We couldn't save her...
It happened in the blink of an eye. There was nothing we could do.
Let's go. You guys aren't her target.
There's no reason to fight a futile battle.
Shit... how many of these do they have back at the lab?
Three...
She can't get away with this!
The Meaning of Her Smile
She can't get away with this!
Wait, Kuroha!
Shit, all I can do is—
What are you doing?!
Do I have your attention now? If you fight here, you'll only be throwing your life away.
It won't be revenge or anything at all. You'll have wasted your life and saved no one.
But!
You're better off waiting for a chance to save someone. Am I wrong?
You see?
I see... But...
But it's so hard...
I know.
Murakami! There'll be a crowd there soon. Take Neko and escape!
If the police see a harnest, you'll definitely be taken in.
Even if it wouldn't normally be an issue, after such a disturbance, any girls our age
will get our necks checked, even if we try to hide 'em. Get outta there!
Kuroha, let's go!
Hold on a sec!
What now?!
She's here. She came to kill Neko after all!
"She"?
Shino! I'm here to save you!
Crap! I totally forgot about Kotori.
Shino-chan! Where are you?
She's so stupid!
Murakami, take care of Kotori-chan. I'll distract Kikako-chan.
Hold on!
You can't stop me.
I know that.
I have an idea.
Shino-chan!
Kikako-chan, just go back.
Neko.
Hey!
This way.
Kikako-chan, please, just go back.
You—! What kind of nonsense did you put into Neko's head?
This isn't the type of opponent you can just talk it out with.
Four...
Dangit, look! Why didn't you run away?! Neko has zero chance of beating her hung up.
That's not entirely true.
Huh?
We just thought we'd like to get through this without fighting if we could.
Her attacks aren't so scary.
What's that supposed to mean?
It's simple. Her magic has a weakness.
She evaded it?
Both of the beams she's shot have had lag time.
The more powerful the shot, the longer it has to charge.
If we can use that opening to get behind her, we can push her harnest button.
Murakami, are you planning to sacrifice yourself so Neko can flip the switch?
...No. I don't want to die. I'll do my best to dodge.
Good grief.
Shiokichi Road closed due to accident
Shiokichi Parking Lot
Entrance
Spots Open
Lot Full
Danger
Shiokichi Road
Road Safety Announcements
Road Closed
I made it so the whole park is off limits,
and temporarily blocked police radio and 110 reports.
But I can't keep it up for long, so hurry up and finish this.
Got it. Kotori, you—
Where'd she go?!
Okay, okay, okay... gotta hurry.
Okay...
Hey!
What are you doing over here?
Th-Th-This is...
Why are you tying up your own arm with a ribbon...?
When you were killed, Neko was tied up nearby.
I see. So you mean to trade places with Kuroha, huh.
You're binding your arms so she won't rush to the rescue?
But once you trade places, Kikako will kill you!
That's fine. Either way...
I'll be dead tomorrow.
You'll be fine! We still have a small cushion of pills!
I don't need them.
I don't want to extend my own life by receiving someone else's pills, their life, anymore.
I'd always wanted a normal school life.
It was only two days long, but I got to be in a club, I was truly happy.
So I have no regrets about dying.
This is the only kind of thing my magic is good for.
I see. Kotori is trying to substitute herself for Kuroha.
Did Kana's forecast change after we went star gazing?
Wait, "substitute"?
What?
The forecast changed. Murakami must have realized something.
Murakami-kun, what's taking so long?
She's able to read my movements now. Soon I won't be able to dodge well enough.
I guess I just have to push her harnest on my own.
I'll move into point-blank range, just barely avoid the beam, and circle behind her.
I can't move!
Kuroha!
Neko-san!
Murakami, that idiot! Is he thinking at all?!
C'mon, Kikako is prepared for that much.
I'll trade spots with Neko-san!
There's no other way to save her!
There is.
Huh?
Your magic is more powerful than you think.
We've already won.
Neko!
Go!
Okay!
Neko... you...
Huh? Kotori-chan?
Just like I said.
Your magic is more powerful than you think.
If you trade places with the witch you want to capture, it's easy to push her harnest.
