Chihiro:
She was the only one in the world. So she was a god.
For as long as she could remember, she was the only one there.
There was nothing to do. That was her whole world.


Renji:
Hi, Chihiro. How's it going?

Chihiro:
Oh, hi, Renji-kun.

Renji:
How far did you get?

Chihiro:
I'm not very far... I'm only about a third of the way.
I don't get much done when I'm by myself.

Renji:
Can I take a look?
One day, the girl tried lighting a fire on the beach.

Chihiro:
She had read a book about a castaway that built a signal fire on the shore.
A white column of smoke rose into the blue sky.
Wondering if it was a cloud, she stuck her face into the smoke, which burned her eyes and throat.
She ran away and watched it from afar.
She realized that fire was useless to her.
Little by a little, she began to understand her world.
And she understood what it meant to understand.

Renji:
I see.

Chihiro:
So what do you think?

Renji:
I think the girl is really cute.

Chihiro:
You think she's cute? I'll have to rewrite this part.

Renji:
What part?

Chihiro:
The whole thing.

Renji:
Wait, are you joking? Why would you?

Chihiro:
Well, you told me that you thought the girl was cute.
I don't want her to be characterized that way, you know what I mean?

Renji:
I think it'll be fine. These little episodes help make her more lovable to the reader.

Chihiro:
You're just not getting it, Renji.

Renji:
Why?

Chihiro:
The girl is supposed to be off.

Renji:
Off?

Chihiro:
The fact that she treats these silly little scenarios so seriously should evoke a sense of unease like something is off.
If you think she's cute, I haven't done a good job of portraying her.

Renji:
Hmm...


Sumire:
You packing a lunch? For Chihiro, too?

Renji:
Wh-What's it to you?

Sumire:
As a housewife, I appreciate your cooking. But as a mother, I'm not sure.

Renji:
Why?

Sumire:
If you're a better cook than your girlfriend, you'll never get to taste her sweet home cooking!

Renji:
She's not my girlfriend!

Sumire:
You and Chihiro aren't lovers yet?

Renji:
No!

Sumire:
Oh my, you shy little thing! I guess I'm just going to have to be your lover now, won't I?

Renji:
Whoa, let's stop it! That's not funny!


Renji:
Huh...

Chihiro:
Yes?

Renji:
Oh!

Chihiro:
What's wrong?

Renji:
No, I was... just thinking about my career path.

Chihiro:
Your career path?

Renji:
Yeah, what I wanna be in the future.

Chihiro:
Oh, I see.

Renji:
We were given a career path questionnaire at school today.

Chihiro:
I see...
What is it?

Renji:
Nothing. Hmm... What should I put down?

Chihiro:
You should put down whatever you wanna be.

Renji:
If I knew what that was, it would be easy.

Chihiro:
You don't have any idea?

Renji:
I don't have any special talents or anything.

Chihiro:
Well, you're good at cooking. That's an idea.

Renji:
Yeah, I guess I'll give it a little more time.


Sumire:
Good morning.

Renji:
Good morning.

Sumire:
I can see that it's still going strong today.

Renji:
You mean the lunch thing?

Sumire:
No, the Chihiro thing.

Renji:
Sure, I guess.

Sumire:
It saves me from having to make breakfast, thank God.
Hey, aren't you love birds going out yet?

Renji:
No, Mom.

Sumire:
Oh...

Renji:
What now?

Sumire:
It's just that your responses are so boring.

Renji:
This is ridiculous. Okay, now this is a hypothetical question--but if Chihiro and I did get together, would you be happy with that?

Sumire:
I guess if you're happy.

Renji:
Huh?

Sumire:
Do you and Chihiro have fun when you're together?

Renji:
Wh-Why would you ask that?

Sumire:
You don't have to get all mad at me, you know.

Renji:
I'm not mad. Give me a break, okay?

Sumire:
You are the boy, so it's your job to manage the pace of the relationship.

Renji:
My job?

Sumire:
Romance is like running downhill. Once you get going, it's hard to stop.
But love is like climbing uphill. You have to shoulder hardship and pain.
Wait! But they also say romance is fleeting whereas love takes time or... Was it the other way around?
It's kind of like a palindrome or... Was it an oxymoron?

