Hello?
Yes, yes, I'm sorry.
I'll make the transfer without fail.
Yes. Yes. Excuse me.
Who was that?
The school.
They want us to pay the fees for the children's school lunch program.
School lunch program?
It's okay if we don't pay that.
We wouldn't pay it anyway.
Well then,
the next meeting is set for Tuesday of next week at 2 o'clock, if you would please.
Yes, please.
- That'll do for now. - Yes.
Ah, Mochizuki-kun?
You wanted some time to talk to me, didn't you?
I'm sorry it's so sudden, but how about now?
Thank you very much!
The teacher should be available.
Yes. I'll contact the Principal right away.
I'll see you later then.
Itsuki. How about lunch after this?
Lunch?
Since the meeting ended early.
Ah, there's a restaurant open I went to before; they serve the best truffle pasta there.
Sorry, but I'll pass.
Let's go. It's truffles.
During my free time, I work with the Board of Education.
The Board of Education? Again?
"Again?"
What's with that tone? You have some objection?
No. It's just I've been hearing those words a lot recently.
That's not true. So long.
Yes! I'll ask about it now.
Will you be over at Tatehara Elementary?
Yes. They're starting their Unpaid School Lunch Program Fees project.
- Take care. - I'm off.
Unpaid school lunch fees program? What's that about?
The number of guardians not paying the fees for their child's school lunches has been increasing recently.
Not paying? Isn't it can't pay?
Yes.
Economically, some of them just don't have the surplus margin for it.
Ehh...
The number of parents who can't pay is on the rise nationwide.
All of the local governments are racking their brains trying to come up with a solution.
Of course, we're no exception.
For the members of this project,
the Superintendent appointed Mochizuki and Takamura-san.
Why, of all people, does she have to be a member?
I wonder what the Superintendent is thinking, too.
Leaving something so important to her.
Still, it's obvious what she'll say.
"School lunch fees?
"Why do I have to get involved with something so petty?
School lunch fees?
Why do I have to get involved with something so petty?
Please don't put it like that.
Just listen to what the Principal has to say.
If it's not about monsters, but rather a problem of school lunch fees,
then I have no role to play here.
That's not it at all!
Your abilities are essential.
Ah, geez! I sacrificed an arranged lunch for this.
Lunch?
The Principal's interview with the guardians has dragged out a bit,
so could you please wait a little longer?
Has something happened?
Yes, something.
Are you okay for time?
Can't be helped.
Please, sit here.
Um, would you like to eat school lunch with the children?
School lunch?
Are you sure?
If it will help you to understand about the school lunches, by all means, do.
Ah...
I think we would confuse the students if we suddenly troubled them like this.
Today might not be... Right, Mochizuki-kun?
Thank you very much.
How long has it been since I had a school lunch?
How many decades has it been for you, Sensei?
Put your hands together. Itadakimasu.
Itadakimasu!
Itadakimasu...
Hamburger, huh...
It could've been truffle pasta...
Say, this is good, isn't it?
Children nowadays are so fussy about flavor.
I don't remember my school lunches being this good.
Back then, school lunches were really terrible, weren't they?
What was it, um... skim milk?
I couldn't even drink that!
Auntie, how old are you?
Your 'sister' is 33.
Just like my Papa!
You look younger than your years.
Thank you.
You're really digging in there.
Yeah!
Your name is Teramoto Yuuto.
Do you like the school lunches?
Yeah, I love 'em! Because they're delicious!
What's your favorite?
Hmm... The glazed carrots.
Glazed carrots?
Then, I'll give you mine.
Thanks!
"Principal's Office" I'm not satisfied!
This isn't funny!
That's right.
They're not paying for it, yet their children are still eating school lunches.
For Pete's sake, it's unfair!
The school will keep doing as much as it can.
I heard there wasn't enough money to even cover the cost of the ingredients,
so the quality of the school lunches has been lowered.
We would never do such a thing.
We don't believe you!
If that is true, then this is serious.
As long as there are people refusing to pay, we will firmly protest it!
We're asking you, Principal!
This school has to take a firm attitude about them!
That Principal is just so passive.
I completely blame him.
That's right.
Those guardians seemed annoyed, didn't they?
Ah.
They blame a drop in quality and quantity in the school lunches
on those who aren't paying their school lunch fees.
