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
So Ichi stopped by?
What's so funny?
Ichi stops by and asks how Masa's doing sometimes, no?
Now that you mention it...
I told him that Masa was losing weight and looking worse by the day.
He couldn't even stand up, let alone walk,
and he's given serious thought on returning to his hometown.
You told him that? How cruel!
Ichi wouldn't have gone to Elders without my little fib.
However, there may an underlying reason he doesn't care to go.
Have you considered that?
He's the one who said he'd go see Elder at least once.
He's just being lazy.
I see...
Now I know why you didn't show up at all.
So this Yaichi fellow...
was you...
Are you leaving now, Masa?
Yes.
Thank you very much for everything, Elder.
Come visit me anytime you like.
Yaichi...
I heard that what's left of the Bakuro gang
will finish serving their sentences and come back soon.
They'll probably come calling on you, too.
Be careful...
Though I guess you wouldn't end up like Senkichi, huh?
Yaichi...
So this wasn't your first time meeting Elder?
Ume said something like you hadn't met him,
that you had lost so much weight that you couldn't even stand on your feet,
and you were considering going back to your hometown...
I knew that was a lie right away.
I've heard about the guy called Kuhei of Bakuro, as well,
since Elder and his friend were talking about him.
Did you not hear me, I changed the subject.
Sorry, that was thoughtless of me.
Thoughtless of Me
Don't mention that name in front of the others.
He was my boss.
You wanted to know my background. Have you satisfied your curiosity now?
I had this vague notion that you used to belong to a band of thieves.
But it didn't seem that simple to me.
You don't look like some average thief who used to belong to a group.
Did I say something wrong again?
No...
I don't care about the past.
Comparing the past to the present, I'm partial to preferring the latter.
I want to always be able to feel that way.
So I enjoy the present. That's all.
It's snowing.
Thank you for your concern, Ume.
Where's Ichi?
He went on ahead and returned to Katsura-ya.
So he really went to visit Elder...
Edo sure is a lively place.
During the past month that I spent at Elder's house,
It felt as if I was in my hometown.
I don't care about the past.
I wish I could bring myself to feel as such.
It wouldn't be a big deal going back to my hometown,
Although my timid personality said to be unsuited for a samurai would at least...
Oh, I'm sorry.
You jerk! Why're you standing in a place like...
You're very tall...
Have I met you somewhere?
You bumped into me! In the middle of town!
Oh... you're the guy from...
I won't let you get away today!
Draw your sword!
Well, but...
Just draw your sword.
We shouldn't thoughtlessly draw our swords like that.
Shut up!
He's right. This isn't a good place, bro.
Let's see...
Hey, you brats over there.
There's a face-off between two ronin!
I heard they're using wooden swords.
Sounds interesting!
Assume your stance already!
What're you doing? Get Ready!
So you're just a good-for-nothing, eh?
Hey, hey, this guy's trembling.
He was protected by some pretty boy the other day.
He isn't moving at all.
We haven't got all day.
Get a grip, Masansuke!
What're you doing?
You're before his Lordship. Get a grip!
What have you been learning?!
I've never seen such a cowardly ronin before.
You should quit being a warrior!
I can't believe you call yourself a samurai.
How shameful... Brother...
I ran away again.
I haven't changed at all from when I was in my hometown.
I can't change...
People will continue to laugh at me and tell me to get a grip as long as I'm breathing...
just like they did long ago.
What's done is done. Don't worry about it.
Yagi...
It's embarrassing that you saw me like that.
Are you... really a samurai?
I... I am!
Leaf picker... You're the kind of guy who is just as he appears.
What happened to your bodyguard job? Were you let go?
Why don't you go train in a dojo or something?
I don't like dojos.
Why?
I don't like being among many people.
Then, shall I tell you about a dojo without many people?
My place.
Do you run a dojo?
No, I'm saying I'll be your training partner.
You look strong.
There's a small restaurant that I often eat at just up the road.
Let's go grab a meal.
Do you have a goal in your life? Like getting back into government service?
More or less... But since I've got this personality...
There's this person who's shorter then I am,
but whom I feel is far bigger than me.
He has this incredible composure.
I was reminded of that today.
At the same time, I once again realized how much of a newbie i am.
Then your goal is to become like that man?
Not quite...
But...
there's certian things about him that i envy.
I brought some rice-flour cake.
You didn't have to.
You were very good to me, so...
You came today partially because you wanted to ask about Yaichi, didn't you?
Yes, that, too. To think that you and Yaichi knew each other...
We met only once, long ago.
I won't talk much about it, Masa.
He showed up because he knew that I probably wouldn't.
May I ask you about Kuhei of Bakuro and his gang?
Do they still exist?
I heard most of them were executed.
Those who weren't killed were exiled to an island.
It seems that Yaichi escaped the reach of the police.
He may no longer have anything to do with the gang,
but he started the Five Leaves.
You guys should be on guard.
You mean for those left in the gang?
No, for Yaichi.
I may be worried about nothing.
It even seems like he abandoned his past.
But something about him worries me.
Are you going to tell Ume about Yaichi?
Well...
It would probably be better if I waited until I know what Yaichi is like at the moment.
Now...
Masa, be careful and observe him well.
Katsura-ya
Swinging a wooden sword by yourself won't show meif you're useful or not.
But I have to train like this.
I wish some gangster or something would barge in.
Ichi, take him on.
Boss Lady, I've never carried a weapon aside from dagger before.
Still, it looks to me that Ichi might win.
That's the kind of fighting spirit that you give off.
You, use only your left hand.
You just came back after getting over your illness and already this?
What a hassle, eh, Masa?
Well, let's put up with Boss Lady's killing time, shall we?
Hey, I'm a busy person.
Um, I can't use my right hand?
All you have to do do it lightly knock the dagger out my hand.
Like Butter.
Wait!
Use a wooden sword.
What were you trying to draw a real sword for?
Um, I unintentionally did it due to the fighting spirit that Yaichi was exuding.
Geez...
Whoa! Everyone! Come over here! Ichi and Sensai are gonna duel!
P-Please don't bring people here.
You ran away when you had a face-off with some ronin the other day, right?
The hairdresser we use told me.
How pitiful...
Now, you girls, shoo. Shoo!
Masa...
Aren't you oddly tense around me?
That's not true...
It is true that I wasn't confident I could win.
Also, I feel like I'm losing my touch lately.
Training, huh...?
Dojo?
Sorry, but can we do it some other time?
I'm off to visit some graves.
You often go to visit graves.
Ah, well, you had flowers when I met you the first time.
That was the anniversary of my wife's death.
I'm going to visit other graves today.
Let's go.
What about the remaining flowers?
They're for the next grave.
That grave earlier was for the son of my neighbor.
He died of an epidemic. It was long ago.
This guy died around the same time, too.
He didn't have any relatives. I'm pretty much the only one who visits his grave.
If you don't mind, please pray for him.
Since their anniversaries are close to each other, I visit their graves together.
Today is the anniversary of this guy's death.
He was foolish. He accidentally fell in the well in the middle of the night.
He was a good friend.
Yaichi...
Yaichi?
Candles
I'm sorry for making you wait, Matsukichi.
No problem. I'm the one who's asking you to see you when you're busy.
Here's the money.
Did something happen?
Well, it's got nothing to do with you.
There're two people whom I'm deeply indebted to for the remainder of my days.
You're on of them.
What happened?
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 Preview
Masanosuke speaking.
I don't have a steady job and I can't get back into government service.
I keep drifiting.
However, it troubles me that I've started feeling that it may not be too bad.
Well, the next episode is...
Deeply Indebted
to Two People
Deeply Indebted to Two People.