Yomogi Nursery
Kobato, Kobato!
Yes?
Can you read this?
Light of the Fireflies
Author Sotaro Mori Illustrator Naoko Niimura
Light of the Fireflies...
Can you?
Ooh, maybe Kobato can't read it.
Ehhh, really?
No, I can definitely read it!
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 night fell, the area became pitch black.
...The Promise of the Fireflies.
Tonight, it looks like even Mr. Moon is taking a night off.
Nothing could be seen.
Spotted!
Kobato, you skipped a page again!
Huh?! I'm sorry!
You're always such a klutz.
You can do it, Kobato!
Thanks!
She messed up again, didn't she?
Hello, this is Yomogi Nursery.
I'm pretty sure I've already refused that offer.
I'm sorry, but I'm currently in the middle of work. You'll have to excuse me.
Kobato fell again!
She knocked something over again!
Dobato! Whaddaya think you're doing right now?!
Bye bye, Kobato!
Bye bye!
Kobato, Kobato!
What is it Marina?
It'd be nice if you could actually read the picture book!
Yes, I'll try my best...
Don't worry, I'm sure you'll be able to soon!
Thank you!
Accounts
Excuse me...
I'd like to practice reading out loud so that it pleases everyone.
May I please borrow this?
Um sure, I don't mind.
I'll try my best so I can read better!
Yes, good luck.
Thank you!
That firefly lived by himself for a long, long time.
And so, he came to forget the fact that he was a firefly at all.
It's lonely to be all by yourself, huh?
I suppose.
On one of those dark days, the firefly felt that something good had happened...
Hey.
Is there something that I could do for you?
Yeah. Could you stop reading?
Huh?
I said, stop reading that thing.
Um, is there a reason why?
What a jerk.
No littering!
Please take your trash with you!
What is it?
It's the guy from earlier.
It is, isn't it...
What's with him.
He seems completely different than he was earlier.
I wonder if something's troubling him...
Excuse me!
Do you not have a house?!
How did you come up with that?!
Actually, I was also living in the park until just a little while ago!
Thanks to Miss Sayaka and Miss Chitose, I have fluffy bedsheets to sleep on now!
Bedsheets are so nice!
If you'd like to, you could stay at my place!
I don't need help from someone I don't even know!
I'm Kobato Hanato! This is Ioryogi!
I have no desire to associate with you.
Excuse me?
I wonder why he got so angry...
The firefly saw a small, beautiful light in the distance.
Wondering what it was, he moved closer to it...
I just can't do it.
I'll try my best tomorrow too!
I overslept again!
You're just slow at everything, aren't you.
If you're late, Fujimoto will yell at you again.
She's fast...
Huh?
What's a matter, girlie?
Good morning.
Is there something you need?
We came to get our money back.
Money?
They look dangerous...
I said eat it!
I just love kids...
Come on!
Please stop!
What do you think you're doing?
Didn't even apologize for bumping into me, huh?
What the hell are you doing?! Let go of me!
Don't you dare touch the kids.
Fujimoto!
You!
Owww!
Looking down on us...?
Please stop!
Miss Sayaka.
I believe I've asked you not to come to this place during school hours anymore.
Who do you think you are, giving orders!
The one at fault is the one who can't pay back her loans, isn't it teach?
Don't get so conceited just 'cause our boss is being easy on you.
I'll deal with you guys after the nursery closes, so--
Y'know, if you just returned what you owed us, we'd leave.
Which is why I'm telling you to just hurry the hell up and pay!
You--!
That girl...
P-Please leave!
K-Kobato!
Please leave!
I don't have time to play with children!
Please leave.
What's with this girl?
Police! Help! There are scary people here! Hurry!
We'll call it a day, but you're not getting rid of us until you pay up.
Let go, dammit!
Are you all right Miss Sayaka?
Yes, I'm fine.
Toshihiko! Are you all right?
I was faking it, I'm fine!
I thought they'd leave if I called for the police.
Is that so?
They really did leave after that!
Well done!
Toshihiko's amazing!
Nah... If they come again, I'll take care of it.
Dobato did well, huh...
But how long do I have to lay here like this?
So yesterday's call was from them, huh.
Miss Sayaka's having difficulties...
I wonder if there's anything I could do.
You have no money.
But if I could pay back her loan, I could help her.
Oh!
What?
Are you an idiot?!
It's him.
He's still there.
What's he doing?
He's... No way!
Excuse me!
Do you feel sick?
I'm fine.
Nothing's wrong.
Is there anything I could do to help?
If there's anything wrong...
There's nothing wrong, really.
