1
[TN: That's a driving license]
This might seem like a fairytale,
you might even laugh from it.
You will say that something so strange is impossible.
But this is certainly my mother's story.
The person my mother fell in love with,
was a wolf-man.
My mother was a student in a national university on the outskirts of Tokyo.
Her scholarship covered her school fees.
And for her living expenses she had a part-time job at the same time.
Those who are praised by their wisdom in this world,
certainly had a vast knowledge of not only his own field,
but also on miscellaneous subjects.
But about the true, the good, and the beautiful,
they had no knowledge about Aret.
In an early summer day, my mom saw my father for the first time.
He was wearing a T-shirt with a wide collar,
taking notes without a textbook on nothing but a notebook.
She thought he was very different from the other students.
Please wait.
This is the attendance ticket.
If you don't sign and turn it in you won't be marked present.
So...
I'm...
Not a student here.
What?
If I'm an eyesore, I won't be coming again.
Who's that?
Please wait.
I don't know if you're a student or not,
but at that lecture you didn't have a textbook so I thought it would be a bit hard to study.
Why don't we share mine?
Welcome.
It will be done by Friday.
Thank you for your patronage.
Sorry for the wait.
Welcome.
Let's be careful with this.
Here, this way.
Where should I place this?
Here, here. Come in.
Here, come.
The three complainants of this trial were the poet Meletus,
an important man with strong political force called Anytus,
and the sophist Lycon.
The representative was Melutus, but Anytus was the one behind the prosecution.
What do you do for fun?
What kind of food do you like?
What kind of person do you love?
Why are you called Hana?
My name?
Yeah.
When I was born the cosmos flowers in the backyard were blooming.
They didn't plant them, they were blooming naturally.
When my father saw them he immediately thought:
I will raise my kid to have a smile beautiful as a flower, that won't fade away.
Whether faced with difficulties or suffering,
we will smile, whether we feel like it or not,
then we'll be able to overcome almost anything.
That's why, at my fathers funeral, I was smiling the whole time.
My relatives were all thinking What an indiscretion.
That made me really angry.
But... Maybe that was an indiscretion after all...
No, it wasn't.
I'm glad.
They're the same multi-unit apartments, but each one is different inside.
There are homes with money, and those without,
homes with lots of family, and single households,
homes with babies, and homes with only elders.
It would be nice to have a home.
Saying I'm home when you arrive.
Remove your shoes, wash your face and hands,
and sit yourself comfortably on a chair.
That would be great.
I would build a shelf.
Fill it with books and then build another shelf.
You could do as you please,
your own home.
And I'll say Welcome home when you arrive.
Hana...
What?
There's something I must tell you...
Speak your mind.
The truth is...
Let's do this again tomorrow.
Okay.
Hana...
I'm sorry, Hana.
I messed up.
It's something I never told anyone before.
I was scared,
because you might leave me.
But, I should have told you sooner.
No, I should have shown you.
Shown me?
Could you close your eyes for a moment?
A bit longer.
Can I open them?
Hana...
What do I look like?
Transforming on full-moon nights,
and attacking people was known as just a legend.
The world is full of things unknown to me.
Yes, that's probably what my mother thought.
Did I shock you?
Should we stop meeting?
But you're trembling. Are you scared?
I'm not.
Because it's you.
My father was a descendant of the Japanese wolves,
that went extinct about a hundred years ago.
The last being that inherited a blood mix of humans and wolves.
His parents told him, when he was still very young, the history of their family's destruction.
They told him that the truth should not be revealed, and died after.
He was then left in the care of relatives that knew nothing about it,
faced many troubles and grew up into an adult.
He got a driver's license and moved to the city to look for a job.
He knew no one, and had no one to look back on.
Until that point he had taken care to live in secret and in hiding.
That's what my father said.
Gentle to Heart and Body
Natural Birth
Mom gave birth to me in that small apartment.
It was a snowy day.
Without a hospital or even the help of a midwife,
only by themselves...
My mother was really worried,
that if I was born as a wolf, the doctors would be shocked.
I'm glad she was born safely.
But things are just starting now.
Will she grow to be a gentle child?
She will probably be a very smart kid.
I wonder what kind of adult she'll be.
Weather a nurse, a teacher, or a baker,
I want her to work on whatever she likes.
I want to raise her without any thoughts of hardship,
to become a happy and healthy child.
We'll watch over her until she grows up.
Yeah.
My little brother was born in the spring of the following year.
It was a rainy day.
Suddenly, my father had disappeared.
I don't know... what my father was thinking that day.
It was probably the instinct of hunting food for the baby at work.
He probably just wanted to give my mother, who had just given birth, something nutritious to eat.
I leave the children in your care.
