01x01 - An Awful Birthday

[bunniefuu]

[train chugging]

[street traffic hums]

[indistinct chatter]

[MIZUHO]

What an awful birthday.

[indistinct chatter]

DEAR NISHINO MIZUHO-SAMA,

WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE

TO END KAWAGUCHI

MEGU-SENSEI'S

SERIES BY THE

END OF THIS YEAR?

Well, guess it's over

by the end of the year, huh?

-[FEMALE 1A] Pick up the pace!

-[MALE 1A] Come on.

[MALE 1B]

You're so busted!

[FEMALE 1A] You stayed up

too late again, didn't you?

[Mizuho gasps]

-[all laughing]

-[FEMALE 1A] Honestly.

[MALE 1A]

I'm innocent!

[MALE 1B]

More like guilty as charged.

[MALE 1C]

He's hopeless.

♪

[chuckles]

[MIZUHO]

That brings back memories.

♪

[water rippling]

Wait

it's me.

♪

I didn't realize it

at the time

but in my teenage years

life was truly dazzling.

ANYWAY,

I'M FALLING IN LOVE WITH YOU

[wind whooshing]

[birds chirping]

[FEMALE RADIO HOST 1A]

Rise and shine, everyone!

We're in the thick of summer

now and things are getting hot!

It's July 1st, 2020,

and I hope you're all making

the most of it

this fine morning!

This week, highs are expected

to exceed a sweltering

35 degrees Celsius

all across Kanto.

Don't forget to stay hydrated,

-or you'll be sorry!

-[Mizuho's father humming]

[FEMALE RADIO HOST 1A]

For today's horoscope,

our lucky item for Cancer is

a candle!

[FEMALE RADIO HOST 1A]

That nasty disease

is still going around,

so please be careful

out there, folks!

[humming]

[deep breaths]

[humming]

[deep breaths]

Morning! Uh!

Mi?

[thuds]

-[MIZUHO'S FATHER] My baby!

-[birds chirping wildly]

♪

Now, I know

you're childhood friends

but you shouldn't

stay up so late

that you fall asleep together.

You two aren't

little kids anymore,

right, honey?

♪

[Mizuho laughs]

I don't get what

you're worried about.

Come on, I just

asked him to model

for a panel of my manga.

Besides, you know

that Kizuki is like

a little brother to me, Dad.

♪

Hmm.

♪

Thank you for having me over.

[chuckles]

No problem.

Just wish I'd heard

about it yesterday.

[gasps]

Oh, right, there's

breakfast on the table.

[yawns]

Okay.

[MIZUHO] And thanks

for packing my lunch!

♪

Figures, dad totally forgot.

It's not just any day,

it's my birthday.

♪

KOIGAHAMA HIGHLANDS!

My childhood friends.

The four of us grew up together

right here in this neighborhood

a place called

Koigahama Highlands.

♪

[door opens]

[birds chirping]

-[MIZUHO] Good morning!

-[KIZUKI] Uh?

♪

We've been waiting ages.

I take longer

to get ready, so what?

♪

[MIZUHO]

We've always been super close,

so it's basically impossible

to keep secrets.

[all laughing]

[MIZUHO]

We're like siblings,

all going into our second year

of high school together.

♪

For real, Mizuho?

Roughing it without

makeup again?

Trying to hide your shame

behind those dorky glasses

won't cut it.

[humming loudly]

Eh, he's not wrong, you know?

You should be a bit more--

A bit more what, huh Airu?

Lemme take a wild guess,

you were up late again

drawing your manga.

Oh, gee, nothing

gets past you, Shugo.

Your time would be much

better spent studying.

Nerd boy strikes again!

Just don't come crying to me

before exams.

Now, Shin, there are certain

things in this world

that are way more

important than studying.

I'm talking about

love and friendship.

[train chugging]

♪

Only you could be

so serious this early.

You should study more, too.

[SHUGO] My grades are okay

just the way they are.

[MIZUHO]

Kizuki, your backpack.

Huh?

How can you always

be so careless?

Like, honestly.

[MIZUHO] In all these years,

he's only grown in height.

Thanks a bunch.

[MIZUHO]

He's the baby of the group.

[alarm blaring]

[SHUGO]

Kizuki, remind me,

practice resumes today, right?

-[KIZUKI] Right.

-Oh, cool!

That means you get to resume

creeping on your beloved Saito.

-[chuckles]

-Hey, what?

What are you talking about?

High energy.

I'm shocked

since it's so early.

Oh, okay.

[MIZUHO] How about you

just keep your mouth shut?

[Airu laughing]

[indistinct chatter]

[bell chiming]

[MIZUHO]

How did I land cleaning duty

today of all days?

[Mizuho sighs]

Huh?

[indistinct chatter]

[screaming]

[GIRLS]

You're on fire, Kizuki!

Ah?

[Mizuho groans]

[Mizuho gasps]

[MIZUHO]

My poor glasses.

No!

[FEMALE 1B] I'm super bummed

that Saito's not here.

-Huh?

-[crow cawing]

[FEMALE 1C] Rumor has it

he's quitting the swim team.

[FEMALE 1D] 'Cause there's

no inter-high competition?

