Ino's entered the Earth Science Olympiad by herself?
Yeah.
She said the preliminaries are this Sunday.
Wow.
I'm surprised.
I never thought she'd go for such a challenge.
Right?
I wish I could have participated, too.
It's really rare, since they only hold it once every four years!
Outcrop Bouldering
I wonder what kinds of sports are in the Earth Science Olympiad.
Fossil Excavation Race
Telescope Focusing Race
Sports? It's not a sports event.
Huh? It's not?
But it's called an Olympiad, so I thought...
If you're curious about something, you should look it up first.
Japan Earth Science Olympiad Application
The Earth Science Olympiad is an annual earth sciences competition for
Earth Science Olympiad
middle and high school students.
The preliminary competitions are held domestically,
and select winners go on to represent their nation in an international competition.
You know a lot about it, Sakura-senpai.
My little sister's participating.
Little sister?
You have a little sister?
She's in her last year of middle school.
Wow, she's a middle schooler!
She wants to make it through the domestic competitions
and go to the international competition in Thailand.
Thailand...
Souvenir Request List Tom yum goong Thai curry Elephant goods Muay thai
Mira, Mira, you're jumping the gun.
Still, I wonder why Ino's doing this all of a sudden.
Apparently the idea came to her when she was looking at photos from our summer camp.
I see. The display from the Geological Museum, huh?
We're a small club, so I always thought stuff like that was a world away for us,
but there she is...
What?
Sakura-senpai, you have a really kind look on your face right now.
What?!
I was complimenting you!
So what?!
08. Winter Diamond
This must have been a river long ago.
I can look forward to exploring it later.
Today I'm representing the earth sciences club.
I need to stay strong!
Japan Earth Science Olympiad Test Hall
I-I'm so anxious...
There are so many participants.
They're all people from schools I don't know, too...
Hey, neighbor!
Good luck today!
Sorry...
You're funny.
I'm Saeki.
I'm Inose. Nice to meet you.
Inose-chan, are you feeling really nervous?
Is this your first time?
Yes.
I'm also the only one here from my school...
Plus, the thought that everyone here is a rival makes me feel alienated.
Rival?
I get it!
I made it to the main competition last year.
So, while I have no intention of losing to the others,
once you get them to open up,
they're all just people who couldn't be more enthusiastic about earth sciences, like us.
Of course, some universities let you use your results in this competition to secure entry,
so there are some people participating just for that.
Huh? That's an actual policy?
It was written in the application guidelines.
R-Right...
I shouldn't tell Monroe-senpai.
Oh, looks like it's almost time.
Well, let's just have fun with this, Inose-chan.
R-Right!
Good morning, everyone.
We'll be handing out your test sheets now.
Saeki-san's incredible. She's made it to the main competition before!
I'm sure she's really smart and will fly through the questions.
Now, please begin.
She looks like a predator that's spotted its prey!
Focus, focus.
First, I'll tackle the geology problems.
How to read a clinometer, the law of superposition, index fossils...
These problems are fun to solve.
There's a geologic map and volcanoes and magma!
Meteorology, oceanology, environmental science...
These are my worst subjects!
I've studied all of them a little,
but I don't think I solved those problems right since I don't understand how they work.
That just leaves astronomy...
Questions about the planets.
Huh? I'm solving these more easily than I expected.
Why?
It's because those two are always in the club room.
You have ten minutes left.
What do I do?
There's just one question left that I don't understand.
The ones who finished early are already starting to leave.
"Choose two correct statements from the following, listed A to O."
A to O...
A to... O?
Ao!
Okay, time's up.
Whew, it's over!
That was fun!
Good work, Inose-chan.
Are you okay?
I feel like I just released everything I'd crammed in...
But I'm glad I'm participated.
There were a lot of things I felt for the first time by coming here.
Yeah?
Like just how small I am...
Oh, yeah?
Yeah. I realized the world is much bigger than I thought.
Oh. I thought she was talking about her height.
Why don't we walk to the station together, since we're here?
Sure!
Oh, right, there's a place I wanted to stop by on the way home.
Shopping?
No.
I discovered a path I believe was made by filling in a river,
so I wanted to explore it.
What? That sounds fun!
I failed!
Huh? The results were already announced?
No, I scored myself, and it was awful...
But you seem happy despite that.
Yes. I learned there are lots more people like us outside of this club.
Like us?
Oh, want to see pictures?
I do, I do!
She took a step forward and went for something bigger than we ever did.
