360° Material [Chapter 8]

Summarized by: Sarah

Chapter 8: Valentine?
The chapter starts with Mio in the kitchen, washing dishes after baking a huge pile of cakes and muffins. Her mother comes in, saying that something has been smelling good in there for a while, then stopping in shock at how much Mio baked. She asks why on Earth Mio baked so much, and Mio answers that since Valentine's Day is next week, she was practicing. Her mother asks if she's making something for her whole class, and Mio says of course not – but she still can't decide what to do. Her mother tells her that anything should be all right, and Mio responds that thinking that way feels like giving up. She doesn't want to do less than her best. She thinks that, since what Taki-kun gave her for her birthday made her so happy, she wants to return that feeling. Mio's mother reminds her that something doesn't need to be complicated to be good; no matter how elaborate it is, there's no meaning in it if it's something the receiver won't like. The best gift would be to make something simple that the other person will really like. Mio agrees, and says that she'll make something like the cookies Taki-kun likes. As Mio tries to recall what kinds of cookies he'd want, her mother asks if Taki-kun is the person she likes. Mio realizes that her mother doesn't actually know she's dating someone, and her mother is surprised when Mio tells her that Taki-kun is her boyfriend. She grabs her arm and starts to ask her how long this has been going on, and Mio explains that they've been together since the end of the last term, but he was really busy helping someone study and they didn't see each other. Hearing that he was busy tutoring people, Mio's mother pictures him as a stereotypical nerd with shiny glasses, and Mio tells her that's completely wrong. Well, then, does she have a picture of him? She doesn't, but Mio can show her a picture that Taki took. Mio's mother seems a little confused as to why Mio wants her to look at a picture of a vapor trail, and Mio laughs, thinking back to when she got the picture. Her mother asks about Mio confessing, and she sort of nervously says she did. Looking amused, her mother suggests that Mio ask him to their house for Valentine's Day

On the way home from school, Mio relays her mother's invitation to Taki, and he instantly smiles and agrees to come. Mio is a little flustered, because she didn't expect such a simple conversation and fast response, and she starts to look at a recipe book and ask what he'd like her to make. She looks up and sees that he's not paying any attention to her, but is looking out the window at something. She asks him what he's looking at, and he says there's a cat. Mio joins him, and they see a kitten on a tree limb. They go outside and Taki stands on a chair to reach it. He successfully gets a hold on the cat, but it gets startled, scratches him, and runs away as soon as he pulls it down. Taki notes that he saved it, but it still wants nothing to do with people... still, he's happy he did it. As he says that, he wobbles a little on the chair, and Mio grabs him around the waist, telling him to be careful. Noting how short a distance it is to the ground, Taki tells her that he thinks he can handle the landing. Mio is embarrassed that she overreacted, but Taki just laughs and tells her thank you. As they talk about where Mio found that chair (it looks like it was being thrown out), Mio thinks that she wants to show Taki how happy he makes her. It flashes forward to later that night, with Mio cooking again and her mother asking her why she's making more when there's still so much left over from before. At school, Mio is passing out the cakes she made (designed to look like bears) to her friends, telling them to take as many as they want. Shii (who is now off her diet) says that she feels mean eating them because they're too cute. She asks if Mio is giving them to Taki-kun, and she says she'll be giving him something tomorrow; these were practice. So, Mio is using them as test subjects? Yuni asks what Mio is giving them; it's their first major date! Later, Mio is thinking that she was sort of swept up into this; Sunday will be the first time she and Taki get together like that, and she's getting nervous. Mio notices someone outside surrounded by girls and thinks he must be pretty popular. She stops to look, and realizes that it's Marui. She remembers that actually, he was pretty popular in middle school, too. She starts to think of something, but Taki shows up and breaks her train of thought. They leave, and we see Marui talking to the girls. He tells them that he's sorry, but he can't eat their chocolates. They asks him if he doesn't like it, and he tells them it's not that – he has an allergy to cacao. He would end up in the hospital. So, he's really sorry, but he can only accept the feelings they put into making them. He smiles awkwardly and thanks them.