What do you mean?
In short,
all of the 3900 yen in fees we collect from the parents each month,
goes towards the cost of ingredients.
Therefore, if we can't collect all of the fees,
then that would push down what we could purchase for the school lunches.
I can understand how they feel...
But by no means would we ever do that.
We manage the cost of ingredients by tuning the school's overall budget.
In the event we confirm they haven't made a payment,
the teacher in charge is sent to ask them for payment.
The teachers are?
Yes.
However, there are a lot of people who just won't pay.
And so,
mothers like the ones earlier, who do pay their school lunch fees,
are blaming the school and those parents who don't pay, and thus this situation was born.
I see.
Then the Principal is asking for our help in drafting a response to the paying parents.
No...
Ah... Then what is it?
What I want to do is,
somehow set all of the payments the guardians owe back to zero.
Ah...
So I would like Takamura-sensei to accompany Konishi-sensei here as she meets them.
Meet them?
Who are we meeting?
Those guardians who are not paying their school lunch fees.
Huh?
They want me to help with their debt collections?
I don't think they see it as debt collecting.
Then what is it? What is it?!
Claim recovery?
You're totally wrong.
Things like that are why you failed your bar exam so many times.
Are you okay? You aren't looking too well.
Ah.
I had to rush through a contract this morning.
Don't worry about it; this is how it always is.
But, your skin is chapped.
By the way, I meant to ask, just what sort of person is this Tominaga-san?
The husband manages a snack bar.
The wife is a housewife.
At this hour...
I think probably the both of them will be at home.
Yes?
Ah, Sensei, good afternoon.
What's the matter?
I'm very sorry, calling on you all of a sudden like this.
Not at all.
Um, the reason for our call today is about the school lunch fees.
School lunch fees?
Yes.
The matter I brought up with you several days ago
when I asked you about paying your school lunch fees.
Eh... I haven't paid that?
No.
We have not received confirmation of it as of today.
Well then, if you had just contacted me, I would have paid right away.
Um, didn't you receive one of these printed notices?
"Request For Payment of Unpaid School Lunch Fees"
This is the first time I've seen this.
Ah, that kid of mine.
He must've forgotten to give it to me.
Well then, I am very sorry, I would like to ask you once again.
Of course. I'll go get the payment.
Oh... that's right.
I don't happen to have enough on hand today.
Ah, tomorrow I'll make the transfer to you for sure.
I'm sorry.
Excuse me.
We saw results right away.
That's great, isn't it?
I hope it's so.
Thank you for waiting. This is Rainbow Pizza.
Okay.
You're late. It's past 30 minutes now, isn't it?
I'm sorry. Your total is 3900 yen, please.
Can you change a 10,000 yen bill? ($100)
I can. Thank you very much.
I thought she didn't have the money.
Hey, wait.
Aren't we at the next one yet?
The next one is Moriwaki-san.
What sort of person is she?
She's a person with strong opinions about food.
She is forever talking to me about it.
However, she can be a little difficult.
I am opposed to the school lunch program.
Please don't misunderstand.
It's not that I can't pay a tiny amount like 3900 yen,
I'm saying that I won't pay it.
I believe that for children,
a mother's lovingly made, home cooking is the best for them.
You think so as well, don't you?
Ah...
I like to keep an attentive eye on everything that goes into my child's mouth.
I cannot leave it to others.
Let alone a school lunch.
I understand your thoughts very well.
However, the school lunches are made by a professional nutritionist
who provides them with a well-balanced set of nutrition and energy.
What makes you call them professionals?
I also hold the qualifications for a nutritionist.
Is that right?
Please don't misunderstand.
I'm not saying I can't pay 3900 yen.
Such a tiny amount isn't the problem.
I'm talking about the problem of the schools', and Japan's, school nutritional education program.
In the end, isn't she just being stingy?
She could've just come right out and said, "I'm not going to pay."
Well? Who's next?
Um, next is Teramoto-san.
Ah, that's Teramoto Yuuto-kun, isn't it?
The one we ate the school lunch with before.
"Teramoto"
Teramoto-san?
Teramoto-san, are you in?
She seems to be out, doesn't she?
Does the wife work?
No, I don't believe so.
She comes to the PTA meetings and has been very proactive at school events.
