Theatre (2020) - full transcript
The director of a theatre troupe is a man called Nagata. Unfortuantely he is rather unsuccessful and the finances, in tandem with attendance figures, are dwindling. Perhaps consequently his...
(Nagata's voice)
[How long will I last?]
(Car honking)
(Walla)
(Man) May I pray for you?
May I pray for you?
(Nagata's voice)
[How long will I last?]
"Shibuya Art Gallery"
(Sighs)
Same shoes.
(Saki) What?
(Nagata) Our shoes are the same.
They're not.
(Nagata) But they are.
Are you free tomorrow?
(Saki) Tomorrow?
Well, it's hot today,
so I thought maybe we could meet
when it's cooler out tomorrow.
(Saki) (Smiles vaguely)
Excuse me.
Excuse me, tomorrow...
No, really, I don't know you.
You don't know me...
Um, excuse me.
I actually think
we should go somewhere cool
and drink something cold
together now.
I'd really like to,
but I have no more money
and can't treat you, so I give up.
If we meet again somewhere...
You want me to lend you money?
No.
Oh, do you feel ill?
Feel ill?
What?
What?
What will you have?
Two iced coffees.
What? Oh, he didn't ask me.
Oh, uh...
(Saki) Uh, no,
an iced tea and an iced coffee.
OK. I'll take that.
(Nagata) OK.
(Nagata's voice) [Her name was Saki and
she was a native of Aomori.]
[She used to act in a theatre club
since junior high school]
[and at the suggestion
of an acquaintance, ]
[moved to Tokyo soon after graduating
high school to become an actress.]
What's your name?
Nagata.
(Saki) Mr. Nagata.
What do you do for a living?
It's not much of a living,
but I write scripts for theatre.
What, really? You do theatre?
Yes, though mine's an obscure troupe.
(Saki) Oh.
[Theatre is the source of all my misery.]
♪
(Students) Whoo!
[The orientation event held a few days
after high school started]
[was torture whether you were
on stage or watching.]
Cornelius, Voltimand,
hurry, take this letter to the king.
Show these terms and negotiate.
[In my mind, ]
[I kept thinking stuff like, "We should be
playing hide-and-seek using the entire campus,"]
[and, "A play based on 'Momotaro' performed
in the world of oni demons would be better."]
[Lots of stuff like that.]
[That was when I met a guy named Nohara.]
(Girl) But do you know
that cute older student?
(Girl) Yeah, I think I know which one.
(Girl) His name is Kohno.
(Girl) I knew it!
[He knew a lot about music, cinema, ]
[literature and even martial arts.]
Hey.
(Nagata) Huh?
Know what the strongest martial art is?
Huh? Martial art?
Yeah, martial art.
Well...
Then, what's strongest genre of art?
(Nagata) Huh?
Well...
"Tragedy Comedy"
(Teacher) Freedom of speech,
freedom of religion...
[Inspired by all the exciting
information he brought me, ]
[my little creative
drive took off at once.]
(Whispers) Give this to Nohara.
(Whispers) Nohara.
[I began writing script-like things]
[that blended various genres]
[and reading them out loud to Nohara
when completed]
[to receive feedback from him.]
"Tiny Alice theatre"
(Staff) Thank you.
[We went to see independent theatre
in Tokyo for the first time.]
(Actress) "Even so,"
"why must I still keep moving forward?"
Yagi thought.
Then it happened!
♪
(Actor) Before my eyes...
[It was stunning.]
[Everything felt fresh.]
♪
[Soon after moving to Tokyo, Nohara and I]
[founded our own troupe called Oroka.]
"Oroka"
"The Keyhole by Oroka Theatre Troupe"
(Nagata) There it is! (Nohara) Yeah!
"So boring. Don't act again."
[We had trouble selling tickets]
"So boring. Don't act again."
[We had trouble selling tickets]
"Made no sense at all. Chaotic."
"Made no sense at all. Chaotic."
[and got terrible reviews each time we put on
a production.] "Made no sense at all. Chaotic."
[and got terrible reviews each time we put on a
production.] "Foolish just like the name of the troupe."
[I didn't feel like talking about
these things]
[to this girl who had
just bought me iced coffee.]
(Nagata) Hey.
If those liquor bottles up there
were assassins,
which one would be best?
What?
Yamazaki.
Yamazaki?
Yes, it has a tough ring to it.
That's true, "Yamazaki"
"Yamazaki"
two kanji characters have solid presence.
"Yamazaki"
He sounds trustworthy, too.
Oh, and...
Żubrówka.
Oh, he would be wearing dirty clothes.
Oh.
He's slouched and apologizes profusely
while stabbing victims multiple times.
He mumbles to himself,
while taking the subway home.
Wow.
(Nagata) That bit about likening liquor
to assassins
was completely unnecessary.
You think so?
Well, then.
Yes.
Um...
That painting at the art gallery
was good, huh?
Oh, yes, it was.
(Smiles)
(Deep breath)
[How long will I last?]
[When will my anxiety
overwhelm me next?]
[Feels like I'll last till morning.]
Theatre: A Love Story
(Sound of approaching train)
[I exchanged numbers with Saki
but had no reason to call her]
[and I also didn't think
she'd answer my call anyway.]
"Nanbantei: Okonomiyaki, teppanyaki, monja"
(Staff) Thank you.
Welcome.
Hey.
(Nagata) Hey.
I think Mr. Nagata misunderstands
the meaning of avant-garde.
Other troupes are making fun of us.
"Oroka-ing" means to turn away audiences
by doing something weird.
Mr. Nagata, did you read the responses
to our last play?
Those awful comments we received.
Those are the mainstream views.
I don't care about the mainstream.
I knew you'd say that.
If you had so many gripes,
you should have told me then.
But Mr. Nagata,
you didn't listen to us
when we tried to tell you.
I don't mind having my works criticized,
but I can't accommodate every opinion.
What do you want to accomplish
by telling me
what other troupes think?
You want to hurt me?
Oh, did it hurt you?
I didn't think you cared.
Yeah, it felt like you were suggesting
I should quit theatre.
I apologize if you felt that way.
Come on.
If apologies are enough...
OK then,
let me say something so terrible to you
that you'll never forget,
then apologize right away.
Care to listen?
Huh?
(Nohara) Nagata.
Don't do it.
(Nagata) Same thing, isn't it?
An apology negates an insult, right?
Aoyama,
I could point out something really
hurtful about your appearance,
or I could insult you about the way
you seem to think you're so hot.
Which one first?
Stop it!
(Shouts)
[I gave Tsuji that bike he was riding.]
[My desire to create plays]
"Stop/Play/Reverse"
[could perhaps be dismissed as
being just a hobby.] "Stop/Play/Reverse"
[It always took me time]
[to begin writing my scripts.]
"That Day by X Nagata"
[Why do I do theatre?]
[Does it have to be theatre?]
[It does.]
[The sense that it does exists
almost as a conviction in me.]
[But I can't give
a concrete reason for it.]
"To Nohara: How does one ask
someone out on a date?"
(Ringtone)
"From Nohara: Just say you need someone to
help you choose some furniture."
"To Saki: I'm going to Shibuya tomorrow
to look at furniture."
"Could you come along
if you have free time?"
(Ringtone)
"From Saki: Sorry!
I've got plenty of free time!"
(Nagata) (Sighs)
"To Saki: Sorry for causing you
all kinds of trouble."
"If we ever run into each other again,
I'll pay you back for the coffee."
"Take care of yourself."
(Sound of folding cellphone)
(Ringtone)
"From Saki: No! I'd love to go!
I'm free from noon tomorrow."
(Saki and man talking)
I'm sorry.
Long time no see.
(Nagata) Did I intrude?
No, he was just asking me
if I wanted to be a hair model.
But I just got my hair cut,
so I said no.
Wow.
What? He just wanted to
practice on me.
Shall we go?
(Nagata) Yeah.
(Saki) No, I'm really not interested.
Thanks.
Really?
(Saki) Excuse me.
Sorry. I'll ignore them next time.
(Nagata) It's all right.
Why do you always take off
when people talk to me?
You're funny. (Laughs)
I don't like talking to strangers.
Really?
But you don't look like it
because you seem composed.
I talk slowly to hide my shyness.
Oh. But when you talk slowly,
I can think about the meaning
of the words, so it's nice.
Are you dumb, Saki?
I'm not dumb.
I'm smart.
(Laughs)
(Nagata) Oh.
I'm smart.
Hey, did you laugh?
[Saki walked with me at an ideal pace.]
[I don't like it when people
who walk faster than me, ]
[and I hate it when they walk slower.]
[I only like people who walk at my pace.]
(Saki) When the sun sets,
isn't it sometimes too big and scary?
Yes.
Right?
Glad to hear it!
I didn't go to abacus class once
because it was too scary.
I get what you mean.
But...
today's sunset doesn't scare me a bit!
(Breath)
(Nagata) (Laughs)
(Saki) (Laughs)
(Nagata) How energetic.
Do that again.
(Saki) Nope.
I can only do this once a day.
I say, but...
(Breath) (Laughs)
(Saki's laughter)
(Saki) Why?
Why do you look so serious
when we're having fun?
No, I'm smiling.
(Saki) What?
Nice.
(Nagata) Different from usual, huh?
Yeah.
Right?
But what about this female part?
Well, actually, I have someone in mind.
Who?
That girl I told you about
who laughs when she's angry.
What do you mean?
She let me have a bite of
her crepe the other day,
then started laughing
soon after I gave it back.
Why?
She thought there was some kind of
hard fruit in it,
but actually
it was my false tooth.
(Nohara) Ew, gross.
Right, that's the normal reaction.
But she's laughing her head off.
No way.
When I listened carefully,
I could tell she was mad.
Huh?
(Mimicking her)
"But this crepe was so good," like.
That was her peeve?
She wasn't too bothered about
my tooth ending up in her mouth.
Strange person.
Opinion and emotion and reaction
manifesting together.
That could be interesting.
I know, right?
(Saki sniffling)
(Sniffle)
(Sniffle)
(Saki) (Sobs)
I read it.
Why are you crying?
It was really moving!
I felt so sad.
(Sobs)
About this...
Yeah.
Would you be willing
to play the part of the woman?
I can't.
What?
No, I mean...
Gosh...
I can't.
What about beyond that?
Next to that?
Huh?
Beyond that. Next to that.
I don't know.
Then there might be a railroad.
Because I can hear it.
[Saki could act better than I expected.]
[Come to think of it, she'd been acting
in a club since junior high, ]
[so she had more theatre experience
than both Nohara and me.]
We don't know what lies beyond
this six-mat room.
Isn't that exciting? Isn't it lovely?
(Hand clap)
(Nagata) OK.
This dialogue is fine the way it is.
Now then, Saki.
(Saki) Yes.
Could you try toning it down a bit,
like the level when you're at home
in Shimokitazawa.
Huh?
Then,
could you do it like there's someone
in the audience who hates you?
Yes.
10-minute break.
Yes.
(Troupe member) 10-minute break.
"That Day: Written and
directed by X Nagata"
(Saki) Galaxy railway? (Nagata) That's fictional.
"That Day: Written and directed by X Nagata"
Well, but
do you know what lies beyond
these walls for example?
What?
Beyond this room.
[Attendance was spotty
on opening day, but]
[Saki's acting
captivated the audience.]
Huh?
Beyond that. Next to that.
[Those in the theatre business praised
her acting and presence.]
Then there might be a railroad.
Because I can hear it.
Right?
Then the two of us will go off together
on our bicycles
one night.
One night?
Yes, on our bicycles.
[Our play was a modest success and received well,
with attendance growing a bit towards the end.]
The galaxy railway lies beyond
the field of grass.
Congratulations on the huge success
of Oroka's "That Day"!
Cheers!
(Everyone) Cheers!
(Producer) Good work!
Good work!
Good work!
You know what, though?
Nohara was good, but Saki was great.
Me?
(Troupe member) You were awesome!
Thank you.
(Troupe member) I was
a stagehand each time,
and every performance felt fresh.
(Saki) Oh, gosh,
thank you.
But I was so nervous, my hands
were sweaty each time.
(Producer) We'll have to ask Nagata
to write a script starring you, Saki.
Yeah, please do it.
Uh, well...
We'll see, but I did have
a lot of fun doing this, so...
(Nagata) I wonder.
(Nohara) I wonder.
I wonder.
(Nohara) I wonder.
The moon. Cats meowing.
Mating season. Midnight snack.
[After the success of "That Day,"
our troupe's reputation improved a bit, ]
[and we were able to put on plays
on a regular basis, ]
[but I never casted Saki
in my productions again.]
Perhaps we should go visit.
Should we? I wonder.
(Nagata) What's it like to wait? I wonder.
What's it like to not wait? I wonder.
(Troupe member) Thank you. "Oroka 10th Production/The
Waiting One Written and directed by X Nagata"
"Oroka 10th Production/The Waiting One
Written and directed by X Nagata"
Thank you. "Oroka 10th Production/The
Waiting One Written and directed by X Nagata"
Thank you.
