Episode 09



Episode 9 titled After Evening Festival, concludes the School Festival.

The episode begins with a recap of the previous episode, showing Setsuna kissing Makoto as he lays asleep, Kotonoha catching her in the act.

Kotonoha asks Setsuna why she would kiss her "boyfriend", still believing that Makoto loves her. Setsuna claims that she's not, saying she wanted a memory just for her, due to leaving the school soon. Kotonoha, wanting a longer explanation, gets interrupted by Nanami, saying “Katsura... Excuse me.” Which results in her running away, and leaving Nanami wondering what happened.

Next scene shows all the classes that did a café signing a ‘war treaty’, and then Setsuna leaves the group, with everyone wondering where she went. And they decide to attempt to run the café by themselves. Meanwhile, Setsuna watches a rehearsal of a play. In it, the actors were wearing masks and cloaks, talking about how the red-masked actor has laid his hands on the flower that everyone wants. The actor denies it, saying that the seed within his heart can be made into a perfect memory, and his feelings for the flower, he can only put into words, and that he had no intention in hurting the world. It ends with the lead asking these questions: "If there is no one there to question you, would that mean you can do anything? Would it change what has already happened?" The actor doesn't not answer, and the rehearsal ends, leaving Setsuna shocked.

At the maid café, Sekai and Makoto are baking, bickering about closing the café for the day. They then proceed to flirt, leaving Hikari to watch in annoyance.

Meanwhile, the Trio is harassing Kotonoha about doing work for the ‘rest area’ because it’s a ‘tradition for new couples’, and they all are too lazy to help, even though she is clearly trying to get hold of someone (Makoto) on her phone.

After that, Taisuke is seen carrying some boxes, envying all the couples. As he is passing the area of the break room, he sees Kotonoha and says hello. He proceeds to talk to her, asking her if she's busy, then asks her to go to the bonfire dance with him. Kotonoha turns him down, claiming that she is still with Makoto, after which Taisuke apologizes and takes his leave.

Kotonoha then texts Makoto again, who is groping Sekai as she bakes. She gets annoyed by this and tells him to stop, asking what would happen if anyone sees them. Makoto says it’s okay as no one is there to see. He then asks Sekai to go to the Rest Area. Sekai refuses and tells him to go back to work. Makoto tries to grope her again, resulting in Sekai kneeing him the groin, and telling him go somewhere if he’s not going to make any more cakes. Makoto hops out of the café while holding onto his groin.

Meanwhile, Natsumi comments to Otome, Kumi, and Minami about how Kotonoha really ticks her off, acting like she’s better than all of them. Kumi then gets a text, saying that her boyfriend has arrived and she takes her leave. Minami then asks Otome if she’s going to ask Makoto out, Natsumi commenting on how Otome has gone traitor them like Kumi has. Otome blushes when Minami says that it’s a long-awaited chance. Otome finds Makoto in the courtyard where he is sitting down having a squid skewer. Otome asks nervously if he’s free, and he says that he just got off. Otome then asks if he has no plans with anyone, if he would like to go around the festival with her. He asks why all the sudden, she says that he doesn't have to if he doesn’t want to, and he says that he would love to. Otome smiles.

The next scene shows them going around the festival; from eating cotton candy, to getting masks where Makoto wears an octopus one that makes Otome laugh, to having their fortunes told, this is going on to Otome commenting on how they’ve been together like this since Junior High, while Kotonoha is waiting for Makoto to respond, and Sekai continues to make cakes for the café as Makoto’s phone buzzes in the background. Back in the corridors, Otome comments on how the fortune teller said that the two of them had a pretty good fortune. Makoto agrees, saying that even though they fought all the time in Junior High as well. Otome asks Makoto if he will dance with her in the After Evening Festival Folk Dance. Makoto asks if that's what the couples that just got together do, then suggests that she should ask someone that she likes, Otome replying that she's asking him. As Otome looks disappointed, worrying that Makoto will say no, Makoto thinks on how pretty Otome is. Sekai then calls out to Makoto, interrupting the moment, telling him to stop slacking off and return to work as they are lacking in staff. As Sekai drags Makoto back to the café, Otome sees the anger in Sekai’s eyes, leaving her worried.

