Hikaru goes in front of Michi, takes the handkerchief & reaches out, wiping her tears. They stare at each other for  the longest while & then Hikaru moves closer to kiss her…but right at the last moment, Michi moves away. With her back to him she says "Promise me, don't feeling sorry for yourself & go drinking." She turns around & faces him "You're suspended right now, if you're found out, do you know what will happen?" Hikaru retorts "So what? Don't you drink too?" He throws her the handkerchief & leaves…

Hikaru comes home & his mother comes up to him anxiously "Hikaru, where did you go?" He ignores her & goes to the kitchen with her following. "You went drinking?" she asks. Hikaru takes a big bottle of Evian from the fridge saying "No big deal, in any case because of you, I won' get expelled." & drinks straight out of the bottle. Kyoko asks "Who were you with?" but Hikaru answers with"Mom, you don't love dad anymore?" "Eh?" "After he died, you've forgotten everything? Like how you felt when you first loved him…" "Why ask that?" she looks at Hikaru & then realizes "You mind me going out with that doctor?" Hikaru turns around, looks at her in silence & walks past her, dumping the bottle of water on the table. The bottle falls to its side, water spilling all over…

Going into his room, Hikaru stares at the pictures on his wall..flashback to him & Michi in the alley about to kiss…scene fades to the present with Michi staring blankly at her reflection in the mirror at home, takes the ring & puts it on her finger…flashback to the beach when Hikaru looks at the ring & pretends to swallow it…again scene fades back to the present with Hikaru in bed. He sits up, touches his lip…flashback to when Michi cleans the blood on his lip with her handkerchief…scene fades back to present with Michi tossing & turning in bed, looking at the handkerchief on the bedside table…

Next morning just outside the school gates, Michi sees the three girls from her class. "Good morning" she says & they stop in their tracks. "Where did you all go last night?" she asks walking up to them but they run off into the school. "Wait!" she goes after them, but stops suddenly when she sees Kyoko going to her car. As Kyoko opens the car door, she sees Michi. They both stare at each other before Kyoko finally gets into the car & drives off…

Walking into the faculty room, Michi sees the teachers standing around the director's desk. They return to their tables when they see her. The director comes up to Michi "Hirose sensei, good morning. From today, I'll be taking over your class for the time being." 'Why?" "Because you're going to get married soon so it's about time…" "It's Kurosawa's mother's 'suggestion'? To change teachers…" The director hesitates "ummm, that…" The bell chimes & he says firmly "In any case, I'll take over your place." All teachers leave for their classes & Michi is left alone in the faculty room…

In class as the director call attendance, Kinoshita looks at the empty seat beside her. "Kinoshita! Kinoshita!" She stands up & asks "Why change teachers?" "That's because Hirose has some personal things to attend to." 'What personal things?" 'Probably getting married & then resigning." "That's all?" The director gets angry & shouts at the students "Just pay attention in class!" The whole class breaks out talking "Why? Who's she going out with…?"

Alone, Michi walks to the place at the side of the school building where Hikaru always climbs over the wall to leave. As she goes towards the wall, she hears someone say "Running away?". She turns to see Kinoshita staring at her. Michi hesitates, & then turns & goes back into the school…

At the Witches restaurant, Masaru is introducing his friends to Michi "…will be in charge of the wedding speech, Yamada will be in charge of the second part of the program & after that will be Kiri" The guys tell Masaru "Really great, found such a beautiful wife." & then to Michi "But can you really accept this guy? Better think again, there's still time" they joke. "Be quiet!" laughs Masaru, throwing some peanuts at them. "In this world, the only one who's fortunate enough to meet Michi is only me!" Yamada says "Very confident! So, no secrets between the two of you?" "Of course not! Isn't that right Michi?" says Masaru. Michi just smiles & nods, Kiriko looking at Michi strangely. Kiriko says "I read somewhere that couples unintentionally lie to each other about 200 times a day." Masaru "No way! We've never tried it!" Kiriko comments "Actually Michi's unhappy." Michi goes 'Eh? What?" Kiriko answers "Because you've been down since we got here…or something happened at school?" 'Is that true?" asks Masaru but Michi merely smiles "nothing" & drinks her wine. Kiriko looks at Michi "That's right, when Michi lies it's easy to spot." The others carry on talking but Michi continues drinking…

Lying on the living room sofa, Hikary looks at his phone on the coffee table. He takes it & presses a button - 'Hirose Michi'. His mom walks in & sees him making the call but Hikaru doesn't know she's watching…

In a taxi, Kiri says "Michi, your phone's ringing" but Michi has passed out, sleeping on Kiriko's shoulder. Kiriko takes Michi's phone & sees 'Kurosawa Hikaru' on the phone. She answers "Sorry, Michi can't answer your call right now. Any message…?" But Hikaru hangs up immediately & lies back down on the sofa, his mom still watching…

