There are times in a persons life when things suddenly open up.
Kei's choreography for the commercial
unexpectedly took the world by storm.
Kei went overseas to work as a choreographer.
He was flying higher and higher.
I'm going to London!
And yet I...
I don't want be restricted to only Japan.
It has no words so dance has the ability to transcend borders.
You get what I'm saying don't you. I don't get it.
What do you want to be, Yui?
Is there nothing you want to do? A goal?
Marriage...
I want to marry you, Kei.
I failed.
With things like that, he flew off to London.
It's morning in London now. He'll still be in the hotel.
Pick up...
Where are you?
Where are you? Where are you?
I want to see you. Where are you?
Where are you, where are you. That's what Kei said so many times
and yet since he left 5 days ago
he hasn't called me once.
London
You're feeling OK aren't you? I'm in the middle of work.
Are you eating properly? I'm in the middle of work.
Is it cold in London? I'm in the middle of work.
Are you well? Did you arrive safely? I'm in the middle of work.
Were you crying Miss?
No.
Here we are. Sorry for the intrusion.
Here are some slippers if you'd like them.
I'm OK without them.
What are you looking at?
So you've been having sex in a place like this.
Next time, please invite me to your house.
I want to inspect you and your boyfriend's place and say the same thing.
There may be a skylight
but it's not exactly the attic of "La Boheme."
It's really loud when it's raining.
It's raining hard.
It's good because no-one can hear us.
We're not that loud.
We are aren't we?
I like you. What?
I like you!
I can't hear you.
I like you!
Ah yes, take a look at this...
My short and stout man.
He looks yummy.
They look like a mother and son.
He's cute isn't he.
Somehow I don't really like slim men, I can't feel them.
People seek what they don't have, so they fall in love with someone right?
Is it like that with a dancer and a teacher too?
From the time we met, I've not been sure what to think.
Even now, I still don't know.
Trying to understand your partner is love but,
well... there's no point wasting too much time thinking about it.
You're right...
I am taking each day at a time because
I think he'll come home to me.
Men, where do they return too, under what roof are they sleeping.
When he returns from London he'll come back here right?
That's fine isn't it.
Well it's his apartment after all.
I suddenly felt anxious.
Will he actually come back to me?
I think that I will go to France after all.
Have you finally decided? Yes.
I said I'd give up my position at school,
I'm doing the school and the students a disservice,
so I will try and go.
You're so cool Miss Ueda.
Living together under the same roof.
That's an inviolable rule of men and women.
Recently, the place I have inside his heart is getting smaller, it's not healthy.
I want to take it back.
Regain my territory! That's good!
Kei and I living together in London or Dresden,
and you two together in France...
A Japanese dancer,
and a contemporary dancer.
Ichinose Yuta has made
great efforts as the Dresden Fortner companies
principle dancer.
On the other hand
I think everyone has seen Taira Kei.
The pasta sauce commercial's dance... What?!
What...? I've got to record this!
What is this! What!
Seriously! That seedy guy?
Seriously? Is Yui a good luck charm?
Your kidding me... Is it OK? Being with such a talented person. What!
Mum.
Hello, Nokuchi of Kei's office.
My name is Nishihara Yui...
Ah...
Could you please tell me the number
of the flight Kei is returning on tomorrow?
East Airlines flight 79 Narita Airport 5:30 arrival
His departure time wasn't decided so
Flight number 79 on East Airlines. He should arrive at Narita at half past 3.
Thank you very much.
No problem.
I'm back.
What's this? Aren't you due back tomorrow?
The work in London is developing rapidly so I need to return quickly.
What do you mean? Rapidly developing?
Please take a look at this. If you'd called, I've have picked you up.
I want to get the work here done quickly
so I can return to London as soon as possible.
Do you have the schedule?
It's not going to be that simple to sort out all the work.
Mr Yamaoka, what is this thing
that looks like a proposal? Ah.
This time the tour will be going to
Paris, New York, Moscow, Beijing
and other big cities but that's not all.
It will go around the smaller towns too.
Is that the producers idea? The smaller regions?
So therefore we'll need to reshuffle to use the minimum staff and dancers.
We're going to perform in areas where they've never seen dance before.
Of course there may not be a theatre so
we will dance on top of sand or earth.
