Shuji covers his mike with his hand & says to Satoru "It's impossible for her..." Satoru does the same thing & replies "It's not impossible..." & then to the Hot Lip assistants "Get her up here..." Kyoko, still stunned looks around her when Takumi & the others come up to her. Takumi tells the guys "Hold on over there...ok...ready..." & they lift her off the platform, Sachi worriedly saying "Be careful..."

On stage, Shuji watches silently & Satoru throws him a glance...

Takumi & the guys lift Kyoko up onto the stage "Ready...be careful..." & wheels Kyoko right up next to Shuji. Satoru tells the crowd "Sorry to keep everyone waiting...welcome to Hot Lip Live!" The crowd cheers, clapping to the music as Sachi looks on apprehensively. On stage, Shuji stands glumly with his arms crossed, Kyoko looking out at the crowd feeling decidedly uncomfortable. Suddenly, Kyoko wheels herself to the edge of the stage "Please get me off...lift me off..." Satoru grabs her wheelchair from behind "Wait a minute..." Kyoko tells him "Let me go..." pushing herself dangerously close to the edge. Satoru grabs her shoulders "Calm down, it's dangerous!" but Kyoko tries to get away from him "Let me go!" Her wheelchair slides closer to the edge & Shuji dashes across the stage, pulling Kyoko back, falls off the stage himself, landing heavily on his left arm. Takumi, Satoru & others all rush up to him "Shuji! Are you all right!?" Kyoko looks on helplessly as her voiceover comes on...

I could only look on...unable to do anything...

it was my fault that he fell & got hurt...

& I could only watch others help him...

　

　

私は、ただ見ていた。何もできないで。
私のせいで、下に落ちてしまった彼を、
人が助けるのをただ、見ているしかない。。。

Sitting on the floor with his left arm heavily bandaged & in a sling, Shuji rummages in his backpack, taking out a pack of cigarettes. Struggling to open the pack with only his right hand, Mayumi reaches out, taking it from him & getting a cigarette out, laughing. Shuji grumbles "One usually doesn't laugh at a time like this..." Mayumi replies "You look like a coach of those kids playing baseball on those grass lots that's broken his arm..." Shuji takes the cigarette from her "I don't understand..." Mayumi smiles "It's fortunate that it's not anything serious...oh yes, I've made curry for lunch & dinner, it's in the pot, eat it..." cleaning up the table. Shuji tells her "That's all right, I'll clean up later..." Mayumi continues cleaning anyway "But leaving it like this, you don't have a place to eat...whatever I can do, just say so..." Shuji looks at her "Alright if I ask you to do something terrible?" Mayumi looks back at him "You wouldn't ask something like that..." Shuji mutters "Really..." smoking his cigarette. Mayumi picks up a sketch from the table "Hey...this face really looks alike after all..." "Huh?" "...like Satsuki..." "That so..." "I think she's better than that girl..." Shuji looks at her, not replying...

Outside Hot Lip, Kyoko looks inside to see Mayumi sending off some customers. Hesitating, Kyoko finally moves to the entrance, about to enter when she changes her mind. Mayumi turns around & noticing Kyoko, comes out of Hot Lip "It's a bother if you're hanging around outside...we're doing business here...ah, I'm not talking about your legs..." Kyoko asks "How's Shuji?" "He's resting..." "Because he's injured?" Mayumi looks surprised "Hey? Didn't he get in touch with you? His arm's bandaged & in a sling...don't worry, we take turns going over to look in on him..." Kyoko doesn't say anything, merely looks at Mayumi. Mayumi adds "Ever since he's been going around with you, nothing good has happened to him..." Kyoko doesn't understand "Nothing good..." Mayumi explains "Because of you, the live event the other time turned into a mess...he's looking down on the others in the salon...I don't want to say this but...isn't there someone more suitable for you?" Kyoko simply takes it all in, not saying a word. Someone calls out "Mayumi, can you come here?" With a curt "Bye...", Mayumi leaves Kyoko alone outside Hot Lip...