Coming home, Michi is a bit drunk & says "I'm home!" Kiriko helps her sit on the floor & Michi syas "Kiri! Let's drink!" Kiriko says "What are you saying? I've still got to work tomorrow." Michi's mom comes by "Michi! What's wrong?". Michi's father comes by as well "what's going on?" Kiri answers 'Sorry, Michi sees a little bit unhappy so…" Michi's father is angry "Know how hard it was to get you into that school? Now, there's this rumor going round about you & a high school student!" Kiriko is surprised "eh?" Michi's father continues Aren't you ashamed of yourself?" He turns to walks away when Michi says 'Don't treat me like a kid!" He stops & says "What are you saying!" Michi gets up to her feet & says "The director's watching over me like a spy! Everyone's watching me, feels awful!" Her father goes up to her & slaps her. Her mom tries to stop him "Stop! Kiriko's here too!" & he walks off in anger. Michi, upset, runs upstairs with Kiriko looking on…

In her room, Michi sits alone when her mom comes in. "What?" Michi asks. Her mom replies "Never thought you'd go against your father." "Mom, what do you love about dad?" "What indeed…" her mom says. Michi continues "Why get married?" There's lots about mom that I don't understand." "That so?" "You never asked me anything about school" "That's because you're always saying you're no longer a child." Michi says of herself "Always looking for excuses…" Her mom tells her "Only you can decide your life…"

Next morning, Hikaru comes back to school & walking along the corridor, students give him strange looks. Entering class, all the students go silent & ignore him. He goes to his seat & Kinoshita next to him as usual is reading a book. She sats "What a pity about Hirose." Hikaru asks "what about?" Kinoshita is surprised "Didn't you hear from your mother?" Hikaru goes "eh?"

In the faculty room, the lady teacher tells Michi "Your next class is 2C right?" "Yes" "You understand but…please don't do anything that will cause misunderstandings with the students" she warns Michi & goes out.

Michi enters class & looks at the students. They look back at her intently. After a while, she takes her book & starts teaching…

"Today we'll be studying the relationship between parallel vertical & perpendicular lines. Turn to page 16 of your text books…" Hikaru & Kinoshita look at Michi as she writes on the board…

Playing basketball later, a boy elbows Hikaru on purpose & he falls. The boy says "Sorry, you ok?" Hikaru gets up & gets back into the game, gets the ball & as he jumps up & throws the ball, another boy runs into him & again Hikaru hits the floor. "Sorry, so absorbed in the game, didn't see you…" & all the boys gather round. Hikaru gets up & walks away without saying anything. 'Eh? going off?" says one of the boys, tossing the ball & hitting Hikaru. He turns around, stares at them for a second, then charges into the group starting a fight…

Later in the auditorium Hikaru is sitting alone. "In the end you got bullied too." It's Kinoshita. "Didn't I say so? You shouldn't put any faith in Hirose. Hikaru asks "What do you have against her?" Kinoshita says "I transferred here too, last year…" "Eh?" Hikaru's surprised. Kinoshita continues "My parents were working in Okura prefecture, got found out that they were accepting bribes. After that we got nuisance calls everyday. In the end, we fled like refugees & came here. When I came to school, did you know what Hirose sensei said? She said 'Kinoshita has some family problems, so every student should help her.' Because she said that, I was discriminated against even more. She complete doesn't understand. Then when everyone ignored me, she would come bother me. I'm sure that this time, it'll be the same too." Hikaru looks at her as she says "She's that sort of a person…"

Michi is walking along the corridor & as she passes the stairs, Hikaru calls out to her "Sensei, I want to ask you something…" coming up the stairs. Just then a few girls come by laughing, Michi turns away & goes off without saying anything, leaving Hikaru staring at her…

At the hospital, Kyoko is working at her desk when Hikaru comes barging in & slams the door behind him. Kyoko is working on her laptop. She doesn't pause but says "Can't you knock? I'm working." Hikaru stands in front of her "Why?" "Why what?" "Stop it! Because of you, do you know how others are looking at us?" Kyoko stops & looks up " 'us' ?" She gets up, comes round the desk & tells Hikaru "Hikaru, don't see that teacher anymore, won't do if you're with her!" "What do you know!" says Hikaru angrily. "I understand!" Kyoko replies & after a pause says "Don't you already have me?" "Stupid!" "What sort of attitude is that?" Hikaru tells her insolently "Not only change teachers, be great if I could change mothers too!" Kyoko slaps Hikaru & then regrets it. She says "sorry" but Hikaru turns to leave. As he goes out, Godai enters "What's going on?" Hikaru just brushes past him. Godai asks Kyoko "What happened?" "Nothing" she replies but obviously upset…

