Heartwarming / The Summer You Were There

While The Summer You Were There is often dark and depressing, there are many surprisingly uplifting and heartwarming moments.

• Chapter 1
  • Kaori grabbing hold of Shizuku's novel and asking her to write another one turns out to be this in hindsight, since she knew Shizuku was suicidal and was counting on her seeing her projects through to completion.
  • As Shizuku worries about what Kaori might think of her novel while walking Shion, Shion senses Shizuku's distress and comforts her.
• In Chapter 4, Kaori immediately gets the impression that Shizuku's mother and sister seem like nice people, a conclusion that is shown to be quite credible given that Kaori is an Excellent Judge of Character.
• During the aquarium date in Chapter 5, Shizuku sees Kaori eyeing a plushie and buys it for her while she's away, which Kaori uses as proof that Shizuku is surprisingly thoughtful. It's even better if you assume that Shizuku wasn't lying about being so strapped for cash she couldn't go to the aquarium.
• Chapter 9:
  • Kaori confesses that she always admired Shizuku's confidence, and states that even if Shizuku was guilty of bullying in the past, the fact that she feels guilty about it shows she has a conscience. It becomes Heartwarming in Hindsight when you learn later in the series that Shizuku had actually helped Kaori back then.
  • Shizuku, after being asked whether she hates spending time with Kaori, is forced to acknowledge that while she found Kaori annoying at first, she does like spending time with her.
• In Chapter 10, Shizuku, having finally confided in Kaori, actually enjoys the fireworks festival date.
• While Shizuku had been indifferent toward Kaori using her first name in the aquarium date in Chapter 5, she actually asks her to do so in Chapter 11, showing that she's starting to get closer to Kaori.
• Chapter 13:
  • Shizuku wearing the dress Kaori gave her out of a desire to look nice and the belief that it will give her the courage she needs to apologize to Ruri. It's a sign that Shizuku has started to truly appreciate what Kaori has done for her so far.
  • When Shizuku starts feeling unwell, Kaori comforts her and suggests that they come back another day. Shizuku, however, is determined to go through with the apology, so Kaori comforts her, enabling Shizuku to meet with Ruri and deliver the apology.
• Chapter 14:
  • Despite the fact that Ruri rejected her apology, Shizuku takes it gracefully and finds some solace in the fact that she was able to give it to Ruri. In the process, Ruri realizes that Shizuku has changed.
  • As Ruri and Seri are walking away, Shizuku bows deeply and thanks both of them for coming. Ruri then turns around and returns the bow, giving some hope that it wasn't all in vain.
• In Chapter 15, as Shizuku stands there in shock from Kaori's collapse, Seri grabs her by the wrist and takes her to the hospital, telling her about Kaori's condition on the way. Shizuku wonders if Seri has an ulterior motive for this given Seri's dislike of her, but that isn't the case- Seri merely felt bad for Shizuku.
• In Chapter 16, Shizuku refuses to accept Kaori cutting ties with her so she won't suffer, insisting that she stay around and read her story. By taking the initiative to this point, shown by permanently shifting to a First-Name Basis with Kaori, Shizuka shows how much Kaori means to her.
• In Chapter 18, while Seri is still hostile to Shizuku, she also acknowledges that the two are similar, both having to care for chronically ill friends while being left in the dark about their friends' conditions. Her comment about her and Kaori seeming like a couple might have been based on a hunch, but it also shows that Seri has no problem with same-sex couples, or with the person she hates getting together with one of her friends.
• Chapter 19:
  • The story of how the Hoshikawas got Shion. Mrs. Hoshikawa and Shizuka noticed that Shizuku was becoming increasingly withdrawn, and so Mrs. Hoshikawa looked into animal therapy. Some of their relatives ended up having a dog they couldn't take care of, so Shion came to the Hoshikawa family.
  • A flashback shows Shion licking Shizuka's face, and Shizuka looking genuinely happy.
  • Shizuka realizes how much her family cares for her, even if she didn't notice it before, and resolves to show them how grateful she is.
• Chapter 20:
  • After the Hoshikawa sisters get home, their mother is shocked that Shizuku invited Shizuka somewhere. In response, Shizuka reassures her that Shizuku is going to be just fine, and Shizuku apologizes for worrying her mother. Her mother gives Shizuku an Affectionate Gesture to the Head and invites her to dinner.
  • When Shizuka visits Kaori's room, she sees that Kaori kept the plushie that Shizuku bought her during their trip to the aquarium, and, touched, blushes and smiles.
• Chapter 21
  • Despite Shiori's hostility toward Shizuku, Kaori comforts her. At the end of the chapter, Shiori gives Shizuku the book Kaori wanted her to bring, and implicitly, her blessing to stay close with Kaori.
  • Shizuku's Love Epiphany for Kaori is a mixture of this and Tear Jerker, as she realizes how much Kaori means to her and how much she doesn't want to lose her.
• Chapter 22:
  • The fact that Kaori's profile picture is still of herself and Shiori even after she starts going out with Shizuku- and that it stays that way for the rest of the series- shows how much Kaori continues to value her sister.
