The Eternal Zero - Part 3/3
English subtitles by OncTom (for private use only)
I'm sorry. Hm ?
Actually, it is me who should have asked this.
Because I am Miyabe Kyuuzou's only daughter.
After all, my father ...
has been called a coward, because he wanted to meet me and my mother ...
Being called things like coward on the battlefield ...
Grandpa loved you, didn't he ?
He loved you and Grandma.
Why didn't my mother tell me ...
that I had such a good father ?
Perhaps Grandma knew it.
Knew what ?
The reason why Grandpa went to the special attack unit.
And because of that, she had a reason ...
not to talk about Grandpa.
That is ... you see, Grandpa has been a man ...
who said that he wanted to return alive, because he wanted to meet his wife and child.
He was a man who had talked about doing an emergency landing and to survive.
However, why did he go to the special attack unit and had to die ?
I want to know that, no matter what.
You have changed, haven't you ?
In what way ?
Wait, in what way ?
There is someone you are going out with ?
What ? The person from the newspaper company.
Why do you change the subject suddenly ?
Don't stop, what is it ?
Mother.
I said so, because he is coming back.
Who is coming back ?
Fujiki-kun.
When I called your grandpa ...
this evening, to ask how he was, he told me ...
that he was coming right now.
Is he ?
Ah, I have just been at home.
It's been a while.
I have been to Oishi-sensei's place.
I see.
I had a lot of things to discuss with him so it's already quite late.
Things to discuss ?
About the financing of the factory and the loan for my father's hospitalization costs.
That's terrible.
I drive you home ?
Ah, it's okay I get up early tomorrow.
Well then, I' ll drive you home.
You're okay ? You haven't eaten. Ah.
I thought I would eat when I come home.
Do you remember ?
We sometimes went on a drive in this car, together with Ken-chan too.
Listen, we even went to Hakone ...
I remember, because he has been angry
Hm ? Kentarou.
Ken-chan ? Has he ...
Because I had only said terrible things to you, Fujiki-san.
That if you intended to give up ...
you'd better not aimed at becoming a lawyer ...
That you had struggled for nearly 10 years for nothing ...
And that you would become an old man with a run-down factory.
Terrible, isn't it ?
Kentarou's anger wasn't unjustified.
Good night.
Hm.
Ah, the letter ...
Ah ...
I was surprised.
Congratulations.
Thank you.
Keiko-chan.
Yes.
Please become happy.
Kagoshima ? Yes.
This person remembers Miyabe-san.
Murata Toshihiko, former Navy first class petty officer.
Yes, he has been radio operator at the Kanoya base.
Kanoya base ? Miyabe Kyuuzou ...
the place where your grandfather has been in the end.
You will perhaps hear the last story that will solve the mystery.
Thank you. Ah, by the way ...
This man is actually managing a Ryokan in Kanoya ...
and when I contacted him, he absolutely wanted to meet you and your brother.
I see, we'll go and see.
Do I come as well ?
It's you who decide.
Because it's about your grandfather.
I see.
When you come back ...
When you come back from Kanoya, I would like to have that answer.
About you and me.
What are you thinking about ?
Takayama-san ?
What ?
Did you give your answer ? What ?
Didn't he propose to you ?
You didn't.
Why ?
Stop talking about that.
And Fujiki-san ?
Did he answer your letter ?
Well, it didn't come.
The answer to the letter saying that you will probably get married.
If Fujiki-san had proposed to you, would you have accepted ?
What ? That time ...
When Fujiki-san went back to his hometown.
"Keiko-chan.
Don't go away."
At that time ...
I told Fujiki-san not to go away.
But I understood it was in vain.
Listen Sis, Takayama-san, do you really ...
Do you know ? There has been a naval base in Kanoya ...
that has now become a base of the SDF.
There is a navy museum as well ...
and Takayama-san said we'd better take a look.
Let's go and see as soon as we arrive.
I will get sunburnt, I'd better go inside.
It's here, that Grandpa has been at that time.
I wonder if Grandpa has seen the same landscape
It's the first time I see a Zero fighter.
It's smaller than I thought.
Grandpa has flown one like this.
No, wait a second.