My mother heard it like he said that.
Leave it to me.
I'll raise them well.
After that I don't remember my mother ever
thinking about anything serious.
Rice!
I'm making it now. Wait a bit longer, Yuki.
Rice!
Just a bit more.
Rice!
Yuki!
She said that whenever I got angry and grumbled
my fur would grow out and I would turn into a wolf.
Oh, I guess it can't be helped.
Have a biscuit before lunch.
It seems I used to eat a lot,
crying out and searching for food from morning until night.
I was very different from my brother who ate little and was weak.
My mother took a suspension from college to raise us.
She also had to quit her part time job.
That was close.
The small savings my father left us were enough to sustain our living.
That was close.
According our mother, she was wondering whether
to have us live as humans or wolves.
She was at a loss over it.
Oh my.
It's not like our mother could discuss it with the neighbors,
so she had to study everything by herself in books.
Day or night, she had to breastfeed for two whole hours.
Whenever her breast didn't produce milk she used skim milk instead.
Living with Wolves
But when he wasn't hungry but was still crying,
without knowing what to do,
she stayed up all night holding him and caressing his back.
Because of that my mother would always be dozing off once in a while.
It's alright.
Because of that she was always falling asleep,
even if she just closed her eyes for a short moment.
Mommy.
What?
The problem was when we got sick.
Yuki?
Yuki?
Yuki!
She was conflicted between going to the pediatrics or the vets...
My child ended up eating drying agent by mistake.
She is two years old.
Yes, she vomited.
There was no blood in it.
It has Silica Gel written on it.
But... Are there any complications?
Huh? Her appetite?
I'm hungry.
I see...
It's alright...
My mother regrets never asking how my father was raised when he was a kid.
Walk.
Yuki, that's...
Walk!
You've been in bad health the past few days.
So we...
WALK!
Okay, I get it. Gee...
Now, hide your ears.
Alright, let's go for a walk.
But watch your ears! They are showing again!
Okay!
Good afternoon. How cute.
How nice, he called you cute.
S- sorry.
No...
But that wasn't the only problem.
What time do you think it is? Stop with the noise!
I'm so sorry.
Every single night it's the same thing, for crying out loud!
I'm truly sorry for this.
Teach them some discipline!
There, there. It's alright.
It's written in the lease that pets are prohibited in the apartment.
We don't have any.
Don't lie.
We'll find out about it.
Alright? If you do things your own way,
you're more than welcome to go someplace else you prefer.
From the child consultation center?
Yes, the neighbors are worried the children are in peril.
What do you mean?
Our research shows your children never had a medical checkup
or went through immunization, did they?
It's alright. They are healthy.
If it's okay, we would at least like to take a look at them.
Well, that's...
It's just for a second.
It is just to confirm what you are saying is true.
T- that's not possible.
If this keeps up, we'll have no choice but to suspect you of ill-treatment and neglect.
Please go away!
Slooow!
Hey.
What, mom?
What do you want from now on?
To be human, or wolves?
I was thinking about moving,
to someplace you can choose whatever you want.
We'll start with the vacant houses by the town hall.
We gradually get more people saying they want to live a country life,
but they don't stay long.
As you can see, there isn't much around here.
The elementary schools and hospitals are 30 minutes away by car,
and if they're in middle school, it's a two and a half hour one-way bus and train ride.
A round trip is five hours!
Even if you say you want to raise your kids in a good environment...
I'd say the city is a much more convenient place.
It's huge...
Although the rent makes this place seem almost free,
the price for repairs would be insane.
Since it's an abandoned house...
Ah, it's okay to keep your shoes on.
This place is practically dilapidated.
But at least the electricity still works.
And the stream water hasn't dried up.
And the things from the shed are also okay to use.
That's a field, right?
Ah, this place is not suited for self-sufficiency.
Animals come down from the mountain and damage the fields.
Even if you took the time to plant vegetables, they'd just eat them all.
The houses in this area became empty because
the humans around here were driven out by them.
So the neighborhood?
Neighborhood? No one ever comes down so you won't see them.
Would you like to see someplace else?
Around the village would be more practical...
I'll take it.
What?
I'm taking this house.
Why?
Where are we?
Our new house.
It's slanting!
Hello, ants!
What is this?!
Step! Step!
Help!
So? Do you guys like it?
I like it!
Let's go back.
She wanted someplace where there was nobody living around.
She was a bit eccentric.
And her husband?
Who knows.
Any income?
Who knows.
So how does she plan on providing for her and her children?
Gramps Nirasaki!
Please be gentle on them this time!
3... 2...
Look, look. Mom, look!
Come down. Come down. Here.
Here, come. Here.
