02x01 - Zettai Hen da yo

[bunniefuu]

Good morning!

Come on, guys! Chin up.

We bagged the prize, so it's all good.

Right?

Wrong!

In what universe are pencils
and a notebook a "prize"?

We worked so hard!

I hate myself for letting
my chain get yanked over money.

I hate myself for staying up
so late to make the costumes.

What's goin' on in here?

You guys still complaining?

I mean, dude!

How was morning practice?

We've got a game coming up,
so it's pretty rough.

And what about you?

Lately, Sano's been doing great.

Ashiya?

If you're free after school,
want to come watch?

Yeah! Of course!

And he's been smiling a lot too.

I seriously can't believe that
this was our "monetary prize."

For real, for real.

Those three days were heaven, though...

Right, right.

It's like having girls around changes
the whole atmosphere of this place.

Speaking of, I heard a couple
of guys have girlfriends now.

What?!

No way!

Damn it!

How dare they?!

Ashiya! Nakao!

Even you guys will do!

Cross-dress and make our
hearts feel alive again!

Huh?!

This is some serious brain rot.

Will you guys get a grip already?

Hearin' you constantly yap
about girls is so annoying.

Don't be a dunce!

Can you seriously say being around girls
doesn't make you the least bit happy?

I mean, sure...

Hey, hey, Nakatsu.

Is your leg okay?

Back when you saved me,

you took that leap
and sprained your ankle.

Oh, that? It's totally fine.

I willed it all better.

Really?

That's good to hear.

He really is too cute!

Ashiya.

You don't look so good.

Doesn't feel like you have a fever.

I-I'm fine!

My appetite's just a little shot.

Oh, is it your stomach?

Er, uh... yeah.

My stomach might be kinda off.

Can you please just drop it?!

I know this happens every month,

but being a girl is such a pain.

Doctor?

I'm here to get the usual...

Sorry to interrupt!

It's not what it looks like.

You're doing seitai massage?

I twisted my shoulder a little
during practice this morning.

I'm licensed, I'll have you know.

Ashiya, maybe you should
have Kujo train you.

Maybe you can bulk up that
pathetic chest of yours that way.

Pump those pecs!

Oh, I could never!

I'm clumsy and spineless!

He's such a jerk!

I don't think that's true.

Seeing you in the chicken fight
during the festival,

I realized you have good reflexes
and spatial awareness.

Not to mention, karate is more about
tempering the heart than the body.

The heart...

Come see us if you ever feel like it.

Doctor, thank you very much.

Of course.

Tempering the heart, huh?

And how may I help you?

If it's the package from my sister
you want, it's over there.

I just knew Io-san would
come through for me!

There's no way I could've
snagged all this myself.

Hey, wanna hit the convenience
store on the way home?

Yeah, okay.

What's that look for?

You just looked so cool.

How could I go and blurt that out?!

Get it off! Get it off!

Come on, get it off!

Ashiya, chill out.

It's already gone.

There.

S-S-Sorry!

Wh-What the hell are those two doing?!

It's not like them being all close
is anything new...

I mean, Mizuki basically
followed Sano to this school.

What am I gettin' all worked up over?

S-So cute...

What a real waste on a guy.

I-I can't believe I'm looking
at my good friend that way!

I gotta stop!

Mizuki is my bro!

B-Besides, what does that make me
if my heart's aflutter for said bro?

D-D-D-Did I just say "aflutter"?!

What is wrong with me?!

His aura just went through all the colors.

Weird, right?

Weird.

Definitely weird.

What is up with Nakatsu?

This isn't like him.

Hey, there's a practice
soccer match this Sunday, right?

We should all go and cheer for them!

Well, Sano and I will have to pass.

We've got a track qualification
event on Sunday. Sorry.

You're right...

What about you, Noe?

Sorry, I'm going to an event that day.

Gotta snag a limited-edition
model kit of Gepumper's miko version.

I'm attending a screening
of an unreleased film.

An unreleased film?

Depending on who you ask,

the film itself carries the curse
of an unfortunate woman who—

Stop right there!

I-It is what it is, guys.

Osaka High vs. Nagoya High
Practice Match

Gosh, it's already starting!

Why did I have to come to this?

There sure are a ton of girls here.

That's because Nagoya
is a business school.

The ball got stolen from him again!

Nakatsu! Stop being so damn slow!

Not again!

Get your head in the game.

What is going on with him today?

Go, Nakatsu!

Fight!

Mizuki...

Nakatsu!

Cheer up.

Mistakes happen.

So stupid.

Hey, are you thirsty?

I'll go get something to drink.

Nakao-kun, you stay with him, okay?

I'm such an idiot!

How could I let myself get
distracted mid-game like that?!

I really am a total jackass!

Why must the god of soccer toy with me?!

I gotta go cool my head.

U-Um, Nakatsu-kun?

Could... we talk?

Huh?

I'm back.

Wait, where's Nakatsu?

No clue.

Probably around here somewhere.

Jeez.

Just let him be.

It's not like he's a kid.

Oh, there he is!

Nakatsu...

A girl?

Hey!

Why are we hiding?

I don't know. Because.

Listen, um... I've had feelings
for you for a long time!

Please go out with me!

Huh?

What?!

Hey, Ashiya!

Is it true that Nakatsu's got a girl now?!

Who told you that?

And then this girl from Nagoya High
just asked him out!

Like, what a shock!

I mean, talk about completely
out of the blue!

Looks like nothing is impossible.

I guess she has peculiar taste.

H-H-Hang on, Nakao-kun!

It doesn't feel right to talk
about other people's private affairs.

What? Where's the harm?

So you're the one who's spreading
the ridiculous rumors.

Ouch!

