1. A "girl meets girl" story that will set your heart aflutter.
6. Kou-chan is worried about Ikumi-san, whose unease has been mounting as she watches her mother fall apart. There have been a lot of ups and downs in Kou-chan and Ikumi-san's relationship over the years. Their hearts meet, then drift apart, then draw close again...
1. "I'll go make some tea!"
2. "Ready for a break?"
3. "Okay!"
4. "Yes!"
5. "Do you think ueda-san will be drafted for this year's play?"
6. "Thanks."
7. "I'd like to see ikumi-san dress up as a man."
8. "Here's the tea! Help yourselves!"
9. "I doubt it."
10. "I've had enough of acting."
11. "A man, huh?"
1. "Why?"
2. "My mother might faint if she saw that."
3. "We say hello and goodbye to each other, but that's about it. We never talk."
4. "We haven't had a real conversa- tion in years."
5. "She never leaves the house."
6. "She says she wants to."
7. "But she's coming to this year's."
8. "She's never been to one of our drama festivals."
9. "Just hello and goodbye can be enough sometimes."
1. "I don't know."
2. "You're not happy about that?"
3. "Weird? You think?"
4. "Sorry to bring up such a weird topic."
5. "Should I be happy? Should I be disturbed?"
1. "We all need someone like that around."
2. "That's not true!"
3. "It must be because you're not as close to me as you are to okudaira-san."
4. "I've never talked to anyone about my family before."
5. "You're probably right."
1. "My mom..."
2. "Wants to see you."
1. "I'm sorry I used her as an excuse to come here."
2. "But it's the truth."
3. "She misses you. She's lonely."
4. "And so am I......"
1. "Oh! That dress looks lovely on you."
2. "Kayoko."
3. "Auntie told me to wear it."
4. "Kayoko!"
1. "Bring me back something nice!"
1. "Hey!!"
2. "Didn't anyone tell you?"
3. "Tell me what?"
4. "Huh?!"
5. "Are you meeting someone here too, akihiko-chan?"
1. "Keep it down."
2. "Nobody told me this was a marriage meeting!"
3. "Don't be mad."
4. "I was the one who requested it."
5. "You were?!"
1. Akihiko and I were childhood friends.
2. When spring suddenly arrived for me, I was utterly at sea.
1. When my husband discovered that I was a virgin, he was glad.
2. Little things like that didn't stand out to me at the time,
3. but later, after things had gone sour, I realized what sort of person he'd been even then.
4. Those memories are tied into negative feelings now.
1. "Kyouko!"
2. "Don't go too far into the forest. It's dangerous."
1. "Kyou-kooo!"
2. "Kyou-kooo!"
3. "Thank goodness you're okay!"
4. "Everyone's worried about you."
5. "Kyouko!"
6. "Kou-chaaan!"
7. I received a thorough scolding that night for letting my daughter out of my sight.
1. But my daughter blamed herself.
2. It was no more than I deserved.
3. She desperately tried to protect me.
4. Such a young girl, and I made her cry.
5. I was a terrible mother.
6. Could that really have been it?
7. Was that why my husband distanced himself from us?
1. My sisters didn't care for my husband, and they were cold to us.
2. They said that he was a horrible man. That he was only interested in young women.
3. So when he lost interest in me, where could I go?
1. "Kyouko-chan,"
2. "Want to stop somewhere on our way home?"
3. "I'm sorry."
4. "I see."
5. "I don't feel well."
6. "......I'm not going today."
7. That was when I realized
8. that my daughter had finally abandoned me, too.
1. "I'm sorry, ma'am."
2. "My, my, my!"
3. "It has been quite a while since I've seen you."
4. "I hope so."
5. "Is your search for a job progressing well?"
6. "Kyouko missed you."
7. "I'm sure you'll do fine wherever you end up."
8. "Oh, and I'm glad to see that you're doing well."
1. "You're the one who missed him, mom..."
2. "Really?"
3. "...tea, please."
4. "Would you prefer tea or coffee?"
5. "Hmm."
6. "Perhaps you're right."
1. "I remember I used to make iced tea for you all the time."
2. "Oh,"
3. "Was this your idea, president?"
4. "You're holding auditions? That's interesting."
5. "Yes."
1. "Spoken like a true club president."
2. "Wow."
3. "I figured it might revitalize the club."
5. "Please be sure to attend the auditions, sensei."
6. "I-"
7. "I will!"
8. To be continued!