Morning, Kikuchi.
Good morning, Tomozaki.
I read The Popples.
You did?!
I didn't know it was available as an ebook.
You said the book was almost impossible to find in stores,
so I thought, "Maybe..."
Here.
See?
The Popples on Raptor Isle
Wow...
Table of Contents
So, um, having read it... what did you think?
I thought the best part was at the very end,
where everyone used the power of words to convey the ocean's beauty
to the blind Popple.
I knew it!
There was something else that stuck with me, too.
Something else?
The firelings.
Chapter 7: The Firelings
2nd Stage: Lv. 12 Sometimes the ancient tome in the first town is the key to the final dungeon
The Popple makes friends with everyone...
everyone but the firelings.
That's right. Not everyone can be friends.
The Popples is... kind of a grown-up story.
When I read that part of The Popples...
it felt about as jarring as when Kikuchi was talking about her "ideal."
You said you see things from an author's perspective, right?
Right.
But if that's true... you should be able to accept that these firelings exist.
The Popples on Raptor Isle
The Popple was a freak, yet it made friends with all these other species.
And yes, that's ideal.
Still, as the author Michael Andi crafted that world,
he included the firelings,
who couldn't make friends with the others.
You said that you needed to be like the Popple...
but then aren't you rejecting the firelings?
If you really did have an author's perspective,
you'd say the world could have both the Popple and the firelings.
Saying that you have to be like the Popple
shows that you're thinking about how you should be for yourself.
That may be true...
I know I'm playing with fire.
I'm negating the words Kikuchi's been using to define herself
and trying to suggest different words instead.
But I see a Kikuchi who'd ushered Kris to such a sad conclusion,
a Kikuchi who was doing everything she could to fit in,
and I think, "I want to help her."
Not that I should help her...
I want to.
I don't think you need a player's or an author's perspective.
You can see life through your own eyes: from a character's POV.
You've just lost sight of that because you're overthinking things.
I just don't know.
I don't know what I'm looking at, what my goals are...
I mean... everything I see is gray.
Well, that's easy.
Andi's books.
You love Andi's books.
That's one fact that's never going to change.
Is that enough?
Yep. After all, Andi's books are what showed you a world of color.
Right now, you think you have to change to fit in.
But if you were a fireling,
and everyone else were a different species...
you could find friends at the firelings' lake.
Is this...
You'll find a bunch of friends who like the same things.
Some of whom you'll want to meet in person.
I mean, that place is nothing but firelings.
You're really amazing, Tomozaki.
Nah. Just sneaky, that's all.
Still... are you sure?
You and Hanabi changed so splendidly, you fit in so well...
and only I stay the same?
Right.
I'll give it to you straight:
The friendships you make at school? They're nothing special.
I've changed myself over these past six months,
gotten involved with all kinds of people,
and, I think, made a lot of what I'd consider friends.
But that was all about me clicking with those people
and school was just what brought us together.
And in these past six months,
the encounter I'm most happy to have had
was the day I gave a blanket denial of this school and the normie way of life,
and Hinami threw it back in my face.
I did as she said, and set out to play the game of life.
My superficial way of thinking was actually sour grapes,
a sore loser not accepting defeat.
But that's not entirely true.
I can't say the grapes were all that sour.
It's simply that some grapes are sweeter or more sour than others.
I came to know that truth.
You don't need to be friends with everyone just because
you think the world demands it of you.
I see...
So I'm fine just as I am.
I'm not some freak who doesn't belong in this world.
Right. Of course not.
Right...
Now, getting back on track...
With what?
With this here. Do you know how to use this app?
Let's see... first you make an account...
It's really very simple.
If the sweet grapes are hanging out of reach,
seek out the sweet strawberries on the ground.
If you don't care for sweet things, look for tasty nuts instead.
And if you're not even hungry, go have fun however you want.
That's all there is to it.
Tomozaki!
Morning, Kikuchi. You're happy today.
I've made up my mind.
The previous draft ended with Kris leaving
and making an effort to fit in with the outside world.
But now, Kris will apprentice at a studio to become an artisan,
crafting her beloved flower decorations.
Hey, nice!
I'm sure Kris was lonely in her garden,
and she didn't know anything about the outside world...
But I figured she'd like working with flowers.
So I think she'll be happy, having chosen that path.
Cool.
Hey, Kikuchi?
Yes?
I'd like to talk with you about something after the festival.
Howdy, Brain!
Hey, Mimimi. Morning.
We're pretty much set with the play, right? The script and all?
Yeah, just about.
So I can ask you to start focusing on our thing now?
Oh, sure. I can get some real practice in now.
Excellent! We are a married couple, after all.
We're doing a married-couple routine: an act.
Nice comeback! Keep that up, 'kay?
You bet.
The days leading up to the festival were packed with rehearsals and prep.
Sekitomo High School Culture Festival Play My Unfamiliar Way to Fly
Manga Café Banchoo
- And now, finally...
the festival's tomorrow!
