Aiko is torn between trusting Hiroshi, who knows the danger of breaking the curse, and her own desire to be free of it. She learns more about the dark forces lurking behind the scenes, who are manipulating both her and Hiroshi's families.

Aiko (angry): "You think you're saving me by keeping me cursed? You're only protecting yourself. You've never understood what this feels like—living half-dead!"

Hiroshi: "You don't know what's at stake, Aiko! If you break the curse, it could rip open the barrier between worlds. The dead would flood into the living realm. You have no idea the power you're playing with!"

Aiko: "Maybe I don't care. Maybe the living world deserves to know what we've been hiding. I won't be your prisoner anymore, Hiroshi."