01x09 - New Friend

[bunniefuu]

ORIGINAL WORK - SHIINA KARUHO

"A NEW FRIEND"

Sadako! Over there!

Yes!

Amazing! That's much better than before!

That's awesome, Sadako!

Wait a second... wasn't she
across the field a moment ago?

How'd she move so quickly?

Teleportation?

I kicked it.

Not bad, Sadako.

First place just might be in our sights!

Getting that red shirt
was totally worth it.

She liked my kick.

The technique I just showed everyone...

was something Kazehaya-kun taught me.

I hope this reaches
from me to you, Kazehaya-kun!

You did it.

It came to me...

from you.

Do what you just did.
Stop the ball first and then kick it.

There's no rush.

Okay. Once more.

Yeah.

Over there!

Here, pass! Pass it!

Jeez, go around.

It came to me... from you.

It's so hot!

I'll change clothes real fast
after my sweat dries.

Sadako, you can head back
to the classroom first.

Sure.

It doesn't look like
anyone else is back yet.

Excuse me.

Is Kazehaya around?

She's... that princess...

No, I mean...

Kurumi-san.

Well...

the boys are still practicing
outside for the Sports Festival.

Really?

What should I do, then?

She's talking to me
like she would with any other girl.

She's such a nice person.

She's like...

Kazehaya-kun.

Excuse me.

I don't know if you remember, but...

thank you very much for helping me pick
up those handouts I dropped the other day.

No thanks necessary.
It was a normal reaction.

Goodness!

When you bring it up like that,

it's a little embarrassing.

She's really charming.

Plus, she seems gentle and feminine.

The girl I want to be
is standing right in front of me.

I can't help it, but the more
I look at her, the more I think...

-she's like a doll!
-You're like a doll!

What? I thought I said that in my head,
but did I say it aloud...

Nope, it was me.

Kuronuma Sawako-chan, right?

She knows my real name!
Wait, before that, she said...

a doll?

What?

Of course I remember
when you dropped those papers.

You see, that's when I first thought,

"She looks like a doll."

"She looks like a doll"?

"Like a doll."

"Like a doll."

"Like a doll."

Kurumi, if we don't go
to the field now, we'll be late!

All right!

I'll come back later.

Ouch.

She looks like...

a cursed doll!

I look like a doll...

No one has ever said...

such a thing to me before.

Did something unusual happen, Sadako?

It's painfully obvious you've checked out.

Well, to be honest...

someone gave me somewhat of a compliment.

Really now? What'd they say?

That I look like a doll.

Sawa sawa... Sawa sawa...

Osawa Doll.

Was it really a compliment?

Nope. I highly doubt it.

It's hot.

It feels like we can win this?

Yeah, it seriously does!

Really?

I thought he looked
a little different today.

It's because he's not wearing the vest.

How's the girls' team looking?

Well, not bad.

In part
because Sadako's skills have evolved.

Evolved?

Really?

Way to go!

Well...

Yeah!

Kurumi-san stopped by
to see you a minute ago.

Really?

Thank you.

I wonder if it's
about the Sports Festival Committee?

Kurumi-san is a committee member too.

Hold up. You met Kurumi?

Yes, after I parted ways
with you, Yoshida-san.

Jeez, you called me "Yoshida-san" again.

Chizu-chan.

To be fair, I guess
we're both still calling her "Sadako."

Dang! We are, aren't we?

Isn't it tough to suddenly call
someone a completely different name?

Well, yeah! Obviously, Sadako!

I guess... we don't really have to force it.

Kuronuma Sawako-chan, right?

I see. The next time
I get to speak with her,

should I call her by her given name?

"Kurumi-chan."

By the way, Ryu.

Did you memorize Sadako's full name?

Kuroyama Takako.

You're so close!

One more step! Ryu, one more step!

You know what? I'll admit that was
a decent attempt for him.

I was so confident.

I'm Kuronuma. Pleased to meet you.

Kazehaya, will you demonstrate
how to say her name?

Go on, show him how to address her.

Kuronuma Sawako.

That was good.

Okay, step two.

Try to call her by her given name only.

What? Why?

It's practice.

For Sawako's sake, who's not accustomed
to calling or being called by her name.

It's practice.
All for sweet little Sawako's sake.

Sa...

How can I?

Of course you can't.

I'm just playing, of course.

I...

I was so nervous.

That made my heart skip.

My heart...

Wait...

I've been nervous since the other day.

I feel like...

I mean...

I feel more nervous than before.

It's Kazehaya.

That's him.

Who's the girl he's talking to?

She's cute?

Hey, you don't say that
to your girlfriend.

You wouldn't be a good match with her.

