Renji:
I always thought that something would happen one day, that would make people realize that I'm special.
That I'd find something that would make me shine.
Ever since I was young, I'd always imagine myself to be a gallant knight who saved princesses and fought countless battles.
As silly as that sounds.
But, life isn't a fairy tale after all. I wasn't able to become that. What should I do?

The abandoned train station was my favorite place to visit.
Quiet and deserted, it was an ideal spot to read by myself.
But today, someone was there.

Uh... trains don't stop here, you know.

Chihiro:
What?

Renji:
Nothing! Sorry. Uh, see you then.

That was the first time I met her.
It was a chance meeting... that lasted less than 45 seconds.


Hiro:
Ugh, I don't get it! Maybe I'll go get some research done. It's Kei.

Kei:
Merry Christmas, Big Brother. Don't forget about the party!

Hiro:
I guess I'll have to show my face. Guess there's no getting out of it now.

Kyosuke:
Okay, cut!

Emi:
Did you get us any good shots, Kyosuke?

Kyosuke:
That's the only kind I take. If only it were snowing, it would be perfect.

Emi:
No way! It's too hard to join the shots together when it's snowing.

Kyosuke:
Oh well, it's only for the library anyway. Well, let's get something to eat.

Emi:
Mmhmm.

Kyosuke:
Uh...

Emi:
What's wrong?

Kyosuke:
Well, I, uh, just thought I should take a few more shots, you know? Just in case.

Emi:
Hmph!
Of a cute girl perhaps?!

Kyosuke:
Huh?

Emi:
Again?! Really?!

Kyosuke:
Oh, ow!


Kei:
I'm home!

Mizuki:
Oh, welcome home again, Kei-senpai.

Kei:
Sorry I'm late, Mizuki. The cake shop was so crowded, y'know? People were... Hey, where's Hiro?

Mizuki:
He's not here yet. I don't know where he is.

Kei:
What?! Does he even plan on coming?! I told him I'd kill him if he blew me off again!

Mizuki:
He's always so busy, and he doesn't even have club activities or cram school or anything. I don't know!

Kei:
He probably has a lot going on. Go ahead and help me put everything out.

Mizuki:
Sure! But he is kind of strange.
The other day, he was deep in thought one minute, and going crazy the next!
Like a manga artist up against a deadline.
What's wrong, Kei-senpai? Did I say something?

Kei:
Nothing! I know! Maybe I'll try texting him again. Chihiro...


Hiro:
Maybe I should've come earlier. Hmm... so this is what it looks like in here.

Yuko:
I'm very sorry. Christmas Mass is over already.

Hiro:
No, ma'am. I'm not here for Mass. I just wanted to do some research about these places. And you, ma'am?

Yuko:
I am supposed to be meeting someone here.

Hiro:
You're meeting someone? Well, I'll be leaving, then.

Yuko:
Wait a second.

Hiro:
Yeah, what is it?

Yuko:
Merry Christmas.

Hiro:
Merry Christmas.


Hiro:
It's cold.

Kei:
You're late! Where are you?

Hiro:
Shoot... Kei sounds mad as usual.

Miyako:
Thief! Come back here! Hey you, did you see a motorcycle?

Hiro:
Uh, yeah.

Miyako:
Which way did it go?

Hiro:
That way.

Miyako:
Thanks. I'm borrowing your bike!

Hiro:
Huh? Hey! What the heck?! Tha-that's my bike! Bike thief! Hello?!

Kei:
"Hello" my foot! Where are you?! What are you doing?! Don't tell me you forgot about the party!

Hiro:
No, I didn't forget! I'm just not showing up tonight!

Kei:
Don't get all defiant on me!

Hiro:
I'm not defiant. I just don't have anything to wear to the ball!

Kei:
Who are you? Snow White?

Hiro:
I think you mean Cinderella.

Kei:
Whatever!

Hiro:
I'm in a bind right now!

Kei:
What? Did you get a rush job or something like that?

Hiro:
Yeah. I'm tied up right now! See you next time!

Kei:
What do you mean next time? Hey, wait! I hate you! You can just go to hell!

Mizuki:
I'm dead!

Hiro:
My bike... Hey, you. Are you alive? Come on, wake up! Huh? Is this 9-1-1? I have an emergency.
I'll probably have to accompany her to the hospital. That's just my kinda luck.
You're alive, right? You can't be dead.
Whoa!

Miyako:
What the...?

Hiro:
Huh?

Miyako:
What was...? What was I doing anyway?

Hiro:
Aside from stealing my bike, I don't know.

Miyako:
Oh, I remember!

Hiro:
Wait! Wait a minute! You have to take it easy!

Miyako:
I was chasing a thief! You don't understand--he took my precious bag!

