Karure-ka.....hiding place.....

Minako & Kiichiro arrive in Gunma. Kiichiro asks "This is the Sleeping Forest?" Minako nods "This way...." Walking into the forest Minako says "I feel like I'm being encouraged by the past....telling me to hang in there & live when I was all alone....cheer up....I'm sure I wasn't alone...." Minako recalls being in the forest with Keita "Minako! Look!" as he swings on a rope "You try it too!" & then the day she delivered flowers & met Keita again "Nakajima?....Eh?....I'm Morita Minako....different schools but we played in the forest together....you & me?" Back in the present Minako says "But whether those were for real, the more I think the more vague it gets...." Walking on they come to the hammock in the forest, now covered with leaves. Minako says "Memories in the forest....telling me lies I wonder....if they're real, how much is real?" Hearing someone chopping wood the both of them walk towards the sound....

The old man bends down for another block of wood, then turns around to see Kiichiro & Minako looking at him from a distance. Kiichiro asks Minako "Do you know him?" Minako shakes her head "No, but he knows about me...." Walking up to the man Minako says "It may be a little strange asking but....who am I?" The man answers "Welcome....you were my patient 15 years ago...." Kiichiro asks "Patient?" The man replies "There aren't any signs up but I still work...." Minako says "When I was 12 I came here for treatment?" "I'm Ito Naomi...." Kiichiro asks "Ito? Then Ito Naoki is?" "He's my son...." Going into the house & from a distance someone arrives & watches....it's Naoki........

Walking into the house Minako asks "In this room....were there a lot of flowers?" Ito answers "Used to....it's rare to have orchids in the clinic...." Minako says "Scent of vanilla essence....it's sharibebi...." "You know it well...." Kiichiro answers "She works in an orchid nursery...." "Is that so?" Minako asks "15 years before....what sort of treatment did I...." Ito replies "Something unfortunate happened to you & you lost your memory...." Minako says "That Christmas Eve event...." Ito tells them "In general, losing one's memory is called 'denial' & 'alienation' amnesia....within that, wiping out one's own memory completely....one's own previous life....you can say that it's committing suicide in an instant...." Minako repeats "Suicide?" Ito tells her "I was old friends with your uncle Oba Senzou....the niece who lost her entire family....the only survivor at the scene of the crime....her heart shut out....asked me to help...." Kiichiro asks "Then what did you do?" Ito answers "Buried her memories...." Minako says "Buried?" Ito explains "To put it simply, it's like this....There was a forest full of delicious apple trees....a forest fire happened & into the burnt ground, I planted orange trees....& so, the forest changed...." Minako says "So although I was born in Fukushima, I always thought that Gunma was my hometown...." Ito continues "After many years, the roots of the apple tree has grown & appeared in the orange tree forest....that is your current condition....you'll understand faster if you come look...."

Going into another room Ito takes a video tape & plays it. It shows Ito hypnotizing a young Minako in 1984 Feb 4th. Ito says "Hypnotism...." In the tape Ito says "You're in a deep deep sleep, but you can hear my voice...." Ito explains to Kiichiro & Minako "This is the first stage of the hypnosis, regressing back in time & entering into the subconscious...." Minako says "Regressing?" In the tape Ito says "You are in a time machine....you can see it can't you? Take a seat....on the dial....which year, which month, which day & the place....all there....by the way, it is now 1984 Feb 4th...." The tape goes blank & Ito switches to another tape "Burying the memories takes 2 months...." The new tape is dated 1984 Feb 13th....Ito's voice says "You're now playing with Sayako....although you're happily picking flowers together, you want to play something a little more fun....a tomboy such as you....want to play with boys huh...." Ito explains to Minako "When you were a child, you really had memories of playing in the forest with your classmates....in fact the common characteristic of playing in the forest was a foothold...." In the tape Ito says "Let's introduce you to Nakajima Keita....he's the one you want to play Tarzan games with in the forest...." Minako's shocked & recalls her 'memories' of playing with Keita in the forest & says "That's why I know so much about him!" Ito says "The buried memories....until it has the strength to overcome the new memories....are waiting patiently...." Minako nods without saying anything. Ito continues "Like this....2 months later, all the memories regarding the murder were buried....you didn't spend your childhood in Fukujima prefecture's Mikura City but in Gunma's Nakanomori....& reborn as a child who lost her family in an accident...." Kiichiro asks "Then that common forest characteristic memory is...." Ito says "It's a real memory....even burying the past with new things, you still need reality...." Minako asks "Who's memories are those?" Ito answers "My son's...."

