Eternity...
Why even have the word?
Nothing lasts forever. Everyone knows that.
LAST LOVE, FIRST LOVE.
What do you think?
Shanghai is just like Tokyo, isn't it.
Business is very competitive here.
Your two years here will go by in a flash, Mr Hayase.
When it's over, you won' t want to go home.
I' m Onda, Branch Manager.
Everybody, I'd like to introduce. . .
Hayase Takashi, from head office in Tokyo.
He's a talented designer. . .
who's here to work with us...
So we can win out in the Chinese market.
I ask you to help him get used to things here as fast as he can.
Nice to meet you.
' Nice to meet you.'That's all.
A good businessman doesn't waste words.
You must be tired. Take the weekend and relax at the hotel. . .
and be ready to go on Monday.
Your place will be ready tomorrow.
You're not drinking, Mr Hayase! Have some Lao Jiu.
I'm, uh, on the wagon.
Want some?
Hello, sir.
We have a reservation for Mr Hayase, from lmura Auto...
One moment...
No rest for the wicked!
I shouldn't say this, but Mr Hayase is not very sociable.
It was a sudden transfer.
And abroad, too. That's upsetting.
Yeah, maybe.
He's sure taking a long time in the toilet.
Ah, Mr Chen...
I thought you were gone.
I saw Mr Hayase leaving.
Hello?
Excuse me?
Can you check on that gentleman? I think he's drunk.
Are you all right, sir?
Have you checked in?
Speak Japanese, will you?!
Don't you know how?
Um...
I' m Hayase, of lmura Auto. Could I have my key, please?
Min, come here.
He forgot his coat.
Take five, then we'll start again from the top.
Lin, could I see you?
What is it?
What? Oh, no!
Professor?
Sir...
Is it true I failed the make-up exam?
Well, I wouldn't quite put it that way...
I'll do anything!
Please, sir!
Anything?
Will you teach Chinese?
Twice a week, to a Japanese businessman?
Me?
I can't find anyone who'll commit to six months.
I'd be very grateful if you would...
Starting tonight at 6.
Here's the text.
Promise?
There she is!
Sucker!
You told him you'd do it?
I' m counting on you.
Oh, here's your test paper.
You did very well!
You're awful! You were all in on this!
One, two... two days.
Yes.
You musn't get up!
You're on an IV, you know.
Wait here.
Doctor! Doctor!
Stay still!
Bring his file.
Calm down. . .
OK. Give him his clothes.
Where did these come from? All he had on was a shirt!
Here.
Yeah, we'll manage.
OK, fine.
It's only his first day!
Yes?
It's s Moriguchi.
Mr Hayase says he won't be in till this afternoon.
New-car sales in Shanghai are up 30 per cent in the first half alone.
No one knows how much latent demand there is.
They like the extras on Japanese cars, like navigation systems.
We're fully competitive that way.
I'm sorry. Something came up.
Over here, Mr Hayase.
Are you on late shift?
Are you sick?
No. Watching my weight.
You don't have to watch your weight!
Without these I'd bloat.
I could use some.
Another time.
I think the MX2 is the key to the market.
The dealers like it, too.
We'll need an advertising plan.
Price is a problem.
It costs four or five times the average annual salary.
So we have to think about what we can leave out.
I'll recheck the reports.
It's a Chinese course for corporate students.
It starts tonight.
Twice a week for six months. That should give you a start.
What's wrong?
This gentleman wants his luggage.
Check the register again.
Yes, sir.
Min...
I'll handle it.
Oh, right...
Thank you... uh...
Hayase!
Sawai!
So you're in Shanghai. . . How are you doing?
I haven't killed myself.
Didn't the psychiatrist say you were all right?
All the counseling in the world doesn' t help any.
It's been six months.
I know you can't just forget...
but you're still not yourself.
Yes, she betrayed you.
But that just shows how much she was in love with Takimoto.
Look, let's just forget it.
I couldn't tell you, but I sensed that from her parents at the funeral.
