"It is already 2 years since our son, Itsuki, passed away." "To see you all who had extended warmth and kindness to him at this memorial service should surely make Itsuki happy." "Everybody, Please help yourself." "Sweet wine." "Wow, this is great." "Frankly, I prefer something dry," "Hey, Yasuyo," "Didn't we bring any sake with us?" "You can drink your fill later," "Come on, It's his memorial." "Hiroko." "Akiba and the gang said sorry they couldn't attend." "I see." "They're repenting at home." "Repenting at home?" "They still feel guilty about it." "Akiba quit mountain climbing since that incident." "For them" "Itsuki's death is not an event of the far past." "Would all of you gather?" "The famed photographer is here." "Well... tonight..." "Akiba and the gang plan to secretly visit the grave." "Hiroko, would you mind dropping her in front of our house?" "She seems to have a headache," "Don't push me around like this." "You're Hiroko, aren't you?" "Already drunk?" "He's hopeless." "He drank the whole bottle of sake by himself." "Hiroko." "Please forgive him, Hiroko." "Must be straining for him." "He's just acting busy." "The drinking party will go on all night long." "Looking forward to the party, but thinks he shouldn't show it." "After all, the death anniversary is an excuse to drink one's fill." "Mrs. Fujii, how's your headache?" "Oh, that?" "I was just faking it." "What?" "You're all so full of schemes." "Well, I'm not hurting anybody." "Akiba and the gang are scheming something, too." "You don't come see us anymore." "Visiting us won't hurt." "I'm sorry." "I started displaying them, but..." "I had to prepare for today." "I only got half way through." "We keep the room closed recently." "Sorry for the dust." "Hiroko." "Would you like to see this?" "The junior high yearbook." "You lived in Otaru?" "Yes." "Where about in Otaru?" "The house..." "It's no longer there." "They built a highway over it." "That's too bad," "Look here." "It's him." "He transferred before graduation." "He had the resemblance." "Seeing this picture now his existence seems obscure." "Would you like some cake?" "Ah... no, thanks." "It's from Comme Chinois." "In that case., ." "Fujii Itsuki..." "Fujii Itsuki..." "Fujii Itsuki..." "Found it." "2- 24, ZENIBAKO, OTARU CITY" "What's the big secret?" "Akiba and the gang..." "They're planning an ambush tonight," "An ambush?" "They'll secretly visit the grave," "Then Itsuki'll be busy tonight." "What's the matter, Itsuki?" "Aren't you going to work?" "I have a cold." "The cold this year is persistent." "Like someone I know." "By the way, I have tickets for a movie." "Let's go see it." "How about Saturday?" "No." "How about Sunday?" "It's freezing." "You can't always be busy, Itsuki?" "I am." "Itsuki..." "Itsuki." "The letter." "Itsuki." "Itsuki, the letter." "Itsuki." "What?" "This... you dropped this." "A love letter?" "Itsuki." "Itsuki, how about next week?" "Wa-ta -na -be Hi-ro-ko?" "Who could it be?" ""Dear Fujii Itsuki, How are you?"" ""I'm very well." "" "Watanabe Hiroko"" "What the hell is this?" "Who is it from?" "Letter of Misery?" "It doesn't seem to be that." "Grandpa, dinner's ready." "Ms. Watanabe in Kobe...," "Isn't she your acquaintance?" "Ms. Watanabe?" "Look at it." "Must be someone you know." "No, I don't know her." "I'm definite." "Watanabe Hiroko..., This is really weird." "Isn't it weird, grandpa?" "Let me," "I don't know anyone in Kobe." "How would I know." "Didn't you see a doctor?" "It's not that serious." "Those pills're only for slight colds," "Then you'll go to work tomorrow?" "If not, go to the hospital." "Itsuki, let me see the letter." "Rather work like a slave than go to the hospital." "The girl who got married recently." "Different last name now." "I knew it." "She got married and became..." "Mrs. Endo." "Gleeeenek." "What?" "Kleenex," "Watanabe Hiroko..." "My God... this is aggravating." "DEAR WATANABE HIROKO" ""Dear Watanabe Hiroko,"" ""I'm basically fine but I now have a cold."" ""Dear Fujii Itsuki,"" ""How is your cold?"" ""Try these pills and get well soon."" """ "Watanabe Hiroko"" "It's pretty bad," "My love runs on the south wind," "Goodbye, Mr. Akiba." "Take care." "Goodbye, Ms. Watanabe." "How was it?" "The memorial service." "Well, it turned out pretty well..." "Pretty well?" "Pretty well is pretty well." "Something good happened?" "I can see it in your face." "Really?" "What?" "What is it?" "You tell me." "When I went to his house his mother showed me his yearbook." "His yearbook?" "His junior high's when he lived in Otaru." "There was