"From Tajimi Maruyama Kazunari"
From Kazunari?
Hikari ga sashi The light is gentle
Kaze ga oyogi The breeze is swimming
Ikete yukeru to When you're alive
Sou omoeta no It really seems so
Anata ha watashi no kiseki You are my miracle
Anata ha watashi no kibou You are my hope
Dokoga de watashi wo kanjitete Somewhere I can feel
Soredake de ii no yo That that alone is enough
"To Maruyama Yoko-sama"
"Yoko."
"I'm very sorry for not contacting you sooner."
"I am in good health."
"And, because his war buddy's wife was now a widow..."
"...and his children fatherless as well..."
"...he wrote that he wouldn't be coming home right away."
"He was helping them with the work and when that ended..."
"...he felt it was now proper to write."
Ah...
"I thought of Kazunari-san as a gentle person..."
"...but also one who really didn't understand a woman's feelings."
I wonder what that Kazunari wrote?
For pete's sake! I wonder what that boy is doing, geez!
Who knows.
Oh.
Here!
Ah... Are you sure we can read it?
Yes.
For now Kazu-san seems fine, so I'm relieved about that.
I see. That's great, isn't it?
Yes.
Ah, where's Hinako?
Ah... She's upstairs, reading her picture book.
Ah, is that right. Well then.
Ah, Dad.
Can you teach me much more about making the soba after work?
Eh?
It seems Kazu-san may not be back again for a while.
- Eh?! - Eh?!
If you would please.
Um...
Hinako!
Do you want to play with Mom?
I'm reading my book, so later.
Eh?!
I don't like "later."
Then, how about eating some delicious hot potatoes?
Right!
Can't be helped.
Ah! What was that?
You can't get away!
Hey, wait!
Ah...
Ala, my...
Just what is that idiot son of mine up to?
I wonder if that'll happen now, too?
Eh?
Well... you see, look, um...
Thing is, you could say before he knows it, sympathy could move to become affection...
Disgusting.
Eh? Don't say "disgusting" at me like that. It's not me, you know.
If that were true, he wouldn't have written this, now would he?
Ah, I see...
Hmm... Even so, those two have been together all this time.
For pete's sake, that Kazunari!
Say, there was that, right?
Look, that time we spoke to Yoko-chan.
That thing we talked to her about.
What was that?
You know...
That "If Kazunari takes up with another woman" talk.
"If you should take up with another woman."
"Eh?"
"At that time, I'll drive YOU out of this house."
"Eh? I see."
"That's right, you!"
- Ah... - Right?
I don't think Yoko would be happy even if we did bring that up with her now.
Really?
We can only say that at the bitter, bitter end.
At the moment it's been decided.
Right now, nothing like that's been decided.
I see...
For pete's sake, the men of this family.
- Eh? - Thing is, you, too.
- Why? I... - Ah, I remembered!
What was that just now about me?
Get yourself together!
Flying down from the roof...
Ala, what's up? Looks like you're having fun.
We thought we should have a snack.
Ah, I see, I see. It is that time already.
That'd be nice, wouldn't it?
Come, let's go Hinako. Right!
- How nice. - Yes. A snack, a snack.
Here!
Looks good!
Ah, shall we look at the garden while we eat?
- Yeah! - Right! Yes.
Okay, let's go!
Yes, yes, let's go, let's go!
Yes, help yourself.
"Somehow I sort of knew what Father and Mother..."
"...were discussing."
"But I pretended that I didn't notice."
Ah... what's the matter?
Nothing...
- Mom! - Yoko!
What is it?
Say it.
It's best... if you just say it.
Yeah...
I...
I!
And?
Huh?
Well... Well, well, well...
I won't like it if you tell me, "to be continued," at this point.
Ala, I shouldn't?
Not in the least!
Ah, really?
Well then, um... Let's take a little break.
Ah...
Well...
But Kazunari-san didn't understand a woman's feelings as he was growing up.
Ah...
Long ago, I think there were lots of men who were the same.
Ehh...
But wasn't that fine?
Ala, you think so?
I do!
After all, men today are too eager to learn anything and everything about women.
Somehow that's about all men are interested in.
Ala, really?
That's right!
Not knowing about quite that much is much better.
There's nothing wrong with such a thing.
The men of this age aren't as wonderful.
Yeah!
- Really? - Yeah.
Still, don't you think Kazunari-san was just a little terrible at that time?
Ah...
He was.
Kazu-san was certainly not in the right.
Wasn't he? That's why afterwards I started getting angry.
Yes. And what happened after that?
Eh... Ah, um...
Incidentally, um...
These tea cups were made by Kazu-san.
Eh?
Most of the tableware you see here was made by Kazu-san.
Ehh...
Ala, Kazu-san did?!
Oh no!
Ehh!
Yeah!
I...
I!
I'm going to Tajimi!
Excuse me.
Ah, yes.
Um, lunch is ready.
Ah, thank you.
Ah... It will be waiting.
"To Be Continued"
Week 25: "Mother's Smile"
"Ohisama" "Kiso-machi Shirakawa Mass of Icicles and Winter Constellations"