Oh, no...
What'll I do?
Man...
You're such a klutz.
Stop squawking and help me pick them up.
Excuse me! Could somebody give me a hand?
Honestly, what a mess.
I'm really sorry about this.
This was all her. This little moron.
Sorry...
How unfortunate...
Wh-What's wrong, Aisaka-san?
Taiga really loves Christmas, apparently.
She's determined to be a good girl, since Santa's watching.
Makes sense.
All girls love Christmas.
Well, I appreciate your help with the party,
but are you studying for your exams?
Yes.
We've been studying together lately.
Well, Aisaka-san's been getting good grades, and you're doing fine too...
But then there's Haruta-kun, and Haruta-kun, and Haruta-kun...
Haruta, huh?
And Haruta-kun...
Don't tell me Haruta-kun is helping with the party!
It's okay.
Kitamura's ordered him to stay away and to focus on studying instead.
Oh, good...
Don't let your grades drop, okay?
You two have been spending so much time on the party,
I was getting worried.
Sorry.
So, will you be coming?
Absolutely not.
I may have no plans for Christmas Eve, but my pride won't allow me to go!
Still...
I hope it's a success.
You're working so hard...
It'd only be right.
(My Silky Love) Every time I think of you
MY SILKY LOVE nijuu yojikan zutto
(My Silky Love) for 24 hours straight,
MY SILKY LOVE kimino koto omoutabi
(My Silky Love) It only makes me feel
MY SILKY LOVE modokashii kono kimochi
(My Silky Love) that much more impatient.
MY SILKY LOVE tada afure kaetteku
It's so simple just to say I love you. But when you come close to me,
sukito ieba kantan nanoni kimiga maeni kichauto
my own emotions go awry and get in my way.
kyaraga sobie watashino koto wo jamashiteru
I can bring myself to do anything. That's who I'm supposed to be.
itsumonaraba tsuyoki de ikeru sonna seikakunanoni
But I just can't break this wall down no matter what.
donna ganbatte mitemo kabewa kuzusenai
Please understand these feelings for you.
sasshite hoshii kono kimoch iwo
That's why these gazes of mine,
dakara watashi wa itsumo kimini
they tell my love for you.
daisuki dayoto okuru shisen
Now gather up my courage!
saidaino yuukide
A fragile heart made of silk,
yabure souna shirukuno haato
I realized that by meeting you,
kimini atte kizuita yatto
I was so clumsy when it comes to love.
ainiwa bukiyou dattan datte
A forgotten scar left in my heart,
wasure kaketa koino kizuato
and I suddenly felt it sting deep inside.
kyuuni uzuki dashitano kyunto
I have to say that I love you someday...
itsukawa watashi rashiku sukito iwanakya
Or it'll keep making me weaker.
imayori yowaku nacchauyo
- Oh! Yo there, Taiga! - Hi, Minorin! Got practice?
Underneath the Fir Tree
Yeppers!
We've been working out in the gym!
Kushieda!
We've gotta hurry or Coach will scream!
Uh-oh...
Well, catch you later...
Hey...
We seem to be passing each other by lately...
Yeah...
Well, bye.
The Christmas Eve party is definitely gonna be fun!
You should come!
Hurry!
Sorry!
I really think Minorin's been acting weird lately.
Yeah...
But I'm sure she'll cheer up if she comes to the party.
Uh-huh, you're right.
We have to do our best to make it a blast!
Yeah! Let's go, Taiga!
You're late!
What were you doing?
We had a little mishap.
What are you doing here, anyway?
I'm in charge of making ornaments.
Check this out.
Amazing, right?
That's the Dumb-chi I know!
Failure! Failure!
Redo it!
Hey now...
Should you really be saying that?
Aren't you being a good girl for Christmas?
Oh...
What an unfortunate accident...
Yeesh...
Is that for the party?
No, the teachers made us clean out the storage room...
in return for permission to use the gym.
Okay!
I'll take care of that.
You go join Tiger in making stars over there.
Here are scissors and glue.
Oh, really?
Let's do this, Aisaka!
Uh-huh.
Hey, hold on.
Don't hold scissors by the blades.
It's dangerous!
Hold them like this.
Oh-ho.
They're awfully close.
Let's go help over there.
- What? What's going on? - C'mon, c'mon...
Don't make things worse... Jeez...
Make what worse?
Don't play dumb.
You know that Taiga's, well...
i-in love with Kitamura.
For some reason, everybody's trying to make them a couple.
Oh. And that concerns you.
Jealous?
What!?
Why would I be?
It's just...
I get annoyed when others interfere with a person's love life.
Or something like that...
It's like a dad handing his daughter off for marriage.
Whatever that means.
Don't have a daughter.
And I've never met my father.
After working so hard to keep her from falling, getting hurt, or crying,
you have to watch as the most important girl
in your life is taken away by another man.
And there's no guarantee he'll treasure her the way you do.
That's not how I feel!
But you don't like the idea...
of seeing Yusaku and Taiga together.
What a twist.
You've got this off-limits girl way up on a pedestal, but you're not even her father.