Coming home, the home tutor Sugai is waiting in the living room but Hikaru ignores her & goes straight into the room & site on the bed. Without knocking, Sugai enters his room, goes to his table & opens a book. Hikaru tells her "Go home! You don't have to come here anymore." but Sugai just ignores him. Hikaru gets up & swipes the books off the table "Didn't you hear me?" She turns & coolly says to him "You don't have the right to give me orders. I have an agreement with your mother." & goes pick up the books from the floor. Hikaru takes out his wallets, takes some money out & drops them on her "Take it! I'll do that myself!" He grabs her by the shoulders & pushes her out of his room, "I said leave!" & slams the door.

At the Witches restaurant (-= CJ =- This must be the only restaurant in town! Don't these people ever go to another joint??) Michi pours a glass of wine for Kiriko "Sorry about yesterday, bothered you…" Kiriko says "It's ok, but why hide the fact that you've been replaced?" Michi sighs & asks instead "What is marriage for?" "Huh?" Kiriko's surprised. Michi goes on "For the sake of living? Or to get acceptance of the people around you?" Kiriko looks at Michi "Why are you thinking like this? You're not saying those rumors are true?" Michi laughs "What rubbish are you saying?" "Then why hide it? It's normal to confide in one's fiance!" "That's because I don't want him to worry…" but Kiriko cuts her off "Don't pretend! Do you really love Masaru? Or is it because he loves you too much, you act like a spoilt child?" Michi retorts "What do you know?" Kiriko says heatedly "If it were me, I'd treasure him. You're always like this, completely don't understand my feelings!" Kiriko gets her bag & leaves.

Another day at school, Michi walks by class 2C. The class door is opened & she looks in, sees Hilkaru looking out the window. A couple of the boys come up to her with notes "Sensei, have questions to ask you, this…have tried a few times but still can't figure it out…" Hikaru looks up & sees Michi who tells the boys "Then, come to the meeting room"

The boys follow her into a meeting room down the hall, the last boy locking the door as he comes in. Another draws the blinds & Michi looks at them "What are you doing?" The boys start taunting her "Going out with Kurosawa, you'd be better off going out with us!" Michi says "Stop it!" but the boys grab a hold of her "Why? Haven't you let him cause enough trouble?" pushing her onto the sofa. "Do you know what will happen?" Michi says angrily "Do you know what will happen?" but the boys aren't afraid "What? What will happen?" & they start grabbing her clothes & she struggles to get free. All of a sudden there's a know at the door "Hirose sensei! Are you in here?" The boys stop & Michi runs to the door, opens it to see Matsuoka sensei "If possible, how about lunch?" Michi just looks at him & runs out without saying anything. Then the 3 boys run out of the room in the other direction…

Michi runs downstairs & goes into the library. She sits in front of a computer & sighs, calmly herself down. The computer gives a little chime & Michi looks at the screen. She clicks with the mouse & a chat screen comes up.

PC1: Worrying about school again?'

Michi looks around & sees Hikaru sitting with his back to her at PC1.

PC1: That afraid of other peoples' eyes?

PC1: Have we done anything bad?

Michi looks at Hikaru & then types 'What are you reading?' Hikaru stands a book up. It's an art book with the pages opened to Michelangelo's The Creation of Man. Michi types…

Michi looks at Hikaru & he turns around looking back at her. She turns the computer off & walks out of the library…

At the office Masaru cheerfully tells his boss "You have to do a good speech for us! Use that confident voice of yours & move everyone to tears!" "Let me think…" "Thanks!" says Masaru really happily. Kiriko comes over & hands him a document & Masaru tells her "Kiri-chan, you're a good person." Kiriko asks "Michi's kind of troubled lately, anything wrong?" "Eh? What about?" "You're kidding, you mean you don't know anything about what happened in school?" Masaru's curiosity is peaked "What happened at school?" Kiriko says "Nothing, sorry." & walks back to her place. Masaru follows "What? Tell me Kiri!" "But Michi might get mad!" "It's ok, I won't tell her I heard it from you."

Michi at her desk recalls the messages Hikaru sent earlier…'I want to see you. I'll wait for you until you come.'

