I apologize for this jarring and unexpected development,
but it appears I have been kidnapped.
This happened ten days into summer vacation, on July 29th.
No, it's possible that it's already the 30th.
Oh, you're awake, Araragi-kun.
I'm glad.
I was worried you might have died.
Are you all right?
Does the back of your head hurt?
Senjougahara,
remove these handcuffs.
No.
I knew it! You did this!
I see...
Interesting theory,
assuming you have proof.
I guessed the minute I saw you chose to confine me at this cram school.
Now take off the handcuffs!
No.
Also, I can't. I've thrown away the key.
Seriously?
I also threw away the antidote.
You poisoned me, too?!
That was a lie.
Though it might come true if you don't do as I say.
Float like a butterfly, sting like a butterfly!
Butterflies don't sting!
I said it wrong.
Good for you, to be able to point out my mistake.
Take pride in this moment forever.
What's this new, avant-garde method of admitting your mistakes?
The correct word was "bee."
Bee poison is strong, isn't it?
Don't worry.
Araragi-kun,
I'll protect you.
You won't die.
Because I'll protect you.
I'd prefer to enjoy this conversation
with no unnecessary Evangelion references.
And, um, Gahara-san?
I'm hungry...
And kinda thirsty.
Want to get something to eat?
I expected a wormlike fool like yourself might say that,
so I brought several items with me.
Did you?
Then give me something to drink.
You want something to drink?
Well, I guess...
But I'm going to drink it.
It's good.
What's with that look of longing?
No one said they were giving it to you.
Or did you think I'd feed it to you, mouth-to-mouth?
My, Araragi-kun...
You're so naughty.
In this situation, only Kanbaru would come up with that!
Yeah?
But what about when I made out with you?
Don't bring that up, in this setting!
All right, then.
If you absolutely must drink it, I'll let you.
I absolutely must drink it.
Has this man no pride?
To say something so humiliating, from a simple desire for water.
Wouldn't it be better for you, if you died?
She really seems to be enjoying this.
Very well.
Since you're so insistent,
so pathetic, that I can't bear to look at you,
I'll give you some water, out of sympathy.
Be grateful,
water-drinking bird.
"Water-drinking bird" isn't really an insult, is it?
Lick it.
What's wrong?
You're thirsty, aren't you?
So stretch out your tongue,
and naughtily lick it, like a giraffe.
Hey, Senjougahara.
What?
Aren't you thirsty?
Or was that a lie?
Liars should be punished.
I'll lick it!
I'll totally lick it!
Please let me lick it!
How pathetic.
The ultimate in pathetic.
No normal person would do this, just for some water.
I'm sure you're
a pervert who just enjoys licking girls' fingers, right?
Senjougahara-san was enjoying herself so much, I thought she'd explode.
It's such a wonderful picture, I want to set it as my cell phone wallpaper.
Yeah? Glad to hear it.
Then, next I'd like a rice ball.
All right.
I'm in one of my rare generous moods.
What do you want in it?
It doesn't matter.
An apathetic reply.
Do you prefer bread?
That's not really it.
And as near as I can tell, you haven't bought any bread.
That's true.
I only brought rice balls.
I won't request something you don't have.
If you have no bread to eat, then you can eat cake.
Too tyrannical...
I was raised amidst butterflies and bees.
That should be "and flowers"!
The right answer
Time Passes
I hadn't much time today, so I got lunch from a convenience store.
But don't worry, Araragi-kun.
Starting tomorrow, I'll make your lunch myself.
What is this?
Her motives remain unclear.
Oh, right.
Her motives are totally clear.
Don't worry.
Araragi-kun,
I'll protect you.
To protect me, right?
She's serious.
Probably.
By the way, Senjougahara.
How am I supposed to use the bathroom here?
Don't worry.
I'll change your diaper.
Didn't you know?
I love you, Araragi-kun.
So much that I could embrace you without hesitation,
even if you were entirely covered in feces.
Including your brain, I will manage your entire body,
from ingestion to excretion.
Her love is too extreme!