a list of addresses at the end of the book." "I found his address there." "I'm sure there was." "His house is no longer there." "A highway runs over it now." "Which means that address doesn't exist anymore." "Right?" "I guess so." "Guess what?" "I wrote a letter and mailed it to that address." "I addressed it to him." "What for?" "The letter won't get there." "That's why I mailed it." "It's a letter to Heaven." "You're really full of surprises." "But... guess what happened?" "I got a reply." "From Heaven?" "You must be kidding." ""Dear Watanabe Hiroko, I'm basically fine., ."" "Isn't this strange?" ""But I now have a cold." " Fujii Itsuki"" "This must be a bad joke." "It could be..." "But It makes me a bit happy." "It must be that." "You still can't forget Fujii." "That's why you wrote that." "And you, Akiba?" "Have you forgotten him?" "That's a different issue." "How do you define our relationship?" "Hey, Hiroko... hey...," "Hey." "I'm serious about this." "But I don't know." "How am I supposed to say?" "Always this Kansai accent when you're stuck." "Oh, hi." "Is anything the matter?" "I..., I forgot something." "Forgot what?" "Well..." "It's all right, Goodbye." "She saw us kissing." "What shall we do?" "It couldn't be helped." "We might as well make it public now." "When I visited Fujii's grave" "I asked for" "his permission to marry you." "I think it's about time you freed him." "Let yourself be free, too." ""Dear Fujii Itsuki"" ""On the way home today"" ""I saw the cherry blossoms were ready to bloom."" ""Spring seems not far away." "" "Watanabe Hiroko"" "She's deranged." "It's in Motojiro Kajii's story." "A body buried under a cherry tree." "It's in Ango Sakaguchi's..." "Under the Full Bloom Cherry Forest." "That's it, That must be it." "There's a thing about cherry blossoms." "Yes, you're absolutely right." "That weird letter." "Those cold pills." "The cherry blossoms and spring not far away." "She should be locked up." "It's scary." "What shall I do?" "If nothing's done about it she'll keep on writing," "For how long?" "Forever." ""Dear Watanabe Hiroko"" ""Who in the world are you?"" ""Please tell me the truth."" "What the hell!" "He's the one who impersonated Fujii." "Suppose he's serious." "Serious in what way?" "I don't know." "Come to think of it, it's weird." "Why was your letter delivered?" "You said that nobody lives at that address." "That it's a highway now." "But the letters are delivered." "Maybe he lives on the highway." "You're kidding." "What's going on anyway?" "What's going on anyway?" "Suppose he really does live on the highway." "Assuming he does., ." "He lives in a hut built on the median." "Suppose..." "Just listen." "A postman comes to the address but I'm sure he won't deliver your letters to him." "Why won't he?" "You can't live on a highway?" "Wrong." "I said this is an assumption." "Let's put it this way." "Suppose the highway isn't there." "And Fujii's house is still there." "Suppose there's a new tenant." "And the postman comes with the letter." "Will it be delivered?" "It'll be delivered." "No, it won't," "Why not?" "Why should it be?" "The name's different," "Even if the address is right if the nameplate is different." "I see." "Same with the highway." "Even if a house is on the highway if Mr, Yamada lives there it won't be delivered." "If the name is different the letter will never reach him." "That's how it works." "Which means..." "He really is Fujii Itsuki." "That's hard to swallow." "His last name at least has to be Fujii." "Say...," "Suppose..." "Wait a second." "Something may pop up." "No, that's not it." "What?" "You see..." "it's him writing the letters." "How else can you explain it?" "That doesn't explain anything." "But it's romantic." "Sure it's romantic, but..." "Let it rest at that." "No, we can't." "No, we can't, Hiroko." "All right." "All right." "You believe what you like." "I'll concentrate on finding out the truth." "Lend it to me." "It's precious evidence." ""If you are the real Fujii Itsuki"" ""kindly show me some proof."" "Is she picking a fight?" "She's the one who wrote to me first." "Send her some kind of proof." "What?" "The proof." "What kind of proof?" "A copy of your resident card?" "Why do I have to take such trouble?" "Health insurance card?" "I've decided not to be involved in this nonsense anymore." "She can just keep on writing." "Hey." "She's calling you a fake." "My God." "It looks like a mug shot." "Incredible." "It's a girl." "So there really is another Fujii Itsuki." "My strategy really worked out well." "To tell you the