Page 9
Panel 1
The choir members break and run.
Students: Yahoo! Come on!
Panel 2
Kagome walks next to Koinu. She is enjoying the air, he looks serious.
Kagome: Ooh! Cool air! Let's go find that pond we saw from the bus!
Koinu: Hey. Kagome. What the hell did you do?
Panel 3
Profile close-up of the two. She is calm, he is serious.
Kagome: What did I do?
Koinu: That was a purifying arrow. I recognized it.
Kagome: It was a rubber band.
Panel 4
View of the two. She is calm, he is surprised.
Koinu: That was a rubber band? You can do that with a rubber band? How the hell…
Kagome: I don't know. I just pull in youki and it works! Oh, look! There it is!
Note: Youki is magical energy or daemon energy.
Panel 5
View of the two standing before a pond where several students are standing or sitting. A pagoda rises at the other end of the pool.
Kagome: Look, isn't it beautiful?
Panel 6
Koinu sits on the ground, Kagome is standing. Other girls are wading.
Koinu: Yeah. Sure. Where did you learn to do that? Where are you pulling youki from?
Kagome: From Yamura, of course. You know he's more than half youkai.
Panel 7
View of the two. He sits, she is standing.
Koinu: You can pull from just anybody? Could you do that before?
Kagome: I don't know. I can now.
Panel 8
Close-up of Kagome, smiling.
Koinu: Why? I mean, why would you get stronger?
Kagome: I think…the more I get involved with Inuyasha, the stronger I get.
Page 10
Panel 1
Koinu looks up at Kagome.
Koinu: But that doesn't make sense! I mean, Kikyou…just from…being interested… her powers got weaker…
Kagome: Inuyasha.
Panel 2
Close-up of Kagome. She looks determined, almost angry.
Kagome: I'm not Kikyou. I never was Kikyou. And Kikyou's rules don't apply to me.
Panel 3
Close-up of Koinu, looking surprised.
Koinu: … OK.
Panel 4
Kagome wades into the water as Koinu looks on.
Kagome: I'm going wading with my stockings on. I'll bet Kikyou wouldn't do that, either.
Panel 5
Close-up of Kagome, smiling, with Koinu looking on in the background.
Kagome: Inuyasha—I love ponds like this. I just wonder…if you'll ever get the nerve to come in.
Panel 6
Close-up of Koinu reacting to that.
Panel 7
View of the choir onstage for their concert.
Panel 8
Close-up of some of the singers.
Panel 9
End of the concert; Yamura takes a bow in front of the choir.
Page 11
Panel 1
View of the table at the reception
Panel 2
Close-up of the reception table.
Panel 3
Kagome, holding a glass, smiles as a woman speaks to her. Her pose is much as she looked as an adult at the Provost's party in Book 6.
Woman: Wonderful performance. So delightful to see your young faces.
Panel 4
View of Koinu and Sakamoto, both holding glasses. Sakamoto grins. Koinu looks away (at Kagome), riveted.
Sakamoto: Well, not as exciting as rehearsal. Nobody passed out, no lightning bolts. Eats are pretty good. Hey, you OK? You look like you're out of it.
Panel 5
The two look toward Kagome, where she talks to the woman.
Koinu: Yeah, I'm just…just thinking…how you can look at somebody you know and…and realize…how they just…glow.
Sakamoto: This is your own actual girlfriend we're talking about here?
Panel 6
Close-up of Kagome, smiling.
Koinu (thinking, offscreen): Kagome, look at me.
Panel 7
Kagome turns and notices Koinu looking at her.
Koinu (thinking): See only me.
Panel 8
Kagome reaches out to Koinu, who tentatively reaches out his hand to take hers.
Panel 9
Their hands have connected. The two gaze into each other's eyes, as Sakamoto looks on, surprised.
Panel 10
Koinu and Kagome are lost in each other's eyes, as Sakamoto looks on.
Sakamoto: That's a good trick. Higurashi just made me and everybody else in the room turn invisible. Right, Houjou?
Koinu: … Hmm?
Page 12
Panel 1
View of the outside of the hotel—Japanese-style architecture on a modern building, with air conditioners visible beneath each window. A full moon rises over the trees.
Panel 2
Overhead view of the small room shared by Koinu and Sakamoto. Koinu, dressed in sweatpants and a thermal shirt, is sprawled on one bed, Sakamoto sits on another reading a magazine.
Sakamoto: Well, at least we don't have to cope with a chaperone. Nice of Inouye to get sick. What are you moping about?
Panel 3
View of the two. Koinu props himself up and looks at the window as Sakamoto pulls out the centerfold in his magazine..
Koinu: I dunno. Have you seen what it's like outside?
