(Anko) Uehara started to remember that once in her class in elementary school, there was always someone who will always do anything to attract other people attraction, and also will try to outpace others who want to do the same. That “someone” was (Rinka) Morishita. Once, a young Uehara is showing her self-made bracelet to some of her friends, when suddenly a young Morishita appeared from nowhere, saying that such bracelets are common and then shows one of her own panda-shaped bracelet. By that time, all attentions switched from Uehara to Morishita. Uehara remembers that Morishita always like to say the phrase “I can do this and that..”. She also likes to show off while looking down on others, and if she finds out that someone is better than her, she will make efforts to publicly humiliate him or her. Thus even that she have a friendly attitude, her relationships with other students can be described as mutual at best, including her relationship with Uehara (in this panel, the young Uehara is shown marveling at Morishita panda-shaped bracelet).

Back to the temple, Uehara is looking at Morishita giving some of the ramen to her boyfriend, while the oblivious (Noboru) Yoshikawa is eating his free ramen. She then think that maybe at that time, Morishita must has hated her so much, because she (Uehara) had always acted like an unofficial leader of the class at that time. Meanwhile, Morishita’s boyfriend (webmaster note: name is Atashima, first name?? Lovers, families members or close friends doesn’t call each other with last names, but with first names in Japan, unlike in where I live where everyone should be addressed ONLY by first names, and calling people with their surnames, no matter what reason it is, are considered very rude) commented that it’s customary for people (at least for him) to eat ramen every time he comes to temple festivals, and Morishita complained that his mouth has become dirty because of talking as she wiped it out. Suddenly Morishita realized that Uehara is looking at them, and she started to smile as Uehara silently thinks that actually she herself doesn’t really likes Morishita after all…

After eating, Atashima started to flaunt his arm muscles, and asked Morishita to touch it. Morishita started to scream gleefully, saying that his muscles are surely very beautiful. As both Uehara and Yoshikawa looks on, Atashima commented that even that he likes to sit around, he still try to find time to exercise and later he hopes that he will be able to enroll in a gym club in his route to stardom (webmaster note: I did write earlier that Atashima is a magazine model didn’t I?). Hearing that, Morishita started to praise her boyfriend, saying that he is really great.

Suddenly Morishita asked Yoshikawa to do the same (flaunting arm muscles). Yoshikawa is puzzled and Morishita have to explain everything. Yoshikawa tried to deny, but Morishita asked on what’s wrong if he does it. Left with no choice, Yoshikawa then tried to show his arm muscles as the sneering Atashima and Morishita. After a long hard efforts, Yoshikawa can only shows a tiny lump on his arms, and both Atashima and Morishita started to laugh at Yoshikawa. Morishita commented that the lump is not muscle but cancer tumor, and Uehara becomes angry, asking Morishita on what she is trying to do. Morishita interjected, saying that Uehara herself had implied earlier that Yoshikawa is just a classmate, so it should be okay if they make fun out of him. Hearing that, Uehara angrily replied that even Yoshikawa is just a classmate of hers, Morishita should not try to hurt his feelings.

Suddenly Morishita cuts her out, asking Uehara on why she must be very upset when they makes fun out of him, and wondered whether her relationship with Yoshikawa is not limited just to a normal relationship between classmates. Uehara is stunned when she hear it, while Morishita commented that maybe such scenario is highly unlikely because Yoshikawa is at least 5cm shorter than Uehara, and Uehara herself had commented in the past that her future boyfriend must be at least 3 inches taller than her. Uehara screamed at Morishita to shut up, and Morishita asked her whether she is upset with what she have said earlier. She then apologized and offered to treat her with takoyaki, while starting to laugh. Uehara becomes angrier when suddenly Yoshikawa interjected, saying that it’s his turn to treat them with takoyaki, because Morishita and Atashima and treated them with ramen earlier.

Uehara is shocked when she hears Yoshikawa’s offer, while Morishita commented that Yoshikawa surely is a caring and understanding person, and she always have an affinity with such people. As Yoshikawa ordered some takoyaki serving, the angry Uehara asked him on why he must treat her with takoyaki even that she has blatantly looks down on him earlier, accusing him of being too polite. Yoshikawa replied that it’s nothing for him, because he has already getting used to such things. Uehara becomes angrier, saying that he is veering away from the topic as Yoshikawa asked Morishita to eat some of the takoyaki, adding that the stall owner has told him that the octopuses used to make the takoyaki are large. Morishita commented that what he had said is true, and asked Atashima to take a look at the large octopus slices.