I have a place to live.
I just like being here.
Is that so...
The book from yesterday.
Ah, I borrowed it from the nursery.
I've been practicing, but it just seems like I can't get the hang of reading out loud.
I thought I told you not to read it anymore.
Why not?
Everyone really likes this story.
That's why I really want to be able to read it for them.
I'm begging you, so don't read it!
Nothing. Forget it.
Does he really hate this book that much?
Why are you here?
'Cause I live here.
We're neighbors?!
Well duh.
Wait!
What?
I was told not to read this book anymore by a man in the park...
You met Mr. Mori?
Mr. Mori?
Is there something the matter with Ioryogi?
No. He's the person who wrote the book!
Oh...
Huh?! Really?
He's sort of famous around this area.
But then, why did he say not to read this book?
Who knows.
That was supposedly the last book he wrote.
His... last book.
Light of the Fireflies
Author Sotaro Mori Illustrator Naoko Niimura
On the bank of a beautiful stream lived a single firefly.
That firefly lived by himself for a long, long time.
And so, he came to forget the fact that he was a firefly at all.
One moonless, pitch black night, that firefly saw a small, beautiful light.
Wondering what it was, he approached it, and found that it was a female bug.
"You're so pretty. What sort of bug are you?" He asked.
"A firefly, the same as you," she replied.
And then she asked him, "Why don't you glow?"
The firefly who had been alone for so long had forgotten how to glow.
And so, she taught the sad firefly how to glow.
In the end, by the banks of the stream, the two of them lived and glowed - together.
So that old man's forgotten how to glow too, huh.
I'm not sure why, but he's like that firefly in the story.
Isn't there anything I can do for him?
Friendly Library
Life of a Firefly
What do you think you're doing?
I'm going to find it!
Hey!
Are you doing anything tonight?
Let's go see the fireflies!
I'll be waiting at the Hachiman Mountain riverside!
The firefly remembered.
I'm a firefly too! And I can glow, just like you!
You've gotten good at reading that, haven't you?
I'm sure he'll be able to remember how to glow again.
But he's still not here, huh.
You came!
Well, I guess I had no choice.
Um, the fireflies haven't come out yet.
Why did you say that?
"Let's go see the fireflies. I'll be waiting at the Hachiman Mountain riverside."
The same thing as Naoko...
Miss... Naoko?
My... ex-girlfriend.
The pictures... Naoko drew those pictures.
She said a story about fireflies would be nice, so I went ahead and wrote the story.
She filled in the pictures afterwards.
Let's go see the fireflies.
Hey, I said let's go see the fireflies!
You promised, didn't you?
Yes, I understand.
I don't have time.
Don't say that. I found just the place!
I said, I don't have time--
I'll be waiting by the Hachiman Mountain riverside!
Hello?
In the end, I didn't go. Back then, I was so busy, had so many deadlines...
Yes, yes.
Back then, I was so busy, had so many deadlines...
So your girlfriend went by herself...
It was very beautiful, I wanted to show it to you too, she said.
There was something sad about the pictures that Naoko drew, but they were beautiful.
That's why I also changed the story to be a beautiful, but sad one.
It was a while after the book was published...
You were finally able to get a break?
Yeah, I'll be waiting at our usual spot.
Naoko! Naoko! Hold on!
Sotaro?
Yeah, it's me.
Is there anything you want? I'll bring you anything!
Fireflies...
I wanted to... see the fireflies with you...
Why didn't I just go with her back then?
She wanted to see them so badly...
Why didn't...
...I?
I'm leaving.
Please wait!
If you wait just a little longer, I'm sure--
Are you okay?
I'm sorry!
This is...
Naoko... stood here and drew this.
Right here...
Fireflies...
What? You've never seen fireflies before?
What, is there something wrong with that?
Then let's go see them together.
You can't write a story about something if you don't see the real thing.
There aren't any fireflies in this area, are there?
I'll definitely find a place for you.
I promise!
Promise, huh...
The fireflies are pretty, aren't they?
They're really... beautiful.
Yeah.
That old man remembered how to glow again, huh.
I bet he'll start writing again.
Look at this, it proves it.
There are more of them!
Which means!
That old man was healed.
I was able to help Mr. Mori.
I'd like to be able to say 100 points this time,
but after subtracting points for crushing me in the library...
80 points.
Thank you!
You better keep up your pace!
Yes! I'll do my best!
But I'm just too nice giving out 80 points like that. Perhaps I should lower it to 50...
No, 80 points is good!
Well then...
Yes?
79 points.
That's cheating!
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
...A Little Game of Hide and Seek.