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"Critical condition?" Chiwa asks Hokuto before leaving the house. She looks down and tries to reassure herself, "But it's like last time, right? He'll recover, right? It's all so sudden..."
Hokuto cuts in somewhat coldly, "I don't know. Let's go." He holds his hand out to Chiwa, "To the hospital now. Since I've received news about him, it's not something I can ignore." Chiwa puts her hand in his, somewhat shocked at his attitude, but notices that his hand is freezing cold. No matter how much Chiwa wants to deny it, she knows that Hokuto's father's time has come. Deep down though, she wishes that he won't die, since nothing of Hokuto's mother's death has come to light yet and their father and son relationship remains just as strained.
The couple arrive at the hospital and find Hokuto's cousin (the nice one) and his grandfather outside. They urge Hokuto and Chiwa to go in since Seiji has regained consciousness just a while ago. Souma meanwhile is comforting the chairman outside. Chiwa takes hold of Hokuto's arm, afraid to open the door. Seiji lies inside with a nurse beside him. The nurse tries to wake Seiji up since Hokuto has arrived. Chiwa goes to his bedside and tries calling out to him. "Father, it's me, it's Chiwa." Seeing no response, she tries calling him again. "Father?" Chiwa is reminded at once of the time of her grandma's death, how desperately she cried for her grandma to respond and not die. Tears rushes to her eyes and she covers her mouth to silence her sobs. Hokuto places a hand on her shoulder and tells her to go outside to accompany the chairman.
"But Hokuto..." Chiwa protests.
"It'll be all right. I'll be all right," he answers.
"Call me if something happens," Chiwa responds before leaving the room.
Hokuto looks at the figure of his father while the ECG machine beeps steadily, crushing the silent atmosphere. He calls out carefully, "Dad?" Seiji opens his eye slightly and says, "So you've came?" The nurse calls out to Seiji, "Mamiya-san? Do you hear me? Your family has come to see you."
Seiji dismisses the nurse and tells Hokuto, "I...was dreaming about Youko (Hokuto's mother). Of the time before you were born, of the time I asked her out. I've never told you this, but I had always thought that you resembled her." Hokuto is a bit taken aback of Seiji's words.
Seiji continues, "That's why...I was really happy when you came to live with m--"
"Dad..." The ECG machine finally ringed it's last beep, and Seiji passes away. The chairman, Hokuto's cousin, Souma, and Chiwa start weeping. Chiwa walks unsteadily up to Hokuto. "I should have been in the room. I didn't think it would be so sudden...I..."
Hokuto remainless expressionless, "Yea...it was quick."
The family begin the funeral preparations hurriedly, with almost no time left to grieve. At the funeral, Chiwa notices that Shitara hasn't dropped by, even if she had seemed so friendly with Seiji when he was alive. She worries about the chairman, sitting dejectedly by himself. "I had prepared for this...but it's still too hard," he had said. She knows that she can still comfort the chairman during mourning, but it's Hokuto that she doesn't know how to deal with.
She walks outside to look for Hokuto.
"You sure it's ok? To linger around outside when you're the main mourner?" she asks.
"I was just taking a breather. On the other hand you...nevermind. You did well, thank you. I guess it's times like these that I'm glad I have a wife," Hokuto says.
Chiwa looks down and blushes.
"You've cried a lot during his death, but even now during the funeral too. Are you really that sad? You haven't known him for very long," Hokuto comments off-handedly.
"What are you saying? He's your father afterall," Chiwa exclaims.
"I see..." Hokuto replies.
Chiwa wonders about Hokuto. Why is't he sad? Hasn't his heart wavered even a little? He has certainly said less ever since Seiji's death, and his expressions even more few. She hasn't asked Hokuto, but she thinks he's holding something back. As Hokuto walks back to the funeral, Chiwa thinks to herself that she doesn't really understand him.
After a few days, the couple arrive at Seiji's house to take care of his belongings. Hokuto had really wanted to just leave it at the hands of the handlers, but then Souma and the chairman would scold him. They open the door to a compact, but very clean house.
"After all he wasn't always in Japan...and he was divorced and single..." Hokuto reasons.
"It's very clean. Even if father had a maid, it's more than tidy. Unlike someone I know...it's unimaginable you're his son," Chiwa comments casually.
"Shame huh...that I didn't inherit his personality," Hokuto says back, without a hint of anger on his face.
They begin to look through Seiji's things and Chiwa asks Hokuto if she can open the safe.
"Sure, it's probably just bank balances and property deeds and the like," Hokuto replies.
