Mission: Yozakura Family (夜桜さんちの大作戦)

This was the moment that I learned two things.

That you don't realize what's important to you until it's gone.

And that...

it's only too easy to lose.

And that made me scared.

Even if I bonded with something precious to me...

wouldn't I just lose it again?

Just thinking that...

Don't worry.

I'm not going anywhere.

YOZAKURA FAMILY

PLAN 1 THE CHERRY BLOSSOM RING

All right! Lunchtime!

Let's go to the cafeteria!

- Asano! -

Listen, we've got a practice soccer match coming up.

Help us out!

Hey, how about a study group at my house?

Let's go to karaoke after school!

Asano!

S-Sorry. Can't do it.

Oh, crap, he turned us down again!

What's this, our tenth straight fail?

You play harder to get than any girl, Asano.

Asano! We've been in the same class for a month now.

Let's hang out!

It makes us sad, you know!

Hey, better back off now.

- Huh? Why is that? - Look at him.

He's so nervous, he's blacked out.

Answering us that first time must have wiped him out.

I thought that he would have come around a little after a month.

You have to feel sorry for anyone who's that shy, huh?

- Yup. -

The thing is, it's not like I'm shy or anything.

I'm happy that they asked me to hang out,

and it would be great to talk about stuff with them.

But...

Forget it.

Let's try again tomorrow, okay?

You turned them down again?

Mutsumi.

But they were nice enough to ask you!

Who cares? Just leave me alone!

- I made us lunch, so let's eat! - No, I'm--

I know you haven't been eating right because you're always working!

I've got some of that salty tamagoyaki that you like, Taiyo.

And, hey, if you leave your carrots again, you'll live to regret it!

Yes, ma'am.

That's my boy!

Wow, can you believe Yozakura?

Still, why would the idol of this school, Yozakura, do that?

I hear that those two are childhood friends.

I-I'm so jealous.

Look at you, always alone.

It worries me, thinking that you could spend the rest of your life like this!

Who are you, my mom?

Who are you to talk? Didn't you turn down that third-year, Tanaka?

Huh? Oh, yeah.

He's smart, he's good-looking, and he's the captain of the soccer team, right?

I mean, what's not to like?

Oh? And who are you, Taiyo, my father?

Hey, wipe that smug look off your face!

Never mind about me, okay?

What you need to do is to finally move on, or your parents will be sad.

So that's why you need to rehab your communication skills.

Here! Say "ahh."

How is this rehab?

Never mind! Just eat!

Ahh...

Ahh!

So tasty!

M-Mr. Hirukawa?

Come on! You promised to stop snacking, remember?

Hey, my bad.

My body reacted to the scent of your tamagoyaki.

Hmm? What's wrong, Asano?

Uh... Nothing.

Where did he come from? Out of nowhere?

Mr. Hirukawa, aren't you supposed to be on a business trip overseas for a lecture?

Well, I missed your lunches so much, Mutsumi,

that I changed my schedule to come home earlier.

Oh.

Still, I have to say that white streak is as gorgeous as ever!

I wanna rub my cheek against it!

Do that, and I'll report you!

If you're done here, please go back to the vice principal's office.

Huh? Oh, but I'm not. I'm so not done here yet!

Hey, Asano, come to my office when school's out.

Huh? Y-You mean me?

That's right.

Uh... Did I do something?

Right, see you later!

Hey, wait--

What's the deal with that guy?

See ya, Asano!

Uh... S-See you.

- Hey, let's hit the karaoke booth! - Hey, sounds good!

What should we sing?

A medley of this season's opening themes, what else?

Ever since that day, I've been afraid to connect with other people.

VICE PRINCIPAL'S OFFICE HIRUKAWA'S ROOM

E-Excuse me!

Hey, you're here? I've been waiting for you!

T-Too close.

Um, what exactly am I here for?

Oh, well... I really wanted to show you my collection, see.

Collection?

Ta-da! My "secret shots of Mutsumi" collection!

Huh? What a pervert!

I want your evaluation as her childhood friend.

I mean, I knew Mutsumi was a favorite of Mr. Hirukawa's, but...

See, look! This is my personal favorite!

He's a lost cause. This is pathetic.

I guess I'd better report him.

Y-Yes, it's nice.

Hey, how about this one?

Mutsumi playing Sevens at home!

Isn't she cute?

What?

Hey, here she is at five. I took this at the park.

Brings back memories.

Ugh!

Aww... This is the one I took when she was three,

at her Shichigosan celebration.

What an angel!

Huh? Why would a teacher like him have pictures like these?

You see...

I've been watching over Mutsumi from the shadows all this time.

Since Mutsumi is so gorgeous, to shield her from all the undesirables,

I've been keeping an eye on her constantly,

nonstop, without a break.

That third-year kid, Tanaka, was pretty pesky yesterday,

but when I graciously asked him to stay away from Mutsumi,

he gladly agreed to comply in the end.

Go on. Once more, in a great big voice.

I-I'll never go near Yozakura again!

This dude... He's totally insane!

I've got to do something, or Mutsumi will--

I envy you, Asano.

Getting those homemade lunches from Mutsumi...

I've been looking the other way since you're Mutsumi's childhood friend,

but things have changed, and that just won't be possible now.

Damn it!

I can't make a sound. My legs are frozen, too.

Mutsumi's in danger, but I...

Don't take it personally.

This is all for the sake of my beloved kid sister.

Huh?

Stop it right there.

Huh?

VICE PRINCIPAL'S OFFICE HIRUKAWA'S ROOM

Hey, you're awake!

Morning, Taiyo!

Mutsumi?

Glad to see you're all right.

Wh-Who are you?

Taiyo, it's all right! Look, it's me!

Nanao, there's no way you're hiding all that behind Mutsumi.

M-Mutsumi! Who are these people?

Well, it's kind of a long story.

But for now, let me introduce them to you.

These are my siblings.

S-Siblings?

This is my big sister, Futaba.

Nice to meet you.

And this my big brother, Shinzo.

N-Nice to meet you.

This is Big Sis Shion.

Yo.

- And Kengo. - Hey there.

And Nanao!

H-Hello!

And this is our guard dog, Goliath!

As you can see, we're a family of spies!

It was really tough, keeping my mouth shut about that for ten-plus years.

What a relief!

Hold up! Hold up! Hold up!

Spies? What are you talking about?

I can't process that like you'd said, "We're a family of greengrocers!"

It's just that instead of eggplants and radishes,

we deal in guns and intel. Isn't it kinda the same?

Not at all! It's totally different!

I know! I'm getting pranked. You're pranking me, right, Mutsumi?

Like, this gun is just a toy, right?

Hey, watch out!

Well, hey. Unlike in books and movies,

being a spy is just a common, ordinary job.

Lately, there's been a surge in cheap public-servant spies,

so as freelancers, we can't compete, can we?

Oh, we'll be fine.

I mean, we do lead the rankings on the review sites, with 4.8 stars.

Reviews for spies? Isn't that a huge info leak?