Although it was unplanned, we're spending the night at President's house.
We're working on our new game for the Summer Comiket.
The title of the game is...
Stardust Intenzione...
Aya the heroine who has superpowers has a fateful meeting with Baruta,
and a sad, yet beautiful epic drama unfolds...
in our visual video game!
I'll retrace the lines here.
Ha-chan!
Tamaki Honda, hurry up and do the rest.
I'm doing it.
How come the one who forced us into this is going to sleep?
It's okay.
Forcing ourselves affects efficiency and we'll end up paying for it later.
I agree. We have classes tomorrow too.
We're still on schedule so let's call it a night.
I can't...
If I go home, Grandmother will...
Then if you're going to stay up, stay up.
It's already 1 a.m.
Maybe the neighbor's going to complain about the noise.
Sorry to call so late. I'm Iino.
I think my younger sister is here.
Younger sister?
- Splash some water on your face. - Okay.
Sis!
Hey!
Having a problem, young lady?
I told you to come home by curfew, Minaha!
U-Um, Sis, I can explain...
Iino?!
Grandmother is raging mad and she's taking it out me!
Hurry up and get in the car.
Iino, what's the matter?
You're here too, Honda? Sorry for making a scene.
Just a little problem at home. I'll handle things from here.
See you at school!
Was this a raid?
They're gone.
I've never seen a car like that.
That's right. She mentioned a big sister when we first met.
That girl with the narrow eyes is your classmate?
Her name's Natsu Iino.
She sits next to me and shares her book when I forget my textbook.
Oh, but Ha-chan is a first-year too...
Maybe they're twins. But...
We have to do something about this.
A black limo... It's a raid.
This is your house. Don't hide from your guests!
The following Saturday...
Ha-chan didn't come to the club room.
I wonder if that huge mansion belongs to the Iinos?
I see it on the way to my part-time job.
I spoke to Iino in class today.
Sorry about my kid sister.
Minaha won't be allowed to participate in clubs in high school.
Our family's really strict about that. Especially Grandmother.
She won't be allowed to take part in the Summer Comiket.
We came this far together, but...
What'll I do?
It's a family affair. We shouldn't butt in.
But Ha-chan took the lead with this game.
Didn't she ask you to compose songs too, Fujikawa?
Well, yes...
Doesn't it upset you to have someone interfere with game creation?
Just a little.
You take things so seriously.
Just say things got switched.
Schedule-wise, losing her hurts.
My plans were based on having two artists.
If possible, I'd like her back.
Honda, what do you think?
Things are back to where we started when you were the only artist.
I can't accept this.
We began "Stardust Intenzione" because Ha-chan was so adamant.
She's the one who suggested it and she was the most gung-ho.
And to be pulled off and not be able to take part...
I'm going to Ha-chan's house!
I'm going to ask her family to let Ha-chan come back!
You're going to confront them?
That's more like it! I was waiting to hear that.
Yeah. It won't feel right finishing the game without her.
Okay, let's all barge into the Iino house!
Won't it get blown out of proportion if we all go?
I guess it's a big hurdle for you to talk to a complete stranger, eh, Shii?
The three of us will go... Seki, Iris Sensei and me!
Huh? I get to play two roles?!
I'm a fellow artist.
And if you're there as Iris Sensei, it'll make Ha-chan braver!
I'm going to reveal my identity?
Fujikawa, please let me where Ha-chan lives!
Honda, you walk so fast.
I'm just...angry!
Ha-chan always criticizes my drawings and she's so high-handed.
She can't just pull out now!
You told me to go as Iris Sensei.
But I don't have my make-up kit and can't transform into Iris Sensei.
It's okay.
Once we tell her, I know Ha-chan will realize that you are Iris Sensei.
Four-eyes is Iris Sensei? I'm so disillusioned.
I worked so hard because it was Iris Sensei's story.
That's gonna be bad.
Humongous! This whole place is the Iino mansion?!
It's so big.
Hey, your place is a mansion too.
No, our house is less than a fifth of this place.
Yeah? But you're rich, right?
Bet you even have a maid. Nah.
Now we only have someone that comes to help.
They do have a maid!
Young miss is expecting you. This way please.
- Th-Thank you! - A-Appreciate it!
- It's like a castle inside. - O-Of course!
Honda and an upperclassman from the club?
You came out of concern for Minaha? Thank you.
