Chapter 55: Shadow x Light
The chapter begins with Mio re-reading the text message from Nori about how she's planning to spend Christmas with the person she's going out with. She slams her fist down on the desk, which causes her pen to fall and roll across the floor. She sighs, and reaches for her crutch to get up and retrieve it. Her kitten comes over and circles her legs, meowing, and she tells it to be quiet. Takatsuki opens the door and, seeing the kitten by Mio's foot, asks her not to kick it. Takatsuki sighs that, even though she's the one who cleans up after it... [Mio is still the one the kitten seeks out.] Putting it in her lap, Mio says that she wasn't going to kick it. She can't even make that motion with her leg. Takatsuki picks up Mio's pen and places back on the desk, and Mio asks if she talked with Haruna's uncle. Takatsuki pauses, and says that she did, but didn't get the feeling they could make him fully agree. Mio asks if Takatsuki offered him more money, and she says that she didn't... then tells her that she understands, she'll do it. Mio starts to stand up, and Takatsuki hurries to support her. It's risky to do that without help... Mio interjects that she can at least stand up on her own. Annoyed, Takatsuki thinks, “She says she can't move, she says she can...” Suddenly, Mio asks her, “Takatsuki, me or Onii-chan's girlfriend: Who's cuter?” Takatsuki is surprised by the question, so Mio repeats it. Giving her the answer she wants, Takatsuki tells her that Mio is, by an overwhelming margin... Mio smiles, and says that it's appropriate, then. Rather than living in the dorms when he comes back, Haruna will live with Mio.
The chapter picks back up where the last one left off, with Kyou saying, “Haruna, break up with Nori.” When Haruna only looks at him in shock, Kyou continues, “Give me an objection. Try telling me, 'I won't break up with Nori.'” When Haruna remains silent, Kyou sighs. That's what he thought. Kyou was wondering why Haruna leaving town would be such a serious matter, but it could be a premise for breaking up. Haruna starts to say something, but Kyou jumps to conclusions, saying, “Is it a girl? It must be connected with a girl.” Haruna wonders at Kyou's simple minded conclusion, and Kyou starts to yell at him that of course that's what he'd think. Haruna questions if he read his mind, then notices the women watching them argue. For now, he should come inside with him.
Elsewhere, Nori is walking Yuu home, and he calls out to her. She asks if he's tired, and picks him up on her back. They probably should have taken a taxi home... Yuu apologizes, since he said he would be able to walk home. Nori notes that Yuu doesn't like taxis, because they make him carsick. Yuu recalls that Haruna (whom he refers to as “Nii-chan”) carried him, too. That was when he met him by the river, right? Yuu replies, “He's always looking at the river.” Nori responds, “... Yeah.” Yuu apologizes again; right about now, Nori could be be making out with Haruna. Nori tells him not to say “making out,” and Yuu starts to say something else. Nori asks what it is this time, and he asks, “Am I going to be hospitalized again?” Nori looks worried, but tells him, “Don't worry! Let's sing our 'It's all right!' song!” Yuu asks what that is, and Nori starts to sing something along the lines of, “All right, all right, it's all right! Sakurada siblings!” She tells Yuu to sing his part, and he seems a little skeptical. Nori starts back up, and tells Yuu to sing. After some hesitation, he starts to join in.