Episode 1: Karen Bee, Part 1
7/29 Saturday Morning
Over summer break, I'm being tutored each day,
7/29 Saturday
except for Sundays, by Senjougahara.
And also by Hanekawa,
who has some of the school's best grades.
But on that Saturday, July 29th,
Hanekawa, with whom I was to study...
Flashback
"Something that I absolutely can't avoid came up.
I'll make it up to you
in exactly two days!"
Black Scene
And so, I'm bored.
Oh, Onii-chan...
Don't you have your tutoring today?
Yeah.
Hey, where is she?
She?
My bigger little sister.
Karen-chan's out.
Don't get into any trouble, you two.
I resent that. We aren't planning anything.
You're always this way.
You always treat us like children.
You worry too much.
I'm not worried.
I just don't trust you.
Aren't those the same thing?
No.
Worry and trust are two entirely different things.
They're both just words...
Don't stop talking halfway through!
So, where'd the bigger little sister go?
I told you, she isn't in any trouble.
In fact, she went to go help people out of trouble.
That's trouble.
Onii-chan, don't interfere in middle school kids' fights.
It's lame.
In their own way,
fights are also a valid form of communication.
Well, it sounds right when you put it like that.
It isn't that fights per se are wrong.
It's that people simply don't know the proper way to fight.
Fights
But the fights you two get involved with
are always violent.
I refuse to believe that's the right way to fight.
Just shut up!
I don't know!
I don't know anything!
I don't know what's going on with the bigger sister, the littler sister,
or the middle sister!
I don't have a middle sister...
This is why worrying about you isn't ever worth it.
Jeez...
I won't tell you to grow up,
but at least keep quiet.
I don't want to hear that from you.
Well, I suppose that of the two,
the latter is more difficult.
Anyone can grow up, just by aging.
But still, I wouldn't want them as quiet as Sengoku.
Oh, right. Sengoku...
Flashback
Come over to my house next time.
Sure.
Black Scene
Come to think of it,
it's been quite a while since that.
This is a good chance...
H-Hello?!
This is Sengoku!
Koyomi-oniichan, it's been a while.
What's up?
Sorry it's so abrupt,
but remember when I said I'd come over?
I was wondering if today might be good.
If it isn't a good day...
No...
Today, today, today!
Actually, I'm busy every day but today.
I see.
If you're busy every day but today,
today is our only option.
How about now?
Sure!
Actually, no time but now will work.
Then I'll come over now.
Hey! So...
Bye!
I'll watch the house.
No, you're coming, as well.
We're going to Sengoku's, so of course you're coming.
I thought for sure you'd go alone.
And I'm certain that's what Sen-chan is thinking...
Really?
No way.
Go by yourself.
I'm sure she'd prefer that.
Anyway
Anyway...
I won't interfere with a friend's feeling of love.
Even if it's unrequited.
Love?
Come?
She never said she'd love for me to come over.
She just asked me to.
Unlike you two, she's polite.
By the way, Onii-chan...
Do you believe that boys and girls can be friends?
Sure.
I'm Sengoku's friend!
I see.
Then I guess that works.
Anyway, get going.
Fine.
Then I'll go on my own.
Watch the house while I'm gone.
See you...
One last thing, before you go.
You've totally
stopped brawling with Karen-chan.
How come?
Lately, she's gotten too good at karate.
Like, way too good.
I'd lose in a straight-up fight.
Even though she's taller,
I should still be stronger.
But I guess I can't defeat a martial arts practitioner.
Even if that explains things with Karen-chan,
when I freaked out a minute ago, you backed off.
Dealing with you has gotten a lot easier.
Well, I guess so.
I mean, from our perspective,
it's good, because it's easier to get our way.
But you know,
really...
Don't just grow up and leave us behind.
It'd be boring that way...
Actually, you guys never knew this,
but I turned into a vampire.
Well, I turned back.
But it changed me. So it's possible...
And I mean possible, not certain,
that if I got into a real fight with you,
Red Scene
I could end up killing you both.
So I'm trying to avoid that.
How am I supposed to tell them that?
Hey, it's Hachikuji.
