I'll be the one
I guess you were lost when I met you
Still there were tears in your eyes
So out of trust and I knew
No more than mysteries and lies
There you were, wild and free
Reachin' out like you needed me
A helping hand to make it right
I am holding you all through the night
I'll be the one. I'll be the one
Who will make all your sorrows undone
I'll be the light. I'll be the light
When you feel like there's nowhere to run
I'll be the one
I'll be the light
Where you can run
To make it alright
PROMISES
That's great, I-chan!
I was only able to get two dumplings.
I'm just more experienced than you are.
Next time I'll get some for you too, Souta.
Ichiro.
What? Is that you, Youhei?
What were you doing yesterday, on Sunday?
Thank you for asking, Youhei-kun.
Note: A tatemae [ 建前 ] (literally "pre-building") is a Shinto ceremony carried out before building a house or large building.
They had a tatemae ceremony in Yamanoshita yesterday.
It was totally worth it, going early in the morning to get a good spot.
Note: The main event is the mochinage [ 餅投げ ], in which mochi [ 餅 ] (sticky cakes) are thrown from a height, symbolizing good fortune falling from heaven. It becomes a contest to see who can catch the most.
I caught 20 pieces of kouhaku mochi and dumplings!
What was that?!
Note: Kouhaku mochi [ 紅白餅 ] are red and white sticky rice cakes made for festive occasions.
Kouhaku mochi and dumplings?!
Wh-What's with that head of yours?!
No, no. It's real cute, Youhei-chan.
Kinda fuzzy... And shiny...
Yep, pretty good.
Good show, Youhei.
Yay!
You look handsome!
Ichiro, you little...
I completely forgot!
It's a fight!
I heard it was blue and red.
How dare you!
"I just forgot" doesn't cut it!
What's the matter?
Oh, Kei-chan...
It's your fault we lost.
It seems Youhei-kun's baseball team had asked l-chan to be a pinch-hitter for them yesterday.
But he forgot about it completely.
- But he forgot about it completely. - You forgot?
Oh! The tatemae?
Yeah.
Dammit!
- And everyone on the losing team had to shave their heads. - And thanks to you, my head is like this!
And you say I'm handsome!
A team that'd lose without their pinch-hitter, though...
is pretty pitiful.
Listen up.
When a man makes a promise...
he must keep it, even at the cost of his life!
Note: "Run Melos" is a short story by Dazai Osamu about an imprisoned country man who is let out to go to his sister's wedding. He promises to return in 3 days for his execution, or else his friend will be executed in his place.
Why don't you try reading "Run, Melos"?!
We have it good, Kei-chan.
Women don't have to keep promises like that.
Yep. Lucky us.
Hey there!
Stop fighting!
What's the matter?
Who's at fault?
Uh... no. Let's change the question.
What's the cause of the fight?
W-Well...
F... For now, both of you just come to the staff room.
Staff Room
Okay, I understand the reason now.
Now, Ichiro-kun, apologize to Youheirkun.
No, I won't.
Wh-Why not?
Because...
Shut up!
Even if you apologize, I'll never forgive you!
That's what Youhei said.
So I won't apologize.
Youhei won't forgive me even if I apologize.
Well, you see, Ichiro-kun...
You apologize because you feel sorry for what you've done,
and not because you want that person to forgive you.
Whether or not he forgives you, if you've done something bad, you should apologize.
Who here feels sorry?
Then let's be sure to apologize to Youhei-kun.
Youhei, I'm at fault here.
I'm sorry.
Youhei-kun, I understand your feeling angry.
But being generous enough to forgive someone is part of being a man.
It doesn't have to be right away.
But forgive him.
Huh?! He's refusing to talk to him?
Yeah.
And Youhei-kun's ordered everyone in class not to talk to Ichiro either.
Youhei's going too far.
He should keep the breach to himself.
So?
How about you?
You haven't been talking to him either?
No, I talk to him.
But just in case, I'm being careful around Youhei-kun.
You really suck.
It's at times like this that if you'd only stand up for yourself, I'd start respecting you a little.
That's not it.
If someone were to openly take l-chan's side right now,
Youhei-kun would only get more upset, and then it would only take longer for them to make up.
Everyone else understands that too.
They're just letting things be for a while.
Geez.
Ichiro!
You don't have to play with the rest of them.
Just play with me!
So? What do you want to do?
Soccer?
Or Ultraman role-play?
Don't wanna.
I see...
Whatever.
Are you Ichiro-kun?
Yes, I am.
You have business with me?
Yeah.