    • The other characters' profile pictures show who or what they value most. For Shizuku, her profile picture is of her dog Shion. Seri's is the most subtle, as if you're paying attention, you'll notice that it's a photo that Ruri showed to Kaori in Chapter 24.
  • At the end of the chapter, writing in her to-do list, reveals the real reason behind why she asked Shizuku to pick up the book from her house- she didn't want Shizuku or Shiori to be alone. She then expresses her desire that the two can have a connection.
• Chapter 24:
  • Ruri, while a bit surprised that Shizuku gave Kaori a ribbon, notices that Kaori seems happiest talking about her, and Kaori describes Shizuku as her "savior." This becomes Heartwarming in Hindsight when the final chapter reveals that reading Shizuku's web novel kept Kaori going.
  • Ruri confesses that she feels guilty about being unable to forgive Shizuku, but Kaori tells her that she's not wrong to feel that way. To her, Ruri doesn't have to forgive Shizuku, but it would be best if they could both move forward and start over together.
• Chapter 27:
  • While Ruri still hasn't necessarily forgiven Shizuku, she makes the effort to close the distance between them and start speaking again, hoping that by doing so, she can start to overcome her trauma.
  • As a result of Ruri being more receptive, as well as having grown in the past 13 chapters, Shizuku bows and makes a simple but heartfelt apology to Ruri.
  • There are two signs that Seri is starting to warm up to Shizuku. The first is that Ruri mentions that Seri told her how much Shizuku had changed. The second is Seri letting Shizuku push Kaori's wheelchair after refusing earlier.
• Chapter 28:
  • Upon returning to the aquarium, Shizuku reflects on how important Kaori has become to her, and how she gave Shizuku a place to belong.
  • Shizuku comforts Kaori during her emotional breakdown. Rather than say any meaningless platitudes or try to give Kaori false hope, she says Kaori can tell her anything, reminding her that she's Kaori's girlfriend. Kaori, touched, remarks that it's like they're a real couple.
  • Kaori reassures Shizuku that she truly is a kind person at heart, even if she doesn't think of herself as one.
• Chapter 29:
  • Kaori listens to Shizuku's story about how she was traumatized by the backlash against her web novel, and comforts her.
    Kaori: Remember this, Shizuku. Even if it seems like the whole world is against you, I'll always love your writing. And I'll always be on your side. Your words have power, and they can save people. I'm the proof of that.
  • When discussing the ending, Kaori says that it doesn't have to be happy, as long as the characters are content with the ending. Re-energized, Shizuku throws herself into working on her novel.
• As tragic as Chapter 31 is, it has its share of heartwarming moments.
  • When Shizuku is so overwhelmed by Kaori's status that she can't leave on her own volition, Seri takes her home.
  • Ruri stops to talk with Shizuku, gives her the news about Kaori and tells Shizuku to take care of herself, implying that the two are taking the first steps toward becoming friends.
  • Shizuku and Kaori have one final heartfelt conversation over text.
    Kaori: This summer was fun.
    Shizuku: Yeah.
    Kaori: Really fun. I'm glad I could make so many memories. The time we spent together is so vivid and precious to me.
    Shizuku: Same here. All because I was with you. Because you took my hand. You made it fun. You made me realize I deserve to have fun.
    Kaori: That's good. Something good came out of me existing.
    Shizuku: That's an understatement. If not for you, I wouldn't be here. You gave me so much Kaori.
  • The morning glories are shown to be ready to bloom, showing that Kaori and Shizuku succeeded at one of their shared goals for the summer.
  • That evening, Shizuku sends the final line of her story to Kaori, who reads it and replies, "Me too." The next page reveals that the line was a Love Confession to Kaori- Shizuku had changed her character's final line to Kaori from "Goodbye" to "I love you"- meaning that, at the eleventh hour, Shizuku confessed her love to Kaori and learned that her feelings were reciprocated.
• Chapter 32 has moments that put the "sweet" in the series' Bittersweet Ending
  • Seri brings Shizuku out of her funk by carrying her downstairs and having her come to Kaori's house. It's rather harsh, but it gets the job done.
  • The first reason Kaori admires Shizuku: the flashback that shows Shizuku helping Kaori. While Shizuku was as abrasive as she was to Ruri, casually remarking that Kaori was "short," it's rather touching that one of Shizuku's good deeds not only had the desired effect, but was one that Kaori remembered for the rest of her life.
  • The diary confirms much of what the reader already knows about how Kaori feels about Shizuku, but surprisingly, "Girls' Lovers Suicide," the novel that caused Shizuku to be cyberbullied to the point of contemplating suicide, actually saved Kaori from her despair, and became the second reason Kaori admired Shizuku.
  • While Kaori and Shizuku could never become true girlfriends, Kaori's final passage in the diary and Shizuku's subsequent Internal Monologue shows that they both changed each other's lives for the better, and neither can forget the other.
  • When school resumes, Shizuku walks into class, her bangs cut short to signify that she is no longer isolated. She greets the other students, showing how much she's changed over the course of the summer, all thanks to Kaori.