For one year...
It's a long project. But it's something I'm really interested in.
You're joking right? Finally you're back on track and
you're going to continue turning down major offers of work for a year?
What on earth is it you're heading for Taira Kei?
It's just a hunch but... I have a feeling that
this tour is close to what I'm aiming for.
My goal is to create a dance that no one in the world has seen before
and I have a feeling that lies ahead of me in this tour.
What's that? That isn't enough of a basis.
You can't fill your stomach with just ideals.
Please earn money in Japan.
I want to go. Why now?
Things are just starting to go well aren't they.
I'm really glad that there's work for me.
After losing my position, I felt I'd finally found a new place.
But it suddenly struck me.
The position that I'd wanted, could it actually be this...
I don't know what you're talking about!
The famous dancers in the big city tours
have all turned it down but, I want to do it.
Of course they'd turn it down. Mr Yamaoka, you stop it too.
I want to do it.
I'll make Kei's favourite sweet and sour pork.
Let's add the ammonia, little by little, into the solution of copper sulphate.
Please pay attention to the change in colour.
Yes.
Just another hour and a half to go.
Technical problems?
Hello, Kei's office.
Hello... Kei's office.
Why are you there?
Yui...
Weren't you on East Airlines flight 79?
I'm sorry, I came back yesterday.
Yesterday...?
Yesterday...
So why didn't you come back home?
Where did you go?
Hello?
Have you come to hate me?
That's not it.
Am I in your way? No you're not.
In that case, why didn't you come home?
It's your home isn't it?
I went to the office yesterday, to talk about work. The office?
I ending up staying there.
With Nokuchi?
Why are you saying that.
There's nothing going on with Ayako.
But...
This is painful.
We can talk about it slowly next time.
When will that be? Why don't you head home,
I'll be leaving shortly too.
I am sorry I wasn't able to contact you.
but for a while I won't be coming home.
Are you OK?
Yes.
Welcome home. Sweet and sour pork tonight. Yui
He's decided not to return here.
He's decided not to sleep under the same roof as me.
If I could just see him I think I would be calmed.
If I could see Kei's face.
How can I help you?
This is Yamaoka's office and Kei's office.
I'm Nishihara Yui. Where is Kei?
He is currently out at a meeting with his manager.
You have some business with Taira?
When will he return?
Ah... I think he'll be a while yet.
What is your connection with Taira?
Shall we try and contact his manager.
Could you tell him that Nishihara was here.
Why is it I couldn't say
that I was living with him.
I don't have confidence in my relationship with him.
I don't have confidence in myself.
Very well, could you give us about a week please.
Ah...it's fine. I'll have it done by tomorrow.
It would be very helpful if you could do that.
I'll leave it in your hands.
Thank you.
It's all very well trying to clear things up quickly,
we still have to do a good job. Of course we do.
Lies. You just want to get rid of this as quickly as you can right.
It is a rush but I'll still do a proper job.
Remember how things were a few months back.
You've finally got hold of some important work.
I've got hold of a hotel room for you. From today please sleep there.
It's fine at the office. I've already checked you in.
If you sleep on the sofa you won't be properly rested.
If you don't feel rested you won't be able to do good work.
I'm the one who understands your feelings the best so...
So?
So I want you to do the work I've chosen for you properly.
I am.
Welcome.
Dumplings, fried rice and Olong tea.
Coming up.
Can I sit here? Yes...
You've come here too?
I suddenly got the urge to eat dumplings.
Has something happened to make you feel that way?
Well various things have happened.
I have good memories of this restaurant so
I come here once every three days.
That much?!
The first time we came we had to line up before being seated didn't we.
That's right.
I'm sorry for what happened in the past.
I apologise!
Sorry to keep you waiting. Yes.
Have one of the warm dumplings.
It's good that you have an appetite.
Having a dancer in his 20s is great, I understand that but
people from that world are hollow.
Hollow?
Stop!
Would you mind watching me for a moment?
People tend to think there is value in having something
showy, something gorgeous.
Gorgeousness... In short that's hollow.
But the education we give
our students, whether it's for 30 or 50 years, it'll live on right?
With such plain work
it's difficult to know if our efforts will be rewarded.
It lacks any showiness.
But our feet are on the ground.
