Nihil est firmum.
Ephemeral Garden
Text
Airport
ButlerMilady, we have arrived.
SakikoSo I'm heading to Switzerland right away. Do you plan to send me off with nothing but the clothes on my back?
ButlerIt's what the master instructed. If you have any requests, I'll be available later...
Sakiko...
Sakiko(What an anticlimactic ending.)
Sakiko(Just as I had resolved to take on their lives without escaping...)
Sakiko(Is this the fate that God has decided? I'm always like this.)
Sakiko(No matter how much I struggle, no matter how much I fight, everything gets swept away by the raging current.)
Sakiko...
ButlerWhat's the matter, milady?
SakikoI'm not getting on board.
Sakiko
ButlerSakiko-sama! It's dangerous! Stop!
SakikoHaa... Haa...!
Sakiko
Sakiko(There's no time to nurse my pain!)
SakikoHaa... Haa...!
Sakiko(Uika!)
Port
SakikoThank you for calling out to me. I don't have much on me... so please take me as far as possible.
DriverI won't just leave the Togawa young lady behind. Where are you headed?
SakikoThank you. Could you direct me to the house of Misumi-san...?
DriverYeah... They moved to the mainland. Maybe the older sister... Ah...
SakikoOlder sister? Where is she?
Togawa Family's Villa
Sakiko(Uika is here...?)
HatsuneSaki-chan...?
SakikoUika... thank goodness!
Hatsune!
SakikoWait, Uika! Hatsune-san...!
Hatsune...!
HatsuneSaki-chan, you should go back now. You shouldn't be with me...
SakikoI'm not going back.
SakikoWhy didn't you reply? Was it my grandfather's order?
HatsuneNo...
SakikoHatsune-san, what is your relationship with my grandfather?
HatsuneI'm... Sadaharu Togawa's daughter...
SakikoGrandfather's daughter...?
HatsuneYes. My mother used to be the caretaker here. She quit after I was born, so you've never met her, right?
SakikoYou're an illegitimate child?
HatsuneLegally, I'm considered a stranger, so the inheritance rights of the Togawa family won't be affected.
SakikoI'm not talking about that.
SakikoYou are Hatsune-san, right? Is "Uika" your alias then?
HatsuneIt's my younger sister's name.
SakikoEh?
HatsuneThe girl who was more energetic than me, loved catching bugs, and wanted to become an idol... was the real Uika.
HatsuneI pretended to be Uika because I wanted to see you, Saki-chan.
HatsuneI'm sorry for lying all this time... I'm really sorry!
SakikoWhat will you do from now on?
HatsuneSince I'll be working as a live-in caretaker, I think I'll transfer to a new school too.
SakikoAre you really okay with that?
HatsuneEh?
SakikoWhat about sumimi? What about Ave Mujica?
HatsuneI knew that one day, it would come to an end.
HatsuneThe idol life, the band life. I was just being let off the hook.
HatsuneIt could end tomorrow, or even today. I was scared every day. Sometimes I thought it would be easier to just let go of everything...
HatsuneIt didn't work.
SakikoIs it because I asked you...
Hatsune
HatsuneEven if it was in place of someone else.
Sakiko...!
Sakiko...
HatsuneI was happy to be needed by Saki-chan. I wanted to help you forget everything...
HatsuneEven though it was impossible. A liar like me could never do it.
SakikoEveryone has a secret or two. Even if you don't share everything, it doesn't mean you're betraying someone.
SakikoEven I—
HatsuneI know.
HatsuneI know how you and your father have been living. Because it was all my fault—
SakikoEh?
HatsuneNow you understand, right? It's all... all my fault.
Sakiko...
HatsuneThat's the last ferry.
Sakiko...Come with me for a moment.
HatsuneHaa... Haa... Saki-chan...! Saki-chan! What about the ferry? The last ferry is about to leave!
SakikoHere we are. It almost seems like it's a different place in the daytime.
HatsuneThis place... Ah, Saki-chan,don't sit there. You'll get your clothes dirty.
SakikoI already slipped, you see.
HatsuneThere's a bug.
SakikoAre you afraid of bugs?
HatsuneYeah...
SakikoWho was it that screamed when catching bugs and got scared by the big spider?
HatsuneThat wasn't me.
SakikoWho was it that picked up the beautiful seashell on the beach?
HatsuneNot me.
SakikoWho was it that ate cookies together under the shade of the rose bush?
HatsuneNo...
SakikoWell then...
HatsuneMost of your memories of playing with Uika belong to her.
