Oniisama e... Anime Episode Summaries
(37-39)

Episode 37
The Roundabout

Scene from the previous episode, with Kaoru opening her shirt and showing her "secret" to Nanako.
Nanako falls on her knees and embraces Kaoru around her waist. Kaoru tells that she left her only love, showing him her love by letting him free to find happiness elsewhere. She cries and says that she made the right choice, she has no regrets. She places her hand on Nanako's head, the girl is crying, and she asks her younger friend to apologize her, maybe she shouldn't have told her this secret. But she immediately got on well with her; maybe she felt she could open her heart to Nanako because she's his sister. Nanako opens her eyed wide. "What do you mean, with "his real sister"?", Nanako asks. Kaoru is surprised. "So you didn't know it, I'm sorry...", Kaoru says. Nanako is surprised that she's Takehiko's real sister...

Nanako walks on the beach. She thinks back to what Kaoru told her after the revelation: "I thought you knew it, you called him "oniisama", Kaoru says. "It was only a game... a nickname", Nanako explains. "Takehiko was born from... [this part of the dialogue is omitted for the moment by the authors] ... now you understand, Nanako?"
"Dad, mom..." Nanako thinks, looking at a seagull fishing in the sea...

Prof. Misonoo is talking to his wife, he's worried because Nanako is late. He says that he knows that Takehiko is leaving for Germany, it's time to talk about it with Nanako, she's grown up now...

Nanako looks at her home from outside. The wind is blowing and leaves fly around her...
Nanako finally enters home; she tells her "oniisama" that she feels confused for all the recent events. First Saint Just's death, then his love story with Prince Kaoru. While she takes a bath, she thinks about the discovery that he's really her brother...
It's evening. Prof. Misonoo knocks at Nanako's door, then he silently opens it. He sees Nanako, looking at the landscape out in the balcony. She thinks that "Takehiko is the son prof. Misonoo had from his first wife" [these are Kaoru's words previously omitted during her dialogue with Nanako]. Nanako turns and sees nobody is at the door.
Downstairs, prof. Misonoo tells his wife that he was afraid to hurt her: Nanako is so sensitive, she would never forgive him for leaving Takehiko and his mother. He says he's afraid Nanako would despise him. Nanako's mom offers him to talk to her daughter and tell her everything, but prof. Misonoo says it's his duty.
Nanako is still on the balcony; a pen falls from the sheets on her desk...

The next morning, Nanako goes out to take the newspapers for her dad. She decided to ask him the truth, and then think about it. Prof. Misonoo invites Nanako to have a walk.
A train passes, Nanako and her father are along a ship canal. Mr. Misonoo remembers that it was there that they met for the first time: Nanako was very little, she seemed afraid of him, because he was looking at her continuously. He remembers smiling that since then Nanako has become his beloved daughter. Then he says that he told her a lie, or better, he hid her the truth. A boat passes along the waters. Prof. Misonoo says he has another child, by 7 years older than Nanako; a guy who is very sweet and did very well at school. He hasn't seen him for 13 years, and he loves him as much as he loves Nanako. Images of dragon-flies. Prof. Misonoo says that he always thinks of him. Apart from this secret, he is always the father Nanako has always known.
"Why don't you meet, dad, Takehiko would be happy", Nanako says smiling. Her father is surprised she already knows it. "I got to know it yesterday, but I was afraid that you could tell me you don't love Takehiko, and refused him", Nanako reveals. Prof. Misonoo embraces his daughter, the sheets of the newspaper fly away around them...

It's afternoon, and it's raining. Nanako goes to Takehiko's home to talk to him. The boy opens the door surprised to see her there. "Do you remember that day too? It was the last day at the juku, and I asked you to become my older brother, and read my letters." Nanako asks him. Takehiko says he remembers it well. Nanako asks him in tears if she can ask him again to be her older brother, since he's really her "oniisama". Takehiko is very surprised.

