wakare no namida to kisu

 

tears & kiss of goodbye

 

With Nao's arms around her, Ami says softly "What happened?" Nao lets go of her "Sorry..." & picks up the umbrella, holding it over her "Sorry, suddenly..." Ami replies "It's ok..." when her cell phone rings. Answering it "Hello...eh?" Ami surprised, looks around her & sees her mother in the distance "Mama..." Nao turns around & sees Akiko looking at them...a long while before she gives a smile...

 

Entering the Isetani house with Ami, Akiko says "Pleases, come in...you'll catch a cold all drenched...Ami, show him where the bathroom is...I'll go get a change of clothes & a towel..." Nao replies "Thank you..." Akiko & Ami both tell him "Come in..." & Nao smiles in reply...

 

In the bathroom, just as Nao takes off his shirt, there's a knock on the door. When Nao answers "Yes..." Ami opens the door & seeing Nao without his shirt on, says in embarrassment "Sorry...this is my father's, he hasn't worn it so it's new..." turning her eyes away & quickly shutting the door. Nao takes the pajamas "Thank you..."

 

Outside, Akiko looks at Ami "You haven't told him?...that Dad is the head of Shoei Sogo Hospital's surgical department..." When Ami doesn't answer, Akiko asks "He'll find out sooner or later...why?" Ami tells her "Don't say anything..." "Why?" "Don't say anything...I'll tell him myself...don't say anything..." "Alright...in exchange for that, stop seeing him..." Ami looks at her mother take a photograph displayed on a cabinet & put it into the drawer "I won't say anything today...I'll keep quiet...ok?" Ami doesn't reply...

 

With smiles, Ami & her mother take care of Nao, having a sumptuous dinner, talking, laughing...

 

I thought that was really kind...

her mother didn't mention anything about my mother's death...

she treated me very warmly...

It had been a long time...

since I felt that my heart smiled...

 

Back home, sitting at the counter in the restaurant, Nao calls Ami "I just got home...thank you for everything...the paeria was really delicious, next time come over to our place for okonomiyaki, you & your mother..." Ami says in a serious tone "There's something I have to tell you...will you meet me this Sunday?" "Yes but...what is it?" "I'll tell you when we meet...I'll wait for you at Sumida Park this Sunday..." "I understand..." "Goodnight..." "Goodnight..." 

 

Inside me...her existence was becoming precious...

...that night...I still didn't know...

who was really my ally...

the one really supporting me...

just who...?

 

Nao goes up to his room...in her room, Ami holds on to that soft toy Nao gave her...Akiko takes the photograph out from the drawer & places it back on top of the cabinet....a family photograph....

 

At the nurses station, a meeting is going on as they report  in "....patient in 308 is now back to normal this morning...that's it for ward 3..." Kitayama announces "That's all the announcements...& Watanabe-san of room 303 has a blood test today, yoroshiku onegaishimasu..." All the nurses reply "yoroshiku onegaishimasu..." & get back to work. Kitayama calls one of the nurses "Kawaguchi-san, a minute please.....Michiyama-san in room 304 lately has been..." Suddenly, all the nurses turn to see someone standing at the doorway. Kitayama, noticing the silence, turns around & sees Kirino looking at her...

 

Kirino says to Kitayama "I'd like to see the nurse that was in charge of Masaki Teruko..." glancing at Kikui who looks away uneasily. Kirino adds "There are some details I'd like to ask regarding the time Masaki Teruko was brought in..." Suddenly a young nurse walks in holding a document "Excuse me, where should I take this?" then looks around at the rather tense atmosphere. After an awkward moment, Kikui takes it from her "Let me have that..." & nodding to Kirino, goes out of the nurses station with the younger nurse, Kirino staring at them as they leave. Kitayama says "I was the nurse in charge...please leave...other than what was written in the records, there's nothing else in particular to talk about..." One of the nurses speak up "You're making things difficult for us...saying that our hospital killed someone..." Kitayama tells her "Stop it...it's alright, get back to work..." To Kirino, she repeats "Please leave..." & then to the other nurses "Everyone...please get back to work..." Kirino ponders...

