03x03 - I Hope It Snows Soon

[bunniefuu]

That concludes...

This isn't fair.

It's almost spring...
and it's snowing.

I don't wanna
watch it pile up.

Smoothing the rough
edges of the world.

Making everything look clean,
undisturbed... and perfect.

I hate it.

It's almost here,
huh? Graduation.

Uh, yeah.

Why so sad?
You're not graduating.

Ugh. This is so annoying!

Well, someone's late!

Be nice. I just had to
reject another senior.

Ugh. I mean, confessing
your love to someone

you know you have
no chance with?

That's just plain selfish.

Sure, they get
closure and stuff,

but what about how
it affects me?

I bet you've had to
deal with it a lot

in the past few days,
too, Yun-Yun.

All I can do is say
no and hurt them.

What, are we supposed
to pity you for hurting people?

Your guilt seems
well-deserved to me.

Wow, someone's bitter.

Is Shortstack wishin' that
he was as popular as Yuki?

Enough with the nickname!

Yes, I'm short, shorter
than my sister, in fact,

but last time I checked,
that wasn't against the law,

so maybe back off for a second?

Um, I didn't say anything.

Or are you implying that height
is what makes a man attractive?

No, that's not it at all.

Really! It's not height,
or looks, either!

What makes a guy attractive
is... how much he's worth.

Uh...

True story.

Yeah?!

Well, excuse me for being a
normal guy with normal parents.

We can't all be rich
like the Somas.

Hey, for what it's worth,

that's Soma money,
not mine personally.

Ooh, I see!

You're in love.
Admit it, you so are!

But the person you've
got your eye on

has a hopeless crush on Yun-Yun,
so you're super jealous!

Huh?

Yeah, that reminds me.

Didn't you say that Yun-Yun
was your rival once?

I remember that.

Well? Kimi's right, isn't she?

Out with it, already!

Enough of this!

Where's Kuragi?
She should be here!

Uh-huh.
That sounded like a "yes."

If you're waiting
for Kuragi, it'll be a while.

She's gotta clean up the
box of chalk she spilled.

When is she gonna stop pulling
these little stunts of hers?

They're getting real old.

What's this? You think you
can barge in uninvited?

Are you two in the
same class as Machi?

Yes! We are!

Want to know what
she did this time?

Knocked over a whole brand-new
box of chalk for no reason!

Of course.

That girl is like
seriously terrifying.

For real.

I heard she got kicked
out of her house

because she tried to k*ll
her own little brother.

Uh! Are you sure?

This is the first time
Kimi's hearing about it.

That's the rumor
going around lately, anyway.

Rumor or not,
I think it's true.

It can't possibly be.

You may not have faith
in Machi, but Kimi does!

Yeah. I've got zero
faith in that statement.

Hm?

Oh, Kuragi.

Machi.

She ran.

You see? That means
it must be true.

Oh, Machi. No, how could you?

Hey, uh, what happened
to having faith?

I think where Kimi's concerned,
faith is a fickle thing.

I don't want to hear it!

You've been jealous of him
from the day he was born.

I've worried
that might be the case

for a while.

I don't think you should
live here anymore.

It'll be better
for you this way.

Yes. This is for your sake.

You'll feel
more comfortable on your own.

So, about this rumor.

I hate to say it,

but it's actually pretty
close to the truth.

Machi has a little brother.

I mean, he's my
half-brother, too.

And he's young.
Way younger than us.

Machi and I were both
deemed unsuitable,

so they decided to name him
the heir of the family.

And I guess that decision
didn't sit too well with her.

She got jealous and
tried to k*ll him.

They couldn't have her
around after that,

so they set her up
with her own place.

Yeah, I don't know. That sounds
pretty hard to believe.

Fair point.

That's what I heard
from the parentals,

so who knows how warped it is?

We could always go ask Machi.

Go and see her.
Find out the truth.

What? No! We can't
do that. She lives alone.

Come on, you'll be fine.

Nothin' about her place
is remotely sexy.

Why is it always
about that with you?

Oh, hey, you know,

I remember this one winter
when it snowed like crazy.

Please stop. This conversation
is giving me whiplash.

Sorry, man, it just
now came to me.

So there was a buncha snow

and the whole family was
together for some reason.

They were all being lame,
so I snuck out for a while.