Sakamoto: Outside? Yeah. I go there every day on my way to school. Twins this month! I love twins!
Panel 4
Close-up of Koinu, in eyeglasses, staring out the window.
Koinu: Man, it's the perfect night out there and I'm stuck in here.
Panel 5
Sakamoto looks at the magazine as Koinu looks on.
Sakamoto: Well, if it's worth anything, Miss May Number One and Miss May Number Two and I appreciate having you as a babysitter.
Koinu: You're back to magazines? What the hell did you do to Yuki? She's really pissed at you.
Panel 6
View of the two. Sakamoto reads his magazine.
Sakamoto: Aw, she caught me in the sack with Kamata Keiko.
Panel 7
The two, face to face.
Koinu: "In the sack"? You mean, you guys were…you know…doing it?
Sakamoto: The word you're searching for is "fucking." Yeah, basically.
Panel 8
Sakamoto looks at his magazine.
Koinu: You…didn't wait and let Yuki be your first one?
Sakamoto: I already let Yuki be my third one. I was at least Yuki's second one. She wants something more exclusive than I’m ready to offer. Hell, I'm only seventeen.
Panel 9
Koinu, in the foreground, looks shocked and embarrassed. Sakamoto reads in the background.
Koinu: … Oh.
Sakamoto: So what's the deal with you and Higurashi? You guys everything but?
Koinu: Well…everything but everything but, I guess.
Panel 10
Sakamoto, in the foreground, gapes at Koinu, who has turned back to the window.
Sakamoto: Aw, man, Houjou, as nice as you treat her, and the chick's still holding out on you?
Koinu: … It's just the time hasn't been right, you know?
Page 13
Panel 1
Sakamoto, in the foreground, looks at his magazine, with Koinu in the background.
Sakamoto: Man, the way you used to talk, I always thought you'd be the first to get laid. Remember when we were like ten? What the hell was the name of your imaginary girlfriend? Remember when you had that imaginary girlfriend?
Panel 2
Close-up of Koinu. Sakamoto, in the background, looks shocked.
Koinu: … I have a lot of imaginary girlfriends. That's how I manage to hold things with Higurashi to "everything but."
Sakamoto: Are you shittin' me? You mean, you're the one who's holding out? Now I'm kinda wishing we had a chaperone here.
Panel 3
View from above. Koinu on his bed looks disgusted; Sakamoto is bent over his magazine.
Koinu: Don't worry. Even if you were my type, you wouldn’t be my type. I like 'em a little less experienced.
Sakamoto: A lot to be said for experience.
Panel 4
Close-up profile of Koinu.
Koinu: And it's not me. I just don't think she's ready. Not for me.
Sakamoto: Which means…
Panel 5
View of the two.
Koinu: There…was another guy before me. She really loved him. I think she wanted him to be her first.
Sakamoto: Wait a minute. I've heard this story. Wasn't this guy in some kind of gang or something? And isn't he, like, dead?
Panel 6
Close-up of Koinu, looking sad, with Sakamoto in the background, looking indignant.
Koinu: Yeah. Yeah, but that doesn't change the way she feels about him. Or the way I feel about her.
Sakamoto: So you're just going to let her rot? You're just going to let you rot? There are other women out there, boy.
Koinu: Not for me.
Panel 7
Close-up profile of Koinu.
Koinu: It's not like I don't have a sex drive or anything. It's just…I'd like to be the one she's thinking of, OK? And if not…it's enough just to be with her. Just to have her by my side. If that's all I get, I'll take it.
Page 14
Panel 1
Close-up of Koinu, looking toward the window. The moon is reflected on his eyeglasses. In the background Sakamoto is reading his magazine.
Koinu: But I sure would like to be out there with her now. It is such an unbelievable night. The moon is full. There's a little bit of mist–it's just glowing. And these grounds are so cool.
Sakamoto: Yeah, 1987 was a terrific year for mock feudal architecture. I particularly like the air conditioning.
Panel 2
View of the window, with Koinu's wistful face reflected. There is a full moon over the traditional-style buildings and bridge. A close-up of Koinu's face is overlaid.
Panel 3
Koinu opens the window, while Sakamoto looks on.
Koinu: … I'm going out!
Sakamoto: You're going out? Like…out the window? You're kidding! We’re on the second floor.
Panel 5
View from outdoors of Koinu leaning out the window while Sakamoto watches. Below the window is an air conditioner, and below that a roof.
Koinu: There's a little roof. And gutters. I'll just hang and drop. I do that all the time at home. You don't mind being left behind, do you?
Panel 6
Koinu grimaces as he climbs out the window, while Sakamoto looks down at his magazine.
Sakamoto: No. The twins and I were thinking of spending a little time together in the bathroom anyway.
