Episode 5 Hachiken Runs Off
You're getting pretty good.
Really? You think so?
Your muscle aches went away already, right?
I guess.
I think I've gotten the hang of riding Maro-Eyebrows here.
Hey!
You!
That's not where—
Aw, he still doesn't respect you.
Call him Maron, his proper name.
He's a proud one.
Okay.
The grass smells great.
It's almost harvest time.
Oh, look.
Th-That's a...
A crop... circle?
Ooezo Agricultural High School Dormitory for Future Agriculture Managers
That was quite something I saw back there.
What's the matter?!
I've done it.
Notice 7/2/2013 (Sat) Ooezo Agricultural High School Guidance Department We hereby notify the student below of a violation of dormitory regulations/rules. Class 1-C Name: Beppu Tarou
Oh, a red slip.
What's the matter?!
There's a red slip on Beppu's desk.
Ah...
So you got the red slip, also known as the love letter.
What'd you do?
I left snacks out...
Again?
You're so loose when it comes to food...
One more and I'll get detention chores!
A crop circle?!
The unexplained phenomenon reported primarily in England, but found worldwide,
in which grains are flattened into circles or complex geometric shapes?
No way!
Yes way.
Right, Mikage?
Yeah.
Seriously?
It was pretty big,
a circle about 20 meters across—
They're annoying because they reduce the harvest.
Yeah, they make more work for us, too!
Crop circles make me angry.
Ah, so that's how farms view crop circles...
It's me.
I see.
Right.
Okay.
Oh?
You're certain of this information?
Where?
Area 51, huh...
Area 51? Nishikawa, you don't mean...
That's right.
It's coming tonight.
Is it true?
My source is certain of it.
You can trust the info.
It will appear tonight at nine.
Finally?
Nine, huh?
Yeah, finally!
Tonight, I'm going to meet it!
Don't be ridiculous!
It's still study hour at nine!
Nishikawa...
Don't tell me you're...
Going AWOL?!
Don't do it, Nishikawa!
Yeah. The risk is too high!
Women and children, stay out of my way!
I'll do it alone if I have to!
Don't be an idiot.
I'll go, too.
Me, too.
I won't let you go alone.
Now that I know, I can't pass this up.
Guys...
I can't take responsibility for what happens.
Uh, but the punishment for sneaking out is bathroom cleaning duty!
You're right...
I want to show Hachiken most of all.
What're you guys talking about?!
I'll go, too.
I want to see it, too.
Are you insane?!
No!
I can't get women involved—
Isn't trust among comrades critical for a successful escape?
Should a teacher get word of this...
Tamako, you...
You don't have a choice.
Wait!
We're not done talking!
Stop!
The red line that must not be crossed.
The line that separates men and women...
Crap!
We only have an hour and a half.
War council, now!
Give up bath time!
The boys' rooms have iron bars on the windows,
just like a prison!
Why not exit from the main entrance, then?
Negative.
Even if we manage to get by the night watch
and pass by the teachers' office,
the sound made by the heavy double-doors
will give us away!
Too hot!
This is stupid.
What're you doing?
Nothing really...
The emergency exit, then!
Emergency Exit
Which one should we choose?
The south exit faces the wrong direction and close to the employee housing.
It's too dangerous.
The north one, then?
The house master's room is that way.
House Master
Now that it's summer,
with no air conditioning in the room,
the door to that room must be wide open!
That's terrible!
We'd be totally exposed!
Mission impossible!
Are they really going to do it?
But you kind of want to see it, just once.
Are you really going?
You'll get detention chores if you're discovered.
Yes, tonight is my only chance.
I must see it tonight.
Or it'll be too late...
Hachiken, I'll put yours in, too.
Oh, thanks.
Tamako.
What's the plan?
At 2035 hours, come to the south stairs landing.
We will escape from the south emergency exit.
There's an emergency exit on the north side, too.
To get to the northside exit from our rooms,
we'll have to pass by house master's door while it's wide open.
