01x01 - I'm Going

[bunniefuu]

Let's hold another banquet.

Let's do it again and again,

forever, without change.

{\an }Even if you feel lonely and sad now,

everyone is waiting for you,

on the other side of that promise.

That was in the long-distant past.

That first memory,
which everyone has forgotten.

That first promise.

It's already mid-September,
yet it looks like another hot day!

Watch the house
while I'm away, Mom, okay?

I'm going!

I've got plenty of time today,
so why not have a look around?

What a view!

Look at that!

There's a house here.

So cute!

How unusual.

A young girl in a place like this?

Good morning! I'm sorry
I was looking without permission!

Go ahead.

Though I doubt there's anything
young people would find interesting here.

That's not true!

These Chinese Zodiac figurines
are so cute!

Oh, I like them too.

Although I don't see the cat among them…

The cat?

Oh, you mean the cat
from the Zodiac folktales?

Yes!

My mother would often tell me that story.

Once upon a time,

God told the animals:

"I invite you all to the banquet
I'll be holding tomorrow."

But the Rat, who was a bit of a prankster,
lied to his neighbor the Cat, 

telling him that the banquet
was the day after tomorrow.

The day of the banquet,
the Rat rode on the Ox's back, 

and leapt down graciously
at the banquet hall.

After him came the Tiger, the Ox,
and all the others, 

and they celebrated merrily until dawn.

Except the Cat, who had been deceived.

Why are you crying, Tohru?

Poor Cat!

I made a decision! I'm going to quit
being the Dog and become the Cat!

{\an }SHE MEANS SHE WANTS TO SWITCH
HER BIRTH YEAR FROM DOG TO CAT

Really?

I wonder what face he'd make
if he heard that.

-What?
-So, you were born in the Year of the Dog?

I kind of feel
a sense of affinity with you.

You know, I'm a Dog… as well.

Enough with the flirting.

Are you all right, Honda?

Did my cousin do something weird?

-Good morning, Soma!
-Do you have a dictionary somewhere here?

Yeah, a couple.

Good morning.

Oh, you two know each other?

She's my classmate, Honda.

I'm Tohru Honda, pleased to meet you!

Oh. I'm Shigure Soma, Yuki's cousin.

Come to think of it, why are you here?

Oh, I live not far from here…

You do? Interesting…

I really must be going!

-Honda.
-Yes?

Since you're here,
let's walk to school together.

Oh…

Honda, what was that about?

Well…

Let us introduce ourselves.

I am Prince Yuki's second-year
representative, Motoko Minagawa!

"Prince Yuki"?

Prince Yuki's key rules:

Never steal the prince's personal effects!

Never enter the prince's home!

Never speak to him alone.

Prince Yuki.

The club devoted to praising,
loving and protecting

the prince that graces our school
with his presence.

Honda!

You behave as if you defy
the rigorous traditions of the club!

Tell us the reason why
you came to school with Yuki.

That's scary…

Explain it! Now!

That was just a coincidence…

That's right.

The incredibly handsome Yuki Soma
is considered the school's prince,

even though he's only a freshman.

Answering "just a coincidence"
doesn't explain it at all!

That's right!

Don't get too cocky!

Hey.

Enough with those petty excuses
to pick fights, okay?

What is it? You punks always think
that threats solve everything!

I'll use my evil waves to make you--

Thanks for saving me, Uo, Hana.

You poor thing! That was terrible.

Hanajima, don't actually send the waves.

HOME ECONOMICS

Anyways,

it's quite unusual,
you coming to school with the prince.

Yeah, I was very nervous.

Soma was too beautiful.

I…

I sense some weird waves coming from him.

Here it is, Hanajima's "wave report."

"Weird"?

I'm not really sure.

Well, he is quite mysterious.

When a second-year tried to hug him
after confessing her love…

Yuki!

He got scared and pushed her away.

I didn't know about that.
Why would he do such a thing?