Back at Haruna's place, Kyou is marveling at how small Haruna's room is. Is this a closet? Haruna says flatly, “It's my room. Yes, yes, it's small.” Kyou further marvels at how empty it is. Haruna points out that there is a chest of drawers and a desk. Blushing, Kyou wonders if he's had Nori in here, in this weird empty place...? Haruna tells him they haven't done anything, though she has been in the room. Honestly, Haruna finds it much more shocking that Kyou has come to his room. Kyou recalls that he didn't come in even once eight years ago... Speaking of which, should Kyou be there? He finally got Saeka to return his feelings... Kyou breaks in to tell Haruna that they aren't dating yet, and Haruna asks why. Kyou reminds him that this isn't about Kyou right now; this is about Haruna's two-timing. Haruna simply answers, “I'm not two-timing...” Kyou looks at him a moment, then asks, “Haruna, do you know why Nori isn't in any clubs at school?” Haruna says no, and Kyou continues, “Doesn't it seem strange that an energetic girl like her hasn't joined any sports clubs?” Flashing back, Kyou explains that, until their first year of middle school, Nori participated in track and field. But one day, Yuu's health suddenly took a turn for the worse. Since they were late to notice, his life was in danger. Even though it was the adult's fault, Nori was the one who took it the hardest. She told Kyou and Saeka, “OK, I've decided! I'll drop out of the club! Yep, that would be best!” That's what she said, even though Kyou thinks that she honestly wanted to continue with her club activities. Nori always has a smile on her face, but it's not like she's dense or thick-skinned. She's had to run too much against the wind. He doesn't know what Haruna's circumstances are, but isn't he irresponsibly dragging this relationship out? Well, Kyou figures he'd rather not hear that from him, but... Kyou's phone rings, and he sees his time is up. He starts out the door, but says without looking back, “Don't carry the burden by yourself.” Turning around, he adds, “If you were really some careless guy, I would have beaten you up and forced you to break up earlier in front of the gate.” Haruna isn't sure how to respond, and Kyou ends the conversation with, “When you came to my house for the 'Childhood Friends' party, even though you were injured, you played basketball with me. I'll never forgot that. Well, later.” Haruna sinks down against the wall, muttering, “Kyou-chan, you aren't Kubo...” He pictures Nori, and recalls Kyou saying, “Don't carry the burden by yourself.” He drops his head to his knees, and says, “Damn it...”
The chapter ends with Nori continuing to sing as she carries Yuu home. Yuu's voice starts to drop out, and he slumps lower on her back. Nori asks if he's feeling sleepy, and tries to hoist him back into position as he slips lower. Looking up at the sky, she notices that she can't see the stars tonight. Behind her, Yuu is murmuring, “Nee-chan... I'm sorry...” Nori thinks, “Sleep-talking, huh?” On a night when the starlight is hidden, everyone searches for light on the ground. Nori goes back to singing, “It's all right, Sakurada siblings...”
The chapter begins with Mio re-reading the text message from Nori about how she's planning to spend Christmas with the person she's going out with. She slams her fist down on the desk, which causes her pen to fall and roll across the floor. She sighs, and reaches for her crutch to get up and retrieve it. Her kitten comes over and circles her legs, meowing, and she tells it to be quiet. Takatsuki opens the door and, seeing the kitten by Mio's foot, asks her not to kick it. Takatsuki sighs that, even though she's the one who cleans up after it... [Mio is still the one the kitten seeks out.] Putting it in her lap, Mio says that she wasn't going to kick it. She can't even make that motion with her leg. Takatsuki picks up Mio's pen and places back on the desk, and Mio asks if she talked with Haruna's uncle. Takatsuki pauses, and says that she did, but didn't get the feeling they could make him fully agree. Mio asks if Takatsuki offered him more money, and she says that she didn't... then tells her that she understands, she'll do it. Mio starts to stand up, and Takatsuki hurries to support her. It's risky to do that without help... Mio interjects that she can at least stand up on her own. Annoyed, Takatsuki thinks, “She says she can't move, she says she can...” Suddenly, Mio asks her, “Takatsuki, me or Onii-chan's girlfriend: Who's cuter?” Takatsuki is surprised by the question, so Mio repeats it. Giving her the answer she wants, Takatsuki tells her that Mio is, by an overwhelming margin... Mio smiles, and says that it's appropriate, then. Rather than living in the dorms when he comes back, Haruna will live with Mio.
The chapter picks back up where the last one left off, with Kyou saying, “Haruna, break up with Nori.” When Haruna only looks at him in shock, Kyou continues, “Give me an objection. Try telling me, 'I won't break up with Nori.'” When Haruna remains silent, Kyou sighs. That's what he thought. Kyou was wondering why Haruna leaving town would be such a serious matter, but it could be a premise for breaking up. Haruna starts to say something, but Kyou jumps to conclusions, saying, “Is it a girl? It must be connected with a girl.” Haruna wonders at Kyou's simple minded conclusion, and Kyou starts to yell at him that of course that's what he'd think. Haruna questions if he read his mind, then notices the women watching them argue. For now, he should come inside with him.
