You asked me to help you forget your ex-boyfriend.
It's quite easy.
I feel like I should believe you...
because you said it from my...
left side.
Okay, two. Wait a second.
Thanks for waiting.
- How much? - It's fine. It's on the house.
- Yum. - Right? They're popular.
Quite a line builds up at night.
It feels empty.
What does it mean to be married?
She doesn't talk to you for five years.
Yes.
She just keeps frying croquettes.
Darn it. If she hates me that much, she could just leave.
- She doesn't hate you. - Really?
It's just that right now, the croquettes are more important.
Why?
Maybe she's communicating with them.
- She does sometime mumble while-- - I thought so!
It's not pork cutlets or pork skewers, just croquettes.
- There's a hint there-- - No.
- I see. - I found it.
I found it.
So cute!
Good job finding it.
That's my daughter. What kind of family are we?
"CROQUETTES"
Yum.
I used to own a teddy bear once.
Me too, but one day it disappeared.
We just managed to find it.
Deep in the closet.
Really. Women are so cold.
When you were little,
you used to cuddle it while you slept.
- Its fluffiness was comforting. - Then, you grow up...
and you care more about hot guys than teddy bears.
It gets forgotten and thrown out.
What? Masochism? Pooh, you're like a teddy bear.
Yeah, he is.
- MI.MM
- Hey, me? - Hey.
I don't need this!
Oh, wow.
Clumsy!
- No way. - Sorry, Mei. It got dirty.
It's okay. I was going to throw it out.
How cold those women are.
"SATOMI ISHIHARA"
"KAZUNOBU MINETA"
"BORN TO BE A FLOWER"
"EPISODE 3"
After Dad died...
for a while, Mum cried all the time.
I wondered how she could cry so much.
It shows how much she loved your father.
She always complained, so I was surprised.
Women's hearts are a mystery.
Even when I tried to cheer her up, nothing I did helped.
I thought she was broken.
But one day I asked...
"How did you meet Dad?"
- How they fell in love? - Yes.
Then, she told me happily.
He wasn't her type, but he kept courting her.
Your mother was a beauty.
So Pooh takes after his father.
I didn't really want to hear about it,
but almost every day, we'd talk about it.
Every week,
he came with a bunch of flowers that didn't suit him.
He was clever like you.
It's cunning.
See, flowers always wilt.
By then, he'd come, bringing a new bunch of flowers.
He repeated it again and again.
Every day, she looked forward to telling me.
Even if I'd heard it before...
Well...
I patiently listened.
Day after day.
Yeah.
Month after month?
Yeah.
Year after year?
Yeah.
Decade after decade.
Yes.
It's "The Notebook".
Pooh told me on the night of the festival
that it's quite easy to forget my ex.
Right, Pooh?
There's a way to forget my painful heartbreak.
Let's all listen.
- No, no, no. - Yes, yes, yes.
- Pooh! - No, no, no.
In short...
there's no need to forget.
It hurts because you try to forget it.
What's this?
It comes with an explanation for good kids.
The gaping white centre...
is the pain of breaking up.
You wrap it up like this...
in chocolate.
Chocolate?
Is this Chrysanthemum necessary?
You should think about the base.
Fate. Don't you believe?
You're beautiful, but your sister is more my type.
You're distracted.
No.
The flower is beautiful by itself.
You want to make it more beautiful.
If you can't or won't do that, then you shouldn't touch them.
I'm sorry.
Everyone, listen well.
A flower is beautiful by itself.
Please pick one up.
So if you get lots of good memories, you'll forget the pain.
Usually, it fades with time, no matter how bad.
That doesn't work if your loved one dies suddenly.
Momo isn't bereaved.
No. Sometimes, heartbreak can actually break people too.
Artistic types that are too sensitive.
Momo's an artistic escort.
That's funny.
You don't have to forget.
I know that trying to forget hurts, but isn't that escapism?
Running away sounds bad...
but think of it as a temporary refuge.
I see. Refuge?
So every day, Pooh is going to ask me about my ex,
like he asked his mother, as a place of refuge?
Yes. "The Notebook".
From the beginning?
Our sweet, sweet love story. Is that all right?
Yes.
It's the chocolate.
Sweet chocolate.
Why is she angry?
Does anyone know?
Why?
- Hey, Takai! - Yes?
How many chocolates did you get for Valentines?
- What? - Cho-co-Ia-te!
The one I received from you and a few others.
- Did you eat it? - Yes.
Get going.
I already ate them all--
Get the car going!