At the library, Shuji says "She's off today? She's not feeling well?" Sachi replies "No...besides Sunday off, we have another day off as well...we work a 5 day week, it's one of those days off...that's really something..." pointing to Shuji's sling. With Miyama watching the exchange unseen, Shuji tells Sachi "It's a little bit exaggerated...I don't actually need it in a sling but the doctor says it'll heal faster if I do..." taking his hand out to show Sachi. Sachi smiles "That so..." "Is she at home?" "I wonder..." Miyama walks up to return his book to Sachi "Kyoko's off today?" "Yes, unfortunately..." Shuji interrupts "Then I'm off..." "ok..." replies Sachi as Shuji walks away. Miyama asks Sachi "He's hurt his arm?" Sachi scans his book, answering "Yes...poor Kyoko..." "Eh? Kyoko? It's got something to do with Kyoko?"

Miyama runs out of the library looking for Shuji. Seeing Shuji walking, Miyama runs up to him yelling "Wait! Wait up! Please wait a minute..." panting...

Waiting for their coffee at the library canteen , Miyama in a tone laced with anger, says to Shuji "You hurting your arm trying to save Kyoko...perhaps you feel rather heroic...but the wound in her heart of being brought up onto the stage & being stared at by other normal people is deeper than your wound that will heal in a week..." Shuji doesn't reply. Taking their coffee from the counter, Miyama asks "Do you know what it feels like for the handicapped to be stared at by a normal person?" Shuji mumbles "Yes..." walking by the table where the sugar & milk are placed. Pausing, he asks Miyama "Sorry, could you get this?" Miyama replies "yes..." taking it & bringing it to the table. Taking a seat, Shuji says "You're probably right, just as you said, maybe I completely didn't understand..." Miyama looks surprised 'Eh?" Shuji moves his left hand "Being like this...it's really inconvenient..." Miyama nods "Ah..." taking a seat across Shuji. Shuji explains "Like...this milk too...although I asked you...I thought I'd have it black today...but recently I haven't been able to sleep...stomach hasn't been feeling good either...so I felt like having some milk but I thought I'd bear with it...you're also mad at me, I was thinking...forget it then..." Miyama tries to interrupt Shuji but Shuji presses on trying to explain "What I want to say is that...well...she too...Kyoko too...gives up on a lot of things I think..." Shuji adds milk to his coffee & stirring it, says "Unable to move both legs, there's even less freedom than just being unable to move one arm..." Miyama replies "That's for sure...giving up various things is a process that one goes through after receiving an injury. Of course, assuming all the handicapped do the same, that I don't know..." Shuji says with a sigh of understanding "I absolutely didn't understand any of it...that's why I let her be brought up on stage...maybe I'm hopeless..." At Shuji's serious tone, Miyama doesn't say anything, can't say anything...

At a fancy restaurant, Masao says uncomfortably to Sachi "The exterior...the exterior's nice huh..." Sachi replies "Yes...that's why I said not to come to a place like this..." whispering across the table..." "Eh? Don't say that now! You're the one who said that we should come to a place like this once in a while..." "I did...I did say so but...that was just talking...this is wrong..." Masao reads the wine list & doesn't pay any attention to Sachi as she mutters "...cause you're always going to that place beneath the Shinbashi Pass where all the 'salarymen' & old men go drinking...then you hit it off with those 'salarymen', drinking together..." Masao says in shock "Eh!?" Sachi looks at him "Masao?" Masao shows her the wine list "Sachi! Can you believe this? Chablis 15,800 yen...Chardonnay 35,000 yen...Cabernet 26,000 yen...should have brought some from home...we have a lot at home, really expensive...although it doesn't sell..." Masao goes back to the wine list not realizing the corner of the menu catching on fire from the candle. Sachi frantically says "It's burning! Burning!" as Masao panics...

At home, Kyoko says to her mother "Date?" "Yes..." replies Kuniko, cleaning up the table. Kyoko murmurs "Hmm...so it's going well..." Kuniko says "A little sorry for her, a guy like Masao..." "Sachi's a real beauty too...but with that character of hers, I forget..." "I've always thought that Sachi's really pretty..." "She's big built though..." "That's fine...all the girls these days are so slim...you too, put on a bit more weight..." "I'm at my ideal weight..." "What are you doing? If you're just playing around come help me..." Instead, Kyoko looks at the telephone & then turns to go back into her room "Mom, let me know if there's a call for me..."

