Stunned & unable to speak, Eiki only stares back at her, disbelief written all over his face. A school personnel comes running to Toko's room "What happened? You have to get permission from the office!" Toko answers, looking at Eiki, "It appears that we're done here..." The guy says to Eiki "If that's the case then please leave!" Eiki continues staring at her, unable to figure this woman out while she coolly smiles back at him. He walks towards the door but turns back to look at her again, not quite able to accept what he's just heard. Toko looks back at him in silence, watching him leave...

Back at his apartment, Eiki's having a drink on the veranda, his thoughts on Toko cool as ice telling him "On the sea of oil, dropping the match that killed them...was me..." Thinking, his voiceover says "Be happy...this is her true character..."

As Toko leaves school & students greet her goodbye, the Phys Ed teacher Togawa Shigeki approaches her "Egi sensei!" Toko turning around answers "Yes?" "Sorry, but Ikenaga's personal things that were in the faculty room have been taken by her mother but the things in her locker were forgotten..." Surprised Toko says "Locker?" "She was the rhythmic gymnastics adviser, for a guy to open her locker......can you do it?" "I understand..."

Toko opens Ikenaga's locker & packs the things away. Suddenly, she notices some pills in a bag & stares at them, the pills bringing on a flashback to a session with her doctor Shibata Yoshiki "If it gets worse, there are anti-depression injections but take these tranquillizers first..." Back in the present, Toko looks at the pills in her hands & something occurs to her. Putting the pills into her pocket, she slams the locker shut......

(Just realized that in Shibata's office, the same music is playing on the Hi-Fi that Ikenaga had in her tape cassette......)

Toko waits outside the mental clinic building unaware that Eiki is also there, watching here. As the nurse Kubota leaves work, Toko approaches her "Kubota-san!" "Oh!" Kubota looks surprised to see her, perhaps even a little wary of Toko. Toko says "It's been a while...may I speak with you?" "Sure..." As they walk along the riverside, Eiki follows in a distant. Toko shows a photograph to Kubota "This lady in the center, have you ever seen this woman visit Dr Shibata's office?" "I don't think she was a patient..." Toko takes out the pills from her pocket "This medication, you know what they are..." "Tranquillizers, at the same time I believe you were taking them too..." "Did Dr Shibata take away medication on a privately basis?" "What do you mean?" "For someone else other than patients..." "Probably for his own personal use...it's true that it's said doctors neglect their own health, these weren't effective so he was troubled & suffered from insomnia, in the end dying like that...you were once engaged to Dr Shibata weren't you...things about him, how is it you don't know anything?" Toko doesn't reply & Kubota says "Are we done? Then I'm off..." walking away. As Toko leaves, Eiki runs up to Kubota "Kubota-san! Thanks for the other time..." Kubota looks a little exasperated "What's this, one after another!" Eiki says "Just now she showed you a photograph right? Who's photo was it?" Kubota doesn't reply & Eiki half pleads "Please help me, Kubota-san" Kubota smiles "It'll cost you..." walking away. Eiki smiles, going after her...

In the wine cellar of Hisamatsu's restaurant, Shogo asks the waiter there "Did Hisamatsu's importing of wine go smoothly?" "The contract with Spain was progressing & he was riding on a wave...that he killed himself by getting caught in the boat's propellers, unlikely...on top of that, I heard that Hisamatsu just got engaged...ah! I wonder if that woman that time was his fiancee..." Coming out of the cellar, Shogo asks "That woman that time?" "March this year, when we went to Spain together on business...at the hotel in La Mancha, I saw Hisamatsu meeting a Japanese woman...seems like the woman came to look for him..." "What kind of woman?" "I only saw from a distance, didn't want to be nosey..." Shogo shows him a photo of Hisamatsu, Toko & himself "Is it this woman?" Looking at it, he shakes his head "...don't think it was this woman..."

