Hell is other people
Wait!
Anthropologist Edward Hall divided personal space into four zones.
One of those is the "intimate space" zone with the "close phase" therein.
This distance is close enough to embrace someone else
and many resist intrusion into it.
That's way too hard though!
However there are exceptions.
Nah I kinda like it.
I like a softer—
For instance Kushida.
Did you see a girl wearing glasses?
Even if she gets very close she manages not to trigger their personal space reaction.
Yet Sakura resisted her.
She's afraid of the connection.
That's why...
she keeps her eyes down.
I'm sorry to make you come with me for this.
I'm the one who should apologize.
I'm the one who broke your digital camera.
N-No I should have been more careful...
This one's so cute!
You're going to the electronics store in the mall to fix your digital camera.
I understand that much...
But did you really need me?
Actually...
Ah look at that. That's no good.
Service Support Counter
I see. It's a power issue.
Yeah that's no good...
Do you have your warranty? Your warranty...
Did you bring the warranty with you?
New
Oh it's within the warranty period.
You could have the faulty part... replaced... free of charge.
I can see why this guy
would be hard for Sakura who's afraid of strangers to deal with.
I guess she wanted strength in numbers.
Can you tell us how long it will take?
Two or three days. Yeah two or three.
Could you fill out this form?
Receipt of Item for Repair
We need your address name and...
cell phone number.
Sakura-san?
R-Right...
May I?
When the repairs are finished please contact me instead.
H-Hey you...
The camera belongs to her doesn't it?
I'm not sure we can...
The manufacturer's warranty confirms the location and date of purchase.
You confirmed that warranty a few seconds ago.
I can't imagine how there could be a legal issue.
A-Are you sure?
Well I guess we'll do that then.
Um...
Thank you for your help today.
No problem. It was my own fault anyway.
But Sakura-san you can talk normally with us okay?
We are in the same grade.
Yeah you've been using all formal language.
U-Um...
I... S-Sure. I'll try.
No need to force it either.
I-I'm okay.
Sure.
One sec okay?
I'm gonna go freshen up.
It's awkward being alone with her.
What's wrong Sakura?
Is there something you wanted to—
Um...
What do you think would be the best thing to do?
Regarding Sudo?
You should do whatever you want to do.
Whatever I...
Yeah.
If I don't say anything I think I'll regret it.
Why are you telling me this?
Your eyes weren't scary.
Eyes?
Sorry. It's hard to explain...
If you need advice Kushida would be more amicable.
She was today too.
Is it intuition?
She's grateful but for some reason she can't fully trust Kushida.
That's what it seems like.
You said you would regret it if you didn't say anything.
Yes.
I think that's the only answer you need then.
"For Sudo." "For Kushida."
"For my classmates."
Throw away all of those thoughts.
Throw them all... away?
You don't have to burden yourself with all of that.
You should testify for your own sake.
For my... sake?
That's enough on its own.
Sorry for the wait.
W-Welcome back.
Well think we should call it a day?
It is pretty late.
Yeah.
Can I come by your room later Ayanokoji-kun?
Huh?
Coming in!
What did you need to come all the way to my room for?
I was actually looking some things up on the Internet earlier.
Does this girl look familiar to you?
Is this Sakura?
It's hard to say just from the face and the build but...
This picture was taken in one of our dorms.
So it is her!
And I thought it was strange that Sakura wore fake eyeglasses too.
They're fake?
There was no distortion behind the lenses.
So she's trying to hide her face?
Is that why she wouldn't testify?
New Messages: 1
Sakura Airi This is Sakura.
It's from Sakura-san.
Let's see...
She says she might be able to help with Sudo-kun!
I guess going with her today was worth it.
I'm glad she decided to trust us but I wonder why...
Hey.
Ayanokoji-kun isn't there anything you're trying to hide?
Tokyo Metropolitan Advanced Nurturing High School
At this school class membership remains the same from enrollment through graduation. It is assumed that the students of each class will come together to overcome various challenges and grow through doing this.
Student Council Room
I've sent out the notification for the arbitration hearing
between Class 1-D and 1-C.