So forget it, OK?
I'm going.
It's still early!
No, I've got to move into my new place tonight.
OK.
Get back to Tokyo in one piece. I've got no one to drink with.
Don't worry. I' m fine.
See you.
Takimoto's still in hospital. He must feel pretty bad...
about not dying with her.
Morning.
Careful!
Morning, Dad.
Don't be in such a rush!
Hi.
Sorry I'm late.
Poor Tohto! Every morning the same!
I was late coming home, and all these guys were hitting on me!
And you loved it!
Don't you worry about me?
You're tougher than me!
We're not kids anymore. I, at least, am a grown woman.
We're the same age.
I need you to come to the University twice a week and pick me up.
Twice?! I have to work!
So do I. I teach Chinese.
OK, OK.
Mr Hayase... they've decided on the MX2 name.
Did you see the e-mail?
Takimoto!
You're still up?
Yeah.
Rie brought us something to eat.
Hi.
Since you were both up all night...
Um...
I gave it a name.
Yeah? What?
Don't laugh.
What?
How about 'Eternity'?
'Eternity'?
'The car you'll love forever'...
'Never to be forgotten.'
I like it. It's cool.
So let's suggest it to the management.
Even if they listen to us or not.
That shouldn't be a problem.
We've sweated blood over it.
'Eternity' ...a dream!
But one to believe in. It's our work, after all.
Mr Hayase, I hear that you were on the MX2 development team...
Wow! They've brought in the heavy artillery!
I'm out of that now.
Was it something I said?
I made some changes after the meeting. Could you check them?
You know Shanghai better than I do.
Uh, sure.
Good night.
Hayase...
I'll come, too.
You're leaving now?
Why shouldn't I? It's quitting time, isn't it?
'Night.
Good night.
Take an umbrella.
It looks like rain.
Show up at your Chinese lesson tonight, OK?
I've got hopes for you.
See you.
How do you do. My name is Fang Lin.
Please sit down.
You're the teacher?
What did you do to get roped into this?
Why don't we do this:
We'll both just pretend that I'm coming for lessons.
Then you can go hang out with your friends.
Then it's a deal?
Sit down please. The lesson is still in progress.
You've come here for work. This is my work. I am responsible.
There's the bell.
You were late. I'll extend the lesson.
I'm sorry.
You were trying your best.
Here.
You'll catch cold.
See you.
Wait!
I'll come next time.
What's the matter?
What's with him?
Why?
He's kind of weird.
No, he's not. He's my Japanese student.
You seem like friends.
What do you care?
Hey !
I came to give you a ride.
You don't have to come in the rain!
Hey, what's wrong with you?
At first I thought he was a jerk.
And?
He's nice.
To tell the truth, at first I thought he was nice.
Then I thought he was a jerk, then I decided he wasn't.
All because of an umbrella?
He must have been soaked!
I think he likes me.
What do you mean? You only just met him.
So what?
I trust my instincts.
People are together for years and still they break up.
You've never fallen in love at first sight?
Well, you know. . .
That's your problem.
Don't you care about love?
Sure I do.
Here.
No, thanks.
What's wrong with you today?
I'm not in the mood for milk.
What I need is a drink.
But isn't it great?
The lessons you got forced into might turn out to be fun.
Hey, Sis...
can I ask a favor?
Mr Onda will love this!
Mr Hayase?
It's Fang. Thank you for helping me out yesterday.
My umbrella?
I'd like to have our next lesson at my home. Would you mind?
Uh, right now I'm...
A contract with a big distributor like that!
All that talking paid off, I guess.
Great!
So make sure you come, OK? You promised.
Hayase...
In there.
Uh, OK.
He's busy, I guess.
Did he say no?
Then it's OK.
Yeah, I guess he just couldn't talk in the office.
The Japanese are like that.
But you've got nerve, Lin.
What if he finds out?
He's too mature to get upset over that.
Sounds like love at first sight!
For him, maybe.
I've never asked anyone out before. I'll be mad if he doesn't come.
