The Japanese have never been comfortable...
...with young men and women socializing...
...at such events as parties at somebody's home.
While at heart they want to meet new people...
...the Japanese are embarrassed to say so.
When did they develop this custom...
...of boy-meets-girl parties called "go-con"?
Cheers! Pleased to meet you!
I'm Sekine Taichi, 24, I've organized this event.
It sounds good, but in fact all it is...
...is guys too shy to talk to women by themselves...
...hitting on them from the safety of a group.
I'm Omura Miki...
But if boys will be boys, girls will be girls.
No, women are even worse.
They've always been forced to act like "flowers of Japan".
But in fact, deep in their hearts...
Cheers!
Hi, There...
An ordinary package for disposable chopsticks.
With it I measure the length and width of your face.
If your eyes and mouth match the length, you're beautiful.
OK?
First the length...
This convenience store for
the quenching of desire...
...this uncontrolled intersection of male and female...
...this arena in which the sexes do battle...
...in Japan they call it...
GO-CON
Ow!
Oh, sorry! I'm late!
Not them again!
Cheers!
I thought there'd be four of you...
He'll be here.
Won't he.
Yeah. He'll be here.
Are you sure?
Sorry! I got held up at work.
Remember him?
Nagano Olympics? Ski jump? Gold medal?
Eguchi Kai?!
Sorry! Are you angry?
Not at all! Wow!
Today's Special: College Girls
Patsy du Jour - Nothing Special
Gold Medal - Natural
Pheromone - Beauty
The kid - Reubenesque
Cheers!
Where's the other guy?
He'll be here soon.
Isn't he.
He'll be here.
Are you sure?
Sorry! I got held up at work.
Remember him?
Nagano Olympics? Ski jump? Gold medal?
Eguchi Kai?!
Sorry. Are you angry?
Not at all!
Hey, Mayu...
What's a good cell phone to get?
Show me yours, OK?
Mine's pretty old...
It's nice!
Have some more beer!
Thanks a lot.
Today's Special: Department-Store Girls
The Over-30, The Goer,
The Beauty & The Breasts
Listen, Hatsumi...
What's a good cell phone to get?
Show me yours, OK?
It's nothing special...
Have some more beer!
Thanks a lot.
I'm going for smokes.
Do you get a lot of weirdoes coming into your store?
Yeah! Old ladies trying to beat down the price.
Oh, sorry!
Let me do that...
That's OK.
Sorry.
You OK?
I'm fine.
Hatsumi's phone number...
...is mine!
What kind of girl do you like, Kai?
You really want to know?
Among Hollywood actresses...
...Whoopi Goldberg.
Japanese?
Kiki Kirin.
Who else?
Egawa Shoko!
Who?
Hanazawa in the Sazae-san cartoon, Yoshiko in Sari-chan.
Yuko in Obakyu, She's tough.
Jaiko in Doraemon.
Migiwa in Little Maruko.
The girl who likes Iwaki in Dokaben.
Yes! Who else?
Mukai Chiaki!
The astronaut!
Tamura Ryoko!
I love judo!
We're made for each other!
Tour-Bus Guides
Gold Medal
- The monkey
Matsuo:
1,000 yen
Yeah! Who else?
Miyabiyama!
The sumo wrestler! Yes!
Tawara Kotaro.
Good! And?
Danny De Vito!
Yes! And?
The Prime Minister!
You're a maniac! We're made for each other!
ESP!?
Wanna see?
Get out your cell phone.
I'll make it ring by sheer force of will.
No way!
I'm inputting my powers into my cell phone...
Affection is vital here. Think that you like me.
OK...
Wow!
Love... it must be mutual.
This is a trick!
An ordinary package for disposable chopsticks.
Is this magic?
With it I measure the length and
width of your face.
If your eyes and mouth match the length, you're beautiful.
Can you measure it like that?
Sure.
First the length...
Now the mouth...
I don't trust you
And now the eyes...
I knew it!
We have a take-out!
Pheromone - The Live One Manager: 1,000 yen
Ready to go?
Take your time.
The girls tonight always show up 20 minutes late.
Don't look too eager.
It's amazing you got stewardesses for a go-con.
I said I'm the top guy at a big Osaka ad agency.
