Good morning,
Hana!
- Good morning, Tama. - Morning!
You're cheerful this morning, Tama.
And you're lethargic this morning, Eiko!
When I think that our regular classes start next week...
But the sports test is on Wednesday!
Sports test...
You don't like exercising?
Not really.
I love to move around, so I'm looking forward to the sports test!
Tama, it seems like you're always moving around.
You make it sound like I'm sketchy!
But my guess is you're good at athletics.
Nah, just average.
For example, I got a B for the sports test last year.
Oh, really?
I got a B, too.
You're fast, right, Kamu?
Yeah, I am fast.
But when it comes to long-distance, I run out of energy.
So my results in last year's sports test were in the mid-range, too.
Then you're average like the rest of us, Kamu!
Last year...
How did you do, Hana?
I think I got a B, too.
Then we're the Four Mediocre-teers!
Mediocre-teers?
I can't tell them I was just studying for the high school exam last year.
Mediocre-teers?
EXAMINATION ROOM
ONE YEAR AGO
Doctor, what is it?
Well...
She has the mumps.
- The mumps... - Oh!
I guess you didn't have them as a child, did you, Hana?
I'll have to examine her first,
but she'll have to stay home from school for a while.
That's the mumps for you.
If you get them as a teen or adult, they can be a real pain.
It's contagious, so for at least a week...
Um, I...
I have my high school entrance exam tomorrow!
Well, that's...
You'll just have to miss it.
From the following day, I had a high fever.
I don't remember much after that.
GRADUATION CEREMONY
After graduation, the period for taking high school entrance exams was over.
I had totally recovered,
as if the mumps were waiting for that day.
First your cheeks, and now your eyes are gonna swell up.
After all,
I don't know what to do!
Everyone else is going on to high school, while I'm stuck in limbo!
Look on the bright side and use this time productively.
Not many people can say they were in high school limbo.
I don't wanna be able to say that either!
When you introduce yourself,
you can say, "I'm a wandering student!"
Try it!
I don't wanna make light of my situation like that!
I don't want to go to school next year either.
I don't even want to go outside.
Don't be silly.
But next year, my friends will be a year ahead of me,
and I'll be a year behind them.
My classmates will all be a year younger than me! I'll be the oldest!
Who cares who's older or younger?
I won't even be able to make friends.
Anyway, I don't wanna go to school or go outside!
I'm gonna be a shut-in!
Hana, do you remember Shion?
She's graduating from college this year.
She's the landlady at your uncle's apartment building.
Hana, move to an apartment there.
You mean you don't want me here as a shut-in?
That's not what I mean.
If you're in an environment where no one knows you,
you'll be able to get a fresh start, right?
You can study for high school entrance exams one more time.
Just think of it as getting a bit of a late start. Okay?
Okay.
Starting next week, you have afternoon classes, too, don't you?
Do you want me to start making you lunch to take?
Would you?
Of course.
I like doing that kind of thing.
Shion...
Hana,
do you have a favorite character?
Y-You don't have to make characters out of my lunch!
You'll see.
Hana...
HANA
Your name means "flower" and "name," right?
That's how you write your name, right?
Yeah. People often misread it as "Kana."
That's too bad.
If your name were "Kana," we could put it together with my name...
- One, two... - One, two...
- Kanaetamae! - Kanaetamae!
...and burst onto the scene as "Kanaetamae," a charming comedy duo...
But with "Hana,"
people wouldn't go "Haha!"
Just kidding, Hana!
T-Tama?
It's okay, Hana. Good girl, good girl.
Come on.
Break it up.
Give Hana space to breathe.
She called me "Hana"!
Oh, sorry.
We tend to get too casual sometimes.
No.
That's fine.
In that case, make you a deal? I'll call you "Hana,"
and you call me "Eiko," no "Miss" or anything.
Sure.
Everyone's casual as far as Eiko is concerned.
We haven't even been here a week and everyone's casual?
Thanks for waiting!
Sorry it took me so long.
The school store has various baked goods that I couldn't decide what to get.
Hey, that's a hot tip!
Maybe I'll buy me some baked goodies tomorrow!
Kamu, that's one huge lunch!
Kamuri, are you going to eat all of that?