The peppers look fresh.
Are they?
Sure!
Then I'll have some.
Lin...
Lin?
I need some leeks and ginger.
Not right now!
Hello.
Mr Hayase!
It's here. Come up!
Hello.
There's lots to eat.
But... our lesson?
We eat, we get to know each other, and you learn new words.
Good idea, huh?
Did you make all this?
There's lots more. Sit down.
Is your guest here, Lin?
Hello.
This is Mr Hayase.
This is my father.
Welcome. Sit down.
He says, 'Welcome.'
' Hayase' . How do you do.
'Pleased to meet you.'
Is it good?
Yes, it is.
He likes it.
Yes, Min is a very good...
We've already started.
You're late!
This is Mr Hayase.
My elder sister, Min.
Let's have a drink.
Um...
. . . 'Pleased to. . . Meet you.'
Please, sit down.
I'll do that.
My sister works in a hotel. She speaks very good English.
Cheers.
Can you speak English?
What did you just say?
Um...
That your sister cooks very well.
Oh, no!
He says he thinks that you did the cooking.
Well, since he knows, go and make more, OK?
Oh, OK.
Thanks.
Shanghai Mingliu Auto.
Hello, Mr Onda.
Let's get directly to the point.
We want to ask for one thing.
We'd like you to rethink the price of the 'Eternity'.
What do you say?
We've worked hard to reach the price we're at.
How much lower do you want?
12 per cent.
That'll be hard.
If that's the case, would you agree to handle our line exclusively?
I wanted to ask 15 per cent.
However, I will agree...
to try and sell 5,000 of your cars a month.
You know our network.
Can any other dealer do anything like that?
What's the problem?
He wants us to lower the price, and he'll sell 5,000 a month.
5,000?
What, hamburgers?
How will he suddenly just start selling 60,000 cars a year?
He'll be giving them away.
Mr Hayase, isn't it?
I went to university in Japan, so I speak Japanese.
Here I don't speak it.
'When in Home,' as they say.
Surely it's to be expected we'd speak in Chinese here.
But you've apparently just arrived, so today will be a special case.
Do you know how many cars we sell in a year?
Do you know how many people live in Shanghai. . .
and the three provinces around it?
We sell more than 100,000 vehicles a year.
There are 190 million people in this Yangtzi Delta area alone.
That's 1.5 times the population of Japan.
What did you come here for?
Why did you come to Shanghai?
To sell cars, I assume.
Are you really interested in selling cars?
Mr Li...
a car...
has certain characteristics, and a policy behind its manufacture.
Those are values you ignore, aren't they.
Or at least you don' t understand them.
We're not just making a cheap automobile, you know.
'Eternity' isn't a car for the mass market here.
Hayase!
What I want now is a car for the masses.
Ordinary people don't drive Mercedes or Volvos.
It's just because you aren't a brand with high status. . .
that we have such high hopes for you.
'Eternity' is a fine car for the mass market.
Buyers will find out what a good car it is...
And value it for themselves.
Mr Li. . . We'll think about it and see what we can do to improve the price.
Mr Onda, I have great faith in you.
Please remember, though, that we can do fine without you.
I apologize. I spoke out of turn.
And I said things I shouldn't have.
However, you and I both. . .
make a living selling cars.
If we don't sell cars, we don't make a living.
You don't look to me as if you understand that.
And to talk business with someone like that...
is a waste of time.
Hayase!
You have to keep your hopes up.
As I've said before. . .
you should be in hospital.
Will that make me better?
Will an operation cure me?
What do you want to do?
Go see a film?
Yeah! I'll go!
Lin?
Well...
Oh, that's right! Your lesson!
Oh, the Japanese guy!
Maybe we'll go to the movies.
But I'm hungry, so maybe we'll just get something to eat.
Suit yourself!
You're resigning?
I see...
Your ex-boss, Sejima, is an old friend of mine.
Unlike him, I had to work my way up.
But back when we were in Planning we got along really well.