[birds chirping]

[crow cawing]

[MIZUHO] Saito

can't just quit like this.

[water rippling]

[footfall]

Ah!

-[MIZUHO] Um, Saito?

-Huh?

Hey, Nishino.

[seagulls squawking]

[SAITO]

We're so unlucky.

Don't you think?

Classes were canceled

out of nowhere

all because

of some stupid disease.

School trips

sports festivals

fireworks shows

they've all been taken from us.

I mean

even swim practice

and our last meet.

All that workfor nothing.

Not nothing.

[MIZUHO] I liked watching you

trying your best

andseeing you have fun.

I was gonna go

to your final meet

and confess my feelings.

Sorry, I probably

shouldn't have said that.

Not that it matters now.

But

[bus engine whirring]

[MIZUHO]

Please don't quit.

For your own sake.

You love it, don't stop.

[bus door opens]

No offense,

but you're not

on the team, Nishino.

You have no idea how I feel.

[gasps]

[bus door closes]

[bus engine revving]

♪

Guess that's that.

♪

[MIZUHO]

My unrequited loveis over.

♪

#1 AN AWFUL BIRTHDAY

What an awful birthday.

-[SAITO] Kizuki.

-[gasps]

[KIZUKI]

Saito.

Hey.

[water sloshing]

[SAITO]

You're really impressive.

[KIZUKI]

Huh?

We don't even know if we'll

ever get to compete again.

[SAITO] Why are you

still trying so hard?

I promised myself something.

[KIZUKI] If I ever make it

to the finals at nationals

I'll tell her how I feel.

So, I can't stop.

I have to keep getting

better till it happens.

[SAITO]

You're gonna make me look bad.

Ah?

I'll come back

to practice tomorrow.

You mean it?

[SAITO] Nishino said

to swim for my own sake.

She said she liked

watching me.

Having fun

and trying hard and stuff.

[Kizuki gasps]

You're close, aren't you?

Like, isn't she

your childhood friend?

[KIZUKI]

It's not like that for me.

Huh?

She's a woman.

That's how I see her.

[KIZUKI]

So, keep your distance.

-[door closes]

-[MIZUHO] I'm home.

[Mizuho sighs]

Ah?

[party popper popping]

♪

[TOGETHER]

Happy birthday, Mizuho!

Happy 17th birthday!

[all cheering]

[AIRU]

Surprise!

[SHUGO]

Flawless execution!

[MIZUHO]

The tender kindness

of my childhood friends.

[weeping]

She's crying?

Looks like it to me!

This is why I told you

that it was a bad idea

to surprise her.

Well, that ship sailed.

-Uh, Kizuki!

-What?

-[SHUGO] The ake-cay!

-Cake?

[SHUGO]

Yeah, get the cake!

-[MIZUHO] No, I'm not upset.

-[all gasping]

♪

[sniffles]

I'm happy.

[all sighing]

♪

And so grateful.

An ugly cry to remember!

Airu, put that away!

But there's no fireworks show

or anything this year.

You know, he's right.

Just think about it,

we'll need to start

making our own memories.

[footfall]

When I blow out

all these candles

what do you think

I should be wishing for?

I'm guessing that

only the birthday girl

gets to make a wish, right?

Well, duh.

Mizuho.

You had already been crying

when you were

on your way back home.

What?

I, uh, why would

you think that?

[KIZUKI]

You can't hide behind these.

Huh.

Hm.

[MIZUHO]

At that moment in time,

in 2020,

I didn't realize.

Hm?

[blowing]

My wish is to be

your boyfriend.

♪

[MIZUHO]

I was surrounded

by a rare

and dazzling brilliance.

[TOGETHER]

Cheers!

[MIZUHO]

Now, let's eat!

Now, tell us what you

and Kizuki were doing together?

[spitting]

Did he ask you to marry him

like old Shugo here once did?

You haven't

forgotten about that.

That was before we were

even in grade school.

Back then I was

ignorant to the fact

that girls other than Mizuho

existed in the world.

[SHUGO]

So, in other words.

-Ah! Hey, wait!

-[SHUGO] It's my shameful past!

No stop! Enough!

[SHUGO] Purge it from your

memory this instant, or else!

Eat your cake quietly.

Hah?

♪

[SHIN] Mizuho,

there's icing on your face.

Really?

♪

[chuckles]

I swear, you're just

like a little kid.

[whimpering]

[MIZUHO]

You're one to talk, Kizuki!

[sighs]

♪

[birds chirping]

[door opens]

[MIZUHO]

Good morning.

-[AIRU] Ohh!

-[SHUGO] Oh, wow!

[AIRU]

Look at that,

you finally

discovered contacts!

♪

[SHUGO] Hey, it's better

than those dorky glasses.

Shut your mouth!

Still you, though.

Leave me alone!

[SHUGO]

What do you think, Shin?

[MIZUHO]

I don't wanna hear it!

Well, makes no difference.

You're still stupid.

[all laughing]

[KIZUKI]

So cute.

Huh?

You look really cute, Mizuho!

♪

[whimpering]

[MIZUHO]

He makes me so mad.

So incredibly mad!

