01x04 - Impenetrable

[bunniefuu]

Say, Minato…

What do you think of Koyun?

I'd see her around.

I figured she was different
from the other girls at school.

So I remembered her face.

Then…

She's by herself again.

I kept following her with my eyes
every time we crossed paths.

I always thought…

I guess I felt pity for her.

Minato.

You're always like this.
Aren't you, Minato?

You're always pitying people.
"Poor you," or "She's alone."

That is so sanctimonious of you.

Sanctimonious?

It is.

Slapping a "poor you" sticker on someone…

Do you have any idea how empty inside
that can make someone feel?

You only do it so people look to you.

You want them to depend on you.

Do not try to wile your way in
with Koyun like that.

EPISODE 4
IMPENETRABLE

What gives you the right to decide
whether someone should be "pitied"?

You shouldn't force Koyun
into some narrow mold you just made up.

You may be right.

But that was only at the start.

Hikawa,

I always thought,
"She is so pitiful." But…

it was all just a misconception.

Now…

I'm in this for a different reason.

So don't you worry.

I don't think
you're quite her type, Minato.

That's not what I meant.

And even if it were,
you could at least sugarcoat it a bit.

Well, whatever! Just don't go
getting close to Koyun for weird reasons.

Surely we're allowed to
talk to each other?

Why, are you her guardian?

Spare the rod,
and you spoil the child, sweetie.

I just don't want to hurt Koyun anymore.

Not "I don't want her getting hurt"?

But wait, the name "Hikawa"…

Was she in the basketball club?

EEK

I knew it.

Now I get why you were so angry.

FLUSTERED, FLUSTERED

This is exactly why I didn't want you and
Koyun getting involved with each other!

Why can Yota get involved but not me, huh?

Because you pick up on things!

And what, Yota is oblivious?

No, it's not that…

That's a little uncalled for.

I didn't mean that…

Wow.

They're so different.

Yours is like a sumo wrestler's.

What kind of comparison is that?

Must be nice…

Nice?

I always wanted to palm the ball like this
when I was in the basketball club.

But I just couldn't do it.

Well, with those hands…

Wait, huh? Basketball club?

You were in the basketball club?
Why didn't you say so?

I never played the way you do.

I actually quit halfway.

You mentioned feeling empty inside
at being pitied by others.

Is that how you've felt
ever since I reached out to you?

EEK

FLUSTERED, FLUSTERED

That…

I'm sorry.

You're right. I probably was pitying you.

TOP GRADES GUARANTEED
CRAM SCHOOL

I reached out to you because I thought
you looked bored there on your own.

But now that we're friends,

I don't see you in that way anymore.

We became friends, Yota joined the group,
and we've had so much fun together

that I was unable to see
that you were feeling this way.

I'm sorry for hurting you.

Minato…

Why are you like this?
Personal distance, dude!

I've enjoyed
our time together too, you know?

And you've saved my butt heaps.

Geez!

So we gotta keep being friends, okay?

Yep. Friends.

You'll dirty your sweater…

Don't worry. It's not clean to begin with.

RUB RUB

Excuse me?

Now I get it.

Maybe all I ever wanted

was just to be friends with him
on equal footing.

Man, I'm such a child!

Miki?

Geez! Wait up!

They did go to get drinks, right?

SLUMP

They sure are taking their time.

Do you think maybe they're out
growing their own cocoa beans?

COCOA

From scratch?

Sorry to keep you waiting.

DOUBLE EXTRA RED BEAN SOUP RICH

Check it out. New products!
"Double Extra Red Bean Soup Rich!"

We can share!

Apparently, it's mandatory.

Sounds like a ramen menu item!
This'll definitely clear my head.

Right?

This is just the pick-me-up we need
to get us through those exams.

Did something happen with Miki?

Should I even be asking her this?

Miki…

Did something happen between you
and Amamiya when you went to buy drinks?

Well…

A lot happened.

We talked about that time
you bought that curry drink.

Why?

He said he made you buy it on accident,
so he was paying you back for it today.

HE NEVER SAID ANYTHING

What? He didn't have to worry about that.

