A dream: Little Rei is walking on the beach at sunset with her mom. She says that she wants to stay with her forever. Mrs. Asaka starts walking towards the sea, and before disappearing in the waters she assigns Rei the task to take care of her older sister, who was adopted and took away from her. Rei wakes up in tears, calling her mama...

It's Saturday morning. The school council decided to call an emergency meeting to discuss the results of the petition to abolish the Sorority.
Kaoru is training, Rei arrives and congratulates her. The two girls walk to the changing room, and Rei wonders if something will change for Fukiko, but she's sure she'll always be the same, recalling the pride of a queen the girl showed at the tea party. She's happy for her sister's pride, and says that she feels serene after such a long time. Kaoru is happy for her friend.

Nanako and Tomoko go to visit Mariko, but nobody is at home when they arrive. After a while they see Mariko and her mother arriving in Takashi's car. The boy carried them around to look for the home where the two women will live after the divorce. Mariko looks serene. Takashi stays for the tea, and the atmosphere is cheerful. Then Nanako and Tomoko leave with Takashi, and they are glad the boy will help Mariko and her mother in the incoming difficult moments.

Fukiko receives a phone call from her father in London. Mr. Ichinomiya asks about her activities, and then about Rei, Fukiko says her sister seems happier lately. Fukiko talks about the call with Takashi, and underlines that their father always asks news about Rei.

It's late in the evening, and Nanako goes to the small park with the swings, where Rei is waiting for her.
The girl says she wanted to see her to thank her for everything, and to open her heart to a person like her, so pure and clear. Nanako says that Rei looks a bit strange that night, and Rei says smiling that she feels at peace with herself. It's a magic moment, and the two girls look at the lights of the city before them.
Then Rei tells Nanako that Fukiko and her have the same mother! Fukiko doesn't know about this truth, Rei promised her mother not to tell her. Rei says that she was probably luckier than Fukiko, because for a short time she could live close to her mother, who always lived as the lover of a married man, and never got married. Rei says she promised her to always protect Fukiko, who was adopted after her birth, and to always protect her sister's pride.
Nanako is a bit shocked, and asks Rei why she revealed her this family secret. Rei gets closer to Nanako and says: "Because I love you, isn't it a sufficient reason?". Then the two girls embrace, and Rei thanks Nanako for her affection, she feels that she'll be stronger from now on. Then she asks Nanako if the next day she wants to see a special sunset with her from a secret shore where she used to go with her mother. Nanako accepts, very happy, and Rei laughs, smiling.

The next day, Nanako leaves home very early, it's a sunny and hot day.
Rei gets up and has breakfast, opening a fridge full of every kind of food.
Tomoko and Nanako talk at a café, Nanako asks her friend to spend some time with her before her date. Tomoko is curious to know who the girl must meet...

In the meantime, Rei phones to Kaoru, while still cleaning up her room. Kaoru proposes her to go and play basketball, but Rei says she must meet someone. Then she reads the first lines of Verlaine's poem ("Il pleure dans mon coeur..."), and says that these words are not right for that beautiful sunny day. She says she'll give back to Kaoru the book she borrowed from her.

Nanako is talking with Tomoko, and answers "it's a secret!" when her friend asks her who she must meet...
Rei is having a shower, and her bracelet lies next to the sink. Then she gets dressed, all in white.

Fukiko and Takashi are talking about Rei. Takashi asks if Rei still takes those pills. Fukiko says that Rei told her she stopped. Takashi asks if she's sure. Fukiko says that Rei has always been a loyal and honest girl. Takashi smiles surprised and glad that Fukiko talks about Rei so positively.

In the meantime, Tomoko finally knows that Nanako must meet Saint Just. She waves bye to her friend, who takes a train, and says that she's very lucky.

Rei goes to a flower shop, and buys a bouquet of red roses to deliver at Fukiko's home. Then she buys another bouquet of white flowers for Nanako, who, in the meantime, reached the place of their date.

Rei climbs on a footbridge over a railway.
Kaoru is jumping to the basket during her training, and suddenly sees an image of Rei, jumping before her. She falls down, surprised, and notices that the lace of one of her shoes is broken...

A sudden  gust of wind makes the bouquet of flowers fly away from Rei's hand. Rei leans out and grabs it, but finally falls down, violently hitting against a running train that's passing at that moment. The bracelet flies away from her wrist. Rei seems to fly in the sunset. She sees the face of her mom, who smiles and says: "It's a wonderful sunset...". "Yes, mom...", Rey says, smiling.
Rei lies next to the tracks, still keeping the flowers in her hand, the bracelet away from her. Image of the little doll...

Fukiko receives a phone call from the police. Takashi arrives, and finds the girl shaking and crying, shocked by the news...

Nanako waits at sunset at the train station where she should have met Rei. She's sure the girl will arrive...