A-Actually...
I had a request, Ichiro-kun...
Why, when I'm in such a bad mood...
I won't force you.
If you don't feel like it, then...
It's fine.
Though it's not.
It's not like I have anything else to do.
R... Really?
So? What is your wish?
You're a ghost, right?
Y-You noticed...
The only people who would talk to me right now are that nosy girl, my family, and ghosts.
And dragonflies.
Well, I'm a kind of ghost...
but I'm not dead yet.
I'll tell you right off the bat. I refuse to exchange bodies with you.
I've had some bad things happen to me because of that.
Okay. I won't ask that.
Actually, I wanted Youhei-kun to remember something for me.
Youhei? You mean that Youhei?
Last summer, Youhei-kun promised me something...
Y... Youhei...
It can't be that... It can't be that he forgot that promise?!
Damn that Youhei!
After forgetting a promise himself, he's making the rest of the class ignore me?!
That's not it.
While I called it a promise it's not that big a deal.
It's so small that even if he forgot about it I can't really be mad at him.
Yeah.
It's so small that it can't really be called a promise.
Big or small, a promise is a promise.
So?
What kind of promise was it?
Th... That's what I want Youhei-kun to remember for me.
Huh?
I'm just... hoping that he remembers
But you don't need to force him to remember.
So...
You don't have to push yourself either, Ichiro-kun.
What's with that wimpy request?
Especially considering that I'm actually ready to do it for a change.
I'm going for the left this time!
All right!
Catch it!
Leave it to me!
Ichiro!
Y-Youhei!
Ichiro's here!
Hey there, aren't all you baseball athletes working hard...
I'm impressed. Really.
I'm not talking to you!
Yep, yep.
Very nice.
More importantly, Youhei-kun,
there's this thing I was hoping you'd remember.
Did he come to pick a fight?
Last summer, you were at your gran'ma's place the whole time, right?
All by yourself.
You were there, right?
Because your mom was hospitalized for a long time when your sister was gonna be born.
Even I remember it.
What about it?
This is about a promise you made with someone during that time.
It looks like you've forgotten it.
So remember it already.
A man must keep his promises at the cost of his life, right?
Melos had to run even if it killed him, right?
That's what you said, Youhei!
Say such things only after you've kept your own promises.
Wh... What...
What was that?!
Why you...
False accusations!
You bastard, when did I ever break a promise?!
Don't place me on the same level as you!
But you did!
Please stop it!
It's not worth fighting over!
Then try telling me what it is.
When did I make what promise with whom?!
Like I'd know!
You made the promise, so you remember it!
What?!
You suck, man!
Making up stories like that!
I'm not making anything up!
The lady you made the promise with asked me to tell you!
You liar!
Then go ask that woman!
- Then go ask that woman! - Stop!
- Bring her here!
- That's enough, please stop!
That's enough, please stop!
- That's enough, please stop! - Let go!
Let go!
Let me go!
Hey!
Where are you kids from?!
Come on! Stop that!
Hey! Both of you!
I'm telling you to stop!
Don't sit on my head!
I'm sorry.
It's all my fault for asking something weird of you.
You don't have to apologize.
But...
This fight is between me and Youhei.
Damn that Youhei.
I'm gonna get him tomorrow.
You really don't have to bother anymore.
It's not worth fighting over.
Don't get scared over something like that.
We're always fighting.
But it's really all right.
You've done enough.
Don't give up till the very end.
Lady, you said you're not dead yet.
But you're really on the verge of death, right?
No. that's not true.
I'm sorry too.
I'll do things better tomorrow.
It's all right.
Unlike me, Youhei'll be sure to remember.
So you shouldn't give up either, lady.
See you tomorrow then.
What's your name, lady?
Melon.
Me...?
Melon?
What a weird name.
I'm home.
Welcome back.
You're late, Ichiro.
What's with those lumps?!
Who did you fight with, Ichiro?!
Geez.
God, I'm tired of this.
You really need to stop it, Youhei.
Well, there are times when a man must fight.
Fight? That's just a brawl.
And Ichiro-chan is not a bad child.
He's good.
But he broke a promise just like that.
He was lured away by kouhaku mochi!
Dad, a man's promise is absolute, right?
Of course it's absolute.
Man-talk again?
But anyone can make mistakes.
But far from regretting it, he's made false accusations against me.
I've lost all respect for him.
I wonder, is Ichiro being haunted by something?
You mean by a fox or something?
Because he's not the kind of child to lie.
Youhei, you really don't have any idea what he's talking about?