At the Ice Storm, Toko is in a melancholic mood, drinking. The bartender Satomi is picking away ice but her action slows as she looks worriedly at Toko. Toko downs a drink, remembering what Dr Shibata told her "The Hiyama that went to North Ireland, if it wasn't an inevitable death, you wouldn't be feeling so hurt like this...that cruel (suicide?) note, hard to bear isn't it...I'm here, it'll be ok now..." Toko, her face wet with tears look up at him. Back in the present, Toko takes the pills & looks at them, her voiceover says "The Ikenaga that wasn't Dr Shibata's patient...having these drugs in her hands..." Toko imagines Ikenaga going into Dr Shibata's office "So this is the room where you treat your patients...ah, here, have this..." Ikenaga puts a box on his desk. She continues "I...recently I haven't been able to fall asleep easily..." Shibata answers "Then, how about taking some tranquillizers?" Ikenaga doesn't answer but puts her arms around Shibata.... Toko remembers one of the students telling her "Ikenaga-sensei, broke up with her boyfriend 3 years ago...she's still extremely hurt about it..." Toko's voiceover adds "Taking revenge on that woman..." Toko recalls walking in a park with Shibata, taking her hand as they walk. Toko's voiceover "At that time we started seeing each other, it's possible that she was watching us from behind." & imagines Ikenaga spying on them from behind a tree. "No matter when...& at that moment too" At the morgue when Toko stands by the side of Shibata, Ikenaga is watching from the door. "A short while after Shibata died, she appeared in front of me..." Toko recalls meeting Ikenaga for the first time at school. The principal Takagi calls her over & says "Let me introduce to you...new teacher Ikenaga Sonoe..." Ikenaga steps forward & eagerly introduces herself "Egi-sensei, pleased to meet you. Please teach me various things (tell her things about the school...)" Toko nods, looking back at Ikenaga smiling. Her voiceover says "Her real purpose was..." Toko grimaces as she realizes the truth. Satomi asks her "What's wrong? Have something warm to drink?" Shaking her head, Toko replies "Tonight's no good, no matter what I drink feels like I'll get drunk..." "At times like that, you need friends..." Toko looks up at Satomi who says "A friend who you can rely on more than me..." Toko thinks & then...

Shogo comes out of the sports complex to see Toko waiting for him. Seeing him Toko says "You're really busy aren't you..." "Looks like I'll be working thru the night..." "Sorry, at a time like this..." "Did something happen?" Toko starts walking saying "For 3 years I was hated (by someone)...that I was being hated I completely didn't know at all. All of a sudden, the one who hated me died..." Shogo asks "Who? The person that's been hating...by any chance, it's that woman Ikenaga Sonoe?" "It's my fault...because I wanted to be happy with someone...although as a doctor he didn't need to go to that extent, he gave up everything to love me, including dying for me...that's why, receiving punishment from her is something that can't be helped. However, it ended without me receiving the punishment, because she's died...just coming near me, everyone will become unlucky (unfortunate)..." Shogo takes her hand & tells her "I've decided to believe...that you haven't done anything, I completely believe that. Toko looks at Shogo with a grateful smile. Shogo continues "Although there's something I don't want to tell you but this April before Hisamatsu met you again, seems like he was going around with someone else. In March when he was in Spain, he met that woman there...did you know about that?" Toko looks at him "No, it's the first I've heard of this..." "Is that so..." Right then, Nanami comes by but hides behind a pillar watching Toko & her brother talk. Toko says 'Taking about it, makes me feel better..." "Don't drink too much..." "Uhm..." "Take care..." "Bye..." Shogo watches Toko walking off, while Nanami watches them both...

At home, Eiki inputs into his computer "Toko - Shibata - Ikenaga Sonoe" & linking between Toko & Ikenaga Sonoe - Hatred. The doorbell rings & Eiki answering the door finds Detectives Kanbara & Yukawa "Coming this late, excuse us...we're from the Machida South Branch..." showing their identification. Eiki surprised "Police?"

Following the 2 detectives into the police station, Shono is surprised to see Eiki & asks "What happened?" Eiki doesn't answer & one of the detectives tell him "Hirokawa, this way..." Watching from the hallway, Ujou realizes that Shono & Eiki know each other...