"Paradise Playhouse"
[We had to practice more often, so I couldn't
do sporadic day-labor jobs like I used to.]
[I became poor.]
Thank you.
We're done.
(Troupe member) Seems we're done.
Oh.
OK.
Thanks for waiting.
Let's go, then.
Yes.
(Sound of sewing machine)
[I moved in with Saki at her
apartment in Shimokitazawa.]
(Sound of door opening)
Hi.
(Sound of door closing)
Gosh, not a concrete block again!
(Laughter)
[Saki began laughing a lot
whenever I brought home a block.]
I hate that, Naga-kun. How many now?
The fourth one.
[I brought home blocks whenever
I felt guilty about something.]
You're impossible. Don't put it there.
(Nagata) Here.
Hmm?
Huh?
Why?
Because it's your birthday.
(Sobs)
Why?
(Cries)
(Cries)
(Sound of bawling)
(Sobbing) Thanks.
It's cute.
[I used to be scared of people
who submitted to their emotions, ]
(Cries)
(Laughs)
[but began to think
they were the noble ones.]
(Cries happily)
"Used Books Bi Bi Bi"
[We influenced each other.]
"Used Books Bi Bi Bi"
[I listened to a lot of hip-hop
that Saki was into.]
♪
♪ (Stereo) Living
♪ (Saki) alone
♪ Living alone
Oh, "The Dylan Second"!
(Saki) (Laughs) Hi.
♪ (Nagata) is too lonely
Good mood?
♪ In this city
♪ But I met you
♪ my lover
What's the matter?
♪ Your long hair is lovely
Keep it down a bit.
♪ You long hair
♪ Did you hear me?
♪ Is lovely
Yeah, yeah.
♪ So cry
[It made me happy
when Saki was listening]
[to this folk band's live album, ]
[so I'd start drinking again and
stayed up all night one time.]
♪ (Nagata) Belong to me
(Sound of video game)
(Delivery man) Here you go.
(Saki) Yes, thank you.
Thank you very much.
I wonder what it is? It's pretty heavy.
Oof.
You know what? My mom said,
"I hate to think that half the packages I
send are eaten by some guy I don't know."
Don't worry about it.
If she were really mad,
she wouldn't send them.
I don't like your mom, Saki.
Don't say stuff like that.
She didn't do anything wrong.
I wouldn't make snide comments like that
if I were the sender.
I'm sorry.
It didn't come across the way I intended.
Mom isn't angry.
Whether or not she's angry
isn't the point.
She didn't have to say such a thing
is what I'm saying.
What a nasty person.
My parents
run a store all by themselves,
so they're pretty busy.
My mom makes time to send
these care packages,
so please don't bad-mouth her.
She puts in more food
than when I was living alone.
So I'm sure she's actually happy for us.
I'm sorry.
I should have said it better.
Look!
(Sound of whistling kettle)
(Sound of Saki turning off gas)
(Sound of running water)
(Saki) Hey, going for a walk?
(Nagata) Yeah.
(Saki) Oh...
Take care.
[I'm a pathetic creature that lives off
the food sent by his girlfriend's mom.]
[I live by scattering shame
all over the place, ]
[so I should be feeling miserable.]
[Since being miserable is my norm,
I should have laughed and apologized.]
[I knew it in theory, ]
[but it wasn't an easy thing for me to do.]
(Nagata) (Sighs)
"Sorry about yesterday.
Have a good day! Saki"
(Sound of switch)
But you're eating it anyway!
[Saki was incredibly indulgent with me.]
You live near here, Saki?
(Saki) Yeah, I do.
What about you, Akko?
(Akko) My boyfriend lives in Ikenoue.
(Saki) Oh, I see.
Yeah.
(Saki) Whoo!
Is that your boyfriend?
(Laughs) Yeah.
He's shy.
(Saki and Akko's laughter)
I see.
I guess I'll go now.
(Saki) Yeah, see you in school.
(Akko) See you.
(Saki) Take care.
What a surprise.
Who was that?
(Saki) Huh?
A friend from school.
The one who gives weird quizzes?
What are you talking about?
Did she mention me?
No, she didn't.
She seemed intrigued.
Oh really.
Yeah.
You know what, Naga-kun?
You're like a different person
when I'm talking to someone else.
Yeah?
I mean, you hardly talk when you're around
people you dislike or don't know.
Have you been to Disneyland?
(Nagata) No.
I'd love to go.
You might laugh if I compare, but
since I'm a creator,
I can't stand it when someone I love
is enjoying herself at Disneyland.
What? What do you mean? What do you mean?
If my girlfriend were moved by
some other troupe's play,
and I felt happy about it,
how dumb is that?
Oh, I get it now.
So I'm competing with Disney.
That's amazing, Naga-kun! I'm impressed!
You mean you're "Nagata-land," right?
No, not really.
No?
You think so?
But that means
if I go to Disneyland with
such an amazing person like you,
it'll be absolutely fantastic, right?
[Saki was incredibly indulgent with me.]
[Going with someone like me
would be no fun at all.]
[I don't have the ability
to entertain anyone.]
(Voices of children playing)
(Child's mother) Kiko! Kiko!
Time to go. Let's go.
(Saki) (Laughs)
(Nagata) (Laughs)
What about dinner?
Oh, want to eat out?
Yeah, but we don't have money, do we?
Yeah, you're right.
Then let's look forward to payday
and hang in there!
(Laughs)
Home!
This is the safest place.
Yeah.
(Saki) (Laughs)
[Those words lingered in my mind
for a long time.]
Whew!
[It was true. That apartment
was the safest place.]
Saki.
(Saki) Hmm?
After you take a break,
could you make this?
Sure.
After you finish your assignment is fine.
It won't take time so I'll do it first.
Whoa.
[I liked the time we spent chatting
and working on stuff all night.]
(Sound of sewing machine)
OK.
Finished, Naga-kun.
(Laughs)
(Saki) Better than I expected!
Hello.
(Saki's laughter)
[Seeing Saki laugh made
the shabby handmade objects]
[seem like works of fine art,
which was strange.]
(Saki) Make this a bit longer...
(Nagata) Yeah, like that, great.
"Shincho Monthly Literary Magazine"
[Although I did feel guilty about
buying things that I liked]
[while not paying rent, ]
I didn't feel like cutting back.
(Saki) Hi there.
(Saki's giggling)
(Nagata) Hi.
(Giggles)
"Shincho Monthly Literary Magazine"
I bought the same one. Why didn't you
ask me before you bought it?
What? You bought the same one?
It's a waste of money.
Hey, we were thinking about
the same thing at this moment.
(Giggles)
[Saki wasn't the type to read literature.]
[She went out of her way
to make me happy.]
[I felt intense anger for some reason.]
What do you think?
(Nagata) Where'd you get that jacket?
(Saki) What about the scooter.
I got it for free. (Giggles)
From whom?
(Saki) A guy at school.
He had two scooters and
didn't need one.
Want to try riding it?
Here, go ahead.
Take this...
and put it on...
Hey!
Can't see, huh?
Open up!
[Did she learn this
from the guy at school?]
[She's probably telling me the steps
in the order he taught her.]
(Sound of engine starting)
Hey, but Naga-kun! Whoa, whoa!
Um, your eyes!
You have to protect your eyes!
Boo!
Boo!
Boo...
...ooh.
[I wasn't sure
what I was angry at anymore.]
[Maybe I hated her pure and
innocent personality.]
[When her kindness touched me,
it emphasized my ugliness, ]
[irritating my sense of inferiority more
than usual and making me feel more bitter.]
(Sound of brakes)
(Sound of door opening)
(Sound of door closing)
What's wrong?
Hey.
(Saki) Huh?
Nothing.
You're angry.
I'm not angry.
But why didn't you stop?
I wanted to ride a bit more.
Hiding in such a dark place.
I could hear the wind and stuff.
It was really scary.
But you chose to hide.
Naga-kun.
Sometimes I can't tell
what you're thinking.
Isn't that always?
Usually I can understand.
But...
Sometimes I don't know
how to deal with you.
[I lied to Saki that I crashed it
while riding it.]
(Saki) That scooter carried
lots of memories for him.
So he wanted it to be running through
the streets of Tokyo
even after he graduated
and went back home.
When I told him it broke,
he seemed dejected.
(Sighs)
Excuse me.
(Store clerk) Yes.
I'll take this.
(Sound of video game)
(Nagata) Hi.
Oh... oops.
(Nagata) Let me do it, too.
(Saki) Yeah, sure.
Why not go to school?
You'll be wasting money,
so you should graduate.
Yeah.
You get a certificate or something
if you graduate, right?
Right.
You shouldn't be getting up late
and playing video games all the time.
I never expected to hear that from you.
Your beard is all scraggly.
(Smiles)
(Saki) (Smiles)
You can leave it
dangling like this, or...
Excuse me.
You can also make a biggish bow...
Like this, which is also cute.
(Customer) Oh, you're right.
[Saki started working
from morning at a clothing store, ]
[and working part-time
at a local pub at night.]
OK, got it.
[Even after she began working
from morning, my routine didn't change.]
[I got up in the early evening,
took a walk like an excuse, ]
[thinking only about plays...]
(Bumping sound)
(Woman) You OK?
[And came home without
coming up with anything.]
(Sound of door opening)
(Saki) Hi.
Yeah.
(Sighs)
[I took baths pretending to be
more tired than I was.]
[It made me feel like I actually
got some work done.]
You must be tired.
Oh.
(Saki) (Smiles)
Hey.
Hmm?
Um...
Thinking in terms of the long run,
could you pay for
just the utilities at least?
Please?
Well...
But...
This is your apartment.
Why should I have to pay
for someone else's utilities?
I don't get it.
Well...
True, nobody pays for
other people's utilities, do they?
How silly. (Laughs softly)
(Sighs)
[It felt like we'd have to discuss]
[life and money
if I let my guard down even a bit]
[so I kept a melancholy expression
on my face at all times to avoid it.]
Have the pear.
Yeah.
(Sighs)
(Sound of video game)
(Saki) Oh.
Oh.
Oh, wow!
Go to bed.
You're not sleeping yet?
I...
want to think about something
a bit more.
(Saki) OK.
Good night.
You can turn it off.
Oh, OK.
(Sound of video game)
(Sound of alarm clock being placed)
(Saki) Oof.
[What was I doing during this night?]
[I try not to think about that.]
(Birds chirping)
(Alarm clock ringing)
(Saki) Good morning.
Good morning.
Who's winning?
I am by a goal.
(Saki) Oh.
(Sound of dryer)
Did you win?
Next is the finals.
That's awesome!
Good luck, Naga-kun.
Yeah.
Tell me who won later.
Yeah.
I'll be going, then.
(Exhales)
(Sighs)
[I saw a production by a troupe called
"Not Dead Yet" with Nohara]
[soon after the new year began.]
(Nohara) Nagata.
(Nagata) Yo.
(Nohara) Yo.
What's today's theatre troupe like?
Well, the kind of troupe
that you might hate at first
but end up liking, Nagata.
Oh.
You've heard of them at least,
haven't you?
I don't like their name, it's gross.
(Grins)
"Not Dead Yet 13th Production/
Written and directed by Dai Komine"
"Night, Morning, Noon
Then, Night"
Whoa, it's packed.
Hey,
look.
(Nagata) Hmm?
Isn't that Ms. Hagio,
the renowned theatre critic?
(Nagata) Yeah.
(Nohara) It is.
Whoa.
There's Kera, the playwright.
Kera.
(Nagata) Yeah.
Wow.
Oh, excuse me.
The actor Mitsuru Fukikoshi is here, too.
Yeah.
You've no choice
but to take the hourly pay!
Take it! Take it! Take it!
This money! This low pay is your worth!
Your worth that society has determined!
Understand?
So take it.
Even so, you have to take it.
(Kneeling man's breathing)
♪
Meaningless products
for worthless customers.
Meaningless products.
Worthless customers.
The bottom. The bottom. The bottom.
And the bottom.
Cheap despair everywhere you look.
Welcome!
Brains for just standing.
Pulse for just standing.
Meaningless caffeine, meaningless
fried foods, worthless caffeine.
Do you need a spoon?
Shall I separate the bags?
Do you have our point card?
Receipts all tangled! I'm all tangled!
Night, morning, noon,
then night.
Thank you very much!
Please come again.
♪
(Applause)
[I cried for the first time
watching theatre.]
[It was on another level.]
This playwright and director
Dai Komine is our age.
Same age...
Want to grab a bite?
No, Saki is making dinner for us
today, so...
Oh, OK.
See you, then.
See you.
[Learning that Komine was my age
made me feel undiluted envy.]
[To acknowledge him]
[meant to acknowledge
those who praised him, ]
[and those people]
[were the ones I'd been trying
to desperately deny.]
(Aoyama) So you like troupes
like Not Dead Yet.
I didn't expect you would.
Fancy seeing you there.
I'm writing an article on that play.
I'm friends with the members.
I see.
Komine evolves with every production.