Hey, you three there!
Move your hands, not your mouths!

What?

We're already done here, dummy!

Don't be a show-off!
I know Honda did all the work.

Rice is cooked, too.

Unbelievable.

I'm going shopping with Hanajima
after school. You coming?

Oh, I've got my part-time job today.

That's rough.

You promised
to cover your tuition yourself, right?

But if it's just the tuition,

you shouldn't need to work
almost every day…

-Here, a big portion.
-Thank you.

But I'd like to live on my own
after I graduate.

That's why I must start saving now!

What a moving story! Eat up, Tohru,
you must build up your strength!

Of course!

Tohru made all this.

You still live at your dad's parents'
place, right?

Yes!

Are they feeding you okay?

Don't tell me they take all your wages!

Delicious.

I can't say it.
If they find out I'm living in a tent…

She might charge into my grandfather's
house on her motorbike.

Soma.

Thank you for this morning.

I thank you too.
I'm sorry if Shigure bothered you.

No, far from it! He's such a nice person.

He even showed me his Zodiac figurines.

Oh, that thing about you
wanting to be born in the Year of the Cat?

I was a weird child, you know.

Cats are stupid.

-And vicious too.
-What?

Don't you know?

You can trace the origin of the Zodiac
in the -year cycle.

Zodiac symbols were used
in counting and timekeeping.

Later, with yin and yang and the elements
it became the foundation

for divination and fortune-telling.

There was no chance for the Cat
to be included in the first place.

But I think that was for the best.

What's so good about joining the Zodiac?

The Cat's really an idiot.

So, does this mean you hate cats?

Oh, I'm sorry! I must get to work!

-Honda.
-Yes?

You look a little pale to me.

It's still hot outside.

You should mind your health a little more.

When I was three,
my father d*ed of an illness.

From then on, my mother worked hard
to support and protect me.

Tohru! I'd like to eat sukiyaki today!

Sukiyaki!

My mother, who always protected me,

was always so full of energy and cheerful.

I could never have imagined that she…

would die in a car accident.

They argued about who should take me in, 

but in the end, they decided
I would go to my grandpa's.

He was living on his pension,
and I didn't want to be a burden.

I promised I would cover my tuition
and living expenses.

That was this May.

Kyoko.

It is past time this house was renovated.

While the work is underway,
I'll move to my daughter's place.

I intend to ask my daughter
to house both of us,

but her place is so small…

If you have a good friend to stay with,
it would be a better arrangement for all.

Uo's apartment is tiny,
and Hanajima has a family of five.

There's no way I could have them
host me for months.

But…

I know!

I was going to move out on my own
sooner or later.

This is my chance to prepare
for the hardships of life.

Even if I can only afford to live
in a tent I found on sale…

Even if a storm nearly blew it away
the other day…

Never give up! I won't run away!

I'll rough it out and make it my home!

Our work became so much easier
since that girl started here.

Indeed.

After a while you get tired of eating out
or ordering food delivery.

Why don't you cook something then?

You always complain when I do.

You put pickles in curry.
Can you blame me for complaining?

You're smart,
but you're no good with housework.

Two lazy guys living by themselves…
This place needs a woman's touch.

Look, isn't that Tohru?

What's she doing here so late?

I heard her mother d*ed…
Maybe she moved in around here?

But we haven't rented out
any of the land around here.

I'm back, Mom.

I'm so sleepy, but I need to do
my homework for tomorrow now…

I'm feeling dizzy.

I'll wash my face
and pull myself together.

Shigure, you're laughing too much.

I thought it was strange.

The Somas own all the land around here.

Living in a tent…

I beg you.

Let me rent that place for a while.

I'll leave
as soon as the renovations are over.

I don't have much money, but I'll pay.

Please.

The spot you picked is dangerous.

-The soil by the cliff is soft.
-Not laughing?

Besides, a girl like you living in a tent
for months on end? Impossible.

I'm fine! I even got used to the slugs!

