The usual morning...
The usual road...
The usual me...
Hey, how's the math stuff?
Seriously bad.
I still can't get used to this...
How is everyone having so much fun...?
Hey, Miki-chan, good morning!
Um, yes, good morning, Takayashiki-san...
"Takayashiki-san"? How cold!
Just call me Aya!
Um, Aya-chan...
Yes!
Come on, let's get to class!
Right... It's different now, not like before.
"Class 1-3" Right... It's different now, not like before.
"Class 1-3" Good morning, Midori-chan!
"Midori-chan"?!
Good morning, Ono-san...
Your name is "Midori Ono," right?
Yes, you got my name right, but...
Why are you using my first name all of a sudden?!
Come on, it'd be too impersonal if I kept calling you "class rep."
Right, Miki-chan?
Um, yeah...
But still... Aren't you being a bit over-familiar, Takayashiki-san?
Come on, go ahead and call me "Aya," Midori-chan.
I'm not trying to be modest!
Hey, um... Ono-san.
Thank you for yesterday, for helping me.
As her teammate!
Oh, don't mention it, that was nothing.
No, if I had to do it alone, I wouldn't have known what to do at all...
But thanks to you, Ono-san, I had a lot of fun.
Takekasa-san...
Well... Don't be so formal.
Just call me "Midori." I'll go ahead and call you "Miki," too.
Don't worry. We're companions that fought on the same team, right?
Um...
Right?
Oh... Okay. So then, um...
Midori-chan...
That's good... real good.
Huh?
What? What, what?
What is this difference in treatment?
"Episode 2: This is a Cockroach!"
But I was surprised.
"Episode 2: This is a Cockroach!" I didn't expect Ono-san... I mean, Midori-chan, to know so much about games.
It's something that rubbed off from my family.
I've been exposed to lots of different games from when I was small.
Marrakech was fun, wasn't it?!
Though I lost.
Yes. I'd like to try again...
Hey, Midori-chan, don't you have any games we can play right now?
Seriously? Class is just about to start.
Oh... that's right.
Just wait until class is over.
Huh?! So you actually have games?
Is it okay to bring them to school?
There can't be any problems with playing games, as long as it's after school hours.
You're right! I can't wait! Right, Miki-chan?
Yes. I wonder what kind of game it'll be?
What's he doing? He's staring at us...?
What's wrong, Miki-chan?
Huh? Oh, no, nothing.
What kind of games did you bring?
--I have several. Just wait, it'll be fun.
--Oh, Takayashiki's smile... It's so radiant, as always. --I have several. Just wait, it'll be fun.
--Oh, Takayashiki's smile... It's so radiant, as always. --Wow! I can't wait!
"Welcome new students" "Day of entrance ceremony"
--Which seat? --Oh, window seat! Cool.
"Welcome new students"
Oh, here's my seat!
I'm Aya Takayashiki. Nice to meet you, neighbor!
Yes, same to you.
Nice to meet you, too, other neighbor!
Oh, yeah, sure, nice to meet ya...
But after that, I've hardly talked to her at all...
I'm wasting the fact that I'm sitting next to her...
--This needs to change, I'll do anything to get closer to her!
--I'm so looking forward to playing after school! --This needs to change, I'll do anything to get closer to her!
So in this case, you want to focus on a specific character...
"Monomial expression" "Polynomial expression" So in this case, you want to focus on a specific character...
Looking at the order and coefficient...
Now's my chance!
Huh? Oh...
--Here. --Oh.
Thanks...
Oh, no, I forgot my dictionary!
Hey, you can use mine...
We can share mine!
Thanks!
Yay! Now all we have left to do is clean!
Looking forward to the game, aren't you?
This time I won't fail...
Oh, good timing. Takayashiki-san, here's the dustpan.
Hey, thanks!
Okay, let's go home.
Wanna stop somewhere?
I wouldn't mind getting something sweet.
I couldn't talk to her at all...
Why...? How? I had so many opportunities...
Oh, well... Try again tomorrow.
--The manager looked really scary, didn't he?
--Takayashiki! And... Takekasa? --The manager looked really scary, didn't he?
--But he was really nice.
--What are they doing alone? --But he was really nice.
--What are they doing alone? --I know, right? By the way, did you see that new café near the station?
--Concentrate! It's another chance! --I know, right? By the way, did you see that new café near the station?
What are you doing?
Oh... Ono.
Oh, it's you, Tanoue.
What is it? If you're not going inside, get out of my way.
Huh?!
No, I mean, I am going in. I forgot something...
Oh, there she is! Midori-chan! And...
You are...?
Oh... Hey.
He was the guy that was staring earlier today...
Oh, you're my neighbor! Do you two know each other?
Don't pay attention to this guy.
What?!
I've just been stuck in the same classes as him since pre-school for some reason.
Oh! A childhood friend!
More like an unfortunate entanglement.
Oh?
Oh, yes! She's so cute!
