Go get it, Sadako.
Okay!
Wow, she's improved a lot since last time.
Nice one, Sadako.
Wait, wasn't she over there just now?
When did she...?
Teleportation?
I hit it!
Good job, Sadako.
We might even win on sports day.
I'm glad I bought that red t-shirt.
I got praised!
Actually, Kazehaya-kun taught me that.
Please reach him.
You did it.
You kicked it at me.
It reached me.
Try stopping the ball first before you kick, like I just did.
No rush.
Okay, once more.
Nice shot!
It reached me.
So hot.
I'm going to get changed super fast as soon as I dry off.
You go back to class, Sadako.
No one's back yet.
Hey.
Is Kazehaya here?
It's her!
The French—
I mean, Kurumi-san.
The boys aren't back yet from sports day practice.
Oh really?
What should I do then?
She talks to me so casually.
She's so nice.
She's sort of like Kazehaya-kun.
Hey,
I don't know if you remember,
but thank you for picking up my forms a while ago.
I was just doing what anyone would.
I'm a little embarrassed, now that you mention it.
She's so friendly.
And so girly.
She's the manifestation of my idea of the perfect girl.
The more I look at her, the more she's—
like a doll.
...like a doll.
Huh? Did I say that out loud?
No, I said it.
Kuronuma Sawako-chan, right?
My real name...
Wait—doll?
I remember when you dropped your forms,
because I remember thinking you were like a doll.
Like a doll...
Kurumi, let's go to the field, we're going to be late.
Okay.
I'll see you later.
Ow.
Like one of those dolls that grow hair.
Like a doll.
That's the first time anyone's said that about me.
Did something happen, Sadako?
You're so out of it.
I uh...
I just received a compliment, for once.
What'd they say?
That I'm like a doll.
Do you think it was a compliment?
No way, can't be.
It's so hot.
I think we can win.
We totally can.
You think?
He looks different without his vest.
How are the girls?
Not bad.
Sadako's sort of evolved too.
Oh, evolved!
Seriously?
Nice.
Um...
Oh yeah.
Kurumi-san came to meet you earlier.
Really? Thanks.
I wonder if it's about the sports day committee.
Oh, Kurumi-san's a member too.
You met Kurumi?
Yeah, after I parted with you, Yoshida-san.
There you go again, “Yoshida-san.”
C-C-C-Chizu-chan.
Then again, we're both calling her Sadako.
Oh yeah.
It's hard to start using different names, isn't it?
It is, right? Sadako?
Well, I guess we don't really have to change.
Kuronuma Sawako-chan, right?
Oh yeah, I should try calling her by name.
Kurumi-chan.
Oh yeah, Ryu,
do you remember Sadako's full name?
Kuroyama Takako?
So close, Ryu, so close.
Not bad for Ryu, though.
I thought I got it right.
I'm Kuronuma.
Nice to meet you.
Show him how it's done, Kazehaya.
Come on, teach Ryu.
Kuronuma Sawako.
Nice.
Now try calling her by first name only.
Why?
Practice.
To get her used to being called Sawako, to get us used to calling her Sawako.
It's for Sawako's sake, you know.
Sa—
How could I?!
Of course you can't.
I was just kidding.
I'm so nervous.
That made me so nervous.
My heart—
But really, I think I've been nervous a lot recently.
More so than I used to be.
Hey, it's Kazehaya.
Oh yeah.
Who's that girl he's talking to? She's cute.
Seriously, you'd say that in front of your girlfriend?
You two wouldn't be much of a match.
See, they're a perfect match.
Well yeah, but...
Oh yeah.
Oh yeah, the CDs.
Shoot, I forgot. Sorry.
Just making sure.
Maybe I should learn from her.
Fluffy, fluffy...
So fluffy.
Do you think a perm would look good on me?
A fluffy perm.
A perm?!
I just had an unearthly image run through my head.
Speaking of which, what's up with your hairstyle?
I thought that long hair is more feminine.
I like girly things.
Ah.
I get it.
How about you dye it then, instead of cutting it?
Sounds good. Make it brown.
Brown?
Brown.
Huh?
I think she'd look too passive.
Try perming it?
Risqué.
Buns, then?
Like an Eighties punk?
I think you look good the way you are now.
Really?
Yeah, I hope you stick with it for the rest of your life.
Goodbye, fluffy hair.
I'll live with this for the rest of my life.
You've always had that hairstyle, right?
Basically.
Why did you suddenly want a perm?
I thought maybe it'd be cute if it was fluffier.
You wanted to be cute, huh?
Not because anyone said I look like a doll or anything.
I was happy but I haven't gotten carried away.
I guess.
Are we practicing after school?
Why don't you get a ball from Pin?
Oh yeah.
How should I put it...
I was envious.
Kurumi-chan is so cute.
I got envious.
I felt like I wanted to be cute too.
That's what I was thinking.
I know I can't be like her,
but I want to be cute in my own right.
Sadako.
Hirano-san, Endou-san.
Ekko.
And Tomo.
E-Ekko-chan.
T-Tomo-chan.
Are you going to practice?
C-Chizu-chan and Ayane-chan went to borrow a ball.
I'm waiting for them.
Ball?
They said Arai-sensei might lend us one.
All right, I accept.
If it's to help you win,
heck, take ten balls even.
We don't need that many.
Fight!
One shot!
Victory!
Beat them all!
What the hell?
Huh, wasn't Ayane-chan doing volleyball like Ekko?
Ayane-chan offered to join so that we can practice better.
Oh yeah?
That's good to hear, Sadako.
Let's go for the win on sports day.
Yeah.
We will.
Friends, huh?
Kazehaya.
Hey, long time.
Yeah, it's been a while.
Kazehaya-kun.
Someone's always talking to him.
He's so popular.
Looks like fun.
You weren't together, were you?
They were in the sports day committee.
Oh, damn.
Doing all sorts of stuff, huh?
Was there anyone else from middle school in the committee?
Yeah, Kurumi.
He calls her by her first name.
This might be the first time I've heard him calling a girl by her first name.
How could I?
He talks to her so casually.
I guess they're close.
What was that pain?
Oh yeah, I've never asked him before.
I wonder if he has anyone special.
Is it special to call someone by first name?
My heart aches.
Kuronuma.
Practice again today?
But I think just looking at him makes my heart ache.
What?
My heart aches.
Sa...
Kazehaya,
Kurumi-chan.
Was he about to say something just now,
before Kurumi-chan called him?
What's up? May I join you?
What?
Nothing.
What? Weird.
Oh, it was nothing.
Of course.
Maybe I'm thinking too much.
It's so hot.
Thinking too much about Kazehaya-kun?
Sawako-chan, you're soaked.
I got nervous.
She sure is nice.
Thanks.
It's okay.
All clean.
I think I'm a fan.
I never knew they were friends.
Did you need something?
No, I just wanted to talk to Sawako-chan.
She's an idol and I'm her fan.
Now that we're friends.
Right, Sawako-chan?
Yeah, fa—
Frie—
We're friends now, right?
Friends.
Uneasy tension.
Clumsy words.
Next episode: Cooperation