[I am a phantom in your dream.]
[And you too, live in mine.]
[Wanna go one-on-one with me tonight?]
[My name is Jade.]
Why are people having tattoos?
Is having one like wearing clothes or being naked?
If I told you I have a tattoo somewhere private,
would you want to know where it is?
[Take off your clothes.]
Women with tattoos are sexy, eh?
Still awake this late?
Granny.
I'm going to bed soon. You go first, ok?
Hurry, you little girl.
Just 10 more minutes.
Where do you expect the tattoo to be?
[Mmm, I'm already getting turned-on.]
If you want to explore more,
buy the one-on-one service.
Granny!
Hi! Lover, go one-on-one on me tonight?
Hello? Jade?
Missy, would you give me a break!
Why did you cut the line again last night?
How dare you laugh!
Didn't you see me suddenly get 100 years older?
Your Grandma showed up again?
I tell you, you keep doing this. There'll be no customers!
They get online to see chicks!
You got the lowest rating this month.
Get it right, or wait to be kicked out!
Fine, I will get myself a sexy tattoo,
and have a live show, ok?
[Tattoo Journal, 2006.6.30]
[August, 19 customers. ID themselves through tattoos.]
Aunty.
Are you waiting for me?
Here you are!
Ching, come here.
Tell us how many candies you made for today?
Today, these kids
made delicious candies weighed more than 10 kilos.
Time for bed. It's 10:30.
Alright, alright, time for bed.
10:30, it's time for bed.
Time for bed!
Bro.
How's today?
Takeko,
why do you call me bro, instead of Ching like others?
Because I'm your sister.
I don't understand.
[Search: Dissociative disorder]
[Selective amnesia, dull, drift.]
Ching.
Candies I made today.
I made these by myself.
How's the picture?
Looks fierce!
Is this for the guy who never pays his bills?
[Customer Number 079: Ah-Dong]
But he cleared his bills today.
[Tattoo-Request: Ghost Skull]
Hey! Stop right there!
You fucking assholes!
Dare to hit on my boss's girl?
Give me your wallet!
I don't have one.
Are you kidding me!
Fuck you!
Sensei said behind every tattoo
there is a secret.
A tattoo artist must understand these secrets,
but not to reveal them.
Tattoo the ghost skull on my belly, ok?
Takeko.
It'll look ugly.
I don't care.
Or tattoo a...a leopard?
Take off your shirt.
I decided to add blades on his tattoo.
This way he can hit with stronger fists.
Ah-Dong is actually pretty chicken-hearted.
He needs tattoos to give him strength.
Takeko, do you still have your tattoo?
Sure.
Legend has it that this flower
grows on both sides of the path to hell.
It's called the golden spider lily.
Its Sanskrit name is manjusaka.
It's permeated with poison
that makes one lose consciousness and memory.
You like this tattoo?
That's real skin there!
Takeko, customer!
Wait a second.
Are you over 18?
What for?
If you're under 18,
Takeko won't tattoo you.
And are you over 18?
I'm just old enough.
How about having a drink later?
Go out with me, come on.
Have a seat.
Have you been tattooed before?
No... but I'm curious.
Take this.
Let us know if needed.
Takeko, I have a request.
Just a slight matter.
Please give me another tattoo.
Anything would be fine.
Please, please, Takeko.
Takeko, tattoo another ghost skull
on my stomach, ok?
It'll look ugly.
Please, please, Takeko.
[It's said those who don't sleep confuse reality with dream.]
[Jade's off-line today.]
[P.S. To accompany Granny, who's still not sleeping.]
Watermelon or pineapple?
Pineapple.
Granny,
today I met an old neighbor, Takeko.
Remember her? Takeko?
Takeko... no.
No? Doesn't matter.
Granny, I used to have a green wig.
Where is it?
What wig?
Back when you sold clothes, you had those glossy green wigs, remember?
What the hell is this?
I'll help you look.
Did it get thrown out?
Granny, you can see in the dark?
Glossy materials feel different.
I love you, Granny.
You, silly girl.
That's it for today.
So soon?
How come it's so quick today?
That's it.
Is this the knife for tattooing?
It's not a knife, it's a pen.
If I get fat, will the tattoo deform?
Like this.
I want that golden flower.
That's not possible.
Why not?
The flower leads to hell.
Hell?
It's the flower of death.
But don't you...
I've seen the tattoo on a friend before.
Oh really, when?
When I was 9.
Childhood memories aren't that reliable!
It's true!
Think clearly why you want a tattoo.
And you?
What about me?
You have your own tattoo, don't you? Why did you do it?
I forgot.
