01x20 - As One of Her Closest Friends

[bunniefuu]

This is cool!

Yeah!

She said... She said, "Yeah!"

The culture festival was so fun, until...

Oh.

Huh?

No!

DRESSING ROOM

I can't!

You already put the costume on!

You forced it on me!

You're the only one who can do it.

The audience is waiting for you.

Waiting for a substitute?

What about Kyo? He knows the lines.

He got called by the committee.

Please.

You've seen the work we've put into this.

Can't you do this for us
so all our effort won't be wasted?

I've seen the rehearsals.
I know how hard it's been.

Okay, fine! I'll do it!

I'll be the stupid prince!

Well said, Taiki!

All hail our leader! I love you!

SNOW WHITE SCRIPT

Someone give me a script!

Here!

You'd better cover me if I forget a line.

You got it!

BLUE BOX

Break a leg, Taiki!

EPISODE 20
AS ONE OF HER CLOSEST FRIENDS

I've seen them rehearse dozens of times.

While I haven't memorized every line,

I think I remember most of them.

So I'll be fine!

Who am I kidding?!

My only theater experience

is playing the melodica
at the music recital in grade school!

I can't even say
"she sells seashells by the seashore"!

This must be the trial
Nishida Senpai was talking about!

Maybe I can just ad-lib
and gloss over the details.

and if I flub any lines,
I'll just start singing!

And then...

the big issue.

I know I just need to pretend.

But...

it's impossible not to think about it.

Do you want to do it for real?

I can't make it awkward.

I'm going to sit right in the middle.

Chinatsu Senpai's coming to see it.

Now it seems like I lied again.

I can't ask her not to come at this point...

CHINATSU

Thank you!

Chii, over here!

Thanks for saving me a seat.

Right in the middle, as requested.

I'm surprised there are so many people.

Nobody watches performances at my school.

It's the fortune teller!

Hi.

The guys in my class said they were coming
to see the rhythmic gymnastics girl.

Is she that cute?

Who's cuter, me or her?

Come on, tell me.

You, of course.

He's been trained well.

Without a reason like that,

I don't think I'd go see a play
unless I knew someone in it.

Someone you know is in this?

No, but the leader and the costume maker--

He is in it!

Taiki Inomata.

He's playing the prince.

Taiki is?

Playing the prince?

Okay, now I'm looking forward to this.

Get the camera ready.

- Wait, how do you know that?
- Don't be mean.

- Apparently the original prince got hurt.
- It's love.

I guess word got around!

TAIKI INOMATA
I'M GONNA BE IN THE PLAY! GO EASY ON ME!!

YOU GOT THIS!

Hey, Imamoto.

Did you set up the confetti ball
for the best class announcement?

I sure did.

It only got finished this morning,

and I rushed to hang it up.

Good.

The next act is a play
performed by first-years.

It's an adaptation
of a popular fairy tale.

We had a little hiccup,

and who knows what might happen out there,

but let's not forget to have fun.

Let's go!

Yeah!

Give it your all, Taiki!

Chin up, Taiki!

You've got this, Taiki!

Thanks for the sporting encouragement.

I looked over the script.

As long as I don't get worked up onstage...

You made me imagine...

what it'd be like to actually kiss you.

Come on...

Don't think about that stuff!

Straighten up!

Why are you so nervous?

Get over it already.

Get over it?

Aren't you nervous?

Who do you think I am?

I'm the great Hina Chono.

I see.

I am nervous.

This is totally different
from doing gymnastics in front of people.

Plus, I didn't imagine
I'd be doing this with you.

But still,

since I was asked to be the lead,

I decided to take responsibility
and really put in the work.

Yeah.

So,

I want all the help you can give me
as one of my closest friends.

Don't worry!

It won't be as embarrassing
as the field day in eighth grade!

I did what I was supposed to!

It was still awful!

We all had to participate.

And besides,
what about you in ninth grade?

That was flawless, and you know it.

Good work, everyone.

They totally are!

Really?

What are you talking about?

Well,

we were just wondering
if those two were dating.

They've been close forever.

I think they're friends.

What?

They're just friends?

But you've got a point.

What's the difference between
a friend of the opposite sex

and a lover?

Class 1-B is proud to present

Snow White.

Once upon a time,

there was a queen who gave birth
to an adorable little girl.

The baby's skin was as white as snow.

And so she was named Snow White.

Snow White was outgoing and joyful.

I see why she's
the rhythmic gymnastics team's new hope.

She looks so comfortable onstage.

What are you doing here?

He's so obviously nervous.

He's moving so awkwardly.

But you can tell he's doing his best.

Wait, did the prince show up this early
in Snow White?

I heard they took some liberties.

Apparently, someone complained
about her marrying some guy

who just appeared out of nowhere.

So they added an early scene
where she meets the prince

to establish her feelings for him

and allow the kiss that wakes her
to be more meaningful.

That's a nice take.

I wouldn't want to be woken up by a kiss
from a stranger either.