At the restaurant eating their main course, Kyoko says "This is delicious..." Masao replies "Really? That's good..." Suddenly, Masao says hesitatingly "Sachi...I...mar...mar...my, this is really delicious...hmm, really delicious..." changing his mind & lying to Sachi. Sachi wonders & then a thought suddenly occurring to her "By any chance......marriage?" "Eh?" "Were you talking about marriage?" "What?" "By any chance you wanted to say 'Please marry me...'?..." Masao shakes his head muttering "No...it's not that..." Sachi says with disappointment "That's not it huh..." Masao looks at her "Before getting married, please go steady with me..." Speechless, Sachi stares back at Masao before saying "...be pleased to..." Masao says in amazement "Really?" Sachi hesitatingly asks "Will I do?" Masao laughs "That's...that's my line..." nervously gulping down his wine...

In bed, Kyoko murmurs "...someone more suitable for me..." Kuniko calls from outside her room "I'm coming in..."sliding the door open. Seeing Kyoko looking at her, Kuniko asks "You're still awake?" "Sleeping soon..." "You left your medication lying about..." says Kuniko, putting it on the table by Kyoko's bedside & turning off the light. Kyoko replies "Sorry..." & Kuniko smiles "Don't catch a cold..." going out. Kyoko says "Mom..." "There weren't any calls..." With disappointment, Kyoko mutters "Oh..." "Goodnight..." "...night..."

The next morning when Kyoko arrives at the library & greets Sachi "Good morning..." Sachi, carrying a pile of books replies "Morning...Kyoko, you have a visitor..." Kyoko turns around to look & sees Satoru by the computers "Hello..." Surprised, Kyoko only nods a greeting...

At the library canteen, Satoru apologizes "Sorry about the other time..." Kyoko replies "It's ok...but why did you do something like that?" "...'something like that?'..." "Choosing me as Shuji's model...did you get me on stage so people could laugh at me?" Satoru quickly replies "No, it's not...it's not that...sorry..." looking remorseful. Kyoko says "Then..." Satoru finally explains "I guess it's because I wanted Shuji to have a hard time...picking you, I thought it would be interesting...that's 80 percent..." Kyoko asks "& the remaining 20 percent?" "The remaining 20 percent is......I wanted to see Shuji cut your hair again...he did it once before didn't he, for the magazine..." Kyoko nods. Satoru adds "I thought it was brilliant...I wanted to see it one more time..." Kyoko asks "Really..." Satoru nods "That's the truth..." Kyoko asks "Has Shuji returned to the salon?" "No...not yet..." "Oh..." Satoru looks at Kyoko "Haven't you seen him?" When Kyoko doesn't answer, Satoru says "It's my fault, I'm really sorry..." Kyoko shakes her head with a smile "It's not anyone's fault...it's because I'm like this..." looking at her legs...

Shuji comes back to Hot Lip after it's closed for the day, his hand still bandaged but no longer in a sling. Walking inside, he sees Satoru cleaning up & makes a u-turn to leave. Unfortunately, Satoru sees him "What's wrong? Coming here at this hour..." Shuji stops & replies "I was in the neighborhood...worried about the salon...are you cleaning up?" At that moment, the boss walks in "You've come at a good time...help out..." tossing a piece of cloth to Shuji "Huh?" The boss tells him "Even with one hand you can wipe the mirrors..." Shuji mutters "Won't even let me off..." "It takes two to pick a fight...the both of you messed up the Hot Lip live event on stage..." Nothing to say, Shuji picks up a spray can. As the boss goes out, he says "You can come back next week right?" Shuji replies "Ah...yes..." "Bye...don't loaf around!" having the last say. Shuji mutters under his breath "...as if I would..." As Shuji takes the spray & starts cleaning the mirrors, Satoru starts mopping the floor. Satoru hesitatingly says "Ah...I'm sorry for the things I did to you as well as Kyoko...whenever I see you, you're always edgy...have tremendous ability...& although your talents recognized, it's like you're running away from it..." Shuji stops wiping the mirror & asks "What's that suppose to mean?" Satoru replies "That's why you get so defensive...as scary as ever..." Shuji gets back to cleaning the mirror & Satoru continues "That's right...I wonder if you're scared...wondering if you have what it takes...if that's the case, it's all right...I guarantee...you've got strength...can say that you have the sense & talent..." Shuji mutters "What's with this all of a sudden...nauseating..." Satoru tells him "I've always thought this...why there was someone so capable like you at the same time..." Shuji asks "What are you saying!? You're the one who became top stylist first...& have all these regular customers..." Satoru replies "That's the way it is now...2 years ago things were different...I was jealous of you...envious of you...did all these petty things...I was thinking of not doing those things anymore & end it..." Shuji looks at him "Are you quitting?" Satoru asks "Me? I won't quit...you..." Shuji surprised "Me?" Satoru tells him "Someday you'll be on your own..." Shuji asks "How come?" Satoru explains "Although the live event was a disaster...after the event, there were scouts swarming all over the place...I was asked about you by many people...anyone can see it at once...your ability..." Shuji looks at Satoru, not saying anything as both guys getting back to cleaning, the animosity between them all gone...

