Hana-Kimi (花ざかりの君たちへ)

What do I do?

What do I do?!

He kissed me!

What the...

Hey!

No running in the halls!

Ashiya?

Why?

I didn't even hate it...

I was just shocked.

I like Sano so much,

so why can't I stop crying?

And then...

Mizuki

I'm headed out

After that...

The hell?!

Izumi, what happened to your face?

No clue.

I woke up like this.

And ya came to school lookin' that way?

You could've bandaged your eye or taken the day off.

It's fine.

No big deal.

Still, though...

How do you even get a bruise like that?

I don't remember.

U-Um...

You could use this to cool it down.

Thanks.

Sorry for the trouble.

Oh, no, it's fine.

You can give it back to me later.

I bet you ran into something and knocked yourself out.

Hit yourself so hard you forgot?

That's some slapstick stuff right there.

Sorry.

I gave him that black eye.

Whoo! Finally chow time.

Ashiya.

You put my blanket over me last night, didn't you?

O-Oh, yeah.

When I got back, you were asleep on the floor.

You wouldn't wake up for anything,

so I just put the blanket on you.

I see.

Sorry you had to do that.

Thanks.

O-Oh!

This is bad!

They're gonna run out of melon buns!

Later!

Sano probably thinks I'm weird.

No, stop it. I need to be natural.

Gotta keep it natural.

But I wonder if he really doesn't remember at all...

Did someone make you cry again?

Nanba-senpei.

Yo.

N-Not at all!

Lies and more lies.

You ran out yesterday too, looking just like that.

My head's just having trouble keeping up with an unexpected turn of events.

Oh, is that so?

Well then...

Why don't I cheer you up?

Make you forget all your troubles and cares.

How about I give you some nice memories?

I-I-I'm a guy!

Psych.

Just wanted to yank your chain.

I jest, I jest.

But starting now, I'm serious.

Alcohol?

It was basically an accident.

A bottle got mixed in with your drinks, and I found it uncorked.

You're saying someone drank some of it?

Not all that much. But yeah, probably.

This is partly my fault, so I need to be sure.

Huh?

So then that was...

What is it, Ashiya?

Do you have some idea who it was?

No, no! Not at all!

All right then.

Here's a little something for keeping you.

Want it?

It's all yours.

Thank you.

Hard to believe my own nephew is so underhanded.

Watch out, Ashiya-kun.

He's just a touch sneaky.

No way...

My dad has that one friend who starts indiscriminately kissing people when drunk.

Could Sano be like that too?

Ashiya

What is this?

Thumbtacks?!

What's up, Mizuki?

The heck is all this?

I ' L L K I L L Y O U

"I'ky lilo llu"?

What's that mean?

Dumbass! It says "I'll kill you"!

DIE

"Eid"?

That would be "die."

What's going on?!

Do They Hate Me?

Don't sweat it.

It's just a prank.

Sure.

Don't go agreeing!

This is obviously a threat!

We should walk home together.

It's okay.

I'm fine.

I can get there myself.

You both have practice now, right?

But...

So in that case, I'm headed out.

O-Okay. Get home safe!

That's right.

I'm a guy now,

so I can't freak out over something like this.

Hey, Izumi.

Aren't you being kinda cold with Mizuki?

You could try being a little nicer to him.

Hey, you two over there!

You're friends with Ashiya, right?

Where is he?

What the hell? Is the tennis team trying to poach him again?

Anyway, do you know where Ashiya is?

Get lost.

Let's go, Nakatsu.

Wait... Is he actually super pissed?

I guess somebody hates me.

Did I do anything to make someone that angry?

Don't sweat it.

Yeah, I won't.

That's right!

I don't have time to get distracted by stuff like this.

I mean, I'm way more worried about Sano—

What about me?

W-Welcome back.

I'm starving.

So, uh...

What?

Does it still hurt?

Where you got bruised?

It's a little sore if I press on it,

but it's no big deal.

I see.

What a relief.

Still, I feel a bit awkward looking at his face...

But I can't let things be awkward forever.

S-Sano!

Let's head to the dining hall as soon as you change.

I'm starving too!

Sure.

That's right!

My very first kiss was from Sano.

Gotta appreciate how lucky that was!

Huh?

Oh, right...

Hey, what's wrong?

The shock put it clean out of my mind.

Nothing, just about to die of starvation.

That... That was my very first kiss, wasn't it?

H-Here I go.

Ashiya

And... open!

We all clear, Mizuki?

Nothing today.

Thank goodness.

What is this?!

His shoes are soaked.

We can see that, genius.

What gives? What kind of jackass does that?

If they've got something to say,

they should come say it to your face!

They can't, which is why they're doing this.

It's not funny!

It's fine.

I'm fine.

I won't let this get to me.

Because...

shoes dry if you air them out!

I'm not letting this rain on my parade.

Being sunny is, like, my thing.

Mizuki...

Okay, then!

Let's get to class.

I've made up my mind.

When Sano runs into an obstacle,

I'm going to be the one who's there for him!

So I don't have any time to waste worrying about this stuff!

Let's get a move on!

I'm gonna fall!

Don't run!