Sitting at a café, Nanako asks Takehiko why he hid her the truth, he knew they were really brothers (Prof. Misonoo told her Takehiko knew it). Takehiko says he planned to tell her. The two laugh together. "And if I had fallen in love with you, after writing you the letters, would you have dared to tell me the truth?", Nanako asks. "What?" Takehiko says surprised. "I haven't been interested by any man yet, but if he were like you I'd risk of "choking" him with my attentions." Nanako says.
"There was no risk, I knew it!", Takehiko says. "But we have no family bonds, nothing could have stopped us!", Nanako says. Takehiko stammers embarassed, Nanako starts laughing aloud. Takehiko is relieved Nanako was joking.
Then Nanako starts crying. A train passes...

It's raining. Nanako and Takehiko walk on a bridge. "All the important days in my life have been rainy", Nanako says.
"It's true", Takehiko nods. He thinks back to his past. "That day too it rained hard...". He remembers a day when he went to his father's home. He saw little Nanako, so cute and sweet. She had a red spade in her hand. "Hi! Who are you, what's your name?", she asked, seeing him. Takehiko ran away, then he turned and looked at Nanako, who was playing and dancing under the rain. Since that day he has had a little sister...

The train arrives, and Takehiko, laughing, asks Nanako if he can call her "Nana". "Don't you dare!", Nanako replies. The two wave goodbye to each other.
On the train, Nanako thinks that now Takehiko Henmi is really her brother, not only a "brother" for her letters. He's so kind, he's loved passionately by Fukiko, he's in love with Prince Kaoru. He has mysterious brown eyes, mirroring the sadness of his childhood.
Nanako is happy, but surprised... even if he's wonderful, she could never fall in love with him, because he's her brother. But she will keep writing to him. "Although I didn't know where or when, I knew for sure that one day I would lose myself in brown eyes like yours...", Nanako thinks.
At home she writes a letter, where she tells him about all these feelings. "Obviously, I never sent you this letter... but I put it inside your pocket!", Nanako tells, lying in bed, with a dreaming and joyful look on her face...

Takehiko receives a phone call. There's silence at first, then Kaoru greets him. Takehiko says hello to her sweetly. Kaoru says that there are a lot of things she needs to tell him, and then apologizes, because she told Nanako the truth; she thought Nanako already knew it, otherwise she would have never told her. Then she hangs up the phone. Takehiko is sad, because he wanted to keep talking to her. He resumes his work at the PC.

In her room, Kaoru says that she wants to see him, and hold him. She lies down and cries, saying she misses him. She asks Rei's help...
Takehiko remembers a day he was with Kaoru at the amusement park:
They are on a big wheel. Kaoru tells Takehiko to use his imagination; she can see beyond the amusement park, beyond time and space. Takehiko asks her what she sees looking at the roundabout. "The future; one day for every turn. The first it's tomorrow, the second the day after tomorrow...", Kaoru answers.
"And what do you foresee for you, tomorrow?", the boy asks.
"That I'll love you more than today, and the day after tomorrow even more...", it's her reply.
"Then let's stop the roundabout, until we're so in love, or we'll get dizzy!", Takehiko says laughing. Kaoru says she doesn't want to stop. Fireworks start.

Back to the present, Kaoru looks at the night sky. "... while now, Rei, even if I keep spinning millions of times, I can't see nothing beyond that roundabout..."
Takehiko has his hands on his face, then he turns off everything...