Uehara can only looks at the 3 of them as Atashima commented that Morishita and Yoshikawa’s claims are true and that the takoyaki must be very tasty. He then asked Yoshikawa (webmaster note: he called him a slave here because he didn’t get his name yet) whether what he says is true. Yoshikawa tells his name and Atashima sheepishly rectified his mistake. She then followed the 3 of them from behind as Morishita continued to talk with Yoshikawa whether he is the same age as Uehara, and wondered on why after trying so hard to score a date with Yoshikawa, she must have to encounter a meeting with Morishita and Atashima.

Morishita then turned around and asked Uehara to play the “loops throwing” game at a stall just right in-front of them. Uehara hesitates, when suddenly Yoshikawa asked her to play along too. Uehara looks on with exasperation, as she think that playing the game is actually fun, but only when she is playing it with Yoshikawa only. Meanwhile, Morishita asked Atashima to win a Chanel handbag for her, and Atashima replied that it should not be a problem because he is widely known as the “Loop-throwing King”. Atashima throws a loop, but hits the bag instead of its marker. Morishita commented that such incident is embarrassing, and Atashima wondered whether his hand is acting up as Yoshikawa and Uehara looks on.

Yoshikawa throws a loop himself and he hits the Chanel bag’s marker perfectly. Both Morishita and Atashima are shocked to see the bag being awarded to Yoshikawa by the amazed stall owner, who added that Yoshikawa is surely very good. Yoshikawa then offered to give the bag to Morishita, but Morishita rejected it, saying that she doesn’t want such cheap things anyway, and that her Atashima will surely get another one for her. She then pointed out to another bag and asked him to get it. Atashima acknowledged her instructions, and then throws another loop but instead of hitting the bag marker, the loop hits on a dildo instead :). The stall owner smiled and congratulates them, saying that they will surely needs the dildo even that they are still young.

Morishita lashed at Atashima, asking on why he hits the dildo when what she actually wants is the handbag, and then accused him of having the experience to use one. Atashima denied her allegations, but sheepishly added that he will take the dildo anyway. Uehara is trying hard to cover her smiled when looking at their conversation, as Morishita scolded him who is her boyfriend to try harder and not to embarrass her. Atashima replied that what have happened can’t be helped, because his wrists doesn’t seems to be able to do what he had instructed and assured him that in the “ball scooping” game, he will surely win. Morishita asked him whether what he had claimed is real, and Atashima replied that she is right, adding that he was called as “Super Ball-Scooper” by his friends. He then continued to explain that scooping the balls needs skill and experience, because the scooper will quickly melts underwater.

They then plays the “ball scooping” game, and Morishita praised Atashima for being able to catch 6 balls, and Atashima commented that when it comes to ball scooping, he will surely win. Suddenly they are shocked to see Yoshikawa scored lots more balls than Atashima, and Uehara started to praise Yoshikawa for being able to scoop so many balls and asked on how he does it. Yoshikawa replied that he is using the scoop’s frames effectively. The happy Uehara the glanced towards Morishita, and she sees Morishita is looking at her with an angry face on her face. Morishita then lashed at Atashima for losing to Yoshikawa, and wondered if he will ever win, as the smiling Uehara looks on at them. Morishita then remembers that Atashima had told her in the past that he is good at throwing darts, and then asked him to bet, because surely he will win.

Atashima then stands in front of Yoshikawa, and then challenged him to a dart tournament, with 1 million yen betting money. Then Atashima declared that he will start first, and asked the dart stall owner for some darts. Uehara protested, saying that at least they should not gamble, but Atashima already throws his dart and scored 80 points. Morishita praised him for such a good point in the first attempt, and Atashima commented that he has always been known as a dart master (notice how many times he claimed so many of those so-called “titles”?:)). Yoshikawa then prepared himself to throw his dart as Atashima commented that he should be preparing to pay 1 million yen to him, and if he failed to pay, Atashima will asked for the money instead from Yoshikawa’s father.