Are you friends from school? I will contact your families.
What are your phone numbers?
I'm Ayame Seki.
You may go, Tayama.
Our family is very traditional and follow strict etiquette.
Really?
I had hoped Minaha would be allowed more freedom growing up.
Minaha, sit down.
Whenever Minaha got scolded for curfew violations or grades,
I stepped in and calmed everyone down.
I did what I could...
Family customs and traditions...
It's all so staid.
But these past few weeks, she came home far later than before.
And she's been out all day even on weekends.
She's up late and her grades have dropped. I couldn't cover for her anymore.
And it hit the fan yesterday.
Grandmother was furious.
Minaha, don't you have something to say to them?
I'm sorry.
When you say sorry, look them in the eye!
Really!
Why must you be so stubborn about art and club activities?
Right, Honda?
It's not as though you're going to make this a career.
- Sis, I've always been... - I'm tired of hearing that, Minaha.
You're turning a story you've loved into a game.
Do you really have to get into it?
There are lots of people who draw as a hobby.
You think anyone will do? That it doesn't matter who draws?
- There are things only I can draw. - That's arrogance.
Everyone creates things that only they can create.
Honda is the same.
Sh-She's getting me involved.
Uh-oh... She's giving me the look. She's blaming me.
Do you get it?
The world won't end just because you don't work on it.
You need to act like the younger daughter of the Iino family.
Many people draw for a hobby.
And lots of people draw better than me.
Am I being conceited in thinking only I can do some things?
Will someone else draw it if I can't?
You're wrong.
You're wrong about that, Sister.
What am I wrong about?
It's not about creating to change something or for someone's sake...
We don't create things for such reasons.
It's because it's fun. Because we're alive.
It's as natural as eating and breathing.
My hand writes and gives birth to a story never before read in this world.
It's not about value or meaning.
Creating gives us pride in ourselves.
D-Don't think I appreciate that... you and your ugly glasses.
Is she hiding how she really feels?
Creating gives you pride?
So poems that you wrote in grade school is like the foundation of your life?
You're saying that?
Iino seems used to dealing with these types.
Yeah, everything I've created is connected to me!
Okay, Tayama...
Ayame Seki...
These are collections from the 78th graduating class of Tsukimoto Grade School.
Please read something that you are proud of.
Please, don't be shy.
Why're you ganging up on me?!
Your voice that I would encounter one day seemed to linger near my window.
Constantly telling me to thrust time aside.
I've been searching for so long... for tomorrow's retrospective.
Looking up at the waning night sky, I keep on singing.
My amateurish voice reaps no response... and I can't see a thing.
I can't hear a thing... I can't reach a thing.
In a town warped with nihilism, that reverberating insensible sign...
Oh no, what is this feeling welling up inside me?
It's the poem of this woman with glasses.
No! I have Iris Sensei!
Ha-chan, you really love Seki's writings.
- This is so embarrassing. - Don't mind it.
Just for you, I'll talk to Grandmother again and try to convince her.
But there's one condition.
Minaha and Honda must score over 70% on every end of term exam.
Every one?!
Me too?!
Honda, you did pretty poorly on that last proficiency exam.
Do well in classes and your club!
Club members encourage and help each other to succeed in class too.
Prove it, both of you.
Then I can win over Grandmother.
You can spend nights here to study together.
The fridge is at your disposal.
This is like déjà vu!
First, that broad subject, science.
Endo Sensei is strict, so memorize your reaction formulas well!
End of term exams are over!
Now you can relax.
I doubt if I got a perfect score, but maybe 90%.
I studied hard at the Iino house.
But it was a tough exam. Especially the last problems.
The last one? The textbook had one just like it.
No, I mean the ones after that. Problems 5 and 6.
There were problems on the other side?!
How're you doing, Tamaki Honda?
Sorry, Ha-chan. I was dozing off.
Are you okay? Don't catch a cold.
I was dreaming about the last exam day.
I didn't see the two problems in the back and my score tanked.
Say...
Was it a dream where I messed up and you got super high scores?!
I barely made 70% and I'm forced to study all over?
Do your homework too.
I'm going back to my work. I still have drawings I didn't finish two days ago.
I'll get to work too, after I finish studying. Bye.
There's lots of pressure when the deadline is near.
Not even two weeks to go.
Dad... I'm sad that you can't come home this week.
But you're doing your best at work.
