When people finish their day and hurry home,
my day starts.
My diner is open from midnight to 7:00 in the morning.
They call it "Midnight Diner."
Do I even have customers?
More than you would expect.
MIDNIGHT DINER: TOKYO STORIES
CURRY RAMEN
-One more. -Thanks.
-Welcome. -Do you have curry ramen?
Curry ramen?
So, ramen on top of curry?
Actually, ramen with curry on top.
Sure.
As I happened to have some salt-flavored instant ramen,
I made a thin broth
and poured some of my curry on top.
-How is it? -Delicious.
Thank you.
His name is Kabayama.
He came because he heard I would make whatever customers wanted.
Curry and ramen...
What a luxury to have the two together!
Can I have half a bowl of rice as well?
Sure.
What a great combination!
Ramen and rice.
Consuming too many carbs causes weight gain.
Especially at night.
I know.
It's hard to explain,
but the rebelliousness of eating ramen and rice at night makes it taste better.
Master, ramen and a half bowl of fried rice, please!
Definitely not! You'll end up in the hospital again.
Not even a little?
Show some self-control.
Your diabetes is finally under control, right?
Thanks to your wife being a nurse.
Cancel that order, please.
Sure.
I'm sorry.
Excuse me...
Are you Mr. Shuichi Tachibana?
Who are you?
Kabayama.
Kabayama?
I guess you don't remember me.
Kabayama?
-From Higashi Junior High? -That's right.
Dorkayama...
Tsuyoshi Dorkayama!
We were in the same class in seventh grade, right?
-How are you? -Yeah.
Master, two of the usual.
Sure.
What a coincidence bumping into an old classmate like that.
It sure is.
I'm amazed you recognized me,
even though I haven't seen you since graduation.
Of course I remember you.
He was school council president and soccer captain.
The girls always flocked around him.
So you were like Yujiro Ishihara?
What era are you living in? Don't exaggerate.
He was my hero. No, not just mine, everybody's.
Give it a rest.
Everyone's listening.
And so what happened after that?
He went on to a private school,
and his team was one of the best in the prefecture.
You know a lot about me.
When I heard you got into Hitotsubashi University,
I had a drink in celebration.
What? Come on, man, that's weird!
What are you doing now?
Now?
Now...
I'm biding my time.
Waiting for the moment to strike.
Here you are, curry ramens.
This is so nostalgic!
This was my favorite during junior high!
-You, too, Kabayama? -Yep.
Thanks for the food.
This is great.
I prepared this curry last night.
That's the way to do it.
Why did I used to eat such a thing?
Kabayama, can you lend me some money?
Sure.
I only have 20,000 on me.
That's fine. I'll pay you back double after I win on the horses.
Tachibana is really amazing.
The last time he paid me back triple what I lent him.
Shouldn't you be careful about mixing money and friendship?
They say, "When the money runs out so does the friendship."
-Yo! -Tachibana!
-Welcome. -Two curry ramens.
Sure.
Hinano said she wanted to try it.
How is it?
It might be better with melted cheese.
Master, can we have some cheese for the curry?
Sure.
Women always want to add cheese to everything, don't they?
Curry plus ramen plus...
cheese?
Hinano, give him a business card.
Nice to meet you.
Go visit her some time.
-My name is Kabayama. -Good to see you.
Kaba-chan!
-Kaba-chan? -Kaba-chan.
Thanks.
Soon, Kabayama and Tachibana
became good friends again, just like in their school days.
Here.
Thanks.
How did it go yesterday?
What?
Your part-time job interview at the convenience store.
I didn't go.
Why?
That kind of work isn't for me, you know?
So what is? If this job's not good enough for you,
then what is?
Kaba-chan, you came!
I'm so happy.
'Cause I promised Tachibana I would.
Please have a seat.
And then the branch manager at the Kameido store quit
and my boss recommended me for the job.
Amazing!
You'll be promoted to the manager.
Kaba-chan, why do you look up to Shu-chan?
You have a steady job. You're doing much better than him.
It bothers me...
the way you cling to him like that.