 

Kikui pushes a cart around the corner along the corridor & then stops, seeing Kirino waiting for her. Kirino takes out her a business card & gives it to Kikui "This is my contact address..." Kikui takes it from her "Why give it to me..." Kirino looks at her "...why I wonder...just a hunch..." Kikui looks at Kirino walking off...

 

As Kirino walks along the corridor, she hears Isetani Keizo's voice & stays hidden, listening to him say "Right now we're establishing an investigation committee to make sure that something like this never happens again...the hospital has to regain its reliability...you came here specially to hear that?" When Ami doesn't reply, Isetani asks "Because the woman was the mother of that okonomiya boy?" Ami looks surprised "You knew?" Isetani replies "Yes...that boy is under the impression that his mother's death was caused by Dr Minami & this hospital...he hates us completely...now that you know that I am involved, you feel the same way don't you...go home, I'll send you downstairs..." As father & daughter walk into the elevator, Kirino remains hidden out of sight around the corner in deep contemplation...

 

Nao rushes into the lawyer's office "What happened? I heard from aneki...get in touch with you urgently..." When Kirino continues eating without reply, Nao asks agitatedly "Why are you eating? Tell me!" Kirino gets up & pours herself another cup of coffee not saying anything. Nao asks "Did you find anything strange in the medical records?" Finally Kirino says "It was in the morning paper today..." "Eh?" "That all the high school kids these days have cell phones..." "Huh?" "How come you haven't got one? It's really inconvenient having to get in touch with you...go get one..." "You called me for that?" "I've gotten in touch with the first person who found your mother...I'm going to meet him now..." "I'm going too..." 

 

Sitting on the back of Kirino's scooter, Nao asks hesitatingly "Uhm...an I really that uncool?" Kirino smiles "If you don't like it hurry & get a license..." "But I'm only 17..." "For a bike it's 16..." "That's not what I mean...ah, birthday...Kirino-san, this Sunday is my birthday..." Kirino smiles "So what about it?" At Kirino's tone, Nao mutters "Nothing..." "Ah, throw you a birthday party?" "No need, I've got a date with a friend..." "The girl the other day?" "She's...my one & only ally..." replies Nao, putting on his helmet. Hearing Nao's answer, the smile disappears from her face & Kirino puts on her helmet in silence...

 

Kirino & Nao speed along on the bike...

 

On April 13th...

the last time I saw Mom was...

 

Nao recalls that morning when he leaves the house with his mother yelling at him "Nao!" & he tells her irritation "Stop it! Leave me alone!" Teruko mutters "What are you saying..." & then yells loudly "No way one can leave one's son alone! Bye!" waving at a very annoyed looking Nao. Teruko sees Runa off to school, tidies up the house, hangs up the laundry, prepares the restaurant for business & wearing sandals, takes the door out for a walk....

 

about 7.50 in the morning...

Mom saw my younger sister off to school...

just like usual....

cleaning up the kitchen...

doing the laundry...

after getting ready to open the restaurant...

she took Wasuke out for a walk...

 

Shiro stares at the clock showing the time at approximately 11.45am. Worried about Teruko not returning, talks it over with the neighbor & then opens the restaurant for business...

 

approximately 2 hours after that ...

Mom was sent to Shoei Sogo Hospital in an ambulance...

even when Dad wondered about Mom not coming back....

on second thought, thought that she might have gone to the salon...

& waited on customers...

2.30pm, my younger sister came home from school...

 

Runa comes back from school & not seeing the dog in the garden, slides the door open & calls in "Mom! Where's Wasuke?" Shiro comes inside "Runa, welcome back.." "I'm home..." "Mom's not back yet..." "Hmmm?" Shiro nods "Uhm..." & then notices Teruko's wallet on the table...

 

it was then for the first time we knew...

that Mom went out for a walk without taking her purse...

