- Hmm? - I made this for you.
A special programme.
At this place... I can earn a livelihood with her together.
You've been cheated.
- Hide. Hide. - Could it be you're dating?
Eh!? No no no no.
- Love... - Have you ever thought of...
...the people who failed? It's retribution.
Is this retribution?
Was I also wrong to... give my students dreams?
Your illness is completely unrelated...
...to what you've done up to now.
I will... definitely pass.
This is the first dream I've ever had.
Therefore, I'm looking forward to your guidance from now, Sensei.
How much longer can I live?
There's something I have to do no matter what.
Please. Will you extend my time until March next year?
I was told at the previous hospital that I can expect to have a year left.
How is it?
An expectancy of one year doesn't necessarily mean that you only have a year left.
The concept of life expectancy is now quite different from that of the past.
What do you mean?
In my opinion, at this rate, your survival rate after 1 year is 50%.
So it's 50-50.
Don't be disheartened. I said, "at this rate", didn't I?
The survival rate is just a statistical figure obtained from the data of
patients with similar illnesses.
From now, how much can we improve the figure from 50%?
We doctors are here for that purpose.
Medical science is advancing every day.
From now on, let's think of the best treatment together.
- Komiya. - Hmm?
Can I hug you?
I decline.
I'm joking.
I feel slightly more relieved now.
Anyway, until March.
I want to... live until March.
[Use up savings, space travel, make merry in Hawaii, stand on Budokan's stage]
[Make Kimura bow in apology, make Toko look at me in surprise]
Tomon Seminar will become a subsidiary of Altair Education.
Taking revenge against your ex-husband?
You said, "Revenge?" the other day but...
- Toko. - Please don't get conceited.
I will... definitely pass.
[Make Endo Maki qualify for Todai]
[Remaining 10 months = 300 days = 7200 hours = 432,000 minutes]
Figures are always cruel. [Remaining 10 months = 300 days = 7200 hours = 432,000 minutes]
Figures confront us with the relentless reality and always throw us into confusion.
Hmm...
It's impossible. I don't understand at all.
[Juken no Cinderella]
[May, 2016]
Finally, your first battle. The national mock exams.
Three subjects - English, Japanese and Math are tested this time.
Well, think of this as a prelude to the actual exams.
Firstly, familiarise yourself with the atmosphere of the exams.
And also, confirm where and how the things you've learnt will be useful to you.
These are your only two goals.
The time to test my abilities has finally come.
What should I do first?
- Make a cheat sheet. - Eh!?
I know. It's an essential point for exams!
"Even if you have to resort to dirty tricks, you must pass!"
There isn't such a thing!
- But you just said a cheat sheet... - You don't use it during the exams.
- You use it to prepare for the exams. - Prepare for the exams?
In fact, let's make a cheat sheet here.
- Eh, here? - Yes.
What will you write on a cheat sheet for Math?
Probability. I don't understand how to use the formulas at all.
- What about English? - Idioms, I guess. They often appear in exams.
- What about Japanese? - Kanji writing. I keep putting it off. It's bad.
Only those?
I can write a lot more if I want to but...
The paper is tiny so for now, I'll write the ones that I'm least confident in
...and the ones that seem to appear often in exams.
That's what I mean. There are 2 points when making a cheat sheet.
Questions that seem to appear often and predicting them.
That, and also... uncovering your own weaknesses.
Alright. I'll thoroughly beat these weaknesses!
- That's the spirit. - Well...
- The mock exams, huh? Do your best. - Thank you very much.
Wow... looks delicious!
Yes, it's Usami's specialty. Exams yakisoba.
- Exams yakisoba? - Full of bonito (katsuo) flakes.
With this, "win" (katsu) at exams, oh!
- Yeah. You, go back. - Yes.
I haven't eaten cabbage for a while!
I shall partake!
What about your meals?
I'm getting by with eating rice.
Any contact from your mother?
Nothing.
Does this happen often?
It's the longest one this time...
Well, but that person will be fine.
Finally, the meat.
Ah! That's my meat!
- This is also a strategy for exams. - Huh!?
Eat your favourite food in the beginning.