Oh, I wish I had your drive!
What do you usually do with your father?
Your voice sounds so coaxing.
I didn't end the call!
I've been drawing so much these past few days.
That's right. Last year around this time, I was totally into playing cards.
That was so much fine. Yumine and I had a ball too.
Hello, Ha-chan! I've been working hard!
I got so bored of studying, I spent an hour or so reading Iris Sensei's works.
I'm sorry. I was reading something unrelated too.
Let's both do our best.
I was drawing something like this.
It's not that nice. I want to do it over again.
Hey! That's not allowed!
Don't you want to re-do your own work sometimes, Ha-chan?!
All the time! But right now, we have to keep moving forward!
I'm so glad you understand!
I guess Ha-chan will criticize me if I show this to her now.
I've been coloring for several days straight.
Why is that?
Are you saying it doesn't matter who does the drawing?
- There are things only I can draw. - That's arrogance.
I guess so... It doesn't matter if I'm not the one...
I'm going for a walk > Ha-chan
I shouldn't have these thoughts.
I'm feeling sorta depressed.
It's not about value or meaning.
Creating gives us pride in ourselves.
Even Seki stepped in and said those things.
I have to go home and work.
But my art clashes with Ha-chan's.
Maybe she'll say that my drawings don't match Seki's stories...
Why do I draw anyway?
Good evening!
Would you like to talk?
I just can't get into it.
What's gotten into me?
I said I'd work with Ha-chan to finish the game for the Comiket.
I said I'd do lots of drawings.
But it was Ha-chan who first suggested this game...
so I didn't think I needed to work that hard...
Don't you think I'm terrible?
Will you scold me, Teru?
You can't get into it because in your heart, you're not having fun.
Maybe what you want to do, what you want to draw is different?
Tell me what you want to do.
I want to be pampered.
I want to lean on Dad.
How come you aren't my dad, Teru?
I wonder why...
Just how much do you love your dad?
I really, really love him!
Dad has a manga in his room about a middle-aged man hero
and I used to love to read it.
I tried to copy it all the time, but Dad always seemed much cooler.
I would draw and think...
I wish I could draw a middle-aged man as cool as Dad.
Oh, is that an embarrassing thing to say?!
That's it.
Now you know why you draw.
Now embrace those feelings!
Thank you!
My heart feels much lighter. I think I can draw.
A cool older man...as cool as Dad!
Dad!
Oh, it's you, Ha-chan.
Hold on! Were you going to just ignore me?
It's tough getting here, you know. It's the last train stop.
Oh, thank you for coming.
That sounds so pretentious!
Sorry about earlier. I think I made you rush.
No, it's all right.
And I didn't thank you for the other day.
The other day?
Thanks...for helping me during the exams and the game.
I'm...happy.
Me too! I'm glad I was able to study for exams.
That's because of you.
Tamaki Honda...
So I'll do my best and draw... a cool older man!
Older man?!
I'm home, Granny.
I need to clear my mind. I think I'll do drawings of older men.
F-From now?
Ha-chan, how come you're here?!
You only noticed now? I'll work for 2 or 3 hours, then leave.
That was my plan from the start.
Oh, really?
We'll make more progress if we do it together.
We can monitor each other.
But the train stops running in three hours.
Plus, it's the weekend.
You're right! Must you live so far in the boonies?!
It's not...oh, I guess this is the boonies.
W-What'll I do? My curfew...
If I stay over, I'll get scolded again.
You'll make it if you leave right now.
Then what was the point of coming at all?!
I'll email home.
Oh but...maybe Sis will make an excuse for me.
Don't worry about that.
Because...I don't plan to go home either tonight!
Why'd you come in through the window?
Why quibble about that?!
Acck! It's no use thinking!
This is a divine sign from Goddess Iris!
First Sensei... Now Goddess?
It's a sign telling me to stay in this house and work!
Tamaki Honda, we will make it to the Summer Comiket!
Oh, that means you're counting on me for the drinks.
My role is to open the fridge, right?
Oh but, I didn't go that far to prepare. Sorry.
Oh, it's okay.
Okay, it's less than two weeks to the deadline!
Let's do it!
Both Ha-chan and Teru stayed over that night.
The Summer Comiket is coming up in three weeks!
I forgot something very important!
My original purpose in joining...
It wasn't just to draw, but to create a game that makes someone smile!
Back to the Starting Line