My Secret Cache (Himitsu no hanazono) (ひみつの花園)

A TOHO, PIA PRODUCTION

"Sakiko, age 8"

I wasn't a bad kid, but I wasn't good, either.

This face of mine,

You brat!

Always got me into trouble.

But one thing made me smile.

Ten, twenty,

thirty, forty, fifty dollars.

I wonder why Sakiko's only happy when she's counting money.

My mother often asked.

We weren't rich or poor.

I'm from a middle class family,

but the only one who's this way.

- Wanna see something? - What?

Yuk, what is it?

Boring.

I realized my habit was annoying, when I was dumped.

What?

What did you say?

Gimme the money, forget the date.

Since then, I've had no luck in love.

I became the wallflower no one ever noticed.

Are you going to get a job?

You love money so much,

how about a bank teller?

Any hobbies?

Counting money.

"HIRED"

So I got a job at a bank.

It took me six months to see,

counting people's money wouldn't make it mine.

What had been my ideal job, now only made me feel empty.

I wished someone would rob the bank.

Preferably taking me hostage... ...a tragic heroine.

Suddenly, it happened.

You'd never dream it really would, right?

"WILDERNESS AREA"

Shit! We're lost!

Keep going!

No, not there!

Well, I'm done for.

I figured my life was over.

Sakiko, are you all right?

Will worker's comp cover this?

Don't be silly.

Hospitalized,

I became an instant celebrity.

Treated like a star.

How do you feel?

So so.

Quite an ordeal.

Oh, thank you.

They told me three months for my bones to heal,

and two months physical therapy to walk again.

The attention only lasted a month.

No more reporters.

It never lasts long.

I devoted myself to therapy.

Stop lying around. Aren't you going back to the bank?

It's therapy for the soul.

Welcome back. Glad you recovered.

During my stay in the hospital, I'd grown to love doing nothing.

My heart just wasn't in it anymore.

Bank robbers...

Then one day, there was a story on the news.

A woman bank teller...

was taken hostage, but eventually returned safely.

Could've used my picture.

The escape details are unknown,

but they got lost...

and fell off a cliff.

Five million dollars disappeared without a trace,

along with their car, which exploded.

Five million is sunk there.

Id found something to live for.

MY SECRET CACHE

"Miracle: Hostage Back from Wilderness"

"Bank Robbers are All Killed"

"Five Million Ashes"

"Critical Moment on Hidden Camera"

You can't check out magazines.

Sakiko, dinner!

Uh huh.

I told you, the money didn't burn.

It would be all over the news.

Of course it would. You re just confused.

I swear it's there!

See, can't you tell?

I can't really see.

Don't lie, look more carefully.

Give it here.

Let's all go have a look. That's what you want.

Right?

Let's pack a lunch and go tomorrow.

You can count me out.

How come I'm stuck driving!

I don't have a license.

Dad's still asleep?

I bet he's just pretending.

What's the difference? Let him sleep,

he's tired.

All that grumbling, but he still came along.

That's the road, make a left!

Everybody ready?

Push!

I told you I didn't want to come.

That's it!

You need four wheel drive here. Let's go home.

I'll walk.

Sakiko's sure changed.

She's so lively.

"Life is a Precious Gift" "Don't Jump!"

Scary!

It can't be much farther.

Hey, where's this big lake or whatever?

There's a cliff on the other side of that mountain,

a river under the cliff,

a waterfall all the way down the river...

No way we'll get that far!

We've already walked an hour!

You sure about the money?

You'll die trying to find it.

Hey, don't be so mean!

Stop fighting! How embarrassing.

Haven't we come far enough?

Are you crazy!? I'm talking five million dollars!

Another Sunday wasted.

Just think of it as a lovely hike.

Sakiko, we all came this way. You should be satisfied.

But...

My, the air is fresh.

Time for lunch.

Yes, let's. I'm hungry.

What!

That's it. We're going home.

It's kind of fun.

Once in a while.

I'll drive home.

I need a bathroom.

Where's Sakiko?

What? She's around.

The time is 3 AM.

Now, the local news.

Suzuki Sakiko remains missing. Four days ago,

she hiked into the Aokigahara Wilderness Area.

Her safety is in doubt.

The girl's dead.

Totally bad scene, man.

A vending machine!

Wait for me.

She's over there.

Sakiko... you!

You idiot!

The missing pianist was found in the Wilderness,

still with her piano.

Stop having crazy ideas. It's time you went back to work.

Surely you're fully rested,

by now.

That place scares me.

The Aokigahara Wilderness, is infamous for suicides.

This year's search for bodies has produced twenty bodies.

Professor Morita of the Geology Dept...

at Tamagawa University...

I want to break off our engagement.

Don't do that.

The Aokigahara...

Hey, stop it! That's my show.

If I don't protect her, that louse...

She has cancer.

Cut it out!

I want to die.

Why is the Wilderness so dangerous...

You brought...

me back to life again.

Professor Morita.

Do you know what time it is? Go get dressed.

That's enough, girls.

This is footage of a geological survey of the area.

The Geo-magnetic field is very powerful here.

See for yourself.

There are many caves and underground tributaries,

which make this a very dangerous place...

for amateurs.

Tamagawa University.

What's she up to now?

Where are you off to?

Hello.

"Tamagawa University Grounds"

Um...

Excuse me.

Um, where is the Geology Department?

What?

Oh, here.

Thank you very mu...

"PROF. MORITA GEOLOGY DEPARTMENT"

Excuse me, are you Prof. Morita?

Do you know how to get here?

What is this?

It's a map. I want to go right here.