Ame, Age 4
Yuki, Age 5
Thank you very much.
Come again.
Good evening.
Good evening.
Hey, come here.
Is that the woman from the rumors?
From now on I'll have to start saving as much as possible.
S-a-v-i-n-g?
That means we will have to do things like planting our own vegetables.
I'll help, too!
Wait right here, okay?
Okay.
I'll take these.
Sure.
Those too.
Yuki!
Yuki and Ame being wolf children is our little secret.
Yeah.
If they suddenly transformed into wolves,
everyone would be shocked.
That's why they could never turn into wolves in front of other people.
Right? It's our promise.
Got it.
One more thing.
If you ever meet an animal on the mountain,
don't be arrogant with them.
Why?
Because that would make you father sad.
Right? You get it?
We get it!
We won't forgive you! said the very angry
villagers as they chased the wolf with their guns.
I'm sorry! I won't do it anymore cried the boasting wolf while running away.
Why?
Why indeed?
Hey! Excuse me.
Huh?
May I take the fallen leaves from the woods?
What?
The fallen leaves.
You don't have to ask anybody to take those.
Thank you very much.
How long will she keep it up?
She has been quite the talk around the
convenience store and the karaoke place.
I don't doubt it.
This time for sure.
Mom...
Ame! What happened?
A tortoiseshell cat.
Even though he's a wolf, it had its eyes on him since he's weak.
Those are just scratches. They are nothing
You won't survive with those!
Yuki.
Will you comfort me?
You will be alright. You sure will.
Yuki would never lose, not even for a boar!
You saw a boar?
I did! I also saw a monkey and a wild goat.
But I wasn't scared at all!
It was fun when I started chasing them and they ran away!
Also-
Yuki.
Also, when I peed...
Remember,
you can't be self-important around other animals.
But...
Please.
Okaaay.
Thank you.
Can you comfort me again?
It's gonna be alright, it's fine.
But surely...
How does a wolf child become an adult?
Yuki! Wait.
Pick me up.
Already?
You're slow. Hurry up!
Wolves start hunting only four months after they are born.
First they start with small game like rats.
When they grow up, they team up with adult wolves and...
TEAM!
No way...
I didn't want to anyway.
Don't go too far away.
Sure.
Hey, let's go back?
Ame.
Do you think we can eat this plant?
Hm...
Got it!
Caught it!
Here, look Ame.
It's alright. It will be fine.
Mom! Look, look!
It's a great cormorant.
There's a stream on the other side and...
Mom...
Why are wolves always the bad guys?
Is it because... of that picture book?
Everyone hates him and he gets killed at the end.
That's why I...
I hate being a wolf.
I see.
But...
Your mother loves wolves.
Even if everyone else hates them,
your mother is their friends, even if just by herself.
Moom. Mooom.
What happened?
They are withering again.
A disease?
In all of them?
No way...
Mom.
What's going to happen to us now?
It's no use. Your mother still has to study much more.
Will you help me again?
I will.
Thank you.
Get inside.
Sure.
Good evening.
I was thinking about greeting you at your home,
but with all the commotion...
Growing food is harder than it looks, right?
Even though I did everything in the books it just ends up failing.
But this is a great place, isn't it?
Full of nature.
What's so natural?
What you planted today won't grow tomorrow, will it?
No matter how many times you plant it, it's always the same.
Isn't that what you were thinking?
T- that's...
Don't smile.
Why are you smiling?
Smiling won't do anything about it.
That man is scary.
No. I don't know how to do this and I'm hopeless.
Even though you're an adult?
I regret not asking your father about more various things.
This is bad. So bad.
Good afternoon.
Um....
Here. This is to you.
What is it?
Seed potato.
And you plant these in the fields?
You can use it to do many more things.
The old man told me about it, but don't worry.
That's just his personality.
No, that was my fault.
Good afternoon!
I'm sorry.
It's alright.
Here.
Old man Nirasaki.
Thank you for the seed potatoes.
Do you plan to let them go to waste?
Start over from the earth.
You can't dig like that.
I'm sorry.
Er... What about fertilizers?
Did you bury the dry leaves there?
Yes.
Then you don't need it.
When you're done, work the soil up here too.
It doesn't need to go that far.
It's just for me and my two children to eat.
Didn't you hear me?
I did.
Create the rows.
Yes.
Leave more space between them.
Yes.
It's too low, make them higher.
Yes.
In one week, plant the cut part facing down.
Don't add water or anything, just leave them.
Um... Thanks for teaching me so much...
Mom, are you okay?
Good afternoon.
Come here.
Huh?
It's okay, just come here.
Hm?
It's okay, come on.
Hey, you.
Yes?
Those are chamomile and cabbage.
