Dark Water (Honogurai mizu no soko kara) (仄暗い水の底から)

DARK WATER

And tomorrow, we can practice singing, okay?

Okay, see you tomorrow! Okay!

Okay, see you tomorrow!

Yoshimi, who's coming to get you?

Miss Yoshimi Matsubara.

Well, your husband has no objections on the division of property.

So it is our daughter?

Yes.

He's absolutely insistent that he won't give up custody.

I wonder why he's saying this now?

Up to this point, he's never taken care of her, not even once.

Perhaps it's just that you've never noticed.

He may have, in his own way...

No, that's not it at all!

Every year, he forgets her birthday!

Where are you living?

I'm looking for a place for my daughter and myself right now.

But I'll be deciding this week.

Just a small question.

Certainly.

Is it true that you once received psychiatric treatment?

Did he tell you that?

Yes.

That was before we were married.

Over ten years ago, now.

I was working proofreading novels at the time, and...

You mean correcting spelling mistakes, that sort of thing?

Yes.

And some of the novels I was working on then

were extremely graphic and sadistic.

So it was a distraction to your work?

No, you see, the content was just so horrible!

And I had to read them over and over again.

So that's when you started going for treatment?

Yes.

I see.

Is that going to...

Oh, no, that shouldn't present a problem.

You know, I...

I haven't had any problems at all since then.

It's all right.

And unless something major occurs,

the mother usually has the advantage

when the child is six years old or younger.

Right.

My being treated before,

that doesn't matter anymore.

Hey, a fact is a fact.

What's wrong with telling the truth?

I don't think it will get you very far now.

Go straight along the river.

- Right here? - Yes.

Thank you very much.

Are you tired?

This next one is going to be the last, okay?

All right, I'm going on ahead.

Iku-chan!

What do you think this room is for?

Is that where you eat?

How about this one?

Where you sleep?

How about this little one over here?

That's my room!

Okay, I'm off to go see Iku-chan's room! Bye!

Hey!

How many floors are there?

Gee, I don't know...

Can you count them?

One, two, three, four, five...

So, what do you think?

A real bargain, I'd say.

We'll think about it.

Please do!

Ms. Matsubara?

Yes.

I've been waiting for you.

Please, come in.

The apartment manager lives here too.

So you can feel safe, even coming home at night.

Disappointed?

It IS a bit old.

But it's solidly built, you know.

Please.

Mr. Kamiya!

I told you to wipe this up.

I'm sorry, it looks like a bucket of water spilled earlier.

After you.

Which way?

Here we are.

After you.

How old is your daughter?

Iku-chan, how old are you?

Almost six!

Oh, then you're going to be a kindergartener.

Yup!

Mama, where's my room?

How about this one over here?

All right!

From here, you can walk to kindergarten.

Next week, interior decorators are going to come in,

and replace all of the wallpaper.

It will look so new you won't recognize it.

The humidity in here is unreal.

Well, with the rain that we've been having...

Most people use this room as a bedroom.

Oh, that's right,

I haven't shown you the kitchen yet, have I?

Please.

The kitchen will be made up nice soon too.

You'll find it easy to use.

It looked like that last family liked this place too.

"The early bird catches the worm."

Oh, really?

It's just the two of you, right?

Yes.

Oh, then there's plenty of room!

A real steal.

Iku-chan?

Iku-chan?

Maybe she went outside?

I'm going to go check.

Iku-chan?

Excuse me, has my little girl been here?

We haven't seen her.

I see...

Baron, have you seen a girl?

He says he hasn't either.

Iku-chan!

That's my daughter!

Which floor was that?

Can't tell. They all look the same.

Iku-chan!

Iku-chan!

Mama!

What were you doing?

I was looking all over for you.

Where did you get this?

It was lying on the ground.

Where?

Over there.

There aren't any children living here now.

Well, maybe some children came over to play.

It's your lucky day.

No!

It's not right.

We don't know who these belong to.

You don't have to work so hard.

No problem!

LOST AND FOUND

Mine!

Hey!

Come back here!

You silly!

The sound really echoes, huh?

The sound really echoes, huh?

Gotta be careful, right?

Gotta be careful, right?

What the...

Count to ten on each tooth!

I am counting!

- Cheese! - Cheese!

Everyone, I'd like to introduce our new friend, Ikuko Matsubara.

Nice to meet you, I'm Ikuko Matsubara.

You don't seem very excited.

I'm Ikuko Matsubara!

All right! Pleased to meet you!

Welcome! Which floor, Ma'am?

The first floor, please.

Certainly.

Huh?

Excuse me.

Excuse me.

There's water leaking from our ceiling.

I'm Yoshimi Matsubara, we just moved into apartment 305.

There's a wet spot on my ceiling, and water is dripping down from it.

Well, the building is very old, you see.

So it gets a little rickety.

Okay...

And so...

I'll make a note of it in the log.

All right, everyone!

Quiet down and listen up.

I want to introduce our newest friend on her first day!

Now, can you be energetic as you tell us your name?

Nice to meet you, I'm Ikuko Matsubara!

Now let's all be friendly to her, okay?

Okay!

Please.

Thank you. Please.

We believe in giving children the freedom to do what they desire.

This is our basic educational philosophy.

All of our children are really outgoing.

Ikuko will make friends in no time.

- Please take care of her. - Not a problem.

Here you are.

Oh, thank you.

- Please, go ahead. - Thank you for the drink.

Principal, Kobayashi is here.

I hear that you called Ms. Tsushima stupid.