And someone else dominates your own heart.
And the three of you stick to your roles as though you're playing house.
Daddy, mommy, and baby.
Damn it!
What are you talking about!?
Why are you playing daddy?
Your relationship with Taiga is really unusual.
You should stop this childish game.
It was wrong to begin with.
Better wake up, before someone gets hurt.
Forget this ever happened, and start over.
Then maybe...
I could get a fresh start with you, too...
Huh? What was that?
Nothing.
If you didn't hear me, it doesn't matter.
Man...
What'm I saying?
Forget we even had this talk.
At the end of the day...
The biggest challenge is trying to understand yourself.
Final Exams: English
Okay, time's up!
Pencils down!
All over...
- It's over! It's all over! - Haruta, you're overreacting!
Quiet down, everyone!
We still have classes tomorrow and the day after,
so don't get into the Christmas spirit yet.
Minorin!
Wanna have lunch with Ryuji and me on the way home?
Sorry, I've got practice.
Too bad. Minorin has practice.
I'm aware.
I could hear her.
Oh, sorry. Forgive me.
I appreciate the invite.
R-Right.
Uh, it's not that big a deal.
It's just, there hasn't been much time to talk lately.
F-For you and Taiga, that is.
Well, our coach has fallen to the dark side, so practice is rough!
See ya!
Minorin!
She ran away again...
Yeah...
I was trying to give you a chance to be alone with her.
We'd get to the restaurant and I'd be like, "I just remembered something I gotta do!"
You even had a lie lined up...
The lovely angel Taiga is pretty enthusiastic.
Oh well, can't be helped.
I'll get another chance.
Let's grab something to eat before we go home.
Can't.
I wasn't lying.
I really have something to take care of.
Like what?
Go to the post office.
But first, I gotta grab something from home.
I'll give you a hand.
- You don't need to do— - There you are, Takasu-kun!
Hey, hey, hey! You free? You are, aren't you?
I need to talk to you about something!
Care to join us for lunch?
Well? Well? Well?
Um, uh, sorry.
I'm kind of in the middle of something...
Gotta go to the post office with her.
Wait...
Ryuji, I said you don't need to come!
Let's just go!
Wait!
Takasu-kun!
Jeez!
Why did you lie to her?
What's with that bimbo who keeps throwing herself at Kitamura-kun, anyway?
Oh, let me rephrase that.
What's with that candid Kihara-san?
I'll just go to the post office with you.
Then it won't be a lie.
So...what'd you need to grab?
You were going to carry all this by yourself?
Don't touch them!
Don't worry about these, just grab the cart!
Wait! Wh-What are these!?
To: Mr. Aisaka Rikuro To: Mrs. Aisaka Yu
Be glad it's Christmas, or I would've beaten you up already for looking at these.
But since I'm being a good girl, I'll let it slide.
These are the Christmas presents that I'm sending home.
Why are you doing this?
Do you want to give them yet another chance?
No. It's Christmas.
They're my parents.
What does that matter?
I wanted to keep this a secret,
but I got presents for you and Ya-chan too.
That's not my point.
I know what you're trying to say.
But I don't want to hear it right now.
I'll get the cart.
What's this?
From: Santa Claus
Santa Claus?
I went to a girls' Catholic school when I was little.
I wasn't accepted to their high school.
Rejected, for bad behavior.
Volunteer work was required there, so I used to join the Sisters in, well...
I don't like to use the phrase,
but we would play with kids who were "less fortunate,"
as well as help out with various chores.
The presents from Santa are for those kids.
Ohashi Ginza South Entrance For Pedestrians Only
First you send presents to your parents, now it's needy kids?
Sorry, but I don't understand why you'd do this.
I want to let them know that someone's watching over them.
Christmas is an opportunity to make that tangible.
Doesn't matter if you grew up without parents...
Doesn't matter if you don't believe in God...
There's still someone out there watching over you.
That's what I'm trying to tell them.
That at least one person in the world cares about them.
That's just—
I know.
It's true.
I'm doing this for myself.
But that's because I want to believe that
someone out there is watching over me.
In my case, it would be Santa.
You keep going on about Santa...
Do you actually believe in him?
I really love Christmas.
All the streets, the shops... Everything's all shiny, brilliant, pretty...
Everyone looks like they're having fun.
Like the whole world is filled with happiness.
I want to be part of that.
I want to be a good girl and be a part of the happiness.
Another happy face lighting up the Christmas night.
Besides...
I've actually met Santa before,
when I was really little.
One Christmas Eve, when my parents were still together,
I was sleeping underneath the tree in the living room.
A sudden chill woke me up, and as I looked out the window...
There was Santa.
He gave me a present and said...
"If you're a good girl, I'll be back again."
Okay, maybe I was dreaming.
But it was a very happy dream.
That's why I'm trying to be a good girl.
Is it foolish of me to believe in that dream?
No, I wouldn't say that.
It was just a dream, so it's fine, right?
It wasn't real...
I'm not clinging to anyone real...
Okay! Okay!
Stop!
All right!
The Christmas tree is here!
Wow!
This will be amazing once it's assembled!