Jeez... protecting witches takes a lot out of you.
Tell me where you came from.
Where is the lab?
I don't think she's refusing to answer. She just doesn't know.
What are you idiots doing?!
There's a crowd forming. The police are on their way. Get the heck outta there!
What should we do with Kikako-chan?
I don't really feel like making friends with a killer.
But that doesn't mean I should hit the button to kill her.
Uh, where's Kotori?
Hm? She came over here with me, but...
She...
She must be planning to die somewhere. We gotta find her!
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For a AA+, this is pretty sad.
Well, you did recover the specified number of harnests,
but you've still got a debriefing and some harsh punishment waiting for you.
K-Kotori!
Kuroha! She's over here!
How... did you know where...?
How? Who cares how?
Kotori, this is the address you put on your club form.
That was careless of me...
You can only be so careless, you know.
Kotori-chan!
Will she make it if we force her to take a pill now?
I think so. Her hands and feet are still attached, so she should be okay.
Man, she must have been through some gruesome stuff...
Kotori-chan, take a pill.
No, thanks.
Hurry up and take it before it's too late!
I... don't want to take anyone's pills anymore.
Why not?!
The blood in this room is my friend Chie-chan's.
What?
Today was my birthday.
But with only the pills I had, I wouldn't have lived long enough to be here.
Kotori, you should live.
Why?! It's almost your birthday, too, Chie-chan.
My birthday is a week after yours.
At this rate, we can't both make it.
So please take my pills and live for both of us.
But I turned her down.
I didn't want to celebrate my birthday so badly I'd shave time off Chie-chan's life.
Then why is she still alive?
Did she—?
Yes. She quit taking her pills.
Chie-chan! Why?!
It's a small price to pay if you can reach adulthood with my life.
Once you're 16, you can even get married if you feel like it.
Well, the pills won't last, so it'll just be one day, but...
For a birthday present, I transferred you into a high school.
Kotori, you've always wanted to go to school, right?
I used my magic to manipulate the data, so...
Chie!
Please, promise me one thing.
Smile, especially when you're sad, even when it seems impossible.
If you cry when things get rough, it'll only get rougher.
Chie!
And there's one more thing.
I won't be able to be there, so I'll say it ahead of time.
Happy birthday.
I promised Chie-chan...
...that I would keep smiling even when I'm sad.
But I've felt so guilty this whole time...
...for surviving on Chie-chan's life... so...
Gimme a break.
You think I can just let you die?
If the one freshman we got leaves, the astronomy club will be shut down next year.
That would be a huge pain.
I'll get some more pills before we run out.
So...
Kotori-chan, you don't care if you don't wish Chie-chan happy birthday next week?
It's fine, so just take it, or I'll shove it down your throat!
I'll take the pill.
Oh, and one more thing...
Happy birthday.
Thank you very much.
Chie-chan, thanks to you, I was able to turn 16.
I'm keeping our promise, trying not to cry even when I'm sad.
But I can cry in front of you, right?
Happy birthday, Chie-chan.
Ugh, it's so hot out.
Kikako went on such a rampage,
Explosion at Shiokichi Beach
Caused by decayed gas line?
No casualties
but the papers and TV just called it an explosion.
Volcanic eruption? Gas explosion?
Someone used their power to conceal the incident.
Seems like a valid way to think about it.
But man, Kana's forecast really messed with us this time.
Neko was dead, and Kotori was standing next to her smiling.
And just like that, we were all convinced Kotori was guilty.
But...
I promised Chie-chan...
...that I would keep smiling even when I'm sad.
And, well... that complicated things.
Huh? Nobody's here.
Well, there's no air conditioning here. On a day like this, they'd steam to death.
It can't be—!
Yahoo!
Kazumi-chan, that's cold!
We're gonna get all wet!
So just take off your clothes!
Oh-ho, no bra, Kotori? I can see your nipples.
Ah! Well, it's hot today, so...
I'll strip.
Wow, you just whipped it right off, Neko.
That's better.
Okay, I'll strip, too. C'mon, Kotori, take it off!
It's too embarrassing! I bounce all over the place!
Jeez.
Nobody's looking!
