Kazehaya.
Kazehaya is the one I like.
Kazehaya-kun.
So that means...?
Are they going to be dating?
Is there going to be someone special for Kazehaya-kun?
I have to help make that happen?
Thanks, Sawako-chan.
I'm so happy.
Thanks, really.
See you tomorrow.
I'm sorry,
I can't.
I don't think I can.
Maybe I wouldn't be a good match with him.
No, that's not what I meant.
Then I want you to cheer me on.
You're the only person I've told.
Or maybe he should be with someone else after all.
Kurumi-chan.
No, I think you'd be a good couple.
Sawako-chan, then—
But...
I can't cheer for you honestly, so I can't help you.
I think Kazehaya-kun is special to me.
I'm sorry I can't help.
Is there anything else I can do?
Kazehaya-kun must be special to her, just like he is to me.
I can't help, but I know how you feel.
So I can at least listen to you.
Shut up.
Why don't you back off?
This is the part where you're supposed to know your place and back off.
I hear it from Kurumi-chan's direction.
Is someone behind her?
What?
What do you mean you know how I feel?
You want to go out with Kazehaya?
No way, never.
What do you mean special?
U-Uh...
Because he was nice to you?
Because he talked to you?
Because he was kind to you?
M-Maybe?
That's just volunteer work.
It doesn't even have to be Kazehaya, as long as they're nice to you, does it?
K-Kurumi-chan.
It's not fair, Sawako-chan.
Just because you're gloomy and you scare everyone off,
Kazehaya talks to you and you don't even make an effort.
You have to work hard when you're cute and popular like I am.
K-Kurumi-chan!
I never knew it was so tough being popular.
And that I was having it easy being gloomy.
It's not fair, just because you're a bit cute.
It's not like that, I just...
Don't get so stuck up just because you're cute.
K.O.!
You wouldn't understand!
That sounds like what Kurumi-chan said.
It's not fair, Sawako-chan.
Kazehaya talks to you and you don't even make an effort.
That's so true.
I was just lending myself to his kindness.
It doesn't even have to be Kazehaya, as long as they're nice to you, does it?
I-I wonder.
What if someone other than Kazehaya-kun was nice to me?
I wonder if I'd have felt the same way.
All right, kids.
Here it is.
Sports day!
Do or die, everyone!
Dismissed.
What do you think? Do I stand out in my red t-shirt?
You do.
You look tough.
It brings out the idiot in you, too.
Really?
You're flattering me.
Yoshida-san looks awesome in red.
Chizu looks so blissful.
Oh yeah, the girls' soccer match is right before our game.
Let's go cheer them on.
Yeah!
Just don't be a bunch of jackasses.
We're just going to cheer.
Leave it to us.
Yeah right.
All right, done.
T-Thanks.
Cute.
Really?
Looks good!
Definitely.
It looks good.
Yup.
Looks great.
Pretty.
Go for it.
Here goes!
It's the zashiki-warashi effect!
Let me try.
Me too.
Me too?
For good luck.
I think we can do this.
Yeah, we can.
They're treating you like a goddess of fortune.
You've sure made some ground.
I feel like I'm part of the class.
It's the Kazehaya-kun effect!
Do I feel this way because he helps me?
Is it nothing special?
That way!
This way!
Forwards!
Kick!
Go!
3-2 with stoppage time.
You think our girls will outrun them?
I bet we will.
Our red devil's pulling a hat trick.
Oh my god, Chizu-chan!
How flashy do you need to be?
Wait, where's Sadako?
She's in there.
She's there, right, Ryu?
Yeah.
Oh, there she is.
Where's she now?
Is she teleporting?
She's sort of fitting in now, isn't she?
Yeah, she is.
I think she's been less gloomy since she's become friends with Yano and Yoshida.
Oh shit, there's no one there.
Sa—
Sawako!
Here I go!
She kicked it.
Nice!
I-I kicked it.
Eh? My shoe...
There you are.
Kazehaya.
All right, let's do this.
It's in!
Fourth goal!
Game over!
We won!
Good job, Sadako!
We're awesome.
Nice.
Yay.
I'm so happy.
This is the first time I've celebrated with everyone.
Kuronuma.
It's all that practice you did.
Viva practice!
Kazehaya!
We're going to go strategize before the game.
Okay.
You have a game next?
Yeah, softball.
Don't mess up.
Ow.
Hit 'em hard. Hard!