A week finally passes & Shuji rides back to work. Getting off his bike in front of Hot Lip, he flexes his left hand & gets ready to go inside, muttering "It's freezing!" As he's about to go in, his cell phone rings "Hello..." A lady says "Hello, is this Okishima Shuji?" "Yes, what is it? Hello?" "Don't look so fierce..." Surprised, Shuji looks around & sees a lady standing a few meters away from him, waving "Can you spare some time?" Shuji smiles, a little embarrassed "Yes..."

After work, Shuji walks into the same café he came with Kyoko before, looking for the lady who called him that morning. Telling the waiter "Coffee please..." as he walks to the table where she's waiting for him. The lady says "Sorry, calling you out..." Shuji replies "It's alright..." taking a seat across from her. Pulling out a business card from her bag, she explains "This morning, calling you all of a sudden...I'm the secretary at Anteusu...my name is Hirasawa Keiko..." Shuji takes a look at the card & bluntly asks "Am I being head hunted?" Surprised, Hirasawa can only say "Eh?" Shuji explains "I'm bad at long discussions..." Hirasawa looks at him "I understand..." & takes out a thick envelope from her bag, putting it on the table & pushing it towards Shuji. Shuji looks at it "What's this?" taking it & pulling out the wad of notes from the envelope "You're kidding...are you serious?" Hirasawa asks "May I have a cigarette?" As Shuji offers to light her cigarette, she hears the waiter saying "Welcome...over here..." & looks to see Kyoko coming in with Kosugi. Shuji looks across to see Kyoko telling Kosugi "I come here often so they know me..." Kosugi replies "Is that so..." The waiter's moved the chairs so that Kyoko & Kosugi can sit at the table in their wheelchairs. The waiter hands Kosugi a menu & taking it, he looks around "It's a great place..." Kyoko smiles agreeing "Isn't it..." looking around. The expression on her face changes as she spots Shuji with Hirasawa & sees him lighting her cigarette for her. Kosugi asks "What's wrong?" "Hm...nothing..."

Hirasawa says "You know our salons don't you...there's 3 branches at Aoyama...although it's being kept secret, we're in the midst of preparing to open our fourth branch...in order to attract people over there, we need someone like you..." Shuji looks at her "Although you're made up to look mature, in actual fact you're not that old are you...that's ok, don't have to be that matured, let's talk normally..." Shuji suddenly stands up & goes over to Hirasawa "Your hair, I think it's better if you don't curl it..." dumping the envelope full of cash into her bag. Kyoko sees Shuji touching Hirasawa's hair, asking her "Colored it?" Kosugi asks Kyoko "Someone you know?" Kyoko shakes her head "No...toilet..."

Coming out of the toilet, Kyoko's shocked to see Shuji standing outside waiting for her "Date?" Kyoko retorts "Get out of the way..." but Shuji tells her "Do you know what I went through to find this restaurant!? No difference in levels, a toilet that a wheelchair can enter, not a family restaurant, on top of that not some dump of a place..." Kyoko tries to get out "Someone's waiting for me, can't you get out of the way?" Shuji purposely sticks his arm out blocking her. Finally he moves out of the way into the toilet behind her "I got hurt & you didn't even come over..." Kyoko mutters "But even if I did go over there's nothing I can do...can't wash, can't clean..." Shuji sticks out his arm "You could've helped me change my bandages..." Kyoko tells him "Looks like you've recovered...that's great..." Shuji just stares at her, not saying anything. Kyoko says "What..." "Hm? There's more I want to say but not to you so it's not coming out..." "Offensive stuff?" "Yes..." "Then I'll say it for you...your cute girlfriend is waiting for you, it's better if you get back to her..." "She's not my girlfriend..." "Is that so...in my case he's my boyfriend...bye..." Kyoko goes out in a huff, leaving Shuji in a bad mood...