If you plant them together, it will make a taste bugs don't like.
No, don't!
Celery is much better with cabbage.
Not it isn't.
For beginners this is better.
No, no, no.
Is chamomile even gonna fill anyone's stomach?
For planting, plant it around here, not deep.
You're wrong.
You first need to soak the hole with water.
No, no.
You can add the water later, you need to plant first.
Wrong, wrong, wrong.
You can sprinkle the fertilizer this way.
If you add too much the insects will flock here.
No. Give me that.
Be more daring with it.
Wrong.
You need to add just a bit.
You will definitely go wrong if you follow his advice.
That's your advice!
What?
What?!
Vinegar wood polish?
It's made from charcoal-roasted smoke.
Then then treated poultry manure is added to it.
Thanks for everything.
No, thank you.
Sorry for intruding so inadvertently and surprising you.
Oh, no.
It must have been hard to work a land so raw.
I didn't know anything, so I had to study everyday.
Many people moved here from the city,
but they always gave up and went back soon after.
Were there others as young as me?
No, no, they were old men who had retired.
It's funny how mental and weak they were.
That might just be me saying it but,
this is no land that makes living off it easy.
The drainage is bad.
There's a ton of snow.
We have to help each other.
We thought you weren't one to socialize with your neighbors.
There aren't many young mothers around here.
So it's really reassuring to have one more of us here.
Ask anything you want.
Well, then...
What? You live off your savings?!
Yes, but they will soon run out.
It's hard to find a job.
Everyone leaves their children at the
nursery school and goes far away to work.
What kind of place is a nursery school?
Why don't Yuki and Ame go there?
That's because...
Yuki wants to go to the nursery school!
No way.
I will go!
No way!
I will! I will! I will! I will! I will!
I will! I will! I will
I'LL GO!
I want to go to the nursery school, I want to!
I want to! I want to! I want to!
Yuki, hurry up and eat your food.
I know it's about our secret.
But I'll be careful.
But you see...
I'll be careful.
Y- Yuki...
Hana-chan, do you own a dog?
Ah, err... Well...
Isn't that a wolf?
Hey, darling! It's a wolf!
No, well, that's not...
Don't be foolish, there are no more wolves in Japan.
That's a shepherd mix.
Right, Hana-chan? Ain't I right?
Right, ain't I?
What? The dog is gone.
Mrs. Nirasaki, good afternoon.
Oh, Yuki-chan.
Aren't you sociable today?
Your clothes are just like your dog's.
Isn't she cute?
Y- Yuki...
What's wrong, Hana-chan?
Hello!
Hello!
I wonder where grandpa Nirasaki is...
They were grown quite nicely.
It's thanks to everyone's help.
The roots on ours were damaged, so this will be very helpful.
What do you mean damaged?
A boar.
Here, take these.
This much!?
Those boars...
I'll thankfully accept these.
This morning, without making a noise, he dug everything up.
It seems that this year he even went as far as going to Sakei's rice field.
Here, this is in exchange. It's heavy.
Hana-chan's field was the only one that the animals didn't damage.
That's a miracle on this mountain.
Maybe there's a trick to it?
No, I didn't do anything.
We would all like to hear it.
What does trick mean?
Pee!
She is so lively, that Yuki-chan.
By any chance...
What?
No... It's nothing.
Thank you very much.
It's okay. It's in exchange for the potatoes.
It has been a long time since we had any eggs.
That's good to hear.
Tell me if you run out of them.
Oh.
That's SO cute.
Huh?
Huh?
But that's so big. I can't take it.
It's alright. Don't mention it.
It's from a guy who had it sitting in his shed.
Yeah, but...
Take it.
Besides if we take it back the old man would be angry at us.
Old man?
Hana-chan this, Hana-chan that, it's getting old.
He is totally in love with you.
He's over 90.
But when he's looking out for someone, he gets everyone involved...
You idiot!
You shouldn't be saying things like that.
So that's it...
I finally understand the reason why the field had to be bigger.
I don't like it.
Huh?
Why are you always smiling like that?
Don't laugh!
What's so funny about it?
Even though I moved here to escape from people's eyes...
I ended up getting a lot of help from everyone at the village.
It was hard at first,
but somehow it seems like I can keep on going.
Cool!
M- mo- mom!
Ame!
Mom, Ame is-!
M- mom!
Ame!
Ame! Ame!
Ame!
M- o- mom...
Ame!
Mom...
Ame...
Ame!
Ame!
Open your eyes, Ame!
Open your eyes!
Ame!
Ame! Ame!
Open your eyes...
Ame...
Mom... It hurts...
Ame!
You see,
I found a crested kingfisher.
It was a really beautiful crested kingfisher.