Outside in the forest, Naoki picks up an old baseball from the ground & recalls as a child, his father saying "Naoki? What do kids nowadays....no, what do you play?" A young Naoki asks "Why do you ask?" "Whether it's you or your friends, it's fine....who's your best friend?" "Keita....from the gift shop...." "What do you play?" "Swinging from a rope in the forest, playing Tarzan games...." "That's great....&? Tarzan games? & then?" "Recently, played by the river with Keita...." A young Naoki wakes up hearing a scream. Going to Minako's room, he sees his father comforting her "What happened? Bad dream? It's ok, it's alright, you're not alone...." His father looks up & sees him staring "Return to your room!"........Naoki tells his father "Keita's father taught him how to throw a curve ball....when you throw it like this, it goes downwards...." His father jotting down notes goes "Hm?" "But if you use too much force, your elbow will tingle & hurt....it's better to be careful...." His father says "Baseball huh...." Ito's voiceover from the present says "At the time I didn't realize....whatever my son said was his dream....he only wanted to play catch ball with me, that's why he told me about the curve ball...." Pouring coffee for Kiichiro & Minako, Ito continues "I absolutely didn't realize that whatever I heard from my son, I put it into your mind....that boy had just lost his mother....I was completely engrossed in my experiments, he must have been very lonely...." Minako recalls taking the glove out of the box & says "That glove is Naoki's isn't it...." Ito says "He must have quietly put it among your things....one day in spring, the day when you left this place & returned with your uncle, forgetting all your memories of this place...." Flashback to the day Minako leaves with her uncle & young Naoki saying from behind the trees "Goodbye...."

Kiichiro asks "Why did Naoki have to wait 15 years to meet?" Ito says "That's my fault....after you left, what sort of treatment you went through, I told him....a long time ago, a scientist who used this same method of treatment wrote a thesis....buried memories appear to have a limit of 15 years....after that amount of time, there's the possibility of the real memories returning...." Minako says "Recently I've been having flashbacks....I'm standing at the scene of the murders...." Ito says "Premonition...." Minako says "Then, Naoki knows that I will one day become like this...." Ito tells her "When the flashback of that moment of the incident happens, you'll experience the horrors of it a second time....when you face that moment, maybe Naoki thinks that he can help you or something.... "To have Morita Minako's heart closed in darkness again....I'm the only one who can save her....that's why I have to continue watching Minako...."....Naoki thinking he shouldn't meet you for 15 years, you may think it's a trick....either that or...." Kiichiro says "Or what?" Ito says "Kokubu Yoshiharu was sentenced to lifetime imprisonment....although the police wanted a death sentence, instead his sentence has been lessened...." Minako says "He killed 3 people, why lessen his sentence?" Ito takes out some documents "These are the material regarding the trial 15 years ago....it's all written in detail....if you want to read it, please take it....the officer in charge at the time, in order to help me with your treatment, made copies for me....that policeman just received news a few days ago....Kokubu Yoshiharu, due to good behavior in prison, has been released on parole after 15 years....he was supposed to be in rehabilitation but....right now, his whereabouts are unknown...." Kiichiro says "The criminal who murdered Minako's family has escaped?" Ito says "That may be why Naoki's appeared in front of you...." Kiichiro says "To protect Minako from Kokubu?" Ito says "It doesn't matter what we think....15 years in jail is something beyond imagination....Kokubu Yoshiharu....what is he thinking of now?" Minako stares at Ito in silence....

Coming out of the house Ito says "Naoki said to me "What you're doing isn't treatment....it's experimentation! Just doing your own experiment that the world doesn't care...."....but what I've done to you, I don't regret it...." Naoki watches from behind the trees as Minako & Kiichiro say "We're going....thank you" "Take care...." As he watches them walk away he says to Ito says "Live strong!" He goes back to chopping more wood & Naoki approaches. Ito says "I've told them....that's the best isn't it...." Naoki mutters "Yeah...." "How about some coffee?" Naoki follows....he picks up the axe, looks at it, then swings it down onto the block of wood....

Back in the car Kiichiro says "We can go anywhere now...." Minako's surprised "Eh?" "To a place where no one knows who we are....what shall we do?" Minako answers "I don't want to run away...." Kiichiro asks "Is that really ok?" "As a child I grew up as Morita Minako, will get married as Oba Minako & become Hamazaki Minako....from now on no matter what happens....like, if I meet Kokubu Yoshiharu again, I don't want to run away....I want to live with you...." Kiichiro looks at her "You're strong...." Minako gives a little smile & both of them drive off....

