Akai-senpai sure is cute, huh? The library assistant.
Think she's dating anyone?
Uh... Don't ask me.
You're always so apathetic about girls.
Am I?
Guess that's what happens when you have a hot twin sister.
What?
That's not—
What's up?
I sense danger...
I hope our class puts on a cafe for this year's festival.
That's right.
Sounds good.
I'm Ninomiya Makoto, and my twin sister,
Ninomiya Ai,
is quite the looker when she's acting normal.
But it seems
an older sister needs no reason to kick her brother anytime she wants.
And mine is particularly out of control with her legs.
As her brother,
I'm worried sick about her future.
Amanchu!
"The Story of the Feelings Yet Hidden"
I ran into her yet again.
Could this be a love le—
W-Wait!
Hey, Sis!
What's with that letter?
One, two, three, four...
Five, six, seven, eight.
One, two, three, four,
five, six, seven, eight.
One, two, three, four,
Sis, what was with that letter?
five, six, seven, eight.
Okay, all good.
Next, we're going to run.
Got it.
Feel free to run at your own pace.
Okay, then... Start!
Hold up, Sis!
Cha?
Cha.
Well, they're working hard.
I'm impressed.
Sis, about that letter...
There. That's him.
He's the one who wrote that letter.
Oh...
We became classmates this year.
That muscular baseball guy?
But we've hardly ever spoken.
Just what is he playing at, leaving a letter in my shoe locker?
You know... Usually when people put letters in shoe lockers...
It's gotta be a love letter, right?
Is love gonna bloom for Sis? I can't believe it.
Wait! No, I can!
So it really is a love letter?
What's with the blush? Why are you reacting like a pure maiden?
You're throwing me off here, Sis.
What do I do?
You haven't read it yet, have you?
No, not yet.
Start with that, then.
'Kay.
What a perfect day for sports.
Youth is in the air.
Mine, mine!
I got it!
Sis...
This letter
is for the girl whose shoe locker is directly below mine.
Uh, oh.
After being embarrassed like that,
she must be absolutely seething with rage.
That baseball guy is in danger!
But first...
I'm gonna be collateral damage here!
I didn't read it.
I didn't read the letter.
Only who it was addressed to.
R-Right...
Thank goodness!
Now, let's get back to the club.
Sis...
What?
Aren't you mad?
Not at all.
I bet his heart
was about to burst as he wrote that love letter.
He even did something as old-fashioned
as leaving it in a shoe locker.
And he was so nervous that he left it in the wrong place.
Even now, I'm sure he can't stop thinking about it.
Going far enough to tell someone how you feel
must require a lot of strength, right?
One, two!
You know,
it makes me really happy when I see people doing their best.
Just knowing people like that exist lifts my spirit.
And...
One, two!
Fight!
Yeah!
Seeing people do their best gives me strength
and makes me want to give it my all.
So why would I be mad? It just makes me feel grateful.
I get the feeling
I saw a lot today of a side to Sis
that I never knew existed.
You'd better do your best to become a fine man, too!
I could say the same to you.
Teko-chin, Pikari!
I'll run with you, too!
Okay!
One, two!
As her brother,
I'm really worried sick about her future these days.
I'm Ninomiya Ai,
and I'm worried sick about my little brother's future.
That Makoto...
He's stored up a bunch of pointless things again.
Whoa.
Jeez, that boy.
He can never sort his stuff out.
Isn't this...
I knew it!
It's from last year, when we joined the club.
He still has this thing?
Me
Sis
Back when we'd first joined,
we'd get carried away and spend hours staring at this.
This locker's packed to the brim with memories.
An abundance of memories
isn't exactly the best wedding gift, you know.
As his sister,
I really am worried sick about his future these days.
Amanchu!
This is Ooki Futaba.
Her nickname is Teko.
Good morning, Pikari.
Morning!
Perfect day, huh?
Yeah.
She's the first friend I made in high school.
Long, slender limbs.
Height fit for a model.
Long, black hair that's smooth and silky.
She's really beautiful,
but that's not all.
Her dignified demeanor, casual gestures,
and sublime aura
give Teko a presence unlike anyone else.
What? What is it?
"The Story of the Things Yet Unknown"
Nothing!
