Episode 1

The first episode of the *Oresuki* anime adaptation.

## Synopsis

Joro is slouched over a table in the library with his arms folded. His hand twitches at what he just heard. He turns to face Pansy, asking what she just said, but she just smiles. He asks how she knows about 'that', but her response is inaudible to the viewer. A drop of sweat rolls down Joro's face, he can't believe what she just said. Pansy smiles again, her glasses glinting in the sunlight, which sends a chill down Joro's spine.

Joro's narration calls this the most horrible moment of his life. The story rewinds to show the events leading up to this.

One Friday morning in early Spring, Joro is leaving his house to go to school. His voiceover introduces himself and explains his nickname. As he is walking, Himawari runs up behind him and greets him with a smack on the back. Joro's voiceover explains her nickname and introduces her as his childhood friend. Himawari grabs Joro's arm and they walk to school together. They arrive at Nishikizuta High School (西木蔦高等学校) and go to room 2-2. Himawari opens the door and greets everyone at once.

Sun is already there and walks over to greet them. Joro's voiceover explains Sun's nickname and introduces him as his best friend since middle school. Sun says that Joro and Himawari are very close, which Himawari agrees with. Sun says he likes the way things are and hopes things don't change, and Joro agrees. Himawari closes her fists and faces Joro, calling him stupid before going to her seat. Joro wonders what just happened, and Sun says that things are inevitably changing. Joro asks what he means and Sun tells him to figure it out himself.

The scene transitions to a view of the side of the school building where there is a banner encouraging the baseball team to make it to the Koshien tournament this year.

After school, Sun stands to go to the Baseball Club. he tells Joro that this year they will definitely win the national tournament and get to Koshien. Suddenly, Cosmos enters the classroom, greeting Joro. Joro's voiceover explains her nickname and introduces her as the Student Council President who is one year older than him. Cosmos tells Joro that she is here to escort him to the Student Council room, and Sun cheers him on. Himawari tightens her grip on her tennis racquet. She stands and interrupts them, asking Cosmos why she is here. Cosmos says that she came to see the person she wanted to see, and Himawari turns to leave. Joro asks what's wrong and she says it's nothing before running out the door. In response to this, Sun says that it is a side-benefit. Joro asks what he means and he says to think about it himself before leaving for club. Cosmos sighs that Himawari doesn't like her.

At the Student Council room, Pansy walks past as Joro prepares to deliver some papers to the staff room before going home. Cosmos is staring blankly as Joro stands to leave. She tells him to wait before inviting him to meet her the next day on Saturday. Joro has a shocked look on his face as he accepts her offer. She arranges to meet the next day at 11:00 am at the train station clock tower. She writes in her notebook and says goodbye.

That night, Joro is sitting in his chair in his bedroom, thinking about his date with Cosmos tomorrow. Suddenly, his phone buzzes as he gets a message from Himawari asking to meet with him tomorrow. He tells her he can't on Saturday, so she changes to Sunday, to which Joro agrees. He puts his phone away and reaches for his Mathematics textbook to do homework.

The next day, Joro is waiting at the clock tower at 10:50 am. Cosmos arrives and greets him. Joro is stunned by her appearance. They eat at SunBucks, visit a clothing store, and have a picnic at the park. A bespectacled female figure wearing pink can be seen watching them from behind a tree at the park.

   In the evening, Joro and Cosmos are walking through the park when Cosmos stops him, telling him there was something she wanted to tell him. She sits on a bench and asks him to sit next to her. She starts playing with her hair as she tells him that there is someone she likes. She talks about how she gets happy when she sees that person. Joro swallows anxiously as Cosmos turns and leans toward him. She shouts that she likes Joro's friend, Sun. Joro is taken by surprise as Cosmos continues, telling him that it started at last year's regional baseball tournament against Toshobu High School. She recalls how Sun's team lost, but he was encouraging his teammates with a smile. She said that after the game she went to the players' waiting room from the east hallway to find Sun crying by himself and hitting his head against the wall, and that was the moment she fell in love with him.

