01x12 - Shining

[bunniefuu]

When I first came to Tokyo,
I had a vague impression of the place.

Everyone's so fashionable
and bustling around!

So this is Tokyo!

But now, I've received a new shock.

Ririka Saijo.

Shima's childhood friend.

She stands out even more
in casual clothes!

Her legs are so long, even in slippers!

She's more than slim, she's thin!

This is a career model?

And someone this beautiful...

Ririka, it's been so long.
You surprised me.

Huh?

...feels really imposing when she's angry!

Even if it's not me she's angry at...

What are you doing here, lady?

Watch it, Ririka.

It's been too long, Sosuke's mom.

Chris?

You've both grown so much. Um...

You were still in contact with Sosuke?

Hilarious.

You haven't changed at all, lady.

It's so obvious you don't want me
anywhere near him.

-That's not what I...
-Ririka!

Self-centered bitch.

-Hey! Stop that, Ririka...
-Shut up, Chris!

I only came to see
my son's cultural fest...

Lady. Are you forcing Sosuke
to act for you again?

ORIGINAL STORY: SKIP AND LOAFER
WRITTEN BY MISAKI TAKAMATSU

TAMANDUA'S INTIMIDATION TACTIC

Small animals try to make themselves
look bigger like this.

This is a tamandua.

Tababua.

Tamandua.

-It's cute.
-Yeah.

Wow. The biology club's journals
are really detailed.

We have an exhibit for kids too.
Come by and see it.

Thanks.

Tababua.

You mean Tamandua.

Huh? Your mom isn't here yet?

Did she get lost?

Shima! Mukai!

Long time no see!

Whoa, you came!

Friends? Hi!

Hello.

Classmates from middle school.

We heard your class was doing a play.

-We just had to come and see you act!
-Totally!

Oh, right. Everyone knew
I was a child star in middle school.

Is that your little brother?

Yeah, it is.

Hello.

He's so cute!

Good way to change the topic.

Sosuke.

I'm here.

Huh? No way! Ririka Saijo the model?

I read High Teen every month!

Thanks.

Oh man, her face is tiny!

So you're still friends with Shima?

Oh, were you in the same TV show as him?

TV show?

Huh? Model?

-Did Shima used to be on TV?
-Oh crap.

Were you keeping that
a secret in high school?

It isn't anything worth hiding, is it?

Oh... I used to be an actor
when I was little.

Huh?

What? Isn't that kind of crazy?

What TV show? Can I search for it?

No, it's kind of embarrassing...

Hey, get ready for the show.

Okay!

Seriously? That's so crazy...

We'll line up now.

Sosuke.

Thanks for taking care of Keiri.

Oh, no...

And I'm really sorry, but I forgot that
I had something important to do.

We're going home now.

Huh? Uh... Okay.

-We're going home?
-Yeah.

Well, your play... Do your best.

She did all that on purpose.

She wanted people to find out
he was a child star.

She wanted his mom to go home.

She wanted Shima to feel uncomfortable...

What?

Ririka.

Did you say something to my mom?

What? Not really.

You didn't want that lady to go home?

That's not...

It's better this way. In fact, I'm...

Ririka, you should line up too.
Standing the whole time is hard.

Uh, yeah.

Huh?

VARIOUS INTIMIDATION TACTICS

She's a tamandua!

Huh? What's the matter?

No, it's just that
the biology club's journals...

Never mind. I'll send a picture later.

What? Now I'm curious.

Let's go, Chris.

Oh, I'm going to talk to Sosuke.

Then I'm going in first.

Sosuke, sorry for coming without warning.

Oh, it's fine.

Ririka asked your mom if she was
forcing you to act for her again.

-Honestly, I get what she's trying to say.
-Yeah.

Well, break a leg.

Yeah. Thanks.

It goes without saying,
but childhood friends go really deep.

It's like they share so much stuff,
both good and bad.

It's like Fumi to me.

I can't simply vault
the wall to reach it, but...

What's with that pose?

