haha no inochi no nedan?

　

the price of Mom's life?

　

　

that day, Mom collapsed at the foot of the steps...

appeared to be in a great deal of pain...

however then she got up...started walking...

　

Nao looks into the bushes, something catching his eye. Climbing over the knee high fence along the steps & going into bushes, he sees a dog appear & approach him, whining. Nao says in surprise "Wasuke?" When it whines & Nao realizes it's his dog, he reaches out & carries him "Wasuke!" smiling in happiness.....

　

As Yuko & Runa take in the laundry, they suddenly hear a dog bark & hear Nao shout "It's Wasuke!" Shiro in the kitchen, looks surprised hearing Nao tell them "Wasuke's come home!" They go out into the restaurant to see Nao with a very dirty & scruffy looking Wasuke & Runa happily goes up to the dog "Wasuke? Wasuke! Welcome back! Welcome back!" Runa wipes Wasuke off with a white piece of cloth, Yuko mutters with a smile "Dad's shirt..." The whole family thrilled at Wasuke's return...

　

Ami on her cell phone, says in surprised "Eh? Really?" Nao, taking out something from the fridge replies "I found him at the steps of the shrine...yes he's still alive...he's fine..." Outside, Runa gives Wasuke a bath & Nao cheerfully tells Ami "Doesn't appear to be hurt...my little sister's absolutely thrilled...giving him a bath & feeding him....treating him like a VIP...." Yuko & Shiro look at Nao with concern as he talks to Ami....

　

I was a little...elated....

my sister & father just looked at me in silence...

that's what I thought...

　

Nao goes into his room "...even if he changes to a VIP, he's just a Shiba dog..." Ami tells him "But even Shiba dogs...they are really proud....." "Eh?...Ami, what are you doing now?....Studying?...my exams should be coming soon too....."

　

for the sake of searching for the cause of my mother's death....

I quit the Kendo club....

　

Shiro sits in front of the altar & takes the ema Teruko wrote for Nao in his hand, looking at it...

　

not to mention that taking the exams...

nearly all but disappeared from my mind....

　

Nao comes home from school flipping through an employment ad magazine "...3,000 yen an hour?" & then looks at the job description "...bunny girl..." Nao grins sheepishly & then hears someone say "Looking for a part time job?" Nao, seeing Kirino approach, folds the page marking it & puts the magazine into his bag "What's up?" Kirino replies "Your father called me..." Nao looks surprised "Eh?"

　

Nao says angrily to his father "Why?! You said to do what I wanted! You said you'd leave it to me! Why now?!" Kirino sits at a table in the restaurant & Runa gives her a cup of tea "Here..." Kirino smiles "Thank you..." & then hear Yuko telling Nao off "Do you know how much money it takes to go to court?" Nao tells her "I'll work..." & then assuring Shiro "I'll work to pay for the money to go to court!" but Shiro shoves him away "Don't talk nonsense!" Yuko continues "It's not just the money...that girl too...you haven't stopped seeing her have you...it's the same with your club activity & your exams...Dad's worried about you...you're not thinking of anything except what's in front of you...."

　

Shiro politely but directly, asks Kirino "What are the details of the court case? Can we win if we go to court? Is there a chance of winning that will satisfy Nao? I honestly don't think that it's worth betting my son's most important high school 3rd year..." Nao says "Dad!" but Shiro merely tells him sternly "You keep quiet!" Nao doesn't say anything & Shiro says "Kirino-san..." "Yes..." "Please answer me...are you certain that the truth...do you have the confidence that the truth will be revealed?" Everyone looks at Kirino in expectation but looking at Nao's expression of appeal for an answer, Kirino remains silent.....

　

the next day....Kirino-san came to our home again...

whatever we'd found out & discovered up until now....

slowly....taking the time...& explained....

not speaking quickly like she normal did....

so that even my younger sister Runa could understand....

bit by bit...thoroughly.....

