Episode 12

"I Love You, I Love You Too, I Love Aya"

 

Shuichi is about to leave the room. When he catches the shadow of Aya's hands on the wall, he turns around and Aya signs to him, "I love you". Again, with all her heart, she says, "I love you". With tears in his eyes, Shuichi replies, "I love you too". (A.N. Probably the most sexy scene in HC. Aya looks so gentle, feminine, and so in love)

Outside, Shuichi is arrested by the police.

Shunmin is in his office. A nurse informs him that Miwa had attempted suicide. Shunmin pretends to be worried and asks if she was alright. Miwa is still alive but unconscious. Shunmin is worried that Miwa may expose his deeds.

Takumi visits Aya. He puts Aya's hands over his and lets her feel his hand movements. Takumi asks "Aya, can you make out what I'm signing?". Aya nods a "yes". Takumi reveals to her that Shuichi was arrested by the police.
Aya is startled by the news and becomes anxious. Takumi comforts her "don't worry, he's innocent".
Aya calms down. She then asks for the time. Takumi tells her that it is "11 am". Aya replies, "strange ... it isn't night but I can see stars ... stars ... his stars ... which are about to fall from the sky."
Aya picks up the Heaven's Coins book and holds it close to her heart. Longing and waiting for Shuichi to return to her side.


Rika gives a ride to Takumi, who's visiting Miwa in the hospital. In their conversation, Rika reveals that she will be visiting Shuichi the following day. Takumi comments, "you are interesting, you love Shuichi, yet you're cool about it". Rika asks, "what do you mean?" Takumi continues, "you know you'll never have him (Shuichi) but you don't give up". Rika wonders, "perhaps, it was the way I was raised. It's not that I haven't been in love before, but ever since I was a girl, I was told my father will decide who I will marry. Instead of being disappointed later, I decided to treat a man so he would remember me. The person he cares for isn't always the one he marries. The most impressive memories are the fondest, even if I never end up with him..."
At the hospital, Takumi waits till Miwa awakes. He asks her "Why? ... why did you attempt suicide?!" Still weak from her injuries, she whispers softly. Takumi leans towards her. Takumi confirms "did you say white coat?" Slowly, Miwa nods.
At the meantime, a detective visits Shuichi at prison. The detective explains that he is a friend of Miwa and that she had instructed him to show Shuichi a report if she could not be contacted. The detective shows Shuichi an investigative report on Shuichi's past.
Back at the hospital, Takumi frantically searches for Miwa's white medical coat in a laundry basket.
He finds her coat and uncovers a cassette tape recorder.
Shunmin enters his director's office. He sees Takumi waiting for him and tells Takumi to keep the conversation short. Takumi plays the tape recorder he had found. It reveals the conversation Miwa and Shunmin had, where Shunmin confessed to framing Shuichi and hurting Takumi in the lift accident.
"You set it all up didn't you?" Takumi asks, "Framed my brother and rigged my accident?"
"That's a joke, give me the tape." Shunmin demands.
Takumi replies, "A joke? Pretty funny, I'll like other people to hear it ... for example the police."
Shunmin lunges at Takumi and struggles to get the tape. After throwing punches at Takumi, Shunmin manages to get the tape and starts to destroy it.
On the floor, Takumi casually cleans out the blood from his mouth, looks at his watch, then says "it's 4:00".
The taped conversation is replayed over the hospital's intercom.
"I dubbed it" Takumi reveals.
Turning to Shunmin, Takumi demands, "Who the hell are you? what did we do to you?"
Shunmin is too overwhelmed to answer. He leaves the room and runs away.
Back at Shuichi's apartment, Aya sits and waits anxiously for Shuichi. (A.N. Apparently, if the police finds that Shuichi is innocent, he would be released from his detention. Since Aya knows Shuichi is innocent, he should be coming back to her side pretty soon.) Keiko is preparing a meal in the kitchen. The telephone rings. (A.N. nothing is shown about this phone conversation but later, you can guess that Shunmin made this phone call to draw Keiko out of the apartment and away from Aya.)
Shuichi is released from police custody. (A.N. No definite reason is given for Shuichi's release. The police probably couldn't find any dirt on him so they had to release him) Rika is outside waiting for him. Shuichi asks about Miwa's condition. Rika tells him that Miwa is going to be ok, and that she has regained consciousness.
Shuichi's mobile phone rings. It's from Shunmin. "Congratulations on your acquittal" he says.
Meanwhile, a worried Keiko arrives at the hospital. Takumi is surprised to see her and asks her why she was at the hospital. Keiko tells him that she received a phone call saying that Takumi was attacked. She was worried about him.
Fearing the worst, Takumi asks, "Did you leave Aya alone?". Keiko nods. They immediately head for home.
Still on the phone, Shunmin tells Shuichi that he is at Shuichi's apartment. Shunmin pleads with Shuichi, "don't harm Aya!" Shunmin hangs up the phone.
Aya tries to run away but Shunmin catches up with her. He delivers a punch into Aya's stomach. Aya faints from the blow.
Keiko and Takumi are on the road. (A.N. Apparently, Shunmin also called Takumi instructing him to head for the highway) Shunmin calls Takumi on the handphone. Takumi tells Shunmin "as instructed, we're heading to the freeway ... you haven't harmed Aya, have you?" Shunmin simply replies, "come to Kasumigaura Yacht Harbor" and then hangs up.
Takumi calls Shuichi and tells him that they are heading for the Yacht Harbor. Shuichi and Rika, together with police escort, head for the harbor.
Referring to Shunmin, "I don't understand what he wants with Aya" Takumi says to himself. But Keiko knows. "Mirror" she says. "Shunmin said he saw a mirror ... in Aya's eyes ... a single mirror that warded off everything ... he had no past ... yes, he realized how foolish greed is ... but he had gone too far ... in the end he would lose everything ... a young child wants to be loved by his mother ... ... he loves her ... Shunmin loves Aya ... "
Keiko and Takumi reach the harbor before Shuichi does. Shunmin ambushes them from behind and knocks them unconscious.
Shuichi and Rika are on the road. Rika observes the anxious look on Shuichi's face. The look of concern and love for Aya. Shuichi reveals to Rika, "Shunmin is my older brother. I was abandoned at Eiseikai as an infant. Aware that my father was dead, Shunmin's ... my mother, abandoned me at birth"
"Seems my mother was an awful woman. According to the report, fond of booze and men, she beat Shunmin daily. Shunmin, who grew up unloved, heard that I existed. He imagined I would be worse off than him and came looking for me. However his younger brother was director of Eiseikai. How do you think he felt? Jealous rage ...."
Shunmin, Takumi, and Aya are on a small fishing boat.
Takumi tries to persuade Shunmin to surrender himself to the police. Delirious, Shunmin mumbles, "I want to sleep in this lake ... with Aya ... I wanted Shuichi to see this but will you relay what you see to my younger brother (Shuichi)?"
(A.N. Keiko is on another fishing boat. She is tied up and gagged. There is a phone next to her that is on. She is able to follow the conversation that is taking place)
"Leave Aya out of this !!" Takumi screams. "If you are going to kill Aya, kill me instead. Shunmin answers, "this woman will never be happy..." Takumi replies, "that isn't so". Shunmin continues, "she can't see a thing, how can she ever be happy?" Takumi says firmly, "she has Shuichi by her side" Shunmin wonders, "does she know that? how would she know?" Takumi affirms, "Aya knows, as long as Shuichi is by her side, as long as it's Shuichi, not you ... or me ..."
Shunmin shouts in frustration, "enough about Shuichi !! ... tell me how YOU feel ... if you plead for the life of the woman you love, I may reconsider.
After a long silence and painful deliberation (A.N. Takumi has already hidden his love for Aya deep in his heart. It is emotionally painful to relive that feeling again because he knows, he will never win Aya's love.), Takumi whispers, "I love Aya."

