Lonely Castle in the Mirror (かがみの孤城)

Read Little Red Riding Hood.

Please, read it to me!

Shall we?

No way!

That's crazy.

Totally crazy!

CARING CLASSROOM

Elephant, elephant

Huh? Is it about me?

Elephant, elephant

- It's short! - Okay.

Miss, he hit me again!

Hello.

Kokoro Anzai?

My name is Kitajima. May I sit?

Kokoro, do you go to Yukishina 5th Junior High?

Yes.

I went there too.

Okay.

You know, I have this dream.

A transfer student,

talented and lovely, turns up.

And finds me among many classmates

with a smile as bright as the sun, and says,

"Kokoro, long time no see!" And walks right up to me.

Everybody's amazed.

I keep wishing for a miracle like that.

But it's never going to happen.

I know that.

MAY

Okay, I'm off.

Take care.

Mom, my stomach hurts.

Hurts how?

Same as usual.

Usual how?

It just does.

Are you going or not?

You won't go. Suit yourself.

It's not that I won't. I can't.

Good morning.

Anzai here. It's about my daughter.

She's not feeling well, so she can't make it today.

My stomach really does hurt.

ANZAI

Moe.

Hey, wake up. Come on, wake up.

Welcome, Kokoro Anzai! We've been waiting!

What?

A castle?

Yes! Exactly!

Congratulations. You've been invited as a guest!

- Don't run! - I'm going home! Let go!

Enough! Shut up!

I've vetted six other guests. I'm sick of it!

You're the last. And it's 4:00 p.m. already.

I want to get this done.

Please, let me go!

I don't care! Let me go!

Aren't you curious, girl? That's a real castle.

Plus, I'm mature for a child. And strong.

Aren't you excited about some adventure or otherworldly fantasy?

No!

Your wish will come true.

Whatever it is, Plain Jane, it'll be granted.

My wish?

The others await you.

Hello.

We've all been waiting.

We heard from her that you're the last.

I'm Wolf Queen.

The Wolf Queen said so. There has to be seven of us.

You took so long.

About an hour?

What is this place? Why am I here?

Just like you, our mirrors glowed and brought us here.

I was first, then the others appeared.

We got a brief explanation, but honestly, I'm lost.

Huh? You still don't get it?

- I don't. - Not at all.

This is the last time. Listen closely.

Somewhere in this castle is a tiny, unenterable room.

The Wishing Room.

If you can get in, any wish will be granted.

However, only one of you can enter the room.

Red Riding Hoods.

She calls us "lost Red Riding Hoods."

To enter the room, you need a key.

If you have an earnest wish, from today till March 30th next year,

you must find the key somewhere in this castle.

Huh? I don't understand.

Me neither. Way too many questions.

Granting wishes, huh?

Why bring us here? What key? Where are we?

Enough! Shut up, shut up!

Explain properly then.

Why did we get chosen?

You kids are so unimaginative.

Ever thought that you're the stars of this story?

You each have a room upstairs.

You're lucky. Appreciate it!

Your tone pisses me off.

For real.

Answer me this. Don't you kids have wishes?

Well, no problem if you don't, but if you snooze, you lose.

When the key's found and a wish is granted, it's game over.

This castle closes and mirror paths shut.

Finding the key isn't compulsory.

Hey...

Can we come here anytime?

There are limits.

Between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Japan time.

9:00 to 5:00? What is this, City Hall?

Whatever you say, this rule must be obeyed.

If you don't leave by 5:00,

a wolf eats you.

You?

A real wolf. Frighteningly big.

Don't believe me? Try it. Get eaten, you're done.

Plus, if one of you breaks the rule,

those with you that day share responsibility.

Or rather, get eaten.

Anyway, if you obey the rule, anything goes. Come freely.

"Freely"?

Whoa, it's 4:30.

Did you look around while you waited?

Only time for this today.

Well? Beats your homes, doesn't it?

Girls, sit here.

May I?

I'll be back soon. Get acquainted.

She vanished!

- Is she a ghost? - Who knows?

Well, I'm Aki. A junior high third year. Hi.

- Hi. - Hi.

- Hi. - Hi.

Hi.

I'm Kokoro. A first year. Hi.

I'm Fuka. A second year. Hi.

I'm Rion. A first year. Hi.

Name's Subaru. A third year. Hi.

Masamune. Second year.

Like the general, sword and sake.

I'm sick of hearing that. It's my real name.

Ureshino!

- How is that written? - My last name, not my first.

Written as "happy" and "field." I'm a first year.

All junior high students?

What's that?

Hey.

Fifteen minutes to 5:00. Time to leave. Hurry. You'll get eaten.

How do we leave?

Find your name.

Found it.

JUNE

I haven't gone back to the castle.

I wonder if the others have.

Come over sometime.

Really? I will!

Cute red umbrella! It suits you, Moe.

Done with homework?

- Yeah. - Let's go!

I knew it!

Just one. There's just one wish I want granted.

Poor girl, loner.

Desperately.

Go!

- Crap! - No good?

I died! Damn, I died!

Wish we had a TV. I could battle you, Subaru.

No electricity.

No need for a TV. Forget our materialistic world here.

Forget you.

- What could this be? - A game?

No power to run it.

Manual maybe?

I bet it sucks.

Japanese chess puzzles? Old school.

Pretty interesting.

- Borrow whatever you like. - Really?

Dad buys them for me in Europe.

He's a kidlit professor.

Thanks!

Hey, good to see you. First time back?

Oh, I'm Kokoro.

Come on, I know. Leaving already?

Bye!

Kokoro! Guys, it's Kokoro!

- We waited for you. - Hi again, Kokoro.

- Long time. - Hey.

I haven't been able to come.

Really? We've been coming quite a lot.

Mostly this time in the afternoon.

A little later for me, maybe.

Early today.

I usually have soccer at school. Day off today.

Another's coming.

What's up, everybody? Oh, Kokoro!

Now we're all here.

I'll be in my room.