A month has passed since Sota fought his fight in Sapporo.
Aunty Yukiko seems to have changed since that day.
Sota doesn't come over anymore.
Whenever I say anything about it,
all Aunty says is, "That's true."
Oh, but one thing did happen.
I told Dad about seeing Tsurara during dinner one night.
But,
Dad didn't say a word.
And neither did Aunty Yukiko.
So I figured that subject was taboo.
October is here along with the day we've been waiting for so long.
Dear Keiko, how are you?
Our dream, the log cabin, is finally going to be put together...
starting this morning.
They're at it!
Let's go!
Hurry!
All right!
How's that?
2 centimeters to the left.
How's that?
Look.
What?
Oh, this is not good.
-Give me the chain saw! -Here!
Kita no kuni kara
Episode 22
Ready, set...
Hold it.
How's that?
Looks good.
Good.
All together.
-Moss, moss. -Okay!
Kuma! I need you here!
All right!
They told me there's all kinds of ways to put a log cabin together.
The way Dad is doing it is to carve a channel...
into the top of the log where it stacks with the next one so they stay secure.
Then they put moss we gathered in the mountains...
into the corners where there are gaps.
Because moss is strong, it's still alive and will put roots down into the logs
and plug any spaces there might be.
Here.
It's going better than I expected.
-I made sure the pieces matched. -You're good.
-I got a skill, you know. -Can't tell until we put the roof on though.
If we keep going like this, it'll be fast.
-Putting the roof together is the hard part. -How many layers to the roof?
Sixteen.
-We're getting about a layer done an hour. -Picking up speed.
At this rate, we might get the walls up by tomorrow.
-We might. -How's it going?
Hey!
Hello.
You're doing good.
-Where're the boys? -A few of them are coming to help right now.
Hotaru!
Jun!
Jun?
Oh, they disappeared again.
Kids disappeared again?
We didn't disappear.
We had something to do in the mountain.
Dad has completely forgotten about it,
but the day after tomorrow is his birthday.
We were secretly planning a party for him.
We told Mr. Nakahata and Kuma and everyone else...
that it was a secret.
Take this!
I found some, Jun! Look!
Awesome! Yay!
A lot of them!
For his birthday gift,
we went to pick wild grapes so we could put them into a bottle...
and make wine that Dad could drink next year.
Jun.
Yeah?
Think we should invite her to the birthday party?
Who?
You know....
Kogomi.
I don't think so.
But it's Dad's birthday.
He might want us to.
I don't think he's seen her lately.
That's just it.
What?
I think Dad was shocked with our attitude at the picnic.
What attitude?
You know... we were...
kind of cold to her, weren't we?
Maybe Dad does want to see her but...
he's worried about us.
Think so?
I think we should invite her.
I don't want her to come.
Why not?
Dad will act like a lovesick fool.
-Look at all those over there! -Awesome!
Wow! A lot!
Jun! There's a lot over there too!
Which one?
Horizontal log 2-5-6!
Any more moss?
Kuma!
He went to pee.
How long does that take?
-What're you doing? -Isn't this crooked?
Was it?
Oh, Kuma!
What did you do with the moss you gathered?
I saw signs it pushed a log over and ate some ants.
I think there's a bear around here.
-When was it here? -This is fresh.
How big?
I'd say... about a 3-year-old male.
Still weighs about 60 kilos.
How can you tell?
Females have a nub on the back of the foot.
This print isn't round, so it's a male.
So this is a bear path.
It won't come out with all of us here.
I agree.
-Shall we do it? -Yeah, let's.
Sir!
I'll take a look around anyway.
Okay.
Sir!
How was it?
I'm gonna go fetch a gun.
-Is it still around? -There's more than one.
More than one?
The other one's the mother and she's at least 160 or 170.
Man...
I'll go with you.
Let's go.
Oh, use my jeep.
Thank you!
Could you stop by my house and tell my kids not to go into the mountains?
-Okay!
A bear?
It's nearby.
How scary.
-Keep the kids from the mountain, please. -All right.
I think they went to town so you can tell them that.
I will.
We didn't know anything about it.
We weren't in town,
but pretty deep into that very mountain.
I think this is enough. My bag is full.
Let's pick a little more.
You're so pushy.
Did you hear that sound?
I did.
What was it?
Probably a fox.
Let's go. It'll get dark soon.
After I get these.
Geez!
Hey.
What do you think that fox is doing?
What?
My fox... the one that got caught in the trap.
How would I know?
They say...
it'll chew its own foot off to survive, right?
Do you think mine is alive?
Or...
do you think it died?
How would I know...
I think there's something out there.
What do you think it is?
A bear?
Why... d-do you say something like that with a straight face?