He's a true genius.
Oh.
Though you're amazing, too.
It's why I was in your troupe, after all.
You don't have to say that.
(Aoyama) (Laughs)
How do you make a living now?
I live with my girlfriend.
What? That's how?
Not good,
you should earn your own money.
Well, I have it all worked out.
You think she doesn't mind, don't you?
No,
I do think I'm causing her trouble.
I used to only write theatre-related
articles at first,
but I've branched out and
can't handle them all now.
I was wondering who else could write
and remembered you, Mr. Nagata.
So you're a popular writer.
No, it's nothing like that.
So
I was hoping I could ask you
to write some articles.
I'd be glad to.
Really? Thank you.
No, thank you.
(Aoyama) (Laughs)
Did something good happen?
Why?
Because that's usually the reason
you buy takoyaki.
No, I just passed by the shop
so I bought some.
I thought you ate them when you're happy
because you're from Osaka.
I'm not a typical Osaka person.
Oh.
Besides, "People from Osaka
love takoyaki" is so stereotypical.
Stereotypical?
(Nagata) Hmm?
What I mean is...
"Tourists from overseas
wear kimonos that are too short."
"Pole vault athletes tend
to have oblong faces."
"Drunk women tend to walk home at night
with their heels off."
These are stereotypes.
I don't get it.
I only got the bit
about the pole vault athlete.
You got that one?
What?
(Nagata) (Laughs)
Then how about,
"Grandmas tend
to fall asleep while knitting"?
I don't get it.
(Nagata) Why don't you get it?
I just don't.
How about a grandpa who talks
about WWII on Sundays?
That I understand.
(Nagata) But why?
Can't help it, I just do.
I'm pretty smart in some respects.
Oh! After mentioning grandmas,
I can't hold back the feeling that
they're cute!
Don't do that, Naga-kun.
(Nagata) Grandmas are cute!
(Saki) I hate that.
(Nagata) Grandmas are cute!
Grandmas are cute!
(Saki) Don't.
Grandmas are cute.
(Saki) All right, all right.
Any grandmas around?
(Saki) No.
Where's grandma?
(Saki) Not here.
Grandma!
(Saki) Seriously, stop!
Saki, go pick up a grandma
from in front of the station.
They're not lying around.
(Nagata) A grandma, please!
(Nagata) Grandma! Grandma!
(Saki) Oh, come on...
Hey!
[Others would probably just see us as]
[two idiots fooling around.]
Grandma!
(Shouting continues)
[But I wanted this moment]
[of Saki's laughter to last forever.]
[I wanted this moment of Saki's
laughter to be on repeat forever.]
Not outside! Don't!
(Nagata's muffled voice)
(Saki) (Laughs)
(Nagata) Where's grandma?
Yes, I'm pretty sure this apartment
is your best bet.
(Saki) Yes.
(Real estate agent) Yes.
I don't think you'll find
anything better.
You're going to live together, right?
(Saki) Oh, Naga-kun.
[Saki was trying to move somewhere
bigger together, ]
[but I didn't feel like it.]
[I was being paid to write
thanks to Aoyama, ]
[but the price for each article
was so cheap]
[that I almost suspected
I was being exploited, ]
[and just barely made a living
by writing as much as I could.]
[Still, I decided to borrow money
and live on my own.]
(Low sound of TV)
[The biggest reason]
[was that I wanted
to place priority on playwriting.]
[I began to feel annoyed]
[by Saki's presence
when I was working on plays.]
(Sighs)
[When she stopped talking
out of courtesy, ]
[the silence seemed like a very loud noise
that got on my nerves.]
(Saki) I guess you
have to if it's for work.
I'll miss you.
It's not like we won't meet again.
(Laughs softly)
Leave your furniture and books here.
OK.
[I began living in an apartment
in Koenji]
[with just a futon.]
(Exhales)
Ah!
New guy, huh?
That'll be 190 yen.
[I felt healed for some reason.]
[And also a sense of relief]
[from having another place to belong.]
[I'm such a selfish creature.]
[I felt sorry for Saki.]
We don't know who owns the rights.
You're right.
[Aoyama invited me out]
[to drink with theatre and publishing
industry figures from time to time.]
(Critic) In theatre, everyone gathers
in a single space and shares the same time.
That's the appeal.
(Aoyama) True.
(Critic) When it comes down to it,
people who stop putting in effort
will end there.
I know what you mean.
They're over.
(Aoyama) Yeah.
(Critic) There are so many idiots who feel
they're gifted and depend on that,
but don't try to learn and
end up never accomplishing anything.
"I'm a critic and I put in more effort
than you."
(Aoyama) (Laughs)
I tell them.
I say it all the time.
Right?
Get it, Nagata?
Oh, yes.
Well, what kind of effort
do you put in?
Huh?
Kind of curious about the details.
Oh.
I get up at 6 a.m. every morning
and watch the news.
Oh, wow!
I do that daily without
considering it effort, so I'm fine.
I see.
(Kicking sound)
Shall I order the same one?
(Critic) Yeah.
The same.
This is part of the job.
It's not just some troupe's drinking party.
Sorry.
(Sighs)
Mr. Nagata.
The station's this way.
(Car honking)
(Exhales)
[I wanted to see Saki.]
(Nagata) Good evening.
(Sound of bag placed on table)
(Nagata) You'll catch a cold.
Hey.
Wake up.
Did you drink a lot?
Enjoy yourself?
(Nagata) I don't know.
Who did you drink with?
(Nagata) People I don't know.
You'll wear yourself out,
so you shouldn't go anymore.
You must be tired.
I bought pears.
(Nagata) Hey.
Hmm?
Is it safe here?
This is the safest place.
Yeah?
The safest place is where pears are.
(Grunts)
Are you asleep?
(Saki) (Laughs softly)
I'm awake.
If I asked you to hold hands,
will you remember tomorrow?
Huh?
What do you mean?
I'd like to hold your hand, but only if
you'll forget about it tomorrow.
(Saki) (Laughs)
You're the only person who thinks
holding hands is embarrassing.
What's with that look?
You're the one
who wanted to hold hands.
I still wasn't sure.
(Saki's laughter)
You know...
I'm amazed you've managed
to survive until now.
Come here.
[I feel comforted when Saki laughs.]
[It even feels like I'm being scolded
when she's not laughing.]
[I thought I was scared]
[of not being able
to protect her from whatever, ]
[but I was actually the one
being protected.]
(Cicadas buzzing)
(Saki) Here.
(Nagata) Yeah.
(Exhales)
(Exhales)
Oh, it's Mr. Komine.
"Not Dead Yet / Dai Komine"
(Nagata) Huh? You know him?
(Nagata) Huh? You know him?
(Saki) Hmm?
He's a regular at the pub I work at.
He is?
(Saki) Didn't I tell you before?
The manager used to be in theatre.
Did you?
I did.
And you said,
"There are so many like that,"
and didn't seem interested.
Actors in Not Dead Yet work there, too.
(Nagata) Oh.
(Saki) Wow.
(Aoyama) Your girlfriend
works at that pub "Adapter," doesn't she?
Yeah.
Why didn't you tell me?
Saki, right?
I go to that place a lot
with Not Dead Yet members.
Oh, really?
She's so sweet.
Tadokoro tried to ask her out
but was turned down right away.
Who's Tadokoro?
A Not Dead Yet actor
who works at the pub.
Oh.
How long have you been together?
How long?
For a long time.
I see.
(Giggles)
We knew Saki had a boyfriend,
and she'd always speak highly of him,
but when we heard the details,
we all were like, "He's a jerk."
It was so funny finding out it was you.
(Laughs)
(Aoyama) (Laughs)
(Nagata) (Smiles wryly)
(Aoyama) (Laughs)
Hey, is it true
you ate a takana rice ball
at a convenience store during a date?
Yeah.
Gosh, why? That's hilarious!
(Laughs)
Yeah?
Oh,
but I wonder why Saki never
mentioned her boyfriend is in theatre?
(Nagata) Are you making fun of me?
I don't get why you'd say that.
Huh? Think for yourself.
Hey.
You know I'd never make fun of you.
Even if you think so,
even without malice,
it's possible to hurt someone.
You have a tendency to do that.
I've never made fun of you.
Because I know you're the best.
I'm the best?
(Laughs)
Of course I'm not!
I don't understand.
Why...
Why is this... Um...
(Deep breaths)
Give me a moment, please.
Wait a sec.
Wait. Wait.
(Sound of can against table)
(Saki) Naga-kun, wait.
[I hardly went to her place after that.]
[I stayed cooped up in my own apartment
and worked on plays by myself.]
[The only thing I'm entitled to do]
[is to take action by myself.]
(Clicks tongue)
[Saki texted me, ]
[but I couldn't bear seeing her
in my normal state.]
[Still, when I drank
and felt uninhibited, ]
[I really longed to see her.]
(Scratching sound)
[In the morning, ]
[I became sober and felt terrified.]
[I regretted coming, ]
[and pretended to be asleep,
which made me feel pathetic.]
(Footsteps)
(Saki) I'm...
not a doll.
[After that, sometimes when
I went to see her at night, ]
[she wasn't at home.]
"Not Dead Yet 17th Production"
[And when she was, she was often
drunk.] "Not Dead Yet 17th Production"
[And when she was, she was often drunk.]
"Written and directed by Dai Komine"
Did you go see this?
(Saki) Yeah.
(Nagata) With who?
With the manager.
You never come to mine.
(Sound of can against table)
(Sighs)
You always tell me not to.
I did go a few times in secret.
(Nagata) Didn't you think
I might not like it if you saw
this play with another guy?
Why?
That's unreasonable.
I mean, we just went to see a play.
(Nagata) Are you that dumb?
I'm not dumb.
You always put me down like that.
(Nagata) I don't. Just confirming.
(Saki) You do.
(Sighs)
Naga-kun.
Listen.
If I were to
praise other people's works,
you wouldn't like it, would you?
(Nagata) I wouldn't mind.
You would.
You even got annoyed
when I praised Clint Eastwood!
So I was always trying
to consider your feelings.
Hey,
you probably haven't realized it, but...
Not once
have you ever complimented me!
Do you get it?
Who cares if I go to see some play?
It sucked, didn't it?
It was really,
really awesome!
(Sound of banging on wall)
(Impact sound)
(Nagata) I'll kill you!
(Impact sound)
Hey!
(Saki) Naga-kun.
Don't try to bluff your way out.
You're being unreasonable.
I've always been like this.
(Sighs)
I'm...
turning 27 years old.
All my friends back home are married.
I'm the only one living like this.
I endured hoping that we could
live together someday,
but you got your own place.
I didn't care if you fooled around,
I could forgive you
so long as you came home to me.
But...
I can't tell what you're thinking
anymore!
I can't!
(Crying)
(Sniffling)
[How long will I last?]
[How long will I last?]
(Chirping of autumnal insects)
(Sound of door opening)
(Sound of door closing)
Drinking again?
(Saki) Yeah.
(Exhales)
Drinking so much isn't good for you.
I can't help it, we all have drinks
after the pub closes.
(Exhales)
(Sighs)
(Sound of jaw clicking)
(Muffled) Saki. Saki.
(Grunts)
(Saki) The sun sets so early now.
(Nagata) Yeah.
(Saki) So quick.
(Nagata) It'd be scary
if it were always daytime.
(Saki) True.
If it were always daytime but
the human body experienced night,
or if night came around but we always
felt like day,
which would suck more?
(Smiles)
I don't know, that's too complicated.
(Saki) See you.
See you.
(Saki) Yeah.
[It smelled a bit like spring, ]
[and I almost threw up.]
[Saki had texted me a few weeks ago, ]
[saying we needed to talk,
but when I didn't reply, ]
[she texted, "It's about our future."]
[I was unable to reply to that one
either, and this day had come.]
(Cellphone keys)
"Sending"
"To Saki: Let's see the cherry
blossoms along the pedestrian path."
(Voices talking)
"Pub Adapter" (Voices talking)
(Voices talking)
Me?
No way, I couldn't.
Want to try?
Oh.
(Tadokoro) Huh?
Hey, wait!
Hey, are you Mr. Nagata?
Were you waiting for Saki?
(Nagata) Oh, um...
Sort of.
(Tadokoro) Oh.
Thought so. From that...
That Oro... Oroka Theatre Troupe, right?
Have we met?
No, um, I've seen your plays before.
I'm Tadokoro, I work here with Saki.
Oh, I see.
Thank you.
You know, I liked that
one production of yours.
Um...
The title was...
What was it? Um... "The Forget"...
"The Forgetting" something...
No, that's not right. "Forgotten"?
Sorry.
(Nagata) It's OK.
I know which one you mean.
You know, I really got
a lot out of that one.
I mean, it was so over-the-top,
I'd never be able to do
something like that.
Oh.
Yes.
Oh, hey guys!
It's Mr. Nagata, Saki's boyfriend.
(Nagata) Uh, no...
Oh, Saki finished working today
and left already.
(Nagata) I see.
(Tadokoro) Yes.