Eiki is taken into the adjoining room & glances up to see Ujou entering. Ujou tells his subordinates "Gokurou...I'll take over from here..." "Yes..." they both reply. As they walk out Kanbara says "Kachou, hauling him in at this time of the night, they might get suspicious, be careful..." Yukawa adds "If there are arrests afterwards, might become a problem" Ujou replies "I know all that..." "ok, then excuse us..." Eiki says "Good subordinates you have..." Holding out a mug "You want a drink too?" "No...having coffee at this time of the night, I won't be able to get to sleep. I want to go back fast..." Ujou takes off his jacket "Seems like you know a lot of things about Egi Toko that we don't know about..." Eiki answers "You also know all sorts of things that I don't, works both ways..." Taking a seat Ujou says "Insurance investigators like you, how they get information I can roughly imagine. You were formally from Kujou Life Insurance. A big insurance company that has branches all over Japan, information they have is extensive. If you had gotten your former colleagues to check up on client information, that information would have been free..." Lighting a cigarette he asks Eiki "Around Egi Toko, if there were any accident related insurance incidents, you've already checked up, haven't you..." Eiki looks away not answering. Ujou threatens "Then I'll try making a phone call to Kujou Life Insurance & see...the Hirokawa that left for Rose Insurance 2 years ago, whether or not he's asked for client information...if I do that, it might bring trouble for your former colleagues..." Eiki looks at Ujou & starts laughing "You'll do that?" Ujou replies "In order to get information quicker, I guess I'll go send a fax..." getting up & opening the door. Eiki resigned says "5 years ago..." Ujou stops in his tracks & listens. "...there was a photojournalist called Hiyama Toyohiko that died overseas. The beneficiary was Egi Toko. 3 years ago, a psychiatrist in the Tokyo Metropolitan area committed suicide due to an overdoes of drugs. The beneficiary was Egi Toko." Ujou looks stunned. Eiki continues "& then a month ago, Egi Toko's fiance in Kanazawa died on the sea. " Ujou shuts the door shocked "5 years, 3 people?" "On top of that all 3 cancelled their contracts just before they died. Egi Toko couldn't get a single yen of the insurance money, that's why it was never investigated as murder for the sake of the insurance money..." Ujou ponders "Those 3 cases & Ikenaga Sonoe's case...how..." Eiki answers "That's was the riddle. But at long last, I've found the connection..." Ujou continues "The week before Ikenaga Sonoe died, she went to Kanazawa & met Hisamatsu..." "No, not only that, there's something more suspicious..." Ujou looks at Eiki who walks up to Ujou & tells him "It's likely Egi Toko's psychiatrist that died 3 years ago was Ikenaga Sonoe's ex-lover." Ujou stunned stands up at the news. Eiki simply adds "Ikenaga Sonoe's lover was unfaithful to her with Egi Toko..." Ujou says to himself "So that's it, that's why she was watching..." Eiki asks "Watching?" Ujou nods. Eiki speculates "It's possible that Ikenaga Sonoe's transfer to & working at Eiwa Jogakkan was possibly to watch Egi Toko..." "In other words, Ikenaga Sonoe was suspicious..." "The psychiatrist was possibly murdered by Egi Toko..." "In order to find proof, Ikenaga Sonoe came to Eiwa Jogakkan..." "Then after 3 years, Ikenaga Sonoe finally discovers something about Egi Toko..." "Kanazawa..." The both of them recall Ikenaga meeting Hisamatsu at the restaurant in Kanazawa. Eiki speculates "Egi Toko killed my lover 3 years ago, you have to be careful too...Ikenaga Sonoe warned Hisamatsu" Ujou adds "But that night, Hisamatsu & Toko went out to the sea together." "The next day when Hisamatsu's body is discovered, Ikenaga Sonoe was convince...that Egi Toko was the criminal." "If Ikenaga Sonoe knew that Egi Toko committed the crime & if Egi Toko knew that..." "There was no choice but to shut her up..." Imagining Ikenaga Sonoe cycling home that night, she finds Egi Toko waiting for her, her hammer in hand. Lifting it up, she brings it done on Ikenaga who goes tumbling down the steps by the river. Eiki says "It's not going to work, there's a whole in this reasoning..." "What? Say it..." "When Hismatsu was killed by being entangled in the cruiser's propellers, Egi Toko was in Machida, Tokyo. Her college-mate Sakota Shogo called her to tell her about Hisamatsu's disappearance..." "What if Sakota Shogo carried out the plan, an accomplice together with Egi Toko?" "& what's his motive?" "For the sake of loving Egi Toko's, he can do anything can't he? & if it's killing her fiance he'd be happy to have done it..." Eiki says with a laugh "You seriously think so?" Ujou thinks & then says "Hirokawa..." "Now what?" "Join hands with me..." Eiki surprised "Hah?" Ujou persuades him "You are more reliable than the people here..." "Can't get one of your subordinates to be your partner so you want another one for free?" Ujou doesn't reply & Eiki tells him "I don't intend to become a police dog..." Ujou grabs Eiki by the collar "Ow..." Ujou smiles "It's a joint effort..." "I'll say this, it's my turn now...I didn't say this because I was afraid, this is a deal...you've also discovered various things haven't you, you've got to compensate me properly..." "Shrewd fellow aren't you..." Eiki yawns "Can I go now? I'm sleepy..."