"Model 52" is written on it.
Certainly, the one Grandpa has flown in the end ...
Well, Grandpa's Zero fighter has certainly been older than this one ...
Look.
This ...
"Do you believe that these letters were the true feelings of the members of the special attack unit ?
When they write that they are pleased to die ...
do you believe, that they are really pleased to die ?
They tried to control their confused minds and during the short time they had left ...
they wrote these letters to their families, and you can read their minds between these lines !"
"Father, Mother, please be glad for me.
I am leaving for battle a smile on my face.
I am full of happiness for flying this mission."
"Father is leaving for battle. Take care of Chie-chan if she cries.
Onii-chan if you feel like crying, seek consolation on your mother's chest."
"Our end is in vain."
"My dear, take the courage to forget me, ...
believe in what is right and follow your own path."
"As the man engaged to you ...
As the man who is going to fall ...
I think of nothing but your happiness."
"The painting I want to see now ... Shimomura Kanzan 'White Fox'.
Da Vinci 'The Last Supper'.
Friedrich 'Das Eismeer'.
The book I want to read now ... 'Distance' 'Warm Current' 'Portrait of Chieko'.
The one I want to meet now ... You You You".
We are much obliged to you today.
Excuse us, we were just supposed to talk to you, but finally we would like to stay over night.
No, I am glad.
That Miyabe-san's grandchildren especially come to meet me.
Ah, please, let me take your luggage.
Excuse me. Excuse me.
I have come to Kanoya base ...
in Showa 19 (1944) ...
ah ... that's already 60 years ago.
At that time, I have been radio operator ...
our most important task then, was to receive ...
the communications concerning the special attack unit's aircrafts.
We had to confirm wether or not, the suicide attacks had been successful.
As in those times radio communications were still too noisy ...
we relied on the "dots" and "dashes" of the telegraph.
In other words morse signals.
The repeatedly hit "dots" meant "enemy aircraft in sight".
A "dash" meant "I am diving in direction of an enemy ship".
This was sent until the moment, the pilot crashed into the target.
By measuring the time from the moment we heard this sound, until it disappeared ...
we had to judge if the enemy ship had been hit ...
or else if the aircraft had been shot down by the anti-aircraft fire.
The pilot continued to press ...
The member of the special attack unit emitted this signal ?
Yes. The person on the verge of doing the suicide attack, transmitted the signal.
Of course, normally ...
this should have been the task of observation airplanes.
But by this time ...
there were no longer any reserves that could have been assigned for observation flights.
For that reason, the suicide attack pilot, on the brink of death, ...
in the middle of fierce anti-aircraft fire, ...
had to transmit himself the signal of his own death.
There is nothing more heartless than that.
Mother !
And then, when this "dash" stopped ...
the suicide pilot's life was over.
Well done !
What an awfully cruel telegraph of life.
Even today, hearing a similar sound makes me shudder.
That's why I don't like to listen to music.
Sometimes I can hear this sound ...
in the middle of the music.
And when I hear it ...
my heart starts throbbing violently and I can no longer stand.
Excuse me.
We were talking about Miyabe-san.
Miyabe-san often came to the operating room, to listen to the transmissions of the attack unit.
Because it was Miyabe-san's duty too.
Well, our grandfather, did he have other duties as well ?
Yes, the fighter cover of the attack aircrafts.
That means flight duty in order to protect the attack aircrafts ?
The duty of being side-by-side with death.
When you think of it, flying fighter cover is the same thing as doing the suicide attacks.
You're wrong.
As for us, we have a small chance to escape from death.
However hopeless it may be, you can always fight for you life.
But the special attack unit means '10 dead 0 alive'.
In other words, there isn't the least chance of returning alive.
No. If you go to the special attack unit, that means that you are sure to die.
If that's the case, why ...
"His eyes weren't the eyes of someone who is resigned to die."
As I thought, he might have done an emergency landing.
An emergency landing, Miyabe-san ?
Yes. Grandfather might have gone to the attack unit, counting on an emergency landing.
I believe that it's a possibility.
When summer of Showa 20 (1945) approached ...
Miabe-san's Zero fighter had become almost the only one that returned from the attack unit's fighter cover missions.
