Ushio. This is a story from before you were born...
A story up to when you were born.
Your Mommy and Daddy first spoke to each other when we were seniors in high school.
That's when you first met?
Yeah. We didn't even know each other's name until then.
Sweet bean bread!
Do you like this school?
I really, really love it.
But nothing can stay unchanged.
Fun things... Happy things...
They can't all possibly stay unchanged.
Even so, can you keep on loving this place?
Just find them.
Just find new fun and happy things.
C'mon, let's get going.
That's how we got to know each other.
Mommy was a year older than everyone else.
Um, how can I help you?
Wanted to ask why you're eating lunch out here alone.
Do you like this school?
Not particularly.
I really, really love it.
I used to have friends and teachers I got along with, but now...
Did something happen?
Last year, I was away from school for a long period of time.
So I'm...
You're repeating.
Yes, I'm repeating.
All the people I knew graduated, and only people I don't know fill the school.
I feel like Urashima Tarou.
Note: Urashima Tarou is a story in which the protagonist jumps forward in time and finds no one he knew alive.
Daddy was an outcast at school.
But after meeting Mommy, things started to change little by little.
Mommy was trying to get involved in theater.
But to do that, she first had to reestablish the Theater Club.
You helped her do that, right?
Yeah. Mommy was so serious about it, I couldn't ignore her.
Even then, Mommy loved the Big Dango Family.
You love it, too, don't you, Ushio?
I do.
Mommy was practicing alone.
She had a play she wanted to perform.
...would you like me to take you?
To the place in this city where wishes come true.
Then started the gathering of friends.
First to join us was Fujibayashi Kyou.
You know her. She's your teacher at kindergarten.
You can't.
I'm... how do I put it... not dating you or anything.
Besides, Ryou would...
Stop! Stop! Stop!
Listen to me!
Of course, you're a boy, so I understand you have an interest in it...
Then her younger sister, Fujibayashi Ryou.
She was Daddy's class representative.
O-Okay. I will listen to you seriously.
It's starting to look more and more like a Theater Club.
All girls like fortune-telling at the genetic level.
The smartest girl in school joined us, too.
Ichinose Kotomi.
She turned out to be a childhood friend of Daddy's.
So nice.
There were many others, too.
Like Sakagami Tomoyo from the junior class.
The path we are taking is still continuing.
Let us both keep working hard.
It's a promise.
Sagara Misae-san, the dorm parent.
Also, Miyazawa Yukine, who was always in the Reference Room to talk to.
Miyazawa taught me the legend that's told in this city.
"An orb of light appears to those who are happy."
She says that getting hold of those will grant wishes.
How about Youhei Oji-chan?
Oh right, forgot about him.
This is the game in the name of love guys play.
In other words, it's a boy love game.
I once worked with Mei-chan, his younger sister, to get him back on the soccer club, didn't I?
If he hadn't been there, I probably would have dropped out of school before I met Mommy.
We all went to different places, but we still get together from time to time.
They all came to our place last New Year's, so you remember them, right?
Many things happened before the Theater Club was reestablished.
For example, Yoshino Yusuke-san and Kouko-san's wedding.
Kouko-san had a sister who was in hospital.
That'd be your friend, Fuko-chan.
Other than members, we had to find a teacher who would watch us.
There was a fight over Koumura-sensei with the Choir,
and we even challenged the basketball team to convince the Choir.
In the end, Kyou, Sunohara, and everyone else joined the club.
The Theater Club finally started to move thanks to the work of many people, but...
...after that, trouble emerged for me.
Pops, if you're going to sleep, you should lie down.
Hey, Dad.
Oh, hi.
I guess I caused Tomoya-kun some trouble again.
Back then, Daddy wasn't getting along with Daddy's dad.
I left home and decided to live at Mommy's house.
Goodbye, Father.
So my... my bread is...
H-Hey.
It was natural there would be leftovers?!
Like mother, like daughter.
I hope the father is sane.
Hey.
What?
You said what you're not supposed to say.
You don't need to hear about Sanae-san and Akki, do you?
There was a time when we all played baseball at Akki's request.
Both Sanae-san and Akki welcomed me into their home kindly from the first day.
I wasn't too sure what a family was like, so I was lost in the beginning.
But Sanae-san and Akki were both looking after me from behind.