It reminds me of me.
Sorry.
I guess...
we both want to believe.
I'm finally starting to win, so please, just one more hour...
Don't make a scene.
I'm begging you, please!
-Please... -Come on.
You've got...
three kidneys, right?
I've got two.
We'll take one of them.
Calm down.
You have a wallet, right? How much do you have?
Let's go get you another loan.
Get up.
Wait a minute!
Please, wait.
Take this for now.
-What are you... -It's fine.
You can pay it back little by little.
Okay, then. If you insist.
That's all for today, kid.
Friendship sure is beautiful!
I...
don't really remember you.
I don't even have my yearbook anymore.
Are you open?
That money is nothing...
I don't need him. If I really wanted to...
I could pay it back in a heartbeat!
You think I'm lying, don't you?
I will do it! I can do it!
People believe in me, and I've never let them down!
Master, one more.
Sorry.
There's a limit of three bottles per person.
I'll call Dorkayama and go somewhere else.
Kabayama...
You're just using him.
Because he wants me to use him.
You're the type of guy...
who has no confidence, only pride.
You don't know anything about me.
It's not easy, is it?
Admitting your weaknesses.
But...
no matter how long you fake it,
nothing will change.
It's okay to stumble.
As long as you act with honesty...
you'll someday realize your true self.
You know?
After that night, Tachibana completely disappeared.
They're here again.
-Welcome. -Shochu with lemon juice, please.
Sure.
They're here everyday.
Even though he's been gone for two months,
they're still waiting.
They believe in him, right?
It's rare. I think it's beautiful.
Hey...
Let's give it up.
Shu-chan probably found another woman and lives with her.
Aren't you angry about what he's done?
I'm going home.
You're here.
Here...
I'm paying you back.
I'm sorry it's late.
How did you get that?
I found a job where I could live onsite.
I was working!
Here you go.
-Welcome. -Hello.
-Beer, please. -Sure.
And...
three curry ramens.
Sure.
Sit.
I also worked at night as a security guard when I had the energy.
Hey, don't get so emotional!
Everyone is listening!
Okay?
I...
did nothing but work, day and night,
and I finally understood.
I've lived my life thinking I need to fulfill everyone's expectations.
I overextended myself.
But I'm not a very mature person.
You know me better than anyone, right?
So...
Kabayama.
Please...
stop looking up to me.
See me as the idiot I really am.
Okay?
Tachibana...
I'm...
not Kabayama.
I mean, my family name is Kabayama, but...
I'm the brother.
I'm Takeharu, the younger brother of your classmate.
Younger brother? What?
Of course, you don't remember.
What happened to him, then?
My elder brother...
died.
Six years ago.
On his way to a school reunion,
he was hit by a car.
I...
hated my brother for being your lackey.
I made fun of him.
And then...
he died.
I hated myself for looking down on him,
so I had been trying not to think about him.
Why did you pretend to be him?
Well...
That was Tachibana's misunderstanding.
But, I thought...
if I pretended to be my brother
and spent time with Tachibana...
maybe...
I could understand my brother a little.
Mr. Tachibana...
Hinano...
I'm sorry...
for lying.
No...
On the day he died...
I said to him, "Don't go to the school reunion just to see Tachibana.
You're grown up now,
but you still rely on him for everything."
And he said...
"You don't see it,
but Tachibana is a good guy."
And he smiled.
I gave you that money...
because that's what my brother would have done.
My brother wasn't wrong.
Right, Hinano?
Here you go.
I remember!
I first tried this at your house.
He made it for me.
Takeharu.
Will you take me...
to visit your brother's grave?
Can I go, too?
I think my brother would like that.
-Thanks for the food. -Thanks for the food.
Thanks for the food.
Now I want some curry ramen, too.
Right?
Master, three curry ramens, please.
Actually, four.
Can I have one?
It's just for today.
Fill mine to the top!
Sure.
Here you go.
And yours.
Using less broth balances out the noodles and curry.
Here you are.
I also recommend shredded cheese with it.
With that...
-Good night! -Good night!