I'm sorry.
Okay.
Lovely.
Okay, turn a little. Yes.
Lovely. Okay.
Yes, lovely.
That's good. Thank you.
That's the end of the shoot. Thank you.
Why are you...
Nice to meet you. My name is Ryuichi Utsunomiya.
Utsunomiya?
- Tsukishima's natural enemy. - Not at all.
I asked your headmaster if we could work together.
Really?
He asked for you to be included.
Oh, really?
I have some influence with the media.
The headmaster also agreed.
A special on secluded ladies. You get the first feature.
I've always liked the number one.
A pure lady and a secluded young woman.
It's not like the nouveau riche.
The daughter of a distinguished family
going back hundreds of years.
A pure lady that commoners would usually never meet or talk to
still exists.
I'd talk to them.
Even to a teddy bear in the shopping district.
I'd be honoured if you'd exchange contact details with me.
- Okay, I don't mind. - Wait, sister.
How about a commemorative picture? The flower princess and prince.
No, I didn't hear about that.
Please.
Okay, thank you. You look good together. Here I go.
Good. Okay.
Okay, one more.
Good. Okay.
Oh, it's quite dirty.
I'm going to clean him up nicely.
But chocolate...
Akiho, do you know why she got angry too?
Men are so thick. They have no delicacy.
Could you please tell me?
To escape the pain of heartbreak,
you want her to tell you sweet stories instead of forgetting?
Yes. That helped my mum get through it.
That's because you're her son.
What are you to Momo?
What?
Well, I'm not her son.
Aren't you getting into a good relationship and considering dating?
Yeah, I guess so.
You'll listen to her talk about her ex?
Most guys would hate hearing about an ex.
I'd be upset if my boyfriend talked about his ex!
You have a boyfriend?
I don't, but if I did...
Jealousy and envy, those emotions.
So Momo won't thank you at all
for being kind and listening to her about her ex.
If you liked her, you'd hate it. It'd be impossible.
So that means you don't like her, you dirty teddy bear!
That's what happened.
Stop saying "Oh".
How have you managed like that...
You've never had a girlfriend!
It's tricky.
Women are such a bother.
No, this is basic.
If you can't understand a woman's feelings,
you'll be single for life.
- Maybe so. - This isn't the time for laughter.
I...
Thought it'd be good.
- Thank you. - Thank you.
- Momo! - Takuma...
- Sorry for startling you. - What do you want?
Should I be getting
a restraining order on you this time?
That's not why I'm here.
Here.
What? Chocolate? A joke.
Anyway...
go home.
Please look into it.
Momo...
she...
A diploma?
"MAYUMI IWASHITA"
His wife's.
She studied at Tsukishima...
What does this mean?
Ryuichi will be on soon.
I wonder if he'll blow us a kiss.
I'm very sorry, everyone.
Ryuichi can't be here tonight due to various reasons.
I deeply apologise for the late change.
I wonder what's wrong.
Please watch the Japanese culture revolution he created.
"FLOWER GATHERING"
Excuse me.
Mika!
Mama!
That's great. We found your mama at last.
She was drawn in by the smell of flowers.
Little butterfly.
Thank you very much.
Let's go home.
Wow.
Here.
Thank you.
Grow up beautifully and see me again.
- Bye bye. - Bye bye.
Thank you very much.
Hi.
- Why are you here? - Even if she was lost,
people might think you kidnapped her.
- It's a tough world. - A female staff could have...
She was crying and wouldn't leave me.
That doesn't mean you have to...
Okay. Okay. You don't like anything I do.
Wait!
Momo. Everyone has been asking for you.
I said I want to drink alone with this me, not that me.
This isn't a bar to drink alone.
- Okay, I'll go home. - Please stay.
- Stay and drink. - Can I or can't I?
You're our show money.
Proof that we have good women here, even if we can't spend it.
I get special treatment?
You are a crane. A crane in this dump.
A lotus flower in this muddy pond.
- Keep going. It feels good. - Okay.
Welcome.
Momo?
Oh, you should have said. You've called your own customer.
- Would you like to sit here? - Yes, anywhere.
Please.
I didn't think you'd come because of the money.
- I came. - Cheers.
No, straight is...
cheers.
Have you drunk a lot?
Can't I? Can't I drink a lot?
No.
Want some snacks? Cho-co-Ia-te.
At that time, I said something indelicate...
No, I mean...
saying I'd listen to you talk about your ex was too nosy.
It'd be impossible if I liked you.
