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

BEWARE OF BEARS

Next, Iwata.

Yes.

Height, 167cm.

Weight...

We're still in our growing phase.

Every time we have a health checkup, I can't help but think...

about how slim and petite everyone else is.

PRIVACY PROTECTION

Iwa! How tall are you?

Huh?

Let me see your checkup form!

Huh? What, no way!

Iwa!

I'm sorry!

You okay, Iwata?

Um... Iwata?

Uh, yeah. I'm fine.

Here.

PRIVACY PROTECTION

I didn't see a thing.

That was embarrassing.

Oh, you fixed the door.

Iwa, you're so strong.

Wow, just like that?

Kamishiro's so cool!

But he kind of looks like a player.

Kamishiro's not a player!

Oh, you went to elementary school with Kamishiro, didn't you, Iwa?

Was he cool back then, too?

Yeah, he was.

He used to be a bit different, though.

Koki Kamishiro is...

my first love.

Looking back, it's a long story.

Okay, Sae.

Smile.

ENTRANCE CEREMONY

-Mom. -Mom.

You're pretty tall, Sae.

You might be the tallest in your grade.

I AM?

So cute!

You're in first grade, right? You're so cute!

What are you looking forward to in elementary school?

School lunch!

I heard there's something called school lunch in elementary schools.

She's looking forward to school lunch!

-That's so adorable! -Oh, Sae.

Did you hear that? She's looking forward to school lunch.

You don't eat much, and milk's still kind of scary, right, Koki?

Are you allergic to milk?

I hate it.

Don't worry! I'll drink yours, too!

I love milk!

Really?

Yeah.

Yay! Thank you!

I think it was love at first sight.

Aren't you drinking too much milk?

I'm trying to get my stomach used to milk.

I kept drinking milk for two for the next six years.

We were classmates for all six years, and we often sat next to each other.

The line was... lined up...

"Formed."

Formed!

Listen, Iwata, giving him the answers wouldn't help him learn.

Sae!

I'm sorry you got scolded because of me!

Thanks, though!

He's always been cool, really...

Watch out, Iwa!

...since elementary school.

Wow, she caught it like it was nothing.

It's Iwa!

Oh no, oh no, oh no!

P.E. reminds me of Kamishiro, too.

Pass the ball!

He's aiming for Koki!

Koki, you went over the line, you're out!

That's so lame!

Hey! It was because Sae bumped into him!

You're out!

Ko...

KAWAHARA MILK

Takoyaki !

Takoyaki !

Let's play rock-paper-scissors!

I win!

It was me!

Koki doesn't like school lunch, but he likes this...

U-Um...

I'm sorry I bumped into you in P.E.

-You can have my takoyaki ! -You can have my takoyaki !

Why?

You look kind of sad, Sae.

You like takoyaki , don't you?

We just swapped our plates. That was pointless.

It wasn't!

He was cool.

He was working hard on the boys' soccer team.

He might have been skinnier and smaller than the younger kids...

but in my eyes, he looked big.

To me, he was such a cool boy.

I was glad none of my friends were interested in Koki.

But in sixth grade, he started to grow taller.

Now we're in our third year of junior high,

and he's become someone everyone thinks is really cool.

Oh.

Morning, Iwata.

M-Morning, Kamishiro.

When did his voice get so deep?

Yeah, coming.

We went from calling each other by our first names to using last names,

but he still talks to me when he sees me, like back in elementary school.

But I should stop having a crush on him.

KAMISHIRO

Koki has become Kamishiro.

Over here!

Like your favorite artist suddenly gets popular,

or a manga you've been into turns into a social phenomenon,

you know that feeling.

I guess this is kind of like that.

-Look! Isn't he so cool? -People finally noticed how cool he is.

-The one without the undercut! -It's great.

Hooray.

But I feel a bit lonely, too.

You know what I mean.

And it's not like we were ever into each other.

I had a one-sided crush on him, that's all.

Now I can't tell anyone that I used to like him.

The Koki I fell in love with

grew into Kamishiro, someone admired and thought of as handsome by many.

KAWAHARA MILK

Who's the class rep for the sports festival?

That'd be me.

There's a meeting after school in the second-floor meeting room.

MEETING ROOM

THIS DOOR HAS BEEN BROKEN AND COMES OFF EASILY

That's the door I broke...

You're the rep for Class B?

Yeah. Class A?

Yeah.

These meetings are such a drag.

Aren't you excited about the sports festival?

Is everyone here? Let me take attendance.

White Team, 1-A.

Here.

Oh, I almost forgot.

Each grade needs to make a banner.

I suggest a couple of people from each grade team up to do that.

-What? -Seriously?

THE BANNER LOOKS PRETTY BIG...

Iwata.

Huh?

You're good at arts and crafts, right?

Uh, yeah, kind of...

Want to make the banner with me?

You're the only person I know here.

For the third-years, Iwata and Kamishiro from the White Team will do it!

Whoa!

Iwa's ball hits hard!

Her serves are super powerful. Be careful, first-years!

Oh, all done?

Let's work on the sports festival banner for our grade.

Let's go up to the classroom to make it.

Let's do our job as class reps for the sports festival.

It's pretty big.

Got any ideas?

How about this?

Come to think of it, Kamishiro has always been good at drawing.

What do you think?

Cool!

Since when can he design like that?

Yay!

Okay, then, let's do this.

Markers will do, right?

It's pretty big, it might be easier to use paint.

I'll go get some!

A Star Brighter Than the Sun.

-Done! -Done!

What are you two doing here at this hour?

We were making the sports festival banner.

We got permission from our teachers.

Oh, is that so?

Sorry, my bad.

This is the banner?

Hmm...

It doesn't feel very junior high.

What? But it's so cool.

Well, I guess young people like styles like this nowadays.

I'll take this to the teachers' office, you two go home.

It's already 7:00 p.m.

See you.

Uh-huh.

Crap.

I lost my bike key...

I didn't see it in the hallway.

It wasn't in my desk either.

Oh, well. I'll just walk home. Maybe someone will turn it in tomorrow.