Shuji comes back out & tells Hirasawa "I'm sorry but I'm leaving..." "That's not good..." "It's alright...I roughly understand what this is about..." "But..." "Your boss asked you to do this didn't he..." Hirasawa nods & Shuji, picking up her business card from the table tells her "I'll call you..." getting up & leaving. With the business card in between his teeth, Shuji makes his way to the cash register. As he walks by Kyoko's table, he purposely takes the card from his mouth & waving to Hirasawa "I'll call you..." As he goes out, Kyoko stares & Kosugi asks "What's wrong?" but Kyoko merely shakes her head...

At Kosugi's office, Kyoko looks at a model of a house Kosugi's designing. Kosugi says "You're sure coming here's ok? We could've gone for a movie..." "I wanted to know what kind of work you were doing...but it's fantastic...finding the path you want to take & making it real..." "But you're a librarian as well, working everyday..." "That's true...the fact that we can work is already something...it's something that's taken for granted by normal people...I wonder what happened to our friends from school..." "Everyone's happily working too..." "Eh? Have you met them?" "Once in a while..." "You've always liked to look out for others..." "Mine's just an injury, not an illness..." "No, that's just you...everyone relies on you...together with one's body, feeling terrible...even becoming like this..." Kyoko stops & apologizes "Sorry..." Kosugi laughs "No...it's mutual..." Kyoko continues "Even becoming like this, you're always the strong smiling Te-chan..." "The hero in a wheelchair?" Kyoko smiles & Kosugi hands her some coffee "Here..." "Thank you..." Kosugi asks "Kyoko, how about coming here to work with me?" "Eh?" "I've been thinking about it since we met again...saying it like this but...if it's not the person concerned, he wouldn't understand what it's like to be in a wheelchair..." "Hmm..." "I'll be going to Germany next month..." "Germany?" "The welfare is more advanced over there, I'm going there to study for about 3 years...won't you go together with me?" Kosugi asks hesitatingly. Kyoko looks at him & asks "What's...that...suppose to mean?" "If it's possible...I was wondering if we could be together..." Kyoko looks stunned at Kosugi's proposal...

The next day having lunch outside the library, Kyoko tells Sachi "So in Germany, one will not continuously think about being in a wheelchair...it's different from Japan, everyone in wheelchairs go out a lot too..." Sachi merely says "So?" "It's really easy to live there...I've been thinking about it...it'll be more comfortable if I move over there..." "Have you been to Germany before?" "No, but I've seen it on TV..." Sachi says in a serious tone "Machida Kyoko, do you swear to love Tetsuya for the rest of your life?" "What's that?" "You'll be asked that at the wedding ceremony...you'll be asked that even in Germany..." "Really?" "I don't know...but I'm asking if you really like Tetsuya..." "I do..." "More than Shuji?" Kyoko mutters "That..." unable to continue. Sachi says "Then that settles it...you can't go to Germany...you can't help with designing furniture...you'll stay here & continuing working with me as a librarian..." "...it's easier...with Tetsuya around, he understands everything...& I understand him too...for example, like if we're eating some place & other people are looking...if Tetsuya says let's eat at home next time, I'd accept it but if Shuji said it, I'd think he was feeling sorry for me..." "...ever since listening to you from just now, all I've heard is about you..." "Eh?" "What about Shuji's feelings?...just listening to what you've said so far, I feel like only people in wheelchairs can understand others in wheelchairs...if that's the case, then fine, go live in that small (narrow) world...living over there you won't get hurt..." "You don't have to say it like that..." "I don't think being in a wheelchair or not being in a wheelchair has anything to do with it...even different people, as long as they can get close to one another they can understand each other...if one's really going steady, it's just as tough for people in wheelchairs...I think it's the same..." Sachi gets up "I'm going in first...", walking away, leaving Kyoko alone to ponder over what she's just said... In the library, going through the shelves, Kyoko's voiceover comes on...

