On the morning I was born, snow covered the town
Tiny small hands reached for the blue sky
Like a girl next door we'd always known
With one ear, I hear the graduation song
Even alone, I am OK, turning the pages of my own story
I want to blame someone It hurts, no I hate it.
In sadness I cried, and the bud disappeared
Autumn comes, then winter, and I am another year older
You can run far away, but your story never ends.
Grinning from ear to ear, I'm such a coward. I can't stand it.
You may step over me, but I will follow and cling to you
I try to fill the hole in my heart Without a doubt, I can't stand it.
I'm such a coward. I can't stand it. It hurts. No, I hate it.
Hey! Hold that end.
There aren't enough pallets.
Ah, don't step there!
Hasn't the truck come yet?
Is it already the season for the Hamabi Festival again this year?
How fast time passes!
Another one came.
An e-mail from Professor Belshare, inviting her to study abroad.
Does Miss Hanamoto really intend to return to Nagano after she graduates?
Shuji, is that really okay with you?
Isn't she just holding back
because she thinks it would be rude to you?
That even after she graduates,
she'll still continue to rely on your good offices…
The final Hamabi Festival. huh?
All of you, drink in your fill of it.
Those of you who are in the midst of it all…
I know you won't really understand
the things we old folks have to say about it,
but we say them anyway.
Everyone, do your best.
Eh? Shu, we don't have any more brush cleaner.
Oh, really?
I'll go buy a new supply later.
Huh?
An old picture postcard. I wonder what this is a picture of.
Hmm?
Ah, how nostalgic.
Whose painting do you think that is?
It's Munch.
Munch? Is that…
the person who painted THIS picture?
Yes, you look just like it, Hagu.
It's the moon, and light reflected on the ocean.
You did well to figure that out, just from this.
I couldn't tell what it was at first.
But this motif appears repeatedly in Munch's paintings.
Back when I was in college,
there was a huge Munch exhibition at the Modern Art Museum.
I went to see it with a friend, and I bought this at that time…
Wow, amazing!
This is just like a painting I saw a little while ago!
Say! Somehow, if you keep looking at it,
it starts to resemble a road. doesn't it?
The shining part?
Hey, Harada, don't fall.
Oh yeah.
The song from that movie we saw the other day…
wasn't it just like this?
What was the name of that song?
Oh, yeah. "Moon River. "
Huh? It really does look as though you could walk across there, doesn't it?
Nah, you wouldn't be able to cross over there!
Or, shall I say, if you did, you'd really be on the "Other Side"!
Rika, you come here and stop this fool!
If Harada goes, I'm going too!
No! You can't come over!
Harada!
I'm going with Harada.
Harada, are you okay? Hurry back up!
Rika. come.
Let's go.
Harada… You can't.
You can't!
Rika…
You can't. Rika!
Don't go!
Please don't go!
Rika!
After all these years…
We gathered the remains and
somehow managed to hold a small funeral service.
Rika wasn't even able to send Harada off…
The only things that remained to Rika when she awakened
were pain that would wrack half of her body forever and…
a small package.
Trying to flee from suffering, she stopped eating.
You cannot die by yourself.
If you do, you won't be able to go where Harada is.
Then you will truly never see him again.
Haunted by my words,
Rika found she could no longer follow after Harada.
Though she vomited and vomited, she tried her best to eat.
And then, she threw herself into the work
that Harada had left behind, while dragging along her aching body…
But. I could hear it.
From her back, a voiceless scream was continually resounding.
The one who first became unable to bear it was me.
I had noticed…
We had passed the years together. the three of us, all along,
but actually, I knew that we were just a twosome and an odd man out.
and however much I liked Harada, however much I valued Rika.
the only thing I could do for the two of them was
to continue to watch over them and protect their happiness.
So that the two could be together. forever and ever.
Shuji…
Ah… I…
I-I…
What am I…?
I'm sorry.
I'm so sorry… to do such a thing to you…
Let us part ways.
We should not be together…
I like you so much, Shu.
Rika, I was unable to take you with me…
Or even to support you…
but just as that child has
enabled me to walk this far…
I hope that the man who is next to you now will somehow
carry you to tomorrow…
Ah… Well. then.
This time, once again, I thank you for your kindness.
I'll come again for the opening ceremony of the shop, Rika.
Come visit our place, too.
Pochi the dog is still alive, too. But he's really getting on in years.
It's hard to say which of us will go first.
Don't say such things.
Stay well.
"You've already been there, haven't you…?"
I started to say and stopped.
At that time, the person by her side was no longer there.
She had lost him for eternity.
Train approaching Track 13. Please wait behind the white line.
EXPRESS CASSIOPEIA SAPPORO
Train leaving from Track 13. Watch out for closing doors.
Takumi…
I hope that the man who is next to you now
will somehow
carry you to tomorrow…
- Cassiopeia, bound for Sapporo. - Takumi, why…?
Stops at Omiya, Utsunomiya…
- It seems it makes a stop at Omiya. - Koriyama, Fukushima…
Let's get off there…
Ah, er, why don't we just keep on going? To Hokkaido?
Huh?
You haven't been back in a long time, right?
Forgive me if I'm mistaken.
B-But…
you seemed like you wanted to go back.
Excuse me.
Please show me your tickets.
What number is your compartment?
Uh. excuse me. but we…
Excuse me, but are there any empty compartments?
Yes. there are.
You can still reserve one now. What is your destination?
Sapporo.
It's started raining…
I-It's quiet, isn't it? Well, not quiet, but…
how shall I put it…
We left Ueno at 16:20.
and we'll be arriving at Sapporo at 9:00 tomorrow morning…
About 17 hours.