I would have no problem with it.
But...
I'm a slow eater, so I won't be able to finish it all.
So if you'd like, help me work on it.
I feel bad for you.
Did you make that yourself, Tama?
I'm impressed you could tell, Eiko.
Actually, I'm in charge of cooking at home.
Tama, that's great!
I wouldn't go that far.
Hana, you live with your cousin, right?
Did she make lunch for you?
Yeah.
Your cousin is the landlady of your apartment building, right?
Yeah.
She's good at cooking and always makes me dinner.
A landlady who's good at cooking...
That sounds like something from a romance novel.
What kind of romantic lunch is it?
Good question!
Normal. It's a normal lunch.
What is this lunch?
Are you dating your cousin?
N-No! I told you, Shion is a woman!
No problem! You have our blessing!
She's a woman and I'm a woman!
What are you smiling about?
Huh? What is that?
Soup.
My little sister gave it to me so I'd get more nutritional balance.
Your little sister is very kind.
I'll call it...
"sis-sauce"!
"Sis-sauce"? At least call it "sis-soup" or something.
I don't know about that one, Hana.
"Sis-sauce" sounds like it was made from my sister's secretions,
but "sis-soup" sounds like my sister was actually cooked.
Anyway, have a cup.
All right.
Sis-sauce is good!
Have a sip, Hana!
O-Okay.
Delicious!
Even though we haven't met her yet, it tastes like Eiko's little sister!
And now, to pay you back for that tasty sis-sauce...
Here! Say "Aaah."
Aaah.
Yummy!
That's our Tama!
You have one, too, Hana!
Th-Thank...
- So good! - Right?
Tama, you're really good at cooking!
You're making me blush!
This is heaven!
To be honest, I've always admired Tama's homemade cooking.
During home ec in middle school,
the aroma coming from Tama's table was always mouth-watering!
I thought then, "I hope I get a chance to sample her cooking someday."
You're making me feel bashful!
W-We are still talking about cooking, right?
But your little sister is really good at cooking, too, Eiko!
How old is she?
Fourteen. She's a third-year middle school student.
Then is she studying for high school entrance exams?
That's right.
She wants to go here, too.
Then "sis-sauce" will be "junior-sauce"!
Right, "junior-sauce."
The thing is, she always studies late but still makes sis-sauce every day.
I'm worried that she'll get sick.
And rightly so!
H-Hana?
It's awesome that she's working hard to prepare for the entrance exams!
But for entrance exams, first you need stamina!
Still, you can't be healthy and just call it a day!
Because you never know what dangers are waiting for you!
Huh?
Get your sister to keep that in mind!
O-Okay.
I'll pass that on.
S-Sorry.
No, we can tell that you feel strongly about high school entrance exams.
Right, Kamu?
Kamuri?
Come to think of it, she hasn't uttered a single word.
Kamu is always silent when she's eating.
She's choking!
K-Kamu!
Kamuri!
Sis-sauce, sis-sauce!
No, water!
Shion, thank you for making me lunch.
No problem.
Was it good?
Yeah, delicious.
But...
I'm sorry!
I appreciate your feelings, but I can't go out with you!
EXERCISE WEARS ME OUT
Isn't it great not having any classes for one day?
They should do it once a week.
The sports test...
Getting tested that much would leave us exhausted!
True. And they would learn all about us.
You've got a dirty mind.
They said they weren't especially good at athletics, right?
I'm not good at it, either.
But maybe I won't stand out if I'm with them.
Let's go get some water!
I'm exhausted!
Hana, are you okay?
- Poop... - Poop?
Pooped...
out.
Oh, she's pooped out!
Maybe it was a mistake to start with the endurance run.
Eiko?
When we were talking about the sports test a couple days ago,
Hana said she was average, didn't she?
If this is "average" for her, then I'm curious about her "sub-par."
Oh, I see.
You two are mean!
I actually was more or less average back in middle school.
What's wrong?
I haven't exercised since middle school graduation,
which is why I'm totally out of shape.
One month and you're out of shape?
Good point! You're right!
The softball toss is next.
Can you stand up?
Y-Yeah. I'm fine.
Kamuri?
Grab hold.
Th-Thanks.
Fourteen meters!