Most days it had become like that.
And then, that day too ...
Murata. Yes.
Sit down here.
Yes, with pleasure.
Are you drinking ?
Ah ... there's only one cup, it's okay like this.
I would rather not. Thank you for inviting me, but I must decline.
Thank you very much.
With merely one year of training ...
there is no chance of getting away, when you're under attack by such a number of enemies.
No, even me, if I had to carry such a heavy bomb load.
Well ...
The headquarters know about this but they are feigning ignorance.
Second lieutenant Miyabe, how has it been ?
6 aircrafts today.
6 aircrafts that crashed during the attack right before my eyes.
Yes ?
Among them one of my students from Tsukuba.
With instructor Miyabe covering me, I am relieved !
That's what he had said.
But despite saying so ...
Second lieutenant Miyabe.
Before my eyes, he burst into flames and crashed !
He saluted me while he crashed.
Everyone did so ! They all saluted me while ...
However, I ...
Second lieutenant Miyabe ... I ... !
I didn't save a single aircraft.
Not a single one.
It can't be helped. It can't be helped, I think.
It can't be helped ?
How many men have died, what do you think ?
What do you think, how many men have died !
Protect the aircrafts of the suicide unit.
That's my duty.
Even if I am shot down myself.
However, I let them die without helping them.
I chose my life over their sacrifice.
You are wrong !
You are wrong, I think !
I am not wrong.
They died and I survived.
Perhaps he didn't do an emergency landing.
Our grandfather has seen men, younger than himself, die one after another ...
before his eyes.
That's why he could not be the only one to survive.
That might be what he thought.
Because of that, he joined the attack unit ?
That can't be true.
If that's the case, what has become of Grandpa's wife and child ?
Despite having been called a coward, ...
despite having been beaten, ...
he had always refused the suicide attacks.
Answer !
That's how much Grandpa loved his wife and child.
Whatever he did, he did it in order to return home alive.
And yet, does that mean, he could no longer stand the cruelty before his eyes ...
and so went to the attack unit ?
Perhaps, supposing Grandpa went to the attack unit ...
He went, there is no doubt about that. But even if ...
it certainly wasn't in order to die.
But certainly in order to live.
He went to the attack unit in order to live ? I don't see what you mean.
Let's talk about the day when Miyabe-san went to the attack unit.
You have seen our grandfather go to the attack unit ?
Yes.
However, it was rather unexpected.
Gentlemen, pray for a good fight.
The day before, late at night, ...
he had suddenly made up his mind.
I have been surprised when I heard it that day.
I had to say something to Miyabe-san, no matter what ...
that's what I thought ...
Instructor Miyabe !
But what could I say to him ...
At that moment I witnessed a rather strange scene.
I have to ask you something. Yes.
Wouldn't you switch planes with me ?
With my Zero fighter.
For some reason, he made this request to the reserve officer.
This reserve officer was surprised and refused.
It was justified. The Zero fighter Miyabe-san was supposed to fly was a Type 52 ...
and the reserve officer's an older Type 21 Zero fighter.
There was no comparison in performance.
Instructor Miyabe, you are far more skilled than I am.
A good pilot should fly a good aircraft.
It's you, instructor Miyabe, who should fly this Type 52.
Excuse me.
I see.
After the reserve officer's justified remark ...
Miyabe-san returned to his own Zero fighter.
Murata ! See them off from over there.
However, Miyabe-san one more time ...
Even so, I have to ask you.
Please change with my Zero fighter.
But how can I let you take this old Zero fighter, instructor Miyabe ...
I am skilled enough ...
so I can get on with this Type 21.
Please.
Why did our grandfather ...
go that far to switch aircrafts ?
Well ... maybe because he had his pride.
Pride ?
He was perhaps angry ...
against the Japanese Navy, for having ordered ...
an experienced pilot like him to do a suicide mission.
I am perhaps over-thinking it ...
and he just wanted to fly this Type 21 for nostalgic reasons.
It probably was just that.
Finally, did our grandfather fly this Type 21?
Yes.
Finally the reserve officer gave in, ...
they agreed to switch their Zero fighters and they took off together.