With our feet on the ground we are living in the real world.
We don't understand the world of those hollow people.
But...I want to understand it.
The fact that I want to understand, isn't that love?
Maybe so?
But you don't know whether he wants
you to understand do you.
It's dangerous. I am also becoming hollow.
I think I am able to understand you better.
Shall we try going to the place that we always go to?
OK let's go.
Thank you for the food. Thank you very much.
Er...
I'm sorry, I'm going to go home after all.
I think I always want to be Kei's goddess.
I'm so glad... He's come home.
Are you hungry?
I don't need anything.
Why? Even though you've gone to the trouble of coming home.
I have something I want to talk to you about.
You want to talk...?
Do you want to talk about why you haven't come back here?
I am sorry for making you feel lonely.
It's fine, you're home now.
The choreography programme in London is
going on a world tour. I told you about it didn't I.
Yes. London, Paris, Rome, New York.
Los Angles, Beijing, Hong Kong, Tokyo.
You have a good memory.
I can remember the schedule as well.
After that they are downscaling
and they will be going to smaller places.
Smaller places?
Contemporary dance is without limits.
So I want to reach those people and children
who are just doing the best they can to survive.
I want people to be touched by this production.
On the way back we are going to the Philippines and Tibet.
I think it would be amazing thing
if my dance could reach
the children there.
For sure... I think I will also change.
But Kei, you're a choreographer aren't you.
I know it's going to be a big tour
but do you have to do the small tour as well?
The company will be scaled down so I myself will also dance.
How long are you going to be gone for?
Including the tour of the big cities, it will take about 10 months.
If you include preparation time... One year.
You'll be gone for a year.
Yes.
A year you say...
Could it be that you want to break up?
If I wanted to break up I wouldn't be talking to you like this.
At the time when I met you I thought that I wanted to die
and then a way opened up before me.
Not just dancing,
I'm also in demand for my choreography.
It all started from when I met you.
The first time you walked down that pathway
the premonition that I had when I saw you. This time it feels like that too.
Premonition? That's right.
When I saw you that time
I had a premonition that a new way would open up before me.
This time too, I have a similar sense.
I think this tour will open up a new road for me.
I want you to understand that everything started because of you.
A stage in a theatre is not the only stage there is.
I was dancing when I met you.
This time too, I'll be dancing not on a stage but on the ground.
Where are you going? Africa or somewhere?
Africa and South America.
Asia and the Middle East.
I don't like it, I'm not going to see you for more than a year.
I want to go.
Won't you come with me?
What?
What I want is for you to
come with me and be able to see it with your own eyes.
Put aside your work as a teacher and your mother too.
If you can come, come.
Even more than now, I'll be all over the place,
maybe I'll get hurt, the environment might be bad and it won't be fun.
But if we go together...
I will talk to the producer about it.
I'll say that there is someone that I want to bring with me.
That is my love for you.
My proposal.
But if we go together...
I will talk to the producer about it.
I'll say that there is someone that I want to bring with me.
That is my love for you.
My proposal.
Are we going to get married?
Well marriage is... I haven't thought about that yet.
But to me this is the
same thing as proposing.
I don't understand the same...
Think about it.
Are you going?
Before the tour there's some work I want to finish up.
I'm going back to the office.
The only thing I want is for him to come back here.
It's not like you'd say you'll go straight away, is it...
I would like to resign as of the first term.
What?
The truth is I have a partner
and it's because of his job.
It seems he is going to have to go to France.
We'll be without a teacher until the end of the year
are there no other alternatives? There aren't.
What are we going to do about the form tutor for the kids until April?
She's giving all this up and going right. That's can't be right...
That's so... but it happens right?
I'd like you to please accept this for me.
Do you really love him that much?
Yes. Regarding your partner's job relocation
to what extent have the plans been made?
Miss Ueda's resolve is amazing.
Teacher, have you heard. Maru has been dumped.
It's because she doesn't understand the hearts of men.
I told her that she is being to heavy.
Teacher do you understand your boyfriend's heart?
There is no way she understands, it's Nishiboo after all.
But Nishiboo has a boyfriend who is younger than her doesn't she.
I don't know whether that story is true or not though.
No way.
There's no way it can be understood right. A man's heart.
