Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
Dear Brother
A golden bowl, in the right hand
A silver bowl, in the left
Never equal without the other
Those two bowls in each of us;
Those two invisible bowls.
The golden bowl, filled with happiness
Shines with a warm radiance
The overflowing love I've felt since I met you
Couldn't possibly be held in the golden bowl
A golden rapture,
A silver sadness
Let us lay down everything that has passed
So that only you may be held, So that only love may be held,
Let us empty those twin bowls.
Lady Saint-Just.
Lady Saint-Just, you left us in a blink of an eye.
If you were still with us,
you would definitely, definitely have cheered in happiness.
I'll tell you a really refreshing and exciting news.
It was the last day of the Port Festival Week.
That day, I took my parents for the first time
to the largest festival in this region that takes place at the end of every summer.
Ah, Dad! There, look at that!
See? Near the second passageway.
Let me introduce you to Orihara Kaoru.
We're leaving for Germany together.
We're getting married.
Congratulations, Takehiko.
Thank you.
Episode 39 A Lingering Fragrance
The dreadful vacation homework is finally over!
Writing a paper on Hemingway's original works, and in English, too!
What kind of homework is that?!
But still, we managed somehow.
Yeah, somehow. All thanks to Nanako.
Not at all!
Hey, it should be around here... Mariko's new house.
She said there's a playground nearby.
Ah, found it! It's there!
Hmm! The apartment's not so bad!
-Welcome! -Ah, welcome!
Hey, it's really tiny compared to my old house, right?
Mama and I share the bedroom,
and look, the veranda. It's really modest.
But still, I like it!
Because this is our palace.
This is our exclusive palace!
Mama, hurry! Darjeeling for the tea, okay?
Okay, okay. Creme brulee for the dessert, right?
Well, tea and cake are the only luxuries we couldn't give up.
Wow... You can hear the ships' whistle from here!
Yeah. One of the good points.
You know, dad said he would like to meet me at least once a month.
I'm still thinking.
Because, in the end, dad betrayed us.
Well, my dad couldn't meet with his son for 13 years.
And one day he suddenly appeared in front of dad
as a decent young man, because he was getting married.
He looked glad.
Dad didn't say anything to us, but still,
he looked incredibly happy.
But then, you see, my thoughts were a little different.
I'm sure as much as he was happy,
he had went through pain and sorrow all these past years during which he couldn't meet him.
Nanako...
I'm... I'm a little bit weird nowadays.
Nanako...
Now I can't see Lady Saint-Just anymore, right?
I've been weird since then.
I started thinking more about other people than myself.
This is bad. This girl has emotional instability.
No. I'm sure it's not that.
I think Nanako became an adult all of a sudden.
Huh?
She's now more mature than we are.
Hmm. Is that even possible? We're the same age.
But I won't ever be an adult.
Who cares about other people's feelings?
It's your loss if you start thinking about others!
So you aren't going to meet your father, after all?
That's why, I said I'm thinking about it!
That means Mariko is also...
What? Aren't you the most mature here?
-Ah, me? Yeah, I'm expecting a baby soon.
Oh please.
What the heck, you guys!
Hey, don't worry about that.
You just get ready to study in Germany.
Leave the wedding hall to me. I know a lot of public figures in that area.
By the way, will you be having suitable hospitals and colleges for her over there?
Ah, really? Okay.
Did you want me, Mr. Takashi?
Yeah. I'm sorry, but can I have dinner earlier than usual?
I'm planning to go back today.
Wedding preparations, sir?
Yeah. Just this and that.
You must be very glad, Mr. Henmi.
He's leaving for Germany, anyway.
I want him to have the very best at least while he's still in Japan.
Is the bride beautiful, sir?
Yeah. She's a stunner.
Even more than... Lady Fukiko?
Igarashi...
Ah, no, please excuse my indiscretion, sir.
Then I shall see to the dinner right away, sir.
Fukiko... What is Fukiko doing?
Yes, she went to the riding club in the hills a while ago, sir.
Hmm. I see.
Just a single summer, a single week,
is all it takes for a life's worth of love.
Rei... Rei!
In the end, you never fell in love with a man.
Suppose... Suppose you loved a man,
then what kind of love would you have had?
You're a free soul, unlike me,
so I'm sure you would have thrown away everything
to love passionately, with all your life.
It's painful, but still, love is a beautiful thing.
Rei.
I wanted to see you find a true love.
You would have been much, much more beautiful.
That is my only regret.
Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?
Nay, thou art more lovely and more temperate.
Lady Fukiko.
Lady Fukiko.
Is your love...
Is your love only that much?
Is one summer, one week, enough for your love?
That's right.
It wasn't love.
It was love. It was my life's worth of love.
You're just like me. I'm sure you haven't loved a true love yet.
I have!
Cheers, to the new love that you will find!
It's impossible.
Impossible...
A new love? It's just impossible.
It was genuine. It was my one and only true love.
I will never love ever again.
I vowed on my life...
Fukiko!
You were late, I thought you fell from your horse--
Fukiko...
I see. So you were thinking about Rei again.
No, It's not that, it's just...
Rei, this is fine...
The new term finally starts today.
Yes.