Inside the house, Ito says "Ah, I've forgotten again, last week was your mother's death anniversary....can't even meet after her death, I guess I should give up...." Naoki sighs "I forgot too...." His father asks "What do you intend to do to Minako? Become a bad person, a destroyer, cause her to break up with her boyfriend, bring her to a place where no one knows....protect her from the past....is that it? If that's it, there's nothing you can do...."

As Keita comes out of a building, he sees Kiichiro waiting for him. Walking by the waterfront, Kiichiro says "Regarding my work, that article, whether it's true or false, the one who informed that weekly magazine was you wasn't it...." Keita admits "How come you know?" Kiichiro tells him "I've also asked others to find out about the man that's been checking up on me...." Keita replies "So what...." Kiichiro confronts him "You've found out a fair bit haven't you...." Keita sidles away "No, don't scare me, I was just asked by someone to check up a few things...." Kiichiro says "Nakajima Keita, the man who Minako has mistaken for a childhood friend, parents' home is the souvenir shop in the onsen in Nakanomori, also a close friend of It Naoki....the person who asked you to do this....is Ito Naoki isn't it...." Keita doesn't say anything, angering Kiichiro "Say something!" Keita finally says "Hamazaki Kiichiro, Oba Minako's fiance, working in Kujo Bussan in the cultural department....father is a world famous painter...." Keita turns to Kiichiro & says "The murderer Kokubo Yoshiharu was also........a classmate at the same university with you........" Kiichiro stares at Keita who adds "The arts department at Fukushima University....most likely lived at the same dormitory as Kokubu Yoshiharu....guessed right?" Kiichiro smiles "You've checked up well...." Keita asks "Does Minako know all this?" Kiichiro answers "I guess it's about time to tell her...." Keita says "She'll be shocked! The criminal who murdered her family & her fiance were classmates....how about that!" Kiichiro coolly replies "An unexpected encounter is all...." Keita asks "When was that unexpected encounter?" Kiichiro doesn't reply. Keita says "Well, when I meet her I guess I'll know...." Kiichiro replies "Yeah, that's right...." Keita then asks "Then what do you want with me?" Kiichiro says "I want to employ you...." "Hah?" "I want news about Kokubu Yoshiharu....although I've heard that his whereabouts are unknown, is that true?" "Right now he's disappeared from his parole officer & hiding his tracks....only one more step to his destination...." Kiichiro says "All news about Kokubu Yoshiharu, before you report to Ito Naoki, I want you to tell me first....also, from now on, whatever Ito Naoki intends to do....I want you to tell me that too...." Keita looks at him "Selling out my friend?" Kiichiro replies "In order to protect Minako...." Keita laughs "You want me to betray Naoki?" Kiichiro asks "How much do you want?" Keita replies immediately "300,000 for the time being, by tomorrow or my face will change (be covered in bruises)...." Kiichiro nods & holds out his hand to shake on the deal. Keita takes it but Kiichiro grabs him forward asks "Where is Kokubu Yoshiharu staying now?" Keita replies "I'm checking....ow...." pulling his hand away....

(-= CJ =- Arrgh Keita-kun! You're a real squid!!)

Naoki comes back into his apartment muttering "It smells...." & slides the door to the veranda open, going outside. Across the street is Minako out on her veranda looking at Naoki with a look of tenderness on her face. Naoki says "Hi...." Minako says "I met your father...." "Is that so?" "How come we have the same kind of memories....I finally understand...." "Oh...." "Forcing me to leave my old apartment, was to avoid Kokubu Yoshiharu wasn't it...." Naoki looks away & doesn't answer. Minako says "That's it isn't it...." Naoki turns to go in & Minako says "Ah, this!" taking out the glove "It's better if I return this...." Naoki replies "I threw it out a long time ago...." "But memories of your father...." Naoki reaches into his pocket & takes out the old baseball "It's cause I don't have any of those memories, that's why I let you have them...." Minako says "The suggestive powers are fantastic....curve ball....I feel like I can really do it...." Naoki says "Something like this?" motioning his arm "My curve is different from others...." & throwing it across the street to Minako who catches it with Naoki's glove. Minako smiles & says "When I was in Tokyo, junior high....I had to write an essay about my family....I wrote what I remembered about my family....standing on the veranda, everyone standing in a line watching the sunset....everyone with a look of peace on their faces....when the sun had set, mom would say "Everyone, dinner!"....that was also your dream wasn't it...." Naoki closes his eyes as if in pain as Minako continues "Have I received something precious I wonder...." Naoki doesn't say anything & Minako asks "Is it alright for me to have those? Your dreams...." Naoki finally says "Give them to you...." Minako smiles & turns to go in. Naoki says "Ah, the other time...." Minako turns around & Naoki says "the other time you were here, sorry....it's alright even if you don't forgive me...." Minako says "I was really scared...." Naoki says "Since I'm such an eyesore to you I can disappear from your sight but....I really like this apartment....so for the time being, will you let me stay here?" Minako says "It's for real....I was a part of you....somehow I really feel that...." & with a smile throws the baseball back to Naoki who catches it with his bare hands. When Naoki looks up at Minako again she's gone into her apartment & he stands out there a little longer, looking at the ball in his hands. Minako inside her apartment, smiles as she shadow practices pitching a curve........

