"Rokudan no Shirabe"
What's that? The piece you're doing next?
Yeah.
That girl said...
Just like people...
If you want to understand it, you must face it head-on.
So, since yesterday, I've been facing it like this.
I see.
What? Are you eating lunch alone again?
Must be lonely, huh?
Shut up.
Wanna eat together?
What?!
Wh-Why would I eat with you--
Actually, it'd probably taste bad if I ate with you, so I'll pass.
I-I'm so sorry!
Hey, you!
It's okay, it's okay.
By the way, do you wanna eat with us?
Huh?
Uh, um, I-I--
Hozuki...
Um... if you really don't want to...
I-It's not that!
I-Is it...
...okay... if I eat with you guys?
Of course!
"#8 A Sign" Wh-What happened to your face?!
"#8 A Sign" I went to see the people whose relationships I had broken with my lies
and apologized to them.
And I was smacked by all of them.
W-Wild...
It's not like this'll make them forgive me,
or restore those broken relationships, but...
Kurusu...
If you understood that, I wonder why you did it back then.
Nah, man, I'm impressed!
It's so refreshing!
That aside, are you okay with those injuries?
Hozy!
Hozy?
Oh, jeez! You're the only one who's worried about me!
Everyone else is just like: "you reap what you sow!"
--A lot has happened, but...
--Well, actually, I agree with them... --A lot has happened, but...
--I'm glad. --A lot has happened, but...
Guys, we'll be doing "Rokudan" until the end of this week.
After that,
we'll be practicing for the Kanto Region Traditional Japanese Music Festival.
It'll be our first event as a club together.
Crap...
Suzu!
Suzu?
Yeah, Suzuka Takinami.
He teaches my elective class.
Do you have business with the club?
Business? I mean, I am the club's advisor.
I'll just be watching, so don't mind me.
Let's start practicing.
That reminds me. After all that, I still don't get it.
Face the piece head-on...
What does it even mean to "face" something?
Just like people?
Just like them?
Argh, crap! I'm a feeler, not a thinker!
Give me an example! An example!
Wh-What?
I wanna hear you play "Rokudan."
Huh?
I still don't get what you mean when you say "face it head-on."
And anyways,
I wanna really listen to you play the koto in person.
Like with "Ryuuseigun,"
there were probably a lot of times where you were matching how we played.
I don't mean like that.
I wanna hear you seriously playing the koto, facing it head-on.
Whoa! We wanna hear, too!
Your koto... is like a weapon to me.
There isn't a clear goal to any piece.
But, supposing you were to make one for "Rokudan,"
it would probably be...
That was my version of "Rokudan."
Amazing!
So you can play the koto like this, too?
You're so cool, Hozuki!
Hozy! That was wonderful!
Amazing.
Every note resounded as if it were alive...
Hey. You all right, Kurata?
So this is a "piece."
How can I learn to play like that? Please tell me!
There's no reason for you to learn how to play the same way.
"No reason." There's no reason for you to learn how to play the same way.
That was my way of playing "Rokudan."
I think it'd be best if everyone learns to play "Rokudan" their own way.
Got it! So, how do I do that?!
You say that so casually,
but I think something like that's way too advanced for these guys.
Do you have any musical experience, Mr. Takinami?
No, none.
Our own "Rokudan"... huh?
The "Rokudan" I've been playing up until now...
It wasn't even a piece, was it?
But...
...being able to play your own "Rokudan" in such a short period
is pretty insane.
What exactly should our goal be?
What's with the serious face?
Kurusu!
Well, I was just thinking about "Rokudan"...
Whoa, so hardworking!
I am hardworking. Is anything wrong with that?
No, I'm jealous.
Getting so serious about something...
I don't have anything like that in my life.
Then, why not get serious about the koto club?
I mean,
we're aiming for the nationals, so if you don't get serious, it'll be a problem for us.
This is hard. Our own "Rokudan"?
I fell asleep thinking about it in class.
And it looks like there's someone who's given up on thinking.
Shuddup!
I stayed up all night practicing. Now, I don't know anything anymore!
What? You can stay up all night and practice? At home?
Where do you live again, Chika?
Where? My aunt's.
Huh?
What?! Really?!
You guys didn't know?
You knew, Tetsuki?!
Well, yeah...
I'm so jealous you can play at home.
We wanna practice, too.
Ch-Ch-Ch-Chika?
Wh-Wh-What kind of job d-d-does your aunt do?
I dunno.
Isaki, you little--!
I'm Isaki Kudo.
I'm Chika's father's little sister.
Well, nice to meet you boys.
Anyways, your clothes! I told you not to fling them all over the place!
Th-That aside, where's Chika's room?
Yeah, show us!
My room's there...
Huh?
"Chika's room. Expansion allowed at bedtime only. By the great Isaki"
What a nice room!
Yeah, yeah. Looks so fun!
Oh! Your grandfather's koto!
Huh? There's two of them.
Ah, I borrowed the other one from Granny.
