Mom!
I don't know where to start to explain what happened during these four years.
Jun might explain it better.
But he is not in Furano anymore.
Nor is my husband, Shokichi.
Both of them disappeared because they couldn't stay in Furano anymore.
I still sometimes have a dream of Sota.
I always try to complain to him in my dream.
It's all your fault.
Because you died..
But...
..the Sota in my dream
doesn't care at all how I feel like usual
but talks and talks while smiling,
taps my shoulder hard telling me not to worry,
bursts in laughter and just disappears.
So...
I can't complain to him at all
and wake up with my eyes filled with tears.
When Shokichi and Jun bankrupted the farm
they took over from Sota,
Dad told me smiling..
It's not Jun or Shokichi's responsibility.
Nor is it Sota's.
It's...
a just the fate..
of these days.
It is like crops ready for harvest
are completely destroyed in one night of storm.
That's how...
the gods decided.
That's how the gods decided.
We declined many times the offer
to take over the farm, saying it was far beyond our ability.
For Sota enlarged the farm too much and had an enormous amount of debts.
But we, badgered by everyone, ended up accepting the offer.
Shokichi was in charge for the time being, and the first year went well without big problems.
We enjoyed the job of the farm.
Dad wanted to have sheep so we gave him seven sheep
which were about to be slaughtered to make meat for Jingisukan
as his birthday gift.
Aunty Yukiko started to work at the loom with their wool.
But when that autumn was at its peak,
We were oppressed by debt with high interests
which Sota got into during the bubble economy.
Rumor suddenly spread to everywhere
that our farm was in crisis..
People started to refuse to sell us anything including feeds if not for cash.
Mr, Oshikiri and Mr, Fukuro who had been working for a long time
disappeared one day.
It was almost the decisive blow.
Shokichi tried everything to borrow money,
but the Agricultural Cooperative and other institutions became cold to us all of a sudden.
One day,
..tragedy struck us.
When I got word from Hotaru and rushed to the farm,
the last of our 300 cows
was being carried out from the barn.
Wait a second!
Wait!
What the heck are you doing!?
What are you doing!?
The Agricultural Cooperative considered us unable to pay the enormous amount of debt
and confiscated the farm before other creditors would make a move,
They took out all the cows within three hours
and carried them to a number of neighboring farms.
Other creditors rushed in and took the rest.
That was how we went bankrupt.
Aunty Masako and Aiko were driven out of the house and disappeared from Furano.
I and Shokichi promised to creditors that we would pay out debt little by little
and left Furano one at the time,
Shokichi doesn't even tell Hotaru where he is.
But
I heard he is sending money properly to the account of creditors every month.
Hotaru started to work as a nurse,
and live with Kai alone in a small apartment.
Kai
That's right.
The boy Hotaru gave birth to right after that
was named Kai, with the caracter meaning pleasant.
Since that event, nearly two years passed.
Kai is now three years old.
My dad's current greatest pleasure
is to play with him.
Kai!
Grandpa!
Hey, Kai! Come on, come on!
Kai! Here you are!
♪ She doesn't know her house
♪ She doesn't know her name, either
♪ Meow, meow, meow, meow
♪ Kitten just cries and cries
All right, let's make a fire.
Oh yeah, That's right, gently. Good, good.
OK, that's fine.
Mom!
Kai! Don't run around holding stuff like that!
Oh, no! It's so dangerous!
Let's go.
Hotaru
How many times should I tell you not to take him without telling me!
Next time I will call the police! You, kidnapper!
Oh, I..I'm sorry.
Hotaru!
Today Aunty Yukiko's son, Daisuke is coming!
Hotaru!
Thank you very much.
Daisuke!
Are you doing well?
Isn't this house interesting?
You see? Goro built this.
All the materials used here was garbage.
He made this house using only what was thrown away.
You see? The back entrance is a telephone box.
This window is a gondola lift.
And look at the ceiling there! It's made of egg boxes...
Daisuke
Are you listening?
Hey!
Here you go.
Do you want seconds?
Daisuke!
Wow, you've grown a lot!
How old are you now?
He doesn't talk at all.
He is absorbed into the cell phone.
I'm at a loss.
He turned into a different person.
I heard he doesn't go to school at all.
Goro, he...
What's wrong with him?
Daisuke
What's wrong?
Did something happen to you?
If it did, tell me.
Daisuke
Goro!
Yeah?
Do you recognize her? This is Sumie.
Sumie!
Uncle! Long time no see!
Oh dear! You've grown so beautiful!
You are working as a kindergarten teacher in Sapporo, right?
Yes, but I'm planning to come back here.
Oh, are you!? That's wonderful!
Because my dad is getting older.
Cut it out!
Oh, wow!
Wow, is that the famous stone house?
It's shabby, isn't it?
Oh, you have sheep as well! Uncle, can I see inside?
Yes, but it's messy!
Yeah
I'm glad for you, Naka!
I'm not glad at all! She brought a guy.
A guy?
Is she getting married?
Yeah, she wants me to let him take over..
It's awesome, isn't it? That's exactly what you wanted!
That's right. But it's a shotgun marriage.
Shotgun marriage? What is that?
It means she's already expecting a child!
Oh...
Can you accept that? I didn't know anything!
What is that laughter?
Naka
♪ Ta da da da... The pregnant bride and groom are coming in!
Right?
Don't be kidding, you idiot!
You don't like her partner?
Of course not.
What is he like?