I have plenty of stamina and willpower!

So please--

Honda!

She has a fever.

First of all, let's get some ice…

Where would that be?

The Sea of Decay.

Oh, nice analogy!

It seems there's been
a landslide somewhere.

What? How do you know?

I guess it's my animal instinct, you know.

Stop goofing around
and tell us where it happened.

Could it be… near my tent?!

No way!

So, where is it?

Oh no! My mother's photo was in that tent!

-Mom!
-Calm down, Honda.

But my mom…

What should I do? I must hurry
and get her out, she's in pain now.

Let's come back when the sun is up.

If you get hurt,
your mother would suffer even more.

Right?

I'm sorry.

I lost my home again…

Is it painful?

No. I've experienced
worse pain in my life.

Like what?

Tell me.

I didn't get to say "see you later."

The morning of the day
my mother d*ed in the accident…

I had a test that day,

so I stayed up most of the night
to study, and I couldn't get up.

That's the only morning I didn't tell her.

I had always told her,
but that one morning…

I didn't want to go to high school,
I wanted to find a job right away.

But my mother, you know…

I didn't get to go to high school,
you know?

But I've always wanted to be
a high school girl!

So you should enjoy
your high-school life in my place!

I couldn't even say goodbye to my mother.

I couldn't even see her off to work.

I was stupid.

Who cares if I fail a test
or my house gets blown away?

My mother was
the most important person in my life.

That's why, at least…

I want to graduate from high school.

The high school my mother wanted to go to…

I can't give in to a mere fever…

I'm surprised.

She always looks so cheerful at school,

you'd never say she's suffered like this.

Amazing.

What do you mean?

I thought I broke free from the Somas.

But if I really hated them, I could've
gotten myself a tent like Honda

and go to some distant place
out of their reach.

I'm just a spoiled kid.

It's rude to her, to say she's amazing.

You're right.

Can I leave her to you?

Don't tell me you're going
to dig all that up?

Want me to help?
It'll be tough for you alone.

By myself?

Who do you think you're talking to?

See you later.

Tohru.

Tohru.

You have a fever again.

You don't need to push yourself
to help with the housework.

Just be yourself and take your time.

Someday you will catch up.

Mom…

This isn't the time to be snoozing!
I have to dig Mom out!

Morning.

How are you feeling?

-Good morning!
-Here's your picture.

I think I dug out the rest of your things,
but can you make sure?

What? You dug that all out by yourself?

Not really.

Then how?

It's a secret.

I'll take your things upstairs.

I know the place isn't very clean,
but we have a vacant room up there.

You can stay here
until the renovations are over.

I can't!

-The bathroom door has a lock.
-That's not what I mean!

Tohru, any chance you like housework?
Like cleaning and cooking and such.

Well, yeah, I like it, but…

You're welcome to the Soma house then!

Your room is damp, so open the window.

Oh, we must make a spare key.

No, I can't do this!
I'm causing you too much trouble!

We don't think of it as trouble,
so please accept.

Besides, you have nowhere to go, right?

But if I'm going to stay here,

tell me about the rules
and the traditions of the Soma house!

Of course.

Just be yourself

and take your time

here in this house.

Just be yourself.

Soma is… really mysterious.

Are you sure about this?
She's a girl, you know.

It's too late to bring that up.

It's fine, as long as she doesn't hug me.

It smells very humid, as I thought.

Can I really do this?
It sounds too good to be true…

Uhm, yes!

Oh?

Come to think of it,
where are Soma's parents?

Hey.

Are you ready to be crushed, rat boy?

Unbelievable. Why don't you just give up?

We both know you're weak.

You're really going to get hurt
if you think I'm the same as before!

-Here I come!
-Wait!

Yuki, is Kyo here?

I'm sorry, are you okay?

Oh my.

You've turned into…

That idiot.

…a cat?

Could it be that….

Well, you know…

-We should head to the hospital!
-Honda?