01x05 - Hell is other People.

[bunniefuu]

[bell ringing]

[SAKURA gasps]

Wait, come back!

[AYANOKOJI] American Anthropologist Edward Hall

divided the concept of personal space into four general zones.

He named one of these the "intimate space" zone.

With the "close phase" contained therein.

The latter is near enough for someone to hug them.

Many resist letting others into this zone.

However, some people seem to enter

into everyone's close phase easily.

Kushida's one of those.

Even if she enters someone's close phase,

she manages not to trigger an aversive reaction.

[SAKURA panting]

[AYANOKOJI] Even so, Sakura resisted Kushida.

[AYANOKOJI] For some unknown reason, she ran away from her.

She couldn't even look her in the eye.

[AYANOKOJI] Why does she fear contact with others?

Um. I'm so sorry!

You two are very kind to agree to come with me for this.

No, this whole thing is my fault!

I'm the one who owes you an apology

for breaking your camera!

[SAKURA] Thanks, but I should have been more careful.

[AYANOKOJI] So, you're going to the electronics store

where you got your camera to get it fixed.

I understand that part.

But why did I have to come?

[KIKYO giggles]

I need you, too.

[SERVICE MAN A] Man, what a bummer.

This is no good. I see what's wrong here.

Looks like a power issue if you ask me.

Mm. Definitely.

[SERVICE MAN A] Do you have a warranty with you?

Should be covered.

You did remember to bring it with you, right?

[SAKURA] Mm-hm.

[gasps] It hasn't expired, yay!

You could have the broken part, uh--replaced.

Completely free of charge.

[gasps]

[AYANOKOJI] I see. Sakura's scared of strangers.

Of course, this guy would freak her out.

I'm here because she wanted strength in numbers.

Um. Do you know how long the repairs will take?

[SERVICE MAN A] Two or three days max, I think.

But don't quote me.

I need you to fill out this form, but not the whole thing.

Fill out your name here, home address,

and your cell phone number.

[gasps]

Are you all right?

[gasps] Uh, yeah.

[SAKURA whimpering]

[AYANOKOJI] Let me do it.

When the repairs are complete,

please contact me instead of Sakura.

[SERVICE MAN A] What?! Hey, wait a minute!

The camera belongs to her, doesn't it?

I don't think we can do that.

I'm not comfortable with this.

You saw the warranty.

It notes the time and location of purchase

so you shouldn't need her information.

I understand that it's store policy,

but you won't get in trouble.

I can't imagine there being a legal issue.

You don't have to worry.

Well. Are you sure about that?

[gasping]

[gasps]

[SERVICE MAN A] I guess we can do that this time.

[SAKURA] By the way,

thank you very much for coming to my aid.

[KIKYO] No problem. It was the least I could do to atone!

But, listen, Sakura. We're the same age.

You don't have to speak to us so formally.

I'd like to think we're friends!

Yes, you've been acting like we're your elders.

[gasps] Um. Yeah.

Makes sense.

I will try.

I mean, I'll do my best.

No need to force anything, either!

[SAKURA] Um. Right, I won't.

[KIKYO] Mm-hm!

I'll be back in a bit.

I'm gonna go freshen up.

[AYANOKOJI] Being alone with her is awkward.

[gasps]

[AYANOKOJI] Hm?

Is something on your mind?

Do you not feel comfortable with the--?

Listen. What do you think I should do?

I can't figure out what would be best for everyone.

Oh, you mean about Sudo?

The best thing would be to do what you want.

[gasps] "Do what I want"?

That's right.

[SAKURA] If I keep quiet,

I know I'm going to regret it.

[AYANOKOJI] Why are you talking to me about this?

Your eyes. There's nothing scary in them.

Eyes?

Never mind.

It's... hard to...

If you need some advice,

I think Kushida's more versed in this kind of stuff.

She showed up for you today.

[AYANOKOJI] That's interesting.

[AYANOKOJI] I can tell that she's grateful,

but she doesn't seem to fully trust Kushida.

Maybe she's more perceptive than most.

You said you'd regret it if you kept silent about the fight.

Yeah.

Well, I think you already know what to do.

[gasps]

[AYANOKOJI] Don't do it for Sudo,

or Kushida, or for any of our classmates.

Push all of those thoughts out of your mind.

They don't serve you.

