01x24 - Birthday

[bunniefuu]

ORIGINAL WORK - SHIINA KARUHO

Didn't you want to look cute
after you met Kurumi?

Think about it again. Why did you
think that way in the first place?

-Happy birthday, Sawako.
-Happy birthday, Sawako.

Ryu isn't here yet.

Where are Yoshida and Yano?

They aren't coming.

Sanada-kun isn't coming, either.

Let's go.

"BIRTHDAY"

He isn't looking at me...

But for some reason,
I can't look at him, either...

Watch it!

He's so close!

The steps are made of stone here, so...

Right! I just couldn't see them at all.

What are those two doing?

This is so frustrating!

Chizu! Call them!

You got it!

Why did we change our meeting spot?
What're we doing here?

Just shush!

Hello?

Yo, Kazehaya! It's me!

Yoshida? Where are you?

Chizu-chan?

You're way too loud.

Sorry, sorry!

Sorry, but something suddenly
came up, so we can't make it.

Ryu said he's super busy,
so he asked me to send his regards.

Anyway, please make wishes
at the shrine for us, too.

Sure...

Was it my imagination?

We told Sawako we couldn't go
all of a sudden,

so she might be a bit confused right now.

But I'm leaving her to you.

That's all.

Sure.

That was Yoshida.

She apologized and said something came up.

I guess I hadn't explained it to him.

I get it. They did this for me.

Aren't you cold?

There's still plenty of time
until midnight.

They're serving amazake
over there, so let's get some.

Okay!

He's next to me...

They're finally talking
and walking side-by-side!

They're going to drink some amazake next!

Let's hurry and get there first!

So that's what this is about. Pretty sly.

Shota and I talked
about what we'd do today, too...

This is getting interesting!

This is just the prelude!

Whatever. I just want some amazake.

Look at it burn!

I guess idiots exist everywhere.

Isn't that Jo?

-You're right!
-Stop it.

-What an embarrassment.
-Shut up and let's go!

That's a huge downer.

He looks eerily similar to his parents.

Amazake...

Wait!

This means Sawako and Kazehaya will...

sh**t! They're heading
into Jo's line of sight!

Seriously?

He totally worships Kazehaya,
so he'll definitely recognize them!

This is bad!

Hurry!

Amazake...

Come on, Ryu!

It's so warm!

Hey, if it isn't Jo!

Yo, Jo! What a coincidence!

What? Did you all come here together?

Why didn't you call me, Ryu?

Who'd you come with, Jo?

My folks, of course!

Where's the usual g*ng?

They're watching comedy shows at home!

Good! There'll be no other obstacles!

So, where's Kazehaya?

To be honest, I thought I just saw him.

Kazehaya? He said he couldn't make it!

You're hallucinating.

Are you sure?

Shut up! We're sure!

He'd be right here if he came!

She's holding my arm...

You're right!

That guy was with a really pretty girl.

I'm grateful for his idiocy.

Maybe Yano likes me...

I want amazake.

They're gone.

They sure are.

Sweet. My arm's gonna graze her boobs.

Not in a million years!

Sparks from the fire...

I'm getting all warmed up.

Let's get some amazake and talk some more!

I utterly despise amazake!

No amazake today!

Really...?

Amazake...

SHRINE OFFICE

It'll warm you up.
How would you like some?

Would you like some amazake?

Come and enjoy a cup of amazake!

Would you like some?

It's tasty!

We'll have some.

Sure! Two cups for the young couple.

Here.

Thank you!

What should I do?

I feel a lot happier hearing that
than I thought.

I'm being presumptuous.
That was just her assumption.

I hope Kazehaya-kun didn't mind
being called that.

He might...

It's warm.

Maybe I'm the only one obsessing over it...

It's just so embarrassing!

This is good.

Really?

This is the first time in my life that
I thought amazake tasted good!

You didn't like it before?

If I had to choose,
I'd say I didn't like it.

Really?

I'm glad... I've always wanted
to learn more about Kazehaya-kun...

This is the first time
I've witnessed your "first".

