Hold that end!
We don't have enough palettes!
Hey, don't step there!
The mat board still isn't here yet?
So, it's the season for the Hamabi Festival again...
Time sure flies...
There was another mail from Professor Belshire, inviting her to study abroad.
Is Hanamoto-san really planning on going back to Nagano after graduation?
Hanamoto-kun, are you really okay with that?
Isn't she just worried that she's getting in your way?
And that she'll be a bother if she is still in your care after graduation?
It'll be their last Hamabi Festival...
Make sure you enjoy every last bit of it, you guys.
Well, I understand though. Coming from an old guy like me, it doesn't really have much impact.
But I'll say it anyway.
Everyone, do your best!
Huh? Shuu-chan, we're already out of brush cleaners!
Really?
I'll buy some more later.
Huh?
An old postcard...
What is this a picture of?
Oh, that brings back memories!
Guess who painted that.
It's by Munch.
Munch...
You mean the guy who drew this?
That's right. You sure do a good impression, Hagu...
It's the moonlight reflecting off the ocean.
You figured it out from only that?
I couldn't figure it out at first.
This motif appears repeatedly in Munch's paintings.
It was back when I was in college.
There was a huge Munch exhibit at the Museum of Modern Art.
I bought that when I went to see it with some friends.
Whoa, this is amazing.
It's the same as that painting we saw earlier.
Hey, I've been thinking...
When you stare at it, doesn't the part that's shining look like a path?
Hey, Harada! Don't fall in!
Come to think of it, maybe this is what the song was talking about in that movie we saw?
What was that song called?
That's right...
It was "Moon River".
Huh?
It really feels like I can walk across to the other side.
No, you can't cross over!
Or rather, you'd literally end up on "the other side" if you tried crossing it!
Hey now, Rika, come over here and stop this idiot!
If Harada-kun is going, I'm going as well...
No!
On second thought, don't come!
Harada!
I'm going with Harada-kun...
Harada! Are you all right?!
Come back up already!
Rika.
Come on.
Let's go.
Harada... Don't...
Don't!
Rika!
Don't, Rika!
Don't go!
Please don't go!
Rika!
Why... After all this time?
We gathered up his remains and somehow managed to organize a small funeral.
Rika wasn't even able to see Harada off.
What awaited Rika when she woke up was a lifetime of bodily pain and a tiny package.
In order to escape the pain, she stopped eating.
Don't kill yourself!
You won't be able to go where Harada is!
You won't be able to see him again in the truest sense!
Haunted by my words, Rika became unable to chase after Harada.
She tried her hardest to eat, no matter how much came back up.
Dragging along her wounded body, she buried herself in the work that Harada left behind.
But I could hear it...
There was always a soundless scream coming from her back.
I was the one who couldn't stand it anymore.
I had come to realize...
Although we lived together, it was always myself and them.
No matter how much I liked Harada, and no matter how precious Rika was to me...
...all I could do for the two of them was to watch over their happiness.
Please let them be together, forever...
Hanamoto-kun?
Oh, I...
What am I...
I...
What in the world...
I'm sorry.
I'm so sorry...
I've made you try such a thing...
We should stay away from each other.
We shouldn't be together.
I love you, Shuu...
Rika, I wasn't able to send you to him...
...or support you.
But, just like how that girl has allowed me to come this far...
...please let the man who's next to you right now carry you to your future.
Well then, thank you for taking care of me again this time.
I'll come again for the store's opening ceremony, Rika-kun.
Please visit my place again sometime.
Pochi is still alive.
Although he's grown old as well...
...I wonder which of us will be the first to go.
Don't say that.
Take care.
I almost said, "So you've been there before?"
The person who went with her back then is no longer here.
He's lost forever.
A train is arriving on Track 13.
Please wait behind the white line.
Express Cassiopeia: To Sapporo
The train on Track 13 is departing.
Please watch out for the closing doors.
Mayama-kun...
Please let the man who's next to you right now carry you to your future.
This is the Cassiopeia, headed for Sapporo.
Mayama-kun, why...?
The train will stop on the way at Omiya, Utsunomiya, Kooriyama, Fukushima...
It looks it'll stop at Omiya on the way.
Let's get off there.
U-Um...
Would you like to go all the way to Hokkaido?
You haven't been back in a while, right?
I apologize if I misunderstood you.
B-But...
It seemed like you wanted to go back.
Excuse me, sir.
May I inspect your tickets?
What might your room number be?
I-I'm sorry, we...
Excuse me, is there a room still open?
Yes, there is.
We can still make arrangements for you.
Where are you headed?
To Sapporo.
It's starting to rain...
I-It sure is quiet...
Well, not really, but...
H-How should I put it?
We left Ueno at 16:20...
...so we'll be arriving at Sapporo at nine tomorrow morning.
That's about seventeen hours.
That's amazing. It'd only take two hours if we took an airplane.
I didn't bring my laptop, and all of our files are at the office.
I-I'm sorry.
We have no choice. Let's just forget about it and relax for a while.
This is amazing...
I wonder how long it's been since I last spent so much time doing nothing?
I see... So everyone pays to buy this kind of time.
Her monologue slowly melted into the rain-drenched scenery...
It made me feel drowsy, lonely, and somewhat happy.
I always worried...
Every time we finished a job...
Every time she sang that song...
Every time she looked up at the distant moon...
We can't really see anything now.
There's also been so many tunnels.
Yeah, why don't we get some rest already?
Mayama-kun, will you be taking a shower?
Would you mind if I took one first?
S-Sure. Please go ahead.