Shono hearing footsteps in the hallway gets up to look but Eiki's walked away. Ujou calls her "Shono!" Shono turns around & looks at Ujou who tells her "Your appointment letter is ready, accept it." "Appointment letter?" "Assignment to the Investigation Department." "Eh?" "As soon as you're assigned, there's something I want you to do immediately." "That man just now, Rose Life Insurance investigator Hirokawa Eiki. I want you to watch him. If you accept this appointment, you'll be the youngest woman in the investigation department. But if you refuse, then you'll be reported for passing on police information to your lover..." Shono looks shocked. Ujou smirks "Love & career, don't even have to think about it..." Ujou walks off, leaving Shono alone to ponder...

Nanami hands over a bento (packed meal) to Shogo who accepts it "Thanks..." Nanami turns to leave "I've got work too, see you..." "Nanami!" "Hm?" "Go back to Kanazawa..." "I don't want to hear that..." "Listen seriously! If you stay in Tokyo you might find you things you'd better not know" "What do you mean?" "For example, about Hisamatsu..." "Hisamatsu..." "He's always been someone you looked up to, right? What sort of a person he really was, that sort of thing it's better not to know..." "What about Hisamatsu?" "I was just saying as an example..." "Tell me! No matter what I hear I won't be surprised..." Shogo looks away & says "Just before Hisamatsu got engaged to Toko, apparently he was going around with someone...when he was in Spain buying wine, they were seen by his colleague..." Nanami appears shocked but Shogo doesn't notice her reaction. Hisamatsu might have used a cruel way of abandoning that woman & got killed as a result, Toko's being suspected may be because of this too...because of things like this, I don't want you to get involved..." Nanami turns away not answering... Eiki waits along the route Toko takes to school. Toko sees him but walks past Eiki, completely ignoring him...

At the police station Ujou says to everyone "Starting from today being assigned to the Detective Department, Shono Tsukiko..." pushing her forward. "You knew her from the traffic department...in other words, because of her talents, she's been pulled over here..." Shono hesitatingly says "Yoroshiku onegaishimasu..." & people half heartedly applaud. Ujou tells her "Come... "ok..." & follow...