 

Yuko rushes back to the house...

 

after receiving a call from Dad...

when aneki left work early & came back...

it was already 7.30pm...

 

Yuko & Shiro make phone calls....

 

when everyone was desperately trying to find out where Mom was...

I..I returned home not knowing anything...

even when I heard that Mom's whereabouts was unknown...

I didn't do a single thing...

 

Nao arrives home & goes up to his room, lies on his bed...

 

when Mom died....

it was at that moment.....

9.43pm...all alone...

Mom....

 

At a mah-jong club, the first witness Tadokoro says "Ah, that obahan (auntie)...just past noon I think it was...just on the outskirts of the shopping area, holding her stomach in pain..." Nao says in surprise "Stomach? Abdomen?" Without stopping his mah-jong game, Tadokoro continues "I knew what it was the moment I saw that...appendix..." Nao not quite understand what he's hearing "Appendix? But after that, she died in the hospital!" "Is that so?" More engrossed in his game than Nao's questioning, Tadokoro laughs "Dong! Got one! 2,600 yen..." Kirino says "Do you remember which part of the abdomen she was holding on to?" Tadokoro laughs derisively & points to Kirino's chest "Stomach is stomach...under the breast..." Kirino presses on "Did she say anything?" Tadokoro replies laughing & mimics Teruko "No matter what I asked, she couldn't answer...what's your name? ummm....contact address?...ummmm.....couldn't do anything...just encouraged her until the ambulance arrived...'obahan!  It's alright...it's just appendicitis...just hanging in there a while longer...but all she could do was moan 'ummm...unmmmm...'..." Nao gets riled at Tadokoro's behavior & bangs his fist on the mah-jong table, grabbing Tadokoro by the collar "Quit fooling around! What appendicitis! That's not possible!" Kirino pulls Nao away "Stop it!" & apologizes to Tadokoro "I've very sorry..." Tadokoro growls back in anger "What's that! I'm the one that helped her!" Kirino apologizes again "I'm very sorry..." pushing Nao out...

 

Outside at a playground, Nao says "Wait it minute!" Kirino tells him "If the case goes to trial, he might be someone we need on the witness stand! Don't go antagonizing anybody!" Nao retorts "Being told off in that tone, you're saying that I should just shut up?!" "Yes!" "A person has died!!" "To you she's your precious mother, to him she was merely an obahan passing by! You getting angry are the one in the wrong!" "So it's ok if he's laughs foolishly?!" "Yes! From now on, no matter what anyone says, just bow!" "I can't promise you that!" "No matter how tough a position you're placed in, just quietly accept it!" "I can't do it! I can't!" Kirino explains "We are merely trying to find out what happened to your mother...we did not start this for the sake of hating or bearing a grudge against anyone...don't forget that....your objective is the truth...your honest feelings for heading straight for the truth...don't forget that..." Nao listens to Kirino in silence...

 

It's dark when Tadokoro & his friends leave the mah-jong club. As they come out, they find Nao waiting. Tadokoro looks at him "What?" Nao says "....helping my mother...thank you very much...calling for the ambulance...thank you very much...I might need your help again...that time....yoroshiku onegaishimasu... " bowing to Tadokoro. Tadokoro, appeased, walks up to Nao "Don't get in touch with my company...that day I made up a story about going for a memorial service...went to the pachinko parlor instead..." Nao replies "I understand..." Tadokoro tells him "I don't really know your situation but....hang in there!" Nao bows "Thank you..." & as Tadokoro walk off, Nao says again "Thank you very much..." Tadokoro turns back to look at Nao & then with a smile, gives him a wave...first witness, Tadokoro Kouji...

 

As Yuko walks along the shopping area, someone calls out to her "Yuko-chan!" Yuko turns around to look & sees Mari's mother Kayo smiling at her "Good afternoon..."

