Teasing Master Takagi-san (からかい上手の高木さん)

Can you open it for me?

Yeah, I guess.

Whoa!

Keep it down, Nishikata!

Sorry!

You're making me laugh so much. Give me a break!

That's my line!

I'm always getting teased by Takagi-san.

If you write your crush's name on an eraser and you use it all up,

that person will like you back?

"Roukamiro"?

Here.

Thank you.

We've been staring and staring. You and me.

Only because to draw we…

You ran all the way here to send me a picture of the sunset.

It's not like that…

It's so red, isn't it?

Red? Am I blushing?

A beautiful red sunset!

So pretty!

Oh, the sunset!

Yeah, it sure is.

You'd better watch your back,

Takagi-san!

There's gotta be some way to trick Takagi-san.

Some competition, I can beat her at…

Morning, Nishikata!

Morning.

Let's go together.

What about your bike?

My bike?

Well, today…

I wanted to go to school while holding hands with you.

So, I left it at home.

Really?

-You think so? -No!

Of course not!

Takagi-san, you always do this!

Oh!

That's it!

That will work!

-Actually, about my bike-- -Wait!

How about if I can guess the reason, I'm the winner.

All of a sudden?

A competition?

Sure! Guess away.

Yes!

I didn't miss what you said, Takagi-san!

The words you casually spoke on our way home yesterday …

I think something's wrong with the brakes.

To think I could win so easily!

-The answer is your br-- -Wait!

One more rule.

If you guess the wrong answer, you immediately lose the game.

If I'm wrong, I lose?

Yes.

So? What's your guess?

Well, then…

Let me think about it some more.

Brakes?

Is it not the brakes?

Hey, Nishikata.

Want to go this way?

Yeah, I guess.

Stairs?

You can't take the stairs with a bike.

That's it! It's because she wanted to go this way.

Takagi-san.

Yeah?

Hold on!

This might be one of her traps!

Nothing.

Without a bike, we can take all sorts of new roads.

So, it must be the stairs.

No, think this through!

I'll lose if I'm wrong.

Wait a minute…

Takagi-san.

I don't think this competition is fair.

Why?

Even if I'm right, you could say I'm wrong and I'd still lose.

Oh… don't worry about that!

I wouldn't lie to you.

Really?

Really.

I've never even once lied to you before.

What?

I saw this cat the last time I came this way too.

Isn't it cute?

It's so cute.

It's not scared at all!

That's it!

Now, I've got it!

Takagi-san, can I guess now?

Oh, you figured it out?

Go ahead.

The reason you're walking to school today…

is because your brakes are busted!

Brakes?

Stairs, and now a cat…

You've tried to mislead me with things you couldn't do on a bike,

but you've made a grave mistake!

You were trying to make me forget about when you mentioned your brakes yesterday.

But I saw right through it!

Well, Takagi-san, am I right?

No! That's incorrect!

What?

The answer is…

I just wanted to see you get flustered about it.

That's really the answer? You didn't change it?

It sure is.

If that's true…

I lost the second I proposed the competition.

I had two reasons, and you still didn't get it.

Too bad.

Two? So what's the other reason?

I don't think you could guess that one either.

What do you mean? Tell me.

You already lost, so it doesn't matter, right?

I already told you the second answer when I saw you this morning.

What?

Nothing!

Come on, tell me!

It's the brakes, right?

Yeah, sure, the brakes.

"Yeah, sure"? What does that mean?

-Secret. -Huh?

What?

Ready? Okay?

You good? Look at each other.

Ready?

Go!

Oh, no!

The winner is Nakai!

He's too strong. You didn't stand a chance.

Hamaguchi you should be able to take.

-Let's go. All right! -You're going to regret this.

Ready, go!

Oh, not bad! Keep going!

Oh you're in trouble!

It's bad!

Hamaguchi wins!

What?!

I understand losing to Nakai, but Takao and Hamaguchi too?

-Nice. -He was actually pretty strong.

Hey! Let me try!

Who will you challenge, Takagi-san?

The weakest person, I guess.

So, Nishikata?

You can do it!

It's just Takagi-san.

-She's a girl. -You got this! You can do it!

-What? -Nothing.

Okay.

-Ready-- -Wait!

-What? -I just…

It's nothing.

Sorry! Let's do it.

Okay, then…

Ready, go!

You can do it Takagi-san!

I totally got this.

Are girls really this weak?

Takagi-san, what were you about to say?

Say?