Sprout || Episode #3

 Skipping ahead from where the last episode ended, we start this episode with Miku thinking about the kiss between herself and Hayato via a flashback scene. The only difference between the ending of episode 2 and the flashback is that we actually get to see Miku push Hayato away almost instantly before running off.

Back to the present, Miku is continuing to shave some ice in a numbing manner as Souhei enters the room.  Ecstatic about the ice shaver (guess it’s uncommon for most people to have them?) he asks if he can have a try at it.  Nodding, he pushes Miku aside and begins to pick up where she left off.  The offer allows Miku some free time to recall what she saw on the street as well as in the school hall of him and Miyuki.  Frowning a little, we hear Miku’s confession to herself about her feelings for Souhei just as he finishes shaving the ice.

Looking down, Miku’s eyes bug out as she sees just how much ice he’s shaved and says that there’s no way she’ll be able to eat it all.  Laughing he tosses out the idea to split it between the two of them, however, he’ll have to eat his later because he has to head off to club activies.  Running off, Miku is left alone – her eyes following after him.

“I want to turn off the switch of love.”

At soccer club, Souhei and the rest of the team are hard at play in a scrimmage. Getting called together by the coach, we learn that there will be a game on Sunday which will allow both first and second year students to take part in.  Excited Souhei and his friends prepare to leave the field as one of his friends asks if Souhei can invite Kiyoka to come cheer for them.   The water girl (not sure of her name) over hears it and seems to look a little annoyed.

Back to Miku, we see her buying groceries around town.  Its here were we also get to see Hayato’s little brother, Kou.  He calls out to his brother from across the street how tells him that he was off today from club activities.  Distracted by the two’s conversation Miku looks away from the meat stand and over at Hayato.  The two lock eyes uncomfortably as Miku mutters, “Katagiri-kun” which captures Kou’s attention.

From there we jump to the three of them all sitting around talking. It’s here were we learn a little bit more about Kou, who is in his third year of middle school and a soccer player – he kind of idolizes Souhei.  Offering to get drinks for their snacks, Hayato leaves the two of them. With his brother gone, Kou asks, “Miku-san, do you hate my older brother?”  shrugging a bit, she looks down and says, “Rather than hate him, I really just don’t understand him.”

With that he laughs a little and says that he understands and that his brother probably did something rude.  Teasing a bit, Miku asks him if he’s a person who’s really good at reading people’s hearts and he says, “I’m mentalist Kou.” Afterwards we learn that Hayato isn’t good with girls and that he’s never truly liked anyone either.

Back to the boarding house, it’s dinner time.  At the table Souhei tells everyone about the match on Sunday and asks if any of them would want to go.  Kiyoka immediately agrees to it.  Not saying anything, Miku waits and listens as Souhei says that Miyuki has something at home and can’t make.  With that she nods her head in agreement.

“I hate myself for feeling happy for a moment.”

Getting advice on what to do, Miku asks Naoharu.  She tells him that a friend of hers likes a guy, but he already has a girlfriend and how her friend hates herself for liking him and is often tired because of it.  Thinking of love and jealousy like a game he replies that she’s tired a lot more because being jealous takes a lot more HP (health points) and that as long as she’s like that you can’t develop that character anymore.  Miku, desperate ask what she should do then and he replies with one word.  Reset.

Thinking it over on the balcony of her bedroom, she soon finds herself listening as Souhei enters his own balcony on the phone talking about Miyuki.  He smiles and waves over at her, but she doesn’t return it and storms off into her own room without a word leaving him befouled.   Once inside she plops down on her bed and thinks to herself, “I want to go back to the me before I knew love.”

Back at school we see Miku and her friends in their classroom. Arata continues to talk about how if Kiyoka comes to watch him play soccer, he’s sure that she’ll fall for him (Because that’s reasonable ^^’’).  Looking to Miku he tells her she has to be responsible and bring her roommate to the game.  However, Miku’s not sure herself if she’s even going to attend the match let alone be able to take Kiyoka there.