　

Kirino takes out documents from an envelope, placing the pictures of Teruko's X-rays on the table, showing them to everyone "When the chest is opened & the heart massaged directly...the first time the mesu is used would be this part...just below the chest on this side...cutting a few centimeters across just once..." pointing to the left side of her rib cage just below her chest. Kirino continues "...leaving the mesu behind forgotten then is an extremely rare case...but the hospital only admits that they left the mesu behind....so the issue of the court case isn't about leaving the mesu behind forgotten....." At that moment, Runa looking at the pictures of the X-rays suddenly say "It's not there! The doctor is lying!" Kirino asks "Why?" Runa takes up the pictures of the X-rays from the table "But it's not there! There's no mesu! If there's a mesu, then it would be photographed!" Everyone laughs as Runa says "Look oni-chan! one-chan too! It's strange cause there's no mesu!" Shiro tries to explain to her "It's not strange Runa...if it shows up, then something's strange...sorry..." Shiro apologizes to Kirino. Nao tells Runa "After the X-rays were taken, then the mesu was left behind..." Yuko adds "That's right...what are you thinking of..." Runa sits back down again & after a pause Kirino says to Shiro "uhm...can you wait for just one more week?" Nao looks at Kirino as she continues "What to contest in court....right now that issue of contention is still unclear...right now it's like...for example, being inside a long pitch black tunnel looking for an unseen exit...but for sure there will be an exit somewhere...& then there, for sure, the truth will be there...please, give me one more week...onegaishimasu..." The whole family look at her in silence....

　

As Nao walks Kirino to her scooter, he asks "You sure it's alright? There's still a lot of things that need to be investigated....a week....in just a week can it be done?" In response to Nao's cynicism, Kirino merely replies "Take it easy..." "Kirino-san!" Kirino smiles "It's the pride as a lawyer...I'll show you proof that will expose Dr Minami's serious mistake...." With that, Kirino gets on her scooter & rides off, Nao watching.....

　

When Nao comes back, Shiro goes up to him, without a word, hands him the ema...

　

Dad handed me the ema that Mom wrote...

Dad didn't scold me....

didn't reprimand me either...

only remained silent....

　

Nao stares at his father reading the papers & then goes up the stairs into his room, sits down on the bed. Holding onto the ema in his hands & staring at the words written on it, his mother's voiceover comes on...

　

May you win the District Kendo Preliminary competition...

May the university exams go smoothly....

Nao, go for it!

　

Nao gets up from his bed & takes the employment ad magazine from his bag....

　

Seated at his desk, with the ema hung up on the wall in front of him, Nao hits the books, studying for the upcoming university exams. Next to him in the waste paper bin, lies the employment ad magazine.....

　

Late at night, Kirino parks her scooter at the car park & waits outside Shoei Sogo Hospital, smoking a cigarette.....

　

In a meeting room in the hospital, Kitayama says to Kikui "Take it out...give it to us..." but when Kikui remains silent, Isetani says "Never mind...." & then to Kikui "You understand don't you...the whole hospital having trouble right now....& yet you alone acting on your own accord....it's unforgivable.....you haven't said anything to anyone...that's correct isn't it... " Kikui remains silent, tears in her eyes, helpless as Isetani puts his hand on her shoulder. Kikui takes Kirino's business card out from her bag & Kitayami arrogantly reaches for it, ripping it to shreds. Without a word, Kikui bows & walks out of the room, leaving Isetani & Kitayama exchanging knowing glances at each other.....

　

As Kirino is about to light another cigarette, she notices Kikui coming out of the hospital......

　

Kirui takes the bus & goes into Ichigiya Obento & Sandwich, picking out ready packed food.  As she reaches out for some bread, someone greets her "Good evening..." Kikui turns to look & finds Kirino next to her. Kirino asks "You come here often? To this store..."  Kikui replies "It's nearby that's why..." Kirino adds "An old boyfriend used to like the ham sandwich at this store...so I feel like eating it once in a while....."

　

As they walk outside, Kirino chatters on "....long time ago I used to go out with my college seniors, we often had ham sandwiches when we went to the movies....what was it...a love story about an old rock star down & out on his luck....ah, what was the title...do you know?" Kikui ignores the question & answers with a question of her own "You followed me all the way from the hospital? A lawyer going to that extreme?" Kirino cuts the pretense "You're the one that called me weren't you..." Kikui stops "I don't know...you're making things difficult for me....difficult for me..." Kirino tells her "I can imagine your position at the hospital....but you called me....you wanted to tell me something...thank you....that's all I wanted to say....." With that, Kirino turns & walks away, leaving Kikui staring at her.....

