19 years ago
2 Traditional and 2 Framboise...
1 Grand Marnier and 1 Champagne. Am I right?
- Oh my, you got me figured out. - But of course.
You get the same ones every year.
We call this the Yabushita Sensei Collection.
We're planning to launch it extensively when you win the Nobel Prize.
Then I'll have to win it, won't I?
Yoriko.
Yabushita Yoriko 10 years old
Don't you have to buy any?
- Cream puffs? - I'm talking about chocolates.
Don't you want to give it to a boy that you like?
- What for? - Because it's Valentine's Day.
That's nonsense.
22 years ago
Takumi-kun
I made some chocolates for you. Please accept it.
Taniguchi Takumi 13 years old
Hey, you guys eat this.
Really? Yay~!
I don't have any appetite for homemade things.
In the first place, Valentine's nothing more than
a gimmick set up by the candy industry.
I pity those uneducated fools.
Thank you very much for the fine engagement gifts.
Ikuhisashiku (for many years to come)...
Yoriko, I don't think I really need to memorize this.
No. It's disgraceful to read it off.
I read in a book that it's okay to read it...
You said you wanted to do it properly, didn't you?
I'll memorize it. Ikuhisashiku...
I want to attend too.
How can you attend when you're dead?
I'm a figment of your imagination so
you can make me appear.
- No. Things get complicated when you're around. - But it's my daughter's yuinou (engagement ceremony).
- Let me be there~. - No way.
I wanna go! I wanna go! I wanna go....!
- Mom, are you ready? - Yup.
On this joyous occasion...
Dear, you don't have to memorize that.
- Just read it off. - This is easy enough to memorize.
- Why the hell are you here! - Because
yuinou is a ceremony between the parents of the two families.
It's none of your business! Our ties have been severed for 13 years!
Even I wonder how I have the nerve to show up now.
If you really don't want me to come...
- I really don't want you to come. - I'm the one who put up the yuinou money!
- 500,000 yen! - What the hell are you.
Ah~ I'd like to take this opportunity to
Ah~ express our appreciation for agreeing to the marriage of
Uh~ Yoriko-sama and our son, Takumi. Thank you very much.
Uh~Today,
on, ah~, this joyous occasion... - Just read it.
- It'll never end. - Hey, listen.
Once the yuinou starts, you're not supposed to speak unnecessarily until it ends.
- You're speaking unnecessarily too. - That's because you started it.
Stop it, you two. You're embarrassing me.
I apologize.
You see, we didn't even have a proper wedding,
let alone a yuinou...
Oh, is that right?
We practically eloped.
- Back then, that was... - Okay, stop!
This is going nowhere fast.
I'm afraid we have no choice.
- Let us start all over. - That's not really necessary, is it?
Your attention please.
My father made elaborate preparations for this day.
- No, no, I didn't do that much... - Yuinou is
an important once in a lifetime ritual.
It must be done properly!
Okay, stand up, stand up. Let's start from the front door.
I assume you understand?
The moment you ring the doorbell is when yuinou begins.
3 weeks before yuinou
I'm serious. Please go out with me
with marriage in consideration!
Both of you please come inside.
I brought this over.
Please destroy that.
I went through a lot of trouble taping that up.
Ya-Yabushita-san...
This contract. You already signed it, didn't you?
Which means the contract is already in place...
This damn thing...
What the hell are you doing!
There's no way you can base your marriage on something like this!
Yoriko-san.
I still believe that the important thing is love.
No matter what anyone says, it's love!
I truly like you, Yoriko-san!
From the bottom of my heart!
So
please go out with me.
Please!
I'm sorry.
But I must decline.
Taniguchi-san, the reason I told you to destroy the marriage registration is because
I don't think the ward office will accept a taped up form.
I'll go get another one.
Oh...okay.
Why...
Why can't it be me?
I appreciate you telling me that you like me.
However,
I don't particularly like you.
- It's okay even if you don't. - It's not okay.
You don't like Taniguchi-san either!
I don't.
But Taniguchi-san doesn't like me either.
Isn't that right, Taniguchi-san?
- Yes. - In other words,
Taniguchi-san and I are connected by an equals sign.
You and I are unequal.
I'm
unable to reciprocate your feelings.
I'm sorry.
Haven't you ever wanted to like someone?
Don't you want to be in love?
Don't you actually want to be in love?
- No. - No, I know you want to!
Love doesn't have any value!
One should not marry for love, but
should marry someone with the same ideology.