He is very smart.
That's awesome!
No at all! He is a bachelor of Science from Hokkaido University.
Wow!
The truth is, he is too cheerful and outgoing
and always hyped.
What does she say about him?
She has a crush on him..
We are having a dinner with him tonight.
I can't handle it alone. Come and join us, please.
Oh, sure.
Uncle!
Here he is.
Uncle!
Be sure to come, OK?
Oh, welcome!
This is Goro.
Thank you for coming.
Uncle Goro, right?
I'm Masahiko Shimizu! It's a honor to meet you!
My mother-in-law just took me
to show the house of Aunty Yukiko you built.
Let me say this, that is amazing!
Your idea is awesome!
That is a sign of this era, a strong satire to our civilization!
I heard a lot about you. But you really are amazing!
I'm not amazing. I made it that way because I'm poor.
All I did is just to pick up garbage and assemble them.
Amazing!
I really have to take my hat off to you for what you did!
Uncle!
You are doing business with timbers.
And I'm going to take it over.
But this industry is now facing a hardship, isn't it?
Yes, it is.
More and more cheap timber is imported from abroad. Domestic timbers are too expensive.
..and timber is limited, in the first place.
Yes
On the other hand, what do we have unlimited amount of now in Japan?
I don't know.
It's trash! Waste! What is thrown away!
They are free. People even pay for get rid of them.
That's what Goro had his eyes on! Great!
Aunty?
Huh?
Your husband...
is trying to build a new house for us.
But let it not be of wood!
But...
Oh, we can use scrap wood, but not new wood, it's such a waste.
But we are a timber business.
No, it would be a waste. Let's not do that.
Let's ask Uncle Goro
to build us a house using only garbage.
It will be more interesting.
Don't you think so?
Yes! So interesting!
But then I would lose my face as your...
Uncle!
No face, no pride, please!
Oh!
Huh?
The light! Let's use bio energy!
Bio?
It's crap!
Crap?
That's right, poop!
Can we generate electricity with poop?
We can! It's the energy of the new generation!
But how can we generate electricity from crap?
Good question!
You collect crap and ferment it. Then it generates methane gas.
You collect the gas, then you can make fire with it.
In fact, in the hinterland of China,
people send the gas generated like that to cooking stoves via pipes
and cook foods.
Doesn't it stink?
Yes, a little.
But, using that gas,
you can start the engine of an old car,
so when you power a generator, with the spin of its engine,
it will definitely generate electricity!
Can I ask you a question?
Ask me anything!
I have no idea about science,
but are you saying, in short,
with a fart or a burp
we can generate electricity?
That's right!
But as a child, I farted in the bath,
kept the gas in a milk bottle and tried to make a fire with that, but it didn't catch fire!
It was not fermented enough.
Not fermented?
Do you have an engine from a broken car?
Oh, I can get it right now,
And a generator?
I have one.
Then let's get started immediately! We can do it for sure! Do you have crap?
From humans?
Oh, horse's sheep's, cow's, human's... Everything is fine.
Oh!
How many tourists come to Furano a year?
Well, they say it's two million.
Two million! What a waste! Oh, what a waste!
All you care about of these two million tourists
is money they use!
What tourists leave behind them for sure is crap!
Crap rather than money!
Uncle! This will be a business of the next generation!
Can I ask you another question?
Anything you want!
Do these crap explode?
Good question! They do!
Then there will be crap all over,
What the heck is this crap power generation!? Please give me a break!
Will he be my son-in-law? Huh?
What will happen to Nakahata Timbers Cooporation when he takes over my company!
I just can't come to like this!
Good question! Good question! Are you kidding?
How can you look down on people like that?
You can't be serious!
Collect crap,
bring them with a pipe,
and like this, with this..
Do you know...
crap power generation?
You must not know, Crap power generation.
Oh, this way, And this.
Oh, I see! This!
It should come here, right!
Shokichi
Half a year passed since you stopped writing me.
The letters I wrote to you were sent back to me.
Where on earth are you now?
Mr, Shiraishi and Mr, Muroishi tell me
that you are sending money to their accounts at the end of every month.
I receive those receipts
so I know at least you are alive.
But
why do you have to hide your place even from me?
In your last letter you wrote
that you don't want to cause any more trouble to us.
If you mean it, it hurts me.
I'll be waiting...
for you to come back here forever.
Mom
I'm hungry!
Kai must feel the same way.
Kai is three years and six months old.
He really wants to talk with someone.
Taking advantage of that, everyday my dad...
Oh!
Are you on the way back home?
What a coincidence!
Oh yeah, what a coincidence for us to meet every day! Kai, say bye bye to grandpa.
Bye bye.
OK, bye bye.
Bye bye!
Bye bye.
Bye bye!
Bye bye.
This is a crap pot.
Shu...
It's been a while.
I'm sorry.
Have you been doing well?
Oh, yes.
How many years have passed since you came here last time?
Three years
and seven months.
Three years, already?
I saw you got sheep.
Suffolk.
Oh, you know the breed?
Are you keeping in touch with Jun?
No
Since when?
A little after the incidence of the farm.
I see.
Now Jun is not in Furano, right?
No
Because of the farm?
He caused troubles to everyone, so...
Is he keeping in touch with you?
Once in a while
Once in a long while
Thank you
It brings back memories.
What?
The cent of...
..your fires!
Do I stink?
No, it's a nice flavor!
Sorry. I haven't taken a bath for three days.
