What... should I do?
Sawako!
What's gotten into you? You keep dropping your rice!
Is everything okay?
I-It's nothing!
I was just thinking about the upcoming tests.
Oh, so they start tomorrow, huh...
Yup.
Thanks for the meal.
That's all you're going to eat?
Yeah.
When I see Yano-san, Yoshida-san, and Kazehaya-kun tomorrow...
...what am I supposed to do?
Oh... right.
Since we have a test today, we're going to be seated according to our student numbers.
I wonder who's sitting in my usual seat...
Yano-san!
She's actually sitting there without complaints!
Even though people are spreading weird rumors about her because of me...
Yano-san, Yoshida-san, and Kazehaya-kun have never appeared to be disgusted or frightened of me.
They've... always been so nice.
Morning.
Oh yeah, your testing seat is Sadako's seat.
Yeah.
Sadako...
Even if it always ended up with her killing the mood, she's always greeted everyone.
But today, she just sat down in her seat without looking at anyone... not even me.
Why?
I don't know, but...
All we know is...
...she's not acting like her regular self.
Now that I'm so far away from where I usually sit, it feels like I never sat there in the first place.
It feels like I'd never been there at all.
The memories feel so distant, almost like it was a dream.
You may begin.
I didn't want to cause trouble. I wanted to be useful to everyone.
But... I still haven't been able to clear up the misunderstanding between Yano-san, Yoshida-san and me.
Even if I find the people who are spreading the rumors and correct the misunderstanding,
as long as I am around them, I'll end up hurting them again.
Hurting such kind people...
I may be able to clear up the misunderstanding, but I still don't know how I could possibly heal their wounded hearts.
So... I'm going to pretend like nothing ever happened and distance myself from everyone again.
I'm sure that's the best thing to do.
I wonder if Yoshida-san ended up using my notes?
If she did, I hope they were helpful...
Yano-san, I memorized a ghost story.
I wanted you to be the first one to hear it, but...
...I guess that's not possible.
Kazehaya-kun...
I...
I was so happy...
It's what I've always longed for...
It's what I've always dreamed of...
I've always...
I don't even know how I was able to get by on my own.
Now that I know...
...how it feels to be treated kindly, and the feeling of wanting to return the kindness...
I don't know how I could possibly go back to being alone.
How was I able to be alone? How was I able to go on?
I've... I've forgotten everything...
Everything...
You were waiting for me at this very place on the first day of summer vacation.
I'm still not convinced.
If you don't hate me, then why are you avoiding me?
Please... don't talk to me.
No...
I just can't bring myself to say that!
I... I've tried, but I still can't say something I really don't mean!
Wait, what?!
I'm sorry if I'm making you lose your popularity!
Hey, wait- I'm sorry if I'm making you lose your popularity!
Hey, wait-
Kuronuma!
You have to speak clearly or I can't understand you!
P-People said that if I'm around you, I'll make you to lose your popularity!
Popularity?
Who told you that?!
People were spreading rumors about it!
Rumors?
Popularity... Rumors...
Where does my decision fit into that?
That's not something for you to decide!
It's something for me to decide!
I'm... going to do things the way I want to.
If I want to speak to you, then I will.
If I didn't want to, then I wouldn't be doing this right now!
I don't care what rumors are going around.
The only Kuronuma I know is the one I see with my own eyes.
I've... always been longing for people like this...
People like Yano-san, Yoshida-san, and Kazehaya-kun...
I've always dreamed...
...that one day, I'd be able to think of someone as precious, and they would feel the same about me.
Have you calmed down a bit?
Th-Thank you...
I was really thirsty.
Thanks.
Then I guess I'll keep this.
Until just a few moments ago, I was in complete despair.
And yet...
...somehow, I feel myself cheering up as I look up to see Kazehaya-kun smiling.
It's like my heart is opening up.
The only Kuronuma I know is the one I see with my own eyes.
Those words made me so happy...
I interpreted that as, "You can stay by my side."
It made me so happy...
Oh, I get it...
