Wearing track suits Daichi, Hime-chan, Icchan, and Manami run into a very strange man who is hiding himself behind dark glasses, scarf, and trench coat. But Icchan recognizes him as Gori-sensei immediately, startling everyone. Gori looks like he is trying to "avoid" Hikaru by all means. When Daichi tells him that Hikaru has gone to her country house instead of coming with them, Gori looks relieved and tells his family, his wife and six children [who all look like him :)], that it's safe to come out.
Earlier Gori had met Hikaru, who was very sad, sitting all alone on a bench in the park. She dislikes summer holidays because everybody goes to the countryside, leaving her alone. Then she started to yell at Gori, asking him if he was planning to go to countryside too. She said it can't be, because he wouldn't allow her to feel lonely even more.. Gori was embarrassed because of course this was what he had planned to do. So he and his family had to hide from Hikaru now, and had gotten up very early that morning to avoid her.
But when Gori asks them what they are doing here, Hime-chan becomes mad at him for having told them to train hard to improve their endurance during holidays. Soon Gori's own family looks at him angrily, so Gori's wife decides to invite them all to their country house. Then Arisaka comes by and asks if he can join them too. Gori "summons" Daichi to take them there.
Later on the train, Hime-chan, Arisaka, Manami, and Icchan play cards while Daichi and Pokota eat potato chips. Daichi would have preferred going on a trip alone.
After the train, they take the bus. At the bus station, an old man has come to give them a ride in his cart to Gori's country house. But later they find a red car unexpectedly blocking their way. It was Hikaru's car! Since Hikaru wasn't too far away, she sees Daichi and jumps at the chance to take a ride with them.
When they get to Gori's family house, which looks very old (typical), they are welcomed by Gori-sensei himself.. and his mother, who once more looks exactly like him. Hikaru is a bit mad at Gori though, because he had told her that he wouldn't go to his country house. But that's not a problem to her any more because she can hang around "her" Daichi.
Then Hime-chan asks Gori where his family is. He says there is a river nearby where everybody has gone to swim. Since they have fortunately brought their swimsuits, they decide to join them. Hime-chan has even brought Pokota's [she takes Pokota's swimsuit from the small case shown during the ads..] but Pokota says he won't swim today. While the others have fun, Arisaka (who is afraid of water) and Hikaru (who has forgotten her swimsuit) stay on the bank of the river. Hikaru is green with envy when she sees Hime-chan having fun with Daichi. She can't stand it any more and leaves.
[CM break]
Hikaru seems to have found a plan to attract Daichi's attention. But Pokota has spotted her and wonders what she's up to. Hikaru takes her shoes off and goes into the river. Then she starts screaming for help, being unable to swim. Daichi rushes to rescue her, and brings her back. Everybody gathers around Hikaru, worrying about her, but Pokota comes by, flying on his magic pen, and tells Daichi what exactly has happened. As Hikaru, eyes closed, thinks to herself that it's good to let them worry a bit more, Daichi holds in front of her a big green worm. It makes Hikaru wake up and run away at once.
Then Gori-sensei comes to take them all to the corn field. Grandmother Gori tells them they can pick as many corn ears as they think they can eat. Daichi and Hime-chan try to compete but of course Daichi is hungrier and wins.
At night, Grandmother Gori suggests them to play "kimodameshi" outside in the dark. She knows a very good place where to play.
["Kimodameshi" is a children's game, to evaluate how much a person is brave, and usually takes place in summer because it is said that you feel very cool when you see the ghosts of Okiku-san and Oiwa-san. See Maison Ikkoku episode 29 to be convinced. Explanation by courtesy of Tatsuo Miyachi]
Then Hikaru takes her pocket phone and gives a call to her mother. She tells her that they will play "kimodameshi" and asks her to bring Matsuda-san and Wakisaka-san to play the ghosts.
Outside, Hikaru has gathered everyone in order to gather them by groups of two. Each of them holds one end of a rope, and his or her partner will be the person at the other end of the rope. Manami ends up with Arisaka, Icchan with Gori-sensei, Hime-chan with Grandma Gori, and.. Daichi with Hikaru.
Then the game starts. Hime-chan looks a bit sad to see Daichi going with Hikaru, so Pokota suggests that he would go first to check what they have to do.
On their way to the goal, Daichi and Hikaru are face to face with Okiku-san the "cat girl" ghost, played by Matsuda-san. Hikaru jumps at the chance to cling even more to Daichi, but he isn't scared at all, and pushes them both away.
Flying on his magic pen, Pokota can see and hear everyone and spots the second ghost, the vampire played by Wakisaka-san, talking to somebody on the phone with a rope in one hand. Pokota figures out that it's another one of Hikaru's plots in order to be "alone" with Daichi, and rushes to tell Hime-chan. He meets Hime-chan, who is walking with Grandma Gori. In the bushes, Hime-chan makes a copy of herself and tells Hime-copy to go back with Grandma Gori, while she will go help Daichi.
Daichi eventually reaches a small shrine and starts to pray, with Hikaru on his side, when the vampire appears behind them. It was about to jump at Daichi, but Pokota and Hime-chan are just in time, and she opens her palette to freeze time. She then moves Daichi aside and puts a fox statue at his place. When she unfreezes time, the vampire and Hikaru both jump on the statue to tie it up. But they soon realize their mistake when Daichi shows up and asks what they are doing. Then they run away.
Hime-chan and Pokota are the first to reach the goal, a very old and peaceful shrine in the forest. They quench their thirst at the shrine's source, and Hime-chan speaks sadly about Daichi, how much she wanted to be with him. Then they spot lots of fireflies flying around them. But they are quickly surprised by Manami's scream, who has eventually come with the rest of the group and has seen a second Hime-chan in front of them (the first one is Hime-copy who has come with Grandma Gori).
Hime-chan quickly retreats behind the shrine, while Pokota rushes at Hime-copy and asks her to say "Hai!". Soon Hime-chan vanishes in front of them and melts back with Hime-copy, so they think it was an illusion. Daichi has understood what has happened and winks at Hime-chan.
One goal of the "kimodameshi" was the shrine, but that wasn't the only one. From there you can see a beautiful sky, full of stars. They all end up looking at the stars.
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Ultimo aggiornamento: 01-01-1997