It will be impossible to avoid detection!
All right, guys!
Study time!
Return to your rooms!
I messed up!
What's wrong?
Without my cell,
I can't take photos of it as proof...
I have a cell right here.
What?! That's mine!
I put in a decoy instead!
Oh, well done!
Why mine?
Damn it, it had to be when Hirono-sensei has night watch, too.
I messed up!
What's wrong?
The night watch patrols the dorm during study hour.
Hah, Hirono?
He's lazy. He just opens the door and does roll call.
Nishikawa, Hachiken, Beppu: Are you there?
As long as you leave decoys and someone to answer roll call...
Yes!
But that means someone has to stay behind.
I'll stay, the—
Hachiken, Nishikawa, leave me behind.
Huh?
Beppu! You...
You can count on me to answer roll call.
Um, I said I'll stay—
Don't tell me you're scared of detention chores!
No, that's not it!
I...
It's just that...
I wouldn't be able to get through the bathroom window.
No enemies in sight!
Let's go!
This just makes us look more suspicious...
Are you ready?
This window is basically the point of no return!
I won't force you.
Step forward if you wish to stay.
I won't stop you!
Um, so why are we sneaking out without permission—
Hachi!
"A hero needs no reason to draw his blade;
he needs only to fight for his honor."
Am I wrong?
Huh?
I feel like a strong drink.
All right, it's time!
Forgive me, Tamako.
It won't work!
Is this the end?
Why don't you go to the inner courtyard from the bathroom?
Impossible!
This courtyard's like a sealed room,
with no routes to the outside!
No, what I mean is,
Boy's Bathroom
use the courtyard to get past the house master's room,
Inner Courtyard
House Master
Boy's Bathroom
then go back inside using this other bathroom.
Then it's only 20 meters to the emergency exit!
Emergency Exit
You've done it, Hachiken!
No problem.
Huh?
They're late. Way too late.
I should've had them bring me a snack.
A cell phone camera doesn't come with a flash, does it?
Camera...
Crap!
"Keep your head down and get the hell over here."
"Someone's taking a crap inside. Keep quiet!"
What's the matter, Hachiken?
If we don't hurry up, we'll miss it.
Wait.
Damn!
When'd they install that?
Do they have no trust for students?!
Rotten teachers!
It's no good...
We don't have time to get to the southside emergency exit!
We've got nowhere else to turn...
What a bother.
I came because I was worried.
Beppu?!
Who would've thought I'd use this technique here of all places?
What? That's...
The ultimate technique of Neapolitan pizza artisans!
By spinning the dough, the centrifugal force makes the
edge thicker and the center thinner!
Furthermore, by shortening the dough's handling time,
the yeast remains intact!
When'd you master that technique?!
been learning it in secret since the the pizza party!
Go, now!
Beppu, how'd you get here?!
There was no one in the house master's room.
What about roll call?
Ooezo Agricultural High School Dormitory for Future Agriculture Managers
Students not in their rooms!
We've been found!
Return immediately!
What?
Someone's running off?
They really did it...
Tama-chan?!
I was found!
Run! Flee into the woods!
Nishikawa!
Tamako!
Use this to capture its true nature!
I'll carry out your wish!
Come back! Hey!
I gave them my snacks...
Oh, Beppu!
Where are the others?
Outside?
Chasing them is futile...
They can run a furlong in 11 seconds.
Why aren't you running?
I... am not particularly fond of running.
What?!
Beppu's not here!
Damn, he must've gotten caught!
Forget him!
First, get through the woods...
Tokiwa?!
What's the matter?
Stay away!
You mustn't come here!
A trap?!
Could they have foreseen our escape?
There may be more! Don't come back!
Sorry, Tokiwa...
Don't mind me.
Make sure to get a good look at it, enough for both of us!
Farewell, Tokiwa!
Let's go, Hachi!
Hurry up!
Farewell, comrade...
Hurry! We'll be too late!
But...
