Kita Kita

Lea is a Filipina tour guide living in Sapporo who is engaged to Nobu. She imagines a future together, planning small joys and big dreams. A note lures her to a beer house, where her world begins to tilt on its axis.

Lea confronts Nobu at the beer house and discovers he is flirting with her friend. She attempts to vent her anger, but first counts from one to ten, recalling their happy memories with each number. As she exits, she experiences stress-induced blindness and collapses.

Lea struggles to adjust to life with temporary blindness and begins to navigate a world she can no longer see. She pushes through fear and frustration, seeking new routines and independence. The period marks a grinding yet essential adaptation in her life.

Tonyo, Lea's Filipino next-door neighbor, introduces himself and makes attempts to cook and cheer her up. Lea initially rebuffs him, but he persists and eventually earns her acquaintance. He offers practical help and companionship as she rebuilds her life.

Tonyo persuades Lea to tour around the city, serving as her eyes as they travel through streets and tourist spots. They spend long days exploring, and Lea learns to trust his guidance. Their bond deepens amid shared journeys.

Their daily adventures blossom into love, and they vow to revisit every place they explored once Lea regains her sight. They imagine a future built on travel and mutual care. The promise anchors their relationship through uncertainty.

They celebrate a symbolic wedding moment when Tonyo gives Lea a Daruma doll and wishes for her recovery. The ritual marks their commitment and hope for Lea's sight to return. It blends love with a quiet, hopeful longing.

On a date, Tonyo leaves Lea briefly to fetch a stuffed toy. Lea begins to regain her sight and sees him waving from the opposite side of the road. He runs to her but is struck by a vehicle and dies, leaving Lea stunned and heartbroken.

Lea visits Tonyo's home after his death and finds a letter detailing his past and move from Tokyo to Sapporo after heartbreak. It also reveals Lea had unknowingly met him earlier as the homeless man she cared for, who vowed to change his life. The banana mascot who carried her home and sent the note is revealed to be Tonyo in disguise.

The letter discloses Tonyo's long‑standing heart condition—an enlarged heart since childhood—that could burst at any moment. He chased a future for Lea, hoping to do everything for her before it happened. The revelation deepens Lea's understanding of his sacrifices.

Overcome with grief, Lea revisits the places they had shared, wearing a blindfold at each site to honor their memories. The acts become a ritual that preserves their bond while guiding her forward. Her resolve to live with memory as companion grows stronger.

Lea completes the promised loop by slowly re-traversing the places they visited, letting memory navigate her steps. She continues to travel with memory guiding her, sustaining hope for the future. The story closes on a note of enduring resilience.