Ah.
Ah…
Ah.
Hahaha…
----
A faint sound of something hitting the window.
For a moment, I thought someone had come for their name.
It's snowing!
It's snowing, Sensei.
That hot water bottle…
I see that you’ve claimed it.
Someday, when the snow falls
Ever since I was little, sometimes I’d see weird things.
These things, which apparently no one else could see, were probably those beings called 'youkai'.
Touko-san!
It's sn-
Touko-san?
Are you looking for something?
Oh, Takashi-kun!
Could you help me?
Oh, sure.
Is it this?
Yes. Thank you!
I finally found it!
Thank you, Takashi-kun.
No problem. What is it?
A heater?
Isn't it cold in front of the bath?
It's old, but I think we can still use it.
While I was looking for this, I found a lot of nostalgic things and got carried away.
Pottery that Shigeru made, old souvenirs…
Oh no! I have to prepare dinner!
I'll clean up tomorrow.
I'll move this.
Thank you!
Oh yeah, it's snowing.
Is it? Well, it's getting quite cold.
Um, is it okay if I go for a walk?
I want to see the snow.
Oh! You're like a child.
Dress warmly, okay?
Take a scarf and gloves, okay?
Okay!
We're having hotpot tonight!
Okay!
It’s different from the usual scenery.
Cold, but it feels nice.
Suddenly dark, I realized that in my excitement, I got carried away.
Maybe I shouldn't have gone out on a day like this.
Without Sensei, a snow woman might…
Must find it.
I must find it.
There is one! As suspected!
But…
Its puffiness makes it look more like a snowman than a snow woman.
I must find it.
I wonder if it's looking for something.
Crap!
You! You can see?
Wait! Strange person!
Search with me! If you helped, surely…
It's going to follow me?
What are you looking for?
What, you say?
Something warm!
Something warm? In this snow?
Are you cold?
How problematic. I've only got this.
Here.
I'll give you this.
Freezing!
Whoa! It's frozen!
Don't come! If you get closer to me, I'll freeze just like the scarf.
I'm looking for something more shiny.
Something shiny? That's not what you said before.
This is the first time I've talked to a human.
It feels weird!
Did you drop it? Is it really around here?
I don't know. I can't remember.
It was warm and shiny… and smelt nice.
Wait.
You can't remember?
Are you saying that you're looking for something that you don't even know, and have no idea where to find?
I know that I have to find it.
I haven't forgotten it for a moment, either.
I even search for it in my dreams.
You’re strange.
Let's look for it together! You're looking for something as well, right?
No, I'm not…
Really?
I thought people were usually searching.
They're always searching for something, forgetting things. People are so weird.
Anyway, sorry, but it would be impossible to find until you remember.
See you.
Wait, Skinny!
That’s cold!
'Cold'? But you're-
Ouch… He's weird.
I'm sorry!
Shigeru-san!
Oh, Takashi?
What's wrong? Did something happen?
Oh no, um… I'm just so happy, the snow is amazing.
Oh? And that's why you ran like that?
I suppose it doesn't snow that much around here.
When I was a kid, whenever it snowed like this, I got really excited.
On top of piles of snow, I'd leave footprints and play.
I'd want to leave the first footprints where no one else had tread.
I'd run around here and there.
Oh?
Apparently, we’re having a hotpot today.
That sounds nice.
Oh, you arrived together.
Welcome home!
Now, here you go!
Delicious.
Here.
Again?! You've gotten involved with another hopeless spirit…
It's probably just after the Book of Friends again!
Well…
Sake, again!?
I’m admiring the snow!
You're not even looking at the snow. Geez…
It didn't mistake me for Reiko, so it doesn't seem like it's looking for the Book of Friends…
Hmm? It was looking for something? In the snow?
Have you heard of anything?
Have I? Haven't I?
I can't remember!
That's because you're drinking too much.
Well, I do remember hearing about a beautiful woman spirit…
It looked like this.
What's this thing?
That's the puffiness.
Well, it's time to sleep.
No way! I'm still drinking!
I wonder if it's still searching…
Alone...
I thought humans were usually searching.
Looking for something, forgetting things…
That could be true.
Where is this?
I can't see anything.
What am I looking for?
I have to find it.
I have to find it!
It's cold.
So cold…
It's freezing!
Uwa- Puffy! You followed me?
Whoa! That’s it? What's with this temperature?!
Natsume! The heater! Heater!
It's only cold because he's here!
Hot water bottle, hot water bottle!
Skinny! I've come to return this!
It's frozen!
M-my scarf…
Get the heck outta here!
Wait, Sensei.
