"#7 Unknown Sounds" No!
"#7 Unknown Sounds" Wh-What?! Why?! Why are you here?!
Well, to deliver this handout...
I don't believe you!
Idiot! Pervert! Go home!
Hey, you.
Don't give me that attitude after I came all the way out here.
D-Don't come in...
Wha-- Wait--
Ugh, why me...?
Is she... living here alone?
I gotta cool her down.
Hey. Where are the towels?
The towels?
In... the closet... bottom... right...
Here? I'm opening it.
I didn't see anything. Anything.
Oh, they're here?
"National Koto Competition"
Now that I think about it,
I don't know anything about this girl.
Even though we played the koto together for a whole month.
Hey, is it okay if I watch this? It is? Okay.
When I first heard her play...
I kinda just stood there in awe,
but maybe now I can listen to it properly.
Moving on to entry number 13, Satowa Hozuki.
"Yaegoromo."
They said it was an illness.
Even though he was still so young.
It looks like his wife, Chiharu, will take over the Hozuki school.
I wonder if she's truly fit for the job...
Mother...
Satowa?
U-Uh, I wrote a piece for the koto.
Will you listen?
What a wonderful song.
You're a koto genius, Satowa.
Thank you.
Hearing you play has cheered me up a bit.
Really?!
Yes! I have to work hard, too.
So that you can always have a smile on your face.
What? Y-You're quitting?!
The whole reason we chose the Hozuki school
was because your husband, Reiji, was the grand master.
A lot of people have quit again, it seems.
It's the grand master's fault, right?
She doesn't have any real ability and can't compose at all.
No! You know that's not it, don't you?!
I'm sorry. I'm being too harsh, aren't I?
It's fine! I'm fine with you being stricter!
I wanna get better!
Satowa...
I won't let them say those things ever again...
If I become a great successor...
"Grade School Nationals" If I become a great successor...
...it'll surely help mother.
Man, I heard the rumors,
but to think the Hozuki school had such an amazing heir.
Thank you so much.
Grand master.
That girl will be a great attraction for the Hozuki school.
Don't mess it up, okay?
No matter how far down you've brought the Hozuki school,
I'm sure you're at least capable of teaching your own daughter.
At least raise your successor well, okay?
Wrong!
You're very good, but you tend to play too much in your own style.
This isn't how the heir of the Hozuki school should play, is it?
D-Did something happen, Mom? Today, you've been--
When we're practicing, it's "Ms. Hozuki."
Once again, from the beginning!
Yes.
Huh? You have koto lessons again?
Just leave her. Let's go.
Hey, dear!
This piece is amazing! Satowa says she wrote it.
Amazing! You're already better than me!
Doesn't listening to Satowa play the koto make you so happy?
Yes.
I'm sure Satowa's koto playing can make everyone happy.
I'm fine...
Even with no friends...
No matter what people say about me...
You picked a club yet, Hozuki?
Huh?
Apparently, it's mandatory here for everyone to join a club.
If you'd like, we could all go look together.
O-Okay! I'll come!
Club?
Yes, it seems everyone has to join one.
I already asked the teachers to grant you special permission to not join a club.
Huh? W-Wait. Why did you do that?
If you had said something to me--
Hurry up and practice!
Huh? Oh, I see...
Your home life seems kinda rough...
I'm fine...
It's not like I wanted to join a club that badly anyway.
If I keep practicing hard...
...surely...
I've decided you're going to Ichiei High School.
What?
It's an elite music school.
You'll have to win a competition to earn a scholarship.
W-Wait!
Why do you always decide these things by yourself?
You could at least discuss it with me...
Why should I have to consult you?
Wh-Why?
Wait, Mother!
Hey, please listen to what I have to say!
Look at me! Mother!
Hurry up and practice...
"36th National Koto Competition"
Moving on to entry number 13, Satowa Hozuki.
"Yaegoromo."
The Hozuki school?
Is that the rumored prodigy?
And now she's playing "Yaegoromo" as a middle schooler?
Another difficult piece...
My mother...
...can no longer hear my voice...
But even if I mess up the tiniest bit in practice, she stops me.
If that's the case,
on this stage where she can't possibly stop me...
Please connect me to her!