If I did, I would've kept the promise.
Maybe you forgot?
No, I didn't.
If I'd forgotten, I'd be sure to apologize and...
Even if you apologize, I'll never forgive you!
Well... it's not something that can be forgiven with just an apology...
But if I could still do something to keep the promise, I'd do it right away.
Execution of broken Promises
That's right, Youhei.
That's how a man should be like.
Enough with the man-talk.
Let's eat.
I'm home!
Your daddy is back!
So, are they good?
The mochi you traded in your friendship for.
Stop that.
Where did you hear about that?
Oh, I met Old Porky on the way back,
I asked him why he was shaven bald,
and heard all the sordid details.
Stop that.
And he's not Old Porky.
Call him Yoshioka-kun.
A boy who would forget important promises just like that
will never be trusted by anyone, Ichiro.
What's wrong?
Mochi got stuck in your throat from being eaten too quickly?
Stop teasing him.
Ichiro's reflected on what he's done as well.
I heard from Souta-kun.
It seems everyone in class is ignoring him.
Of course they would!
This here is a man that chose kouhaku mochi over friendship.
Honey, stop it now!
Your dad's completely on Youhei's side!
-Your dad's completely on Youhei's side! - Your gran'pa's on Youhei's side as well!
Your gran'pa's on Youhei's side as well!
No way!
Oops.
Ichiro!
Promises exist to be broken!
Geez, Gran'pa!
Stop saying such extreme things!
Geez, Gran'pa's the least trustworthy person here.
You too!
Who, me?
The lady you made the promise with asked me to tell you!
I made a promise with a girl...?
Impossible.
Ichiro still hasn't had enough?
I've washed my hands of it.
Remember already.
Shut up.
I told you we're through.
I... I-chan.
Don't come near me, you liar.
I'm not lying.
Then tell me.
Who made what promise with whom?
I want the month, the day, the hour and minute I'm supposed to have made this promise.
Like I said, that's what you need to reme-
Don't mess with me, you liar!
That hurts, dammit!
I-chan!
I'm not lying!
Thanks to you, that lady is really troubled.
Remember already.
Isn't it shameful for a man to make a girl cry?
Isn't that what you always say?
I-chan!
Where's this woman from?
Bring her here!
You met her when you were at your gran'ma's place in the countryside!
I don't know any such woman!
Don't lie to me!
I'm not lying!
- I'm not lying! - I'll call the teacher!
What was that?!
Lying is how you start your way down the path of thievery!
Thief or whatever, you just remember your promise!
- Thief or whatever, you just remember your promise! - Oh man...
Stop it, both of you!
What is it this time?
Ichiro was saying some crazy stuff...
and then Youhei got mad, not surprisingly.
You liar!
I'm gonna beat you up so hard, you'll never be able to tell a lie again!
I'm not lying!
That's what Melon said!
Melon?!
Oh, that's right.
Melon!
That's what the girl said her name was.
Melon?
That's right, Melon!
Do you remember now, Youhei?
Melon?!
There's no way in hell I'd know a girl with such a stupid name!
That hurts, dammit!
You kicked my head!
Hey there!
Stop fighting!
You two again?
Staff Room
In other words...
Last year, at Youhei-kun's grandma's place in the countryside...
A... Me-Melon-san?
Yup.
Youhei-kun made a promise with some lady named Melon,
and he didn't keep that promise, right?
Don't lie!
I'm not lying!
What?!
Stop that.
So, Ichiro-kun?
What exactly was that promise?
I wouldn't know.
It was Youhei who made the promise, so only he would know.
What was that?!
- That's a lie! - Hey there now!
- No it's not! - Stop fighting.
Stop fighting.
I wonder if he dreamt it or something...
Ichiro-kun...
There's no time left!
Ichiro-kun...
Don't pretend you're sorry
I know you're not
You know you got the power
To make me weak inside
Girl you leave me breathless
But it's okay
'Cause you are my survival
Now hear me say
I can't imagine
Life without your love
Even forever don't seem like long enough
'Cause everytime I breathe I take you in
And my heart beats again
Baby I can't help it
You keep me drowning in your love
Everytime I try to rise above
I'm swept away by love
Baby I can't help it
You keep me drowning in your love
Melon's saying that she has no time left.
I haven't managed to make Youhei remember his promise yet!
Tomorrow...
I'll catch him tomorrow and make him remember it for sure!
So wait just a little more.
Ah! Youhei!
Could it be that you remembered the promise?
Melon...
I'll be sure to come for you.
So please be safe!
RUN, MELON