Please don't force your childish love-is-all-supreme concept on me anymore!
Forgive me for persistently following you around.
I'm sorry.
He's still green in his way of thinking, isn't he?
Whereas you and I have the same ideology...
Taniguchi-san, if you could please leave as it's getting late.
I'll re-do the contract and bring it to your house tomorrow.
Good night.
- Do you need any help? - No, it's fine.
All right. Then, uh... Good night...
You made the right decision.
You can't fall in love anyway.
It's foolish to venture into something that's clearly going to end up being a failure.
I don't think we need to have a wedding or reception.
It's true that they're not economical and there's no reason why we should.
Besides, if we have a wedding at a church,
we'll have to take a vow.
- Vow to love, you know. - We aren't getting married for love,
- so there's no way we can take a vow. - Exactly.
- Not necessary. - Yes, not necessary.
It's okay for this Ibuse Masuji's Sanshouo (Salamander and Other Stories) to go under Biology, right?
It's not okay.
I don't know about not doing anything.
Observation of customs just for formality is unnecessary.
But formalities are more important than you think.
Yuinou, wedding, reception.
Observing those rituals is actually practical and...
I guess times are different now, huh?
If that's what you want, I'm fine with it.
I know from past experience that
when you avoid looking at me is
when you're hiding your true feelings.
- Do you want me to do it? - As you get older,
there are fewer and fewer pleasures in life.
The only thing I've been looking forward to is seeing you as a bride...
Don't cry, please.
Enough said.
If we're going to do it, let's do it right.
There was a wedding hall that had a cancellation in March.
Both the size and price were reasonable so I made the reservation.
- Wait, wait, wait. - If we do it on that day,
I'll be able to make it just in time to
achieve my original goal of getting married by my 30th birthday
Aren't we rushing it too much?
Please talk it over with Rumi-san and decide on the date of the yuinou.
We're even doing yuinou?
It's one of the few pleasures left for my father, so please bear with it.
She's moving on and on and on and on all by herself.
Once her switch goes on, she can't be stopped.
Consider yourself lucky you're even getting married, idiot.
Well, in any case, you're officially getting married now.
Congratulations.
And since I have no choice, I'm thinking about asking
- Sotaro to be our go-between. - Who?
- Me? - When you get right down to it,
I owe it to you for forcing me to do all kinds of things.
- If you could ask your wife too. - No,
- I'm not suited for things like that. - But
there's no one else I can ask.
- Go ask your wife. - No, no, no...
It doesn't rock to be a go-between.
- I think it rocks more than you think. - No, go-betweens don't rock.
Sorry, but I can't.
It's normal these days not to have a go-between, you know.
I guess...
We'll do it that way then.
Go-between, my ass.
- What? - Why don't you tell him the truth?
Leave me alone.
Look who's talking! Saying congratulations with a phony smile!
Where the hell is that passionate nice dude!
♬ I want to follow you and follow you and cling on to you
♬ As you disappear
Good job! That was good! It went straight to the heart!
I'm sorry for making you keep me company...
You two are the only ones I can talk to about my feelings...
I'm disappointed in you. Are you giving up already?
Doesn't it make you mad to lose to a NEET like that?
Of course it makes me mad.
But
I don't have a choice...
Kaori-san, you were right.
Confessing your feelings won't necessarily get you anywhere.
But I've decided.
That I'm going to congratulate those two from the bottom of my heart.
That's what I have to do.
Let's all celebrate!
Let's party and celebrate Takumi-kun and Yoriko-san's marriage.
- That's really not necessary. - I already got the okay from Yoriko-san.
8 days before yuinou
Why does she always get to call the shots?
Because she's the head of the household.
We'll make arrangements at our favorite place.
You there! Stop messing around and draw!
I don't want to go to no favorite place of the yankee siblings.
It's probably a dive where the waiters are hollering loudly anyway.
Just do it here. I won't be here tomorrow night anyway.
Then maybe we'll have a takoyaki party here.
- Where are you going tomorrow night? - Just somewhere.
- Somewhere like where? - What's it to you?
Can't wait to see you tomorrow. I'll make whatever you want to eat.
Stop exchanging e-mails with Dad!
Don't look at it~. Say, Kaori-chan.
How do I get the cat emoji to appear?
Ah...you have to pay for the sexy one.
Don't be wasting money on something like that!
Uh~ As a sign of engagement, we bear these items of yuinou.