Big?
Small in a big way!
Tonight we have 300 employees.
300?!
How else would I get them to come?
You're got to get your licks in first.
Pervert!
Look who's talking!
What's so great about stewardesses?
You wouldn't understand.
How come you've got such weird tastes, Kai?
Don't even ask. He's always gone for the ugly ones.
The ones with personality.
"Personality"!
John Lennon chose Ono Yoko, didn't he?
And Kuwata Keisuke married Hara Yuko. You see?
No.
Why not?
The ideal woman is Fujiwara Noriko!
Kiki Kinn!
Sharon Stone!
Whoopi Goldberg!
Cameron Diaz!
Egawa Shoko!
Hirosue Ryoko!
Tamura Rykok!
Who cares, if they put out?
This side?
Today Special:
All-Dressed-Up, Dyed Hair,
The Beauty & The Career Girl
This is tough one to call...
These girls are experts at go-con parties.
1,000 says The Kid scores the Career Woman.
Sucker! It's going to be Gold Medal and All-Dresse
Right!
Excuse me... Pheromone and The Dyed Hair.
Get out of there! That's my bet!
Hey! I wrote it down first!
I said, "Right!" first.
I wrote it down!
Didn't I!
Yeah!
Come on!
You made the rules!
Stop changing them, will you?
There are customers waiting!
Shino...
Why don't you place a bet?
The pool...
Today Special:
Gold Media - All Dressed-Up
Pheromone - Dyed Hair
Hey, is someone wearing Chanel #22?
You can tell?
There's nothing else like it.
A nose like a dog!
You can only buy Chanel #22 in the States, you know.
Not at Mitsukoshi?
Ignore him. He's a jock.
Not in Japan, or in Europe.
Who gave it to you?
I buy it when I'm working U.S. Flights.
I love capable women.
Give us a sniff!
Me, too!
Don't do that
What do you two do for fun?
Who, us?
We do a lot of scuba diving...
Where?
Guam or Hawaii...
There's nowhere else worth going, is there.
Do you dive?
Yeah. Just a bit, though.
Where do you hang out in Tokyo?
Roppongi, Aoyama...
What about you?
Around Moto-Azabu, lately
Can I see your cell phone?
Why?
I'm thinking of getting a new one...
Sorry, I don't have one.
We can't use them much
I see...
Too bad!
Dyed Hair?!
Not Chanel?
She'd cost too much. And that stuff stinks!
Yeah... so Dyed Hair and Dressed-Up would be cheaper?
They'd be happy with a few concert tickets.
Hey, they're still flight attendants...
They're just temps.
Are there temporary flight attendants?
Don't you even know that?
How do you know those two are temps?
Scuba diving means they only fly to Hawaii and Guam.
Temps don't work LA flight.
I get you!
They're basically waitresses in stewardess uniforms.
It's all an act!
The airlines have cut back.
The good old days are gone.
They're not so stuck-up anymore...
Right!
So I'll take Chanel.
Wrong!
Will this be a take-out?
Go for the temps.
Now we ask them to go somewhere else with us...
But will Chanel come...
Of course not!
Can we get anything?
Free concert tickets.
Oh, wow.
That's all an agency gets these days.
The shrimp's after you.
Never!
What about 'Olympic'?
You know, I don't remember him at all.
I only came because they said he was famous.
Maybe he thinks he is.
Who remembers anyone from the Winter Olympics?
And he's quit competing. And he's horse-faced.
And that Taichi guy's probably got a disease.
Maybe AIDS.
Yuck!
That Taichi guy's so cool!
I never dreamed I'd meet a real Olympian!
What's Taichi like in bed?
IS that all you ever think about?
What else is there?
Hey! That's not grass, is it?!
Don't smoke that in here!
Don't worry!
No.
I wonder what he'll do...
Well?
Where'd you get this?
Come on!
The toilet?!
Really?
The lucky guy!
That's more than a 'take-out'!
That's an 'eat-in'!
All right!
Pay up!
No, no, no... this one pays double!
He's not taking it out. He's eating it here!
Right! OK! Thank you!
Hey!
This thing's busted.
How many packs would you like?
Just one.
I'll bring it to your table.
