The next day, during class break, students gather in small groups to chat. In Hiratsuka Ryosuke's class, there's a central figure for both the boys and girls. A group of boys surrounds Hayama Hayato, sharing stories. The girls' side is much quieter today. The reason is simple: Eriri, the center of the girls' group, didn't come to school. Ryosuke has sent her several emails, but she hasn't replied, not even read them. This makes him feel uneasy. Eriri is not the type of person who wouldn't reply to a message. So, he decides to go to her house after school.
In the afternoon, at the Sawamura residence.
Ryosuke rings the doorbell.
"Who is it?" Sawamura Sayuri's gentle voice comes through the intercom. In Japan, showing up without an appointment is considered rude.
"Auntie Sawamura, it's Hiratsuka Ryosuke. I apologize for the sudden visit." Ryosuke expresses his regret.
Click.
The door opens, and Sayuri is standing in the entrance. Her usual warm smile is on her face, but her eyes show deep worry. She doesn't know why her daughter has locked herself in her room since she came home yesterday. No matter how many times she knocked, the door remained shut. If the food she left outside hadn't disappeared each time, Sayuri would have broken the door down. She has never seen Eriri in this state. If Eriri still doesn't come out today, Sayuri plans to have her husband Spencer force the door open when he gets back.
"Hiratsuka-kun, Eriri hasn't come out of her room since yesterday. I don't have a spare key. Can you go see what she's doing?" Sayuri asks nervously, her voice low. She thinks to herself, Since Hiratsuka-kun is someone Eriri often talks about, they must be close.Maybe her friend can get through to her when her parents can't.
Ryosuke rushes to the second floor and knocks on Eriri's door. "Eriri!" There's no response.
He remembers his last visit to Eriri's room, when a tree branch grew near her balcony. He turns around, runs back downstairs, and heads towards the tree.
Inside Eriri's room.
Crumpled-up papers and unused drawing sheets are scattered all over the floor, creating a sea of white. In a corner, the food Sayuri brought has gone cold and is mostly untouched. Eriri's dark circles are so prominent even her black-rimmed glasses can't hide them. Her usually smooth blonde hair is a chaotic mess, like a bird's nest. She rips a sheet off the easel, crumples it, and throws it away. Then she places a new blank sheet on the easel. As she's about to draw, she notices her right hand is shaking. She puts the pen down and looks at the blank paper.
She whispers, "I can't win..."
Ever since she came home yesterday, she's been trying to draw Kaori from Your Lie in April. Machida-san's words about replacing her with a top illustrator put immense pressure on her. Eriri is a stubborn girl who hates to lose. She doesn't want her lack of skill to hold Ryosuke back. What she wants is Hiratsuka Ryosuke's sincere approval, not for him to give up a chance to work with a top illustrator just because they're close. If he gave up the opportunity to improve his work for her sake, she would feel even more guilty and regretful. That's why she wants to beat Yumeno Sakiko. She wants to prove to Ryosuke that Kashiwagi Eri is much more valuable to him than a top illustrator. But no matter how hard she tries, she can't seem to catch up to Yumeno Sakiko. The characters drawn by Yumeno Sakiko are so lifelike; their emotions and expressions are so vivid. Yumeno Sakiko, the "Spokesperson for a Girl's Heart," must be a kind, gentle, and charming woman in real life, like a Yamato Nadeshiko.
Eriri has been drawing one illustration after another since last night. From her initial confidence and high spirits to her current state of anxiety, frustration, helplessness, and self-blame, the emotions are all mixed up. She imagines Ryosuke leaving her, and her heart feels even more suffocated. Will Yumeno Sakiko steal Ryosuke from me? Finally, a nerve in Eriri's mind seems to snap. She looks up, her blue eyes bloodshot. "No! I can still draw!" She grabs her pen again, like a swordsman grabbing her sword. With a powerful stroke, a thick line appears on the paper.
I can draw something that surpasses Yumeno Sakiko's work. I can! Eriri's expression becomes a little deranged.
"Eriri!" Ryosuke yells from outside the window. He sees her, looking possessed, drawing on the paper as if she's gone mad. He can't hear what she's saying. The tree branch is close to her balcony. Ryosuke climbs onto the branch and jumps onto her balcony. Thankfully, her room is on the second floor, and the French doors are open, so he doesn't have to break a window. He takes off his shoes on the balcony and walks over to her. He gently shakes her shoulder and whispers, "Eriri?"
But she doesn't hear him. Ryosuke grabs her shoulders and yells, "Eriri!"
The yell is like a thunderclap, and Eriri's consciousness seems to return. She looks up, her face a mix of crying and laughing. "Ryosuke, you're here? Look! I drew something better than Yumeno Sakiko's work!"
Ryosuke looks at the canvas and sees nothing but chaotic lines. He's very worried about her mental state. He says softly, "Stop drawing, Eriri."
Eriri tilts her head. "Huh? Why? Aren't you happy with my work?" She smiles wearily. "It's okay. If you don't like this one, I can draw another one."
"I said, stop drawing, Eriri!" Ryosuke's voice is harsh and loud.
The yell seems to bring Eriri back to reality. She is startled, and then she remembers her failure, her mouth uncontrollably drooping. She looks up at Ryosuke with a pathetic expression. She can't hold it in anymore and bursts into tears, throwing herself into his arms.
"Waaah! Ryosuke, I can't do it! I can't draw anything!"
"I... I'm no match for Yumeno Sakiko! I'm no match for her!"
"I'm so useless... so useless!"
"Please don't abandon me! I'll become the best illustrator in the future."
Her tears soak his shirt. From her words, he can figure out why she broke down. This stubborn girl, afraid of being abandoned by him, was crushed by a blow from an illustrator she had never even met.
"Don't worry too much, Eriri. I'm not going to switch illustrators," Ryosuke says, stroking her blonde hair.
"I'm sorry... I'm so sorry. I'm not as good as you think. I'm not as good as others."
"In my heart, you are the best illustrator."
"Don't lie to me like I'm a child!" Eriri yells emotionally. She would rather hear him honestly scold her for being useless than listen to such a beautiful lie. Maybe that would make her feel better.
Ryosuke holds her soft, pale face in his hands and wipes her tears with his fingers. He crouches down and looks into her tear-filled eyes. He says softly, "Don't forget, we're partners. How could I let you fight alone?" He gently tucks her hair behind her ear.
A rare smile appears on Ryosuke's usually placid face. He says, his voice serious, "So, I will help you become the best illustrator, in name and in deed."