Ikuhisashiku (for years to come), please accept and keep them.
Uh...
Dear?
I'm so sorry. His mind goes totally blank when he gets nervous.
He turns into a haniwa (clay image placed in ancient burial mounds).
Dear, get a hold of yourself!
Thank you very much for the fine items of yuinou.
Ikuhisashiku (for years to come)...
Isa hiku...
Ikuhisashiku...
Ikuhisa...Iku... Ikuhikuhiku we will accept and keep them.
You gave up. You even said it right once!
I'm sorry.
I have a bad habit of laughing when I'm nervous.
Please continue.
They're mere token of our feelings, but
we have prepared some gifts in return for the yuinou.
- I... - Ikuhisashiku.
- Iku... - Ikuhisashiku.
Ikuhisashiku, please accept and keep them...
I said it right just now, I did.
- I said it right, didn't I? - He did! He did!
I'm so sorry. When I thought "Ikuhikuhiku"
might be coming up, I just couldn't...
- I'm really sorry. - Ah, gee. This is seriously
- going nowhere fast! - Shall we start all over again?
Forget it already.
This is not something that should be redone.
- That's true, but... - They're taking this too lightly.
- The Taniguchi Family. - If I may be frank,
aren't you taking this matter too lightly?
- I'm sorry. - With all due respect,
perhaps this is the result of taking this matter too seriously.
Yoriko-san is making everyone feel overly nervous.
Are you saying that my daughter is at fault?
I'm just saying why be so serious for a mere yuinou...
- What do you mean mere. - What do you mean mere!
I'm handing over my only daughter!
Let's not say things like handing over. This isn't the Sengoku Era.
That's how serious we are!
- Don't you have any common sense! - That's right, you two lack common sense!
What do you mean we lack common sense!
You hit me! You hit me!
- I was just warning you. - You hit me with the fan.
Go get him! He does kendo, you know.
- You wanna fight? - What? You wanna fight?
- You wanna fight? - In the first place, it's because you...
1 week before yuinou
In celebration of your marriage, cheers!
But how romantic is it that you're having your yuinou on February 14.
Why is it romantic?
Because it's Valentine's Day.
I had forgotten that there was such a day.
- Don't you have any memories of Valentine's Day? - No, I don't.
- Ever give anyone chocolates? - No.
- Not even once? - No.
That's wise of you. It's nothing more than an event for kids
set up by the candy industry. It's one of the most meaningless days of the year.
But that makes you feel like you're missing out on something too.
No it doesn't.
But that's the most exciting day for girls, isn't it?
I found it extremely distasteful to see the girls making a fuss
about who they were or weren't going to give it to during class.
It's disgraceful.
Exactly. It's simply ridiculous.
But somewhere in your heart,
didn't you have a desire to give chocolate to someone too?
No, I didn't.
Those who find that to be fun can do it, but
I'm not interested.
- I'll go cut the cake. - Oh, I'll do it.
Can you cut it in precisely five equal pieces?
I'll let you do it.
- She's an oddball, isn't she? - Don't worry.
I've given up on her already.
- I didn't mean... - But...
I think
even Yoriko-san has a desire to give chocolates to someone.
She's got to want to fall in love. So
I want you to be in love with her.
- You just don't understand her. - No.
Maybe you're the one who don't understand her.
19 years ago
Don't you have to buy any?
- Cream puffs? - I'm talking about chocolates.
Don't you want to give some to a boy that you like?
- What for? - Because it's Valentine's Day.
That's nonsense.
It can be anyone.
Just give it to a boy that you think you like.
Bye.
Grand Marnier.
It's delicious.
One for you too.
Hi.
Who did you give the chocolate to?
Why?
There wasn't anyone I thought I liked.
I still think Valentine is nonsense.
Washio-kun, I bet you're one of those boys who got lots of chocolates.
Not really. I rarely got them from someone I really liked.
At least you got them. Right, Aniki?
You idiot. I used to get lots.
I was cute when I was a kid.
Kaori-san, have you ever given chocolates to someone?
Of course I have.
I gave them to boyfriends I was going out with at the time
I give them to the guys at work every year too. Obligatory chocolates.
You've never given them to your main love interest, though.
Ever since you were a kid,
you never gave them to the guy you really wanted to, is what I'm saying.
Valentine's nothing more than
22 years ago
a gimmick set up by the candy industry.
I pity those uneducated fools.
What are you talking about?
Takumi, haven't you noticed?
