Nanako and Mariko are waiting for Kaoru at the hospital. Mariko is impatient, while Nanako is a bit sad that Saint Just is not there. When Mariko sees Kaoru - who's talking to a doctor - she takes the bouquet of flowers from Nanako's arms and immediately gives them to Kaoru, who thanks the girls, saying she's glad to see them, and that there was no need...
Mariko says she was very worried for her, Kaoru thanks her and says she's very happy to receive the flowers. Mariko enthusiastically grabs Kaoru's arm and holds her, happy, saying that she pronounces her name wonderfully! Nanako looks very surprised...

Near the shore, Tomoko and Nanako are talking about Kaoru who left the hospital. Tomoko says she's surprised that Mariko is in love with Prince Kaoru. Nanako thinks about Mariko, and notices smiling that Mariko is very spontaneous when she expresses her feelings.
On the train, Tomoko says that it's quite natural to fall in love with Prince Kaoru, because she's strong and determined, she's tall and slender and has a self-confident and bold attitude. It's very easy to fall in love with her! Mariko preceded her! Seeing Nanako's extreme surprise, Tomoko says giggling that she's just kidding...

At home, Nanako writes a letter, and notices how much Mariko can be spontaneous... she opens the drawer of her desk and takes the handkerchief where she keeps Saint Just's cigarette-end...
The level crossing closes. Nanako thinks of Saint Just smoking, she's going to lights up the cigarette, but her mother calls her from downstairs. Nanako runs out of her room, thinking that maybe she has something in common with Mariko...

The next day, Saint Just prepares and leaves home, smiling and with her muscles a bit painful because of the match... On the street, Fukiko is waiting for her with her car, and gives her a ride to school.
In the car, Fukiko tells Rei that she knew she started playing basketball again. Rei nods.
Fukiko asks why she suddenly changed her mind. Rei turns towards her, surprised. Fukiko puts her hand on Rei's, and asks her if she had fun. Seeing that Rei is hesitating, she entwines her fingers with Rei's. Fukiko repeats her question, and Rei answers "Yes, very much". Fukiko looks in front of herself and looks disappointed: " I understand...", she says. Rei looks at her. Fukiko turns towards Rei, and repeats her question, but this time she looks very angry. She squeezes Rei's hand hard. "Did you have fun?", she asks again. Rei gazes for some moments Fukiko's face, then she turns and closing her eyes she says: "No, but they asked me and I had to play the same..." Fukiko's lips smile, satisfied. "If things stay this way, then it's ok..." she says.
Rei tries in vain to free her hand from Fukiko's clasp, while Fukiko says: "You must never forget it..." "Let my hand free!", Rei says. Fukiko attracts Rei's hand to herself, and blocks it with her other hand. "I'm the only one who knows you deeply, the only one who really understands what you feel in your heart. Got it?" Rei can only nod. Fukiko laughs, triumphant.

At school, Rei sits on the stairs close to the garden, takes some pills from her pocket and is going to swallow them... but she eventually closes her hand. Kaoru appears and congratulates: "You must do it for yourself, if you care of your health". Kaoru asks what Miya-sama told her, she saw that she gave Rei a ride in her car... Rei looks at Kaoru, giggles, and moves as if she wanted to swallow the pills she has in her hand. Kaoru throws against Rei, telling her to give her the pills. Rei laughs, opens her hand and let the pills fall on the ground... "You swallowed the bait... nice trick, eh?", she says. Rei gets up and leaves.
Kaoru smiles, saying she was wonderful... Some doves fly above the garden, and Rei walks and looks up, smiling at the sky...

During the break for lunch, Mariko asks Kaoru to have lunch with her and Nanako, but Kaoru must meet the coach... Mariko disappointed goes to Nanako's desk to call her. Nanako puts in her pocket a letter for her oniisama.
While the two girls are walking they see Saint Just playing the flute in a patio, surrounded by girls. Mariko notices that Saint Just is a very mysterious girl, Nanako stays there in a rapture, her heart beats fast, she blushes, she doesn't feel sad, but she would like to cry... At the cafeteria, Tomoko and Mariko are talking about the way to bake a cake, but Nanako seems absent. She leaves, saying she must go to the shopping centre.
There, Nanako doesn't find the stamps for her letter, she puts her letter back in her pocket, and leaving she sees a flower shop. She notices that there are the flowers Saint Just always wears in her breast pocket.

