Calligraphy
"Calligraphy."
Love and Courage
All right.
Write your favorite word and submit it by the end of the class.
Effort
Love and Courage
Favorite word?
What are you gonna write?
Having trouble deciding?
Have you decided what you're gonna write, Takagi-san?
No... Not yet.
I know. Why don't we write what we want from each other?
What we want... from each other?
Yep.
Okay.
What I want from Takagi-san...
Teasing Prohibited
Yeah!
A message telling her not to tease me anymore...
Wait... That might backfire.
Takagi-san would probably enjoy that.
A word that'll make Takagi-san remorseful without provoking her...
This is hard.
You done, Nishikata?
Yeah.
Then, shall we show each other?
Status Quo
Restraint
How's this?
"Restraint"?
Uh, yeah...
Of what? It's something you want from me, right?
Well, uh... On various things...
Sh-She doesn't get it.
But if she did get it, it'd have an adverse effect.
This is tricky.
So, what about you? What do you mean by "status quo"?
Oh, this? It means...
I want Nishikata to stay the way he is. Easy to tease.
Damn, Takagi-san is going on the offensive!
I see. So that's how she wants to play this.
I get it now.
Can we do it again?
All right.
Just you watch, Takagi-san.
I'm gonna go on the offensive this time, too!
Did you finish?
Not yet...
Kindness
With this, I'll make Takagi-san realize she isn't very kind.
I hope this will upset you, Takagi-san.
What should I write...?
Oh? You look uncertain, Takagi-san.
I believe it's all due to your lack of kindness.
Oh, by the way, your handwriting is pretty good.
It looks interesting. Did you learn calligraphy somewhere?
N-No, not really...
Well, I like your handwriting, Nishikata.
Here.
Th-Thanks....
Huh? She's nice all of a sudden...
What's going on...?
Could it be? Is Takagi-san actually pretty nice,
but I just haven't noticed?!
N-No... That can't be.
Whoa!
Nishikata, stay still for a sec.
Huh?
You had something on your face.
Okay, I thought of a good word.
Running
Grilled Meat
Winning Lawsuit
All right, then.
Show me yours first, Nishikata.
Huh? Not at the same time?
Just show me already.
Don't tease me
I rewrote it, after all.
You really do have interesting handwriting.
Huh?! That's your comment?!
In any case, I want you to stop teasing me.
I can't.
You didn't even consider it.
All right, all right. I'll try my best.
So? What's yours?
Mine?
I wrote... this.
You have ink on your cheek
You did it then!
You just said you'd try your best!
But I did it before I said that.
Don't Let Your Guard Down
Year 1, Class 2, No. 24 Nishikata
Don't Let Your Guard Down
Year 1, Class 2, No. 18 Takagi
Seasonal Change of Clothing
"Seasonal Change of Clothing!"
So hot...
I guess so.
We should change to the short-sleeve uniform soon.
I guess so.
I should tell Sanae-chan we should start wearing our short-sleeve uniforms tomorrow.
I guess so.
You guess what?
Yo.
Aren't you guys hot?
What?
We said we'd all change our uniforms at the same time!
We did?
We did! You jumped the gun!
I see.
The next day
It's a lot cooler wearing short sleeves!
I guess so.
You guess what?
Sanae-chan,
good morn... ing...
I thought you said we were all gonna switch together?
I forgot to tell you.
Legf fe hogh.
"English Translation."
That's right.
Walk down this street to the post office and turn left there.
You will see the station. It takes five minutes from here.
I have to get back at Takagi-san today somehow.
What's the best way to do that?
I haven't made a jack-in-the-box in a while.
No, I don't have enough materials.
Besides, it won't be finished in time if I start making it now.
All right, let's see...
Nishikata.
Huh? Yes, sir!
Don't "Huh? Yes, sir" me. Hurry up.
It's sixteen.
It's sixteen!
This isn't math class. It's English!
I told you to translate it!
S-Sorry, sir...
Never mind. Sit back down.
I even told you we're on line sixteen.
Did she intentionally tell me that so I'd get it wrong?
I didn't think you'd actually get it wrong.
I knew it.
Something on your mind?
You could say that.
What were you thinking?
Oh, it's nothing important.
Then,
were you thinking of something naughty?
Wha?!
N-No!
Really?
Of course not!
Definitely not!
I know.
You were actually thinking how to get back at me for all the teasing I do, right?
I-I don't know what you're talking about.
I guessed right, didn't I?
You were looking my way, so I kind of figured.
If you knew, then don't ask.
It's fun to see your reactions, though.
And? Did you come up with any good ideas?
Yeah, I did. I came up with the perfect plan.
It's foolproof.
I hope you're right.
She's not worried at all.
Can she see into my mind and realize I don't have a plan?
So? What's the plan?
A-As if I'd tell you.
Just a hint?
No... Anyway, we should be paying attention to cla—
June 18th
Today is the eighteenth.
Takagi-san's student number is eighteen as well.
If I keep Takagi-san's attention away from class,
she might get in trouble for not knowing where we are in the textbook.
Takagi-san,
what did you eat for breakfast today?