Renji:
Nice try.


Chihiro:
The girl finally got good enough to draw people.
She drew a picture of a boy, and inserted him into her landscapes.
She hung the pictures in all the places she had drawn.
There wasn't a place on the island that she hadn't drawn.
So everywhere she went, she was with him.
Their eyes met every time, but she did not feel a sense of accomplishment.
"Is this a person?" she thought.
No, this is a picture of a person. It doesn't move or think--it just "is."
"Are you lonely?" She was finally able to ask herself that question.
But no, she wasn't lonely.

What do you think?

Renji:
It's good! You're about 70% finished, right?

Chihiro:
I think so. It's almost done.

Renji:
How'll it end? Have you decided yet?

Chihiro:
I don't know...

Renji:
Oh, hold on! Wait. You had two ideas so far.
Idea No. one; the girl escapes into the picture she painted, leaving behind a portrait of the two of them living happily ever after. This is the fantasy fiction.
And then, idea No. two; the boy becomes real. I don't know what happens after that, but it's a happy ending.
I guess No. one could be a happy ending or not depending on how you look at it.

Chihiro:
You really think so? Is there something... something wrong?

Renji:
Ah, no. But if the girl escapes into the picture, the story is kind of like a fantasy.
But it could also mean that the girl's withdrawing from reality to escape her loneliness or something like that.

Chihiro:
The girl withdraws from reality in order to escape her loneliness, huh?

Renji:
In other words, you're saying she goes insane.

Chihiro:
In other words, she goes insane?

Renji:
I guess it depends on how you word it, but basically yeah.

Chihiro:
I see...

Renji:
Is that it, then? You made up your mind?

Chihiro:
Yes. I think she goes insane. She should have never known what loneliness was.

Renji:
I see.

Chihiro:
But I don't really like writing with the ending already decided.

Renji:
Really?

Chihiro:
It feels like God is manipulating the outcome.


Chihiro:
I guess you never know unless you try, right?
Honestly, I'm kinda surprised how long and interesting the story turned out to be.
And it's all thanks to you, Renji-kun.

Renji:
I didn't do anything to help at all.
In fact, when I think about it, it's kinda depressing how little I contributed to your story.

Chihiro:
Is that how you feel? Umm... Renji-kun.

Renji:
Yeah?

Chihiro:
No... it was nothing. Umm... I wanted to thank you.

Renji:
Oh, uh, sure. It's been my pleasure.

Chihiro:
Umm...

Renji:
Yeah?

Chihiro:
Do you want... Do you wanna kiss me?

Renji:
Ah...

Chihiro:
Do you want... Do you want to kiss me?
Because I like you. I don't think I would ever say this to just anyone.
I've never felt as close to anyone else in my life as I am to you.
I've been seeing you all this time because I trust you. And from what I read in my diaries, I think you like me.
Maybe... I might be wrong, but why would you spend time with me?
So you... you can kiss me like a lover if you want.

Renji:
I think... I think we're at that point already.
Why? What's holding me back?! I don't... I don't know how I feel right now.

Chihiro:
If you think she's cute, I haven't done a good job of portraying her.
The girl is supposed to be... off.

Renji:
No. No, it's not right! Something about this isn't right!
Why doesn't Chihiro look happy?!
Why doesn't she look embarrassed or anything?!
This isn't the way it's supposed to be! Why is she just standing there?!
Why doesn't her expression change when she says this?!
Why doesn't she... Why doesn't she say that she loves me?!
I don't understand any of this! Why's this happening...?

Chihiro:
Because God is manipulating things...

Renji:
No, this is wrong. It's not how it's supposed to be!

Chihiro:
I'm... I'm so sorry. I just...

Renji:
No! It's not your fault! Chihiro! Wait! Come back!
Don't write about this in your diary... Please don't...
Promise me... you won't write it... It's all wrong... all of it.

Chihiro:
She was the only one in the world. So she was a god.


Miyako:
I found it. I finally found it!
I didn't really think I needed it.
I didn't think I could ever obtain it.
I had given up, but I found it--a place to call my own.

