Soyo

Are you going to plant something again?

Mutsumi

Yes, bitter melon.

Soyo

Sounds good to me.

Mutsumi

Thank you...

Soyo

Huh?

Mutsumi

I heard you... watered them while I was away from school.

Soyo

Ah... yeah. Only when I noticed. The cucumbers didn't really grow well in the end, though.

Mutsumi

No. That was my fault for stopping halfway.

Soyo

How long have you been taking care of this garden? It's been quite a while, right?

Mutsumi

Take this...

Soyo

A notebook...?

Mutsumi

"My" Observation Diary.

Soyo

(She's been writing this for a long time...)

Soyo

(The first page is...)

Mutsumi

...

Sakiko

And then, Mother and Father... What are you looking at, Mutsumi?

Mutsumi

The plants... they're all withered.

Sakiko

Oh... you're right. It looks like a senior from the gardening club used to take care of them...

Sakiko

But it seems no one is tending to them now.

Mutsumi

I see...

Sakiko

That's a little sad, isn't it?

Mutsumi

Yes...

Mutsumi

It's full of weeds...

Mutsumi

There's something... sprouting in the weeds...!

Mutsumi

I need to water it...

Mutsumi

Where is the faucet?

Soyo

("June 13: Watered it with a watering can." "June 17: Pulled the weeds." "June 20: Borrowed a gardening book from the library.")

Soyo

(It's such a simple diary, just dates and little notes... But she kept writing in it all this time.)

Mutsumi

(The first cucumber came out a little crooked, but... Saki still said it was amazing.)

Mutsumi

(Watering it, fertilizing it, setting up stakes...)

Mutsumi

(I'm only taking care of it because I want to. It's not like anyone asked me to.)

Mutsumi

(But when I take care of it... it grows. The leaves, the stems, the flowers... they all perk up.)

Milady, here is the cucumber you asked me to slice. I really did only slice it, though. Is that all right?

Mutsumi

Yes, thank you.

Mutsumi

...

Mutsumi

It tastes like cucumber...

Soyo

(Since she started high school... there are barely any entries.)

Soyo

(Ah, right. That was around when Mujica started.)

Soyo

(This is the last page...)

Soyo

"Maybe I will try growing something new."

Soyo

The rest of the pages are blank...

Mutsumi

So, bitter melon this time.

Soyo

I see. Something new, then.

Mutsumi

Yes.

Soyo

(Thank goodness... After everything she went through, she's managed to settle down this much.)

Soyo

(She's acting like her usual self at school, and the band made their comeback. I'm sure she's okay now... but...)

Soyo

(Mortis-chan hasn't been showing up lately...)

Mutsumi

What?

Soyo

No... it's nothing.

Soyo

(I should leave this to Saki-chan and the others. There's probably nothing more I can do...)

Mutsumi

The bitter melon should be ready by summer.

Mutsumi

It's bitter, but I think it'll taste good.

Soyo

Yeah...

Soyo

(I'm sure... I'll see Mortis-chan again.)

Soyo

It'd be too bitter raw. Maybe we could make bitter melon stir-fry?

Mutsumi

Yes.