A Star Brighter than the Sun (太陽よりも眩しい星)

All right, everyone, do the faces look familiar now?

Now, let's get started with introductions.

Boys first. Student Number 1?

My name is Yota Ayukawa. I commute to school from the dormitory.

My hobby is... Let me think.

Maybe shogi?

Nice to meet you.

Hey there, the name's Yushin Izawa.

Not sure if it counts as a skill, but singing's my thing lately.

So my goal for this semester is to hit karaoke with everyone in class!

Anyone got any questions? My favorite color is...

Izawa, we've got more people to go, okay?

Ayukawa, Izawa...

All right, next.

Oh, right.

I'm Koki Kamishiro from 2nd Junior High.

I'm planning to join the soccer club in high school.

Dazzling...

I'm not very good at English,

and I'm shy around new people, but I look forward to getting to know you.

I had no idea. Kamishiro's shy around new people?

And he's not good at English? I didn't know that.

Next column, starting from Iwata.

She's huge.

I wonder how tall she is.

I'm Sae Iwata from 2nd Junior High. Nice to meet you.

Iwata.

EPISODE 2, CALL MY NAME

I think your skirt is torn.

When I caught her! Oh, this is so embarrassing!

Wrap this around if it helps.

Oh, thanks.

Don't worry, I don't think anyone noticed.

I mean, Kamishiro was the one person I didn't want to spot that, you know...

Sae, your skirt. I've fixed it.

Thank you.

Really, what did you do?

Oh, and that thing...

You still have the kohaku manju box? You should throw it away.

Oh, it's not trash, Mom.

Then what is it?

R-Room decor?

He looked so cool in his high school uniform.

We're classmates and sit close to each other...

It's a good chance, but I can't do anything.

I got his number, but I couldn't find a good reason to text him.

I brought his hoodie with me, but...

Kamishiro is never by himself.

- Please join the baseball club. - Isn't that crazy?

- They're recruiting a team manager. - Um...

- If you join us, Koshien is guaranteed! - Wow.

- I mean, Onodera's cute. - I don't know much about baseball.

Yeah, she's definitely cute.

That caught me off guard. They really do stuff like club scouting?

High school is something else.

Iwata!

Iwata!

You heading home? Bye-bye!

Kamishiro's by himself!

Wait a sec!

I can return his hoodie!

Whoa, sorry!

I thought you called me.

No, I'm the one who should apologize.

I just wanted to return this... Thank you.

I feel like I always mess up, especially when I'm around Kamishiro.

Iwata.

Thank you for saving me on the day of the entrance ceremony.

Oh, sure... You're Onodera, right?

Yeah, you remembered?

Koki, let's go!

I'm off.

Okay.

Guess the boys and girls at your junior high were close, Iwata.

That's nice.

At my junior high, the boys and girls didn't really talk to each other.

Kamishiro's really cool, isn't he?

So everyone thinks that in high school, too.

But wasn't that self-introduction a bit too wily?

What?

About being shy around new people and all. That was definitely a lie.

Well, maybe because you're easy to talk to, but still.

I feel the same. You're really easy to talk to, Iwata.

Oh, can I get your number?

No way...

I don't think he's that kind of person.

- SURE - YAY

The first event where you all should unite as a class...

It's tomorrow's...

trash pickup around the school!

Come on, where's the energy?

Get into mixed-gender groups of six, in the order of your student numbers.

I'm in the same group as Kamishiro.

Choose a team leader.

Oh, I don't mind being the team leader.

Are you sure, Izawa?

That sounds a bit formal. Why don't we pick nicknames?

Call me Yushin.

As for Kamishiro...

How about Mr. Handsome?

Huh?

Hmm, Iwata can be...

How about something like Hachiro? It gives off a big and powerful vibe.

I'm a nickname master!

Well, um...

Hachiro is a beautiful story, isn't it?

Am I really going to be Hachiro starting today?

Iwata, people called you Iwa back in junior high, right?

Why not go with Iwa?

Yeah? Then Iwa, it is.

Kamishiro called me Iwa! It just happened in the flow, but still...

Let's see...

I'd rather not be called by a nickname.

Just call me Kagawa.

This is awkward...

Onodera, how about we go with Hisui for you?

You know, your first name fits your image better.

Huh? Yeah, sure.

Oh, that's what this is about?

You can call me that, too, Iwa. Or just Sui if that's too long.

You too, Kagawa.

If you don't mind using nicknames for others.

I don't mind at all.

Let's have bento together.

Hey, is Kamishiro the kind of guy who snaps surprisingly easily?

I've never seen him snap.

There's something cool about guys who snap, right?

What? How is that cool?

Was Kamishiro popular in junior high, too?

Sorry, I don't know much about it.

How did your English quiz go today?

Is this part of the school grounds? It looks like a mountain.

I hope there aren't any brown bears.

Brown bears are scary.

Maybe you could beat them, Iwa. They might think you are one of them.

I don't know... You think I can?

Of course not. You shouldn't take the mountain lightly.

All right then. Boys this way, girls that way.

Hey, hold on. I'm the team leader!

Even in high school, I'm still seen as the big one.

And everyone sees Kamishiro as the cool one.

You picked up loads, Iwa.

You really did, Iwa.

Are you all right?

Sae!

You don't need to help him, he can climb back up by himself.

Don't be a baby, Yushin!

"Sae"?

"Sae"?

What? Didn't I call her Iwata just now?

You definitely didn't. You called her Sae.

Sorry, Iwata!

I turned into a grade schooler for a moment.

Hey, Team Leader! Where are you sneaking off to?

Team Leader! Hey!

Is Kamishiro short-tempered?

Isn't it rude to suddenly go first-name only?

I was totally put off.

No...

Sae!

I know.

He runs to me, helps me, and smiles at me.

Um, Kamishiro is not the kind of person who gets angry for no reason.

And...

I was happy to hear him call me by my first name!

We were close in elementary school,

but I thought I was the only one who still considered us friends.

We barely talked in junior high, I thought maybe he'd forgotten those days.

You're overwhelming me...

So I was happy he remembered!

You were?

Izawa got carried away and said some stuff he shouldn't have.

I can't go into details, but I don't blame Kamishiro for snapping.

I felt better, too.

What happened?

Like I said, I can't tell you.

Hey!

All the other groups have gone back already.

Let's go back.

Seriously?

Let's go. Isn't it kind of mean not to come get us?

It's not like I can suddenly change in high school.

I haven't even mustered the courage to text the number he gave me.

But, no matter how dazzling he is, I won't look away!

Want to join... the volleyball team?

Let's start with the things I can do.

First, I'll try to talk to him as much as I can.

I wonder if Kamishiro likes comedy.

Tell me what tomorrow's quizzes will cover.

Math 1, Eng 1, Eng C.

In ten minutes!

Huh? Ten minutes?

Was Kamishiro always like this?

Um, I think it was somewhere...

PP12-19, ENG 1: PP 12-19, PP 1-12

In ten minutes...

IWATA?

I'M SORRY

I MISTOOK YOU FOR KINOSHITA...

He meant to send it to one of his buddies.