This summer was particularly difficult for you, in many ways...
Is your heart ready?
Yes.
Is your body ready?
Are you ready?
Sure! Everything's OK!
Well then, what is it?
It's Nanako who wanted to take a walk first this morning.
You said you wanted to take a walk
and had something to ask me suddenly
before the next semester.
Well, what is it, I wonder?
Mmm...
I'm bracing myself for your question.
Please, Dad.
It's hard for me to put it into words if you take it that fast.
Is it a difficult question?
Yeah.
Now you're making me even more nervous.
It's okay. Dad is going to answer properly.
Yeah...
I've been thinking of asking dad
before I ask mom,
since before, since long ago.
Yeah.
I'm not dad's real daughter.
I want to know about my real father.
And above all else, I want to make sure that I realize
what a precious thing it is to be loved by dad, and to love dad.
I know I would be happier if I left out this question.
But then...
I would forever lose what's truly valuable if I did that.
That's what always comes to my mind.
Please tell me, Dad. Whatever you know.
Where and who is my real father, and what kind of person is he?
In the end, your mother never married him.
She lived with him for a long time,
but she split up with him when she was expecting you.
This is all I know... No, this is all I can guess.
I never asked your mother, not even once, about him.
Because I know
she'll never tell me, even if I ask.
Either for me, or Nanako,
or perhaps, for both of us,
I think she locked it deep in her heart with her life.
But I think Mama is lovely
and beautiful enough even without that.
Is that not enough?
You see, dad is content with just that.
However, dad is dad, and Nanako is Nanako.
If that's what Nanako has to know to continue with her life,
then dad has nothing to worry about.
Ask Mama to unlock the door of her heart.
That's why... that's why I asked dad...
Even you know that mom isn't the sort of person to say it, right?
I know.
Even Nanako has a locked door or two by now, right?
People love and trust each other
understanding full well that each has such things.
Well then, we're going to be late for breakfast.
Everything's OK?
Sure! It's OK.
And then, a new semester began.
Good morning, Nanako!
Mariko's suspension was cut down,
so she returned to school with the start of the new term.
Misaki, Sonobe, Furuta,
and the ex-members of the now abolished Sorority,
and of course, Lady Miya as well.
A light-filled summer is over,
A lot has happened, but summer's over,
Each one of us came back with a fresh expression, as if we overcame something,
hinting at a little more mature self...
Except one person,
who bid her farewell to us like the wind.
The season changed, leaving a light far too strong
for the first page of our youth.
Brother,
I watched Prince Kaoru's match.
The finals of the Regional Tournament Final League.
That was the last match of
Seiran's ace, Prince Kaoru.
And Prince Kaoru's back number in that match was 16.
That was hers, Lady Saint-Just's back number.
There's no mistake Prince Kaoru
played the last match together with her.
The students of Seiran Academy all realized that without a doubt,
and everyone cheered at the top of their voices, applauded,
and watched that match until the very end.
And, Brother,
On that most cherished day both for you and Prince Kaoru,
it rained on that day too, didn't it?
Henmi Takehiko, dost thou take Orihara Kaoru to be thy wedded wife
from this day forward, in sickness and in health,
till death dost you part?
Yes, I do.
Orihara Kaoru, dost thou take Henmi Takehiko to be thy wedded husband
from this day forward, in sickness and in health,
till death dost you part?
Yes, I do,
As long as I live...
Brother,
That day, the 18-years-old bride was matchlessly shining.
Wearing lipstick on her lips ever so faintly,
Her cheeks flushing,
She showed us
the overflowing life force of love.
"As long as I live..."
Will I also say those words someday for the one I love,
with all my heart?
At the time, I wished,
I want to be myself, worthy of those words,
and I want to find a love, worthy of those words.
I wished with all my heart.
How wonderful, Prince Kaoru!
Romantic streets, the Rhine, and... And the sausages are good!
Mmm. If I have the chance, I might travel to see the old castles.
How wonderful... Wonderful, beautiful, wonderful...
-Mariko. -Ma...
Please be happy, Prince Kaoru. Really big time!
Hey, Henmi. It's time.
I'll be back, father.
Please be well, mother.
Thank you, Takehiko. You too...
Bye!
Brother!
I'll write to you!
Take care of Prince Kaoru!
For an instant,
For an instant when I stood next to brother,
A nostalgic fragrance of the person
who would never return now, filled the air.
Lady Saint-Just's fragrance... The scent of a man.
Maybe, it was the smell of cigarettes permeating from her body.
The airplane took brother and Prince Kaoru
and along with it, that nostalgic, lingering fragrance...
-Nanako! -Nanako.
After the cherry blossoms bloomed twice
and when I became a senior in Seiran Academy,
I received a wonderful news from Germany.
Brother,
I have a wonderful news, too.
Actually, recently
I got acquainted with a man who caught my attention.
He's a sophomore at Jounan University.
But don't worry, it's not like his eyes are dark-brown.
I dreamt an awesome dream last Sunday
But when it saw you,
Surprised, the dream just flew away
I would never lose
So just for you
I have rushed and tried so hard
This feeling of love, staying in my heart
bewildered by the mischievous fairies' game
dances to and fro, always capricious