Schneller als die Angst (2022)

Tomoko was excited to think that she could spend all day playing games and watching movies and still have plenty of summer break left, but before she knew it, she'd used up six days doing nothing. Realizing with fear how quickly a day goes by, Tomoko searches the web for ways to enjoy summer break alone, but before she knows it, another day is gone...

Tomoko's mother tells her that her middle-school-aged cousin Kii-chan is coming to visit. Since Tomoko always acted the role of a smart, popular girl in front of Kii-chan in the past, she starts to think up ways to keep her cousin from finding out that her stories about her boyfriend were all lies.

As summer break nears its end, Tomoko is looking forward to seeing a movie with Yuu-chan, but gets a phone call informing her that the date has been canceled. Tomoko is shocked, convinced that Yuu-chan has finally grown sick of her... But when Yuu-chan treats her to cake as an apology at the café where she works, Tomoko decides that she wants to be part of a trendy work environment, too...

As the new school term begins, a seating change moves Tomoko to the second row directly in front of the teacher's desk, surrounded by classmates who have a ball talking to one another. The thought of sitting there for the whole term quickly makes Tomoko's stomach hurt. After returning from the restroom during the lunch break to find her chair in use by another student, Tomoko sets out to search the school for a place to eat her lunch in peace...

Tomoko's class is bustling with preparations for the upcoming culture festival. Having contributed nothing whatsoever with two days left before the event, Tomoko decides she'd better help today, or who knows what her classmates will say? So she musters up her courage and speaks up, but a tragedy occurs in the middle of her task... That night, Tomoko tells Yuu-chan about the upcoming festival, and Yuu-chan says she'll come on the second day. Tomoko is determined to do the best she can to enjoy the festival...

The culture festival is over, and it's back to life as usual. As fall sets in, Tomoko asks herself what exactly she's been doing all this time, and begins to feel like her life is flashing before her eyes... Making the decision to focus on the future instead of regretting the past, Tomoko finds a future plans questionnaire in her school bag. She decides to call Yuu-chan to see what she thinks, but is reminded of a past she'd have just as soon forgotten...