Mommy was physically weak, so sometimes she'd be in bed, sick.
Sanae-san and Akki took great care of Mommy.
The truth is always harsh.
The School Festival was coming up.
We started to work hard for our play.
But something came up at the last minute.
These pictures...
I found old albums and diaries.
Okazaki-san, I never knew about this.
I never knew Dad used to act.
And yet... they both gave up their dreams for me...
This isn't good! Let's drop the curtain.
Make your dream come true, Nagisa!!!
What?
Old man?
Nagisa!
Are you an idiot or what?!
A child's dream is their parents' dream!
So you grant it for us!
We've been dreaming of the day you would make your dream come true!
We didn't give up our dreams!
We changed our dreams to your dream!
That's what parents are!
That's what family is!!!
So... ever since that day...
Every day, while baking bread...
...we've been living, waiting for this day!
If you fail here, we'll be depressed!
Do you hear me?!
You've got a huge responsibility on your back, you hear me?!
Shall I...
Shall I take you?
To the place in this city where wishes come true?
Take us there, Nagisa.
Take us away.
The play ended as a great success.
What was the story about?
A story of a girl who lived in a world that had ended.
We didn't know the title or the author of the story.
The ending of the story was a mystery, too.
Mommy said it might be something she heard from someone when she was little.
But strangely, it felt like I knew the story, too.
Then Mommy and Daddy promised to keep walking together.
Right before graduation, a major problem arose.
Mommy became ill and couldn't graduate.
I was really shocked, too.
I should have repeated, too, after all.
Tomoya-kun.
You can't stop like that.
If you can move on, then you should.
Please move on.
After graduation, I helped Sanae-san and Akki for a while.
But I knew I couldn't do that forever.
So I asked Yoshino-san and got work at an electrical company.
Obviously, I only made mistakes in the beginning.
I might have given up if it had been the me from before.
But I managed to keep with it thanks to Mommy's support and coworkers helping me.
Mommy did her best to keep going to school.
But then...
At that time, there was a chance for Daddy to transfer to a bigger company.
But due to various issues, it fell through.
Again, Mommy was the person who supported me when I was about to give up on everything.
That was when I proposed to Mommy.
But I couldn't get married right away.
Mommy got ill again and couldn't go to her graduation after all.
But for Mommy's sake, everyone gathered and held a graduation for her.
Daddy and Mommy got married right after that.
We became husband and wife.
Then in Mommy's tummy, a baby came.
That was you, Ushio.
Really?
But Mommy wasn't strong physically.
It was a big hassle until you were born.
I was told by the doctor that there will be some danger during the delivery.
I have not told this to Nagisa yet.
Only I've been told.
When I was getting crushed from the anxiety, Akki told me an old story.
The trees and bushes enveloped the sick Mommy.
Before he noticed it, Mommy was returned to him.
A story like that.
Ushio? Ushio?
Did she fall asleep?
I have a strange memory.
I haven't told Ushio yet, but she was born once before.
In that memory, Nagisa died when Ushio was born.
I left Ushio in the care of the Furukawas and lived alone.
Then, during the summer Ushio was five.
We went on a trip just like Sanae-san had planned, and at the final destination...
Grandmother told me many stories.
Just as I told many stories right now.
It was a story from before I was born.
Right now, Pops is back at his mother's place.
I'm planning to go see him in the near future with Ushio.
So we started living together.
Ushio's teacher at the kindergarten was Kyou.
Ushio became friends with Fuko, too.
Everything was going well.
Until...
What's wrong, Ushio?
I couldn't pee alone.
What's wrong, Ushio?!
It felt like I was having a bad dream.
Of course, Ushio beside me is doing well.
She's never caught any major illness.
But Ushio in that world never recovered.
At that moment, something happened.
When I came to, Nagisa was right in front of me.
I was back to five years ago, the day Ushio was born.
It's such a strange thing.
But I think it's something that really happened.
Nagisa and I met in this city,
and Ushio was born in this city.
I met many people in this city,
and I lived through many things in this city.
We'll continue to live, being supported by many people.
Right in this city.
Ushio.
Fuko.
You'll catch colds.
It's about time you both wake up.
Shio-chan! Daddy! Fu-chan!
Let's head home.
Mommy!
The End