Do you want me to prepare a bath?
No, I can't let you do that..
I will!
No, thank you.
Don't hold back! Let me prepare the bath!
How is it?
Nice hot!
Amazing!
I wish...
if I had done this to you everyday.
Me too! Please come here sometimes.
I can't come here anymore.
I will go to Kobe.
I'm getting married.
I see.
I will...
miss you...
I'm sorry.
No
Congratulations!
Thank you!
In fact,
I wanted to come here
to live with Jun
in Rokugo
and prepare the bath
for you.
It's my fault.
I am to blame.
I couldn't...
be of any help when Jun was having the hardest time.
Shu, don't blame yourself.
What's done...
is done.
Neither of you is to blame.
So, is your groom a good guy?*
Yes,
a good guy.
Is he better than me?
He can't beat you.
Even in looks?
In looks he is better.
Then, he must be incredibly handsome!
I...wrote a letter to Jun.
Where is he now?
Please tell me where he is now.
Then...
what will happen?
Just...
forget about him.
You must be right.
If you want to give him a letter, I will send it.
Just leave it on the terrace.
I'll do that.
Uncle
I haven't been back to Furano for one and a half year.
After what happened, I went everywhere to look for a well-paying job,
But, 15 million yen
was not an amount I could pay alone.
A well-paying job cannot be found so easily.
At first, I was sending 30000 yen a month
to the account of a creditor,
But 15 million divided 30000
divided 12 is...42.
When I imagined I would keep paying this money for as long as 42 years,
it just looked ridiculous and I stopped sending money.
Now I am in Rausu,
in the Shiretoko peninsula, the northernmost tip of Hokkaido, working as a garbage disposer.
I told where I am only to Dad and Hotaru.
I am not keeping in touch with Shokichi after we parted in Furano.
We don't know where each other is.
The disastrous days when the farm went bankrupt,
the humiliation I had to put up with
and coldness of people...
Since then,
I have been living...
trying to hide from acquaintances.
The only people I see now is this Toraji Kumakura
and his close friend, Takuro Sakuma, a fisherman.
Takuro is a good-natured person
and is renting me an unused hut to live in for free.
Besides, he often invites me to dinner trying not to let me feel alone.
But, when I'm with his family,
though I'm happy,
I realize how lonely I am at the same time.
I remember my dad I left in Furano,
Hotaru,
and Kai who must now be three years old.
I finally turned 30 and now I feel vividly...
that I want to have a family.
A family who is waiting me when I get back from work
and fills me with a warm feeling and a gentle scent.
But...
stuff like that...
is a dream I cannot afford to have the way I am now.
The only pleasure I have now is...
to find some random girl on an dating website
Nice to meet you! I'm Kaori and I just broke up with my boyfriend.. please text me..
and chat with her at night..
Nice to meet you! I'm lonelyfox..
I'm having an empty talk with a stranger
without paying back the debt...
Oh, we can't make it in time for the auction.
Hey, watch out!
Hey!
What is that look in your eyes for? We can't make it in time for the auction.
We aren't scared of Takamura Marine Product.
Hey, give us a hand!
Jun, let's go.
I heard salmons are coming up the river.
Yeah, they are.
Look at the mountain.
White-tailed eagles are gathering on the coast.
They come from mountains in this period.
You know, salmons are swimming in the open sea far from here for four years.
But, after four years, they come back to their home river
without fail!
Wow...
We have a plenty of rivers here around.
But they remember the exact river in which they were born.
Do you know why?
Because their moms are waiting!
Nope!
Mother salmons, once they lay eggs,
die of exhaustion.
Poor mothers!
I agree. But their carcasses will become foods of animals
such as white-tailed eagles, Steller's sea eagles,
seagulls and crows
and their leavings and feces give nourishment to forests around the river.
In addition, the nutritions flown out of the carcasses
went back to the sea along the river and small organisms in the sea eat them.
Isn't that amazing?
Wow...
So, the salmons...
don't just die after laying eggs...
Are you Miss Ryoko?
I'm Jun, Jun Kuroita from Furano!
Jun!
It's been 20 years since I met her last time.
Though she grew old a little, Miss Ryoko hasn't changed at all from the way she was in those days.
She is working at a school in Nakashibestu, a city 60 km away from Rausu.
That day, she was accidentally in Rausu
to see salmons coming up the river as an extracurricular class,
Miss Ryoko...
How many memories...
The next Sunday, I drove from Rausu to Nakashibetsu to meet her.
Jun, welcome! Come in, please!
Excuse me.
Actually, another student of mine happened to drop by.
She is also living in Rausu.
I'll introduce you two.
This is Jun Kuroita.
This is Yui Takamura, a student from when I was working in Shari.
Do you know each other?
Just a little.
So...she left on board of a UFO?
Well, in those days, we all believed that way!
It may be true. She is indeed an alien.
Listen, did you really see a UFO?
I saw it, absolutely! I assure you that!
I really got on a flying saucer.
And...where did you go?
♪ One step a day, two steps in two days, three steps in three days...
And I went far away.
What?
I always wanted to ask you. Tell me the truth, who on earth are you?
The dinner that evening was very enjoyable.
Really...
after a long time...
Hotaru
After a really long time,
I was remembering those days...
when we ate around the dinner table together.
That day,
I drove her back to Rausu.
Wow, I was surprised!
I was surprised, too!
When was it that you were her student?
Let's see... about 15 years ago.
