You and I Are Polar Opposites: Sunny & Rainy Chapter 3 Summary
Chapter 3
Side A: "Cool" isn't really the right word for Taira...
This part is from Taira's POV.
Year 2, Class 7, Classroom: 13:30 (Lunch) — Rainy
In middle school, Taira's homeroom teacher passed out "communication notebooks" where students were supposed to write a few sentences about what had happened at school that day for the teacher. Likely so that the school could understand the students' worries and to monitor bullying. After a few months, there was a drop-off in people writing in them. Though his homeroom teacher reminded students about how important these notebooks were, the number of participating students continued to decrease, simply because no one had anything new to say in the samey days of school. Eventually everyone stopped writing in them, and they were completely forgotten.
Taira finds himself remembering this when the Happy Birthday song starts playing over the intercom. From the stairs, he can hear people clapping on beat and party poppers going off. This event is so memorable that these participants could all be able to write 3-4 lines about this in their communication notebooks, if this school had them. Meanwhile, he'd have nothing to write, because he hasn't told anyone it's his birthday.
In the classroom, students who want something to talk about are chattering away about the birthday celebration, while those who are uninterested scroll their phones. Taira overhears Morimo, Mini, and other classmates congratulate a friend from another class who has a birthday next week. Taira thinks: If they're doing it all now, are they going to celebrate his actual birthday?
Taira goes to throw out his trash and runs into Suzuki on his way back to the classroom. Suzuki asks if he heard that the birthday broadcast was done by 3rd years. Taira says he heard about it from Watanabe. Suzuki says Nabe was also the one who told her. Taira says that it sounded like it was for the third-year student named Hoshi. Someone who seems to be famous at school. Suzuki says she thinks Hoshi is the soccer club's president?
Taira doesn't really know much about third years, and club news doesn't really matter that much to people who don't attend clubs. But there's still people you hear about from osmosis. Hoshi is at the center of the school as the soccer club's president and the leader of the cheering squad on Sports Day. Someone who could be forgiven for basically anything. Her inner circle knew that and got away with putting on a surprise broadcast for her.
Taira makes a comment that people who can just be happy with that really are something. Suzuki is confused as to what he's referring to. Taira asks if girls like receiving such public surprises. Suzuki gets serious and asks if he's planning to surprise someone in the same way. Taira says no, he was just curious. Suzuki thinks and says that she likes surprises, but something on this scale would probably be too embarrassing. Taira agrees. Suzuki glances at Tani's seat and says that, anyway, it's not something she has to worry about. Taira says that Tani doesn't seem the type to pull a stunt like that. Suzuki laughs with an "Ehehehe," which annoys him.
Tani returns to his seat, so Suzuki waves bye to Taira and hurries back to her own. Having heard Suzuki's opinion, Taira is thinking about how embarrassing surprises are. He had forgotten about his own birthday until he heard that birthday song broadcast, and for a second, he thought maybe Yamada and Watanabe had set it up for him. While the thought was embarrassing, he had even smiled for a brief moment and started thinking about what kind of retort he should follow up with. It was mortifying to then realize it wasn't for him, and it's mortifying to think about now.
Taira hurries back to his seat when a voice suddenly asks what's wrong and points out his red face. It's the number one person he didn't want to notice, and she's looking at him with doubt and curiosity. Azuma. Taira drops his gaze as he frequently does whenever he meets a girl's eyes.
Taira: Nothing... Forget about it.
Azuma: Wow. And here I was worrying about you.
Taira: ...What? I thought you were creeped out.
Azuma: Nah, that's about right. You were acting real weird.
Taira: The heck?
Taira is actually relieved that she wasn't seriously worried about him because, if she was, he'd feel bad about assuming that she thought he was being creepy.
Azuma: Wait, don't tell me— Is this because you were talking to Suzuki all up close?
Taira: Absolutely not.
Azuma: Didn't skip a beat, there.
Taira thinks of Suzuki completely as a friend and has never gotten any indication otherwise from her. He's pretty sure that she's not his type.