[indistinct chatter]

[MIZUHO] Kizuki's definitely

pulling a prank on me!

[indistinct chatter]

He was just cheering me up

because I was crying.

What does he think

he's playing at, anyway?

Too high.

[groaning]

I can't reach.

[KIZUKI]

Let me.

[gasps]

All done.

Lunch time, let's go.

[indistinct chatter]

[cutlery clanking]

Aah.

Aah?

[all gasping]

[SHIN] Kizuki, don't feed

Airu your broccoli

just because you don't like it.

[laughs]

This is weird.

Aren't you gonna eat

with your usual crew?

What's the problem?

I just felt like eating

with you, Chika.

That's a dangerous game.

You realize their groupies

will come for you.

I doubt it.

There's no way

they'd really try to--

-[SUZUKI] Nishino, hey!

-Ah?

We were hoping you could

give this to Kizuki for us.

[MIZUHO]

Huh?

The two of us made this

special gift just for him.

He's right there, so why

don't you do it yourself?

Are you kidding me?

I can't even breathe

when he's around!

I see, but what's so great

about him, anyway?

[SUZUKI]

I'm begging you!

[both screaming]

[MIZUHO]

Come back!

-[CHIKA] Such innocence.

-[sighs]

[MIZUHO]

Why Kizuki?

He's just a big crybaby.

Please, Mi!

[crying]

I don't want you

to go away yet!

-Ah?

-[weeping]

It's okay.

I'll stay with you.

[MIZUHO]

When we were kids

Kizuki often missed school

because of his asthma.

[MIZUHO (YOUNG)]

Look, I made you a new drawing.

[laughs]

You'll definitely

be a manga artist

when you grow up.

[MIZUHO]

Hearing him laugh

made me happy.

I can't believe how much

of a genius you are!

[MIZUHO (YOUNG)]

Say it again!

You've gotta be

the greatest genius

that ever walked this Earth!

I think you're just amazing.

This is pretty average.

♪

Oh, I see.

[MALE EDITOR 1A] I want you

to try to create a manga

that only you could make.

For example,

why don't you try

writing a school romance?

That might be exciting.

I couldn't possibly!

My love life's

basically nonexistent.

Never even dated!

Come on, that can't be true.

I mean, you're a high school

student, after all.

[MALE EDITOR 1A] You're

in the midst of your dazzling

and exciting adolescence.

♪

You've got the wrong idea.

My life isn't dazzling

or very exciting.

Are you quite certain?

[MALE EDITOR 1A] Perhaps you

just can't see it for yourself.

Huh?

[footfall]

[MIZUHO]

He rejected everything.

-[AIRU] Mizuho!

-Uh.

Hey!

Fancy seeing you.

Hey, Airu.

Check this out.

[AIRU] An editor gave me

all these free makeup samples.

You want one?

Jeez

you really are a persuasive

influencer, aren't you?

What's wrong?

[MIZUHO]

Anyway, you know how it goes.

[AIRU] A thrilling tale

of love and adolescence, huh?

Well, today's on me.

So, relax, okay?

Draw a new one

when you're ready.

It's so far-fetched.

Whose life is actually

that exciting?

Ah!

It was my dumb dream

to watch the fireworks show

with my crush

but that disease came along

and wrecked everything.

[MIZUHO]

Not to mention I got rejected.

-[MIZUHO] Oh, right.

-Hm?

[AIRU]

What's all that?

It's for Kizuki

from a couple of girls

in my class.

Huh?

[sighs]

Hey, Mizuho.

Can you really say

that doesn't bother you?

Girls going after Kizuki?

[MIZUHO]

Huh?

Why would it?

Kizuki's like our baby brother.

Then go

give him that

present right now.

You know where to find him.

[AIRU] He's probably

still at the pool.

[MIZUHO]

What's Airu's problem, anyway?

Why the rush?

He has no idea what's going on.

It's just

I don't wanna be alone

with Kizuki right now.

[water splashing]

Mizuho.

What's up,

are you heading home?

[MIZUHO]

Hold on.

Here, this is for you.

Yeah?

[MIZUHO]

Yeah.

[KIZUKI]

Did you make these?

That's so sweet, thank you.

[MIZUHO] [chuckles]

No, not me.

You know Suzuki and Fujita?

They asked me

to give it to you.

The gift's from them.

Kizuki?

[KIZUKI]

Give it back.

[footfall]

Huh?

Wait for me!

[MIZUHO]

What's the matter?

Doesn't that make you

feel anything?

[KIZUKI]

Or is it

you don't care

if I accept gifts like that.

[gasps]

[sighs]

Why exactly would it bother me?

I'm headed home, okay?

[Mizuho gasps]

♪

Please don't go away.

[MIZUHO]

Kizuki.

♪

[MIZUHO]

He used to be so much smaller.

So much weaker than me.

♪

Hey, come on.

Let go of me!

[water splashing]

[Mizuho whimpering]

♪

[KIZUKI] Have you ever

considered for a moment

that I'm a man now?

[gasps]

Of course not.

♪

It's fine.

I'm confident.

♪

I have zero doubt

you'll fall in love with me.

What are you saying

♪