truth, I secretly wrote to her." ""If you claim to be Fujii Itsuki, send me some proof."" "She really did." "Copied her driver's license." "Hiroko, why don't you accompany me to Otaru?" "A friend of mine in Otaru also works with glass." "He's holding an exhibition there." "I wasn't thinking of going but it's a good chance." "Let's go to Otaru and unmask this girl." "She's not our enemy." "It's not what I wanted." "Why did you do it?" "Well, this is it," "It's all over." "THIS IS THE PROOF." "DON'T EVER WRITE TO ME AGAIN." "GOODBYE " " FUJII ITSUKI" "Hope she got well." "Hope she took those pills." "Hiroko." "The letter was from him." "I wanted to believe that." "But it's all over now." "It's all because of the letters." "It can't be him!" "How can he write a letter?" "That's cruel, Hiroko." "You always sit there." "You sat there when Fujii and you first met." "He asked you to go out with him." "Remember that?" "I wanted to ask you out." "He had never spoken to a girl until then," "I should've made my move first." "If I had done so how would it have turned out?" "Let's go to Otaru." "Let's find the other... the other Fujii Itsuki." "Found it." "It's this way." "It's close by." "He'll be right over." "Is it really you, Akiba?" "It's been a long time." "You haven't changed at all." "Fujii's... fiancee?" "I see." "Did you know him?" "Of course, I did." "I knew enough about Fujii." "It was a small college." "Didn't know he was from Otaru." "Neither did I," "Yoshida," "This Fujii..." "Do you mean Fujii Itsuki?" "Did you know him?" "Of course I did." "I knew him since childhood." "It's a small town." "Are you having a relapse?" "I'm not going to work." "Then you must go to the hospital." "Good morning." "Yes." "Mr. Abekasu?" "He found a new flat for us." "Can't I go, too?" "Seeing the flat won't hurt." "Too early?" "No, it's all right." "Ah... yes." "Itsuki." "Can you leave soon?" "Is grandpa still against it?" "He's digging up the garden." "He was even planting something." "He probably wants to stay there." "We can't give way to an old man's nostalgia." "You said the ceiling will cave in soon," "Yes, that's for sure." "It's amazing you're living there." "Can't be that bad." "Well, I didn't mean it to be..." "Hey, this is too warm." "Keep it on." "You shouldn't underestimate a cold." "Do you know Marimo Store?" "Opposite Marusho?" "Yes." "The owner there is a client of ours." "He neglected a cold." "He almost never had a cold." "So we all teased him about it." "It developed into pneumonia." "He died?" "Come on." "You don't die of pneumonia." "My dad died of that." "Of pneumonia?" "Did he really die of that?" "Yes, he neglected a cold." "Remember?" "Well... yes..." "I do..." "That's how it happened..." "How long ago was it?" "Did you forget that, too." "He was your wife's brother." "People are easily forgotten when they die." "What can I say..." "Her father died of pneumonia." "She should know better." "What's this place?" "The hospital." "I should have known better." "This is Route 5." "When did it open?" "We went to different junior highs." "I didn't know he moved." "Must have been the entrance." "Rattle, rattle." "Excuse me..." "Mr. Ohtomo, do you know someone else named Fujii?" "The same name as Fujii." "I don't seem to recall." "Hiroko, what are you doing?" "I mailed it here," "My first letter." "Mrs. Hosoi." "Mrs. Hosoi Taki." "Miss Fujii." "Miss Fujii Itsuki." "Dad..." "Itsuki." "Hurry up." "Miss Fujii Itsuki." "Miss Fujii." "Isn't Fujii Itsuki here?" "Here." "Must be around here." "Let's ask someone." "FUJII" "Excuse me..." "Don't worry." "Nobody'll think we're strange." "Excuse me..." "Excuse me..." "Does Fujii Itsuki live here?" "She does." "Is this Fujii Itsuki's residence?" "She's out now." "I see." "She should be back soon." "Can we wait for her outside?" "Wait inside." "No, we'll wait for her outside." "We're pretty crazy, aren't we?" ""Dear Fujii Itsuki"" ""I came to Otaru to meet you."" ""I am writing this letter in front of your house."" ""The Fujii Itsuki I knew"" ""wasn't you."" ""I realized that coming here."" ""My Fujii Itsuki was a man."" ""He was my fiance."" ""Two years ago, he..."" "Let's go." "Not wait?" "No." ""I don't know where he is now,"" ""I sometimes think about him."" ""I just hope he's doing well somewhere."" "Oh, this is useless." "It's a small town." "The station won't be far." ""That's why I wrote that letter."" ""It wasn't supposed to be delivered at all."" "Say..." "You lied in that letter." "I lied?" "You didn't tell her he died." "I wonder why I didn't." "Didn't