Chiwa opens the safe carefully, and is surprised by its contents. Inside lie Hokuto's homework and tests (some filled with mistakes), drawings, childish sculptures, and other mementos of his childhood.
"Fourth grade, class 3. Mamiya Hokuto. Social studies, 28 points," she reads aloud. Hokuto flips around. "What?!"
"Look yourself. Ah, he even kept your sculptures," Chiwa exclaims in amazement. Hokuto pauses for a moment, shocked that his father would keep such things.
"Hey, can I keep this?" Chiwa asks.
"Huh? This is just trash," Hokuto says.
"Don't...these are interesting. I'll look at them carefully after."
"Just throw it away."
"Look! Your composition! I'll keep this for reference in the future," Chiwa taunts, holding up an essay that says 'My future dream'.
She continues, "Just let me take it. These are your father's feelings...look at how much he treasured you."
Hokuto pushes Chiwa down on the floor angrily.
"So you still think that your father had something to do with your mother's death, don't you?" she asks.
"No..." Hokuto replies.
"So you forgive him? Or do you still hate him?"
"Forgiving or hating...it's too late now that he's dead. His time has ended, and nothing will change. He treasures me? It's too late to tell me that now. He kept it sealed in a safe, I wouldn't have found out otherwise. And for me too. I should have asked him directly, and not kept making roundabouts. In the end, we were both too presumptious. We both thought the other would be more understanding...but we're too similar. We're unmistakably father and son," Hokuto leans in closer to Chiwa for a kiss, before pulling back up.
"You thought kissing would comfort me?" he questions.
"Eh? Umm, but..." Chiwa stammers.
"Sorry to tell you, but I'm really not that sad about him," Hokuto shoots back. "Now let's continue. We have to finish before the sun sets."
"So it's ok for me to have all this?" Chiwa asks one more time.
Hokuto looks back and smiles, "Do whatever you want."
The two finish packing and head out to the car. "I'm going to leave the rest to the handler," Hokuto says tiredly.
"Are you sure we shouldn't take more mementos?" Chiwa asks. "Ah, father must have cried at this, that his son could write things like this. [Fourth grade, class 3. Mamiya Hokuto. My future dream is to succeed my father's business.]"
"You bitch...throw it away," Hokuto mutters angrily.
"Even so, you really have no artistic talent, hahaha," laughs Chiwa. "But these will be my record of the side of you I didn't know. I'll treasure it, since there's no one but me to keep it," Chiwa continues silently.
"You know, we really need to go to your house and take hold of evidence when you were small," Hokuto says.
"Huh? Evidence?" Chiwa asks, confused.
"It's not fair that you only get to laugh at me," he says.
"Not fair huh," Chiwa mumbles at his childish behavior.
"But we'll have more from now. I've spent more time with you than I've ever spent with my family. It's not that I don't want his belongings, I don't need it since you're here. We'll continue to make more wonderful memories together," Hokuto pats Chiwa's head.
At home, Chiwa swears to Seiji that she'll treasure Hokuto as much as she can. A few days later, Souma arrives at the door to deliver to Chiwa a letter from Seiji. She figured now would be a good time since things have settled down after the funeral. Chiwa looks at it puzzledly, wondering why it's not for Hokuto if it's Seiji's will. But certainly, the envelope is addressed to her. She opens it and begins to read. The chapter closes with, "It was another secret that father had kept."
Comment: To be honest, this chapter was a bit anti-climatic. I didn't expect Seiji to die so soon without leaving anything behind besides a letter. It's not that I want a super dramatic confrontation or revelation of truth that we see in Korean dramas or such...but there's so much left to develop of the father-son relationship! We've already gotten Hokuto's story and how he feels about Seiji, but what about Seiji? He had told Chiwa only a tiny sliver and how much he regrets bringing up Hokuto the way he did...but I believe there is more. I don't believe there would have been a total reconciliation where everything will be all right between the two if Seiji had lived, nor would I want one. Hapi mari is not focused on that...but this chapter did not give that satisfying feeling when everything is right and in place, sort of like that feeling you get when the hero of some story surpasses unbelievable obstacles and beats all his enemies or when you've finished that last piece of potato chip and licked all your fingers. I thought the small moment of Hokuto's past was cute and heart-warming though. Nice to know he wasn't always a perfectionist as a child. I hope the author has something satisfactory for the next chapter concerning the letter...please, please, please do not give me a birth secret or some weird twisted fate that shows Hokuto and Chiwa are actually siblings or something that would disintegrate their marriage....(I think I've been watching too many dramas lately :P)
Hokuto cuts in somewhat coldly, "I don't know. Let's go." He holds his hand out to Chiwa, "To the hospital now. Since I've received news about him, it's not something I can ignore." Chiwa puts her hand in his, somewhat shocked at his attitude, but notices that his hand is freezing cold. No matter how much Chiwa wants to deny it, she knows that Hokuto's father's time has come. Deep down though, she wishes that he won't die, since nothing of Hokuto's mother's death has come to light yet and their father and son relationship remains just as strained.
