01x04 - Rumors

[bunniefuu]

ORIGINAL WORK - SHIINA KARUHO

"RUMORS"

Sawako, the bath's ready for you.

Okay.

Hey, Sawako.

How's school coming along?

It...

It's been so much fun.

She has always said it's fun
whenever we've asked, but...

it's obvious she really is happy now.

She does seem tickled pink.

Could it be love?

Sawako...

My Sawako...

Hey, what're you doing?

I'm so happy...

After experiencing so much joy,

I may forget about the time
I didn't know about it.

I'm monopolizing it.

I don't get what he meant.

But I feel really happy.

Am I using up all the good fortune
in my life right now?

Even if I am... I feel wonderful.

What? No way!

Yoshida? The one
with the really narrow eyes?

Yep. I heard she was
a real delinquent in middle school.

She made her teacher cry
and punched boys in the nose.

I've...

done stuff way worse than that.

Plus, my eyes aren't that narrow.

Yano-san, right?

She really is what she looks like.

I know. She played with guys
in middle school? Way too many!

You really think there are
guys that'll be able to satisfy me?

If they do exist, bring them here.

I'll grade them.

Jeez! My legend is under-exaggerated.

They're just rumors, you know?

Come on, my eyes aren't
as thin as they're saying.

But they are thinner than you think.

They're all big lies. Nothing but lies.

The rumors about Sadako, too.

-What do you think?
-What do you think?

I'll ask again. Who started this crap?

Who's responsible?

Sa...

Sadako...

What?

Everyone's saying it.

Sadako's trying
to improve her social standing,

so she's using Kazehaya,
Yano-san, and Yoshida-san.

That's absurd and impossible!

Still, let the girl finish, okay?

And guess what? The ramen there was...

Yano-san, Yoshida-san,

good morning!

Morning, Sadako.

Hey, hey, did you know I slugged
all the guys in my class?

And I was... you know,

like a total nympho.

I screwed around
with guys in middle school.

Oh, I see.

You're both really tough.

-Not guilty!
-Not guilty!

Well...

Yoshida-san, if you'd like,
this is for you...

What's this?

Summary notes for the midterm.

I made it last night.

I hope you can use it.

Pure white!

I'll humbly accept this kind favor.

Well, Yano-san,

to practice my horror storytelling,

I was thinking about renting some movies.

If you don't mind, could you please
recommend some good ones?

-Pure white!
-Pure white!

Hey, Yoshida.

Lemme copy those notes.

Me, too. I'll give you some scrub brushes.

Same here!

-Is that okay?
-Of course.

All right!

It makes me so happy
when I can help others.

-Triple pure white!
-Triple pure white!

Ryu.

Good morning, Sanada-kun.

Morning.

Kazehaya-kun is running late.

You don't believe me, do you?

I really saw them last night.

Little old men.

Pin, I kind of want to go to class soon.

I was drinking sake last night...

Three of them were running laps
around my cup.

They were turning and turning...

They eventually hopped
into the cup, one after another!

Pin!

I said I'm gonna be late.

They're certainly in good shape.

I'm going now!

So, what's up...

with that Kuronuma girl?

Why Kuronuma?

Ever since I looked her in the eyes,

weird stuff keeps happening.

You...

know something
because you sit by her, right?

-She dabbles in curses or...
-I believe in what I see with my eyes.

The Kuronuma I saw is...

always positive and sweet.

Are you...

dating Kuronuma?

What are you blushing for?

No way! You really...

Don't say it!
You're not allowed to say any more!

I'm...

leaving now.

Seriously?

Isn't she too specific a fetish?

And, you know...

Morning.

Good morning.

Good morning.

You're late.

Pin forced me to stay and listen
to a story about little old men.

-What the heck?
-I dunno.

His forehead... is exposed.

Is she being normal?

I said "monopolizing it" yesterday...

His forehead...

Well, I want to look...

one more time.

Are you dating Kuronuma?

Dang, I can't look
straight at her anymore...

Oh, his forehead...

Too bad.

These days, when I feel so much joy,

my heartbeat gets faster and faster.

I wonder what they think about me.

Is it fun for them to be around me?

I hope so.

I really...

hope so.

Up until now,

I always thought it was normal
to not have friends around.

I never...

thought of such things.

Ever since that day...

I've experienced so many feelings
I never had before.

They fill my heart.

I want to cherish them.

It feels like...

a brand new gift.

Oh, Yano-san, Yoshida-san!

Well, lately...

There have been rumors.

Oh yeah, seems that way.

They're getting worse, though.

Yoshida-san, they say you b*at
an old man into a pool of his own blood.

I've helped a fallen old man
stand back up again.

Yano-san, you're pimping out
schoolgirl prostitutes.

That's crap!

Well of course,
we don't believe any of it.

But I heard the one
who's spreading these rumors...

is Kuronuma-san.

Impossible!

Absolutely not!

But when I thought about why
such rumors were spread...

I got worried.

This is a little much.

Such awful rumors shouldn't be spread.

Seriously. Can you believe it?

Lately...

I feel everyone fears me even more.

Sadako.

Shino-chan.

Come here.

Did you know?
You've been a hot topic at school.

The rumors
about my "sixth sense" or a "curse"...

She has also heard them?

Well, misunderstandings are...

always hard to correct.

Misunderstanding?

I see.

Of course. Sadako wouldn't talk bad
about her friends.

That's just silly.

But those don't bother me as much anymore.

The people around me are very kind.

You know...

you've become a lot more gentle, Sadako.

Why are they only talking about Sadako?

You know why.

She sticks out... in a bad way.

I mean, Sadako and us both.