And that way, he didn't come back, our grandfather ?
Yes, I had the confirmation by telegraph.
The telegraph of life.
Miyabe-san had hit an enemy ship.
It has been that kind of sound.
He hit an enemy ship ? Yes.
The possibility of having been shot down ?
And the possibility of having done an emergency landing ? None !
Certainly, at that time ...
next to impossible skills were needed for a successful attack ...
but for this reason, with the skills of Miyabe-san ...
Well, just as we thought ...
As it is written here ...
Grandpa died in the special attack unit.
Is that really certain ?
Yes, and in relation with what I mentionned before, it has become durably unforgettable.
And whatever incident may have happened after that, what memory can be stronger.
An incident that happened after that ?
In fact, there is a rather unpleasant ...
continuation to this story.
What's that about ?
Tell us please, whatever it may be.
There is a rather unpleasant continuation to this story.
At that time, this attack was carried out by 6 Zero fighters, but ...
only 1 aircraft made an emergency landing on Kikaijima because of engine troubles.
And ... Possibly.
It was the Type 52 that Miyabe-san should have been flying.
Such a ...
If Miyabe-san hadn't asked to switch planes ...
Miyabe-san would have been the one to be saved.
That's cruel.
Why ... such a cruel fate ?
No, you're wrong.
As for Grandpa ...
I feel the engine is getting abnormally hot.
I have an uncomfortable feeling concerning the noise as well.
If there was a defect that could cause an emergency landing ...
someone like Grandpa would have known it from the noise.
Certainly, Miyabe-san probably would have known.
Then why did Grandfather ...
Why did Grandfather ...
switch planes with this man, if he knew ...
that he could have made an emergency landing with it ?
Kentarou.
Murata-san.
Do you remember the name of the man, that made the emergency landing ...
with the Zero fighter that Grandfather was supposed to fly ?
Of course I do.
Tell us please.
Oishi ...
Second lieutenant Oishi Kenichirou.
Today we ...
Someday, someday, I would have to tell you, I have been thinking.
Matsuno had said that it wasn't necessary to tell it to the children.
However, I ...
Kentarou, you said that you thought that I was a splendid person.
But, absolutely not.
I have always been running away.
After all, I haven't been able to tell you, that I have been a member of the special attack unit too.
You have known about him, about Miyabe Kyuuzou ?
The first time you met him, was it in the Tsukuba Flying Corps ?
I have had my training with instructor Miyabe.
The training to become a member of the special attack unit, is a training in order to die.
Everybody was resigned to die.
Everybody wanted to believe that his own death had a sense.
I earnestly believed it.
But Miyabe-san was different.
Miyabe-san felt that what he was teaching us ...
was paradoxical.
And so the training became increasingly severe.
A comrade died in this training.
The reserve officer who died, didn't have enough spirit !
A guy like that is a disgrace to the army !
First lieutenant.
The second lieutenant Mutou who has died, has been a splendid man.
This man hasn't been a disgrace to the army.
You bastard !
Don't be impertinent towards a special duty officer !
The time we have been attacked by enemy planes during our training ...
Miyabe-san didn't notice it, because he was preoccupied with my training.
I spontaneously turned ...
in order to intercept the enemy planes.
What was that stupid thing you have done ?
Instructor Miyabe is a person that Japan needs.
You are a person that absolutely mustn't die.
During my hospitalization, Miyabe-san paid me a visit.
I hope that I will as soon as possible ...
be able to participate actively as a splendid crew member.
That I will fall like the cherry blossoms ...
Thank you for coming specially.
Ah ... concerning the injuries, as you see ...
I can already fly whenever I want.
Ah, excuse me, this is my complete outfit. I'll take it away immediately.
I won't wear it before this year's winter.
No ...
I won't have the opportunity to wear it.
When you are discharged, please wear this one.
No ... I am embarrassed.
Instructor Miyabe ... instructor Miyabe !
Don't say it has been you, Grandpa, who ...
When I left hospital, Miyabe-san had ...
already been assigned to Kanoya.
Some months later, it has been decided that I should go to Kanoya as well.
Because a suicide attack had been ordered.
At that time, I met Miyabe-san again.