Your elbow hurts.
Godspeed! Godspeed! Godspeed!
O-Ow. Ow.
G-Good luck.
Yeah, I'll win.
Good for you, Sadako.
What about me, Yano-chin?
I was huge in that game.
Really showy.
And red.
Really?
Okay, we have to go practice volleyball.
Oh yeah, before the big game.
We have over an hour before the game.
What to do, Sadako?
I'm going to go find my shoe.
Where did you lose it?
I sort of got carried away.
Okay, go pick up your shoe and come watch our—
No, she's going to go cheer at the softball match.
We can't go watch the boys' softball game.
You go cheer for us.
Okay.
Okay, see you.
I'll go watch volleyball too.
Good luck.
Leave it to me.
Sawako,
don't you lose.
Cheerleading?
Lose what?
We already won in soccer.
You'll see.
Kurumi-chan.
Kurumi-chan, did you pick that up for me?
Y-You're so nice.
Hey, she picked up her shoe.
She's so nice.
Here, Sawako-chan.
T-Thanks.
She's so nice.
She really is.
Hey...
See you.
I think I went too far yesterday.
Sorry.
Kurumi-chan.
Don't call me Kurumi-chan anymore.
U—
Ume-chan.
You're on my people-who-called-me-Ume list.
I'm in her diary.
Really? Is that okay?
What kind of response is that?
I'm leaving.
Wait, Ume-chan.
Don't call me that.
W-What do I call you?
“Ume” is my one hang-up.
But it's cute.
How?
My grandma gave me this shabby old name.
It doesn't suit me.
Shabby? Old? But it's cute.
It's not.
But I'm Sadako.
You're Sawako-chan.
Your name's just fine.
Oh yeah, she always called me Sawako-chan.
Hey, you want to go to the field with me?
Why me?
There's going to be a game.
Kazehaya-kun's playing.
Let's go watch.
Of course I'm going.
She's seems a little different to me now, but she's still cute.
Why do I have to watch the game with you?
Kurumi-chan's watching.
Why are you whispering?
Try calling her.
Shut up, I have my own problems.
Hey, Kurumi-chan.
I can't help but speak my mind when I talk to you.
She tells me what she's really thinking now.
What?
Nothing.
He's waving at me.
See.
Oh yeah.
That was to Kurumi-chan.
Of course.
There's so many girls.
Who was that girl next to Sadako?
Kurumi-chan.
She's so cute.
Speaking of Sadako,
That soccer game...
She's actually...
Holy shit!
Oh damn!
Flash of light!
She's awesome now!
She's amazing.
Yeah.
Are they praising her?
That's good, I guess.
But Sadako's not her name, is it?
Isn't it? Kuronuma Sadako.
No, Chizuru told me her real name before.
It was…
Taka.
Enough of “Takako.”
There was an easy way to remember, an image.
Dark water in a swamp...
It starts with “Sa.”
Sakako.
No!
It starts with “Sa,” and then...
It's something like Tawashi...
Sa—
Sawashi?
Sawako.
Kuranuma Sawako.
No way.
Was it Doronuma?
No, it's Kuronuma.
L-Let's play catch before the game.
Oh, yeah.
All right, let's do that.
Shouta, you're with me, right?
Yeah.
Sawako.
I looked up the word “special” in the dictionary yesterday.
The dictionary?
“Unable to be treated like everything or everyone else.”
Something like that.
Dictionaries are amazing.
It's like they're listening to us talk.
Your point?
Nothing, just that it's tough.
I used to think of Kazehaya-kun as being that way.
It's true that he's always been helping me.
It's true that he's been helping me for as long as I've known him.
I can't compare him to everyone else.
That's only because you don't talk to the other boys.
Why don't you try talking to them more?
You know, like someone that sits close to you.
Kazehaya-kun.
Someone else.
Someone else?
Behind you or in front or something.
You know.
Behind...
Sanada-kun.
I've talked to Sanada-kun a bit before.
Sanada?
Take this, Joe's magical special pitch!
Watch out!
Ryu! Nice cover!
No magic pitches.
Sorry.
That scared me.
Seriously.
I'm so sorry. I'm terribly sorry.
See,
you got helped.
I have to thank him.
I forgot, I was too stunned.
Oh yeah.
You should go thank him.
Maybe you should talk to him more.
Yeah, alone.
Following him with my eyes, following him with my mind.
Next episode: Romance