She left with the manager.
We borrowed the key and
were drinking after hours.
I see.
(Tadokoro) Yes.
Well then, I wonder what to do.
She has something I need.
Oh.
I really have to get it now for work,
so I'm in a bind.
Uh, I forget where your manager lives.
(Tadokoro) Oh, um...
Close to Hanegi Park, I think.
Near the library, right?
Yeah, that's right.
Oh yeah, I remember now. Thank you.
Excuse me, then.
(Tadokoro) Oh, hey, hold on.
This is Komine, our writer and director.
(Nagata) Oh, nice to meet you.
Are you all right?
Yes.
Saki left already.
Oh...
It's OK. I just needed
something for work.
(Komine) Oh.
I'll be going then.
(Komine) I hope someday
you put on a play again.
I'll go see it.
I'll go see yours, too.
What's the name of your troupe again?
Not Dead Yet.
Oh.
Got it.
See you around.
[I was scared to imagine how
they were looking at me from behind.]
(Chime)
(Chime)
(Repeating chime)
(Sound of door opening and closing)
(Footsteps)
(Nagata) Oh, this one?
I thought it was that condo over there.
(Laughs)
Let's go home.
Where's the key?
(Sound of keys jingling)
I'll pedal it today.
Oh, your bag.
Your bag, your bag.
(Sound of kickstand)
Gotta put your bag in.
Your bag.
OK.
(Sound of kickstand)
Hop on.
OK.
(Nagata) There's a police box to the right
so gotta be careful.
If we get in trouble, stand a bit, Saki.
If they warn us,
I'll say with a smile, "She's floating
so we're not riding double."
Can you do that?
Sing your favorite rap song back there.
Oh, remember when we went to see
that concert at Zepp in Odaiba?
We were both covered in sweat,
and so were the other people
on their way home,
and when you saw that,
you said, "I wish everyone happiness."
I really thought you were
some kind of god then.
"She's so nice."
"I'm so happy," I thought.
I kind of get it now.
I think everyone should be happy, too.
I also thought you were a god
when I first met you.
You probably thought I'd kill you, huh?
Run away next time.
I was unstable then and
on the brink of death.
But sensing you're about to die means
you want to live.
Philosophical, I know.
I would have been in a really bad place
if it weren't for you.
So...
Well, not "so," but
everyone should be happy.
Everyone.
It's not working out.
I wonder why?
I don't have what it takes.
I've been rattling on
by myself, is it OK?
God?
Are you still back there?
Are you cold?
If you're not too tired, let's go see
cherry blossoms
by that pedestrian path.
It was so crowded there today.
But it won't be now because it's late.
Let's go.
Let's go.
Have you seen
cherry blossoms this year?
Not yet, right?
I'll show you some awesome ones.
Don't look yet!
(Birds chirping)
[Around rainy season, Saki began
having trouble sleeping at night.]
(Thunder)
[She started drinking more and
was often in a drunken stupor.]
Saki?
(Thunder)
Saki, what's wrong?
(Sniffling)
I can't understand if you keep crying.
I was taking a walk
for the first time in a while.
(Nagata) Yeah.
And...
A young hair stylist asked me to model,
(Thunder)
But I turned him down
because it'll wear me out.
But...
He forced his business card on me,
asking for my contact number.
When I told him no,
he insulted me.
What did he say?
(Saki) Naga-kun.
What did the bastard say?
What's his name?
(Saki) Naga-kun.
Where's his card?
(Saki) It's OK.
No, it's OK.
Hey, come on, it's OK.
Hey.
Naga-kun.
Hey.
It's really OK.
No, don't.
(Nagata) Don't worry.
Don't worry, I'll watch what I say.
(Male voice) I'd apologize if she were
calling, but it's none of your business.
You used your business card to insult her,
so the salon is responsible.
Get the manager.
It's OK.
It's OK.
Get the manager!
(Male voice) No.
The manager has been so good to me,
I can't cause him trouble.
He's the one who hired me.
That's not the point.
Put him on the line.
(Male voice) I caused
him trouble last year...
(Thunder)
And I swore then that I'd never cause
him trouble again.
He's like a parent to me.
You make no sense.
I'm coming over so you just wait.
Naga-kun, please. It's really OK.
Please, it's OK.
(Nagata) Don't worry, don't worry.
I won't cause trouble.
Just sit back and wait here.
You have a crazed look
in your eyes.
Oh no.
(Cellphone vibrating)
"Aoyama" (Cellphone vibrating)
Aaugh!
(Breathless)
I think you should break up with Saki.
That's not for me to decide on my own.
Let me ask you.
Do you think you have talent?
OK then.
Do you realize other people think
you don't have talent?
That...
I've known for a long time.
(Nohara) I thought so.
But you don't want Saki to think that.
You can pretend not to care
what others think,
but if Saki thinks you don't
have talent,
it'll destroy you, right?
You can't take that. You're scared of that.
So you'll destroy her instead?
Who do you think you are?
Destroying Saki's talent out of cowardice.
But...
you love yourself,
so you can't stop.
(Nagata) I'm sorry.
I have some disease that prevents me
from listening to other people.
Never mind. We know.
I'm really sorry.
You're always too serious.
Well...
But...
I don't think we should have to
laugh off everything.
But...
I do hope I can laugh
at the very end.
What a boring person.
(Laughs)
Hi.
(Nagata) Drinking again?
I told you not to drink so much.
I can't sleep without this.
(Nagata, smiling wryly)
You're already plastered.
And I hid your bottle of shochu.
(Sound of glass against table)
(Sound of finger-snapping)
I can tell where you hide it right away.
(Nagata) (Laughs softly)
You talk big.
Huh?
I'll hide it where you'll never find it
next time.
(Saki) I'll definitely find it. Right away.
(Nagata) How?
(Saki) (Laughs softly)
I'll close my eyes,
and look for your afterimage.
You're talking like me in my accent.
Am I? Don't be silly.
(Nagata) You are.
(Saki) (Laughs softly)
I'm not.
And then I listen closely.
When I do that,
I hear a voice.
Stop saying things that I would say.
And then...
I sleep.
(Nagata) Why sleep?
(Laughs)
Stop using that fake Osaka accent.
(Saki) I'm not.
Don't be silly.
(Nagata) You're being silly.
Shut up.
You're the one who's being silly.
(Nagata's laughter)
What's this?
(Saki) I can watch what I want.
Let's watch it together.
♪
♪ From birth to death
♪ The human heart beats 2 billion times
Which one do you like?
(Saki) All of them.
Each one has his own charm.
I see.
(Saki) (Laughs softly)
♪ This coincidence
♪ Is probably the most
wonderful miracle for me
♪ When I'm with you,
my love can't stand still
♪ I want to give the rest of it to you
Naga-kun.
Yeah?
I don't think I can take Tokyo anymore.
(Exhales)
I see.
Naga-kun.
Will you be OK by yourself?
I'll be fine.
Yeah.
My mom
suggested I come home and rest.
You'll probably regain your health
after you relax back home.
Do what makes you most comfortable.
Yeah.
I'm sorry.
(Laughs softly)
It's nothing to apologize about.
♪ It feels like I can travel through time
♪ How many more times out of the 2 billion
♪ can we spend together
♪ I want to believe in eternal love
♪ Not even a moment of the 2 billion...
[Saki left her stuff in the apartment
and went back to her hometown.]
[She kept texting me repeatedly
that she'd regained her health.]
[It wasn't Tokyo she couldn't take.]
[She probably wanted to escape me,
who'd taken up]
[much of her life here.]
[Saki began working at a company
near her parents' place.]
"The Keyhole"
"That Day"
"Snap out of it repeatedly. Brightly!"
"Clearly show change of expression."
"Naga-kun is amazing!"
I'm not amazing at all.
This is how I've turned out.
(Laughs softly)
(Crows cawing)
[How long will I last?]
[When will my anxiety overwhelm me next?]
(Doorbell)
(Nagata) Yo.
Wow, brings back memories.
Hey, wait.
You said you'd clean it out
but you haven't done anything.
I wonder if I can do it all on time.
I did clean it out once
but put everything back.
(Laughs) I don't get it.
Oh, there's my sewing machine.
(Nagata) You're taking
the overnight bus home?
Yeah.
You could stay overnight, you know.
Instead of rushing home.
It's busy having a proper job.
Is that so.
(Saki) Oof!
I have to pack up without thinking
or I'll feel sad.
Then I'll end up
causing you trouble again.
Lots of stuff that bring back memories.
Yeah.
Found this when I was clearing
the closet, look.
That production we did.
(Saki) Oh!
That's my treasure!
Wow, I took so many notes.
(Nagata) (Laughs softly)
Such a hard worker.
This was a lot of fun, wasn't it?
Yeah.
When I reread this script,
it struck me how the story is a simple one
about a couple breaking up,
and the lines sound like those
from a school play, as if on purpose.
Were they?
I don't think so.
It's full of holes,
but when I read it now...
It was a heartrending story.
You're good at reading aloud.
Read it.
Yeah.
(Saki) (Laughs softly)
Why won't you stop joking around?
Don't you have anything to say to me?
Oh, you're reading my parts, too?
(Laughs)
Then you can read the woman's parts.
OK.
I'm not trying to joke around.
But you are. With that foolish grin.
This is just the way I look.
You joke around. Talk seriously.
Do you get that I'm leaving this place?
Then I'll be alone.
It's... your own fault.
You know, I caused you so much trouble.
Huh? Naga-kun, that's not written anywhere.
I caused you nothing but trouble.
Where is it? There's no such line.
And I didn't really want you
to work at night.
If only I had a stable income.
I guess I don't have what it takes.
Are you coming up with those lines now?
I can't stay with someone like you.
Why?
There's no way.
I loved you even when
you were poor before,
but nothing ever changed.
Still, though,
I wouldn't have liked it
if you'd changed.
So it was inevitable.
The truth is,
you didn't do anything wrong.
Because you never changed.
I was the one who felt pressed
into growing up and changing.
So I hated myself more and more.
What a loser, huh?
When I first came to Tokyo,
I kept thinking, "I don't
have a chance here."
"I'm not prepared at all."
So meeting you
made me so happy.
Is your memory OK? That was me.
No.
I was looking for a reason to give up.
Even though I hadn't done anything wrong,
I always felt sort of weirdly guilty.
Thanks to you, I was able to walk
the streets of Tokyo
feeling happy and not miserable.
If it weren't for you,
I would have gone home long ago.
I'm sure of it.
So...
Thanks.
(Laughs softly)
Your turn, Naga-kun.
Recently I'd been thinking about
what theatre can do.
And I realized,
it's everything.
What can be done in theatre
can be done in real life.
So as long as there is theatre,
there's no reason to despair.
Get it?
I get it.
So...
What I'm going to say now
is all true in a way and
they're things that can be realized.
You'll go back to your hometown.
You'll work there and regain your health.
I'll continue to do theatre and
evolve significantly.
This might sound trite
but I might become acclaimed.
I might be able to earn a lot of money.
You will have recovered by then,
so we can go eat lots of good food.
You know those thinly sliced blowfish?
Let's shovel 'em in!
You like sea urchin,
so you can heap as much
as you want on rice.
If people give us the side-eye,
let's move on.
But by then we'll be full,
so we'll take
an express train to a hot spa.
Enjoy an outdoor bath by the sea
and watch the sun rise.
We'll set the alarm so we don't sleep in.
Eat breakfast properly.
Rice, miso soup, grilled fish, and natto.
And we'll read novels at a nice café
during the day drinking coffee.
Oh, I guess we've already done that.
Then let's go to an amusement park
overseas.
Ride every ride twice.
I'll have a passport by then.
I'll buy you everything you want.
I know!
I'll buy you a wallet.
You kept using the one I gave you
long ago even after it wore out.
Do you remember you lost it once
and came home crying?
We went looking for it by the station,
and found it lying on the edge
of the gutter
and we shouted.
Yeah,
let's go overseas to buy a wallet.
We could even dare to go wearing kimonos.
A day like that is good, too.
Let's get a really big dog.
And live in a big house
with a roof balcony.
We'll have a grassy yard
and grow seasonal flowers.
We'll spend happy days,
and when we turn 60 years old,
we'll buy ambiguously colored teacups
and drink tea at the right temperature.
I'm sorry.
(Actress) I'm sorry.
Saki, you got your line wrong.
You'll be waiting there
so I'll go home early.
I'll turn down every invitation.
Going to see the person
I want to see the most.
Why was I unable to do
such an obvious thing?
You'll welcome me home
in a cheerful way.
You can do that, right?
And the big dog will jump at me,
and maybe bite my shoulder a bit,
but by then I'll be such a dog lover
that I won't feel any pain.
I'm sorry.
We'll eat curry,
and once we're full,
we'll take a walk in the neighborhood.
When we come home,
we'll eat a pear.
I'll peel it this time.
♪
(Nagata) Boo!
Boo!
Boo!
Boo!
Boo!
Saki, come on, that's not the way.
Boo!
Boo!
Boo!