For me, almost 20 years ago.
Then, you are my senpai.
Yeah, respect me.
OK...I respect you.
Was she already married when you were her student?
Yes, they were totally lovey-dovey.
Oh, then she got married after she left my school.
He is really nice, isn't he?
Yes, he is.
I see.
So she got married.
She got married at the age of 21, right?
And her concert was held in Budokan,
I went to the concert, too.
She said "thank you for letting me have my own way.
I will live happily" And she left the microphone on the stage.
That was really moving, wasn't it?
More than 20 years have passed since then.
♪ Light-colored cosmoses in an autumn day...
So, where are you working?
In a fish processing factory,
I see.
But lately, catches are poor, right?
So I'm working part-time at night in a convenience store.
Which convenience store?
In Midori-cho.
Do you know it?
Yeah
The one in front of the bridge.
That's right.
There
♪ In a small voice like talking to herself...
♪ In such a quiet autumn day like one in the spring
♪ Your kindness...
How about you? Where are you working?
At a garbage disposal center in Minehama.
♪ The time will change it into a funny story
♪ So don't worry, she said smiling
I dropped off Yui in the town.
♪ When I remember those days,
♪ I realized, not a single day was I alone
♪ I am now regretting
♪ How I was selfish...
♪ She helped me pack my things for tomorrow's moving
♪ We were having delightful moments for a while
♪ But her eyes were suddenly filled with tears
♪ And she said "take care" and repeated it a lot
♪ I will try to live
♪ Remembering how grateful I am to you, mom
♪ In such a quiet autumn day like one in the spring
♪ Please let me be your child for a little longer.
When I got back home, I found a letter from Dad.
When I opened the envelope, there was not a letter from Dad
but a letter from Shu.
Jun, how are you?
I still sometimes
think about you at night.
Then my heart pounds fast.
Thank you.
It was such a nice time.
I...
will be married next month.
I hope...
you will become happy.
Good night.
Shu
♪ Codfishes haven't come to Rausu yet.
♪ Alaska pollocks haven't come to Rausu yet.
♪ Still...still...
♪ I go on the waves, today as well.
♪ We have tomorrow
Jun, are you drinking?
I have to get up early tomorrow, so I'm leaving..
Yeah
Wait!
Don't worry.
What?
Take it away before someone notices. It will be expired in five minutes.
But...
Keep it.
But, this...
It's OK
No, I can't
It's OK
What happened?
It's 460 yen.
You dummy...
Thank you very much!
Sorry, come again!
Oh, I realized only now.
Obento in convenience stores have an expiration date.
Those past the date will be thrown away.
But it's not like once they get past the date, they suddenly go bad in three or five minutes.
So Yui tried to give it to me
in secret from her boss.
The number of salmons coming up the rivers reached its peak.
In small rivers without a hatcery,
horse mackerels went up the river all the way toward the deep forests of Shiretoko.
Sunny days lasted for a long time..
and at 25 km right in front of my hut
I could see clearly Kunashiri island.
After I learned the other night,
I sometimes go to that convenience store in the midnight when no one is there.
So she gave me in secret an obento past the date.
This one, please.
It's 20 yen.
Thank you very much.
Thanks to you.
Obviously, my purpose was not the obento itself,
but to get a chance to talk with Yui.
Hello lonelyfox, long time.. I'm lonely.. Kaori
Until I met her, I was chatting
with a stranger I found on a dating site
but it suddenly lost its luster so I quit.
I was spending more and more time thinking about Yui.
Thank you for the apples.
What happened?
Nothing
I kept an obento aside for you.
Oh, that's not what I wanted...
I'll drive you home if you don't mind...
Which way for your house?
Thank you as always.
For the obento?
Yeah
It's OK. We will throw them away anyway.
It is such a waste to throw them away as they are stil edible.
But, you won't be scolded by your boss?
If he finds out, yes.
I got upset a little the first time, as we almost got caught by my boss.
Actually, I didn't get what you were trying to do at that time so...
It's not a big deal.
The owner himself secretly brings back home
expired foods to eat.
..this is also expired..
You are also working in the factory, right?
Only in the morning.
Due to the recent poor catches, we can't afford to hire part-time workers.
So only my family is working there.
I see.
It's a small business.
What is the name?
Takamura Marine Products, It's in Kyoei-cho.
When is your day off?
How about you?
I don't work on Sundays.
Me neither.
Next Sunday, we went for a drive.
I don't remember well what we talked about.
Anyway, I talked a lot, almost too much,
as if I were not myself.
Yui didn't talk much
but gently listened to me.
I talked about Furano,
about my dad,
about Sota,
and about the fact that I bankrupted his farm.
It was as if I were possessed
by the chatty ghost of Sota, that day.
Can you hear that?
Thereafter, the number of days in which we met
increased little by little,
until Takuro and Toraji came to my hut.
What do you want to tell me?
Yeah
Jun, give up on her.
What are you talking about?
I'm talking about the girl you are dating.
The other day as well, you went to see the shiny moss with her, didn't you?
Yes, but it's not like I'm dating her.
Do you know that she is still married.
Huh?
Although, her husband has a lover
and run away with her to Kushiro. Nearly two years ago?
So she is practically single,
but they haven't divorced yet formally. She is still the daughter-in-law of the Takamura family.
Besides, she is still living in the house of Takamura.
Her father-in-law, Mr, Takamura,
we call him Todo (Stellar sea lion),
is a notoriously violent guy.