Sachi's...pushed me in my wheelchair over & over....many many meters...

if I total it up, it might be as far as from here to Osaka.....

she's really made me a true friend of hers...that's why she was that angry...

but even more than Sachi, there's something that I'm more concerned about......

サチは．．．車椅子だって、何度も何メートルも押してくれた。
トータルしたらこっから大阪くらい行ったかもしれない。
私のことを本当の友達だと思ってくれてる。だから、あんな風に怒ったんだ。
でも、私は、サチにさえ気を遣うことがある。

Kyoko recalls Shuji falling off the stage at the Hot Lip event...

At that moment, I couldn't do anything...

couldn't do a single thing...

　

あの時、私は何もできなかった。手も足も出ない。

Shuji comes home & looking at the answering machine, delighted to see the light blinking "Kyoko?" Pressing a button, the first message comes on "This is the Tanaka Cemetery...dear customer, if you've not thought about a grave, please call the Tanaka Cemetery..." Shuji looks irritated at the sales message, muttering "Yeah...", taking off his jacket. "Toll free 0120 869 to Yamashita..." Shuji mutters "Damn persistent..." taking his things out of his backpack. As the 2nd message comes on, Shuji suddenly stops as he listens "Shuji...it's Satsuki...it's been a long time..." Shuji goes over to the answering machine, listening "...getting through on the phone, does it mean you're still staying there?...what shall I do...I'm in a fix...actually, I wanted to discuss something with you, that's why I called...ah, I'll call again...bye..." Receiving the unexpected phone call from Satsuki leaves Shuji with mixed feelings, staring at the answering machine...

Shuji with a makeup case in hand, waits at the entrance of an amusement park next to a tree. A park attendant pushes Kyoko to the entrance & she tells him "It's fine here..." "Shall I push you inside?" "It's ok, I'm waiting for a friend...this is the only entrance right?" "Yes it is...sure it's ok?" "It's ok...thank you..." "If there's anything, let us know..." "Thank you..." Shuji looks at his watch muttering "Oi oi oi, is this real?" sneaking behind the tree but Kyoko's seen him. Shuji mutters to himself "She's here too..." & pulling out his cell phone makes a call to Takumi but gets his voicemail "This is Okabe, I'm not in right now so please leave a message..." Shuji hangs up & with a sigh, comes out from behind the tree towards Kyoko. Kyoko looks away, pretending not to see Shuji walking up to her. Looking around, Shuji says "Oi..." but when Kyoko ignores him, he says "Hey...Miss..." Kyoko turns to look at him "What?" "Are you waiting for someone?" "Sachi..." "She's not coming..." "Eh?" "We've been played out...for sure...I was told that there was a magazine photo shoot today so I brought this bloody heavy thing here...meet at 10.30 but no one's here...but you're here..." Kyoko looks at her watch & then says "I was suppose to meet Sachi at the entrance here at 10.30 too...said we'd go to the amusement park to make up..." They both look at each other, Shuji giving out a big sigh...

Inside the amusement park sitting at a table near roller coaster rides & having a drink, Shuji asks "You guys had a fight?" "Eh?" "You said so just now...coming to the amusement park to make up..." "Ah...it's nothing serious..." Kyoko tells him, looking at the coaster screaming by. Shuji asks "Let's ride something?" "Eh?"

Shuji & Kyoko go on the carousel ride, but sitting apart, neither looking particularly happy. Next, they go on a train ride & again, sitting apart with Shuji in front of Kyoko. Looking at some of the other rides, the Flying Pirates & the roller coasters, even Shuji mutters "I can't go on that..." Sitting at a table having a drink, Kyoko says "We've been doing nothing but drinking..." "Hm? Ah, the toilet over there is big, it that alright?" Kyoko nods & then turns to look at a ride behind them "Let's go on that..." Shuji turns around to look at the swings going round in circles high up in the air "That's impossible..." Kyoko replies "It's not impossible...I'll be all right..." "But it's going around..." "As long as I'm properly belted up, I'll be all right..." Shuji looks up at the ride & then back at Kyoko "You're serious?" Kyoko nods "I've done it before..." not quite looking at Shuji...

