Hananoi-kun to Koi no Yamai 64 *SPOILERS*

READ HANANOI-KUN TO KOI NO YAMAI 63 SPOILERS HERE

She's Back

Picking up from the scene last chapter, Hananoi is faced with his mother, Chizuru. They're alone in the living room now as Hananoi's grandmother has left to give them time alone.

Chizuru smiles and says about Hananoi's arm cast, "...It gave me a surprise, but I'm glad I came back at the right time."

Hananoi doesn't react immediately and just goes, "...Right time?"

We see Hananoi's thoughts: 'Normally, even though Mom and Dad are not around, they always come home when it's a bad time...'

Chizuru looks at Hananoi's expression (he has a pained look). 

Conversation

Chizuru (reaching a hand towards Hananoi): ...Saki? Something happened, right...?

Hananoi (smacking her arm away): Why did you come back... You read my reply to your letter, right?

Chizuru: Yes. It said, 'You don't need to contact me. You don't have to come back every time to see me.'

Hananoi: Therefore, you came back in a hurry?

Chizuru: ...Because it was so different from the usual letters. If it were an SOS from Saki, I wouldn't want to overlook it.

Hananoi recalls his mother promising him that she would fly back to his side whenever he called out for help.

Breaking down, Hananoi emotionally shouts, "Now... now! Whose fault is it now...! That I'm not a proper person? Everything...!! Ugh-"

He flinches from the pain in his arm and sits down.

Chizuru: Saki?! Are you okay? Where are your painkillers? Do you have them?

Hananoi: ... No... Sorry...... It's fine, leave me alone. Right now, I don't want to see anybody... or be anywhere...

Chizuru: ...I feel like this is the first time I'm hearing your true feelings. I understand. You don't have to tell me anything... but, even parents like me can at least provide Saki with a place to escape to when you're having a hard time. Try thinking about it.

Hotaru and Hibiki

The two girls are (I think) at Hibiki's house, and Hibiki is giving Hotaru a manicure.

Hibiki: Since then, Hananoi-kun didn't come to school even once and we've entered spring break, huh-

Hotaru: ...I wonder how his injury is...

Hibiki: Shouldn't you ask him?

Hotaru: Should I? We just broke up, though...

Hibiki: Hmm, I would block the guy who broke up with me and erase all my memories.

Hotaru: *shocked*

Hibiki: However, the two of you didn't break up because of dislike...

In Hibiki's mind, she's wondering, 'Or rather, why break up even though you love each other so much?!'

Hibiki: W-well, Hozumi-sensei did say that things seem to be going well, right?

Hotaru: Hozumi-sensei...

Hotaru recalls a conversation that Hozumi-sensei had with Hotaru, Hibiki and Shibamura at school.

Hozumi-sensei: --His injury is not Hinase-san's fault. Don't be so depressed... Even though I say this, it's impossible, right...

Hotaru: *looks depressed*

Hozuki-sensei: ...It's okay to worry, but make time not to think about it. Just because someone is in a difficult situation, it doesn't mean that you should stop smiling. ...I'm sorry that I'm leaving school today.

Hotaru, Hibiki, Shibamura (bowing): No... Thank you very much!

Hibiki: He's such a good teacher!

Hotaru: Yes. I wonder if Shibamu is at the airport now...

Shibamura and Sensei

Shibamura and Hozumi are at the airport (probably near the departure gate), sitting on some chairs.

Hozumi: Sigh... In the end, I realized that I wasn't cut out to be a teacher after all.

Shibamura: Are you depressed? Say it properly, sensei.

Hozumi: Sarcasm? I'm not a teacher anymore; drop the formalities.

Shibamura (chuckling): Shou-kun, you were really concerned about Hotaru, weren't you?

Hozumi: That's right... because Hananoi-kun was famous. I'd heard a lot of rumours about him, it was worrying. Also, ......

Hozumi falls silent for a second, thinking, 'Also, because he's your friend...' but he doesn't say it out loud.

He lowers his cap's rim to cover his face a little, saying, "This is not the place for me. A teacher who shows favoritism..."

Shibamura: I see... but in the end, your next job is to teach, right?

Hozumi (glancing at her): Well, ...I guess I realized that watching people grow is fun.

He continues to keep his gaze on Shibamura while she processes his words. Shibamura looks somewhat surprised at his words.

Shibamura: Eh... Ah, eh? You mean me?

She blushes and Hozumi chuckles. He then stands up.

Hozumi: Okay, it's about time to go. Thank you for coming to send me off.

Shibamura (looking reluctant): ...Will you come back someday?

Hozumi: I don't know because I haven't started anything yet. That's why, don't wait for me.

Shibamura: ...It's fine. I... won't live for you, Shou-kun. If this feeling disappears, I might find a new love. I'll do what I want and work at a job I want. I'll decide everything on my own.

She gives him a small but determined smile. Hozumi looks satisfied.

Shibamura: However, ...

She thinks to herself, 'Hananoi-san's way of thinking seems difficult, but there's something to be learnt from him.'

Shibamura (smiling): ...No matter when it is... I hope that Shou-kun will be smiling! Have a safe trip!

Hozumi looks at her and she lowers her gaze, trying her best to hold back her tears. Hozumi places his cap on her head.

Hozumi: Me too. ...When you need help, tell me anytime.

Shibamura: That's... favouritism!

Hozumi (grinning): I'm not your teacher anymore.