[SAKURA] Serve me? What do you mean by that?

[AYANOKOJI] Thinking that way will only convolute things

and make the choice more difficult.

You should trust your instincts, and testify for your sake alone.

You mean do the right thing... for me?

That's motivation enough.

[gasps]

[KIKYO] Sorry for taking so long in there!

Oh. Welcome back.

All right. Do you guys think

that we should call it a day now?

It is getting pretty late.

You're right. Hey, would you mind terribly

if I swung by your room a little later tonight?

Huh?

[KIKYO] Thanks for having me!

You just had to come to my room?

What's this about?

I found some stuff online

that I thought you might be interested to see.

Does this girl look familiar to you?

[AYANOKOJI] Hold on. Is that Sakura?

It's hard to say if it's her.

I can't tell just from the pictures alone.

But this one was definitely taken in one of the dorms here.

[KIKYO] Do you think it's her, then?

Well, it could be.

I thought it was strange that she was wearing fake glasses,

but now it makes perfect sense.

[KIKYO] They're fake?

[AYANOKOJI] There was no distortion behind the lenses.

So you think she's wearing them to disguise her face?

Could that be why she didn't want to testify?

[phone chimes]

[KIKYO] It's a message from Sakura.

Let's see here...

You're not gonna believe this.

She might be willing to help us defend Sudo!

[AYANOKOJI] I guess going with her today was worth it.

I'm glad she decided she could trust us, but I wonder why.

[KIKYO] Hey.

Ayanokoji, are you sure you're not trying

to hide anything from me? For real.

[AKANEAKENE] I've sent out the notification.

All in classes C and D were invited.

The arbitration hearing is set to take place tomorrow.

Is that so?

[MANABU] Class D.

Uh?

What's wrong?

Did you spend your entire day off with Kushida?

Yeah, because of the thing with Sakura.

Though we couldn't get her to commit to testifying.

Not definitively.

I see.

[AYANOKOJI] What's the matter with you?

What do you mean, "What's the matter?"

[AYANOKOJI] Well... You are epitomizing

"that-face" at the moment.

Really? And what do you mean by "that face"?

This is just my face.

Although...

I am amazed at how self-serving you've been acting recently.

You hesitate when I ask for a favor,

but when Kushida does, you gladly jump for her.

I'm analyzing, rationally, and precisely,

what factors account for the disparity.

Doesn't matter.

Could've fooled me.

More importantly. The student council has

decided on the time of Sudo's arbitration hearing.

[AYANOKOJI] When is it?

It's today, after school.

[AKANE] We will now begin the deliberation proceedings

regarding the violent incident that occurred last Tuesday.

Your presence is appreciated.

Now, first of all,

I will preside today, as Student Council Secretary.

The student council president,

attending arbitration over a little brawl such as this one?

I never dreamed I would see this day.

[MANABU] My extremely busy schedule often prevents me from

being present at proceedings I would prefer to join.

As a rule, though, I try to attend.

Oh, of course. A coincidence.

[MANABU] Indeed...

[AYANOKOJI] Horikita wasn't expecting

her brother to be here.

It seems like his presence might throw off her game.

Let's begin. The object here is to ascertain the truth.

Which version of the events is factual.

Is that acceptable, sir?

[MANABU] Yes, you may proceed.

[AKANE] Komiya et al, you allege that Sudo summoned you to

the special annex last Tuesday, where he then att*cked you.

Sudo denies your claim.

He insists that Komiya summoned him to the annex.

Your versions of these events are contradictory.

We can be certain of only one thing.

Sudo att*cked and injured you three.

Komiya, Kondo, and Ishizaki are the victims here,

and we will proceed under the agreement

that they are the plaintiffs.

Sudo's the defendant in this case.

[KEN growls] I'll admit that I b*at them up!

But these jerks are the real attackers!

[AYANOKOJI] Putting the focus on their injuries

and giving Sudo free reign here

will do nothing but harm our case.

Horikita.

[KEN] ...you're jealous that I got

bumped up to first string!

You always try to sabotage me at practice, but it--

[AKANE] Silence, please. Return to your seat.

Without any new evidence or testimony,

we will proceed under the aforementioned assumptions.

Is this acceptable?

[MANABU] It's quite apparent

there was no need for adjudication.

Judging by the severity of the plaintiffs' conditions,

it's clear that the v*olence was one-sided.

