Original subtitles

And we broke

Everything that was right

We both enjoyed a good fight

And we sewed

All the holes we had to breathe

To make the other one leave

And I loved

The way you looked at me

And I miss

The way you made me feel

When we were alone

When we were alone

And I'll shiver like I used to

And I'll leave him just for you

And I'll shiver like I used to

Mushi-Shi

Just for you

Like I used to

They seem strange and alien.

Primitive and peculiar,

they are unlike any flora or fauna known to us.

Since time immemorial,

men have feared these misshapen entities,

which came to be known as "mushi."

Mushi

Hey, Toki?

Hmm?

When snow falls into the lake, what happens to it?

It melts and becomes part of the lake water.

Really?

Well then, why doesn't it just fall on the ground?

Snow doesn't have a choice where it falls.

Oh... poor snow.

Well, once the lake freezes, the snow can pile up on top of its ice.

Really?

When will that be?

As soon as it gets a bit colder.

I see!

I really hope the lake freezes soon!

Beneath the Snow

There should be... an inn somewhere around here.

It's buried in snow.

Must be abandoned.

Hm... Maybe it's this way?

Here you go.

Thanks. I needed this.

I'm chilled to the bone.

No, I should be thanking you.

We never have guests at this time of the year!

Well, I suppose the only people who'd venture through this much snow

are the really curious ones.

Is that so? Well then, what has you so curious?

It's the snow itself. It's very interesting around here.

I wanted to come see it for myself.

Oh, really?

I mean, it's true we get a lot of snow in these parts.

But that's just typical for us.

I don't think it's all that interesting.

Sir? Your bath is—

Wh-What are you doing?

Oh, sorry.

I'll be going to sleep soon.

Let's close this, then.

Hey, these are drawings of snowflakes, right?

Can I take a look through?

Sure.

Wow, there are so many different shapes.

Is this a snowflake too?

Actually, that one's a type of snow mushi.

You can sometimes find them if you sift through snow.

So there are things like this inside snow?

Yes, sometimes.

And they're especially diverse in this area.

I've already found quite a few just around this village.

This is a Yukinarashi, or a "Snow Smoother" mushi.

It lives in the tracks made by animals.

If there are enough of these around, tracks made in the snow disappear quickly,

which can be a nuisance when you're hunting or need to find someone.

Hmm... how about this one?

A Yukidangomushi, or "Snow Roly-poly" mushi.

I saw some on my way here.

They move by rolling on top of the snow, making snowballs in the process.

When their snowballs start to get too big,

they usually crash them against trees to shake off the extra snow.

But if you stumble across one with no trees nearby, it may try to crash into you instead.

They sound pretty mischievous!

When they crash into trees, the shockwaves they make sometimes cause avalanches.

They're not as harmless as you might think.

What others are there?

This one here is probably the rarest one.

This mushi likes to travel in packs and stick close to a specific animal.

They sting the animal and steal its warmth little by little.

When animals are "possessed" by this type of mushi,

snow seems to follow them wherever they go.

This is why they're called Tokoyukimushi, or "Never-ending Snow" mushi.

What else happens when they possess you?

Your body temperature decreases as well. They say there's no risk of death, though.

They usually depart when spring comes.

I see.

Is there someone in particular you're worried about?

On your way here, you saw that house buried in snow, right?

Yeah.

My friend lives there.

It's because of him that the house became buried in snow.

He...

Early this winter...

he lost his little sister to the lake.

Not too long after that,

I noticed that snow was always falling around him, and only him.

Toki?

It's me, Tae.

Toki.

Come on, I know you're in there!

Come out already!

What is it?

You've gotten even paler.

Are you sure you're okay?

It's no big deal.

Who's this?

A mushi-shi named Ginko.

He was wondering if he could speak with you.

Oh?

Come in.

It's freezing.

Sorry for how cold it is in here.

Whenever we try to warm up the place, my skin starts to hurt... like it's burning,

whereas I don't feel the cold one bit.

How long has it been this way?

Probably ever since that day.

It was a night with snow but no wind.

Sachi?

Toki, wait!

For some reason...

I thought for a second that my little sister had come back,

so I opened the door.

Sachi—

When I did, it felt as though snow had flown right into my body.

Toki, come back inside, or you'll catch a cold.

It's hot.

What?

