Episode Title

Meguru omoi

[Turning Thoughts]

Air Date

1993.08.27

• Synopsis by George Robbert, 1994.10.28

Tomomi and her mother sit down to dinner. Mikage's food sits in front of her empty chair. Mom remarks how good Tomomi's onigiri are and goes on to comment that knitting a sweater for someone in midsummer is just like Mikage. Talk turns to Kurashige and Tomomi points out that Mikage is putting her whole heart into this (and could really be hurt). It's a question of feelings, but... Mom can't help but laugh. Mikage comes down and overhears this. Both Tomomi and their mom are embarrassed at being overheard. Tomomi asks if Mikage has come to join them for dinner. A miffed Mikage replies that she is only going to the rest room.

Mikage continues to knit into the evening in her room. Tomomi sneaks up and brings her some onigiri to eat while she works. She also mentions the fact that they were supposed to go help Kurashige pack. Mikage doesn't have time to do that and finish the sweater, so she asks Tomomi if she will help Kurashige to pack, and maybe also get Noda to help too. Tomomi's surprised, but pleased, at this request. Mikage continues explaining that if she makes this sweater then Sempai will know her feelings and grow closer. She looks up at the picture of the four of them together at the beach.

The camera pulls back from the picture. Kurashige is looking at the same one in his room. Noda and Tomomi are over helping him to pack. She tells him that Mikage really wanted to come over and help, but... She almost slips and tells about the sweater but catches herself and makes a lame excuse about Mikage being unable to come because she got sick. Just then, Kurashige's mom calls him saying that their tea is ready. Tomomi takes this excuse and goes to get the tea. On her way out, she and Noda tease each other as usual.

While Tomomi is gone, Noda asks Kurashige if it is going to be all right being away from Mikage. He replies that, with someone like her who says they want to be close bit isn't able to say anything, who said she wanted to help at any time but didn't, he might think that she didn't care about him. If he did that, he'd be mistaken. Tomomi, coming back with the tea, hears this from just outside the door and realizes he really does care for her sister.

That night, Tomomi is going to sleep while Mikage still sits up knitting downstairs. Tomomi offers to help, but Mikage turns her down. She wants to do this all herself, to show her true feelings. Tomomi smiles, and lets Mikage have her way.

Their mother comes up with a snack for Mikage and asks how the sweater is going; ``are you finishing?'' She wonders if the size is ok, and Mikage insists that it is. Mom then comments that since she's knitting this by hand, the person it's for must be very special. ``They ought to appreciate it.'' She then observes that Mikage must be giving it to the person she loves most, and comments that she's knit a sweater by hand before too. As mom leaves and heads upstairs for bed, Mikage asks who she knit the sweater for. ``The man I'm currently in love with,'' she responds and wishes her good night.

Mikage happily goes back to work on the sweater. As she knits, she remembers various happy times with Kurashige this summer: The two of them quietly sharing fireworks at the beach (episode 31). Him catching her as she fell trying to get away from the ghost (episode 29). Her cooking for him and him trying valiantly to enjoy the food. Him giving her the music box when he just arrived home after breaking his leg (episode 23).

The next morning dawns to find Mikage asleep on the couch. Tomomi comes up, covers her with a blanket, and notices the completed sweater on the table there.

Later, Mikage hangs up the phone after calling Kurashige. Tomomi asks if Kurashige is busy. He's not; they're going to meet this afternoon. Both girls dance with joy at this, and Mikage comments that she can finally confess her love today.

Rika is out shopping for her husband, Kageura. She looks at shirts and underwear and finally selects a large bunch. The sales lady is surprised at how much she is getting.

At home, Mikage is getting ready for her date at 6:00 with Kurashige. Tomomi chats with her while she's getting ready. She leaves, carrying the sweater wrapped in a nice bag. Tomomi `talks' with her wishing her all the best and commenting on how happy she's feeling.

The train is crowded, and Mikage is jostled into someone. She apologizes then recognizes this person as Kageura's wife. Rika also recognizes her. The two set their packages up and start talking. As they do, Mikage wonders if she could ask Rika a question. This worries Rika, but she is relieved when Mikage only asks if she ever gave Kageura-sensei a hand-knit sweater. She did, back when they were in college. Mikage smiles at this and is soon lost in the happy memory of playing on the beach with Kurashige.

