Kita no kuni kara '95 Secret
Screenwriter Kuramoto So
Music Sada Masashi
Cast
Kuroita Goro: Tanaka Kuniei
Kuroita Jun: Yoshioka Hidetaka
Kuroita Hotaru: Nakajima Tomoko
Onuma Shu: Miyazawa Rie
Wakui Yuji: Ogata Naoto
Osato Rei: Yokoyama Megumi
Kitamura Aiko: Miho Jun
Mrs. Kuroita: Otake Shinobu
Narita Shinkichi: Gattsu Ishimatsu
Nakahata Kazuo: Chii Takeo
Kitamura Sota: Iwaki Koji
Director: Sugita Narimichi
Fall, 1994
They grew well, huh.
Hey!
I'll treat you guys to good soba noodles this year.
We brought the stone mill you asked.
Thank you.
-You sure I can have it? -Yup.
Wow.
It's still in good condition.
Isn't it time to move to the city, Goro?
Your leg hasn't recovered from the accident, right?
I heard Jun's been asking you to live with him in the town.
Shinkichi, look at this.
Jun found this for me.
I'm thinking about putting this up there, and it'll eventually look like this...
That's a good idea!
-It'll be like... -You always change the subject.
You never change.
He's right.
Dad has no intention to change his lifestyle.
On the contrary, I've changed a lot.
Maybe that's because my surroundings have changed since I came back to Furano.
I started working as a temporary employee under the City Hall's environment management department.
Environment Management Department.
In other words, garbage collection.
It's said you can gauge a citizen's wealth by looking at his garbage, and I can see why.
Especially with the sight of bulk refuse forming mountains every Saturday.
It makes me worry how the country's future will turn out.
Currently, I'm sharing an apartment with Shokichi, who retired from the Self Defense Force last year.
Most of the furniture in our apartment came from the garbage mountain.
We call that place "Mt. Yamabe Department Store".
Hello!
Oh, hey! You fixed it?
Yes, finally.
-It should work now. -My daughter will be thrilled.
Oh, Karajishi, I found some good stuff.
I'll be right back.
Hello.
The wall clock you brought home the other day,
apparently, it was discarded by mistake.
The owner's here to claim it.
Don't worry.
I told her we already incinerated it.
If you hadn't ask for it,
it would've been incinerated by now anyway.
Going on a date?
Yeah, Rei is coming up.
Doesn't happen everyday, huh.
Leave me alone.
Are you bringing Cindy here today?
You can have this place today.
I've been feeling bad hogging this place all the time.
Cindy is Shokichi's girlfriend.
He insists she looks like Cindy Lauper.
He uses this room whenever he has a date with her.
This "happy yellow handkerchief" is used whenever one of us needs the privacy.
Though I haven't been able to use it yet.
Rei gets more and more sophisticated every time I see her.
She has matured into a modern woman.
She is nothing like me who's collecting garbage in a small town.
Are you listening?
Should I say it?
What is it?
Well...
What is it?
Someone proposed to me.
Really.
What should I do.
Good for you.
What's he like?
A matured,
businessman.
I was introduced to his family too.
What do you think?
Say something.
I was taken aback that she said 'mature'.
Wanna come to my place?
Your apartment?
Yeah.
Shokichi will be out today.
I shouldn't.
Instead,
let's go for a walk.
Where we used to walk together, the path on Yahata Hill.
So we walked Yahata Hill together like we used to.
However,
we didn't talk much.
We were uncomfortable with each other.
It wasn't the first time.
We have been like that for a while.
When we are apart, we'd miss each other,
but when we are together, we'd act awkward.
We gotta find a shelter! There's a barn around here.
Jun, do you listen to music?
-I do. -Your favorite artist?
Ozaki Yutaka.
Really? I'm crazy about him!
-Which song is your favorite? -"Night of 15 years old."
-The best! -"Seventeen's map."
No!
Stop!
Stop it!
You're only interested in that kind of stuff these days.
I...
...hate it.
Why don't you get married?
With that 'matured' man.
Jun, is that how you really feel?
I think he's a better man for you.
Maybe you're right.
It hasn't gone well for us recently, has it?
You two, hold it right there!
Sorry for the intrusion.
Chinta.
Wow, you look great!
We stopped talked about us after that, and I walked her to the bus stop.
Rei hardly spoke the whole way.
Bye.
Jun.
Here's an advice for you.
Stop wearing cologne.
Having a hang-up like that makes you look miserable.
Bye.
Her advice...
...pierced through my heart.
It's true that I'm very self-conscious of how I smell when I meet someone...
...ever since I started this job.
I might not actually smell.
But,
I'm always scared...
...if I smelled.
Rei,
do you understand how I feel?
Whenever I hear somebody saying, "it stinks,"
I become nervous.
