01x14 - Bakudan

[bunniefuu]

Just when I thought
Hayato's voice couldn't get any louder,

he basically broke
the sound barrier today.

[chuckles]

[Minato] Ever since the sports festival,
Yota's been acting super weird.

SPORTS FESTIVAL

He was normal happy-go-lucky Yota
during it.

SPACING OUT - KARAOKE

But he's been completely out of it lately.

SCUTTLING AWAY - THE HALLWAY

And I've noticed
Miki seems to be avoiding him.

Did something happen between them
that day after school?

POKE POKE

-[squeals] What is it?
-Miki.

STOP THAT

-You good?
-Huh?

Uh, wh-why?

CRINGE

She sucks at this.

[stammers] Just so you know,
I'm… I'm not feeling down, okay?

I-I just didn't sleep well last night.

[chuckles]

EEK

[sighs]

Oh, that's good to know.

Hmm.

[Koyuki] Hmm.

Ever since the sports festival,
Miki's been acting super weird.

But up till then,
she'd been super energetic.

I wonder why. Hmm.

[Shimojima] She's making
that intense face again.

Did something happen between her and Yota
after cleanup?

Yota.

GLIDE

Koyun? What's wrong?

[Koyuki] Uh, well…

You good?

[TRIES TO] SMILE

[Yota] Hmm?

-[chuckles]
-Uh…

[Yota] She sucks at this.

Let's, uh, go outside.

[gentle music playing]

Miki found out.

What? So… So does that mean…

Did you confess to her?

Nah. I guess she just could kinda tell
from how I was acting.

It's my fault. If I could've just
been chill, she wouldn't have found out.

But part of me maybe wanted her to?

For a split second, I let my mask slip,
so maybe it'd get through to her.

Even though I wanted
to keep things as they were.

I'm so wishy-washy, aren't I?

Yeah, but everyone knows
Miki thinks the world of you.

If she clocked it,
maybe she'll pay attention now,

and her feelings might change.

Not gonna happen.

Since even back in junior high,
Miki's always just seen me as a friend.

A best friend, even.

Or I hope I am.

But I was fine with that arrangement.
I really was.

I was convinced that I was… I don't know.

[chuckles]

[sighs]

Okay, so she found out
how you feel about her.

Miki's not the kind of person

who'd hate you
or just cut you out of her life, right?

She's just trying
to figure out your new dynamic.

Miki always treats everyone in her life
with care and respect.

She'd never do anything to hurt you.

[Yota] Yeah.

And that's why I think it's important
I don't leave things vague anymore.

Koyun. I…

I'm gonna end it properly.

EPISODE 14
BOMBSHELL

[Miki] I'm pretty sure
Yota has feelings for me.

Which means, of course, I can't talk
to Minato or anybody else about it.

Whether it was all just in my head,

or even if it were actually true…

Talking to someone about it
would hurt Yota really badly.

Oh, no. And what about Koyun?

If Koyun likes Yota, then that means…

that my very existence would end up
hurting two people I care about.

[customer] Can I get the check please?

[screams] Thank you, come again!

[sighs]

[senior] Miki?
Did something happen again at school?

-What?
-You've really looked out of it all day.

Wait, really?

Sorry about that.

[sighs] All right, complain away.

[Miki] Oh, no,
it's not that I need to vent…

But maybe it would be easier
to talk to them than my school friends.

Um…

If there was someone you'd only ever
thought of as a good friend,

and then you realized that friend,
they might have a… a crush on you,

what do you do when you find out?

[seniors] Hmm.

Should you just pretend not to notice
and go back to how things were before?

Or should you just do your best
to avoid them?

I have no idea what to do now.

DAMAGE

-[seniors] How bittersweet.
-Hmm?

Honestly, if it were me, I'd probably
be flattered if it wasn't someone I hated.

[chuckles]

In fact,
once I think a girl might like me,

I start to pay more attention to her, and
then I tend to fall for her right back.

Really?

Okay, but what if…
if things don't go well?

Then… Then you'll have lost
the relationship and the friendship.

Oh. I still hang out with exes
all the time. It's not that big a deal.

Really? I can't even imagine that.

As you age, you'll have more relationships
that don't fit neatly in a box.

Depends on who it is.

-Is this friend of yours a girl or a guy?
-It's a guy friend.

Then I have absolutely no idea.

When it comes
to one-sided romantic feelings

from a person you can't beat
in one-to-one, hand-to-hand combat,

you nip that in the bud before it grows.

Trust me here. Taking a guy down is tough
if you don't have a weapon handy.

Geez. What happened to you?

GROANS

Look. A guy's fear of a spurned woman

is nothing compared to a woman's fear
when faced with a man she's rejected.

