01x11 - Replica wa, Tabi ni Deru.

[bunniefuu]

Okay, see you.

Yeah. Have a good trip, Sunao.

Before now, I'd never really cared
about the seasons changing.

I'd wake up one morning,
and it'd be spring,

then summer, then fall turned to winter.

To me, it was just the same old cycle.

While you're on your school trip,

I'm thinking of going
on my own trip with Aki.

Huh? A trip? Where to?

To Fujinomiya.

An overnight trip?

Yeah.

Really?

I see. Well...

Okay. Take care.

I'll bring back a souvenir.

But now that I've started
paying attention,

my world seems to be changing,
little by little.

I've never been to Kyoto before.

We can spend our nights gaming.

Will any of the girls ask
a guy out on the trip?

Maybe.

Good morning.

Sato.

How are you, Aikawa-san?

Well, so-so.

Good enough.

Morning.

Oh, yeah. You can have this.

It's a guide for our field trip.
I made it for us.

You're not kidding?

Nope, not at all.

Can I take a look?

Of course.

"Have fun"?

I couldn't come up with anything else.

"Have fun"?

Keep going.

"Goals for this trip:"

"Get to know the Makaino Farm Resort
that Ryo-senpai said she'd show us."

"Get in touch with
the joys of Fujinomiya."

"And make wonderful memories
with your traveling partner."

Is that "Makai" as in "netherworld"?

No, it's the Maikaino Farm Resort.
It was founded by someone named Makaino.

Yeah?

Still, is it weird we aren't leaving
the prefecture for our trip?

Weird how?

It just, well, seems like
a wasted opportunity.

Oh.

In that case, can I say something weirder?

Sure.

I don't really care where we go
as long as I'm with you.

Also, I'd like to see
where Ryo-senpai lived.

Yeah.

But you love Ryo-senpai so much,
I'm starting to get jealous.

I did make a promise to her, you know.

Whenever I say Ryo-senpai's name,
I feel my heart ache.

But I still want to talk about her
just like this.

For several more years. Decades, even.

Oh, Fuji station's next.
We have to transfer.

Huh? Already?

I bet they've arrived in Kyoto by now.

I hope Sunao didn't forget anything.

And that she's getting along
with her group.

She's in a group with Shuya, right?
Plus, Yoshii and Sato.

I think she'll be fine.

You're right.

I know she's in good hands,
but I still worry.

Or maybe deep down,
I'm hoping Sunao will rely on me again.

Like those times she summons me
when her stomach hurts,

or when she doesn't feel
like getting out of bed.

All set to go! Say cheese!

I swear there's always one.

Someone always has to goof off
in a group photo.

Aw, come on.

It's a school trip, so lighten up.

Let's make it one to remember.

Forget it.

Sheesh. You're so uptight.

Scanning QRs?

But not listening now?

I'll listen to the audio guides
on the bus.

It'll help me write my essay
about the trip.

Okay, honor student.

Blegh. Don't remind me
about our homework.

You'll regret not thinking ahead.

Don't come crying to me
when it's too late.

Sanada-senpai!

Don't be so cruel. Help a brother out.

Whoa. Dang.

Let's take a photo as a memento.

Let's do chin hearts.

Do what now?

Oh, jeez. Let's just
stick with peace signs.

C'mon. You too, Aikawa-san.

Okay, here we go.

These Senbon torii gates
look so cool and mystical.

I know what you mean.

They remind me of Pooky sticks.

Huh? Pooky?

I mean, looking at them,
they're like reverse Pooky.

Only with a little choc at the bottom,
so there's extra room to hold them.

I would never have seen that.

Only a total Yoshii would compare
the Senbon torii to Pooky of all things.

Dang, why are you two making fun of me?

I wasn't making fun,
but I do think you're dumb.

Hey, you just broke the rules!

That totally counts as bullying, you know.

What's this? Did Aikawa-san just laugh?

No, I didn't.

Nuh-uh. You totally laughed.

I know you laughed. Right? Right?

No, you didn't see me laugh.

Still...

"Reverse Pooky"?

You laughed again.
Aikawa-san just laughed!

I'm not Klara from Heidi.

Yowch!

You broke a bone!

- Yoshii, stop being so dramatic.

- Someone call an ambulance!

See? You're dumb.

The netherworld!

Goats!

You're getting way too overexcited.

It's because we're on a field trip.

Wanna go walk a goat?

I do!

Hey, slow down.

Hey, Aki-kun...

I wonder if Ryo-senpai
walked a goat here, too.

I think she did.

For sure.

It feels warm.

It sounds different now.

Yeah.

The buttermilk was tasty, too.

Yeah, it hit the spot
better than regular milk.

It's you guys. What are you
doing way out here?

Mochizuki-senpai?

We were making butter.

That's not what I meant.
You second-years are on that school trip.

The trip is to Fujinomiya.

I've never heard of a school
that stays so local for a trip.

The trip's to Kyoto,
like ours was last year.

What about you? What brings you here?
Playing hooky?

I guess.

I've already been accepted to college,
so I'm free to do what I like.

Oh? I didn't know.

Also, it's a pretty reputable
private university.

Congratulations.

But why are you here in Fujinomiya?

I've been staying with an old lady
since last week.

Is that lady your grandmother?

No. Ryo's.

So if you two are skipping school...

Are you doppelgängers, too?

They have all kinds of
nama yatsuhashi sweet rolls.

Yeah.

Ah, there you are.

Check it out. I just bought this baby.

Yoshii.

Huh? What now? What did I do wrong?

Well, I did get the same thing
during a grade school trip.

Really? Good going, kendo girl.