Our rumors are kind of... typical.

Sadako's are different kinds of rumors.

But I'm happy for you.

You've made new friends.
Yano-san and Yoshida-san, right?

They aren't friends.

Really?

-What?
-Wait, I want to hear the rest.

Good timing. Come with me.

They aren't your friends?

No...

"friendship" means like the relationship
between Yano-san and Yoshida-san, right?

When I see them,

I feel they really care for each other.

So... right now... we're not that close yet.
I don't feel qualified enough.

But I...

really, really like...

both of them.

If one day I can be good friends
with them,

I'll be really happy.

CONFIDENTIAL TRAINING. DON'T SLACK OFF!

The Baseball Club's
secret training regimen?

Pass it to Ryu.

Screw that!

Man, how annoying!

Everyone's annoying!

Calm down, Chizu.

They aren't friends.

We still have to ask...

Sadako what she really meant.

Thinking about it, if someone
asked me if I was her friend,

it'd be kinda hard to answer, right?

True.

What happened?

They're always laughing together, but...

Sadako.

Come sit with us.

Sure.

They look... a little upset?

This is important.

Please be straight with us.

I...

I mean we... like you, Sadako.

What do you think about us?

Do you... like us?

Like...

It's not like, it's...

It's more like...

-well...
-Fine.

I get it.

Sadako...

sorry we bugged you.

It's okay.

With such a little hint...

did they really understand me?

Is that how it works?

We like you.

It should make me happy, but...

Yano-san's and Yoshida-san's backs...

tell me they didn't.

For some reason...

they're making me sad too.

Is there anything I can do
to help them feel better?

She got cocky and started using
Yano and Yoshida as backup.

Backup?

What's more, she uses Kazehaya
at her beck and call.

Kazehaya-kun too?

Sounds like someone powerful.

Seriously?

You do mean Sadako, right?

SADAKO'S ULTERIOR MOTIVE

Since when did I become
some sort of sl*ve driver?

You know what, though?

Yano's and Yoshida's
"dark rumors" are awesome.

Dark rumors?

They're... my backup?

That's why they didn't seem happy.

They were hurt.

It's all because of Sadako, right?

Exactly.
All because she hangs around them.

Even Kazehaya.

His reputation will sink
if Sadako keeps latching onto him.

Because of... me?

Yano-san and Yoshida-san...

they've been so nice to me.

They've treated me
with nothing but pure kindness.

But...

Because she hangs around them...

Because I'm around,

everyone gets hurt?

Will my presence

someday hurt Kazehaya-kun the way

it's hurting Yano-san and Yoshida-san?

Did you hear the little old men story?

I've seen them.

-Yeah, I saw them, too.
-Are you serious?

Yep. They looked just like Zen.

-You're lying!
-Yeah, we are!

Should I...

not be around them?

I can't...

be around him?

What's up with your face?
You totally cried all night!

Yano-chin, you too!
You look like you didn't sleep a wink!

Yano-chin.

Do you really think...

Sadako made up those rumors?

To be honest, I don't know anymore.

After hearing Sadako's response...

At least on her end,

she doesn't seem to care about us.

Your question was
"Do you like us?" verbatim.

If she answered, "Yes, I do," right away,

of course she's not spreading
those stupid rumors.

That's easy enough to believe, right?

She would never spread any rumors.

I used to be positive about that.

But now...

I'm scared to think, "What if?"
Do you know what I mean?

I want to believe Sadako
would never make up stories.

I really hate myself
for doubting her, even a little bit.

Good morning.

-Good morning.
-Good morning.

Their eyes are red...

I'm sorry.

I made you two unhappy, right?

What's this?

I'll leave you alone!

Hey! Sadako...

She was apologizing.

"I made you two unhappy"?
What's that supposed to mean?

No way... was she really spreading rumors?

Stop! Stop it!

I don't want to think that way, either!

Did she possibly mean... about yesterday...

Did she mean,
"I'm sorry that I don't like you"?

Either way, it kinda sucks.

Yeah, it does.

Was I being too self-confident?

I thought our presence was
pretty important to Sadako.

Same here. I thought she really liked us.

They've been...

hurt much worse than I thought.

Yano-san, Yoshida-san...

I want to find the people
spreading those rumors...

and fix the misunderstanding!

Yano-san and Yoshida-san are...

not my backup.

They're just friendly.
I want to tell them that.

I know how to fix misunderstandings.

But... I can't find them.

The ones spreading the rumors.

I want those two to be normal again soon.

I want to see...

the usual Yano-san and Yoshida-san
who are always laughing.

I can't. I can't.

They're the ones who really want to cry.

Kuronuma!

Wait!

Did I do something wrong?

Sorry, I have things to do now.

You were crying earlier.

It's like you're avoiding me.

Have I done something to hurt you?

Have I done something to make you hate me?

If I have, say so!

No, you haven't, Kazehaya-kun.
You've never done anything wrong.

But...

No matter...

No matter what happens
in the days to come...

I will never...

hate you.

No matter what.

That will not happen.

Kuronuma.

You seem laid back,
even though midterms are soon.

I'm sorry.

Kuronuma!

Kazehaya-kun, I'm sorry.

No matter what happened,
you never avoided me.

But...

if I stay around you,
won't you be in trouble?

You'll be in... trouble?

But I don't want to avoid him.

I should stay away from him.

But I want to stay around him.

Is it the right choice to avoid him?

Or is it wrong?

I don't know...

I don't know!

What am I supposed to do?

I don't know...

PREVIEW OF NEXT EPISODE

People who are important to me.

And what I can do for them...

Next episode: "Resolution."