The Door into Summer (夏への扉)

It seems like my fate is to lose the people I love.

It all began in 1968.

NEWS

SUSPECT

The year the 300 million yen robber was arrested

my mother died soon after giving birth to me.

17 years later

my father left this world to go join her.

Insignificant incidents to the rest of society.

Everybody was looking forward to the future.

TELEPORTATION EXPERIMENT

The Toi Laboratory of Teito University

demonstrated the world's first successful teleportation.

The teleportation fidelity was improved by over 100 times.

A great step toward practical application.

It felt like I was stranded alone in the flow of time.

But I never felt lonely.

2-MONTH-OLD MALE KITTEN

Right after my father passed on

I met Pete.

Soon, Pete and I had a new family.

Koichi, my father's good friend and fellow professor

took us in.

His daughter, Riko, loved Pete like a little brother.

HEISEI ERA

For the next few years

I studied electronics at college

and mechanical engineering under Koichi in his home lab.

I was happy and easily forgot about fate.

News flash. A World Airlines aircraft crashed early this morning...

But fate apparently didn't forget about me.

Riko, then in middle school, went to live with her uncle, Kazuto.

And now in 1995.

It's just me and Pete again

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COLD SLEEP INSURANCE

Hello.

This is "Happy Day" on Wednesday, March 1st.

MARCH 1ST, 1995

Today we're here at Future Works Enterprise

commonly referred to as FWE.

Do you know what they do?

They're the developers of A-1

the household robot that everybody's talking about.

With artificial general intelligence

it continues to learn and grow like a human being

and can follow various commands.

It was invented by Soichiro Takakura.

This 27-year-old joined FWE after he graduated from university...

Yes?

Is that you, Soichiro?

Kazuto... You gave them my photo?

I'm surprised you're watching it.

Actually, I wasn't but...

The photo was unnecessary.

Why not? Look!

He's very handsome. He's my type.

His appearance?

He is attractive but he also spent ten years on research...

This is great PR.

About the manufacturing agreement with Rise Electronics...

It's now a little past noon. Snow clouds are still in the sky.

Snowfall is expected to continue.

The forecast by region.

Here it is. I want you to check it.

- And the stock assignment... - Pete!

Sorry. I'll call you back.

Hey...

Ever since Pete met me, he has formed a simple philosophy.

I'm in charge of shelter, food, and weather.

He's in charge of everything else.

But he holds me especially responsible for weather.

When he sees that cold unpleasant white stuff out the window

he badgers me to open every door in the house.

Pete firmly believes that one of them is the door into summer.

What are you doing?

Riko.

Sorry. It's still winter outside.

No matter how often he fails

Pete won't give up his search for the door into summer.

You never get bored of this song.

Isn't it great? I love it.

FOUNDATIONS OF ROBOTICS

You enjoy reading this?

Yes. It's yours in the first place.

Not for schoolgirls.

That's why I like it.

I can't finish them in a week.

RIKO'S MOVE TO NEW SCHOOL

Come back during summer break.

You won't miss me?

It must be a good school if Kazuto chose it.

A new robot?

No. It's my personal project.

PLASMA BATTERY

The plasma battery was Dad's...

Its practical application is no longer a dream.

Machines won't have to be recharged anymore.

An energy evolution.

It'll also dramatically boost my current robot project.

A future that Koichi dreamed of where robots and humans coexist

might not be that far away.

What?

Nothing.

All right. Your choice tonight.

What do you wanna eat?

Hamburger steak with lotus root in it.

Again?

I'll get it.

Yes?

Riko, who was at the door?

Me.

Ms. Shiraishi...

I brought some documents you should take a look at.

The boss called you, right?

Hey, Pete...

Did I scare him?

Sorry.

More like "thanks" to your girlfriend.

Right, Riko?

Maybe...

It's cold today. Let's have hot pot.

Riko is going to cook...

I have packing to do. I'm going home.

Riko?

BIG PLATES, GRATIN DISHES, SMALL SERVING PLATES

DON'T KEEP WATER RUNNING

POTS, BOWLS

STOCK ASSIGNMENT AGREEMENT

FROM SOICHIRO TAKAKURA TO RIN SHIRAISHI

Let me help.

It's okay. I see where everything is.

Riko wanted to make sure I know where things are.

She's moving into a school dorm.

She did all your housework?

She said my time will be better spent on research.

That's how I completed A-1.

You didn't want Riko to worry?

What?

Are you with me so she won't worry about you being alone?

No... I...

Do you care about me?

Of course.

More than Riko?

Why compare?

I don't understand.

Huh?

Why are you giving me a part of your shares?

Oh...

Kazuto and I discussed it and decided together.

It was mostly his decision, right? Are you really okay with it?

An accounting secretary is suddenly an executive.

Honestly, I was surprised but everybody knows how competent you are.

I don't care about owning stock.

All I want is for you to focus on your work.

But...

CLOSE GAS VALVE

I'm jealous of Riko. I'm too old for that.

MARCH 8TH, 1995

Come in.

Sorry.

It's okay. I'm done.

Take a seat.

How are you feeling?

Great as long as I have this.

Diabetes sucks.

How are you?

I'm discussing A-1's upgrade specs and the next model with the mechanics.

Good. Looking forward to it.

What's the urgent meeting about?

Excuse me.

Let's start a special shareholders' meeting.

Shareholders' meeting?

Shiraishi, the document.

Take the minutes. The date, March 8th, 1995.

13:00.

New business plan?

Our reputation has grown thanks to A-1.

Our competitors are frantically trying to catch up to us.

I think we should release A-1 as soon as possible.

Put it out in the market?

To beat our competition. We'll also expand our business.

No. A-1 isn't ready yet.

I won't approve further development costs.

But the second model...

We need at least a third model...

We'll sell the rights and gain more capital.

Fortunately, Mannix Enterprises is making an offer.

Fortunately? I worked too hard on this to hand it over to someone else.

You can continue your projects with Mannix.

Is it for money?

Koichi would never allow this!

Mr. Matsushita.

Why don't we vote on the proposal?

Okay, Soichiro?

Yeah. Let's.

Fine. Shiraishi, roll call.