I'm in the ocean!
Ah, they've split cleanly into "enjoy it" and "beach sucks" factions.
I can't tell which one you are, Usaida-san.
You don't seem to have any intention of swimming, though...
Oh, I'm all-in on the "enjoy it" side.
I'm gonna eye some swimsuit hotties, stuff my face, and nap.
By the way, where'd Hayato go?
I don't see him around.
Kamitani said he was going for a swim. Over there.
Kashima-kun, you can also swim, if you like.
Yeah! We'll be looking after the kids today.
We appreciate all you do.
Wanna play with Ryu!
But...
No, really.
You're stuck with Mommy for the day.
Still, Inomata-san still isn't done changing yet?
No! Let me go!
I dragged her along hoping to give her a breather, but...
Sensei, Inomata-san just arrived.
Um... I'm sorry I'm late.
Inomata
A school swimsuit? Ino-chan, you naughty girl.
Shut up, Usaida-kun.
Inomata-san, you wore your school swimsuit, huh?
Do you have a problem with that?
As long as I can swim in it, what does it matter?
I agree. I'm wearing the one I used in middle school, too.
You can't do this, Ino-chan!
Girls need to try to look pretty at all times!
I do believe they sell swimsuits at the beach shop...
For now, I'll lend you this.
Let's go pick one out for you.
Huh?
As a thank-you for making delicious sweets for the children,
we'll buy you a nice swimsuit. Okay?
But... Sensei...
Just do it.
Usaida-kun, take care of the kids until we get back, okay?
I wonder what would look best on Ino-chan.
As usual, can't say no to a housewife.
Yeah...
Even Inomata-san is at their mercy.
Want some?
School Babysitters
Corn!
Anyway, I'll look after these guys.
You can go swim, Ryu-chan.
Oh, no...
I don't think Kotaro's used to the ocean yet.
I think I'll stay here, too.
Is this Kotaro's first time at the beach?
Yeah, pretty much.
But what's so scary about it?
Usaida-san...
I think it's this feeling like you're going to be swept away.
Like you've lost your feet.
So maybe if I don't put him on the sand...
See? It's not scary if you're with Nii-chan, right?
It's all goo—
Th-The ocean's not scary at all! See, Kotaro?
You're not convincing at all, man.
Ryu was drowning! So lame!
So lame!
Okay, then, let's play in the sand together!
No one has to go in the ocean if they don't want to.
Yeah!
Taka! You're flinging sand on me!
Big mountain! Big mountain!
I'm so glad.
The kids should be able to enjoy this.
Let's make a big mountain and dig a tunnel through the middle.
My hole went away!
What are you fussing about?
Welcome back, Sensei.
Thanks!
Were you playing in the sand?
What? Were you digging a hole?
Dig another one, then.
Here.
I bought you all juice as a special treat.
Careful you don't drop it.
Here, some for you too, Kashima-kun.
Oh, thanks a lot!
Isn't that nice, Kotaro?
What are you drinking?
K-Kotaro...
I'll give you this if you forgive me.
What would he want with seaweed?
You can have mine.
Here, Kotaro.
Hey, Mom. I'm hungry.
Then get yourself a rice ball or something.
More importantly... Hey, guys!
Inomata-san went and got changed.
Don't you have something to say to her?
S-Sensei...
I'm not especially...
It's a swimsuit.
Um, I think it's really cute!
Like... the pattern!
Pattern...?
It matches Kirin-chan's inner tube!
This isn't helping at all.
My son is especially heartless.
Well, they're at that age.
They're probably embarrassed to compliment a girl.
They don't seem very flustered to me, though...
But Inomata-san seems happy.
We match.
We match!
Isn't that nice?
This time, let's make a really big mountain!
Kotaro?
You're too far away!
And that's gravel!
This should be far enough away that the water won't reach.
He's cute when he's trying to be strong, too.
How about we go over there and gather seashells, then?
Hey, Kashima-kun, where are you going?
We're going to gather shells over there.