Yoshikawa throws and scored a perfect 100 points, shocking both Atashima and Morishita in the process. Uehara jumped in joy after seeing that performance, and Yoshikawa commented that everything is going under control, adding that he actually is also good in playing darts. Morishita then asked the panicking Atashima whether he will be able to win over Yoshikawa, and blamed him further for gambling. She then warned him that she will break up with him if he loses. Atashima then throws the dart in his second attempt but now only managed to score 40 points, and he is shocked to see his declining performance, saying that his hand had become very slippery. Morishita panics, saying that he will surely lose and Atashima replied that he can’t do anything at all because of his uncooperative hands. Morishita then warned him that if Yoshikawa scored another 100 points attempt, Atashima will surely lose and Uehara can only smiled as she looks at them bickering.

Yoshikawa then readied himself for his second attempt, but as he throws his dart, Atashima intentionally pushed Yoshikawa to the ground, causing him to miss the dart board completely. The sheepish Atashima commented that Yoshikawa had scored 0 points in his second attempt, but Uehara protested, saying that Atashima is not playing fair. Yoshikawa is sprawling on the ground as Morishita lashed at Uehara for accusing her boyfriend with such things, adding that nothing is written in the rule of darting that prohibits pushing. Uehara lashed back at her, saying that what Atashima has done is surely illegal even according to common sense.

Suddenly Uehara and Atashima see Yoshikawa getting up and exclaimed that they should continue their competition. Uehara is stunned to see him, while Atashima replied that Yoshikawa surely have guts and agreed with him that the competition should go on. Atashima then pockets another 80 points in his 3rd attempt, and Morishita exclaimed that he now have 200 points in total, thus a win is assured unless Yoshikawa scored another 100 points in his 3rd attempt. Uehara angrily lashed at them for playing foul, and asked Yoshikawa to walk away from playing with them but Yoshikawa refused, saying that if he simply walked away like that, others will surely looked at him as a coward. He then asked her to just sit tight and watched, because people like them surely deserved some punishments. Uehara is puzzled when she hears him as he looks towards Morishita and Atashima.

Morishita whispered to Atashima that Yoshikawa is about to throw his dart and asked him to get ready. Atashima replied that he understands her, and he pushed Yoshikawa again as he throws his 3rd dart. The dart then shown flying from Yoshikawa’s hand to another place outside the stall, and Atashima started to laugh, asking Morishita whether she sees how Yoshikawa missed the board completely. He then asked Yoshikawa to pay, and tells Morishita to go eating some steaks with the money later. Uehara meanwhile is lashing at them for the foul play, when suddenly Yoshikawa grabbed her hand and asked her to run away with him. Uehara is puzzled but Yoshikawa insisted that they should go now. They then speeds up while Atashima and Morishita commented that it has been quite a long time since they went to a restaurant which have some wonderful salads.

Suddenly they hears the sound of a dog growling at them, and they turned to see a very pissed off dog with a dart on its head. Both Morishita and Atashima are stunned when they sees the dog, and the dog started to maul them as both Uehara and Yoshikawa looks at what happened to them from afar. Uehara started to smile and then commented that both of them surely deserved the punishment. She then asked Yoshikawa whether he had planned to hit them back earlier, and he replied that he do because Atashima is very arrogant, thus he feels that Atashima needs to be punished. Yoshikawa then added that he actually pitied the dog instead, but he vowed that he will never wants to become what he was in the past; that’s it, someone who are always bullied by others.

Uehara is stunned when she hears him, and she started to smile. She then extends his hands to Yoshikawa, asking him to take her away. Yoshikawa is puzzled on why he must do it, but she grabbed his hand and dragged him away saying that they should go to the nearest arcade center because she wants to play some games. Yoshikawa is shocked to hear it but she insisted for him not to ask her why but to just go on and find one…

The noise from the festival is fading away, and the only thing I hear now is the voice of God asking me the question “Have you really thought about this important decision thoroughfully?”, and my reply is “Yes, I think everything is OK”…

(webmaster note: In the next 2 pages, it depicts the happy Uehara holding the hand of a somewhat puzzled Yoshikawa – I think the pic is available at the manga scan section.)

Uehara then suggested that probably they should go instead to Yoshikawa’s house to play video games. Yoshikawa become more and more puzzled and asked about whether she really wants to go to his house, and Uehara replied that he is right and they should go now. Hearing that, Yoshikawa started to protest….

Body’s height is not a gap and it’s just something irrelevant. The gap is just one step across… and I can easily bridge that gap to go to the other end of the 5cm gap…- Anko Uehara

FINISHED