July
I thought he was my soul mate.
There's nobody
better than you.
Oh, you're still here?
Brother?
That's "sensei" at school.
Hana.
And you know it's not Hana, sensei.
Oh, right.
Ms. Yasuraoka.
That just doesn't feel right.
I've known you ever since you were little.
Kanai-sensei.
Minagawa-sensei!
Oh, hello there,
Ms. Yasuraoka.
Hello.
Is there something you need?
Oh, right. You forgot this in the teacher's lounge.
Here's your folder.
Oh, thank you very much.
I didn't see you.
Thank you.
-I saw all the underlining you've done. -Oh, how embarrassing.
Oh, I thought you'd cry.
Stupid.
Hopeless love.
Painful love.
Unrequited love.
Are they really that beautiful?
I don't think they are.
We are dating.
But...
Brother.
Ms. Akane.
We are each other's replacements
for someone else.
Episode 1 Make a wish
I want to treasure the most what is most precious
But even something so simple is the one thing I can't do
"If destiny is real,"
"then you are the person I'm destined to be with"
Those are the words I can't say because I'm scared it will destroy what we have
Even when you're near, you feel so far
This feeling that comes and goes
"Give up" "Don't give up"
The petals I pick are never ending
The treasure box remains locked
Embracing the sparkling feelings
Hiding the faintly colored fragments in my sighs
If our eyes meet, please don't look away
See through this lie I've locked away
I don't know how much more I can take
So please don't say anything yet
It hurts
I love you so much it's scary
April
It was my first day as a high-school junior.
Everyone take a seat.
I knew brother was starting his new job here.
I never imagined he would be my homeroom teacher.
I was so happy.
I'll be able to see him every day at school now.
Teacher's room
Br-- Sensei!
I'm not very good with them.
Kanai-sensei, it's one of your students.
Oh, you brought me the handouts. Thanks.
I've been watching brother for a long time now.
That's why I noticed before he did
that he was making a face he never had before.
I'm so stupid!
I let my guard down.
I can't believe that stupid little middle-aged chick could...
I can't believe how much Hana has mellowed out.
Really?
She's just being polite because you're here, Narumi.
-Mom. -Okay, okay.
It's so delicious.
Obviously.
Your mother is such a good cook.
Oh, thank you!
But Hana actually helped too.
She almost never does.
Mom!
But it's really good.
I'm so angry.
Thank you for the food.
To feel so saved by such a meaningless little thing...
It's a special occasion!
Even though it's pointless.
We're neighbors, after all.
Homemade cooking is the best.
It's only me and Pops at home.
Neither of us can really cook.
I need one soon.
"I can't wait to have a wonderful wife."
It's something he'd always say.
He'd been saying it since junior high,
but he hasn't lately.
Is that because
he has someone specific in mind now?
Field Day
Wow, Hana! You got first place!
That's amazing!
I'm so jealous.
Hey.
Why don't you run with your mom or dad, Hanabi?
Hey, you're right! He's way young!
That's not her dad!
That's unfair!
-Cheater, cheater, cheater! -Stop that, Noriko!
Hana.
Shut up.
Your shoes are unfair!
Gulp.
Hey, she's right!
Those are speed shoes!
They told us those weren't allowed at school!
Noriko.
What did you do this time?
Hana.
Hana, come on.
Hana.
I don't really care.
Running with you isn't unfair.
That's right.
Also...
Ta-da!
It's also not unfair for me to eat the lunch your mother packed.
Mom said she had to work.
She stayed up late to make it.
-So we have to make sure not to leave leftovers. -Okay!
So good!
This is average.
nom nom
Hana, you can't appreciate having a mother that can cook for you yet.
But you went fishing with your father.
I don't have a dad.
So I was jealous.
I see.
We both have something the other is jealous of.
We'll be able to help each other when we're feeling lonely then.
Liar.
Minagawa-sensei is so hot.
You mean the new music teacher?
She's pretty close to our age, right?
Hey, Ms. Yasuraoka is looking at us.
Really? Is it me?
Don't be stupid, it's me.
I'm so sorry.
