Chiisai ouchi Page #7

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-Yes.

Welcome back.

-The blackout is really unbearable.

Totally dark.

Someone here?

Mr. Itakura just arrived.

Itakura?

Welcome back.

Such a late visit.

Dear, Mr. Itakura received

his draft papers.

So they came finally.

He would be more useful, drawing

for us here, than sent abroad.

Sending you to kill is a stupid decision.

Well, I'm not qualified to judge.

Say, Tokiko, how about a toast.

That cheap ration sak.

Sure.

Please Madam.

I'll go back while the rain is light.

But.

Sorry, I need to go.

I need to get ready too.

Please call Kyoichi.

-Sure.

When's the departure.

The day after tomorrow at night.

I dispose of my room tomorrow.

After tomorrow at noon

I will go to the company.

We all see you to Ueno Station.

We'll shout "Banzai" and wave the flag.

Thank you very much.

If you'll excuse me.

I'll say my goodbyes properly

at the company.

But here, I want express

my gratefulness to you Mr. Hirai.

Madam, Taki-san you treated me so well.

I'm sorry I can't repay you.

You'll do so by fighting bravely.

Yes.

Kyoichi-kun.

You'll study well and become a great man.

Yeah.

If you'll excuse me.

Mind your steps, the streets are dark.

Yes.

Taki, give him the flashlight.

Tell him it's a spare.

Mr. Itakura.

Not too considerate of him

to turn down my sak.

What a strange fellow.

My bath is ready?

-Yes.

You were great Taki, thank you.

Yes.

I will not forget you.

In case I ran out of luck.

Take care of Botchan and Madam.

Promise you won't die!

Sayonara.

Taki, I have an errand.

Where to?

It's quick.

When do you come back?

I'll be quick.

I immediately understood

her intention.

My mind was a battlefield.

There was 2 persons in me.

One saying, she can't see him,

it's too risky.

Another saying, this is the last time.

No matter what happens, she has to.

I was wavering.

Madam, it would be better

if you didn't see him.

What are you talking about?

You'd better not see Mr. Itakura.

I'm just buying snacks.

-So I'll buy them.

Taki, you're kind of pushy today I have to

-You can't.

Taki, are you giving me orders.

Since when are you so bossy?

What if I was.

Write him a letter.

I bring it right away.

You write:
"come see me right after noon".

Why should I do that?

Mr. Itakura's landlord.

Plays go with our sak provider.

People say you've been seen

repeatedly visiting Mr. Itakura.

Of course, I told them there's

mistaken identity.

But if it came to Mister's ears.

That would be dreadful.

But if Mr. Itakura came here,

it doesn't look suspicious.

Please do as I say.

I'm begging you!

From Hirai Tokiko

Wrote it, you're happy?!

Be sure to bring him with you.

Even a little later, it's fine,

be sure to say.

Sure, see you later.

However, Mr. Itakura didn't

make it that day.

Madam watched out for him all day.

What I did say no law [].

[the curtain closed].

So, the curtain closed on their

Love in the little red roof house.

[namida].

[poro-poro].

Hello.

Grandma What is it?

Why are you crying?

See.

Hm?

I shouldn't have lived so long.

After that, Madam lived like a ghost,

her soul sucked out of her body.

The war situation steadily worsened.

They couldn't afford

the luxury of a maid.

I went back to our countryside

in Yamagata.

I'm going, Madam.

After the war, when it's all

back in order.

If you're not yet married.

Please, come back.

I wonder if the war will end.

Course, if something begins,

it has to end.

Then, it's time.

I'll surely be back.

I'll be waiting.

May 25, 1945.

Then from the countryside I heard

of the air raid on Tokyo Yamanote.

Madam never answered

my inquiries after the bombing.

I can only pray that

they lived through it.

Run! Run!

The bomb was dropped on Hiroshima,

6th Aug. And on Nagasaki 9th Aug.

And on the 15th, I heard the voice of

the Emperor on the radio at the temple.

As Madam had said "if something

begins, it has to end".

The war was finally over.

At the end of the year I was lucky

to get a ticket to Tokyo.

The red roof house had been burned.

In their bomb shelter in the garden.

I found Madam and Mister holding

each other.

Holding each other.

They were dead.

Grandma ended her autobiography here.

The beautiful lady is Madam,

the boy is Botchan?

They didn't find the child's

remains in the ruins.

He could be alive.

Grandma didn't say more about that kid.

Nothing?

Both his parents were burnt.

Grandma cried so much.

That's the end of the story.

What's the letter?

It's not opened.

Just a memory she kept.

Take good care of that box.

I finished the packing.

The birds have migrated for winter.

It's getting cold.

The following year I graduated.

I was hired in a civil

engineering company in Tokyo.

[The Little House -

Virginia Lee Burton -

translation Ishii Momoko].

Virginia Lee Burton's famous

illustrated book.

"The Little House" was offered to me.

First I saw it.

A beautiful book.

A little present.

What's the occasion?

-Your birthday.

You're right I forgot.

It's a famous book, you didn't know?

Since you're designing

high-rise building.

You should know such book.

Please gift-wrap it.

Thank you.

16.80 dollars.

What are you looking at?

[Itakura Shouji -Exhibition].

Oh, this poster.

I love the illustrations

of that artist.

Shouji Itakura.

Sounds familiar.

Of course, he's famous.

Of course, the man my grandma

was in love with.

I mean, her mistress was in love

with him, it's the same name.

Could it be him?

No way, he went to the front.

That doesn't mean he died.

I'll check.

Shouji Itakura.

Sent in 1944 to New Guinea,

they were defeated.

He returned in 1946.

He lived longer.

Where did he live?

Hirosaki City, Aomori Prefecture.

That was the man.

After a week we went

to Nerima near Tokyo.

For an exhibition

of Mr. Itakura's work.

Do you have a question

about this picture.

Did he use a model for this painting?

We only know that it was

Hirai family's home Tokyo Otaku.

It seems it was destroyed

in the air raids.

It was painted after the war.

That means he painted it from memory.

Shouji said it was hanging

in his bedroom.

It's a special works.

Was Shouji Itakura married?

He always remained single.

His private life is a mystery.

3 years ago, the boy

of that house called.

We inquired by mail about it,

but he said the past was a blur.

So, their son is still alive?

-Sure.

Do you know his address?

I remember it was Hokuriku,

Ishikawa prefecture.

Wait a moment.

Botchan is still alive?

I see.

Taki-chan wrote an autobiography.

It's a pity three years ago,

I could still see and walk.

Now I can't.

I live a long life.

She wrote a lot about your childhood.

She wrote about my mother?

She says she was a beauty.

Beautifully dressed too.

I'd like to show you something.

If you could hold it.

It's a letter from Tokiko Hirai.

My mother?

It's not opened, there's no addressee.

Without an addressee it should

have returned to sender.

But since your mother passed,

it returns to you.

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