Oh?
Class D...
Huh?
What is it?
Did you spend your day off with Kushida-san?
Yeah because of the thing with Sakura.
Though we couldn't get her word that she would share what she knows.
I see.
What's the matter?
What do you mean what's the matter?
Well you have quite the expression on your face.
Really? I don't agree.
This is how I always look.
Although I am impressed by how self-serving you've been lately.
You hesitate when I ask you for a favor
but when Kushida-san asks you comply immediately.
I'm attempting to analyze
rationally and carefully the factors that account for the difference.
Well it doesn't matter.
It doesn't?
What's more important is that the student council's picked the day
for Sudo-kun's hearing.
When is it?
Today after class.
Student Council Room
We will now hold deliberations regarding the violent incident
that occurred last Tuesday.
As Student Council Secretary I Tachibana will preside.
The student council president coming in over a little brawl like this?
Wonders never cease I suppose...
Due to my busy schedule there are some agendas I'm forced to miss participating in.
As a rule though I do attend.
So it's just a coincidence is it?
Yes.
She wasn't expecting the president to be here.
Horikita can't bring out her full potential.
To both sides: I wish to ascertain which version of the events is the truth.
Is that acceptable?
Begin.
Komiya and the other two
you insist you were called to the special annex by Sudo and then attacked by him.
Sudo denies this. He insists that Komiya was the one who called him there.
Your versions of the events are contradictory.
There is only one fact we can be certain of:
that the aggressor Sudo injured Komiya Kondo and Ishizaki.
They are the victims.
I'll admit that I hit them!
But they're the ones who started it!
I don't recall doing that.
Having the main discussion be about the injuries
You damn well did! I was only defending myself!
and giving Sudo free rein are both bad for us.
Horikita.
You just kept running your mouths!
You're jealous because I'm on the list of potential regulars!
And at basketball practice you always get in my—
Silence please.
Without new testimony or evidence we will proceed under these assumptions.
Is this acceptable?
It seems there was no need for discussion.
It's clear from the state of their injuries that the violence was one-sided.
I believe I should base my decision on that.
Class D's insistence that it was self-defense is contradicted
by Sudo-kun's lack of injuries
and the condition of Ishizaki-kun and the others.
Aya—
What?
S-Stop it! What are you—
When someone's spacing out
a strong physical stimulus will snap them back to reality.
Hey!
If you don't fight we're going to lose.
I beg your pardon.
I would like to question the witnesses.
May I?
President?
I'll allow it.
What were the circumstances under which Sudo-kun called you out?
Answer me.
After practice ended he said he wanted to talk to me.
And what was Ishizaki-kun doing in the special annex with you?
He is not in the basketball club.
There was no reason for him to be there.
I... wanted insurance.
Insurance?
Everyone knows what a violent guy Sudo-kun is. He's a big guy too!
You thought he might attack you then?
That's right!
That's a prepared response.
And so you brought Ishizaki-kun who had a reputation as being a
strong fighter in middle school as a bodyguard?
I did it to protect myself!
I have some knowledge of martial arts myself.
Fighting multiple enemies increases the difficulty exponentially.
For you to be beaten so one-sidedly especially with Ishizaki-kun present
makes no sense.
Well... that's just because we didn't want a fight!
If you had no desire to fight and you weren't fighting back
it's extremely unlikely that all three of you would be hurt.
That does sound like common sense.
Common sense doesn't apply when Sudo-kun's involved!
He's an incredibly violent man!
There was a student who witnessed the entire fight.
Would the witness step forward please?
Would the witness please state her name?
C-Class 1-D Sakura Airi.
Please take your seat.
Okay...
Sakura-san.
I did see it.
The Class C students attacked Sudo-kun first.
I'm... sure of it.
Sakura-kun was it?
If you really did see it why didn't you step forward sooner?
Well... because...
Honestly you Class Ds...
I'm just... telling the truth...
Sakura-kun. Sakura Airi-kun.
Are you sure you're not being forced to lie for the sake of your class?