Uh, no. Yeah, he'd never fly into a rage,
so we're good on the hand-to-hand combat.

[senior 2] It'd probably be easiest

if you just grew to like him
the way he likes you, but…

[Miki] The way he likes me…

Whenever I'm with Yota,

I always feel so free to be myself,
and I have a blast.

And I bet
Yota probably feels the same way.

We give each other
a warm, safe place to belong.

Friends on equal footing.

But are we really…

CAMERA ROLL

How would he have treated me
if I wasn't a girl?

If he didn't have a crush on me?

Would we have become remotely
as close as we are now?

Would he have still been as kind to me?

I don't want Yota to see me

as a girl or as a potential girlfriend.

I want him to see me as a person
who has value as a friend.

-[phone buzzing]
-Hmm?

INCOMING CALL - NINE AUDIO

Minato?

What's up?

Nothing much. You free to talk?

Yeah. Hey, are you outside right now?

[Minato] Mm-hmm. I'm just walking Ponta.

-[Miki] Aw, my little tanupoko.
-[Ponta barks]

[Minato] It's Ponta, thank you very much.

-So what's up?
-[sighs] It's nothing, really.

I was just out on a walk and decided
I wanted to talk to someone. That's all.

[chuckles] What the heck, man?

So yeah, not really calling
about anything in particular.

There are just times when you kinda
want to talk to someone, right?

Mmm. I get that.

Although, uh, out of everyone else,
you called me?

-Why not?
-I don't know. It's just…

MEMORIES OF MIDDLE SCHOOL

Don't you have a ton of girls
blowing up your phone all the time?

[Minato] Is that how you see me?

I don't have anyone like that,
and even if I did,

I'd be considerate and at least come up
with a topic to call about first.

But you don't need to do that with me?

Nah, you're different.
It's not like that with us.

[gasps]

Wait, what's with the pause? Disappointed?

No! No way!

I know it's hard, but you'll get over me.

Oh, shut your dumb mouth!

[chuckles] Kidding.

[Miki] Don't do that. Geez.

I'm outside right now too,

and now I look like a weirdo who's
flipping out in the bicycle parking lot.

You're just heading home? It's late.

I was at work,
but I'm getting my bike now.

Ponta's throwing in the towel,
so I should head home too.

-Pon-chickie.
-It's Ponta.

Well, see ya. Did I help you k*ll time?

Yeah. Thanks for that.

So, you know, I'm here too
if you need to talk to someone.

-[Miki] Okay.
-Anyway, see you at the after-party.

Oh, the cheer squad yakiniku thing!

[Minato scoffs] Did you forget?
You better be there.

Yeah. You got it.

Have a good night.

[crossing signal dinging]

[Koyuki] I wonder how Miki actually feels
about Yota right now.

Does she see Yota just as a friend,
like how she sees Amamiya?

[Miki] How long have you and Minato
known each other?

Minato, come on.

Do you think Yota and Minato
are that different?

[Koyuki] Does she see him in that way?

Huh? Wait.

For Miki, Amamiya is…

And for Amamiya, Miki is…

A friend? Best friend?

Or maybe something more?

And when it comes to me,
how does he see me?

Wait, no!
Who even cares about me right now?

[sighs] Anyway,
I hope they'll be able to sort it out

at the cheer squad after-party tomorrow.

YAKINIKU
ALL YOU CAN EAT

[all] Good work at the festival, everyone!

[chattering, laughing]

Wow, Miki.
Short hair looks so good on you.

Never go with salt.
You gotta go with marinade.

[squad members chattering]

[Koyuki] They didn't sort it out.

Miki used to mainly just hang out with
guys, and usually only those in our grade.

Today, she's talking
only to the upperclassmen.

Is it just 'cause it's a rare opportunity?

Am I overthinking it?

[sighs] Yota hasn't even tried to move
from his seat all the way over there.

STARE
IN NO POSITION TO TALK

Hey, Koyuki. These are gonna burn.

-[squad members chuckling]
-[Koyuki] Hmm?

-Yeah, exactly.
-[Koyuki] Wow, Amamiya's…

-looking kinda cute today.
-You really never heard of that?

Is it the glasses?

[student chuckles] Look at that.

Don't Momoka and Amamiya outfits
look kind of similar?

-Hmm?
-Huh?

[student] Stand side by side, you two.

-Huh?
-Huh?

[student 2]
Wow, you guys look good together.

-[Momoka giggles]
-Thank you!

[student] Ha! Such a flirt.

[Hayato] Barf.

Typical Minato.

-[whimpers] Gosh, I'm kind of embarrassed.
-Hmm?

Don't act shy.
They'll end up just teasing you more.