It hurts, Ashiya!

That's all on you today.

Man...

A girl's got a crush on Nakatsu, huh?

So, what was she like?

What was she like?!

Well, she was cute.

She looked like a nice person.

What? That's not fair!

My name is Imaike Komari.

If there isn't anyone else
you're interested in...

And you don't have to give me
an answer right away.

I'll give you time!

Now that I think about it,

this is the first time
this has happened to me.

Komari-chan, huh?

She was cute.

Really?

That's not true!

If there isn't anyone else
I'm interested in...

Th-There isn't!

You've gotta hear this!

Didn't know he was that happy about it.

Who wouldn't be?

That reminds me, Sano...

What happened with you
and Kinu-chan yesterday?

Kinu-chan?

Yup. She's this sports reporter who's been
hounding Sano ever since middle school.

Oh, yeah, I know her.

She came around a lot last year too.

That lady who's always pushing Sano.

She caught wind of his comeback

and couldn't contain herself,
so she came running.

She's a hottie, too!

Yeah, she's a total knockout.

So, what happened afterward?

Nothing at all.

She was annoying me,
so I ditched her and went home.

What?! What a shame!

I wonder if Sano
and this woman are close...

Hi there, Sano-kun!

Morning!

Oh, Kinu-chan!

We just saw you yesterday.

You're always so cold.

- I see you've got that big bag again.

- So that's her.

My tools of the trade.

Can I carry half of that for you?

No, no!

I appreciate the sentiment,

but don't go thinking I can't
take care of myself!

A journalist's tools are their lifeblood.

I have to be able to lug around this much.

What a professional!

But of course.

She's pretty cool.

So, Sano-kun, are you going
to be training now?

Wait, I spy a new face around here!

A younger teammate?

That's my roommate.

I see!

My name is Karasuma Kinuko.
Pleasure to meet you.

I'm Ashiya. Pleasure's all mine.

Oh, right, this guy adored Sano so much,

he transferred here
all the way from the US.

Wow! And what do you do?

O-Oh, I don't do anything special.

So you're basically just a Sano groupie.

I-I mean, yeah, but come on!

So, now then, Ashiya-kun...

There's something I want
to ask you as his roommate.

What does Sano-kun do on his days off?

Um, he does all his laundry for the week.

And other stuff...

I guess you do live in a dorm.

Makes sense.

And then?

"Other stuff" tells me nothing.

Please be more specific.

Um, well, he reads.

A bookworm, huh?

And how much does he train every day?

As far as nutrition goes,
is he getting enough protein?

And, this is getting a little personal,

but is Sano-kun on Team Briefs?

Team Boxers?

U-Uh...

You can stop there.

You came to interview me, right?

What are you grilling him for?

Oh, yay! Does that mean you're
finally giving in to an interview?!

I didn't say I'd talk.

Sano-kun!

As always, she's only got eyes for Sano.

It's not like I just came in
from the States to show off!

I won't let her call me a groupie again!

- Um...

- So...

Please, go ahead.

You sure?

You seem very passionate about Sano-kun.

Where did you first see him?

I'd saw him on local TV when
I happened to be in Japan.

She can't beat me when it comes
to being passionate about Sano!

When I went back to the US,

I'd import magazines and things
that had articles about him.

In particular, SPOT not only had the most,

but they had the most
detailed pieces on him.

The research was really well done,

so I always read every single one.

That was me.

Huh?

I wrote those.

Under the pen name "KK."

Wh-What?!

I see, I see!

So you were reading my articles.

That's music to a journalist's ears!

There's no way...

Oh, Sano-kun's about to jump.

There we have it!
Kinu-chan's guerrilla tactics!

Quiet, you!

Hey.

Why do you look so down?

Sano...

Were you watching my jump?

I was!

Hmm...

You've got that monkey face again.

Look. Stretchy, stretchy.

What are you doing?!

Stop!

Monkey! Monkey!

Don't call me that!

Angry monkey! Ouch!

Hey! Hey!

Huh. I didn't know Sano-kun
could laugh like that.

Those two are pretty tight, aren't they?

Yeah.

I mean, it was Ashiya who convinced
Sano to get back into the high jump.

You didn't even flinch.

That's not doing anything.

This one. And this one. This one too.

They're pretty much all written by KK.

From her point of view,

I really am just a groupie!

I need to stop these negative thoughts!

So what if I'm a groupie?!

I'm so serious about it
that I crossed an ocean!

What am I still agonizing about?

A girl that cute came
and told me she likes me.

There's nothing to be confused about here.

That's true, but...

The only thing on my mind is Mizuki!

This is getting me nowhere!

I gotta settle this once and for all!

Nobody home?

So you are here.

Mizuki. You asleep?

You're gonna catch a cold.

Mizu—

I...

I feel... weird.

This is weird...

Sano...

Sano...

What the hell am I doing, seriously?

I made these in cooking class today.

Wow! And I get to eat 'em all?

Yes! I baked them for you, after all.

Ah, the springtime of my youth!

Are they good?

Delicious!

Right, I've been meanin' to ask...

What about?

K-Komari-chan, what is it that you...
l-like about me, exactly?

Everything!

M-My heart wasn't ready!

Actually, I've known you for a while.

Even at Nagoya High, everyone knows
you as the young fiery lion.

It was half a year ago now at a
practice game between our schools...

Didja get it?

Nice going.

Just don't let it go again!

I thought back then that you had
the smile of someone truly kind.

And that was when, well...

Thank you...

Our Nakatsu has a girlfriend now?

Has the world gone mad?

You can say that again.

It's a bug in the relationship system.

Wait, so us not getting girlfriends
is a feature and not a bug?

Don't say depressing stuff like that.