And he is doting on that daughter-in-law.
So much so that he chased his son out of the house.
He is an expert of hunting Steller sea lions.
Do you know about Steller sea lions?
Yes
They are this big.
And he shoots them like
"Bang"!
An expert.
Once a young fisherman who made a move on her,
was half killed and driven by him into the icy sea.
This is how things are.
So you'd better give up her.
Jun, long time no hear.
How are you doing there?
I'm writing today, because
there's something I'm worrying about.
Lately, Dad doesn't seem to be doing well,
though he doesn't admit it when I ask him.
He won't listen to me even if I repeatedly ask him to take a thorough examination in the hospital.
Two days ago as well, he had an appointment for an exam, but he didn't show up.
Please tell him as well to get checked out.
I'm OK. Lately I don't have much pain,
Dad, how old do you think you are?
I'm 67.
67 is almost 70!
67 and 70 are totally different.
Are you having regular checkups?
Not at all!
Oh, that's bad.
You know, they found that my wife had an early breast cancer thanks to her regular checkup.
So she was cured with surgery,
Don't worry about me. Now I'm following a good therapy.
What kind of therapy?
Shinkichi Narita told me.
Did he?
What is it?
To swallow a whole umeboshi (pickled apricot)
with its seed.
A whole umeboshi? With its seed?
I've been doing it for several days. So I feel very fine.
What will happen to seeds?
They dissolve.
Do they?
Yes, they do.
But they are really hard.
But Shinkichi says he does it everyday!
I don't think they dissolve.
But they do.
But the stomach of that guy who is like a gorilla
is totally different from yours, isn't it?
OK, I got it.
I won't let you see Kai until you take an exam.
Wait, Hotaru! That has nothing to do with this!
Hotaru?
But it must hurt, right?
It won't hurt, It will soon be over. Just do it.
By the way, this house you stopped working on
is the one for Hotaru and her family, isn't it?
Actually, she says she doesn't need it
because it is a lot more comfortable to live in the town.
I see.
She is trying to part Kai from me.
What?
I'll pay you, so could you build
a new house here for Sumie and her family?
but...
it's a house made with trash.
That's fine.
But, you handle woods as your business..
He prefers trash.
Who?
That bastard.
You mean Masahiko?
Even Mizue and Sumie are showing interest in that idea.
Mizue is so excited that she goes to the large dump everyday.
It's not easy to get a son-in-law, isn't it?
Why are you laughing?
So will you do that?
What?
Huh?
Will you generate
electricity with crap?
Goro!
Huh?
Stop kidding around. Your face is already a joke.
Mr, Goro Kuroita
Mr, Goro Kuroita!
Oh, yes.
Please take off the clothes and change into these.
Madame,
I've never had ba...ba...
Barium?
Yes, I've never done it before.
We don't do it today but we are using a stomach camera,
Ca...camera?
Please look over here.
I'm going to put this in your mouth, keep the liquid at the back of your throat
for about five minutes. Please don't swallow it.
Please open the mouth.
Lot wider.
Wider.
Please don't swallow it, keep it there.
Don't swallow.
Please relax.
Please breathe slowly and relax the whole body.
Take it easy It's OK.
Please relax.
Huh? Wait a moment.
Can you please bring a forceps asap?
Yes
Forceps
Asap
Oh, it's OK, Please relax. Take it easy.
Please hang on for a while. It could be painful.
We found something like a mass of blood.
Huh? What is this?
They look like foreign bodies.
I'm gonna put it down a little more.
Please relax, It's OK.
What?
U...
ME...
BO, SHI?
Umeboshi?
SEE,.
D...
What? Mr, Kuroita, did you swallow the seeds of umeboshi?
Did you swallow the seeds of umeboshi?
Oh, I see, There are four.
We are going to remove them one by one.
Here you are.
We remove them right away. Take it easy.
It'll soon be over.
Oh, we caught it. We are pulling it out.
Relax, please.
Take it easy.
Oh, wait a second. It got caught.
Oh, here we are. No, we can't, Let's put it back a little.
I told you! The seeds of umeboshi don't dissolve!
Goro
So he went mad and won't talk to me.
I see. But umeboshi work for me.
Idiot! Don't compare him with you!
Goro may look like that, but he is actually delicate.
So, were the umeboshi the only cause?
No, it seems like he has something else as well.
So he has another exam tomorrow.
It will soon be over.
Excuse me.
Please hang on just a little more. It will soon be over.
Please take a breath again.
Hey, Mr, Kuroita!
But I...
It won't hurt at all!
No, I'm OK.
OK with what? Please!
Hey!
I'm sorry, I'm sorry! Dad, what are you doing?
I'm sorry!
Behave yourself! People are waiting!
No no no.
No what? Are you a child?
Get inside, hurry up!
Please stay as you are now, Please don't move,
Why do you tie me up?
Please stay like this.
Excuse me. Please don't move your head, Please be carefull.
Please hold still.
Oh, go back a little.
Which one is that? Is this the one? Enlarge it.
Let me see, huh...
Oh, this is a cyst, isn't it?
Yes, I think so.
Doctor
What's wrong?
It doesn't look OK.
Oh, I see, OK, then.
Doctor
Yes?
Do I...
Do I have something?
No, Not for now.
But let's do a thorough exam just in case.
Can you come here next Tuesday morning?
Yes, but...what comes next?
Let me perform a colonoscopy.