I've been a teacher for 11 years but
I don't understand the feelings of you students either.
And you too, don't understand the feelings of the teachers either.
Fundamentally people don't understand other people.
That's why they hurt each other.
What is it?
I like you.
One minute, here, could you hand these papers out.
What is it Sora likes? It's Nishiboo isn't it?
Not Naginagi. Nishiboo.
Please come back to the classroom.
Are you OK?
Miss Nishihara...
I like you.
I'm surprised but I'm honoured.
But I already have someone that I love.
So I can't respond to your feelings.
Miss... Is it going well with him.
It's not going well...
But...I really like him.
I understand.
Being so clearly rejected, I feel refreshed.
I'm glad I told you.
I'm going back.
What should I do.
Mum!
Welcome home.
Your fridge is surprisingly well stocked!
The steamed dumplings aren't going to fit in, I'll leave them here.
Hey, I saw him on the telly, he was amazing.
Crab...shrimp....shrimp.
That was him too wasn't it.
With that you'll be economically stable
it would be good if you could buy an apartment or something.
Yep.
What's the matter? Why do you look so sad.
Maybe we should eat some steamed dumplings.
Yes let's eat, while it's still warm.
Where's the soy sauce... Here is is.
It looks good.
Yes.
Here you go.
I'm digging in. Here you go.
Does it taste good? Yes.
Is it OK if I have one too.
You can take one yourself can't you.
I gave them to you, so they are yours.
Okay I'm digging in.
Tastes good.
When you eat steamed dumplings, power comes out in your face Yui.
Isn't that too quick for that.
People with talent are
frighting, so don't lose out.
When dad went off with that women.
I was so lonely
and I broke down right?
And so Yui... Performers have a special kind of talent
and I would hate it if he played with you
and you became so lonely that you broke down.
It's okay.
Please don't break.
I won't break.
You've become strong haven't you. Just recently you were sobbing your eyes out.
If I met him, I think I would be very sarcastic so I'm going home.
You're going already.
Hang in there.
Could you get his signature for me please.
Shall I close the office?
Why?
I won't be back for a year. It's not good for you.
Do you have to go, no matter what?
I do.
One year is fine by me.
I'll look after things in your absence, it's best that I stay here.
After I come back from this tour
I don't know whether I'll still want to do this kind of work.
Nevertheless you'll still need a manager.
You're an idiot!
Anyway enough about me, what are you going to do about her?
I won't break.
I've decided that.
What is it? Good work.
There is something I want to talk about. Yes?
There is a women that I'd like to bring with me on tour.
What? I've already spoken to the London producer
I've spoken to him but there doesn't seem to be a good way of doing it.
Would you like something to drink? I only have tea or water though.
Water.
Would you like something more to drink.
I was so happy that you wanted me to come on this tour with you.
I've already talked to the producer about it.
Since then I
have tried imagining myself going around lots of different countries with you,
I don't really know.
If you don't try and go
you won't know what it will feel like.
But for sure I think that this something that has meaning.
For me and for the people that see the dance.
That's right. I am sure that is right.
I think that's what makes you amazing.
I love you so much I think I could die. I truly love you but...
But I can't go with you on this tour.
Even if I went with you, I don't think my heart would be in it.
Eating meals with you. Sleeping and waking in the same room.
Having sex and looking at your sleeping face afterwards.
I want all those repeated small happinesses.
Even if you think it annoying, worrying about your health...
"How was work today?" Asking you those kind of things.
Showing your dance in unknown countries to unknown people,
it's something important to you, I understand that but...
I want an ordinary sort of happiness.
I want to live in an ordinary way.
But back then
didn't you accept me as a dancer?
Didn't you see me dance and fall in love with me?
That's right.
I wanted to live an ordinary life together with that Kei.
But I understand that that is just my selfishness.
The happiness that you want is something different.
We are too far away from each other.
And so it's sad but...
So sad that my heart is breaking but...
I don't think that we can carry on in this way.
If we don't follow our own paths
we will surely be broken.
We're breaking up?
Thank you for the wonderful time we've had.
I'll clean the apartment next Saturday in preparation.
Yui... I love you.
Pretty...
Goodbye.
I can't come with you this time but,
I want to find for you a dream I can passionately talk about.
The next time I met her
was one year later in spring.