Misuzu:
Oh, I guess I should tell you my name.
It's Misuzu Kamio.
I guess now I have to give you a name too, huh?

Child #1:
Hey, isn't that the loser guy from the bank?

Child #2:
Man, am I hungry!

Child #3:
Why are you walking so slow?

Child #4:
Pick up the pace, would ya?

Child #2:
Yeah.

Misuzu:
Oh, I know, Sky!
I'll call you Sky from now on if that's all right with you.
Hey, that's where I always stand to look at the clouds.

-- OP --

Misuzu:
Good afternoon, there!
Well, you don't seem to be sick or anything.
It's almost like we're friends when we sit like this.
That's one beautiful sunset, isn't it?
I wish I had somebody to play with on the beach, too...
Bye!


Haruko:
What is that thing on our table?

Misuzu:
He's a crow that followed me home.
I think maybe he's too little to fly just yet.

Haruko:
He seems awfully friendly for a wild animal.

Misuzu:
And I already gave him a name. It's Sky.
He's gonna live in my bedroom with me.

Haruko:
No. Way.

Misuzu:
But... why not?

Haruko:
If you want a pet, get a cat or a dog like a normal person.
Having a fricking crow around is too depressing.

Misuzu:
What!?
That's not true.
See, he's cute!
Go on, Sky, say hello!

Haruko:
Aaagghh! Ow...


Misuzu:
She was really mad, wasn't she?
Don't worry, I'm gonna sneak you into my bedroom later on tonight.
Then we can apologize tomorrow morning, okay?



Misuzu:
Summer vacation starts tomorrow.
This year, I think I'm gonna try to invite some of my classmates over to hang out.
I wonder if they play with me though.
I think I'll practice what to say.
Let's see... I'd love it if you came over to my house to play this summer.
Oh, I have remedial classes, we'd have to play in the afternoon.
We could go swimming maybe... or play card games, or play with fireworks, or maybe we could even do our homework together.
Hey! I could copy off yours, that way I'd have it easy!
I'm just kidding. If we studied together, I'd work really hard.
I feel so much braver now.
I'll be back at noon, so play by yourself until then.
Don't wander too far away, okay?
See ya!

Kano:
What the...?
Hey, look, It's a crow!
Where did you come from, little guy?
Come here! No, no, don't worry.
I promise I won't hurt you.
Hey, stop that. I can't take it off.
If I take it off before I'm grown up, I'll never get all the magic powers I'm supposed to and you wouldn't want that to happen, would you?
Now there're cars out there on the road, so you've got to be very careful, okay?
So long!

Misuzu:
No, I'm not gonna cry... Hold it in... Hold it in...
Hey, Sky... It looks I'm gonna be all alone again this summer after all.
I couldn't get anyone to agree to play with me.
They all know about it somehow.
I don't know how, but they all know that I'm not normal.
But I'll be okay. I'll do as much fun stuff as I can by myself.
For my optional assignment, I'm gonna do a picture diary and write about all the fun things I do this summer.
So... so everything's gonna be fine.

Oh... It's the guy from yesterday.
I know I just told you something else, but I really don't wanna be alone all summer.
I mean it's three whole months.
I don't wanna be the only kid without somebody to play with, not again.
I'm gonna talk to that guy.
He seems like a nice person, and... then I'll ask him to play with me.
I mean I've got nothing to lose, right?
Just keep smiling, Misuzu. And try to act natural.

Yukito:
Get away from my ramen!

Misuzu:
You all by yourself?

Haruko:
What the heck's going on?
It's just one thing after another with you!
First a stinking bird, and then a stinking vagrant!
You know, I can't wait to see what the third thing will be!
Living with you can be so exhausting.

Misuzu:
But Mom, he just needs a place...


Haruko:
OH YEAH!?

Yukito:
This isn't how you told me it'd be.

Haruko:
'Kay, it seems like you've got some self-confidence, and I can kind of admire you for that.

Misuzu:
That's right, and Yukito's a really nice guy too.

Haruko:
All right then, he can stay here.

Yukito:
Seriously?

Haruko:
Shut up before I change my mind!


Haruko:
Yukito Kunisaki, eh? Well, Misuzu hasn't had another one of her episodes.
So I guess she can get along with this guy, Young Bird?
You know I'm starting to think this bum might be able to provide some companionship for her.
That'll be good. I mean she's never been able to make a single friend in her entire life because of that weird illness of hers.
Doesn't seem like such a bad guy.
I guess we might as well take a chance on him.

Yukito:
Is there anything else I can wear?

Misuzu:
All of my other shirts would be way too small for you.
It even smells nice.

Mmhmm. Hey Sky, Yukito and Mom are going to work and I have to go to school.
So you watch the house while we're gone, okay?
All of us will be back this afternoon.