The couple arrive at the hospital and find Hokuto's cousin (the nice one) and his grandfather outside. They urge Hokuto and Chiwa to go in since Seiji has regained consciousness just a while ago. Souma meanwhile is comforting the chairman outside. Chiwa takes hold of Hokuto's arm, afraid to open the door. Seiji lies inside with a nurse beside him. The nurse tries to wake Seiji up since Hokuto has arrived. Chiwa goes to his bedside and tries calling out to him. "Father, it's me, it's Chiwa." Seeing no response, she tries calling him again. "Father?" Chiwa is reminded at once of the time of her grandma's death, how desperately she cried for her grandma to respond and not die. Tears rushes to her eyes and she covers her mouth to silence her sobs. Hokuto places a hand on her shoulder and tells her to go outside to accompany the chairman.
"But Hokuto..." Chiwa protests.
"It'll be all right. I'll be all right," he answers.
"Call me if something happens," Chiwa responds before leaving the room.
Hokuto looks at the figure of his father while the ECG machine beeps steadily, crushing the silent atmosphere. He calls out carefully, "Dad?" Seiji opens his eye slightly and says, "So you've came?" The nurse calls out to Seiji, "Mamiya-san? Do you hear me? Your family has come to see you."
Seiji dismisses the nurse and tells Hokuto, "I...was dreaming about Youko (Hokuto's mother). Of the time before you were born, of the time I asked her out. I've never told you this, but I had always thought that you resembled her." Hokuto is a bit taken aback of Seiji's words.
Seiji continues, "That's why...I was really happy when you came to live with m--"
"Dad..." The ECG machine finally ringed it's last beep, and Seiji passes away. The chairman, Hokuto's cousin, Souma, and Chiwa start weeping. Chiwa walks unsteadily up to Hokuto. "I should have been in the room. I didn't think it would be so sudden...I..."
Hokuto remainless expressionless, "Yea...it was quick."
The family begin the funeral preparations hurriedly, with almost no time left to grieve. At the funeral, Chiwa notices that Shitara hasn't dropped by, even if she had seemed so friendly with Seiji when he was alive. She worries about the chairman, sitting dejectedly by himself. "I had prepared for this...but it's still too hard," he had said. She knows that she can still comfort the chairman during mourning, but it's Hokuto that she doesn't know how to deal with.
She walks outside to look for Hokuto.
"You sure it's ok? To linger around outside when you're the main mourner?" she asks.
"I was just taking a breather. On the other hand you...nevermind. You did well, thank you. I guess it's times like these that I'm glad I have a wife," Hokuto says.
Chiwa looks down and blushes.
"You've cried a lot during his death, but even now during the funeral too. Are you really that sad? You haven't known him for very long," Hokuto comments off-handedly.
"What are you saying? He's your father afterall," Chiwa exclaims.
"I see..." Hokuto replies.
Chiwa wonders about Hokuto. Why is't he sad? Hasn't his heart wavered even a little? He has certainly said less ever since Seiji's death, and his expressions even more few. She hasn't asked Hokuto, but she thinks he's holding something back. As Hokuto walks back to the funeral, Chiwa thinks to herself that she doesn't really understand him.
After a few days, the couple arrive at Seiji's house to take care of his belongings. Hokuto had really wanted to just leave it at the hands of the handlers, but then Souma and the chairman would scold him. They open the door to a compact, but very clean house.
"After all he wasn't always in Japan...and he was divorced and single..." Hokuto reasons.
"It's very clean. Even if father had a maid, it's more than tidy. Unlike someone I know...it's unimaginable you're his son," Chiwa comments casually.
"Shame huh...that I didn't inherit his personality," Hokuto says back, without a hint of anger on his face.
They begin to look through Seiji's things and Chiwa asks Hokuto if she can open the safe.
"Sure, it's probably just bank balances and property deeds and the like," Hokuto replies.
