House of Five Leaves
The map spans farther than the eye can see.
Its wideness that knows no end...
discourages us of being familiar.
We have been extremely shy,
and we are easily hurt.
That's the reason we've built tall castles.
So we can look down from high above.
Standing ovation
Each applause resonates with another.
We all knew that only thing.
Someone had to start it.
We line up shoulder to shoulder, putting our hands together to make the
sign of love
Love is never wasted.
I want to give you what you wish for.
Show me your soul
if your heart has yet to forget what love is.
I love on
Sign of love
Show me your soul
Ohmiya Rice Wholesaler
It's already been three days since I started working as a bodyguard at this shop.
This is all thanks to Yaichi referring me.
How long are you going to sit there eating?
Geez...
You can take your time eating, Teacher.
But...
Master may be strict, but the Old Master is proud of him.
Neighbors also say he's a dependable heir.
If his wife were to get pregnant, things would be perfect.
There's no problem here.
It hasn't been that long since we did the last job,
is it okay to just proceed with the next one?
It'll be fine. Matsu is thoroughly investigating the target family.
Ichi planned this out, so...
I wonder.
You're not satisfied unless you're arguing about everything, Ume.
Our next target is the rice wholesaler in Saga District, Ohmiya.
We'll kidnap their master.
Will Masa participate too?
I heard that Ohmiya is looking for a bodyguard right now.
So I'll have him work there.
Will they hire him?
Matsu is arranging it.
You sure are helpful aren't you, Matsu?
Ah... Why aren't you calling Masa here?
If he's to play a part in this, he should be here, shouldn't he?
If we tell him beforehand, he probably won't accept his task...
I'll tell him later.
So we're gonna gradually get him involved, huh?
Gradually Get Him Involved
You didn't have to go to the trouble of walking me home, you know.
I won't let Matsu walk you home.
Ichi, is it really necessary to place the freelancer in Ohmiya?
It's not like it's so that he can spy on them...
after all, that's your job, Matsu.
Ohmiya will bring their bodyguard when they deliver the money.
If it's Masa, we won't have much to worry about. It'll be easy, right?
Also, as Ume said, I want him to take part in one of our jobs as a member.
Ohmiya
Rice
Wholesaler
Welcome! The lady of the house is waiting for you.
Teacher Akitsu.
Is there something-
Oh, Matsukichi.
Matsukitchi makes hair ornaments and tobacco pipes for our lady.
She asks for his services quite a bit.
Akitsu and I have a mutual acquaintance, so...
I see.
How is Akitsu's work going?
Yes... Well, unlike the teachers that we've had before, he seems very kind.
However, I heard that his swordsmanship is quite good.
Oh, I see...
Well, then...
Since he always ignored me at Ume's place,
I thought he hated me...
but he might actually be a nice person.
I wonder if it's one of the neighbors' kids.
One look and I'm hated...
Then, Master must also...
Mister Samurai, does your stomache hurt?
I see. You're scared of samurai, huh?
I thought all samurai were scary. You're not scary at all, mister.
A- At all...?
Say...
Will you be my friend?
I'm Yutaro!
I'm Masanosuke Akitsu.
Katsura-ya
That you, Matsu?
Did you sneak into Ohmiya?
No. It was my regular visit today, as a metallic ornament craftsman.
Did you see Masa?
He was playing with a kid.
With a kid?
When are you going to tell him about the job?
I told him to stop by Ume's if he ever goes back to check up on his place in Nagaya.
I'll tell him then.
People in Edo are lucky to have so much white rice available to them.
Teacher! I asked you not to come back here.
I was making my rounds. Sorry.
Masa!
Yutaro.
Let's play.
Okay...
But why are you inside the house?
I'll be at the river, okay?
Oh, to see that he's become fond of you, a bodyguard.
He seems to be bored since we're busy and I can't spend time with him.
So please play with him, Teacher.
Yeah...
So he's one of the maidservants' sons...
I remember some maidservants who worked at my house in my hometown
would bring their children with them too.
Masa!
Masa, do you have siblings?
I have a younger brother and a younger sister in my hometown.
I want a younger brother.
Do you get along with your brother?
Well... not really...
How's your bodyguard work going?
It's going fine, for now.
Since it's a well-established shop, I hope to be of some use to them.
Speaking of which, I heard that you're also a bodyguard for that brothel.
I'm just a freeloader there.
Once you're done with your current job,
I'll recommend you for the position of Katsura-ya's bodyguard.
That brothel's...?
No, I'd like to continue to work at Ohmiya for quite some time.
Our next target is that Ohmiya.
We'll kidnap their master.
Well, but, that shop doesn't seem to be doing anything bad-
I thought I told you that I'm not some chivalrous robber.
Targeting families that do bad things is so that we won't be tracked.
Ohmiya is quite treacherous, too.
That said, if we blackmail them, we'll just be killed.
Well, we rarely target merchants.
Normally we target the Shogun's direct retainers...as they won't report it.
What is your purpose Yaichi?
It's Money.
Money...
Just like you, everyone has their own circumstances.
Masanosuke Akitsu
Just when I thought I was finally able to get a good job.
Rice is expensive, isn't it?
Yeah, we've only been making porridge.
We have, too!
I thought I would be able to send honest money to home from now on, but...
In any case, I need to make money.
Masa!
Okinu. Those look heavy.
Let me carry them for you.
I'm fine.
Sake
You're kind, Masa.