A passerby (Keisuke):
Nobody seems to be here.
What should I do with this cake?


Haruko:
Hey Bird! What're you doing out here?
Shouldn't you be inside or something?
Hmm... but I'm glad I ran into you.
Why don't you come with me?


Haruko:
You know what, there's gonna be a summer festival here soon.
It'll be the tenth festival since... that summer.
I remember it like it was yesterday.
She just kept standing in front of the stupid baby chick station, talking to them, saying, "Gao, gao!"
I don't know where she got it from, but she always thought that chicks grew up to be dinosaurs.
You believe that?
Any chick you buy at a festival isn't gonna last long enough to grow up anyway.
So I tried to drag her home, but... it was so weird thing.
Here's this kid who never caused any trouble.
She stares up at me and says real soft like :
"I wish I could have one of those", almost like she's apologizing, "Could I have one?"
Telling you how I thought it was gonna break my heart.
'Cause you see Misuzu, she wasn't a child that anybody really wanted.
Her parents weren't married and they were always fighting with each other, I mean bickering all the time.
And then my big sister died suddenly, the only person left was her dad.
And he comes to me a couple of months later and tells me I need to take her for a little bit.
I'm telling ya, I had a pretty rough time of it, too.
I lived day-to-day thinking any second he was gonna come back, right?
He was gonna come back and take her.
So I tried to keep my distance and not to get too involved, you know?
But I guess after spending so much time with her under the same roof year in and year out,
I mean she's always so hasty and clumsy, but... she has this knack for forgetting all the bad things and laughing them off.
And her laugh can be just infectious sometimes.
Still, I'm not her mom and I never will be.
Her dad can come to take her back any time he feels like it.
And when he does, like it or not, I'm gonna have to give her up and go back to living by myself.
I always figured I'd have to protect myself from how bad I'll feel when that happens.
So all I've tried to do with Misuzu is just keep my distance, even after all these years.
That's why I've never given that kid a single birthday present, not once in ten years.
Every year I just pretend I don't remember.
And every year, I fight with myself over whether I should stop pretending.
She doesn't need anything from me.
It's too late for us to be a family.
Too much time's gone by.

Sky:
That person, this place, I feel like I've seen them before.
When? Where?
Ah, it's no use.
I just can't remember...


-- Eyecatch --

Misuzu:
Ahh!...Ahh!
A bug flew into the vent again!
Ohh! The soy sauce bottle fell over.
Ah...Ahh! Ohh, the salad oil spilt... ohh...
Oh! I ruined Yukito's bacon and eggs and I don't have time to make more.

Misuzu:
Does it taste all right?

Yukito:
Yeah.

Misuzu:
Seriously?

Yukito:
Yeah.

Misuzu:
Doesn't taste like bugs?

Yukito
What did you do?!

Misuzu:
Nothing! Nothing!
Just enjoy your breakfast.

Misuzu:
(stumble)
I'm okay.

Yukito:
Hey, where do you think you're going?
That is one messed-up bird.

Girl:
And please make my big sister Saika all better, if you can.
Mommy, do you think there are really gods and that they listen to us?

Mother:
Of course there are, honey.
The gods are watching over you and Saika all the time.
I know they heard your prayer and are going to answer it.

Girl:
Look Mommy, this must belong to one of the gods.
It was walking all by itself.

Mother:
Oh my goodness! It looks almost brand-new.
I think we should leave it up here.
This is the house of the gods after all.

Girl:
Okay.

Minagi:
Well, hello there.
Are you all by yourself?
You aren't afraid of me, are you?
No? I guess you're not.
If you don't have a home, you're welcomed to come and stay at the old train station.
My best friend Michiru lives there and I think that the two of you would probably get along really well.
And you'll have all the food you can eat there.
I bet it'll be perfect for you.
I guess you do have a home.
Poor little guy, must be hurt or something.
But keep trying. I know you'll be able to fly.

Haruko:
Just think about how it makes me feel, getting called to your school every time you have one of your episodes.

Misuzu:
I'm really sorry.

Haruko:
You seem to feel fine when you're with that freeloader, though.
I was starting to hope you'd grown out of this.

Misuzu:
Hmm...

Haruko:
Look, I gotta get back to work now, okay?

Misuzu:
Mmhmm.
I really didn't mean to cause too much trouble, you know.

Misuzu:
She was pretty upset again, huh?
But you know, she must have dropped everything when she heard I was sick.
She got there fast.
I'll bet Yukito's still out there waiting to walk me home.
I hope he isn't worried.
I have to act like nothing happened.
When he comes, I'll just tell him it slipped my mind.
Because I want... I want Yukito to think that I'm just an ordinary girl.

Yukito:
Hey. I'm home, Misuzu.



Haruko:
Hey, everybody!

Misuzu?

Yukito:
All of a sudden, she...

Haruko:
It's okay, I know.