feel up to it." "Death isn't so pretty." "Not so pretty, huh?" "Maybe you're right." "We're in luck." ""Dear Fujii Itsuki"" ""I'm writing this letter in front of your house."" "I saw you waiting for a cab back there." "I dropped a passenger and made a U-turn to pick you up." "That's considerate," "You look like that passenger who was just on my cab." "What?" "Me?" "No, the lady next to you." "Could pass as twins," ""I must have caused a lot of trouble."" ""I am truly sorry."" ""I wanted to meet the person with the same name as my fiance."" ""But I didn't have the courage."" ""Our sole link was the correspondence."" ""And it may be best to leave it as that."" "The same name., ." ""Dear Watanabe Hiroko"" ""I sent that rude letter"" ""because I had no idea who you were,"" ""Please forgive me."" ""To make up for it"" ""I have a piece of information."" "Be free to come over again any time." "Come back to Kobe for a change." "You speak funny now." "Do I?" "How's Nakamura doing?" "Nakamura?" "No news from him?" "He doesn't even call me anymore." "I'll tell him to call you sometimes." "Any cigarettes?" "Sorry." "No cigarettes." "Miss Fujii." ""To make up for it"" ""I have a piece of information."" ""When I was a junior high school student"" ""there was a boy in my class with the same name."" ""Fujii Itsuki you referred to"" ""could be that boy."" "This is it, Up there." "On the third floor." "It has quite a good view." "So small." "Itsuki, compared to that huge house anywhere is too small," "True." "We don't use three of the rooms." "I told you." "Maybe we should get a boarder." "Please." "You won't be able to move out." "You don't want us canceling at the last moment again." "I'm not concerned about that." "Must decide quickly." "I have clients waiting to see it." "The decision is made." "All we have to do is persuade grandpa." "You know it has to be torn down in a few years." "I'll decide on that," "I'm against it." "Would you please sit down?" "Sit down and listen." "I got your point." "No, you don't." "Will my opposing it change anything?" "No, it won't," "Then we're moving to a new place." "Senile goat." "What?" "Did he said we're moving?" "What're you looking for?" "You look so serious." "Oh, nothing really." "Did he have a classmate with the same name?" "I don't really know." "Was there such person?" "This girl." "Let me see." "I don't remember her." "Does this girl look like me?" "Do we look alike?" "Like you, Hiroko?" "I wonder." "Does it matter?" "If you look alike, does it matter?" "Well, not really," "You're lying." "No, I'm not." "Hiroko." "Your face says you're lying." "Suppose you do look alike." "If so..." "I can't forgive him." "If that was the reason why he chose me..." "Mrs. Fujii, how am I supposed to take it?" "He said it was love at first sight." "And I believed him." "But there was a reason behind his love at first sight for me." "He fooled me all along." "Hiroko, are you trying to compete with this junior high girl?" "Yes, I am." "Is that funny?" "Yes, it really is." "I guess you're right." "What a lucky boy he was." "Making you jealous after he's gone." "You still love him, don't you?" "Don't say that." "You're making me cry." ""How are you?"" ""The Fujii Itsuki you mentioned and my Fujii Itsuki"" ""were the same person."" ""I found your address"" ""In his junior high yearbook."" ""It's all because I'm such a flake."" ""I'm really sorry."" ""I know..."" ""I know I've caused you enough trouble"" ""but could I ask a favor of you?"" ""If there is anything you remember about him"" ""would you let me know?"" "I remember him very well." ""Dear Watanabe Hiroko"" ""I do remember a lot of things about him."" ""But most of my memories"" ""are about our names"" ""I'm sure you have an idea what they are."" ""Sorry to say they are not very pleasant memories."" ""It began on the 1st day of the school year."" "Shoji Katsutoshi." "Here." "Tanaka Kyosuke." "Here." "Hattori Kazutomo." "Here." "Fujii Itsuki." "" "Here." "" "Here." "Same name?" "It's incredible." "Muraoka Shinobu." "Muraoka." ""My junior high school period"" ""had such a bad start."" ""Because of him, I had to endure 3 depressive years"" ""filled with unfair prejudice."" ""When I was on day duty..."" "Fujii, who's on day duty tomorrow?" "Muraoka and Funabashi." "What did we do in Math today?" "Equations." "Which equations?" "Fujii Itsuki." "You love birds having fun?" "Sorry for the intrusion." "Love is wonderful, isn't it?" "Simultaneous equations." "Thanks." ""I thought all this hassle was only for a year."" ""But we ended up