Yeah.
Going home?
Yeah.
I feel better after seeing everyone.
I need to give it another shot, too.
Good luck.
This is Saeki-san?
Yeah!
This is a commemorative photo from when we went exploring on the way home.
There's no blur in the digital camera!
Oh, Saeki-san took that one for us.
Mine is...
Ta-da!
A hot plate?
Yes.
Since Endou-sensei said we couldn't have a portable stove,
we borrowed this from Araya-sensei!
Shall we start getting things set up?
Yeah!
The culture clubs share a breaker!
Be mindful.
What's this? A mystery hot pot?
No, a Christmas party.
Would you like to join us?
I appreciate it, but the newspaper club's having its own.
Oh, that explains the outfit.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
We got scolded.
How embarrassing.
But there's a terrible draft in here, so we can't turn off the heater...
Oh, I know.
We could do a hot rock pot!
Hot rock?
It's a primitive cooking method that uses a stone heated to high temperatures
Stone In!
to cook food.
I get it!
Okay, first...
we'll have to go hunt down some dacitic tuff!
Huh? From where?
The Oga Peninsula!
Denied!
Let's try talking to Ao!
Commemoration of Blowing the Breaker
Apparently we can't use the heater and the hot plate at the same time.
What do we do?
We could just prepare some blankets and not use the heater.
We could also make the hot pot a bit hotter and use that for heat.
How about that?
Shedding scales
Honestly, Mira's always making me feel better.
I wish there was something I could do to thank her.
Earth Sciences Club Christmas and New Year Party!!
Time to start the first earth sciences club Christmas and New Year hot pot party!
Thanks for inviting us.
I never thought I'd get to eat hot pot in the club room.
What is that sparkly thing?
Mira-chan lent it to me.
It's a thermal blanket like the ones used on artificial satellites.
I bought it when we visited JAXA!
Oh, yeah, you bought a bunch of things.
Wearing this makes me feel like an artificial satellite!
How does that feel, exactly?
It does look warm, though.
I hope the hot pot tastes okay.
M-Mira-chan!
This hot pot is spicy!
Huh? I only used store-bought kimchi, though.
It's spicy!
Why?!
U-Um, maybe because of this?
Chili Peppers
Chili peppers for added spiciness?
Did you...
Y-You told me to put everything in, so I thought...
Senpai! Please wait a moment before you eat it!
It has a nice punch that makes it delicious.
It warms me up!
Huh?
Must be an adult's sense of taste?
So cold...
Mira, here's the key to the roof that you asked for.
Oh, thank you!
The roof?
Yes!
Once we're all warmed up, I thought we could all stargaze together.
Oh, a kimchi hot pot! Nice!
I-It's spicy!
Huh?
But an adult's sense of taste...
We can see far and wide!
The sky is pretty, since it's cold out.
That's the Winter Diamond, right?
There's Sirius and Rigel and, uh...
Aldebaran and Capella.
Pollux and Procyon.
Sakura-senpai, you looked them up?
I just managed to remember a few because they're named after rocks.
What are you laughing about?
Oh, right.
If you add in Betelgeuse from Orion, you get the Great G.
G? From the alphabet?
Yeah, you link those there.
It's still strange to think a geology club member like me is looking up at the sky.
Are you still upset the clubs were merged?
If I was, I wouldn't have made this.
Thanks.
Everyone...
What is it?
This is a present from us.
Huh?
You can open it.
Okay.
It's an album!
I had Sakura-chan select and compile them from my collection of secret photos.
There are scenes from our activities and our events...
You took this many?
It's incredible!
There were a lot of photos I would have felt bad including,
so it was hard work narrowing them down.
Huh?
Ao?
Are you okay?
Huh? What's wrong?!
Huh? Oh, sorry.
I was just having so much fun...
Are you okay?
Yeah.
The effect of the kimchi is running out.
We'll water down the soup and make udon.
Man, the cold really hits hard at my age.
I don't know how you can all wear such short skirts.
Heater, heater...
Ah, Sensei, you can't—
Huh?
Sensei!
Even three days later, there are still a lot of people making their first shrine visit.
Ino-senpai, is that...
A map!
I knew it!
No, I mean...
You have two?
There have been a lot of flood control improvements made to this area,
so I wanted to compare it to an older map.
I see.
This is the commemorative stone for the flood control construction!
Let's take a picture!
Senpai, can we say our prayers first?
Oh, you're right. Sorry.