This is my business card.
Jade?
Ya, that's my name.
This is my blog
where I keep my diary, photos and stuff.
You'll see. Bye.
[Today in a tattoo studio, I met my first love from when I was 9.]
[If you want to know more about my love experience,]
[meet me online at 11:00 tonight.]
I'm back. You sit here.
Is Takeko here using a nickname?
Is she here?
[Strong Bear: Heard you'll be telling some erotic stories here.]
Yeah... wanna hear a little girl's love stories?
[Strong Bear: I want to know about the little girl's first time...]
I met my first love when less than 10.
[Silence: Haaaaa... Liar.]
For real! I was only 9 and a half.
I used to sit by the street corner waiting for a neighbor to pass by.
Hi!
I'm Jade.
Am I pretty?
This is a gorgeous wig. Take a look.
[Silence: That's not pretty at all.]
Bull crap! It is pretty!
Some one won't agree, right?
You'll see how pretty it looks.
Do I look beautiful?
Yes, you are beautiful.
You sound weird. Are you foreign?
No, I lived in Japan when I was a kid.
My mom is Japanese.
I've never been to Japan.
I'm so bored alone.
Do you want to come to my house to play?
Isn't your mom home?
I don't have a mom. There are just me and Granny.
What happened to your mom?
My mom...
In the earthquake,
Granny pulled me out.
Mom didn't make it out before the house fell on her.
Alright. I'll take beautiful Jade home.
Ok.
I'll never forget that beautiful evening
how my neighbor hummed while riding.
♪ Jasmine, will you forget me? ♪
♪ Jasmine, please remember I'm still here. ♪
[Strong Bear: So lost your virginity at 9? Did it hurt?]
[Strong Bear: Did you enjoy fucking with your neighbor?]
[Mark: How much will you do it?]
[King: Cut the crap. Did you enjoy it?]
Go fuck yourselves!
Unpredictable!
David.
What are you laughing at?
S...sir,
I was recording but the girl cut out.
So you get nothing and dare to laugh!
What's wrong with you?
Can you be any slower?
Don't just wait there.
Try some techniques.
You can ask her if she needs money
from a big brother.
Can't you use techniques of these simple kinds?
I'm upset.
No... no need to lie.
Hi! Lover, go one-on-one on me tonight?
What's this about?
[Please support my first try as a webcam girl.]
[Today in a tattoo studio, I met my first love from when I was 9.]
[If you want to know more about my love experience,]
[meet me online at 11:00 tonight.]
Hi! I'm Jade.
What says there?
Mother, here's $3.000. I will come visit when I have time.
Take care.
That's all.
A short letter.
Did she mention Jade?
No.
Who's that?
Jade's mom.
Jade's mom? Didn't she...
Supposedly she is in Taipei.
When the earthquake hit, didn't she...
After the earthquake, she took Jade's brother and left.
Jade was left alone.
Her good-for-nothing father has been in jail for years.
Hello? Ok.
Granny, the moving truck has arrived.
Godspeed.
Thanks for your chocolate. I'll give it to Jade.
[Customer Number 091: Jade]
[Tatoo-Request: Unknown]
Ching, time for bed.
No stories today?
Few costumers today.
But a strange girl came by.
She kept asking questions, and even asked why I got my tattoo.
Did she want stories from you?
I don't think so.
I want stories, too. Tell me.
Ching!
The tattoo of spider lilies
suggests destruction.
I don't mind.
Even if you get the same tattoo as your father,
you won't make your brother recover.
Yet I need this to get closer to him.
But you're a girl,
I never taught a female before.
I'm not weak.
Do blood and knives frighten you?
They don't.
Really?
Then,
Remove your father's tattoo from his body and bring it to me.
You make custom designs for each customer?
You've transferred to another school?
Nope, I like this uniform better.
Hey, have you checked my blog?
No, I've been quite busy these days.
Are you always that busy?
Yes.
You can spare some more time for that.
To be honest, I don't like surfing on the internet.
Really? But I think
maybe we can discuss my tattoo
after you check out my blog.
If you are in haste, you can find someone else.
So rude! Busy my ass.
[Silence: Hi! Any story to share today?]
Don't feel like chatting today.
Want me? Then skip the bull crap, just buy one-on-one service.
See, now she wants to do one-on-one. Go ahead.
[Silence: 300 points, ok?]
Ok.
When she starts to strip, push these two buttons.
Remember to ask if she needs money, and how much for sex.
Trap her and don't waste too much time.
Don't waste too much time, got it?
[Silence: Wait!]
What's wrong?
[Don't take off your clothes. Let's just chat for a while.]
