It's October, one month into the second term.
Fall's rushing closer, and...
Ta-da!
We're switching to our winter uniforms!
My winter uniform's getting too small.
You haven't even grown.
I grew taller.
No, you didn't.
My breasts, too.
They haven't changed.
Hinata's growth aside,
I'm going to work hard at school and in mountain climbing, with renewed enthusiasm.
Morning!
Morning.
It's been a month since the second term started,
but I still don't have any friends in my class besides Hinata.
Having Fun with Classmates!
Hanno Forestry
Ship -> Edo
Edo Period
And so, Hanno thrived on its forestry industry during the Edo period.
They carried lumber to Edo by boat.
That variety show yesterday was fun.
I wonder if Hinata saw it.
That's it for today.
The Seibu game yesterday was amazing.
He slid into home!
Safe! A come-from-behind victory!
Seibu saves it.
What the heck?
Hinata...
Are you into baseball, too, Hinata-chan?
Hinata...
Not really.
Hina...
What's up, Aoi?
Nothing! Not a thing!
Gloom
I was completely awkward.
Say what?! Take that!
Hey, take it easy.
Kaede-san, Kokona-chan, Hikari-san, Honoka-chan...
I have more friends now, but I only have Hinata in class.
It doesn't matter, since she wasn't around during middle school,
but I guess it'd be nice if she were around.
I lost track of how far I'd gotten.
It's not that I hate knitting on my own...
But chatting it up over nothing would be fun, too.
Yukimura-san.
What are you knitting? A scarf?
Yeah, a scyarf...
Er, a scarf.
It's going to get colder soon.
Is it for yourself?
Yeah, for myself.
You're so good.
N-Not really.
You are.
You're always knitting something.
I've always been amazed by how good you are.
I'm pretty bad with my fingers.
I tried to do spool knitting a long time ago and gave up.
Oh...
You were knitting mittens the other day, weren't you?
Y-Yeah.
Those were for my mom.
Before that, you were doing a coaster.
Yeah, that one was, uh...
I gave it to Hikari-san.
Hikari-san's my senpai at my work.
You work at Susuki, right?
How did you know?
I saw you when I passed by the shopping district.
I buy cakes and stuff there sometimes.
Oh, really?
When did you start?
At work.
I started during summer break.
Buying stuff for mountain climbing costs money, you know?
Oh, I do mountain climbing.
With Hinata-chan, right?
Yeah, we go all over the place.
Like where?
Like Mitsutouge.
Mitsutouge?
It has a great view of Mt. Fuji.
Oh, I went to Mt. Fuji, too.
Also, Mt. Tanigawa, and...
You're quite the outdoors type, huh?
I'm surprised.
Yeah, I'm surprised, too, actually.
Oh, come on.
So I have to buy hiking equipment...
Aoi's grown a bit.
Must be because of the mountain climbing.
So you have the day off at work today, huh?
Yeah.
Let's go hang out after school, then!
Okay.
Sweet!
U-Um...
Can Hinata come along?
Of course.
What's wrong?
Yeah, so then...
No way!
I don't have confidence that I can be part of that group.
Don't worry about it.
You were talking just fine with Mio earlier.
Mio
Kasumi and Yuri are just the same.
Kasumi
Yuri
Just talk to them normally.
It's the "normally" that I don't get.
Weren't you in the same middle school as Kasumi?
Hey!
Hurry up!
We're coming!
Hey, at least you can hang out with other people now.
You've grown.
Why are you so condescending?
Relax, relax.
Karaoke
I'll stuff all my mistakes
Tightly into my seat pocket
And use them as my power to take the next step
What do I do now?
I've never been in a karaoke box before.
Hurry over here
I can't help turning to look
Before I know it, I'm smiling
Sh-She's good!
The scenery I wanted to see...
She's so good!
Whether it's sunny or rainy...
They're all so good.
Wh-What should I do?
Hinata's next?
That means...
I'll be next!
Wh-What do I do?
Is there any way I can avoid singing?
I know. I could go to the restroom.
Here.
You should queue a song, too, Aoi.
She just cut off my escape route!
I hate you, Hinata.
New Songs | By Artist | By Title
Um, let's see...
Starting with "A"
For Love
Dash to the Red Sunset
Jet Star Union
Un Deux Trois
Amechans
Pray to Andromeda
Which song do I know?
Girl & Girl & Boy
Mountaineer's Song
Carrying On at the Edge
I know this song.
I can sing this!
Wait a second...
But...
The call of shooting stars...
At the glissades...
What is this song?
Dunno.
It's super obscure.
What do I do if that happens?
Mountaineer's Song
Lyrics/Music: Unknown
Oh, that's me.
That song's so obscure, Hinata!
The call of shooting stars...
At the glissades...
Will I find that person, holding a flower in their mouth?
Huh?
It's the love song of the Alps
Everyone's actually listening.
The mountaineer from way back...
Hinata's having fun, too.
Maybe I don't need to overthink things.
Oh, I can sing this one.
Maybe...
Queue
Go!
I've never heard that song before.
Right?
So, what's the next song?
Summer-Colored Gifts
Lyrics: Inaba Emi
Music:
Whose song is this?
When we make it through together is the best gift
It's my heart's greatest treasure
I know this song.
Can I sing with you?
Y-Yeah.
If I make a square with my fingers
Maybe I can cut out the scenery in front of me
Relax.
This day will never come back
The blue of the sky, our awestruck faces, and our shared smiles
They're our matching gifts, the precious days we spent laughing and crying together
Ten years later, a hundred years later, the memories won't have faded
I'll still be holding half of it
Summer-colored gifts!
Karaoke
We sang so much.
My throat's killing me.
It's not that bad.
I kind of had fun.
Maybe I'm fitting in a bit.
Aoi-chan.
Y-Yes?
Where should we go next?
Wh-Where do you usually go?
Well, there's Tokorozawa, Kotezashi...
Or Ikebukuro.
Huh.
Wh-What?
Nothing.
What? Jeez.
Hinata looks so smug.
But I don't think I could have sung as well if I'd come by myself.
I guess I should be a little grateful.
Thanks.
To Be Continued
To be continued.