HatsuneNo... All of it. It's all Uika's.
Sakiko...
HatsuneThis island isn't so bad. The stars are beautiful here. I was really... really happy to meet Saki-chan, and be able to spend even a little time together.
HatsuneAlthough I don't have the right to say that... But I think I can keep going because of these memories.
HatsuneSo...
SakikoAll you think about is yourself.
Hatsune...
SakikoBut, there is one thing I've come to understand.
SakikoWe watched the stars together here, didn't we? Was that you?
Hatsune
SakikoI knew it. You're the one who loves the stars, Hatsune.
Hatsune...!!
SakikoPhew...
HatsuneSaki-chan...?
SakikoHatsune, let's go back.
HatsuneEh? To where?
Sakiko
HatsuneHuh~?
SakikoIf we take the shortcut, we'll make it to the ferry in time. Let's run, Hatsune!
Hatsune
On the Ferry
SakikoI'm glad we made it in time. Hehe, I'm completely drenched in sweat.
HatsuneSaki-chan...! I really can't go.
SakikoYou can just blame me for dragging you along.
HatsuneThat's no good...
SakikoOur destinies are one.
Hatsune!
SakikoDidn't you give me your life?
HatsuneI betrayed you, Saki-chan! I... betrayed you...
SakikoShall we pretend it never happened?
HatsuneEh... W-What do you mean?
SakikoThe misfortune and regret that surround you and me. All the entanglements.
HatsuneThat is...
SakikoLet's forget everything and pretend it never happened. That way, we won't be trapped by anything.
HatsuneThat is... not possible. It's unforgivable.
Sakiko...
HatsuneSaki-chan...? Leaning out that far is dangerous...
Sakiko
Hatsune...!
SakikoWho's not forgiving you!? Who decided that? Why do I have to do what they say?
SakikoHatsune, you're the same! You... FOOL~~~!
HatsuneSaki-chan...
SakikoWhat is it? I'm upset, you know. Don't take my determination lightly.
HatsuneYeah...
Hatsune...
Hatsune...
SakikoHmm...
Hatsune...
SakikoHere it is...!
SakikoAt least this...
Hatsune...
SadaharuActing like a sneaky thief...
SakikoI just came to get my belongings.
SadaharuHatsune, I believe your role was done the moment you brought Sakiko back.
HatsuneUh, um...
Sadaharu...?
HatsunePlease let me stay by Saki-chan's side! I won't cause any trouble to you or the Togawa—
SadaharuAre you planning to follow the same path as that man? Leave right now. Never again should you step foot inside the Togawa household.
SakikoTogawa, Togawa... is it really that great? What exactly have we done?
SakikoI simply cannot accept this!
SadaharuYou don't understand the terrifying power of the Togawa—
Sakiko
Sadaharu!
SakikoI will leave as well. I won't be obedient to you anymore.
Sakiko
HatsuneSaki-chan...!
SakikoPlease take care of my father!
Sadaharu...
SakikoHehe! That face grandfather made! It's exactly like a deer in the headlights! Hehe.
SakikoThank you.
Hatsune...
HatsuneI thought I was going to die.
SakikoMe too... Oh, Hatsune. There's a bug on your shoulder...
Hatsune
SakikoStay still, I'll take it off. Here, hold still.
HatsuneUgh...! H-Hurry...
SakikoLook, I took it off. Are you really scared of such a tiny ladybug?
HatsuneI-It's a little scary~! Saki-chan, don't point it this way~
SakikoHehe, Hatsune.
HatsuneMmm~ stop laughing~! Hehe...
SakikoHehe.
Sakiko、Hatsune
HatsuneWhat will we do from now on?
SakikoThis world is full of things that can't be helped...
SakikoAnd there's nothing certain, nothing unshakeable.
SakikoAre you scared?
HatsuneNo, not as long as Saki-chan is with me.
Umiri
Ave Mujica
UmiriPractice starts at 11
UmiriPlease make sure to come today😭
SakikoI forgot. Uh... Now, really...?
HatsuneWe gotta show up after all this time. I'll make coffee, so you can sleep a little longer.
HatsuneSaki-chan... I love you.
Sakiko......
Sakiko(Even if I turn away from fate, from the world, nothing will change.)
Sakiko(This little world will eventually come to an end. Like waking up from a dream in the morning—Suddenly, without any choice.)
Sakiko(But, as much as I can, just a little longer, I want to stay lost in the drowsiness.)
SakikoThis smell... I hate it.