the start of something new
i can't take it, what am i waiting for? i'm still breaking, i miss you even more, and i can't take it, the way i could before. i hate you, but i love you, i can't stop thinking of you, it's true, i'm stuck on you. - "stuck" by stacie orrico
After the incident with the Umibozu concert, Chiharu and Nobu begin to suspect, and wonder if anything happened between Risa and Otani. Risa denies anything "special" happened, but they seem to think otherwise. When Risa thinks about it, she is happy that Otani came for her, but that was only because she was feeling very lonely. She tells herself:"And it's not because I like him or anything, because I don't."When they all meet up at the Hatsumoude together (I think that's the festival of the New Years'?), Otani informs Risa that he's going to meet up with his girlfriend to see what she wants, not get back together. Risa is really concerned about with Kanzaki, however, since she is convinced that Otani still harbors feelings for Kanzaki, but he simply denies. As they are making their new wishes for the new year, Risa spots Kanzaki, who instantly notices Risa, but Otani is nowhere to be found!
They begin talking about Christmas and Risa knows that Kanzaki has some sort of feelings for Otani, judging from the way that she reacts about Christmas. Though.. Kanzaki asks if Risa came with Otani, and Risa says, "Yeah.." Then Kanzaki asks: "Could it be? You're going out with Otani?" Risa says, "No, no no no! It's not like that!".. But Kanzaki is convinced. She says she's sorry if she's ruined anything between them, and when Otani appears from behind Risa, Kanzaki instantly speeds off, saying that he doesn't have to meet her anymore, because it wasn't "anything important".
For the entire timespan after that, both Otani and Risa seem so bothered by Kanzaki jolting off so quickly. Otani wanted to know what Kanzaki had to say, while Risa doesn't want Kanzaki to think she is with Otani. The same afternoon that they go back to school, Kanzaki is waiting just outside the school, for Otani. Risa spots her and grabs her by the shoulders, saying boldly and clearly:
"Otani and I don't have anything between us! We aren't lovers! So if you have something to say to him, please say it!"Before Risa can finish, her scarf is pulled from behind, and it's Otani. Risa instantly pushes them together, and automatically assumes that Kanzaki wants to get back together with Otani. Buuuut, Kanzaki only mentions something along the lines of: "I didn't chose him [my current boyfriend] because of his height! I knew you [Otani] were really sensitive about your height, so I was really, really worried that I did something hateful towards you.." Then after that, her boyfriend comes along to pick her up. Turns out, that's all she wanted to say, leaving both Otani and Risa speechless.
Risa apologizes to the point of tears, because her assumptions were wrong, but Otani laughs it off and tells her it's fine because, "If you never let me talk to her, I would've never known what she had to say to me." He had little hope for her wanting to get back together, but he'd finally given up on his ex. Why Risa had been so worried and careful for Otani is beyond us - but I truly believed she wanted him to be happy, because of his height complex. She didn't want him to feel like a "shorty" to girls anymore, and believed that if he got back with his ex, maybe things would turn out alright for him, and that Otani would finally be happy, but the question is, would Risa herself be happy? -- If you notice, she's already cried a couple times from being left alone.
Risa, feeling even worse about this, contemplates slowly on how to give him something in return, for being alot of trouble for him. He doesn't *really* care about it, but Risa is so bugged by it, and it's nearing Valentine's Day. When Nobu mentions that she is going to make chocolate cakes with Risa, (insert lol's here) Otani shouts out, "So who's the poor guy!? After eating the female giant's chocolate, one's body would feel horrible! Let's hope they don't become big too!" All in sarcasm. Risa gets a little upset over this and says something along the lines of, "Will I suffer for all eternity not having the privilege of giving anything to anyone?" -- Otani stops her whining and tells her, "Calm down! If it matters so much, i'll take your chocolate!" Then he says:
"I like chocolate cakes!"
The next day, Risa watches Otani practicing basketball, and a bunch of underclassmen girls ask her: "Are you going out with Otani? You seem to be with him all the time..." Risa says she isn't, and they laugh it off, "How could he? He couldn't go out with giant like her!" The first spout of jealousy comes from Otani - when while practice, he witnesses Haruka (Risa's childhood friend) hug her passionately. Otani and Haruka don't get along well at all, only because Haruka wonders why Risa hangs out with "that little thing" (referring to Otani). You can almost tell they're jealous of eachother - Haruka jealous because Risa has the time to hang out with a midget, and Otani jealous that she's found another guy, and is going to win the bet.When Valentine's Day arrives, Risa made the chocolate cake for Otani, but he refuses, telling her that "If you had no one to give it to, then don't give it to me. Don't you have that beautiful Haruka to give it to?" Unfortuantely, as she tries to give Otani the cake, people spot her and Otani alone together, and they automatically assume the cake is for Otani. Risa runs off, telling them, "It's not for him! It's for Haruka!" -- The jealousy radiating off of Otani is very, very obvious. You can even tell with this panel:
See that grin that Haruka has? It really pisses Otani off. Is this the beginning of something mutual? Risa shows alot of concern for Otani's love life, and just Otani in general, and watches on him very fondly (you have to see the panels to understand), and in return, this newfound feeling of anger that Otani feels, is it because Risa is happy with another guy, Haruka? From this one quote, we can understand that what exactly he's feeling:
"Everyone says that Koizumi and Haruka look like a cute couple. So I don't want to be in their way."Sounds familiar, right? Risa said the same thing about Otani and Kanzaki just a couple chapters back. When Risa and Haruka go out on a little "date" afterschool, which happens to be at the same place that Nobu, Otani, and Nakao are eating at, the eavesdrop on what Risa has to say to Haruka about Otani. Haruka is concerned that hanging out with Otani will ruin Risa's "handsomeness", and that he gets angry when she hangs out with the little "midget". This is what Risa has to say:
"He's not that bad! Although he's short, he tries very hard in basketball, and he's good too! And.. he helps me out when i'm in trouble. And at Christmas.."
She couldn't finish her sentence, thinking of that time when Otani came running to her rescue, ditching his ex-girlfriend's party to go on the date with Risa. Haruka suspects that Risa is developing some kind of ... feelings for Otani. Otani overhears, and is a little surprised, if not, kind of happy she speaks fondly of him. The next day, the scene switches to Risa and Otani, who are cleaning up the blackboard. They're having their usual "lovers spat" again, arguing over absolutely nothing.. then Otani pops up with an "I'm sorry!" -- He's apologizing for the fact he didn't take her chocolate cake. Either way, people would notice them with the chocolates, but Otani feels really, really bad about it. This is where it all begins, everyone (from Risa's point of view):
"It's so strange, he doesn't take my gift, so why does he have to work up a temper? This is just odd! Because, like this.. I think.. it seems like I like Otani.."
Risa begins to realize it's obvious, and that she can't really hide it any longer.