I want to learn aspects of Kazehaya-kun
no one else knows about...

But...

you've already seen plenty.

This is my first time
coming to the shrine alone with someone

on New Year's Eve.

By the way, it was also the first time
for me to buy a girl's cell phone strap.

There's one more.

This is also the first time
I've ever worn a belly warmer.

I put a hand warmer in the front pocket.

Thanks to that, my stomach's pretty warm.

But that was for my father...

Don't say it!

It's mine now!

I wish I could have given
the hat to Kazehaya-kun...

No, it didn't have to be a hat...

Just something I made with him in mind...

Or something I chose for him...

I wish I could've given him
something like that.

He might've accepted it...

He might've used it...

Kuronuma, have you decided
on an email address?

Yes, I have!

-Can I message you?
-Can I message you?

I... I'll do it right now!

I haven't sent one before,
so I might be slow!

Take your time.

Something I want to tell Kazehaya-kun...
Something I want to tell him...

Oops, I messed up!

When I thought about it,
there was so much I wanted to say.

I didn't know where to start.

I wished there was a way for me
to communicate all my feelings to him.

Send...

I was kind of regretting not asking
for your number that night.

Well, not just "kind of."

I even thought,
"I should've forced her to tell me."

Got it.

THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING
YOU'VE DONE FOR ME THIS YEAR.

THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH ME TODAY.
I'M VERY HAPPY NOW.

"Sawako.not.sadako. ."

Up to three and back to one...

When's your birthday?

Today...

We only have fifteen minutes left!

That's right...

Barely made it...

Happy birthday.

If I had known beforehand,
I could've gotten you a gift.

You've already given me one.

I got to see a part of you
I never saw before.

I got to share your "firsts."

Besides, I was actually born
around this time.

You were with me
the moment I turned sixteen.

: p.m.

I've turned sixteen.
Fifteen minutes till the new year.

What were you like as a child?

Well, I don't know... I would say
I was a pretty ordinary child...

How do I put it?

Tell me chronologically.

Sixteen years ago,
you were born... and then?

It'll be a boring story.

I don't care if it's boring.
I want to know. That's all.

Tell me.

But it'll be really boring.

Sixteen years ago,
I was born, and I weighed , grams.

At age four, I entered kindergarten...

I was in Class Violet
and then Class Bell Lily.

I remember my cousin Eiji called me
a zashiki warashi around that time.

Hey, zashiki warashi.
I want some soda, zashiki warashi.

Right away!

This story might sound like I'm bragging...

I was in Class Plum
during first and second grade.

Third and fourth?

Class Pine.

Fifth and sixth?

Class Bamboo.

The "Three Friends of Winter"!

Did you have any hobbies?

Hobbies from back then?

One-man jump rope?

What's that?

I would tie some strings
around chairs and jump around.

It was the "in" thing!

For me, anyway.

One-man volleyball, too.

Or one-man cat's cradle.

Eight-layered drawbridge!

One-man speed!

No! It's too fast!

And one-man...

Wait.

Aren't these depressing?

Maybe this sounds too gloomy...

-Even though it's New Year's Eve...
-Not at all.

If I heard your story way back in April...

I might've thought
you enjoyed being alone.

But as I talked to you more,

I realized you enjoy everything.

You can find the fun
in absolutely anything.

It's fun to imagine you finding enjoyment.

Is that how he saw me?

What else?

Well...

At twelve, I entered middle school.

Your elementary school stories
are done already?

Nothing that important happened...

During the third year of middle school,

I took the entrance exams for Kitahoro
High because it was closest to home.

In the spring, when I was fifteen...

We met.

If only I could be more like Kazehaya-kun...

I thought I would be able
to change some part of myself.

Thank you.

You've always been the one
to set everything in motion.

This year was far different
from the ones before it.

It'd take a long time
just to talk about it...

The year I spent with Kazehaya-kun

and the birthday he spent standing
next to me... is passing by.

And the new year will start soon...

PREVIEW OF NEXT EPISODE

Next episode: "New Year."