Be careful! It's hot!
It really is hot.
I wish I could go in the water...
They're all napping.
I think you can go play in the water now, Kashima-kun.
Okay.
Please take care of Kotaro.
Sure. Leave it to us.
Come on, let's get going.
This feels good!
You okay?
Wait, you can swim, right?
Of course I can! What's that supposed to mean?
Do I look that nonathletic to you?
You seemed to be avoiding the ocean, so I thought you couldn't swim.
No, I just felt bad about leaving Kotaro all alone...
Well, whatever you say.
This isn't the first time Kotaro and I have been to the ocean.
He was a baby, so he probably doesn't remember.
I guess this is like his first time...
But he wasn't scared of the ocean at all then.
I wonder if I'm just not enough to reassure him.
Hey! Do you always hit Taka-kun that hard?
It really hurts!
What are you, stupid?
That wasn't even half-strength.
But that's irrelevant right now.
The reason Kotaro wasn't scared back then is because
he was a baby who didn't know anything about anything.
Stop saying stupid stuff.
O-Oh...
That's right... He couldn't even stand by himself back then.
You...
Oh, Kotaro-kun. Are you awake?
Your brother's in the ocean right now.
You see?
Of course, I'm sure you can't pick him out from this distance...
Kotaro-kun!
Nii-chan.
Kotaro-kun?
Kotaro-kun!
Your brother will be back soon, okay?
Nii-chan!
Did you hear Kotaro calling for me?
Oh, is that what all the noise on the beach is?
Nii-chan!
Sorry! I'm going back!
He's fast.
I thought his brother was too clingy,
but maybe it's the other way around.
Kotaro!
Kashima-kun!
What's the matter with you?
Nii-chan!
I'm sorry I went to play while you were napping, but come on...
I think he saw you dive under and got upset.
I've never seen Kotaro-kun cry before.
But he walked into the ocean he was so afraid of.
When I stopped him, he started to cry.
I'm sorry for causing such a fuss.
Oh, it's all right.
It's nice that you two are so close.
I'm sorry I worried you, Kotaro.
I found this. Here, a souvenir.
See?
Kotaro probably won't remember this, though...
Here. Put it to your ear.
You can hear the ocean!
Hear ocean!
You're holding it upside-down.
I hope that the next time we come to the beach,
Kotaro will love the ocean.
Wh-What's wrong, Taka-kun?
Did you have another fight with Kamitani or something?
R-Right... Uh-huh.
Sorry... I have no idea what you're saying!
Morinomiya Academy is still in its summer vacation period,
but Kotaro and I are reopening the daycare room today.
This appears to be the cause.
What is it?
Scribbling on a ball?
Poo.
Yeah, it looks like Taka drew the poo on it.
That's an autographed ball Hayato has treasured for a long time.
You mean he...
He got mad and hit Taka-kun hard for real?
That would be business as usual.
Sensei...
It wasn't that. Actually...
It's your fault, Nii-chan!
You spend every day playin' ball, and you don't play with me!
See? That's what you get for makin' me mad!
Mom, I'm heading out to club. Need food.
Hold on a minute.
I start supplementary lessons today, and I can't find the data I need for the print-outs.
Have you seen it?
Yeah, right.
Oh, there it is!
Nii-chan!
If you're goin' to school, take me!
What? What's the matter?
He ignored him?
Insects
Yeah. Totally ignored him (mushi).
Kotaro, those are bugs (mushi).
He really must have been angry.
It's Nii-chan's fault!
So, I'm sorry to ask you, Kashima-kun,
but could you check up on Hayato for me?
Even if I make Taka apologize, if he keeps ignoring him, it won't help anything.
I ain't apoligizin' to no one!
But Sensei, you have supplementary lessons to get to, don't you?
I'm fine with checking up on him, but Usaida-san isn't here...
Oh...
In that case, I will look after the children.
Ma'am!
Chairwoman!
Well? Stop lollygagging! We have our plan, so get moving!
I can't have a child's wailing echoing through the school all day!