We're not supposed to run from a bear.
We're supposed to sing a song or something and...
pretend we don't know it's there.
What'll we sing?
♪The bear has come out. Oh, the moon is out.
She's changing the lyrics of Tanko Bushi, a Japanese folk song.
♪Heave ho!
(Rest is indistinct)
I'm a bear!
Wait!
I'm a bear!
We found out that...
it really was a bear that night.
I was so shocked, I couldn't even talk.
We didn't tell anyone we went to the mountain to gather grapes.
We hadn't prayed in a long time but we did that night.
Because we thought it was God that protected us from the bear.
The next day was Sunday so we helped from the morning.
What about this?
-I'll fix that when we get over there. -Okay.
-Will you just carry that for me? -Okay!
Okay!
Boo!
Hello!
Kogomi.
It's been a long time. How are you?
-Fine. -Good.
Who?
It's Kogomi.
-She went on the picnic with us. -Oh.
I'm Yukiko.
Nice to meet you.
They've started the log cabin?
Yes. Since yesterday.
I'll help.
♪Throw pork in to make soup stock...
♪Throw Hotaru in to make soup stock.
-Why, I'm not a pig. -Oh, you're not?
What!
A bear?
A mother and baby.
How scary!
They won't harm us unless we run right into them.
You're tough, Hotaru.
The parent with the baby is always the mother.
Really.
And if the baby is female, it'll leave the mother when it's 2.
But if it's a boy, it'll stay with the mother until it's 3 years old.
Is that so.
Oh!
What's wrong?
We're having a birthday party tomorrow night.
For who?
Dad.
You are?
We've told everybody.
This way.
But Dad doesn't know.
He's so old he must've forgotten about his birthday.
I think so too.
Will you come?
Of course. My pleasure.
About 7:00. It's a promise.
Okay. I'll be there.
Wait! Wait up!
Wow! They've built that much already?
Dad!
Kogomi came to help!
Hello!
You came to help, too, Mr. Tragedy?
Sorry!
Are you okay? Sorry!
I'm really sorry!
After Kogomi showed up suddenly,
the atmosphere at the site changed.
I didn't really know why.
Except that before she came everyone talked a lot.
And after she came, everyone got really quiet.
I'm gonna eat here.
If you could...
Looks good!
-How have you been, Mr. Tragedy? -Good.
Um...
Tea....
Oh, I'll get some.
I'll go!
-I'll get it! -That's okay!
I can get it!
Unforgivable.
Um, well...
I've been pretty busy and...
That's not what I meant.
You live with such a beautiful younger sister.
She really is beautiful.
Jun.
-Shall we go look for some mushrooms? -Sure.
Hi.
Hello.
-Thank you for the hard work! -Hello.
I brought this, Yukiko.
Wow!
And... this... a letter.
Ah! It's from Mom!
It is, isn't it?
We'll read it later.
Who is that?
-Oh, um... -Hey!
What about... that thing... I told you about this morning...?
-What? -I told you this morning!
It's on the tip of my tongue!
What will we do?
What...
Never mind! Hey, Sumire!
Let's go find mushrooms!
-My cup... -Don't worry about it!
I don't like it when she comes.
Why?
I can't stand to watch Dad.
He acts like a fool.
Does she come a lot?
She hasn't for a while now.
I don't like her and I don't want her to come.
Is that because she works at a bar?
A bar?
Well, I mean...
-It may sound... -She's a hostess? Is she, really?
Well, she may work at a bar but...
That's who she is. I see.
Well...
Kogomi!
What's wrong?
I'll see you later.
Are you going home?
Why?
Why did Kogomi leave?
Dunno.
A little more! This way!
All right!
Okay?
Watch there!
Good! Ready?
Good. A little more this way!
Thank you for your help!
Good night.
How about a drink later?
Sure.
Come over after supper.
Later.
You've got to be kidding!
She works at a bar!
How could you invite that kind of woman to Dad's party!
But I already invited her.
Then un-invite her!
Jun.
I don't want her to come!
-What's wrong with her working at a bar? -She's dirty!
Kogomi isn't dirty.
-Yes, she is! -She is not!
-Why won't you understand? -Hold on, Jun!
I refuse to let her come!
We worked hard to get ready for Dad's birthday party!
She'll ruin it all!
Just like today! She spoiled the mood!
We were all having fun until she came!
What's wrong?
Drink.
What happened?
Nah...
What's wrong, seriously?
Something happen?
Did you...
say anything to Jun?
Like what?
About Kogomi.
Did he say...
something to you?
Can I...
ask you something?
Are you...
still seeing Kogomi?
Are you?
What if I am?
Don't be so prickly.
There's nothing wrong with it.
Just...
don't get too serious.