Black Scene
Hachikuji 5-3
But I promised to go to Sengoku's...
And I don't really like that elementary school brat, anyway.
Honest, I don't like her.
I hate her.
We're not even close enough that I'd talk to her if I saw her.
But yeah, I guess as a high schooler,
it's kind of sad for me to act that way toward an elementary school girl.
Honestly, I'm not happy to see her at all.
But I suppose a bare minimum of courtesy
demands that I maintain appearances.
I'm such a sap.
Hachikuji!
I've missed you...
I haven't seen you,
so I thought you'd moved away!
And I was so worried...
So let me touch you more.
Let me hug you more...
Let me lick you more!
Come on, stay put!
It makes removing your panties harder!
What are you doing?
W-Wait, Hachikuji!
Look, it's me!
It's Araragi...
Yomiko-san!
That's depressingly close.
But, Hachikuji,
I'd prefer you not call me the name of a paper-using secret agent
for the British Library who lives in a book-filled Jinbouchou building.
My name is Araragi Koyomi.
Excepting Light Vehicles
But that aside, Araragi-san,
where are you going today?
Nowhere special...
Excepting Boys
Searching for new Araragi harem members?
I never founded any such creepy group!
An original member,
Oshino-san, has graduated now...
It'll be a difficult gap to fill.
Even assuming this so-called Araragi harem's existence,
why would Oshino be a member?
No Old Men Allowed
He's an old guy in a floral shirt!
Add too many members,
and the story will be hard to follow.
Watch for Bears
So be careful.
Well, I told you about Sengoku right?
A girl I used to know...
I'm going over to her place today.
Given that, you seemed rather unhappy.
Did I?
I looked that unhappy?
Yeah!
Like a story that's gotten a lot of mileage from jokes about how
it'll never be animated, due to some screw-up.
You had an awkwardness that was reminiscent of that.
My face was hardly that specific!
Well, I can understand that you'd be wary of unexpected happiness.
But any time you enter a new arena,
there's something to be gained.
Something to be gained? Like what?
In a word...
Money.
No, aren't there other things?
Is there really anything else in the world?
Sure!
Like you know...
Love!
Love
Huh? Love?
Oh, yeah! I know love.
The convenience store was selling it.
Love, Now On Sale
They were selling it?! At the convenience store?
Yup, for 298 yen.
A bargain!
Talk of money aside, Araragi-san,
I've been looking forward to this.
What kind of dance will we do during the ED?
It's a given that we're dancing?
I'm hoping for something like in Cat's Eye,
nice and sexy!
You're okay with just silhouettes?!
Anyway, that's not it, Hachikuji.
Oh, right... I guess I can tell you.
You know I'm actually a vampire, right?
I see, Shuraragi-san.
That name's pretty cool,
and honestly, I'd like to change mine to it.
But Hachikuji,
I've told you over and over,
my name is Araragi.
Sorry! I bit my tongue.
No, you did it deliberately.
I bwit my twongue!
It wasn't deliberate?
Seen the Family Mart?
No, I don't know where the convenience store is!
Is it love?
Are you going to buy love?
For 298 yen?!
I see, a vampire.
But what about it?
Well, it's really hard to tell
my family about it, you know?
But I'm not sure it's something I can hide forever.
I don't think it's really necessary
to just come out and tell them.
I think keeping a secret or two from your family is natural.
Hachikuji?
For one thing, sharing your secret with someone
means you involve them in your problems.
It may make things easier for you,
but your family could end up suffering for it.
That's true, isn't it?
Right now, what you need is
the courage to keep your secret to yourself!
That sounds very wise.
Well, I'm just making it sound positive
by adding the word "courage" to it.
Really, it's just a normal secret.
That sounds very honest!
You can make almost anything
sound positive by adding the word "courage."
That can't be right.
I refuse to believe that Japanese is structured that way.
Shall I demonstrate?
Bring it.
If you can satisfy me,
I'll do a handstand, right here.
A handstand?
Yes...
Like getting on your knees to bow, but better.
And if you can't satisfy me,
then you have to do a handstand here,
wearing your skirt!