Azuma: You seem like you'd prefer the quiet type.
Taira: Wouldn't say that's true.
Azuma: Huh? Then what's your type?
Taira: Uh... It's more like...
Azuma: Like what?
Taira: I don't really spend time thinking about that kind of stuff.
Azuma: Hmmm...
Azuma's expression doesn't change, but Taira gets the sense that this wasn't the fun answer she was looking for. He feels like he's sweating for some weird reason, so he doesn't say anything else of substance and gets back to his seat. He starts wondering what the right answer to her question would've been. He really has no idea what his type is, and the fact that it was Azuma asking just makes him even more at a loss for words. He still feels nervous talking about personal things because she's from his middle school. He tried to pick somewhere away from all his middle school classmates, but she somehow chose the same high school, which really shocked him at first.
Taira was fat in middle school. He left his hair up to the barber once and ended up with a haircut that was like a kappa's plate. The girls made it a point to avoid him, and he didn't really make any friends. At the bottom of the class hierarchy, he didn't really meet anyone's eyes. Though he eventually lost weight and started paying attention to his appearance, he hasn't changed on the inside. Azuma didn't do anything bad to him in middle school, but he can't help but wonder what she's thinking whenever she sees him getting along with people now. He's worried that she might laugh at all the things he's now chosen for himself — it'd feel like a rejection of his entire being. She's the only one who has the information necessary to judge him, and that makes him really scared. He keeps remembering the air she gave off in middle school, which was like someone of the upper strata looking down at the others.
She hasn't been giving off that air recently, but he's always unsure if she might randomly pull that out someday. He doesn't really get her. Is she interested in his thoughts and preferences, or was she just trying to pass time with meaningless conversation? He feels like if he had answered her question, he'd just be bracing himself for the rejection. He still can't answer the question now.
Just then, Yamada comes skipping into the classroom. He notices Taira and immediately asks if he heard about what Gapacho just did. Taira wants to take a look inside his head just once to see how simple his thoughts really are. For now, he makes perfunctory listening noises. Yamada's story isn't interesting at all since he says stuff on instinct. It's like he's just passing on his positivity. But he's so innocently cheery that basically everything can be forgiven. Taira thinks of him as an overly good guy. Every time he sees him, he thinks—
Taira: Communication breakdowns are primarily my fault...
Yamada: Huh? Did you say something?
Taira: ...No, it's nothing.
Taira thinks about how he's the one building walls and doubting Azuma all on his own because he's afraid of getting hurt or being laughed at. Meanwhile, Yamada doesn't doubt anyone, and he likewise doesn't beat himself up about things he's said. Taira doesn't connect to other people, so he won't get to celebrate his birthday with anyone.
This is the same as in middle school. Nothing has changed.
Memory: Middle School, Year 3
Taira's birthday was written on the calendar alongside another student's as the homeroom teacher wrote all the birthdays in the class down. Yet only the other student, a kid in the basketball club, was celebrated. His classmates acted like he didn't exist, so he pretended to fall asleep on his desk. Standing in a circle with their backs to him, they went on about how great the class got along. When it was time to move classrooms, they left behind a bunch of trash, and no one tried to wake Taira up to inform him about the move. Taira picked up the trash, wondering why he was even bothering to clean up after them. Why couldn't the others see all the trash they left out?
This wasn't why he was originally upset, but his anger has transferred to this now. Taira thinks about how much of a drag he is. He's choosing to pick up the trash and likewise choosing to complain internally about it.
That day, he could only remember what happened up until the moment that he angrily threw all that trash away. So he had nothing to write in his communication notebook. And nothing has changed to this day.
Year 2, Class 7, Classroom: 14:00 (Fifth Period) — Rainy
Fifth period is the Classics1, and Taira can't focus for many reasons. Classical Japanese is so boring that even Tani is looking sleepy though he's still trying his best to focus. Suzuki started off sitting up straight but is now slouching. Watanabe is leaning on her elbow and is probably asleep. Azuma is taking notes and pretending that she understands anything. Yamada's looking up at the ceiling, probably thinking about what he's going to do after school. Some kids are playing games on their phones or listening to something else with earbuds in, secretly.