Huh?

Turns out Machi
had the same idea.

I watched her for a little bit.

She was walking around,
leaving footprints in the snow.

She was super intent on it.
Just round and round.

Dead silent.

What could that have
been about, you think?

Hey!

Thanks for havin' us!

Come right in, Yun-Yun!
Don't be shy!

Hey, would you let me go?

Sure enough, it's as
messy as always.

Go away!

Oh, wow, this brings
back memories.

It's the Toxic Jungle!

Get out!

Yun-Yun. Here, for you.

Yeah?

What's...?

This is my fault?

Got anything more interesting?

'Kay. Trash run. I'll be back.

Try not to be a perv, Yun-Yun!

No problem. I'm not you.

So, what?

You came here to
play housekeeper?

No.

But, um, glass on the
floor is dangerous,

and I wouldn't want
you to get hurt.

Maybe... you wanted to
ask me about the things

those girls said
before, is that it?

Think what you want.

Believe them, or not.
I don't care.

My parents didn't
believe me. No one did.

I'm done trying
to convince people.

What's the point?

Machi, do you hate
when things are in order?

A pristine snowfall.

A neat and tidy room.

Anything that seems
perfect bothers you.

Yes.

Yes. It... scares me.

You have to be perfect.
Do you understand me?

Your personality,
your grades. Everything!

Otherwise, you will never
b*at that woman's son.

My whole life, I was so nervous.

The tiniest misstep
and she'd be furious.

Like I was walking a tightrope
that grew thinner every day.

Perfection is terrifying.
Suffocating.

I can't stand it.

I tried, though.

I did my best to be what
they wanted me to be.

But...

But now, there's my
little brother, so I--

It's wonderful.

We finally got the boy
we were hoping for!

This will be so much
better for everyone.

I mean, there's Machi,
but she's just so... plain.

Really, it's like the girl
has no personality at all.

She's so boring.

I guess good grades
aren't everything, are they?

What?

Why would you say
something like that?

You think I'm boring?

I did everything you
told me to, though.

I worked hard to be
perfect, like you said.

So it's my fault you
turned out this way?

You're laying your
failures at my feet?

Well, fine. I suppose I do
share some of the blame.

I did raise you. Clearly,
I went wrong somewhere.

No. That's not
what I needed you to say.

I did everything I could,
and this is what you tell me?

I'm something that went wrong.

If I'm a mistake,
what do I do now?

Where... do I go from here?

You've worked hard, right?

You have. I can tell you have.

You worked hard to become
the person you are, and...

...I'm glad.

You did well.

Somebody thinks... I did well.

I never imagined
I would hear that.

Not once.

My whole life,
I've been a screw-up.

A mistake. Something
that went wrong.

But... he thinks I did well.

It was cold.

And I was worried
about my brother.

I just... didn't want him
to get sick, you know?

So I went to cover
him with a blanket.

What are you doing?

I wasn't trying to hurt him.

But they...

I don't want to hear it!

I've worried this
might be the case.

I couldn't get
them to understand.

I tried, but they'd already
made up their minds.

I just wanted...
to keep him warm.

Hey, if this
snow keeps piling up...

...we'll make
footprints in it. Together.

Promise.

Sorry! My stupid phone!

Shoulda put it on silent.

You were totally about
to kiss, weren't you?

Shut up, you idiot!

Okay, it's on vibrate now!

The snow didn't stick, though.

It melted overnight.

And by morning, it was gone.

Any other opinions?

Well, sounds like
we've got that settled...

Got you something.

Here. It's a brand-new box.

Aw! That is so sweet. Thank you!

Kimi isn't on chalkboard
duty today, though.

Oh, my bad.

...to make sure
everything goes smoothly.

Next up, regarding club
activities for spring break,

there's been a slight change.

The hard end time
was originally PM...

It's gone now, but I wonder...

...will he remember
what he said?

Will he make footprints with me?

I hope it snows soon.

It's hard to believe, but for
the first time in my life,

I'm wishing for snow.

Okay. Here! Uh, Kyo?

Um. Right. Thank you.

It's pretty crazy
to think that we've only got

one year left as high
schoolers, isn't it?

The passage of time
is a curious thing.

We could use some
help over here!

Oh, yeah? Tough.

You wouldn't even have any
flowers if it wasn't for us.