Your kiddy panties will be exposed to public view,
until I allow you to stop!
Very well.
I accept your challenge.
I praise your guts, if nothing else.
You're like a phoenix to the flame, Araragi-san.
No, I'm nothing as cool as that.
We'll start with warm-ups.
Courage Series
The courage to lie to your lover.
Not bad...
All you're doing is simply lying,
but tacking "courage" onto it
makes it sound like you're lying for your lover's sake.
Even though she hasn't said anything suggesting that.
The courage to betray your comrades.
What?!
Amazing...
The end result is that you've betrayed your comrades.
But that gives the impression
that you've somehow protected them.
Even though she hasn't said anything suggesting that!
The courage to be a lazy bum.
Wh-What?
It really can do anything!
You're just meaninglessly whiling away your life,
but that makes it sound like you've
positioned yourself in poverty, all for some greater goal.
Even though she hasn't said anything,
anything at all, suggesting that!
B-But I cannot admit defeat here!
The courage to admit defeat.
I admit my defeat!
I was lulled by the awesomeness of the words
into admitting my own defeat!
And all I did was admit defeat...
Japanese is really simple!
Now, Araragi-san.
Show me something better than getting on your knees to bow.
Very well...
I have the courage to do a handstand!
Seeing someone your age doing a handstand is actually kind of pathetic...
You can stop.
I said you could stop, Araragi-san.
Actually, please stop, Araragi-san.
I'm embarrassed, just being next to you.
Why continue your handstand,
as if it were a promise made in response to a friend's last request?
Well, you know...
I was just thinking
that if I stood on my hands,
from this angle, I can see your panties.
Araragi-san, you are a pervert!
The courage to accept the label of pervert!
So cool!
So cool, I'm tempted to have the courage to show you my panties as you wish!
Especially the way you continue,
even after I kicked you in the face!
I can't believe the technology I developed
has now been turned against me...
So ironic.
You grew overconfident, Hachikuji!
I have mastered your secret technique!
Oh, no.
I may have created a monster!
But I do apologize for calling them kiddy panties.
I never expected
you'd be wearing semi-transparent black panties.
What are you saying?
Take a closer look!
Don't say that!
It'll ruin my image!
I've responded to consumer demand, and am wearing kiddy panties!
They have a bunny on them, right?
I can't see any bunnies.
If you want me to see them, you have to make it easier.
L-Like this?
Like this?
Oh, yeah.
We were talking about the need
to keep the supernatural a secret, right?
You see, Araragi-san,
in a way, the supernatural is what's behind the curtain.
Behind the curtain?
Normally, you only need to see what's happening on stage.
That's how reality works.
If you don't know,
then it's best that you don't.
Actually, learning about the supernatural
only increases the number of things you don't know.
I see.
So, Araragi-san...
If your family should ever
find themselves unfortunately backstage,
you can guide them out.
But until then, the answer is to do nothing.
I see.
Anyway, we've been talking a while.
Sorry for stopping you, Hachikuji.
It's fine.
I'm always basically lost.
That's not...
In a way,
I guess I was just walking around, saying,
"Isn't Araragi-san's house here?
I haven't seen him in a while!
Maybe I can see him again."
Yeah...
Well, bye!
Yeah, let's meet again.
Hey, Hachikuji.
You aren't going to disappear, are you?
Because, you know, Oshino's gone.
I just wondered if you were going to vanish like he did.
You spend so much time worrying about others,
the only people you foist
your problems on are Shinobu-san and me.
I'm honored, really...
Hachikuji...
Then let me ask you a question, Araragi-san.
If I'm ever in really bad trouble again,
would you help me?
Sure, I would.
Of course I would.
I won't give anyone else enough time to save you.
I can talk to you about my problems?
If you don't, I'll get mad!
That's just like you.
I'm sure there's a reason that,
even after I stopped being lost,
I stayed here.
I won't leave until I know what that reason is.
The reason, huh?
Well, even if I do go away someday,
before I do, I'll come to say goodbye.
I see...
Black Scene
Okay, then you do that.
Yeah.
I'd be scared of having you mad at me, you know?