I found the first e~vening star!
Mama, is it true that you will find happiness if you find the first evening star?
It's true. But it's doesn't refer to a star in the sky. You have to be the best at something.
The best at something?
You're my only daughter. I want you to find a husband and build a family.
So the person you marry must really be the best at something, and for that you also need to try your best.
Okay.
Come on. Let's go home.
I found the first evening star.
Sleeping in class, Kitano?
You were up late studying again, weren't you?
Yeah.
Hey, Yuu-chan.
I'm worried about her.
What do you mean?
It's about Kitano's high school entrance exams.
She didn't do too well on the last mock exams.
That's not good.
Well, I'll let you handle it, Yuu-chan.
Huh? Why me? Kitano-san's much smarter than me.
You go to cram school with her.
But I'm taking the basic course.
Just listen to her.
Be like a floating balloon.
A floating balloon?
She wouldn't listen to me anyway.
The First Evening Star
Study Hard Cram School
What should I say?
Should I just say "You don't look well"?
What's wrong, Yuu-chan?
Say, Kitano-san, how's your studying going?
Huh?
Uh-oh.
What do you mean?
Well, you were sleeping in class, so I thought you were having trouble.
I guess so. The exams are coming up soon, so I've got a lot on my mind.
Kitano-san.
How'd you do on the last mock exam?
Hachioji-kun.
N-Not too well, I'm afraid.
That won't do. You can't afford to slack off now.
Don't you want to go to Sakuragaoka High with me?
Yeah.
We've got a little more than a month left, so we need to work hard.
Yeah.
Oh, was that Hachioji-kun?
He's the best in the class, isn't he?
Yeah.
I think he'd be perfect for you!
What?
Just kidding!
C-Come on, Yuu-chan! Don't be silly!
What? You really like him?!
That's not what I meant!
Oh, I get it. You've finally found someone!
I wish Taka-chan was here.
Calm down, Yuu-chan.
Yaaay!
We'll be in your class now, Yuu-chan!
Did you know that they combined the girls' school courses with the basic course?
I wish I could be in your class, Kitano-san!
Oh, it's all because my grades suck!
Please, calm down.
I guess my grades aren't too good, either.
C'mon, everyone! Let's get to class!
Let's go!
Special Advanced Course Exam Preparation
What should I do?
Should I move closer to him?
But if I move now, it'll look like I did it on purpose.
No! I have to be brave!
Aim To Pass
Yo! Is this seat taken?
Aim to Pass
Well, no, but...
Oh, that's a relief.
I thought I was late.
The special exam preparations start today, right?
I didn't know where my classroom was, so I ended up looking all over the place.
What's up with him?
I had to rush here.
He was hitting on Yuu-chan the other day.
Oh, no! I forgot my dictionary.
May I borrow yours?
Effort
Okay...
Thanks.
Huh? Hold on a second.
Isn't he...
Hey, aren't you meant to be in a different classroom?
This isn't the basic course?
I knew it.
This is the advanced course.
Aren't you in the basic course with Yuu-chan?
Oh yeah!
You're so annoying. Keep it down.
I-I'm sorry.
Hey, you made Hachioji-kun angry.
Oh, what? Do you like him?
Hey, you! Come here a second!
I'll take you to Yuu-chan's classroom.
Special Basic Course Exam Preparation
Here.
This is your classroom.
Study hard, okay?
Hey, what's your name?
Why do you want to know my name?
I need to borrow your dictionary.
I'll give it back to you later.
Wait!
I need it for class.
Special Basic Course Exam Preparation
You're smart, so you'll be fine.
Later!
Someone took my seat.
Hachioji-kun didn't save my seat.
Yo! Is this seat taken?
And it's all HIS fault!
Huh?
Oh, how kind of you! You came all this way to see me!
What are you talking about?
You didn't know my name, and I wanted to get my dictionary back.
Kitano-san.
You wrote your name in the dictionary.
You're very well organized.
Your first name is Fukayuki.
It's Miyuki! Kitano Miyuki!
I'm Yamada Akio. Nice to meet you.
Oh, Kitano-san.
Gah! Not again!
He's hitting on Kitano-san!
Oh, goodbye, Yamada-kun.
Bye-bye, Kawai-san. See you tomorrow!
I'm going home. Give me back my dictionary.
I've got a date with Kitano-san today!
Special Basic Course Exam Preparation
A "date"?!
I want to thank you for lending me your dictionary.