That's farther than last year.
Next, Tokura.
Seven meters!
Next, Ichinose.
I've got good control, anyway.
Ouch!
Right!
Are you okay, Hana?
Wow!
For being short, she's really fast!
Hey, Sengoku!
That 50 meter you ran was awesome!
Wanna join the track and field club?
You can even do it on a trial basis!
Or just start by sitting in once?
You wouldn't have to prepare!
Wow, Kamuri is being scouted by the track and field club!
Just come by and check us out!
You have athletic legs, Sengoku!
With you on board,
U-U-Um...
I could see us doing decently even at the prefectural tournament!
So, in middle school, what club were you in?
E-Eiko...
I didn't know what club I wanted to be in until—
Okay!
Eiko...
Sorry.
She's really shy.
I-I was just a little surprised.
S-Sorry for scaring you.
Jeez, Amane!
You'd scare anyone with your aggressive come-on!
Today...
you came for me, Eiko.
Hana!
You did great! You tried so hard!
You've just got this to do.
Th-Then it's over!
Um, right arm 26.
That's average!
You did it! A normal score!
Normal...
Yes! Normal!
Normal! Thank goodness!
I got a brilliantly normal result,
and now I'm done with this torturous sports test!
My body feels light!
M-My leg cramped up!
Hana?
What's the matter? Are you all right?
I'll get a compress from the infirmary!
Th-Thank you, Tama.
Don't worry about it!
Tama, you're so kind!
I discovered an ice cream vending machine!
H-Huh?
We've got an ice cream vending machine on school grounds!
Um... the compress...
It's got strawberry cheesecake flavor?
Too fast!
I mean, we get to eat ice cream at school!
You two lack emotions!
At least come up with a haiku!
Owowowowow!
Again?
It looks like this is a thing with her.
Well, my grandma told me that eating a banana or kiwi is good for leg cramps.
For leg cramps?
A banana?
They've got banana choco mint Hawaiian.
That'll do it!
Here, eat it!
Go ahead!
How do you feel?
Cured?
Tama, I don't think this is what your grandmother had in mind.
Oh my!
And it's disgusting.
Wow...
Teacher!
You found this already?
Jeez, are you guys ants?
Ants...
What are you looking at?
I'm curious what flavor you're gonna get.
Maybe rum raisin since you're an adult?
Now there are more of you!
What do you care what I get?
Lick!
Finish that up, then go!
Okay!
She bought banana chocolate mint Hawaiian, huh?
Maybe she has a leg cramp, too.
Which reminds me, do you feel okay now, Hana?
Yeah. I'm fine now.
That must be thanks to the banana effect!
All right!
The afternoon sports test!
Let's do our best!
There's more?
Jeez, Tama, you got me!
It was actually only in the morning.
You're mean to me, Tama.
- Kamu, that took you a long time. - Sorry.
Kamu, you're not wearing socks?
We're just going home.
No socks, I like it! That's fresh!
Why are you so excited about it?
You don't get it?
A girl who usually wears tights is bare-legged!
You've gotta appreciate the difference!
Sorry, I don't get it.
For example,
imagine I live in a nudist colony, never wearing a stitch of clothing!
NUDIST COLONY BEAUTY PAGEANT
Then one day, I show up in a school uniform!
Doesn't that difference excite you?
No, you just confused me even more.
Hana, do you understand?
Why am I even asking?
So the idea of Tama naked doesn't make her excited?
Is that what we were talking about?
Look, naked or bare-legged, let's go home.
Bare-legged!
Is it good?
You want another helping?
Did anything fun happen at school?
That's great!
That reminds me.
I need to make you lunch for tomorrow.
About that, Shion...
Don't worry.
I won't make it so your friends get the wrong idea again.
Sorry, Shion.
It's fine!
You've been living here for a year, so I know what a pain you are.
She looks like a mechanical doll carrying tea.
That's elegant.
I-I have pain in all my muscles.
Her whole body...
I-I got out of shape during spring vacation.
What kind of lazy spring vacation did you have to get so weak?
Okay, okay, but eat your loving cousin's lunch and get energized!
I told you, it's not like that with us!
- Th-They broke up? - Th-They broke up?
Sh-Shion!