300 points is not cheap.
Don't you want to see anything?
[Then, show me a smile!?]
Hello!
[Hello, are you not happy today?]
Now I'm okay.
[I like the story you told yesterday.]
Really, were you listening?
Hey, you have a webcam. Then speak through your web phone.
What's wrong? Getting a cold?
[it's difficult for me to talk. Sorry.]
Oh, fine. What do you want to chat about?
[What kind of person are you?]
I'm a...a bright and cheerful girl.
Although sometimes I do feel down,
most of the time I feel happy.
Because I can do whatever I like.
No one bugs me.
[So you choose to be a web girl?]
Yeah, it's my own decision.
[Aren't you afraid of meeting bad guys?]
No! I do this at home, why would l?
Things on the net are fake.
I log on when I feel like it, and cut off when I feel like it too.
Sometimes I might be scolded by Ms. Zhong.
But she's also fake, I've never seen her.
[Ms. Zhong?]
The web supervisor. She's the boss.
[So, am I fake too?]
If... you remember me,
and I remember you, then you are real.
[Does your first love remember you?]
Of course!
It's not easy to meet him again.
Listen,
he promised to design a tattoo for me.
And he told me
he will tattoo it on me.
I can show you then, ok?
[Uh...are you always living in dreams?]
What dreams?
There is no dream. I have a good memory.
[Childhood memories aren't reliable.]
All I said is true!
Childhood memories aren't reliable.
It's true!
Who are you? Why don't you believe me?
[Memory can play tricks on people.]
What do you mean?
[Because...
...your story betrays some loneliness.]
Dad, you promised to come back, but never did.
Ok, so what will you bring me next time?
Ok!
A Snoopy pencil box? Sounds great!
Takeko...
Hi... Jade.
Now you remember my name.
Your hair...
Doesn't it look good?
It looks good.
So what's wrong?
It's just different from the website...
So, you were online!
Umm, no.
Ok, forget it.
I'm here to tell you what I want.
Eh?
Last time you asked why I'd like to have a tattoo.
I want to keep the memory of love.
So I need this tattoo.
Because of your memory from 9?
What's wrong with having being 9?
Adults forget, but not kids.
Anyway, I need a tattoo of love.
I mean it.
[Tattoo Journal, 2006.7.15]
[Early September, 11 customers.]
[Male: seeking power, Female: marking love]
Wow! Takeko,
you're the greatest artist in the world!
I love you so much!
You're nuts!
You think I'm too young for you?
Don't you have anyone you like?
That's all in the past.
Was it a girl?
Ah, we are of the same sex-orientation.
In this way, since we can't be lovers,
would you like to be my sis?
That's enough.
But sis, never seen you dating any girls?
I'm serious. Why aren't you dating, sis?
[Customer Number 091: Jade]
[Tattoo-Request: Unknown]
[Tattoo-Request:]
Anyway, I need a tattoo of love.
I mean it.
When will you come tonight?
After dinner.
Come earlier. I'll wait for you.
Be quiet! My parents are asleep.
What?
Hush!
Earthquake?
Takeko, you tired?
No.
I'm fine.
I tattooed Ah-Dong for 7 hours today.
My eyes are sore, but it looked nice.
Did he like it?
He did, and he wanted me to be his sis.
No!
He was joking.
Will you always be around?
Of course.
But sometimes you come pick me up late.
Because I have drawings to work on.
I don't want to be alone at night.
No, you won't. I'll pick you up everyday.
She must be one of them.
Hmm...Which is Takeko?
[Jade, l...]
Welcome to Jade's world.
Tonight, one lucky customer will get a free one-on-one session.
Whoever shows me his tattoo,
I will offer a show just for him.
A very special show.
[Jade, l...]
[I'll buy 500 points, ok?]
Show me your tattoo.
If you don't, I'll give it to others.
[Hao: I have a tattoo.]
Congratulations to Hao!
[In one-on-one, please wait.]
See, these young girls.
Better at setting traps than you are.
Their innocence is fake!
Nothing but vain inside.
They deceive men and use their money
to buy brand bags, drugs and other men.
None of them is of any good!
How... how do you know?
How can't I know!
You're doing charity, understand?
Listen,
these girls need to be disciplined.
What does Hao think of my performance?
Share with others.
[Hao: Fucking good! Jade is so sexy!]
Remember to buy one-one-on next time.
[Let's chat, ok?]
I just know it's you.
Show me your tattoo and I'll show you my body for free.
[Why are you so obsessed with tattoos?]
So what?
[Why waste your body like this?]
And you're wasting your money as well.
Spend on one-on-one feels just great, doesn't it?
