After Miss Ryoko disappeared,
the weather in Furano turned quickly into fall.
But,
I had no idea...
a certain rumor had been started at a bar there.
A girl from Rokugo?
Yeah. He said he had met her before.
And he ran into her at a Turkish bath in Susukino?
He pointed his finger at her and couldn't say anything. She did the same.
Where in Rokugo?
I don't know.
But I heard she used to work at the co-op there.
What's her name?
I don't know her real name but they called her...
Yukiko.
Kita no kuni kara
Episode 21
Your chin!
The day of Sota's 4th round fight in Sapporo was coming soon.
I heard he was training every day with the director of the gym.
I've never been to Sapporo...
and Aunty Yukiko promised to take me there for the fight.
Where's Dad?
Goro's here.
He is? Why is he so early today?
Is it true?
I went to check.
I talked directly to that guy named Yoneyama who started the rumor.
He said it was the truth.
A Turkish bath in Susukino?
It's called "Yume Makura."
And...
I can't believe this, Sei.
Tsurara calls herself there...
"Yukiko."
-Did you tell anyone? -How could I?
No one else knows.
What about Tatsumi?
He hasn't heard it yet.
I made sure Yoneyama won't say any more about it.
But,
since he was talking about it at a bar, I don't know whether he can keep his mouth shut.
Thanks for letting me know.
Don't mention it.
I'm going.
So...
she calls hereself Yukiko.
What is it?
Mitsu was here.
What for?
She said Yukiko asked her a favor.
Yukiko? What kind?
To find her a place to live.
A place to live?
I understand Yukiko intends to move out.
Why?
I don't know, but she doesn't want other people to know.
-Hey. -Mm?
Is Goro dating anybody?
Goro?
No?
Why do you ask?
Mitsu didn't come out and say it,
but that's what she hinted.
Is that why she's moving out?
That's what I don't know for sure.
-Looking for a place to live? -Yeah.
Yukiko?
I heard she asked Mitsu.
I haven't heard anything about it.
Goro.
Have you...
started dating anyone?
What,
why?
Did Yukiko tell you?
No, she didn't.
But,
Yukiko may be in love with you.
Don't be stupid.
She's my ex-wife's younger sister.
That has nothing to do with it.
-Did you talk to him? -Who?
Mr. Yoneyama.
I did.
Well?
It was her.
So it was true?
That's what he said.
Really.
It's a sad story, isn't it?
It's sad.
Hi!
-Did you see Mr. Yoneyama? -Thanks.
What did you need to talk to him about?
Wasn't he nice? A bit too talkative, though.
Oh, hello there!
This way.
But...
she may not be as miserable as others may think she is.
I've been to the edge, too.
I had been conned by a man in Tokyo.
That's when I got an invitation.
The man that invited me was his best friend.
Apparently, my ex knew about it.
After I found out,
I didn't care anymore.
Although I didn't accept the invitation,
I thought...
I wouldn't have minded accepting it.
I'm sorry I told you that weird story.
Forget it. Okay?
What did Jun and Hotaru think of me?
-Sota. -Mm?
Is there a word that can cut into a person's heart?
What?
I want to say it to that lady who came on our picnic.
And hurt her so badly she'll never come back again.
-You don't want her to come? -'Course not!
Dad's face was like a lovesick fool.
It's not good to act that way in front of children.
That's how we turn into juvenile delinquents.
Jun.
Yes.
You think about really silly stuff.
Your dad is a man.
A man gets lonely no matter how old he is.
Why can't you try to understand that?
I think so, too.
Hurting another person with words is something you should never do.
A wound will heal soon,
but a wound made by words takes a long time to heal.
And you end up getting hurt yourself.
So don't think of things like that.
Understand?
I do, but...
So hurry and eat.
What is it?
What?
I want to say things like that, that really get to your heart.
What?
I always forget, so I write them down.
"A wound will heal soon, but a wound made by words takes a long time to heal."
That really gets to me!
You silly.
Where do you learn words like that?
I must've read them somewhere.
You probably did.
You wouldn't think of that yourself, would you?
That old monk said something good to me, too.
This one!
"Illness can be cured, but bad habits can't. Your stupidity is a bad habit so you'll never be cured."
Well said! Don't you think?
How's your boxing going?
-Oh, you're coming, right? -I am.
-You, too, right Jun? -Yes!
You'll be a third wheel, but I guess you can come. What about you, Hotaru?
I'm too scared.
You're a thoughtful girl. You really are.
Think you can win?
Listen Jun.
Don't mock me too much.
I may not have much else going for me, but I'm strong.
Oh, Yukiko.
Here's another one that monk said.
Where is it... Oh, here.
Here, look.
Listen.
"There's no medicine for a fool. But being strong can be somewhat reassuring."
Isn't he good? I agree with him!
Will Sota win?
Nah.
He'll lose.
