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About Love (2005)
Hello,
Michiko? Oh it's you, Tecchan. Sorry, didn't get his call. So how are things over there? How's Taiwan? Let's try to paste the screen-tone in the computer. Those who haven't finished can use the scanner any time. Last spring, I came to Tokyo from Taipei, hoping to be a professional cartoonist. It's like New York is the city for baseball players, Madrid for soccer players, Hollywood for film makers, and London for Rock and Rollers. Tokyo is the city for cartoonists. The reason for me to draw is not to get lost. I finally felt my existence when I stand in front of the canvas. I finally made it to Tokyo but now I can't even draw a line... it's not easy to make dreams come true... ...I still have nothing, as usual. I live an unstable life in this foreign country. What's more difficult is to face this fact. All these people, so close together What's going to happen between them? What's hidden in their hearts? My boyfriend went to Spain. He was supposed to return 1230 hours ago, but he never called. ...I put on the perfume left by him. I like wearing men's perfume. But I hate it when I have to wait for him. Hello. Endless road. Where is the end of my journey? Watch for the change... Batch processing, a magical technique. Cool isn't it? Watch! Meet at Jingumae junction! You promise! You must come! Yuka. He just told me he met the woman of his dream in Spain... before he hang up the phone. It took him four seconds... to put an end to our three-year relationship. Here you are. Hi, Yuka. Meet my friend. This is Yao. Hi Yao, I'm Min. Chinese? You are Chinese? Yes. I was born in Tianjin and grew up in Shanghai. Nice to meet you. Nice to meet you. My name is Yao. Hi Hi I want Yao and Min to be the models for my pictures. MODEL? The theme is "Deayi", De-a-yi "Deayi"? What? Encounter. Encounter. Encounter... Let's go. Let's go. Come on! Let's go. OK. Orange juice please. Yao, this way. Here? Face this way. Here? Go! Not right? No, no, no. Looks good She says take it off. Please OK, some more The theme of her pictures is encounter but it's always about two people who can never meet. A girl from Shanghai and me from Taipei... are sharing the sunny skies of Tokyo. Between us, there is this feeling... One day, we will meet. That picture spreads the warm future all around me... like a fine spring day. I'm studying at a beautician school. Beautician school. Min is a beautician! Yes. That's great. At the beginning, I didn't have any friends, I didn't speak Japanese. I wanted to go home so badly... I met Yuka through taking pictures... She took lots of pictures of me. Yes. Lots of pictures. But... when I think of my parents who work so hard to support me... But... I won't give up, I'll keep it up But... I really want to go home. Where are you from in Taiwan? Taipei. They say Taipei is fun! Where is Yuka from in Japan? I'm from Otaru in Hokkaido HOK-KAI-DO Where is that? I don't know. Come on. Here is Tokyo. Here is my "furusato" - Otaru. "FU-RU-SA-TO"...what does that mean? It's "hometown". The most important place to you, where someone is waiting for you to return. Mine is... here... and Yao's is... here. "FU-RU-SA-TO"... hometown Hometoon? Home-town. Hometoon? Hometown. Horntoon? Never mind. What! ...It's okay. Happy? Are you happy? I'm going to school. These are all yours. OK? That's it. Are you happy? Hello? He took four seconds to end our three-year relationship... and now wants five seconds to restart it. May I have the bill please? Here you are. May I know how much is it? It is all right, I will pay for it. That's all for today. Actually today is the last time I see you in class. This is our last class together. I'm going to China to study next month. I returned from Shanghai a year ago... and now I'm going back a year later. That's Mr. Wu and Mr. Zhang's hometown. Right? I'd like to thank everyone. I had a great time with you. Hope you'll all master Japanese soon... as I'll study hard at Chinese. Before leaving, let's go over the basics of communication: Greetings. Please stand up. What's the