Episode 13

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## Plot Summary

Kikuhiko, Matsuda, and Konatsu walk in line down a street. Kikuhiko holds a box and looks down sadly, as does Konatsu. Matsuda weeps loudly. Matsuda expresses to Kikuhiko how sad and frustrating their situation is as he continues to cry into his napkin. Kikuhiko looks back at him before turning forward and saying that the police will come by that night to ask some questions. He apologizes to Matsuda and says that after they inter the ashes, they should head straight back to Tokyo. He tells Konatsu that she will be coming as well.

Konatsu is angered by this and says she will not, as there is no point without her father. Kikuhiko calmly tells her to do as she's told, but Konatsu refuses. Kiku sighs before standing before her. He says that he is now her caretaker. Though he does not want to live with a child, but since she has no family, there isn't any other option. She continues to protest, so Kiku says that as long as she goes to school, she can do as she likes. Konatsu yells that it's Kiku's fault. Still calm, Kiku warns her not to talk like that as he begins to continue on. She begins sobbing loudly, so Matsuda bends down to rub her head and comfort her. Kiku continues forward without expression or looking back.

As Kiku watches the ashes raise out of the chimney, he wishes to himself that the Yakumo name as well as rakugo will disappear. To Sukeroku, he thinks that since he is the only one alive, he is the only who can let him rest in peace.

Back in Tokyo, Kiku explains the situation to an old man. He says that though Sukeroku was headstrong, his passing pains him. Despite this, he says that those still living must do all they can for the Rakugo Association. He says that things will be difficult, especially Kiku who is young. He says that more *yose* are closing and prospective apprentices are swiftly declining and all the shin'uchi are young men. Lighting up his pipe, he says that he doesn't know how much time he has left. He says that Kiku is the only one of his generation. He wonders if Edo still has a place in modern times.

Finally, he finishes that that is why he needs to take on the Yakumo. Kiku interrupts his reasoning when he says that the flow of the era cannot be altered, nor can they change the audience's feelings. He smiles and asks what he will do then. Kiku thinks back to his time with Sukeroku and his hopes for rakugo. Tears finally begin to well out of his eyes. He finally bows and asks that he could inherit the name.

After this, Kiku sells his master's house, then rents a small home in the Asakusa area.

Lieing sadly on the wooden floor, Konatsu quietly sings Nozarashi as her tears begin spilling out of her eyes and onto the floor. Overhearing, Kiku orders her to stop doing rakugo. Konatsu sits up and tells him to shut up. Kiku bends over and grabs her scruff of her neck, asking who taught her to be so nasty. She turns away from him and says that her father did. Kiku bends down and says that if she wants, she can leave, but it won't get her anywhere. He says that if she isn't serious, she should knock it off. She suddenly shouts that he's an idiot. He lets go of her dress and stands, calling her impudent and says that he;s tired of all the noise. Smiling, he tells her to leave him alone.

Konatsu stands and glares at him. They look at each other before Kiku asks what. She calmly says that she won't leave because she has to kill him someday. Kiku emotionlessly asks who taught her to speak that way and she says her mother. He tells her to do it, because he would fell much better that way. He walks away from her, so she plops back onto the floor and begins loudly singing the song from Nozarashi.

In the end, he was alone. He continued on, feeling deep down that it was the only way he could survive. Kiku steps out cane first from his car as Matsuda holds his umbrella out. He performs using his new name. Waiting to begin, he notes what a large tree it is and says that perhaps he can hang himself from it. That way, he won't need money anymore. He says that his name is Yakumo Yurakutei and he has long forgotten his real name.

Claps beside his ear and yells to wake up. He says that he can focus on his work as he removes his towel. He says that it's on the house since he's a shin'uchi. Other patrons clap for him. Yotarou says that he's not so dumb as to not pay for good work. Stepping off his chair, he says that he hasn't been waiting to be a shin'uchi, but working.

Walking on stage, a small crowd claps and various people yell their congratulations. Yotarou bows before saying that he sees a lot of familiar faces. Smiling, he says that he was stupid for running his mouth before his promotion was announced. Saying that since everyone there knows, he joking asks that they not tell anyone, making everyone laugh. He says that he'll have to apologize to his master. He takes off his coat and says that the work of a barber has changed a lot since the olden days. He begins to tell his story.

At Yakumo's house, Yotarou excuses himself as he lets himself in. He apologizes for being late. Yotarou calls out to him but no one answers. Konatsu suddenly throws a nut at him and says that Yakumo's gone out. She asks what's up with his hair. Smiling, he says that he didn't know she was there. Pouting, he says that he had something important to talk to him about. Annoyed, he asks why she told everyone about his promotion, since he told her it was a secret. She says that he didn't tell anyone but the landlady. He yells that everyone knows now. She yells back that he shouldn't have told her then. Pouting again, he says that she's right. Smiling, Konatsu says that it's a good thing anyway since everyone's happy for him. She asks if he's happy, so he smiles at her and says yes. She says that he's memorized 100 rakugo, continued under a strict master and succeeded. He begins crying and she laughs, saying to stop. She says that they should celebrate and tells him to make tea. He smiles and does so.

On the porch, the two toast and she congratulates him. He asks if it's okay for her to act like her house when she moved out a while ago. She says that it's fine, since it's basically her family home. She turns to him and asks for him to do some rakugo. He says that even a futatsume is a pro and asks what she wants him to do. She looks down into her tea and says Nozarashi. He blushes and giggles, so she asks why he would make that face.

As Yotarou performs, she smiles as she looks out from the porch. As he begins singing, she begins to cry silently. He notices this and asks what's wrong. She wipes her eyes and says that he's going to have a child. Yotarou is shocked but she continues that that is the reason she's living there again. She says that Yakumo and Matsuda know already. She says that she was going to raise it alone, but Matsuda insisted. Stammering, Yotarou asks why the father is. Annoyed, she says that it's none of his business and refuses to answer. He asks if she can't be with the father, but he still won't answer. He sighs and slunches over. She says that it's fine, because she isn't going to ever get married anyway. She says that she's not suited for marriage, but she really wanted a child and she doesn't want Sukeroku's blood to die out. Yotarou asks what Yakumo said. She says that he told her to do as she likes. She feel bad because Matsuda cried.

Yotarou asks if he could be the father. She is shocked by this and he continues by saying that he knows that he's less than a bug to her, and that maybe he has no right to talk since he's a futatsume. Smiling, he says that they might do better as a couple than she expects. He looks over and sees that she looks furious. The phone suddenly rings so he jumps up to answer it.

He finds that it's Matsuda and asks if Yakumo is with him. Konatsu walks past without looking at him. Yotarou yells at her to wait and asks where she's going. Konatsu slams the door behind her. He yells that he's serious and she should consider it.

Yakumo bows as a grave with a bouquet in his hands. Matsuda stands behind him. He says that he made the call and Youtarou is coming. Yakumo smiles and thanks him. He says that his debut still hasn't been scheduled, but he has to order a montsuki for him quickly. Matsuda says that the head priest of the temple knows too. Still smiling, he calls Yotarou an idiot and asks who he didn't tell. He begins washing the Yurakutei generational grave and wonders what the world is coming to when someone like him can become a shin'uchi. He says that his master would have stridently been against it. He tells Matsuda that the Association asked him to serve as president. Matsuda is happy at this and says that they have even more to celebrate.

## Character Appearances

* Kikuhiko
* Matsuda
* Konatsu
* Old man @3:30

## Rakugo

* 野ざらし
* 死神
* 浮世床