He takes 2 days to do just one.
He's so slow.
Can't help it. He's an amateur.
He's still too slow.
So much time just for one.
Can he really build a house?
It's summer, now.
Dad had announced that he'd finish our log house by the end of summer.
But once he actually started cutting the logs to fit,
it didn't go as fast as he'd expected.
So...
It goes this way and...
Eh?
Oh, I forgot!
I did.
It's missing a bathroom.
I totally forgot.
Dad!
We're back!
It's a good thing I peed when I did... yeah.
Kita no kuni kara
Episode 17
Class was canceled for that afternoon,
so Miss Ryoko could take us to the main school for a tour.
Our satellite school will be closed at the end of this semester.
So we'll all be coming to this main school after the summer vacation.
You're coming, too, aren't you Miss Ryoko?
I don't know.
You have to come.
You will, right?
We'll see.
-You should insist on coming.! -Yeah, you should!
Don't you want to come?
Of course, I do. All of you will be there.
Then come.
I want to.
-Promise us. -Yeah, promise us!
Let's make it clear right now, Miss Ryoko!
Do you think Miss Ryoko doesn't want to come with us?
That's not true.
But she didn't give us a clear answer.
Because it's not her decision.
Then who decides?
I don't know. The principal?
Hey.
Did you hear someone call our names?
Jun!
Hotaru!
It's Aunty Yukiko!
Aunty!
I'm back!
Hotaru!
Yukiko!
Aunty!
I'm back!
Yay, Arare*!
Character of anime, Dr. Slump
Wow. It's a game!
"Game and Watching"
Look, Arare.
She's bold.
Look at my game.
Ah!
What happened to Reiko?
She was finally discharged 2 weeks ago.
Good.
Is she back at the shop?
Not yet. She just pops in once in awhile.
So she still has to see the doctor?
Yeah, probably.
Actually... Goro...
She came here with me.
With a friend of hers named Honda.
Remeber? She came here once. She's a lawyer.
She wants to make things clear this time.
I'm sorry I didn't give you any warning.
-Where is she? -At the hotel.
I'm sorry, but will you see her?
She said she's sorry for imposing, but she wants you to come to "Wine House" at around 7.
-Thank you for coming. -No problem.
Reiko will be here a little later,
so as her representative I'd like to talk a little first.
That's why I didn't want her here.
I see.
Let's see...
Well, it's nothing new.
Your condition that you raise both children...
She'll accept it.
The children will keep your name,
and she will change hers back to her maiden name of Miyamae.
You have no problem with that?
There will be no alimony payments for her.
And... about the assets...
the apartment in Yotsuya,
its title is in your name.
She wants you to transfer the title to her.
That's fine.
The car you both used was purchased in October 1977 and paid in full, September of 1979.
That title is in your name, too.
-Will you transfer that to Reiko as well? -Sure.
And...
Oh.
This is the divorce form...
you need to file with city hall.
Divorce Form
I need your signature and seal.
I also need the name of a witness and that party's signature and seal.
Please take care of this.
I will.
This makes everything final.
-Thank you for everything. -No problem.
Oh, one last thing.
Actually,
Reiko insists on seeing the children one last time.
She says you can be present if you want.
Would you be willing to give her that chance?
I understand. I will.
Thank you. That will make her happy.
The days are very long during the summer in Hokkaido, aren't they?
It's also lavender season?
Yes.
-Are the lavender fields very far? -No.
Oh, here she is.
What did you want to talk about?
Sit down.
What's wrong?
You see...
Mom's in Furano right now.
She's staying at a hotel for tonight and tomorrow.
Mom and I are...
going to get formally divorced.
We both feel badly about this...
for both of you.
Please forgive us.
We've decided that both of you will live here with me.
But,
if either of you really wants to live in Tokyo with Mom,
that's all right with me.
The choice is...
yours.
I won't say anything about that.
You're both adults, so I want you to think about it.
I'll take you to the hotel tomorrow.
The two of you can take your time and visit with Mom.
The next day,
Dad took us out of school early...
and drove us to the hotel.
He left as soon as he dropped us off.
Hello.
We're going to Nakafurano to see the lavender.
Let's go!
-Will you please get us a cab? -Sure.
I though it'd just be the 3 of us,
but it looked like the lawyer lady was going to tag along, too.
To be honest,
my heart was so full...
I couldn't look at the lavender.
This will be the end of my relationship with Mom.
Mom's going to have a different name.
Mom...
No matter what happens with Dad,
you'll still be my mom.
If she asked me...
to go with her right now,
the words I'm having a hard time keeping inside...
would jump right out.