At Johto University, Prof. Misonoo receives Takehiko's visit. The boy greets him respectfully, and the two have a very formal conversation. Prof. Misonoo looks at him, and says he got to know that Takehiko wants to continue his studies in Germany. The boy confirms. Mr. Misonoo says he'll write some references for him, and that he'll call him when they are ready. Takehiko thanks him. They look at each other in silence. Prof. Misonoo is going to say something, but Takehiko thanks him and goes to the door. Mr. Misonoo looks at him, and then he asks the boy if he can walk with him to the station. Takehiko says "Yes!", smiling.
Father and son walk together for a while, in silence. It's sunset. Prof. Misonoo asks Takehiko how much he's tall. "1.85 metres", the boy answers, surprised. Prof. Misonoo says he has grown up a lot in the last 13 years...
Among the crowd at the station, Takehiko says bye to Prof. Misonoo, then turns and walks away.
"Takehiko!", Prof. Misonoo calls him. The boy turns. "Good luck, my son! Do your best!", the man says, with tears in his eyes. "Thanks, dad!", Takehiko replies, with tears in his eyes too...

The train goes away at sunset...



Episode 38
Yes...

Nanako, Tomoko and Mariko are playing bowling, and Nanako is winning... "The summer holidays are almost over..." Nanako tells, "and the district costume celebration  is near". Nanako is sad because Takehiko will leave soon, but also because his love story with Kaoru is still alive but doesn't go on...

Takehiko phones Kaoru and invites her to a café near the train station. Kaoru says she won't come, but the boy says he'll wait in any case. Several trains pass by, and inside the café Takehiko remembers one day at the amusement park:
He talks to Kaoru about going to Germany. This is his dream, he wishes to test his skills, and become famous like his father. Kaoru comments that it's true that dreams can give colour to life... Kaoru adds that her dream is basketball, maybe, and then she wants to help him to fulfil his dream. She holds Takehiko's arm. "Germany, we're coming!", they say. They run to the roundabout, but Kaoru feels a sharp pain in her chest. She falls from the horse she was riding, under Takehiko's surprised eyes.

Takehiko talks to a doctor, and asks him how long Kaoru can live. "The operation was successful; if the tumour didn't reappear in the next 5 years, she wouldn't run any risks", the man says. Takehiko comments that in this case Kaoru would have a future, and the doctor confirms. A bottle slips from Kaoru's hands. They found the girl sitting on the floor, frighthened. With tears in her eyes, Kaoru says that she will not be able to go to Germany with Takehiko, and apologizes to him. Takehiko protests...

Kaoru arrives at the café, at sunset. Takehiko asks her to go to Germany with him. Kaoru says that his dream is coming true, and that he'll be successful because he deserves it. "Forget me!", she adds. Takehiko says that his dream is to leave with her. Kaoru says that he'll find another girl who will be able to make him happy.
Takehiko says that she's his only love. He cries it out, while Kaoru turns and runs away...

Miya-sama is playing Saint Just's melody at the piano. The maid asks her where Takashi is, because there's a phone call for him. Fukiko says that he's probably inside the garage, and that she'll call her brother herself. Takashi tells her that he's fixing the engine, and asks his sister to answer the phone for him.
Fukiko is surprised that it's Takehiko on the phone. She says Takashi is busy, Henmi says he'll call back again.
Fukiko thanks the boy for calming down Takashi at Rei's funeral. Takehiko says that everybody was upset... Takashi hears it's Takehiko and runs to the phone. He thanks Fukiko, who walks away slowly. The girl stops behind the door. Takashi understands that Takehiko is drunk, and he tells his friend he should insist to take Kaoru with him to Germany. Fukiko opens her eyes wide, surprised. Takashi says he'll go to the pub where he is to carry him home, and hangs up the phone.
Fukiko asks Takashi if it's true that Takehiko is going to Germany, and if Kaoru is going with him. "That's what he hopes...", Takashi replies. "I understand...", Fukiko says, closing her eyes.

Prof. Misonoo asks Nanako if the following morning she can give Takehiko the references he wrote for him. Nanako runs to his home that same evening. She takes a taxi, she wants to ask her brother about the story with Kaoru. It is raining...