He came all the way here to deliver it.
We should talk to him for a bi-
You idiot!
So, you think you can find it?
Ah!
I found something warm!
You found it?
It was in this house!
There are lots of warm things in this house!
That's different.
The things in this house shouldn't be what you're looking for.
Hm? This!
It's so frozen, I have no idea what that is!
It’s so warm!
But… it's not it.
That'll freeze!
Don't be so violent, you furball!
I don't want to hear that from you!
Listen, Puffy. It's important to you, right?
Very.
Then, try hard to remember. What it is, where it is.
Alright. I'll remember.
Don't sleep!
I remembered!
Really?
It's something from very long ago, and so nostalgic, it's like it was new!
Why?
Why are you looking for something you can't remember?
I have to find it…
Oi!
It's warm, but wrong.
It's nostalgic, but wrong.
This and that...
They're all wrong!
There was a weird person.
But what for?
What for?
Even though I definitely knew what it was…
If I find it, I'll definitely understand!
It piled up!
Sensei!
Today's a break, so let's go out and make the first footprints!
Why’s he so excited?
Speaking of which…
Ah, it melted!
What was it thinking?
This…
Shigeru
I wonder if the warmth were memories?
Shigeru-san and Touko-san…
I'm surrounded by warm people…
I got back what I forgot.
The things I tried to forget...
The things I had forgotten…
They have all become important memories to me.
You know the gloves I lost before?
I found them over there! Let’s go!
How far are you going?
Well, we're going to make the first footprints somewhere,
so we have go where no one else has.
Oh, ohajiki.
TL note: A girls' game.
What are you looking for?
Not that troublesome…
That lump is more ferocious than it seems.
Just try being breathed on and touched by that thing.
Even if you had my powers…
You idiot. Idiot!
Its mood seems…
What's wrong, Puffy?
Ah, Skinny…
You're tired, right? You've been looking this whole time…
I have to find it!
I remembered.
When it gets warm, it will disappear….
It'll disappear!
Hey! Are you okay?
That's dangerous!
What are you doing?
I'm fine. I'm in a hurry.
Wait, Puffy!
Don't follow me!
Sigh. I wouldn't know.
Oh. Well, well!
Shigeru
I'm surprised.
You kept this?
I didn't notice it yesterday, though…
Hey, open it.
It's obviously a boy's treasure chest!
Ah, this.
I've forgotten this whole time.
How nostalgic.
Back then, these were really rare.
I'll give this to Takashi.
Oh? Is that okay?
Well, he's not a child, so maybe he won't want it.
It's snowing again.
Hey, by ‘it's going to disappear', what do you mean?
I have to find it.
Do you mean it's going to melt, like snow?
Hey, could it be that what you're looking for is…
Ah, shut up, kid!
Eek! That ugly thing's freezing us again.
I can't stand it!
Oh, that thing?
I can eat it in one bite.
It’s such an eyesore!
Just eat it along with the human.
Hey!
You chumps! Don't get ahead of yourselves!
Sensei!
It's so cold that I'm irritated!
He's my prey.
If you lay your hands on him, I'll eat you!
What pushovers. We're leaving, Natsume!
Sorry, Sensei, but I understand the feeling of wanting to get back what you've forgotten.
So...
if I can, I'd like to help you find it!
Hey, is what you're looking for actually tangible?
What? What are you saying?
For example…
memories.
What a strange one.
You say weird things.
Am I wrong?
Puffy, something in your chest…
I found it!
So warm!
Ah, that's right, that's right!
I see. That's a seed.
A seed?
For hundreds of years they search continuously, lost.
They know that this is their destiny, but forgetting what they search for is also their destiny.
But it is said that someday, when the snow falls,
this seed is born from themselves, and they disappear as it flowers.
That's the 'snow flower'.
I remember everything.
This is my fate.
When the flowers bloom, they disappear at the same time.
They search forever…
Just to disappear...
Look!
You’re disappearing! No…
Thank you for finding it, strange one.
You’re weird, but cute.
Don't look like that.
What you're looking for will surely...
someday…
Cheer up, Natsume!
Even among spirits, I hear hardly anyone witnesses the flower bloom.
I’m sure seeing it is a good omen.
Really?
Dunno.
A faint scent remained where Snow Flower had disappeared.
It was the scent of spring.
Welcome home!
I’m back.
You know, when I was cleaning up,
I found Shigeru-san’s old childhood treasure chest.
Is that so?
This.
Shigeru-san wants to give this to you.
Snow flower.
I don’t know what I’m searching for either.
I wonder what I’ll find from now on?
Will I be able to say that I never forgot the things I find?