　

Kirino returns to the office & dumps her bag on the desk, taking out the ham sandwich from her bag & putting it on the table as well. Taking a seat, she reaches out for the documents & looks at the pictures of the X-rays recalling Runa saying "But it's not there! There's no mesu!" Kirino smiles & looking at the X-rays of Teruko, one of the chest & one of the abdomen. As Kirino recalls Runa saying "The doctor is lying!" something occurs to Kirino.....

　

As Nao walks out of school, the Kendo team in training goes jogging by him with the coach. Mari sees Nao walking past ignoring his friends & goes after him on her bicycle "They haven't decided on who's going to be your replacement..." Nao looks at her "...oh..." Nao tells him "The 2nd year juniors said that they want you to come back..." but Nao merely replies "Going back at this stage would not be cool..." walking off. Mari says "Wait! I'll treat you to lunch...to apologize for Mom keeping quiet about your Mom falling at the shrine..." Nao looks at her, not replying...

 

As Nao & Mari reach out across the counter for their ramen, Mari says "...proof that she fell?" Nao answers "Yes...because your mother didn't actually see her fall..." "I see..." As they start on their noodles, Nao's cell phone rings "Hello?" to find a call from Ami "...I found the same (cell phone) strap as you...we had mock exams today so we left school early..." Nao answers "Oh I see..." "Nothing important...just felt like hearing the sound of your voice...really? I'm really happy!...then when the exams are over I'll call you again..."yes, bye..." Akiko comes in behind Ami & overhears her conversation. Looking at Ami's shoes untidily at the foyer, bag dumped on the floor, Akiko suddenly says "Bad behavior...just leaving your bag all over..." Ami turns around & takes her schoolbag "Sorry..." going off into her room. Akiko walks over to the table & picks up Ami's cell phone. Pressing a few buttons, she checks on the last call made...Masaki Nao...the look on Akiko's face ice cold....

 

Mari says "You bought a cell phone? Who was that?" Nao replies "No one in particular..." Mari thinks "...going back to what we spoke earlier...have you seen her clothes?" "Eh?" "Your mother's shoes & clothes..." Nao thinks....

 

Opening a cupboard, Nao looks for his mother's clothes as Yuko tells him "I looked at them...but thinking about Mom made it tough so I didn't look closely..." Nao takes a bag out "Maybe there's something left behind..." Spreading his mother's jeans & orange windbreaker out, Nao goes through them. Taking a closer look at the windbreaker, Nao spots a tear on it & Yuko asks "What?" Nao imagines his mother lying at the foot of the steps at the shrine....outside, Wasuke barks......

 

Nao shows the windbreaker to Kirino "Found it! This was the windbreaker Mom wore that day...she really did tumble down the stairs at the shrine...must have hit her back really hard..." Kirino fingers the scrape mark on the windbreaker "Yes..." Nao adds "With this, we've found proof that she fell..." Kirino ponders "But..." Nao looks at her "What?" Kirino hands the windbreaker back to Nao "But Tadokoro & the paramedics said that when she was in the ambulance that she was holding onto her stomach..." Nao mutters "Ah, that's right..." Kirino thinks aloud "What's the relationship between that & hitting herself on the back I wonder..." Nao mummers "That's...." Kirino looks at the clothes on the table "These are what your mother had on? All of it?" Nao replies "Except for the sandals..." Kirino looks puzzled "Sandals?" Nao explains "Her sandals weren't in there..." Kirino asks "...weren't in?" Nao takes the paper bag & gives it to Kirino "In here..." Kirino grabs it in shock "This? What's with this paper bag?" Nao doesn't understand "Eh?" Kirino asks "From your home?" Nao tells her "No...when we were at the hospital..." Nao recalls being at the hospital "When we rushed to the hospital, Mom was dressed in hospital clothes...whatever she wore were all put in that paper bag...someone...a nurse must have put them in there for us...but just the sandals weren't in there..." Kirino suddenly whips around & goes into another room of the office, coming back out with a trash bag. Frantically, she opens the bag & rummages through the waste paper, ignoring Nao calling her "Kirino-san? Kirino-san?" Suddenly, Kirino fishes out a crushed paper bag from the ham sandwich she bought the previous night & compares it to the one Nao brought. Both have the same print of the name Ichigiya. Nao looks at her "What's wrong?"

