Chapter 54: A Tiny Cage of Happiness
The chapter begins with Haruna and Kubo playing basketball. Haruna passes to Kubo, who makes a basket and celebrates in front of the crowd of girls (who are presumably there to see Haruna). He tells Haruna that, right now, he is feeling deeply moved. Haruna can do it if he tries! The sluggish version of Haruna that always shows up during PE classes was a phony one! Grabbing Haruna's hands, Kubo says, “Let's go to Eirin together!” Haruna hasn't decided on his first choice for high school, right? With Kubo, Kyou, and Haruna going to Eirin together, they could take over! Plus, Haruna's girlfriend is there (and if Kubo is lucky, Haruna's little sister...). Haruna gives him a slightly sad look; Eirin, huh? Speaking of which, that place has really high standards. Can Kubo even get in? Kubo insists that it's fine – he'll study hard, even if it kills him! Kubo turns to his (still nameless) friends, and asks if they think he'll make it. They tell him that there's no way. Haruna thinks about what Kubo said: That was a phony version of himself. Kubo said that he was faking, in his usual authoritative tone. Looking out over the town, Haruna thinks that the version of himself that's been living in this town has been a lie.
Haruna stops to take a picture, and hears, “Aren't you an easygoing guy? In the mood for some sight-seeing? Taking some souvenir pictures?” Seeing that it's Tsujigane, Haruna responds by taking his picture, to which Tsujigane replies, “Hey, what are you taking pictures of!?” Haruna asks if he's coming to mess with Kyou again... or is it Nori? Narrowing his eyes, Tsujigane tells him that his business with Murakami has nothing to do with Haruna. Haruna recalls what Tsujigane said about knowing his secret, and figures that's the unsettled business he has with him. Tsujigane asks him how long he's been going out with Nori, and Haruna tells him, “About a month and a half...” Tsujigane laughs at that – that's it!? Haruna takes some angry photos, and Tsujigane yells, “Stop taking pictures!!” He composes himself, and tells Haruna, “...You'll be going back to your old place before high school. That's what Onohira told me. 'He's like me, someone who can't stay in that town. Someone who has no place there,' she said. From the looks of it, it seems you haven't told Nori-chan yet. You have an extremely guilty conscience over not telling her, right?” Haruna thinks that Tsujigane must be planning to expose him to Nori, after all. He's done for... But Tsujigane continues, “I was considering telling Nori-chan, but... Whatever, I'll keep quiet. It's more fun that way, right? You can anguish and despair and worry on your own... Gah!” Haruna tells him that he's taking continuous photos, and Tsujigane demands he stop. He doesn't photograph well! Tsujigane starts to wrap up, saying, “For now, that's all I came to say. Isn't that nice of me?” Haruna wonders in what sense he is “nice.” He starts to leave, but turns back and repeats, “...A month and a half. That isn't exactly a significant relationship, between you two. Well, I'll let you worry to your heart's content. Bye.” As he drives off, Haruna thinks thinks that bastard is thoroughly insidious... But, so is Haruna himself. He goes through and deletes the pictures he took of Tsujigane, and ends up clicking back to a picture of Nori. Nothing but a month and a half... He understood that these days weren't going to last forever, but still... only a month and a half.