Hey, wait... you don't know my brand...
Caster Milds, isn't it?
How do you know?
Does it look good tonight?
Oy vay!
Ta-da! The Gold Medal!
I've never seen one before!
I just happened to have it with me today.
May I touch?
If I can...
Down, boy!
Me too!
Do you feel the weight of all my work?
IT's pretty light.
Come on! That's gold!
How much is it worth?
Money can't buy blood, sweat and tears!
Why did you retire?
It's collest to quit when you're on top.
Why? You should try and win another gold medal.
I'd think about three of them would be right...
That took a while... was it a number two?
Of course not!
Housewives
The Fat One, The wrestler,
Young Mom & The Hot Wife
Housewives have got so much steam to let off!
Right! 1,000 yen on Pheromone and Young Mom.
OK, Gold Medal and the wrestler: 1,000
Excuse me...
My turn...
Kid and the Hot Wife.
Hey! Give her a hand!
1,000 yen on the Kid and the Hot Wife!
Hey! I just wrote that!
Just a minute...
That's not fair!
Two kids? How old were you when you got married?
Wow! What about you?
And you?
I'm just married.
A newlywed!
It must be hard to get out.
It is!
So you haven't been drinking lately.
Your face has gone red!
I always turn red when I drink.
I can pretend I'm drunk.
You lack an enzyme that breaks down alcohol.
Which one?
Who knows?
OK, true or false:
Spiking a drink with eyewash makes it more potent.
False! False!
The losers chug their beers!
The answer is... false!
OK, you two...
Down it! Down it! Down it!
Question number 2!
An Olympic medal is gold-plated. True of false?
Which is it?
Ta-da! The Gold Medal!
Rule number 1:
With housewives, start with kids and go to Home Digest.
Right!
But I like that Wrestler...
Rule 2: Never get stuck on a married woman.
Don't focus in on one, or there'll be trouble later.
Which leads to rule 3:
Go boldly forward with the party games!
You got it.
The wrestler!
The Kind's game!
Each chopstick has a number on it.
The King's command must be obeyed!
Take a number!
Quick! Quick! Quick!
One each.
King /6
I am the King!
Here we go!
The King commands!
Sire
Number 4...
...and number 1...
Hey. That's me!
They will embrace for ten seconds.
Who's number 4?
Me!
Stand up!
Hug! Hug! Hug!
She's in the way.
Mrs. Inoki?
She's acting all demure, but she's after Gold Medal.
Hello!
Somebody! Open this door!
Is anyone there?
Help! Open this damn door!
What? Let go of me! You'll stretch the shirt!
I'm number 5!
I've been signaling you! Keep your eyes open!
Wasn't number 5 holding your arm?
Stay in the game, will you? That's number 6!
I command...
Please, sire!
Number 6...
Right! That's me! Do it! Do it! Do it!
...will lick the toes...
Yes!
...of number 2!
Cigarettes!
Is the machine broken?
It's fixed?
I'll get them, Caster Milds?
Pig!
Good evening.
Oy vay!
Today's Special: High-Class Bar Hostesses
We have to work after this.
Hostesses 2
The Part-Timer, The Star,
The 2nd Mama & The Helper
We don't work today.
We're not customers.
I guess not...
Yeah!
How's things?
'Things'
Are you happy?
Why? What's on your mind?
Nothing.
My period's late.
Your boyfriend?
Remember that corporate go-con two months ago?
Them?
I don't know which.
So?
Hit up both of them.
Women pay in kind, men pay in cash.
That's the rule, isn't it?
Maybe I can seduce one of these guys tonight...
...and get money from all three of them!
Isn't that a good idea?
See you out there.
They get tired of always being on guard.
Get them to relax, and they're yours.
But trilling with the heart of a bar hostess...
What?
That's so cool!
Go-con all up here.
What's wrong with you?
Something on your mind?
Which is the real you?
The one when you're alone or the one you show at work?
Both, I guess...
I bet that private face is real cute.
My period's started.
That's lucky... but why is everything so complicated?
They're out of line.
Where do they get off telling us we're cute?
Today's Special:
High School Girls
What's that mean?
I don't understand him.
Not him... them!
Super-soon time! He thinks he's so fruvous!