Misuzu:
Oh, Sky... Mom says Yukito left and probably isn't coming back.
I wanted him to stay at least until the end of the summer.
But I guess I shouldn't be too sad because he says he'll still walk me to and from school like he's been doing.
I guess I just have to be patient, huh?
I mean I'm still gonna be able to see him every day, right?
Ow...
It's the strangest thing.
Sometimes I get this terrible pain in my back.
I wonder what's wrong with me...
Ow...

Yukito:
Why did you take Misuzu in the first place?

Haruko:
What?

Yukito:
Oh, I see.
So you think that gives you permission not to get too attached?
Think about it!
That little girl needs someone she can depend on!

Haruko:
That was a terrible thing for him to say.
I mean it's not like he had to tell me; I've known for years already.
I've known she's needed more for as long as I can remember.
I wonder sometimes how long I can go on like this, never giving her the affection she deserves, constantly afraid that she's gonna be taken away.
That's it!
I am gonna make it official then.
I'm marching over to the Tachibana house and making her my daughter for good.

Haruko:
I though I'd get away for a while, visit some hot springs.

Yukito:
Oh, that's great, you're just gonna run away.
Give me a break!
Don't you care about Misuzu at all?!

Haruko:
It's time to be a family, Misuzu.

Yukito:
Because if I stay with you any longer, neither one of us is going to survive.
I think the only thing I can really do at this point is get away from you.

Misuzu:
Well then, I guess we don't have a choice.
That's how it has to be.
But even so, I had a good time.
I liked spending my summer vacation with you.

Yukito:
I had a good time, too.

Misuzu:
You did?

Yukito:
Yeah.
Well, I'd better be going.

Misuzu:
Goodbye. I'll miss you Yukito...

Misuzu:
So that's it.
It means I'm gonna be all alone again.
I've never felt so lonely in my whole life.
And I'm so scared too, Sky.
If I'm all by myself, how am I gonna be able to stay strong?
I just had a really good idea.
I think I should go with Yukito on his travels, then we won't have to be separated.
Maybe all I ever needed is a change of scenery.
Doesn't that sound great?

Yukito:
Misuzu, you know it isn't that I wanna leave this place.
It's that I have to stay away from you.
All right. You take care too.
Stay strong no matter what, you hear.

Misuzu:
Mmhmm.
Even when I'm alone, I'm strong.
I'm a tough kid, remember?


Yukito:
Yeah.
Bye now.

Misuzu:
I really am on my own now.
I've never felt so alone before.
Yukito's gone... And Mom too.
Oh, God... It hurts...
If I really stop to think about it, Sky, I've been alone my whole life.
And now it looks like I'm gonna be alone forever.
But it's okay because even when I try my best, I still end up causing people trouble.
There's not one good thing about me that I can think of.
I should've just accepted it like I've always done.
I should've never learned to love anyone...
Just sleep!
Sleep and you won't ever have to wake up again.


Yukito:
Why didn't I realize it sooner?
All I ever needed was to be here with you and to make you laugh.
If I just could've done that, I would've been content.

Misuzu:
What's happening?
I thought I wouldn't be able to wake up again.
Hey, Yukito, where are you?
I thought that you had come back for me.
Yukito?

Sky (Yukito):
That's right. I remember now.
I used to be a human, too.
And all I wanted... was to be near her... to protect her.

Misuzu:
Hey, I'm feeling better now and I wanna see your trick.
I think I'm gonna be okay now.
Yukito, where are you?

Sky (Yukito):
Misuzu.

Misuzu:
Yukito...


Yukito:
I'm here.
I'm right here.

Misuzu:
Oh, Yukito, you...


Yukito:
Misuzu.

Misuzu:
Oh, Yukito. You came back. You came back!

Yukito:
I'm here now.

Misuzu:
I'm gonna do my best from now on.
I promise I'm really gonna try.
So please... please don't ever go away again.
Please stay by my side and don't ever leave me.
Stay here forever.

Yukito:
You're going to be all right.
You're the strongest girl I've ever met.
So I know you'll be able to reach it :
the "goal" that no one's ever been able to reach for hundreds of years.
I have a feeling you're the one who's gonna make it.

Misuzu:
I don't want you to go away, though. Please don't...

Yukito:
I'll always be near you.

I'll never forget you, Misuzu.
I'm going to be with you in spirit forever.

Misuzu:
Yukito, you mean... you don't mean...

Yukito:
Ah, my mind is getting hazy again.
But Misuzu, I will never leave you.
Believe that. I'll be with you.

Misuzu:
Yukito, wait! Don't go! Don't go...

Yukito:
Just stay strong, Misuzu.
Stay strong until you reach that goal.
Never give up. You can do it.

Misuzu:
Mm.
I'll stay strong.
You stay strong too, okay Yukito?