Tanoue-kun... Could he be...?
What are you doing, all spaced out like that?
You forgot something, right? Just grab it and go home already.
Dammit, Ono...!
How insensitive of her, she's ruining my chance!
What? Going home already? You should stick around and play games with us!
Wait, why Tanoue, too?!
Why not? I'm sure these things are more fun with more people.
Hey, do you play games and stuff?
Y-Yes! I love games!
Huh? You've literally never said that before.
None of your business! I'm in!
What's up with this guy...?
Yay!
So... what was your name again?
I... I'm Shouta Tanoue.
Yes! Tanoue-kun! I guess we've never talked, despite being neighbors!
I'm Aya Takayashiki. Good luck!
Y-You, too!
And you're sitting across from Miki-chan!
Hi... Have fun.
Y-Yeah! Same.
--And of course, you know Midori-chan, since you're childhood friends, right?
--Is it possible to be so lucky?! --And of course, you know Midori-chan, since you're childhood friends, right?
Not only is she super cute, she's super nice as well!
So, Midori-chan, what game are we playing today?
Yes, one second.
Wow!
What the...? What is this?
These are all games...?
Yes. They're all card games.
I've never seen this before...
So many types!
Yes...
When you say "card games" in Japan, people think of the regular poker deck or Uno,
and trading card games featuring anime and video game characters are popular now.
In Europe though, especially around Germany,
people are still making lots of new games and they're quite popular.
The genre is varied, too, like games based on intellect, or those based on raw luck.
How does she know all this stuff?
I guess she's always been this way, but I never understand what she's thinking.
So for today... let's try this one. Kaker Laken Poker.
Kaker Laken Poker...?
What's a "kaker laken"...?
It's German for "cockroach."
This game features cards depicting other pests too, for a total of eight.
Flies, scorpions, spiders, frogs, and so on.
Cockroach Poker is a bluffing game,
where you force these pest cards on other players.
A bluffing game?
What's that?
To put it simply, a game about lying and trickery.
L-Lying...
And trickery...
Here are the rules.
The first player hands another player a card facedown.
They say the name of the pest illustrated on that card.
This is a cockroach!
You can be honest, or you can lie and say a different pest's name.
The receiver of the card guesses if that was a lie or not, and flips the card.
This is not a cockroach!
If they get it right, the card is returned to the sender faceup.
If they get it wrong, the card is placed faceup in front of the receiver.
The next turn begins with the person who received the card playing first.
This is a frog!
When someone hands you a card, you can decide to pass.
When passing...
This is a bat.
I pass.
...you declare the pass, then look at the card without showing others.
You then declare a name of a pest and hand the card to someone else.
This is a spider!
You can say the same name as the pest mentioned previously, or change it.
If you end up with four of the same pest cards faceup in front of you,
or if you collect at least one of each of the eight pest types, you lose.
See? Simple, right?
Um, yeah...
I guess I kind of understand...? Or not?
Yes.
You'll get it once you try it. Let's start.
Okay. You start, Tanoue.
G-Got it!
This is my golden opportunity.
I'm going to get close to Takayashiki through this game!
Well then, I'll start with Takayashiki...
Bring it on!
This is a cockroach.
Um, I'm supposed to guess if this is a cockroach or not, right?
Yes. If you think it's a cockroach, say "This is a cockroach" and flip the card.
If you think it's another pest, say "this is not" and flip it.
Hmm... But I have no way of telling...
I'll just guess then.
This is not a cockroach!
A cockroach...!
N-Not bad, Tanoue-kun!
Oh, no! Terrible first impression! What am I doing from the get-go!
Since you guessed wrong, you keep the card faceup.
Okay...
The next turn starts with whoever failed, so it's you, Aya.
Okay!
Returning the favor!
Tanoue-kun! This is a fly!
Oh... hmm... Let's see...
Come on, make your move. A fly, or not a fly?
I have no clue... but she doesn't seem to be lying.
Well... then yes, it's a fly.
What?! How did you know?!
Err... Just guessing!
I mean... I can't imagine Takayashiki lying to anyone...
A second card...
You failed again, so, Aya, play another card.
Then one more time!
Tanoue-kun! This is a scorpion!
Oh, no... I think this is a scorpion, but if I keep beating her, I'll look bad...
What should I do...?
Tanoue-kun really must be interested in Aya-chan...
This morning, too, he was...
I have no idea, so I guess I'll pass...
Yay!
A scorpion... as I thought.
Okay, Takekasa!
This is... um... a fly!
Wh-What...?
Not a fly.
Wow! Miki-chan, you, too? How are you doing that?
It just felt to me like he was lying...
--Huh...? --Idiot.
If you hesitate before declaring your card, it's super obvious that you're lying.
This girl, she's such a...
Okay then, Ono! This is a stink bug!
It is a stink bug.
What?!
This is your first time playing this game-- the first time you've heard the rules.
You should have trouble memorizing all of the pest types.