While Makoto annoyingly asks if she’s mad about something, while explaining to her that Otome is just a friend from Junior High, so it’s nothing like what Sekai is thinking. They stop and Sekai intimidates Makoto as Hikari approaches them while calling them “stupid couple”, informing Makoto that his girlfriend is at the classroom, shocking him and Sekai. It turns out to be Kokoro, who’s here with her friend, Uzuki Ii. Kokoro hugs him, and tells him that she's been told by her sister that he’s here, leaving Hikari to comment on how popular Makoto is. As Sekai asks on what Hikari meant by “girlfriend”, Kokoro introduces Uzuki to them. Makoto then introduces Kokoro and Uzuki to Sekai and Hikari, telling them that Kokoro is Kotonoha’s sister. Kokoro explains that Kotonoha is looking forward to dancing with him at the After Evening Festival Folk Dance. Seeing Sekai next to Makoto, Uzuki asks if she is the big sister whose also Makoto’s girlfriend, and Kokoro says that she got it wrong; her sister is Makoto’s girlfriend, not Sekai. Uzuki comments that it's a complicated situation. Kokoro is confused, and Uzuki says that she doesn’t understand as she doesn’t have a boyfriend, and Kokoro says its unfair. Sekai offers the two girls some cake, which they turn down, saying that they have to go. Kokoro though, wants some cake, and Uzuki reminds her that they have to meet with their Cram School teacher. Makoto asks about their teacher, and Uzuki says that he’s cool, Kokoro waves bye to Makoto, and they leave, Sekai gently takes Makoto’s hand as they do.

Kotonoha is seen going down the stair with a stack of paper in her hands. Natsumi and Minami appear, asking her what happened at reception. Kotonoha apologizes, explaining that she got called by the School Festival Committee. She says she’ll return immediately, but then Natsumi asks if she have a lover, Koto says yes, then Natsumi follows it up by asking her if she’s going to use the Rest Area. Minami condemns Natsumi for saying that, reminding her that Kotonoha “broke up” with her boyfriend. Kotonoha tells them that they have not, but then Natsumi asks Kotonoha if her boyfriend even came to see her. She admits that he hasn’t, and Minami condemns her, saying that a boyfriend would actually come to see his girlfriend, but Kotonoha insists that her boyfriend, Makoto, is busy, and Natsumi and Minami say that he’s been going around the School Festival with another girl. Kotonoha does not believe it, saying that it wouldn’t happen because she is Makoto’s girlfriend. Minami then proceeds to pick on her, saying that she doesn’t look happy, and that she should just accept that she’s not dating Makoto. Kotonoha fights back, saying that they are still dating. Natsumi tells her to prove it and bring Makoto to them (Natsumi and Minami) to show them that they (Makoto and Kotonoha) are indeed dating. She tells them that Makoto will definitely come.

Meanwhile, as Makoto continues to work in the kitchen with Sekai, he thinks back to what Kokoro has said to him about Kotonoha and the After Evening Festival Folk Dance. Sekai then asks Makoto if he will dance with her at the Folk Dance. He asks if it’s really important, she says that it is, explaining that it’s the same thing as declaring “We are lovers!” to everyone. Which is why she wants Makoto to dance with her, and he makes her an empty promise that he will.