greeting in the morning? Good morning. What about noon? Good Day. Evening? Good evening. Thank you. Thank you. Good-bye. Good-bye. Thank you. Please. Thank you. Please Min! Yao! What are you doing? I'm practicing in a beauty parlor and distributing flyers. Let me see let me see... Must be exhausting. It's all right. Thanks to Yuka the other day, I had a great time. Yuka... Right? ...yeah, she is a good girl. Where are you going? To meet someone. Someone? Someone... I really want to see. Someone you really want to see? I'm late, got to go. Keep it up! I'll keep it up too... Thank you, please. Isn't this painting nice? Come inside if you want. Thanks. Isn't it nice? She has another one here. What a happy-looking painting. Happy. Yes. We call this nosy in Japanese but I know Miss Michiko left ten minutes ago. She usually walks to Shibuya through Miyashita park. Err... Thanks. Hi! Nice to meet you. What's going on? Miss, we need to sleep! Hello? Tecchan, it's me. Come over. You... come over. You come over. Come over! Good evening. Thanks for coming over so late. Could you... could you help me to move the bookshelf? Move... Move... the... bookshelf. Help me... to move... the... bookshelf. Move... the bookshelf. Move? Bookshelf? Move the bookshelf. Move the bookshelf. Oh. Yes... no, the other side! Are you OK? Wait! One, two, three. Push harder! Ok? Ok. Thanks. Thanks. Evening... Evelyn? Evelyn? Evel... evening Evening! Evening. Evening, people... sleep. Sleep? Sleep. Make... a bookshelf? Evening... Evening. Evening... can't, sleep. Can't sleep. Make a bookshelf. Why do you... why do you... why? Why? Why? Why? On... the floor? You make the bookshelf... on the floor? The boards, then... hammer... It's tiring to hammer. Tiring. Oh. Tiring. Tiring. That's why I hammer it on the floor. I see... Yes. But I didn't know it would be this hard to move. So I hammer it on the floor... What? What? What? Are you busy later? Are you busy later? No? No? Oh, No! No... Well... could you help me... ...to paint? NI YA CHI HO... What a... Ahhh... I'm getting dizzy... I'm getting dizzy Sorry... Sorry... Sorry... I AM sorry... I AM sorry... (boyfriend) (breakup) (sad) (sleepless) (make a bookshelf) (can't move the bookshelf) (I'm sorry!) (I just used your body) (to miss him) (understand) Sorry. No need to apologize. I've used... other people's bodies before while thinking about someone else. So... no need to apologize... Don't worry about it. I miss him so much... Accompany me... Accompany me? To... to? See him. See him. ...Lin Shiyu... Lin Shiyu. Lin Shiyu... Ah Si is here. Ah Si is here. Can you go see her? Can you go... Can you go... see her. See her. Say it? Ok. Lin Shiyu... Come on. That's not right. Be serious! Lin Shiyu... Lin Shiyu, Ah Si is here! Stop fooling around! Tecchan! Can you, go see her You can do it. Come on! Lin Shiyu! Lin Shiyu. Lin Shiyu! Ah Si is here... Stop fooling around, be serious... Can you go see her... huh? Ah Si is here. Ah Si is here. Can you go see her? Can you go see her? Lin Shiyu. He's here! There he is! Lin Shiyu? Yes! Hurry up! Lin Shiyu! Tecchan! Say it over there, not here! ...Lin Shiyu... Ah Si is here. ...Lin Shiyu... Ah Si is here. Can you go see her? Sorry! You lied to me. I didn't. You did. I'm sorry. You lied to me. They all look the same from a distance... I am sorry... It's not Lin Shiyu, is it? Ah Si is here. Can you... can you go... Can you go see her? I mixed them up! They all look the same. What? I don't understand. It's really him... Who? Lin Shiyu? Do it yourself! Please. Excuse me? Excuse me? Lin Shiyu? We won't open until 9:30. If you want to surf... you probably have to wait! Are you Lin Shiyu? Yes. I am. Do you know me? Lin Shiyu! Lin Shiyu Ah Si is here. Can you go see her? Ah Si is here... Can you go see her? Why didn't he come? What? What did he say to you? What did he say to you? What did he say? What did he say? Did he say why he doesn't want to see me? What did he say... He said... It "bills" a long time... It "bills"...wait! It bills? It "bills" a long time... It "bills" a long time? Can... Can you... you... Can