Boo!
Boo!
Boo!
♪ (Music)
(Applause)
♪ (Music)
Theatre: A Love Story
[How long will I last?]
(Car honking)
(Walla)
(Man) May I pray for you?
May I pray for you?
(Nagata's voice)
[How long will I last?]
"Shibuya Art Gallery"
(Sighs)
Same shoes.
(Saki) What?
(Nagata) Our shoes are the same.
They're not.
(Nagata) But they are.
Are you free tomorrow?
(Saki) Tomorrow?
Well, it's hot today,
so I thought maybe we could meet
when it's cooler out tomorrow.
(Saki) (Smiles vaguely)
Excuse me.
Excuse me, tomorrow...
No, really, I don't know you.
You don't know me...
Um, excuse me.
I actually think
we should go somewhere cool
and drink something cold
together now.
I'd really like to,
but I have no more money
and can't treat you, so I give up.
If we meet again somewhere...
You want me to lend you money?
No.
Oh, do you feel ill?
Feel ill?
What?
What?
What will you have?
Two iced coffees.
What? Oh, he didn't ask me.
Oh, uh...
(Saki) Uh, no,
an iced tea and an iced coffee.
OK. I'll take that.
(Nagata) OK.
(Nagata's voice) [Her name was Saki and
she was a native of Aomori.]
[She used to act in a theatre club
since junior high school]
[and at the suggestion
of an acquaintance, ]
[moved to Tokyo soon after graduating
high school to become an actress.]
What's your name?
Nagata.
(Saki) Mr. Nagata.
What do you do for a living?
It's not much of a living,
but I write scripts for theatre.
What, really? You do theatre?
Yes, though mine's an obscure troupe.
(Saki) Oh.
[Theatre is the source of all my misery.]
♪
(Students) Whoo!
[The orientation event held a few days
after high school started]
[was torture whether you were
on stage or watching.]
Cornelius, Voltimand,
hurry, take this letter to the king.
Show these terms and negotiate.
[In my mind, ]
[I kept thinking stuff like, "We should be
playing hide-and-seek using the entire campus,"]
[and, "A play based on 'Momotaro' performed
in the world of oni demons would be better."]
[Lots of stuff like that.]
[That was when I met a guy named Nohara.]
(Girl) But do you know
that cute older student?
(Girl) Yeah, I think I know which one.
(Girl) His name is Kohno.
(Girl) I knew it!
[He knew a lot about music, cinema, ]
[literature and even martial arts.]
Hey.
(Nagata) Huh?
Know what the strongest martial art is?
Huh? Martial art?
Yeah, martial art.
Well...
Then, what's strongest genre of art?
(Nagata) Huh?
Well...
"Tragedy Comedy"
(Teacher) Freedom of speech,
freedom of religion...
[Inspired by all the exciting
information he brought me, ]
[my little creative
drive took off at once.]
(Whispers) Give this to Nohara.
(Whispers) Nohara.
[I began writing script-like things]
[that blended various genres]
[and reading them out loud to Nohara
when completed]
[to receive feedback from him.]
"Tiny Alice theatre"
(Staff) Thank you.
[We went to see independent theatre
in Tokyo for the first time.]
(Actress) "Even so,"
"why must I still keep moving forward?"
Yagi thought.
Then it happened!
♪
(Actor) Before my eyes...
[It was stunning.]
[Everything felt fresh.]
♪
[Soon after moving to Tokyo, Nohara and I]
[founded our own troupe called Oroka.]
"Oroka"
"The Keyhole by Oroka Theatre Troupe"
(Nagata) There it is! (Nohara) Yeah!
"So boring. Don't act again."
[We had trouble selling tickets]
"So boring. Don't act again."
[We had trouble selling tickets]
"Made no sense at all. Chaotic."
"Made no sense at all. Chaotic."
[and got terrible reviews each time we put on
a production.] "Made no sense at all. Chaotic."
[and got terrible reviews each time we put on a
production.] "Foolish just like the name of the troupe."
[I didn't feel like talking about
these things]
[to this girl who had
just bought me iced coffee.]
(Nagata) Hey.
If those liquor bottles up there
were assassins,
which one would be best?
What?
Yamazaki.
Yamazaki?
Yes, it has a tough ring to it.
That's true, "Yamazaki"
"Yamazaki"
two kanji characters have solid presence.
"Yamazaki"
He sounds trustworthy, too.
Oh, and...
Żubrówka.
Oh, he would be wearing dirty clothes.
Oh.
He's slouched and apologizes profusely
while stabbing victims multiple times.
He mumbles to himself,
while taking the subway home.
Wow.
(Nagata) That bit about likening liquor
to assassins
was completely unnecessary.
You think so?
Well, then.
Yes.
Um...
That painting at the art gallery
was good, huh?
Oh, yes, it was.
(Smiles)
(Deep breath)
[How long will I last?]
[When will my anxiety
overwhelm me next?]
[Feels like I'll last till morning.]
Theatre: A Love Story
(Sound of approaching train)
[I exchanged numbers with Saki
but had no reason to call her]
[and I also didn't think
she'd answer my call anyway.]
"Nanbantei: Okonomiyaki, teppanyaki, monja"
(Staff) Thank you.
Welcome.
Hey.
(Nagata) Hey.
I think Mr. Nagata misunderstands
the meaning of avant-garde.
Other troupes are making fun of us.
"Oroka-ing" means to turn away audiences
by doing something weird.
Mr. Nagata, did you read the responses
to our last play?
Those awful comments we received.
Those are the mainstream views.
I don't care about the mainstream.
I knew you'd say that.
If you had so many gripes,
you should have told me then.
But Mr. Nagata,
you didn't listen to us
when we tried to tell you.
I don't mind having my works criticized,
but I can't accommodate every opinion.
What do you want to accomplish
by telling me
what other troupes think?
You want to hurt me?
Oh, did it hurt you?
I didn't think you cared.
Yeah, it felt like you were suggesting
I should quit theatre.
I apologize if you felt that way.
Come on.
If apologies are enough...
OK then,
let me say something so terrible to you
that you'll never forget,
then apologize right away.
Care to listen?
Huh?
(Nohara) Nagata.
Don't do it.
(Nagata) Same thing, isn't it?
An apology negates an insult, right?
Aoyama,
I could point out something really
hurtful about your appearance,
or I could insult you about the way
you seem to think you're so hot.
Which one first?
Stop it!
(Shouts)
[I gave Tsuji that bike he was riding.]
[My desire to create plays]
"Stop/Play/Reverse"
[could perhaps be dismissed as
being just a hobby.] "Stop/Play/Reverse"
[It always took me time]
[to begin writing my scripts.]
"That Day by X Nagata"
[Why do I do theatre?]
[Does it have to be theatre?]
[It does.]
[The sense that it does exists
almost as a conviction in me.]
[But I can't give
a concrete reason for it.]
"To Nohara: How does one ask
someone out on a date?"
(Ringtone)
"From Nohara: Just say you need someone to
help you choose some furniture."
"To Saki: I'm going to Shibuya tomorrow
to look at furniture."
"Could you come along
if you have free time?"
(Ringtone)
"From Saki: Sorry!
I've got plenty of free time!"
(Nagata) (Sighs)
"To Saki: Sorry for causing you
all kinds of trouble."
"If we ever run into each other again,
I'll pay you back for the coffee."
"Take care of yourself."
(Sound of folding cellphone)
(Ringtone)
"From Saki: No! I'd love to go!
I'm free from noon tomorrow."
(Saki and man talking)
I'm sorry.
Long time no see.
(Nagata) Did I intrude?
No, he was just asking me
if I wanted to be a hair model.
But I just got my hair cut,
so I said no.
Wow.
What? He just wanted to
practice on me.
Shall we go?
(Nagata) Yeah.
(Saki) No, I'm really not interested.
Thanks.
Really?
(Saki) Excuse me.
Sorry. I'll ignore them next time.
(Nagata) It's all right.
Why do you always take off
when people talk to me?
You're funny. (Laughs)
I don't like talking to strangers.
Really?
But you don't look like it
because you seem composed.
I talk slowly to hide my shyness.
Oh. But when you talk slowly,
I can think about the meaning
of the words, so it's nice.
Are you dumb, Saki?
I'm not dumb.
I'm smart.
(Laughs)
(Nagata) Oh.
I'm smart.
Hey, did you laugh?
[Saki walked with me at an ideal pace.]
[I don't like it when people
who walk faster than me, ]
[and I hate it when they walk slower.]
[I only like people who walk at my pace.]
(Saki) When the sun sets,
isn't it sometimes too big and scary?
Yes.
Right?
Glad to hear it!
I didn't go to abacus class once
because it was too scary.
I get what you mean.
But...
today's sunset doesn't scare me a bit!
(Breath)
(Nagata) (Laughs)
(Saki) (Laughs)
(Nagata) How energetic.
Do that again.
(Saki) Nope.
I can only do this once a day.
I say, but...
(Breath) (Laughs)
(Saki's laughter)
(Saki) Why?
Why do you look so serious
when we're having fun?
No, I'm smiling.
(Saki) What?
Nice.
(Nagata) Different from usual, huh?
Yeah.
Right?
But what about this female part?
Well, actually, I have someone in mind.
Who?
That girl I told you about
who laughs when she's angry.
What do you mean?
She let me have a bite of
her crepe the other day,
then started laughing
soon after I gave it back.
Why?
She thought there was some kind of
hard fruit in it,
but actually
it was my false tooth.
(Nohara) Ew, gross.
Right, that's the normal reaction.
But she's laughing her head off.
No way.
When I listened carefully,
I could tell she was mad.
Huh?
(Mimicking her)
"But this crepe was so good," like.
That was her peeve?
She wasn't too bothered about
my tooth ending up in her mouth.
Strange person.
Opinion and emotion and reaction
manifesting together.
That could be interesting.
I know, right?
(Saki sniffling)
(Sniffle)
(Sniffle)
(Saki) (Sobs)
I read it.
Why are you crying?
It was really moving!
I felt so sad.
(Sobs)
About this...
Yeah.
Would you be willing
to play the part of the woman?
I can't.
What?
No, I mean...
Gosh...
I can't.
What about beyond that?
Next to that?
Huh?
Beyond that. Next to that.
I don't know.
Then there might be a railroad.
Because I can hear it.
[Saki could act better than I expected.]
[Come to think of it, she'd been acting
in a club since junior high, ]
[so she had more theatre experience
than both Nohara and me.]
We don't know what lies beyond
this six-mat room.
Isn't that exciting? Isn't it lovely?
(Hand clap)
(Nagata) OK.
This dialogue is fine the way it is.
Now then, Saki.
(Saki) Yes.
Could you try toning it down a bit,
like the level when you're at home
in Shimokitazawa.
Huh?
Then,
could you do it like there's someone
in the audience who hates you?
Yes.
10-minute break.
Yes.
(Troupe member) 10-minute break.
"That Day: Written and
directed by X Nagata"
(Saki) Galaxy railway? (Nagata) That's fictional.
"That Day: Written and directed by X Nagata"
Well, but
do you know what lies beyond
these walls for example?
What?
Beyond this room.
[Attendance was spotty
on opening day, but]
[Saki's acting
captivated the audience.]
Huh?
Beyond that. Next to that.
[Those in the theatre business praised
her acting and presence.]
Then there might be a railroad.
Because I can hear it.
Right?
Then the two of us will go off together
on our bicycles
one night.
One night?
Yes, on our bicycles.
[Our play was a modest success and received well,
with attendance growing a bit towards the end.]
The galaxy railway lies beyond
the field of grass.
Congratulations on the huge success
of Oroka's "That Day"!
Cheers!
(Everyone) Cheers!
(Producer) Good work!
Good work!
Good work!
You know what, though?
Nohara was good, but Saki was great.
Me?
(Troupe member) You were awesome!
Thank you.
(Troupe member) I was
a stagehand each time,
and every performance felt fresh.
(Saki) Oh, gosh,
thank you.
But I was so nervous, my hands
were sweaty each time.
(Producer) We'll have to ask Nagata
to write a script starring you, Saki.
Yeah, please do it.
Uh, well...
We'll see, but I did have
a lot of fun doing this, so...
(Nagata) I wonder.
(Nohara) I wonder.
I wonder.
(Nohara) I wonder.
The moon. Cats meowing.
Mating season. Midnight snack.
[After the success of "That Day,"
our troupe's reputation improved a bit, ]
[and we were able to put on plays
on a regular basis, ]
[but I never casted Saki
in my productions again.]
Perhaps we should go visit.
Should we? I wonder.
(Nagata) What's it like to wait? I wonder.
What's it like to not wait? I wonder.
(Troupe member) Thank you. "Oroka 10th Production/The
Waiting One Written and directed by X Nagata"
"Oroka 10th Production/The Waiting One
Written and directed by X Nagata"
Thank you. "Oroka 10th Production/The
Waiting One Written and directed by X Nagata"
Thank you.
"Paradise Playhouse"
[We had to practice more often, so I couldn't
do sporadic day-labor jobs like I used to.]
