After half a month of questioning, Fumika is released and ready to return to school. Her return, however, is marked with distress, due to word of her father's abuse leaking out. If the other students aren't gossiping behind her back, they're taking pictures with their cell phones. Meeting with Kaname, Fumika puts up a brave front and says she is enjoying her return, when that clearly isn't the case.
Meanwhile, Kanaka is rejected by yet another deliverer for casting the wrong spell and burning the latter. Matoma is worried about Chiaki, who is moping that Mika disappeared, right when a way to save her was found.
The news is abuzz with Fumika's abuse by Mikawa, and pictures of Fumika taken by students' cell phones appear all over imageboards. (Technology is great, isn't it?) As reporters swarm Natsuka's house, any chance of Fumika leading a normal life seems to be disappearing.
Elevating the situation, Natsuka finally confesses to Kaname, which is unfortunately (and unknowingly) heard by Fumika.
That night, Natsuka asks Fumika if what she heard was a gunshot that day at the shrine. Fumika replies yes, and Natsuka runs off. Fumika's subsequent eavesdropping on Natsuka's parents reveal that the media hype is definitely troubling them.
At the airport the next day, Fumika meets her mother, who has flown all the way from Italy. Aizawa Kirei says some encouraging words to Fumika, then prepares to leave. Noj-san protests, since he called Kirei to Japan to take custody of Fumika. Kirei says that she doesn't want to be a mother. Fumika desperately asks why Kirei gave birth to her. Kirei responds that she wanted to experience 'joy of a woman': engagement ring, wedding ceremony, honeymoon, birth. That being said, Fumika's mother runs off with another guy, never to be seen again. This latest experience is the last straw for Fumika, whose mounting paranoia now has her believing that everyone around is gossiping and taking pictures of her. Before Noj-san can react, Fumika runs off.
Noj-san enlists his son's help to find Fumika. Kaname doesn't find her at Natsuka's house, but before he leaves Natsuka tells him that Fumika isn't really Fumika, it's just Fumi. And, Fumi shot Mika.
Fumi runs to Mikawa's residence and prepares to shoot herself when Mika shows up. Flashback reveals that right as Fumi had fired, Mika disappeared. When Mika replies Fumi is running away again, the latter denies it and tries to slap Mika, only to be counter-slapped. Fumi complains that everything she tried to do, Mika did do. She tosses the gun to Mika, telling Mika to shoot her, so that they will both disappear. Fumi then proceeds to accuse Mika of actually wanting to live, which is Ding Ding Ding! right on the mark. The two begin spouting at each other what they wanted to experience in life, then Mika thanks Fumi for creating her, and both break down and start crying.
Two crying Fumika's is the scene Kaname, Natsuka, Chiaki, Matoma, and Kanaka stumble upon. Good end reveals both Fumika's alive and well, especially Fumi; who seems to have gained a good measure of confidence and independence.
Thoughts:
One can only imagine the victimization that Fumi was going through: all the media hype, the realization that all her friends were made through Mika, the burden she brought on Natsuka's family, and her mother's refusal of her. I'm tempted to list Aizawa Kirei as a semi-catalyst in Fumika's abuse, as it's not hard to imagine her leaving Mikawa in the same way she left Fumika. I would not be surprised, then, at Mikawa's mental instability and anger towards Kirei. I might even have a twinge of sympathy for the guy.
An awkward end leaves a happy ending, despite the massive b'awww fest everything seems to have turned out for the good. I don't know how well a second season might fare, but can't say I wouldn't be interested in one.
March 30th, 2008 at 7:03 am
You and me both man..you and me both.. I hope it comes…it would be nice to meddle in their lives some more. See how each one fares on their own.