It's nice getting to marry the person
you've always had feelings for.

Really?

That sounds worse to me.

Idealizing that kind of long-term love

is a little too intense.

Isn't it more fun to love casually?

You're way too free and wild, Ayame.

Everyone else is too serious.

Can you help at least?

Pretty girl,

I shall give you a gift.

What a pretty apple.

It's red and shiny,

and the dimple goes nice and deep.

You're quite right.

This apple is surely over a 15
for sweetness on the Brix scale.

The play's in the second half.

Taiki seems worried about the kiss scene.

It's the big moment after all.

By the way,

back to what you said earlier.

You know, the difference between
a friend of the opposite sex and a lover?

What about it?

It reminded me of something
my brother said.

It comes down to

whether you can kiss them or not.

Kiss?

Maybe turn it down a notch.

Right, the audience could hear me.

That's partly the reason.

I mean, my brother
is a pretty carefree guy.

But according to him,
crossing the friendship line

comes down to wanting
to touch each other or not.

By that definition,

Taiki...

What're you guys talking about?

Don't listen in.

I'm getting left out?

He's right,

I need to focus on the play!

How can this be, Snow White?

I cannot believe that you are dead.

Hina is counting on me.

As one of her closest friends.

My prince!

What are you playing at,
kissing me while I'm asleep?

They added that in too.

So feisty.

Thank goodness, we're in the home stretch.

All that's left is the ending.

Hina, watch out!

Are you okay?

Is anyone hurt?

Our apologies,

but the play
will be temporarily put on hold.

Did they just kiss?

I think you imagined it.

Worry about their well-being instead.

The confetti ball landed on him.
I hope he's okay.

Chono and that badminton player
hang out a lot, don't they?

Aren't they dating or something?

No way.

Like I said,

our lips didn't touch!

Maybe it looked that way
through the confetti.

I managed to stop before that happened.

Really?

Maybe you're just embarrassed to admit it.

Tell us the truth.

I already did!

Did he, Chono?

Yeah.

Oh, really?

But people were talking.

They're wondering if you two
aren't dating already.

You're the prince and princess after all.

People would've talked
even without that incident.

You guys were in sync onstage too.

The people who came to see the play
might actually believe the rumors.

While it might have looked like we kissed,

I don't appreciate you teasing us
about it,

so please stop.

Sorry.

I get people wanting to gossip about it,

but how is it their business who I date?

Taiki.

Sorry about these weird rumors.

It's not your fault.

I'm the one who's sorry.

I screwed up the play.

How can you say that?

You memorized your lines
better than I expected.

You were pretty nervous at first,
but you got better as it went on.

You carried yourself well
and projected your voice.

And...

And...

You managed to go toe-to-toe with me!

That's no small feat!

Then can you do my homework as a reward?

If you don't mind a low score.

Why would I want that?

But if you need me to,

I can explain to Chinatsu Senpai
that we didn't kiss, so just let me know.

I know you wouldn't want her getting
the wrong idea.

I get why you were so mad.

I want a fair fight.

No, that...

That wasn't it.

How about a mini-celebration?

I bet you're tired.

Kyo.

Slow down.

Let me have this at least!

Everyone's just obsessed with the kiss!

How about complimenting the play?!

I did a pretty good job
for a backup, didn't I?

Yeah.

But that stupid confetti ball!

What if someone got hurt?

He's unusually upset.

And Hina!

She assumes I'm mad because
of what Chinatsu Senpai might think!

Aren't you?

I mean, partly.

But Hina and I are the ones
getting talked about.

Our relationship
is pretty unclear right now.

I'm trying to be careful of what I do.

And I hate people talking about us
like it's their business.

I figured Hina felt the same way.

I know I'm the one choosing
to get mad about it, but...

Can I ask you something?

What?

Have you developed
romantic feelings for Chono?

What?

She's been pretty forward with you,
so it'd make sense if you do.

The one I have feelings for

is Chinatsu Senpai.

Right.

You seem like you're


but I thought maybe about 30%

might've been added
on top of that for Chono.

I don't think that's unreasonable.

All I'm saying is

it's a possibility.

My head hurts.

No matter how much it hurts,

you need to think about it.

Yeah.

Thank you for coming.

That was a girl.

- Meaning I still--
- We're leaving.

Do people from Kansai
eat takoyaki with rice?

That's the guy they said she kissed.

The 53rd annual...

I see.

...Eimei Culture Festival
has come to a close.



Plus 30% milk.

Delicious.

So that means I could have feelings
for both at the same time.

That's not the point!

Why did Kyo put this in my head?

I like Chinatsu Senpai.

Chinatsu Senpai?! What are you doing here?

My grandpa's surgery was a success,

so I'll be moving back in tomorrow.
I came to drop some stuff off.

Right, she said it'd be any day now.

Thanks for having me again.

It's our pleasure.

Chinatsu Senpai saw the play too, right?

I wonder what she thinks about it.