Serious? Life without parole for this wallock!
It might as well be Urdu!
At least it's just Merry without the Happy!
He brings us to Jukushin but no paxi taxi!
And the tube is so over!
You can find some sallyann who'll wheel you to Rome.
He speaks high-school!
Older Women.
Glamour, Widow,
Career Woman & Intellectual
I think you're right
No bets here.
This is shit!
Come on! Don't keep the customers waiting!
Patsy du Jour: Wild
Who invited him?
Kai.
He used to be a dork with a camera!
It was in Kosovo.
Suddenly there were guns going off all around me.
I thought I was dead.
Wow!
News photography's dangerous work!
It's just like a war movie!
And to think there are still men like that in Japan!
But to be in a battle without a weapon!
This is my weapon.
With this I battle the forces of evil.
Fantastic!
Some patsy!
I'd fuck him!
He used to be a camera dork! I swear!
The little kids are like angels.
Their faces just light up when they smile.
Take me with you!
What?
Sorry, no women.
That's so cool!
It's almost Christmas.
What?!
Pigumon,
Gyaos, Radon & Gamera
Movie monsters?
It's century's end.
I see...
Are they running out of prospects?
It's nearly Christmas.
All the halfway decent women have things to do.
Oh, yeah?
Or is it just that the world is full...
...of men without any taste?
I am the King!
OK, number 3...
Oh, no! That's me!
...and number 7...
Number 7...
Number 7!
Who's number 7?!
Not me! I'm number 2!
OK, OK, take it easy!
Hiro? Is it you?
I didn't notice...
I sentence you to ten minutes in the toilet!
Not me, too?!
The wrong brand...
This isn't my night!
Looks like fun.
Thanks loads!
Did you change brands?
I chose wrong.
The women?
Yeah.
But it's still fun...
Do I look like it's fun?!
No!
You must kiss well.
But...
Good evening.
Oy Vay!
Kai!
Yo!
"Yo" yourself! You're late!
Let's end this.
It's still early!
No, it's time.
There's not even one for you here tonight!
No, there's one nice one...
Are you serious?
Damn right!
I'm going.
Hey! Who's Miyuki!
Number 1 on his phone!
Who's Miyuki?
Your girlfriend?
None of your business!
Who is she? I don't even remember.
I'll delete it.
Miyuki
Delete number?
Number deleted.
Don't scare us like that!
We thought you were going!
We are, actually.
It's still early.
The King's game!
I am the King!
Please, sire!
The King commands number 2...
...and number 5...
What?!
To the toilet!
Never!
Hey! The King gives the orders here!
To the toilet!
What?!
Go and fight. It's for world peace.
What're you doing?!
No!
We've only got ten minutes! Kiss me!
No!
Come on, big boy!
Aw, what the hell!
Seiko!
Open this door! Open up, damn it!
My husband!
What?!
Seiko! Who's in there! I'll kill him!
What do we do?
He's a killer!
He won't kill you!
He'll kill you!
Me?!
You! I'll break your fucking head open!
You wanna mess with me?!
I'll show you how I cripple dumb bastards like you!
You wanna mess with me?!
I'll slap you sillier than this! You wanna mess with me?!
Scared, huh?
No!
You're not?
You wanna mess with me?
I'll bonk your head right out your ass!
Well?!
Not scared!
Not scared yet?
Right! The bomb chop! Right down on your head!
Well?!
Not scared!
Not scared yet? You wanna mess with me?
Right! Time for the can-can!
Your worst nightmare is about to happen, boy!
Here we go again!
Number 5...
Your turn!
...and number 6...
Right!
Embrace for ten seconds.
Hug! Hug! Hug!
Enter speed-dial number
No data for number 1
You're just my type.
That's not funny!
Yuko?
She's so depressing!
A hothouse flower who's too good for us!
She's hothouse flower?
Didn't you hear her?
I need cigarettes.
Just get three friends, OK? You can do that.
The 24th, OK?
What was all that?
You busy Christmas Eve?
No, not yet.
A hothouse flower go-con.
Were you...
An ugly flower still smells.
You use what you can.
Ow!
That old bastard!
Oh, shit... it's morning!
My clothes!
Now what do I do?
What are you doing?