Nanako then goes to the basketball playing field. She thinks back to the match of the previous day, and focusing on the basket she thinks of Rei, so full of energy and life. A ball slowly arrives at her feet. Nanako takes it, lifts her head and sees Rei, who asks what's troubling her in a teasing tone. Has she got love problems? She wonders who broke Nanako's delicate heart, while Kaoru's heart is made of stone... Nanako protests it isn't so, but Rei takes the ball from her hands and, laughing, slams it inside the basket, running away...
Nanako walks to the small lake, and throws stones at the water, very annoyed. "It's Mariko who likes Prince Kaoru, not me!", she thinks...

Nanako runs back to her classroom, but loses her letter. On the stairs, she realizes she lost it.
During the English class, Mariko makes a question to the teacher. Nanako looks at her and notices how she is positive and full of life, she looks more beautiful, while Nanako feels more confused than ever. Nanako is worried for the letter, she shouldn't have taken it to school. "When is this lesson going to end???" Nanako says in mid-voice, but everybody hears it.
Nanako runs to the gymnasium, but the letter is not there. Mariko asks Nanako what's the problem. When Nanako explains it, Mariko asks her if the letter is addressed to a man, very worried. Some surprised comments from other students surround the two girls...
Mariko tells Nanako that she's a fool, she must not go round with men. It's dangerous, they are immoral and false. Mariko embraces Nanako and desperately asks her to promise her she'll never go round with men. Nanako calms her, and tells her she won't search the letter any more. Then she convinces Mariko to go back to their classroom.
They meet Monna Lisa and Borgia; they tell Nanako that Miya-sama wants to meet her at her home at the end of the lessons. They suggest Nanako not to oppose to her as she usually does...

At Ichinomiya's house, Fukiko is playing the piano. Nanako suspects that Miya-sama found the letter...
Fukiko finishes playing, and asks Nanako if she liked the piece she played. Then she asks her to pour some tea for her, and looks out of the window. Nanako takes a cup of tea, Miya-sama turns and asks who is Takehiko Henmi. She saw the address on the letter Nanako lost. The cup escapes from Nanako's hand.
Miya-sama says she's lucky: a Sorority member found her letter. If other students had found it, all the school would know about this guy... Nanako apologizes. Fukiko reminds her that she had told her not to have contacts with men. Nanako says that she just writes letters to him. The window suddenly opens because of the wind. Miya-sama closes the window and says: "Who knows? Maybe you'll eventually fall in love with him. I want you to obey and never oppose to my decisions! Tear up the letter!", she orders. Nanako hesitates and tears appear in her eyes.
Fukiko laughs and embraces Nanako, saying she was just joking...

Nanako goes back home, and tells her oniisama that she's sending him the letter with all her love, after she risked losing it...
"P.S. Everytime I get closer to a certain person, my heart beats faster...", she adds...

Nanako runs to catch her train, and eventually remembers she mustn't wait Tomoko. Nanako thinks about the fact that she has felt strange since the basketball match: her heart beats faster, it's a new feeling. She thinks back to Saint Just, so full of life. She thinks with enthusiasm that she has for her the same feeling that Mariko has for Kaoru...

Before the bus arrives to the Seiran, Nanako thinks she wants to see Saint Just. An abrupt brake makes her almost lose her balance, and she notices Saint Just sitting at the end of the bus, reading... Nanako moves towards her, but then she remembers that the bus doors are open because the bus reached the Seiran. Nanako runs, but the doors close before her and the bus goes on... "Being able to do without something is the first lesson of life...", Saint Just says from behind Nanako. Rei asks what lessons Nanako is supposed to have that day, and Nanako tells her. Saint Just says that she'll help her with French, in exchange "why don't you come with me?". Nanako asks what she means to say...

At Seiran, Mariko notices that Nanako is not there...

Saint Just puts her books and Nanako's satchel in a coin-locker near the park. Nanako tells Saint Just that they'll miss the lessons. Rei leaves, saying she's not obliged to follow her. Even if she feels a bit guilty, Nanako thinks it's a wonderful feeling, and follows Rei...