Bottom-Tier Character Tomozaki S2
Sekitomo Festival
Sewing Room 2
Medium Goal Have a girlfriend before starting year 3
Now, have you figured it out?
Do you know who you'll choose, based on your feelings: Fuka or Mimimi?
Yes. I've decided.
Good.
Hey, about the play's script...
How much influence did you have on the story?
I was just Kikuchi's sounding board whenever she got stuck.
It's almost entirely her own work.
I see.
Why do you ask?
No reason.
I was just a little curious about the extent of your involvement.
You were at our interview, after all.
Anyway, today's the big day!
Are you ready?
You bet I am.
Sekitomo Festival
Today's the day I say what I feel, so I can do what I want to do.
I absolutely can't afford to fail.
Manga Café Banchoo
Brain!
Morning, Mimi... mi...
Ah! I see my appearance has you captivated!
Well? Well? Cute, right? Totes adorbs?
Yeah, real cute.
The crab, that is.
The crab?!
All right, everyone. Get in here for a class photo!
Hey, finally!
Tomozaki...
Where's your T-shirt?
Don't worry. I'm wearing it.
See?
Okay, then.
This looks like it's gonna be one fun festival. For both of us.
Right?
Sekitomo Festival
Mizusawa! Tomozaki!
Hey there, Gumi... and Mako and Sayaka!
We had no idea you guys were Gumi's friends!
Long time no see!
Oh, y-yeah.
Huh? What happened to your nose glasses?
Those were a one-day-only deal!
Hey, have you seen this dude's Pinsta?
Here, look.
He really did post it!
Those look great on you, Mizusawa.
Here we go again with the non-compliments!
Leave it to Mizusawa... No, I can't lose my nerve!
Y-Yeah, and that got a fair number of likes, too.
There you are, Brain!
It's almost time...
Are these girls compensated?!
Absolutely not!
Hey, shouldn't we get in one last rehearsal?
Yeah, we should.
Oh, are you doing something, Tomozaki?
Um, yeah. A comedy routine, actually.
Comedy?
There's more to you than meets the eye, huh, Tomozaki.
Now you're doing comedy with this cutie?
Huh?!
And after you were picking up girls at our girls' school...
Y-You went to a girls' school to flirt, Brain?!
I-I wasn't really flirting, per se...
B-B-Brain! Since when were you s-such a shallow guy?!
N-No! Mizusawa was—
You were with Takahiro?!
Now I know it's the truth!
All right—let's get rehearsing!
Don't change the subject!
Break a leg, you two!
Looking for Tomozaki?
He and Mimimi should be in the multipurpose hall right about now,
doing their comedy routine.
Oh, um... yes, right.
Fuka?
I'll do my best to make this performance a success.
I know. Thank you.
Multipurpose Hall Entrance This Way
Sekitomo Festival
Well, th-this is it...
Why are you so nervous?
Sh-Shouldn't I be?
Oh, it'll be fine! No one's expecting too much, anyway.
It's not like we're going to be good.
Sh-Shouldn't we be?!
Yes, that—right there! Nice and natural!
See? We'll be fine.
Comedy Haniwanya
Next up is a comedy routine from Haniwanya!
All right, give it your best shot!
That's our name?
You don't like it? I was torn between that and "Haniwaniwa."
They're both essentially the same!
Okay, Brain. Let's do this!
Yeah!
Sekitomo Festival Comedy Haniwanya
Hi there!
All right, here we go:
Just listen to this, Tomozaki!
What is it, Nanami?
We've been doing this for years and years now.
We started this duo barely a month ago.
Heck, we only started talking to each other a little while back.
Oh, don't say that!
So anyway—
Huh?
What's my next line again?
Um...
I-I have to...
I have to... to say something...
Tomozaki!
Do you know how we got our name?
Um...
Because you and I both love haniwa!
Haniwanya!
Sekitomo Festival
She'd go that far to cover for me and my forgotten line...
I've got to do something...!
So anyway, here we are doing comedy.
Are you ignoring me?!
Sekitomo Festival
But listen, Nanami: I managed to get some time off.
Uh-huh?
Sekitomo Festival
Well, that went sorta okay.
Yeah.
Hey, I'm sorry. I totally blanked out there. You really saved me.
No problem! All part of a wife's job.
Look, we are not married!
Next time, the ramen's on me.
You got it.
Thanks. I mean it.
All's well that ends well, right?
We did pretty good for rank amateurs... didn't we?
Probably, yeah! We were definitely good!
Yeah. We definitely were. Probably.
I better get going.
Oh, the play?
The play... with Kikuchi?
Yeah.
I'll be back.
Of course.
Listen, Mimimi... I—
Tomozaki?
That was fun, huh? The comedy.
Yeah.
I really had a lot of fun.
Now get going, you.
Right.
Aw...
It's over!
It's all over...
Kikuchi!
Tomozaki...
Any minute now.
Yes.
And now for Class 2-2's original performance,
"My Unfamiliar Way to Fly."