Firstly, take a quick look at all the questions. Then, for the questions you can do...
In other words, tackle them starting from your favourite.
During the exam, when you run into questions you can't do,
you'll get stuck and be in a terrible plight, right?
You should first clear the questions you can do and then tackle the difficult ones.
You could have just explained that to me.
Don't forget the frustration of not having the meat.
Delicious!
- Eh... you're taking the national mock exams. - It's my first attempt in life.
- Is Eito University your venue? - Yes.
- Same as me. - Eh, really!?
You're a rival.
Oh oh...
Ha ha, you said it! "Oh oh..."
- Well, but I really can't believe this. - Believe what?
I used to hate tests very much just a while back but...
now I'm aiming for Todai and taking the national mock exams.
You never know what may happen in life.
Well then, what do you think we'll be doing this time next year?
- Eh? - Mental training.
It's good to visualise your success specifically in your head.
This time next year, I would have entered Todai, be in the baseball team...
and chosen as one of the best 9 players to take part in the Tokyo Big6 Baseball League.
Hmm... I would have entered Todai's Economics Faculty...
I can't think of anything after that.
Come to think of it, I haven't thought properly about my future.
For Economics, there's the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry...
No no, that's overambitious.
Ah!
I found 100 yen!
- Is that so? - I'll turn it in later.
What's this?
The sweet that's popular now.
Eh?
You said before that you want to eat a whole cake, didn't you?
I'm repaying your favour. Eat as much as you like.
It's delicious~! Recently, I've been going to Usami's place...
and eating the okonomiyaki there which isn't exactly very good.
- Usami's place? You went there? - Yes.
He is working hard at his shop.
It's a mystery why his shop is flourishing so well.
More importantly...
How were the examination results?
- As I thought, it has advanced. - I see.
As the tumour is near the brain stem, I wouldn't recommend a surgery.
Chemotherapy using anti-cancer drugs and radiation will be the best way.
I'll tell you my wish.
Firstly, hospitalisation is out of the question.
Secondly, I don't want the people around me to be informed of my illness.
The former is possible but the latter is impossible.
Once we begin the radiation therapy, there will surely be changes in your appearance.
Then, I won't go for radiation.
I'll just go for anti-cancer drugs.
You're not in the situation to say such a relaxed thing.
I won't cause you any trouble.
Please.
Okay? Come on.
Ah, this is really spicy and delicious. Spicy but good!
The office in New York contacted us just now.
- And? - And...
They said they will welcome you there.
But it's rather sudden. From September.
- I will go. - No, no...
Think over it for a while.
Didn't you say that if I want to go into corporal delegation, I should go to America?
I did say that but... you may not come back for the next 5 to 10 years.
Shouldn't you discuss such an important matter with someone?
Don't worry about me. Please tell them I'll take up the offer.
Surely you have to settle some private matters.
Have I ever mentioned any private matters when working?
No. That's exactly why it's worrying.
I don't think life is just all about work.
Why do I have to do this so early in the morning?
This is also an essential point for exams.
When you move your body while memorising, it becomes easier to remember.
It's been said that the cerebral cortex works better when you move your body.
Alright, time to practise.
Kanji expressions and different kanji pronunciations.
"You must _____ while you can."
"You must make the most of your life while you can."
- You're slow! - Yes!
Next, rhetorical questions. "What do you mean by thus _____?"
"What do you mean by thus saying -- that no one knows you?" [From: Analects of Confucius, Book 14]
Ha!
"Cherish your youth before it's gone." [From: The 300 Tang Poems, Gold-threaded Gown]
I did it!
[public phone]
Hello.
Mom?
Hello... hello?
Did Maki-chan pick up the phone? Is she doing well?
Chi-chan, you should go back soon.
She's definitely worried. Right?
You're annoying!
It's your fault in the first place for finding that dubious property which resulted in this.
But...
I even took my daughter's money and left.
I can't simply go back like this!
Chi-chan...
Even I have my pride as a parent.
I'll do my best to help you! Other than money though.
Hey, Chi-chan!
For probability....