you... hold on! Can you what? Wait. It's "build" a long time... Can you..."dye yo... dye yo... light it glow"... It's "build" a long time. It's "build" a long time. What else? It's "build" a "wrong" time... It's "build" a "wrong" time Hold on. It's "build" a long time... It's "build" a long time... "dye yo" "dye yo" "Lie yo... light it grow" "Lie yo..." "Lie yo... light it glow" Then what? "Lie yo" "Lie yo" Then what? It's "build" a long time... It's "build" a long time. It's "build" a long time... It's "build" a long time... "Lie no light it glow" "Lie no" It's "build" a long time..."lie no" It's "build" a long time. It's "build" a long time It's "build" a long time...", "Lie low", "Lie low" "lie no"...What else besides that? Shut up! "Lie no, Lie no!" "Lie no" What? Aah? "Lie no" then what? Huh? Me..."Lie no... Lie no... light it glow" "Lie no light it glow." "Lie no light it glow." "Light it glow" For a long time..."hi no" For a long time..."lala... light it glow!" Right. It's "peen" a long time... "hi no light it glow" "light it glow" It's "peen" a long time... It's "peen" a long time... "hi no light it glow" It's "peen" a long time... "hi no light it glow" He said... Its "peen" a long time! It's "peen" a long time? It's "peen" a long time! "Hi no light it glow" It's "peen" a long time, "hi no light it g..." It's "peen" a long time!!! If a man says "it's peen a long time, hi low light it glow" Is it good or bad? Good. Did he smile when he said that? Did he smile? He smiled. He smiled... It's raining. I hate riding motorcycles in the rain. It's wet and cold. Suddenly, we ride into a tunnel... There is no wind nor rain. The yellow light makes me feel so warm. Even though I know the tunnel isn't the end of my journey and I'll be back into the rain soon but I'm still grateful for the passing warmth. Thank you, tunnel... Thank you, Tecchan. Tecchan. Huh? Thanks. Um. I have a dog and a cat. I have a dog and a cat. I have a dog and a cat. I have a dog and a cat. Do you like dogs or cats? Do you like dogs or cats? Hello, Michiko? It's Tecchan. I'm fine. Here? It's raining. The snacks you gave me... thank you. I ate them all. Michiko... Thank you. Hello! How may I help you? Wake up! Come on! Hello! Hello. Foreigner? I don't understand. Wake up! Come on! Hello. Do you want food or drinks? Hello. Wake up! Come on! My name is Shuhei, I am Japanese. I see. I know. Madam Su has told me about a lodger from Japan. Your room is upstairs. It's ready. Follow me. Watch your steps. Yukiko, I've been in Shanghai for a week. The spring here is colder than Tokyo. I wanted to see the ordinary people's life... so I rented an old apartment. The mother and daughter downstairs run a variety store, which makes my life convenient. I met a man named Mr. Xu. He is a Chinese who has lived in Japan before, then he returned to Shanghai to open a Spanish style bar. I am very happy to meet someone who speaks Japanese finally. I go to his bar to read or to help out whenever I have time. Yukiko, it feels like something is missing when you are not around. But I keep telling myself to study overseas... is the first step to make my dreams come true. You've told me you wanted to share dreams with me, right? Wait for me. And come to Shanghai as soon as your work has settled down there. Miss you! Shuhei. Here I am. Excuse me for a second, Yukiko. ...Let me find out. Home address, could you tell me? Shanghai, Luwan District, Fuxing... Shanghai... ooh... Sorry, please slow down, please slow down. Shanghai Shanghai Luwan District Luwan District... I don't quite get it. What do you learn in school? ..."ben"(stupid) "Ben"? "Ben" "Pen"? "Ben" "Pen" She's writing it down for me. Hold on. My girlfriend. Would you please check the letter for me? OK. OK. Err... Shanghai... Shanghai No.49, F-U-X-I-N-G- Z-H-O-N-G-L-U, 530... R-O-N-G, China, Shanghai... Come on, can't you read it out loud? Stop humming like a mosquito. Japan is located to the east of the Asian continent... and west of the Pacific... What's wrong? Something bothering you? How long does it take for a mail to arrive from Japan? Takes about 2 to 