Rie

Rie was one of Taeko Okajima's classmates in Only Yesterday.

History
Rie was one of Taeko's classmates in elementary school. She started her period when she was in fourth grade and her mother had her skip gym class whenever she had her period.

When she was in fifth grade, Rie was scolded by her female classmates for telling a boy named Nakayama, whom Rie had a crush on, about periods even though she had asked him to keep it a secret but he told all the boys about it anyways, resulting in them thinking that all the girls had their periods and, not knowing what a menstrual cycle really was, they constantly bullied the girls by doing things like calling them names, asking them if they had their periods, which embarrassed them, flipping up or looking up their skirts to see their "special undergarments" (i.e. pads), while the girls rataliated by hitting them with brooms and became mad at Rie for unintentionally starting the whole thing.

Taeko was horrified when Rie told her that she could skip gym class when she had her period since the boys could assume that Taeko also had a period if she ever skipped gym class and therefore she could be bullied and to make matters worse Taeko's mother made her skip gym class later on after she catched a cold and was forced to sit alongside Rie and watch the other kids play. At one point Rie saw a ball rolling towards her and tried to grab it but one of the boys yelled at her to not touch it since she could make him "catch her period" but she just laughed it off.

After gym class was over, Taeko and Rie were doing chores when a boy called them the "Period Pair", which made Taeko angry but Rie again laughed at the silly name before the girls walked away, leaving the boy confused at Rie's reaction. Taeko commented to Rie about how she was so calm about the subject and Rie told her it was because her mother had told her that a period was nothing to be ashamed off.

Rie makes a brief cameo along with the rest of her classmates who represent a grown up Taeko's childhood memories/conscience who helps persuade Taeko to return to the farm she spent the summer in and presumably start a relationship with one of his sister's in laws.

Appearance
As a child, Rie has short, chin length black hair with bangs and wears a white blouse with a pink neckline and a blue jumper and beige shoes with pink socks. She seems to have a heavier set than ten year old Taeko. She usually has a bored or sad expression on her face.

Personality
She seems to be shy and introverted but is still able to handle her male classmates' bullying by laughing off their attempts at making fun of her.

Family

 * Unnamed mother.

Trivia

 * The name Rie has many meanings, among them is "logic", which fits her due to the smart way she handles the boys' bullying.

Rie おもひでぽろぽろ