It's the answer to the question that...
Dad asked us to think about last night.
Mom...
I...
want to go with you!
But,
Mom didn't say anything.
Get in the picture, Hotaru.
Good. That's a good one.
So beautiful.
Hold on, hold it right there!
Ready...
You looked handsome, Jun.
Hold on. Wait.
Jun,
Do you want to stay at the hotel with Mom tonight?
You too, Hotaru.
I'll call your dad for you.
Jun.
Is your school far away?
Hotaru.
You're a cold-blooded animal.
-The school is going to close soon? -Yes.
Will you be transferred there, too?
-That hasn't been decided yet. -Oh.
How are they?
Are they doing all right here?
They're having the best possible experience here.
Their father is doing a wonderful job of raising them.
Really.
-It's a beautiful place, isn't it? -Yes.
But only because of the season right now.
People from the mainland only see the best side of Hokkaido.
But when you live here, most of the time it's a harsh place.
I'm sure these past 6 months have been very hard for them.
They both bore it very well.
This may be a rude question,
but what will happen between you and their father?
I'm here to...
finalize the divorce.
And the children?
They'll be staying here...
with him.
Mom!
Hotaru says she wants to go home.
Nakahata Kazuo
-So they both came straight home? -Yeah.
Here.
Reiko apparently wanted them both...
to spend the night with her at the hotel.
-Did she tell you that? -The lawyer did.
She also said...
Hotaru is the one that said no.
Jun got pretty mad at her.
He hardly talked to her after they came home.
Hotaru...
hardly talked to Reiko, even when she tried.
I wonder who she takes after?
I'm sure she was thinking about you, Goro.
She sees how hard you've been working...
Hello?
That's right.
What?
He's right here.
Who is this please?
Oh. Just a minute.
It's the lawyer.
Excuse me.
Thanks.
This is Kuroita.
Huh?
Yes.
How is she now?
No.
I understand.
Yes.
Oh, hello?
Which hospital?
Okay.
Yes. I'll be right there.
What happened?
Reiko suddenly experienced pain.
So she was taken to the hospital.
Which one?
Watanabe.
Okay. I'll go pick Yukiko up.
You can relax now.
The medication's taken effect and she's sleeping.
-I understand she was in the hospital until recently? -Yes. Um...
She was told it was neurological.
But she got better and was released 2 weeks ago--
I think you should take her to a big hospital and have her examined.
Does that... mean...
she's not completely recovered--
I just examined her briefly, so I can't really say.
But the symptoms sound similar to what she had before,
so I think she should undergo thorough tests.
Okay.
Sorry.
How do you feel?
I'm better now.
You gave me a scare.
I'm sorry.
I think you should...
have them check you over again.
Maybe I'm being punished.
Stay here and rest for a while.
I'm fine.
I'll be better by tomorrow.
Tomorrow,
will you take me to...
visit your parents' grave?
Don't worry about it.
I'm serious.
Sure. If you're better.
Please.
Don't talk anymore and try to sleep.
I'll stay with you.
Excuse me.
I'll take it over.
But I don't mind--
It's okay. I can stay here.
Thank you for today.
What?
Jun and Hotaru.
I had fun with them.
I'll bring them...
after you get better.
The four of us can go to visit the grave together.
Really?
What happened, Sis?
That's why I told you to go to a bigger hospital.
You're not completely better, you know.
Goro.
Hotaru says she doesn't want to go to visit the grave.
She says she doesn't feel well and wants to stay in bed.
They know you're lying.
What you got?
Do you have a fever?
I'll go get a thermometer.
You may never see her again.
Mom came all this way just to see us.
Is that the kind of attitude you're going to leave her with?
You hardly talked to her yesterday.
How do you think that made Mom feel?
Jun.
That's enough.
Hotaru.
Do you really feel sick?
If you do, we'll have to take you to a doctor.
Mom's still not feeling all that well, either.
But she came all the way from Tokyo to see you and Jun.
You still refuse to go?
Answer me.
Then stay here by yourself and sleep.
But I'm taking you to the hospital later.
The grave was in a forest outside of the village.
We came to visit right after we moved here last year.
So this is my second time.
It's so quiet.
Yeah.
It's been years since I heard cuckoos.
I was supposed to be buried in this grave, too, wasn't I?
Jun.
Leave them alone a bit.
Hotaru suddenly got a fever and...
I told her to stay home.
I know.
Okay.
You, too.
Don't take...
your health lightly.
Go to a big hospital and have them look at you.
I mean it.
As soon as you get home. All right?
For their sake.
Promise me.