You have done a good job today.
It was as if it were a different person.
Have you been afraid when you have received the order for the special attack unit ?
It would be a lie to say that I haven't been trembling.
That's normal. It was unreasonable.
Hm, I thought so, but the next day I accepted to die.
You accepted ? Why ? In what way ?
Finally I managed to overcome the pain, after intense reflection.
At that time, I have been thinking that way.
If you look at it today, these were certainly the insane considerations of an insane time.
But that is all I can say.
We didn't enthusiastically accept to die.
We weren't pleased to do the suicide attacks.
At that time, we didn't think that much about our families.
At that time, we didn't think that much about what would become of our loved ones ...
after our death, or about the future of Japan.
We couldn't forget about the morning of the day of our mission.
But what can I tell you about that time ...
Myself a member of the special attack unit, ...
next to me was Miyabe-san as a member of the same unit.
The navy intended to kill even a man like him.
This reality made me shiver.
Gentlemen, pray for a good fight.
Second lieutenant Miyabe.
Instructor Miyabe.
I am happy to die together with you, instructor.
These hands were reassuring.
We didn't seem to be men who would go to die after that.
Right, we are already going to die.
Wait !
At that time, why did I say such a thing ...
I haven't yet given you back the overcoat you lent me, instructor Miyabe.
It's useless in summer.
Well, let's go.
Second lieutenant Oishi.
Second lieutenant Oishi, I have to ask you something.
Yes.
Wouldn't you switch planes with me ? With my Zero fighter.
Please.
Well ... my Type 21 is an old type Zero fighter.
Yes. I flew one like this when I was in Rabaul.
Instructor Miyabe's Zero fighter ...
has more horsepower than this one and is faster for that reason.
Please.
I want to fly in this nostalgic Zero fighter.
Instructor Miyabe, you are far more skilled than I am.
A good pilot should fly a good aircraft.
It's you, instructor Miyabe, who should fly this Type 52.
You want to change under no circumstances ?
As you are my teacher, instructor Miyabe ...
No, precisely because you are my teacher, I won't accept.
Excuse me.
I see.
It made my heart ache, not to have listened to Miyabe-san's last wish.
Oishi-kun, even so, I have to ask you.
Please change with my Zero fighter.
But how can I let you take this old Zero fighter, instructor Miyabe ...
I am skilled enough ...
so I can get on with this Type 21.
Please.
I am embarrassed.
I want to take the Zero fighter ...
that I flew in Rabaul, no, the one that I flew ...
during the attack of Pearl Harbor !
I see.
Thank you very much.
And so I flew Miyabe-san's Zero fighter.
Next to me, there was Miyabe-san in my Zero fighter.
After we had been flying for a while I had tears in my eyes.
I was ready to die ...
but I wanted Miyabe-san to be saved.
By dying myself, couldn't I save this man ?
I wanted to give my own life in order to ...
preserve Miyabe-san for the future of Japan.
I sincerely thought this thing I would never be able to achieve.
It was less than an hour after our departure.
Suddenly, from the engine ...
I was left behind alone.
Miyabe-san ?
Miyabe-san ! Miyabe-san !
When I shouted this, I was thinking that I already couldn't continue to fly.
My Zero fighter was at it's limit.
I wasn't able to return to Kanoya.
The only place where I could make an emergency landing was Kikaijima.
50 miles to the west.
I didn't know wether the engine would last until then.
If I came across enemy fighters on my way, I would be dead.
I had to reduce the plane's weight for the emergency landing.
I attempted to drop the bomb into the ocean.
Drop !
But the bomb didn't drop.
What ?
If I made an emergency landing like this the bomb would explode under the fuselage.
I was resigned to die.
At that moment ...
Don't die !
However difficult it may be, let's do our best to survive !
It wasn't my imagination.
It was Miyabe-san's voice for sure.
At that moment, I could see Kikaijima.
Miyabe-san ...
Let's do a suicide attack.
Carrying this bomb, let's do a suicide attack.
However ...
Landing gear check !
This is a suicide attack in order to live.
Let's live.
Landing gear okay !
Landing !
50 !
20 !
5 !