Whee!
Tomorrow's party should be fun.
Why don't you come, Yuri-chan?
Like I said, absolutely not!
My pride won't allow it!
I know! I should buy myself a reward!
Like a watch, a bag, or some accessories.
A reward for thirty years of life.
Um...
What?
You probably think I'm wasting money.
Just a single woman fooled by marketers into rewarding herself with possessions!
I need at least 70 million yen for retirement,
so I shouldn't be spending too much!
But what if I keep myself from buying things,
end up all happy about saving up 100 million yen,
only for Japan to be hit by hyperinflation, leaving me virtually bankrupt!?
Or, wait!
I've figured it out!
Maybe I should buy a condo...
Here it is!
We have all the parts?
How did you manage to find this?
I asked for some of the decorations from an event I modeled for a while back.
Nice, huh?
Everybody see how amazing I am?
Uh-huh, you sure are!
This is the best tree ever!
I'll admit that!
It'll be even more amazing once we're finished.
Come on, people.
Let's get to putting this thing together!
This the right part for the base?
Uh-huh.
Oh wow, I'm so excited!
Which one's next?
What's this?
The top?
Aisaka-san.
You look pretty light.
Can you get on my back and put this up there?
I just went to the bathroom with these shoes on...
Well, to each her own...
No, take them off.
Hey, Ryuji!
Why are you just watching?
Give me a hand!
R-Right.
This should be next.
There!
Wh-Wh-Whoa!
What was that for!? I almost fell!
What are you doing, Taiga?
Boy, you've got great reflexes!
That's our Palm-top Tiger!
But that's because I want to believe that
that someone out there is watching over me.
Taiga...
You're not alone.
Maybe no one's watched over you these past 17 years,
but it's different now.
You have new friends...
You have Kitamura...
You have me, Yasuko, and even Inko-chan.
Come tomorrow, Kushieda will also be...
It'd only be right.
Exactly...
It'd only be right...
Everyone gets to be happy...
It'd only be right...
Whoa, that's huge!
It's incredible!
Kitamura-kun!
I brought this from home.
Put it on top.
You sure about letting us use something so beautiful?
It looks awfully expensive...
It's fine.
This is my favorite ornament, but it's too big for the tree in my apartment.
Okay, I'll be extremely careful with it.
Curtains drawn!
Plugged in!
Okay! Turning off the lights!
We pulled it off!
Cool!
So pretty...
We did it.
Sorry!
Anyone hurt?
That goes there.
Hurry.
Minorin, it's okay.
It was just an accident.
You couldn't help it.
No, I'm sorry...
I'm so sorry...
It wasn't your fault.
It was just an unfortunate accident...
No, it is my fault.
Because I spaced out...
How could I pop the ball up so high and end
and break something so important to you?
Please...
I won't be able to undo what I've done, but please let me try!
but let me try!
- Ryuji, help her— - No, no! Stop!
Don't do that!
Minorin...
Go with her, Takasu-kun.
Let me do this myself...
Don't...
Let me take responsibility...
If you... If I let you help me, I'll...
We're out of time.
Do what you can.
I'm not helping you out.
I'm doing this for me.
Takasu-kun...
Yeah.
Takasu-kun... Takasu-kun...
I'm listening.
Takasu-kun...
I'm right here.
Look at that.
Pretty, yeah?
Sure, it's broken, but we can fix it.
So cheer up.
I can't undo what I've done...
But it's still shining.
I don't know if it can be fixed...
It can.
Don't worry.
It can be fixed. Countless times.
Everyone, we're very...
Sorry!
Thank you, Minorin.
It's cuter now.
Kushieda!
Come to the party tomorrow!
I promise it'll be fun!
I want to enjoy it with you!
I can't. I can't go...
I made a mess of things...
I can't go...
But I'll be waiting for you!
Don't!
I'm not going.
I'll be waiting...
I'll be waiting for you!
In those sleepless nights,
nemurenai yoruni wa
I lay there sighing all alone.
hitoride tameiki
What about everyone else?
minna wa dounano
It just feels so lonely.
nandaka samishii
A tiny little seed in this huge Earth.
hiroi daichini hitotsubu no tane
Stretch out those roots,
nekko nobashite
and bear a fruit that's still unripe.
mada aoi miwo tsuketa
The fruit that wants to hurry and turn orange.
orenji ironi hayaku naritai kajitsu
Showering in your light
kimino hikari wo abite
only nurtures bigger ideals and dreams.
risou ya yume wa fukuramu bakari
Why won't you notice?
kizuiteyo nee
I ate the orange today but cried because it was still too sour.
orenji kyoumo tabete mitakedo mada suppakute naita
It reminded too much of me,
watashi mitaide nokosenai kara
so I finished the whole thing.
zenbu tabeta
I love you. It makes me cry.
sukidayo nakeruyo
I love you. I love you.
sukidayo sukidayo
Christmas Eve Party
Christmas Eve! Christmas Eve! Christmas Eve! Christmas Eve!
Yay! It's party time on this holy night!
I want more fruit punch!
Wait, where'd Taiga go?