Hiro:
What if you have a concussion?! Just wait for the ambulance.

Miyako:
I can't! That bag was expensive, and my wallet and cell phone are in there! Ugh, I have to catch him!

Hiro:
Hey, wait!

Miyako:
It's kind of relaxing, sitting in a park at night.

Hiro:
What about the thief? I thought you had to go and get your precious bag back from him.

Miyako:
I did, but I'm tired of running now.

Hiro:
You give up too easily.

Miyako:
Never mind!
My wallet was empty and my cell phone only had my grandma's number on it.
It was about time for a new purse anyway.
Forget it already.

Hiro:
That's not what you said earlier.
But anyway, are you okay? No aches, no pains, nausea?

Miyako:
Nah, I'm fine.

Hiro:
Maybe the symptoms haven't appeared yet. You were unconscious after all.

Miyako:
I wasn't unconscious.

Hiro:
You totally were!

Miyako:
No way! I don't remember anything.

Hiro:
Of course not. You were unconscious.

Miyako:
Oh yeah... Thank you.

Hiro:
For what?

Miyako:
Thank you so much for worrying about me.

Hiro:
What are you talking about?

Miyako:
You're so nice.

Hiro:
Shut up. Anyway, you'd better go to the hospital.

Miyako:
Oh... I'll think about it. Oh, look at that. It's snowing! Wow! Amazing! Snow!
Isn't this kinda romantic? Sharing a White Christmas with someone?

Hiro:
I guess.

Miyako:
Oh, don't act so cool. No one wants to be alone tonight.

Hiro:
Whatever. I'm fine on my own, always have been...

Miyako:
But not me. I can't stand being alone. I haven't introduced myself. I'm Miyako Miyamura.

Hiro:
I'm Hiro. Hiro Hirono.

Miyako:
Hiro Hirono. Hiro Hiro! That's a funny name!

Hiro:
And you're Miyako Miyamura. Miya Miya.

Miyako:
You're right! I never noticed! You're so smart! Hey, Hirono-kun.

Hiro:
Wh-What?

Miyako:
There's no one home at my house tonight.

Hiro:
Huh?

Miyako:
Hey! Get your mind out of the gutter, you bad boy!

Hiro:
What? I don't know what you're talking about.

Miyako:
And guess what? My house key... was in that bag.

Hiro:
Oh yeah?

Miyako:
So, I won't be able to get into my house. I'll have to spend the night outside.
Hmm... it's dangerous for a girl to be out all night by herself. Don't you think so?

Hiro:
Are you asking me to stay with you or something?

Miyako:
Well if you're in for a penny, you're in for a pound! Let's go!

Hiro:
Oh, come on! I didn't say "yeah!"

Miyako:
Oh, come on! You know you're gonna come with me.

Hiro:
It seems this Christmas... is far from over...

Renji:
We were given career path questionnaires in the homeroom today.
Not dreams for our future like when we were kids.
They want us to set realistic goals for ourselves this time.
But what was I supposed to say?
"I wanna be a prince and save princesses in peril."
I'm way too old to write something like that. I wasn't able to become that.
What should I do?

Himura:
So, why are you telling me this?

Renji:
I wanted an adult's point of view, that's all.
I thought you would be the kind of person who could give me some good advice, Himura-san.

Himura:
Unfortunately, I'm neither a priest or a counselor.

Renji:
I know you're not, but I thought that people come to you for advice since you're here all the time. Everyone always sees you here.

Himura:
I'm just... waiting for someone, that's all.

Renji:
Waiting for someone?

Himura:
So, tell me. What do you like to do?

Renji:
Huh? What do I like to do? I guess I like to read. You know, novels and stuff like that.

Himura:
That's fine. Go to a liberal arts college or work for a publishing house. Or write your own novel.

Renji:
But, doing what you love for a living seems a little too ideal.

Himura:
It's a thousand times better than doing what you hate.
Don't worry so much. Just think about it. End of advice.
That was an adult's point of view.

Renji:
An adult's point of view, huh?
I kind of get what he's saying, but not really.
I guess he's telling me to think on my own.
But it's not that easy.


Renji:
Hey!

Chihiro:
Hello.

Renji:
I'm not bothering you, am I?

Chihiro:
No. Can I ask you something strange?

Renji:
What?

Chihiro:
Did I meet you here before?

Renji:
Yeah.

Chihiro:
I see. I'm sorry. We did meet before.

Renji:
Yeah, but only for a couple of seconds, though.

Chihiro:
Oh, I see. Um.. Do you...

Renji:
What?

Chihiro:
Do you come here often?

Renji:
Well, just sometimes.

Chihiro:
It's nice and quiet here.

Renji:
Yeah, I agree. It's an ideal spot for reading by yourself.
Or maybe for pretending you're someone in that movie "Stand by Me."