Takashi opens the door, smiling. Nanako sees Takehiko lying on the floor, he drank too much. Takashi asks Nanako to help him put the boy in bed. Takehiko gets up staggering, he wants to do it himself, but then he falls, whispering he'll go to Germany alone, without Kaoru.Takashi tells him not to give up. Nanako looks at the scene, surprised and sad.

The next day, at Seiran, Nanako asks Kaoru to follow her. Takashi waits for them at the track and field stadium. He explains that they are not sent by Takehiko, but Henmi feels destroyed and afflicted. He would like to meet her once again. Kaoru says she already talked to him. Takashi says that she should think a bit more about him. Kaoru shouts that she made her choice for his sake, so he will be happy. Nanako says that she'll make him suffer, this way, she must admit to herself that she needs him. Kaoru slaps Nanako instinctively, but immediately apologizes. "You can't deny it, you love him!", Nanako continues.
Kaoru runs away. "The more she loves him, the more she keeps him distant...", Takashi comments. Nanako cries, saying it's crazy...

It's raining. A train passes near a level crossing. Kaoru changes the flowers on the spot where Saint Just had her accident. Fukiko appears, and says she imagined that those where Kaoru's flowers. Kaoru says that many girls leave small gifts for Rei, to honour her memory. Fukiko looks at the spot, sad and silent.
Under a platform roofing at the train station, Fukiko tells Kaoru she wanted to talk to her. She asks her if it's true she's not leaving for Germany with Takehiko. Kaoru says yes, for personal reasons. They look at each other. Kaoru says she mustn't tell her why. There a bit of tension and hostility in the air. Then Kaoru sits. She explains that maybe she has only four years of life left. Fukiko says: "And do you think it's not enough? 4 long years... compared to Rei, who already spent the last seconds of her life, you have eternity before yourself!" Kaoru looks at Fukiko surprised. "You should live also for her, until the end, without fear, listening to your heart. You will be able to do what you want, without regrets, for 4 years!", Fukiko says. "There are people who are able to love with all of their hearts for one summer or for one week...", she adds. Then she puts her hands on Kaoru's shoulders. "Don't be a defeatist, giving up is not your style!", she says. Fukiko's words echo in Kaoru's mind, there are images of Rei running and laughing... Kaoru has tears in her eyes, and looks at Fukiko going away in the rain...

Takehiko is drinking at a pub. Takashi and Nanako arrive, and the boy says that Nanako has something to tell him. Nanako tells Takehiko he must not give up and he should try to convince Kaoru. He can't leave Kaoru, as he said when he was drunk. Nanako takes his glass full of alcohol and tries to drink it, to see what he feels and what happens in his mind. Takehiko takes back the glass, and says he feels tired and defeated, but it's a momentary feeling.
Takashi puts a song in the jukebox. Takehiko asks Nanako if she thinks he's a coward, unable to share Kaoru's suffering. "Not at all!", Nanako answers. Takehiko says he understands how difficult it is to love another person, but it's also sweet, "especially when that person is "Prince Kaoru!", he explains.

At home, the boy finds several strings of "Yes!" written on his computer. Kaoru appears in tears. She says that at the end she'll be so afraid she will cry. "Do you promise me you'll hold my hand, and clasp it tight?", Kaoru asks him.
"Are you sure my hand is big enough?", the boy asks.
"Of course, I wouldn't like to hold any other hand!", Kaoru answers. She embraces him tight, in tears...



Episode 39
A Lingering Fragrance

It's evening, and Nanako and her parents are at a traditional celebration at the harbour. "It lasts one week and this is the last day.", Nanako is telling Saint Just in an imaginary letter.
The Misonoos meet Takehiko and Kaoru, who's wearing a traditional dress. Takehiko introduces Kaoru to prof. Misonoo and his wife, and says that they'll get married soon and go to Germany together. His father and step-mother smile happily and congratulate them. Fireworks start.