We still competed a lot.
I heard what happened to you.
You'd taken a six-month leave, but Sejima suggested you for here.
He's a high-flier without much sympathy...
But he said a plodder like me might be able to take care of you.
Let's take the rest of the day off.
Your day's shot anyway.
When I first came here. . .
It was fields where those skyscrapers are.
My title was 'Manager', but it was just me and Mr Chen.
I haven' t told anyone yet...
but I'm posted back to Tokyo.
Of course that's only after 'Eternity' is well on its way.
Which after today may not happen...
Well? Nice place, huh?
The simple life here appealed to me.
I spend my weekends out here.
I had a similar experience to yours.
My fathers company failed...
and he killed himself.
So no university for me.
You get hurt...
by things you can't control.
You can choose either to do nothing. . .
or to try and do something about it.
Know what I mean?
When things get rough, come out here.
You can use the place when I'm gone.
But in return, if all of you don't run things right here...
I can't go home in peace.
'What do you like?'
'Who do you like?'
I'll lock up.
Thank you.
Good night.
Hello.
The office is closed.
I want to... see Mr Li.
Uh, lmura Auto... Hayase.
I'm very sorry.
Office hours are over.
Uh, could I... Mr Li...
If you insist...
I'm in a meeting. Tell him to go away.
There's another guy like you here to see me.
One of your employees. The cheeky one.
Come on, will you!
Give me a hand!
Please!
What's wrong?
What do you want?
Hey! Driver!
It's right by here!
Get off!
Careful. You'll get hurt!
Go away! Go hustle some girl who speaks Jap!
Driver!
Look, I haven't eaten all day!
What are you doing?!
Hey !
Come on, please!
Out of my truck!
Please! I mean it!
We've got to lighten the load.
It' s moving! Get in!
We did it! Thanks!
Thank you!
One... two... three!
What?
I'm doing this for you!
OK, next. . .
Hey, isn't this...
Lin's going to be mad you didn't go for your lesson.
Come on!
Lin? Mr Fang? You here?
Oh, man!
What's the matter?
I need a favor.
I had an accident with my truck.
What happened?!
The load shifted.
This man helped me out.
Mr Hayase...
Take your coat off.
Look.
Can you fix that?
Sure.
That's some tear!
Where's Lin?
She's not back yet.
Uh-oh!
Thanks.
Why did you take him home before I got there?
I only took him to your place because you might be there.
What's the point if I didn't see him?
You're not really in love with this guy, are you?
Why shouldn't I be?
Oh, come on!
You're not his type. And anyway, he and Min...
What about Min?
There's something between them.
Don't be stupid.
No way! He's just friendly because she's my sister.
I wonder. . .
With men and women, you never know.
What would you know?
You're just jealous.
I am not!
There's a dealer who says he'll talk to us again.
Will you come with me?
Uh, sure, Mr Hayase.
No problem!
Thank you.
OK...
I'll make some copies.
Mr Hayase! Could I see you?
Yes?
Sorry about last night.
Not at all.
We didn't meet, but the result's the same.
Great, huh?
We've signed the deal.
We'll be working together.
Mr Onda...
Mr Hayase...
Can you fix it?
Go away. I can't concentrate.
I'm checking to make sure.
You think I don't know my job?
You don' t usually come anywhere near me when I'm working.
Oh, you're home.
Hi.
No time for that!
It has to be cleaned before we give it back to him.
Quick, quick!
Hurry, Dad!
Did you buy a new dress?
Show us!
Come on!
OK, OK!
Hey, it's a suit!
A present for him?
Gotta go.
See you.
Bye!
You've got a date with that Japanese guy?
It's not a 'date'.
He's already left.
He was going to a concert at the Shanghai Grand Theatre.
What's the matter?
I can't let myself. . .
. . . fall in love.
Min...
I promised to meet Mr Hayase tonight.
But I came home.
I had a feeling there was something between you two.
Don't worry about Lin.
You're both my daughters.