The next day, Mio is meeting Taki at the train station. She says good morning, then remembers that it's actually afternoon... He tells her that even though it's close to where he lives, it was his first time on that train, and Mio tells him that it was her first time taking it when she went to his house. They continue with that sort of small talk as Mio thinks about how good Taki-kun looks in casual clothes. He looks good in his uniform, too, but... Taki asks her what that sweet smell is; vanilla? Mio realizes that she smells like the cookies she was decorating. He tells her that sounds fun, and she tells him not to get too excited about it. Mio suggests that they go look at the shops a bit before they go to her house, and they start in that direction when Taki's phone rings. He stops, and asks Mio if it's OK to take the call. She says, of course, go ahead, while thinking that she's surprised he took her feelings into account like that. Her happiness is quickly diminished when he answers and says, “Hello, Miwa?” Mio questions if she heard correctly, but Taki repeats the name. On the other end of the phone, Miwa tells him she's at the park and asks him to come. Mio listens in disbelief. Taki tells Miwa he can't do that; he's with his girlfriend. Mio perks up a little as he tries to end the conversation, saying, “I'm making her wait on me, so...” Then, he hears her say, “Help me...” as the phone disconnects. Mio also thinks she heard that on the other end of the call, and Taki frantically yells back into the phone. He tells Mio that he has to go, and runs off as Mio calls his name, leaving her in the train station. Mio is dazed, wondering what to do; should she wait for him to come back? Or, is it better if she goes home... She wonders if Taki would answer if she emailed him now, then realizes she's starting to cry. She tells herself to stop crying; there's nothing she can do. Miwa's circumstances right now might actually have been bad. Taki-kun seemed really desperate... Mio can't stop crying, and suddenly hears someone behind her saying, “Ootaka?” That voice... Marui!? Why now, when she least wants to see someone she knows, did he have to show up? He says, “Yo,” and she stammers it back, trying her best not to let Marui see her face. He asks her if she might be going on a date, and she tells him no; why would he think that? Well, because it's Valentine's Day... Marui notices her staring at the wall, and comes over to figure out why she's being so strange. He asks if she sees something there, and she says no, but he catches a look at her face. He seems pretty surprised that she's crying, and asks her why. She responds, “I'm not crying!” and Marui thinks that she actually seems to be crying rather hard. After a moment, he asks her what happened, and Mio thinks that she doesn't want to cry as we see Taki running toward the park.

Taki spots Miwa sitting on a swing, typing on her phone, and calls out her name. She seems a little surprised, and points out that he came unbelievably fast. Where was he? Plus, he knew exactly where to come... Taki points out that she said she was at the park, and Miwa starts to reminisce about how they used to spend time there. Taki interrupts, still looking concerned, to ask, “You said to help you... What happened?” At that, Miwa lunges forward and hugs him around the waist, answering that she wanted to see him. Seeing him again, after so long, she started thinking that she still liked him. Once it was in her head, that thought wouldn't let go of her mind, so... Shall they get back together? Taki pulls away a little, wide-eyed, and the scene switches to a flashback from when he and Miwa were dating. Taki is congratulating Miwa on passing her high school entrance exam. She thanks him, then hugs him, noting how cold it is. He suggests they go inside, but she tells him it's fine; she can hold his hand, right? Pretty soon, they won't be able to come to this rooftop. He's going to come to the same high school, isn't he? He tells her that he thinks he'll be applying to Shuunan, and she gets mad. He's supposed to tell her when he makes important decisions like that! Even in the best case scenario, they'll be apart for a year; if they don't go to the same school, they won't see each other much. Is he really OK with that? He smiles and tells her that it will be all right, somehow, and she looks sadly up at the sky. From there, it flashes forward to Miwa's graduation ceremony, with her telling him that they should break up. She'll fall in love with someone new in high school. Taki is shocked, and grabs her shoulders, asking her why she's suddenly saying that... She tells him that she's been thinking about this the whole time; once she's gone, it won't work. Taki asks why, and she tells them that their feelings will change while they're apart. Taki pleads that it won't change, but Miwa says that she doesn't have that sort of confidence. Taki doesn't understand, but Miwa says he will – their feelings will cool off. Can he forgive her? She takes his hands off her arms, and calls over to Akane. She asks her to take one last picture of them together. (Which is, of course, the one Akane sent to Mio.)