If you can't differentiate how to use the formulas with the letters "P" and "C",
you won't get anywhere.
Yeah.
P is for permutations. It means arranging into some order.
As the name suggests, the order affects the answer.
For example, at a restaurant... When you choose 3 out of 9 dishes and
then decide the order to make a course meal, how many ways are there?
In this scenario, you can apply the permutation formula.
The answer is 504 ways.
On the other hand, C is for combination. It means a selection from a collection.
When you need to derive an answer free from order, you use this formula.
In terms of the example just now,
it won't be a course meal but a buffet.
If you can select 3 out of 9 dishes free from order,
how many ways are there?
In this scenario, use the combination formula.
The answer is 84 ways.
Do you understand?
Course meal or buffet...?
- English is about speed. - Speed?
For Todai's English exam, there are many types of questions. Listening is one of them.
If you don't distribute the time properly, you can't get around to all the questions
...and will suffer for it.
That's what you say but... how do I read long essays quickly?
- Think of it as a puzzle. - Puzzle?
Because you think this is long, it seems hopeless. Look.
When you look closely at this lengthy essay, you'll see that...
it is made up of simple sentences from English words and idioms.
First of all, completely remember the simple sentences that are often used.
When you do that, you'll be able to understand the long passages.
Oh? My wallet is missing.
- This? - Oh? Where was it?
Under the seat in the car.
- You went to play pachinko again, right? - No, I didn't.
Don't lie!
Oh? Is it raining?
Huh? Hey, you!
- "To get out of a situation." - That's the way.
Math is about memorisation. Think for 5 minutes. If I don't know, look at the answer.
Then, remember how to solve it and reattempt the question once more.
Kanji expressions and double negatives.
"Could it be, could there be,"
"it isn't that, it isn't without".
Ha!
Review is more important than preparation.
sinα = 4/5
cosβ = -10/13
I can use the trigonometric addition formulae for this, can't I?
I did it!
Alright!
It's finally here.
Alright.
Done!
You decided to do this and came to me!
And today is the prelude to the battle!
Roll up your sleeves and go forth! I'll definitely bring you to Todai!
- You can do it! Tomon! - Oh~!
- More! - Oh~!
- Hear, hear! - Oh~!
- You can do it! - Oh~!
- You will do it! - Oh~!
Alright, go!
Hey.
You came.
After all, I thought you would be scared.
Huh? I'm not scared.
Well, you did well coming here.
Listen. Don't worry about getting good results.
Yeah. Then, I'll be going.
Ah. Meat!
Don't forget the meat. Understand?
I know that.
And before the test begins, go to the toilet.
I'm not an elementary school kid.
(Do your best.)
[Japanese (100 minutes)]
Well then, begin.
Eat your favourite food in the beginning.
Firstly, take a quick look at all the questions. Then, for the questions you can do...
In other words, tackle them starting from your favourite.
Meat...
"Aramahoshi."
- Use a play on the words. - Play on the words?
"Aramahoshi".
Oh my, it's a star.
"Aramahoshi". Ideal.
It's here!
"Not necessarily _____."
"Not _____ together, not _____ completely."
Alright, I know this.
What are you doing here?
Are you still teaching?
That was the girl from the karaoke house, right?
What are you scheming?
If you have so much time to worry about that,
why don't you worry about yourself instead?
What?
If the passing rate in Tomon drops next year, what will the public say?
Time's up!
We will collect your answer sheet.
[English (100 minutes)]
"The listening will begin in a moment."
It's here. The listening.
Ah, this one.
"Then, we will begin."
"This is how I get to work every morning."
Oh dear, I don't understand at all.
"The passage will be repeated."
"This is how I get to work every morning."
- "I get off..." - Eh? Fried tofu!? (agetofu)
Eh, what about the fried tofu?
"Please answer question 1 and 2."
Time's up.
- Hey, let's eat together. - Ok, sure.
I shall partake.
Hey, what are you doing?!
Hey, stop that.
How is it coming along?
I'm so nervous that I'm exhausted.
It's your first time after all.
- Hey. - Yes?
What do you want to do the most now?
Why do you ask?
Hmm... just for a change of pace.