Dad! I got some boards.
I told you I'd go!
Masa carried them for me.
Masa, come upstairs. Ichi's here, too.
Sure...
Thanks, Masa.
Be careful going up the stairs.
I said be careful.
What the heck are you falling for?
Where's Ichi?
He's upstairs.
Masa! Hey!
Wake up!
So how're things?
I've been called to Ohmiya. I'm on my way to see the lady right now.
What about the master?
Finding an opportunity to approach the master has been harder than I thought.
We might want to avoid being hasty and see how things go.
Yeah.
Not good, not good. I lack composure.
The rice dumplings here are good, leaf picker.
What's up today? Are you meeting up with a woman?
No...
You don't look like a bodyguard.
One of the bath staff at my house just quit.
I'll pay you good, so why don't you come work for me?
The fact that that doesn't upset you makes it hard to believe you're a samurai.
I'm Yagi. What's your name?
I'm Akitsu.
I was just teasing you a little.
Besides, I'm not rich enough to hire bath staff.
Thanks for waiting.
I'm the third son of one of the Shogun's direct retainers.
I'm a leech to the main family.
I see...
Well, have some dumplings.
Ohmiya
Rice
Wholesaler
Matsukichi, I'm so annoyed.
Yeah...
I know it's my fault that I can't get pregnant.
But when I hear that kid making a racket with maidservants and the bodyguard,
it really irritates me.
At first I thought that we had no choice but to adopt a child, too.
Adopt a child?
To make matters worse, the child is my husband's son with his mistress.
To think that I have to raise such a child, I'm slowly losing my patience.
You mean that kid name Yutaro?
That's right.
So he isn't the child of one of the maidservants?
He's our adopted son.
Nothing can make me feel better than blowing money, right?
Please make a hair ornament so expensive
that my husband will be dumbfounded, Matsukichi.
Sake
Oh hey, Masa. Over here.
Rice cakes, huh?
Here. Take these.
Take the kid at your work place out and let him have some.
Thank you!
I wonder if Masa heard about the change of plans.
Who knows.
But to think that Matsu overlooked the fact that the kid was their adopted son...
I told you, didn't I? He isn't as great as everyone says.
Whoa! Rice Cakes!
Yummy! Masa, you have some too!
Well... if you say so...
Seriously, how annoying.
This letter by a gang called the "Five Leaves" says,
"Have the bodyguard who was with the kid when he was kidnapped deliver the money."
The man who passed out and couldn't protect my son
when he was right there...
Don't worry. He'll be back.
You can talk so casually just because he isn't your own son!
Thats right. He's not my son.
What a horrible woman you are!
I'm... going now.
Hey.
Ah... Matsukichi. From the roof?
No one has followed you from Ohmiya. Go straight to Ume's place.
Y- You're one of the "Five Leaves," Matsukichi?!
So Ichi didn't tell you?
I was going to keep it a secret for a bit longer.
What for?
Makes things more interesting, doesn't it?
Matsu used to be a lone robber. So he's good at sneaking into houses.
I just assumed that the Elder was included in the "Five Leaves."
In any case, you did a great job, Masa. What're you feeling down about?
Many things...
The kid is safe and sound at the Elder's.
Eat some rice cakes and cheer up.
Well, the job this time was easy.
It's thanks to Masa.
He was useful after all.
Are you gonna go get the money?
This isn't a kidnapping.
We made it look that way, but kid, you're gonna be killed.
What're you...
Bro! You're letting him hear?
A letter about you being kidnapped was probably delivered to your family.
But we didn't write it.
Someone else planned this and prepared the letter.
We'll get paid for our help.
This kidnapping was planned by someone in your house. It's a charade!
Why does it have to look like a kidnapping?
I heard it's in order to deceive the master.
So Mother was the one who planned this?
That's right.
When I threatened the man who brought the deal to me, he told me many things.
Why did you accept a job like this?
It was a request by the boss who controls this area.
I couldn't turn it down. On top of that, we need money.
According to the man, the master might've had his suspicions about this.
Even so, he didn't stop it. Which means they don't need you, doesn't it?
Ryu!
We're gonna kill him anyway. What's the problem?
I don't intend to kill him. I don't like pointless killing.
I'll bring them his topknot and his kimono with some blood on it.
His sword, too. Once I receive the money, you'll be free to go.
I have to leave Edo anyway.
Then, I'll come with you.
Me, too.
Do you wanna come with us, too?
You have no place to go, you know.
I'll go home.
They'll kill you.
I'll go home. I have Yaichi.
Who is Yaichi?
A servant. If it's Yaichi, he'll protect me.
Yaichi, huh? The name of the man who brought this deal to me was called Yaichi.
He looked like a servant. It's probably the same guy.
To be continued...
It felt like there was something
hidden in your words that day...
No matter how many times it's repeated,
I can still hear your voice, unchanging...
Every time I breathe,
I wanna hold you in my arms
Every word you whisper,
makes my heart beat up and high...
Every time I breathe,
I just wanna hold you in my arms again
Every word you whisper,
makes my heart beat up and high...
Every day I need you
All the time I'll be there for you
Every word you whisper,
makes my heart beat up and high...
Now, about the next episode of House of Five Leaves...
Next Episode
Yagi speaking.
The world is quite peaceful these days.
Once I leave work for the day, I can do whatever I want.
This world has become an easy place for people like me to live in.
Well, the next episode is...
Sure Does Get Carried Away