Haruna's phone rings, and he smiles wryly at Nori sending him another picture of “Micchan.” Nori also sends a message asking, “Where are you right now?” He tells her, and Nori responds, “Oh!?” As Haruna wonders what that means, he hears someone yelling, “Ha-ru-na! Hey! Over here!” He looks up and sees Nori behind a fence, and wonders where she came from. She tells him she ended up there while taking a shortcut back from shopping, and Haruna comments that it looks like an exhausting shortcut. Nori starts to climb the fence to come down, but Haruna tells her that it's too dangerous and attempts to climb up instead. He slips back down, and Nori tells him not to push himself. It takes years of cultivating those skills in the wild... However, Haruna gives it another try, and makes it over the fence. He starts to say, “Wild, huh...?” and Nori leans in and hugs him. He seems concerned, and she explains, “I'm sorry, Haruna. I... I wanted to see you, more than usual today. I'm probably being petty, thinking, 'Why can't Haruna be in the same class as me?' Today... When I saw Saeka and Kyou leaving the classroom together, I guess I was feeling lonely. Ah!” Nori promptly clarifies, “It's not because of any lingering feelings for Kyou! Even though you went out of your way to come see me, I was still lonely. So, I'm sorry, Haruna.” Haruna responds, “You aren't being petty, Nori. The three of you have been together since you were little kids, right? It's natural that you would feel lonely.” He reminds her, “We promised before that we'd go somewhere. Let's go somewhere out of town together for Christmas.” Nori agrees, and he hugs her again. He thinks that it's still only been a month and a half, but he wants to be close if only for a little bit longer. If God could please indulge his selfish desires for even one day longer... Nori suddenly jumps up, hitting Haruna in the chin. She remembered that she's supposed to take Yuu to the hospital today. She apologizes for suddenly ruining the mood, and he tells her it's fine – she can't help it if she has to do something for Yuu. Nori tells him to think about where they'll be going for Christmas, and she'll think about it, too. She hurries off, then turns back and says, “Hey, Haruna. I'm looking forward to Christmas.” She kisses him, and then smiles brightly, telling him that was “a small Nori kiss.” She says good bye again, and Haruna slumps against the fence, muttering that Nori is way too cute.
As he walks home, Haruna thinks that he's pushing his selfishness to the limit, and wonders if continuing like this is the cruelest thing to do to Nori. Most likely, this will be their first and last Christmas. Haruna starts to open the gate to his house, and is startled when Kyou calls out to him. Kyou mutters that he was waiting, and Haruna says that he scared him – Kyou completely blended in with his surroundings! Kyou complains that Haruna is late coming home. He told him to make time for him, didn't he!? Haruna starts to explain that he was planning to... Looking more serious, Kyou says, “...I came to continue that talk from before.” Haruna suggests that, for now, they should go inside, but the chapter end with Kyou telling him, ”Haruna, break up with Nori.”
The chapter begins with Haruna and Kubo playing basketball. Haruna passes to Kubo, who makes a basket and celebrates in front of the crowd of girls (who are presumably there to see Haruna). He tells Haruna that, right now, he is feeling deeply moved. Haruna can do it if he tries! The sluggish version of Haruna that always shows up during PE classes was a phony one! Grabbing Haruna's hands, Kubo says, “Let's go to Eirin together!” Haruna hasn't decided on his first choice for high school, right? With Kubo, Kyou, and Haruna going to Eirin together, they could take over! Plus, Haruna's girlfriend is there (and if Kubo is lucky, Haruna's little sister...). Haruna gives him a slightly sad look; Eirin, huh? Speaking of which, that place has really high standards. Can Kubo even get in? Kubo insists that it's fine – he'll study hard, even if it kills him! Kubo turns to his (still nameless) friends, and asks if they think he'll make it. They tell him that there's no way. Haruna thinks about what Kubo said: That was a phony version of himself. Kubo said that he was faking, in his usual authoritative tone. Looking out over the town, Haruna thinks that the version of himself that's been living in this town has been a lie.