During the French class Mariko notices Nanako is not there yet...

Rei and Nanako are walking in the park. Nanako feels as if everybody is looking at her, but it's wonderful for her to have the chance to walk with Saint Just. Rei leaves Nanako alone for a while in order to buy something to eat, and tells Nanako to wait. A school controller appears and asks Nanako how old she is, and why she's not at school. She asks her the name of her school and her student card. Nanako is petrified and doesn't know what to do, the woman is going to write down her name and address, but Saint Just appears and explains that she's Nanako's guide: that day her school is closed for the anniversary of its foundation, and Nanako wanted to visit the town because she lives in the country, "where wild boars graze".
Rei gives Nanako the bag with some food she was carrying, and lights up a cigarette before Nanako's surprised gaze. The woman is convinced and tells Nanako to take care, "even if you shouldn't have any problems since you're in the company of a man", she adds. Saint Just bows.
When the woman is away, Rei smiles and notices it's useful to show more than her age. "She even mistook me for a man!", she says. Rei turns and sees that Nanako trembles and kneels, very scared. A look of tenderness appears on Rei's face; she throws away the cigarette and puts a hand on Nanako's shoulder, apologizing...

At Seiran, Kaoru notices that Mariko is waiting Nanako in the corridor, with a sad look. Kaoru invites her to look at the training of the basketball team. Mariko accepts gladly, and Kaoru says she's going to invite Rei too.

At the park, Saint Just and Nanako walk and chat, relaxed. Rei notices Takehiko and Takashi coming towards them. The four people cross their ways: Takashi looks at Rei and walks on, Takehiko instead looks at Nanako and greets her. Saint Just turns, surprised the two know each other. Takehiko tells Nanako that he'll send her a programme of the university festival, then asks her why she's at the park and not at school. Takashi turns, quite angry, towards Rei, and scolds her: "You can do whatever you want, but don't involve this poor girl!".
Rei spits the twig she was keeping between her lips, and steps away from the tree she was leaning on. She bows and says: "Of course, older brother!". Then she says goodbye, grabs Nanako's wrist and runs away with her. Takashi calls Rei's name...

Nanako asks Saint Just to stop and asks for explainations: why did she call Henmi's friend "brother" and run away? "You mean you don't know?", Rei asks. "Know what?", Nanako says. Rei laughs: "That boy is Takashi Ichinomiya; he's Fukiko's brother, so he's also my brother. He's like a guardian angel...", she explains. Nanako can't believe it.
While they eat, leaning against a railing and looking at a small lake, Nanako thinks that Takashi lied to her when she met him at Rei's building. Why did he say he was there to visit a "friend"? Nanako thinks that their family ties are quite complicated... Is maybe Saint Just the daughter of a different mother than Takashi's and Fukiko's?
Rei notices that Nanako is thoughtful, and offers her a sandwich. Nanako starts eating it and immediately realizes that the meat inside is rotten! She worries for Rei, who already ate her sandwich... While an ant climbs on Rei's finger, Nanako asks her how she feels, if she's got a pain in her stomach... Rei tells her not to worry: she doesn't care about death, "the life of an ant and of a human being have the same value; nobody troubles when a poor ant dies...", she says, blowing away the ant on her finger...

At Seiran, during lunch break, Tomoko and Mariko meet. They both wonder where Nanako is. Mariko refuses Tomoko's invitation because she's going to watch Kaoru's training. Tomoko decides she'll call Nanako at home.
Kaoru asks some girls where Rei is. A girl says that she saw her on the bus to school, but she didn't get off. Another comments that Rei always does what she wants. A third girl says that she's probably having a walk, because it's such a sunny and beautiful day...