in the same class for 3 years."" ""It may sound fun for an outsider"" ""But not when you're a part of it."" ""We somehow avoided each other"" ""and didn't talk much, either."" "What's new since then?" "The letter." "Well, on and off." "What do you mean on and off?" ""Dear Fujii Itsuki"" ""How did he take it?"" ""Having the same name"" ""didn't he feel you two were bound by destiny?"" ""That was out of question."" ""You may think there was a romantic flavoring"" ""but reality had no such tenderness."" ""Because of our names"" ""we were constantly exposed to mockery and torture."" ""For 3 years, we never had even a single moment of peace."" ""The class officers' election"" ""was almost a nightmare."" "Endo," ""Among the ballots was this ridiculous graffiti."" "FUJII ITSUKI * FUJII ITSUKI" ""When they counted the ballots, Inaba kindly read it out."" "Fujii Itsuki..." "heart..." "Fujii Itsuki." ""And it didn't end there."" ""After the officers' election"" ""came the special committees."" ""Like the radio committee."" ""First was the library committee."" ""I sensed something bad."" "The Fujii Itsuki couple will be in the library committee." "Hey, look at her." "She's crying." "She's crying." "Really?" "She is." "What's wrong with him?" "Love is indestructible." "You heard that?" "Sorry." "It's a joke." "Hey, hey, hey." "Hold it." "Hold it." "No big deal." "It's no big deal." "Stop it," "You bastard." "Stop it, Fujii." "Fujii, let him go." "Stop it," "Everybody, stop them." "Stop it, Fujii." ""Despite his resistance"" ""we were both sent to the library."" ""But he just goofed around"" ""and didn't do any work."" "Fujii... make yourself useful." ""He kept on borrowing books."" ""Like biography of Konyo Aoki"" ""or Mallarme's poetry."" ""He borrowed books no one else would"" "You're reading these?" "Of course not." "FUJII ITSUKI" "Fujii Itsuki Straight Flash." ""He only enjoyed writing his name"" ""on blank cards with no other names."" ""I was appalled and said..."" "What a jerk." ""But he really seemed to enjoy this mischief."" ""And he kept at it."" ""Anyway, he was pretty weird."" ""Dear Fujii Itsuki"" ""I truly appreciate your letter."" ""Itsuki who lives in your memory"" ""naturally is not the man I know."" ""But it's him all the same."" ""There must be many places"" ""and times he was in."" ""I probably know only a portion of him."" ""Reading your letter"" ""I felt that way."" ""Please tell me more about him."" ""Share your memories with me."" "The quickest way may be to take out my brain and send it to her." ""I think it was during our 2nd-year term exams."" ""Getting my answer sheet"" ""I got the biggest shock of my life."" "Hatsuse." ""27 points."" ""Those figures haunt me even to this day."" ""I looked carefully."" ""The answer sheet wasn't mine,"" ""The one he was doodling on in the back"" ""was, in fact, my paper."" ""That was the beginning of a long day."" ""Give me back my answer sheet."" ""Because I couldn't say that"" ""the misery was extended to after school,"" "Kazumi wants to..." "Kazumi wants to go out with you." "We can start out as friends." "You good-for-nothing jock." "Forget about that jerk." ""The bicycle park those days was"" ""the meeting spot for lovers."" "That's Fujii." "Gee whiz." "What a surprise." ""It was Oikawa Sanae from the next class."" "Waiting for someone, too?" "Life's tough, huh?" "Boys are so selfish." "Don't you agree?" "Go ahead... use this." "Thank you." "But..." "But girls may be more selfish." "Good luck," "Bye." ""Brief as it was I lost a companion."" ""Alone again, I waited for him."" "Hey, Fujii," "You've got my answer sheet." "Isn't this yours?" "It's dark." "I can't see." "Would you hurry up." "My hands are getting tired." "The past tense of break is broke." "Hey." "This is no time to correct your paper." "I can't see." "Found it." "What is this?" "It's disgusting." ""I found that answer sheet, so I'll send it to you."" ""He drew that thing in the back."" ""Dear Fujii Itsuki"" ""I'll treasure the answer sheet you sent me."" ""Thank you."" ""By the way, what kind of girl did he like?"" ""Do you happen to know who was his first love?"" ""Dear Watanabe Hiroko"" ""I do not know the details"" ""of his personal life."" "But I remember he was quite popular." ""Do you remember Oikawa Sanae?"" ""She got me into trouble."" "Itsuki." "Do you know who Fujii is going out with?" "How should I know?" "Really?" "What does that mean?" "Well, you seem to be chummy with him." "You must be kidding." "Why should I be?" "Don't you feel anything for him?" "I could be a