Why?

Just look.
Aren't they a really cute couple?

I suppose they look good together.

-I'd like to borrow something from you.
-They're so right.

Yeah! That CD, right?

Whoops, my bad. I forgot.

Jeez, I asked for it just the other day.

Sorry. I'll bring it tomorrow.

-Don't forget again!
-Must be nice...

Okay, okay, I hear ya.

Should I accept her as my role model?

Fluffy... Bouncy...

Silky...

Do you think...

I'd look good with permed hair?

Fluffy...

-A perm?
-A perm?

What just happened?
Something horrifying flashed in my mind!

I gotta ask, why do you have
your current hairstyle?

I figured straight, long hair
would seem more feminine.

I like girly things.

DREAMING MAIDEN

Uh-huh.

Then how about you keep
the length but lighten the color?

Right on! Brown hair, brown hair!

With brown hair...

Brown hair...

What?

Wouldn't she look even more forgettable?

What if she permed it a bit?

Too trashy?

Maybe layered hair?

An old-school delinquent?

Anyway!

Your current style suits you best!

Really?

Really! I hope you keep that style
for the rest of your life!

Sure.

Goodbye, my fluffy dreams...

I will live with this hairstyle
for the rest of my life.

I'm curious...
have you always had that hairstyle?

More or less.

Why'd you want
to change it all of a sudden?

I thought it'd be cute
if it was lighter and more bouncy.

Is that so? You want to look cute?

Yes.

But not because someone
said I looked like a doll.

I... It made me very happy,
but I'm not vain or anything.

I know.

What? Practice after class?

If you want a ball, why don't you ask Pin?

Good idea.

How do I say this?

I wish I were like her.

Because Kurumi-chan was so cute,

I wanted to... be like her.

It made me want to become cute too.

I couldn't resist...

such an urge.

I'll never look like her,

and I know that, but...

maybe I could look...

just a little cute, in my own way.

Sadako.

Hirano-san and Endo-san.

Ekko.

Tomo, okay?

Ekko-chan and Tomo-chan.

Are you gonna practice on your own?

Yes. Chizu-chan and Ayane-chan
went to borrow a ball.

I'm waiting for them, so...

A ball?

They said Arai-sensei might lend us one.

Very well. I permit it.

Grab as many balls as you'd like
in the name of glorious victory!

We just need two.

Fight!

That's right!

First place victory!

Defeat all enemies!

What's... happening?

Wait, wasn't Ayane-chan
on the volleyball team with Ekko?

Yep.

They told me that practice
will run smoother with three people.

So Ayane-chan's helping me, as well.

I see.

That's good, Sadako!

Yeah.

Let's do our best at the Sports Festival.

Yes, let's.

Friends.

That's us.

Kazehaya.

-Long time no see.
-Yo.

How've you been?

Kazehaya-kun.

Someone's always coming
up to him and saying hello.

He's so popular.

He's having fun.

You weren't there yesterday.

Yeah, I was stuck in a committee meeting.

Gotcha. Keeping busy, I see.

Anyone from our middle school
on the committee?

Yep. Kurumi.

He calls her...

by her given name?

That's right.

This is the first time
I've ever heard him call a girl...

by her given name.

How can I?

He says her name so naturally.

They must be really close.

What was that feeling right now?

Come to think of it,
I've never asked anyone about it...

but does Kazehaya-kun have
someone he sees as special?

Does calling someone
by their given name make them special?

My heart aches.

Ku-ro-numa!

Practicing again?

But... But...

Just looking at Kazehaya-kun's face...

makes my... heart ache?

What happened?

Does he really make my heart ache?

Sa...

Sa...

-wa...!
-Kazehaya!

Kurumi-chan.

A second ago,

right before Kurumi-chan called out,

was he...

trying to say something?

What're you two doing here? Lemme join in.

Well, it's...

It's nothing, really.

What's that? How strange.

I see.

It wasn't anything.

Of course.

Am I...

worrying too much about everything?

It's so hot.

Am I...

thinking about him too much?

Oh, my!

Sawako-chan, you're really sweating!

Oh no, I'm getting
a nervous sweat all of a sudden.

She's a genuinely good person.

Thank you.

No problem.

Okay, you're all set now.

I...

may have just become her fan.

They became friends before I knew it?

That's right. Were you looking for me?

Not really. I wanted
to talk with Sawako-chan.

An idol and her fan.

We are friends, right, Sawako-chan?

Yes, I'm your...

Friend...?

We're...

We're friends, right?

What?

Friends?

PREVIEW OF NEXT EPISODE

Frustrating atmosphere...

Awkward conversations...

Next episode: "Working Together."