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Episode 53
Eat a lot. There might not be lunch today.
- Okay. - We will.
New Year's Eve is the busiest time for hairdressers.
We might not even get any sleep.
All our regular customers will be here.
We'll put my mirror out in the studio too.
An extra mirror won't help we're shorthanded.
Oshin can help comb the hair today.
Osode can work on the finished side.
But...
It's about time you got promoted after three years.
Yes.
I'm not ready yet...
Have more confidence!
I've been letting you comb my hair every night.
I shouldn't be combing hair before Oritsu.
Skill is what counts in this business.
It may be impossible for a 12 year-old but you're 16
so you should be able to comb hair!
Oritsu understands don't you?
Yes.
Then that's how we'll do it. Are you clear?
Welcome!
- Welcome! - Welcome!
Welcome.
This way please.
Sorry to keep you waiting.
On New Year's Eve the hairdresser opens its doors before dawn
and doesn't close until about noon of New Year's Day.
It would be busy all during that period.
Thank you very much.
Even after closing all the workers are too tired to enjoy the New Year.
All they wanted to do was sleep but Oshin could not stay idle.
It was her job to make the special New Year's soup.
You go and rest. You worked hard.
So did you!
I'm used to it and it's easier than babysitting.
You sure are a strong one.
That's about all I'm good for.
It's done!
Thanks.
You must be exhausted.
I'm only doing my job.
Although I got to comb hair I'm still a maid.
Thanks everybody!
We made it through to the New Year.
Here are the tips we got from our customers.
- Here you go. - Thank you.
Here Oshin.
I get some too?
You worked just as hard as we all did.
Take it you were the busiest!
Working in the shop and doing the housework.
- This is for you Oritsu. - Thanks.
Thank you very much.
Rest up today. We'll be busy again tomorrow.
Let's celebrate with our New Year's soup.
- Let's eat. - Let's eat.
There was a one-yen note in the tip envelope.
It wasn't much but Oshin was happy.
She had been paid for doing a hairdresser's job!
But Oshin had little time for being happy.
It would soon be tomorrow and she would be
working hard as usual again in the new year.
Oshin!
Is our owner awake? I'll make tea.
Okei and Onatsu are quitting!
Why?
Who will take over their place combing?
If you want to leave go on.
You'll be able to get other combing jobs.
You can find better places to work I'm sure.
Go on. Leave!
Please try to understand how Okei and Onatsu feel.
What's the use? They just want to quit.
I can understand how they feel
and I know Oshin is a hard worker
but these two... had to work as maids for three years
before they could start combing hair.
They're upset because Oshin got promoted so quickly!
Is that what they're upset about?
I tried to talk them out of it.
Skill is what counts in this business.
But those who put in the long years of training are being shortchanged.
Okei and Onatsu put up with years of training!
And we did too.
Now you're breaking the understood rules.
- We all feel badly. - I see.
But if they don't like how I do things here they have to leave.
I don't want people like that working here!
But...
Please don't quit!
Oshin!
I'll be glad to work as a maid for three more years.
- I'm willing to do that... - You stay out of it!
No! Onatsu and Okei are both needed here.
I couldn't stay if they both left.
Oshin!
I'll even quit myself if that'll make things better.
Don't be silly! You have nowhere else to go.
But...
We all work here to learn hairdressing and to better our lots.
So please don't quit over trivial reasons.
Yes please don't quit.
Think of how Oshin feels.
Please forget about this and pretend it never happened.
Please forgive them.
Come on you two. Let's get back to work.
I'm so sorry for complaining!
I just wanted you to understand how the girls feel.
Ma'am...
I appreciate your kindness very much but...
You sure don't have much courage.
You'll never make it unless you're willing
to climb over others to get to the top.
I thought you had that in you...
but I was wrong.
If that's how you are I'll handle you accordingly.
After that Taka never let Oshin comb a customer's hair.
Oshin had missed out on a chance to get ahead.
But she had no regrets.
She knew that was the only way to survive
the harsh reality of living in a group.
She and Ritsu continued as before being maids.
Okei and Onatsu remained cold towards Oshin
and that hurt her feelings.
I've never stayed in a hotel before.
Are you sure it's all right?
Why not?
I'll probably never come to Tokyo again.
Once I go home I'll never get to enjoy such luxuries again.
It's my last fling!
Oh come on. You'll live to be 100.
I don't want to live that long.
I've had enough trouble in my lifetime already.
Why not just retire?
You have uncle Hitoshi to run the Tanokura Supermarkets.
You have nothing to worry about!
Nothing to worry about?
You suffered enough in the old days.
You worked day and night without pay.
And you got no holidays.
That would be against the law today.
I was in training and that's how things were.
You never quit and just hung in there?
When you have a bunch of women all living
under one roof you always have some trouble.
Listen to you
I get the feeling that we're all living willful and wasteful lives.
It's as if you were reprimanding us all.
That's why I never told anybody.
Nobody wants to listen to an old person talk about the past.
If you don't like it you can leave. I never asked you to come along.
Oh come on. You can't go wandering off alone.
- I'm concerned about you! - Mind your own business.
Your college should be back in session soon.
Why not go back to your rooming house while we're here in Tokyo.
It's fine.
I've decided to go along with you the whole way.
It will take at least another month.
I'll come if it takes a whole year more!
Kei.
To tell you the truth...
I enjoy your stories more than the lectures at school.
Your father might get very upset with you.
He's worried about you!
He's the one who asked me to stay with you.
- Shall we call him? - No.
I won't say where we are just let him know that all is well.
Aren't you curious to know what's going on back home?
I already know what's going on. That's why I left on this journey.
Are we going to keep waiting for your mother
to come back home on her own?
She's been gone 10 days already. It's about time she came home.
We have to seal our deal with Namiki!
What if he sells the land to developers?
What could I do?
Mother's friends with Namiki's old man.
I'm sure she can cut us a good deal.
She knows Namiki's owner?
How does she know him?
Never mind! It doesn't concern you.
However...
Is there any sense in waiting for her?
She might have left home knowing the problems we face.
That's what I think.
Mother knew our family business is in trouble?
And she's forsaken us?
She was against our opening our new store.
Don't be silly!
Mother's the one who built up Tanokura Supermarket!
She'd never do anything to hurt the business.
Thanks to Avallac'h and XrayMind at D-Addicts.
Translation: UTB Channel