[I don't want to see you like this.]
Like what?
[You shouldn't sell yourself like this.]
What is this?
You look down on me then stop coming!
Why stick in here and not admit who you are?
[You will ruin yourself!]
If you look down on me, just get off!
Don't preach to me! Who do you think you are?
[I'm nobody, but...]
Got no guts to admit you're here, and think you can criticize me.
Don't act like you're some noble shit!
[Strong Bear: Hey, don't fight here.]
[Big Dick: Just admit you're a whore.]
[Waster: Forget it. No show no customer!]
Jade feels so exhausted.
Goodnight, everyone.
[J: One-on-one, please.]
Ok, 300 points.
My last one-on-one for tonight.
I want to keep the memory of love.
So I need this tattoo.
You have your own tattoo, don't you?
Why did you do it?
I forgot.
♪ Moonlight glittering; mist pervades jasmine. ♪
♪ Gazing you, too hard to leave you. ♪
♪ Moonlight glittering; mist pervades jasmine. ♪
♪ Waiting for you, walk into my dream. ♪
♪ Jasmine, please remember I am here. ♪
♪ Jasmine, on the branch you're so pretty. ♪
♪ Jasmine, please remember me. Never forget me. ♪
Takeko, are you upset?
Not at all.
No.
Ching, a girl wants to have this tattoo.
What do you think?
Why does she want to have the same tattoo as you?
If she keeps asking over and over, would you give in?
Then her tattoo would be fake.
I hate fake tattoos.
It's different.
But even if it's fake, it would still console her.
Sis...
Yeah.
You're not talking at all today.
Makes it harder for me to ignore the pain.
Yeah...
S...say something, scold me or anything.
Takeko!
Now call me "Blade King of Skull"!
You've been investigating this website for a month.
Why aren't there any arrests yet?
I... I don't think we should handle crimes like this...
Fuck you!
What do you rookie know about crimes?
I... I...
You what?
If don't get the job done, you'll get demoted.
Be a security guard all your life.
Get off!
[Silence: One-on-one.]
Don't you despise me?
Why bother to come?
[I'm here to say goodbye.]
[I'm here to say sorry.]
[Sorry.]
You shouldn't have insulted me.
[I didn't mean it, but...]
What?
[Please get out of this business soon.]
Why keep saying this?
[There're full of traps... I am worried.]
You worry about me?
What for?
[I admit I've been observing you.]
[But I can't admit who I am.]
Unbearable! Why keep so serious?
You're just shy to seem mysterious.
[I just care about you.]
So are you jealous or something?
[Maybe.]
[So listen to my last request.]
[Please leave here.]
Why should I listen to you?
[Because...
...I do like Jade and hope all the best for you.]
I do like you and hope all the best for you.
Wow, cool blades!
Not bad. Takeko is a genius.
I have to try on the blades.
Isn't she here?
She told me not to bug her. What do you want her for?
I need to confirm things with her.
Confirm... if she will do my tattoo.
She's been drawing all day and not in a good mood.
Drawing what?
A kind of flower or some shit.
Really?
She's been in a bad mood these days
and gets upset easily.
I don't think she's the kind who would get PMS.
Because she's so butch
so serious at work, not tender at all.
Like a stone butch.
She enjoys being so cool.
And being aloof.
She might think herself as a real man.
Right!
Quiet!
Jade.
Ah-Dong told me you're busy drawing.
Yeah, it's your sketch.
Wow, really! It's my sketch.
Don't you understand?
Having tattoos hurts. I tell you.
Boys are usually more afraid of pain than girls.
Who says so!
When should I come then? Tomorrow?
Not so soon, let's say Friday?
Ok, I'll come Friday... Friday it is.
You came so late these two days.
It has past our bed time.
Sorry, I am working on a draft.
This one?
So pretty!
Any new stories?
One customer wants to have my tattoo.
But you don't like it, I draw this jasmine instead.
Oh...
Tell me another story then, anything.
You don't tell stories these days.
How about stories of your childhood?
I have no stories to tell.
Everyone has his or her own stories. You just don't remember.
Why stay here? Go to bed.
I don't want to sleep alone.
You're a big boy now. Be brave.
You always leave me alone.
I don't. I'm just going to my classmate's house to study.
No!
If you keep behaving like this,
I won't like you anymore. I'll leave you just like mom did.
Bad sis, bad...
Why are you ignoring me?
Did everything between us that night mean nothing to you?
Takeko! Look at me!
I shouldn't have ditched my bro that night.
He doesn't even remember me now.
It's not your fault.
Things might be different if I was with him.