Taira's thinking about how nothing is going his way today. A list:
- Morning: Yamada accidentally splashed him with water, so he had to change into gym clothes and dry his uniform on the veranda.
- After first period: He went to talk to Tani. The girls standing around were chatting away about how different Tani's hair was and treating him like he didn't exist.
- After second period: While erasing the chalkboard, he dropped the eraser on his head and said, "Ow! What are you doing?!" like a comedy routine all by himself, which had the classmate next to him staring.
- After third period: Satou looked worried and asked him if his uniform was okay. Taira remembered he was drying it on the veranda. It wasn't just sopping wet but also muddy; the wind blew it outside of the veranda, and Taira had to retrieve it from the ground.
- After fourth period: He discovered that the lid to the hair wax he used for Tani came off in his bag and made 60% of this things sticky.2
What makes him even more annoyed is that most of this was due to his own clumsiness.
Taira realizes that he's behind on copying what's on the board and tries to start writing but accidentally stabs his eraser instead. The lead breaks off. He tries to dig the pencil lead out of his eraser but fails and only breaks his eraser. Then the teacher calls on him to translate a sentence. Taira stands up but has no idea what page they're on. There's a deathly silence. The teacher coldly asks if he was playing around on his desk. Taira says he got caught up in trying to get lead out of his eraser; he can hear some girls laugh. It goes back to being quiet, and Taira apologizes before sitting down again.
The teacher asks who knows the answer, and Tani volunteers. Taira feels like he was the only one who hadn't been paying attention.
Year 2, Class 7, Classroom: 14:35 (Break) — Rainy
Fifth period ends, and Azuma comes up to his desk with a faint smile.
Azuma: Mr. Taira, was the eraser surgery a success?
Taira: Don't start this again.
Taira matched Azuma's joke on reflex, and he can hear a boy in their vicinity laugh. Taira feels a bit better since it's like his suffering wasn't for nothing. Azuma glances at his desk and innocently picks up his eraser.
Azuma: Ack! The heck?! This is gory! What you have here is nothing but the remains of an eraser...
Taira: It's not that far gone. Stop insulting my eraser.
Watanabe: Y'know, I totes relate to forgetting 'bout class 'cause of eraser surgery. Take a look at this.
She takes out her own eraser. It has "Watanabe" in katakana engraved beautifully in it.
Taira: Wait, how the hell did you do this?! It's pristine!
Watanabe: I sculpted this here with a chisel in class...
Taira: Which class even let you get away with perfecting this?
Watanabe: Well, y'see... I was trying to kill some time in Gomapon's class, and it just grabbed me, heart and soul. Oh, I know! Next time I'm at it, I might as well make y'all some!
Yamada: That sounds sick! Give me one!
Suzuki: Be careful with those tools if you're making more.
The others continue to talk, but both Taira and Azuma are quiet. Azuma is probably just observing, but Taira finds himself kind of wanting that eraser with his name engraved on it for real, so he can't make any of his usual interjections. He feels himself relax at realizing that these people probably won't exclude him.
Suzuki: Wait, I just remembered! We gotta move for our next class, so we need to get our things together!
The other disperse and Taira is sitting alone at his desk. He thinks that it's probably fine even if no one wishes him a happy birthday as it's not really a big deal at this age. He'd be rather happy if someone remembered, but if no one does, he's still living differently than how he was before. That's probably what he needs more than anything.
With art tools in hand, he looks over the classroom.
Side B: Doesn't Azuma seem kind of lost in thought?
This part is from Azuma's POV.
Year 2, Class 7, Classroom: 14:42 (Break) — Rainy
Azuma splits up from Suzuki, Watanabe, and Satou because her art elective is fine arts. She chose this because it seemed easiest — she doesn't want to have to sing in front of other people for music, and calligraphy might get her clothes dirty. There's only one person from their usual group that picked the same thing she did.