Play along and they'll get bored of it.

[chuckles]

So smart.

-Hey, you're pretty clever, aren't you?
-Am I?

PLAYING DUMB

[Yota] Hmm?

Koyun.

SILENCE

Uh, hey, Koyuki,

I always wondered but was scared to ask…

I was curious
if you maybe disliked Amamiya?

[Koyuki] Huh?

Huh? Wh-Why?

Well, just 'cause that's kind of the vibe
you were giving off.

No way. I don't.
[stammers] I really don't.

-I don't, I… I swear.
-[Shimojima] Uh…

That wasn't convincing.

[Koyuki] Do I come across
like I don't like him?

[Shimojima] Hmm, well,
you don't "not" seem like you dislike him.

[Koyuki]
Then I'm giving the wrong impression.

I'll have to work on that.

Uh, no, no. Don't go out of your way
to change anything.

Uh, could I maybe sit with you?

-[winces]
-Oh, hey, Momoka.

Oh, my gosh. My face is still blushing.
I'm embarrassed.

[Shimojima] They can be
so annoying, right?

Oh, I don't mind.

Actually, Amamiya's a great guy,
and I kinda like him.

[both] Hmm?

Huh? Is it really that surprising?

Wait, you mean like as in a romantic way?

[Momoka] Yeah, I'd say so.

Which is why I secretly liked it
when they said we looked great together.

Oh. Well, that's good...

Except Amamiya is…

Madam Koyun, what do you think?

Huh? About what?

Do you think
it'd be okay for me to give it a go?

I mean, that's… that's your call to make.

It's not my place to say
who you can or can't date.

I'm so glad.

Because I was thinking
if you were against it,

then I wouldn't be able
to do anything about it.

Why are you asking me?

Hmm? Because, well, if you were
to reciprocate his feelings,

I wouldn't stand a chance, would I?

-[whimpers]
-[gasps] His feelings? What are you…

-[Shimojima] Oh, no!
-What?

Come on. Are you just messing with me?

-[Koyuki] Hmm?
-No, no, no!

Well, if you haven't
figured it out by now,

Amamiya clearly has a crush on you.

[Shimojima] It's over.

Well, if you haven't
figured it out by now,

Amamiya clearly has a crush on you.

-[Koyuki stammers]
-[whimpering]

[Koyuki] Huh?

[stammering] You think Amamiya likes me?

[Momoka laughs]

Liar.

-You're lying right now. You have to be.
-[gasps]

Madam Koyun, there's no way you
didn't know Amamiya has feelings for you.

Don't tell me that you can't figure out

something as simple
as "I think he likes me"?

It's just that Amamiya is…
Well, Amamiya's nice to everyone.

So it's not like I'm special or anything.

No. Honestly,
there are things that come to mind.

But it's not a big deal.

I'm not special.

He's just friendly.

He's like that to everyone.

I told myself that.

I shoved it down, ignored it because…

WHAT IF I'M WRONG?
WHAT IF I'M NOT?

WILL OUR RELATIONSHIP CHANGE?
FOR BETTER? FOR WORSE?

I was running away to protect myself,

when the whole time
in the back of my mind,

I think I was secretly hoping, "Maybe."

But…

I didn't want her
to be the one to make me realize it.

Well, that's good.
Now I know I have nothing to worry about.

Wish me luck! I'll try my hardest
to get him to like me back.

NO COMMENT

[Shimojima] I changed my mind.
This girl's kinda scary…

She doesn't give up.

[student] Anyone still wanting
to party, head down to the river.

-[squad cheering]
-[Koyuki] Okay. Now, let's see.

My shoes…

[gasps]

Oh. Yours was next to mine?

Yeah.

Whoa. [whimpers]

-[Minato] Wait.
-Huh?

Koyun.

[Koyuki] Hmm?

Look, we're twins.

Huh?

SEIZING UP - WHOA

Uh, oh, no.
He's gonna get the wrong impression.

Quickly, say something back. Ah!

WHISPER

Yeah, it was super cheap, wasn't it?

[chuckles] Yeah, I know.

But I liked that it looked expensive.

I thought the same thing.

It'll be our secret.
I won't tell if you won't. How about it?

My glasses are cheap too, by the way.

[giggling] Good to know.

[groans] What do I do?

If I told, they'd find out about mine too.

Man, this is so much fun.

I wanna stay exactly as we are now,
at this distance forever.

[Yuki] Thank goodness! That was close one.

I almost thought
I lost the key for my shoes.

Huh? Back it up. You can't go this way.

[Yuki] What? Huh? Why?

Are you gonna watch the fireworks?

Yeah. Miki and Tsukiko are gonna go too.

