelings.
You already have someone you can talk to.
I'm going to try talking to Yoshida-san and Yano-san.
Not just as classmates,
but as friends.
No, I'm going to try my best to be their friend.
I said it.
Yeah.
Go for it.
His simple words, his smiles... they always nudge me forward.
Go for it, Kuronuma.
Go for it.
Kazehaya-kun, I'm going to do it.
I'm going for it. Trust me.
What's up with you?
Go home and start studying or something.
I was about to go to the library to study.
You're more hard-working than you look.
It's all your fault!
If you hadn't shown up back then—
What the hell are you talking about?
What if I hadn't show up?
If he hadn't show up...
I would have heard what Sadako was saying.
Nothing.
Hey you, don't go blaming me.
Whatever it is you're talking about,
you're not going to get anywhere until you stop blaming other people.
You're going to run into a lot of awful situations in your life.
In the end, it's up to you to do something about it.
It's up to you.
Even if it's my fault!
You figure it out yourself.
Speaking of which, you better have given those print-outs to Ryu.
I burned them!
You did what?!
Don't go blaming me.
What was that about?
He's the last person I want to hear that from.
This is the book Sadako was reading.
It is.
This one too.
Why all Japanese horror stories?
She's so weird.
You might as well take advantage of that appearance.
I was just kidding.
What an eager student.
Someone's upset.
Want me to cheer you up?
Forget it. I'm not upset.
Ever since you were a kid you'd cause trouble and get kicked out
and then you'd sit out here all upset.
Shut up.
What, did you run here?
Yeah, Pin's practice menu.
You're not upset about the rumors about you being a delinquent, are you?
Those rumors are no match for my thick skin.
I figured.
I'm not too smart.
I don't know anymore!
Is Sadako really Sadako or is she Dark-Sadako?
You're right, I don't know either.
So it's like,
those rumors.
They said it was Sadako spreading them.
How would she ever even spread rumors?
By talking to herself?
There'd be rumors about her talking to herself if she did that.
Yeah, but who else would she be talking to?
You're right, that's so true!
Simpleton.
Oh yeah, she was talking to some girl.
Something about us not being friends.
And she doesn't like me or something.
And I think she's avoiding me.
What did you mean, “sorry,” Sadako?
Why didn't you just say you liked me?
I guess she doesn't really like you.
Then what, do you think she hates me?
Do you think she was taking advantage of me?
Who knows.
Or maybe she doesn't even care.
Or maybe something else.
Something? Like what?
I don't know.
Why don't you just ask her?
I'll cheer you up if she says she doesn't care.
Later.
No thanks!
What the hell, “something else”?
It was really easy to understand.
She made this for me, after all.
Oh my god Sadako, you suck at drawing.
Who goes through so much trouble for me?
Chizu, can you come out right now?
How was the exam?
I only got the parts that Sadako helped me with.
Yeah?
Sadako hasn't even smiled since things turned awkward.
Sadako seemed so happy lately.
She laughed when we were studying for the exam.
She did. That was surprising.
That girl...
She'd gotten used to being avoided.
It was normal for her, wasn't it?
Isn't that a bit sad?
She's so nice too.
That's why I couldn't just leave her.
I guess that's why.
You get used to the attitudes around you,
and it gets hard to know how people are feeling,
or even how you're feeling yourself.
I sort of know what that's like.
That's why when she laughed,
I was really happy.
Is that what you were thinking all this time?
Don't cry dammit, it's embarrassing.
I didn't realize you were thinking the same thing.
Well, I thought I knew Sadako pretty well,
but I guess we were getting upset because we only thought we did.
Then again, there are things we don't know about each other too.
Yano-chin, there's something important that we haven't talked to Sadako about.
Sadako doesn't know that we feel this way either, does she?
What she meant by “sorry,”
or “not friends,”
or the rest of what she was saying...
What do you think she would have said?
I didn't think we'd ever get involved with her at all.
Now we're thinking about her constantly.
Seriously.
How much does she need to frustrate us?
Look how much we think about her.
We must really love her.
We said we weren't sure if we were friends,
but really, we're totally friends.
I mean, look at how much we think about her.
I can't know how someone else is feeling unless I ask.
Other people won't know how I'm feeling unless I tell them.
We want to know because we don't know.
I'm glad I can think that way.
I'm glad I can feel that way,
to have met people that make me think that way.
When I see them:
“let me talk to you...”
But they'll probably be studying for the exam during the break.
After school?
They'll probably be studying then too.
Do you hear something from over there?
Stop it, please.
I'm nervous, but I don't mind it.
You already have someone you can talk to.
I have someone I can talk to.
I have people that'll listen to me.
Shit, I'm really screwed for the exam today.
Me too.
Oh no.
I spent too much time here thinking.
Oh yeah, remember that rumor about Sadako?
About Yano and Yoshida backing her up?
The rumor.
Well, apparently —
T-That's a mistake.
Yano-san and Yoshida-san aren't backing me up.
That's a lie.
Yano-san and Yoshida-san are nice people.
Here we go again.
“Nice people”? What the hell is she talking about?
I think she wants to talk to us.
She's sorta glaring at us, isn't she?
This is what I always look like.
Like I said, Yano-san and Yoshida—
Shut up, dammit.
I know, Yoshida and Yano, right?
You do?
The criminal and the slut.
Mistakes to be fixed
Feelings unyielding
Next episode: Friends