matchmaker for you two." "No, thank you." "Get into pairs." "Start the back-to-back calisthenics." "So you really weren't going out with him." "Didn't I say so," "I asked him directly." "I was ready to be your matchmaker." "It's such a pity." "In that case it's your turn to be the matchmaker for me." "What do you mean?" "I want you to be a go-between for him and me." "What're you saying?" "Don't you think" "I'm pretty unpredictable?" "Oikawa Sanae wants to be friends with you." "Is that so." "Isn't it great?" "Really." "What're you going to do?" "Nothing... really." "Don't you like her?" "Is there someone else?" "Isn't there?" "There isn't." "Then say yes." "Hey, wait a minute." "Let me catch my breath first." "Wait a minute." "Wait, wait." "You don't need to come any further." "A boy and girl story is a repetition of this." ""So I can say"" ""that Sanae was not his girlfriend."" ""Anyway"" ""he was so unfriendly he didn't deserve a girlfriend."" ""Sorry." "This was what I thought of him in those days."" ""Dear Watanabe Hiroko." "I have a question."" ""What did you see in him?"" "Sorry to keep you waiting." "Mr. Akiba will soon be here." "Miss Watanabe." "I was in love with Mr, Akiba." "I gave him up because of you." "I like you, too." "Please make Mr. Akiba happy." "No..." "He should make you happy." "I'll tell him that." "Mr. Akiba, Miss Watanabe has been waiting for you." "The blue wind come and run to that island." "Say... why don't we go to that mountain once." "Let's go talk to him," "Let's do it." "Help me out here." "Don't feel good." "Count me out." "That cold sure is persistent." ""Memories keep popping up."" ""I also remember this."" ""He was hit by a truck on the way to school,"" ""An ambulance took him."" ""It was hilarious at school."" "Fujii Itsuki had an accident this morning." "We don't know the details." "Miss Hamaguchi went to the hospital." "So, I'll be in charge of today's homeroom," "Fujii, why are you here?" "Study hour." "What was that about?" ""His left leg had a compound fracture."" ""It was a month before the school track meet."" ""He was to run in the 100 meter race."" "Course 1, Ikeda." "Course 2, Taguchi." "Come on." "Look at this camera." "Can you see?" "On your mark." "Ready." "Who are you?" "Where are you from?" "Which school?" "Who the hell is he?" "I demand a re-start." "He's ruining the race." "What's he up to anyway?" "How do you focus it?" "Didn't you see that?" "What happened?" ""That became"" ""his last sprint in his junior high years."" "You're home today?" "Hey, don't barge in like this." "It's an exception today." "No exceptions allowed." "This is for you." "Sign it, please." ""Dear Fujii Itsuki"" ""Please take pictures"" ""of the ground he ran on."" "Can I help you?" "What are you looking for?" "Miss Hamaguchi..." "I was in your 3rd Year Class 2." "Fujii?" "Yes." "Do you remember me?" "Fujii Itsuki. 3rd Year Class 2." "Your attendance number was..." "Aizawa, Okazaki, Kato, Koyama, Sato, Sato, Shoji, Hattori..." "Ito, Endo, Kanzaki, Suzuki, Tsuchiya, Nakajima..." "Number 24." "Wow." "How could you?" "So you work at the Municipal Library?" "Funny I ended up working there." "Your library duty wasn't wasted." "I really enjoyed that." "We're putting the books in order." "Wow." "I sure miss all this." "Come here, everyone." "This is our graduate, Miss Fujii." "Hello." "Hear that?" "She's Fujii." "Miss Fujii Itsuki." "You know her?" "Far out!" "There's a game we play." "We call it Looking for Fujii Itsuki." "Who found it first?" "Kubota did." "Then we found many more books." "We compete to see who can find the most books." "We even made a score chart." "Where did we put that?" "The craze cooled off now." "How many did we find?" "Let me see...," "So far..., we've found 87." "Did you find so many?" "But we never thought we'd be able to meet her in person." "I didn't write these library cards." "A friend of mine did it for kicks." "Was that a boy?" "Yes." "That boy..." "He must have liked you a lot." "Because he wrote your name so many times." "Were you going out with him?" "You've got it all wrong." "These are not my names." "They're not." "It's so romantic." "I envy you." "They sure put me in a spot." "Aren't they something?" "I put up with them everyday." "That's true." "Who was it?" "The boy who liked you?" "Who wrote all the cards?" "Please, Miss Hamaguchi." "Oh, come on." "That wasn't my name." "Remember?" "There was another Fujii Itsuki." "What?" "You mean that boy?" "It was his doing." "Remember his attendance number?" "Nine." "Terrific," "It was no more