I don't know! I'm going back to work!

Do your best for the final show!

...one day, I want to be like that too.

It's the last show.

Let's give it our all!

Yeah!

I have music!

God, I thank you...

I love singing.

When I sing, I can forget all suffering.

The mother superior
is very strict with me.

-"Do your best."
-But I love this convent.

"Give it our all."

Ririka asked your mom if she was
forcing you to act for her again.

It's because it made my mom happy.

So I should do it for myself?

I don't really get that.

Being brutally honest,

if you asked me for my favorite food,
I wouldn't be able to say.

Even though I can tell what
everyone around me wants from me.

Everyone's happier when I give them
what they want.

And it's easier on me to do that.

But the depopulation is really serious.

She said she was doing it for herself,

but isn't Mitsumi dreaming of
becoming an official for her hometown?

Is it really any different?

When you find something you want to do,

no matter how it ends up,

we'll go somewhere you want
and eat something nice!

Is having something
you want to do so great?

Does it ever feel like a curse?

No, that doesn't really matter.

What matters is what I want to do.

Do I feel att*cked by people
who are chasing their dreams

because I feel lacking?

Do I feel unhappy when girls I don't know
like me because I lack confidence?

Do I feel relieved that Mom went home?

Did I want her to watch?

Why don't I know anything about myself?

It's your last appearance! Do your best!

Shima?

Sorry. I'm going on.

They aren't here.

They can't have gone too far.

On that note, Kanechika's play was good.

I feel bad because
I couldn't talk to him before I left.

Give me the g*n, Johan.

No, that's not it.

I didn't talk to him.

You can't possibly do it.

This feeling...

is envy.

Sorry, I forgot my line.

All good.

That was good in itself.

Ririka! Chris!

Oh! Sosuke! You were great up there!

I didn't think a cultural festival
could be this good.

Thanks.

Actually, Ririka, I've been thinking
for a long time now.

The last show is about to start!

What? Sounds like fun!

I don't think I can ever make amends
for what I did to you.

Never.

But going down together...

I don't want to do
anything self-destructive anymore.

I'll do anything
to help you move on again.

I promise you that.

I'll listen to any complaints
and worries you might have.

You can slap me awake
in the middle of the night.

But I... I...

I like going to school.

They're doing it
in the courtyard right now!

What? We need to run!

Huh? What are you saying?

All I heard was you want to be happy
so please forgive you.

You have no right to ask for that.

Yeah... you're right.

But I'm asking for it.

I can't believe you.

Both you and your old lady. Self-centered.

Whatever! You're on your own!

But never show your face to me again!

Ririka.

Thank you.

Come on! We're leaving, Chris!

Ririka, you do know that
you're a celebrity, right?

C... Calm down. Need some water?

I know perfectly well, you know?

It wasn't all Sosuke's fault!

The whole scandal and getting fired...

Sosuke said not to come,
but I went with them anyway!

But it's not fair!

Whenever Sosuke's with me,
he's always so depressed!

He's so much happier and has fun
with girls that don't know anything!

Of course he'd pick them instead!

I was so busy I didn't learn anything
in middle school,

but Sosuke's in a good high school
with such a good cultural festival!

It's not fair!

But you know...

you didn't need to thr*aten him
and make him feel guilty.

He never would've abandoned you anyway.

He's not that kind of person.

He really cares about you, Ririka.

And, you know, you have me too...

CHRIS'S HANDKERCHIEF

You didn't have any work in middle school,
so not learning was your own fault.

Shut up!

Everyone, did you enjoy
this year's cultural festival?

These two incredible days wouldn't have
been possible without all your efforts.

Thank you all so very much!

Next, a word from
the student council president.

Kazakami!

Kazakami!

Well, thank you all for the last two days.

You've heard this already, but we could
only draw the festival to a close

without any major problems thanks to each
and every one of you engaging proactively.

The West Tsubame High School
Cultural Festival has a long history.

I'm sure that this one will remain

in your hearts
as a glorious moment of your youth.