Otome is out by the courtyard to have a sit-down, thinking about how she couldn’t make the promise about the Folk Dance. Taisuke is also out in the courtyard, and Otome, who just so happens to be opposite to him, distance wise, recognizes him as the one who’s always with Makoto. She sits nexts to him and asks him what he’s doing out even though it’s the School Festival, Taisuke sighs, saying that he’s just doesn’t belong there as the festival is just filled with couples. They call each other out for being single during the event. Otome asks Taisuke if Makoto is really dating Kotonoha. Taisuke explains that he heard that he broke up with Kotonoha but that he’s just playing jokes on him. Otome asks if it clearly means that they’re not dating at all. Taisuke then goes on to tell her that Makoto is dating Sekai, now he doesn’t know what Makoto thinks anymore since the Second Semester started, and he feels sorry for Kotonoha, saying that she’s cute. Otome asks if Taisuke likes Kotonoha too, and he blushes in embarrassment, making Otome comment on how unmanly he is for not being straight with this. Taisuke explains that Kotonoha says that she’s still dating Makoto, and Otome condemns him and asks if he’s really a man. He’s embarrassed to say, leading to Otome to say that girls, regardless of the situation, need to be pushed, and if he fails, then they’ll start to hate him. She then leaves, saying how looking at him irritates her, but not saying that instead of dawdling around, they should just clearly say it on the spot; she explains to him that she’s going to tell Makoto how she feels about him, and advices him to do the same for Kotonoha as she runs back into the school.

The next scene opens with Sekai clinging on to Makoto’s arm, Makoto telling her not to. He then asks if its okay to ignore the customers as it will be tough with just Hikari and everyone. Hikari then calls Sekai for help, and Sekai responds. After she leaves, Makoto finally notices that his phone has been flickering as it has received messages. He goes over to check, and he finds that he has 20 unread messages, all sent by Kotonoha. Shocking him, Makoto changes into his unform and runs out to meet with Kotonoha, but before he could, Otome comes by and takes out her fist, looking like he was going to punch him, confusing him. She says to hold out his hand, but Makoto is still confused. Frustrated, Otome grabs Makoto’s hand, and says, as she blushes, to come with her. She then takes Makoto into the Rest Area. He asks what it even is, and she explains that it’s a tradition in Sakakino Academy, and that they come here with the person they like. Makoto then notices a bin full of used condoms, finally realizing what this place is. Otome finally confesses her feelings towards Makoto since Junior High, then asks him if he doesn’t want to be more than friends with her. Makoto tries to explain that it’s not like he doesn’t like her but he has a girlfriend, but he couldn’t, allowing Otome to push Makoto onto the bed, where they proceed to have sex. Meanwhile, Kotonoha is condemned once again by Minami and Natsumi as her didn’t come at all, and that Kotonoha only deceived herself that he isn’t her boyfriend after all. Kotonoha insists that he is going out with her, and that he’s just busy with something important. They leave when it looked like Kotonoha was about to cry.

Later, at sunset, the After Evening Festival Folk Dance is about to start as “let me love you” begins to play. As Otome dresses herself, she reminds Makoto of the promise for the Folk Dance. She lets him go without being noticed. Outside, the students, apart from Kotonoha and Taisuke, are outside the school watching as the bonfire ignites. Inside the school, Kotonoha goes to Class 3 to find Makoto, only to find Taisuke who is here instead. Kotonoha asks him where Makoto is, but he tells her that he’s not in the classroom. Kotonoha tells him that he and Makoto are lovers, but Taisuke reveals that Makoto went to the Folk Dance with Sekai. Kotonoha questions why as she is Makoto’s girlfriend, but Taisuke tells her that it Makoko does not think that. Kotonoha says it a lie, but Taisuke says that it isn’t. She asks him why he telling her lies, but Taisuke says that Makoto has betrayed her, as he approaches her, and confesses to Kotonoha that he loves her… he then hugs her tightly as he repeats his confession.

Back at the bonfire, the couples, including Makoto and Sekai begin their folk dance. As they dance, Setsuna watches them by a tree, repeating the words that she heard from the play she saw, following up with the question, “Would that mean thou can do anything?”. The episode ends with Sekai asking Makoto, she’s his girlfriend, as Taisuke proceeds to rape Kotonoha, while Kotonoha cries out for Makoto.