A guardian like her hasn't paid?
She's been behind in payments since the beginning of the year.
Up until then, she would pay in full each and every month.
I wonder why she isn't paying?
Huh? What's that?
Nothing. Nothing at all.
Why aren't you going out, Mom?
It's okay.
Somehow, it seems none of them will pay.
They seem to be a different type of monster than the ones before.
Still, I honestly don't understand why a school teacher
has to be sent around from home to home collecting school lunch fees.
Giving lessons and grading tests is difficult enough by itself.
Now making them collect school lunch fees as well.
We at the Board of Education need to do our best
to reduce these sorts of burdens on the teachers, even if it's only a little.
Sensei?
Sensei!
Episode 3: "The Unpaid School Lunch Fees"
"Wilson & Shiroyama Law Offices"
Sonobe-kun.
Good morning.
I don't seem to have seen Takamura-sensei around.
She wanted me to tell you she'll be taking today off.
She's collapsed physically.
I see.
That's unusual for her, isn't it?
I'm on my way now to visit her.
Is there anything you would like me to tell her?
Let's see.
Could you please tell her that she should pay close attention when it comes to stress.
Certainly.
Huh?
It's Mochizuki.
Excuse me.
Ah, what a huge room.
Get to the point.
What sort of rent do you pay on a place like this?
Hey. Don't just go looking around on your own.
You said you did an all-nighter writing up a contract.
Sensei, you're working yourself too hard.
Aren't you misunderstanding something?
Eh?
What's important isn't how busy I am.
The reason for my bad physical condition is...
...stress.
Stress?
Yes. All I've been dealing with lately is stupid parents, isn't it?
"Stupid parents..."
Up until now, all I've worked with are big clients.
I only work on deals worth tens of billions of yen.
Tens of billions?!
Now, for a children's unpaid school lunch fee of 3900 yen, I have to say,
"Could you please pay it, somehow."
Such a petty issue.
Sorry, but I can't stick to this one at all.
It's throwing me off. Understand?
I'm relieved you're feeling better.
Um, weren't you listening to me?
Hey! Don't just go around opening my refrigerator!
Sensei, have you been eating properly?
Leave me alone.
I'll make you something.
Huh?
A cold, Japanese-style salad with Goya.
Please eat it.
Go ahead.
Itadakimasu.
How is it?
Well, it's not bad.
Ah, great.
So you can cook, huh?
Yes.
My mother was prone to illness.
Ever since I was in elementary school,
I had to do the shopping myself, and do all the cooking myself.
Hmm...
Sensei, don't you cook?
Whenever I'm in the mood.
Could it be you can't...
What I mean is that I don't have the time to!
Could you go get that?
Sure.
Sonobe-san? It's okay, come in.
Yes.
Excuse me.
What's going on?
Huh? Ah, he's my new boyfriend.
Boyfriend?!
He's a Host. (employee of a bar catering to women)
A Host?!
He was named their number one. His name is 'Motchi.'
Motchi!?
No, um, those were all lies.
Eh?
What is this?
Please excuse me.
I am an associate of Itsuki-san's in the same law office.
I am Sonobe-san. Nice to meet you.
I'm Mochizuki Moichi!
We at the Board of Education are indebted to Takamura-sensei.
My blood type is A. My sign is Leo.
How long do you plan on introducing yourself?
Thank you.
They asked if you could reply by the day after tomorrow.
Roger.
Well then, please excuse me.
Hey, you could stay and eat, if you'd like.
Motchi's home-made food.
But, I have a business meeting to go to after this.
I see.
Thanks for going out of your way. It's a big help.
Ah...
And there's a message from Shiroyama-sensei.
Eh? What is it?
"Please pay close attention when it comes to stress."
Um...
About the matter of the school lunch fees you promised to pay the other day.
Ah, hello?
Yes.
Ah...
That school lunch thing again? How many times is this now?
I'm fed up with their persistence.
Eh?
It's okay, just hang up.
Yes, I understand.
You got Richi! Richi!
Sorry, I'm a little busy right now.
I'll send it to you by the end of the day.
Ah! I must have an affinity with this table!
You got it!
"Tatehara Elementary School"
Takamura-sensei!
Ah, Shiroyama-sensei.
Are you feeling better already?
Yes. Completely so.
