nakushita yakusoku wa hoshi ni Send the lost promises to the stars
omoide wa tokenai My memories won't fade away
yotsuba no clover sagashinagara kimi no kao I steal a glance at you as we look for four-leaf clovers,
chirari nusumi mite wa me o sorasu But then divert my eyes
yasashii ame wa furu watashitachi no ue ni The gentle rain falls above our heads
surechigau hito no kazu dake dramatic ni naru no as it becomes as dramatic as the number of people passing by
kowareta taisetsu na mono to I wonder if we'll ever be able to
itsuka mata aeru hi ga kurukashira reunite with those precious things that were broken
nokoshita kizuato ga kienai The scars that were left behind won't go away
sorezore no basho made Now we must depart
mou ikanakucha To our own separate ways
What are you doing for New Year's?
Why don't you come back home?
This summer and last winter...
I didn't go back home, using work and homework as an excuse.
Station: Kumagaya
Still only at Kumagaya, huh?
So it's an hour to go.
A strange sense of distance always proves to be an obstacle on my way home.
It's as if...
Oh my! Yuu-chan?
Hello. It's been a while.
Really... You should stop by more often.
How have you been? How's school?
Have you gotten used to living by yourself yet?
Well, sort of.
U-Um, have you seen my mother?
Well, she collapsed last night because she was overworked.
She pushed herself since it's the end of the year and we lack staff.
Kazu-san should be nursing her back at home right now.
I see.
So Kazu-san is...
Don't tell me you haven't been coming home because you don't like Kazu-san.
Have you talked to him about it?
Kazu-san's a pretty nice guy, you know.
He may have a loud voice and his feet may be a bit smelly...
But he's nice on the inside.
She's right! You should go talk to him about it!
N-No, it's not that I don't like him...
What are you talking about?
I was just really busy with work and homework.
You haven't been back for half a year already!
Weren't those just excuses?
It feels like I just lost half of my HP.
My father passed away from an illness when I was still in elementary school.
He had a weak body. He was tall and skinny.
He had big hands.
And he had a gentle smile.
Takemoto-sama
On his last day, in the hospital...
With his large yet slender hands, he grasped mine with unbelievable strength.
Please take care of your mother for me.
I could never forget the warmth and strength that passed through his hands.
"I have to help Mom."
"We have to be happy together."
"I have to study hard and find a job close to home, so I can buy a house where we'll live together one day."
But around the end of my second year of high school...
Nice to meet you.
My name is Aida Kazuo.
The man my mother brought with her was the complete opposite of my father.
And when I shook his calloused hand, I absentmindedly thought,
"Ah, so Mom picked a strong person this time."
You don't have to only worry about me anymore.
You can start thinking about yourself now.
Hearing that, for the first time in my life, I realized that I was empty inside.
Up until that point, I was blindfolding myself to many things because I had to "take care of my mother."
But now that I was suddenly free to do whatever I wanted...
I had to face the fact that I couldn't really do anything.
I didn't know a single thing that I was good at...
...but I was able to convince myself that I liked making things with my hands.
Relying on that alone, I left home.
The factory is still the same.
My mother didn't like that zinc factory because she thought it polluted the river...
But my father and I liked to watch it light up all over the mountain in the evening.
You're funny.
You were waving your hands like this just now.
K-K-K-K-Kazu-san!
It's been a while.
But why are you here?
Well, you seemed to be taking your time, and we couldn't reach you by phone...
...so Mitsu-san thought you might be here.
It really has been a while, hasn't it?
Yeah.
Say, want to go somewhere with me for a bit?
I haven't been to the batting center for years.
1 game 300 yen
Here. Bat your heart out.
Okay.
He's a little too into it...
Don't tell me that you haven't been coming home because you don't like Kazu-san.
She was right on the dot.
All right! I'm going to go for the home run prize!
I'm a little uncomfortable with him.
My bad, my bad.
I'll hit it straight ahead this time.
I take that back.
I'm really uncomfortable with him.
So, why haven't you been coming back?
Is it because I'm here?
I also don't like this side of him.
Mitsu-san will be lonely if you don't come home.
And when she's lonely, I'm sad too.
Lonely?
Even when she has you?
No one can replace someone else.
At first, I tried to make Mitsu-san happy in the stead of her late husband.
But that didn't turn out too well.
I just couldn't replace Yuuichi-san in her life.
I learned the hard way that you can't just replace family members.
That's why I thought...
...that all I could do was work hard and stay by her side.
So you see...
I also want you to do what you can from your position.
Or should I say...
I'm uncomfortable with him.
I always choose my words carefully and often just keep quiet.
But no matter how clumsy or uncool this person is with his words...
He's been able to get his feelings across with driving effort...
...and sweep my mother off her feet.
And so...
So what I'm saying is...
Come home more often!
Sign: Home run
Home run!