So the reason things are kind of rough between the three of you was because of rumors, too, huh?
How would you have felt if things were the other way around?
Huh?
What if Yano, Yoshida and I had started to distance ourselves from you, thinking that we'd only make you less popular?
I'd hate that!
I want to be with everyone!
Maybe they feel the same way, too.
In the end, it all comes down to how the other person feels.
I don't know how exactly those two feel, but...
...I'm sure they'll start to worry if you avoid them suddenly.
At least, I know I was worried.
I-I-I-I-I-I'm s-so sorry!
Never.
And I mean never.
Never are you allowed to avoid me again.
I wonder if anyone in my life has told me I wasn't allowed to avoid them, rather than say I wasn't allowed to come near them.
I guess I was thinking too logically.
But still... I have to ask them.
No, my feelings won't get through unless I tell them directly.
I want to tell Yano-san and Yoshida-san.
I really want them to hear my feelings, too.
Don't forget, you already have someone you can talk to, too.
I'm going to try talking to them tomorrow.
I-I don't just want to be their classmate.
I want to become their f-friend...
No.
I-I'm going to try my best to become friends with them.
I said it!
Yeah.
Go for it!
I will!
And just with those words and his smile alone, he gives me the push I need to move forward.
You can do it, Kuronuma.
I know you'll be able to.
Stay strong.
I can do it, Kazehaya-kun.
I'll definitely do it!
What the hell are you still doing here?
Why don't you go home and study or something?
I'm on my way to the library to do just that.
Oh?
You're more serious than you look.
You know, it was your fault to begin with!
What?
If you hadn't shown up back then...
What in the world are you talking about?
If I hadn't shown up, then what?
If you hadn't shown up...
...I would have been able to eavesdrop on Sadako?
What?
It's nothing.
Hey! Don't be blaming others.
I don't know what you're talking about, but blaming things on others doesn't solve anything.
You're going to come across a lot of unfairness in the course of your life,
but you're just going to have to deal with it yourself.
Even if I'm the reason for it!
Deal with it yourself!
Oh yeah, you gave the workout plan to Ryu, right?
I threw it in a fire!
What did you say?!
Don't be blaming others.
What's his problem?
Pin's the last person I want to hear that from.
Isn't this the book Sadako was reading?
Yeah, it is.
She checked out this one, too?
Why are they all Japanese ghost stories?
She's such a strange girl...
Why don't you just try to make the best of that appearance then?
It was only an off-hand remark, too...
She's so damn serious...
Hey, you look depressed.
Want me to cheer you up?
No, thank you!
I'm not depressed!
Ever since we were kids, you'd always be sitting by your doorstep whenever you got kicked out of the house for doing something bad.
Shut up!
Were you jogging or something?
Yup.
It's a part of Pin's secret training menu.
You're not feeling down because of those rumors about you being a delinquent, are you?
Those rumors don't bother me at all!
Thought so.
I'm stupid, so...
I don't get what's going on at all!!
Is Sadako really Sadako?! Or does she have an alternate personality?!
You really don't get it, do you?
So in other words...
When I asked who started the rumors, they said it all came from Sadako...
How would she spread the rumors? By talking to herself?
If she did that, the rumors would be about her muttering to herself!
Well, I mean, she doesn't seem like she has people to talk to.
Y-You're right!
That's it!
Wow, you're right!
Simpleton.
Now that I think about it, she was talking to someone I didn't know...
And on top of that, she was saying something about us not being her friends...
And to put a cherry on top, she doesn't seem to like us...
I think she's avoiding us, too...
Geez...
What did you mean by "Sorry", Sadako?!
Why didn't you tell us you liked us when I asked you?!
Well, I guess she doesn't like you then.
Then what is it?!
She hates us?!
She was using us?!
Who knows?
And there's also a possibility that she just doesn't care.
And there could be other reasons, too.
Other reasons?
What else could it be?
Hell if I know.
Why don't you ask her directly if it's bugging you so much?
I'll cheer you up if she says that she doesn't care about you.
Later.