I see. That's great then.
I apologize if I caused you any concern.
Are you going out?
Yes. An issue with the Board of Education.
Well, I call it an issue, but in essence it's just some debt collection.
Oh? Debt collection?
Moreover, can you guess how much the collection is for?
It's for school lunch fees; 3900 yen!
Well, it must be quite tough for parents who say they can't pay,
but there's this one guardian who says she'll pay but doesn't,
and another older lady into ecology who only gives quibbles about it.
I can't believe it.
I didn't think you would take on the job with the Board of Education.
Uh, take on?
Please do your best.
Is that right?
As expected, Tominaga-san didn't pay.
Yes.
Very well.
Today, I will ask her.
Ah, thank you very much!
However, I have one request to make.
What is it?
Please don't tell the guardians that I am a lawyer.
Why is that?
In my experience, once a lawyer becomes involved,
most people become extremely wary.
I understand.
They could come to misunderstand that it's a compulsory collection.
She has that sort of scary look.
Did you say something?
The Board of Education?
Today, we have come once again to request payment of the school lunch fees.
Ah, about that.
I'm sorry, I was so busy the other day, I couldn't get to the bank.
I understand.
A full-time housewife is always quite busy, isn't she?
That's right. You do understand?
Well then, how about this?
How about a direct deposit?
Eh?
Your utility bills and telephone charges are debited that way, aren't they?
Yes.
The school lunch fees can also be automatically withdrawn from your account.
You'll save time making a transfer;
that would fit a busy wife such as yourself perfectly, wouldn't it?
Well, I suppose...
I happen to have brought the forms. Mochizuki-kun.
Yes.
If possible, we could go through the procedures right now.
Here you are.
Yes.
Ah, but, I'll have to discuss it with my husband.
Is your husband at home?
My husband?
Uh, right now my husband is...
He's gone to the hospital.
He caught a cold and isn't feeling well.
I don't know when he'll be back.
Oi. What's going on?
Nice to meet you.
I am with the Board of Education. I am Takamura.
For the children's healthy growth, a school lunch is essential.
When there aren't enough school lunch fees available,
that affects the menu, doesn't it?
I think the most pitiful ones are the children.
With your understanding, I'd like to invite you to cooperate.
Why should I have to pay?
Huh?
Elementary school is compulsory, isn't it?
Isn't it the country's obligation to cover all that? Right?
That's right. Why should we be the ones to pay?
Isn't that right, Sensei?
That would be, well...
Look, don't you have the answers anymore?
Say, if you don't know why we should pay, then we should just 'cause you say so?
No, that's not why...
Then explain it properly.
Sensei...
Compulsory education is the responsibility of both society and parents.
Just because the country takes the responsibility of providing for a child's education
does not mean it also takes responsibility for the entirety of a child's care.
Why does she have to go that far all of a sudden?
The main point is,
when did we ask you to give our child a school lunch?
We've never said a word about that. Right?
Yeah. I've never asked.
Hey, you there.
Yes?
If you went to a cafeteria
and they suddenly gave you a dish without taking your order, what would you do?
If it was a dish you hadn't ordered, would you still pay for it?
I'm rather timid,
so at a pub I went to once I ordered Ushiten (cow tongue) but they gave me Gratin instead,
so I just ate it and paid for it.
If it had been an awful gratin, would you have paid for it?
Well, it was a little awful.
What if it was terribly bad?
Eh, is there such a thing as a terribly bad gratin?
Tominaga-san.
Aren't you missing the point of this talk?
The point of our conversation right now isn't about how bad gratin can be,
it's about paying the school lunch fee.
Eh? No way.
Isn't that what we were talking about just now?
Listen. Our child has told us that the school lunches taste bad.
He's been patiently enduring it and eating all that bad stuff.
That's not true.
The school lunches are delicious.
But our child told us that they're awful.
So why should we have to pay for that?
He's having to put up with eating it.
That's right. It's so bad, we want a reward for our expenses.
It is not awful.
If you're the Board of Education,
before you charge us for it,
make something much, much more delicious than it is.
Right?
That's right.
That's all we ask. Right?
They should get their acts together.
Geez, we're just going from one quibbler to the next.
We are.
Ah...
It seems Teramoto-san is in.
Teramoto-san, excuse me.
