I just had my second birthday since I broke up with my lover of 7 years.
It's been a low start to my 39th year,
But perhaps things will eventually fall into place.
The time to pick myself up from of the floor might have just come.
The bad one is me. Saying such horrible words...
"I'll leave you and have someone else's children."
I've been thinking...
One more time...
Nevermind... How about Dinner?
"I want to taste the sweetness of love one more time.
But I never want to taste the bitterness again."
♪♪～
This will do.
Kentaro is still as kind as he was since the last time I seen him.
I can't contained my happiness.
Let's toast us running into each other.
Cheers! Cheers!
Mmm delicious! Are you still in "Deadline Heaven"?
"Heaven" brings back memories. You said it all the time.
I did? Yeah, you added it to other things.
Let's see... There was quota heaven, overtime heaven,
and of course queue heaven. That's right.
Of all the things that drew me to him, It was his monogamy that I liked.
However, his incessant refusal to get married left me
irratated.
How are things? Work still the same? I'm still selling wine.
You're still a regular customer here too.
Because we had our first date here.
Yeah we did. Do you remember? I was raining really hard.
We kept drinking until it stopped and we got drunk.
Then you carried me home?
Ah ...I probably did.
Shall we eat? Yeah.
Mmm delicious. Haven't had this paté in a while.
Me either. Huh?
Excluding work, I haven't come here since the last time I came with you.
I see.
Is that his way of telling me that he has no one to come here with?
Or is he saying that he can't gather himself to bring another woman here?
Everyone's doing well? Yeah they are.
Well, there's all sorts of things going on though.
I'm home. I'm making you favorite tomato cream...
What are you doing?
You told me to leave. You're going to leave and go where?
Sorry, Mitsuki. I'm running a bit late. Help me roll these up.
You're awfully relaxed Mama. Huh?
He's been gone a week already.
Are you not worried about Papa!? Mitsuki!
Worried? It should be a given that I'm worried.
I'm the one who's changed the least. Really?
You know, once more...
Huh?
I wanted to hear your phrase once again. Phrase?
"It not like with people where younger is better,
Wine becomes delicious with time."
You used to say it all the time. In your early 30's.
Ah~
♪♪～
But we do get better with age, don't we?
Really?
I really want to know what else he.
had to say when he said "One more time."
But there is a burnt stake in both of our chests.
Just us feeling each other out put my heart in high spirits.
♪♪～
Mitsuki!
Ichiko. What happened? Huh?
You're glowing. I am?
Should I leave home too?
What? You still haven't heard for Papa?
If I don't you have to take responsibilty.
What do you mean?
If Papa doesn't come because it's because of you!
Mitsuki.
Hey, Mari! What are you doing?
You really don't know anything about Akira?
I told you I don't know anything.
Weren't you on the phone with him yesterday?
He called me?
I checked the call log. Girl,
You can't being doing those things with Akira.
You talked him into leaving me.
Huh? Didn't you tell me that
I shouldn't be with him!
Mari, you do like yourself right now?
You're stalking the boy because he rather look at me than photos.
And at 39; that's a disgrace.
Which of us is the disgraceful one. Haa?
Don't make eyes with peoples boyfriends.
Akira won't take you seriously. You're just a joke.
Now you've gone too far. The boss is not a joke, he's real.
It's fine, that's who I am. I'm ok with being a joke. Now leave.
And our plans later, cancel them. Gladly.
You have a boring face.
Ah~ Mari, you're here. I was just leaving.
Why are you smiling?
Ah! Hm? What happened?
You don't look shrived up. I don't?
Could it be a man? Eeh~?
Oh I must be right! Tell me about him!
Stop it, Don't act like an older sister.
This is how you carry on a love story.
This is the layout. Come on, let's talk business.
Let's see... Fix here and here.
If you're in love you'll probably make more of a mess.
Its only a few corrections, how could I mess it up?
Am I wrong?
I swear, you are 39 now. What are you going to do when a man comes along?
Mari is already that way and Natsu's husband ran away.
You guys sure you aren't little Tsuji Fusaes in training are you?