Nanako and Tomoko go to Mariko's new home, where she lives with her mother after the divorce. [It's August 8th, the same day the calendar showed in Fukiko's secret room]. Mariko says that the flat is small, but she likes it. Her mother and her feel serene now, she says looking at some boats on the sea. Mariko offers some tea to Nanako and Tomoko. She tells that her father would like to meet her at least once a month, but she says she doesn't know, she can't forget that he betrayed them dishonourably. Nanako tells her friends that her father hasn't seen his son Takehiko for 13 years; he finally met him lately, and they were happy, but his father suffered a lot because of the years they spent away from each other.
Nanako starts crying, and her two friends ask her what happens. Nanako goes to the window, and says that since Saint Just's death she has felt different, she doesn't know why, and she worries more for the others than for herself. Tomoko minimizes, Mariko says that it's natural, and she understands her, they're growing up and getting more mature. Mariko says that trying to understand the feelings of other people does not pay, and smiles. Tomoko says that Mariko pretends to be cold, but she's really a romantic girl, and she will eventually meet her father. The two girls start arguing jokingly. Mariko's mother looks at them and smiles...

Next to the swimming pool in his countryside house, Takashi is talking to Takehiko at the phone. He'll take care of the ceremony, and he asks his friend how the arrangements for the trip to Germany are going. In the meantime, Fukiko is riding her horse in the woods...
Takashi tells his butler that he wants to have dinner soon to go back to town and arrange the wedding. The man comments that he's glad for this event, and that the bride will be very beautiful, but "I don't think she can possibly be more beautiful than your sister...", he adds sadly... Takashi is surprised, the man apologizes. Takashi asks where Fukiko is, and the man says she went to the horse club.

Fukiko looks in silence at the waterfall where she met Takehiko for the first time. Butterflies fly around.
She sits on a stone inside the stream, while the horse is drinking some water... The girl thinks back to that summer, and she also thinks about Rei. She talks to her sister: "You never managed to fall in love with a man. I wonder what kind of love you could have felt... you were free, like me, and you would surely love him passionately..."
She sips some water from her hands. "Love makes you suffer, but is also terribly wonderful!", she thinks.
Fukiko walks away with her horse close to her. She goes to the hut on the pier on the lake, thinking that she regrets she never saw Rei in love and her eyes shining for simple things. She repeats Shakespeare's verses in her mind while she's inside the hut. She hears Rei calling her from behind her shoulders.
She turns, and she sees Rei sitting. The "ghost" asks her if that was her only, true love (image of the boat floating in the lake), "which lasted a week of summer?"
Fukiko nods. "I'm sorry, it wasn't true love...", Rei says. "But I loved him with all of myself!", Fukiko protests. "Don't fool yourself, little sister. Like me, you never felt what true love is!", Rei says. "Yes, I did!", Fukiko says.
Rei gets up. She has a glass of wine in her hand, with inside a red rose (only the flower). "I drink to your next love, Fukiko, the true one!", she says smiling. Fukiko's eyes open wide, while she hears Rei's laughter fading away. Image of the parasol floating away on the lake. Fukiko kneels. "That was the only, true love!", she thinks. "I swore to myself that I would never love again, I'd never suffer again!", she continues. An insect flies in the sun and disappears. Fukiko turns and looks...

The girl heads back home. Takashi is waiting for her next to a tree, he was worried for her. Fukiko runs towards her brother and embraces him in tears. Takashi is surprised, and asks her if she is thinking to their sister. Fukiko says that she's thinking about herself.
Later, Fukiko looks at her image in the mirror. She's elegant, her face is beautiful and well made-up. "Maybe you're right, Rei...", she thinks.