You stayed the night?
You moved in?
Here?!
What happened is...
Just kidding!
Could you get my clothes?
'Waitress'...
What's your name?
'Waitress'.
What?
Miyamoto Jun.
Jun...
I'm Narase Hiro.
Some hero you are!
Sorry!
Do you really enjoy all this go-con stuff?
Well...
Most people meet someone at school or at work...
...they have something in common with...
We've had them all here.
I never seem to hit it off with anyone.
Try looking a little bit harder at the people you know.
Like you, may be?
I'm not someone you know.
You're the only one I talk to regularly.
That's not 'talking', that's exchanging words...
...between a customer and a waitress.
Then get my damn clothes!
I'm sorry!
That was a joke.
You're the only woman who knows what cigarettes I smoke.
That's because you're here every night.
What else do you do?
Is this a come-on?
You think I'd bother?
Sorry! I shouldn't have said that!
Sorry!
I paint.
Pictures?
There's one up there.
You painted that? Are you an art student?
It's just a hobby.
It's good!
You mean that?
I always use that urinal. That's how much I like it.
Gee, thanks.
But I wonder how foreigners just kiss like that?
You do it all the time in your King's game.
That's just a game. It doesn't count.
Have you ever really kissed someone?
How old do I look?
I never have.
No?
I've kissed people, but never 'really'.
Me neither.
Not a real kiss, without someone counting seconds.
No?
Did you see New Cinema Paradise?
Yeah, on video lots of times.
That's what I thought when I saw it.
That's weird.
That's the movie that made me paint that picture.
Yeah?
I see.
Those kiss scenes were great.
I could see that last part again and again.
I want to kiss like that.
It was playing in Shibuya.
Yeah? I'd love to see it in a theater.
Well...
Are you asking me out?
No!
That's a relief.
But...
...if you'd like...
Your phone's ringing.
Good morning, Taichi.
Those bastards! They left me!
If I'd like... what?
You were saying?
Oh, yeah...
'lf I'd like'... what?
On Christmas Eve...
Yeah?
Go-con tonight.
Go-con...
You want to come?
Me? To a go-con?
Go to hell!
Here we are again... Christmas Eve...
A year goes by so fast...
And still I'm alone...
The tide's going out on this...
How does Taichi just keep on doing it?
He just likes women.
All he cares about is fucking.
I guess so.
Anyway, it's Christmas! Let's have fun!
Right!
Party on down!
Let's go!
Ow!
That didn't hurt!
Ow!
That didn't hurt!
Where are the others?
Your friends...
There's one coming.
Just one?
All the girls at school had other plans.
So there's us and just two of you?
So what? She's here,
isn't she?
So I invited two other people as well.
Hello.
This is Erika. She's in my class.
How do you do.
Hello! Sit right here!
Let's have a drink while we wait.
Hello.
Uh, this is Miyamoto...
'Jun'.
Haven't we met before?
Yes. Right here.
You're a waitress here!
Tonight I'm a customer.
Why?
I talked her into it.
That's right
But you turned me down...
And there's one more?
Yes. My cousin
Cousin
Then she'll be beautiful! Let's have a drink!
Sorry I'm late.
Miyuki...
The Well-Groomed Beauty, Gyaos,
Jun & Haughty
Pheromone and Haughty... the one can't miss!
I'm going to live dangerously.
Hmm...
1,000 yen on Gold Medal and his twisted tastes!
You guys never learn!
Pheromone - The Beauty
Never happen!
He won't bother trying with a woman like that!
He likes them easy!
That's why you guys are suckers.
This is Christmas Eve.
So what?
This isn't like other nights.
You lived in New York?
A year, for work.
Cool! A career woman!
There's lots around these days.
Really?
Won't they need you tonight?
It's all go-con tonight.
It's all fixed-menu stuff.
That's how it goes.
Every year.
I've never been to a Christmas Eve go-con.
You had boyfriends!
This is more fun. The more the merrier!
Sour grapes.
Miyuki, have you ever spent Christmas Eve this way?
Me?
When I was younger.
You don't have any other plans?
No.
You brought your gold medal, didn't you?
How did you know that?
You go "Ta-da!" and whip it out, don't you?
You're wearing it now.