What kind of exam is it?
I just insert a camera from your bottom.
From my butt!?
It's much easier than a stomach camera.
Are you OK with Tuesday at 9'o clock?
Yes
He won't make it. I think he'll live another three months at best,
It metastasized this much from the intestine.
We can't do anything.
Mr, Nakahata, please come in.
Yes
The doctor is waiting inside.
We can't possibly do it. It's impossible to generate power with crap!
No, it is possible.
They already do it somewhere else.
It's impossible.
No no no, more gently!
I told you, it's impossible!
You have to do it gently! It wil break!
If crap could explode, there would be explosions everywhere,
We are doing it! So please do it.
Oh no, OK, let's do it!
Let's go!
It doesn't work!
It's strange, It's really strange.
It's hard!
When you try to put it to practice, it doesn't work as theory tells,
I shouldn't have told them that I would generate the power with crap, but I will!
I'll do it! Do you want some tea?
What's wrong with you?
Oh, nothing.
Mr. Hokkaido University
Oh, please cut it out! Please, call me Masahiko.
Um, I'm asking you because I'm uneducated...
What?
Oh, it's not about me
but it's about a friend of mine...
What is it?
He's not feeling well and went to a hospital to have a checkup,
Then...oh, thank you.
Then, they perform such a thorough examination on him,
and ask him to come back next week again and again.
It's getting into a big thing.
I see.
He says,
he just had an occasional pain from the stomach to up here.
But is it common
that it takes this much when you take exams in a hospital?
I don't think it's common.
So does it mean
that his condition is that serious?
It could be.
What kind of exams he said he took?
He was sent from one department to another in the hospital.
He did the stomach camera?
Sure, and he will have a camera inserted from the butt next time.
Oh, it hurts.
Does it?
Yeah, the doctor put the air into your butt,
so your belly bloats a lot like...oh!
Have you ever tried that as a kid?
Have you ever put a straw into the butt of a frog and blown in it?
Then the frog bloats this much?
I have.
It's practically that.
But I'm worried about him. How old is he?
I think...67?
We're about the same age.
How is his complexion?
It's not as bright as before.
I just hope it's not a cancer.
But doctors don't tell that clearly.
Don't they?
They don't, in nine cases out of ten, they try not to shock the patient.
Then what will they say?
Good question!
According to my friend who is a doctor..
"It's not a big deal,
you have a few polyps but they are nothing to worry about"
They say things like this smiling.
But doing so, they have difficulty...
looking you in the eyes.
They can't help but turn their eyes from you because they are lying.
You see?
Oh, yes.
They just keep lying to the patient, and tell the truth only to the family.
I just hope it's not a cancer.
I had no idea that my ignorant dad got so serious
swallowing such a nonsense.
OK, please relax, take it easy.
Don't refrain from passing gas.
Next Tuesday,
Dad came to take the exam without any complain.
Please turn up a little, Three, two, one...
Ouch!
Dad
Did it hurt?
Mr, Kuroita, please come inside.
Yes
Please take a seat.
Please sit down.
Um...
it's not a big deal.
The stomach is inflamed a little, but there is nothing to worry about.
I prescribe you a few medicines.
Doctor
What?
Please look me in the eyes.
What's wrong with your eyes?
My son...
is not in Furano now.
Huh?
Should I call him back?
Why?
I heard that there is nothing to worry about. Good for you.
Because you went through all the exams, I give you a reward, Please go to pick up Kai this evening.
I've prepared a meal at home.
I allow you to play with him until his bedtime.
Hotaru
Huh?
Today you are
awfully nice, aren't you?
Am I?
Are you...?
Did they actually tell you?
Tell me what?
Are you ready?
No, not yet.
Are you ready?
Oh, I found you!
Are you ready?
No, not yet.
Are you ready?
I'm ready.
Grandpa!
I'm ready.
Oh, you found me!
Kai, please wait!
Good boy.
Mrs, Kasamatsu
Yes
You are the wife of Mr, Kasamatsu, right?
I vaguely remembered seeing that face,
Can I talk to you for a second?
Yes
She is one of the creditors to the failed farm.
I heard your husband is sending money every month properly
to Mr, Shiraishi and Mr, Murofushi.
Everyone is praising him.
On the other hand, regarding the money we lent,
your brother is supposed to pay back 30,000 yen a month.
But after the first 6 months, he stopped paying it back.
What is going on?
I'm sorry.
It's 15 million yen.
Are you aware of that?
Even if he pays 30,000 yen a month, it'll take 40 years to pay back, And it's without interest.
Our grandpa generously made it only 30,000 yen a month,
saying it would be impossible for them to pay interests.
You were also at the meeting, weren't you?
But after six months, we received nothing.
Does he have even a hint of sincerity?
It's like he is trampling the good faith of Grandpa.
I'm so sorry.
I don't know where he is now, but
let him know
that we are furious.
At this rate, your brother can never come back to Furano, can he?
I'm so sorry.
I'll tell him for sure.
After the first 6 months, he stopped paying it back.
What is going on?
Does he have even a hint of sincerity?
It's like he is trampling the good faith of Grandpa.
Kai
Kai!
Kai
Kai!
My dear!
Dad, enough is enough! How many times do I have to tell you
not to take him away with you without telling me!
Kai is not here.
I came home after I put him to sleep.
Is Kai missing?
Kai!
Kai
Kai!
Kai!!Kai!!
Kai!!