Azuma says, "Let's go," to Taira. Taira was getting his materials together very slowly, probably unsure about whether they would head to the art room together. He used to just go on his own, but lately he seems to be more confused about whether to hang around for her. Given that, Azuma figures she can just make the invitation. It's really no big deal to her, but she knows that he dwells on these kinds of things. She wants him to have more confidence.
They head down the hall together. Azuma comments on how the rain doesn't seem to be letting up, and Taira agrees. The conversation ends there. Azuma can't tell if he just doesn't feel like talking more or if he doesn't have interest in the topic. Azuma sometimes gets bored with people like this, but she tends to feel more at ease with Taira since she's not really expecting anything. Though today, he seems kind of gloomy.
Azuma: What's wrong? Still mulling over your eraser?
Taira: No, not really. Or maybe it's sort of related... But it's not the main thing I'm thinking about, it's more like... the whole day itself... Which traces back to something else in the past, I guess...
His voice gets quieter as he continues talking, and Azuma can't hear all of it. It's quiet again. Taira seems to be overthinking things all the time. She's wanted to say that, but she can't find the timing, and now it's awkward. Suzuki and the others probably don't know about how negative Taira can get. Azuma can feel a bit impatient about it at times, but it's not strong enough to make her upset. Sometimes she finds herself waiting to see his weird personality quirk.
Azuma: Well, uh... Something good might happen at some point...? You never know...
Taira: You don't sound convinced yourself.
And now they're back to their usual pattern. Azuma wonders why she finds their winding talk comforting. They reach the art room.
Azuma: Here we go. We're free after this last hour, so hang in there.
Taira: Yeah.
Azuma realizes there's only one hour left in the school day and feels like she's forgetting something important. But she stops thinking about it as she enters the room.
Art Room: 14:50 (6th Period) — Rainy
Their task today is to do a study of something in the art room. Azuma is feeling tired from the day. She observes Taira, who also didn't coordinate this class selection with anyone and is acting intensely solitary. He suddenly looks her way. Their eyes meet, and Taira nervously diverts his gaze. Azuma assumes this is because groups tend to separate by gender when class starts. She hears the music class on the same floor — Suzuki's voice in particular, because she's the only one who isn't trying to sing quieter.
Kawasaki: Azumaaaa, did you hear that song during lunch break?
Azuma was in Kawasaki's class last year and came to know her as someone who's diligent with a strong sense of responsibility, though a lot of people find her strong aura hard to approach.
Azuma: Yep, I did.
Kawasaki: Oh, right. It was a school-wide broadcast after all...
Kawasaki goes on to say that it was done by a cringey couple. She had people like that at her middle school too. Azuma agrees, but then she starts wondering about how it was in her middle school again. Before she can think through the hazy memories, Kawasaki goes on about how, at her middle school, the popular group looped everyone in the class into celebrating a birthday for a friend. Kawasaki went along with it at the time, but looking back at it now, she feels like she was just pulled into their flow. People who are part of the group don't notice, but those who were on the outside or otherwise uninterested must not have liked it. Azuma says she understands that influencing power of the inner group.
Azuma remembers getting celebrated by her middle school friends like this. Being greeted with party poppers and Happy Birthday's at the door. A passing teacher feigning annoyance before giving approval with a "Kids will be kids"-like statement and a smile; the class apologizing to the teacher while laughing. Azuma played along at the time, but now she can't remember any of the details of the actual celebration. Her boyfriend, her friends, the members of the group were all there, but her feelings weren't. She remembers the strings and the confetti paper that landed in the hallway more than the presents she received. No one was looking at the floor. They were pushing her into the classroom, and then the rest is a blur.
Azuma wonders now who cleaned up all of that trash. She probably didn't say anything about it at the time since she thought she had to go along with the flow and act happy. Situations like this haven't really happened much in high school since fewer people know each other and each other's birthdays. It's a bit more lonely, but also somewhat of a relief.
Azuma starts thinking about whose birthdays she knows here. She knows Suzuki's, Satou's, Watanabe's, and someone else's, she feels. The study of the bust she's working on looks gloomy, so she draws in confetti trash from the party poppers.