Chihiro:
What?

Renji:
It's that movie with the kids walking on the train tracks.
You won't get into trouble for doing it here.

Chihiro:
Well, that sounds like fun. I might have to try it some time.
Chihiro.

Renji:
Huh?

Chihiro:
My name is Chihiro. Chihiro Shindo.
It's written "senjin" as in "bottomless abyss," but it's pronounced "Chihiro."

Renji:
In that case, my name is Renji Aso.

Chihiro:
So your name is Aso-san.

Renji:
Yeah. You're really fast, aren't you, Chihiro.

Chihiro:
Fast?

Renji:
Yeah. You were here before me when I came the other day, too.

Chihiro:
Well that's because... I don't go to school.

Renji:
You don't go to school? You really don't go to school?

Chihiro:
No.

Renji:
Oh, I understand.

Chihiro:
Yes... I'm sorry. I'll leave now. Um...

Renji:
Leave? But why?

Chihiro:
This is your special place. I don't wanna bother you. You seem kinda nervous.

Renji:
No! It's nothing like that! I'm happy for the company!
I was actually thinking the same thing about you.
That my being here might be making you nervous or something like that.

Chihiro:
No, you don't make me nervous. You don't have to worry about me.

Renji:
Me neither! So you don't need to worry about me at all!
I'll walk you home. Do you live nearby?

Chihiro:
Actually, I'd like to stay a little while longer.

Renji:
But it's getting dark.

Chihiro:
I wanna stay.

Renji:
Oh...

Chihiro:
Umm... Is it okay if I come here again from time to time?

Renji:
Of course it is!

Chihiro:
Thank you.

Renji:
Okay, I'll see you again then.

Chihiro:
Ah...

Renji:
What's wrong?

Chihiro:
See you later.

Renji:
See ya. Bye.


Renji:
What were you looking at just now?

Chihiro:
I wasn't looking at anything.

Renji:
The sky?

Chihiro:
Oh, yes. I was looking at the sky.

Renji:
Nothing's wrong, is it?

Chihiro:
Wrong? Why do you ask me that?

Renji:
You seem... different from yesterday, that's all.

Chihiro:
Yesterday...? Oh, are you Aso-san? You must be Aso-san...

Renji:
Huh? Yeah, of course I am. What is it?

Chihiro:
Yesterday, you said "See you again."

Renji:
Yeah, I think so. Why?

Chihiro:
See you... again...

Renji:
Whoa, what's wrong, Chihiro?!

Chihiro:
Oh, I didn't mean to... I... I... I don't underst...

Renji:
What are you saying?

Chihiro:
No, that's not what I meant.

Renji:
A-are you okay?

Chihiro:
I'm fine. I'm sorry... I'm sorry!
Um, can I ask you why you came here today?

Renji:
Huh? Oh... I don't know. I just kinda felt like it, I guess.

Chihiro:
I see. I'm sorry. I was so happy I must've misunderstood.

Renji:
What?

Chihiro:
I apologize. I guess I just got carried away.

Renji:
Does that mean she's happy to see me?
But I've only seen her three times. And she missed me so much that she's crying?
That can't be right?

Chihiro:
Aso-san?

Renji:
Huh?

Chihiro:
What is that in your pocket?

Renji:
Oh, this thing? It's just a novel I'm reading.

Chihiro:
Oh, I see. Do you like reading novels?

Renji:
Yeah. Books and novels are like an addiction to me.
I always have at least one of them in my pocket.
It kinda feels weird if I'm not carrying one around with me.

Chihiro:
Kinda like a cat's whiskers.

Renji:
Huh? Oh, sure, I guess so.

Chihiro:
Well, I think that's cute.

Renji:
And is that your cat's whiskers?

Chihiro:
Something like that. I can't live without it.

Renji:
Just like me.

Chihiro:
I guess so. Aso-san, would it be okay to ask you a favor?

Renji:
What is it?

Chihiro:
Will you be... I was wondering if you'd like to be my friend.

Renji:
Be your friend?

Chihiro:
Is that asking too much?

Renji:
N-no, o-of course not! I... I'd love to! Please, be my friend!

Chihiro:
Okay!

Renji:
See you again.

Chihiro:
Goodbye!
See you again...

Renji:
All right!

Chihiro:
"See you again." That's what Aso-san said as he left. I was so happy.
Yesterday he promised we'd meet again.
Today he kept that promise. And said we'd meet again tomorrow.
He said he would be my friend.
I know I'm not supposed to let my guard down but...
Big Sister, Kei...

The two are reunited, and begin to spend time with each other.
On the next episode of ef: a tale of memories - upon a time.
Is there a memory you never wanna forget?