Y-Yes, ma'am!
Well, I'll be back soon.
Please take care of them.
Taka-kun, Kotaro, be good until we get back.
Have a fine day.
Shaggy.
Now...
We'll need to start by cooling off those dripping eyes of yours.
You can blow your dripping nose on this, too.
Kotaro, go with Saikawa and fetch some ice.
Yeah, Kamitani's here,
but I'm not sure you want to talk to him right now...
He's been like that since he got here.
When I told him to take a break, he glared daggers at me...
I really think he'd be happier going to a school with a better baseball team.
He has the talent for it. If he didn't have to look after his brother...
It's a real waste.
Oh, sorry... I know you have to look after your brother every day.
Well, I do it because I like it.
Sorry to interrupt your practice.
Thanks a lot.
You're gonna talk to him?
It's dangerous!
Kamitani.
Yeah?
He really is scary.
Sorry. I wanted to talk to you...
Do you mind?
So I think if he's going to spend the whole day crying about it, he's probably sorry.
So?
You want me to do the adult thing by not staying mad and just forgiving him, right?
No, I...
Kotaro's destroyed a lot of my stuff before.
I understand the feeling of never wanting to talk to him again.
The age difference is so great,
it's not like you can just get mad and fight like normal siblings would.
Oh? You mean he does that to you, too?
Of course. All the time!
A while back, he destroyed the matchstick Osaka Castle
I'd spent two weeks building for a summer project.
Why were you making that?
He scribbled all over the homework I spent all night working on...
And just recently, he stole my cell phone, dropped it in the toilet, and ruined it.
That cell phone was the worst. It had a bunch of emails Mom and Dad sent me...
Just thinking about it makes me want to cry again.
Cheer up.
I know Kotaro didn't mean any harm,
so I just have to call it an accident and let it go, I guess.
For my part, I don't care about the object itself.
But that little idiot was 100% malicious.
You said he was sorry, but I know he's not.
I bet you even told him to apologize, and he just wailed and refused.
Well...
Even so, with a brat like him, I guess I have to just suck it up.
Kamitani...
So you're saying that to vent your frustration with your brother
for not playing with you, you drew on the ball that he treasures?
It's not my fault!
He wouldn't play with me! It's his fault!
I am ever impressed at your ability to decipher such incoherence.
I can do that very easily.
By the way, Taka, do you have anything that you treasure?
This is my treasure!
It's made of a super alloy that can cut through anything!
Oh, is that so?
Allow me to borrow it for a moment.
Saikawa, bring a hammer that can break this.
Yes, ma'am. I have already prepared it.
No... my...
That's my treasure!
No, no, no, no, no!
That is effectively what you did to your brother.
Here.
Will you continue to claim that you've done nothing wrong?
Let us return, Saikawa.
You can handle things yourself now, can't you?
Nii-chan!
Yes, ma'am. Thank you very much.
Taka-kun, the baseball club's practice should be over soon.
Why don't you go apologize to Kamitani... to your brother?
That was a great throw, huh?
Just crazy.
Seriously nice base coverage.
Godly!
Wait!
Nii-chan!
Idiot. If you don't hurry up, I'm leaving you behind.
Nii-chan!
Sorry! I'm sorry!
I was wrong!
Shut up, idiot.
But I'm sorry I didn't spend more time with you.
Hey, Kamitani.
You said we just have to suck it up, but little kids do grow up.
Someday, Kotaro might get as tall as me, and he'll stop playing pranks on me, too.
And I might just feel a little bit lonely then...
Kashima, will you and Kotaro be in the daycare room tomorrow?
Yeah. Everyone'll probably be there tomorrow.
Then let's play baseball with the kids tomorrow.
I don't think they can handle baseball yet!
I'll play baseball!
Yeah.
Next Episode Preview
Next time, it's vegetable day.
I hear Kotaro-sama will be cabbage, and Ryuichi-sama will be corn.
Incidentally, I've been addicted to bean sprouts lately.