Back to Hotaru

Hotaru is lying on her bed at home, looking at her newly painted nails. She thinks to herself that Hibiki has decided to further her studies in a beauty school, while Shibamura says that she plans to study in college. However, Hotaru doesn't know what she wants to do.

She narrates that life isn't just about love, so she has a lot of things to think about, even if she doesn't want to. Sitting up on her bed, she suddenly wonders if her parents would be supportive of her studying in college.

In the next scene, we see Hotaru talking with her parents. Her father is surprised that Hotaru is considering going to college and says that it's a good thing.

However, Hotaru looks a little dispirited when she tells her parents her concerns - her results are not exactly good so she would need to attend cram school, and it would cost money. When her parents hear that, Hotaru's mother apologizes for causing Hotaru to worry.

Grandpa

Hotaru's mother explains that actually, her grandfather had left inheritance money for his grandchildren. So, Hotaru can do what she wants to do - even if she hasn't found it yet, it's fine to go to college to find out.

Hotaru's father begrudgingly remarks that his father is good only for this purpose, but Hotaru's mother good-naturedly rebukes him, saying that it was helpful.

Hotaru thinks about her memories related to her grandpa. Then, her parents mention that next month will be Hotaru's grandpa's third death anniversary. They ask Hotaru if she will like to invite Hananoi over. Hotaru's mother comments that Hotaru's father must still have things to talk about with Hananoi. In response, Hotaru's father says that he didn't expect that Hananoi would know his father.

Meanwhile, Hotaru is nervous, awkward, stuttering about Hananoi being brought up. In the next panel, we see that Hotaru has informed her parents about them breaking up. Her parents express their shock and disappointment.

Hotaru's mother then shares that Hananoi had actually asked her about what was the date of Hotaru's grandfather's death. She didn't expect it to be the same day as Hananoi's birthday.

However, Hotaru's father asks if Hananoi's birthday was the day Hananoi turned down Hotaru's grandfather's invitation to celebrate together - because if that were the case, there wasn't anything Hananoi could have done. 6 April is indeed the day Hotaru's grandfather passed away, but it was more because he had collapsed.

We see Hotaru's eyes widen.

Clarity

In the next page, Hotaru is dashing off somewhere. We can see on her phone that she texted Hananoi, asking to meet up to talk about her grandfather.

She thinks desperately, 'Saki-kun! Saki-kun, you were mistaken...! It really wasn't Saki-kun's fault...!! It was many days before that when Grandpa collapsed and was taken to the hospital. Therefore, even if Saki-kun had accepted the invitation, the outcome wouldn't have changed...!'

Hotaru arrives below Hananoi's apartment block, panting and sweating. She tries calling Hananoi on the phone, but the line doesn't connect.

Next, she ends up calling Keigo. Hotaru obtained his contact details from Hibiki, because she wanted to ask Keigo if he had heard from Hananoi. Desperately, Hotaru tells Keigo that she has something she urgently wants to tell Hananoi.

Hearing from Keigo

Keigo shares that he can't really help either, because according to the phone call attempt, it says that Hananoi is at a place where the phone signal can't reach, meaning that Hananoi has blocked Keigo and Hotaru.

Hotaru is shocked. Keigo continues sharing that Hananoi said that he was leaving Japan for a while to recuperate with his parents. He wanted as much as possible to spend time in a place where there were no acquaintances. Keigo remarks that Hananoi likely didn't want to rely on him nor Hotaru.

There's a small flashback panel showing Hananoi at Keigo's house. Hananoi was telling Keigo that he was thinking of having a change of environment, and would let him know if it didn't go well.

Keigo concludes that Hananoi having blocked them must just be him trying to push himself and going all out.

Hotaru thanks Keigo for sharing and ends the call. She thinks to herself that her grandpa's case has been resolved, but it's still not the end. She recalls how Hananoi had mentioned to her, "I'll become a person who can live even if you're not around." and thinks to herself that Hananoi must be doing his best, alone.

Some Time Passes

Hotaru narrates that spring break passed without her seeing Hananoi even once. It's now April and they've become third years. However, Hananoi still hasn't returned to school.

At school, Hotaru thinks to herself that she and Hananoi weren't able to be classmates at all, when she walks past the staff office and spots Hananoi's grandmother. She notices Hotaru, too.

Later, the two of them are walking together. Hotaru finds out that Hananoi hasn't returned to Japan yet. Hananoi's grandmother explains that it seems he plans to stay overseas until his injury is fully healed. Also, he wanted to take his time to think about his career path. Hananoi's grandmother wonders out loud if Hananoi plans on attending college overseas.

Hotaru asks if Hananoi is with his mother. Hananoi's grandmother says that in the beginning, yes, but right now Hananoi is in England with Hayato-san's (I think that's Hananoi's father, but I'm not sure) parents' home.

Hananoi's grandmother wonders out loud (Hotaru is still listening to her) if she should have left Hananoi with his parents from the beginning. She had insisted on bringing up Hananoi in Japan, but now she wonders what she should have done.

Time Passes Some More

Hotaru narrates that eventually, even she stopped crying as much whenever she recalled their break up. Faced with the reality of being an exam candidate, she had less and less time to think about Hananoi even if she didn't like it. She experienced for the first time how people get over the loneliness of a breakup.

She looks up at the sky and wonders if Hananoi is also spending his days on the other side of her sky, not thinking about her.

On another day, Hotaru leaves to go to the library to study. At the library, she spots an empty seat and approaches it. When she puts her bag down at the seat, the person next to her goes, "...Oh? Hinase?"

It's Yao.