You see? He never said anything
because he knew you'd feel bad.

Bye-bye.
- See you.

No! Feels like I'm losing
what we learned today!

Wait… Notebook… I must review…

No, wait! Don't leave my brain!

Still, none of what she said just now
should have been enough to make her cry?

The time for cramming for exams is over.

SECOND SEMESTER FINAL EXAMS

FIRST PERIOD: ENGLISH COMMUNICATION I
SECOND PERIOD: PUBLIC STUDIES

It's the first day of exams.

Begin.

It really is exactly the same.

Thank you, past exams.

This is what we went through
during Yota's seminar!

FIRST PERIOD:
ENGLISH COMMUNICATION I

SECOND PERIOD: PUBLIC STUDIES

THIRD PERIOD:
FUNDAMENTALS OF CHEMISTRY

Off to a good start! Yay!

SECOND SEMESTER
FINAL EXAMS - DAY TWO

I've got it! I've got it this time!

All right. Time's up.

Messages.

NINE
UNREAD: 9

Wow, so many…

Koyun! Let's grab lunch
before heading home.

Oops, this is the group chat.
Wanna come, Yota?

Oops, that wasn't an afterthought.

Please join us. Whimper…

LOL

I'll come.
- Koyun! Come on!

Found you, Koyun!

Looks like we're first to meet up.

Do you think Miki
is still in the classroom?

What's up, Miki?

Hey, Minato. Where's Yota?

He's already downstairs.

Really?

Did you need him for something?
- Not exactly…

Me and Koyun were just about
to go out for lunch with him.

What's this, Miki?
- You're freezing!

Were you trying to leave me out of things?

No! Not at all!

Stare…

Yeah, I'm totally stumped.
Are there really five more differences?

Number of grapes?
- Already checked.

Found one.

And here's another.

Hey, wait! Minato, you're too quick.

We gotta find them all,
or else our doria won't come.

Is that how it works?

They seem to be on good terms.

That's good.

Maybe I'm just overthinking things.

SPACING OUT

Have you been here before, Hikawa?

Oh, no. This is my first time.

I usually just go straight home
from school.

Watch it with those pitiful eyes there!

WELL?

That's not it.

Thank you for the meal.
- Thank you for the meal.

That was pretty tasty for being so cheap.

You're not in any clubs, are you, Hikawa?

Do you work part-time?

Yeah. But I don't get many shifts.

Where do you work?

REGULAR CUSTOMERS

Just a local restaurant.

Only the local elderly come to visit.
It's very laid-back.

What do you do on your days off?

Come on, Minato…

What do I do?

I read…

What's this? Looks lame.

I watch movies…

You like this stuff?

I study ahead…

You're such a nerd!

I don't really do anything.

I kind of just do a lot of nothing.

Oh, really? That's a pity.

GLARE

Koyun gets super busy hanging out with me!

Is that so?

Are you paying separately?
- Yes, please.

Hey, Minato. What were you thinking?

Why you gotta be so pushy?
I did tell you, didn't I?

Yes, but…

How boring must it be
if we're the only ones chatting?

RUB RUB

You're right!
- You see?

I get a little tired of all the questions.

I am so full!

I'm with different people, and the context
is completely different now,

but I'm still not very good
at talking about myself.

It's not that I hate doing it.

I'm just scared of people
seeing the real me.

I don't want to be rejected.

I don't want to hate myself
more than I already do now.

So when people reach out,
I keep my distance.

You're weird.

What even is "normal"?

FINISH! SECOND SEMESTER
FINAL EXAMS DAY 3

Good job on the exams!
- Yay!

EXAM AFTER-PARTY
IN GRADE 1 CLASS 5

Want one? It's strawberry flavor.

Thank you!

Once again, Azumi is positively radiant.

THUNK

I feel awful…

I managed to push through the exams,

but my stomach is doing somersaults.

NURSE'S OFFICE

Noriko…

You're just here to chill out again.

This is not your private
little get-warm place.

No… I'm actually sick today…

Oh, my.

My stomach hurts.

Oh, dear. Is it stress?

Or did you eat something off?

