The Fragrant Flower Blooms with Dignity (薫る花は凛と咲く)

I'm sorry, Subaru. Please stop crying.

But...

Kaoruko, you fell off the monkey bars...

and it scared me!

It's just that lately,

I'm really into hanging like a bat.

DANGLE LOOK, SUBARU!

You could've just used the monkey bars!

No more dangerous stuff, okay?

All right.

You're really kind, Subaru.

Thanks. I'm fine.

Okay?

Don't cry, Subaru.

Small and cute,

with long, glossy black hair.

Cheerful, strong, and so cool.

My hero.

If only

I were as strong as Kaoruko.

THE FRAGRANT FLOWER BLOOMS WITH DIGNITY

The other day, I spoke with Tsumugi.

Tsumugi? You don't mean...

Rintaro Tsumugi.

I saw you two at that café.

It was honestly just a coincidence.

After you two parted ways, I went up and talked to Tsumugi.

I asked him not to see you anymore.

Kaoruko.

I went behind your back.

I'm sorry!

I'm really sorry.

Subaru.

Geez.

You startled me, suddenly apologizing like that.

What?

At the school gate, I saw how bad things were between Chidori and Kikyo.

I put you through a lot, didn't I?

What are you talking about?

You only asked Rintaro that because you wanted to protect me, right?

If I can protect Kaoruko's happiness, I can live with that.

You're always so kind, Subaru.

I'm sorry I made you worry.

Why...

Why are you the one apologizing?

I'm the worst.

After I spoke with Tsumugi that day...

Really?

Totally.

It's a pretty famous story.

No way!

...I'd been constantly afraid

he might have told Kaoruko.

Oh, Subaru!

We're in the same group for our next class, right?

What?

Wait, did I get it wrong?

Along with the fear that nothing was happening came a realization.

Tsumugi hadn't told Kaoruko about our conversation.

That's when a thought crossed my mind.

You're right. We're in the same group.

Maybe Tsumugi would never tell her.

If I just left things as they were,

maybe Kaoruko wouldn't end up hating me.

But once I noticed that rust,

it didn't go away. It only kept spreading.

Until the guilt made it hard even to breathe.

CAN WE TALK?

I felt like it was going to crush me,

so I asked Kaoruko to meet.

In the end, I just wanted to ease my own guilt.

I'm such a selfish person.

I'm sorry.

Subaru?

What...

I can't forgive most of all...

I'm sorry.

I'm sorry.

...is how relieved I felt

when Kaoruko didn't blame me.

I haven't changed at all.

Even if I've gotten taller.

Even if I pretend to be strong on the outside.

Even if I grew my hair out to be like hers.

I'm still the same pathetic coward who takes advantage of her kindness.

I loathe myself,

from the bottom of my heart.

I'm sorry, Kaoruko.

All I ever do is cause you trouble.

I'm sorry. I'm sorry.

I'm sorry.

Subaru!

SQUISH

Wanna play a little?

Let's go back to being kids just for now.

Wow, Subaru!

This feels kinda scary after all this time!

Kaoruko?

Wanna try it too, Subaru?

No, I'm okay.

Not in the mood?

Kaoruko, you got all dressed up.

You'll get your clothes dirty.

Didn't I say we're going back to being kids?

You know, back then, I'd always come home with dirty clothes.

And Mom would scold me for it.

Subaru, remember that time?

When I fell off the monkey bars?

I do.

To be honest...

AGH...

...that hurt way more than I'd like to admit.

Well, of course, it hurt.

Do you remember what you said to me right after I fell?

Please don't die, Kaoruko!

Just give all your pain to me!

I never said that!

You totally did! I remember it.

I was so surprised, all my tears and pain had just disappeared.

Subaru, you know...

You've always been kind. Ever since we were kids.

You're wrong.

I'm not kind.

All I ever do is cause you trouble.

You're the one who's kind, even to someone like me.

Subaru, I don't like that!

What?

Seriously! You keep saying stuff like, "I'm not kind" or "Someone like me..."

Kaoruko? I'm sorry!

All this time...

I've been by your side, watching you.

Even when I fell off the monkey bars!

It was my fault for being reckless.

But instead of getting mad or scolding me, you cried for me.

I did feel bad for making you cry.

But more than that, I was happy that you cared enough

to cry for me.

You've always been there for me, ever since we were kids.

And that's...

always meant so much to me.

So, Subaru...

Please.

Don't deny the Subaru I love.

I want to believe

in what I've seen with my own eyes.

So I'll keep believing in the Subaru I know.

If the day ever comes

when you stop seeing yourself as "someone like me,"

then until that day, I'll keep telling you...

how much I care about you, Subaru!

That's right.

Kaoruko has always been this way.

I think it's super pretty!

Ever since the day we met, she's been telling me again and again.

And now,

I think I finally know what I need to do.

That was so much fun!

Hey, Subaru, wanna try--

Subaru, what's the matter?

Kaoruko.

I told Tsumugi

not to see you anymore

since you're a scholarship student at Kikyo and he's from Chidori.

But, I really should've asked you first.

So...

Kaoruko, what do you want to do?

Sorry, Subaru.