Kaoru is leaving the changing room, and a teacher gives her the sad news. Kaoru can't believe it, and screams in shock that it's a mistake, it's not possible!

Nanako is going back home. She meets Tomoko at the train station, the girl is waiting for her with tears in her eyes. Nanako doesn't understand. Tomoko says that Saint Just is waiting for her at the hospital. Tomoko cries along the way, Nanako still can't undestand her friend's despair.

The two girls reach a room. Nanako comes in and sees Rei lying, covered by a white sheet. Fukiko, Takashi and Kaoru are in the room, silent and under shock. Nanako's bag and parasol fall to the ground. Nanako lifts the sheet covering Rei's face. She says she'll cook a soup for her before she wakes up. Fukiko is going to cover Rei's face again, and Nanako finally lets all her desperation out: held by Tomoko, she screams Saint Just's name, saying no...

Takashi is surprised because the police think this might be a suicide, and want to keep Rei's corpse during the investigation.

Nanako comes back home with Tomoko. She lies on her bed and cries. Mr. Misonoo asks his wife if Nanako and Rei were very close, and she says that Rei was older and was for Nanako like a sort of guardian angel. Mr. Misonoo says that Nanako will overcome this terrible pain; it's going to be difficult, because it's the most impressionable period of her life. She must be strong.
Nanako phones to Rei in tears...

Fukiko stares at the empty space. Then she receives the bouquet of red roses Rei had sent her, for a mistake it arrived very late. She reads the note: "These flowers are for you, as a wish of a shining future, as an hope for a wonderful tomorrow, and most of all as an eternal "thank you" for your constant love. From your only, your one and only sister."
Fukiko reads the last sentence shaking, and falls on her knees. She asks Rei how she could die without her, leaving her only a letter. "How will I, how can I find the strength to follow you, now that you're not here any more?", she asks in tears. She calls for Rei, with her arm lifted toward the sky...

At Seiran the police is investigating about Rei and her habits.
Nanako is vegetating at home, annihilated. Tomoko talks with the police.
Nanako goes out, and unconsciously reaches the footbridge where Rei had the accident. She cries there, desperately punching her fists on the ground, then she sees Kaoru, leaving some flowers in the place where Rei's body was found. Kaoru asks Rei what she can do now without her...

Nanako follows Kaoru, and sees her in a game parlour. Kaoru says that she's worn out and can't help her, she wants to stay alone. Nanako asks Kaoru if she knows where the secret shore is, and tells her about her date with Rei.
Kaoru is relieved, because this shows that Rei didn't suicide, and also Nanako thinks that Rei didn't suicide.
On the bridge, however, the two girls realize that they are suffering terribly for Rei's death, and Kaoru leaves, crying.

The police arrives at Ichinomiya's mansion.
They explain that Rei was going to a date with Nanako Misonoo, so it was an accident, not a suicide. A delivery-boy witnessed what happened: Rei tried to catch the flowers and fell down, hitting against a running train. She seemed to fly like a bird. Fukiko, who is playing the piano, is extremely surprised by all this news.

Nanako goes to the station where she had to meet Rei. She sees an image of her friend, dressed in white and turning towards her smiling. Rei thanks her for her affection.
Nanako stands there alone. She says that she never discovered where the secret shore with a special sunset is...

Fukiko has a bath, she deeps into the water full of the petals of the red roses. She tells Rei that she loved her, but didn't realize how much. She tells her goodbye in her last present. Now she's alone without her...

It's the day of Rei's funeral. In a huge cathedral many girls cry, leaving flowers on Rei's opened grave. Nanako notices how Saint Just was loved by everyone.
Fukiko says she wants to stay alone with her sister and say goodbye, before her body is carried away. Takashi leaves, and before the door of the church he shows how upset and shocked he is for her younger sister's death. Takehiko calms him down.
Fukiko talks to Rei, and says that during the funeral she was dignified, proud and bold. But now she can show her her tears, which are only for Rei. She cries desperately on Rei's breast, and then says goodbye to her sister kissing her lips.
The wind blows outside, and doves fly high in the sky.

Nanako is dreaming: she sees Rei under the elm tree, she smiles and tells her that smoking is horrible. Nanako runs to her, and Rei holds her in her arms. Nanako tells her that she had a nightmare, she dreamt that Rei had died. Then Rei, dressed in her basketball uniform, runs away, and jumps. The bracelet flies off her wrist.
Rei is playing in the school theatre: "Where will my body go? It will fly in the winds like a solitary seagull, but free at last... It will fly high in the skies...", she says. Nanako begs Rei not to leave. Then she sees her, turned into a seagull, flying above the sea near a shore. Nanako stands with her feet in the water...