[I became poor.]
Thank you.
We're done.
(Troupe member) Seems we're done.
Oh.
OK.
Thanks for waiting.
Let's go, then.
Yes.
(Sound of sewing machine)
[I moved in with Saki at her
apartment in Shimokitazawa.]
(Sound of door opening)
Hi.
(Sound of door closing)
Gosh, not a concrete block again!
(Laughter)
[Saki began laughing a lot
whenever I brought home a block.]
I hate that, Naga-kun. How many now?
The fourth one.
[I brought home blocks whenever
I felt guilty about something.]
You're impossible. Don't put it there.
(Nagata) Here.
Hmm?
Huh?
Why?
Because it's your birthday.
(Sobs)
Why?
(Cries)
(Cries)
(Sound of bawling)
(Sobbing) Thanks.
It's cute.
[I used to be scared of people
who submitted to their emotions, ]
(Cries)
(Laughs)
[but began to think
they were the noble ones.]
(Cries happily)
"Used Books Bi Bi Bi"
[We influenced each other.]
"Used Books Bi Bi Bi"
[I listened to a lot of hip-hop
that Saki was into.]
♪
♪ (Stereo) Living
♪ (Saki) alone
♪ Living alone
Oh, "The Dylan Second"!
(Saki) (Laughs) Hi.
♪ (Nagata) is too lonely
Good mood?
♪ In this city
♪ But I met you
♪ my lover
What's the matter?
♪ Your long hair is lovely
Keep it down a bit.
♪ You long hair
♪ Did you hear me?
♪ Is lovely
Yeah, yeah.
♪ So cry
[It made me happy
when Saki was listening]
[to this folk band's live album, ]
[so I'd start drinking again and
stayed up all night one time.]
♪ (Nagata) Belong to me
(Sound of video game)
(Delivery man) Here you go.
(Saki) Yes, thank you.
Thank you very much.
I wonder what it is? It's pretty heavy.
Oof.
You know what? My mom said,
"I hate to think that half the packages I
send are eaten by some guy I don't know."
Don't worry about it.
If she were really mad,
she wouldn't send them.
I don't like your mom, Saki.
Don't say stuff like that.
She didn't do anything wrong.
I wouldn't make snide comments like that
if I were the sender.
I'm sorry.
It didn't come across the way I intended.
Mom isn't angry.
Whether or not she's angry
isn't the point.
She didn't have to say such a thing
is what I'm saying.
What a nasty person.
My parents
run a store all by themselves,
so they're pretty busy.
My mom makes time to send
these care packages,
so please don't bad-mouth her.
She puts in more food
than when I was living alone.
So I'm sure she's actually happy for us.
I'm sorry.
I should have said it better.
Look!
(Sound of whistling kettle)
(Sound of Saki turning off gas)
(Sound of running water)
(Saki) Hey, going for a walk?
(Nagata) Yeah.
(Saki) Oh...
Take care.
[I'm a pathetic creature that lives off
the food sent by his girlfriend's mom.]
[I live by scattering shame
all over the place, ]
[so I should be feeling miserable.]
[Since being miserable is my norm,
I should have laughed and apologized.]
[I knew it in theory, ]
[but it wasn't an easy thing for me to do.]
(Nagata) (Sighs)
"Sorry about yesterday.
Have a good day! Saki"
(Sound of switch)
But you're eating it anyway!
[Saki was incredibly indulgent with me.]
You live near here, Saki?
(Saki) Yeah, I do.
What about you, Akko?
(Akko) My boyfriend lives in Ikenoue.
(Saki) Oh, I see.
Yeah.
(Saki) Whoo!
Is that your boyfriend?
(Laughs) Yeah.
He's shy.
(Saki and Akko's laughter)
I see.
I guess I'll go now.
(Saki) Yeah, see you in school.
(Akko) See you.
(Saki) Take care.
What a surprise.
Who was that?
(Saki) Huh?
A friend from school.
The one who gives weird quizzes?
What are you talking about?
Did she mention me?
No, she didn't.
She seemed intrigued.
Oh really.
Yeah.
You know what, Naga-kun?
You're like a different person
when I'm talking to someone else.
Yeah?
I mean, you hardly talk when you're around
people you dislike or don't know.
Have you been to Disneyland?
(Nagata) No.
I'd love to go.
You might laugh if I compare, but
since I'm a creator,
I can't stand it when someone I love
is enjoying herself at Disneyland.
What? What do you mean? What do you mean?
If my girlfriend were moved by
some other troupe's play,
and I felt happy about it,
how dumb is that?
Oh, I get it now.
So I'm competing with Disney.
That's amazing, Naga-kun! I'm impressed!
You mean you're "Nagata-land," right?
No, not really.
No?
You think so?
But that means
if I go to Disneyland with
such an amazing person like you,
it'll be absolutely fantastic, right?
[Saki was incredibly indulgent with me.]
[Going with someone like me
would be no fun at all.]
[I don't have the ability
to entertain anyone.]
(Voices of children playing)
(Child's mother) Kiko! Kiko!
Time to go. Let's go.
(Saki) (Laughs)
(Nagata) (Laughs)
What about dinner?
Oh, want to eat out?
Yeah, but we don't have money, do we?
Yeah, you're right.
Then let's look forward to payday
and hang in there!
(Laughs)
Home!
This is the safest place.
Yeah.
(Saki) (Laughs)
[Those words lingered in my mind
for a long time.]
Whew!
[It was true. That apartment
was the safest place.]
Saki.
(Saki) Hmm?
After you take a break,
could you make this?
Sure.
After you finish your assignment is fine.
It won't take time so I'll do it first.
Whoa.
[I liked the time we spent chatting
and working on stuff all night.]
(Sound of sewing machine)
OK.
Finished, Naga-kun.
(Laughs)
(Saki) Better than I expected!
Hello.
(Saki's laughter)
[Seeing Saki laugh made
the shabby handmade objects]
[seem like works of fine art,
which was strange.]
(Saki) Make this a bit longer...
(Nagata) Yeah, like that, great.
"Shincho Monthly Literary Magazine"
[Although I did feel guilty about
buying things that I liked]
[while not paying rent, ]
I didn't feel like cutting back.
(Saki) Hi there.
(Saki's giggling)
(Nagata) Hi.
(Giggles)
"Shincho Monthly Literary Magazine"
I bought the same one. Why didn't you
ask me before you bought it?
What? You bought the same one?
It's a waste of money.
Hey, we were thinking about
the same thing at this moment.
(Giggles)
[Saki wasn't the type to read literature.]
[She went out of her way
to make me happy.]
[I felt intense anger for some reason.]
What do you think?
(Nagata) Where'd you get that jacket?
(Saki) What about the scooter.
I got it for free. (Giggles)
From whom?
(Saki) A guy at school.
He had two scooters and
didn't need one.
Want to try riding it?
Here, go ahead.
Take this...
and put it on...
Hey!
Can't see, huh?
Open up!
[Did she learn this
from the guy at school?]
[She's probably telling me the steps
in the order he taught her.]
(Sound of engine starting)
Hey, but Naga-kun! Whoa, whoa!
Um, your eyes!
You have to protect your eyes!
Boo!
Boo!
Boo...
...ooh.
[I wasn't sure
what I was angry at anymore.]
[Maybe I hated her pure and
innocent personality.]
[When her kindness touched me,
it emphasized my ugliness, ]
[irritating my sense of inferiority more
than usual and making me feel more bitter.]
(Sound of brakes)
(Sound of door opening)
(Sound of door closing)
What's wrong?
Hey.
(Saki) Huh?
Nothing.
You're angry.
I'm not angry.
But why didn't you stop?
I wanted to ride a bit more.
Hiding in such a dark place.
I could hear the wind and stuff.
It was really scary.
But you chose to hide.
Naga-kun.
Sometimes I can't tell
what you're thinking.
Isn't that always?
Usually I can understand.
But...
Sometimes I don't know
how to deal with you.
[I lied to Saki that I crashed it
while riding it.]
(Saki) That scooter carried
lots of memories for him.
So he wanted it to be running through
the streets of Tokyo
even after he graduated
and went back home.
When I told him it broke,
he seemed dejected.
(Sighs)
Excuse me.
(Store clerk) Yes.
I'll take this.
(Sound of video game)
(Nagata) Hi.
Oh... oops.
(Nagata) Let me do it, too.
(Saki) Yeah, sure.
Why not go to school?
You'll be wasting money,
so you should graduate.
Yeah.
You get a certificate or something
if you graduate, right?
Right.
You shouldn't be getting up late
and playing video games all the time.
I never expected to hear that from you.
Your beard is all scraggly.
(Smiles)
(Saki) (Smiles)
You can leave it
dangling like this, or...
Excuse me.
You can also make a biggish bow...
Like this, which is also cute.
(Customer) Oh, you're right.
[Saki started working
from morning at a clothing store, ]
[and working part-time
at a local pub at night.]
OK, got it.
[Even after she began working
from morning, my routine didn't change.]
[I got up in the early evening,
took a walk like an excuse, ]
[thinking only about plays...]
(Bumping sound)
(Woman) You OK?
[And came home without
coming up with anything.]
(Sound of door opening)
(Saki) Hi.
Yeah.
(Sighs)
[I took baths pretending to be
more tired than I was.]
[It made me feel like I actually
got some work done.]
You must be tired.
Oh.
(Saki) (Smiles)
Hey.
Hmm?
Um...
Thinking in terms of the long run,
could you pay for
just the utilities at least?
Please?
Well...
But...
This is your apartment.
Why should I have to pay
for someone else's utilities?
I don't get it.
Well...
True, nobody pays for
other people's utilities, do they?
How silly. (Laughs softly)
(Sighs)
[It felt like we'd have to discuss]
[life and money
if I let my guard down even a bit]
[so I kept a melancholy expression
on my face at all times to avoid it.]
Have the pear.
Yeah.
(Sighs)
(Sound of video game)
(Saki) Oh.
Oh.
Oh, wow!
Go to bed.
You're not sleeping yet?
I...
want to think about something
a bit more.
(Saki) OK.
Good night.
You can turn it off.
Oh, OK.
(Sound of video game)
(Sound of alarm clock being placed)
(Saki) Oof.
[What was I doing during this night?]
[I try not to think about that.]
(Birds chirping)
(Alarm clock ringing)
(Saki) Good morning.
Good morning.
Who's winning?
I am by a goal.
(Saki) Oh.
(Sound of dryer)
Did you win?
Next is the finals.
That's awesome!
Good luck, Naga-kun.
Yeah.
Tell me who won later.
Yeah.
I'll be going, then.
(Exhales)
(Sighs)
[I saw a production by a troupe called
"Not Dead Yet" with Nohara]
[soon after the new year began.]
(Nohara) Nagata.
(Nagata) Yo.
(Nohara) Yo.
What's today's theatre troupe like?
Well, the kind of troupe
that you might hate at first
but end up liking, Nagata.
Oh.
You've heard of them at least,
haven't you?
I don't like their name, it's gross.
(Grins)
"Not Dead Yet 13th Production/
Written and directed by Dai Komine"
"Night, Morning, Noon
Then, Night"
Whoa, it's packed.
Hey,
look.
(Nagata) Hmm?
Isn't that Ms. Hagio,
the renowned theatre critic?
(Nagata) Yeah.
(Nohara) It is.
Whoa.
There's Kera, the playwright.
Kera.
(Nagata) Yeah.
Wow.
Oh, excuse me.
The actor Mitsuru Fukikoshi is here, too.
Yeah.
You've no choice
but to take the hourly pay!
Take it! Take it! Take it!
This money! This low pay is your worth!
Your worth that society has determined!
Understand?
So take it.
Even so, you have to take it.
(Kneeling man's breathing)
♪
Meaningless products
for worthless customers.
Meaningless products.
Worthless customers.
The bottom. The bottom. The bottom.
And the bottom.
Cheap despair everywhere you look.
Welcome!
Brains for just standing.
Pulse for just standing.
Meaningless caffeine, meaningless
fried foods, worthless caffeine.
Do you need a spoon?
Shall I separate the bags?
Do you have our point card?
Receipts all tangled! I'm all tangled!
Night, morning, noon,
then night.
Thank you very much!
Please come again.
♪
(Applause)
[I cried for the first time
watching theatre.]
[It was on another level.]
This playwright and director
Dai Komine is our age.
Same age...
Want to grab a bite?
No, Saki is making dinner for us
today, so...
Oh, OK.
See you, then.
See you.
[Learning that Komine was my age
made me feel undiluted envy.]
[To acknowledge him]
[meant to acknowledge
those who praised him, ]
[and those people]
[were the ones I'd been trying
to desperately deny.]
(Aoyama) So you like troupes
like Not Dead Yet.
I didn't expect you would.
Fancy seeing you there.
I'm writing an article on that play.
I'm friends with the members.
I see.
Komine evolves with every production.
He's a true genius.
Oh.
Though you're amazing, too.
It's why I was in your troupe, after all.
You don't have to say that.