Yeah...
Miyuki, have you got a cell phone?
Yes. Why?
Can I see it? I want to get a new one.
It's an old one from before I went to the States.
That's fine. Anything's good.
Huh?
This one's brand-new. It's the 'millennium version'.
I've always wanted to meet the cute waitress here...
I'm not going to fall for a line like that.
It's true!
Let's go out sometimes.
Why did you jump in on me?
She's too old for you.
Why?
She's not so hot. You always go for the prettiest.
Well, you should leave the waitress alone.
Why?
We won't be able to come here anymore.
So we go somewhere else.
Heavy, isn't it.
You're too young to retire...
It's coolest to quit when you're at the top.
When were the Olympics?
Two years ago.
I saw them on TV.
You have to be there!
Taichi said he'd come and he didn't.
He was probably watching it on TV with some girls.
Two Years... has it been that long?
Yeah...
Let me do that...
What do you do, Mr. Okura?
Computer programming.
What kind of programming?
Games...
Really? Japan makes some of the best computer games.
Well, Yeah...
It's great to have work you can get into.
Go ahead. I will, too.
Excuse me a second...
So what do you do, Jun?
I paint, I go to art museums...
Oh, you paint...
Yuko?
I watch movies...
Who with?
Usually on video.
Oh.
All you do at a movie is stare at a screen.
If anyone asks me to one, I say forget it.
Really?
But you can talk about the movie afterwards.
That's fun.
Depending on who you're with.
I like movies.
You do?
Let's talk about one sometimes.
Really?
Show me your phone.
It's an old one, I told you.
That's all right.
It's nice!
It's ordinary.
Have some beer.
Sekine Taichi
Are you sure?
Yes! Taichi was number 1 on her cell phone!
You'd never guess.
They're hiding it. Something's going on.
He probably did her once and forgot her.
Taichi's like that.
When did you come back?
Not long ago.
So it was you who twisted Yuko's arm...
She didn't have to come. I don't push that hard.
That's right. You're cool, aren't you.
Imagine you being Yuko's cousin!
And her being at your party!
You sure you don't have someone else to see tonight?
You arrange a lot of these parties.
Your girlfriend doesn't mind?
I don't limit myself to one.
You seem to be popular.
You left me! Get off my case!
I'm not on your case.
Sold out!
This isn't my night!
'This isn't my night! '
Why did you come?
I told you... Yuko asked me.
Staff shouldn't come out with customers!
You invited me earlier.
That was just... then.
Do you ask every woman you meet to a go-con?
Listen...
Don't even try.
What?
I'm going to the States next month.
What?!
I'm going to study art. That's why I'm working here.
Thanks.
I can't see you as a go-con organizer...
What?
Thanks for the work, though.
He insisted!
It's Gold Medal...
I know you like him. He's all you talked about.
And the jump on the big hill is 138 meters high...
You said that last time.
I did?
Did I tell you about my family's liquors shop?
It was my great-grandfather's. I took it over last year.
That's new to me.
I'll do it.
What's that?
I'll calculate her facial balance.
What?
First the length of the face...
OK...
Now the mouth...
I don't trust...
Then the eyes...
Perfect!
Yeah?
Damn right!
Let me try...
Mr. Okura, What games have you worked on?
I'm good at them. I don't give up.
You're jealous.
Sorry?
You want to talk to him.
What's with you?
You don't have to make conversation with me.
You're not interested in me.
Wouldn't you rather be talking to him?
You would?
We're not here arranging a marriage, you know.
Yeah! Everyone's here to have fun!
Why 'everyone'?
Can't you do anything alone?
You need friends around to have fun.
It's only you three having fun, The fourth guy never does.
You just aren't watching.
It's always 3 on 4. The odds are better that way.
You don't dare ask a woman out by yourself.
Why pick on me?
Not even to a movie!
He did?!
I didn't! Do you want me to come on to you?
Go ahead and try.
You can't. So you take the roundabout way.
One on one is the roundabout way.
Why?
It takes longer. Then there's jealousy and fights.
Then you break up, so it's all a waste of time.
Then it wasn't meant to be.
May be.
No.
It's just because you're afraid to talk to a woman.
Did you say something?