"Stink bug" is not a word you can whip out of nowhere so quickly at that state.
If you were lying, you would have said a word you're more familiar with,
like "cockroach" or "fly."
Oh, no... She knows this game inside out!
Get it? Now play your next card already.
Well... To Takekasa, this is a frog.
I pass. Aya-chan, this is a frog.
This is not a frog!
Oh, no! Foiled again!
This is a rat.
I pass.
This is a rat.
It is a rat.
Oh, no! Caught again!
This is a stink bug!
It is a stink bug.
What...? How?!
A fly!
It is a fly.
Oh...
Miki-chan! This is a cockroach!
This is a cockroach.
What?! How?!
Impressive, Miki. You're right almost every time.
Yeah... I think this game suits me.
Oh, no! I've failed again!
This is bad...
Takayashiki now has three cockroaches and flies.
Get either one and she loses the game...
She's not capable of deceiving others.
She's an angel...
Here, it's your turn, Aya.
Yeah...
I have to try to make sure Takayashiki doesn't lose...
Okay, Tanoue-kun! This is a cockroach!
Cockroach?!
If I say "yes" and push the card back to her, she'll lose!
Who would play such a risky card?!
Ah, I get it, she's lying. This must not be a cockroach.
She really is a very bad liar.
But if I call her out on it and push the card back, that would be mean, too...
I should just pass and play Mr. Nice Guy...
Wait a second, I've also got three bats. I'm on the verge, too!
If this card is a bat...
Actually, that's likely, since she's attacking me!
I could pass and do a showdown with Ono...
No! There's no way I can beat her!
That said, Takekasa has a near-perfect score as well...
Tanoue-kun must be trying hard to save Aya-chan...
She must have a really sharp intuition.
She's probably really good at gauging other people's emotions...
What should I do?! If I pass, to protect Takayashiki,
I could get smashed by one of the other two and lose the game.
I don't want to lose!
Tanoue!
What'll it be? A showdown, or a pass?
Just... wait a sec, okay?
If you think about it, if this is a bat, I could send it back to Takayashiki,
and it wouldn't make her lose the game, because she doesn't have any bats.
In that case...!
Showdown!
What?!
This is not a cockroach!
What the...? Huh!? A fly?!
So you now have four flies, and...
Oh, no! I lost!
That was dumb. You can't play the card that would lose you the game.
I thought he'd pass! I wanted to get rid of the risky card!
Boo! Tanoue-kun, you idiot!
I've been trying hard to pass, but at the very end...
Total backfire! I gave the finishing blow!
Why are you depressed, too...?
Oh... Tanoue-kun, he was trying so hard for Aya-chan...
Well... I guess I'll be leaving now.
Oh, hey, wait!
Huh...?
Do you have a moment?
Wh-What is it, Takayashiki...?
Um, sorry if I'm wrong, but...
Before we played, when you said you forgot something...
...that was a lie, right?
Huh? Um... Uh...
Why would you think...?
So what did you forget then?!
That's... uh...
It's okay. I've figured it out.
You've figured it out...?
Don't hide it. I might not be good at games,
but my female intuition is really sharp with these things.
What?! Did she figure it out? That I like her?
Wait, does she, too?
Does she like me back...?!
So... Tanoue-kun, you...
...have a thing for Midori-chan, right?
Huh? Midori-chan?
Wait, what?! Ono?! No, no, no, impossible!
Me, Ono?! Why?!
Don't be shy! Childhood friends, right? Awesome!
I knew there was something going on. If it didn't include someone you liked,
why would you jump into a group with three girls to play a game?
Well, that's, uh... um... It's...
What's taking Aya so long? What is she doing?
I think Midori-chan is great. She's a bit weird, but she's super pretty.
She does seem like she has her guard up, but I can help you with that!
--Seriously, I mean, it's not--
--Don't worry about it! --Seriously, I mean, it's not--
Feel free to talk to me about it, okay?
See you tomorrow! Bye!
Oh... Hey, wait...!
Let's play again! Cockroach Poker!
Seriously, Takayashiki...?
Your "female intuition" is way off, too...!
Wow, today was super fun, too! Right, Miki-chan?
Yes.
By the way...
Tanoue-kun likes Midori-chan. Did you notice?
Huh...?
Oh, Midori-chan, what a girl, am I right?
What? Did you say something?
Nope, nothing.
Hey, Midori-chan, let's play games again. We can invite Tanoue-kun, too!
Huh? Why him?!
Come on, the more the merrier, right?
I guess...
...hanging out with classmates before going home was unimaginable to me before.
This is fun...
Miki-chan!
Hurry! We're leaving without you!
Oh, wait!
I hope the way home is always this fun...
"Next episode: Not Alone"
We're all playing games at my house!
"Next episode: Not Alone" My sister's friend, Maki-chan, joins the fray!
"Next episode: Not Alone" Huh? Where have you seen Miki-chan before?