Kawasaki: What's all that, Azuma?
Azuma: Hm? Oh, I just felt like adding this. It was looking gloomy, after all.
Kawasaki: ...Aren't you taking too many liberties with this? You have to hand that in, you know?
Azuma: Huh? But it's cuter this way, isn't it?
Art Classroom: 15:40 (Before Cleaning Duty) — Rainy
Azuma heads over to Taira and asks him what he drew. Taira panics and hides his art.
Taira: It sucks, so don't look at it!
Azuma: What now? Is this a setup for a joke?
Taira: This drawing is neither good nor bad, so it's the worst type of thing to have to comment on!
Azuma: Hmmm...
Azuma doesn't really care if she sees it or not, but she wants an opportunity to tease him. From the glance she got, it was a drawing of fruit lined up. And it looked pretty good.
Taira: What did you draw?
Azuma: Wanna see?
Azuma leads him back to her desk. Taira furrows his brows.
Taira: Uh, what's going on here?
Azuma: It's cute, right?
Taira: ...Is this really okay? This part. You drew something extra when it was supposed to be a study.
Azuma: Yeah? I asked when our teacher was doing rounds earlier, and it's totally okay.
Taira: Yeah, all right, then.
Taira says that without much emotion. He's staring at the confetti trash.
Azuma: What's wrong, Taira?
Taira: Huh? Nothing, really...
Azuma: What is it? If it's really that weird, why don't you just say something?
Taira: ...No, it's just that, even though you added all of this, it doesn't really feel celebratory.
Azuma: Really...? It doesn't?
Taira: I don't know how to explain this, but... If you wanted this to be celebratory, normally you'd have the confetti flying through the air or sitting on top of the statue, right? Just having it scattered across the ground makes it look more like trash— Ack.
He makes a face at accidentally saying something rude.
Taira: Sorry...
He goes stiff.
Azuma: It does kind of look like that, huh...? Is this a total flop?
She doesn't really care either way, but she asks anyway.
Taira: No, like I was saying, I don't know! I'm not an artist of any kind!
Kawasaki: Azuma! Let's head home together!
Azuma: Sorry, can't today. I have some cleaning to do with this one here.
She points at Taira.
Taira: Don't refer to me like that.
Kawasaki heads off.
Azuma: Guess that's that. Let's get cleaning, then.
Taira: Yeah. Uh, what are we in charge of, again?
Azuma: You didn't check earlier? It's the staircase.
Taira: That's all? Should be easy.
He seems relieved. They do cleaning chores on rotation, and the staircase is nowhere as bad as the toilets.
Staircase Landing: 15:45 (Cleaning Duty) — Rainy
It's the place where the third years were celebrating that birthday. There's confetti paper and party popper strings on the ground. Though there's evidence that they picked up the biggest pieces, they left all the small stuff.
Satou: Sheesh, it's like those third years didn't clean anything up.
Taira: Nothing else to do about it...
He gets a broom from the cleaning locker. The other two boys brought dust cloths from the classroom; five people in total for this cleaning crew. Taira hands Azuma a broom.
Azuma: When you think about it, having really obvious trash is motivating in its own way.
Satou: What a positive spin.
Azuma: If there's no trash lying around, don't you start worrying about whether you're wasting your time?
Satou: Well, I suppose...
Azuma and Satou start sweeping stuff up, but when they make it to the first floor and ready the dustpan, they realize that all the little bits of party popper cord have gotten stuck in the broom, possibly because the rain made it damp. They try stamping on it but nothing comes free. Azuma is finally getting annoyed when a big shadow appears next to her.
Taira: Hey, what are you doing that for...
He quietly takes the broom from them and begins picking the strings free.
Taira: Man, this is filthy.
Azuma: ...Oh, Taira. Thanks.
Satou: Thank you.
Taira doesn't pay them any attention and throws away the trash in a nearby trashcan. Azuma follows him with the dustpan. They notice that the various bin types are full.