Who's training?
It seems that woman has gotten a hold of her next victim.
She was like a peacock with all those colorful bags.
Could it be that the victim is Natsu's husband?
Aha... no no no. Kengo is a cheapskate.
Well anyway, Ichiko, you just be happy.
Ah that's right.
Bring a date to this.
I'm blessing you with the out of season stage performance of "No. 9."
If Papa doesn't come because it's because of you!
This is Igarashi Kengo Hello.
I'm Mitsuki. You're so cute.
Kengo and Tsuji Fusae met
at Miyake's choir's concert last year.
I couldn't be...
Mari.
Making soup when ever someone hit a
wall started back in high school with Mari's unrequited love.
Mari's here as well.
What's wrong Natsu? You know~.
We cut the vegatables in to small pieces to ease our minds, allowing our tears
and frustrations disvolve in the soup. Lastly, we put it away in our stomaches.
It's like a ceremony to help us get over things.
Instead of comforting words, we just get together and let the kitchen
knives do the talking.
Mari came by today.
She was desperate.
She truely loves you.
If you're thinking of going back to her then you should go back.
If you aren't going back, fell free to stay here until you find a place to go.
Don't worry. I can sleep on the couch.
Um...
I'm sorry to have to depend on you.
It's ok. Depend on me as much as you like.
♪♪～
When we first started living together, Akira couldn't eat. That's no longer him
He loved my tomato cream pasta more than anything.
Mari, Aren't you acting like his mother?
Huh?
Being concerned with how a child fares when out of your grasp
is something only a mother would do.
Something happened with Mitsuki?
Maybe it would be better
if I took the blame for him going away.
If Papa doesn't come because it's because of you!
What's wrong? Nothing.
He still hasn't contacted you?
He got a new job. He quit the old one.
Feels like he doesn't want to come back. He took 2,000,000 yen from the house.
2,000,000? If you took that much money,
he might be serious.
Tsuji Fusae?
Aaaah~
What about Tsuji Fusae? You're refering spider woman?
I don't think he knows her.
The truth is, I went with her to Miyake's concert last year.
And he met here there.
Try calling her? Tsuji Fusae?
Wait a sec... Call and ask what?
Did you steal my husband?
It's alright.
There's no end to my suspicions. I'm tired.
I'm just going to be a trusting wife and wait.
Are you going to be some matter of fact about it?
Husband and Wife are seperate people afterall.
This is Igarashi. Papa!
I can't come to the phone right now.
Please leave your name and reason for calling after the beep.
Papa is a fool.
♪♪～
Hey, can I take some of this to Mitsuki?
Sure. But will she like it? The spices are strong.
She'll hate it.
We used to call this broken heart soup. Mari came up with the name.
When we were down, it was usually because of a broken heart.
It's like that right now. That's true.
We didn't grow up. Yeah.
You know, Whenever I have this soup
it seems like whatever bothered me has gone away.
You feel that way too? Yeah.
I wonder if I'll every be happy again. You certainly will.
Hello?
It looks like I'll be stuck at work next monday.
Will tuesday be bad too? Then what about Wednesday or Thursday?
It's ok if you're working late. What about the weekend?
Then well meet at Irple again on Friday.
What?
♪♪～
I suddendly had to put in overtime at work.
Really. Then are you free next Saturday?
Sorry.
I'll call you later. Ok.
When we were dating I used to call him 5 minutes before we were to meet
just so I could hear his voice.
Maybe I'm the only one with a charred stake still lodged in their chest.
Is that woman going to Miyake's concert this year too?
Which person?
The person you brought. Ah.
She's pretty.
You're Mama won't lose to her. She just wants money.
And if she becomes my Mama? Huh? She asked me.
How would you like me to become your Mama?
She said that? Yeah.
So Mitsuki does supect that her father is with Tsuji Fusae.
I should take resposibilty for introducing them.
This creations biggest suspensis is Tsuji Fusae.
Ah, Ichiko. It's been a while. Hello.
What's wrong? Why do you ask?