Nanako wakes up, and smokes the cigarette end she kept in her drawer. She coughs in tears, while a train goes away and she hears Rei's laughter... She would like to see Rei in her dreams only for some time more...

Nanako instinctively goes to Saint Just's flat. She sees the lights are on, and runs upstairs. She finds Fukiko, sitting on a chair. Fukiko says that she hoped that Nanako was Rei, and that her sister's death was only a nightmare...
Miya-sama tells Nanako about her relationship with Rei: maybe Nanako thought it was a strange relationship, but Fukiko wanted Rei to think constantly about her, so she could feel self-confident. She gently places a white rose on Rei's pillow. Then the two girls remain silent. They look at the view of the city from the balcony. Nanako thinks that it is the sight Rei could watch at every day. "A new day... a new day is beginning without you...", Nanako thinks sadly, and then starts crying.
Fukiko tries to comfort Nanako. She says that she can take an object that could always remind her of Rei, her sister often told her that she loved Nanako... Nanako instinctively takes the doll, recalling how Rei often called her "ma chèrie la poupeé". Fukiko tells Nanako that the doll is a present of hers. Then she suddenly remembers the name of the beach she couldn't remember...

Fukiko gives a ride to Nanako to take her home. She confesses her that Rei and her had the same mother! Mrs. Ichinomiya told Fukiko the truth before dying. Fukiko was shocked, she hated Rei, or at least she tried to hate her, but she wasn't able to do so. She couldn't tell her the truth, because maybe Rei might have seen her under a completely different light... Nanako doesn't say that also Rei knew the truth...
At home Nanako thinks about this family secret, about the incredibly deep love that linked the two sisters... it's a secret she promise she'll never tell.

Fukiko is on a train, she wears the golden bracelet on her wrist. She goes to the beach where she tried to kill Rei, and recalls that day, looking at the sea. An old woman with her dog asks her if she's travelling alone. Fukiko says she's with her younger sister. The woman says that she must be beautiful if she's her sister. Fukiko says that everybody tells them that they look like their mother. The woman asks if they plan to travel for a long time. "No, this is our last day...", Fukiko answers.
Then she walks away. "It's over, Rei.", she thinks.

At Seiran there's the meeting of the school managers. Fukiko comes in and asks personally the abolition of the Sorority.

Nanako is in the swimming pool with Tomoko. She tells Takehiko that two weeks have passed since Saint Just's death, and also the Sorority is a memory. The long summer holidays have begun. Nanako looks at the water before starting to swim. "Dear brother, I'm very well... who knows when I'll be able to write these words again in one of my letters to you...", she thinks.

Kaoru is at the hospital for a check up. The doctor asks her if she will be able to come once a week in the next months to have complete check ups. Kaoru asks worried if the operation didn't give the hoped results, the doctor says that it's not what he meant. Kaoru says she wants to know the truth, the doctor says she must trust him. Kaoru runs away, almost in tears.

Tomoko and Nanako are at the cinema; Nanako says she doesn't want those flowers to whiter (she left flowers on the place of Rei's accident, like several other girls). The two girls go there, and pray for a while. Tomoko tells Nanako that someone is on the bridge: it's Kaoru, who cries desperately. Nanako realizes how there are other people who can't accept Rei's untimely death. While Tomoko carries her away, Nanako is surprised to see Kaoru, who's usually so strong and unshakable, sobbing like a kid.
It's evening, and Kaoru walks on a bridge. She calls Rei, she wonders what's the meaning of fighting to survive, if we all have to die...

At university, prof. Misonoo is told that Mr. Henmi asked to meet him to talk about his studies abroad. Prof. Misonoo is surprised, and arranges a meeting with him.

Takehiko is at home with Takashi, who is at the balcony. He refuses the beer Henmi offers. Takehiko comments that Rei's death was so sudden and unexpected... Takashi looks at the seagulls. "Rei was very mysterious", Takehiko says.
Takashi finally accepts the beer. "My father and my sisters are shocked, dazed, full of regrets!", Takashi says. He starts shouting that they did nothing for Rei, they are all a bunch of selfish people. "Rei had a hard life, full of obstacles, and when she asked for help we turned our backs on her!", he says in tears. He clenches his fist, and the glass in his hand shatters. "We should have surrounded her with love, instead we let her die alone and unhappy! What a brother, what a family... that's disgusting!", he screams, full of anger, and crying. Takehiko heals his friend's wound, and tries to calm him down.
"You must never do it! You mustn't have any regrets!", Takashi tells his friend. "Are you talking about Nanako?", Henmi asks. "I'm talking about her! [Kaoru]", Takashi says, grabbing him by his shirt. "You didn't forget her!".
"It's true...", Takehiko sadly admits.
"Why are you going to study abroad, then?" Takashi asks him.
"Even if I always think of her, I haven't got any other choice...", Henmi says.