実那子： 直季：

大切なものをもらっちゃたのかな、 私．本当にもらっていいの？ あの夢も やるよ

(-= CJ =- This has got to be one of the coolest & most touching scenes in this drama....the contrast of seeing Minako looking at Naoki without fear for the first time & finally understanding all his intentions....)

At the Hamazaki home, Kiichiro's father says to Minako "Then from next week, 2 hours on your day off....please come here...." Walking into the studio Minako asks "Really ok for me to be the model?" "It's your wedding portrait, except for you, there isn't any other model...." "I really look forward to it...." "Since I now have to cherish you....from now on, I listen to your wishes....how about the wedding ground?" Minako smiles "That's alright...." & looking at Kiichiro's mother's portrait she says "She was a really beautiful lady!" Kiichiro tells her "All of them are pictures of her before I was born....no matter how he paints, they all end up looking like that...." His father says "I can only think of the Makiko of that time...." Minako says "To remember her like that forever....somehow I feel envious...." Kiichiro looks at his mother's portrait without saying anything....

Visiting his mother's grave, Kiichiro says to Minako "For my sake, my father filed a missing person's report....seven years after the adjudication (of her disappearance) she could be legally declared dead....I wonder if was a treatment for shock....my father wanted me to forget (literally break off) the shadow of my mother in my heart....seven years later, the Christmas Eve I was 20, my mother was declared dead....my father killed his wife legally....thinking that he was killing her himself....he must have suffered terribly...." Minako says "It's a sad story...." Kiichiro says "But the both of us father & son....it's fine like this...." Suddenly the look on Kiichiro's face changes & Minako asks "What's wrong?" Kiichiro says stunned "Who's been here to visit?" Minako says "Not your father? If not him then probably relatives...." Kiichiro stammers out "Yes....must be so...." Minako goes forward & places the bouquet of flowers she's brought onto the grave. Kiichiro suddenly looks up & turns around....a woman dressed in white stands looking at him from a distance, next to a cross. She looks at Kiichiro & then turns walking away. Kiichiro looks shaken....

Back at their apartment, Minako & Kiichiro go over the material regarding the murder case. On a drawing of the crime scene, Minako says "I was standing here....dad had collapsed in the corridor, mom was here....in front of the heater...." Minako recalls her sister screaming trying to get away from someone. Kiichiro says "The first person at the scene of the crime was Kokubo Yoshiharu....during the inquiry said that when he visited the Morita home, both parents were already dead, Kimiko was barely breathing....during the trial, he remain silent to investigator's questions....everyone assumed Kokubu was guilty....even the defense thought that he was in shock from his girlfriend's death, knowing that  continuing with the trial would not be to their advantage they appealed many times to the court...." Kiichiro says "Even then the trial went on, the defence had no choice but based on circumstances & Kokubu's motive they changed their stance...." Minako ponders "Getting the sentence changed from a death penalty to lifetime imprisonment, that's rather like admitting he's guilty...." Kiichiro reads from another document "Motive of crime....according to the defendant....because Morita Akihito objected to his relationship with Kimiko, Morita Akihito with his powers as a Mikura City public servant, brought false charges against Kokubo Yoshiharu, of being an activist of new & different movement....pressured the president of the Fukushima University to expel Kokubu....Kokubu with his relationship to Kimiko torn to shreds by the university, on the night of 1983 December 24th, entered the Morita house & on the impulse committed the crime...." Minako asks "But why did he have to kill my sister? Killing my father, even if it was hatred, he could've just taken my sister & run off...." Kiichiro says "Maybe Kimiko didn't want to go with Kokubo....it'd be natural if she'd just seen him kill both parents....in a mad rage Kokubu probably wanted them to die together...." Minako continues "Maybe his intention was to commit shinjuu but Kokubu himself didn't die...." Minako looks at the article "Stabbed by Kokubu, my sister was still alive when this was discovered but the next day on the 25th she died in the hospital...." Kiichiro says "Coming down from the 2nd floor, noticed the younger daughter Minako but without killing her, ran out through the back door....that same night, at the Fukushima prefecture Christian church, although Midnight mass was being held, no one noticed Kokubu escaping....due to the pouring rain, all traces of Kokubu were washed away at the scene of the crime...." Minako continues "Escaped, changed his clothes & returned to the house....& then as the first person to discover the crime, reported to the police?" Kiichiro replies "Probably...." At work someone yells to Naoki "Naoki! How much of this to move?" Naoki answers "All, all....move them properly...." His cell phone goes off "Sorry...." & answers it "Yes?" "From now on call me suppon (soft shelled turtle) Keita!" "What are you saying?" "Kokubu's relatives couldn't hold out....found out where Kokubu went after he got out of jail...." "& that place is?" "Asaka in Saitama prefecture...."