than a second." "He became a very special boy." "Didn't he die 2 years ago?" "During mountain climbing." "It's hot." "One more station to go." "What is it?" "A dragon-fly." "Dad died, didn't he?" "A friend of mine lives near here." "His name is Kaji so everybody calls him Kaji Bear." "He's fierce as a bear." "That's why he calls him that." "We'll stay at his place tonight and go to mountain in the morning." "Look, It's over there." "You can see the mountain top." "What's the matter?" "I can't." "I just can't." "Hiroko." "What are we doing?" "This can't be right." "It can't be right." "Hiroko." "He'll be angry." "He won't be," "Let's go home." "We came all the way to put aside the past." "Please." "You must put it aside, Hiroko." "Please...," "Let me go home." "DEAR WATANABE HIROKO" "MY DAD NEGLECTED A COLD, AND DIED." "What's wrong?" "Did you check your temperature?" "It's broken." "Let me see." "Itsuki." "Itsuki." "41.8 degrees?" "Grandpa." "Grandpa." "Grandpa." "Call the ambulance." "And please bring a blanket." "Grandpa, the blanket." "Itsuki." "Grandpa, the blanket." "Did you call 119?" "The blanket?" "The ambulance first." "And Itsuki?" "I'll carry her," "But..." "Just call 119." "I'm cold..." "I'm cold." "One hour?" "What nonsense are you talking about?" "Why would it take that long?" "What?" "The snow?" "The ambulance?" "Can't wait." "Grandpa." "Bring the blanket." "What're you doing?" "If we catch a cab it's 15 minutes to the hospital." "The taxi's not good." "Can't catch any." "In that case, I'll walk." "Are you out for your mind?" "You can't do that." "Call the ambulance." "They say it takes one hour." "What?" "Why?" "Look outside." "Where's the blanket?" "Hello... hello..." "This is Fujii." "We called before." "Yes..." "Yes, we are." "We're using ice to lower the temperature." "Who are you talking to?" "Grandpa, lay Itsuki on the sofa." "We must keep her warm." "And would you..." "Hey." "Grandpa, I asked you to lay Itsuki on the sofa." "Must warm her," "They told me that." "Then do as they say." "That won't make the ambulance come." "They say it's coming." "In about an hour." "Look." "It's getting worse." "It'll be even worse." "One hour, right?" "One hour." "Please wait a second." "Grandpa." "Put her down." "Bring the blanket." "Not the taxi," "Hurry up and bring it." "Want to kill her, too?" "Get hold of yourself." "Remember the last time?" "You ignored 119 and went to find a taxi." "You couldn't get a taxi." "Carried him on your back and walked to the hospital." "Don't you remember?" "The treatment was delayed and that's how he died," "Why do you want to repeat that?" "At a time like this we must listen to the specialists," "You understand, don't you?" "How long did it take to the hospital that time?" "How many minutes?" "One hour." "At least one hour." "Not that long." "It took that long." "It was 40 minutes." "It took 40 minutes that time." "It was no longer than that." "No, it was 40 minutes." "To be precise, to the hospital entrance it was exactly 38 minutes." "But it was too late." "Either way he wouldn't have made it." "If we leave here now" "We'll reach the hospital before the ambulance comes." "Your decision." "Itsuki is your daughter." "You must decide." "But it's impossible to walk in this snow." "I will not walk, I will run." "We'll stay one night here." "Okay?" "Hi, there, Akiba." "What happened to your face?" "I told you he looks like a bear." "His death is a loss to us all." "I wonder why good guys always die young." "Kaji Bear was in the party, too when that accident took place." "I had more hair at the time, though." "You definitely had more hair." "He's a great guy." "Since the accident he looks after the climbers here." "Because of the accident" "I've become an expert on that mountain," "But since I tell the climbers where to be careful or not to ignore the weather they find me annoying." "You're a great guy." "I ran away from the mountain." "Don't you want to climb again?" "No, it's impossible." "How come?" "I'm just scared." "Hey." "My love runs on the south wind" "What is this song?" "Is it your club song or something?" "He sang this before he died." "He fell into a ravine," "We couldn't see him but we heard him singing." "Of all the songs in the world, why did it have to be this?" "He didn't even like Seiko Matsuda." "He was a strange one." "He sure was," "You know, he never asked me to marry him," "He called me to Mt." "Maya." "He had the engagement ring in his hand." "But he didn't say anything." "We stayed there without a word for about two hours." "I began