Nanako receives a phone call: a member of the basketball team says that they have a match and Kaoru hasn't arrived yet. Kaoru's family said that they haven't seen her since the previous day. Nanako leaves, running.
Kaoru is walking along the railway line, and says she's tired and can't go on...

It's evening. Takashi stops his car, seeing Nanako next to Rei's apartment. He asks her why she's there, and Nanako answers that she went there instinctively, because she needed help and Saint Just was Kaoru's friend, and surely knew where she could find her. Nanako went to the 5th floor and was going to ring the bell, but then realized that Rei's wasn't there any more. Nanako is in tears, and Takashi asks her to explain him better what happened to Kaoru. Nanako says that Kaoru hasn't gone back home since the previous night, and didn't go to the basketball match. Takashi tells Nanako to get on his car, and they head to Takehiko's home.
Takashi asks Nanako to talk with him about Kaoru, about the way she feels lately. Nanako asks why, and the boy explains that Kaoru and Henmi were engaged one year before. Then they parted, but there weren't any problems between them, they still have a bond. Nanako is surprised.

Kaoru keeps walking alone, it's raining. She remembers her farewell to Takehiko, in a night full of fireflies...
"Rei, why did you leave and left me alone, when I had decided to live my remaining time until the last second?", Kaoru asks in tears, inside a broken phone booth. "To prevent people from suffering I have no family and sentimental ties. Why didn't you wait for me? I'm losing my strength, I'm afraid of dying, alone, I don't know what to do without you!", she continues, crying desperately.

Takashi and Nanako are at Takehiko's home. Takashi explains his friend that Kaoru is suffering a lot. Takehiko is thoughtful, then he asks Takashi the keys of his car.
Nanako goes back home, and thinks about the revelations on the love relationship between Kaoru and Takehiko, stopped mysteriously. She thinks that it must have been a sad and tormenting love. She thinks that Takehiko is so sweet, and silent, and inspires a feeling of maturity...

Takehiko reaches a place far from town. It's raining. He finally sees Kaoru standing under the rain.
"I knew I could find you here...", he tells her. Kaoru begs him to stay away from her, and is going to run away. Takehiko reaches her and embraces her. "You can't run away from your heart!", he says. Kaoru insists, she wants him to leave. Takehiko holds her tight. "I've waited this moment for so long, I knew that you would eventually need my help!", the boy says.
"I only need my freedom!", Kaoru says.
"I didn't believe you, and I don't believe you now", Henmi replies.
"Let me go, it'll be better for the both of us", Kaoru insists.
Takehiko lets her free, then asks her why she came back to that place, where she told him farewell. Henmi replies himself to the question: "Because you know that my heart too has remained here since that day. It was buried by that farewell. It never beated for anybody else, remaining cold and still!". Kaoru stops before the car. "Your heart remained here too, you can't deny it!", Takehiko adds.
Kaoru says that she erased the memoried of that day in her mind.
A flashback: she tells Takehiko that she loves him. "I want you to look at me carefully, so it will be easier for you to forget me.", she says. She opens up her kimono, showing her naked body. "Now you understand, I would never make you happy. If you loved me as I am now, and if yours weren't only pity, my illness would make your future unsure, and you'd end up hating me. That's why you must forget me!", Kaoru explains.
End of the flashback. "But you couldn't forget me, that's why you're here now!", Takehiko says.
Kaoru looks at him, then gently kisses him, and says she'll always keep in her heart the memory of the happy moments they spent together. Then the girl runs away across a bridge. Takehiko calls her desperately, remaining behind.

It's a sunny morning, and Nanako gets up and leaves, running. She phoned at Orihara's home, and she was told that Kaoru came back home and will go to the training of the basketball team that day.
However, Nanako finds that the gymnasium of Seiran is empty. She sits on some steps, and some birds fly towards the clock tower. "Maybe it was Saint Just who led me to the top of the clock tower...", Nanako thinks.
Nanako gets into the clock room, and finds Kaoru, with a lighted cigarette in her hand. The older girl puts it on a can, where there are two other cigarettes burning, next to some flowers.
Kaoru greets Nanako, and says she remembers that this was Rei's favourite place. Nanako says that they were all worried for her, and Takashi told her about her love story with Henmi.
Kaoru tells Nanako how everything started: Takashi used to visit Rei, and once he took Henmi with him. Kaoru immediately fell in love with him and his deep-brown eyes.
They were always together, and they even used to go to an old turnabout at the funfair. Then they parted.
Kaoru opens up her shirt and shows Nanako her breast. Kaoru had a mastectomy! Nanako is shocked, and falls on her knees. Kaoru explains that if the tumour reappeared within 5 years it would be the end for her.

In the meantime Takehiko is looking at a picture-book. He stops and looks at a picture of him and Kaoru together on a roundabout. His eyes are full with tears...