If I liked you...
jealousy would make it impossible.
- Akiho told you? - Yes.
This.
Would you like to go with me?
You're inviting me on a date as an apology?
- Yes, well... - You don't need to.
It doesn't matter. I'm over it.
I'm sorry.
You listened to your mother.
Her stories about her and your father.
Yes.
This time, you'll listen to me. About me and my ex.
Well, that's...
What about your story?
Pooh.
Don't you have any stories?
Mine?
Climbing over someone's hedge to ask for water.
You're looking down from quite a height,
but don't you have your own garden?
Will you disrespect a stranger?
It's still better than those
who throw rubbish into others' gardens.
Don't you have a garden?
Someone who doesn't grow flowers in their own garden...
Someone like that...
This is bad.
- Bad. - Momo?
- Bad. - Momo, are you all right?
"KAZAMA'S BICYCLE SHOP"
Good morning.
You're here.
Why are you wearing that dress?
The clothes of the other me.
Yesterday...
Takuma was in the entrance.
Yoshiike?
Why? What does this mean?
- I don't believe it. Did you... - No way.
He just gave me that.
"TRAINING CERTIFICATE"
This is our diploma.
The name.
Mayumi Iwashita. Do you know her?
No. If she was an instructor, then maybe.
- But an assistant instructor... - Her last name has changed.
Yoshiike's...
wife?
She studied at Tsukishima?
It might be a coincidence...
or someone might have...
sent her to Takuma.
Someone?
I'm taking a shower.
- What do you mean by this? - I'm cooperating with Tsukishima.
That's not what I'm asking.
I exchanged contact details with Momo.
I'm going to invite her to dinner.
- That's not what you promised. - Promise?
The promise to make Nana the headmaster.
Did I promise that?
What are you saying?
You're a shrill, noisy woman.
You...
You don't seem to understand anything,
so I'll spell it out for you.
You slept with me.
What will happen if the headmaster finds out?
- That's... - I'm fine.
I'll just move my target elsewhere.
You said we're the same, that we should cooperate.
Pretending to be friends.
It's eat or be eaten!
You finally understand your position.
You're my spy.
Don't give me your opinions again.
To...
me.
Ouch!
You stupid bike!
"AROUND JAPAN"
- A flat? - Seems so.
He's coming home by bus.
Then it can't be helped.
No.
It's absolutely not okay.
Are you going home to be a shut-in again?
Shut up.
A world of just your room and convenience stores?
Idiot. Die.
You might be jealous of a bird or cat outside.
Don't be stupid!
Will you shoot it with an airgun?
Maybe you'll start aiming at people next?
"MAYBE YOU'LL START AIMING AT PEOPLE NEXT?"
It's all right.
You've only just started your adventure.
Darn it.
Plant some seeds in your garden.
So one day beautiful flowers will bloom.
You idiot.
Fix your flat yourself.
Someone else's garden.
Someone else's story.
Hey.
Which of you was more stylish?
You can tell just by looking at us.
What?
I see... Gin has more wrinkles.
No, it's me.
The boys all drooled over me.
What?
This is where you practised arranging from behind?
I was scared at first.
I imagined that in here...
there was a fake that wasn't me.
Sister.
My mother didn't send that woman to Yoshiike.
Because she was actually happy that you were getting married,
and leaving Tsukishima.
You're silly. I never suspected Ruriko.
That's true.
I've heard of celebrities doing things for self-promotion.
What do you call it?
A honey trap?
Honey?
That's sweet too.
But what kind of woman would actually do it?
No matter how you asked.
They exist.
Ones doing flower arranging...
especially those doing it for a long time.
Instructors or...
assistant instructors...
will completely, blindly...
do what they're told.
Don't you see?
In our world...
the one and only...
absolute...
worshipped and revered...
just like a god...
that unique being.
The headmaster?
Yes.
It is Momo.
Enter.
You're home.
You broke it, didn't you?
My marriage.
Sit down.
Your own story? Where you're the leading actor.
There's lots of people who don't get to play the leading part.
Yeah.
For example...
a soccer delegation takes time off to go to Russia to cheer them on.
That's a hobby, rather than your own story.
- Idiot, that's a hobby. - That's right.
Cheering has no responsibility whether the team wins or loses.
Responsibility?
If you have responsibility, then you're the main role?
I see.
We have family. That's responsibility too.
- That's right. - Ouch.
My wife and daughter may be like that,
- but I have family. - That's right.
Responsibility follows us around.
I see.
In other words, the one cheering them on
has a home and job when they get back.