I want you to remember as many good things...
as you can.
Could you turn on the radio, please?
But...
I love you.
You deceived me! You're horrible!
Lin!
Why are you meeting in secret?!
We weren't trying to hide.
My own sister!
I don't believe this!
It's not your sisters fault...
I hate you! Both of you!
I hate you!
Lin!
Doesn't she have...
any chance at all?
So Lin's not here...
You should be in hospital, you know.
I want to be here with you and Lin for every last minute that I can.
And Dad, I still don' t want you to tell her.
Lin's a big girl now.
You can't hide it from her forever.
I just don' t want her worrying or feeling sorry for me.
Whenever someone does. . .
I start thinking about it and I just feel sicker.
I want to stay here with you as if nothing was wrong...
right to the end.
Otherwise I'll be too scared to handle it.
How long is this going to go on?
You're both awful.
All this time you knew I liked you.
Are you really in love with Min?
I never really compared the two of you.
It's just...
I fell in love with Min.
But I won't be seeing her again.
I don't believe you! You' re just lying again.
No. There's such a thing as unrequited love, you know.
I'm just like you.
Stop that!
Liar! It's all lies!
If Min didn't like you...
she wouldn't have. . .
Lin...
let's go home.
No!
You won't be seeing her again, huh?
You aren't here for me!
Why are you still lying to me?
Why are you doing this?!
Lin!
It's not like that!
Let go!
Lin!
Come on.
Dad...
I'll talk to her.
No!
Come with me!
We have to talk.
Goodbye.
Min hasn't got long to live.
The doctor told her that six months ago.
She didn't want you to be unhappy.
She thought if you knew you'd worry yourself sick.
She was afraid of that, so she kept it a secret from you.
She also said she wouldn't see...
Mr Hayase again.
Lin...
we have to leave Min free to do what she wants.
Breakfast's ready. Lets eat.
Lin! Breakfast!
Eat.
I'm not hungry.
Lin?
Hi.
Why did you have to pick today to be late?
I' m going to work hard, save up and buy a truck.
I'll start my own business and buy you a huge condo.
The biggest there is.
No matter who you might love, I love you.
I'm back.
Hi.
You look busy.
Tired?
No.
I'll take a break.
Want some tea?
Why don't we...
go out for dinner tomorrow?
Sure!
It's been ages since I was out with just the two of you.
I'm buying.
It sounds like fun.
Mr Hayase!
Today I have a favor to ask.
Can we skip the lesson and just go for a walk?
Would you mind if I put my arm in yours?
I won't again.
What?
Min's waiting in there.
Go on!
Lin...
Goodbye. Be sure and come to your next lesson.
Dad...
Did it work?
Like a charm.
Very good.
That was a great idea.
Well, let's us go and eat.
Somewhere like that?
Let's go somewhere cheaper.
Dad!
Hello?
You're here again?
Me? Oh, not too bad.
Sorry?
Yo.
You look different.
Yeah?
I'm glad.
I brought someone.
It's been a while.
Yeah.
Are you OK?
There's nothing really I can say to you...
But I had to atleast see you.
I know it's not something I can apologize for...
I loved her every bit as much as you did.
I just wanted to tell you that.
All the best.
Oh...
. . . come back to work.
That's what I did.
Let's have a drink.
Mmm!
Will you have some wine?
All right.
Thank you.
Min...
It's good!
A toast...
Welcome!
Cheers.
Let's eat.
Help yourself.
I'm starving!
Hey, I've got an idea. . .
What?
Let's take a picture.
Sure!
Here goes.
Let me take it.
Over here.
Smile. . . One, two, three. . .
Take one of just me, will you?
OK. Then me, too.
Sure.
Make me look good.
It's going to go up beside Mom.
Smile. . .
One, two, three...
Eternity...
Why even have the word?
But if eternity is the accumulation...
of each second, each day...
then I think now I want to believe in it.
Eternity doesn't belong to one person alone.
It's a hope that connects you to someone...
that connects you to something.