That is all. Thank you very much.

Good work, everyone!

Thank you for your hard work.

You're crying that hard?

There are enough reasons!

Like feeling accomplished and relieved...

But just look at you!

-Need a tissue?
-I have my own!

You would never understand.

Someone as talented as you would never...

Yeah, I wouldn't.

My whole family's pretty much
guaranteed entrance into T University.

All my relatives are doctors
and consultants and what have you.

I didn't ask.

When I was little, I'd meet my cousins
for Bon Festival and New Year's,

but I don't remember them
ever playing with me.

They locked themselves
in their rooms and studied.

I promised my parents I'd only play soccer
until the end of second year,

but then I got injured.

Some genius I am, huh?

But I wanted to do
something high school-like.

I'm really sorry, Takamine.

You wanted to be
student council president so badly.

Not really.

It was the result of an election.

Well, yeah, it was.

Who knew the difference in expectations
would be that wide?

I don't need these. They're yours.

Good work!

And finally...

before the close, awards were presented.

Based on a vote on attraction popularity,
the winning class was class 2-1.

The winning club was,
would you believe it, the drama club!

Thank you very much!

I was such a bad director!

What are you talking about?
You did your best.

I said so many things I shouldn't have!

Thanks for that, Ryoko.

I thought it would be embarrassing,
but it was fun.

Yeah, I liked it.

Hey, like...

Can I call you Sosuke too?

Why are you asking now? Of course.

You can call me Kenty.

Are you two helping or not?

And, each with memories in our hearts...

POLL BOX

WELCOME

...the West Tsubame High School
Cultural Festival is now closed.

Good work!

It's like water permeating
the cracked, arid soil!

It's finally over! I'm so dead...

You did an incredible job up there.

Mika, your song was so good!

Yeah. Super good.

Will you girls stop it already?

Mitsumi, it's still not over
for you, right?

Yeah. I have a meeting after this.

The student council
has a crazy amount of work.

Hey, then after your work settles down,
why don't we do another sleepover?

At my place this time.

We can meet the real Chiffon.

Well, I don't mind.

When do you think it'll be?

Then maybe after finals?

That's ages away!

The second term
has the largest exam range.

Don't drag us back to reality!

Why not make it a study sleepover?

I think I can do the week after next.

Oh, I should get going now.

Then let's talk about it tomorrow.

Tomorrow... Clean up...

Mitsumi, keep it up!

Yeah!

-I'm a growing boy.
-Yeah, you are.

Iwakura, good work.

Good work, everyone.

We're going to Jonathon's. Care to join?

A little party.

I have a meeting right now
about tomorrow's clean up.

-I came to pick up some files.
-Aw, that's too bad.

-See you tomorrow!
-Have fun!

I'm starving!

What are you getting?

I feel like I could eat 100 pizzas
right now.

That's definitely not happening.

Feel like meat?

Yeah! And a parfait too?

Oh, man...

Mitsumi.

Shima? Forget something?

Oh, no.

I was wondering
if I could help with anything.

Huh? No, nothing.

It's only just the meeting today.

Go have dinner with everyone.

Okay. See you.

Yeah. Bye-bye!

Oh, if our class
finishes cleaning up early,

I'll help you tomorrow.

That'd be a big help.

Call me as soon as you're free.

-I'll let you know where you can help.
-Okay.

Mitsumi!

What is it?

Nothing! See you tomorrow!

Urban, mature, and kind.

I was amazed that a boy
like this could exist in this world.

But today, he was a little more
like a kid?

Shima might be even weirder
than I ever thought.

But that kind of...

That kind of makes me happy.

Ooh, I like that!

Mitsumi Iwakura, 15-years-old.

I'm from the edge of Ishikawa Prefecture.

I tested into a high school in Tokyo
to become a government official.

I've spun my wheels and messed up,

but I've found a wonderful place,

wonderful things,

and wonderful people that I love.

Today, Tokyo feels whimsical,
with high blue skies.

It's the clear fall sky!