What on earth is this?
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
...The Footsteps of Spring.
Hey Kobato, who'd you give your chocolate to?
Huh? Me?
Yeah!
I gave some to...
Miss Sayaka and Ioryogi and Toshihiko and...
That's not what I'm talking about!
Who'd you give your best chocolate to?
What?
Um... I really like everyone here...
Come on, tell us!
Um...
Yeah?
Sorry for interrupting the fun...
Calm down, calm down!
Do you think you could get Sayaka for me?
Why are you here?
To talk.
Just one last time.
You can't!
Could you get out of the way?
I will not!
Well, that's a problem...
Kobato.
It's okay.
Let him through.
Sayaka. It's been a while.
Please, if you could wait just a little bit longer...
How long is "just a little bit"?
I think I've waited for quite a while already.
Why... have you changed so much?
I haven't. This is the real me.
Liar.
Just give it up.
Are you being stubborn because it's me you're dealing with?
If so, you've got the wrong idea.
I don't think of you as any more than a stranger.
My visit here just means that this is the end, no more negotiations.
Or do you want the children to watch as this place gets torn down?
There's no reason for you to be so attached to this place.
You can always open another nursery somewhere else.
Fujimoto!
What the hell are you saying?!
You should know better than anyone else!
Fujimoto!
That this place isn't just some building!
It's something important that was handed down to Miss Sayaka from the late principal!
It's not exchangeable!
If it's not just a building, then what are you trying so hard to protect?
Is this building more important than the children?
If it doesn't matter that harm will come to these children then you all can just stay here.
But if that's the case, I think you've got your priorities a little mixed up.
You!
You can't!
If you'd be kind enough to hit me, then perhaps this discussion would go even faster.
I understand.
I will close down the Nursery.
Miss Sayaka...
In exchange, I'd like you to wait until the graduation ceremony is over.
What've you been doing over there, Dobato?
Hey.
You know...
You're gonna make those sheets wet again.
I'm sorry.
Honestly.
Don't create more work for me.
I'm so sorry!
I... will go to Mr. Okiura's place.
Go and do what?
Go and ask him one more time not to destroy this Nursery.
You asking will just make a bigger mess.
But at this rate—
Whatever, just don't go!
Hey.
It's you...
Why did he show up all of sudden?
At this point, what does it even matter?
You're putting us under duress.
If we wanted to, we could sue.
If you guys could've sued, you would've done it a long time ago.
And anyway, didn't the teacher decide that she'd close down the place?
Stop complaining and just get outta there!
I'm not giving up. I will protect that Nursery.
How do you plan on doing that?
Idiot... saying all that even though you have no idea what's going on.
Wait!
I'm not done talking to you!
You might think you look real cool, trying to save everyone,
but if you ask me, you're just wasting your time.
Listen up.
The first one to have his eye on that nursery was the president.
President?
Mr. Okiura's dad.
The root of Yomogi Nursery's debt problem is also because
...the president pulled some strings and pushed the debt onto the previous principal.
No way...
Wait.
The principal ran himself to the ground trying to raise money... and died because of the strain!
If he knew this and still went along with his father, he's just as guilty!
That's why I said that you just don't get it!
Do you know what would happen if the president actually got serious about this?
That's why Mr. Okiura took it upon himself to deal with this.
I...
I think Mr. Okiura took on the role of the bad guy in order to protect the Nursery from the president.
To go one step further, perhaps even to protect the woman he loves...
Don't give me that garbage!
Whether you believe me or not is up to you.
But you know... Kobato, was it?
I owe that girl.
So I don't want to have to make a big mess and hurt people, got it?
Just do as Mr. Okiura says.
Sign: Yomogi Nursery Graduation
You can see everything.
Search, keep searching...
For new wonders.
All the nurseries are completely filled up.
I'm on a waiting list as well.
I'm so sorry that things turned out like this.
Please, eat up!
T-This is...
If it's okay with you, won't you have dinner with us?
If we all eat together, no one will be lonely, right?
Chise!
T-Thanks so much for all of this, but I just can't seem to eat anything right now.
I understand. You must not be in the mood for a meal with everyone right now...
No, it's not that! Um...
