01x10 - Our Color Blue

[bunniefuu]

Isn't your second exam
the day after tomorrow?

It's not like you.

You know how important
each piece is at this time...

Then I'll get off.

You're the one
who wanted to go to the beach.

Anyway, I brought some croquis paper
and simple art supplies

so I can draw anywhere if I want to.

Going to the beach in winter...
Are you k*lling yourself?

Why are you going there?

No way.

There's no specific reason.

I just wanted to go to
the farthest place possible by this train.

Besides, I can't die just yet.

But I'm relieved.

So you carry art supplies with you.
Now that's like you.

It's nothing.

I'm just scared if I don't draw something.

I'm not like you.
I wasn't born with talent.

What the heck?

Still,

I should just go home and draw.

I know.

This isn't like me at all.

ODAWARA STATION

OUR COLOR BLUE

It's so cold!

When the wind hits my exposed skin,
I'm about to lose it.

Let's get inside somewhere.

What?
You didn't find a place to stay first?

How about an internet cafe?

I don't want to get sick before the exam!

But is there any place
we can check in at this hour?

No way!

Yatora, you're so pure.

I don't want to go there with you.

I'll find a place on my phone.

Since we're here,
let's go check out the beach.

Hope we can find a place to stay
for around 4,000 yen.

In that case,
you should search with this site.

BUSINESS HOTEL
KOGETSU

The atmosphere here is quite nice.

Good evening!

Yes.

Sorry for bothering you at this late hour.

I'm Yaguchi. I made a reservation.

Two males, right?

That one too?

Are you a man?

Yes, I am.

Are cross-dressers not welcome?

Not at all. I'll show you the room.

Wow, it's bigger than I imagined.

There's the ocean view too. Not bad.

Oh, it's true.

It didn't hit me while I was on the train,

but we really did come to the beach.

I'm taking a bath.

I feel like it's been so long
since I did something like this.

For these past few months,

I've rested only to improve
my performance.

It's like my body is nothing
but a machine for making art.

Yatora, you can take a bath now.

Of course, he's exhausted.

He's been drawing for hours
every day at prep school.

And the exam's in two days.

You'll leave scars.

Are those hives?

It's pathetic.

I have been getting hives
since the first exam.

Too stressful? I guess.

Finished using the bathroom?
I'm taking a bath too.

Sure.

Hey, Ryuji.

Are you going to tell me what happened?

There must be a reason why
you don't want to go home.

Everything...

I had in my room

was thrown away by my parents.

Seriously?

Things like this happen a lot.

I'm sleepy.

I like the sound of the sea.
It calms me down.

To me,

it's a bit scary.

The sound of the sea.

It's like

everything's going to disappear.

You're right.

You got up early.

Morning.

The owner said he'll make us breakfast.

What?

Didn't we only pay for the stay?

It's fine.

I happened to make a bit more.

Wow!

Sorry for the trouble, but thank you.

Seafood around here
in Odawara is delicious.

Thank you for the meal.

-It's so good!
-It's so good!

Right? I told you.

Yes, I'm feeling better now.

I'll be at school this afternoon.

Right. See you.

Have you called your parents yet?

Yes, last night.

If I told the truth, my mom would faint.

So I said
I was staying at a friend's place.

Three hours before checking out, right?

That's longer than I thought.

You've brought the art supplies anyway.

I'll draw the sea then.

I'll check out the beach
one more time too.

Hey.

Yesterday, you said,
"I can't die just yet."

What did you mean?

In middle school,

I told a friend that I wanted to die.

And that friend said...

"You'd better die naked."

What? That's embarrassing.

"If that embarrasses you,

and you're bothered by people's opinions,

then you can't die just yet."

So that's why

I can't die just yet.

Yatora,

have you drawn yourself naked?

No.

You should try it.

At the very least,

you'll discover more from that
than drawing the sea.

Also,

your model student's uniform

looks thick and cumbersome.

Then you should draw yourself too.

I can't.

Let's put up the screen.

I don't want you to see me either.

Aren't you an art club member?

I'll cry if I'm the only one naked.

Got it.

It's freaking cold!

Come to think about it,

did I come all the way
to Odawara to get naked?

I undressed.

Let's draw before we catch a cold.

Right.

What the...

I should have seen it a million times.

My body looks like
a thin eraser with hair.

It's more pathetic than I imagined.

It's been a while.

The feeling of drawing.

Listen, don't get mad at me.

What is it?

A girl from the Japanese Art class
showed me your works.

Oh, I know who it is.

Your fashion sketches
are way better than your still-lifes.

I hate to admit it though.

Why did you choose Japanese Art?

Because my grandma likes Japanese Art.

Come on.

It's ridiculous to decide your career
based on just that.

It's ridiculous, right?

But that's the only reason.

Although my parents are terrible,

only my grandma is on my side.

Also,

since we live in my grandma's house,

my parents need to respect her.

I really like my grandma.

And she's the one who taught me
the joy of making art.

I genuinely thought I wanted to pursue
a career in Japanese Art.

However, when I started to
prepare for the exams,

Japanese Art became
more and more depressing to me.

But physically and emotionally,
I couldn't betray my grandma's wishes.

