Chapter 35 is the 35th chapter of Kodocha, the fifth chapter of the seventh book in the Tankōbon Release, and the sixth chapter of the fifth book in the Kanzenban and Bunkoban releases.
Summary[]
A classmate of Akito and Tsuyoshi's goes missing, and the blame is put on Akito. Akito decides to find him, seeing this as his chance to make amends for all the bad he's done in his life.
Plot[]
Sana explains to Fuka what she overheard in the faculty room, and they go to eavesdrops with Tsuyoshi, Aya, and some other students out the window. Akito is pulled in and questioned what he knows about Kazuyuki Komori's disappearance. The teachers show him the suicide note, and Akito truthfully tells his side of the story (that he'd never talked to Kazuyuki until yesterday, when he asked if he could write Akito's name down as one his friends), but Mrs. Komori refuses to believe he's telling the truth.
Mr. Suzuki is ready to dismiss Akito, when Mr. Sengoku butts in, dropping the bomb that he's been doing his research on Akito's past. He explains how two years before, a group of fifth graders were caught stealing. They supposedly had a leader, but all the kids involved refused to point out who it was. The same group of fifth graders also got in a fight with older kids, where one of the younger kids relentlessly attacked an older one, resulting in the older kid getting a broken nose, losing some teeth, and breaking some bones. Sengoku asks if this was him, and Akito confesses it was. Sana thinks about how even she didn't know about this, Tsuyoshi questions why Sengoku would try and dig this up, and Fuka is in shock from learning anything at all about Akito's past.
Sengoku is about to continue on about what happened in sixth grade with Akito, when Tsuyoshi busts through the window to clarify the situation -- insisting that yes Akito used to be bad -- but he never forced anyone to do anything bad, he never wanted to be a leader, and that he never instigated anyone to do anything bad. That instead, Akito impressed his classmates, and that they tried to copycat his actions to get on his good side. Tsuyoshi backs up his claims by reminding everyone he's known him since kindergarten, and Akito is touched. Mr. Sengoku doesn't let up, questioning why Tsuyoshi would stand by Akito when he's done all that - and saying that the kids who did bad things probably regret it, but does Akito?
Mr. Suzuki tries to refocus the conversation about Kazuyuki, and tells Akito to go home to his family, and Tsuyoshi is touched by how nice he is. Akito goes to grab his things and leave, and finds Kazuyuki left his notebook in his locker. He puts it in his bag, not showing Tsuyoshi - though he does thank him for backing him up before leaving.
Fuka and Sana meet up with Tsuyoshi, and Fuka asks Tsuyoshi to tell her everything about Akito's past. Tsuyoshi goes on to explain how in fifth grade, things got bad when his sister was stressed about high school entrance exams, and started taking out all her upset on Akito. Sana gets a work call, and has to leave, but before she does gives Fuka and Tsuyoshi her cell phone number. Fuka continues the conversation with Tsuyoshi, asking what made Akito a better person, which makes Tsuyoshi confess it was Sana's intervention last year. He explains all the details, and as he explains, he can see Fuka's expression getting progressively sadder.
Sana rehearses for a live TV special that is set to be done the next day. It turns out Naozumi is a guest, and Sana wonders how it'll go since they're not speaking to each other. On the ride home, she gets a call, she expects it to be Tsuyoshi or Fuka since she gave them her number, but it's Akito (who got the number from Tsuyoshi). He says he needs to see her, so she meets up with him. He explains how he's going to find Kazuyuki, and bring him back, and then shows her the notebook that Kazuyuki left in his locker.
Sana begins reading the notebook, and every entry is Kazuyuki explaining mundane interactions with Akito (saying hello to him in a hallway, sitting several seats away from him, or recounting things he oversaw between Akito and Mr. Sengoku). Akito is jarred by this, but Sana compares it to how in elementary school, some of the other classmates looked up to Akito - with this just being a more distant version. Sana spots that in the last entry, he mentions a location that he thinks would be a good spot to die, so Akito and Sana both assume that that's where he went. Akito admits that he asked Sana to see him because he doesn't have the money to pay for the train fare, so Sana gives it to him.
As they wait for the train, Akito talks about how he hasn't been a good person, that he's hurt a lot of people, and that a lot of people must hate him. He says he regrets it, but that he's aware he can't change the past - but he sees this as a chance to make amends, he's going to help Kazuyuki. Sana asks if she can come along, but Akito insists he wants to go alone. Sana thinks of if this is the right thing to encourage Akito to do, and the train arrives. Before he boards, he realizes he doesn't have a water, so Sana lends him her's. He tells her he still loves her, and that he'll try to be good, and then boards the train. They look at each other through the train window, and Sana tears up thinking of how she loves him too.
She looks at Kazuyuki's notebook one last time, and sees a page declaring that Akito betrayed him, and that he'll kill him. Sana is concerned, and wonders if Akito saw that page. Meanwhile in the woods, Kazuyuki repeats Akito's name while stabbing the ground with a knife.
Characters[]
- Sana Kurata
- Akito Hayama
- Fuka Matsui
- Tsuyoshi Sasaki
- Aya Sugita
- Kazuyuki Komori
- Mr. Sengoku
- Mr. Suzuki
- Mrs. Komori
- Rei Sagami
- Rina (debut)
- Naozumi Kamura (mentioned)
- Natsumi Hayama (mentioned)
- Fuyuki Hayama (mentioned)
Author's Notes[]
Pop Quiz Time!: "Here's the question: When did Kazuyuki Komori first appear? Which volume of Kodocha, and on what page? If you answer correctly... you get... nothing! (hee hee) But if you've got some time to kill, see if you can find his first appearance. If you look, you'll see that he's been showing up here and there for quite some time. I'll tell you the answer in volume 8! Hmm, since my drawing style isn't very consistent, you might have a hard time finding him. So I'll give you some hints: Here is a quick description of Kazuyuki Komori: 1) His bangs cross together in front."
"2) He has drooping eyelids. 3) And unlike most of the other characters, I draw both of his nostrils! I should have a name for this quiz...I know, I'll call it: The Komori Pop Quiz! How about it? (Pretty original, huh...?)"
❤ Thank you ❤❤: "Okay, here's my last bit of babbling for this volume. Thanks for reading all of my nonsense! So, how did you like volume 7? Oh, you're not done yet? Well, don't skip ahead!! Read it all and then come back! (Hee hee) And hey, please keep sending along your feedback. So anyway, how did you like this volume? What? You're still not finished? Seriously? C'mon, finish up already! ❤ Just kidding! (Hee hee) I'm just so happy that you're reading Kodocha! You should read Kodocha wherever you want. Even in the bathtub! (Um, but try not to drop it in the tub! I hate when I do that!) And you probably shouldn't read it at school either-you might get in trouble! (But if you do get caught by a teacher...just bite them and run away!) (I'm just kidding!!! Don't do that, okay?) Well, anyway... I'll see you in volume 8!❤" - Signed Miho Obana, September 1997
Trivia[]
- This chapter was never adapted in the anime, however some elements of the Kazuyuki Arc were reused in the Karate Club Arc.