I'm pretty confident in predicting that.
How can you say that? He's from your own gym.
But he'll still lose.
He has the spirit and the punches. But he's still missing something.
He'll lose.
Want to bet on that?
-You want to? -Sure.
-How much? -Mm... 1000 yen.
Stingy.
2,000 yen then.
You're on. He'll lose.
He'll win.
How can you bet on your student's loss?
Hey... Wasn't that Kuroita Goro?
Man...
Right.
Counting on you. Thanks.
Yes, it's fine.
Bye then.
What is it?
Um... a little.
-Come on in. -But... Um...
Quit standing there and muttering like a woman!
Is it something you can't say in front of the wife?
-I thought it'd be bad for you. -Me?
It's about Kogomi at Komakusa.
-Making trouble for me again? -That's why I made you come out.
I settled that.
-She has a new man. -That's just fine.
It's not.
-I'm through with that woman-- -It's Goro this time.
Best friends and now brothers?
Get to work!
What's up?
Well...
What's wrong?
Is it...
about Yukiko?
No.
What's wrong?
Nah...
Let's talk tonight.
When we have more time.
What's wrong?
(Radio: Baseball live broadcast)
The other day,
weren't you reading...
a Kaiko Ken book in the office?
I'm stunned a little.
I never though I'd hear a high-class name like Kaiko Ken come from you.
I'm impressed you even know who he is.
This is no time to joke.
Why not?
I read that book, too. Or I tried.
I got sleepy...
right away.
Is it Kogomi?
Komakusa's...
Kogomi?
You decided to read it...
after you went to her place. Am I right?
Naka...
Goro.
She's the girl you're dating?
The one that had you mumbling?
Is it Kogomi?
If so,
I had something...
with her, too.
From the end of last year...
into February of this one.
A lot of things happened.
It was a mess.
My wife found out, too.
She refused to feed me for 10 days.
Remember,
I went to your place to eat?
It was completely over by the end of February, though.
She's a fine woman.
A really sweet woman when you're dating.
I can vouch for that.
But,
she's almost too good.
That's her problem.
How?
As soon as she hears a man's sad story,
she wants to do something for him.
So...
she does...
you know what.
It wasn't just me.
There've been others.
I know...
one of them.
I think the bookstores in Furano...
have been selling...
a lot of Kaiko Ken books lately.
That's the kind of woman...
Kogomi is.
He's been waiting for you.
Please come in.
I need to talk to Goro.
Ah, okay.
What's wrong?
I went to Sapporo.
The story you told me was true.
Did you see Tsurara?
I found her,
but I couldn't say anything.
I waited until she got off work.
She came out at 3:00 in the morning.
Goro,
I watched from the shadows the whole time.
I watched her walk out and catch a cab.
But I didn't know what to do.
My knees... shook.
How did Tsurara look?
To my surprise,
she was dressed really nicely like the daughter of some nice rich family.
She went to the supermarket and bought some fruit.
She was really cheerful, Goro.
She didn't act like she did here, at all.
I don't know how to describe it, but she seemed pure and really elegant.
How could she act like that working where she does?
How could she be so proud?
The day of the fight was almost here. Sota went running every day.
But Sota was clearly a different person.
He didn't stop by our house for a visit like he used to.
He didn't respond to our cheers either.
Sota looked like he was in pain,
and he gritted his teeth.
He looked like a whole different person.
He was very manly and cool.
He'd completely become a boxer.
I wanted him to win.
Hotaru and I weren't the only ones that thought that.
I think Aunty Yukiko did, too.
Are you okay?
Good luck. I'll be there to cheer you on.
Yukiko.
Mm?
I'm going to Sapporo a day early.
I want you to go a day early, too.
-The day before? -Yeah.
I want to see your face the night before the fight.
Can it wait till after the fight?
If I lose, I won't want to see anyone.
I want to walk in Sapporo with you.
All right.
I'll try.
Yukiko.
I think...
this will be my one and only fight.
And I intend to fight like it is.
If I win,
I'll feel like I'll be your equal for the first time.
What are you talking about? We have been always--
That's the way it is.
You've been in a different class compared to me.
That's why I'll win.
I promise I'll win.
After I do,
I have something to tell you.
That's my plan.
I've decided.
So please listen to me when that happens.
It might sound a stupid dream to you, but I'm dead serious.
Never mind the answer.
I just want to...
I'll tell you later.
So the evening before the fight,
I went to Sapporo for the first time with Aunty Yukiko.
Keiko.
Sapporo is...
the capital of the north.
That night we stayed at the hotel Sota reserved for us...
and waited for him to call.
But Sota didn't contact us.
You must be hungry, Jun.
Yeah.
We'll wait a bit more, then shall we go out?
But is Sota allowed to eat because of his diet?
I guess you are right.
But still he could call.
There he is!
Hello?
Ah... yes.