Azuma: Wow, they're all full. We're going to have to empty them outside.
Taira: ...Yeah. I'll do it.
Azuma: Want me to come with you? That looks like it's too much for one person.
Taira: I'll take you up on that.
The rain looks like it's only drizzling now. They inform Satou and the others that they're going out to the schoolyard to empty the bins and head out.
Entranceway: 15:50 (Cleaning Duty) — Rainy
Azuma is the only one who bothers to bring an umbrella; Taira is carrying two bags. Azuma holds out the umbrella.
Azuma: Why don't you come under?
Taira: It's not raining that hard. We don't have to go that far out, either.
Azuma: Uh-huh. That's boys for you.
Taira: What?
Azuma: You boys don't really worry about getting your hair wet from the rain.
Taira: ...Even if my hair gets wet, it's not going to be as bad as it was this morning.
He says that like he's holding a grudge against Yamada. Azuma snickers. Taira heads straight out with the bags in hand. They hear a small rumble, possibly thunder.
Azuma: Huh? Wait. That's Suzuki.
Suzuki is sharing a cat-patterned umbrella with Tani. Tani notices Azuma looking and darts out, pretending like he was never under it to begin with.
Suzuki: Hey, it's Tairazuma!
Azuma: What's going on, Suzuki?
Suzuki: Um, we just threw out some trash and were on our way back! Looks like we just missed each other, huh?
Suzuki scratches her cheek and looks away as Azuma stares.
Azuma: Hmmm? Under one umbrella, I see...♡
Tani: Both my hands were occupied with things to throw away...
Tani averts his eyes. Azuma notes that his right shoulder is sopping wet. The umbrella is small, and Tani probably wasn't sticking close while making sure that Suzuki wasn't getting wet.
Taira: Hey, Azuma! Hurry up!
He sounds like he's annoyed at what he's seeing. Azuma waves Suzuki and Tani goodbye and follows Taira, who is speeding away.
They successfully hand off the trash to a raincoat-clad Gomapon. Taira walks back in front of Azuma, and she holds out her umbrella to cover even a bit of his head. Suzuki and Tani might've been sharing a couple's umbrella, but her and Taira are different.
Azuma: Suzuki and Tani were hilarious just now!
Taira: Nothing about that was funny at all...
Though Taira can be a bit twisted, he's weirdly earnest in that he doesn't like to poke fun at other people's relationships. Taira is practically stomping with irritation as Azuma continues to giggle.
Just then, the sky suddenly lights up. Less than a second later, there's a huge roar of thunder. Azuma lets out a little yelp of surprise.
Taira: Ugh, thunder... Let's get inside the school building.
Taira looks over at her and beckons. Azuma agrees and they start running. She's holding the umbrella in front of her to block the wind and rain.
At that moment, Taira slips and falls right into a puddle.
Taira: ARGH! What the heck is up with today?!
He shouts that while continuing to sit on the puddle, like he's given up on everything.
Azuma starts laughing before she knows it. Of course he tripped — he was running while constantly looking over at Azuma as if to guide her.
Infirmary: 16:05 (Homeroom) — Thunderstorm
Now having gotten both his uniform and gym clothes wet, Taira borrowed a spare uniform at the infirmary. Azuma came with him and is waiting in the hallway. It's technically time for homeroom now, but there's no helping it if they're going to be a bit late. Taira emerges in a uniform that's even shorter for him than usual.
Azuma: ...Yeesh. Looks like you've been through the gauntlet today, Taira.
His shoulders are slumped, and Azuma doesn't feel like teasing him anymore.
Taira: Yeah. I don't get why this is happening to me, but... My luck's just in the pits today.
Azuma notes that Taira's been looking particularly down today. There's a dark aura surrounding him that seems to contain a special resentment for "today." Azuma has a hunch she's not completely sure about, but she figures she'll trick him into confirming whether she's right.
Azuma: Even though today is your birthday.
Taira: ...What? You knew?
Taira looks at her. Azuma finds herself looking into his eyes.
Azuma: Wait, it actually is? I was just going off a hunch.
