[Rakka]
As the winter progressed, many things changed in the world that I was now living in.
Kuu's Day of Flight, the Sin-Bound illness I suffered from...
the death of the bird...
I recovered my cocoon dream and found a job with the Hiabane Renmei.
But Reki is still under the Sin-Bound curse...
and is struggling to find the dream that she cannot recall.
[Hana]
Sleep over. He's so lucky!
[Shorta]
I want to go, too!
[Reki]
Next year, Shorta.
[Shorta]
Why does only Dai get to go there? No fair!
[Reki]
Dai. You take care.
[Dai]
Of course!
[Rakka]
I like the smell of the river. For some reason, it seems so familiar.
[Dai]
Yeah?
[Rakka]
You are too hot?
[Dai]
Reki made me wear this. She said I had to worry catch a cold.
[Rakka]
So, are you going to miss her much while you're away?
[Dai]
Why should I miss her? I'm only gonna be gone for half a month.
But you know...
I wonder if something's wrong with her.
She's a lot quieter lately and spaced out.
[Rakka]
Maybe that's because she already misses you.
[Dai]
She makes me so kind of weird acting like that.
It's not like I'm going away forever, you know.
[Rakka]
Yeah, that's very true.
[Dai]
Over here!
[Rakka]
Maybe, nobody is home.
[Male-Haibane]
Did I scare you?!
What was that for?!
[Hyohko]
Those're valuable!
You shouldn't be wasting 'em, or all run out before the festival!
[Male-Haibane]
I was just saying hello to the visitors down there.
[Hyohko]
Huh? It's that funny-haired chick.
[Midori]
Wow, thanks a lot.
[Female-Haibane A]
Hey, you didn't have to do that.
[Midori]
Did you make these by yourself?
[Rakka]
Mm-hm, Hikari did. You know her?
[Female-Haibane B]
Oh, I know her! The girl that works at the bakery, right?
[Female-Haibane A]
Hey, what's your name?
[Rakka]
I'm Rakka.
[Hyohko]
Try it.
[Midori]
Hey, now, don't let the kid get hurt!
[Hyohko]
Don't worry!
[Midori]
Man, he's such a child.
Well, at least that makes him a good playmate for the kid.
[Dai]
x! Uh!
[Midori]
Are you still angry?
[Rakka]
Huh?
[Midori]
At Hyohko, I mean.
[Rakka]
No, not at all.
[Midori]
Well, that's good.
[Rakka]
Anyway, I just want to say thank you for taking in Dai.
[Female-Haibane B]
Actually, we should be thanking you for taking care of our kids all this time.
[Female-Haibane A]
We should be visiting Old Home to thank you guys in person, you know.
But we've [all] grown so far apart from each other because of that...trouble that happened between some of us.
I guess there just never been a chance to break the ice.
[Rakka]
What trouble?
[Female-Haibane A]
Oh, right. I forgot you're still new here.
Well, let's just say there's a lot of history.
Right, Midori?
[Midori]
I wouldn't know!
[Female-Haibane A]
Oh, she can be so pigheaded.
[Midori]
Hey, wait up! I forgot.
Could you give this back to Reki.
She let me borrow it.
[Rakka]
Oh, OK.
[Midori]
She's always such a little do-gooder, isn't she?
So tell me, what you know about us?
[Rakka]
Well, I saw...I saw you guys and Reki arguing over here before.
[Midori]
What else?
[Rakka]
And I also heard that Reki and Hyohko of Abandoned Factory tried to...
[Midori]
Run away together, right? Give me a break.
[Rakka]
Isn't it true?
[Midori]
Reki and Hyohko were kind of together.
But Hyohko was a victim of Reki's selfishness.
You know, he almost died because of her.
[Rakka]
Reki... Reki wouldn't do such horrible things.
[Midori]
You know nothing about her, Reki's capable of doing. Nothing!
[Rakka]
Reki would never hurt anyone.
Reki's always been kind.
She is always considerate of others, even when she's suffering inside.
Although I didn't realize it at the time,
When Kuu left on her Day of Flight, when I first became Sin-Bound...
it was Reki who's suffering more.
And yet, I was always leaning on her.
Oh, no, the raft! Wait!
What is that?
Wow...
These letters...
[Communicator]
Are you finished?
Reki has come to get you. She seems concerned.
[Rakka]
Reki has been acting little nervous lately.
[Communicator]
The fact that her Day of Flight has not arrived is weighing heavily on her mind.
And yet, she silently hopes that it will never come.
[Rakka]
I know. It hurts me a lot to see her suffering like this.
But I still don't want her to go away.
[Communicator]
She is still lost in the dark.
Rakka, you had the bird come to you enabling you to fill in the missing pieces of your memories.
However, Reki has no one.She must face the darkness on her own.
It is a trying ordeal.
[Rakka]
Reki keeps painting the scenes from her dream in the cocoon.
I saw her paintings once but couldn't tell what they were.
I don't think Reki knows, either.
[Communicator]
There is not much time left for Reki.
I know not how or when but by the end of this winter, her journey will have come to a conclusion.
If Reki is still in darkness by that point, she will be bound to this place forever.
[Rakka]
Is it possible for Haibane to remain here?
[Communicator]
It is quite rare, but some do remain.
However, they are no longer called Haibane.
They lose their wings and halos and must live far away from both humans and Haibane...
and with time, they'll grow old and die.