That's the first time I've seen one.
Wh-What the hell is this music?
I just hit a home run, you know!
It's so lame... So corny... It's such corny music!
Her bedside was accompanied by various little items that Kazu-san had lined up for her.
That was probably what Kazu-san meant by "I'll work hard and stay by her side."
Have you grown again?
You think so?
How have you been?
I finally get to see your face.
She didn't say anything more and just kept holding on to my hand.
Please take care of your mother for me.
What should I do? Even though I promised him...
I'm sorry, Mom.
Takasaki Station
Thanks for coming back.
Come back more often, okay?
W-Well then, I'll come again.
That's right! Come again!
Keep studying hard!
What a loud voice...
Don't catch a cold!
Don't forget to call!
I'm uncomfortable with him just a little bit.
Don't forget to eat your greens!
He's always so straightforward and honest with his words, and a little rude.
Don't lose faith!
Keep working hard!
But kind at the same time.
I'll keep cheering for ya!
And so bright that I don't think I'm a match for him.
But...
But one day...
I'll surely...
Huh? No lights?
I guess everyone's still at their homes.
Attention Takemoto! Come to the Hanamoto's right now!!
What the heck?
Ta-da!
Hagu-chan!
Look, it's a super huge nozawana!
Hey, Takemoto.
We've been waiting for you.
Takemoto!
Where's my otoshidama?
Otoshidama: monetary gift that Japanese children get from relatives on New Year's Day.
I didn't bring any.
Welcome back.
Yeah.
It's good to be back.
Oh, this one right here.
Can I open this?
Yeah, go ahead.
Why don't we just open everything?
Hey, please start with this one.
Hey, don't eat too much...
...or you'll be too full to eat anything once we get there.
Okay!
Wow, this is good!
Really?
Can I have some too?
At least they responded...
Sure, try some.
Thanks!
Sensei!
Chibi-Moni wants to go to the restroom!
I'm not Chibi-Moni!
I bet you just want to go yourself.
Why did it turn out like this?
I won!
What? Really?
The tickets that Morita-san brought for the Christmas gift exchange...
Hooray!
300,000 yen...
All right! All right!
And there was only 1,000 yen worth of tickets...
I suppose it's as expected of Morita-san.
He's fiendishly lucky when it comes to money.
Morita-san!
Morita-san! It's amazing!
We won! That Christmas lottery ticket!
Idiot!
Give it back! My money!
If you don't, I'll be seeing you in court!
It's my money!
You're going to hire a lawyer for only 300,000 yen?!
My money!
Okay! Okay, fine!
Then let's all go on a trip! How's that?
And so I ended up having to pay for all six of us to go.
On top of that, am I just here as the driver?
What's more, the 300,000 got used up all at once.
But I guess it's all right. Hagu seems to be having fun, after all.
Hey, guys, don't open packs of snacks one after another!
And you shouldn't leave crumbs everywhere.
Oh-ho! So there's a normal person in this group.
Sensei will have to clean up this rental car before we return it!
Yes'm!
Why can't we all clean up?
Oh, Sensei...
Yeah?
Mayama-san is coming straight to the inn, right?
We're going on a trip, but for it to be on the same day as his employment exam...
Well, yeah.
But it's surprising that lazy Mayama is willing to switch trains to come all the way out here.
He wants to follow his own agenda but hates being left out!
Mayama is basically just a child!
Oh, I see.
She likes Mayama.
Oh, Mayama!
Tamura-sensei said that you should come get your work since he's cleaning up the photography room.
Oh, okay. I'll go later.
Sheesh. You're always putting things off until later.
Your photographs will get thrown away.
If that happens, then whatever.
It's your own work. Make sure you get it later.
Don't say I didn't warn you.
Yes?
Yes, okay.
From the looks of it, he won't be coming back today.
Do you know where Mayama is going, Morita-san?
Yeah.
After all, there's only one person in this world who can make Mayama run.
Why...?
All I want is for the person I like the most to like me the most.
Why...?
If feels like it'll never happen.
Forever... Like this, forever...
Whoa! Amazing!
Directory of the Inn
This place has four baths!
Let's go already!
Wow! This yukata is so cute!
A lacquer lipped bowl...
Hey!
I'm sorry about them being so loud.
They sure are lively.
It's all right. Today is a weekday, so we don't have too many customers.
Are they all your relatives?
It must be tough for Daddy to handle them all alone.
They're my students at college!
I'm still single!
Hot springs sure are great.
Takemoto...
Dinner is at 5:30, so can you gather everyone in the men's room?
Sure!
Wisteria Room Yamada-sama Hanamoto-sama
Now then, is everyone ready?
Madder Room Hanamoto-sama Morita-sama Mayama-sama Takemoto-sama (Men's Room)
One, two, three...
Itadakimasu!
Thanks for the meal!
Mayama-san sure is late.