We've come to inquire about the school lunch fees.
Could we have a brief conversation with you about it?
If she's in there, she could at least show herself.
It's terrible pretending to be out like that, isn't it?
She's wasn't that sort of person before, though.
If she's a parent, she should pay for her kid's school lunches.
You're so late, Mochizuki.
You've got a lot of nerve, don't you?
Ow!
What is it?
Old witch!
Eh?
What's with the "old witch"?
Geez...
I'm sorry!
I'm sorry, I'm sorry.
Ah, this way.
I didn't think it would be quite so difficult
asking them to pay the school lunch fees.
Even if we find out the person who isn't paying is bad,
when they partner with other the children's parents,
they can form a strong attitude, can't they?
That's right.
There's something that's been bothering me a little.
Huh?
When we were having our conversation with the Tominaga-sans,
there was something the husband said.
If I remember correctly,
it was that no one had told them about it up until then.
You have asked them about it many times, haven't you?
Yes, that's right.
I wonder what could he have meant?
I don't know.
I'm sorry.
It was me.
Until now, I have been paying for Tominaga-kun's school lunch fees.
Why would you do that?
Calling on the pupils' homes over and over was really becoming a burden.
My relations with the guardians was getting nasty.
And, with all my other daily responsibilities,
it was taking a toll on me physically.
That's why...
I continued paying Tominaga-kun's school lunch fees.
But...
as the number of unpaid bills kept increasing,
it just wasn't within my power to keep doing so...
That's why you brought us in... to ask us to get them to pay, wasn't it?
I humbly apologize.
Why would you do such a thing?
If I had known about it,
I wouldn't have had those complaints about how unfair it is from those paying guardians.
It was you who told us we needed to lower the default rate, wasn't it?
I certainly said that,
but I didn't say you should be the one shouldering the debt.
Then why did you tell us about lowering the default ratio?
It's only natural to want to lower the default ratio, isn't it?
At the rate it was going,
it would leave a bad impression on the School Board.
The teacher in charge was paying in their place.
That's what's complicated the problem up till now.
I feel a little sorry for her.
She shouldn't have felt responsible.
We with the Board of Education may have played a part
in driving the teachers on the scene into that corner.
We don't have any innovative ideas to get them to pay for their school lunches, do we?
Hey, what if they brought their own brown bags in for lunch?
What are brown bags?
Long ago, students used to bring their lunches in brown bags.
Maybe we could bring that back again.
Nowadays, direct transfers are so mainstream,
it doesn't feel as if you are actually paying anything.
So, conversely, you don't feel any sense of guilt if you don't pay.
But, wouldn't it become a little dangerous if children started carrying around money?
How about we get the guardians to assist in collecting the money?
The guardians?
Yes, on a shift basis.
I think once they experience how difficult it is to collect the money,
their sense of antagonism about paying it themselves will be different.
Yes, yes.
If it's between fellow guardians,
I think they'll realize the trouble they've been causing.
Still, I don't think that would connect with those people.
A decline in morals, huh?
In the end, that's what it boils down to.
How about we tell them we're ending their children's school lunch program?
They aren't paying, after all.
But isn't that a little extreme?
Of course we would go through the procedures beforehand
and have their written consent.
In the case that they still won't pay, that is.
I see.
I believe that would end both the feelings of unfairness
by those guardians who are paying
and would lower the unpaid ratio at the same time.
And what about the feelings of
those children whose school lunches are ended and they don't get to eat?
Again with the children's feelings.
Well, what about them?
They're the ones taking advantage of the situation, aren't they?
If the school wants to stop providing them with a meal,
isn't that a suitable conclusion?
When there's a child, right there in front of you,
who's the only one not eating, what are you going to tell that child?
For proper services, appropriate compensation is required.
If rules are broken, you have to receive a penalty.
Isn't that the natural thing to tell them?
That's what education teaches, isn't it?
It's not the child that's breaking the rules.
For the sake of collecting school lunch fees, we should hurt the child?
So in order not to hurt the child,
you'll let their parents go without paying?
Sorry but...
I don't have the free time to be a part of this non-progressing discussion. Excuse me.
Ah, Takamura-sensei.
Superintendent.
Can I have a moment of your time?
Ah, yes.
I don't believe I have been of any use to the Board of Education.