 

At the hospital, as Kirino rides up the elevator with Nao, she explains to him "According to the nurses log, there were two nurses in charge of your mother that day but I'm sure that there's someone else...I think it might be that nurse who called me...I'm sure she knows something about your mother...I want to make sure of her existence...alright?" Nao nods "Yes..." The elevator doors slide open & they both stride out...

 

In the meeting room, Isetani introduces the man sitting next to him "This is our legal advisor, Nishino..." Nishino nods as Isetani continues "...& the two nurses who were in charge of your mother that day, Kitayama & Sakuma..." As they both nod in greeting, Isetani tells Kirino "Please go ahead & ask what you want to know..." Before Kirino can start, there's a knock on the door & Minami comes in. Looking around at the company, he bends over & whispers to the lawyer "What's going on?" Nishino replies condescendingly "Sandals..." Minami surprised "Sandals?" Nao explains "The sandals Mom wore that day aren't anywhere to be found...do you know anything?" Minami replies "Sandals?" & then with a snide laugh "You called me here for that?" Nao says "They're sandals of precious sentimental value..." Minami apologizes "I'm sorry....but I don't know anything...taking care of a patient's personal belongings are the work of the nurses..." Sakuma says "I don't know anything about the sandals..." Nao asks "Then who does?" When no one replies, Kirino says "Was there another nurse there?" taking out the Ichigiya bag & showing to them "Someone who put all his mother's belongings into this paper bag..." Another silent pause & then Kitayama speaks up "It was me...I put them in that bag...but I don't recall anything about the sandals..." Kirino asks "Do you often go to this store?" Kitayama doesn't answer. Kirino smiles "I go there often...to the dangoya-san (dumpling store)..." Nao looks at Kirino as both women stare at each other. Kitayama finally speaks "It's not a dangoya-san...it's an obento-san.....the ham sandwich there...tastes really bad..." Kirino, at a loss of words, looks away & Nao, disappointment written all over his face as Isetani says "Is this enough? We've got to get back to work..." Nao mutters "Kirino-san..." Minami gets up impatiently "Excuse me..." As everyone gets up to leave, Kirino keeps silent. Finally, Nao gets up & says politely "To trouble all of you when you're so busy...I'm sorry..." Isetani & Nishino nod & leave the room. Disappointed, Nao remains silent when suddenly, Kirino runs out after them "Wait..." When Nishino stops, Kirino says "Sorry...actually, during the perpetuation of evidence we took some copies of the X-rays but they're not clear..." Nao listens, wondering what Kirino is up to....

 

In another room, Minami enters holding a large envelope in his hands "Sorry to keep you waiting...there's two X-rays one of the chest, the other the abdomen...which?" Kirino replies "Both please..." Minami replies "Alright..." Nishino gets up & takes the X-rays "Let me..." & sets them up on the panel. Kirino stares at them. Minami asks Nao "Your father doing ok?" When Nao replies "Yes..." Minami adds "Although I've apologized from the bottom from my heart...he won't let me offer a single stick of incense..." Before Nao can say anything, Kirino suddenly says "It's not there!" Minami looks up "Eh?" Kirino points at the X-rays "There's no mesu here..." Kirino looks at them "The mesu isn't photographed!..." Nao looks at Kirino in wonder "Kirino-san?" but Kirino continues "The mesu should've been photographed...this is strange..." Minami laughs "What are you saying...think about it...if these X-rays were taken after her death then if there was no mesu here, it would be strange...but these were taken when she was still alive..." Nao remains silent, waiting to see what Kirino's intentions are. Kirino smiles "Oh!" & points to the X-ray of the abdomen "Then if these were taken after her death, the mesu would show up here, right?" Minami replies "Yes...but to take X-rays after one's dead..." Kirino looks at him "This is the abdomen...." Minami stops short as Kirino points to the X-ray "This is the X-ray of the abdomen...not the chest, but you left the mesu in the abdomen?" Minami looks away, aware that he's been caught. Nishino says frantically "Doesn't matter where it was left! It has nothing to do with the cause of Masaki Teruko's death! Actually..." Nao says in shock "Operating on her abdomen...this is the first time I've heard of it..." Nishino looks at him "Eh?" Kirino tells Nishino "This wasn't written in the records either..." Nishiro looks around flustered, at a loss for words. Kirino calmly asks "What's going on?" Taking the X-ray from the panel, Kirino walks up to Minami "sensei...thank you very much...." Minami takes the X-ray from her in silence & Kirino takes her bag, walks out of the room. Nao follows Kirino out but at the door, he turns back & looking at Minami, politely says "Thank you very much..." leaving the room...