Since then, I can't stand being near anything warm,

even though the cold doesn't bother me at all.

From that night on, snow's been falling wherever I go.

But I really don't feel cold.

I mean, I do feel bad for Mom and Dad,

but there's really nothing wrong with me.

Can I take a look at your hand?

Sure.

His hand is as cold as ice.

He can't even tolerate human body temperature.

Your skin's turned white. You're getting frostbite.

Although you may not feel it, your body does.

If you don't get yourself warm soon, you could lose your hands or your feet.

But it really feels like I'm burning when I do that.

Your senses are just being deceived.

You're not actually burning.

Forget it. I'm fine with the way things are.

Toki.

I have to go catch some fish.

Hey...

Wait, Toki!

I'm sorry about all this.

Don't be.

I can't figure out how to make him want to get better.

It stopped snowing.

Toki!

Hey, are you even listening?

I'm telling you, something is wrong with you.

You've got to do what's best for your body.

Don't follow me. It's not safe out here.

What about you?

You be careful, okay?

You've been really out of it lately.

I will be.

Huh?

That's strange.

The snow falling into the lake isn't melting.

I never knew it could do that.

If that's the case, maybe snow can pile up at the bottom of the lake too... huh, Sachi?

Toki!

Look!

The lake's freezing!

Sachi!

Don't—

Toki!

Toki!

Hey, Toki!

Toki!

Hey!

Hey!

The snow is... only in one spot.

Did you check over there?

Toki!

He must be under there!

Hey!

Toki!

That part of the lake is just too deep. We can't dive there.

The sun's down, too. It's too cold for us to go into the water now.

Toki!

Toki!

That night, blistering cold descended upon the entire village.

In a single night, the lake became completely frozen over.

It's not snowing anymore...

Toki...

I had a bad feeling that this might happen someday...

I should've stopped you!

I should never have let you go out on the lake by yourself.

The lake's ice must be contracting and cracking from the cold.

Toki?

Stop! Your mind is playing tricks on you.

Toki!

What is it?

Tae, Toki's...

Toki's back!

Really?

But he wandered off again.

He had really bad frostbite.

So we tried to warm him up, but then he ran away like he was burning.

Let's split up and find him.

If we don't treat him soon, it might be too late.

Toki!

Toki!

I know...

I'll check the lake.

Toki!

It really is you, Toki!

What are you doing out here?

We've got to get you some help!

I didn't die.

Maybe Sachi's just asleep at the bottom of the lake like I was.

Beneath the snow, at the bottom of the lake, I was asleep.

When I heard the ice cracking, I woke up.

Maybe...

Maybe she just hasn't woken up yet.

What are you talking about?

That's why I have to go...

so I can help her—

That's enough, Toki!

Get a grip already!

Sachi's...

She's already dead!

That day, you jumped in after her and dragged her out of the lake.

You held her as she grew colder and colder... until she died in your arms!

I did?

You must not know what you're saying.

I don't remember any of that.

Toki!

Tae... Don't stand there!

Can you stand?

Yeah.

Here. Get on my back.

My back is burning.

Tae's heart is still burning hot.

There's still time.

There's still...

My cheek stings...

And I...

I can see my breath, too.

My hands and feet hurt!

It's cold.

It's so cold that I can't stand it!

Toki!

Tae?!

Perhaps because the scant warmth remaining in Tae's body had warmed him,

Toki regained normal use of his senses by the time he returned to the village.

And the constant snow around him had somehow stopped.

Both suffered from frostbite, but Tae's frostbite was fortunately minor.

Toki's was severe. He lost several fingers and toes.

But it was miraculous enough that he returned alive.

Was that snow protecting me?

When I woke up, I was covered in it, as though it were a blanket.

It was beautiful.

Was it all a dream?

It wasn't.

Ready to go?

Yeah.

So you're really leaving?

Yeah. If I put it off any longer, I won't be able to leave till spring.

I see.

Take care, then.

You too. Take good care of yourselves until spring comes.

Okay.

We will.

After all, winter's only just begun here.

In a land blanketed by white snow throughout most of the year,

it is not the water or the earth,

but the snow that conceals many of these misshapen entities.

Toki!

Come inside and warm up!

Right.

Atop the snow,

within the snow,

and beneath the snow.

Beneath the Snow

The Hand \hthat Caresses the Night

"The Hand that Caresses the Night."