This is a warm place that keeps me out of the wind and rain!
I was even given a soft and fluffy mattress...
And there's konpeito in my bottle!
My life feels complete!
Complete my ass. You only have like one or two.
At this rate, it'll take you a hundred years to fill that bottle.
It's okay, Ioryogi!
Even if it takes me a hundred years, I'll still do my best!
Are you telling me to follow you around for a hundred years?!
Kobato.
How do I do this again?
The simplest things in life
end up being the most difficult.
I just want to smile when I'm happy
and sing a song whenever I please.
I was told, "Someday, your dream will come true."
But when exactly will that be?
I can't wait that long!
I spread my arms
on the count of one two three
and gather all the light in the world.
Tell me,
isn't there something I can do?
Even if someone hurts my feelings,
I'll keep running toward the light.
Even if I trip, fall, and cry my eyes out, I still believe.
Although it may seem silly...
I believe in tomorrow.
Production The Kobato Protection Group
...When the Green Leaves Flourish.
You know what you're supposed to do, right?
Yup!
I need to heal wounded hearts to collect more and more konpeito!
The birds are singing.
The flowers are shining in their morning dew!
They smell great!
You can discover so much if you just wake up earlier than usual.
You're taking a walk as an excuse to slack off, aren't ya?
That's not true!
There's a lovely road there!
She's beautiful...
E-Excuse me.
Did you see that?
Why were you crying?
I wonder...
Maybe it's because these green leaves are beautiful?
The green leaves being beautiful makes people cry?
I don't think you get it...
I'm sorry.
By the way, may I ask for your name?
I'm Kobato Hanato.
I'm Kohaku.
Kohaku?
Ioryogi, you shouldn't talk!
Kohaku as in Kohaku from heaven?
Heaven?
Yes.
No wonder I felt a different presence around you.
And who might he be?
He's Ioryogi.
You don't have to be secretive in front of her.
Really?
Ioryogi... I think I've heard that name somewhere.
I don't remember.
Yes, you do! It's not Ioryogi, but something similar!
Something similar?
Oh! Are you that Iorogi?
Yeah, I am.
You know each other?
Just by name.
So you're actually a cute little thing!
Well, actually...
Anyways, I go by Ioryogi here.
All right. Ioryogi it is.
And you're Kobato.
Yup!
I have to water the trees in the garden before the sunlight gets stronger.
If you'll excuse me.
Bye.
What are you doing?
That scared me...
I was looking at the leaves.
No matter how hard I look at them, tears won't come out.
I wonder why...
Beats me.
But when I look at them, I turn into a fountain.
What? Really?
Please tell me why!
'Cause the person who comes to help out is a slacker.
It makes me want to cry when I look at this mess and know it'll take me until sunset to clean it up.
Sorry!
Just watch me clean it up in the blink of an eye!
You're so clumsy.
Let me help you!
Kobato!
I'll help too!
Thank you!
What are you doing?
I want to know why Kohaku was crying.
I'll heal her heart if she's hurt!
As if you'd learn anything from reading those magazines.
Delicious Food for Thought
But I might get a clue!
I still don't understand why...
Obviously.
Then I'll wake up early and ask her again tomorrow!
I overslept!
I expected that.
She's not here.
Welcome back.
I hope you had a good day at work.
There she is!
Hold it!
Why?
Do you wanna be a third wheel or something?
Third wheel?
If you barge in now, you'll just get in their way.
You didn't have to come all the way here.
You could've just waited at home.
But walking home with you makes me feel so happy, Shuichiro.
Also, I want to spend as much time as possible with you...
They're flirting like no tomorrow.
What a splendid mansion!
You'll never live in one.
Wait, what are you doing here?
Well! Your heart can get wounded even if you're rich!
Where did you learn that?
I learned it from the magazines at the convenience store!
Hey, Ioryogi.
Yeah?
When should I go in?
You're getting the wrong idea...
I'm sorry for not being able to keep my promise today.
Don't worry, you were up all night...
And the patients are more important.
You're important too.
Kobato, I told you that you have no business here.
Let's go.
Hey!
O, Faeries of the water...
Answer my call.
Lend me your powers to enrich the soil.
Gather in order to help these lives.
O, Rain of blessing, fall upon the earth!
Wow, how beautiful...
Kobato? Ioryogi?
I'M SOAKING WET NOW!!
I'm sorry! I'm sorry!
I'm really sorry.
No, I should be the one apologizing.
I'm sorry for barging in.
Why did you come here?
Actually...
A little while ago, I saw you with a man...
I'm sorry for trailing you.
But I still don't understand why you were crying.
It's been on my mind.
I don't really understand myself.
But whenever I see beautiful things,
I think to myself, "I wish Shuichiro could be here to see it too".
And then I start thinking about him.
Oh...
Whenever I think about Shuichiro...
And then?
I get a tight feeling in my chest.
Tight feeling?
And I start feeling sad...
The satisfied feeling I get whenever I'm with him...
And the times when I see him smile shyly...
All these memories fill up my heart and I can't help but think about him.
And...
And?