Shuji carries Kyoko & places her in a swing with an attendant helping out. Shuji asks "You sure you're ok?" Kyoko nods "I'm ok..." Shuji goes to the swing in front just next to her "I'll sit over here..." The ride starts & Shuji gives Kyoko a smile. As they go up higher & higher spinning round & round, Shuji happily enjoys himself "Wow, isn't this something..." Turning around he asks "How are you doing?" Kyoko answers in a trembling voice "I'm scared!" Shuji doesn't quite here "What?" Kyoko screams "Stop!" "Eh!?" "I'm scared! Stop it!" Shuji panics & yells to the attendants below "Stop the ride! Stop the ride!" as Kyoko continues crying "I'm scared!" "Stop the ride!" Shuji yells...

At the amusement park's first aid center, the doctor says "Everything's all right...just a little anemic..." Shuji nods "Thank you..." "But going on a ride in her condition is a little reckless..." Shuji mumbles "Sorry..." "Get her something warm to drink..." & then to Kyoko "...it'll be better if you rest a little bit more..." says the doctor, going out. With Kyoko sitting glumly on the bed looking down, Shuji takes a seat on one of the chairs with a sigh "Thank god it's nothing..." Kyoko nods, not saying anything. Shuji says "You really looked awful..." Kyoko mutters "I'm sorry..." "Saying you've been on that before, that was a lie wasn't it..." "It's not a lie...I did when I was 15..." Silence descends between them & then Kyoko says "It's enough already..." Shuji says "Huh?" Kyoko tells him "Going out with me is a bother isn't it...I can't even go on the jet coaster..." Shuji replies "In the first place I never wanted to ride it..." Kyoko says "For example...it's just an example...legs becoming useless, giving up on different things...giving up on love too...it's pathetic..." Shuji stares at Kyoko, thinking & then says "...you did that on purpose?" Kyoko looks at him "Eh?" Shuji asks "Did you purposely go on that ride, putting me in a spot...intentionally trying to end our relationship?" Kyoko doesn't reply, just looks down at the floor. Hurt as he realizes what Kyoko's trying to do, Shuji stares at her "Why do that?...What's that...?...stop that already...ok?...doing things that intentionally hurt yourself...I can't stand it..." Tears well up in Kyoko's eyes as she looks away. Shuji goes over & gets her wheelchair, telling her "I want to let you ride too...the jet coaster...letting you sit on those that make you scream with excitement...I want to let you walk too...want to let you run too...you want to so much, that's why..." Kyoko listening to Shuji saying the words deep in his heart, can only cry. Shuji sits down on the bed with a sigh "But I can't do anything...", his emotions getting the better of him. Kyoko says "Sorry..." as Shuji tells her "I'm the one that can't do anything..." Kyoko says "Sorry...making you feel that way...sorry..." Shuji sniffs, a little choked up with emotion & Kyoko turns around to look at him in surprise. Shuji says "I wonder what...I guess I was really scared just now, feel relieved..." Kyoko asks "...just now?" Shuji explains "Just now when you rode on that & screaming for it to stop, your face was all white...I was thinking what happened to you...I was terrified..." With tears rolling down her face, Kyoko says "Sorry...scaring you...sorry..." Shuji gets up & then carrying Kyoko, puts her on her wheelchair. Suddenly, Kyoko puts her arms around his shoulders, hugging him. As they embrace, Kyoko's voiceover comes on...

After that when Shuji cheered up, he said to me...

if you want to ride the Jet Coaster so much, let's think of a way to ride it...

....the both of us think of a way...there must be a way... 

He didn't say anything cool like 'I'll protect you'.....

but said that from now on, the both of us would manage somehow...I was really happy...

　

Hey Shuji...it's after I met you that I wanted to run & walk...I had forgotten about that...

Seeing the figure of you in the distance, I want to run to you...

I want to walk together arm in arm with you... 

But, I kept all that from you...didn't want to make you worry...

those feelings I kept inside me...placed them in my heart & cherished them...

Although I can't walk or run any more...thinking about it that way, 

it's as if those feelings were a treasure...