Oh, that's good.

We didn't get much of a chance
to talk today, so I hoped you'd be there.

[gentle music playing]

[Koyuki] If I wasn't sure before, I think
it's safe to say it's pretty clear now.

Wait, what do I do?
What do I do, what do I do?

TURN

O-Oh. That's cool.

[both wince, grumble]

-[Miki] Koyun! Where are you?
-Hmm?

BA-BUMP - WHOOSH

Right here!

ALL ALONE

[all chattering]

[sighs]

Hey! Come on. Get down here.

[Akine] I'm good.
I'm just gonna watch from here.

You're so full of it!
You just can't get down!

[Akine grumbles]

[Yuki] You can do it. See?

LIFT

-Here!
-What the… [screams]

I'm scared! Put me down!

[Yuki] Okay, okay. One sec.

[screaming]

[Koyuki] What was that?

[Yuki] What's up?
[all] Huh?

If it isn't Koyun, Yota and lil Tsukiko.

Yuki. Did you hear
that weird scream just now?

Oh, that?

-That was Atagawa.
-[Akine growling]

[Koyuki] She seems, like, really angry.

[Yuki] Isn't it too early
to do senko sparklers?

You save those for the end.

[Koyuki] Hmph. You can do them
whenever you want, all right?

Yeah, true that.

[Koyuki] You wanna do one?

You bet I do!

STARE - RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE

[Koyuki] How did I end up
in this position?

I feel her eyes boring into my soul.

Aw, it fell.

I'm gonna make yours fall too.

-[blows]
-Knock it off.

Hmm...

-Huh?
-Huh?

Mind if I join you all?

-[gasps]
-Huh?

-Can I?
-[yelps]

-[Akine] Huh? Uh… Uh…
-Whoa. What's wrong?

[whimpers]

THUMP THUMP

-[Yota, Shimojima] This is interesting.
-What's with these faces?

CRACKLE CRACKLE
BANG

[students exclaiming, cheering]

-[student 1] Amazing!
-[student 2] Whoa. Look at 'em go!

-Huh?
-[student 1] It's like a movie!

[both grunt]

[gentle music playing]

[sighs]

Wanna see which one of us lasts longer?

Mm-hmm.

[Koyuki] Our elbows are so close.

-[Minato] Oh, it lit.
-Hmm?

[chuckles]

-Uh?
-[gasps]

[sighs]

Smile.

SMILE

[whimpers]

SEIZING UP

[student] Yeah, this is awesome!

[squad leaders] Congrats, everyone,
on a good sports festival!

[squad] We did it!

[cheering, laughing]

-[Yota] Miki.
-[gasps]

This is yours, right? I guess it fell.

Huh?

Wait, what? That's my key chain.

You're right. I-It must've fallen off.

Here.

Oh, uh, thanks.

Although, how did you know it was mine?

Hmm. How could I not know?

[gasps]

Miki, is it awkward being around me?

-What?
-[chuckles]

You're just so easy to read.

No. It's not… [stammers] That's not it.

-I'm sorry.
-Huh?

If you have a minute, can we maybe talk?

[Miki whimpers]

There's something I wanted to bring up.

Miki.

[Miki] If he doesn't say
what he's about to say,

then things can stay as they are.

[Yota] I like you.

Huh? What?

[chuckles] Thank you.

[Miki] Oh.

He's serious.

It's not a joke or messing around.

He really means it.

Since we were in junior high,
I've had feelings for you.

What?

You've had feelings that long? F-For me?

If I'm being honest,
I never planned on telling you.

But I sucked at hiding it,

so I wanted to make it right.

I need to close that door.

So that way, we can just be friends again.

And I'm sorry. Truly.

[Miki]
Yota always has a smile on his face.

But this face is one I've never seen.

Why am I doing this?
Why am I stealing Yota's smile from him?

Because in the end, I like Yota too.

I even love him.

But only in a…

No.

Maybe if… if I start trying to see him
in that way, my feelings might change.

I mean, is there anybody else in the world
who would accept me and love me like this?

Just the way I am?

If I could love the person who loves me,
love him back the way he does…

I know I'd definitely be happy.

Yota.

But then again…

I'm so sorry.

With these feelings I have…

It's not that… that I don't like you…

But I can't reciprocate.

But I just honestly never
thought of you in that way.

Mm-hmm.

[crying]
And I just didn't know what to do.

Yeah. I understand.

I'm sorry for avoiding you and stuff.

I never meant to hurt you or anything.

Yeah. I know, Miki.

-[sobs] Sorry.
-[chuckles]

Thank you.

[gasps]

[crying continues]

[Yota chuckles]
Come on. Why are you crying?

[theme music playing]