Today even I felt like catching one myself.
You know what?
It was totally different from before.
I wasn't scared.
I felt like I could do anything for a moment there.
And then...
Why are you crying?
What are we doing here?
Later my mother said that she had never been so scared in her life.
After that, Ame,
turned into someone completely different.
When that long winter ended and spring approaching,
I wanted to go to elementary school like everyone else, it was inevitable.
So, to persuade my mother,
I started following every single order to the full extent.
That ended up working and finally, I could go.
However...
No matter what happens...
I won't become a wolf!
I know that already.
It's a promise.
I can manage it.
Then do Three presents, three octopuses.
What's that?
It's a good luck charm so you don't become a wolf.
Good luck charm?
You do Three presents, three octopuses.
Three..
Presents, three octopuses.
Three presents, three octopuses.
Three presents, three octopuses.
Three presents, three octopuses.
Hurry up!
Three presents, three octopuses.
Three presents, three octopuses.
Three presents, three octopuses.
It was the first time in my life I was surrounded by so many people.
Even though I wanted to go so much,
when I got there I was unsure if I could actually do it.
But that was only at the start.
Dad, I'm leaving.
See you!
Have a nice trip, take care.
Yeah.
Shino-chan! Good morning.
Good morning, Yuki-chan.
I saved you your seat.
Thank you.
First Grade
Well, who knows the answer to this?
Me!
Me! Me! Me! Me! Me!
Hey, no running!
Yuki-chan!
Yuki-chan, do your best!
You're fast.
Amazing Yuki-chan.
Only you could do that!
Thank you very much.
Good luck.
Job offers Part-time
Thanks for waiting.
That is...
The nature observatory of the Niikawa's forest is looking for an assistant researcher.
Historic village's nature
Sorry to keep you waiting.
Shall we go?
I am the nature observer, Tendo.
Welcome to Niikawa's forest nature observatory.
Thanks for welcoming us here.
A nature observer's job is not only to protect the forest,
they study the environment, survey the field, and preserve the wild life.
These three pillars are what we ask of volunteers while they're here.
The range of activities diverges and crosses over,
a specialist must be simultaneously proficient in all of them.
Well, we are taking applications for an
assistant to the busy nature observers.
That is indeed the case.
The wage is pretty low, though.
In the future, you can aim to be a nature observer,
but the study required for that and
training expenses are the only implications.
The hourly wage of a part-time high school student is best suited for you.
Even so...
Do you want the job?
Er...
I heard you keep a wolf here...
It's a timber wolf.
He is quiet.
It's because of his age.
Board chairman, could you...
Excuse me for a moment.
Nice to meet you.
I came here because there's something I'd like to ask you.
This boy is the son of a wolf.
His wolf father passed away.
I am his mother,
but I don't know how to raise a wolf child.
What did you do to become an adult wolf?
Won't you tell me about the time you were raised in the woods?
Ah, sorry about that.
A wealthy person got special permission to acquire and raise him.
But when he died he left no caretakers, so they brought him to us.
Although he was originally born at a zoo in Moscow.
He isn't a wild animal?
It's rare to see wild wolves at zoos.
If one is born from breeding, it's taken as a foster child.
Besides that, we take in hurt wild birds and raccoon dogs.
After that we deal with healing them.
I'll have to commute there from now on,
but will you be okay doing it with me?
While I'm working I'll teach you everything,
about the mountains and nature.
That's the first time I saw a real one.
A wolf?
Was dad like that?
No. Not at all.
Good.
Why?
Because that guy looked very lonely.
I wanted to meet my dad.
Your mom wants to see him again, too.
And with that, after my mom found herself a job,
I underwent a big impact.
Fumiko-chan, yours looks great.
Yours is better, Keno-chan.
I found a four-leafed clover.
Me too!
Yuki-chan!
Did you find anything?
Yeah.
Look!
Just for fun I caught a rat snake and wrapped it around my arm
but there were no girls like me in school.
Look, this is my mother's jewelry.
So pretty!
She got this one on her last birthday.
How nice.
Yuki-chan, show us your treasure chest!
Sure!
So, what is inside?
Look.
There were no other girls
who would happily gather small animal bones and reptile dry skins besides me.
Other girls didn't do these things, I realized.
I was so embarrassed that it got me anxious.
I reached a decision:
From now on I would act as graceful and girly as I could.
Don't laugh!
I'm troubled with all seriousness!
You should do the things you feel like doing, Yuki.
I don't want people to think I'm a weirdo.
I guess I'll have to help you.
I remember I got really happy that my mother
started sewing a new dress just for me.
Because of this I stopped feeling out of place in the middle of the class.
I started getting along much better with my friends.
Good morning!
Morning!