Are you okay? Are you hurt?
Long hair.
Lame beige cardigan.
Strong smell of shampoo.
Natural-style makeup.
Sensei, here.
Thank you, Mugi-chan.
We're at school, Minagawa-sensei.
Oh, that's right.
Who's this guy?
Another one of her fanboys?
No.
I know those eyes.
Hey.
Do you know who she likes?
I do.
What a coincidence!
Ms. Akane was my tutor in junior high.
I never thought she'd become a teacher at my high school.
I thought I was really lucky.
Are you even listening?
What's so good about a woman like her, brother?
Hey, don't dis Ms. Akane.
Yeah, yeah. Guys like those sweet, doe-eyed girls.
We were both very vindictive people.
Great, now I'm hungry.
And the stronger we felt,
the more we moped.
June
And before we knew it,
we were spending a lot of time with each other.
I'm so done.
Don't get my bed wet.
I just want to quit school.
You talking about Kanai-sensei?
You going to give him up then?
Never.
-But... -But?
At first,
I was just messing around.
You surprised me.
Really? I couldn't tell at all.
Are you sad?
You're not sad, Mugi?
I think we both were thinking the same thing.
Hey.
Why don't you pretend that I'm "brother"?
Right.
Mugi doesn't have any feelings for me like that.
Whether I see Mugi as Mugi or not,
it doesn't matter.
I'm just a replacement too.
That tickles.
Do you even want to do this?
You're the one who wants to.
Besides, you look nothing like him.
You're way too demanding.
I'm pretty good-looking, you know.
Close your eyes.
Yes.
If we're going to do this, we really do this.
Oh, crap. If I imagine that he's brother...
My fingertips are cold.
Everything feels so distant.
All I can hear is my heart.
Because
this is what I've wanted from him for a long time.
It was electric.
That was my first kiss.
-No way. -Really.
It felt good.
One more time.
There's a part of me that worries
whether I'm actually being a good enough replacement for him.
It's okay.
These hands
are brother's hands.
I'm sorry, I'm sorry.
The things brother doesn't do...
The things he won't do for me.
The things I want to do.
Touch me more
More more more
I can't see his face.
He doesn't make a sound.
I have to try to stay quiet too.
I don't want to remind him it's me.
Concentrate.
Oh, good.
He can't see my face like this.
I have to remember whatever I can now.
As much as possible.
Brother
Who could that be?
Sorry.
Thank you for dinner the other day.
Why?
Do you want to stop?
Either way, I think that's enough for today.
But do you want to keep doing things like this?
Or stop?
Back to July
I'm sorry.
I gave you my answer, so goodbye then.
Wait.
I waited a week for your answer.
You really built up my expectations.
There's nothing more revolting than the affection of someone you're completely disinterested in, is there?
Damn it. Boomerang.
At that moment,
I couldn't answer him.
I couldn't let go.
I don't mean Mugi.
I mean the brother I was seeing through Mugi.
That's why I...
I'm surprised you're here.
I didn't think you'd come back.
Do you want to say that we're dating?
What?
We'll be able to depend on each other if we need to.
Are you sure you won't fall in love with me?
No. I promise.
You're completely not my type.
You're not mine either.
And so we made a pact.
That neither of us would fall in love with the other.
If one of us makes it with the person we really love,
our relationship ends.
In other words,
you can have everything but my feelings.
So does that basically make us friends with--?
No, no, no.
We didn't do it.
We didn't have sex.
And we probably won't.
Really?
If one of us is feeling lonely, what's wrong with wanting the other to hold you?
Is that because I'm a virgin?
What are you talking about?
You'll see, we're going to make our scum's wish come true.
Let's escape from the solar system
and cross it in parallel lines
Stretching out in parallel lines
like our shadows
You can blame the times we live in
for your lack of courage
Searching for a place
where there is a wish not going anywhere
I want to be the words
that pour out of your lips
Let's escape from the solar system
and cross it in parallel lines
Taking along impossible wishes
and our timid voices
Once we're drained of emotion,
I can start to imagine
I will reach out to our shadows
Ah Parallel lines