(Aoyama) (Laughs)
How do you make a living now?
I live with my girlfriend.
What? That's how?
Not good,
you should earn your own money.
Well, I have it all worked out.
You think she doesn't mind, don't you?
No,
I do think I'm causing her trouble.
I used to only write theatre-related
articles at first,
but I've branched out and
can't handle them all now.
I was wondering who else could write
and remembered you, Mr. Nagata.
So you're a popular writer.
No, it's nothing like that.
So
I was hoping I could ask you
to write some articles.
I'd be glad to.
Really? Thank you.
No, thank you.
(Aoyama) (Laughs)
Did something good happen?
Why?
Because that's usually the reason
you buy takoyaki.
No, I just passed by the shop
so I bought some.
I thought you ate them when you're happy
because you're from Osaka.
I'm not a typical Osaka person.
Oh.
Besides, "People from Osaka
love takoyaki" is so stereotypical.
Stereotypical?
(Nagata) Hmm?
What I mean is...
"Tourists from overseas
wear kimonos that are too short."
"Pole vault athletes tend
to have oblong faces."
"Drunk women tend to walk home at night
with their heels off."
These are stereotypes.
I don't get it.
I only got the bit
about the pole vault athlete.
You got that one?
What?
(Nagata) (Laughs)
Then how about,
"Grandmas tend
to fall asleep while knitting"?
I don't get it.
(Nagata) Why don't you get it?
I just don't.
How about a grandpa who talks
about WWII on Sundays?
That I understand.
(Nagata) But why?
Can't help it, I just do.
I'm pretty smart in some respects.
Oh! After mentioning grandmas,
I can't hold back the feeling that
they're cute!
Don't do that, Naga-kun.
(Nagata) Grandmas are cute!
(Saki) I hate that.
(Nagata) Grandmas are cute!
Grandmas are cute!
(Saki) Don't.
Grandmas are cute.
(Saki) All right, all right.
Any grandmas around?
(Saki) No.
Where's grandma?
(Saki) Not here.
Grandma!
(Saki) Seriously, stop!
Saki, go pick up a grandma
from in front of the station.
They're not lying around.
(Nagata) A grandma, please!
(Nagata) Grandma! Grandma!
(Saki) Oh, come on...
Hey!
[Others would probably just see us as]
[two idiots fooling around.]
Grandma!
(Shouting continues)
[But I wanted this moment]
[of Saki's laughter to last forever.]
[I wanted this moment of Saki's
laughter to be on repeat forever.]
Not outside! Don't!
(Nagata's muffled voice)
(Saki) (Laughs)
(Nagata) Where's grandma?
Yes, I'm pretty sure this apartment
is your best bet.
(Saki) Yes.
(Real estate agent) Yes.
I don't think you'll find
anything better.
You're going to live together, right?
(Saki) Oh, Naga-kun.
[Saki was trying to move somewhere
bigger together, ]
[but I didn't feel like it.]
[I was being paid to write
thanks to Aoyama, ]
[but the price for each article
was so cheap]
[that I almost suspected
I was being exploited, ]
[and just barely made a living
by writing as much as I could.]
[Still, I decided to borrow money
and live on my own.]
(Low sound of TV)
[The biggest reason]
[was that I wanted
to place priority on playwriting.]
[I began to feel annoyed]
[by Saki's presence
when I was working on plays.]
(Sighs)
[When she stopped talking
out of courtesy, ]
[the silence seemed like a very loud noise
that got on my nerves.]
(Saki) I guess you
have to if it's for work.
I'll miss you.
It's not like we won't meet again.
(Laughs softly)
Leave your furniture and books here.
OK.
[I began living in an apartment
in Koenji]
[with just a futon.]
(Exhales)
Ah!
New guy, huh?
That'll be 190 yen.
[I felt healed for some reason.]
[And also a sense of relief]
[from having another place to belong.]
[I'm such a selfish creature.]
[I felt sorry for Saki.]
We don't know who owns the rights.
You're right.
[Aoyama invited me out]
[to drink with theatre and publishing
industry figures from time to time.]
(Critic) In theatre, everyone gathers
in a single space and shares the same time.
That's the appeal.
(Aoyama) True.
(Critic) When it comes down to it,
people who stop putting in effort
will end there.
I know what you mean.
They're over.
(Aoyama) Yeah.
(Critic) There are so many idiots who feel
they're gifted and depend on that,
but don't try to learn and
end up never accomplishing anything.
"I'm a critic and I put in more effort
than you."
(Aoyama) (Laughs)
I tell them.
I say it all the time.
Right?
Get it, Nagata?
Oh, yes.
Well, what kind of effort
do you put in?
Huh?
Kind of curious about the details.
Oh.
I get up at 6 a.m. every morning
and watch the news.
Oh, wow!
I do that daily without
considering it effort, so I'm fine.
I see.
(Kicking sound)
Shall I order the same one?
(Critic) Yeah.
The same.
This is part of the job.
It's not just some troupe's drinking party.
Sorry.
(Sighs)
Mr. Nagata.
The station's this way.
(Car honking)
(Exhales)
[I wanted to see Saki.]
(Nagata) Good evening.
(Sound of bag placed on table)
(Nagata) You'll catch a cold.
Hey.
Wake up.
Did you drink a lot?
Enjoy yourself?
(Nagata) I don't know.
Who did you drink with?
(Nagata) People I don't know.
You'll wear yourself out,
so you shouldn't go anymore.
You must be tired.
I bought pears.
(Nagata) Hey.
Hmm?
Is it safe here?
This is the safest place.
Yeah?
The safest place is where pears are.
(Grunts)
Are you asleep?
(Saki) (Laughs softly)
I'm awake.
If I asked you to hold hands,
will you remember tomorrow?
Huh?
What do you mean?
I'd like to hold your hand, but only if
you'll forget about it tomorrow.
(Saki) (Laughs)
You're the only person who thinks
holding hands is embarrassing.
What's with that look?
You're the one
who wanted to hold hands.
I still wasn't sure.
(Saki's laughter)
You know...
I'm amazed you've managed
to survive until now.
Come here.
[I feel comforted when Saki laughs.]
[It even feels like I'm being scolded
when she's not laughing.]
[I thought I was scared]
[of not being able
to protect her from whatever, ]
[but I was actually the one
being protected.]
(Cicadas buzzing)
(Saki) Here.
(Nagata) Yeah.
(Exhales)
(Exhales)
Oh, it's Mr. Komine.
"Not Dead Yet / Dai Komine"
(Nagata) Huh? You know him?
(Nagata) Huh? You know him?
(Saki) Hmm?
He's a regular at the pub I work at.
He is?
(Saki) Didn't I tell you before?
The manager used to be in theatre.
Did you?
I did.
And you said,
"There are so many like that,"
and didn't seem interested.
Actors in Not Dead Yet work there, too.
(Nagata) Oh.
(Saki) Wow.
(Aoyama) Your girlfriend
works at that pub "Adapter," doesn't she?
Yeah.
Why didn't you tell me?
Saki, right?
I go to that place a lot
with Not Dead Yet members.
Oh, really?
She's so sweet.
Tadokoro tried to ask her out
but was turned down right away.
Who's Tadokoro?
A Not Dead Yet actor
who works at the pub.
Oh.
How long have you been together?
How long?
For a long time.
I see.
(Giggles)
We knew Saki had a boyfriend,
and she'd always speak highly of him,
but when we heard the details,
we all were like, "He's a jerk."
It was so funny finding out it was you.
(Laughs)
(Aoyama) (Laughs)
(Nagata) (Smiles wryly)
(Aoyama) (Laughs)
Hey, is it true
you ate a takana rice ball
at a convenience store during a date?
Yeah.
Gosh, why? That's hilarious!
(Laughs)
Yeah?
Oh,
but I wonder why Saki never
mentioned her boyfriend is in theatre?
(Nagata) Are you making fun of me?
I don't get why you'd say that.
Huh? Think for yourself.
Hey.
You know I'd never make fun of you.
Even if you think so,
even without malice,
it's possible to hurt someone.
You have a tendency to do that.
I've never made fun of you.
Because I know you're the best.
I'm the best?
(Laughs)
Of course I'm not!
I don't understand.
Why...
Why is this... Um...
(Deep breaths)
Give me a moment, please.
Wait a sec.
Wait. Wait.
(Sound of can against table)
(Saki) Naga-kun, wait.
[I hardly went to her place after that.]
[I stayed cooped up in my own apartment
and worked on plays by myself.]
[The only thing I'm entitled to do]
[is to take action by myself.]
(Clicks tongue)
[Saki texted me, ]
[but I couldn't bear seeing her
in my normal state.]
[Still, when I drank
and felt uninhibited, ]
[I really longed to see her.]
(Scratching sound)
[In the morning, ]
[I became sober and felt terrified.]
[I regretted coming, ]
[and pretended to be asleep,
which made me feel pathetic.]
(Footsteps)
(Saki) I'm...
not a doll.
[After that, sometimes when
I went to see her at night, ]
[she wasn't at home.]
"Not Dead Yet 17th Production"
[And when she was, she was often
drunk.] "Not Dead Yet 17th Production"
[And when she was, she was often drunk.]
"Written and directed by Dai Komine"
Did you go see this?
(Saki) Yeah.
(Nagata) With who?
With the manager.
You never come to mine.
(Sound of can against table)
(Sighs)
You always tell me not to.
I did go a few times in secret.
(Nagata) Didn't you think
I might not like it if you saw
this play with another guy?
Why?
That's unreasonable.
I mean, we just went to see a play.
(Nagata) Are you that dumb?
I'm not dumb.
You always put me down like that.
(Nagata) I don't. Just confirming.
(Saki) You do.
(Sighs)
Naga-kun.
Listen.
If I were to
praise other people's works,
you wouldn't like it, would you?
(Nagata) I wouldn't mind.
You would.
You even got annoyed
when I praised Clint Eastwood!
So I was always trying
to consider your feelings.
Hey,
you probably haven't realized it, but...
Not once
have you ever complimented me!
Do you get it?
Who cares if I go to see some play?
It sucked, didn't it?
It was really,
really awesome!
(Sound of banging on wall)
(Impact sound)
(Nagata) I'll kill you!
(Impact sound)
Hey!
(Saki) Naga-kun.
Don't try to bluff your way out.
You're being unreasonable.
I've always been like this.
(Sighs)
I'm...
turning 27 years old.
All my friends back home are married.
I'm the only one living like this.
I endured hoping that we could
live together someday,
but you got your own place.
I didn't care if you fooled around,
I could forgive you
so long as you came home to me.
But...
I can't tell what you're thinking
anymore!
I can't!
(Crying)
(Sniffling)
[How long will I last?]
[How long will I last?]
(Chirping of autumnal insects)
(Sound of door opening)
(Sound of door closing)
Drinking again?
(Saki) Yeah.
(Exhales)
Drinking so much isn't good for you.
I can't help it, we all have drinks
after the pub closes.
(Exhales)
(Sighs)
(Sound of jaw clicking)
(Muffled) Saki. Saki.
(Grunts)
(Saki) The sun sets so early now.
(Nagata) Yeah.
(Saki) So quick.
(Nagata) It'd be scary
if it were always daytime.
(Saki) True.
If it were always daytime but
the human body experienced night,
or if night came around but we always
felt like day,
which would suck more?
(Smiles)
I don't know, that's too complicated.
(Saki) See you.
See you.
(Saki) Yeah.
[It smelled a bit like spring, ]
[and I almost threw up.]
[Saki had texted me a few weeks ago, ]
[saying we needed to talk,
but when I didn't reply, ]
[she texted, "It's about our future."]
[I was unable to reply to that one
either, and this day had come.]
(Cellphone keys)
"Sending"
"To Saki: Let's see the cherry
blossoms along the pedestrian path."
(Voices talking)
"Pub Adapter" (Voices talking)
(Voices talking)
Me?
No way, I couldn't.
Want to try?
Oh.
(Tadokoro) Huh?
Hey, wait!
Hey, are you Mr. Nagata?
Were you waiting for Saki?
(Nagata) Oh, um...
Sort of.
(Tadokoro) Oh.
Thought so. From that...
That Oro... Oroka Theatre Troupe, right?
Have we met?
No, um, I've seen your plays before.
I'm Tadokoro, I work here with Saki.
Oh, I see.
Thank you.
You know, I liked that
one production of yours.
Um...
The title was...
What was it? Um... "The Forget"...
"The Forgetting" something...
No, that's not right. "Forgotten"?
Sorry.
(Nagata) It's OK.
I know which one you mean.
You know, I really got
a lot out of that one.
I mean, it was so over-the-top,
I'd never be able to do
something like that.
Oh.
Yes.
Oh, hey guys!
It's Mr. Nagata, Saki's boyfriend.
(Nagata) Uh, no...
Oh, Saki finished working today
and left already.
(Nagata) I see.
(Tadokoro) Yes.
She left with the manager.
We borrowed the key and
were drinking after hours.
I see.
(Tadokoro) Yes.