Joro is still in shock as Cosmos frets that she doesn't get to talk to Sun very often, and their relationship isn't making progress. She reaches into her bag and pulls out her notebook, as a female figure wearing pink watches from behind a tree behind the bench. She asks Joro to help her and Sun get together, which causes Joro to scream internally, but is swayed by her pleading eyes and agrees to help. Cosmos stands and bows to thank him before saying goodbye and leaving.

The next day, Joro and Himawari exit a movie theater after watching a movie called "*Meat World: Chicken Kingdom*". Himawari asks Joro what's wrong, since he hasn't been acting normal. Joro says it's nothing, which Himawari doesn't believe, and she hugs him from behind. Joro panics and tells her to stop, as they are drawing attention. A bespectacled female wearing yellow and purple can be seen watching them from the background. Himawari snuggles her face into Joro's back, and Joro smiles, thanking her for cheering him up. They eat at a family restaurant, visit a bakery and a sports store.

In the evening, Joro and Himawari are playing on the swing set at Sun Park (たいよう公圍). Himawari jumps off the swing and lands on her feet. As they start walking, Himawari stops Joro, saying she had something to tell him. She sits on a bench and asks him to sit next to her. She starts playing with her hair as she tells him there is someone she likes. She talks about how she gets happy when she sees that person. Joro's heart thumps as Himawari turns and leans toward him and shouts that she like Joro's friend, Sun. Joro sighs resignedly with a sense of déjà vu. A female figure wearing yellow and purple watches them from behind the bushes as Himawari continues, telling Joro that it all started at last year's regional baseball tournament against Toshobu High School. She recalls how Sun's team lost, but he was encouraging his teammates with a smile. She said that after the game she went to the players' waiting room from the west hallway to find Sun crying by himself and hitting his head against the wall, and that was the moment she fell in love with him.

Joro is twitching in shock at the fact that both Cosmos and Himawari both fell for the same person at the same time thinking the same things only from opposite sides. Himawari asks Joro to help her and Sun get together, which causes Joro to scream internally, but is swayed by her pleading eyes and agrees to help. Himawari stands and bows to thank him before saying goodbye and leaving.

That night, Joro slowly walks into his room in disbelief of what had happened that weekend. He starts laughing softly before gritting his teeth and seething with anger. He throws his Mathematics textbook at the wall and the book's dust jacket comes off, revealing that the book is actually a Love Manual (恋愛マニュアル). Joro reveals that his personality is all an act. Joro rants, rhetorically asking where he went wrong with his facade. He is sure he made no mistakes, and yet he ends up in a situation like this. He considers ditching the act and confronting the two girls as his true self. Suddenly, he has an idea. It occurs to him that, since there are two girls and one boy, one of the girls will inevitably become heartbroken regardless of who Sun chooses, meaning that Joro would have a chance to be with the one who isn't chosen. He decides that he will help both of them until one of them starts going out with Sun.

The next day, Joro leaves his house to walk to school. The scene mimics the one from Friday morning, except the colours are faded, and the episode name changes from I'm Really Just an Ordinary High School Student (俺ってほんと，どこにでもいる平凡な高校生なんだ) to I'm Really Just an Ordinary Background Character (俺ってほんと，どこにでもいる平凡なモブなんだ). Joro's voiceover introduces himself, just like on Friday, except he is speaking much more informally. Himawari runs up behind him and greets him with a smack on the back. Joro recoils heavily from the impact with the sound of bones breaking. He greets Himawari with his polite persona while cursing at her internally. Joro's voiceover introduces Himawari and calls her a bitch. Himawari thanks him for what happened yesterday, and Joro admits that Cosmos had asked the same thing of him on Saturday. Himawari's suspicions are proven right, Cosmos is now her rival. Joro tells her he will help both of them, and he begins discussing his strategy for Himawari for that day. Himawari hugs him as thanks, and Joro cynically criticizes her action.

At school, Joro enters the classroom, and Sun comments that Himawari isn't with him. Joro explains that they are just childhood friends. Himawari enters the classroom and greets everyone with a panicked greeting. joro sighs with relief as Sun calls Himawari over to talk. Himawari suddenly speaks with a robotic voice that she needs to go the the Student Council room, which was supposed to be Joro's line. Sun questions what Himawari has to do with the Student Council, which makes Himawari realize she said the wrong thing. She turns to Joro with teary eyes, who continues with the plan, saying he needs to go to the Student Council room before leaving the room. As Joro leaves, Himawari talks to Sun, fumbling with her words.