Hello! My son is missing!!
My son is missing!
When I came home from work,
He was not in the house!
I looked for him outside the house as well, what?
Oh yes, we live in Suehiro-cho! I'm telling you! So...
Hotaru
What?
Hotaru
Oh wait, what?
I found him, I'm sorry.
Yes, I'm sorry.
He must have tried to surprise you.
When we played hide-and-seek this evening, I hid in the bathtub.
he must have copied me.
Don't teach my son stupid things.
I'm sorry.
I'm already exhausted from work,
don't let me worry even more!
I'm sorry.
Shokichi doesn't tell us where he is.
Jun doesn't pay back the debt.
Did you know that?
Today I was caught by Mrs, Misawa, one of the creditors, in the hospital
and was badly criticized by her.
Jun is not paying back the money!
After the first six months, he completely stopped sending money!
Please give me a break.
Why do I have to be scolded so much!
Give him a good scolding!
I got it.
You don't get it at all, Dad.
No one understand at all
how much I'm suffering!
I will...
write to Jun for sure!
But...
it must be some mistake.
If he's not paying back,
there must be some inevitable reason for him.
She may have said
that he's not paying back without any notice,
but he's not that kind of guy!
It must be...it's probably...
some mistake!
I'm sorry.
I was exhausted with everything that happened today.
There is no bus at this time. Stay at my home tonight.
He is...
not such an irresponsible guy!
It must be...it's absolutely...
some mistake!
It wasn't a mistake.
I wasn't paying back
just because I was irresponsible.
It's not true that I can't pay 30,000 yen a month.
In fact,
last month I paid almost as much for my cell phone
to keep in touch with Yui in secret.
YUI> It's your day off..right? What you doing?
After Takuro and Toraji warned me,
JUN> Nothing
I was scared to see her.
One of the reasons was that terrifying father-in-law.
YUI> It's been a while since we met
Another reason was
that she was still married.
JUN> Yes
YUI> Why? Why?
But
Yui was more and more in my mind,
so I started to talk with her in a chat room.
Because of that, phone bills were very expensive.
So...
Dad,
it's not a mistake.
I could pay the debt if I wanted.
It's just...
because I'm no good.
Where are you texting from?
Right here.
It's better to meet in person than to chat, isn't it?
Yeah
Can I come in?
Please
Oh, you live in this hut alone.
Yes
Isn't it lonely?
A bit at first.
Besides, the waves are noisy.
But are you used to it now?
Yes
I'm sorry.
Oh, what is this?
Oh, no! Don't look!
So many clothes to wash! Let me take care of it.
No no no no
Where is the water? Hey, get away.
It's outside...
Do you want me to guess why you avoid seeing me?
Huh?
When did you get to know?
Know what?
that I'm still married, for now.
I knew that was the reason.
But...
it's not good...
if it is how things are.
You still live in their house, right?
Have you heard of my dad?
Your dad?
Yes, my father-in-law.
Oh, yes.
Did they say he is scary?
But actually he's not scary.
He was the best friend of my late real dad.
So he takes good care of me,
as my mom is also dead
and I'm alone.
You haven't divorced your husband formally, right?
Not yet.
But my dad says,
that I can delete my name from the family register
whenever I find someone I love.
Jun
Are you prepared?
What?
Are you willing to let me be your bride?
Are you seeing me for that purpose?
I was excited.
This is clearly a proposal.
I thought...
usually...
men propose to women...
My dad...
Huh?
will come to see you.
What did you say?
He found us exchanging messages two days ago.
Wow
That is...
Wait...
Then,
next morning...
Todo!
Hello
Yui
Oh, listen
My dad wants to meet you. Do you know the tiny hot spring along the coast?
Now he is there waiting you.
But...
Good luck
to what?
Huh?
Oh no, she hung up.
♪ Grilled squid is a fine snack
♪ I prefer silent women
♪ Dim light is better
♪ When I drink with nostalgia
♪ Only my memories are passing away
♪ A drop of tear...
I'm Jun Kuroita.
I'm Kuroita.
There’s no time to wait, Come in.
Yes, Sir
Take off your clothes there.
No one wants to steal your clothes!
Yes, Sir
Excuse me.
Oh!
You are from Furano, right?
Yes
Who from your family is there?
Oh...
my dad and my sister...
What does your dad do for a living?
Oh, he does nothing. Actually, he does a lot of things.
Which is it!?
I mean, he does nothing profitable,
but he grows vegetable, make compost,
build houses, raise sheep,
So he's doing a lot of things!
But he's not making any money...
Not every job is for making money!
I see.
What is your sister doing?
She is a nurse.
You have debts, right?
No! Actually, yes!
Why?
For failing in the administration of a farm.
How much?
My share is 15 million yen,
Huh
Are you paying back?
About that,
Yes or No!?
In fact, I am supposed to pay 30,000 yen a month, but now I'm not paying at all.
Even though you can spend for chatting on phone?
I'm so sorry!
It's no use apologizing to me.
Yes
Have you already done it with my daughter-in-law?
Of course not! It's out of the question!
Aren't you serious?
I am serious!
Then why don't you do it!?
B...because, she is still married...
Oh, I was totally ignorant of that at first.
So now you found out she is married and hung back?
Oh, it's not true! Actually, it's true.
Which is it?
Oh, that is...I mean, I am...
the type of person who wants to draw a clear line between things.
Liar!
Yes
How can a person who wants to draw a clear line
chat with a married woman secretly at night?
