Hitoribocchi no Marumaruseikatsu (ひとりぼっちの○○生活)

It's gotten quite cold out now.

At times like this...

Speed walk!

Oh, Master!

Master!

Good morning!

G-Good

morning!

You're a little different today, Master.

I am.

I'm super-strong Bocchi!

Super-strong Master?!

What do you do to become that?

Well, today we have closing ceremonies for second semester.

It happens at closing ceremonies?!

Master?

I couldn't make any friends this semester, unlike first semester.

But...

Since I'm sure I've grown stronger than I was in first semester,

I've become super-strong Bocchi!

Master!

I-I'm going to become super-strong Sotoka, too!

Cold!

Hm?

What?

No One Said That Before

Master.

What is it?

I think you'll gain confidence if you show Nako and the others

how you're stronger than usual.

Right.

Nako-chan.

Hm?

Do you notice anything different about me today?

Huh?! Why are you suddenly asking me such a girly question?

Something about me is stronger than usual today!

Oh, that wasn't what she meant.

Your hint is feet!

Feet?

Hm...

Oh, you're standing on your heels!

I'm super-strong Bocchi.

And how are you strong?

Huh?!

Uh, hey...

It didn't go well with Nako-chan, so...

Aru-chan.

Today, I ate natto for breakfast,

but I added the mustard, which I never do!

You never add the mustard?

Yeah.

But today I added a little.

I see.

I'm the type that always adds all the mustard,

so I guess I'll try leaving it out next time.

All?!

Aru-chan, you're mature.

I really am weak.

Huh? Huh?!

Hey, Bocchi!

Aru.

Wh-What?

Hey, Sotoka?

Come with me!

What? So that's what's going on.

We need to think about how we can get Master to realize she's the strongest.

She's not the strongest, though.

Yeah.

I wish we could get her to realize that there's nothing wrong,

even if she's not making many more friends.

Unfortunately, I think that'll be impossible to do by the end of the day.

Who are you—

Not me, I suppose.

Do you think she would realize it if I stopped being her apprentice?

Huh?

Why would you do that?

If I become her friend, instead of her apprentice,

then Master will have made a friend during the second semester.

But do you think she'd understand that she's strong?

Well...

I think Bocchi would be happy regardless of being weak or strong.

But I think Master might only see me as her apprentice!

Is being her apprentice that important?

It probably is to Sotoka.

Ah, what do I do?!

Thinking about it a bit more,

befriending everyone in class

is unreasonable, isn't it?

But maybe she thinks she can't change if she doesn't go that far?

Was Bocchi ever that bad?

Thinking back to how she first was,

I suppose she has grown much stronger.

So that was how I failed to tell Master anything before winter break started.

Then it was Christmas...

And now it's New Year's.

Figures there are fewer people around after the first three days of the year.

There are lots of stalls here.

I wonder where they go the rest of the time?

Hey, why don't we each buy different things and share them?

Nice idea!

You can actually do that?

Well, I'm buying candied apples, then.

I just said to buy things to share!

I'll get goldfish!

Goldfish aren't sushi!

There's nothing there, yet cotton keeps coming out!

A ninja art?

Ninja!

Well? We should be able to share a bit of thi—

When paying a visit, you bow twice, clap twice, then bow once...

Or so I've heard.

Wow.

Well, let's do it!

Yes!

Bow twice, clap twice, bow once!

Bow twice, clap twice, bow once!

No, you don't say it like some chant.

Bow twice, clap twice, bow once!

Kako-chan?

Wh-Why?

Well, to pay our New Year's visit.

I never expected you to recite that chant when you're on our disciplinary committee.

N-No!

That's not it!

Kurai-san.

Happy New Year.

Oh!

Happy New Year to you!

Happy New Year!

Help me become a strong person.

Help me become a perfect person.

Help me befriend everyone in class and make up with Kai-chan.

Help me and Master...

Help me master the ninja arts I'm learning from Master.

Uh, may good things happen to us.

What's that?

Don't you have something you want? Any dreams?

Not really.

Nako-chan has a dream, but it's a secret.

Hey, Bocchi.

Wow, what is it? What is it?

I want to know. I want to know. I want to know!

Tell me!

Oh, fine. My dream is...

Your dream is?

To become the perfect version of myself, I suppose.

Perfect version of yourself?

What? That's so silly—

Wait, that's mine!

Oh, Kurai-san.

You're leaving?

It's not as if I came here with you all,

and I have plans to meet up with my relatives after this.

Later.

Someday...

I'd like to be friends with Kurai-san.

Master, um...

What is it?

Um, Master. I...

No, if I...

Oh.

It's Onaka-san and Kurie-san.

I suppose everyone's here because it's New Year's.

I still haven't given them a proper apology for cooking class.

Oh, you mean when you got flour everywhere?

I'll go apologize.

I think I need to be a little stronger than before!

That reminds me, Sotoka.

Whatever happened to being her friend?

Urk.

What? You still haven't talked to her?

I-I'm sorry!

I said it!

She's so far away!

Oh, Hitori-chan. Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!

H-Happy!

Are you here for your first yearly visit, too, Hitori-chan?

Y-Yes.

Um...

U-Um, when we were making pancakes...

Uh...

Right.

Want to go eat some pancakes sometime?

Huh?

I do! Let's go right now!

R-Right now?

I don't mean today.

Hitori-chan, I'll contact you later so we can set a date, okay?

Huh?

No?

U-Um, I...

What, what?

If you don't mind, could we go together as friends?

Oh!

Master...

Please be my friend!

Of course!

I mean, we've already been pancake buddies for a while now.

Glad to know you.