Still discussing the case, Kiichiro says "Although just roughly reading this, whether the evidence the police found were true or not, is easy to see....even then during the trial, Kokubu refusing to answer questions, it was natural to assume he was guilty...." Minako says "The defense didn't have any proof that Kokubu wasn't guilty either...." Kiichiro says "No, they had one...." Minako looks at him "What?" Kiichiro answers "It's you Minako....if the Minako that saw it happen stood on the witness stand....there would've been some hope....but then you lost all memories of that incident....couldn't appear on the witness stand...." Minako ponders "What if....Kokubu is actually innocent....would he bear a grudge against me?" Kiichiro assures her "That's not possible....Kokuba never said that he was innocent at the trial...." Minako says "That's true....the criminal is Kokubu...." Kiichiro looks at her as she says "What is Kokubu thinking now? Why do you think he's disappeared? He's got something left to do? Something left to do....to kill the Morita daugher that he didn't kill...." Kiichiro says "No, don't think that...." Minako says "Kokubu Yoshiharu....what sort of a man is he?" Kiichiro recalls back to his university days yelling from the upper floor of the dormitory "Kokubu! On a date again?" "Yeah!" "If you don't come back on time, you'll be scolded by the dorm leader!" Kokubu says "That! Thanks!" Kiichiro says "No choice....that fellow...." Kokubu runs off down the lane to meet Kimiko. Back in the present Minako asks "How deep was my sister's love for Kokubu Yoshiharu? Why did she have to be killed by the man who loved her? There's nothing sadder than this!" Minako gets upset & Kiichiro takes her hand "Let's be happy....we have to be happy...."

Kokubu comes back into the dark apartment "Who's there!" The woman says "You finally came back! If I had left the lights on, I thought you'd run off again....where have you been? Are you going out again?" Kokubu packs some things "Can you lie? That you've never seen me....no matter what I do, they'll never find out....if anyone comes checking, can you do that?" "What do you intend to do?"

Naoki enters a pub "Excuse me, is there a Kokubu Kazuhiko here?" A lady yells "Kokubu! You've got a guest!" Naoki looks at a couple at a table, the lady wakes her companion & he looks up....

Kokubu drinks a glass of water & says "For the time being, I'll become someone else...." "What do you mean?" "When it's all over, I'll come back...." "If you don't tell me, I won't lie...." "I'm thinking....of an appropriate hell for that person...." "Appropriate hell? Wait! Who's 'that person'?" "Will be away for a while....will come back...." "Answer me! What do you intend to do to that person?" Kokubu slams the door shut & leaves........

Kiichiro asks Minako "What sort of a family would you like?" "Hm....standing on the veranda, everyone standing in a line watching the sunset....everyone with a look of peace on their faces....quietly watching the sunset....then I'd say "Everyone, dinner!"...." Minako thinks of Naoki when she asked "Is it alright for me to have those? Your dreams...." Naoki says "Give them to you...." Kiichiro says "That sort of family....we'll definitely make it...." Minako looks at him with a smile....

Kiichiro thinks back to Kokubu going on his date with Kimiko....from the upper floor he notices someone "Minako! Came together with your sister?" A young Minako answers "Yes....but sis has gone on a date with Kokubu-san....Hamazaki-san come play!" Kiichiro agrees "Alright....what would you like to play?" Minako thinks "Uhmmmm....catch ball would be great!" Kiichiro says "Then....I'll teach you how to throw a curve today!" Minako laughs "That's great!"