Huh? You're silent. Ah... Well
I have got tickets to the concert we when to last year.
I love "No. 9." Can I call you back later?
I can't decide right now.
You can't decide? You have to consult with someone?
Huh? Why do you ask that? Why?
I'll let you know as soon as possible.
There's something to Tsuji Fusae's akwardness.
It seems like she doesn't want the ticket.
But there doesn't seem to be any connection to Kengo.
I'm sending in the manuscript now. Please cormfim that you've received it.
Kotaro hasn't called since that day.
I don't know what to do. I can't
keep it together.
Hello. Ichiko?
Is it ok for me to come over there?
Right now? Yes. To get the ticket.
Yeah. Sorry for coming so suddenly.
Am I disturbing you? No.
Deadline Heaven? Huh?
I said it before, Ichiko. Ah, did I?
Are you going to the concert Ichiko?
Me? I think I'll pass this year.
Then can I have 2 tickets?
Two? Yes.
Ah, That's right? You remember the man and girl you met last year?
Igarashi Mitsuki. You remember her name?
Yeah. After that I ran into by chance at the hotel and we had tea.
With Mitsuki and Kengo? Yes.
Ah, at the time did you say something like "If I become your Mama"?
Huh? You said it, didn't you? To Mitsuki.
Ah, I did say it. If my first marriage were still on
I would have had a child like her. I don't think that's strange.
What else? Did you say anything else to Mitsuki?
Not much. Just that she was a cute kid. She...
Yeah, that's right. You do like
cute kids. Yes I do.
Are you alright? You don't look good.
You've been working all night. It's best if you rest.
Excuse me.
OK. Be careful. Be careful.
Here you go. Thanks.
I've been quite thirsty lately.
Ah, where is this coaster from?
No idea. I something I recieved from someone.
It's made from a recycled wine barrel.
Eeh~ Wine. I've been searching for this.
I've come to want this.
Ah... So who are you going to "No. 9" with?
Ichiko, you were a friend of my first husband.
Even though we divorced, you continued to be my friend.
I just don't want you to hate me.
So Tsuji Fusae is with Kengo...
"Bitter Sugar" Is this a novel? Huh?
Ah! Don't look at this! I'm sorry.
Here's the tickets. Thank you so much.
Do you have bitter sugar? Huh?
Or
Are you beginning to feel bitter?
This is a gift from New York. New York? Not Paris?
I went to New York this year.
Tsuji Fusae is great at picking things I
like out of all the irrelavent souvenirs she buys.
♪♪～
Somehow, memories of my trip to New York with Kotaro came out
and left with a mix of emotions.
Kotaro.
I'm sorry about before.
I've wanted to see you.
I thought I'd never see you again.
♪♪～
I'm in love now.
Once again, with Kotaro.
Natsu.
Did Mitsuki come here?
Thinking that her father would appear with Tsuji Fusae,
Mitsuki when to the site of Miyake's concert.
Mitsuki! What are you doing?
Come on, What you doing? If you don't hurry, it'll start.
You too, you're up next.
I just come to see if you brought a good man.
Ah, Tsuji Fusae.
She's still gold digging. See you later.
Ichiko, you came?
Where's your date? He'll be here soon.
♪♪～
The bitterness of sugar scorn by the flames of love has changed.
♪♪～
♪♪ If I shut my eyes, 10 generations of me stand.
♪♪ Pitifully, even my blind strength is only a fantasy.
♪♪ Aah~ Don't go away my clumsily changing
♪♪ ideals of happiness, ok.
♪♪～
♪♪ This story continues with a sigh,
♪♪ Like a heroine in a film,
♪♪ No one knows their last.
♪♪ Alone in a silent bathroom,
♪♪ I see the hesitant person in the mirror and
♪♪ I want to them "It's alright."
I've been really thirsty lately.
This is ironic. I wasn't hoping for this.
Pay back the rent upto now. Lies. All Lies.
I'll make time to spend with the family. When is it like that!?
Hey, Aren't you happy you came?
Mitsuki, you resemble a young Natsu.