It's pitch black and you can't see a thing.
It's the greenhouse.
It's right around strawberry harvest time.
Shh!
A bear?
No...
Strawberry thief!
How dare you steal the fruits of our hard labor?!
I'll have you torn apart by bulls!
That's going too easy on him!
Chop him up and make him into fertilizer!
No, a hundred years of forced labor in the frontier!
Aikawa?
Damn, he had company!
You're not getting away!
Aikawa!
Your death will not be in vain!
We will press on thanks to your sacrifice!
There's no mistake!
It lies ahead!
Hachiken, what's the time?
Um, one minute till nine.
What?!
Crap!
Is someone there?
Come out!
Or I'll...
Komaba!
I thought something like this might happen.
But, the dogs...
Leave them to me.
Begone, filthy dogs!
Here...
Fetch!
Hey, where are you guys going?!
I'll hold the line!
But—
Go! You have no time to lose!
Forgive us!
Let's go, Hacchi.
This is where we saw the crop circle...
Yes, this is Area 51.
We're down to just the two of us.
What time is it?
9:08.
Damn, we're late.
Here it comes!
What?!
What is that thing?!
Who are you people?
What?
You can't be here.
You'll get run over.
Move, move.
Sorry.
What, are those Ezonoo students?
Huh?
What?
Here comes the giant self-propelled harvester!
Total weight of 13,180 kilos!
Fuel capacity, 1,350 liters!
Twelve-cylinder engine displacement, 24.2 liters!
Why's it operating at this time of night?
Why?
It uses public roads at night to go from hay field to hay field.
We're running late tonight,
so don't slow us down.
What's the matter, Hachi?
Let's head back.
Here!
Thanks...
By the way, weren't there choppers flying around this afternoon?
Yeah, there's a self-defense force stationed nearby.
What about the dogs?
To scare away bears, right?
There's a lot of 'em this year.
Why "Area 51"?
This farm plot's number 51.
And the crop circle?
Apparently, guys from the next school over
make one as a prank every year around this time.
Komaba!
How was it?
Yeah, it was a giant, just like the rumors said.
Here.
Ah, good work.
Looks like you managed to see it.
Aikawa!
What'd you do with the thief?
Huh? I turned him over to the police.
Oh, thanks.
But how?
Oh, I called the cops with the thief's cell.
I wanted to see it, too.
There'll be another chance!
Oh, the Summer Triangle!
It's almost summer vacation.
These three months passed by so fast...
The Following Students Are to Be Punished with Bathroom Cleaning!! Nishikawa Hajime Hachiken Yuugo Beppu Tarou Tokiwa Keiji Aikawa Shinnosuke Komaba Ichirou
I can't believe we got bathroom cleaning duty for that thing...
"That thing"?!
That harvester was awesome!
Sure it was,
but I was just dragged into the whole thing.
But luckily, we caught a strawberry thief, so we only got one day.
Hey, it's the bathroom cleaning gang!
Idiots!
We proved that this dorm's security is like a sieve!
Don't brag when you only dropped out because your pants ripped!
Hey, so you saw it?
Wow, it's the size of a house!
I'd take bathroom cleaning duty to see that!
Let me see, too.
There're only two of these in Japan.
The giants are the righteous!
Hachi, gimme the pic later.
Okay, sure.
Hachiken.
Yes?
Why do you have a cell phone at this hour?
H-Hey, Tamako.
Why'd you—
I wanted a preview.
Preview?
Our farm's going to buy that harvester next week.
I wanted to see it with my own eyes
to see what its cost performance might be.
It costs 60 million yen with all the options.
B-But aren't your parents the ones who will decide...
My dad's way too excited.
Men lose all reason when gadgets are involved.
They're such fools.
This story is a work of fiction. The people and groups are fictitious, but the themes relating to food and life are firmly based in reality. Visiting the places and facilities used as models can be dangerous and may result it contracting diseases from the animals. Please enjoy this story as a work of fiction.