hopeless
the days we couldn't understand eachother and parted, the days of tears, smiling faces, whatever may happen and whatever mood you may be in, i'll always accept you. when the white snow colors the city, let me stay by your side, though i may bother you again and again. - "carols" by ayumi hamasaki
So, we all know that the rejection that Risa took, well, it did not go well, at all. While she decided to "forget" about her crush on Otani, the rejection hit her hard. Directly after their escapade around the foreign city, back at the hotel, Risa is consumed by blank depression - meaning - she doesn't know what to feel, expecting it. Though she expected it, she didn't actually want to hear it. Meanwhile, Otani gets abused by both Nobu and Nakao, for breaking Koizumi's heart, however, Otani can't help how he feels towards Koizumi. It's just not mutual.
That same night, Nobu and Risa room together, and do some "girl talk". Nobu inquires Risa: "Are you going to stop liking him?" - Risa explains that she just wants to go back to the good ol' Hanshin-Kyojin days where there was none of this drama. Unexpectedly, Nobu begins to apologize to Risa, for "pushing" her towards Otani all the time. Risa says tells her not to feel guilty, but Risa is more thankful than anything for the push forward to realize her [obvious] feelings for Otani. Both girls laugh and start pillowfighting - forgetting the sadness and guilt both feel. (Risa, guilty of her feelings towards Otani - they can't get back to where they were before, and Nobu, feeling horrible she pushed Risa so hard) Meanwhile, Otani sits in his room with Nakao-kun, thinking hard about what Risa said to him: "Just forget about it!", when obviously, she can't "forget" about it.
The next morning, Risa is back to normal (well, at least we all think so, for the moment), while Otani is still out of it. Risa smacks his forehead, waking him up, and provoking him to hurry up. No complaints there, Otani chases her off.
By pretending that nothing has happened, I want to return to the past, and let us be the comedy duo again.Risa is trying her best to forget, and it's improving (for the moment). When both are on a "journey" to stalk Umibozu (because they read in a local magazine that he was going to be in the same town their class is visiting), the All Hanshin-Kyojin feeling is beginning to come back to them. Slowly. Risa realizes that she still has feelings for Otani, but would rather have them friends - where they don't have to worry about such awkward feelings. In such a small portion of improvement, Risa's feelings can't be held down. She feels jealousy when a couple girls giggle over Otani's "cute" kansai accent, reasonably scaring them off (Otani not looking, of course). Not long after, Risa looses her wallet, so both Otani and Risa go looking for it back at the spots they visited that day. This triggers a dialouge that catches Risa's attention:
Risa: "It's already meeting time! If we don't get back soon, everyone will start rumors again!"Otani keeps looking for the wallet, but Risa begins to cry, her feelings resurfacing from their submissive state. What Otani had just replied to her meant alot. Rumors are the last thing that the two of them want to deal with (there are already enough out there), and Otani not caring about those rumors, well, it could mean alot of things. Risa is thinking: It was so hard for me to stop liking you! And yet your so good to me! Otani doesn't really realize what he's said, but notices something nearby. UMIBOZU is holding onto Risa's lost wallet! *gasp!* This is a dream come true for the both of them. It's already late, and both Risa and Otani need to get back to the hotel before even more people start to 'think' things. While Otani and Umibozu are trying to get a cab, Risa begins to conversate with Umibozu's wife, who seems like a sweet woman. Risa inquires about how they got together, and she explains that he had confessed to her back in high school, but she rejected him. They were good friends - but she couldn't see Umibozu like that. However, they had gotten married anyway, and had children too. "I see, so that's how it goes.." Risa thinks, staring at Otani. She begins to feel better hope, friends can eventually become something if there is enough time. When they get back, Risa and Otani are both tremendously happy they met Umibozu, but there's one thing Risa has to confirm to Otani before they go home. Watching the city from high above with their class, they stand side by side:
Otani: "Let them talk!!"
Risa: "Ootani.." (When you say things like that...)
Risa: "I'm sorry. I'm going to take back ever saying to forget about everything, because I still like Otani. Remember this well."Otani has a hard time registering it, but simply nods with a blank stare. They begin to squabble again. The winter season begins to draw near, Risa and Otani, nothing changing between the two. All still a one-sided love. Risa begins to think this is all hopeless, but with the help of both Nobu and Chiharu, begins to feel motivated again. Chiharu compliments Risa and tells her she is cute too - and that she has enough charm to attract Otani if she tried. "Believe in miracles!" Both Chiharu and Nobu exclaim. Risa begins to plot it all out - first step: Asking what Otani is doing for Christmas. She tries to ask him in the cutest way possible, but fails to convey herself as a "cute" girly-girl. Otani says he's not free, and he's going to the Christmas Basketball Party that Kanzaki (his ex-girlfriend) invited him to last year. Risa begins to feel lonely, and makes a dramatic scene about it: "Fine then, go spend your Christmas with her. Forget about this rejected All-kyojin.. Go enjoy yourself." Then, Otani invites her, telling her that even though she didn't go to his middle school, they could bring friends. Nobu and Nakao are going. Risa agrees to go, with a fresh, happy face.