Hmm... for me...
Fireworks, I guess. Watching fireworks.
Fireworks, huh?
Ah, there's a fireworks display in summer by the shrine.
Yeah, I've heard of it before.
- Hmm? - Ah...
May... may I have one piece of tamagoyaki?
- Sure. I seasoned it arbitrarily though. - I shall partake.
Delicious! I like this level of sweetness.
- Really? - Yeah!
Delicious~!
You're loud.
[Mathematics (120 minutes)]
Your ability to memorise will become your strongest weapon.
Time's up.
Please submit your answer sheet.
It's over...
- Maki-chan, you worked hard! - Thank you very much.
How was it? Your first mock exam.
Well... it's really exhausting to sit for it.
Well, but you worked really hard... Don't you have a good feeling about this?
No no, not at all.
Can you tell?
Ah... Me in Todai, huh. What will I be in the future?
Hey, don't get ahead of yourself. You only took the mock exam.
A friend asked me about it and I couldn't answer.
About what I will be after going to university.
Yes, welcome~
- Komiya! - Yo! It's been a while.
How long has it been?
Since I took over this shop... so it's been 10 years!
I heard from Igarashi that he came here often.
After listening to him, I wanted to try your food too.
- So you came here just for okonomiyaki. - What else is there here?
Oh? He's the doctor I saw previously?
Oh.
- What a coincidence. - It's really a coincidence.
Ah, why is she here?
She's a student Igarashi is teaching. Maki-chan.
Eh, student?
Yeah. She's studying hard and aiming to enter Todai.
Oh yes. This guy here graduated from Todai's Medical Faculty.
Eh, is that so?
- Come on, give her some advice. - About what?
About how popular doctors from Todai are.
I can't simply say that. You can tell her, can't you?
Well... I'm not good with such matters.
Eh, but why Usami-san?
Ah... actually, we're schoolmates.
Eh, Usami-san, you're from Todai as well?
- I guess he never mentioned it. - Wow... I'm very surprised.
Somehow, I feel that Todai is within my reach now.
No, what do you mean?
He worked for a company once but he dropped out of it.
I see.
I guess I'm not cut out to be a salaried worker.
More importantly... everyone, please take a seat here. Right!
Thank you.
Ah! Hello.
- Is your husband around? - Ah... yes.
Dear.
Oh, did we arrange to meet today?
- Sorry to bother when you're busy. - Then, please head upstairs.
Ah... yeah, I guess.
Usami! Pork with cheese for me. A double.
- Komiya-san! - Oh.
Oh... Kimura, you're here too.
It's been a long time.
Igarashi...
Why are you here?
- Hey, what will you do? - We'll be leaving soon.
Eh... please check these documents and affix your seal here.
Eh, what documents?
You watched the news, didn't you?
Since Tomon Seminar will become a subsidiary of Altair Education,
we have to let all related personnel sign the letter of attorney in advance.
We'll be contacting you soon too.
Well, it's fine by me but do you really have to do this? Normally.
I don't want any disputes in the future.
Like this, he negotiates behind the scenes over every single thing.
Um... who's everyone?
Ah... sorry about this. Many people showed up suddenly.
You won't make sense of anything.
Alright, I know.
- Let's drink. For the time being. - No no no.
Come on. Komiya, you want to drink, don't you?
Right?
Yeah.
Well then, I don't really know what's happening but... cheers!
Cheers!
Um... how is everyone related?
The 5 of us are the founders of Tomon Seminar.
- Right? Right? - Is that so?
Well, I was the one who first conceived the idea though.
I came up with the study method when I was going to take Todai's entrance exams.
Thinking that it may turn out to be profitable if I sell the method,
I started Tomon when I was in university.
At that time, I gathered these members who are here today.
Does that mean everyone was in my apartment last time?
Eh?
My apartment used to be a cram school. Sensei told me.
Maki-chan, you're living in that apartment?
How nostalgic. That was our starting point.
There isn't a single trace of the past anymore though.
The Tomon today is completely different.
Right? New president.
It's unbelievable that...
Kimura used to follow Igarashi around all the time.