Wow, it would only have taken two hours by plane.
I didn't bring my notebook PC with me. either.
All my materials are at the office, too.
S-Sorry.
There's nothing we can do.
We should just give up and let our minds wander.
This is incredible.
How long has it been since I've had time to just do nothing…
Come to think of it.
everyone pays good money for time like this.
The things that she murmured, as if to herself.
melted softly into the rain-blurred scenery,
leaving me with a sleepy, lonely, happy kind of feeling.
I had been uneasy all along.
Each time a work project was completed,
each time she hummed that song,
each time she looked up at the distant moon.
You can't really see anything anymore.
There are a lot of tunnels too.
Yeah. Shall we go to sleep?
Huh…?
Takumi, what do you want to do about the shower?
Is it all right if I go first?
Ah, yes. Of course. Go ahead.
Um. I'm fine here.
so you please use the lower compartment, Rika.
No, you won't be fine. You won't be able to get any rest.
A big guy like you.
Please use a proper bed and get some sleep.
Oh…
Ah… but…
My happiness savings account just…I
Ah… sorry.
It's fine. Are you going to go to sleep in that?
Oh, yeah, that's a little too small.
Really? I'm using mine.
I didn't bring a change of clothes.
Well, shall we go to sleep?
Uh, yes.
What time shall I set the alarm clock for?
Would around 7:00 be good?
All right.
I'll turn off the light.
Okay.
Asking her what time she would be waking up,
setting the alarm clock,
turning out the room light,
being able to stay beside her all along as she slept.
I could barely breathe for happiness…
I was on edge,
and my head was pounding.
Rika, does your leg hurt?
A little.
I should have brought my walking stick with me, but…
Sorry. Your medication?
All set. I always bring a bit extra with me wherever I go.
Your parents' home is in the city of Otaru, isn't it?
No, it's quite a bit outside of the city.
Is that so?
You were looking at an image of the city,
so I assumed that that was the case.
Because we came over this way when I was in high school.
I'll go rent a car.
Do you want anything?
Well. then. some milk and biscuits.
Is this your first time in Hokkaido?
Yes. It's really vast, isn't it?
Did you notice that there aren't many traffic signals or signs?
It's okay now, because we have the car navigation system,
but if you get lost,
there isn't anywhere to ask for directions.
Thank you for this, Takumi.
My legs feel a lot better.
Sorry it's such a funny pattern…
But the size was just perfect.
Takumi, I'll bet you haven't slept properly, have you?
Will you be all right?
I'm okay. I was able to sleep, and soundly at that.
As we gazed
at the colorless Sea of Japan to our left.
we drove endlessly north along a narrow national highway
flanked by black-surfaced crags.
And then…
the destination we finally came to was her desolate hometown.
This is what everyone does when they leave here.
Because if you leave the deserted house as is.
the snow will crush it.
and in the spring the lot will become like an open field…
The last time I came here was when my father died.
It was Mr. Harada who stayed behind here to demolish it for me.
I was afraid and
I simply could not bring myself to watch 'til the very end.
Don't shed tears for someone who only made you cry.
I will break down this building 'til not a trace is left.
You have me,
so you need no other place to return to.
Isn't that so, Rika?
Shiro, I'm sorry.
For not making it back in so long.
I had a dog…
A good-natured white one…
We had him from the time I was a baby,
and he lived 13 years for me, until I entered high school.
In this place out in the middle of nowhere.
he was always by my side…
Takumi.
Yes.
Thank you for bringing me here.
I simply could not bring myself to come by myself…
But I've finally been able to really see this place.
There truly isn't anything left.
It was as if once more.
something that had been tethering her had suddenly loosened…
As if the tape of separation was tearing, piece by piece…
Wh-What?
Takumi.
I thought something like this would happen.
The fact that I was able to get away with this could only mean one of two things:
either you were planning on harming yourself
or you were thinking about something else with an incredible intensity.
Tell me. What were you thinking?
That I would fall for a flattering lie like "Let's go together"?
It wasn't a lie.
When you only arranged for one ticket?
When you were going to look
for an apartment to live in alone over there?
Did you look at my e-mail?
Yes. I looked at it.
Your e-mail, and your faxes, your mail, and your papers - all of it!
I know everything about you!
You don't care about anything, do you?
You were thinking of ending it all after you tied up all the loose ends
with the work Harada left behind, weren't you?
It was a mistake to get involved with me.
I'll follow after you wherever you go.
Don't think you can die so easily!
I'm begging you…
try to take a real shot at living.
Ah. damn it… How uncool…
I'm sorry, could you go on a bit ahead of me?
I'll pull myself together.
so please go drink some tea in the lounge.
Leave your bag.
I've already checked out.
And I made a reservation for a flight leaving at 12:30.
Um… about earlier…
Sit down.
Huh…?
We still have some time. Let's eat something first.
Two days later.
I headed for Narita to see her off.
Right up to the very end,
we talked about who would carry on with the work,
and off she went, swallowed up by the gate.
Returning to the office, I straightened up,
and when I took a peek at her e-mail.
I saw that the conditions she had listed for her apartment search
had changed to a two-bedroom apartment for two…
Everything would be so much easier
If all these emotions would disappear
Without a word.
We each take our separate roads
And our paths part
We'll never meet again
Meeting is just too sad.
We gather the emotions we miss.
But emotions cool as quickly as they warm
We believe it can't be true
How long will we hold onto these words
How long?
Next time: "Happy, yet in pain"