-Karajishi! -Coming.
Don't call me Karajishi.
Why not?
It sounds cool, like Takakura Ken.
The reason behind my nickname, Karajishi is...
because when Ayrton Senna* died in an accident this May,
Race car driver
I cried in front of everybody while I was drunk.
They teased me with Takakura Ken's song, Karajishi Botan.
Furano city is a pioneer in garbage separation.
From food waste, general garbage and solid refuse...
...to cans, bottles and bulky refuse.
Residents are required to separate their garbage.
We gather them at the recycling center.
Food waste gets turned into compost,
while general garbage gets treated with heat and turns into refuse-derived fuel.
On general garbage collection day, I would check on the piles of used books.
It's because Hirosuke begs me to sift out old porn magazines from them.
Somehow, they end up in the hands of Chinta.
Bye bye.
Thank you as always!
Bye bye!
It was on a general garbage collection day...
that I happened to see her again.
Will you take this too?
Thank you.
It's rare for you to come here.
-Actually, I have a favor to ask. -I won't move to the city.
That's not it.
The wall clock I gave you the other day,
it was dumped by mistake.
Akina, come over here.
The owner wants it back.
Oh, I see.
Return it right away.
Sorry.
Jun, I have a question.
What is it?
Which day is the collection day for food waste around here?
I'm leaving now!
Have a good day!
Isn't this yours?
No way...
How did...
I picked it up secretly when it was about to be incinerated.
I'm returning it.
Thank you.
This belonged to my grandpa.
Um... I can carry for you.
-Are you alright? -Yup.
Hey, why don't you come up?
I can't go up to a girl's place whom I just met.
How conservative.
Then, I'll thank you another time. Tell me your phone number.
-Sure.
Write it down for me.
I'll tell you mine too.
I just moved in last month.
I live by myself, so call me anytime.
-My name is...
Kuroita Jun.
Jun.
And mine is...
Konuma...
Shu!
Okay.
Shu!
Yo!
It's been a while!
-How many years has it been? -Somewhere near 20 years, I guess.
Hello, what can I get for you?
I just ate dinner.
-Have you? -Not yet.
-I'll have the same. -Sure.
I was surprised! Didn't you go home?
-The Yellow Handkerchief was out. -What is that?
The Happy Yellow Handkerchief.
Kamisunagawa?
Yup. The coal mine closed down...
so I worked in Tokyo for a while.
I was in Tokyo too!
Really?
Where in Tokyo?
Around Koenji*.
In Suginami district.
I was in Nakano! We were close!
Where in Koenji? I mean, which side of the Chuo Line*?
A rail line in Tokyo
Near Aoume Avenue.
Me too! So you used the station's south exit?
Here's the entrance and the shopping area is on the southern side...
where they hold summer festivals every year.
-You know... -Huh?
Did you...
...enjoy yourself in Tokyo?
I wouldn't really say that.
Well, a lot of things happened there.
I've moved on from that place...
I like that.
The same for me too.
I've moved on...
BGM: I Love You by Ozaki Yutaka
Nothing.
Since our love was forbidden,
we were like a abandoned cats.
Our room is like a empty box covered with fallen leaves.
So you cried like a kitten.
On the creaking bed, we held each other gently but tightly.
We close our eyes so that the sad song won't fade our love.
Hello?
Are you Mr. Kuroita?
Yes.
Is your sister with you?
My sister?
You mean, Hotaru?
Yes.
She's not here. She lives in Sapporo.
Hello?
-Hey, great work. -Ah, thanks.
There really seems to be food waste thief in the Eastern Rokugo area.
-He's still at it?
The food wastes were all gone before we got to collect them.
-Good for us. -He's making our job easier.
I knew it.
I had a feeling because you asked me about collection day the other day.
This doesn't make me a thief, right?
Or does it?
I brought someone over.
Come over here!
Hello!
Hello...
I'm speechless.
Did you build all these on your own?
Yes!
But it's not a big deal.
Sorry.
She's Konuma Shu.
That wall clock belonged to her.
Don't worry about dinner!
Don't be like that! Lemme treat you once in a while!
I'll be right back with some food!
Okay!
Isn't she a fine one, you lucky bastard!
Using that wall clock as an excuse.
What's wrong?
What?
I'm getting vegetables.
We weren't going to the grocery store?
-These are abandoned, so they're free! -Aren't they irregular products?
-They have imperfect shapes, that's it. -You'll get in trouble.
Jun, help me with those over there.
They're looking at us.
Hello there!
Hi.
It's not a big deal.
You can get carrots free if you pick them on your own.
-Still...
They're still edible. It doesn't make sense to throw 'em away.
-I agree! -Me too!
But it was still shameful.
"Shameful?" Look at you trying to act cool.
You guys are hilarious!