- Don't bring up the past. - It's fine, isn't it?
It's a good chance so you can tell everyone.
About what kind of tricks you used to become the President.
- Hey, you. - I did that for Tomon's future.
Where's the future?
- Stop it. - Usami, you're a fine one to talk!
You argued with Igarashi the most in the past. Why are you taking his side now?
Well, regarding that... many things happened.
Everyone has gone in different directions.
Ah... Toko-chan!
Don't you have any advice for her who's aiming for our alma mater, Todai?
- As fellow women. - Eh?
- Even if you ask me that suddenly... - Ah, I want to hear it.
Eh...
Hmm... I'm not sure if this will be useful to you but...
The entrance exam is a battle against yourself.
Your hard work won't betray you. Do your best.
So cool... I yearn to be like you!
- You'd better not. - Hmm?
What is it?
She isn't such a person.
She's the type who enjoys life while showing off her effort.
I'm enjoying my life too though.
How are you doing so?
Can you stop pushing your own beliefs onto others?
What did you say?
Hey... wait. Please don't get into a lovers' quarrel in my shop.
Well, it's true that taking the entrance exam was a tough period but...
At a certain timing in life, the experience of working desperately hard...
is something we can be confident of even today, right?
- Is that so? - Yeah.
That's because we worked hard while facing the goal we set for ourselves.
I see. Then, I'm right in the middle of that situation now.
That's it. That's why regardless of your future direction,
Maki-chan should just work hard for the moment.
Yes. Thank you very much.
Well... anyways, Usami who dropped out is
probably the happiest one right now~
He's happy~
- Hey, don't say that. - Yes. Here you go.
Eat up. Eat up.
- This is delicious. - Then, I'll take this.
[From: Okita Yuta My cram school has ended. Shall we meet?]
- Ah, I have to leave soon. - Eh, but we're just starting?
I have to study.
Hey. When your mock exam results are out, bring them here immediately.
Yes. Well then, please excuse me.
What a farce.
The ex-president is just making use of that girl to spite me...
...for booting him out of Tomon.
Stop it. Don't talk about that now.
Are you thinking that if you can make a nobody like her enter Todai,
you can prove yourself and surprise me?
Stop it. That girl is pitiful.
No... I think Igarashi...
...is doing this purely for her sake.
I'm leaving.
I'm bad at acting as if we get along well.
- Please handle the documents for me. - Yeah.
Why did you ask me out all of a sudden?
This is to thank you for the tamagoyaki.
Thank you.
Yeah.
This is delicious, right? It's delicious, isn't it?
- Yeah, it's good. Good. - Right? Right!
- It's delicious. Right? - I'm going out to take a breather.
A lawyer, a doctor, a cram school manager and an owner of an okonomiyaki shop.
- Everyone was from Todai? - Yeah.
I was surprised too.
We all happened to meet at the same time and same place by chance.
It was a coincidence but isn't it amazing?
Yeah.
Oh, do you know this?
In your life, the probability of normally meeting someone...
and becoming friends is 1 out of 240,000.
The probability of knowing someone in school and becoming close friends is 1 out of 24 million.
And the probability of meeting that special someone is 1 out of 2.4 billion.
2.4 billion!?
- That's a miracle. - Yes, a miracle.
But conversely, doesn't that mean there's a high chance of not meeting anyone?
Well... Isn't it better if you don't think of that?
Ah... yes.
Are you alright?
What's with the lineup today?
I was surprised too.
Who would have expected the former members to be gathered together.
But somehow... isn't this nostalgic?
We often fought over trifling matters like that.
- It's different now. - Eh?
I often went out of control while Usami and you tried to stop me.
Kimura was always taking sides with the stronger ally...
While Toko gave us the cold shoulder.
It was really messed up but we could still laugh.
But it's impossible now.
I can't laugh at all.
It's boring.
All of us.
- Igarashi... - Ah...
I drank too much.
Drink alcohol in moderation.
Sorry about this. Somehow, it suddenly became a weird gathering of all sorts.
Usami-san, it isn't your fault.
Shouldn't you forgive him soon?
Forgive what?
