AkiandNaokoarechildhoodfriendswhoaredriftingapartasadultsImmersedinherfamilylife,Naokonowhasahusbandanddaughter;Aki,ontheotherhand,remainssingleandisonleavefromworkduetoapersonalcrisisTheplotmightsoundfamiliarbutithasneverbeentoldlikethisThedirectorKusanoNatsukastagestheinteractionsthroughanactors’tablereadand,asthelinesarerepeated,thescenesgraduallydevelopintoonlocationconversationsMoreover,sherepositionsthedramaticpeakofthestorytothebeginning:AkihasmurderedNaoko’sdaughter　　Structurallyinventive,Kusano'sdaringcinemaimplements‘distantiation’effectstogettotheheartoffriendshipissuesattimeswhenlifehassettledWhiletherepetitionsconveythesuffocationofrolepatternsinbothfriendshipandfamily,alineleftoutoraddedinunsettlesandremindsuslifecantakeunexpectedturns