I haven't eaten anything today.

I did have three coffees though.

That'll do it.

Stay here and sleep until you feel better.

I don't like the feeling of being in bed
in my school uniform.

Well, beggars can't be choosers.

Hey, got any of your old
middle school classmates here?

Oh, yeah. A super nerd, that one.

MEITEN HIGH SCHOOL

Well, you gotta be smart
to get into Meiten.

How about you, Igarashi?
Any old middle school classmates?

Don't know.

I doubt it. Who'd come here…

We've got so many leftover snacks.

Think we bought too many?

Definitely.

Hey, look. Students from West High.

Igarashi?

What?
- What?

What?

Sorry, guys!

You go on ahead.
I found an old friend from middle school.

All right.

Bye-bye!

What are you doing here?

Azumi. You…

You've, like, completely changed.

What happened to the gorilla?

Shut up, you!

Come here.

Why are you here?

For club. Club activities.

Joint practice, you know?

And hey,
I didn't know you got into Meiten.

I'll bet you're the only one
who commutes this far every day.

Why bother?

Does he not know Koyun goes here too?

Hey, Igarashi! What are you doing?

Sorry.
- See ya.

Who was that? She's super cute.

Are you blind or something?

What?

Koyun…
Please, please have gone home already…

It's so dark!

What time is it?

Is it because the curtains are pulled?

Thank you, Noriko.

It's still light out,
so I can't have been out that long…

Igarashi!

That's right. It was today.

Well, he's coming to our school, but
you wouldn't recognize each other then.

When is that?

During club activities on the afternoon
of the last day of exams.

I knew this…

Hey, by the way…

I ran into Azumi earlier.

Do you know her? Is she in your class?

Miki? We're in different classes,
but we're good friends.

Does she cause trouble here too?
No broken windows anywhere?

She's fine.

I ran into Azumi earlier.

They're talking about Miki.

Why?

It's no good. I can't hear them.

Hikawa? What are you doing?

You feeling better now?

I am.

Ready to go home?

Yes.

I need to leave quickly
so he doesn't notice me.

I couldn't quite catch it,
but they were talking about Miki.

They wouldn't go on
to talk about me, would they?

Amamiya wouldn't bring up my name…
Would he?

Do you know a guy named Igarashi?

Where do you work?

What do you do on your days off?

OBSESSED WITH OTHERS

I think he will.

I don't like this.

I don't want people
to be interested in me.

I don't want people knowing the real me.

Hey. Igarashi?

Do you remember Hikawa?

Morning.

Hey, Hikawa.

Morning!

WARM AND TOASTY

He seems warm and toasty for some reason.

Amamiya… Did you run here?

We just finished morning practice.

I must be steaming in the cold.

Morning practice…

I remember those days…

By the way, Igarashi was here yesterday.

But you're not interested in him, are you?

I mean, you weren't all that close
with him, were you?

Why is he being like this?

Was Igarashi quite the prominent
figure in middle school?

Yeah… I guess you could say that…

He was always the center of attention.

He was constantly surrounded by people.

Yeah? I had a hunch he might have been.

He's the kind of person who barges
into your heart without any consideration.

I'm sorry.

Maybe we should give middle school a rest.

There's plenty of new memories
to make right here in high school.

So many new events,
so we should look forward to those, right?

I've never spoken to Amamiya
about my time in middle school.

So why bring it up now?

Did Igarashi say something to him?

What did he say?

Hey, are you and Igarashi going out?

Yo, what base are you at?

GIRLS BASKETBALL CLUB

She is such a Pick Me, isn't she?

I can't stand her.

Did you hear?
- About Igarashi…

At her house…
- No way, really?

So it's all true?
- No way!

Why must people love to gossip so much?

Why can't they just leave me alone?

Hey, Koyuki.

Is it really that fun to mess with people?

Just tell us the truth already.

You don't care about the truth.

You only care that it's entertaining.

No more…

No more letting people in…

Why?

WARM AND TOASTY

That cool air feels nice.

Koyun--

Why must you stick your nose
into other people's business?

I don't get it…

You disgust me.