Igarashi's character is like this so he doesn't show his emotions.
But I think he still cares for you, even now.
No way. He didn't contact me at all for 10 years.
Well... isn't that because he couldn't?
Usami-san, why did you reestablish your relations with Igarashi?
Actually, this happened recently.
- Is that so? - Yeah.
I didn't really tell this to many people but...
When I quit Tomon,
I hurled all the shares under my name to Igarashi.
- "I don't need this!" I said. - Eh...
Yeah. Then, I totally forgot about that incident but...
Around February this year, I guess...
I was told there's a suspicious person loitering around my shop.
I wondered who that was and it turned out to be Igarashi.
He suddenly appeared while carrying this huge paper bag.
Turned out that there was 20 million yen inside.
Eh!?
"I'm paying in cash for the shares back then," he said.
Can you believe it? He had 20 million in the paper bag and...
...was loitering around the shop for several days.
Why did he suddenly do that...?
Who knows.
But he has always been a person with integrity since the past.
Even though he normally seems to consider everyone else beneath him.
That's why I just can't bring myself to dislike him.
What do you call this feeling? A gap in character?
I don't know about that.
Isn't this the kind of thing that charms women?
Please hurry up and affix your seal.
Yes.
Igarashi. You said, "until March". It's for that girl, isn't it?
It's for myself.
When I'm teaching, I can forget about my illness for a moment.
Does she know about your illness?
No. Or rather, I can't tell her.
I don't think you can hide this forever.
If you have any side effects to the drugs, you may be hospitalised.
If anything happens, it will be too late.
It's better if you tell her now while you still can, isn't it?
It's here.
[E grade - Success rate of qualifying: less than 5%]
Hey!
"Success rate of qualifying for Todai: less than 5%".
It's definitely impossible.
Just when I was starting to enjoy studying...
It's always like this.
When I look forward to something, something bad will definitely happen.
For example?
I got a fever on the day of a school excursion.
I suffered a fracture on a field trip. My father left on my birthday.
Maybe I'm just meant to be like this.
Why do you look as if the world is ending?
You did well.
How? I got E grades.
I told you in the beginning not to worry about getting good results.
You don't sit for a mock exam to test your abilities.
Find out the parts which you couldn't do.
From there, look for the problems in your studies.
To get an A grade in this mock exam, you have to obtain 250 points.
You will need to obtain another 80 points in your problematic areas.
For English, we haven't gone through the strategies for listening yet...
...so you couldn't do it, of course.
From now, if you work on the reading comprehension of lengthy sentences...
and the accuracy of interpretation into Japanese...
You can improve your score in English alone by 35 points.
For Math, you haven't finished memorising how to solve the questions.
Therefore, if you cram for that from now...
You can improve by 25 points.
As for Japanese, well done.
For Classical Japanese, there's still room for improvement.
For Modern Japanese and Classical Japanese, you can improve the score by 10 points each.
How about that?
With this, you can catch up with those candidates with A grades.
Will this really go that smoothly?
Rather than asking that,
you have to do it.
Instead of thinking about the 5% in reality, think about the remaining 95%.
The 95% will be your future possibilities.
You'll be fine. I'm right behind you.
Ah! But as I thought...
This is really frustrating! It makes me want to go to Todai even more.
I absolutely don't want to get an E grade!
- Why are you laughing? - Nothing.
If you can think like this, doesn't it mean that...
...you have gained something from this mock exam?
I guess so.
Alright. Then, let's revise.
Yes.
- Then, let's get back to work. - Yes.
Just you wait and see, Todai!
E grade?
[Make Endo Maki qualify for Todai]
Welcome!
Seaweed mentai bento and vegetable croquette.
The seaweed bento is 485 yen and the croquette is 80 yen.
That will be 565 yen in total.
People fight because of figures.
What happened, Okita? It's not like you at all.
Are you troubled over something?
No.
You seem unable to concentrate recently.
People are troubled because of figures.
The thing which we really want...
...can't be obtained if we don't face the reality.
Figures have taught us that, after all.
Oh, welcome back!
[247 days to Todai entrance exams]
Subtitles by carameltz