Your clothes are really cute, Yuki-chan!
They're wonderful!
I say that this dress saved me.
Next year it was really hard to get Ame to go to school.
You hear?
It's Three presents, three octopuses.
The school is this way!
Congratulations on entering school, first graders!
Get along with your classmates, second graders!
Everyone in high-spirits, first graders!
Aim for a perfect score, second graders!
Get along with your friends, second graders!
Always with a smile, third graders.
Remember your good manners, third graders!
Fly up high with your friends, fourth graders!
Always do your best, third graders!
Good morning.
Oh, Ame-kun. Is today a holiday at school?
No.
So you're ditching?
Yeah.
You can come here whenever you want.
Sorry for the inconvenience.
This is the research center.
Here you can also see a Mountain Frog that has a tail.
Hana-chan! Can you help us here?
Suure!
Hey, everyone, your attention.
Let me introduce you the new exchange student.
His name is Fujii Souhei-kun.
Well, introduce yourself.
I'm Fujii. It's nice to meet you.
Nice to meet you, too.
Hey, do you have a pet dog?
Huh? Why?
Well, you smell like a furry animal.
I don't have one.
Really? That's weird.
I was pretty sure you did.
What is it?
Ah, no. It's just this smell.
A smell? Of what?
Maybe it's just my imagination.
Which is it...
Alright, it's this one!
Ooh, are you serious?
Yuki-chan.
You come here, too. Souhei-kun is really funny.
I have to return this book.
What's up with her?
She not always like that.
Hey Yuki. About that...
Yuki, about that...
Hey Yuki!
Yuki!
Hey Yuki!
Be honest with me!
What?
Did I do something to you?
No you didn't.
So you don't like me because I'm an exchange student?
Is that it?
I told you it's not that.
Then why are you avoiding me?
I'm not.
Three presents, three octopus.
Three presents, three octopus.
Three..
Hey!
Wait up!
Three presents, three octopuses.
Three presents, three octopuses.
Three presents, three octopuses.
Three presents, three octopuses.
Get away!
Hey you.
Don't get any closer!
What are you doing?!
Don't touch me!
Yuki!
Yuki!
Hana-chan. Telephone.
Thanks.
Hello.
I'm sorry to call you in the middle of work.
Do you know how much blood he lost from his head?
It was just my ear.
Yuki.
No matter what I ask her she doesn't say a word.
Did you really hurt him?
Did you apologize to him?
Apologize.
Apologize right now.
I'm sorry.
I have no excuse for what happened.
Besides, Souhei-kun's mother
payed the doctor's expenses with the school's insurance, so...
And what if it had drained all the blood from my son's head?
And what if by some chance he becomes deaf in that ear?
What a child does is a parent's responsibility!
Does taking out a loan or selling your house make up for that?!
Well, at any rate that's not what happened, so...
And what makes you think that's the case?
If you don't listen I'll have to...
A wolf.
It was a wolf that did it.
It was a wolf that did this.
Souhei. What are you talking about?
Souhei...
Souhei?
They didn't catch the culprit.
No, she has been different lately.
No, Yuki-chan would never do that.
It's obvious that it was her.
So the teacher...
What happened with Souhei-kun?
He left early.
How come?
Because he got hurt.
How did he get hurt?
Well, you see...
Who hurt him?
Well...
Yuki-chan!
Yuki-chan.
I knew it.
Was it really her?
I'm a detective.
Stop that!
Quiet down! Everyone quiet down!
It didn't work...
The good luck charm; no matter how many times I repeated it.
They... should expel me already.
Will we be unable to live at that house anymore?
I'm sorry...
I'm sorry!
Mom...
I'm sorry!
There, there.
Souhei-kun?
A printed paper. From Souhei-kun.
From Souhei-kun.
Souhei-kun.
Today she went to play at Shino-chan's house.
I see.
Wait a minute.
You must live pretty far away.
Thanks for coming here everyday.
I don't like that Yuki is not going to school anymore.
You said, at that time,
A wolf did it, didn't you?
What did you mean by it?
That was... I mean..
You will not believe it, but...
For a moment there I'm pretty sure I saw a wolf.
As soon as I noticed it, it hurt me.
That's why I said that a wolf did it.
Which means it wasn't Yuki's fault.
But everyone says I'm talking nonsense with that...
I see...
Can I ask you one more question?
Do you hate wolves?
Not really.
Neither do I.
Hey...
Wanna see it?
Isn't it cool?
Want to touch it?
Doesn't it hurt?
Itches a bit.
Let's go!
I'm going.
Where are you going?
To my teacher's home.
Who is your teacher?
My teacher is... My teacher.
I get it.
Will you be okay on your own?
Yeah.