A miracle ... that's all I can say.
The bomb didn't explode.
I had been saved by Miyabe-san.
I have been saved by your real grandfather.
Miyabe-san's Zero fighter saved you, Grandpa ...
and Miyabe-san in your Zero fighter ...
You two have been sorted out by fate.
It's not fate.
It has not been fate.
It was the photograph that Miyabe-san had been carrying ...
without any doubt.
He finally forgot it, when we switched planes.
That's what I thought ...
"If you luckily survive this war, second lieutenant Onishi, ...
would you please do me a favour.
In case my family is out in the cold and suffering ...
I want you to help them."
With that, do you still believe it was fate ?
Do you think that it was just a coincidence ?
Someone like Grandpa ... someone like Miyabe Kyuuzou ...
was able to hear from the engine noise, when there was a defect ...
that would lead to an emergency landing.
He had realized it before going to the suicide attack.
Just by listening to the engine noise ...
He would be able to make an emergency landing without being ashamed.
He had drawn the lot to survive.
It's a harsh decision.
Having to die right after that, in such a critical moment, ...
it's an extremely harsh decision.
And yet, at that moment, Miyabe-san ...
had given this lot to survive to me.
Wouldn't you change with me ?
As you are my teacher, instructor Miyabe ...
No, precisely because you are my teacher, I won't accept.
Excuse me.
I see.
But when I refused ...
Miyabe-san returned once again to his own Zero fighter.
He was certainly hesitating.
He was struggling on the threshold between life and death.
You only have one life !
Don't you have a family ?
Isn't there anybody who will be sad when you die ?
In that case, don't die !
Many young men are thrown into combat without sufficient practice ...
and are killed in action during their first battle.
For that reason at this moment, even alone, many crew members ...
Everybody is not meant to become a crew member !
I don't want you all to die.
Do you think your life is precious ?
Life ...
is precious.
Welcome back home.
Somehow I think that I understand ...
why you felt that you couldn't tell this story.
But at that time, 6 years ago, ...
by saying that there had been a real grandfather ...
you told us about the existence of Miyabe-san.
At that time when Matsuno died, I have seen it.
I have clearly seen it.
Miyabe-san's image.
"Thank you very much.
Grandpa ?
You're wrong.
I am not your real grandfather."
And so unintentionally, ...
what Matsuno had told me,
that it wasn't necessary to tell it to the children ...
It has been when the war was over, that you met Grandma for the first time ?
It was 3 years later, that I met Matsuno.
Miyabe's home had been in Yokohama, but it had been reduced to ashes during an air-raid ...
his wife Matsuno's whereabouts had been unknown.
Nevertheless I kept on searching.
However, time went by.
It was a friend who told me about the whereabouts of Matsuno-san.
Being at the ministry of health and welfare, he told me that there had been a survivor's pension inquiry.
Matsuno-san now lived in Osaka.
This child was Kiyoko ...
Miyabe-san's daughter.
You mustn't do that, Kiyoko. How many times must I tell you, before you understand ?
Excuse me. Everything's in disorder, because I work at home.
Look, take this and go and buy some juice or something.
Juice ? Really ?
In that case, well ...
Take this to buy some juice or some sweets.
You are embarrassing me.
It's okay. No, it is not.
I have come so suddenly, with empty hands. So please let me pay for this.
But ...
Please.
Miyabe has been your instructor ...
Yes.
I have really learned a lot from him.
Have you ?
Miyabe has always been helpful, hasn't he ?
I have also been in Kanoya together with Miyabe-san.
He died in my place.
But after all, I couldn't say that.
So, Miyabe's death ...
hasn't been all in vain.
Please forgive me.
It would have been better, if I had died in his place.
Please raise your head.
Miyabe has certainly died for us.
No, not only Miyabe ...
but all the people who died in this war ...
have died for us.
Please tell me more. About Miyabe.
Miyabe's last moments, how have they been ?
Oishi-san, raise your head.
Miyabe-san fulfilled splendidly ...
his duties as a soldier until the moment of his death.
I'm glad.
That's what I am supposed to say.
But ...
But this man ...
... he lied to me.
For sure ...
He promised me that he would come back for sure ...