After we pray, we'll draw fortunes, then have dango at the tea shop...
I want to drink amazake, too!
Fortunes
Natural Rock Fortunes
Fan Fortunes
Are those...
Fortunes with natural rocks!
Natural Rock Fortunes
I want to draw one!
I can't see it that well from here.
Based on the colors, I think those are crystals, onyx, and red jasper.
Hey, we need to say our prayers!
May I discover an asteroid with Ao!
Y-You shouldn't shout it...
I heard it makes it easier for the gods to hear your wish if you say it out loud.
Come on, Ao and Ino-senpai, say yours, too!
Can we go talk over there for a bit?
Ao-san, I thought it was strange when you stayed home from school before.
Is there something bothering you?
If you don't mind, I'd like to help.
Please tell me whatever it is.
The truth is, it's been decided that my dad's going to be transferred...
and I'm supposed to move away with him.
Huh?
When are you moving?
In March. During spring break.
No way...
But we promised to discover an asteroid together!
M-Mira-chan, calm down.
B-But...
Ao-san is just as shocked as you are!
Let's just think about what we can do now.
Ao-san, can you tell us more about the move?
E-Emergency meeting of the earth sciences club!
I'd like to gather lots of ideas,
so I've asked the newspaper club members to join us.
A meeting right after opening ceremonies... This is rather sudden.
You mentioned that Manaka's going to be moving.
So our topic is her farewell party, right?
Goodbye, Manaka Thanks for the dreams
I propose this title.
No!
Topic
How to support Ao-san and Mira-chan in achieving their goal
It might not be our place to speak up, since this is a family matter.
But...
You don't want these two to give up hope.
Senpai...
So...
I'd like to get some ideas about how both of them
can participate in the club together even after Ao-san moves away.
I didn't even notice.
Ao was worrying about this all by herself, and I...
I'm a failure as a friend.
Ow!
Ouch!
Where's your usual spirit?
You should be throwing out ideas at times like this!
Learn from Monroe!
She's busy studying for her exams, and I'm still getting message after message.
She's right. This isn't the time to beat myself up.
I need to think.
How can Ao and I...
realize our dream?
I'm sorry I'm late!
Suzu-san.
Ao...
I can't believe you'd leave us like this.
Please don't look for us Suzu + Ao
Let's elope together!
Wait! What about our dream?!
If we can't elope,
how about one of us becomes a commuter wife on weekends?
She'll be four hours away by bullet train.
That might not be an option due to the cost.
Then why don't we camp out during the longer breaks
and have concentrated observation nights?
That sounds good.
Though that would be more of a personal activity than a club activity, I think...
Can you borrow telescopes and other equipment from the school?
They'd have to negotiate that,
and they'd be hard to haul there.
How about I support her as a guardian?
I plan on getting my driver's license, anyway.
Um, why...
Why are you all putting so much thought into this for me?
Dummy.
It's because we like you, of course.
That's right.
Just last night, Sakura-senpai wouldn't stop messaging me!
Ino! You don't need to talk about that!
Still, it's hard to come up with the perfect solution.
I suppose the most realistic one is you conducting your activities in different places.
Yeah...
There are plenty of ways to stay in contact.
Excuse me.
That voice...
Onee-cha—
Company President
What's going on?
We were told to take home the personal belongings left in the council room.
Misa-nee... what kind of role do you play in the student council?
I heard about what's going on from Mira.
Ao-kun, why don't you think about ways to avoid moving in the first place?
But her dad's transfer is already set in stone, right?
Are you suggesting she throw a tantrum in front of her parents?
Exactly.
Huh? At her age?
Sorry.
I don't mean that literally.
Ao-kun, have you even told your parents that you don't want to move?
You haven't just accepted that it's already been decided, have you?
I haven't told them how I feel.
The whims of a child aren't going to change the parents' situation.
That's true.
But in that case, why not act like a child should and try putting up at least some fight?
Except you'll be doing it with a specific plan about how you'll live your life—
Misa-nee, um...
Could you make it easier to understand?
Hmm, well...
Fortunately, I'll be enrolling in a distant university next year.
Which means, starting this spring, I'll be living on my own.
So, Ao-kun,
you should live in my old room.
In other words,
why don't you try proposing the idea of living with Mira to your parents?
Liv...
Living together?!
I had no idea what to do when I heard she was moving,
but living together?
What's going to happen to us now?
09. True Feelings
Next time, "True Feelings."