Take care.
Sure.
Don't stay out late.
Sure.
Where's Yuki-chan?
She went back to school today.
That's great. What about Ame-chan?
Some times he goes, some times not.
That's also good for him.
Guys who don't go to school since elementary school are very promising.
Edison and I were like that.
Now he is talking nonsense again.
Now that I remember, who lives up in the mountain?
The mountain?
Ame said that he was going to his teacher's place,
I thought he meant the old man but...
Let me see.
Is there anyone on the mountain during this busy farming season?
My teacher knows everything.
Everything about the mountain.
I never thought you would get along with older people...
Next time bring him here.
I want to thank him for taking care of you, besides...
My teacher doesn't meet with humans.
He doesn't go down to the village like the bears and boars.
But I guess he might like to meet my mother.
My teacher is the master in charge of this whole mountain's territory.
Thanks for always taking care of Ame.
You can get in now.
I want to bring Yuki to my teacher's place too.
I'm improving my hunting technique.
There's a trick to run at full speed in the forest.
There's also a way to read the terrain.
I've been studying a lot.
Things like how to find streams and how to read the weather,
also about territory and how to respect them.
There's no way I'm going.
Why?
And why don't you go to school anymore?
Because the mountain is much more fun.
There are many things I still have to learn there.
It's better not to learn those.
Why?
Just start going to school!
No way.
Why not?
Because I'm a wolf.
You're human.
We're wolves.
I decided I'm never turning into a wolf again.
Why?
How come?
Because I'm human!
Okay? I'm HUMAN!
Why do you say that?
You're annoying asking "why, why".
Yuki, you're a wolf.
Even though you're a wolf, you...
Shut up!
You don't know anything!
What?!
I'll never forgive you if you don't come to school tomorrow.
I won't go!
Then I won't forgive you!
And I won't go!
You wanna fight?
What?
What's that noise?
Yuki! Ame!
Stop it you two!
Stop it, Yuki! Ame!
Yuki! Ame!
Ame?
Both Yuki and Ame started walking on their separate paths.
Instead of being hopeful like I should,
why do I feel this uneasy?
Tell me, why?
The last summer of my elementary school life,
was full of many record-setting heavy rains.
Ame started going to the mountain more frequently.
Those heavy rains,
would affect his teacher and the mountain flora and fauna.
He seemed very worried about that.
Ame!
Where have you been all this time?
You're cold.
Wait, I'll warm up the bath for you.
My teacher... Hurt his leg and can't walk anymore.
He... might die soon.
Someone has to take the place of my teacher
and carry on his duties.
Ame!
Don't go to the mountain anymore.
Okay? You're still only 10.
You're just a kid.
Even though a 10 year old wolf is an adult, you're...
Please.
Don't go to the mountain anymore.
It's your mom's... wish...
I'm going now. I'm going now.
Hey! Shoot it in!
Shindo, shoot it!
Here, pass!
By the way, do you know?
Know what?
I overheard my parents talking about it...
Yeah?
Souhei-kun's mother...
She is getting married.
Really!?
How come?
Because she is beautiful!
Then Souhei-kun will get a new father.
That's great.
But you see, Souhei-kun doesn't know anything about it, they said.
Really? Why? Why?
Really?
Yes.
This is our secret.
Alright! It got in! Yay!
What's the score now?
No way!
Here, shoot...
Good morning.
Today the weather will be great the whole morning,
but from the evening to late tonight a strong rain is forecast..
It's humid today.
Yuki.
Stay home today.
Stay with mom.
Why?
You'll miss the bus.
Yeah.
You should come too.
I'm going.
See you later.
...after a nice day it will rain.
Lightning might strike in some places.
For the southwest, sun followed by rain.
Ame.
Ame!
Come inside.
We will do a question about the distance a
swallow can fly nonstop for three whole hours.
First do you all understand what it means if we say it moves at a 70km/h speed?
70km/h.
This means that this is the distance he
can cover after flying for one whole hour.
So if he flew for one hour he would have covered a distance of 70 km...
The front that's stagnated in Japan's sea heads south.
The condition of the atmosphere above the
prefecture area has suddenly become unstable.
After this, expect locally extraordinarily
heavy rains accompanied with thunder and gales.
Precipitation is estimated at 70 mm an
hour on the plains, depending on the location.
Areas with lots of mountains are estimated to surpass 100 mm an hour.
Thanks.
Okay, sit down. Sit down.
Since it seems a storm is coming,
we're canceling the classes for this afternoon.
Hooray!
Now, everyone call their parents to come pick you up.
Get in contact with them.
Until they arrive everyone should be gathered and waiting at the gym.
A power outage?
I have to go.
I understand, I'm going right away.