It is a quiet and peaceful, but lonely life.
l, or rather, the Haibane Renmei wishes for all Haibane to take flight without problems.
But as it is, Reki refuses me.
Everything I say makes Reki close her mind.
[Rakka]
I want to help her.
She was suffering inside all this time, but she hid her pain and helped me.
So this time, no matter what I have to help her.
[Communicator]
In order to save Reki, it'll mean parting with her.
If she leaves here, I think it's very likely that you'll never see her again.
Are you prepared to pay that price?
[Rakka]
Thanks for meeting me.
[Reki]
I had to pick up some paints anyway.
With snow like this, I won't be able to ride this thing for the rest of the winter.
So, how's your work? Is it going well?
[Rakka]
It's okay. Are you painting again?
[Reki]
No, I'm just... I'm just smearing a few paints around the studio.
[Rakka]
Oh, yeah. This is for you.
[Reki]
From Midori?
[Rakka]
Aha.
Is she a friend of yours?
[Reki]
She was, once.
Did she say anything mean to you while you were there?
[Rakka]
No, she didn't.
[Reki]
Don't worry about her.
She says nasty things, but deep down she's a good kid.
It's been five years already.
Well well, the truth is both of us are so stubborn.
We could never go back to being friends.
[Rakka]
Reki! I'll do my best!
[Reki]
Yeah, good luck.
Your job does sound like a bit of a drag, but remember, you're not a full-fledged Haibane unless you work.
[Kana]
Thanks for the breakfast.
Damn, you're so lucky Rakka. Your work starts in the afternoon.
[Hikari]
You shouldn't complain so much.
By the way, I'm very glad you finally found a job.
[Rakka]
Mm.
[Hikari]
What's the matter?
[Nemu]
I have a cold.
[Kana]
Don't spread it.
[Nemu]
You're all heart.
Hey, where is Reki?
[Hikari]
She said that she needs to paint today.
So I'm going to take over her job of cooking for the young feathers.
[Nemu]
She's been doing now a lot lately. I wonder what's going on.
Oh, I was hoping she'd take the scooter to the library and tell the man taking the day off.
[Hikari]
Why don't you ask Kana?
[Kana]
Oh, No, that's gonna making me late for work.
[Hikari]
Only ten minutes late, that's OK, right?
[Kana]
Actually, for Master, ten minutes is not OK.
[Rakka]
I have some time. I'll go.
[Nemu]
You will? Thanks.
[Rakka]
Sure, it's no problem. Kana will give me a ride. Right?
[Kana]
Huh? Ugh...
[Rakka]
Thanks!
[Librarian]
She is?
I guess it did get cold all of a sudden.
Well, Thank you for letting us know.
[Rakka]
What's this?
[Sumika]
Oh, Hey, Rakka! Why are you here?
[Rakka]
Hi, Sumika.
Wow!
[Sumika]
It's almost my due date.
[Rakka]
Is it still okay for you to be out?
[Sumika]
Of course. I feel suffocated if I had to shut myself in the house.
Besides, we have to get ready for the festival and I so enjoy taking walks.
[Rakka]
It's so mysterious, isn't it?
[Sumika]
Yes, it is.
Sometimes I find myself wondering where this life came from?
By the way, where's Nemu?
[Rakka]
Oh, she has a cold and won't be in today. I came by to tell them that.
[Sumika]
Oh, that's too bad.
Wao, it's one of the petrified books.
[Rakka]
Petrified books?
[Sumika]
Nobody knows what they really are but the story goes that there was a ruin deep in the Western Woods a long time ago, and this was found buried in the stones.
It looks like it was turned to stone by some sort of magical force.
[Rakka]
So, what is the book about?
[Sumika]
I don't really know.
See all these weird pattern things that even engraved on it?
Some say those are letters, and others say ancient drawings.
They kind of look like someone's hands.
[Dai]
I almost got it! One more time!
[Rakka]
Rek...
[Midori]
You know nothing about her, Reki's capable of doing.
[Rakka]
Reki!
[Reki]
Nemu? Oh, that's very unusual.
You know, I should've bought some canned peaches or something else for her.
[Rakka]
Oh, I didn't know peaches were good for colds.
[Reki]
You're kidding, right.
Wow, you've never used peaches?
Well, don't worry. I was just joking at that they would make a get-well gift.
[Rakka]
Oh, really?
We walk with empty smiles plastered on our faces.
Reki is always kind.
She doesn't want to worry anyone... and she doesn't want to lean on anyone.
So, she smiles.
Why didn't I realize that sooner?
I was always right next to her.
Why couldn't I see it?
I wish tomorrow would never come.
[Reki]
What? =that was sudden?
[Rakka]
I wish the day after today was today.
And the next day, and the next day, too.
I wish it was always today.
Then I'd be able to be with you... forever.
[Reki]
There is no such thing as forever.
Sooner or later, everything ends.
Just like it should.
Because now is only meant to be now.
And this moment... is so precious.
[Rakka]
Yeah, that makes sense. Guess you're right.
[Reki]
Off to work, huh? Good luck.
[Rakka]
You, too.
Don't cry! I'm the one who will help Reki!
Smile... Rakka... Smile!
[Reki]
Nemu, thanks for everything over these years.
If you see Kuramori someday... tell her that I'm sorry and I said "thanks."
I don't think I'm ever gonna make it to whatever a world she in.
[Nemu]
Reki...
[Reki]
Now, it's time for me to end it.