You're no match for
my deadly Sunflash Blade!

Hey, don't.

I don't waste my blade on amateurs.

Water Tornado Strike!

What the hell is that?

- Oh, crap.

- Get back here!

Buying something?

Huh? Oh, I don't feel like
lugging stuff around right now.

I'll buy everything tomorrow.

Yeah? I will, too.

Should we wait?

Sure.

I'm hungry.

Okay. What do you want?

But maybe I should...

This might sound weird.

What?

Well...

I thought it was all over.

What was all over?

My life.

Now that I think about it,

I hadn't considered what I'd do after
getting revenge on Hayase-senpai.

Stupid, right?

Even back when Aki beat
Hayase-senpai in that match,

it was like something
from a different planet.

I wasn't happy for anyone.

I felt like it had nothing to do with me.

I didn't feel like going to school at all.

I thought I was going to stay
hunched up in my room,

getting smaller and smaller,
like a crumpled piece of paper.

Until the day I'd leave this world
without anybody noticing or caring.

Do you regret coming to school?

I don't.

I'm being honest. I'm glad I came.

To school...

And on this trip.

I'm sure you'll have a lot more fun.

You'll enjoy yourself a lot.
I'm sure of it.

You're right.

We do have our...

I give!

I give up!

Learned your lesson?

Yes, ma'am.

Before I forget...

Aikawa-san...

And you too, of course.

Wanna rent kimonos tomorrow?

No.

Count me out. Not in this cold weather.

And why was I the "you too"?

Besides, you only like maid outfits.

Maid outfits are just as sweet as kimonos.

Fine. Have it your way.
Me and Sanada will rent some.

Huh? Me?

Aw, c'mon. Let's make a memory together.

Live a little. And it's more than kimonos.
We can even style our hair.

We'll be like, "Oh, this hair?
I'm taking this hair to make a wig."

Where's that from?

It's the line the old man
says in Rashomon.

It was an old woman, not a man.

Isn't that right, Aikawa-san?

Yeah, maybe.

Now, look here, missy.

You'd best not sweat the small stuff.
You hear me?

Oh, yeah. Isn't the real
Rashomon around here?

Wasn't Kyoto the setting?

Nothing's survived from that era.

The only thing left of Rashomon is a
relic site near Senbon Street in Kyoto.

Senbon Street? Do Kyoto folks
like the word "Senbon"?

Senbon Street, Senbon torii...

Are senmai pickles from Kyoto, too?

You know what?
This group is beyond help.

So true. I mean, we had to listen
to that "reverse Pooky" drivel.

Or let me guess.

One of you is normal and
the other's a doppelgänger?

H-How?

Actually, you don't have to tell me now
if you don't want to.

So anyway, are you going back
to Shizuoka today?

Um, well, we thought we'd find
a place here for the night.

But we haven't yet.

Fine. Come with me.

Mochizuki-senpai, are you—

Hold on, Aikawa.

Sorry we're late, Shun-chan.

No, you're right on time.

Are these your friends?

They're underclassmen at our school.

They were in that play with me and Ryo.

Oh, the grandma and grandpa?

That's right.

Anyway, they haven't booked
a place to stay yet.

Oh, my. Then, you kids are welcome
to stay with us.

Oh, but we...

It's fine. I insist.

Hopefully, you can all fit in the back.

We'll gladly accept your offer, ma'am.

So how was the farm resort?

I actually enjoyed it.

I got to feed the guinea pigs
and ride a horse.

So I didn't have to worry.

Please come in.

Thanks for having us.

That field.

Ryo-senpai drew this field.

We harvested all the corn in July.

Now it's autumn potatoes
and daikon radishes.

It's just a small farm
we keep as a hobby.

Ryo's painting exaggerated it some.

Help me with the futons.

All right.

A teacher from your school
brought these for the wake.

Our son and daughter-in-law
gave them to us.

That's nice of them.

There are no oil paintings, are there?

No, not one.

We told Ryo-chan we'd be willing
to buy her anything for her art.

But she said oil paintings take too long,

and she didn't know how long
she was going to be with us.

Would you like to pray with me?

You might think I'm just rambling,

but we do think of Ryo-chan
as our own real daughter.

We only had one son,

so we were thrilled to raise
such an adorable girl.

But Ryo-chan never wanted anything
for herself when she came to us.

She would always act
so apologetic with us.

How could a little girl
have such low self-esteem?

It pained me to see it.

She looked like Suzumi-chan,
but I didn't know what I could give her.

Then, one day...

Yutaka-san had Ryo-chan
hold seeds in her tiny hand.

Mini tomato seeds.

From then on, she worked
hard to grow them.

She'd ask us how much water
and fertilizer they needed.

She eventually started
talking more and smiling.

Little by little, we became a real family.

Little by little.

What's that picture?

Oh, I remember that one.

Ryo-chan didn't come home from school
one day, even after dark.

We searched everywhere for her
with help from the neighbors.

After a while...

We found her in a rice field
not far from here.

She said she'd been sketching
fireflies in the field.

"Because they were so pretty,"
she told us with a smile.

She was so darn cute.

Yutaka-san and I didn't have
the heart to scold her.

Forgive me, Ryo-chan.

I know you hate these tearjerkers.

You and Suzumi-chan
are probably sad right now.

I miss you so much.

I hope I can see you again.
One more time.

Ryo-senpai suddenly disappeared
at the gym.

But that doesn't mean
she's nowhere to be found.

She hadn't been forgotten by anybody.

Ryo-senpai.

You finally made it home.

Right now, Sunao-senpai's in Kyoto,
and Nao-senpai's in Fujinomiya.

I can't wait for souvenirs
from both places.