That's not true at all.
Here.
But I didn't order anything.
You're feeling down, aren't you?
I heard from Mochizuki-san.
Ah...
Ah, this one has just the right amount of iron in it.
It's on the house.
What is it?
Well, here, take a bite. Please.
Yes.
Well then...
It's delicious.
Isn't it?
It's my specialty, Chorizo Espana. (spicy Spanish sausage)
I'll have some, too.
Go ahead. Well, take your time.
Superintendent.
Yes?
I'm not someone with a background in education.
Yes.
My profession is... as a lawyer.
I know that of course.
But...
I do think it'd be nice if I could improve the children's educational environment at least a little.
Therefore,
I intend to look for the clues needed to solve these problems.
I don't think your point of view is wrong.
But...
May I suggest you lower your gaze just a little?
Lower my gaze?
Yes.
By doing that, things that you haven't seen up until now, may come into view.
Hello?
Sensei, we've got trouble.
Please come to the school right away.
You're a lawyer, aren't you?
Yes. What about it?
I wonder if it's right for a lawyer to be tricking virtuous citizens.
Huh?
You said it, didn't you?
That you were with the Board of Education.
The children were talking about you.
"An old, snobby lawyer has been coming to school."
When I heard snob, I knew right away it must be you.
What about me is a snob?
That's right, you're being snobby.
Is it this school's policy that coming to us as a group and calmly telling us lies is okay?
No, of course not.
Um...
Takamura-sensei is a lawyer...
Um... and the Board of Education asked for her help and so,
so from that standpoint, she is a member of our staff and so it's not like it was a lie...
That's how you put it. But that's only an excuse.
We've been dealing with you in all sincerity.
That's right.
We thought we had actually been paying the school lunch fees properly until now. Right?
But now we're tired of the lies.
How are we supposed to trust you guys from now on?
It's impossible for us to trust you.
I don't feel like paying at all now.
How can we, what with all the lies and the tricks.
We aren't the sort who'd go so far as to pay people like you.
Ah...
I also heard this from our child.
You two had a school lunch in the classroom, didn't you?
Of course, you did pay for it properly, didn't you?
You wouldn't want to be one of those eat-and-run lawyers.
In the event they don't pay, let's stop their school lunches.
I cannot forgive such parents.
Let's carry out Takamura-sensei's proposal.
I will persuade Miura-san somehow.
I think it's the thing to do as well.
Tomorrow, first thing in the morning, let's discuss it with the Superintendent.
Here, your potatoes.
Thank you!
It's heavy. Can you carry it by yourself?
I'm fine!
Teramoto-kun, you're always great, aren't you?
Take care.
Teramoto?
Takamura-sensei, what's the matter?
"Old witch!"
"Thank you!"
Ah, hello, Mochizuki-kun? Sorry for calling so late.
About what we were discussing earlier...
Look, about stopping the school lunches.
Could we hold off talking about that with the Superintendent for a little while?
Eh? Why?
Ah, well...
I'm just a little worried about something.
Yeah.
So long, I'll call you again.
I have returned.
Welcome back.
"Confirmed Deposits"
This is why I said we should discuss it with him as soon as possible.
Do you know what this is?
"Payment for the Food"
A child came in and left it at the Reception Desk.
"Teramoto Yuuto"
Takamura-sensei said she was worried about something...
- Sorry for interrupting your work. - Yes?
Is there someone named Teramoto-san here?
Ah, you can find her over there.
Thank you very much.
I am very sorry for suddenly bothering you like this.
You are Teramoto Kayou-san, aren't you?
My husband became ill and he entered the hospital.
We haven't had his income for half a year now.
Meanwhile, we haven't been able to pay the hospital bills properly, either.
And so, even if it only helps our household out a little,
I've been going to work part-time.
But, we're only getting by hand-to-mouth.
I realize you stopped by to visit several times,
but I really didn't have the courage to open the door.
I know most of all how pitiful a parent I am for not paying our school lunch fees.
But, there's nothing I can do about it.
Even if I didn't pay the school lunch fees,
the school wouldn't stop giving them to him, would they?
I took advantage of that fact.
I am really very sorry.
Ma'am...
We had a school lunch together with Yuuto-kun.
Yuuto-kun really seemed to enjoy eating that school lunch.