What do you mean?
Well...
Didn't I tell you...
-what kind of woman she is-- -I...
don't think like you, Naka.
I don't care about...
what a person does for a living.
Why are you getting so mad, Goro?
I said that...
because I'm concerned about the kids.
It really bothered Jun this afternoon.
What did?
Well...
You know...
Kogomi.
Why?
Um...
I'll be blunt.
He said he doesn't like her.
Goro.
I understand how you feel.
But,
think about Jun and Hotaru.
After what happened with their mother and you.
And now you start to waver.
I think he hates seeing it.
To them,
you're the ideal father.
So...
Keep Kogomi outside.
Um...
W-What I mean is...
don't get serious about her.
Drink up.
Naka.
You're...
wrong.
About what?
I'm not...
the kind of man...
that the kids can look up to.
And I'm not...
the kind of man...
that can see a woman just for fun.
I'm not that slick or...
irresponsible.
-I didn't...
I'm going.
Goro.
Goro!
Dad came home!
H-Hide them!
We got busted!
Jun.
Yes.
I heard you're throwing a birthday party for me.
We were trying to keep it a secret.
Did you tell Kogomi not to come?
Um...
Did you tell her yet?
No...
Jun.
Yes.
If you don't want her to come, go and tell her.
I can do it for you.
But...
I will not allow you to think bad things about her...
because she works at a bar.
Everyone lives their own kind of life.
And people work as hard as they can at it.
There are no upper or lower classes.
No ranking of jobs.
I will not allow you to think like that.
I'll go and tell Kogomi not to come.
And I don't want...
a birthday party either.
Goro.
I know.
It's a letter from Sis to me.
I didn't know what to do but...
Read it.
I'm happy for her.
I'm embarrassed.
Miyamae Reiko
Don't worry.
Dad is just tired.
Yukiko,
I really wanted to write this letter to Goro, but I couldn't.
So I'm writing to you.
Will you please tell him what I wrote?
Mr. Yoshino and I will be getting together soon.
But not formally.
Because a woman cannot get married for 6 months after she gets a divorce.
But,
we're practically...
living together already.
Please don't tell Jun and Hotaru.
I can't decide on whether to tell them,
so I'll leave that decision entirely up to Goro.
It's only been 2 months since our divorce was finalized.
I'm sure you're angry.
But,
it hasn't been 2 months for me.
It's been 2-1/2 years, no, even longer.
They were lonely and desperate years.
That time seems...
so much longer than the time we spent as a family.
I don't want to be alone anymore.
Why did you leave so suddenly today?
I suddenly remembered something I had to do.
Wasn't I a good girl?
What do you mean?
I waited patiently for a whole month.
You didn't even call.
Sorry.
I was...
a little busy.
How about in the future?
Will you still be busy?
Don't worry! Just teasing you.
You don't have to look so serious.
You see... I, uh...
I came to apologize.
For what?
Hotaru said...
something about my birthday...
to you this afternoon, didn't she?
That.
Yeah.
About that,
forget about it.
Unfortunately I don't have the time.
I know they planned it to be a secret and all but...
There won't be a party.
Unfortunately.
That saves me a worry.
I couldn't go anyway.
I couldn't get off work so I was going to turn down the invitation.
I'm relieved now.
Did they...
say anything to you today?
Not really.
Why?
Have you ever met...
Nakahata's wife?
Why?
Did she say anything?
No.
Do you believe rumors?
No.
How about the past?
Are you a kind of man...
who can't get over the past?
No.
I'm over...
being like that.
Well...
Maybe not.
I don't know.
I guess I don't know.
A long time ago,
I witnessed my wife's affair.
And I...
can't forget about it.
She begged for forgiveness again and again.
But I couldn't forgive her.
I dragged the kids into the mess, too.
But...
I've been thinking.
Not forgiving someone is...
a very arrogant thing to do.
I don't have that right.
Thanks.
My wife sent a letter...
to her sister saying she's going to marry the guy.
I'm relieved.
I'm a coward.
Hello!
Come in.
What's wrong?
Yo.
What's wrong? Come in.
What is it?
How much?
-Are you leaving? -Yeah.
What's wrong?
Something come up?
Yeah.
What happened?
I don't really understand what's going on.
What happened?
They said...
my wife died.
She was released from the hospital and even came up here.
But they said she died at the same hospital.
Why...
Meanwhile,
I was having a dream.
I think we were deep in the mountain.
Wild grapes were all around us.
Hotaru and I were both there.
And we were watching...
a mother bear and her cubs walking.
She had 2 cubs.
The mother bear was really gentle.
Mom?
Sometimes the mother bear would...
turn back to look at her babies...
Subtitled by Chuks Edited by Phoenix