Koinu: OK, now I'm totally grossed out. I'll be back, but you three don't have to wait up for me.
Panel 7
Outside, Koinu slides down the roof.
Panel 8
Koinu hangs from the gutter, looking down.
Panel 9
Koinu drops to the ground.
Panel 10
Koinu lands upright, knees bent.
Page 15
Panel 1
Koinu crouches behind a bush, looking at a wing of the hotel. A light is on in a second-story window, next to which there is a tree.
Koinu: Second floor, first window. Hey, the light's on!
Panel 2
View of a figure looking out the window.
Koinu (offscreen): There's someone in the window. Kagome? She's saying something…
Panel 3
View from inside of Kagome, in her nightgown, looking out the window. In the foreground Junko, in bed, reaches for the light; the chaperone, Ms. Yatsuda, is asleep, open-mouthed, in the foreground.
Kagome: Sigh. It's so beautiful outside! This is such a waste.
Junko: Kagome-chan, can I please turn off the light? I can't sleep.
Panel 4
View from outside. Kagome leans against her hand in the window.
Kagome: Sure, turn it off…
Koinu (offscreen): That is Kagome! But she's not talking to me…she doesn't see me…
Panel 5
In the darkened window, Kagome leans on her hand and sighs.
Kagome: Sigh.
Koinu (offscreen): She's leaning on her hands.
Panel 6
View of Koinu, looking up at the window.
Koinu: If I were up there she could lean on me…
Panel 7
View of Kagome gazing wistfully out the window.
Kagome: Oh, Inuyasha! This is so stupid! If it weren't for this dumb boys-on-one-side, girls-on-the-other thing we could be looking at the moon together.
Panel 8
Close-up of Koinu watching her.
Koinu: Should I just yell and let her know I'm down here?
Panel 9
Close-up of Kagome.
Kagome: I don't want to be away from you. Why can't you be here?
Panel 10
Suddenly Koinu is in her face, startling her.
Koinu: Guess what! I'm having myself legally declared an alto!
Kagome: Inuyasha?
Page 16
Panel 1
View from the outside of Koinu sitting on the roof below Kagome's window, one foot on the branch of a nearby tree, as Kagome looks out at him.
Kagome: How did you get up here? If they catch you, you'll be in big trouble!
Koinu: I can climb anything for Kagome! And there's a pretty good tree right here.
Panel 2
The two face to face on either side of the open window.
Kagome: If anybody sees you, they'll kick you out of school!
Koinu: They won't see me. It's dark. Anyway, I decided I was going to die of loneliness if I didn't see you tonight.
Panel 3
View of the two at the window.
Kagome: How did you figure out this was my room?
Koinu: Love finds a way. Well, Sakamoto stole the girls' room assignment list. But love helped.
Panel 4
The two smile at each other, face to face.
Kagome: Do you really love me?
Koinu: "Lady, by yonder blessed moon I swear…" Uh…that's all I remember of that speech. But I'm pretty sure he was swearing he loved her. Do you want to come out?
Panel 5
View of the two at the window.
Kagome: Come outside? I can't! What if Ms. Yatsuda wakes up?
Koinu: Shit, you got Yatsuda the Dragon for a chaperone?
Panel 6
The two look from the window to where Ms. Yatsuda is asleep.
Koinu: Is that her snoring?
Kagome: Um…yeah.
Koinu: She sounds like Auntie Barbra. Only Auntie Barbra is a lot more feminine.
Panel 7
View from outside of the two at the window.
Koinu: C'mon. She's dead to the world.
Kagome: Well…
Koinu: It's fantastic out here! And you'll be back before she even wakes up.
Panel 8
Outside the window, Kagome sits on the windowsill and Koinu is on the roof.
Kagome: Oh, it's incredible out! It's like a dream!
Koinu: Will you come with me? I thought we'd find that pond again.
Panel 9
Close-up of the two face to face.
Kagome: Well…
Koinu: Just for an hour.
Kagome: …Maybe for a minute.
Koinu: Maybe forever.
Kagome: For a little while. You'll have to get me down the tree.
Koinu: No prob. Hey, we should grab a blanket.
Page 17
Panel 1
Kagome calls through the window to Junko, who sits up sleepily.
Kagome: Junko-chan!
Junko: Kagome-chan, what…
Kagome: Hand me that spare blanket! I'm going out with Houjou-kun to look at the moon!
Panel 2
Koinu helps Kagome down from a branch of the tree.
Koinu: I won't let you fall! Let's see if we can find that pond.
Panel 3
View of the two. Kagome reaches back for Koinu's hand.
Kagome: I remember where it was. Hold my hand, I'll take you there.
Panel 4
The two run through a faux-traditional Japanese landscape.