And then I start crying.
I still don't get it...
I'm sorry I can't really explain it clearly.
In other words, you've fallen in love but it's painful and you cry!
Love?
Oh, so it's love...
I see, it's love.
Quit pretending you understand!
I've read that love always comes with distress!
Kohaku, is there anything bothering you?
Let me see...
Yes?
Well, it's more because Shuichiro is always really busy
and we've never had the time to go on a date...
Date?
Like going to the amusement park with the person you like.
A date at the amusement park.
Leave it to me, Kohaku!
I'll do my best!
Kohaku's heart will be healed if she goes on a date with Shuichiro at the amusement park.
First, I must investigate this so-called amusement park!
So this is the amusement park.
It looks really fun.
The tickets cost 3000 yen?!
So it costs money to go to the amusement park.
But I don't have any...
What should I do?
Don't ask me.
Anyways, healing Kohaku is kinda...
Look, Ioryogi!
First prize, a trip to Hawaii!
Second prize, a trip to a hot spring!
Third prize, amusement park tickets!
After you spin this,
the color of the bead that comes out determines your prize!
The prizes all come in pairs!
Come try your luck at the lucky draw!
Wow!
It looks like they're giving out amusement park tickets as prizes!
Here you go.
Young lady, where's your lucky draw ticket?
Without one, you won't be able to participate in the draw.
I need another ticket in order to get the amusement park tickets?
Lucky draw ticket...
Well, it's pointless to be so depressed.
You know, Kohaku is...
Lucky draw tickets are rather hard to find.
Wait! You aren't depressed?!
Come on, as if you'd ever find one dropped on the--
It's a lucky draw ticket!
I have a ticket!
Please let me spin it!
Here!
G-Go ahead.
I'll do my best!
Amusement park tickets...
Congratulations! You won a prize!
Oh, I did?
...seriously?
Fifth prize, an alligator doll!
Take good care of him!
It doesn't get more useless than that.
Why did you even take it?
The person who gave it to me was so nice... It would've been extremely rude not to take it.
But...
Anything besides amusement park tickets is useless.
I-I'm sorry!
Fujimoto?
It's you!
Quit daydreaming.
You deliver newspapers?
Yeah.
But I heard from Miss Sayaka that you work at a pizzeria.
Yeah, I do that too.
Wow, so hardworking...
What's that?
An alligator I got from a lucky draw.
But he's useless...
Amusement park tickets...
I got them from my workplace.
Hey.
What are you doing?
Can you give these to me?
Yeah right.
I'll trade you my alligator!
No thanks.
Please!
Kohaku needs to go on a date at the amusement park!
Here.
Now you can go on a date with Shuichiro.
Whatever...
What's with those newspapers?
I'm helping someone deliver them.
You agreed to deliver newspapers in order to get these tickets?
Yup!
Take them.
Thank you very much.
But I can't accept them.
Why?
I don't think Shuichiro will have the time anyways.
But it'd be a waste to just throw them away...
Oh!
Why don't you go yourself?
M-Me?
Yes, with Ioryogi.
What?
With Ioryogi...
Don't even think about it!
No!
These tickets are pointless if you and Shuichiro don't go together!
But that's impossible...
And I can't be so selfish.
That's...
...considered selfish?
From what I saw, Shuichiro was also really happy when he's with you.
I think you're as important to him as he is to you.
I'm sure he also wants to go on a date with you.
Kobato...
Shuichiro?
Can I have those tickets?
Of course!
Here you go!
Shuichiro, you'll go with me?
I don't particularly dislike the ferris wheel.
I can't see them.
Of course you can't, let's go.
Okay...
They must be really happy.
I guess.
Rabbit?
He's a messenger from heaven.
Heaven?
Is he also someone you know?
Time limit, you say?
How long is it?
So the bottle has to be filled by four changes of seasons?
You heard that, right?
Yes, there's a time limit.
It's four changes of seasons, right?
That means we have a year to fill the bottle up.
If it isn't filled by then...
I won't be able to go to that place.
And take a look at the bottle.
It's the same amount.
Do know why?
No, I don't.
Is it because Kohaku's heart wasn't healed?
There's no need to heal those who are already filled with happiness.
So that means she wasn't hurt or anything!
Should you really be happy?!
You get 100!
100?
Negative.
Negative... 100?
A failure in choice.
Giving you a negative 100 is going easy on you.
But I'm happy that she's happy!
Don't act so carefree! You only have one year!
You should start panicking!
Okay!
I'll do my best!
Don't give me that look.
I'm not!
Didn't I tell you to start panicking?
What kind of look do you get when you panic?
You're getting the wrong idea again!
Even though we all want to fly,
we're being deceived by gravity.
In reality, everybody can already fly.
The reason why that child looks so sad
might be because she left her shadow somewhere.
If so...
If telling you "Thank you",
or hearing "Thank you" just makes you smile,
then doing those things will make me happy.
And they'll make you happy too.
Don't worry, we're together.
It's mysterious as to why tears roll down
even though I'm happy.
Next
...The Promise of the Fireflies.