I believe this is sufficient evidence

to allow me to make my decision.

Class D's self-defense claim lacks credibility

due to Sudo's absence of injuries. And the plaintiffs'...

[gasps]

[gasping] Hey! Stop it!

[KEN] Uh...

[gasping continues]

[SUZUNE sputtering] Cut it out.

[AYANOKOJI] When someone's spacing out,

a strong physical stimulus can often snap them out of it.

The stakes are too high for me to do nothing.

[SUZUNE] ...come on! Uh!

If you don't start fighting now, we're going to lose this case.

[gasps]

[SUZUNE] I beg your pardon.

Before we break, I would like to question the witnesses.

Would that be acceptable?

President?

I will allow it.

[inhales, exhales]

The first question.

What were the circumstances under which Sudo summoned you?

I need an answer.

Uh, when practice was over,

he just said he wanted to talk to me.

[SUZUNE] I see.

And what was your reasoning for bringing Ishizaki with you

to the special annex?

He's not on the basketball team, as far as I know.

There was no reason for him to be present.

I brought him 'cause I wanted extra protection.

Protection?

Everyone in school knows what a violent guy Sudo can be.

And he's pretty big, too!

[SUZUNE] So you're saying you thought

he might att*ck you, right?

[KOMIYA] That's right!

[AYANOKOJI] That sounds like a studied response.

If I understand, you claim you brought Ishizaki

as a bodyguard, because of his reputation as a fighter?

Yeah, I did it to protect myself!

Understood.

I have some knowledge of martial arts, as a matter of fact.

Sudo faced multiple adversaries

which is exponentially more difficult to do.

For him to b*at you so soundly,

especially with Ishizaki at your back

defending you, doesn't quite add up.

Uh! It does!

He only b*at us because we didn't want to get into a fight!

[SUZUNE] If you didn't want a fight,

why would you go, knowing Sudo's propensities?

And if you weren't fighting back,

how would all three of you end up with such severe injuries?

Common sense tells me Horikita has a good point.

[KOMIYA] You can't use common sense with Sudo!

He doesn't operate that way!

He's a violent, unpredictable psychopath!

Well, you're in luck,

because someone witnessed the entire fight.

[SAKAGAMI gasps]

[KEN gasps]

Would the witness please step forward?

[AKANE] Welcome, Miss.

Would you state your name, for the record?

Yes. Airi Sakura.

I'm from Class One-D.

[AKANE] Please take a seat, Miss Sakura.

[SAKURA] Okay...

Sakura.

[gasps]

I did see it. I witnessed the whole thing.

Sudo has been telling the truth this whole time.

The Class C students att*cked him first, like he said.

I'm sure of it. They're lying.

Your name's Sakura, is it not?

If you did see the fight, then why didn't you come forward

with your knowledge before this point?

Well, you see... Because...

[sighs] Honestly, Class D students are all the same.

I promise this is the truth.

I'm not lying, I swear.

Oh, Sakura. Miss Airi Sakura.

Let's be honest now.

Are you sure they haven't coerced you?

The stakes are high, and they'd do anything to save Sudo.

[gasps]

[AYANOKOJI] This could go badly.

Spin it how you wish.

The fact that she's here proves that she witnessed the fight.

I mean, think about it.

If she hadn't, why would she show up today,

even if we tried to coerce her?

Oh?

If all we needed was someone who'd lie,

why would we choose a girl like Sakura, who hates to speak up?

Perhaps to lend an air of credibility to your case,

you specifically chose someone who is well-behaved.

That's all you've got?

You're the ones with the burden of proof,

and from where I sit, the facts--

It's immoral of you to take advantage of this girl.

She's weak-willed, so you manipulate her.

That is not what's going on!

Just look at how hard she's trembling over there!

You put such a burden on her.

I have real proof!

I saw the fight. I'll prove it.

You are only digging yourselves a deeper hole.

[SAKURA] Here it is.

The proof that I was there. In the annex last Tuesday.

See for yourself.

[gasps]

Let's see it.

Yes.

[SAKURA] I was there that afternoon,

looking for a place to take pictures.

I don't like to take them around people,

and I knew the annex would be empty.

The photo is dated, too.

Dates on digital photos are relatively simple to alter,

Miss Sakura. Your proof is rather insubstantial.

Just a minute, Mr. Sakagami.