Mayama, huh?
Hey, now, Morita...
Hey, what are you doing? That thing looks expensive!
Thank goodness that this is only a replica.
But we're gonna get scolded!
What? Oh, here!
Maybe I can draw a replacement and put it in its place?
Draw? With what?
With this!
Soy sauce?
All right.
How's this?
Amazingly good!
He drew a morotai with soy sauce?!
Morotai (dim style): a style of Japanese drawing with hazy, unclear shapes.
Actually, give it to me. Give me that picture.
Will you come apologize with me if I draw one more?
Of course I will!
All right. Can I do it on the back of February?
Can you do a landscape?
I'll try.
Yo.
Crap! How can I preserve a soy sauce picture?
No!
What should I draw next?
A spiny lobster!
He loves me.
He loves me not.
He loves me.
Yamada-san, you have to start with "He loves me not!" when doing it with a crab!
He loves me not.
Oh, man. They're totally drunk already.
Hey, Mayama...
How was your employment exam?
Well, I think it was okay.
Mayama-san, you've only been applying to top-notch jobs, haven't you?
Well, yeah.
Why are you only applying to such seemingly impossible places?
Don't say impossible!
In this day and age... I told him to apply to more down-to-earth places, too.
I applied to those places precisely because of this day and age.
If you're going to try and fail, you might as well do it with a high goal.
There you go again.
"You just chose impossible places so that you could fail them all and stick around at Rika-san's"...
...is what Yamada is saying in her heart.
Hey now, Morita-san!
I'm going to go take another bath.
Let's go, Hagu-chan.
S-Sure.
Hey, enough of those employment exams.
Let's just start a company together.
Let's become really wealthy!
Before that, Morita-san, your head...!
You still have the crab attached to your head!
Like I said, don't be so rowdy.
Team up with me! Then you'll be No. 2!
Your seat as the Vice President is already waiting!
Don't you want to be No. 2?!
It doesn't make me happy at all to be No. 2 in a company of two!
Yes, this is Hanamoto.
Mayama, you traitor!
Ow! You're hurting me!
Well then...
Why don't we take another bath before we go to bed?
Let's go, Mayama-san. The outdoor bath was really nice.
Oh, it seems I caught a cold at the exam site.
Do you want some medicine?
No, I'll be okay.
I'll be better if I lie down for a bit.
Is that so?
Well then...
It's open until 1 AM, so you can just go later.
Sounds good.
Madder Room Hanamoto-sama Morita-sama Mayama-sama Takemoto-sama (Men's Room)
Call History Call (1) Duration 10 sec Feb 7th Number withheld Call (2)
Am I being paranoid?
What in the world am I doing?
Could it be...?!
Hey, Mayama-kun. My after-bath snack is always fruity milk and ice cream.
Is it really okay for you to buy me all this?
Sure thing.
Bring anything.
We're back.
Welcome back!
Morita-san, Mayama-san, Hagu-chan won't stop crying!
Hagu sure is cute, even when she's crying.
I kind of remember seeing something like this before.
What's wrong, Hagu-chan?
Huh, what?
What? Beautiful breasts?!
Beautiful breasts
Yamada?!
I see... So she has beautiful breasts.
Um... well, you'll also be like that when you grow up.
Probably...
Why are you also crying, Morita-san?!
Her tears are infectious!
What are you talking about?
Hey, order more beer already!
Here. Make sure you put on your blanket.
Sheesh. She's so much trouble.
I guess the men are all that are left.
Don't bother. We can just leave them on the floor.
Aside from that, how are you feeling?
You haven't taken a bath yet, have you?
Sounds good.
What is it?
Oh, it's nothing.
I see.
Yeah.
So you're getting a job, aren't you?
Of course I am.
Make sure you decide on your own.
Decide where you want to work on your own.
Yes.
That aside, Sensei...
For my last memory as a student to be in a bath alone with my professor from school... What do you think about that?
Don't talk about things like that, Mayama. You're just making the situation more pathetic.
Okay.
akanai mabuta kosutte mieru I rub my heavy eyelids to reveal
pastel moyou no mirai ni A future in the shape of pastels
chiribamerareta kigou o tadoru I follow the scattered symbols
taguri yoseta hyoujou As my expressions were pulled in closer
nee nandakke sagashiteita mono Say, what was it that we were looking for again?
are wa soune itsudakke That's right, exactly when were those days
bokura ga inryoku ni sakarai nagara deatta koro When we used to meet, denying the attraction that was forming between us?
sore ga waltz no you dane fushigi sa It's like a waltz, isn't it? It's quite marveling
sasayaku youna komorebi no kousaten de We paint away sceneries
futari waltz no youni ne mawari nagara As we waltz and spin
egaki dashite yuku mono Where the whispering sunlight falls through the trees and meet.
Next episode: The past, tears, and a confession.