Huh?! Why?!
Well, you know...
I don't know if it's okay for me to play my granddad's koto yet.
What would you do if it were stolen or broken?!
That's what Hozuki said to me.
And I thought, even though a lot of kotos have been broken because of me,
I haven't learned from it at all.
Granny, could you hold on to this koto for me for a bit?
I really don't think I have the right to play it yet.
What are you on about?
Gen made it for you,
and I saw your potential.
That's why I gave it to you.
I guess it can't be helped.
In that case, I'll lend you another one.
When the time comes, and you feel like you can play it, please do.
But... don't make Gen's koto wait too long.
And... I still don't know whether it's okay for me to play it or not, so...
Of course it is...
Of course it's okay for you to play it!
There's no reason for it not to be.
You care so much about the koto.
You care so much about your granddad's feelings.
I've watched you face the koto so head-on
that you're almost too head-on!
We've all watched you!
Why do you guys look like you're gonna cry?
"Stop yapping and just play it already!"
That's what that granddad of yours would've probably said.
What will you play first? "Rokudan"?
No.
If I'm gonna play it, I wanna play the piece my granddad taught me,
but I don't know the right tuning for it--
Move it!
What are you doing?!
Be quiet.
The great Isaki'll do the tuning for you.
Did you know? My father wrote that piece.
Huh? Granddad did?
Here, try playing it now.
Here, put this on your finger.
"Chika" Hey, Chika.
You know sound? It touches people's souls.
And pieces of music are the souls of the people who create them.
That's what a soul is.
I wonder why granddad wrote this piece.
When? What was he thinking about?
And what was he feeling when he taught it to me?
Oh, I see.
So this is what it means to face a piece head-on...
Crap... I can't stop crying...
It was so warm, yet heartbreaking...
I feel rejuvenated!
Your granddad was amazing!
He made such amazing instruments, too!
Yeah.
Guys, you've been crying way too much today!
Hey, Isaki.
If something were to ever happen to me...
...could you look after Chika for me?
What?! Don't say such things.
Please. That boy...
...his eyes have become gentler recently.
He showed me his smile for the first time just the other day.
I feel it won't be long before he can live more positively.
But if I were to die,
he'll have no place to return to again.
He'll have no adult to tell him off anymore.
I want Chika to always be smiling.
Even after I'm gone.
It's all right.
He's smiling.
Takezo!
Could you listen to our "Rokudan"?
Huh?
Tell us our strengths and weaknesses!
Oh, Mizuhara! I'll tune it for you.
I'll try tuning it myself today!
Everyone seems kinda lively today, huh?
Kurusu? Did you stop getting your nails done?
Yeah, you can't play the koto with those kinds of nails anyway.
What?
Nothing.
I'm just happy you've decided to get serious about the koto.
Everyone has thought about and practiced the piece.
And now, they're facing the koto, one-on-one, head-on.
I see.
So the goal of our "Rokudan"... was this.
Apparently, we are participating in the Traditional Japanese Music Festival.
What? But it's not like any decent schools will participate.
Right?
Oh, but that girl you were interested in, "Satowa Hozuki"...
She might be there.
I heard she goes to Tokise High School.
Well, that's the rumor anyway.
"Hiro Kurusu"
Thanks for the meal!
Oh, you're going already?
Yeah.
Don't tell me you're going to that club again?
Takeru...
I wish you'd stop.
A guy playing the koto...
I'm honestly glad you're not at Meiryo.
I couldn't bear it if we went to the same school.
Stop it, Takeru!
I'll be going now...
"Refreshingly sweet. A taste you'll love." "Showa" "Strawberry Milk"
"Koto Club"
What the heck is that?
You got business here?
"Kazusa and Fumi Vision"
"Reality"
Well, if you have no business here, then get outta the way.
--No! Fumi, this guy touched me! Disgusting!
--What? --No! Fumi, this guy touched me! Disgusting!
--Huh?! --No! Fumi, this guy touched me! Disgusting!
No! Stay away from me! You're unclean!
Wai-- What's going on?!
A boy?!
Hey, what was that voice just now?!
More boys!
"Kazusa and Fumi Vision" There's nothing but boys... is this hell?!
What are you guys up to?
Kazusa Vision"
I-It's Satowa!
Huh?
Kazusa Otori, the successor of the Kao school?
Yes!
What's this "Kao school"?
It's a big school that rivals the Hozuki school.
The hell? So Hozuki knows her?
I know her name, but...
What did you say?!
Do you even know how much Kazusa thinks about you--
Fumi, it's okay!
I heard Satowa perform
at the joint performances of the Kao and Hozuki schools held once every two years.
"4th grader" "Listen to the Wind" They were all amazing pieces to be able to play at those ages,
"6th grader" "Like a Bird" They were all amazing pieces to be able to play at those ages,
"2nd year middle schooler" "Hanayagi" but Satowa's performances were so good, I couldn't stop my goosebumps or my tears!