Saint Just and Nanako walk near the pond. Nanako is happy because she can be with Rei, and witness her thoughts. Sitting with her under a big tree, she wonders what she represents for Saint Just... she wants to enjoy every moment of that day. Rei puts a cigarette end inside a powder compact: it's a present from a younger student, who wants to have Saint Just's cigarette ends.
Rei lights up another cigarette. Nanako thinks that she did the same thing, taking a cigarette end from Saint Just's flat to smoke it. Nanako jealously asks Rei to have the cigarette she's smoking. Rei asks her what she wants to do with it. Nanako says she wants to smoke it, she can do it, but Rei refuses to give it, because it's not true.
While Nanako tries to grab the cigarette, Rei grabs her wrist. "I'll teach you how you must smoke!", she says, angry. She closes Nanako's nostrils with her fingers, and with her other hand she puts the cigarette on Nanako's lips, forcing her to breathe in. Nanako loses consciousness.
In a dream she sees Saint Just playing the piano, spinning on itself. Nanako runs towards her, and when the piano turns, Rei's face has the look of a demon, at another spin it turns back to normal, and so on... Music of the carillon, image of the doll spinning on itself... the key of the carillon falls, and the music stops...

Rei looks down at Nanako, still fainted. She gently caresses her cheek, while Nanako wakes up.
Rei looks tenderly at her, and asks her if she feels better. Nanako inside of herself wonders if Rei is an angel or a demon.
Rei tells her that she must stay the way she is, she's already beautiful this way and doesn't need to change. With tears in her eyes, Nanako lets her feelings of love prevail, deeply touched by Rei's sweetness - image of the doll, lying on the grass in the same position as Nanako's -
"I love you!", Nanako confesses, starting to cry, and turning on one side. Saint Just looks at her with a surprised and rather indefinable expression.
A bird, who was previously swimming in the lake, takes off, leaving a trail of water and drops behind...

Image of the lake, and the tree in shadow. Saint Just gets up, her face is half in shadow. She tells Nanako they should go back to school, or they will miss the afternoon classes. She walks away from the tree (shadows of Rei and Nanako's profiles).

In his car, Takashi comments surprised that Rei and Nanako were at the park during the school hours. Takehiko says that they  used to skip the lessons, too... Takashi says that a lot of time has passed since Takehiko saw Rei the last time... since then, he hasn't seen Orihara either. Takehiko, with a sad look, says that there's nothing he can do about it.

At Seiran entrance, Nanako runs past Rei, who keeps her head bowed. "My dream is over..:" Nanako thinks sadly. Kaoru notices Nanako and Rei from a window.
Nanako is greeted by Tomoko and Mariko, who are very worried for her absence in the morning. Nanako says that she wasn't feeling well and stopped at a shop.
After the French lesson, Nanako goes back home with Tomoko, and she thinks that  she had finally said "I love you" to someone; she thinks about the wonderful dream she lived that day, about Saint Just...
Nanako shops around with Tomoko, and then they climb on the city tower and look at the view of the city in the evening. Tomoko tells Nanako that the shop she mentioned is open only in the afternoon, but laughs, because she sees that Nanako is happy. When Tomoko says bye to her friend, Nanako asks her in tears to spend some more time with her, because she doesn't want to remain alone... Tomoko accepts, smiling.

Fukiko is playing the piano at her home. Takashi is in the room with her, and is having a drink. He asks if Rei has any problems at school, if she attends her classes regularly. Fukiko says she doesn't spend much time with her, they attend different years. Takashi says he met her at the park, and she was looking happy. He also asks Fukiko why she always seems indifferent when he talks about Rei. Then Takashi adds that Rei was with a girl of the first year, Nanako Misonoo, "do you know her?".
Fukiko is surprised, and says that she's a member of the Sorority. "And do you know if that girl and Rei are close friends?", Takashi asks. "I don't know", Fukiko says a bit coldly, still playing the piano. "I hope Rei won't have a negative influence on that poor girl...", Takashi says, and leaves. Before he reaches the door, Fukiko asks him if he knows Nanako well, but then she adds "never mind..." The two brothers says each other good night. While on the stairs, Takashi turns as he hears the noise of Fukiko, who slams her hands on the piano's keyboard, and remains there, standing in silence...

Nanako is going back home, it's evening. She still thinks that it's the first time she has said "I love you"...
Her parents at home greet her happily and invite her in the living room. Prof. Misonoo bought a dress for Nanako, "maybe it's a bit childish, but I liked it!", he explains. Nanako wears it, and spins before the mirror in her room. But then she kneels (image of a dog crossing the railway track), and she looks at her image on the mirror (image of the doll). It starts raining and Nanako, now alone, starts crying. She's afraid of what Rei will think of her now, after her declaration of love...