Wh-What is this piece?!
This isn't "Yaegoromo"!
I haven't heard this piece before. Is this her own composition?
We'll have to fail her if she doesn't play her designated piece!
But this is...
Hey, Mother?
The koto is a dragon, right?
What is a dragon?
Well,
I haven't seen one myself,
but dragons can bring together heaven and earth,
this world and that world,
two things that can't be connected. That's what I've heard.
So, if I play the koto, will it reach Father in heaven, too?
Of course!
I'm sure the koto will bring you two together again.
Tell her!
Tell her! All I...
All I want is for it to be like it was before.
This and she's still only 15 years old...
Mother...
What... were you thinking... doing this?
Mothe--
Don't touch me!
You wouldn't understand, would you?
The weight it is for someone who isn't talented to shoulder someone who is.
Your koto... is like a weapon to me.
It didn't reach her...
It didn't reach her!
Whoa, what's this?
This girl...
Wow, the Hozuki heir really did it!
My goodness!
The long-established name of the Hozuki school will be dirtied!
I'm... an idiot...
Skipping out on practice two days in a row...
What exactly are you thinking?!
Nothing really...
I thought it might be easier on you that way.
You don't have to shoulder me anymore.
All that practicing, but nothing changed.
In fact, it became worse.
With that, now...
...there's no reason for me to play anymore.
Satowa has not been serious about her lessons lately!
You skipped lessons again, didn't you?
You have no motivation anymore, do you?
So what?
Huh? Didn't that guy come to my house yesterday?
Was it a dream?
Wh-Wh-Wh-Wha--
You finally awake?
What time is it?
Why are you here?!
Why? You can't just leave a sick person by themselves!
H-How can you come so casually into someone else's house...?
Well, if you're that lively, you should be fine now.
And your fever...
...is gone, huh?
Well, I'm heading to school now. Take care.
Hey-- Wait a minute!
Wh-Why aren't you saying anything?
A-About my house and stuff...
Huh? Oh...
Well, your school isn't making as much money as I thought it would be.
Listen here, you...
Well, if you ever feel like talking about it, just talk.
Oh, and your fridge has way too little in it.
At least go and buy something to eat.
Huh?! What are you doing opening it without--
What was that...?
Huh? Did I leave the pot out?
Egg and rice porridge?
I wonder what was with Kurusu yesterday...
She was clearly acting strange.
'Morning, Kurata!
Kurusu?!
Um... about yesterday...
Hey, Kurata?
You said that you thought of everyone in the koto club as close friends, right?
But if you found out one of them was deceiving everyone,
could you still say the same thing?
Huh? What's that? What do you mean--
I'm looking forward to today's club meeting.
Hozuki!
I'm so glad you've come today!
Oh, hey! Kota, you're doing it again!
But I'm really glad.
Did you have a cold yesterday, Hozuki? Are you okay?
Oh, yeah.
You can have this. You'll feel better if you eat.
Thanks.
Um...
I'm sorry. It's because we caused you so much trouble, isn't it?
Huh?
Are you still going on about that?
These guys...
They thought you were absent because you were tired from how bad we are.
What? Of course not!
The club... i-is fun...
"Koto Club" Well then... why aren't you telling everyone the truth?
Huh? Hiro?
I'm sorry, Hozuki.
I heard everything from my grandmother.
You didn't have anywhere else to play the koto,
so you had to join a club, right?
That means, to you, this koto club
was nothing but a place for you to escape.
That's why you didn't tell anyone, right?
Kurusu, I haven't understood what you've been talking about since earlier.
Oh, sorry about that, Kurata.
It seemed like Hozuki was having a hard time telling everyone,
so I thought I should--
Kurusu,
I will be the one to tell people about myself.
And the reason I kept quiet about the truth
was because I, myself, refused to acknowledge it.
But...
Now, I think I can face the truth.
I haven't told you guys this, but...
As of today, you...
...are excommunicated.
I... have been excommunicated from the Hozuki school.
Ah, they're so put off.
But that's to be expected.
She was hiding something as big as this, after all.
But relationships between humans are like that.
Things like "trust" and "friendship" are just lip service.
What does "excommunicated" mean?
I wonder...