Mother !
Mother ?
It's nothing. We were just talking about your father.
Kiyoko's father ?
That's right.
What kind of man has he been, my father ?
Your father, you see, ...
He has been a splendid man.
He has been a braver and kinder man than anybody else.
But he finally died.
I had made up my mind.
I would give my own life for these people.
The city revived as if it wanted to forget the war.
However, we always talked only about Miyabe-san.
Miyabe-san was always reluctant to give us the passing mark.
Father has been malicious. It seems so.
But I couldn't talk about the day when Miyabe did the suicide attack.
If I told her, I would make her suffer even more.
No ... this was just an excuse.
The truth is, I feared that my relation with Matsuno-san would come to an end.
Certainly Matsuno-san felt something for me too.
This strange relation had already lasted over 2 years, when ...
An acquaintance has sold me some cloth at a cheap price ...
It's because I wear work pants all the time ...
It suits you well.
Yes ?
It suits you very well.
And then ...
And then ?
You are very beautiful ... that's what I was unable to say.
How is Kiyoko-chan ?
She is playing with some friends from school.
Kiyoko-chan is really pretty.
She isn't afraid of strangers and she has become attached to me too.
That's because it's you, Oishi-san.
Kiyoko is a child who is afraid of strangers.
But with you Oishi-san ...
Well ... Don't you feel well ?
Why are you ...
Why are you so kind with me ?
What I am myself today, is only thanks to Miyabe-san.
If you are indebted in some way to Miyabe, ...
you have by now paid it back sufficiently.
No, not yet.
So do you intend to give your whole life for us ?
Should I not ?
Should I not use the life, that has been saved by Miyabe-san, for you ?
Shouldn't I do so ?
And what will become of your existence ?
This is my existence.
What will become of your happiness ?
This is my happiness.
Excuse me.
The life that has been saved by Miyabe.
That's what you just said ?
When and where was that ?
Matsuno-san who understood at that moment,
had been prepared for that day.
It has been thanks to Miyabe, that you have been able to live.
That's what you often say.
I have been all the time thinking about that.
Oishi-san tell me the truth.
And at last, I told her.
I couldn't but tell her ...
about that day.
About the day of Miyabe-san's and my last mission.
At that time, in those hopeless circumstances, ...
a spider's thread descended in front of Miyabe-san.
If he had seized it, he would perhaps have been saved.
But this ...
Miyabe-san made me seize it.
This story ...
I am sorry that I didn't talk about it all this time.
I am a dirty person.
I can no longer ...
Why did Miyabe ...
Why did Miyabe choose you ?
I don't know.
There is only one thing that comes to my mind.
When Miyabe-san came to visit me in the hospital ...
he offered me his overcoat.
It has been me, who had made over this overcoat.
As I thought, that's how it was.
Miyabe-san giving ...
such an important thing to me ...
It has been fate that made you meet, Miyabe and you, Oishi-san.
Please forgive me.
It is thanks to Miyabe-san ...
that I can live like this.
Oishi-san, it's enough ...
I say it again and again !
It has been Miyabe-san, who let me live.
Please dispose of me as it suits yourself.
If you don't, my life will no longer have any sense.
He had kept his promise.
At that time, for a moment I thought so.
When I first saw you, wearing Miyabe's overcoat, ...
I thought that Miyabe had kept his promise ...
His promise ?
You mean, that he would come back for sure ?
We had our wedding, without having spoken a single word before.
He has told you about it ?
Our married life has been merely 1 week.
Immediately after that, Miyabe left for the front.
But he came back just for one day.
I'm back.
Welcome back home.
Tadaima.
We have been supplied with these.
When we were finally able to speak, it was almost time to go to sleep.
It looks warm.
Wearing that, in whatever cold place ...
In addition to that, I didn't know when he would come back the next time.
I didn't know where he would go after that.
A place with a climate unimaginable in Japan.
With nothing more than that talk, I had to do something.
What are you doing ?
If that's the case ... you ...
should have left more clothes.
Let me put some cotton inside it like this.
And then, the leather I have been given ...
There is some leather.
I will use this.
And fix it to the collar.
This way ... this way ...