Outside the Ice Storm, Eiki waits, smoking a cigarette. Deciding to go in, he sees Toko at the bar. Satomi says "Welcome...the usual?" Nodding "Uhm..." he takes a seat next to Toko who ignores him. Eiki looks at her "I wanted to inform you...I was questioned by the police...as I didn't want to create problems for my friends, I had no choice but to tell them that in the past 5 years, that the 3 boyfriends that you had have all died..." Toko shows no reaction. Eiki continues "About your parents, Ujou still doesn't know..." "Should I be grateful for what you didn't tell?" Eiki doesn't reply as Satomi serves him a beer. Toko says "What you're thinking, I roughly understand..." "I'd like to hear it..." Toko says "12 years ago because of killing her parents, Ego Toko gets a taste of killing others for insurance money. Within the past 5 years, 3 men have bought life insurance policies but they all cancel the contracts & so unable to get any insurance money. But she won't give up, Egi Toko will surely do it again..." Eiki replies "I've thought about that too...you're not in it to get money but something else...that's what I think..." Toko thinks "For someone who plans to murder for the sake of insurance money, other than money, what other thing of value is there?" Eiki laughs "I don't know...haven't really considered..." Toko laughs & Eiki looks at her. Toko says "To make sure whether or not I am really a criminal involving life insurance, there's a way to find out..." Eiki leans forward "Tell me..." Toko says with a smile looking at Eiki "Go buy a life insurance policy yourself & make me the beneficiary...whether or not I kill you, you'll find out with your own eyes...how about it? Have you thought about that?" Eiki looks stunned. Toko pays her & as he leaves, Eiki stares at her & Satomi tells him "Don't bet with her..."

Ujou watches Toko from Ikenaga's apartment, only a candle lit up for light. Looking thru the telescope he sees Toko drinking & says "Drinking again? Aren't you drinking a bit much?" Toko starts humming a tune & Ujou starts humming along with her. Toko goes into her bedroom & Ujou says "Did you set the alarm clock properly?" Toko sets the alarm clock & turns out the light. Ujou mutters "Goodnight..." Lighting a cigarette with the candle he suddenly recalls celebrating his birthday with Masako, surprising him with a birthday cake & popping champagne together. Back in the present, Ujou asleep leaning against the wall, a teardrop rolls down his face...

At Eiki's apartment someone rings the doorbell but Eiki's not home. The door opens & it's Shono. Entering the apartment she recalls Ujou telling her "Rose Life Insurance investigator Hirokawa Eiki. I want you to watch him" Shono looks at the whiteboard that Eiki has up against the wall linking Toko to the deaths of the 3 men. Going to his desk, she picks up the documents & then as if guilty recalls Ujou saying "Love or career, don't even have to think about it..." Shono looks upset at the thought of betraying Eiki...

Still at Ice Storm, Eiki recalls Toko telling him earlier "Go buy a life insurance policy yourself & make me the beneficiary...whether or not I kill you..." & then what she told him about her parents "...that killed them...was me......you'll find out with your own eyes..." Satomi breaks up ice, Eiki takes a big gulp of his drink...

At Eiwa Jogakkan, Toko is in her room when the phone rings "Yes?" "This is the general office, that insurance investigator is here again..." Toko gives a sigh of exasperation. Sitting at her desk & hammering away at a piece of rock, there's a knock on the door "Come in..." Eiki enters "Sorry to disturb you...is it alright to meet again at the bar tonight?" Toko ignores him & asks instead "What is it that you have to hand over to me?" "Can I come over?" When Toko doesn't answer, Eiki walks up to her. Toko looks at him "Can you just leave it & then clear out?" "Ikenaga knew your true colors...that's why she went to inform Hisamatsu..." "My true colors..." "I'd like to make sure...whether or not you are a criminal involving life insurance..." Toko merely looks at him as Eiki takes out a form from his jacket & puts it on her table. Looking at it she sees an insurance application form. Life Insured - Hirokawa Eiki, Beneficiary - Egi Toko, Relationship - Fiancee. Toko, shocked, looks up at Eiki. Eiki says "You've seen documents like this many times haven't you...Toko, sorry, calling you Toko..." Going down on his knees in front of her, Eiki says "Will you become the beneficiary for this life insurance policy?" Toko stares at him stunned. Eiki stares back straight into her eyes "I love you...to the extent of surrendering my life to you..."