At Seiran, Saint Just is training with the basketball team, and many students surround the playing field and cheer. Kaoru gets quite angry with them because their little screams are distracting for the team.
Nanako watches the scene from behind the group of girls. Rei and Kaoru go to the changing room, and Kaoru jokes and asks if Rei can do something for her screaming fans...
Nanako watches Kaoru and Rei passing by from behind a tree. They are talking about basket. Rei notices Nanako is there, but immediately turns her gaze. Nanako sighs. She thinks that she shouldn't have revealed her true feelings, now she can't talk to Saint Just with the same familiarity. Their eyes had met, but in Rei's there was a sort of coldness.

Along a corridor Kaoru tells Rei that she didn't know that also that girl (Nanako) was one of her fans. "Who?", Rei asks surprised. Kaoru points out that Nanako was watching at her from behind a tree. "I don't know who you're talking about..." Rei insists. "It doesn't matter...", Kaoru says, and starts walking away. "That girl knows Takehiko Henmi very well", Rei says, and Kaoru turns surprised. Rei tells that they met Henmi and Takashi at the park, and Takehiko is always the good guy that Kaoru knew, she should remember him...
Kaoru, with a sad look in her eyes, says that she forgot him...

During the English class, the teacher asks Nanako to read and translate some passages from a novel. The passage is about someone wandering alone after the end of a love story, and waiting for the night to fall, near abandoned trains. Nanako starts crying, as the passage reminds her of her situation. Kaoru turns towards Nanako and looks at her, sorry...

A train passes, and seagulls fly above the sea.
In a tea room, Kaoru invites Nanako to take a seat. She jokes, and says that Seiran cafeteria usually uses the meat of seagulls in its sandwiches! Nanako starts laughing, but her laughs suddenly change into sobs. She apologizes to Kaoru, saying she's weird, but Kaoru reassures her, saying that when a girl is in love this is normal. She also tells Nanako that "if the person you love is Rei, I'm really afraid you'll end up with a broken heart, because Rei's heart is captive of the evil spell of a capricious queen..." And she adds: "When you are in love, you can be hurt, that's what everyone says. If you were the only one to suffer there wouldn't be any problems. If I could have been sure that the other person would have never suffered too, I would have kept loving them despite everything and everyone..."
Nanako understands that Kaoru loved someone passionately, and that she's still in love with that person.

While they are on a bridge, Kaoru also says that love is like a bubble in the water, it's something very delicate and transient, "it grows for an instant and then immediately burst and disappears. The same thing happens in life... That's why in the instant that contains our existences we fall in love trying to receive and give love. It's the beauty of transitory things... But even if transitory, this doesn't mean everything is allowed...don't you think so? You must agree with me that I'm right, Nanako."
"Sure...",  Nanako agrees, with tears in her eyes.

At Saint Just's flat, a phone rings in the night. Rei answers the phone: it's Fukiko, who says that she's thinking back to their past, to the first time they met. Fukiko was 11, Rei 10, and they met in the garden of Ichinomiya's house. Fukiko was crying, and Rei is the only person who ever saw her cry, her little sister. "So, you must have eyes only for me, me only, not anybody else, got it? Did you understand? You must not look at another woman!", Fukiko says threatening and angry.
Rei silently nods. Fukiko ends the call and opens a window, while the wind violently ruffles her hair.

At home, Nanako writes a letter to her oniisama. She writes she shouldn't have revealed her feelings to Saint Just, but she couldn't help it. She loves Saint Just so much...
Clanging of the level crossing, image of Nanako's desk with the letter and the open balcony, the wind coming in...

Nanako comes back home and finds a parcel with a letter from Takehiko. Two trains cross.
She finds a programme of the university festival, Takehiko invites her and some friends of hers, if she wishes... Nanako takes a shower and a bath, relaxed. There is a Post Scriptum: "I haven't received many letters from you lately, but, as it is said, "No news, good news"! Nanako smiles in front of the mirror...

Tomoko and Nanako take a look at the programme at Seiran cafeteria. Mariko arrives and says the festival is something disgusting: men and women spending time together! She grabs the programme and goes away, Tomoko follows her to recover the programme. At the fountain, Mariko asks Nanako if it's true she goes round with an university student. Tomoko explains that he's like and older brother for Nanako. Then she takes back the programme and carries away Nanako, winking at her. Mariko runs to them, and says she will also come to the festival to protect them from men. Nanako and Tomoko look at each other and smile...