It's all right. You don't have to.
I'll take you somewhere nice.
It's okay. You don't have to.
Fine, then I won't give you your dictionary back.
What's your problem?
He's hopeless.
Kitano-san.
Yamada-kun's not a bad guy.
He's just stupid.
Why don't you go and relax with him?
What makes you say that?
He's got the attention span of a goldfish.
Relax.
Relax...
C'mon. Kawai-san gave us her blessing.
See what I mean?
Let's go.
You weren't kidding!
Okay?
I'm not used to this.
Here we are.
An arcade?
What? You've never gone in before?
Of course not. School rules prohibit us from going in.
That's cool. We'll just stay outside.
Now we're not breaking any rules.
Wanna give this a try?
It's harder than it looks.
What should I get next?
Did you win all of those?!
Yeah.
What about you?
I never tried this before...
There's a trick to this.
I'll get that doll.
I don't see how that'll work.
All right! I got it!
That was a fluke. You got lucky.
OK. Get that blue bird next.
The bird? That pink doll's in the way, so,
first you take that...
There!
I don't think he planned it out, but...
I got it!
Then let's try that game next!
You're going inside?
I may not look like it, but I'm pretty good at puzzle games. I've played them at Yuu-chan's house before.
No way! What's going on? What the-?
Oh, he's really good. Awesome to the max.
You need to get four in a row.
He's not that good.
If you try harder, you can get six or ten in a row.
Let's cheer her on!
I don't get it. That's strange.
Do your best, Onee-chan!
Don't let him beat you!
I won't lose next time.
He completely owned her...
Karaoke Hit
Uh-oh! It's pitch black!
Well, you wouldn't stop playing.
That's because I couldn't beat you.
Listen. You only beat me because you've had more practice.
If I had as much practice as you, you'd be no match for me.
I know.
You're dedicated, Kitano-san, so you get good at things very quickly.
You're smart, so you're dedicated to studying, right?
Your dictionary's well-worn!
You actually used my dictionary?
Oh, that's mean! Of course I did!
You're dedicated, so I li-
Well, you were good at studying today.
I was good at playing games, so it's a draw!
That's a draw?!
Oh yeah. Please tutor me next time.
Oh no.
It's cold out tonight.
Take my jacket.
What about you?
I'm fine! I've never caught a cold!
Then I guess it's true that idiots never catch colds.
That was mean, Kitano-san.
I'm kidding!
Thank you for your concern.
What's this?
Why is my heart pounding?
Oh no.
A boy's never been this nice to me before.
That's all it is. Yeah, that's all...
Kitano's tutoring Yamada now?
Yeah.
She said she's just going with the flow.
I might've been too nosy.
Still, she really needed a break.
She's been depressed lately.
Yamada's cheerfulness might rub off on her.
Still, there's someone who would be a perfect match for her.
Who?
Well, there's a boy in Kitano-san's advanced course.
His name's Hachioji-kun, and he's the best in the class.
He sounds like a male version of Kitano!
I wonder what he's like.
Oh, Taka-chan, are you interested in him?
Maybe I should go to cram school again.
What? For real?
Nope.
I should've known.
Improve your Performance in Five Middle School and Beyond
I brought this with me...
Kitano-san!
Yamada.
Hey, you promised to tutor me, remember?
You really want to?
Of course!
Pass
C'mon! I made a reservation for us at the library!
Oh, all right. I'll go.
Central Library
Cen tral Lib rary
If you don't understand this, you won't be able to do the next problem.
Got it?
It's fun.
You mean you understand it?
Well, it's fun.
The Library is Closed
Thoroughly review what we did today at home, Okay?
No problem.
Say, Kitano-san, do you want to drop by the shrine on the way home?
Let's pray to pass the exams.
Oh, I'm sorry.
It's over here.
Huh?
I feel faint.
I'm super-lucky!
Why'd I get terrible luck?
No worries. Let's trade.
Huh?
Oh, it's almost sunset.
Oh, Kitano-san. Aren't you cold?
It's okay. My house isn't far, and you'll catch a cold if you take off your coat.
How about this?
I'll be right back.
Oh, no! I picked the wrong one!
Chunky Sweet Bean Shake
Mochi inside
Chunky Sweet Bean Shake
Mochi inside
Chunky Sweet Bean Shake
Mochi inside
Chunky Sweet Bean Shake
Mochi inside
Chunky Sweet Bean Shake
Mochi inside
Chunky Sweet Bean Shake
Mochi inside
Chunky Sweet Bean Shake
Mochi inside
I didn't mean to get this one.