 

Back at home, Nao asks "...Mari's mother?" Yuko tells him "What was the situation after that, she asked...I told her that we've left everything to the lawyers...we don't know anything in detail yet, I told her..." Thinking, Nao goes to the foyer without a word. Yuko says "Nao!" Nao puts on his shoes "So she knows something after all..." "Eh?" "Mari's mother...she was sounding you out....I'm going to ask..." Nao dashes out as Yuko calls after him "Wait a minute Nao! Nao! Dad! Nao's again gone &....!!" Shiro comes out "What?" At that moment someone come into the restaurant "Good afternoon..." Yuko replies "Coming..." & goes to the restaurant. There they find Isetani Akiko waiting...

 

At the Yoshida store, Mari munching on a cracker, tells Nao "If you're looking for my mother, she's gone to the meeting at the public hall..." "Meeting?" "The shopping area people's meeting..." "They didn't call us..."

 

Nao runs to the meeting hall & walks into the meeting. All the laughter & discussion stop as Nao stares at the people from Shoei Sogo Hospital holding the meeting. Nao says "What's this about?" but Isetani Keizo merely says to the people "Then, please excuse us..." Everyone files out & Nao asks "What were you talking about?" but is ignored by Kota's father. Nao asks someone else "What were you talking about?" "The summer festival for the shopping area..." "Summer festival?" "Sponsored by Shoei Sogo Hospital..." As all the merchants send Isetani off in a taxi, Nao comes dashing out "Wait a minute! You intend to use money to get the people from the shopping area on your side?! That's cowardly! Nothing's resolved yet! It's cowardly! It's dirty! Tell the truth! You're playing dirty!" Nao can only watch helplessly as the taxi pulls away. At that moment, he turns to see Mari looking at him...

 

At Mari's home, Nao pleads with her mother Kayo "onegaishimasu...onegaishimasu...onegaishimasu..." bowing to her. Mari says "Mom..." Emotionally, Kayo finally admits "Yes! I was with your mother that day...when I was out collecting bills, I met her at the shrine...she didn't bring her purse so I lent her some money...saisen (money offering) & money for buying the ema..." Mari asks "Why didn't you say anything before?" Kayo breaks down "But...I never thought that after that she'd just die! After that...after we parted at the shrine...she..." Nao quietly presses on "Please tell me...what happened?" Kayo looks at Nao "Your mother..."

 

Kirino gets a call "Eh?" Nao tells her "I've found out! What Mom's condition was as that first witness Tadokoro said...why she collapsed...I've found out..." Kirino tells him "Wait! I've found out something too...I've got the results from a doctor friend, an expert in medical records...it's as we suspected....found something suspicious...." "Really?" "Can you come by the office tomorrow afternoon? Put together all the information we've found out so far & verify the facts..." "I understand..."

 

At the restaurant, with a plate full of okonomiyaki on the table in front of Akiko, Shiro says "I see...actually, I..." but Akiko cuts him off "Even my husband is worried, we can't stand it....your son openly bears a grudge towards the hospital...if we leave things as is, don't know what mess he'll get our daughter into...please, don't approach our daughter anymore...when it's convenient, please warn your son..." At that moment, Nao returns home & seeing Akiko, cheerfully greets her "Good afternoon...thank you for the other day..." When no one says anything, Nao says "Uhm..." but Akiko takes a package & gives it to Nao "This is a cake from Madam Toki...please have it with everyone..." Nao takes it "Thank you..." Akiko gets up "Then, excuse me..." Nao says "Didn't you come here for okonomiyaki?" Akiko turns around & says cuttingly "I'm sorry...I hate it...excuse me..." With that, she leaves & Shiro quietly clears the table, no one saying a word...