Taira: So you were just guessing.
But as he says that, Azuma has a hand to her chin, thinking it over. She feels like it wasn't a complete guess.
Azuma: No... I feel like I really did hear you say this when we were asking each other questions in English class... I remember it was somewhere around the middle or the end of the month...
Taira: That's practically a guess, still.
Azuma: Maybe I forgot, but my subconscious remembered.
Taira stays silent without saying anything snappy back.
Azuma: ...Were you maybe hoping that someone would congratulate you?
Taira: As if.
Azuma: I know, I'll give you a present. Here you go!
She gives him something she put in her wallet at lunch. Taira has a mysterious expression on his face.
Taira: What is this?
Azuma: It's a Yeti Bread sticker. It came with the bread I had for lunch.
Taira stares at the sticker without saying anything.
Azuma: Huh? What's with that disgusted face?
Taira: No... Thanks.
Azuma was waiting for him to snap back with a, "Like I'd want something like this." For some reason, she feels a little relieved that wasn't his answer.
It's still pouring outside, but Azuma feels like it's extremely sunny. The clock in the hall catches her attention.
Azuma: Wait, we're on class duty today! We gotta hurry, Taira!
Taira: Crap!
He starts panicking too. They start running to the classroom side by side. Azuma finds herself wondering if Taira was happy to get the sticker. She starts to look over at him, but stops when she feels herself start to make a certain expression.
Yeah, right, she thinks. There's no way.
Personal Commentary:
I tried more here because of personal bias, but also this is the only section that wasn't as predictable.
You know, I was wondering if they were going to get into Taira's past body. I guess I should be glad that they didn't make it so that he feels so much better about himself for being thin now, but I've always found it kind of a weird character detail because we don't have any fat characters that actually get any in-depth treatment. There still is some implication that getting thin was an active choice of his. It feels weird to me that Taira seems to be stereotypically attractive now that he's thin, and I seriously doubt that he would be popular with the fanbase at all if he was still fat. Kind of makes me sad to think about.
Felt that about Classical Japanese being a chore. I don't want to even try, me too stupid. I already don't like reading Shakespeare in English.
The whole part about him getting called out in class by the teacher is. Well. I would die, personally. This truly was Taira's Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day.
This detail about Azuma not really feeling like singing in front of other people is interesting considering the epilogue with her and Taira in the manga.
I feel like this section was more compelling than the previous two since it gives more texture to both Taira and Azuma's pasts. It's just also neat to see the subtext that they always end up being there for each other. Metaphorically, Taira notices when Azuma is upset (correctly identifying her emotions in making her art even when she wasn't really thinking too much about it), and he cleans up the mess from experiences Azuma doesn't enjoy, both in the past before they were friends, and now in the present when she was actually reaching the end of her patience with the broom. He's the only one who understands what Azuma's expressing with the trash confetti in her art, even when she's not completely aware of it herself. On the flip side, Azuma is also the only one who picks up on Taira's general gloom about his birthday, and the only one to give him a present. And of course, she's always been trying to encourage him in high school, even when he took her suggestions for hairstyling in the opposite manner. And look at him now, he's giving Tani hair suggestions...
I feel like this kind of extra metaphorical layer (which isn't even that hard to pick up on) is what was missing from the previous two sections. The section with Yamada and Nishi had the thing with the tiles and Nishi finding a book that she wouldn't have without Yamada, and Yamada doing something he wouldn't have (reading a book) without her, but the meaning of these instances were so obviously spelled out that both characters basically said what you were supposed to take away word for word. That's not bad since it was cute, but it's less compelling of a literary structure. Here the audience has to at least try a little bit because the characters aren't aware of the connection themselves. Azuma will probably never know that Taira was the one that picked up trash from her unwanted classroom birthday celebration.
The detail that didn't make it into the anime of Taira falling into the puddle because he was watching out for Azuma is also very cute. It's interesting to see the changes they made in the anime to cut down on the time (such as Azuma actually remembering the date accurately, compared to her vague impression of when his birthday takes place here).