S02 · E21

Soft Paper Balloon

A young woman is trying to get her ex-boyfriend to get back together with her for the sake of her and the child she's carrying. She has the straw doll in case he refuses, but she is obsessively pursuing a reunion. Her story is intersected with Hone Onna's story. Originally, Hone Onna was a young woman named Tsuyu who was sold into prostitution to cover the debts of her lover. Tsuyu used to make paper ball balloons to sell. After a few years, Tsuyu is joined by a younger prostitute named Kion. Kion feels inferior to Tsuyu and ultimately betrays her, resulting in the violent death that transforms Tsuyu into Hone Onna. Back in the present day, the young lady sends her ex to hell, then attempts to jump off a bridge. Hone Onna realizes the spirit of Kion, who was wounded by her lover after she revealed her pregnancy and then jumped off a bridge, has been possessing women and forcing them to kill themselves by jumping off bridges. Kion tells Hone Onna it was nice to see her again, then vanishes, still on her path of vengeance. Hone Onna asked Ai to please pick Kion up someday, as Ai saved her from an eternity of sorrow and anger.