Episode #4: "Thoughts"

He asks Haru-chan to tell him what's bothering him. But Haruhiko thinks that if he tells, then even Tamura will hate him. He yells, "No! I can't tell you!" And though Tamura had him firmly in his arms, suddenly there's only empty air there.

Later, the two are walking along the embankment of a nearby canal. Sakura reminds Issei that she was one of the first to die, so that she'd been very worried about him (Enju) when she was dying. She asks him whether he committed suicide at the end. "Of course not!" he tells her. He reminds her that Mokulen always used to say that if one commits suicde, then there was no chance at reincarnation. He continues that if there was any chance Gyokulan would be reincarnated, that he had to see him again. "So you wanted to meet him as a man when you were reborn? Was that it?" and pulls a surprised face when he confesses that was it. Issei explains that, "If we were friends as men, then I thought we'd never have to split up." His friend is frankly shocked, and tries to talk him out of this hopeless attraction. Issei begins to answer, "If it were that easy--" when they see a dark-skinned teenager standing at the waterside. They speculate on what he'll do, and Sakura wonders if he'll jump. Issei is in mid-denial when they hear the splash.

Sakura panics, but Issei thinks quickly and dives in after Haruhiko. Meanwhile, Haruhiko is remembers what Rin said about destroying the moon base. These thoughts trigger one word in his mind: Shion. Issei, being empathic and partially telepathic, catches this and only this. His eyes widen in shock, seeing someone who resembles Shion, and hearing the word "Shion" clearly from the other's mind.

Later, Shukaido is trying to pick a password, and thinking on Mokulen's reaction, chooses "Relinquish your dreams of Paradise." Haruhiko suddenly wakes with this phrase echoing in his mind. He opens his eyes to see Tamura, who looks as if he's about to cry. He excuses himself, claiming he's simply happy to see Haru-chan alive. Haruhiko is told he doesn't have to say anything, but Tamura reminds him that he trusts him to talk eventually. Outside the room, Tamura thanks Issei and Sakura, who are embarrassed at such lavish gratitude.

Frustrated, Alice thinks that she hasn't seen the others for a while, and admits to herself that she's not entirely happy with it. But she can't understand why they think she's Mokulen. Still bothered by this, she asks Rin if he thinks she's Mokulen as well, and why. He tells her yes, because it's obvious plants and animals all treat her specially, and the air around her is always peaceful. But, he adds, Shion had abused Mokulen, and that's why she probably doesn't want to remember. She's still doubtful. Then he asks what she would do if Shion were found. "You've found him?" Suddenly hopeful. Not yet, he replies after glancing at her.

Meeting secretly with Haruhiko, Rin informs him he's found the others. In fact, he wants Haruhiko to meet them, but posing as Shion, because they already think Rin is Shukaido. Rin also tells him that he is to meet and seduce Alice in order to get her password.

Jinpachi calls the Sakaguchis again with no luck, but this time, Hajime decides to tell him something. The next day, he finds Alice at school and mentions that he knows about her engagement to Rin. He accuses her of doing it simply to make up for the accident, that she's only sacrificing herself. "An engagement isn't a duty," he pleads, then confesses, "I love you!" She is unsure of what to do, so he suggests that Rin isn't really an eight-year old. Alice refuses to listen, yelling to him that Rin IS an eight-year old, and one who should have been protected better. Besides which, she continues bitterly, she isn't Mokulen, but the horrible girl who pushed Rin off the balcony. Crying, she runs off.

Sakura goes to visit Issei, worried since she heard he didn't go to school. When he tells her what happened, her legs give out in surprise. "What a waste," she declares.

The next day at school, Issei pretends it was all a joke, but then tells Jinpachi he will no longer attend their private meetings. "But I heard Shion's been found," his friend says. They decide to find out if Alice knows about it. She didn't, but she still refuses to go, since she doesn't believe she is Mokulen. Spurred by the news, though, she checks with Rin that night. She wants to know if he is hiding anything from her, and is taken aback when he tells her yes. She brings up Shion, and he offers to let her meet Shion in private. "Why?" she asks, puzzled. "Why not?"

Over dinner, Tamura briefs the two brothers on Rin. After considering it, Mikuro cautions him not to get involved with Rin at all, adding that Tamura's own dead brother says the same. However, Tamura is afraid of what might happen if he ignores Rin. Mikuro then switches the subject, "Who's Haruhiko? Your brother asked me to ask you." Tamura then relates everything that happened with Haruhiko, including seeing someone else's face on the boy and his subsequent disappearance from within his arms. Then, seeing the shock on the others' faces, he asks, "Did I say something wrong?" They explain that a normal ESPer would have taken anyone holding him along. What Haruhiko did was impossible for other ESPers. "This guy," Mikuro asks, sending a chill down Tamura's back, "Is he human?"

Rin shows Haruhiko a picture of Alice and gives him her name. Haruhiko isn't sure he can go through with it, however. He doesn't understand how Rin can be so cold toward someone who used to love him, but Rin dismisses it. What he really wants, he tells the other, is their passwords. Haru-chan gives him his password, but seeing the unhealthy joy on Rin's face, he presses for reassurance. "You just want it to destroy the Moon base, right? You weren't lying, were you?" Rin looks directly at him and answers, "Of course not," his smile obviously a lie.

Replaying Mokulen's singing in his mind, Haruhiko can picture her in the Moon base as well. In his mind's eye, he steps toward Mokulen and turns into Shukaido. "Sahjareem," he prays, "Please tell her how lonely Shion has been." He hopes to right his actions from the past, but realizes his own redemption has only just begun.

"Did you say something?" Alice turns to Hajime. He shakes his head, so she walks out to the balcony and repeats the question to her plants.

A large group is at the train station to see Tamura and Takashi off. Tamura yells to Haruhiko, reminding him to write, then gets on the train. He has sat down when he glances outside and sees Rin smiling at him. Rin is holding a sign, "Get me cinnamon crackers from Kyoto! I love those!" Tamura grinds his teeth together, "Damn that kid!" Rin turns to leave, laughing.