to feel sorry for him." "So I ended up asking him to marry me." "Then he said one word." "Okay." "That's the way he was." "He was hopeless in front of girls." "They're all good memories." "That's true." "He gave me lots of good memories." "You're right." "But I want more from him." "I pester him after his death and beg for more," "I'm such a selfish girl." "But grandpa." "It's 10 years since then." "So?" "What's the problem?" "You're 75 this year." "No, 76." "You can't do it." "Age has nothing to do with it." "Yes, it does," "Grandpa." "It's impossible." "Wait." "Please wait." "Don't worry." "Even if it costs me my life" "I'll get there within 40 minutes." "This patient..." "The oxygen." "Akiko." "We're not moving out of the house." "I'm absolutely sure." "Whether it's our grandpa or the house, I'll stay and witness which falls first." "As a real estate agent I guarantee the house'll fall first." "Don't worry, Akiko." "They'll both be okay." "Hiroko." "Hiroko." "What is it?" "Come and take a look." "It's such a beautiful dawn." "What?" "See it?" "See what?" "That's the mountain." "Take a good look," "Fujii is there." "Fujii." "Are you still singing that Seiko Matsuda song?" "Aren't you cold up there?" "I'm taking Hiroko from you." "Go ahead." "Go ahead." "He says go ahead." "That's cheating, Akiba." "Hiroko, say something to him." "Must have a lot of complaints." "Go on." "How are you?" "I'm very well." ""Dear Fujii Itsuki"" ""How are you?"" "How are you?" ""I'm very well."" "I'm very well." ""How are you?"" "How are you?" ""I'm..."" "I'm very well." ""How are you?"" "How are you?" "I'm very well." "How are you?" "What's this racket?" "At this early hour." "Don't interrupt her." "This is the best part." ""Dear Watanabe Hiroko"" ""Of all things"" ""my dad died of a neglected cold,"" ""It was the New Year Day when I was in the 3rd year."" ""Because of the funeral"" ""right after New Year, it was hectic."" "Ouch." "Akane, it hurts." ""Mom collapsed from fatigue."" ""The new term had started"" ""but I couldn't go to school."" ""One day..."" "Yes?" "What?" "What's up?" "Why are you here?" "" "What happened to school?" "" "What happened to school?" "What is it?" "Just this." "Borrowed it before the break." "Forgot to return it." "Return it." "Why don't you return yourself?" "I'm asking you because I can't." "Why not?" "Please return it." "IN MOURNING" "Did anyone die?" "My dad did." "Please accept my sympathy for your loss." "What's wrong?" "Nothing," ""That was the last time I saw him."" ""When I went to school a week later..."" "It's Inaba's doing again." "No, I didn't do it." "He did it." "Did you know Fujii transferred to another school?" "Seems it was so sudden he couldn't say goodbye." "What is it?" "Itsuki." "FUJII ITSUKI" "REMEMBRANCE OF THINGS LOST" ""This is the last memory I have of him."" ""And this is probably the last story"" ""I can write to you about."" "Itsuki." "Wait a second." "Almost done." ""Dear Fujii Itsuki"" ""The memories written in these letters belong to you."" ""So you should hang on to them."" ""Thank you for all your kindness."" ""I truly appreciate it,"" ""P. S..."" ""P. S..." "The name on the library cards"" ""was it really his name?"" "What does she mean?" ""I have a feeling"" ""the name he wrote was intended to be your name."" "What?" "What does she mean by this?" "What is it?" "Nothing," "I had a classmate in junior high with the same name." "And it was a boy." "And?" "That's all." "Was he your first love?" "Wasn't anything like that." "There was such a boy." "That's all." "When I planted that tree" "I gave it a name." "Can you guess what name it is?" "No." "I named it Itsuki." "The same as your name." "You're kidding." "When you were born" "I planted that tree." "That's why I gave both of you the same name." "Which one?" "You didn't know, huh?" "Which tree is it?" "That one?" "That?" "What are you two up to?" "Is it really true?" "Didn't you make it up?" "This is it." ""Dear Watanabe Hiroko, my strange pen-pal"" ""How are you doing?"" ""I'm doing well as usual."" ""As for how usual, I am..."" ""Never mind that."" ""Something great happened today."" ""I want to tell you about it."" ""That's why I'm writing this."" "Or rather, banging my keyboard." ""It was brought on by unexpected visitors."" "Hurry up." "Hurry." "Oh, hi." "Hello." "What's going on?" "We found something very nice." "It's this." "The back cover." "It's inside." "Other side." "The card in the back." "The back." "The back." ""Dear Watanabe Hiroko"" ""I'm too embarrassed"" ""to mail this letter to you.""