3 days I guess It's been a long time. It'll get here. Hi! Hi! No. No. 49, Nomura Shuhei, who is it? It's the guest upstairs. He's not home. Oh I see. Can you sign for him? Sure. Hello! Hi... Hi... What would you like? Water. Ok. Just a moment. Hey! Me? Thank you! Here you are. Thanks. So your mail finally got here. Thanks! You-are-wel-come. You're welcome. You-are-wel-come. Girlfriend? Yes. She, beautiful, lovely. Really? What does she look like? What does she look like? Like her nose! Nose. Face like her! Face. Eyes like her! Eyes. Curly hair. Curly hair, Curly... her hair is curly. What's wrong? I'll teach you. Put your feet like this, hands like this, lean your body back. Give me! Yun, Yun, Come back. Hurry! Hurry! I have to go. Shuhei! Do you know... what does this mean? Let me take a look... "Watashi wa Baruserona ni imasu." I am in "Baruserona." Baruserona? A famous city in Spain, you know? Oh, Barcelona. But why? I'm learning a Japanese song. Can you tell me how to read this? Watashi-wa... watashi-wa... ima... Ima... Baruserona-ni... Baruserona-ni... imasu. Imasu. OK. Thank you. I am... in... Barcelona... now I am... in... Barcelona... now I am... in... Barcelona... now... I am in... Barcelona now. Yun! The northern mountains in Spain... That's enough. Go to bed. You'll have a headache soon. I'll study some more. You go first. Don't waste your time on geography. It's useless to learn about Spain or Japan. Mom, what would you say if I studied Spanish in college? Are you out of your mind? I just want to visit Spain. If you are good enough. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Shuhei! Shuhei, do you know what does this mean? What? Dream, your dream. Yu-me Yu-me Your dream... Your dream... Your dream... Your dream... Your dream... not mine... from Shuhei... from Shuhei... Curly hair, curly hair. Hi. Hi. Didn't go out? No. Polishing the bike? Polishing the bike... Polishing the bike. Err... Nothing. Take your time. Look at you! Move! Mom, don't touch it. I like it. Move! Get over here! Hurry! Move! I'll straighten it up! Come on! What's going on? Let go! Let go! What a stubborn girl! Let it go! I like it... What's there to like about? I'll straighten it up! What's good about curly hair? You look. More like a poodle than a student. Ridiculous. Don't move! Wake up. Come on, wake up, Missy, the Japanese boy is leaving soon. I want to invite him for dinner. Go ask him. Did you hear me? You go ask him. Hi. Hi. She's been waiting for you. Looking for me? My Mom would like to invite you for dinner tonight. Thank you! But I have a lot of work to do tonight. I'm busy tonight... really sorry. All right. What's wrong? Nothing. Nothing. I'm going back to work then. Shuhei! What? What does this mean? Escape. Escape... Thanks. Straight hair is better. Straight, good! Shuhei, I am in Barcelona now. Please forgive me to write you such a letter all of a sudden. Did I surprise you? I've thought about us for a long time... and finally figured out something. I've heard many of your dreams... but those are yours, not mine. You must be angry at me that I didn't tell you earlier. But please try to understand. I've made the decision by myself. And it is for myself. Doing this is like escaping from you. I'm really sorry. I've been very happy during these four years in college. I wish you happiness. I mean it. Good-bye. Yukiko Thanks. Hey. Hi. So... you're leaving? Yes. So when will you come back? I hope... very soon, return to school. I'm going now. Good luck! Bye bye! Good-bye. Good-bye. Good-bye. Te quiero. Uh? Spanish. Bye-bye. Oh, good-bye. Te quiero! Te quiero! Te quiero! Shuhei! Beer? Thanks. Cheers! Cheers! Shanghai has changed greatly. Business is good too. Most of them are regulars. Those two are overseas students from Spain. They are going home tomorrow. The happiest time is in school. True. I want to be student again! Hey! Te quiero! Are you kidding? Excuse me. I mean good-bye! "Sayonara" Shuhei, "Te quiero" means "I love you". You mixed them up. I love you... I love you... I love you... SkyFury |
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