But at the time, I was so embarrassed I couldn't even introduce myself!
So, you don't actually know her?!
I told you, it was my dream to be able to play the koto with her one day!
However...
...after her legendary performance on the grand stage at the nationals,
Satowa disappeared.
But then, I heard a rumor that Satowa was here, so I came to see!
But I hadn't ever heard of Tokise High School's koto club.
Now that I've come, I see it's just a hangout for barbaric boys.
The clubroom is a level of dirty I've never seen before, too.
I know what happened to you after the competition,
but to think you've ended up in a place like this!
Please come to the Himesaka Girls' Academy!
Let's play the koto together at Himesaka!
No, thank you.
Wh-Why?!
Could it be that you've been threatened by these barbaric boys?!
That's it, right?! Right?!
How cruel! What terrible boys!
You're wrong. That's not it!
I like it here!
Kazusa!
No way...
No... I can't believe it.
If you hear our club perform, you'll definitely want to play with us!
Club President, are you all free next Saturday?!
Huh? Yeah...
We'll be having a joint practice session
with the koto club from Meiryo, the elite school from Tokyo,
and our own Himesaka koto club.
Please come with Satowa and see us play!
Meiryo?
Yes! The event will be held at Meiryo High School.
It's too sudden. We can't possibly--
Bring it on!
We'll hear just how good you guys really are!
What? You're a member of this club, too?
I thought you were just a delinquent treating the clubroom as a hangout.
Well, that's okay.
If you wanna come, too, why don't you?
And, then you'll realize
just how much better we are!
You guys just aren't a good match for Satowa!
Bye then, Satowa!
"Aim for nationals!!"
What's with those girls?!
"Aim for nationals!!" Is Himesaka really that good?
At this year's nationals, they represented Kanagawa prefecture.
I've only ever heard them once,
but they were overwhelmingly good.
So that means, if we crush them, we'll be Kanagawa's number one?!
We must study our enemy!
Wait--
You guys really want to go... to this joint practice session?
What? Can't we?
Huh? Well...
You're first place again, Kurata?!
If you keep this up, you're bound to get into Meiryo!
We'll try our best, too!
Let's stick together at high school, too!
Yes! I got in!
Me, too!
Now, we can all go together!
You decide.
Huh?
You're the club president.
It's okay if you say you don't wanna hear those people play.
No.
It's a good opportunity, so let's go.
Oh, that's right!
"Kuon" I brought some options for pieces for the festival.
Whoa!
I don't know this "Kuon" piece.
It has the same kanji as my name!
Is this piece made for me?
Yeah, it kinda felt like fate from the piece's title, so--!
All right! Let's do this piece for the festival!
Hold on a minute!
We don't even know what kind of piece it is.
Give it here.
It's made for me! Of course it's a good piece!
The parts for first koto and the 17-string look difficult.
The part where the first koto part splits into two and becomes a duet
will be especially hard.
Bring it on!
Then you play first koto!
But...
...if we refine the theme well enough, I think it'll sound beautiful.
Well, let's go with "Kuon" for the festival then!
All right, it's decided!
Kurata should play the other first koto part, then.
Since it seems hard.
Huh?!
Let's hurry up and practice!
"Staff room"
A joint practice session?
If other schools are going, that means I have to go, too, right?
I'm sorry.
Well, it's fine.
Himesaka and Meiryo are elite schools, right?
It might be a good opportunity for them to see reality.
Reality?
The reality you witnessed for yourself last year.
Don't make such a scary face.
It's important to see reality...
...if you truly wish to aim higher.
Hey, once again from the beginning.
I messed up again!
Hey, can't we stop this?
It's embarrassing.
Shuddup!
I can't stay together with the four-eyes in this part of the duet at all.
Anyway...
Didn't you tell those Himesaka girls you liked it here?
Wh-What of it?!
Nothing. I just thought "wow, she's really aiming to be a pro, huh?"
Huh?
"Genius Koto Player" I mean, you joined the club so that you'd have a story when you go pro, right?
Th-That was--
Huh? What? Am I wrong?
That's right! That's how it is!
I'm using you guys to become a pro. Is there a problem?!
Nope, not really.
There isn't?!
You mean it's okay for me to be in the club for that reason?!
That reason?
It means your future is riding on our performance, right?
It's actually a big responsibility.
Th-The reason I said I liked the club...
...w-was because I like playing... with you guys...
What? Is that bad?!
What, are you getting embarrassed by your own words? So lame!
What?! I can't believe you!
You're the worst!
Idiot! Brat!
Hey, you. What do you think you're doing, huh?
You've got some nerve! You wanna fight?!
"Meiryo High Koto School"
You guys are late!
Twenty minutes late.
I-I'm sorry. Our train was late.
Come on, let's hurry up and get in.
Next time, "A Piercing Sound."
"Aim for 1st place in the nationals!!" Next time, "A Piercing Sound."
"#9 A Piercing Sound" Next time, "A Piercing Sound."