- You've actually noticed, haven't you? - Cut it out.
Why not? He's getting married soon anyway.
You held this party so that you can give him up once and for all, right?
Remember what you said the other day?
That you finally get to marry
because I did all these things for you.
That wasn't me.
- It was her. - Quit it.
You know, for the past ten plus years,
she looks up at the second floor window every time we pass by this house.
To catch a glimpse of you.
My wife left me last year.
- She left you? - She left me.
That's why I told her to come back home.
And asked her do things around the house like cooking and cleaning.
Not a chance. It's more carefree at the apartment.
Several months ago
If you move out, you can save on rent.
What am I gonna do about a studio? It's too noisy here, I can't paint...
Then she realized.
Hey. Long time no see.
4 months ago
Kaori-chan decided to do her painting here again.
They raised the apartment rent again.
Pissed me off so I moved out and moved back home.
There's no studio there, so here I am from today.
If she had the excuse that she didn't have a studio,
she figured she'd have the chance to see you again.
Even if she is my sister, I think she's stupid.
She's gone out with men in the past. She even almost got married once.
But none of them worked out because
deep in her heart, she's still thinking about
her first love from her childhood days.
The first person who praised her painting.
For more than 20 years, just because of that.
It's enough to make me wanna cry.
You have talent. You should aspire to be a pro.
But since that guy's
a scumbag who's unfit for romance,
she can't even tell him her feelings.
What's more, he doesn't associate with anyone and is
frozen in time in the room upstairs, so she can't even get herself to give up on him.
He might as well get married. That way, I can give up on him!
That's what she thought, so...
Sotaro, stop it!
Why throw it on me!
- Because you're crap! - Please stop!
Leave me alone! You asshole!
Sotaro-san!
Why...
Why does it have to be you.
Ever since we were kids,
I couldn't beat you at anything.
But you tripped up big time.
You're a hikikomori NEET!
Leeching off your mom without working,
you're the worst of the worst! Serves you right!
I'm running a business!
I've got young guys working for me!
I'm even the chairman of the neighborhood association!
It's obvious I'm the winner!
But even then...
my wife left me and
I got the divorce paper this morning.
Why is it that you can get married...
Why you!
You're nothing more than a scumbag NEET!
A marriage like this is insane!
Contracts be damned!
How dare you trample on my sister's feelings...
Aniki, stand up. Let's go.
I'll take him home.
I think
Takumi-kun and Yoriko-san are suited for each other.
I'm happy for you that you're getting married.
I feel the same way too.
I wish you happiness.
The present time
Thank you very much for the fine gifts in return for the yuinou gifts.
With this, the two are officially engaged.
We are looking forward to our future relationship.
We also look forward to our future relationship.
Yoriko-san.
Please accept this.
Yes.
I ask for your everlasting support.
I, too, ask for your everlasting support.
Thank you for your support today.
Thank you.
Now then, I will get the food and drink.
- So you like McQueen, eh? - Of course.
He's an actor who developed a new type of star persona.
I'm a big fan of his too.
I tried to emulate the scene where he jumped over the fence on his motorcycle
- and got hurt on my bicycle. - I can relate to that.
I'm glad you're someone I can get along with.
- Have another drink. - Ah, thank you.
Oh, shoot. I forgot to stock up on beer.
- I'll go buy some. - No, no, please don't go to any trouble.
- It won't take long. - Do you want me to go?
- Please keep them company. - "The Great Escape" is good , but
Steve McQueen is synonymous with "Bullitt," right?
You've seen "Bullitt" of course, right? You can't talk about McQueen
without having seen "Bullitt."
- You've seen "Bullitt," right? - No, I haven't!
I don't know about no "Bullitt"! What the hell is "Bullitt"!
- Who gives a hoot! - You have your nerve.
How dare you call yourself a Steve McQueen fan!
It's only chocolate.
I made it for my aniki who can't get any from the ladies.
I wonder if the yuinou is over by now.
Why don't we call Washio-kun and go bowling?
Us folks who don't have a Valentine.
Please forgive me for my disrespectful behavior today...
No, I'm the one who should apologize.
I'm sorry.
But I think it was a good yuinou.
- Yes. It's a good thing we decided to do it. - Excuse me, Yabushita-san.
There's one thing I think we should confirm...
Are you really sure you're okay with him?
Excuse me?
He's a NEET. He doesn't have a job.
And he doesn't intend to get a job in the future either.
It's truly embarrassing.