That's right.
No matter how small the garden, you have your own flowers and story.
I see.
A story is responsibility.
It is your garden.
But I understand.
The feeling that you don't need your own story.
Somehow.
That it was hard looking after my mother?
That's not it. Don't play dumb.
Stop playing dumb.
We're childhood friends. We can tell.
How many times have you hit me? You'll make me stupid!
It's your father, right?
I'm going to have a drink too.
You must have understood that you were giving up
a God-given talent over a silly romance.
- No. - You've lost sight of yourself.
That's why you wanted to quit.
That man said he would come into the Tsukishima family.
Even then...
why did you decide to join his family?
Because you knew you couldn't arrange flowers anymore.
- Even so-- - You were happy? That can't be.
Do you think God would forgive you...
for letting go of such talent?
You would have been tormented by the loss.
A talent you had grasped in both hands
since you were a baby.
- I-- - You broke unexpectedly.
That was also a reaction.
Have you lost your sense of taste and smell?
- Why? - I am the headmaster.
The 15th headmaster of Tsukishima.
A student I taught personally...
and my own daughter. I wouldn't miss the slightest trouble you had.
- But now... - You've recovered a little.
That's true.
However, the other you has not returned yet.
I understand.
I love you.
Your talent.
More than anyone.
Love...
and marriage.
People are usually satisfied with that,
even though they give something up, and call it happiness.
But artists are different!
A talented flower arranger
shouldn't indulge in something so mundane as love.
I don't want that.
Then I'd always be alone.
That's the way it should be.
That's why...
the other you appears in front of you.
- No... - it can't be helped.
That is fate.
You were born as a daughter of the Tsukishima headmaster.
- You told me to fall in love again! - I also said,
throw that man away, feel guilty, then recover.
I...
That's right.
You will become Tsukishima's...
I will never be the headmaster!
You mean you can't!
As you are now, that's true.
I will never...
ever forgive you!
No.
You'll thank me one day.
Are you tired of waiting?
I'm sorry to say my sister isn't coming.
I see.
I felt sorry for you, so I came instead.
What will I have? Any recommendations?
I'm sorry to say I won't be joining you.
I told you.
You're beautiful, but your sister is more my type.
I feel sorry for you, so I'll join you for one drink.
Why?
Why are you so...
Why are you mean to me?
I believe in fate.
Unlike you.
Mayhem.
That is my fate.
I understand.
If I become the headmaster...
What did you say?
Then it will become fate.
Yours.
You knew.
Per the headmaster's instructions,
I made a list of beautiful, young instructors
and assistant instructors.
You did.
Yes.
I see.
But I never...
expected this to happen.
But there are many students who will obey the headmaster.
- Yoshiike... - Stop it!
Don't speak badly of him.
However...
He gave into temptation? That's what men do.
Especially if it was set up intentionally.
I'm not so naive as to blame him for that.
Please...
dismiss me.
Don't run away!
You'll see this through.
This incident.
Even if I...
suffer more pain...
stay close to me.
As you wish.
Someone help me!
No! No! Help me!
"INVITATION TICKET"
Boo!
You scared me!
Momo.
It's rare to find someone who looks so unsuited to flowers.
- Well, don't say that. - I'm joking.
Did it hurt?
I haven't been hurt...
since my second year of junior high.
You're kidding.
It's true.
Second year of junior high?
The day...
my dad died.
He was a normal bicycle man.
"KAZAMA'S BICYCLE SHOP"
My mum often scolded him.
I see.
Like the image of...
a good person.
Just don't insult people.
If you don't say it, eventually you'll stop thinking it.
Then...
the pond in your heart will be transparent.
Just by doing that...
humans can be half happy.
That's lovely.
Yes.
I wanted my dad...
to say I'd done well...
so I even studied hard for a while.
Was he like you, Pooh?
I'm
different.
Different?
I'm
different.
I was hurt...
and I hated...
the unreasonableness of this world.
Unreasonableness?
My father, whom I loved...
was suddenly...
stolen from me.
Why my dad?
There's so many...
worse people
in this world.
Why my dad?
My story probably...
ended there.
I'm sorry.
Crying even though I'm a man.
At times like this...
a hot guy would...
still look good.
Hey, do you know?
Why the teddy bear...
got so dirty?
No.
From us girl's...
all...
our...
drooling.
"TO BE CONTINUED"
A kiss is the fuse to sex.
Don't make fun of me!
She told me to hate you.
I am Momo Tsukishima.