Mountain yam over rice. Why?
No reason in particular.
So... you like mountain yams?
Yeah, I like them.
I feel energized the entire day when I eat them in the morning.
I kinda get what you're saying.
What about you, Nishikata?
Me? I...
Take a guess.
Let's see.
Rice.
What do you mean, "rice"?
I didn't peg you as someone who eats bread. Am I wrong?
No, I did eat rice, but...
It's working! Keep her attention away from class!
Takagi-san, you prefer rice, too?
I want someone to read from the top of the next page.
Hmm... Today is the eighteenth, so...
Takagi.
Here we go!
Well? You don't know where we are, do you?
I will not do such a thing.
Correct.
What?!
Nice try.
Wh-What are you talking about?
Damn, she's good. I wouldn't expect anything less from Takagi-san.
I have to come up with another plan.
Maybe I should go on a direct attack with a jack-in-the-box.
No, again, I don't have the materials!
Nishikata, what's troubling you?
U-Uh... it's nothing.
Were you thinking about me again?
I-I wouldn't put it that way...
Besides, why would I be thinking about you?
Then you were thinking about something naughty.
N-No, I wasn't!
I'm always thinking about you, though.
You're blushing.
N-No, I'm not!
You're just thinking about teasing me like just now, aren't you?
Who knows?
What was that... momentary silence just now?
Today is June eighteenth,
and if I add the month and date together, it's 24.
Number 24, Nishikata.
Pool
"Pool."
It's the first day we get to go in the pool, but all I can do is watch.
If it weren't for this injured hand...
No fair. They're all having fun.
Right?
It's the first day of swimming, and all we can do is watch. It's sad.
T-Takagi-san, you too?
Yeah.
In your case, is it because of your hand? What happened?
Ah, yeah...
You know, things happen.
I bet you tried to pet a stray cat and got bitten, right?
How did you know?! I didn't tell anyone!
I'm actually right?! I just took a wild guess!
What a klutz.
Why are you just observing today—
That reminds me...
A girl who sits out swimming lessons is usually on her period.
According to the textbook, it causes abdominal pain.
That's what the King of Health Class, Takao, said...
Ah, it's nothing.
I shouldn't. I don't think it's something I should be asking, anyway.
You wanted to ask why I'm not swimming today?
She heard me?!
Well, I figured out your reason is your injured hand,
so why don't you try to guess my reason?
N-Not feeling good.
That's too vague.
No, forget it. I don't really wanna know.
Then I guess I win?
All right, I'll take a guess.
You get one try.
Though I don't think you can guess.
Damn Takagi-san...
Is she confident because she thinks I can't say "period"?
If that's the case, she's seriously mocking me!
No, wait!
This is Takagi-san we're talking about. It could be a trap!
Even if I gathered my courage and answered...
"Period!"
No, you're so rude!
That's very likely!
But knowing Takagi-san,
she probably already knows what I'm thinking and why I'm hesitating.
And then she'll counter that with...
You don't even know the reason why a girl isn't swimming?
I win, then.
Is it a trap or an honest question?
Is she making it seem genuine so I'll fall into her trap?
Or is she making it seem like a trap but asking seriously?
This is all confusing.
Damn it. What was with that face she made a minute ago?
Other possibilities... Like an injury?
Doesn't seem like it.
It doesn't look like she's feeling too sick to exercise, either.
Then that would leave... No...
It's not fair. Everyone's having fun.
And I'm over here using all my brain power battling Takagi-san in this heat.
Nishikata, are you taking this seriously?
I think you're just looking at the girls swimming.
N-No, I'm not!
Really?
I heard boys look at girls' chests all the time.
I said I wasn't looking.
I can't say it out loud,
but Takagi-san doesn't really have a big chest.
I heard that a lot of small-chested girls are pretty sensitive about it.
That's what the King of Early Lunch, Kimura, said.
Is Takagi-san not swimming because she has a complex about her small chest?!
I knew it. You can't figure it out, can you?
I win today, too.
Takagi-san, I know why.
You're concerned about your small chest, right?
There's no way I can say that! It's beyond rude!
In the end, the only answer I have is "period."
But that's plenty rude, too.
You're still thinking? You're almost out of time.
No, it's even mentioned in the textbook. It's nothing to be embarrassed about!
Yeah, just say it with your head held high!
All right!
The reason why you're sitting out the swimming lesson
is that...!
You're on your period.
Wrong.
That's rude to say to a girl.
But it's mentioned in our textbook, and usually, I...
Nishikata, you're bright red.
Then that would mean the reason is that she has a complex about her small chest?
Too funny.
Upsy-daisy.
By the way, "too embarrassed because of my small chest"
is also incorrect.
Wha—?!
Sensei,
I changed my mind. May I swim?
Okay.
Huh?
Then why was she watching?
Well then...
Now that I got to see Nishikata make a good face, I guess I'll go for a swim.
Don't tell me, you were staying out just to tease me?!
When your hand's all better...
we can swim together.
Oh, it's cold!
I won't fall for it.
When we do swim together, she's gonna tease me again.
That's the kind of person Takagi-san is.