Elsewhere, Nori is walking Yuu home, and he calls out to her. She asks if he's tired, and picks him up on her back. They probably should have taken a taxi home... Yuu apologizes, since he said he would be able to walk home. Nori notes that Yuu doesn't like taxis, because they make him carsick. Yuu recalls that Haruna (whom he refers to as “Nii-chan”) carried him, too. That was when he met him by the river, right? Yuu replies, “He's always looking at the river.” Nori responds, “... Yeah.” Yuu apologizes again; right about now, Nori could be be making out with Haruna. Nori tells him not to say “making out,” and Yuu starts to say something else. Nori asks what it is this time, and he asks, “Am I going to be hospitalized again?” Nori looks worried, but tells him, “Don't worry! Let's sing our 'It's all right!' song!” Yuu asks what that is, and Nori starts to sing something along the lines of, “All right, all right, it's all right! Sakurada siblings!” She tells Yuu to sing his part, and he seems a little skeptical. Nori starts back up, and tells Yuu to sing. After some hesitation, he starts to join in.
Back at Haruna's place, Kyou is marveling at how small Haruna's room is. Is this a closet? Haruna says flatly, “It's my room. Yes, yes, it's small.” Kyou further marvels at how empty it is. Haruna points out that there is a chest of drawers and a desk. Blushing, Kyou wonders if he's had Nori in here, in this weird empty place...? Haruna tells him they haven't done anything, though she has been in the room. Honestly, Haruna finds it much more shocking that Kyou has come to his room. Kyou recalls that he didn't come in even once eight years ago... Speaking of which, should Kyou be there? He finally got Saeka to return his feelings... Kyou breaks in to tell Haruna that they aren't dating yet, and Haruna asks why. Kyou reminds him that this isn't about Kyou right now; this is about Haruna's two-timing. Haruna simply answers, “I'm not two-timing...” Kyou looks at him a moment, then asks, “Haruna, do you know why Nori isn't in any clubs at school?” Haruna says no, and Kyou continues, “Doesn't it seem strange that an energetic girl like her hasn't joined any sports clubs?” Flashing back, Kyou explains that, until their first year of middle school, Nori participated in track and field. But one day, Yuu's health suddenly took a turn for the worse. Since they were late to notice, his life was in danger. Even though it was the adult's fault, Nori was the one who took it the hardest. She told Kyou and Saeka, “OK, I've decided! I'll drop out of the club! Yep, that would be best!” That's what she said, even though Kyou thinks that she honestly wanted to continue with her club activities. Nori always has a smile on her face, but it's not like she's dense or thick-skinned. She's had to run too much against the wind. He doesn't know what Haruna's circumstances are, but isn't he irresponsibly dragging this relationship out? Well, Kyou figures he'd rather not hear that from him, but... Kyou's phone rings, and he sees his time is up. He starts out the door, but says without looking back, “Don't carry the burden by yourself.” Turning around, he adds, “If you were really some careless guy, I would have beaten you up and forced you to break up earlier in front of the gate.” Haruna isn't sure how to respond, and Kyou ends the conversation with, “When you came to my house for the 'Childhood Friends' party, even though you were injured, you played basketball with me. I'll never forgot that. Well, later.” Haruna sinks down against the wall, muttering, “Kyou-chan, you aren't Kubo...” He pictures Nori, and recalls Kyou saying, “Don't carry the burden by yourself.” He drops his head to his knees, and says, “Damn it...”
The chapter ends with Nori continuing to sing as she carries Yuu home. Yuu's voice starts to drop out, and he slumps lower on her back. Nori asks if he's feeling sleepy, and tries to hoist him back into position as he slips lower. Looking up at the sky, she notices that she can't see the stars tonight. Behind her, Yuu is murmuring, “Nee-chan... I'm sorry...” Nori thinks, “Sleep-talking, huh?” On a night when the starlight is hidden, everyone searches for light on the ground. Nori goes back to singing, “It's all right, Sakurada siblings...”