Takumi-kun promised me that he will support my daughter as a full-time househusband.
A full-time househusband is not that unusual these days.
In his case, being a househusband isn't his first priority.
The fact that he doesn't want to work is his first priority, and
that's why he's getting married.
I'm reminded all over how hopeless he is.
And they're saying they don't have any feelings for each other.
Although I don't know if they're joking or serious.
We're serious. We're bound by ideology,
not love.
That's what makes a marriage work.
So Father,
there's no need for you to worry.
You're the man my daughter chose.
I'll support you.
Thank you.
Yoriko, too, is a rather eccentric girl.
You might have a hard time with her.
Please treat her kindly.
No, not at all. She's too good for us.
We, too, ask that you treat him kindly.
Why is Yoriko so late.
I'll go take a look.
Oh, you're back.
- I'm back. - Did you stop by somewhere?
No, it's nothing.
Ah~ Almost!
Sorry. About the other day.
It's okay.
Thanks to you, I got over him.
I got over her too.
Thank you for your hospitality.
- I apologize for overstaying our welcome. - Not at all.
Take care on your way home.
I'll be seeing you again soon.
Taniguchi-san.
Did you think this was chocolate?
As if that would ever happen. You got fooled, didn't you?
I know, right?
- We don't do that sort of things. - That's right.
Well then, go home safely.
Shall we go in?
I'll go take a short walk.
Do you know what a jerk you are?
Why didn't you accept it?
She said it wasn't chocolate.
If it wasn't chocolate, what was it?
She didn't give it to me.
- Then why did she go buy it? - Heck if I know!
Well...
maybe Yoriko-san doesn't realize it herself.
But you do, don't you?
Poor girl. She can't even give chocolate to the man she's marrying.
Who did you give the chocolate to?
Why?
Because there's no one that I thought I liked.
I still think Valentine is nonsense.
You don't have to force yourself to give it to someone.
One day, you'll fall in love.
You'll meet someone who will make you want to give it to him.
Keep it close to your heart until then.
2 hours ago
Long time no see.
What a lovely kimono. What's going on today?
- It was my yuinou. - Oh, is that right?
You fell in love!
I can finally fill your mother's order.
Just a minute, okay?
Someday, if she comes in to buy chocolates on Valentine's Day,
please give her the same ones.
Any man will fall immediately
for this combination.
Most certainly.
Thank you for waiting.
2 Traditional and 2 Framboise...
1 Grand Marnier and 1 Champagne.
The Yabushita Sensei Collection.
I'm sorry.
For doing a stupid thing like trying to give you chocolates.
I ought to know that Valentine is nonsense.
My parents were...
feeding each other chocolates on Valentine's Day.
Perhaps that's why...
I must've got it in my mind that
that's what married couples are supposed to do. I'm sure that's it.
I don't know why...
I don't know why I'm getting tears in my eyes.
The reason your parents were feeding each other chocolates
isn't because they're a married couple.
It's because they love each other.
They're married
and they're still in love.
The reason tears well up in your eyes is...
that's probably because...
what you really want to do is...
be in love, not get married.
The truth is, more than anyone else, you want to fall in love,
and you want to know what it's like to be in love,
but you can't,
so you've been keeping a lid on your heart all this time.
Marrying me means
you won't know how it feels to be in love for the rest of your life...
that's why you're crying.
Go give it to him.
To the man who will be in love with you the right way.
I'm not qualified to accept this from you.
I'm a romantically unfit person who can only love two dimensional things.
He's not like me.
He's in love with you.
Whether you can be equal with him
is up to you.
Find the courage to take that first step.
Maybe with him, it's possible.
For you to fall in love too.
And you?
What are you going to do?
I'll just go with the flow.
That was too bad.
Really? I expected as much.
I didn't think she'd get married that easily.
I guess so.
Secretly, I feel slightly relieved.
I had so much fun participating in the yuinou today.
Thank you for letting me appear, Dear.
Yoriko was so mean she wouldn't let me~.
I got it!
Keep it going, Kaori.
Yes, Yoriko-san.
I'm bowling with Sotaro-san and Kaori-san right now.
Right now?
That's fine...
Yes.
She wants to talk to you.
Hello...
What?
Yoriko-san called and told me.
I guess you ended up getting rejected, huh?
I can pick you up if you want.
I may not be able to do it, but...
I'll try.
I'll try my best, so...
please teach me.
What it's like to be in love.
I want to...
be in love.
36 days until Yoriko's birthday