Ep. 10: Nao befriends Botan while planting winter peonies, but a hunter's trap changes everything.

10

Nao and her family relocate to the countryside, where she struggles to fit in. To comfort her, her mother suggests planting winter peonies in the garden. While her mother is away, Nao meets Botan, and they quickly become friends. Botan invites Nao to secretly plant a peony on a wooded hill. Over several weeks, they spend their free time together caring for the seedling. One day, Nao’s bully attacks them with rocks, but Botan’s fierce glare scares him away. The next day, the boy checks on Nao, confusing her. On a snowy day, they visit the peony, but Botan’s leg gets caught in a hunter’s trap. Despite Botan’s pleas, Nao leaves to get help. At home, Nao’s mother is on the phone, unable to find Botan, and apologizes for the trouble. She accepts an offer of wild boar meat to make boar hotpot. Later, Nao visits the hill alone, wondering where Botan is.