I was yelling at him the whole time.
Because he said he was meeting you.
Oh,
it's not your fault.
He just doesn't understand...
what it takes to be a boxer.
A long time ago,
when I was still boxing,
the night before a fight, I'd think I was going to die.
All I was allowed to eat was one egg.
Then I'd curl up in the blanket.
But,
I did it because I wanted to win so badly.
I wanted to win so I could get out.
I hated being a farmer so much I was desperate to escape.
When I lay there suffering,
I'd think about the field as far as the eye could see.
And the image of myself...
working from dawn till dusk...
with my brother,
my mother...
I...
could bear anything to get away from that.
Kid.
Yes.
Is this your first boxing match?
Yes. No...
I've seen them on TV.
What about you?
It's the first time.
You know how you see...
people taking care of the boxer?
Yes.
If you win, it's fine.
But if you lose,
they won't help you pull your gloves off.
They won't untie your shoelaces.
Or even take your bandages off.
They won't wipe your sweat either.
They'll just pack up their things and leave quickly.
You sit there alone in the empty room and...
do this to take your gloves and...
bandages off yourself.
The pain of your bruises...
and the pain of losing...
makes you want to cry, but you force yourself not to.
Whether you win or lose.
That's all that matters.
After dinner,
the director took us back to the hotel.
Good job. One more.
Thank you.
Jun.
-Thank you very much. -No problem.
Then...
Please tell Sota we wish him luck.
-Good night. -Good night.
Actually,
do you have a minute?
Go back to the room by yourself.
Yes?
Over here.
I'm not good at talking,
so please don't get offended.
Okay.
I said earlier that I yelled at Sota.
It was because he said he was going to win tomorrow's fight for you.
Give me a break.
Only in the movies, boxers fight for stupid things like love.
But,
I told him if he was going to fight for a girl,
fight for Tsurara.
He caused her a lot of pain.
And he has the nerve to tell me he wants to go out on a date the night before the fight?
Do you know...
what Tsurara is doing now?
No.
She's here in Sapporo.
She is?
Yeah. She's working.
Do you know where?
I do.
Does Sota?
I just told him.
Where is she?
A Turkish bath.
In Susukino.
I told him...
for the first time tonight.
Then...
he started bawling.
So I told him,
"Don't cry! Get angry!"
"Get mad and fight!"
Get mad at yourself and win for Tsurara!
The fight began a little past 4:00 in the afternoon.
Keep cool!
Get him!
You can do it!
Punch him more!
Sota!
The 2nd round began.
Go!
Stop.
-Sota, give it all! -Yes!
Sota!
Give it all!
Go!
The second round, a minute and 40 seconds.
Red wins!
You're looking good, Jun.
I am.
How are you?
I'm fine, as you can see. I've gotten a little prettier, haven't I?
I felt a little bad for Sota.
He doesn't know you came?
No.
Aren't you going to see him?
No.
Why don't you?
Because it's over. I've forgotten all about Rokugo.
Tsurara looked really stylish.
I didn't know whether to tell her...
that we saw her watching the raft race.
You've gotten so pretty.
It's because of my job.
-Where do you work? -In fashion.
That's cool! I knew it!
-'Cause you look so cool! -Do I? Then...
-I'll treat you to another ice cream. -I mean it!
You don't have to rush and eat that one.
But working in the city must be hard.
Not at all. In fact, I wish it was harder.
Sometimes I get worried 'cause it's too easy.
You do?
I might've been more suited to the city to begin with.
One of the neighbors in my apartment building grows pumpkins on her veranda.
Pumpkins?
She planted about 8 pumpkin seedlings in a pot.
And she waters it every day.
It's so easy just to buy pumpkins.
I wonder why she does that?
Maybe it's human instinct.
I'm done.
-Go on and order it yourself. -Excuse me! -Can I?
Sure.
Go.
Sometimes,
I think that...
it may seem...
really uncool but...
the life of a farmer may be...
what real living is all about.
You work so hard,
but you'll never really get rich.
Worry about the weather.
Crawl around in the dirt.
I think...
that really may be...
a wonderful life.
But I'm never going back to it.
Aunty, if it's okay, can I...
I had no idea why Aunty had tears in her eyes.
I think...
it must've been because she was thinking about Sota.
We heard...
Sota came to not long after that...
in the waiting room.
The director tried to talk to him,
but he just faced downward...
and didn't say a word.
But...
Sota,
I thought you were cool.
Sota,
you were really...
cool.
You touched my heart.
I wonder...
what happened to Sota?
You think he won?
I wonder...
Dad?
You haven't been into town for 4 or 5 days now.
Why don't you go?
I don't mind.
Even if...
you fall in love with another woman.
On August 20th, summer vacation was over.
And we started attending the main school.
Autumn had come to...
Furano.
Subtitled by Chuks Edited by Phoenix