 

I can see a faint glow of light...

just as she promised...

Kirino's got hold of proof of Dr Minami's grave mistake...

　

& then I...

 

Back at the okonomiyaki restaurant, Nao enacts Kirino's performance for the rest of the family "It's not there! The mesu isn't  photographed!" Nao smiles "When I heard that for a moment I wondered what was wrong with Kirino-san! You should've seen Dr Minami's face!"

I...was a little elated...

 

Seeing Runa, Nao happily carries her into the restaurant, putting her on a chair by the counter & then says to Shiro "Dad, are you done?" Shiro, cooking replies "Not quite..." "Hurry..." The light hearted mood continues...

 

finding out about Mom...

brought back a feeling of nostalgia...

& a feeling of tension...

I naively thought that way...

but wanting to know the truth...

 

After the meal, the mood darkens as Yuko asks Kirino "...that's to say...to proof negligence, what does that mean?" Kirino replies "Life....to charge them with the responsibility of causing the loss of your mother's life...I've always felt something strange about this case from the beginning..." Yuko asks "What?" Kirino explains "A mesu is different from gauze or forceps...it's not something that is left behind in surgery...& yet that medical instrument was left inside your mother's body...what that means...is still only at the speculation stage but...think of what Dr Minami & the hospital did....that day, when your mother was brought to the hospital..."

　

Everyone imagines an Teruko, moaning in pain, being brought to Shoei Sogo Hospital in an ambulance & taken inside as Kirino says "Certainly someone must have asked her her name & address...but there was no answer to that question...that's to say, to the extent of being unable to answer, your mother was hurting in pain, suffering...desperately trying to endure it..." In total silence, the whole family listens to Kirino as she continues "...& then after that...5 hours of so called tests...finally Dr Minami operated on your mother...& leaving the mesu behind....the strange thing is this....whether it's the abdomen or the chest, it's unbelievable that a doctor would leave a mesu behind...at that moment, something else much more serious must have happened...something they were panicking over...everyone in a great rush...probably after cutting up her abdomen...& then leaving the mesu....that's to say, closing up the abdomen in impatience, in a hurry, in a fluster....& the the hospital wants to hide that desperately...." As everyone remains silent, faces grim, suddenly Runa says, tears running down her face "She was in pain? Mom was in pain?" When Shiro, Yuko & Nao remain silent, Kirino gently says to Runa "The anesthetic was working so she wouldn't have felt the pain..." Runa asks "Really?" Kirino nods. Finally Nao says "...cutting open in a fluster...closing up in a panic...cutting open but there was nothing there..." Kirino adds "...there was nothing there...? or they made a mistake...?" Nao murmurs "A wrong diagnosis..." Yuko whispers "Cruel!" Kirino looks at Shiro "They suggested an autopsy didn't they....but on the medical records it's written that the family refused so the idea was abandoned...." When Shiro doesn't answer, Nao looks at him "Dad?" Shiro finally says "All of a sudden, I was told...."

 

Shiro recalls waiting in the meeting room alone that day. Minami says to him "Excuse me....please let us do an autopsy....let us find out the cause of death....." Shiro looks at him in surprise "What's that...?" Minami answers "That's to say...a sudden death is normally thought to be karoushi....but in general, when the cause of death is not known, the hospital performs an autopsy...it's tough isn't it....scars on your wife's body all over....it's hard for me too...." Hearing Minami's cold description of the autopsy, Shiro's expression is one of distress....

 

The family, grim faced, sit in silence....

 

Mom slept with a beautiful expression on her face...

no one could blame Dad's feelings for refusing the autopsy....

Kirino-san stopped the discussion then....

 

Kirino leaves the Masaki home with a heavy heart...inside the house, Yuko cleans up in silence as Shiro sits at the table, each deep in their own thoughts....

 

no one said anything....

　

about what would happen from now on....