Joro arrives at the Student Council room where he had asked to meet with Cosmos. Joro's voiceover introduces Cosmos, calling her a minx. Joro admiits that Himawari had asked the favor of him on Sunday. Cosmos's suspicions are proven right. Joro tells her he will help both of them, and he begins discussing his plan for Cosmos that day. Cosmos takes his hand in hers as thanks, and Joro cynically criticizes her action.

Joro and Cosmos meet with Sun in the hallway, where Cosmos is supposed to use the baseball team's budget as pretext to be friends, but she panics and asks to be his friend in a squeaky voice. Sun questions what she said, which makes Cosmos realize she said the wrong thing. She turns to Joro with teary eyes, who continues the plan, adding in the pretext that Cosmos didn't mention. Sun agrees, calling Cosmos by her nickname. Joro sighs, realizing that helping both of them will be a lot more work than he thought.

At lunchtime, Himawari and Cosmos are looking for Joro, who is hiding from them, wanting some quiet time. He ends up in the library where it is always quiet. Joro thinks to himself that the only downside to the library is that Pansy is always there. Pansy walks up to his table, carrying a stack of books. Joro greets her with his polite persona. Joro's voiceover explains her nickname, and introduces her as the library aide who has a sharp tongue only when speaking with him. Pansy sits down next to Joro, wanting to talk. Joro insists that he is too tired to talk, to which she responds by outlining his current dilemma with scary accuracy.

Joro's hand twitches, and he asks what she just said. Pansy smiles, holding a copy of *Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde* (ジキル博士とハイド氏). She considers telling Sun what was going on. Joro begins to sweat as he asks how she knows about the situation. She stands and faces away from Joro, then turns her head and tells him she has been stalking him. Joro yells gibberish, waving his arms wildly. Asunaro runs past the window outside and notices Joro waving his arms. Joro credits Pansy's deduction, and begins to leave. Pansy threatens to tell Sun 'all' of Joro's secrets, forcing him to stay and talk. Joro suddenly notices a park bench in the library, which causes him to panic. He asks how it's possible for the bench to be here, and Pansy answers calmly that express delivery is fast. The cardboard packaging is on the floor with the logo of the fictional delivery service, Azarin.

   Pansy walks to the bench and sits down, telling Joro to sit next to her, mimicking exactly how Cosmos and Himawari had done it. Joro complies with robotic movements, screaming internally. She starts playing with her hair as she tell him the is someone she likes. Joro is relieved, assuming that she, too, will say she likes Sun. She continues, talking about she gets happy when she sees that person. Joro's legs are trembling as Pansy leans toward him, placing her hand on his leg. Pansy tells Joro that she loves him. Pansy begins to explain where it all started when Joro interrupts her politely. Pansy tells him she doesn't like it when he speaks like that. Joro is shocked that she, not only knows about, but likes his true self. Pansy says she wants to talk to 'Hyde'.

Joro sighs and drops the facade, much to Pansy's delight. Joro recoils in disgust when Pansy looks at him lovingly, and she hits him over the head with an Entomology book. Joro tells her he hates her, and she tells him she loves him. Joro asks what she wants to do, telling her he does not intend to date her. Pansy agrees that they shouldn't date. Instead, she requests that he come to the library every lunchtime to talk to her. Initially, Joro refuses her request, but she manages to persuade him to agree.

Joro holds his head in his hands and whines about how things turned out like this, and Pansy tells him she is looking forward to spending time with him.

## Characters in Order of Appearance

* Amatsuyu Kisaragi (Jekyll)
* Sumireko Sanshokuin
* Aoi Hinata
* Taiyo Oga
* Asaka Mayama (cameo)
* Charismatic Group
* Hina Hanetachi (cameo)
* Sakura Akino
* Yasuo Hazuki (cameo)
* Momo Sakurabara (cameo)
* Runa Kusami (cameo)
* Chiharu Yoki (cameo)
* Amatsuyu Kisaragi (Hyde)