Chiwa opens the safe carefully, and is surprised by its contents. Inside lie Hokuto's homework and tests (some filled with mistakes), drawings, childish sculptures, and other mementos of his childhood.
"Fourth grade, class 3. Mamiya Hokuto. Social studies, 28 points," she reads aloud. Hokuto flips around. "What?!"
"Look yourself. Ah, he even kept your sculptures," Chiwa exclaims in amazement. Hokuto pauses for a moment, shocked that his father would keep such things.
"Hey, can I keep this?" Chiwa asks.
"Huh? This is just trash," Hokuto says.
"Don't...these are interesting. I'll look at them carefully after."
"Just throw it away."
"Look! Your composition! I'll keep this for reference in the future," Chiwa taunts, holding up an essay that says 'My future dream'.
She continues, "Just let me take it. These are your father's feelings...look at how much he treasured you."
Hokuto pushes Chiwa down on the floor angrily.
"So you still think that your father had something to do with your mother's death, don't you?" she asks.
"No..." Hokuto replies.
"So you forgive him? Or do you still hate him?"
"Forgiving or hating...it's too late now that he's dead. His time has ended, and nothing will change. He treasures me? It's too late to tell me that now. He kept it sealed in a safe, I wouldn't have found out otherwise. And for me too. I should have asked him directly, and not kept making roundabouts. In the end, we were both too presumptious. We both thought the other would be more understanding...but we're too similar. We're unmistakably father and son," Hokuto leans in closer to Chiwa for a kiss, before pulling back up.
"You thought kissing would comfort me?" he questions.
"Eh? Umm, but..." Chiwa stammers.
"Sorry to tell you, but I'm really not that sad about him," Hokuto shoots back. "Now let's continue. We have to finish before the sun sets."
"So it's ok for me to have all this?" Chiwa asks one more time.
Hokuto looks back and smiles, "Do whatever you want."
The two finish packing and head out to the car. "I'm going to leave the rest to the handler," Hokuto says tiredly.
"Are you sure we shouldn't take more mementos?" Chiwa asks. "Ah, father must have cried at this, that his son could write things like this. [Fourth grade, class 3. Mamiya Hokuto. My future dream is to succeed my father's business.]"
"You bitch...throw it away," Hokuto mutters angrily.
"Even so, you really have no artistic talent, hahaha," laughs Chiwa. "But these will be my record of the side of you I didn't know. I'll treasure it, since there's no one but me to keep it," Chiwa continues silently.
"You know, we really need to go to your house and take hold of evidence when you were small," Hokuto says.
"Huh? Evidence?" Chiwa asks, confused.
"It's not fair that you only get to laugh at me," he says.
"Not fair huh," Chiwa mumbles at his childish behavior.
"But we'll have more from now. I've spent more time with you than I've ever spent with my family. It's not that I don't want his belongings, I don't need it since you're here. We'll continue to make more wonderful memories together," Hokuto pats Chiwa's head.
At home, Chiwa swears to Seiji that she'll treasure Hokuto as much as she can. A few days later, Souma arrives at the door to deliver to Chiwa a letter from Seiji. She figured now would be a good time since things have settled down after the funeral. Chiwa looks at it puzzledly, wondering why it's not for Hokuto if it's Seiji's will. But certainly, the envelope is addressed to her. She opens it and begins to read. The chapter closes with, "It was another secret that father had kept."
Comment: To be honest, this chapter was a bit anti-climatic. I didn't expect Seiji to die so soon without leaving anything behind besides a letter. It's not that I want a super dramatic confrontation or revelation of truth that we see in Korean dramas or such...but there's so much left to develop of the father-son relationship! We've already gotten Hokuto's story and how he feels about Seiji, but what about Seiji? He had told Chiwa only a tiny sliver and how much he regrets bringing up Hokuto the way he did...but I believe there is more. I don't believe there would have been a total reconciliation where everything will be all right between the two if Seiji had lived, nor would I want one. Hapi mari is not focused on that...but this chapter did not give that satisfying feeling when everything is right and in place, sort of like that feeling you get when the hero of some story surpasses unbelievable obstacles and beats all his enemies or when you've finished that last piece of potato chip and licked all your fingers. I thought the small moment of Hokuto's past was cute and heart-warming though. Nice to know he wasn't always a perfectionist as a child. I hope the author has something satisfactory for the next chapter concerning the letter...please, please, please do not give me a birth secret or some weird twisted fate that shows Hokuto and Chiwa are actually siblings or something that would disintegrate their marriage....(I think I've been watching too many dramas lately :P)