Generally speaking,
it means I've been cut off from the school and have been dismissed as the next heir...
...or something like that.
So did you learn from your parents?
That's none of your business.
So if she's excommunicated... that means from her mother, too?
Uh, um...
Hozuki...
Thank you for telling us!
So that's how it is...
You've had it rough, haven't you?
I'll give you more bread!
Anyway, don't go collapsing over a cold.
Build some more stamina.
Come on now, Kudo. Couldn't you say that in a nicer way?
Wait... a minute.
What do you mean "thank you"?
Taking "playing at youth" this far is hilarious.
Good for you, huh? You have good friends.
Ridiculous.
Huh?! Wai-- Kurusu!
Wait! Hey! Kurusu!
You're annoying!
My plan has been ruined.
The fact that I ended up strengthening your bonds instead of breaking them--
it really pisses me off!
Huh?
You really thought I joined because I was moved by your performance?
Before the performance, you said
you didn't want to lose your precious friends or the place you belong,
so I joined so I could tease you!
Really.... looking at people like you
disgusts me!
Is that all you wanted to say?
You must have a lot of free time, huh? Kurusu?
So irritating! So irritating!
Hiro...
I heard you've been complaining about me to your friends?
Huh? What do you mean? I haven't been complaining.
Hiro!
I heard you've been harassing Minami
because you don't want her to steal your man, right?
What's with that? You're the worst.
I can't believe you.
Wait! I never said that!
I haven't been harassing her!
Please listen to me!
Even though that was a lie that that girl had told
to steal my boyfriend from me...
Everyone immediately believed it without question.
The girl had transferred to my class in the second year of middle school,
so I had known my friends and my boyfriend for longer.
Was the fact that they didn't believe me my fault?
Was I that untrustworthy?
Or... are relationships just like that?
Can I talk to you for a sec?
After that...
...whenever I'd find people that seemed close, I would get close to them
and make up an appropriate lie.
And then, hilariously, everyone would just fall apart.
That's why... I thought this time would be the same.
That everything would crumble if I just nudged them a little.
I don't believe anything unless it comes from the person's mouth.
Thank you for telling us!
I... I didn't want to hear them say things like that!
This is the worst.
I hate people like that who don't make any sense!
Hey, four-eyes. Forget that, teach me "Rokudan"--
What?!
I'm sorry...
Chika apologized?!
How far did you get yesterday?
I got through the first column, more or less...
But I can't really understand its goal.
There isn't a goal.
Huh?
Depending on the school,
the way a classical piece is passed down and taught is completely different.
Because of its long history, many people's interpretations and thoughts pile up.
So it is a very complicated thing.
Just like people...
If you want to understand it, you must face it head on.
Until the sound comes to you.
You know...
Yesterday, I was the one that wanted to cry after what you said, but...
Why were you crying, Kurusu?
What's with that?
Are you gonna comfort me or something if I tell you?
Are you kidding me?
I just thought if there's a reason, I should ask.
If you'll talk to me seriously,
I'll hear you out.
Th-There is no reason!
Kurusu!
What?
Um...
Yesterday, you said that the reason I joined the koto club
was because I had nowhere else to play, right?
But you're wrong.
I joined the koto club because I wanted to.
Why are you telling me that now?
I thought that... maybe you and I were the same...
The real reason I joined this koto club...
"15th High School Japanese Music Koto Performance" Japanese... music?
A koto club...
What am I doing...?
They aren't at all good, but...
How are they having so much fun playing?
I'm jealous...
We have a club meeting as usual today, too.
You wouldn't make a very good impression
if you started skipping two days after joining.
What do you mean?
Their impression of me is already the worst it can be.
Oh, I wonder if Hiro will come today.
She most likely won't.
If you'll talk to me seriously,
I'll hear you out.
You're in the way.
Ch-Chika!
If you stand right in front of the door, no one can get in!
Oh, s-sorry...
What? You not coming in?
"Koto Club" Huh? I-Is it okay... for me to come in?
"Koto Club" What? That's not something for me to decide.
Oh, Hiro!
I'm so glad you came!
Uh, um...
Th-There's something... I want to apologize for...
"Koto Club"
Okay.
Next time, "A Sign."
"#8 A Sign"