Just watching him was fun.
Do you know what Yuuto-kun's favorite food is?
Glazed carrots.
Ma'am.
Have you checked on Yuuto-kun recently?
Yuuto-kun has been carefully watching over you.
Yuuto-kun brought this in to us.
Teramoto-san...
Regarding the school lunch fees,
in the event of economic difficulties in which you are unable to afford to pay them,
there is an aid system available.
Please come in to discuss it with the Board of Education.
We will lend you our support at any time.
Please make them for him next time.
His mother's home-made glazed carrots.
I'm sure Yuuto-kun would be delighted if you did.
So that boy is eating his carrots now, huh?
Good afternoon.
Um, we just happened to overhear this,
but is there a system to aid with the school lunch fees?
Yes. Where did you hear about it?
Our child heard about it at school.
It could help out our family.
That is...
Hey you...
You should've told us there was such a system out there a lot sooner.
Ah, well then, please wait a moment over here.
Thanks.
Hello.
They give me the creeps. Who are they?
An example of a couple who won't pay their school lunch fees.
Tominaga-san,
I'm very sorry but the city has a set income standard in order for aid to be requested,
and, in your case, you don't satisfy that condition.
Oh, that won't be a problem then. We've had a hard life, right?
Yeah. We barely get by.
I'm very sorry.
Tominaga-san, in your case, you don't fall under the coverage of this aid system.
That's such a stiff thing to say.
We told you we live a tough life, didn't we?
I am very sorry.
What is this, damn.
Hey. Wouldn't it be painful if a government office abandoned a citizen like me? Right?
Good morning.
Ah, lawyer, I'm glad you're here. Come here.
Um, you know the procedures for getting aid, don't you?
We're not making any progress talking with them.
There's some blank forms, right? We'll fill them out.
I am very sorry.
As it seems to have been explained to Tominaga-san just now,
you are outside the range for this type of support.
That's the same harsh thing they told us just now.
But you...
isn't it your job as a lawyer to help out people in trouble?
The Board of Education is bullying the weak.
Say, why are you only able to help this Teramoto kid's family, but not help ours?
Isn't our family suffering, too? Right?
- Tominaga-san. - Huh?
Don't bunch yourselves with them!
The school lunch fee is 3900 yen a month.
But that's just the cost of the ingredients.
Making the lunches costs much, much more in time and money!
The costs for the personnel and for fuel and lights are paid for by taxes.
It's not just the parents who pay.
Those costs are borne by all members of society.
Do you know why that is?
It's because all of society is responsible for
taking care of the children's health and their futures.
Tominaga-san...
...please give more consideration for the children.
What's this, acting so great?
Is it okay for you to be the mouthpiece for the Board of Education?
Point is, thanks to who do you think it is that you get to eat?
It's our taxes as citizens. Right?
Listen. I'll file a lawsuit for sure.
Tominaga-san.
It is clearly written that the fees for the school lunches
are the responsibility of the guardians.
If this goes to trial, you will lose.
I'm sorry.
What are you apologizing for?
When I was a child,
I had to eat most of my meals alone at home.
So I always looked forward to the school lunches.
Watching Yuuto-kun reminded me of that.
The reason I liked school lunch may be because
everyone would eat so noisily and had so much fun.
Then next time, let's have dinner together.
Eh? Really?
Of course, you'll have to make it.
Isn't it usually the case to say, "I'll be the one to make it next time?"
Next time is when you've improved and can make something even more delicious to eat.
Ah... yes.
Koi nanka mou shitakunakatta to I didn't want to fall in love
Hohoende namida ukabeteru kimi You, with your smiles and tears
Aisuru koto wo shitte shimattara As I come to know love,
Kodomo ni ha mou modore ha shinai kedo I can't go back to being a child, but
Hito ha kitto tsuyoku natte yukunda I'm sure to become stronger
Ai ga kanashii kara Love is so sad
Namida wo kuretan darou My tears will run dry, I guess
Kotoba dake jya todokanai hi no tame ni Words alone failed to reach you that day
Dakara dakishimeru yo So we embraced one another
Sou, nandomo nandomo nandodemo Yes, over and over and over again
Sono kotae wo kimi to dake mitsuketai I only want to find the answer with you
"This program is fiction, using the education field's real conditions as a motif."