Only Yesterday Page #2

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chasing a speeding car.

Any objections?

A policeman?

No more running.

So, the hall monitor

can chase offenders.

Any other issues?

Miss Tani.

- Her again.

- Busybody.

Be quiet.

Some people don't finish lunch.

I just read an article

on the Vietnam War.

There are many

unfortunate people overseas.

We're very lucky.

Lucky to have you near me!

We should be grateful for our food.

We're allowed to leave

one thing on our plates,

but I think it's wrong!

Goody two-shoes.

- It can't hurt to leave one thing.

- Let's all leave milk.

- Give it to someone else.

- Of course.

- People hide leftovers in bread.

- That's cheating!

I hate school food.

If you want to speak,

raise your hand!

What a revolting situation.

That night in bed,

after chatting to my sisters...

...more memories from fifth grade...

...came rushing back.

Our pet dog... school sports day...

...being scared by gross

horror comics...

...longing for an electric

pencil-sharpener...

So many little details,

one after the other...

...playing in my head like a movie,...

...almost overpowering me.

Is there a Miss Okajima here?

That's her.

Hirota in our class

says he likes you.

Let's go.

We'll say we told you.

Told you.

Where is it?

Over there.

Shuji Hirota and Taeko Okajima

It's true!

What's he like?

- No idea.

- Me, neither.

Taeko, you sure you don't know him?

No... of course not... not at all.

Which one is Hirota?

It's the Room 5 girls.

Hirota, they're looking for you.

Yes, I'm here!

Don't write silly things on the wall.

Taeko told us to tell you.

I didn't write anything.

You said you liked

Okajima in Room 5.

You did.

So, we wrote it for you.

I love you so much...

But you're so far away...

Like gazing up at...

Goodbye.

A far distant star.

Taeko!

We just went to see Hirota.

We told him not to

write things on walls.

Tsuneko!

Ah, no running.

Aren't you glad?

5th Grade:
Room 4

Over here.

See? That's him.

What? Hirota likes Taeko?

He's amazing. A real star.

You mean baseball?

Only Tono can hit his pitches.

Really?

Our team plays his

in the next game.

Go, go, Hirota!

Go for it, Tono!

Hit it, Tono!

Kill it!

Go for it, Hirota!

Taeko's watching you!

Hit it, Tono!

Way to go, Hirota!

Strike him out!

Don't you dare cheer their side!

Of course not!

Go, go, Tono!

Hiro, Hiro, Hirota!

Hit it!

One leg stance!

Wow!

Way to go, Hirota!

I knew nothing about baseball.

But even I could tell he was superb.

Go, go, Hirota!

What's up, Taeko?

Between the cold and the excitement,

I ran to the bathroom five times.

Over here, over here!

Girls' Bathroom

Game!

5 to 3. Room 4 wins.

Thank you for the game.

You were great Hirota!

Good job.

You were amazing!

It was all your fault.

How come?

You don't know anything.

If Tono couldn't hit him,

how could we?

That's right.

You missed the throw and

three runs scored.

That's not true.

Coach said he'd buy us ice cream.

- Really?

- Great!

Hirota, you should go see her.

Yeah, you should.

I'm going home.

What's the matter, Taeko?

Look, she left.

Um...

...that stuff...

...on the wall...

Rainy day or...

cloudy or sunny day...

which do you like?

Cloudy.

Me too!

Rainy day or cloudy or sunny day.

Which do you like?

Me, too.

I didn't intend the ten year-old me

to come on this trip.

But somehow, once she showed up...

...she wouldn't leave me alone.

But why me in the 5th grade?

Second hour, all boys play baseball,

all girls to the gym.

How come?

Baseball, great!

Today I'm going to talk about

something very important.

You'll leave grade school,

then junior school then high school.

Then become grown ups and have babies.

A woman's body prepares

to have babies.

Did you know?

Really?

Mom told me

when I was in fourth grade,...

...since I'm an early-developer.

Early-developer?

That's right.

She said tall girls or big girls

get their periods early.

I bet those other girls...

...already have theirs.

- Are you gonna buy them?

- I am.

I knew it.

You'll buy them, too, right?

Well... yeah.

I think you should.

Nurse said

we all need them eventually.

That's true.

The girls are buying underpants

in the infirmary.

Did you know?

No.

But why?

How come you're buying underpants?

It's because...

Umm...

Why is the school selling underpants?

Are they for swimming?

Girls' Bathroom

You told Nakayama?

Why did you do that!?

You shouldn't tell boys.

It's supposed to be our secret.

It's because she likes him.

Did he ask you?

What's going on?

She told Nakayama about periods.

No!

He'll tell everyone.

I said to keep it secret.

You trust him?

- Oh no...

- Boys are disgusting.

Now they'll be looking up our skirts.

Pervert!

Looking up skirts was all the rage

and periods became an obsession.

You got your period!

Cut it out!

Second period break.

Idiot.

Ouch.

Come here!

You've got a period.

No, I don't!

It's all Rie's fault.

I'm sorry.

What for?

For telling Nakayama.

It doesn't matter.

The nurse said it's very important.

I know.

I started when I was in fourth grade.

Really?

That's why I skip P.E. sometimes.

You skip P.E. with a period?

Mom said I should.

He even said he felt sorry for us.

You told him about skipping P.E.?

He promised not to tell the others.

So, then they'll think

all girls who skip P.E. have periods!

You think so?

Of course!

Please excuse Taeko from P.E.

because of her cold.

Please excuse Taeko from P.E.

because of her cold.

I'm not missing P.E.

Your cold will get worse.

Then I'll stay home.

No. You don't have a fever.

Then I'll do P.E.

Fine, go ahead.

Don't blame me if it gets worse.

See you later.

Since when was she so fond of P.E.?

You're bright red.

She's right.

Are you okay?

I have a cold.

You have a fever.

You should skip P.E.

Yeah, you should.

I'll go tell the teacher.

No, don't.

Why not?

Mom already wrote a note.

There's no problem then.

Out of the way!

Ouch!

I'm missing P.E. too.

Just like you.

Lucky them.

I wish I could play, too.

Do you...

...are you having a period?

Yes.

I'm not.

I have a cold.

I know.

You're sick.

Just sick.

That's all.

A period isn't a sickness.

I could still play...

I'm gonna catch a period!

Don't touch it, don't touch it!

That was close.

Almost caught it...

Over here, over here!

"Catch a period"!

What a silly thing to say.

It's no laughing matter!

Taeko?

It's the period pair!

No, we're not!

Stupid boys.

You're so calm about it.

Mom said it's nothing

to be ashamed of.

I guess so, but...

Like it or not,

a caterpillar must first...

live as a chrysalis before

becoming a butterfly.

Maybe I remember those days because

I am again going through a

chrysalis stage.

Something definitely changed

when I started working.

At work and at play we girls were

livelier and more spirited than guys.

It was like

we'd finally found our wings.

But looking back now,...

...maybe we were just

flexing them pointlessly.

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