　

それから、元気になった柊二は、私にこう言った。
ジェットコースターどうしても乗りたいんだったら、
乗ち方考えよう。ふたりで考えよう。きっと方法があるはず。
俺がおまえを守る、なんてカッコいいこと言えないけれど、
これからはふたりで何でもどうにかして行こうって言った。

ねえ、柊二。私が走ったり歩きたくなったのは、
あなたと会ってからなんだ。そういうの、忘れてたのに。
あなたの姿、遠くから見つけると走り出したくなるし、
あなたと、腕をからめて歩いてみたくなるよ。
でも、それは黙っておいた。あんまりいい気にさせるのも悔しいし。
そんな気持ちは、自分の中だけで、大切に取っとこうと思った。
そりゃ、もう歩いたり走ったりはできないわけだけど、
でも、そんな風に思う気持ちは宝物のようだった。

Having made up, Kyoko & Shuji return to the amusement park once more. When evening falls & they leave the park, the trees lining the street leading out is lighted up with dazzling decorations. Slowly, Shuji pushes Kyoko through...

At Shuji's apartment, Kyoko says "Really serious..." teasing Shuji as he prepares dinner. Shuji retorts "Never you mind...go over there & read a magazine..." Kyoko smiles "OK..." & turns to go but a chair with all there jackets on it end up blocking the way. Kyoko says "I can't go through..." Shuji looks around "Huh?" "I can't go through..." "Ah, sorry..." replies Shuji, coming over & pushing the chair out of the way with his leg. Kyoko says "Thank you..." as Shuji goes back to his cooking "Time to add the milk..." Taking a carton out of the fridge, Shuji looks at the date on it "Expired again...ah, it stinks..." Turning to look at Kyoko he asks "Sorry, can you keep an eye on the stove? I'll go get some milk..." As Shuji gets a jacket out of the closet, the phone rings but Shuji doesn't answer it. Kyoko looks at him "Phone..." but Shuji merely answers "Answering machine..." as the recording comes on "This is Okishima...leave a message..." A voice comes on "Shu-chan, it's Satsuki...my problem's been settled...calling you suddenly the other day, sorry...take care..." Kyoko looks at Shuji who pretends not to care about the phone call. Kyoko asks "Who was that?" Shuji says "Huh?" looking at Kyoko point at the telephone. Shuji mumbles "Don't know..." Kyoko says "Trouble, trouble, feels like trouble..." Shuji replies "It's not...what?...just a friend from school...the person who just called was studying medicine...became a doctor..." Kyoko goes "Wow..." Shuji tells her "I'm the failure here..." Kyoko asks "Was she your girlfriend?" Shuji, acting a little strange goes "Huh? No, absolutely not...she's in the medical department at the a national university...impossible that she'd bother with me..." Shuji points to the kitchen says "The stove...thanks..." & Kyoko nods, watching Shuji leave...

As Shuji walks out of his apartment, his voiceover comes on...

It was a little lie...

Satsuki was......she was someone that I loved passionately...

when my youth ended, that existence disappeared from my sight...

Whenever I think of that time, it's like a dream of beautiful scenes that I shouldn't recall...

....heartrending.......

I never called her...maybe I was afraid or something...

that I'd see those scenes again...

they're all far away in a place inside me...

deep in my heart, locked away with a key........

　

小さな嘘だった。
さつきは、彼女は僕の恋い焦がれた人で、
青春が終わる頃、その存在も僕の視界から消えて行った。
あの頃のことを思うと、僕は思い出せない素敵な景色を夢見るように、
せつなくなった。
彼女に電話しなかったのは、どっかこわかったのかもしれない。
あの景色を目の当たりにするのが。もう、僕の中では遠くなったあの場所。。。
心の中で、カタンと鍵がかけられたままの。。。

Shuji goes to a convenient store & picks up some milk & snacks. As he goes to the check out, a lady walks up to the store attendant outside by the pay telephones "Just now...thank you..." The boy says "Was the money enough?" "Yes, thank you..." "Hard selling telephone cards these days, everyone's got cell phones..." Shuji comes out of the store & conversation catches his attention. Turning around, he sees a lady, her back to him, as she says "I don't have a cell phone...ah, let me buy something..." "It's fine..." the boy tells her. "But just changing money I feel bad..." she says, about to go into the store when she notices Shuji looking at her. Stunned, she says "Shu-chan..."

Shuji stares at her, not saying anything......