To save Sudo-kun?
That's not good.
The fact that Sakura-san is here proves that she really did witness the incident.
If she hadn't she wouldn't be sitting here even if we'd asked her to.
If we just needed someone to make a statement
don't you think I would have chosen someone else?
Perhaps you chose to use someone like her to lend further credibility.
Credibility?
Stop twisting everything.
Sakura-san came here in good faith—
Stop taking advantage of your well-meaning
but weak-willed classmates.
That is not what I'm doing!
But look at her trembling!
Don't put any more burden on—
I have proof!
I do have... proof!
Please don't dig this hole any deeper.
This is proof that I was in the special annex that day!
Display it.
Okay.
That day... I was looking for somewhere deserted to take pictures of myself.
It's dated too.
Dates on a digital camera can easily be altered.
It's rather insubstantial as proof goes.
But Mr. Sakagami this picture is different.
With this...
I hope you will believe that I was there that day.
Thank you Sakura-san.
I see.
It seems you were telling the truth about being present.
But we still don't know who instigated it.
It doesn't prove that you saw everything that went down either.
But...
Might I propose a compromise?
A compromise?
Despite your pictures you have no definitive proof.
However it does appear that the Class C students may bear some responsibility...
A two-week suspension for Sudo-kun
and a one-week suspension for the Class C students. How about it?
The difference in punishment is based on the difference in harm done to them.
Without Sakura's testimony and evidence
Sudo's suspension would have been a month or more.
It is quite a compromise.
Ms. Chabashira what do you think?
It seems the conclusion has already been reached.
Sakura you did very well.
That's that then.
Then Class D representative Horikita-san please tell us your opinion.
Very well.
I believe that Sudo-kun the instigator of this incident has a serious problem.
He never thinks about the trouble that his daily actions will cause those around him.
Incidents like this are inevitable.
Wh-Why you...
I want you to realize that it's your attitude that's at the root of all of this.
He should reflect but not about this incident.
I mean that he should re-evaluate the person he has been in the past.
Horikita?
In regards to the incident we're discussing right now
I believe that Sudo-kun is free of guilt.
Because this was not an unfortunate incident that just happened to take place
but an intentional set-up instigated by Class C.
I assert Sudo-kun's complete innocence in the matter.
An intentional set-up?
How funny.
I think the president's little sister is—
As the witness testified Sudo-kun is a victim.
Please make the correct judgment.
We're the victims Mr. President!
Shut the hell up! Listen up—
As I thought this was a waste of time.
Everything you say is completely at odds.
Which means that one side is offering false testimony.
I agree.
Let me ask Class C... Can you say with absolute certainty that
your testimony here today is the truth?
Y-Yes of course!
What about you Class D?
Certainly.
Then I'll give my judgment tomorrow at 4:00.
If I receive no proof of your opponents' lies
or admissions of your own guilt by then
I'll be putting expulsion on the table as well.
That is all.
Do we have a chance?
Drawing Room
I don't intend to lose. I don't give up.
I'm sorry...
I should have just spoken up from the start
but I didn't have... the courage...
Hold your head high Sakura.
But...
Student Council Office
You're still here?
When you showed up with Suzune I assumed you had some strategy in mind.
I'm neither Zhuge Liang nor Kuroda Kanbei.
I have no strategy.
So Suzune went rogue in proclaiming
his innocence then?
I guess it's a wild idea huh?
It is.
Sakura was it?
Yes.
If you can't prove it it's just a lie.
Your mask is nothing but a shackle.
I... I only told the truth...
I believe her.
I see.
In that case...
Can you prove it?
That's a good question.
Ayanokoji Kiyotaka 8020 PPt Horikita Suzune 36259 PPt Kushida Kikyo 39523 PPt Sakura Airi 15125 PPt Sudo Ken 1 PPt Yukimura Teruhiko 52330 PPt Sotomura Hideo 10029 PPt Komiya Kyogo 74987 PPt Kondo Reon 69621 PPt Ishizaki Daichi 25335 PPt
Jean-Jacques Rousseau "Emile or On Education"