After that we jump over to Souhei and Hayato who talk about bringing Kou over to the soccer match since he’s into the sport – the conversation also leads to them talk about how he should attend their high school as well with Hayato saying that he can’t even study.   The conversation is cut though when Miyuki some running onto the scene.   Before she can get a word in as she approaches them, Hayato takes his leave.

It’s dinner time once again and we get to see Souhei’s favorite food apparently.  After the short eating scene we see Miku and her mother washing dishes while her mother gives her the idea to bring him food tomorrow at the match.   Miku tells her mom, it’s fine and that she’d not even his girlfriend.  However, that doesn’t stop her mother’s persuasion. (Oh my… that just sounds so awkward).

The scenes jumps back and forth between Souhei, who is getting ready for the match in the morning, and Miku, who is reading on up on bentos and remembering the fact that Miyuki won’t be at the game tomorrow.  Pretty soon we’re in the kitchen that morning and Miku and her mother are preparing a bento for Souhei.

Getting ready to leave, Miku spots Kiyoka in beach attire.  Apparently her and her boyfriend are going off to the beach and won’t be making the game leaving Miku the only one from the boarding house attending.

The game is getting ready to start as Souhei and crew run up to Miku who informs them that Kiyoka bailed to be with her boyfriend for the day which leaves Arata doubled over on the ground (Poor boy).  Just as the whistles blows, Takeru and Arata run off while Souhei begins to only to turn back and thank Miku once again for showing up.

Walking back to sit down, the water girl (from earlier) approaches Miku and tells her not to misunderstand and that Souhei is nice to everyone.  Not just her.  Sitting down bummed and a little confused about what just happened, her thoughts are interrupted when Kou and Hayato arrive just before the game starts off.

We get to see the game play-out a bit as Hayato gives Miku a quick glance.  The game soon breaks out with the score being 0-0.  Kou runs over and tells Souhei to make a goal in the second-half.   Meanwhile Miku begins to make her way over to him and just as she about to call out his name; Uzamiyu appears in the distance – a basket in her hand.

Miku stares off while Souhei no longer sees her and runs over to Miyuki.  According to her she hurried to finish her errands just so she could make the game because it was important to him.  Eyeing the two we get to see another one of Miku’s thoughts that say, “To come at this timing… It’s not fair.”

The game commences into the second half and the guys are playing much better than before.  However, Miku’s eyes aren’t on the game but instead on Uzamiyu – while Hayato’s are on Miku.  Just in time, Souhei scores the winning goal.  Total score 1-0.

Walking over to everyone after the game, Miku begins to get out her bento for Souhei however once again she’s upstaged by Miyuki who pulls out an elaborate bento filled with enough food for everyone – not to mention Souhei’s favorite food.

In a panic, Miku instantly says that’s she’s going to go because she has something she needs to do.  Once again Souhei thanks her for coming out and she takes her leave.  As she does so Hayato shoots her a concerned glance as she walks away.

“I’m like an idiot,” she tells herself as she continues to walk away from the soccer field. Looking down at her bento, she soon comes to a stop and decides to eat it alone.   Before she has the chance though, Hayato comes along asking if he can eat some because he’s hungry.  She allows it and he’s soon munching away while she apologizes to him because she normally doesn’t cry in front of others like she’s been doing.

“Her timing was too good.”

From there we move over to Souhei and Miyuki on their way back from the game the two talk about his victory goal and how everyone really enjoyed the lunch she made for them.   Miyuki goes on to tell Souhei how he’s a good person and that’s what people like about him.  Hearing that, he reaches out for her hand and pulls her in for a swift kiss on the lips.

Then back with Miku and Hayato, he finally apologizes for kissing her the other day.  She tells him it’s oaky because he ate the lunch – which means she didn’t have to carry back home for her mom and Souhei to see later.  But she’s also okay with it because she believes it meant nothing to him because he’s used to having girls kiss him – it’s like a greeting.

However he instantly tells her it wasn’t like that and that it was the first time he’s ever kissed first.  From there he goes on to say about how he asked himself why he did it and that he finally realized it was because he likes her and he confesses straight to her face.

Miku’s eyes grow wide and the episode ends with Miku’s thoughts saying, “My first like.”