Hikaru goes to the garage & waits…

Michi walks out of school slowly deep in thought. She doesn't notice Masaru across the road watching her…

At the garage Hikaru is still waiting. The workers leave & he's alone. He sits leaning against his bike, takes out a sketch book & starts drawing…

It's late, raining & Michi's still walking with Masaru following a little distance behind…

At the garage, someone walks by & Hikaru looks up to see but it isn't Michi. He looks at sketch book & then closes it…

Michi walks on but suddenly stops & takes her phone out. She looks at the screen 'Kurosawa Hikaru - but then puts it back in her bag & walks on, Masaru following behind…

Hikaru come home & as he walks by the living room, his mother says "Hikaru, I was wrong, sorry…hid that from you." Hikaru stops, turns & looks at her. She goes into the kitchen saying "Want to go to America to study? Found a good school in Los Angeles. If you like, you can go immediately." Hikaru walks up to her "What's that? You don't understand anything!" & goes to his room. Kyoko is about to go after him but the intercom rings. It's Godai…

Hikaru in his room packs some of his clothes into his bag. He hears his mother's voice "What happened? Anything happened with the hospital?" & then Godai's voice as he answers "No, just felt like seeing you after surgery."

Walking into the living room Godai asks Kyoko "Am I bothering you?" who nervously replies "Didn't I say so already? You'll cause problems if you come here." Godai sits at the dining table "It's about time Hikaru comes to terms with our relationship." "What are you saying?" "Why? I want to marry you!" "Stop kidding!" Kyoko says anxiously. Godai laughs "You're cruel. I've decided to propose to you." Picking up a spoon he sees Hikaru in the reflection & without turning around says "Not allowed? Hikaru?" Kyoko turns around shocked to see Hikaru. He walks up to Godai. "Go ahead. The hospital…give it to you." "Hikaru!" says Kyoko. He turns to her & says "Have a happy life together. The obstacle in your way will also disappear." & turns to leave. Kyoko grabs a hold of his shoulders "What is that supposed to mean?" but Hikaru pushes her away 'Let me go!" & she falls to the ground. Godai goes to her "Kyoko, you alright?" She tries to get up but can't as she's hurt her ankle…

Hikaru goes to the garage, gets on his bike…

Back home Godai is bandaging Kyoko's ankle. Music's playing in the background & he says "This music is about a man staring at a beautiful woman, but thinking of another. I know, know that you love me. The person that loves you is me."

Hikaru takes off on his bike…

At the Witches restaurant, Michi sits alone at a table drinking, Masaru in one corner watching her…

Sitting by the pier, Hikaru calls Michi…

Phone rings & Michi answers 'It's me" says Hikaru. 'I intend to quit school." "Eh?" answers Michi. Masaru is watching her intently. "I've also left home" 'What do you intend to do now?" "Go to a place where no one knows me…to a place where I can say 'I love you' freely." Michi says "a place of freedom." Hikaru says "um" & after a long while "goodbye, be happy…" & is about to hang up when he hears Michi say "I want to see you." "Eh?" "Where shall we go? Where shall we go?"

Hikaru gets on his bike& rides…

Michi gets up from the table in a hurry but Masaru goes up to her "What a coincidence! You're here too! Leaving already? Have another drink!" Michi says "But it's late already!" "Then I'll send you home." "There's still the train…" but Masaru insists "I'll send you home!" & grabs her arm, dragging her out of the place…

Hikaru goes to Ryousei high school & waits outside…

In a taxi Michi says "Over here's fine, I still have some place to go." But Masaru with a grim face says "Then I'll go too. Where?" He holds her hand tightly & Michi says "Why? You're being strange!" but he doesn't say anything…

Hikaru still outside the school looks at his watch & waits…it's raining again…

Masaru drags Michi into his apartment & throws his bag down. He starts kissing Michi treating her rough & Michi says "Stop it!" struggling. Masaru throws her onto the bed & Michi struggles "Stop it!" Masaru growls at her "Why stop?" Finally Michi screams "STOP IT!" & Masaru yells "You slept with someone else? Why?!" Michi merely turns away, silently in tears. Masaru suddenly says "sorry' realizing what he's just done "something's wrong with me! Not trysting you…sorry!" Michi gets up from the bed, grabs her bag & runs out…

Michi runs to school but when she gets there Hikaru is nowhere in sight. She looks into the school through the gates but doesn't see anything. Turning around she sees Hikaru's bike & realizes that he's still around. She goes into the school & into the library. It's dark but there's light coming from in between some shelves & she walks towards it. Looking she sees Hikaru asleep in a corner on the floor, flashlight on some books. She picks up & looks at his sketch book…looking up she sees Hikaru looking at her, face wet with tears. Michi asks "what happened? "Had a dream…" "eh?" "From just now, had the same dream…" "What sort of dream?" "I waited & waited but you never came. When I was about to give up & go home, you finally arrived…& said 'I don't love you.' There's no reason for you to love me. You came here to tell me that didn't you? Didn't you?" Michi looks at him "Wrong…I love you" & moves to hug him "Love you, love you very much…" & they kiss…