Okay, listen up!
First-Year Physical Tests
Find open spots and get your tests done quickly.
Whoop!
This sucks.
I'm not at all athletic, and...
Ooki-san!
The step stool's free over there.
O-Okay.
Th-Thanks...
Pikari?
Huh?
Teko?
Pikari?
Step Stool Drill
Pikari...
You there.
Have you done the step stool drill yet?
No, not yet.
There you are, Teko.
So, you're Ooki-san from Class 2?
Yes.
You know what to do, right?
Right.
Oh, dear.
She's all tense.
Okay, start.
Teko...
Let's try that again. Start.
One...
Uh... You okay?
Way too tense.
Teko-san usually has this mature aura about her...
Teko.
Pikari!
But she basically turns into a doggy at times.
Let's go around doing this together.
Whoop.
Grip Strength
33 kilos?
15 kilos...
This is special in its own way.
How weak.
Forward bends is free right now.
Okay. Thanks.
Th-Thanks...
All right, let's go.
What am I going to do with myself?
Whoop?
I'm not familiar with my class yet,
so suddenly getting thrown into a crowd like this
makes me not know what to do.
Forward Bends
That's why...
...your being...
Prone Abdominal Stretches
...with me...
Side Step Test
...really... really... helps... me... out...
...you... know!
Next up is fifty-meter sprints!
I can't deal with exercise.
If you're done here, head out to the grounds!
It really wears me out.
I'm such a Uselessa Uselesswood.
Or so she says,
but I have to disagree.
On your marks.
Get set.
All right, next.
On your marks.
Get set.
See? She can rise to the occasion!
So...
Teko.
You just gave up partway, didn't you?
Bad girl! You gotta take it seriously!
No.
This is who I am.
I'm really not good at the athletic stuff.
Is the athletic stuff really the problem here?
I have an idea.
Leave it to me.
Teko has a bad habit.
What is it, you ask?
Now, then.
Here is the last of the physical tests,
and today's main course:
the thousand-meter run!
No!
This sucks!
What sucks?
This marathon, that's what!
It super-duper sucks!
It's her habit of running away from things she doesn't like.
I should just not bother.
I'm going to finish last, anyway.
I'm gonna give her some special magic words.
Whoop!
Teko, Teko!
Listen up.
What is it?
On your marks.
Get set.
What are you two doing? Get going!
Yes, ma'am!
Listen up, Teko.
We have to start from last place.
And I'll tell you some magic words that will keep fatigue away.
The special magic words are...
"Take it easy!"
Take it easy, and then...
Okay, last lap!
Go for it!
What matters is your approach and mindset!
Well, Teko?
Feels great, doesn't it?
You don't have to let things you don't like get you down!
Yeah!
B-But...
Yeah...
I feel like... I'm gonna die...
That's how... marathons... work...
Oh... right...
Okay.
Pikari's time was four minutes and thirty-two seconds.
And Teko clocked in at four minutes and thirty-four seconds.
Both of you scored a seven.
As for where you placed,
Pikari came in tenth,
and Teko in eleventh.
Well done.
If we'd started sprinting just a bit earlier,
we might've been able to overtake another.
Yeah...
I want another go.
I get it now!
Teko, you...
Huh?
What?
You hate to lose, don't you?
Yeah, I bet that's it.
Hate to lose?
Who, me?
Nobody's ever told me that before.
I didn't realize until now, either.
Well, you shouldn't have bothered!
That's one more thing I know about you now,
so I'm happy.
That, and the fact that I was the first to notice a new side of you.
No matter how much you love a person and think you know them inside-out,
there are always loads of things you don't know,
and finding one feels like finding a treasure—
it brings you great excitement and happiness—
and makes you love them even more.
Beautiful, mature, sometimes a doggy,
Hey! Assemble!
Let's go, Teko.
and actually hates to lose...
Yeah.
Thanks, Pikari.
My friend, my pride and joy,
became even more of a pride and joy today.
The part of you that hates to lose is also wonderful, Teko!
A place that seems close but isn't in reality.
I'll be fine as long as I have the pictures on my phone...
"The Story of the Memories You Can't Erase"
Or so I thought.
Next time, on Amanchu!:
"The Story of the Memories You Can't Erase."