I....

 

Nao walks into room where the altar is & looks at a plate of okonomiyaki placed there as an offering. Hearing Runa sniffing, Nao turns to see Runa with Wasuke in the garden. Seating down, Nao says to Runa "Sorry....searching for anything about Mom....finding out about those things....making you feel awful, I'm sorry....but...but I...." Before Nao can continue, Runa tells him "Good things happened too...Wasuke came home....there're good things too..." With a teary smile, Runa tries to cheer Nao up "From now on there'll be lots of good things...." Touched, Nao without s word, puts his arm around Runa as they comfort each other...

 

With all his Kendo gear in hand, Nao goes to school....

 

Yuko goes to the altar & shows Shiro the ema Nao left on it. Shiro reads it "The District Kendo Preliminary competition, the university exams, the trial....I'll do my best for everything! Nao" Shiro starts smiling & Yuko, looking at him, smiles along with him...

 

Nao walks along the corridor, just pausing outside the Kendo club practicing in the hall. Walking in...

 

...was a totally embarrassing thing....

returning to the club one resigned from....

 

The other boys look on as Nao goes up to the coach & bows to him. The coach merely says "Go get changed..." Nao replies "Yes...." & comes back all dressed in his Kendo outfit & starts training....

 

it was definitely not a cool thing to do...

if I had any pride there....

it would have been torn to shreds.....

but.....

 

Nao looks over Kirino's shoulder as she works on the computer....

 

my pride....

.....was some place else....

 

As Kirino sends some documents to the printer, she asks Nao "Alright then, what are you going to do about the media? The hospital has already held a press conference to apologize...once we formally bring them to court, the media will jump on this case of medical error....if the public opinion is stirred up through the media, this would have an effect on the judge....could be good for the family..." However, Nao remains silent & Kirino, understanding his feelings, finally says "Alright....I'll withhold the name of your family....I'll be that breakwater to protect you...." Nao nods "Please..." Kirino gets up & gets the documents from the printer. Looking through them, Kirino asks "Ah, what about the damages? What about it?" Nao surprised "Damages?" Kirino explains "Your mother wasn't just a housewife...she ran her own business....managed the okonomiyaki restaurant...how much was her annual income?" When Nao doesn't say anything, Kirino tells him "We have to calculate the real profits, & then write in the total amount of damages..." Nao says "The price of Mom's life...." Kirino replies "Of course, money isn't your motive...but..." Before Kirino can continue, Nao tells her "The other day...the kim-chee special you ate..." Kirino stops short "Eh?" Nao explains "That's Mom's creation....that's our most popular item on the menu...." Kirino looks at him with this suspicious glance "So?" Nao tells her "Can't find it anywhere else...that's our pride....890 yen....please write 890 yen as the amount for demanding the damages..." Kirino smiles "You've got to be kidding!  When this is submitted to court, the hospital will also get sight of it...normally, the amount would be 40, 50 million yen..." Nao simply says "For folks like us, running a small family business...890 yen is not seen as a foolish sum of money...."  Kirino interrupts "But..." Nao continues "This is, to a big hospital like Shoei Sogo Hospital...a tiny resistance...." Looking at Kirino, Nao says with quiet determination "This is the pride of the okonomiyaki-ya..." Kirino looks at Nao across from her & finally exchanging smiles, enters the amount of 890 yen onto the document....

 

& then we...

with Dr Minami & Shoei Sogo Hospital as the other party....

started the civil trial.....

 

Minami knocks on the door & enters the meeting room "Excuse me...." Waiting inside is Isetani Keizo "I'm going to relieve legal advisor Nishino of his position....in order to take on this female lawyer, I'm going to get a new lawyer...." Minami answers "I understand...." Isetani starts laughing "Thinking us fools....." Minami notices the newspaper lying on the table & picks it up. Spotting a small article with the headline "890 yen lawsuit...high school student sues hospital...."

 

At home, as Ami reads the same article, Akiko comes up to her "Ami, let's cheer him on...." When Ami looks at her without saying anything, Akiko smiles "Dad..." Without a word, Ami looks away....

 

With the newspaper beside him, Nao puts his hands together in silent prayer in front of the altar, looking at his mother's photograph. Slowly, Nao stands up in silence......straight & tall....determined........