Chunky Sweet Bean Shake
Mochi inside
Chunky Sweet Bean Shake
Mochi inside
Is that okay?
Yeah.
What? Really?
Yes. Thank you.
It feels so nice.
It's so warm.
I have to return his scarf.
And then...
Special Basic Course Exam Preparation
There he is!
That's what happened!
No way!
It's true!
I completely forgot. Yamada said that he likes Yuu-chan.
I'm not kidding!
And then...
Oh, Kitano-san!
You came to see me!
No I didn't.
Are you embarrassed?
Huh? Yamada-kun and Kitano-san are going steady?
There are many strange couples in the world.
I think they'd make a good couple.
Me too.
Yahoo!
She's beet red!
How nice!
That's great!
Cut it out!
I don't have any feelings for you.
There's someone I admire.
You always fool around.
I hate that about you.
You're only slightly interested in me and talk to me sometimes.
I... I don't have time to go out with an idiot like you!
You're right. I'm stupid.
But...
But I thought you wouldn't be concerned about things like that.
I thought you were better than that.
It's just like everyone said - your ideal guy needs to be smart.
If you keep acting that way, no one will want to go out with you.
You're not cute when you're like that.
Stop! You're both out of line!
You like Yuu-chan because she's cute and kind.
You're right...
I'm not cute at all!
Kitano-san!
Kawai-san!
Why are you stopping me?!
I was too hard on her!
I know that, so, look...
I couldn't say what I really wanted to say!
I know.
Yamada likes Yuu-chan because she's a good girl.
I... I'm nothing compared to Yuu-chan.
Kitano?
You couldn't tell her how you felt?
No.
I see. That's how you are.
It's not easy to express your true feelings for someone else.
Kitano-san forgot her bag, so she'll probably come back again.
I thought that we had to be the best at something.
Both the boy I would fall in love with, and myself.
So... I never intended to go out with Yamada.
I didn't, but...
You'll catch a cold, Kitano.
Oh, Taka-chan.
You shouldn't do that right before exams.
Here. Drink this. It'll warm you up.
Chunky Sweet Bean Shake? Again?!
You don't want it?
No, that's not what I meant.
It's so warm.
Chunky Sweet Bean Shake
Mochi inside
Bean Shake
I didn't mean to get this one.
Is that okay?
How long are you going to stay here?
Oh no!
I left my bag at cram school!
Uh-oh.
Kitano-san will come back, won't she?
We'll have to look after her bag.
What's wrong?
Hachioji-kun.
Kitano-san.
Cutting class? You must be confident.
Oh dear. You've got a cold and you're cutting class?
You must be getting old.
There's no way you'll beat me.
Hachioji-kun...
I was wrong.
I didn't think that Hachioji-kun was like this.
I thought that Hachioji-kun was...
I... only cared about his grades.
Kitano-san!
You were good at studying today. I'm good at playing games.
Oh yeah. Please tutor me next time.
How can he be so straightforward?
It's really cold out here.
Let me get you something warm.
Yamada.
I don't have time to go out with an idiot like you!
I'm despicable.
I hurt his feelings.
I'm the idiot.
I didn't consider anything other than his grades.
I have to apologize!
I'll tell him how I really feel!
I'm going to look for her!
Okay.
Yamada, listen to me!
I always thought that I had to find someone who was the best at something.
That's why I wanted to find someone who had better grades than me.
But I was wrong!
Grades aren't all that matter.
There are many other things people can be good at, so for me...
The best person for me is you, Yamada!
B-But I'm arrogant, so I couldn't compromise my standards.
So...
I just have to be the best person for you, too!
Yamada!
Come on! Go!
Now's your chance!
Yamada-kun!
Go for it!
That's the way!
Go for it!
I think that working hard to be the best is a good thing.
You're dedicated to being number one!
I like that about you.
Hooray!
That reminds me. I saw Hachioji earlier.
What was he like?
What a jerk!
I knew it!
I found the right person for me.
Next Episode Report
I had a dream. A sorrowful dream.
You went on a journey far away, and disappeared from my heart.
I awaken in solitude.
I saw a window. Your window.
A sliver of light shone through, and it bestowed a smile upon me.
I awaken in solitude.
Even so, we're both under the same starry sky.
Next time: New School Troubles.
New School Troubles
We hope you enjoy it!