Hmm... I wonder if this is too provocative. A little too much for Hirono-kun?
I'm leaving! Just kidding.

Daddy! Mommy!

Oh, I have to prepare for tomorrow! Okay, all done.

This is where sound disappeared.
One day, my mom disappeared from my dad's heart.
And my dad disappeared from my mom's heart.

Ah, Mommy? What's wrong, Mom?

That was the last sound I heard in this house.
That was when conversations stopped and all color disappeared from my world.
After a time, I disappeared from their hearts as well.
I lived all alone... in a world of nothingness, silence...

I finally found a world filled with sound, a house with color.
I didn't need to shut myself in anymore.

Answering Machine:
I can't come to the phone at the moment.
Please leave your name, your number and a brief message after the beep.
Talk to you soon!

Miyako:
Yoo-hoo, Hiro! It's Miyako! Are you awake?
I'm leaving now. I'll be there by lunchtime.
Don't be late! Bye!

Woo the birdies are battling it out. I tell you the laws of nature sure are harsh. Oh, it's time.

Yoo-hoo, Hiro! I'm here already! You coming? I'll kill you if you're late.

You're late! You should arrive ten minutes early on a date!
You should never keep a girl waiting like this!

You're late! Super-duper late! How long are you going to make me wait? Gosh!
Hey, you're treating today, that's your punishment!

What's wrong? Are you still sleeping? If you are, you are going to get it!

Hirono-kun! It's Miyako! Are you coming? I'm waiting!

What's going on? How many hours are you going to make me wait?! Are you coming or not?!

Kei:
I'm going to make you disappear from his heart!
That's the end of you! The end. I'll put an end to it.

Miyako:
Am I going to disappear... again?

Hello, Hirono-kun? Do you have the right meeting place?
It's the bench in front of the fountain. You know the place?
Call me if you're lost. I'll come get you.

It's Miyako. Are you okay? Have you gotten into an accident or something?
Please call me as soon as you get this message.

This is ridiculous! Call me at least! You have a phone! I'm worried about you.

It's Miyako! Hirono-kun, answer the phone!
You must be there! You must be listening! Answer the phone!
Let's talk! Talk to me! Please...

Why haven't you come?! Why aren't you answering?!
Why don't you call me?! Why aren't you saying anything?! Why?

Hirono-kun, please call me. I'm not mad.
I'll wait until I can hear your voice... even if it takes forever!

Please... Please come see me... Let me see your face and hear your voice... please...
Hirono-kun, you'll come see me, right? I can wait for you, right? I believe in you...

Please... answer me! Can you even text me?
Just one word! Please... don't leave me!

I'll be waiting! I'll be waiting right here!
Please, just text me now!
I just need to hear from you! Please...

Why?! Why?! You promised me! I believed in you! Why?!

Is it over? Is it all my fault? You know, if you hate me, then just tell me!
Don't leave me in the dark!
Say something! Please, say something! Just tell me! Tell me something, please!

I'm sorry... for saying all those crazy things... Are you mad? You must be...
I'm so self-centered... and selfish!
I'm always causing you trouble... I'm sorry... I'm so sorry!

I couldn't sleep, you know... I was just so looking forward to this date...
When I think of you, my heart starts racing. I've never felt this way before...
I don't know what to do! I want to see you. I want to see you, Hirono-kun!

Help me... Hirono-kun... Just help me...
I don't wanna disappear...
I don't wanna disappear!
I don't wanna disappear from your heart!

Hiro:
Can you walk?

Kei:
I'm fine. It's really not that bad.

Hiro:
I'm going to the convenient store. What do you want?

Kei:
A popsicle!

Hiro:
For dinner!

Kei:
I can make something.

Hiro:
You're scaring me.

Kei:
That's mean! I've been practicing, you know... a lot!

Hiro:
Well, I'll eat your food when you finish practicing. But for now, I'll pick up whatever.

Kei:
Sure, that's fine.
Ah, Oni-chan, you left your phone here...

Answering Machine:
Messages deleted.


A clear color's pure and cold.
On the next episode of ef: a tale of memories - clear colour.
Is there a memory that you never want to forget?