Hey, it's not like I asked
those girls to run off with 'em!

Uh! Watch out!

Tohru!

Are you okay?

Uh. Yeah, thanks.

You jerk.

Kyon. Tohru almost got hurt.

That's not something
we can forgive.

You were the
ones who started it!

Well, just checking in.
I should get going now.

Right. I guess you need to
get back to student council.

No. I'm meeting up with
someone, actually.

Hm?

Once I graduate,

there will be no place for me
at this school anymore.

The familiar hallways,
the lockers, the classrooms.

They'll belong to other people.

That's what graduation means.

Moving on. Saying goodbye.

But...

Sorry. Hope you
weren't waiting long.

Oh, no, it's fine!
I'm just happy that you came.

So I'll get right to it, then.

Or... that's what
I intended to do,

but suddenly, my mind seems to
have gone completely blank.

Sorry. How silly of me.

Right. Here goes.

I wanted to say I'm glad
I met you. Really glad.

I was lucky, coming to a high
school as special as this one.

Every day was a new adventure,
like a never-ending festival.

I laughed. I cried. Caused
more than a little trouble.

And at the center of
it all, there was you.

I loved you.

I loved you, Yuki.

So, I guess what I'm
trying to say is...

...I want the best for you.

I hope that, whatever comes,
whatever the future holds,

you'll find happiness, too.

And if you've already found it,
if you're already happy,

then I hope there's even greater
happiness in store for you.

I've had my own
taste of happiness.

The years I spent here, that
was a gift. A precious gift.

One you gave me.

I'm sorry, but this
is the only way

I can think of to pay you back.

Thank you.

Please... let him understand.

I'm not doing this to get
anything from him.

I don't expect him to
return my feelings.

I just want him
to know that I was happy.

I had so much fun here, and I'm
truly glad to have met him.

So please...

...let him understand.

To be honest,

I think that's more
than I deserve, but...

Yes.

Yes. Thank you very much.

Still, I'm--

Ah! Please, just stop
right there, Yuki!

Really.

Surprisingly, I find I'm feeling
quite good at the moment.

I'd hate for you to ruin it
with an ill-timed apology.

You don't want me
to cry, do you?

Besides, don't discount karma.

These things might be
fairer than we think.

For all we know,
somebody may have been

pining desperately for
me all along, as well.

Like former president Takei?

No. Absolutely not!

Honestly, Yuki, you're so...

Thank you.

♪ The kindness
shown from mentors dear ♪

♪ has brought us
to this year. ♪

♪ The time we've shared
has come and gone ♪

♪ as quickly as the dawn. ♪

♪ The days turned into
months and years ♪

♪ and now we're
finally here. ♪

♪ Our time to learn
has passed us by ♪

♪ and now we say goodbye. ♪

So, sad to be leaving?

Oh, goodness, you caught me.
How embarrassing.

I wanted to take one last
little look at the classroom.

But I'm done now.

Mi-Minagawa-senpai!

The thing is... I...

Well, I just...

I-I always... thought... Um...

After "goodbye" comes "hello"!

All new beginnings
come from endings.

So, I hope whatever the future
holds for you after graduation,

you'll be happy, and...

...you'll keep smiling.

Sakuragi, you, too.

I hope you'll be happy.

And thank you.

Goodbye.

Nice to meet you.

Hiro, your name means
"a light on the path,"

so I named her Hinata,
for "sunshine."

Cute, right?

Hinata, this is
your big brother!

He's going to be starting
middle school so.

Well, come on.

Don't you want to hug her?
Don't be shy now.

No, that's a terrible idea!
Mom, Hinata's a girl. I can't.

Oh, please, it's fine.

Mama's here. I can
hug you both easily.

So it turns out,

Isuzu graduated while she
was still in the hospital.

Good for her.

And you were kind enough
to go pick up her diploma.

You're such a
sweetheart, Kagura.

Compliments are
meaningless from you.

Hey.

Is that really where
she is, the hospital?

Yes. That's what I'm told.

Okay, but nobody seems to know

which one she was admitted to.

And her phone--

Now, Kagura,

have you asked your
mother's advice on this?

I bet she told you not to snoop.

Yes, I'm snooping.

This time it's just...

I get the feeling that she
might not be coming back.

And... I'm worried.

"I'm home."