Eiki's colleague Anzai meets up with Shono & tells her about the insurance policy that Eiki's applying for Toko. Shono surprised "Egi got an insurance?" "No, that's not the problem...the thing that surprised me was the name of the beneficiary. Do you know her? A woman named Egi Toko..." Shono is shocked. Anzai adds "The rules are that other than relatives, no one else is allowed to be beneficiaries. Unless they are engaged or are de-facto partners but after saying that the insurance won't be approved, then he said if the beneficiary was his fiancee would be fine...after that he just ran out..." Shono stunned "What's that about?" "I don't know..."

Back at Toko's room, Eiki tells her "First we'll get the ring done. Wearing that take photos with me. Just engaged so it's the height of happiness, if you don't wear a smile taking the photos it'll be a problem. After that printing the wedding invitations." Standing up & pacing Eiki continues "The date & place, anything suitable so it doesn't matter, they won't go to that extent to check...the ring, the lovey dovey photographs of the both of us & the wedding invitations..." Stopping in front of a glass cabinet Eiki says "...as long as we have that, the company will approve it. After a short while, I will cancel the insurance policy." & then as if to himself "& then what will happen to me?" Turning to Toko he continues "You'll show me won't you...your true colors..." Toko takes the insurance application & rips it, scrunching it up. Eiki takes it & then going down looking at her asks "Why are you crying?" "I'm not crying..." "Those are tears..." Toko turns around & stares at him, tears in her eyes & Eiki is stunned. He half whispers "So, is that the way it is?" & continuing says "All your lovers loved you from the bottom of their hearts, entering into insurance contracts making you their beneficiaries, & then every time you get them to cancel the contracts, crying & pleading...am I wrong?" Toko tells him "Get out..." "From the beginning money has never been your purpose, not even the sympathy you got after killing both your parents...canceling the insurance contracts had meaning for you...to you, there was something more valuable than money...no, that there was something more valuable, you believed that...desiring men to do that what did you get?" "I didn't get anything..." "You're lying!" With tears rolling down her face Toko says "Just losing everything!" "You're lying! What did you get?!" Grabbing her shoulders Eiki asks "What did you get in exchange for the lives of those men?!" Toko shouts "Get out!" "What did you get?!" Toko pushes him onto the floor & she takes a pick from the cabinet. Trusting it out in front of her towards Eiki she cries "If you come any closer!" Eiki gets up from the floor & says "Kill me, try it..." walking towards her. Taking her hands, he points the pick at his throat & takes his hands away. The both of them stare at each other not saying anything, Toko with tears still rolling down her face. Finally Eiki says in a soft tone "In this world, more than money, more than status & reputation there is something with value...you have found that...as long as one has that, standing on thin ice in a treacherous world, one can go on living...I want to see it too...tell me..." Toko barely whispers "Find it yourself..." "Where should I look?" "I don't know..." Toko looks back at him. Eiki says "Your heart...if I enter your heart, I'll find it won't I..." Eiki steps back slowly "Sorry to have bothered you..." & walks out. Toko holding the pick, lowers her hands & drops the pick onto the floor, says heartbreakingly "What I got...where is there such a thing?"

Eiki walks towards his car to see Shono waiting for him. She asks "Getting an insurance policy with Egi Toko as beneficiary, what are you doing?" Eiki walks towards her not answering. Shono asks "Why do you have to do that?" Without a word, Eiki shows her the ripped up application form. In a quiet tone he says "I just saw her tears for the first time..." Eiki turns around slowly & looks up towards Toko's room as Shono says "Eiki, what on earth happened? What's going to happen now?" Eiki's voiceover comes on "Where am I going? What's lies ahead of loving Egi Toko? At the time I didn't even imagined...a month after that..." The scene fades into one of Eiki suspended in the depths of the ocean as his voiceover continues "...thrown into the freezing ocean, I finally understood it...in this inanimate world of ice..." From the depths of the water looking up towards the surface, Eiki sees someone plunging in "......I found it......"

廣川英器：

俺はどこへ行くのか
江木塔子を愛した先に何があるのか
その時はまだ予想もつかなかった

それから１か月後
凍て付く海に放り出された
俺はやっと知ることができた
氷のような非情な世界で
俺は確かにそれを見つけたんだ