Ame. Let's go bring Yuki home together.
Ame?
Ame? Where are you?
Ame!
Ame!
Ame!
Ame!
Where are you, Ame?
Ame!
Takahiro...
Mom!
Keiko!
Papa!
The Alps are 10,000-
Our father is taking too long.
Don't worry about it.
But...
If we have to stay here at school for the night,
we will play cards the whole night.
Cards?
I wanna play!
That sounds like fun!
It's like camping.
I'll go pick up the cards in class.
Okay.
Do you know how to play cards?
I only know how to play Old Maid.
Dummy.
Hey! Don't fight.
Shino!
Ah, father.
You're late.
Sorry, the storm is really strong, gee.
Yuki-chan, want me to take you too?
Of course. Come with us, Yuki-chan.
But...
Let's go, hurry.
Thanks for the offer,
but I think my mother is on her way already.
There's no need for restraint.
He's right.
It will be troublesome if I cross my mom without meeting her.
I guess that's right.
Then we'll be going.
Bye bye.
Bye bye.
Ame!
Where are you? Ame!
Ame!
Ame...
Where are you?
Sou-chan... He's taking too long...
Yuki-chan...
What? Did Yuki-chan go back already?
Hey, everyone, pay attention!
Those who are left will be taken home by the school's driver.
Get your backpacks and gather here.
Ame!
Ame!
Ame!
Wait! Wait up!
Ame!
Ame...
Where are you?
What are you doing here?
Well...
You were taking too long.
What? They're gone.
Everyone went home already.
So I was the only one nobody came to take home.
I wonder if something happened to my mom.
It's cold.
Let's hang around.
Yuki!
Wait.
If they are not going to take us home, what will we do?
I'd rather live here at school.
That would be impossible.
We can sleep at the infirmary when the night comes, can't we?
And what about food?
We can have the leftovers from lunch.
And what if nobody ever comes to take you home?
Would you live here forever?
I would find a job. Delivering newspapers or something.
You're a kid. They wouldn't hire you.
I'd lie about my age. I would say I'm in middle school.
Do I look like a middle school student?
Not at all.
Really?
I want to become an adult faster.
Me too.
Ame...
Where are you?
Aren't you trembling in cold?
If you don't come back...
I'll cry...
I..
Must... Protect you...
I'll... Protect you...
Is anybody there?
He's gone.
I'm still nervous.
Hey, why are we hiding?
Hey.
Looks like the sea.
Like it absorbed everything.
I wonder if we'll really be able to keep living here in secrecy...
If our parents don't come we can't help it.
Why?
I'm sure your mother will come.
She won't.
Why not? After all...
My mother... She got married.
She's pregnant.
When that baby is born she won't need me anymore.
Even after she was that worried about you...
I'm actually pretty fine with that,
I'll leave home now,
become a boxer or a wrestler,
and live like a lone wolf.
Well? Think I can do it?
Sou-chan, you'll get hurt right away.
You're frail.
I'll train.
I'll train and live on my own.
Sou-chan..
I wish I could be like you,
being able to smile even when talking about my true self.
Sou-chan.
The wolf that hurt you that one time...
That was me.
I always thought I should tell you.
That has been hurting me until now.
I knew it. All along.
I won't tell your secret to anyone.
I won't say it to anyone, so...
Don't cry anymore.
I'm not crying. Those are raindrops.
Thank you.
Ame! Where have you gone to?
Ame!
Ame.
I was looking for you.
Now let's hurry back and bring Yuki home...
Hana.
I missed you.
You've been working hard all this time.
Sorry about that.
It's fine.
I was always watching over you.
Yeah. I knew it.
You've raised the kids pretty well.
No. I didn't.
I made only mistakes.
No, it's true.
But both Ame and Yuki grew up nicely.
No. Because...
Ame is...
Yeah, Ame is missing.
Ame!
Ame is fine.
But...
He's fine. He's an adult already.
An adult?
He found a world he belongs in.
Ame...
Ame!
Are you going?
But, I haven't done anything for you yet.
Still not yet...
Even so...
Wait!
Ame!
Ame!
Ame!
Ame...
Ame...
Take care...
Live your life!
Take care.
My mother said she would never forget that morning.
The washed beech leaves, and the washed spiderwebs,
and the washed sky.
Everything was reflecting the sunlight so brightly.
It was like the whole world had been reborn anew in a single night,
that's what my mother thought.
The following year, to live in the middle school's dormitory,
I left home.
When my mother, who had raised us for 12 years, looks back on that,
says that it completely feels like a fairytale, and laughs.
Very fulfilling,
like looking on a peak very far away,
that smile on her face makes me really happy.
My mother still quietly lives in that house on the mountain.