It's an accident. How can you talk like this?
It's not our fault! Why?
I don't understand. Why...
Why do you tell me such a strange story?
It's just a story. Don't worry about it.
My head hurts, Takeko.
Why do I feel you're mad at me?
I'm not.
Don't worry. Go to bed now.
Jade.
Mine?
Yes.
It's jasmine.
So not the spider lilies?
This is for you.
You drew this one especially for me.
I see. This is a tattoo of my love.
It's just a tattoo.
It is love.
I told you I wanted a tattoo of love,
and you drew this jasmine.
It's just a tattoo.
Dont read to much into it.
What do you mean?
Am I thinking too much, or are you concealing too much?
Ok, let's be straightforward.
You think you can keep coming online,
and not having me noticed?
I know you were there, why not admit it?
I don't know whether you despise me,
or afraid to face your own feelings?
I'm sorry.
Why do you remember all things?
And you? Do you choose to forget?
No.
Tell me why you had your tattoo, ok?
Is that tattoo on the wall real?
That's my father.
My bro doesn't remember anything after my father's death.
The only thing he recognizes is the tattoo.
Doctor said he lost his memory of home.
I ask you to give me the same tattoo.
That's why you did it.
They're the most important people to me.
Did your mom ever come back?
She won't be coming back.
Are you still mad at her?
You really miss me that much, Mommy?
Where will you bring me to next time when you're back.
Disney Land in Tokyo? Sounds great!
She doesn't remember me at all, just like you.
So I keep imagining
that everyone is around me.
Will you remember me?
Hold me.
I don't have money.
Fuck you! Did I tell you to talk?
[Jade: Offline.]
[Thanks for listening to my words. Never come back, bye.]
[I love Jade.]
Sir, the investigation is complete. Let's raid.
♪ Rain fell in the morning. ♪
♪ Beads of dew clung to jasmine. ♪
♪ Her white petals pure and fresh ♪
♪ under your breaths.♪
♪ Evening wind glides through the grass.♪
♪ Sunset dyes jasmine red.♪
♪ Her smile blooms in silence and ♪
Takeko!
Ah-Dong, Ah-Dong!
Sis, why are you crying?
Dad! Sis!
Don't be afraid.
Ching, Ching!
Excuse me. I'm from the Xin-Zhuang P. D.
He's in a deep coma and the indications aren't good.
It's hard to say
if he'll wake up.
Takeko!
The tattoo is a fake!
How could it be a fake?
Dad!
I didn't leave bro alone, I didn't!
You think you can bring me back just by tattooing the same flower?
[I can't do tattoos anymore. Forgive me, goodbye. Takeko.]
[So all your tenderness is fake,...
...but the incomplete tattoo is real.]
[I can still feel the pain.]
I have no other choice,
but to live in a virtual world.
I'll wait here 24 hours.
- 1007 reports. - Roger.
Now turns on the internet monitor.
1007, report
constant disposition. Over.
[Jade: Online]
[Silence: Jade, Jade.]
You finally come.
[Get offline!]
[Get offline, hurry!]
No, I won't.
You dismissed me, and left me drowned.
1007 now approaching henroost.
Completing disposition in 13 minutes.
Roger.
[Jade, to be honest,]
[I... I'm a cop.]
What are you talking about?
I-I-It's true! I-I-I'm a cop...
We're raiding tonight.
[Our team has been investigating your site for a long time.]
[We make recordings.]
[If you don't get offline,]
[you'll get into troubles.]
It wasn't Takeko who said she liked me...
♪ Evening wind glides through the grass.♪
♪ Sunset dyes jasmine red. ♪
♪ Her smile blooms in silence and ♪
♪ Veils her secrets inside. ♪
♪ Moonlight glittering; mist pervades jasmine. ♪
♪ Gazing you, too hard to leave you.♪
♪ Moonlight glittering; mist pervades jasmine. ♪
♪ Waiting for you, walk into my dream. ♪
♪ Jasmine, will you forget me? ♪
♪ Jasmine, please remember I am here. ♪
♪ Jasmine, on the branch you're so pretty. ♪
♪ Jasmine, please remember me. Never forget me. ♪
I'm going online waiting for you.
This is my last message.
Please remember me.
Playing computer games makes you cry that hard?
Don't cry.
Granny.
No more games. No more...
No more crying.
At least, the pain of tattoo
can ease the pain in your heart.
Bro.
Sis.
Why do you remember all things?
And you?
Will you choose to forget?
[Jade, I'm sorry. I'll wait for you in the studio.]
The background of this movie is the 99/09/21 Taiwan earthquake, where many people lost their families.