 

As Akiko's about to get into the car, Nao comes running out with a bag "Excuse me! If it's ok, take this with you...even if it's cold, it's still good...she said she likes okonomiyaki, that's why..." Akiko looks at him without a smile "How much is it?" "There's no need..." but Akiko insists, opening her bag "You can't say that...your home depends on small change to survive, different from us...keep the change...& take the okonomiyaki back with you..." holding out a note to Nao. Nao says "...different from us...what's that suppose to mean?" Akiko tells him "Our family lineage...are all doctors...my own father is a director...my grandfather the chairmen...my husband the head of the surgical department...the next director...of Shoei Sogo Hospital....you understand?...your position.....you are suing that girl's father's hospital...that was what you were embracing in the rain..." Akiko gets in the car & stunned, Nao drops the packet of okonomiyaki onto the ground. The car rolls over it & Nao, loss for words, recalls Ami telling him "I like you...", struggling at the hospital with Isetani Keizo "Then just what is this I found!?" Images of Ami & her father play in his head as he understands what Ami meant when she told him over the phone "There's something I have to tell you...." The crushed packet of okonomiyaki lies on the ground at his feet...

 

Nonaka looks out the window of the office "Kirino's late huh..." Nao, waiting, asks "Uhm..." "Uhm?" "The one I am bringing the lawsuit against is Dr Minami isn't it..." "No, against Shoei Sogo Hospital...because the medical treatment contract is formed between the medical institution & the patient...it means that the lawsuit is brought against both Dr Minami & the hospital..." Nao ponders on the information & Kirino finally returns "Sorry to keep you waiting..." Nonaka says "Then I'm off..." "Sorry..." Looking at a downcast Nao, Kirino asks a little worried "What's wrong?" Nao looks up "No, nothing..."

 

As Kirino works on the computer, she says to Nao "Alright? As I talk, listen out for the time..." Nao asks "Time?" "Yes...regardless whether it's your mother's condition or other information, only focus on the time..." "Alright..." replies Nao. Kirino brings up a screen on the computer "The first person to discover her Tadokoro called 119 at 1.10pm...the ambulance arrived on the scene at 1.22pm...unidentified & at a loss, arrived at Shoei Sogo Hospital at 1.36pm...the paramedics transfer completed, the fate of Teruko was placed in Dr Minami's hands..." Kirino hands some documents to Nao "These are the copy of the medical records...because they're written in a mixture of German & English, here's the translated version...your mother was brought in for various tests but nothing strange was found, Dr Minami only checked on the painkiller intravenous drip put on her at the beginning ... after 7pm, Minami became concerned with Teruko's condition...it's duly recorded..." Nao asks "7pm...then in between all that time, what happened?" "...undergoing tests..." "From the moment she was brought in?" "Looking at the records, that's what it appears to be..." "From 2 until 7...that's 5 hours..." "Took 5 hours...blood test, an electrocardiogram, X-rays of the chest & abdomen..." "It takes all that time?" "Strange isn't it? The contents written in the records are all logical...but to make up for the 5 hours of blank time...I'm not convinced...there's something strange with these records...& then at your end? What did you find out?" Nao tells her "My friend's mother told me...that day, when my Mom brought the dog out for a walk, they met at the shrine...

　

As Yoshida Kayo walks towards the shrine, she greets Yamashita's grandfather "Good afternoon..." & then seeing Masaki Teruko ahead, running up the stairs towards the shrine, calls out to her "Teruko-san!" & talk about Nao & Mari "Nao's a good kid..eh?...he can study...I absolutely don't know what he thinks...my own Mari's the same..." As Kayo tosses a coin in & offer a prayer, Teruko digs into her pockets "I forgot my purse!" Kayo laughs "I lend you!" Teruko smiles "Sorry! ah, another 500 yen ok?" "ok..."  Teruko writes on the ema & hangs it up...

 

Nao tells Kirino "After that, Mom was left alone at the shrine, buying an ema...on it, she wrote about me..." Kirino gently says "& then?" "My friends mother who left the shrine first, suddenly heard the dog barking furiously. When she looked, Mom had fallen onto the ground. Kirino asks "What's that?" "Seems that she tumbled down the stairs, slipped..." "Eh?"

 

As Kayo turns back to go back to check on Teruko, a truck passes by in front of her "Scared me..." & then as she looks, she sees Teruko getting up...

