Mariko and Frank

Mariko and Frank have not formed a bond in the available scene: Frank is absent, and Mariko describes him with open hostility as she protests the impending departure. Etsuko answers by insisting that he cares for Mariko and may become a new father to her, but her assurances do not immediately resolve the child’s resistance.

Mariko’s Rejection

As the lantern illuminates Mariko’s face, she tells Etsuko that she does not want to leave the next day. She adds that she dislikes Frank and compares him to a pig. The blunt insult makes her objection more than a general fear of going somewhere new: she directly rejects the man Etsuko expects her to accept as part of their future.

Etsuko’s Reassurance

Etsuko initially reprimands Mariko angrily for speaking that way. She then changes her tone, telling her more calmly that Frank is fond of her and will be like a new father. Etsuko promises that everything will turn out well, framing Frank’s affection as a reason to accept the move even though Mariko has just expressed the opposite view.

A Conditional Promise

When Mariko remains silent, Etsuko offers a further reassurance: if Mariko dislikes life there, they can come straight back. Mariko looks up at this prospect, questioning, but the scene does not establish whether she is persuaded or whether the promise will be kept. Their exchange leaves the relationship suspended between Mariko’s explicit distrust and Etsuko’s effort to make Frank, and the departure associated with him, seem reversible.