Forget obligation, if it involves your well-being.
All right.
It's punishment.
I'm being punished.
What time is your train?
It's 3:34.
Take care of them.
I know.
Whenever you want to see them,
don't hold back.
I'll consider it anytime.
And...
I may call you, too.
Because they'll always be both our children.
Thank you.
The express train to Sapporo will depart from platform 1.
The next stop will be Ashibetsu.
I'm counting on you to take good care of Hotaru.
A long time ago,
I came to Hokkaido once.
When I was in college.
With a man I was in love with.
But he dumped me.
It was an inn in Kushiro.
It snowed.
What a beautiful river.
Is this the Sudachi River?
Hotaru!
Get the chisel, Jun.
Thanks.
Do you feel better?
You promised you'd stay in bed.
Where did you go?
Evening! Sota is here!
Still alive, Jun?
Come on down, Hotaru.
Remember I told you about the rafting race?
Jun.
The rafting race on Sunday the 26th.
Let's all go together.
It'll be so cool.
You have to float the 8 kilos from Nunobe to Furano on a handmade raft.
It's been a while.
I came back two days ago.
Did you hear that, Hotaru?
Remember, Jun. Keep Sunday the 26th open, okay?
Cheer up, you two!
Sota!
What's wrong with you?
Not telling me about--
Yo.
What's wrong with you?
What's wrong with me?
How could you be so cold!
You never told me Yukiko came home!
You told me you gave up.
People change their mind everyday.
Humans are very undependable.
-Where are you pulling me to? -To my car.
So what's going on?
-Yukiko should be inside. -Yeah, she was.
-Did you see her? -I did.
-Good. -Not good.
Why not?
'Coz...
I'm hung up.
-Who's hung up? -Me.
What are you talking about?
What's there to be hung up on?
I could hardly talk to her.
-Why not? -Dunno.
I thought she wasn't there.
And she suddenly appeared,
so I lost my chance to say anything.
I'm busy.
I have to go.
A man has pride, you know.
She took off without telling me and reappears suddenly.
Then, she says "Hello, how are you?"
I was in so much pain, but she said it like nothing ever happened!
How can I talk happily!
I can't.
A man can't do that, you know, Goro?
A man has to preserve a certain amount of pride.
So what did you come here for anyway?
-You came here for a reason, right? -Right.
I was here about the rafting race.
I felt so sorry for Hotaru,
I thought I'd invite her to the race.
Why Hotaru?
-She came this afternoon, so I took her. -Where?
To my house.
To do what?
-She wanted a ride. -To where?
To Shimonoshita where you can see the train.
The 3:34 train her mother was on.
Did Hotaru...
go to see her off alone?
That's right.
It was supposed to be a secret.
Hotaru said that?
Yeah.
Why?
Dunno.
Did Reiko...
see her?
She did.
She opened the window and waved her hand.
Hotaru kept running along the river bank
with tears pouring down her face.
I heard you two finally got formally divorced.
Hotaru told you that?
On the way home, she said...
"Dad's the saddest one in the whole world right now. Not us."
Jun.
Yes.
Where's Hotaru?
-She's asleep. -I see.
Are you still mad at her?
Listen.
Every person expresses sadness...
in a different way.
Some folks don't think anything of crying in public.
Some folks don't want anyone to see them cry.
Do you think it wasn't hard for Hotaru...
to say good-bye to Mom?
She doesn't say anything,
but Hotaru may feel even more pain than you and me.
That may be why she didn't go to see Mom off.
What do you think?
Don't you think that's right?
The next Sunday was the ceremony for the closing of our school.
Closing Ceremony
Dear Keiko,
I'm at the ceremony right now.
We've been coming to this school in Rokugo since last fall.
Today is the last day.
Dad, Mr. and Mrs. Nakahata,
Mr. Tatsumi, and a lot of other people came.
Not because they were parents of the children here.
But, because they were all graduates of this school, too.
But the principal of the main school said...
not even 1/3 had come.
The rest had all moved away to places like Sapporo and Tokyo.
After the ceremony, we took a commemorative photo.
It's a stag beetle.
Ready?
Ma'am, will you face forward?
The right side is my best side.
Could you still face forward?
Ready?
Look this way.
-It's getting away, Jun. -Smile.
Sixth Sorachi River Rafting Race
The rafting race is scheduled to take place on July 26th.
Everyone is excited and started building their rafts a few days ago.
Hotaru and I are going to ride on a big raft for Nakahata Lumber.
It'll be a really fun day,
but I'll tell you all about it next time.
Subtitled by Chuks Edited by Phoenix