 

Nao continues "...but when she looked, she saw Mom getting up & thinking it wasn't anything serious, she didn't pay any attention...that was about 1 hour before...." "Then after that, your mother was..." "Probably went looking for Wasuke...walking to the outskirts of the shopping area...then the pain from falling down, hit her again..." "Hunched over in pain & collapsed..." "Maybe she injured herself somewhere...when she fell, hit herself somewhere..." "Would like some evidence of her tumbling down the stairs..." Nao does say anything & Kirino suggests "Let's end here for today...don't you have a date? Said you had an appointment with her on Sunday...today's your birthday isn't it..." Kirino takes a donut from the table & gives it to Nao "Take this with you...happy birthday..."

 

Ami sits alone on a bench at Sumida Park, sitting alone on a bench, a paper bag next to her, waiting for Nao...

 

Alone, along a bridge somewhere, Nao munches on the donut...

 

Evening approaches & Ami continues waiting...

 

Akiko calls Isetani "...feel sorry for Ami but...it's just for the moment...she'll forget in no time...it's over...that young boy will not accept Ami..." Isetani, being driven, answers "If that's the case then it's fine..." Akiko asks "Speaking of which...are you going to be late today? Don't overdo it..." Isetani replies "Alright...bye..." & hangs up. Next to him, a lady asks "Your wife?" "Hm? Yes..." The woman driving is the head nurse, Kitayama...

 

Finally dark & all alone at the park, Ami takes the bag & gets up looking around. With a heavy heart, she starts walking away. Suddenly, she hears Nao running up with a DoCoMo bag "Sorry I'm late! I stopped by someplace..." Nao pulls out a cell phone from his pocket "I bought a cell phone...got told off by Kirino...ah, my number, ok?" Without saying a word, Ami takes out her cell phone & they key in each other's numbers. Nao tells her "You were the first one I wanted to tell my number to..." Ami starts to say something "I..." but Nao cuts her off "There was something else that Kirino said...what I'm doing now...didn't start this for the sake of hating anyone...or bearing a grudge against anyone.... that's why...that's why....the case with your father..." Ami looks at him shocked & touched says in barely a whisper "Why?.....who did you hear it from?" Nao tells her "...it doesn't matter...it doesn't matter..." Tears well up in Ami's eyes. Nao adds "...even then...even then...I wanted to see you..." Nao looks at her "...I wanted to see you..." Tears roll down Ami's face & she looks down "I...thought that after you knew, you wouldn't see me anymore...that's why today...today..." Nao goes in front of Ami & slowly bending down, gives her a gentle kiss on the lips. Standing facing each other, Ami slowly reaches out & touches Nao's arm...

 

Sitting down on the bench, Nao opens his present from Ami, finding a towel in the box...

 

we made a promise...

that when we were together...

we wouldn't talk about Mom...

when we were together...

we'd be just like everyone else...

only the happiness we had when we were together...

the two of us together...

the both of us...

 

As they walk out of the park together, Nao reaches for Ami's hand...

 

In her office the next morning, Kirino munches on a donut in contemplation. Suddenly, the phone rings & answering "Nonaka Lawyer's office..." When there's no reply, Kirino says "Hello?" "...I'm looking for a lawyer called Kirino-san..." "Yes, speaking..." "...uhm...I am...Shoei Sogo Hospital's..." The line suddenly goes dead...

 

Kitayama asks Kikui "What have you got to do with the lawyer?" When Kikui doesn't reply, Kitayama presses on "What were you going to say?" reaching out for Kirino's business card in Kikui's hand...

 

Kirino hangs up & sits back thinking about the phone call...

 

Nao goes to the shrine & as standing in front of the flight of steps leading to the shrine, recalls Kirino saying "Would like to get proof that she fell from the stairs..." With determination in his eyes, Nao gets down & searches the steps, going through the leaves & pieces of paper left on the steps. Suddenly, Nao looks into the bushes along the side of the stairs & notices something....