Chapter 17

Chapter 17: "Left to His Own Ends".

Long Summary
Beer Gramps tells everyone why Gugu stormed out of the house and they are all shocked to learn why. They question him, asking why he would even think of storing alcohol inside of Gugu's viscera. He responds, explaining that finding Gugu after the accident was an opportunity to test out a long-held dream of finding out what happens to alcohol inside the human body. Rynn tells him how horrible he is for doing such a thing and that he should go after Gugu and remove the alcohol immediately. The old man says he can't because he needs to work and asks Rynn to go after him instead. However, she also refuses because she doesn't know Gugu at all and has no reason to go. She asks Fushi to look for him and says that he must be worried about Gugu, but Fushi says "No. Not worried."

They start discussing who is going to make dinner now that Gugu is gone. Pyoran offers, but Fushi says he will make it. Fushi is next seen in the kitchen cutting a vegetable in half and adding a bunch of other vegetables into a pot. Beer Gramps says it has no taste and Pyoran says the food isn't proper cooking, but Rynn says it will taste better with salt. Pyoran comments that Gugu's cooking was the best and they wonder where he could be and what is is doing.

The scene cuts to Gugu in the woods, outside of the house. He notices that no one is chasing after him, but then says it's fine and that he'll live on his own. He says the most important thing right now is to get rid of the alcohol inside of him. He stands upside down on his hands to get rid of the alcohol, but to no avail. He eventually gives up and continues walking until he comes across his old tent. He sleeps there and decides to earn enough money and have a doctor remove the alcohol for him instead.

The next day, Fushi wakes up and immediately goes through the routine he learned from Gugu - wake up, clean the floors, make breakfast, tend to the fields, and then work in the shop. When Fushi makes breakfast, however, he adds too much salt. Then, when he works in the fields, he ends up ruining the crops instead of gathering them and replanting. Later that day, Fushi approaches Pyoran and asks her to teach him how to cook, clean, and work. Pyoran says no and when he asks why, she says "Find Gugu and ask him to teach you. He knows best." Fushi takes items out of his pocket in an attempt to bribe Pyoran, but she responds with "Even if you try to bribe me, no means no." Fushi leaves and Rynn asks Pyoran why she refused him. Pyoran says that she shouldn't spoil him and that Fushi needs to hurry up and become a proper human being.

There have been rumors around town talking about a monster with a mask that has been seen walking around. A group of people spot the monster, Gugu, walking and dare each other to go talk to it, but one person refuses because "just looking at it feels like it could kill you." Gugu eventually stops at his old boss's place and asks for a job. The boss asks why he's wearing the mask and Gugu says he had an accident but other than that, he is healthy and capable of working. The next day, Gugu works in the fields, but his mask is causing him to overheat and at the end of the day, his boss invites him over to dinner.

One of the children, Chan, asks why Gugu is wearing that mask and Gugu says it's because of an injury. Chan tells him to "show me", but Gugu says it's better if he doesn't. Because Shin left Gugu, the boss offers him a place in their family but before Gugu can respond, Chan says he's heard rumors about him and doesn't want a monster in their house. The boss tells his son that rumors on the street say nothing about Gugu himself. Gugu decides that it's best to show them his face because he wants to know "whether you can look at my face and love it."

When he takes off his mask, Chan, the boss, and the younger child look at him in surprise and the youngest child begins to cry. Chan starts yelling at Gugu says "Just like I said! He's a monster!" Gugu leaves, but the boss chases after him and apologizes for the way they reacted. He says they mean no harm and asks Gugu to come back tomorrow. Gugu says, under his make he is smiling and that he will come back tomorrow. As Gugu walks away from the house, two men run up behind him and steal his mask and throw it into the lake. They run away and Gugu goes to retrieve his mask. As he hold it in his hands, he begin's to wonder what would happen if he didn't wear the mask. "What if I don't have the mask? Can I not continue living as a human?"

Gugu throws the mask back into the lake and walks away.