The train stopping brings both of the gals out of their reverie. This is her stop, so Rika quickly grabs her package and gets off. On the way out of the train station, Mikage notices that the package she's carrying is wrapped differently. She checks, and finds that it contains men's underwear (the ones that Rika bought). She realizes that Rika grabbed her package by mistake. There are only 20 minutes left before she's supposed to meet Kurashige.

Tomomi is at home making dinner when Mikage's telepathic call for help reaches her --- and it's quite a surprise. Mikage explains the problem and they arrange to meet at Kageura's apartment. Mikage begs her to hurry.

Kageura is just stepping out of his apartment (Casabella Yokohama) and heads off. Rika watches this from her hiding place behind a tree. She then notices that she too has the wrong package, and realizes why Mikage asked her about giving a hand-knit sweater. She runs off to return it.

Naturally, Mikage runs up to the apartment just after Rika has left. As she pounds on the door, Tomomi comes up to help. Soon Kageura arrives and asks the two what they're doing. He figures that they've come to help him with his ESP research.

Tomomi stops him cold by asking where his wife is. He's embarrassed (not wanting to say that she's left him) and replies that it's an adult thing. The twins are insistent, and he gets more and more uncomfortable. Finally, he pulls the old ``what's that?'' trick and runs off when they look, managing to hide in an elevator.

Inside, he wonders why in the world Mikage and Tomomi are asking about Rika. He wonders if this may have something to do with their power too. The elevator doors open to reveal the twins waiting for him. He figures that they must have teleported to get here, and reaches for his video camera, unfortunately he doesn't have it with him.

As she is looking around, Rika stops a couple that look like Mikage and Kurashige. Unfortunately they're not, and she apologizes.

Kageura runs upstairs to get his video camera, maybe he can get some footage of the twins powers this time.

Kurashige is waiting for Mikage near the train station, wondering where she might be, when he notices Rika looking around. He wonders what she's doing here.

Mikage is fruitlessly pounding on Kageura's door again. Finally she drops and Tomomi takes up the task of pounding. She yells at Kageura that his wife changed packages with Mikage by mistake. At this, he slams open the door, knocking the twins aside. ``What is it?'' he asks.

Mikage holds out the package that Rika left with her. Kageura opens it and the fact that Rika bought him underwear brings tears to his eyes. He demands to know where they met Rika. When they tell him, ``At a nearby train station,'' he speeds off in a cloud of dust, leaving the confused twins sitting there.

Mikage notices that it's now 7:00, an hour late to meet Kurashige. She's crushed and starts crying. Now she can't tell him anything and she doesn't even have the sweater to give him either. Tomomi suggests that he may still be waiting. This gives a little bit of hope to Mikage. Tomomi holds out her finger and says, ``let's go see.'' A still downcast Mikage agrees, and they teleport off.

The twins appear behind a hedge. Tomomi notices that Kurashige is still there and pushes her sister out.

Mikage walks up slowly and starts to apologize for being late and everything. She mentions that she had something for him, but... Kurashige smiles, holds up the sweater and says, ``I wonder if this is it.'' Mikage wonders how he got it but is glad none the less. He understands. She apologizes for not being that good at knitting and wonders if he'll think that a sweater in summertime is strange. ``But I was thinking that it gets cold in London.'' Kurashige's thanking her for the sweater and saying that he likes it stops this line of talk. Mikage starts crying, asks if he's really going to London and says that she doesn't want him to go. He holds her to him and tells her not to cry. Behind the hedge, Tomomi is hiding with tears also running down her face.

Kageura is waiting at the train station, still holding the underwear from Rika. He too bursts into tears, crying her name.

The next day at the airport, Kurashige is ready to leave. He's wearing the sweater from Mikage. Noda's snide comment about the sweater makes Tomomi worry what Mikage's reaction will be. Apparently she doesn't notice. She is unhappy at her pending separation from Kurashige, but his compliment about the sweater does bring a smile to her face.

He starts to walk off and Mikage promises to write him, often. She also wants to hear from him. He agrees and heads off down the escalator.

Mikage wins the battle with her courage and runs to the head of the escalator. She yells after Kurashige, ``Sempai... I love you.'' He turns to her, and these words make him smile. This brings a smile to Mikage's face. All is now right with the world for her.

Tomomi and Noda look on, wondering. They could see neither Mikage nor Kurashige's reactions from their point of view.

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