U-Um, Rika-san, I'll be fine right here, so please use the room downstairs.
You won't be fine.
Someone your size won't be able to rest there.
Please sleep in the bed.
But...
Mayama's Happiness Savings
Please spend wisely
My happiness savings!
I'm sorry...
It's all right.
Are you going to sleep like that, Mayama-kun?
Ah, yes.
That thing was kinda small.
I see. I wore mine, since we didn't bring a change of clothes.
Why don't we sleep then?
Yes.
When should I set the alarm for?
How about around seven?
Okay.
I'm turning off the light.
Yeah.
Asking what time we're waking up...
Setting the alarm clock...
Turning off the light to the room...
Being able to be by her side the entire time she slept...
My heart swelled up so much with happiness...
It was irritating.
My head was pounding.
Rika-san, does your leg hurt?
A little.
I should've brought my cane.
I'm sorry. What about your medicine?
I'll be fine. I always carry extras.
Your home is just outside Otaru, right?
No, it's actually pretty far from the city.
Really?
I've seen you watching footage of the city, so I figured you were local.
Back when I was in high school, I used to come out here often.
Oh, I'll go rent a car.
Is there anything you'd like for me to get?
Then, please get some milk and biscuits.
Is this your first time in Hokkaido?
Yes, it's really vast, isn't it?
There aren't very many stoplights or street signs, are there?
We're okay nowadays since we have car navigation, but there isn't anywhere to go for directions if you get lost.
Mayama-kun, thank you for this.
It's made my leg feel better.
I apologize for the childish pattern...
...but it was just the right size.
Mayama-kun, you didn't sleep well, did you?
Super Strong Black Mint Gum
Are you okay?
I'm fine. I slept great! Really well.
While watching the colorless Sea of Japan to our left...
...we drove endlessly north up the narrow national road surrounded by dark rocks.
And then, we finally arrived to find the ruins of her home.
Whenever people leave this land, we all do this.
An abandoned house will be crushed under the weight of snow and is reduced to ruins by springtime.
The last time I was here was when my father died.
Harada-kun stayed behind to oversee the demolition of this place.
I was too scared... and couldn't see it through to the end.
Don't cry for someone who made you cry.
I'll reduce this place to pieces for you.
You have me now.
You don't need any other places to go home to.
Right?
Isn't that so, Rika?
I'm sorry for not coming back for such a long time, Shiro-san.
I used to have a dog.
He was white and so kind.
He was at my house ever since I was a baby...
...up until I entered high school, so he toughed it out for thirteen years.
He was always by my side in this empty land.
Mayama-kun...
Yes?
Thank you... for bringing me here.
I couldn't have possibly come here on my own.
But... I was finally able to look upon this place.
There really isn't anything left anymore, is there?
I could tell that yet another thing tying her to this world was unraveling.
It was as if the tapes signaling our farewell were being torn off, one by one...
W-What?
Mayama-kun?
I figured as much.
You'd only allow me to do something like this...
...either when you want to hurt yourself...
...or when you're drawing up some other plan at an incredible pace.
Tell me.
What are you thinking?
Lying to me about going to Spain together...
Did you think I would be so easily consoled?
I wasn't lying.
Even though you only ordered one ticket?
Even though you've looked for a single apartment over there?
You looked through my e-mail?
Yeah, I did.
mizore ni utarete inochi togarasete Grinding away my life in the pouring sleet...
Your e-mail, fax, mail, files, everything!
I know everything about you!
You're thinking that you don't care about anything, aren't you?!
susuketa machi de sagashi tsudzuketa ...I kept searching in that gray town.
You're thinking about ending everything once you finish all of Harada-san's jobs, aren't you?!
You made a big mistake in becoming involved with me.
kuzuresou na hashi wo iki tomete watari After holding my breath to cross that rickety bridge...
I'm following you no matter where you go!
Don't you dare think you can die so easily!
"ki no sei" no saki ni mitsuketa mono wa... ...what I found beyond my "imagination" was...
ima kimi dake no tame ni akai hi ni naru Now, just for you, I become a red flame...
I'm begging you...
Please try to live...
kimi wo atatametai ...because I want to warm you up...
kotoba ni sureba buzama na koto mo ...forever, until my words...
Ah, damn. This is so uncool.
uso ja naku naru made zutto ...can make true all my awkward lies.
I'm sorry, could you go outside first?
I-I need to pull myself together.
Please have some tea in the lounge.
You can't take your bag.
I've finished the checkout.
I've also reserved a flight for 12:30.
And um... about earlier...
Please sit.
We still have some time.
Let's eat something first.
Two days later...
I headed to Narita to see her off.
After talking about work until the very end, she was sucked into the gate.
When I peeked into her e-mails while cleaning up back at the office...
...I found that the condition for the apartment that she'd been searching for...
...had changed to a two bedroom apartment.
arifurete iru kimochi nante sa
It would be so much easier...
nanimo iwazu ni isso kieteshimaeba
...if these stale emotions...
raku ni nareru no ni
...could just disappear without a word.
sorezore no michi wo yuku sono wakaremichi
At the crossroads where we split ways...
mou nidoto au koto no nai deai wa kanashisugiru
...it saddens me to think we may never meet again.
tarinai kimochi wo mochiyotte
Despite adding the emotions that are lacking...
atatameta saki kara hieteitte
...things cool off just as soon as I warm them...
sonna hazu naitte shinjiteru
...but I still don't want to believe.
ittai itsumade onaji kotoba wo kakaekondenda
Just how long am I going to brood over the same word?
kakekondenda
How long...?
Next episode: Suffering even though I'm happy.