You are right.
You've done it, haven't you?
No, I haven't!
I hate liars.
I'm absolutely telling the truth! I swear to gods! I haven't done it yet!
Not yet?
Then you have the intention to do it,
When the things are settled down...
OK!
Have you ever seen the balls of Steller sea lion?
What?
I'll let you see them next time.
Come to my house!
Yes, Sir.
Shokichi, are you doing well?
Aren't you pushing yourself too hard?
Where are you now?
What kind of job are you doing?
Kai is becoming more and more talkative. He sometimes pronounces the word "papa",
like "where is papa?"
or "when does papa come back?"
Every time he pronounces the word, I feel upset.
Shokichi
I want to know at least this one thing.
Why do you leave us alone for such a long time.
Is it because Kai is not your child?
Do you even want to continue this marriage?
If you don't,
if you think we are a burden to you...
What happened to you?
I'm hospitalized for an exam.
When is Sumie's wedding?
It would be in Aprile.
In April!
Listen, your dad is doing us a big favor.
He is building a new house for them.
He is making a house with trash, right?
Yes
Oh, you should just build a proper house of wood.
But Sumie and her fiance also want it that way.
I also agree with them.
Even though you are in the timber business?
But it's really fun to think!
When I see some trash on the street, a weird idea comes to my mind.
Oh, this can be used for the house! That one, too!
Wow, you have Goro disease.
That's right, Goro disease!
Why don't you ask him to build one for you as well?
He will build one even without me asking him.
All he wants is to keep Kai close to him.
I see.
I had a dream the other day.
What kind?
Around the house of Yukiko and the house he is building now for Sumie
there are a lot of other houses made with trash as well.
Your house,
Jun's house,
and a lot of others'.
All of them are of fine taste,
but when you take a closer look at them, they are made exclusively from trash.
There is a park surrounded by such houses.
And that park, like the ones in Europe,
is paved with stones.
But on closer look, they are actually pieces of asphalt.
You see..
when they break up a road to repair it, a lot of pieces of asphalt come out.
They were cut into the size of paving stones
and were combined like a puzzle.
And in that park, Kai, Jun's kid,
Sumie's kid,
and all others are playing around cheerfully.
And there is a signboard that says "picked up town".
Goro!
What happened?
I'm so speechless!
What?
It's about Daisuke! Please give him a lecture.
What happened?
He doesn't talk at all so I questioned him closely until the night
about what he wants to do and why he is here.
Then,
he says he is waiting for his lover.
Oh, he has a lover.
But Goro, it's not what you think.
What do you mean?
He says he is dating her for six months but he has never seen her face!
Huh?
I mean, do you know online dating site?
What is that?
It's an e-pal!
E-pa?
What is that?
They just send text messages to one another,
and they haven't even heard each other's voice!
Daisuke, can you explain to me a little?
I'm stupid so I don't understand at all.
In short, the lover you are talking about
is someone you've never met
or talked to?
I don't understand. Not in the slightest.
You've never seen her,
heard her,
or touched her.
How can you fall in love with a person that way?
How old is she?
She is 18
Where does she live?
He doesn't even know that,
They promised to meet here.
So he's waiting for her but she doesn't show up.
Isn't she just tricking you!?
Hey, Daisuke, wait!
Daisuke!
Daisuke
That is absolutely strange.
If you love her, why don't you meet her?
So we promised to meet here in Furano.
But she hasn't come, right?
Isn't that strange?
Usually a man fall in love with a women,
you know,
when he sees her face, hear her voice,
smells her flavor,
or touches her skin...
How dirty you are!
Oh, am I?
But that's how things work normally.
You are outdated.
Instead of only texting messages, why don't you talk with her in person?
If you talk with her, you'll understand her better.
People are able to talk.
So if you meet her and have an actual conversation with her,
you can understand her even better, don you think so?
You can decide if you like her or nor after that.
Daisuke
You've been dating with her for six months,
but you don't know her face,
her address or her voice.
I can't believe at all
why you can call her a girlfriend.
Oh, you're pissing me off!
That's why I hate old men!
You are so outdated that talking to you is a waste of my time!
Now people fall in love in this way!
It's different from how it was in your days.
But you don't know her, right?
I know her!
If you have never met once, you can't say you know that person.
You can say that in this day and age!
I see.
You are so annoying, picking up garbage like this.
You get behind because you are doing things like this!
The ways of love have changed!
We are living in a different time from yours!
Bastard!
Don't talk so lightly about love!
You are such a greenhorn who doesn't know anything!
Naka
Get away!
You said we are old men from different times?
But if you think I am an old man,
if you call me old man, then fight me! Bring it on!
Bring it on!
You are too annoying.
I see.
Give it back!
Hey! Give it back!
Hey!
Give it back! Please! Give it back!
Oh, no!
Naka
That was too much.
What's wrong?
Today, you are different from usual.
Don't push yourself so hard.
You can take your time when you work.
I can't.
What?
I'm running out of time.
What happened?
My wife...
had a recurrence of her cancer.
The doctor said she wouldn't make it until the spring.
Unless I hurry up,
I might not make it in time.
She is...
She's looking forward...
looking forward to this house.
Does Mizue
realize that?
I don't know.
Probably yes.
I don't know.
Next day, I saw Yukimushi (winter bug) for the first time this year.
The autumn of Furano was about to end.
Translated by kamu and kumasan for d-addicts