As long as I chose Japanese Art,

my parents wouldn't oppose me.

The truth is that my grandma
is also vulnerable in that house.

I tried to consult with Saeki Sensei.

But I still didn't know
what I really wanted to do

and just took it out on her.

With that kind of mindset,
I never got any better.

I'm no match for someone like you
who's determined and working hard.

It sounds nice
when you call it "hard work,"

but I'm just scared if I don't do so.

Seriously.

Without good sense or talent,
I can only do things I've done before.

I don't know what to do without a goal.

I'm afraid of talking to people
if I don't arm myself with reasoning.

Everyone overestimates me.

But from my point of view,

people who can accomplish things
without much effort are amazing.

I bet most people
can do it better than I do

if they put in the same effort as me.

You're more like a human
than I thought, Yatora.

So, what happened at your home?

When my parents threw away my stuff,

I was in despair

but actually relieved.

That gave me a good excuse to run away.

However,

Grandma immediately rescued my things
from the dumpster.

I thought you were

the kind of person
who never cared about people's opinions.

All I ever think about
is people's opinions.

I thought my passion was
the only thing that could protect me,

but sometimes, I don't even know
what my true passion really is.

You might not believe it,

but actually,

there's a girl that I've always loved.

That middle school friend you mentioned?

Be more surprised, okay?

Yes, but didn't you ask a guy out before?

I'm attracted to men too.

However,

because of my looks, it would have
been simpler if I was only into men.

You've been recently
referring to yourself as a "she"

to make things simpler then?

But that's not understanding.

That's labeling.

Frankly speaking,

I thought you were a cross-dresser.

Now that I know,

it's different.

But,

I understand the feeling of
wanting to put on a mask.

That's insane. Why would I have
this conversation with Ryuji?

I'm sure it's because my body's
soaked in the ocean's blue.

Perhaps Ryuji's body is too.

Thank you for the hospitality.

Please come again.

We'll be back.

See you, Yatora. Good luck with your exam.

Thanks.

Hey, wait a minute.

Here, a lucky charm.

Thank you for coming with me.

You're welcome.

Hives don't look good
on your pale blue body.

Guess I'll never feel
comfortable around you.

Sorry for bothering you
at such a crucial time.

If I fail, it's my fault.

If I pass, it's all thanks to me.

That's all.

All this time,

I've been messing up
where to escape and where to fight.

But you've always been facing
your challenges head-on.

Yatora.

It's about to start

from here on out!

TOKYO ART INSTITUTE

Good morning.

Oh, Yaguchi.

Are you feeling all right?

I'm fine.

My body

is as pathetic as a thin eraser with hair.

So I've been trying to hide it with armor.

But the brush feels light today.

Your last work before the exam
is pretty good.

Thank you.

Phew, but you scared me.

Going all the way to Odawara
to make art with a friend? You're crazy!

Examinees sometimes lose their way
and go on a journey to find themselves.

So I was worried.

But I'm relieved
that your art has improved.

This nude self-portrait is also good.

Did you and that friend
show your works to each other?

We... did show our works to each other, but...

If we hadn't, making nude self-portraits
would have been pointless.

To look at your naked self

and show it to people

is to accept who you really are.

Both the pretty and the ugly parts.

It's quite difficult.

There are many people
who stay dressed their whole lives.

After graduation?

First of all, I'll leave home.

Then I'll find a job
in the fashion industry.

Being naked, the freedom to decorate
our naked selves and ugliness

are all adorable, aren't they?

After accepting myself,

if I can show it well to people,

that would be very cool.

Tomorrow is the second exam.

There are no material restrictions
on the work or the sketchbook.

After finishing the exam tomorrow,
come back here.

Let's briefly discuss
what kind of work you created.

The second exam will last for three days.

Making art for three days
in all that terrible pressure

will be more exhausting
than you can imagine.

Take good care of yourselves.

All right! Have fun,
stay calm, be passionate,

and do your best!

-We will.
-We will.

I'll make more of an effort
than my sister,

so please let me pass!

It's another chance for me
to see all kinds of works.

You're so relaxed,
it's making me freak out.

Ouch!

Are you all right?

I'm not sure.

I think I got something in my eye.

You should go to bed early today.

Yes, I'll do that.

Somehow, I feel like it's getting worse.

Well, no matter how many hives
appear on my body,

I can still make art.

See you later, Yakkun.

Good luck!

Thanks. See you later.

Three days left.

Only three more days of making art,
and it'll be done.

My examinee's number is 52.

I feel for the Oil Painting examinees.

Climbing to the seventh
or eighth floor would k*ll me.

I'm sorry for the people
with lower numbers.

Can't we just take the elevator?

I'm carrying more than ten kilograms
of art supplies here.

We're opening.

The elevator is out of service now.

Please take the stairs to the exam rooms.

So this is what they meant.

This is insane!

Going up eight floors alone
is already exhausting.

It doesn't matter.

It's nothing.

There are people going up
who look weaker than me.

Besides,

compared to the difficulty of
making so many pieces so far,

this is...

Hey...

What the heck?

Something's wrong with my eyes.

It hurts like hell.

Wait a minute.

Is this

the end of the line for me?