Back in the present, Mio seems to have explained the situation to Marui. She thinks that if she cries, she's blaming Taki-kun for this. Marui tells her it's fine; he went off to see his old girlfriend, so she can blame him for that. But, Mio heard her saying she needed help. It wouldn't make her feel any better if Taki could ignore someone who was important to him asking for help. Marui tells her, in that case, don't cry. Mio tells him that's right, but these tears are strange; they won't stop falling, even though it's a mistake. Marui gets visibly upset watching her try not to cry or be angry, and tells her that's not true. If she can't stop crying, her heart is screaming out through her body. It would be cruel to try to control herself too much, right? She isn't really wrong, so she should cry until she feels better. Mio lowers her head and cries, apologizing to Taki in her mind for always getting upset like this. Sitting next to her, Marui instinctively reaches over to comfort her, then catches himself and pulls away. Blushing and turning away, he thinks he can't do that! Meanwhile, at the park, Miwa is asking if Taki wants to get back together. It's not like she broke up with him because she didn't like him, and since he came here... is it the same for him? She stands up to kiss him, closing her eyes, and is surprised to make contact with his hand instead. Blocking her attempt to kiss him, Taki says, “So, you lied about needing help?” Miwa throws a mild tantrum, telling him it wasn't a lie! He was the only one who could help! (While thinking that it was humiliating that he interrupted her kiss.) So, then, she isn't injured anywhere, and nothing happened...? No, he can see that for himself! Taki tells her he's glad; in that case, he's going back. As he walks off, Miwa yells back, asking him why he even came, then? He turns back around and tells her he was worried. So, without a thought, he left his girlfriend behind and ran to some girl? Blushing, he tells her that she's wrong; Miwa was the first girl he dated, and the first girl he fell in love with. Over scenes of them together in the past (at that park, going to a festival, watching a meteor shower), Taki tells her that nothing can change that fact. But, Miwa confirms, he doesn't want to get back together? Beaming, he replies that he has a special girl that he's with right now. Miwa tells him that, somehow, that look on his face pisses her off. But, whatever... Taki starts to leave again, and Miwa asks him for one more thing. Supposing that she didn't break up with him back then, and he happened to meet [Mio]... Even now, could he say that his feelings really wouldn't have changed? Taki looks surprised, then his face softens, and he tells her, “Yeah, probably,” and runs off. Looking irritated, Miwa thinks, “Probably?” That's not the appropriate way to respond... But, isn't it better if she tries to believe him? If her feelings had changed, that would be that... Her phone rings, and the person on the other end apologizes for not having left yet. Miwa asks, “Who is this?” and the other party starts to say something about how that girl was a friend... Back at the station, Mio is thinking that she doesn't know what those two are doing, but the Taki-kun she likes carries that past. She's stopped crying, and Marui asks her if she's calmed down. She says yes, she's worked it out. If his ex-girlfriend really was having some sort of problem and asked for assistance, it couldn't be helped. But, if it was something trivial, then it's a problem. Marui tells her that sounds good, then tells her that he's going. Mio apologizes for keeping him from his club, but he tells her he's fine. As he's leaving, Mio remembers something and asks him to wait a second. Smiling, she hands him a bag, telling him it's a Valentine. Thanks for everything! He takes it and thanks her, and she waves good bye. As he wonders what he's going to do with chocolate, he opens the bag and sees that she gave him lollipops instead. He looks somewhat sadly back at Mio (who is wondering if she should try emailing Taki), and blushes a bit.

Translator's Comment: It seems like his inability to ignore anything that might need his help is an essential aspect of Taki's personality. Assuming she knows him pretty well, Miwa probably knew what she did would work. She certainly created a lose-lose situation for Taki; in the end, he would probably have come off worse ignoring a plea for help. Either way, it successfully derails the date. Next chapter: Taki has to put his date with Mio back together, and Marui is sort of pitifully lovesick.