You've never hustled a woman in your life!
Don't talk to him like that!
What, you like him?
That's not the point!
Oh, that's right... your works comes first, doesn't it.
How can you say that?!
Don't get people's hopes up.
Don't worry. You aren't.
Yuko?
You only asked me to come so I'd bring the others.
I wanted to see you again!
Don't make fun of me!
I'm not!
You won't convince her.
I'm sure it's great to win a gold medal.
But for someone to win, others have to lose.
Well, yeah...
I should have just phoned people up.
I shouldn't have come.
So you had hopes!
Isn't that why you came?
No.
Then why did you get your cousin and the waitress?
You dragged them along because you wanted to come!
But it wasn't smart to ask prettier girls than you.
Anyway, forget this. Let's party!
Yeah! I want a drink!
That's why...
...I hate go-con.
All you do is use people for comparisons...
...to see how good you can make yourself look.
People at a go-con have their heads full of that!
It's a bunch of fools!
Does anyone say what they really think?
You get laughed at if you do, so it's all polite conversation.
If you're not up to it, you can always leave.
You knew why we asked you, but still you came.
Hit on somebody, or be the patsy.
Why do you need a patsy?
Go-con is a game, and that's the rules.
Who made those rules?
It's the way of the world.
We compete all our lives, to get a good schools...
...to get a good job...
We live in competition.
What's the point of competing if it's not winning?
Do you want to be compared to other people? I don't.
And that's why you're going to the States? That's great.
To study, huh? That's the polite way of putting it.
What?
You just want to get laid.
What do you take me for?!
That's all any girl goes over there for.
That's not true!
Oh yeah!
I don't care what you say. I've always wanted to go...
...and I'm going.
Go anywhere you like.
Why are you on my case?
Because you led me on!
In your dreams! If you were someone who had any!
I do have dreams!
Yeah, wet dreams about go-con!
That's not true!
Then what?
To meet someone!
I'm not Taichi.
Hey!
I thought I'd met her...
If you're leaving, stay away from me.
I...
I wanted to say goodbye.
I wanted to say goodbye at least to you.
Here I thought I'd forced you to come, and all the time...
...it was what you wanted!
Why are you so twisted?
It's not the face I care about, it's what's inside.
You can't see inside!
Yuko?
It's great to be a man.
All you need is one thing to be proud of.
Women are judged on their looks!
But there's lots of good in you.
What do you know?
You're beautiful and talented. Do you understand how I feel?
Yuko!
An ugly woman always ends up being used.
No matter how hard I studied, how much I learned...
...no one looked at me twice...
...or even noticed me...
...or recognized I existed!
A woman is judged on her appearance!
Yuko...
It's no fun being judged that way.
Now the friend joins in.
We're not friends.
She offered to pay me.
She paid you?
But if you had something to do Christmas Eve...
...you wouldn't come no matter how much she paid you.
That's right.
So we're all just pretending we're not lonely.
My medal's the same.
What does it mean?
What am I without skis?
The 'gold medal effect' was fun at the start.
But I know better than anyone it doesn't last.
Kai...
It's stupid bringing it here. It's like I can't give it up.
But if I don't have it, then I don't have anything.
What will a woman see in me?
Kai!
I'm just letting myself to be used.
Just like Yuko.
Kai, I've never...
I know that.
I am proud of being used.
There's no better cat's-paw anywhere.
Kai!
But Taichi...
...do you really like doing this all the time?
Kai?
I saw that you was sick with this
Me? How?
Using a girl like this when she hates it.
What do you mean?
You disgust me!
You use what you can to make it happen!
We've always done that.
Haven’t we?
Hiro!
That's right.
See?
But lately...
...the girls are all strangers we know won't cause trouble...
It's still fun, but...
Then don't complain!
It's so futile!
Not to me.
But now we don't talk about what happened last time.
Yeah! Rehasing the last one used to be a lot of fun.
We're just looking forward!
Where else is there to look?!
So that's it, then.
We said if even one of us got serious, we'd quit.
If you two are going soft on me, that's the end of it.
Taichi!
This is a drag! What kind of a go-con is this?
Let's break it up. Let's go home.
It's gotten complicated.
You always take the easy way out.
That's why you've kept on with these parties.