If I do it like this, it will do.
Like this it will become a warm overcoat.
I will make it.
I will make it until tomorrow morning.
As long as you wear this to whatever cold place you might go ...
you will be alright.
Even if it is an icy place.
Be sure ...
Be sure to stay alive ...
Come back alive ...
I swallowed these words.
These were words a soldier's wife should not pronounce.
Instead, I was thinking ...
about what to do to make this overcoat warmer.
What could I do ... more ...
I was just thinking about that ...
I will come back alive for sure.
Even if I lose an arm ...
or I lose a leg ...
For sure ...
I will come back for sure.
And even if I die ...
I will still come back.
Even born again ...
I will for sure come back to your side.
That's why, when I saw you for the first time ...
When I first saw you wearing this overcoat ...
I have been thinking ...
that Miyabe had come back ...
that he had been reborn and come back.
That time I spoke of marriage.
Being myself not really qualified for that, it were rather hopeless words.
Before the wedding Matsuno told me everything.
Everything ?
How she had lived after the war ...
Grandpa ?
What happened to Grandma after the war ?
In those days, being a woman with
a young child and without any relatives,
was something terrible beyond imagination.
She was desperate about her husband having died in war as well.
In order make a living, she had also deceived people.
And then she became ...
the mistress of a member of the yakuza.
What ?
Usually it is difficult to get away from such control.
However a surprising thing happened.
This man was a leaders of the organization.
One day, several men attacked the residence where Matsuno was kept ...
Let's get away !
We're done ? Yes.
The woman too ... hurry !
Mother, mother.
Mother ?
Live !
Who on earth was this man ?
It seems that Matsuno finally didn't understand.
Of course, me too, I don't understand.
However, at that time, Matsuno ...
had been saved by Miyabe.
That's what she seemed to think.
And that's what I think too.
It's unbelievable, such a story.
I believe it.
"I'm sorry.
Forgive me."
Hm, I believe it.
I believed it too.
After our marriage, during our time, ...
we never mentioned Miyabe-san's name again.
It has been Matsuno's wish.
However, I ...
No, probably Matsuno too ...
we could never forget Miyabe-san.
Having both this person on your mind ...
you still have been happy during your married life ?
We have been happy because of that.
Me too, I haven't much time left.
When I was young, I was afraid to die.
When I received the order for the suicide attack, how afraid I was.
But now I feel no fear.
Miyabe-san has come to meet Matsuno again.
In the same way, me too, I want to meet Matsuno again.
It's because I believe that.
I would be happy if could, at that moment, ...
be together again with Miyabe-san.
At that moment, I intend to meet him wearing this.
Miyabe-san and Matsuno and me together.
"If you luckily survive this war, second lieutenant Onishi, ...
would you please do me a favour.
In case my family is out in the cold and suffering ...
I want you to help them."
With just that one line about his life.
That's what I said when I saw this ...
When I look at this now ...
I have just seen it ? What ?
The book for the bar examination in your bag.
Next year's bar examination ?
Well, it's Grandpa ...
Ah, I mean our actual Grandpa.
Grandpa, when he became a lawyer ...
he had already been over 30.
I know that.
I will be 30 next year too.
I will take up the challenge one more time.
Ah ... I have given my answer.
What ?
I can't marry Takayama-san.
I told him, I'm sorry.
Wasn't he the partner without shortcomings ?
Reporter at an important newspaper company. Well yes ...
You might have missed a chance as a writer.
Maybe.
Don't tell me that you have received an answer from Fujiki-san ?
"Keiko-chan.
Please become happy."
No, we talked in person.
No way ! And ... what ?
He said, congratulations ... please be happy.
And then we talked about old memories.
I think I will visit Fujiki-san's factory tomorrow.
Visit, what for ?
What for ...
Do you intend to start something ?
It is more likely that nothing will start.
Perhaps even if something starts, there will be trouble ahead.
Well, then why ?
Isn't it the same for you ? What ?
Even so, I want to go forward.
Even if hope is weak.
Finally we didn't really understand.
Why Miyabe-san did the suicide attack ?
Hm.
But I feel like having understood.
Hm.
This drama is a work of fiction.