This photo is sufficient proof after all.

[SAKAGAMI] Hm? Ah.

Thank you, sir.

I hope this one will be proof enough.

I told you that I was telling the truth.

Thank you so much, Sakura.

[gasps]

[SAKAGAMI] I'll grant you that much.

It seems that you were indeed present

in the special annex on the day in question.

But your photo still does nothing to prove

that Sudo didn't start the fight.

It also doesn't provide evidence

that you really witnessed everything that happened.

[SAKURA] But I did.

So then, I propose a compromise.

A compromise? What kind?

[SAKAGAMI] Despite the "evidence" you provided,

you still don't have any definitive proof.

However, it appears that Class C may indeed

bear some responsibility in this debacle.

[SAKAGAMI] I recommend a two-week suspension for Sudo.

And a one-week suspension for the Class-C students.

Is that acceptable?

The difference in length is commensurate

to the severity in harm done to each party.

[growls]

[AYANOKOJI] If Sakura hadn't come forward with her testimony,

Sudo would have been suspended for a month, at the very least.

It is a good bargain, actually.

Ms. Chabashira, does that idea sound satisfactory to you?

It would appear we have reached an agreement that will suffice.

[AYANOKOJI] Sakura, you did everything you could.

Then, that's it.

Miss Horikita, as representative of Class D,

what's your opinion of the agreement?

[SUZUNE] This is my final word.

Sudo has a problem.

I think he contributed to this, ultimately.

Even if he's not the one who threw the first punch.

He has no sense of how he affects others.

Actions have consequences, but he doesn't see that.

Incidents like this will not stop.

[gasps] What?!

You need to see the truth of the matter.

Your poor attitude is what started all of this, really.

He does need to reflect on his actions.

But not the missteps you claim he took in fight last Tuesday.

I mean that he should reevaluate the person he has been

this whole school year.

Horikita?

In regards to the incident we're discussing right now,

that's different.

I truly believe Sudo is free of all guilt in the matter.

The truth is, I know that Sudo

didn't stumble into that fight of his own accord.

This was a premeditated set-up, instigated by Class C,

and that is truly heinous.

I will not back down.

I assert that he is innocent.

[laughs] Premeditated set-up?

That's hilarious, young lady.

I think the president's sister is a--

As the witness testified earlier,

Sudo's not guilty in this.

I implore you to make the appropriate decision.

We've been victimized by him! He's guilty!

You shut your mouth! Jerk!

I'm innocent, and all of you know it!

You're just trying to sabotage me

and usurp my place on the team...!

[MANABU] Just as I predicted.

This hearing was a waste of everyone's time.

I'm appalled at the pathetic behavior on display right now.

Nothing can be settled unless the liars come forward.

[AKANE] I agree. This is pointless.

[MANABU] Therefore, I ask you, Class C.

Can you honestly say right now that the statements

you've made today are the unadulterated truth?

What? Of course they're true!

[MANABU] What about Class D?

Certainly.

[MANABU] Very well, then.

I will announce my decision tomorrow at four o'clock.

If I receive no amended statements,

as in admission of guilt,

nor proof of your opponents' guilt by then,

I will be putting expulsion on the table as well.

That is all.

[AYANOKOJI] Do we have a chance?

Well, I don't intend to lose, and I never give up, either.

I'm sorry.

I should have just spoken up

from the very beginning about what I saw.

I'm not... I'm not brave.

You did just fine. It's okay.

But it's not!

[MANABU] Why are you two still here?

When you showed up with Suzune today,

I assumed you had a strategy.

But, I suppose I grossly overestimated the both of you.

I never claimed to be some star detective,

and I'm not a trial lawyer, either.

So, no, I don't have a strategy.

You mean Suzune went out on a limb today?

She truly believes he's innocent?

[AYANOKOJI] I guess it's a radical idea.

[MANABU] Interesting.

Your name's Sakura, right?

[gasps] Yes.

If you can't provide evidence to corroborate your claims,

they're nothing but lies,

and your mask will become your prison.

But... It's not a lie.

I swear. I was telling the truth.

[AYANOKOJI] I believe every word.

[SAKURA gasps]

[MANABU] I see. Well, in that case...

[AKANE gasping]

[SAKURA gasping]

Do you have what it takes to prove her right?

I guess you'll find out tomorrow.