Motherhood (母性)

What should I do

to make my mother need me?

What should I do

to make my mother love me?

All I did was keep seeking like that.

That's why I couldn't realize

the reason why she never loved me.

"Mother finds 17-year-old daughter's body."

"Mother says, 'She'd never kill herself.'"

So her mother called the cops.

What do you think about that news report?

This part about…

the mother saying, "I raised her with care and plenty toil of love."

sounds fishy to me.

Is that a normal thing to say?

"Plenty toil of love"…

Do you know which school she attended?

My previous workplace.

I got a call from a former coworker.

Because I used to teach her.

What did they say?

They don't know for sure.

The cops haven't decided if it was a murder or suicide,

but I can't believe she would kill herself.

Her homeroom teacher didn't notice anything off, either.

But there were rumors she didn't get along with her mother.

MOTHERHOOD

I…

raised my daughter with care and plenty toil of love.

"Plenty toil of love"?

You mean, you did your best to love her?

Yes.

What do you think is the kind of love you just said?

Let out your emotions freely when you speak.

That's…

The Mother's Truth I got married when I was 24 years old.

I was taking art lessons at

"2nd Floor: Oil Painting Class" the community center at the time.

That's where I met Satoshi Tadokoro.

I didn't like his paintings,

because they were depressing.

My painting was chosen to be displayed at the cafe.

Oh, how wonderful.

Hitomi, who's in my class,

told me she could tell from my paintings that I was raised by a loving family.

She's quite well-educated.

She has a college degree and works at city hall.

Thank you.

If your painting is brimming with love,

then it's not only because your father and I showered love on you,

but also because you accepted that love straightforwardly.

My mother's words never, ever betrayed me.

"Vase and Roses by Rumiko Tsuyuki" You did a fine job.

Thank you.

I wonder what kind of person painted this?

"Roses by Satoshi Tadokoro"

These roses are most beautiful at this very moment when they're in full bloom.

It captures the beauty

of the last moments of living things.

This person understands the moment

when living things

look most beautiful and noble.

It wasn't right for my mother and I to see the same thing

and feel differently about it.

I wanted to make my mother happy,

so I asked Tadokoro if he would give me his painting after the exhibition.

I didn't think he deserved to hear what my mother said verbatim,

so I arranged it a bit.

I'm surprised.

I thought you didn't like my paintings very much.

Frankly, I thought it was just depressing at first.

But as I kept looking at it, I realized that

only those who are prepared to die can express such beauty

and I couldn't stop thinking about it.

Oh, Rilke! Oh my!

"To you I belong"…

Oh!

This painting is so lovely! Isn't it?

Oh…

It's so lovely.

Where should we put it? How about here?

Or over here?

Hello?

Hello, it's Tadokoro.

Did you like my present?

Will you go out with me again?

Yes.

Come look.

I became interested in Tadokoro because my mother liked his painting.

Let's get married.

I'd like you to meet my mother before I give you an answer.

Fair enough.

I'd like you to meet my folks, too.

All right.

He proposed to me on our third date.

I wasn't anxious at all to meet Tadokoro's parents.

I was confident that they would like me.

I'd never met an adult who didn't like me.

You shouldn't marry Satoshi. I have a bad feeling.

Why not?

I grew up with him.

We live nearby and I know him and his family well.

He has a difficult personality.

I consider him a very sincere man.

His nagging mother is even more difficult.

She used to scold me a lot growing up.

A girl like you would lose your mind if you married into such a family.

Thank you for the warning. I'll think it over.

You really should reconsider.

"Tadokoro"

The girl I told you about, Ms. Rumiko Tsuyuki.

So nice to meet you.

Come in.

Thank you.

Here's a little something for you.

I don't think they like me.

Don't worry about it. They're always like that.

What do you think about him?

He's like a lake.

I think his burning passions and strongest emotions

are kept deep down inside him.

To be honest, to a person like him,

I worried you might be too bright because you're like the sun.

But since he wants to marry you,

he's hoping you could pull up the things he's hidden in the lake,

and make them shine brightly under the sun.

If I turn him down,

will the sun never shine on his life?

Do you think I can do it?

Of course you can.

I say this because you make me so happy.

If someone needs you, there's no way you couldn't make them happy.

I love seeing people's smiles.

I've always wanted to make the people around me smile.

I love your smile, too.

And I love you even more when you make people smile.

The person who gives me courage.

My mother is my sun.

"Oil Painting Class"

What kind of home do you want to make with me?

I want to make a beautiful home

where the sun always shines.

"Make a beautiful home."

Hearing his reply, I felt from the depths of my being

that my mother had been right.

I'll marry you.

My mother said that his painting brought us together,

so we put it up in the bedroom of our new "beautiful home."

It's ready. Wake up.

- Let's eat. - Let's eat.

Here's your lunch.

Have a nice day.

You too.

That's the way.

Roll it up and pin it.

It broke.

Since I got married so quickly before I could become prepared,

my mother taught me new things one by one.

That time I spent with her was richer than before I married.

It's good.

What a relief.

I quickly learned more recipes than I could count on both hands and feet.

But he never said anything tasted good.

Even when I changed my hairstyle or wore new clothes,

he never told me I looked pretty or that they looked good on me.

I'd clean the rooms and decorate them with flowers,

but Tadokoro never said anything.

Still, my mother praised me.

That was enough to make me happy.

A living thing exists inside my body.

It will grow from now on, robbing my flesh and blood.

And it will break out of my body and come into this world…

It was scary, and at the same time, I never imagined I'd have a child.

Such thoughts came to my mind.

My mother…

Please call my mother.

All right.

Mother.

You're pregnant?

There's no need to be afraid.

I felt the same when I gave birth to you,

but now I feel

twice as happy.

Because…

I know that my life is now connected further into the future.

The act of nurturing the living thing inside my belly

was similar to painting a picture or growing flowers, I thought.

Putting my heart and soul into creating quality work,

to make my mother happy.

When I learned that only my husband could come into the delivery room,

I regretted choosing such a hospital.

I wanted to show my mother the newborn baby.

You did a great job. Here, Daddy.

Are you OK? Congratulations.

Congratulations.

Thank you.

Here.

Already?

Oh my, how cute.

Mother.