I want to have fun with nice women.
Is that all?
And get stupid with these guys
And?
Get to know a lot of women.
And?
Make fun of losers women don't like.
There's more...
One woman is a drag.
That's what you really think?
Damn right!
I'll add one more thing:
I want to forget you!
Taichi...
I don't want to see you. Go away!
Sorry.
So that's it...
You can go if you want. We're finished.
This was no accident.
Miyuki knew Taichi was organizing this.
She knew that.
So?
I didn't know they'd ever been together.
You mean she wanted to see Taichi?
Taichi!
I knew it!
You all wanted someone you could be alone with.
Miyuki didn't want polite conversation.
She wanted to really talk to you.
Wait!
You knew I'd be here?
I shouldn't have come.
I couldn't resist. Suddenly Yuko called me...
...to a go-con on Christmas Eve...
When I heard it was you...
...I thought maybe we were fated to meet again.
But the past didn't return. Time has moved on.
I'm sorry. Take care of yourself.
It hasn't moved on.
Time stopped when you left.
I didn't say anything when you went to New York.
I figured it was your life...
...and I didn't want to beg you not to go.
Since then getting involved hasn't been worth it.
I've just thought it was easier just to have these parties.
But it hasn't been easier.
What should be fun...
...has just end up being a drag.
Maybe...
...without you...
...I’ve been playing a role so I won't be depressed.
Just now... I've finally realized that.
A kiss...
...should tell you if there's something there.
Physically?
That...
...and in the heart.
The first time we kissed was at a go-con.
Yeah.
That's what I thought then.
Me too.
We'd better get back.
You're the organizer.
Yeah.
His old girlfriend?
And they're fighting!
It's Christmas Eve. Things happen.
No changing bets now!
Right!
I bet the embers will blaze again!
I double my bet!
What's going on? This is Christmas Eve! Let's party!
Take a number.
Quick!
Yes.
OK. I am the King!
The King commands: To number 2...
Me?
...number 1 must kneel and apologize.
Hey! Number 1!
Oh, Shit! I am number 1!
Naruse Hiro apologizes!
I'm sorry for what I said. Forgive me.
Remember this. They don't do it in the States.
I guess not.
On we go!
Number 3!
Number 4 must kneel and apologize.
I'm number 4!
Who's number 3!
I am.
I'll apologize.
On your knees!
Come on!
What?
Here.
Number 1 scratches his nose. Number 2 rubs his eyes.
It's the King's game code. That's 5.
Why tell me?
Go-con is teamwork.
But there's no helping out if you forget.
For 1, scratch your nose. Rub your eyes for 2.
3 says "Please, Sire!" 4 slaps his shoulders.
5 flicks a lighter, 6 pushes up his sleeves.
7 bites his nails.
Let's rehearse.
Number 1...
Not your ear, your nose!
Number 2!
No, rub your eyes.
Number 3...
'Please, Sire! '
Number 4...
Shoulders.
Number 5...
The lighter...
Right. Number 6...
No, that's 7.
The sleeves.
Number 7, chew your nails.
OK, practice and come back.
Your lighter...
You don't smoke.
Oh, yeah...
Go-con is all up here.
News flash!
The patsy's in play!
Kiss! Kiss!
Don't cry about it!
OK, last time...
Number 3...
Me again?
...and number 7...
Kneel again?
...will kiss!
Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!
I can't.
Hey! Where's the lights?
Fuse box!
I can't see!
Check the fuses!
That bastard!
'Why did I turn out all the lights? '
Why are we running?
Why?
Have you ever really kissed someone?
No.
That's the kind of kiss I wanted.
I didn't...
...want it to be a game.
I mean, it's not such a great big thing...
The important thing...
...is here.
It's not here...
...or here.
It's whether you feel it shaking you here.
That's right...
Words are what you speak from here.
Hearts sometimes collide at the uncontrolled intersection...
Sometimes you find things you'd never expect to.
This custom of Japanese youth is not completely stupid.
In some countries, teenagers may whisper 'I love you'...
...but the Japanese, who would never dare do that...
...have taken the old custom of arranged-marriage meetings...
...to make 'Go-con'.
It's part of the culture.
Ripped by: SkyFury