Takehiko is in Takashi's car, they are going to Ichinomiya's house because Takehiko needs to borrow a book from his friend. Takehiko sees Fukiko who's taking care of the roses in the garden, and kindly greets her. Fukiko looks at him and greets him back, shyly. Takehiko compliments her, but Fukiko leaves. Takehiko, who was touching a rose, gets pricked by its thorns!
Takashi apologizes for her, and inside the house, the two boys talk about Fukiko. Henmi thinks she seems to hate him, Takashi says he doesn't think so. Takehiko remembers that Fukiko was still at elementary school when he first met her, now she's a very beautiful girl. Takashi says that he thinks his sister is like an alien, he never knows what she thinks, and then gives the book to Takehiko.
Fukiko is cutting a red rose in the garden, and looks at the two, talking inside the house.
Takashi asks his friend if he invited Nanako, Henmi says: "Yes, she'll come with two friends". Fukiko, who's holding a white rose in her hand, clenches her fist, and blood starts running on her hand. Takehiko leaves, and Fukiko cuts *all* the roses in the garden, very annoyed...

During a lesson, Mariko tells Nanako she's got an idea.
Kaoru is running, and Nanako asks her if she can talk to her.
Saint Just is reading in the clock tower, and Mariko arrives and invites her to the university festival, on behalf of Nanako. The same does Nanako with Kaoru, on behalf of Mariko. Saint Just says that Kaoru will never go to the festival of that university, and kindly refuses. "Nothing personal, of course!", she adds. Kaoru says that that Sunday she must do her training, and runs away. (images of fireflies in the night, and the words "I'll forget you because I love you....")

Clanging of the level crossing. Nanako is really excited for the festival. Her parents smile, and say that they should talk to Nanako about Takehiko, but they haven't the courage; at the same time, they don't want to keep the secret forever...
Nanako looks at the mirror, the phone rings. It's Fukiko, who breaks the stem of a white rose when Nanako answers the call. Her face is in shadow, she asks Nanako if she's busy on Sunday morning (the festival is in the afternoon). Clanging of the level crossing, a train passes. Fukiko says she'll hold a small party, and invites Nanako to have tea with her in the morning. She also says not to tell anyone about this, because she's a girl from the first year, and the other students might be envious. Nanako accepts, and they end the conversation. Fukiko calls again, and asks Nanako a favour: she asks her to go to the Sorority house before the tea party and take a tea set in the store-room. She can take the key from the doorkeeper...

On Sunday, Nanako goes to the Sorority House, and thinks at the time of her appointment with Mariko and Tomoko. She takes the key from the doorkeeper, then opens the store-room, and starts looking for the tea set. Fukiko goes down the stairs, and locks Nanako inside the room, taking the key with her. Nanako hears there's someone outside, and calls for help. Fukiko takes the programme Nanako left outside, and goes away, not caring about Nanako's cries for help. She has a satisfied look: "You'll stay there until evening!", she thinks. Then she tears up the programme.

A train passes. Mariko and Tomoko meet at a cafe, and they wait for Nanako. Nanako, inside the room, sees a gramophone...
Kaoru is running in the garden, and Rei, lying on a bench, tells her that she doesn't want to rest even on Sunday. Kaoru tells Rei that instead she smokes like a chimney even today... Rei says that if Kaoru asked her to go together to the university festival, she would stop immediately. Kaoru smiles and leaves. On a flowerbed, Kaoru sees some torn pages of the programme. She hears music from the store-room, looks down and sees Nanako, who's dancing alone trying to spend the time...
Nanako turns towards her...

Fukiko receives a phone call from Nanako, who explains her what happened. She's free thanks to Kaoru, then Nanako apologizes because she missed the tea party. Fukiko says it must have been a terrible experience, and tells Nanako not to worry, they'll have tea together another time - in the meantime she's playing with the key of the store-room in her hand - She invites Nanako to go to the festival, and not make her friends wait for her any longer. She also tells her to have fun.
When she closes the phone, Fukiko slams the key on the floor...

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