I don't need you to cheer me up!
What did he mean by "other reasons"?
Her notes were so easy to understand.
She did make them with my academic capabilities in mind, after all.
Sadako totally sucks at drawing!
She went through all this trouble... just for me...
Who in their right mind would do that?
Chizu?
Could you come out for a bit?
How did you do on your test?
Well... yeah.
I understood all the parts that Sadako went over with me.
I see.
I haven't seen Sadako smile once, since all this stuff started happening.
She seemed really happy before all this, too...
You saw her smile when she was helping us all prepare for the test, right?
I sure did!
That was a shocker!
Hey...
Hmm?
Don't you think she's gotten used to people avoiding her and it sort of became a regular thing for her?
Isn't that kind of sad?
She's such a nice girl, too...
That's why I couldn't leave her be.
Yeah... maybe that was it.
She had already gotten used to the way everyone was treating her,
and she turned into someone who has trouble understanding how others feel and her own emotions, too.
I started to notice that.
That's why it made me really happy to see such a natural smile on her face.
You were thinking about something like that?
Stop crying. You're embarrassing me.
I didn't know you cared so much about Sadako, either.
Wow.
I really felt like I understood Sadako, but it turns out I didn't, which made me unsure about so many things.
But there are a lot of things we don't know about each other, either.
Yano-chin, we haven't told Sadako the most important thing yet, either.
Sadako doesn't know how much we care about her.
We still haven't figured out what she meant by "sorry", yet...
What she meant when she said we weren't her friends...
And what she still had to say back then.
If we'd stuck around to listen, I wonder what she would've said.
In the beginning, I was positive she was one of those types that we wouldn't get along with.
But look at us now. All we're thinking about is Sadako.
Seriously!
How much longer is she going to keep us worrying?
We're always thinking about her.
We really like her, don't we?
I said that it would be difficult to answer whether we're friends with her or not,
but we're definitely friends.
I mean, think about it. If she wasn't our friend, could we worry over her as much as we do now?
There's no knowing how others are feeling unless you ask them.
And your feelings can't get through to others unless you tell them directly.
Because we can't understand each other, it makes us want to make things clear even more.
And that really brings joy to my heart.
Right now, I feel that way without a doubt in my mind.
And the fact I was able to meet people who could make me feel that way...
...makes me so happy.
I... wonder if Yano-san and Yoshida-san...
...will talk to me when we see each other?
Oh, but... I'm sure they'll be studying for tests during free time, so maybe I'll try it after school...
But wait! They may want to go home to study for tomorrow's tests!
"I-I'm sorry to be a bother, but..." PLACEHOLDER
Hey... is it just me, or do you hear a voice coming from that stall? "I-I'm sorry to be a bother, but..."
Hey... is it just me, or do you hear a voice coming from that stall?
Oh my gosh! Quit scaring me!
I'm really nervous, but I don't mind at all.
Don't forget, you already have someone you can talk to, too.
They'll hear me out.
I'm sure they will.
Man, I'm so screwed for today's test!
Yeah, me too!
O-Oh no! I got too caught up and ended up staying for too long!
Oh yeah. O-Oh no! I got too caught up and ended up staying for too long!
Do you remember the rumors about Sadako? O-Oh no! I got too caught up and ended up staying for too long!
Do you remember the rumors about Sadako?
Yeah, the thing about having Yano and Yoshida as her backups?
Rumors?
Well, I heard-
I-It's all a misunderstanding!
Yano-san and Yoshida-san aren't backing me up or anything.
So... umm....
It's all a lie, and...
Yano-san and Yoshida-san are really nice people!
And here comes Sadako!
"Really nice people"?
What's this girl talking about?
Maybe she just wants to talk to us?
Don't you think she's glaring at us?
N-No, I always look like this...
Umm... so Yano-san and Yoshida-
Shut up already.
We get it.
Yoshida and Yano, right?
Y-You get it now-
The criminal delinquent and the whore, right?
I want to clear up these misunderstandings.
I can't give up these feelings.
Next time: Friends.