I'm very grateful for everyone's consideration!
Father, I'm sorry.
I wasn't able to protect the Nursery.
But you know? Even though things have turned out like this, somehow, I still want to believe in him...
I'm sure you think I'm silly, don't you?
Chitose... I saw Mr. Okiura in front of the Nursery today.
He looked really lonely somehow.
I see.
Even though he was the one who told us to get out...
Mr. Okiura might still be in love with Sayaka.
After all, Sayaka is still in love with him.
If that's true, then why does he do things that make her sad?
Sometimes, because you love someone... because you care so strongly for them...
misunderstandings happen.
It's that man!
If I follow that man, I might be able to meet with Mr. Okiura!
Hey.
Excuse me!
Please let me meet with Mr. Okiura!
Missy, just stay out of it.
Please!
Even if you meet with him, nothing will change. Go home.
Please wait!
Chase her away.
Even if I did, she doesn't seem like the type of girl who would back down that easily.
Then leave her alone.
She's still there.
Mr. Okiura?
God dammit, every one of them... Why are they all so heated up over that nursery?!
Ioryogi, you're not cold, are you?
Of course I am!
Now that you know, why don't you go borrow an umbrella or find some shelter from this rain?
Come on now, use your head a bit!
But if I'm not here when Mr. Okiura looks out the window, I won't be able to catch his attention.
Even if you stand here, that guy isn't gonna come out.
He'll come out sometime.
Even if he doesn't today, there's always tomorrow.
And if not tomorrow, then the day after.
How long do you plan on waiting here for?
Until he comes out, no matter how long it takes.
How long are you going to stand there for?
Mr. Okiura!
Um...
I don't have anything to say to you.
I'm going to demolish the Nursery and then use that land as collateral for the debt.
And that's the end of the story.
I... actually wanted to ask about something else.
About your true feelings.
Like I just said, I'm going to—
Not that!
You're a difficult one, aren't you?
Chitose said that you still love Miss Sayaka and that Miss Sayaka still loves you.
And here I was wondering what you could possibly have to say...
Mr. Okura!
If Miss Sayaka really is that important to you, why did you do such a terrible thing?
Even though it's so important to us...
To Miss Sayaka, to me, to Fujimoto, to everyone at Yomogi Nursery...
We all love that place so much.
That's why... that's why I think Miss Sayaka wanted to protect it so much.
And despite all of that, you still took it away from her and made her sad.
I just can't imagine that you're a good person after all of that.
But even if you're not a good person...
If you're important to Miss Sayaka, then things can't go on like this!
Please tell me why!
We came from different worlds.
I wasn't able to restrain my dad's power.
That's why, now I have no choice but to protect her this way...
You've never hated Miss Sayaka, have you?
You've always cared for her, haven't you?
Hey!
Miss Sayaka.
Fujimoto.
I just wasn't able to sleep somehow. You too?
Miss Sayaka.
He painted himself as the bad guy in order to protect you.
What?
Fujimoto, what are you—
I'm talking about Okiura.
He...
B-But that doesn't mean that I can just forgive—
What are you saying?!
If you don't forgive him, then he has no choice but to leave!
Are you okay with that?
I... want you to be happy, Miss Sayaka.
And besides him, there's no one else that can make you happy.
That's why you need to be with him.
But...
Thank goodness! You're awake.
Miss Sayaka...
He said that you were standing in the rain for a long time.
In the end, I was being protected by everyone, wasn't I?
You and Fujimoto and him as well...
Where is Mr. Okiura?
He just left.
Are you okay with that?
Miss Sayaka, if you still care for Mr. Okiura... then please go after him and show him!
Hurry!
This is going to be a problem...
Don't forget your wish.
Your smile falls in that space
between the things I've lost and the things I've gained.
It seems as if I could reach it, but I can't.
It's not as if I can fly...
Even though I only wanted to make you smile...
What purpose do they serve, these useless wings of mine?
All I can do is smile by your side.
I wonder if it's okay to only warm your heart
when, at the very least, I want to envelop you in warmth.
Have you noticed? I want to embrace you with my wings.
And now, I am able to smile.
Next
...Goodbye.