Haruna stops to take a picture, and hears, “Aren't you an easygoing guy? In the mood for some sight-seeing? Taking some souvenir pictures?” Seeing that it's Tsujigane, Haruna responds by taking his picture, to which Tsujigane replies, “Hey, what are you taking pictures of!?” Haruna asks if he's coming to mess with Kyou again... or is it Nori? Narrowing his eyes, Tsujigane tells him that his business with Murakami has nothing to do with Haruna. Haruna recalls what Tsujigane said about knowing his secret, and figures that's the unsettled business he has with him. Tsujigane asks him how long he's been going out with Nori, and Haruna tells him, “About a month and a half...” Tsujigane laughs at that – that's it!? Haruna takes some angry photos, and Tsujigane yells, “Stop taking pictures!!” He composes himself, and tells Haruna, “...You'll be going back to your old place before high school. That's what Onohira told me. 'He's like me, someone who can't stay in that town. Someone who has no place there,' she said. From the looks of it, it seems you haven't told Nori-chan yet. You have an extremely guilty conscience over not telling her, right?” Haruna thinks that Tsujigane must be planning to expose him to Nori, after all. He's done for... But Tsujigane continues, “I was considering telling Nori-chan, but... Whatever, I'll keep quiet. It's more fun that way, right? You can anguish and despair and worry on your own... Gah!” Haruna tells him that he's taking continuous photos, and Tsujigane demands he stop. He doesn't photograph well! Tsujigane starts to wrap up, saying, “For now, that's all I came to say. Isn't that nice of me?” Haruna wonders in what sense he is “nice.” He starts to leave, but turns back and repeats, “...A month and a half. That isn't exactly a significant relationship, between you two. Well, I'll let you worry to your heart's content. Bye.” As he drives off, Haruna thinks thinks that bastard is thoroughly insidious... But, so is Haruna himself. He goes through and deletes the pictures he took of Tsujigane, and ends up clicking back to a picture of Nori. Nothing but a month and a half... He understood that these days weren't going to last forever, but still... only a month and a half.
Haruna's phone rings, and he smiles wryly at Nori sending him another picture of “Micchan.” Nori also sends a message asking, “Where are you right now?” He tells her, and Nori responds, “Oh!?” As Haruna wonders what that means, he hears someone yelling, “Ha-ru-na! Hey! Over here!” He looks up and sees Nori behind a fence, and wonders where she came from. She tells him she ended up there while taking a shortcut back from shopping, and Haruna comments that it looks like an exhausting shortcut. Nori starts to climb the fence to come down, but Haruna tells her that it's too dangerous and attempts to climb up instead. He slips back down, and Nori tells him not to push himself. It takes years of cultivating those skills in the wild... However, Haruna gives it another try, and makes it over the fence. He starts to say, “Wild, huh...?” and Nori leans in and hugs him. He seems concerned, and she explains, “I'm sorry, Haruna. I... I wanted to see you, more than usual today. I'm probably being petty, thinking, 'Why can't Haruna be in the same class as me?' Today... When I saw Saeka and Kyou leaving the classroom together, I guess I was feeling lonely. Ah!” Nori promptly clarifies, “It's not because of any lingering feelings for Kyou! Even though you went out of your way to come see me, I was still lonely. So, I'm sorry, Haruna.” Haruna responds, “You aren't being petty, Nori. The three of you have been together since you were little kids, right? It's natural that you would feel lonely.” He reminds her, “We promised before that we'd go somewhere. Let's go somewhere out of town together for Christmas.” Nori agrees, and he hugs her again. He thinks that it's still only been a month and a half, but he wants to be close if only for a little bit longer. If God could please indulge his selfish desires for even one day longer... Nori suddenly jumps up, hitting Haruna in the chin. She remembered that she's supposed to take Yuu to the hospital today. She apologizes for suddenly ruining the mood, and he tells her it's fine – she can't help it if she has to do something for Yuu. Nori tells him to think about where they'll be going for Christmas, and she'll think about it, too. She hurries off, then turns back and says, “Hey, Haruna. I'm looking forward to Christmas.” She kisses him, and then smiles brightly, telling him that was “a small Nori kiss.” She says good bye again, and Haruna slumps against the fence, muttering that Nori is way too cute.
As he walks home, Haruna thinks that he's pushing his selfishness to the limit, and wonders if continuing like this is the cruelest thing to do to Nori. Most likely, this will be their first and last Christmas. Haruna starts to open the gate to his house, and is startled when Kyou calls out to him. Kyou mutters that he was waiting, and Haruna says that he scared him – Kyou completely blended in with his surroundings! Kyou complains that Haruna is late coming home. He told him to make time for him, didn't he!? Haruna starts to explain that he was planning to... Looking more serious, Kyou says, “...I came to continue that talk from before.” Haruna suggests that, for now, they should go inside, but the chapter end with Kyou telling him, ”Haruna, break up with Nori.”