Nanako is near the ship canal with her dad. Prof. Misonoo asks her if she's ready for the incoming school semester. "Yes!", Nanako says. The man asks her what she wants to talk about with him, since she asked him to have a walk. He says he feels a bit nervous...
Nanako says she wishes to know more about her true father. She wants to understand how important it is to be loved by prof. Misonoo, to understand what is really important. Prof. Misonoo looks at her, serene. Nanako wants to know what kind of person her father was. Mr. Misonoo puts his hand on Nanako's shoulder. He tells that her father lived with her mother, who loved him a lot, for a long time. They never got married. Then she got pregnant, and they parted before Nanako's birth. That's all he knows about him, or better, that's all he guessed, because he never asked his wife anything about her past: he knew she would never answer his questions.
Nanako and his father sit on the steps. Prof. Misonoo says that his wife decided to keep the secret inside of herself for his and Nanako's sake. She's a wonderful person, and he doesn't need to know anything else. He invites Nanako to ask her mother, if she needs to know more, he won't stop her, and Nanako will feel better. But Nanako says in tears that she can't, that's why she asked him. She knows her mother wouldn't answer. Nanako cries.
Prof. Misonoo says: "I guess that you already have 2 or 3 secrets that you guard jealously inside your heart..."
Nanako is surprised. "So you should understand your mom, if she wants to hide her secrets..." he adds. Then the man gets up, he says he wants to have breakfast. "Are you ok?", he asks his daughter. "Yes!". Nanako replies.

Mariko is back to school at Seiran, her suspension was reduced. Misaki, Furuta, Sonobe, all the former members of the Sorority and Miya-sama are back too.
Nanako tells that after that summer full of events everybody feels relieved and more mature, except "the one who had bid us farewell forever, like the wind, leaving a dazzling trail in a page of my youth...", she thinks, looking at the clock tower. There's an image of Saint Just under the elm tree and her picture at the funeral...

There's a basketball match. Kaoru plays the finals of the regional tournment, it's "Prince Kaoru"'s last match. She wears a head-band on her head, and the same shirt Rei used when she played. All the students support her, understanding that Kaoru and Rei are sort of playing together. Nanako follows the match full of enthusiasm, but finally the emotion overcomes her, and she starts crying, hiding her face behind her hands...

It is raining. Kaoru and Takehiko are celebrating their wedding at church. They exchange their vows and they take each other's hands. Nanako tells that Kaoru, in the youth of her 18 years, was wonderful, so in love, and really moved. "I'll love you until the last moment of my life", the bride said. Nanako wonders whether one day she'll say those words too if she finds a love for which she'll engage herself for all her life...
At the exit of the wedding, Kaoru throws her bouquet high in the air... Nanako, Takashi, Mariko, Fukiko and Tomoko look at it...

Everybody is at the airport to say bye to Takehiko and Kaoru.
Mariko says goodbye to Prince Kaoru. She seems happy at the beginning, but then she starts crying, and very moved wishes her older friend a lot of happiness. Takashi invites Takehiko to go. Takehiko tells his father that he'll be back soon, and says bye to Nanako's mother calling her "mom". The woman smiles and wishes him a good trip, telling him to write. Nanako runs to stop Takehiko while he's on the stairs. She says he'll write him as usual. He smiles, and Takehiko and Kaoru then wave bye to Nanako.

From behind the windows Nanako looks at the airplane flying away. It is raining. The girl tells that while she was close to Takehiko she smelt "the lingering fragrance of the one who would never be back, unfortunately..." There are images of Rei smoking, kissing Nanako's ear, and holding her the last night they met. "A strong, almost male fragrance. Maybe it was the smell of tobacco that was on her body and surrounded her like an aura. But you - my brother -, Kaoru and that lingering fragrance were now flying away..." Tomoko and Mariko reach Nanako...

Two years have passed, and the cherry-trees are again in bloom.
Image of Seiran. Nanako is now a senior student. She receives a letter from Germany, and there's a picture of Kaoru and Takehiko with their baby...
At a bus stop, Nanako tells Takehiko that she met a boy she likes a lot, he attends the second year of university. "But his eyes are not deep-brown... they are not like yours, dear brother...."

THE END


Back to the Oniisama e.. Anime page.