Well then, I wonder what to do.
She has something I need.
Oh.
I really have to get it now for work,
so I'm in a bind.
Uh, I forget where your manager lives.
(Tadokoro) Oh, um...
Close to Hanegi Park, I think.
Near the library, right?
Yeah, that's right.
Oh yeah, I remember now. Thank you.
Excuse me, then.
(Tadokoro) Oh, hey, hold on.
This is Komine, our writer and director.
(Nagata) Oh, nice to meet you.
Are you all right?
Yes.
Saki left already.
Oh...
It's OK. I just needed
something for work.
(Komine) Oh.
I'll be going then.
(Komine) I hope someday
you put on a play again.
I'll go see it.
I'll go see yours, too.
What's the name of your troupe again?
Not Dead Yet.
Oh.
Got it.
See you around.
[I was scared to imagine how
they were looking at me from behind.]
(Chime)
(Chime)
(Repeating chime)
(Sound of door opening and closing)
(Footsteps)
(Nagata) Oh, this one?
I thought it was that condo over there.
(Laughs)
Let's go home.
Where's the key?
(Sound of keys jingling)
I'll pedal it today.
Oh, your bag.
Your bag, your bag.
(Sound of kickstand)
Gotta put your bag in.
Your bag.
OK.
(Sound of kickstand)
Hop on.
OK.
(Nagata) There's a police box to the right
so gotta be careful.
If we get in trouble, stand a bit, Saki.
If they warn us,
I'll say with a smile, "She's floating
so we're not riding double."
Can you do that?
Sing your favorite rap song back there.
Oh, remember when we went to see
that concert at Zepp in Odaiba?
We were both covered in sweat,
and so were the other people
on their way home,
and when you saw that,
you said, "I wish everyone happiness."
I really thought you were
some kind of god then.
"She's so nice."
"I'm so happy," I thought.
I kind of get it now.
I think everyone should be happy, too.
I also thought you were a god
when I first met you.
You probably thought I'd kill you, huh?
Run away next time.
I was unstable then and
on the brink of death.
But sensing you're about to die means
you want to live.
Philosophical, I know.
I would have been in a really bad place
if it weren't for you.
So...
Well, not "so," but
everyone should be happy.
Everyone.
It's not working out.
I wonder why?
I don't have what it takes.
I've been rattling on
by myself, is it OK?
God?
Are you still back there?
Are you cold?
If you're not too tired, let's go see
cherry blossoms
by that pedestrian path.
It was so crowded there today.
But it won't be now because it's late.
Let's go.
Let's go.
Have you seen
cherry blossoms this year?
Not yet, right?
I'll show you some awesome ones.
Don't look yet!
(Birds chirping)
[Around rainy season, Saki began
having trouble sleeping at night.]
(Thunder)
[She started drinking more and
was often in a drunken stupor.]
Saki?
(Thunder)
Saki, what's wrong?
(Sniffling)
I can't understand if you keep crying.
I was taking a walk
for the first time in a while.
(Nagata) Yeah.
And...
A young hair stylist asked me to model,
(Thunder)
But I turned him down
because it'll wear me out.
But...
He forced his business card on me,
asking for my contact number.
When I told him no,
he insulted me.
What did he say?
(Saki) Naga-kun.
What did the bastard say?
What's his name?
(Saki) Naga-kun.
Where's his card?
(Saki) It's OK.
No, it's OK.
Hey, come on, it's OK.
Hey.
Naga-kun.
Hey.
It's really OK.
No, don't.
(Nagata) Don't worry.
Don't worry, I'll watch what I say.
(Male voice) I'd apologize if she were
calling, but it's none of your business.
You used your business card to insult her,
so the salon is responsible.
Get the manager.
It's OK.
It's OK.
Get the manager!
(Male voice) No.
The manager has been so good to me,
I can't cause him trouble.
He's the one who hired me.
That's not the point.
Put him on the line.
(Male voice) I caused
him trouble last year...
(Thunder)
And I swore then that I'd never cause
him trouble again.
He's like a parent to me.
You make no sense.
I'm coming over so you just wait.
Naga-kun, please. It's really OK.
Please, it's OK.
(Nagata) Don't worry, don't worry.
I won't cause trouble.
Just sit back and wait here.
You have a crazed look
in your eyes.
Oh no.
(Cellphone vibrating)
"Aoyama" (Cellphone vibrating)
Aaugh!
(Breathless)
I think you should break up with Saki.
That's not for me to decide on my own.
Let me ask you.
Do you think you have talent?
OK then.
Do you realize other people think
you don't have talent?
That...
I've known for a long time.
(Nohara) I thought so.
But you don't want Saki to think that.
You can pretend not to care
what others think,
but if Saki thinks you don't
have talent,
it'll destroy you, right?
You can't take that. You're scared of that.
So you'll destroy her instead?
Who do you think you are?
Destroying Saki's talent out of cowardice.
But...
you love yourself,
so you can't stop.
(Nagata) I'm sorry.
I have some disease that prevents me
from listening to other people.
Never mind. We know.
I'm really sorry.
You're always too serious.
Well...
But...
I don't think we should have to
laugh off everything.
But...
I do hope I can laugh
at the very end.
What a boring person.
(Laughs)
Hi.
(Nagata) Drinking again?
I told you not to drink so much.
I can't sleep without this.
(Nagata, smiling wryly)
You're already plastered.
And I hid your bottle of shochu.
(Sound of glass against table)
(Sound of finger-snapping)
I can tell where you hide it right away.
(Nagata) (Laughs softly)
You talk big.
Huh?
I'll hide it where you'll never find it
next time.
(Saki) I'll definitely find it. Right away.
(Nagata) How?
(Saki) (Laughs softly)
I'll close my eyes,
and look for your afterimage.
You're talking like me in my accent.
Am I? Don't be silly.
(Nagata) You are.
(Saki) (Laughs softly)
I'm not.
And then I listen closely.
When I do that,
I hear a voice.
Stop saying things that I would say.
And then...
I sleep.
(Nagata) Why sleep?
(Laughs)
Stop using that fake Osaka accent.
(Saki) I'm not.
Don't be silly.
(Nagata) You're being silly.
Shut up.
You're the one who's being silly.
(Nagata's laughter)
What's this?
(Saki) I can watch what I want.
Let's watch it together.
♪
♪ From birth to death
♪ The human heart beats 2 billion times
Which one do you like?
(Saki) All of them.
Each one has his own charm.
I see.
(Saki) (Laughs softly)
♪ This coincidence
♪ Is probably the most
wonderful miracle for me
♪ When I'm with you,
my love can't stand still
♪ I want to give the rest of it to you
Naga-kun.
Yeah?
I don't think I can take Tokyo anymore.
(Exhales)
I see.
Naga-kun.
Will you be OK by yourself?
I'll be fine.
Yeah.
My mom
suggested I come home and rest.
You'll probably regain your health
after you relax back home.
Do what makes you most comfortable.
Yeah.
I'm sorry.
(Laughs softly)
It's nothing to apologize about.
♪ It feels like I can travel through time
♪ How many more times out of the 2 billion
♪ can we spend together
♪ I want to believe in eternal love
♪ Not even a moment of the 2 billion...
[Saki left her stuff in the apartment
and went back to her hometown.]
[She kept texting me repeatedly
that she'd regained her health.]
[It wasn't Tokyo she couldn't take.]
[She probably wanted to escape me,
who'd taken up]
[much of her life here.]
[Saki began working at a company
near her parents' place.]
"The Keyhole"
"That Day"
"Snap out of it repeatedly. Brightly!"
"Clearly show change of expression."
"Naga-kun is amazing!"
I'm not amazing at all.
This is how I've turned out.
(Laughs softly)
(Crows cawing)
[How long will I last?]
[When will my anxiety overwhelm me next?]
(Doorbell)
(Nagata) Yo.
Wow, brings back memories.
Hey, wait.
You said you'd clean it out
but you haven't done anything.
I wonder if I can do it all on time.
I did clean it out once
but put everything back.
(Laughs) I don't get it.
Oh, there's my sewing machine.
(Nagata) You're taking
the overnight bus home?
Yeah.
You could stay overnight, you know.
Instead of rushing home.
It's busy having a proper job.
Is that so.
(Saki) Oof!
I have to pack up without thinking
or I'll feel sad.
Then I'll end up
causing you trouble again.
Lots of stuff that bring back memories.
Yeah.
Found this when I was clearing
the closet, look.
That production we did.
(Saki) Oh!
That's my treasure!
Wow, I took so many notes.
(Nagata) (Laughs softly)
Such a hard worker.
This was a lot of fun, wasn't it?
Yeah.
When I reread this script,
it struck me how the story is a simple one
about a couple breaking up,
and the lines sound like those
from a school play, as if on purpose.
Were they?
I don't think so.
It's full of holes,
but when I read it now...
It was a heartrending story.
You're good at reading aloud.
Read it.
Yeah.
(Saki) (Laughs softly)
Why won't you stop joking around?
Don't you have anything to say to me?
Oh, you're reading my parts, too?
(Laughs)
Then you can read the woman's parts.
OK.
I'm not trying to joke around.
But you are. With that foolish grin.
This is just the way I look.
You joke around. Talk seriously.
Do you get that I'm leaving this place?
Then I'll be alone.
It's... your own fault.
You know, I caused you so much trouble.
Huh? Naga-kun, that's not written anywhere.
I caused you nothing but trouble.
Where is it? There's no such line.
And I didn't really want you
to work at night.
If only I had a stable income.
I guess I don't have what it takes.
Are you coming up with those lines now?
I can't stay with someone like you.
Why?
There's no way.
I loved you even when
you were poor before,
but nothing ever changed.
Still, though,
I wouldn't have liked it
if you'd changed.
So it was inevitable.
The truth is,
you didn't do anything wrong.
Because you never changed.
I was the one who felt pressed
into growing up and changing.
So I hated myself more and more.
What a loser, huh?
When I first came to Tokyo,
I kept thinking, "I don't
have a chance here."
"I'm not prepared at all."
So meeting you
made me so happy.
Is your memory OK? That was me.
No.
I was looking for a reason to give up.
Even though I hadn't done anything wrong,
I always felt sort of weirdly guilty.
Thanks to you, I was able to walk
the streets of Tokyo
feeling happy and not miserable.
If it weren't for you,
I would have gone home long ago.
I'm sure of it.
So...
Thanks.
(Laughs softly)
Your turn, Naga-kun.
Recently I'd been thinking about
what theatre can do.
And I realized,
it's everything.
What can be done in theatre
can be done in real life.
So as long as there is theatre,
there's no reason to despair.
Get it?
I get it.
So...
What I'm going to say now
is all true in a way and
they're things that can be realized.
You'll go back to your hometown.
You'll work there and regain your health.
I'll continue to do theatre and
evolve significantly.
This might sound trite
but I might become acclaimed.
I might be able to earn a lot of money.
You will have recovered by then,
so we can go eat lots of good food.
You know those thinly sliced blowfish?
Let's shovel 'em in!
You like sea urchin,
so you can heap as much
as you want on rice.
If people give us the side-eye,
let's move on.
But by then we'll be full,
so we'll take
an express train to a hot spa.
Enjoy an outdoor bath by the sea
and watch the sun rise.
We'll set the alarm so we don't sleep in.
Eat breakfast properly.
Rice, miso soup, grilled fish, and natto.
And we'll read novels at a nice café
during the day drinking coffee.
Oh, I guess we've already done that.
Then let's go to an amusement park
overseas.
Ride every ride twice.
I'll have a passport by then.
I'll buy you everything you want.
I know!
I'll buy you a wallet.
You kept using the one I gave you
long ago even after it wore out.
Do you remember you lost it once
and came home crying?
We went looking for it by the station,
and found it lying on the edge
of the gutter
and we shouted.
Yeah,
let's go overseas to buy a wallet.
We could even dare to go wearing kimonos.
A day like that is good, too.
Let's get a really big dog.
And live in a big house
with a roof balcony.
We'll have a grassy yard
and grow seasonal flowers.
We'll spend happy days,
and when we turn 60 years old,
we'll buy ambiguously colored teacups
and drink tea at the right temperature.
I'm sorry.
(Actress) I'm sorry.
Saki, you got your line wrong.
You'll be waiting there
so I'll go home early.
I'll turn down every invitation.
Going to see the person
I want to see the most.
Why was I unable to do
such an obvious thing?
You'll welcome me home
in a cheerful way.
You can do that, right?
And the big dog will jump at me,
and maybe bite my shoulder a bit,
but by then I'll be such a dog lover
that I won't feel any pain.
I'm sorry.
We'll eat curry,
and once we're full,
we'll take a walk in the neighborhood.
When we come home,
we'll eat a pear.
I'll peel it this time.
♪
(Nagata) Boo!
Boo!
Boo!
Boo!
Boo!
Saki, come on, that's not the way.
Boo!
Boo!
Boo!
Boo!
Boo!
Boo!
♪ (Music)
(Applause)
♪ (Music)
Theatre: A Love Story