I'm totally looking.
What, you're peeping now? Perv! Can't get enough boobs, huh?
Don't be stupid. It's your guys' fault for getting naked outside.
C'mon, I bought some food.
Onions, potatoes, carrots,
shirataki, and meat.
This must be...
That's right.
Nikujaga?
Kotori ended up living at the observatory, too.
Well, I did kind of force her since I figured it'd be hard to stay where her friend died.
But it seems like she's having a good time.
It's like we're camping every day.
Yeah.
Only, if we run out of a certain pill, they all die.
Everybody, the food's ready!
This is great! Kotori, you really have a talent for seasonings!
O-O-O-Oh, you think so? I-I-I like to cook.
C'mon, I wanna eat, too!
My poor nikujaga!
Eat up!
Yum, yum!
Neko, hurry up!
Okay, here you go.
I want to talk to you guys about something.
There's someone I want to tell about you.
If it goes well, he might help us get more pills.
Can we trust him?
He's a little difficult, but not the type to betray someone.
Oh. Then we'll leave it up to you.
It's really okay, right?
Yeah. It'll be okay.
Kuroha. Does your magic work through glass?
If I can see through it.
If the glass is frosted, then there's no way.
That should be fine. Will you come with me for a bit?
Shinano University
I want you to help me.
Well, it's certainly rare to hear from you.
You've gotten so handsome, Ryota.
Drug Discovery Lab
You must be popular... with the boys.
This is why I didn't want to see him.
Kogoro, I heard you turned down an offer from an American research organization?
Naturally. My sphere of activity extends only as far as I can walk.
If they need me so badly, they can build a lab in this neighborhood.
If they aren't at least that eager to have me, there's no reason to go.
Really? So you're just gonna stay small time at this college in the sticks?
Small time? Me? That's enough nonsense out of you.
Even if the college isn't a brand, my name is. No problem.
Now then, what did you want to talk to me about?
Before we get down to it, there's a hitch.
And that is?
If you learn this secret I'm about to tell you, there's a chance you'll be killed.
By whom?
Some kind of state power. If you go to the police, they'll arrest you.
And two people have already died right before my eyes.
It's quite possible I'll be killed at some point.
Been hitting the books too hard? Or maybe the summer heat's gotten to your brain?
Well, I get that there's a hitch to hearing your story.
So what do I gain by risking my life to listen?
Money or sentimentality won't cut it.
Kogoro, you don't believe in the supernatural, right?
I'm not such a romanticist that I'd believe in things that can't be proven to exist.
Then I'll show you magic right here and now. That's your compensation.
Sounds good. Give it a shot.
Is there something we can break?
Huh?
I brought a witch. Is there something in this room we can break?
If you're going to break it with magic, anything is fine.
Anything is fine. Do it.
When did you plant it?
Plant what?
The door and windows are closed, so it couldn't have been a sniper.
In that case, all I can think is that you planted explosives in this room.
The reason I asked you what to break was so you couldn't be lame like that.
This time, specify something for us to break.
Then I'll give you a place where it would've been hard to rig up explosives.
For example... the floor, here.
This pen, a keepsake from my father, that I was just using...
I must admit, this is fascinating. It seems plenty worth risking one's life.
I'll listen to what you have to say.
Talk!
kagayaku hoshi miagete
We've always admired
itsumo akogareteta na
the shining stars we gazed upon.
ashita wo yume minagara
And dreaming of tomorrow,
koi wo shite mitari
we played games of affection.
nai mono nedari de
While I begged for something that wasn't there,
shiawase wa hito sorezore to
you taught me that happiness
oshiete kureta ne
was different for everyone.
sonna kimi ga suki de nee
That's why I like you so much.
watashi wa ima koi ni ochita
Now, I'm enraptured
ichibanboshi
by the first star of the night
onegai shite
so I make a wish:
douka kimi to itsumo issho ni ireru you ni
"May I get to be with you forever."
watashi wa ima hajimete shiru
Now, I've come to understand
koi wa setsunai
that loving can be rough,
kurushiku naru demo ai wa tottemo
but hard as things can get, love itself is
hora atatakai mono nanda
a very warm thing.