Keiko stops struggling.

She is stunned by Takumi's revelation.

Now, with more determination, Takumi affirms, "I love Aya". He says it yet again.

Shunmin smiles in devious delight. He draws out his handphone.
"Keiko, did you hear?! People are cruel !" Shunmin laughs.
Takumi realizes that he has been tricked. He lashes out at Shunmin in vain. Shunmin kicks Takumi in retaliation.
Meanwhile, Shuichi and Rika arrive at the harbor. They search the place and stumble on Keiko in a small fishing boat. Shuichi franticly asks, "where are they!?" Keiko, still in shock, doesn't respond. Then, from the phone beside Keiko, Shuichi hears the conversation between Shunmin and Takumi.

Shunmin reaches for Aya.
Takumi pleads, "stop ... please stop ..."
"Please, die with me" Shunmin beckons. Aya tries to get herself away from him. "Hitting me again? ... you're drunk ... there's no sense in living this way ... please die with me ... mother ..." Shunmin says, as he tries to grab hold of Aya.
In desperation, Takumi tries to move but his legs doesn't get him anywhere. He slams his fists onto his legs but they just wouldn't move. In frustration, Takumi screams, "STOP !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Then, Takumi's ring (A.N. Takumi seems to have kept the ring, which was supposed to be his engagement present to Aya in episode 1, by his side all the time) falls out of his coat, and onto the boat's deck.
Takumi sees the ring ...
... the reminder of his love for Aya.
Takumi whispers, "Aya..."
He has to do something ... ANYTHING !
Takumi struggles.  Suddenly his legs momentarily twitch! Takumi can't believe it but he felt his legs move!
He summons all the determination that he can master.  "Argh... aargh... ARRRRGGGGGHHHHHHH !!" Takumi grunts.  Slow but surely, Takumi props himself up.
Shunmin stops, he turns and sees Takumi standing up. He is utterly stunned beyond disbelief.
In pure hatred for Shunmin, Takumi charges forward, wrestles with Shunmin.
Both men fall into the water.
In the water, Takumi gets a choke hold on Shunmin.  Shunmin tries to break free.   He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a knife. But before Shunmin can use his knife, he runs out of air. Shunmin loses consciousness and stops struggling.  Takumi releases Shunmin into the depths of the sea.
Takumi starts to free himself from his tied hands (A.N. Takumi's hands were tied with rope). The rope is untied and his hands are free, but Takumi himself has ran out of air.
Takumi looks up and sees Aya at the edge of the boat. With his last breath, Takumi reaches out to her,  "Aya... ..."
Takumi loses consciousness.