When they arrive, Risa doesn't notice Kanzaki (ex-the basketball team manager) there, and overhears that Kanzaki couldn't make it. Otani doesn't seem interested, but his fellow team seems to be scheming something, nudging him about Kanzaki, however, they instantly take notice of Risa, standing behind him, assuming that she is his new interest. He denies it, and says he'd never go out with an amazon like Risa, which triggers a signature All hanshin-kyojin moment (immense arguments, anyone?). Nothing happens during the duration of the time Risa is there, except for Nobu trying to convince Risa to do something. This is an important turning point for Risa, and she begins to swerve into a new goal: To become the girl that Otani can love, a cute girl! She overhears Otani's team talking in the corner about Otani and Kanzaki's relationship, saying how Otani was so nervous with Kanzaki that he was unable to speak. Risa inquires about this, and they tell her that Otani and Kanzaki were locked into a closet together one time (because of the basketball team). Nakao explains this to Nobu too, who is also hearing this for the first time.
Risa begins to angst about how she isn't the type of girl he's ever been with before. She's not cute, "attractive", or girly in any way, at least, she thinks so. While Risa makes a scene, it catches the attention of Otani and one of his ex-basketball team members:
Otani: "What's she going on about now?" *chuckling*Oh, Otani, make up your mind! [insert fans stamping feet here] Later on, Otani begins to put away the basketballs, while Risa is still angsting. Nobu has a plan set into action, and throws a ball at Risa, telling her to give it to Otani, who's in the closet putting away stuff (the closet is really big, mind you). Risa goes over, hands him the ball, and gets pushed and locked in. "Show your emotional breasts!" Nobu texts to Risa, who is on the floor, panicking. Risa asks Otani about him and Kanzaki, and how they were in the same situation at that very moment. Otani hesitantly answers her, but goes back to saying that he'll kill the people that told Risa about his past relationship. Then, in a moment of silence, Risa throws a little package at Otani, saying it was a Christmas present. He opens it up, happy, but notices Risa looking away, blushing delicately. He gets up from his seat (he's on a chair, she's on the floor) and kneels down to her:
Friend: "She's a funny girl."
Otani: "Yeah, she is."
Friend: "She doesn't seem like your type of girl.. but are you interested in her?"
Otani: "I don't know."
Otani: "Do you really love me that much?"Keep in mind, he's as equally flushed as Risa. Risa, infuriated but blushing, gets up, yelling that she doesn't want to hear those words, and throws a ball at his head aggressively. The closet door opens with Nobu and Nakao peeping through, Risa and Otani at their bickering again, but this time, it's only one sided. Otani is smiling, teasing Risa, while she screams in frustration to him. Will it ever get anywhere?
After New Years' (Risa also spent New Years' with Otani, singing Umibozu), back to school, Risa is trying very hard to be girly for Otani's taste, but yet again, she fails at attracting him in that sense. After school, that very day they go back to school, Nobu and Risa notice someone familiar waiting just outside the school gates: Kanzaki Mayu! Otani's ex-girlfriend! Kanzaki notices them quickly, and asks if Otani is around. Risa stays quiet as Nobu conversates with Kanzaki. Kanzaki's cute charm seems to enchant both Risa and Nobu, but Nobu nudges Risa not to fall for it. Kanzaki asks them to relay a message: Otani is invited to another get together with his old basketball team that weekend, and it'd be great if he could go. Kanzaki leaves, and Nobu tells Risa not to tell Otani about the message. As all of them get together to walk home (Risa, Otani, Nobu, and Nakao), Risa tells Otani about the message anyway, and Otani takes the invitation, it seems. Nobu and Risa (Nakao is going too, apparently) both agree to accompany Otani there.
When they arrive at Otani's middle school gym, Risa and Nobu instantly notice Kanzaki standing in an obscure corner of the gym, looking obviously sad. Otani's teammates, at that instant, begin to push Otani towards her. Otani doesn't know she's there [ughhh], but begins to bite back at his teammates, "What's going on?" When he sees Kanzaki, his teammates tell him to go comfort her. We don't really know what drives Otani to march over there on his own, but Risa tries her best to pull him away by throwing (basket)balls and acting innocent. Otani and Kanzaki have an... awkward conversation at that point.
After Otani marches over there, and Risa sees he is getting along with Kanzaki (her bad assumption), Risa walks out of the gym, with a blank look on her face, but anyone could clearly see the depression stemming off her. She walks out, heading home, but stopping to watch the snow fall, and of course, to think about Otani.
"So it seems that.. a comedian girl can never beat the ex-girlfriend whom he really likes.."When she turns to go home, Otani is standing before her: "You'll catch a cold, you know." She looks up at him, her eyes in tears.
"I thought you might be crying again."She asks why he's here - and he should be with Kanzaki right now. He says he got tired talking to her, and doesn't say anything besides:
"Maybe i'm more suitable to someone like Koizumi."He laughs. She's thinking: What.. does that mean?!?! He says no more, but decides he wants to sing Umibozu on karaoke.
"Everytime Otani says or does something, it's as if i'm being brought to heaven and hell."The scene switches back to after Risa left the gym, and the moment between Kanzaki and Otani. She says she wants to meet up with him again, if that's possible. He remembers Risa's face, and her feelings - without hesitation, replies that he can't.
"Sorry, I can't. Because if I meet up with you again, there'll be an idiot who'll cry."