-No electricity means no television? -Right.
-Not even newspapers? -Nope.
-How do you get the news? -I don't. News makes me tired.
You hear this pretty often, "Everyone's right to know."
It's the opposite for me.
"The right not to know." Not knowing is better, I say.
You're awesome!
But the thing is...
important matters will find their way to you.
Take our prime minister, for example. Mr. Murayama, right?
Has it changed again?
Hilarious!
I almost died from laughter. Your father is hilarious!
You're kidding me. I've lived like that for 8 years, you know.
-Awesome! -No way.
Say...
Wanna come up for a little while?
It's a little empty though.
Sure.
Come in.
It's really empty.
Surprised?
I'll slowly fill this place up.
Since I'm broke right now.
So there's no hurry.
But I have an idea how I want this room to be.
Over here will be the TV and cassette player.
Right, little Pieko?
Over here...
...will be a nice, comfortable sofa.
Then...
I'll hang a bicycle on this wall.
Ta-da.
I really want a bicycle now.
Even if it's secondhand?
-Is there one? -Yeah, but it's secondhand.
It's usable, right?
In perfect working condition.
How much is it?
Free.
Free?!
It's not just bicycles.
There are TVs and cassette players to put here.
Comfortable sofas.
Um, washing machines.
Microwaves.
Microwaves even?
And hi-fi sets.
Basically, you can get anything.
-Where do you get all that? -The place that you've been to.
Where all the junk is collected.
Even my own apartment uses nearly everything from there.
We call it "Mt. Yamabe Department Store".
Mt. Yamabe Department Store...
I can bring you there anytime.
I like you.
"A person by the name of Wakui Yuji called several times.
He wants to talk to you about Hotaru right away.
His number is..."
Is this Mr. Kuroita?
Is your sister with you?
Yes.
I'm not following you.
I called Yuji first thing in the morning.
Yes.
Anyway, I'll be there in the evening.
It'll be around nine.
Okay, see you later.
What's going on?
Hotaru has gone missing.
What do you mean...
...gone missing?
The number you have dialed is no longer...
Her home phone is canceled.
-This is Hokkaichuo Hospital. -Ah, hello. Um...
I'd like to speak to Nurse Kuroita in internal medicine.
-A moment please. -Sure.
-Hello? -Hello.
Miss Kuroita quit the hospital last week.
I see, thank you.
What did they say?
They said she quit the hospital last week.
-Sorry for causing worry. -It's okay.
-I thought she returned to Furano. -She hasn't contacted us.
How long has she been missing?
To tell you the truth, we stopped seeing each other around six months ago.
When I called her a week ago, her home phone was canceled.
Actually, she has been avoiding me recently.
So, at first, I thought she changed her number to avoid me.
But I found out what was really going on with her yesterday afternoon.
I bumped into Hotaru's colleague.
And through that person...
I heard about her resignation last week.
Why did she quit?
A criticism from the director and head nurse...
...was what I heard.
-So she was forced to quit? -No.
I heard she did it on her own accord.
Um,
what actually happened?
Did she do something bad?
It was a relationship problem.
I guess you could call it...
...an affair.
Her partner was a doctor from her college days.
He has apparently left his family too.
Why don't we find him at that hospital then?
No.
He had personal conflicts with the university and resigned a month ago.
His wife has since sued Hotaru's hospital...
causing the issue to be made known to more people.
His family has...
...discussed asking the police to investigate.
However,
that is the least of my worries right now.
I'm just very worried about Hotaru.
I'm worried...
...how she's doing.
Having to isolate herself from everyone else...
What mental state she's in right now...
I hope she won't do something stupid...
I...
I'm fine if she's having an affair,
as long as...
as long as she's fine...
It'll be all right.
I'm sure she'll call you soon.
My mind was...
a pure blank.
As to how...
to think about this.
Where Hotaru is right now,
and what she could be doing.
Why she hasn't contacted me.
What to tell Dad.
I was shocked.
Hotaru has...
That Hotaru who has...
always been quiet unlike me...
and never showed such a passionate side.
That Hotaru has...
I can't forgive that doctor.
In the end, we could do nothing but wait.
I thought about asking Sota for his advice,
but I know he'd just enjoy it.
I also thought about talking to Chinta since he works for the police,
but maybe that wasn't a good idea.
In the end, what Shokichi and I came up with was...
to install an answering machine in case Horaru calls when we're out.
Shu here.
When can we go to Mt. Yamabe Department Store?
I'll be waiting in front of the phone all day long.
What're you doing?
Jun! Hey!
The magazine from the other day, it was awesome.
Excuse me.
Later.
Aren't you gonna introduce us?
Nope.
I returned that wall clock to your father.
It looked better over there anyway.
You went over to his place?
Yes.
I got treated to a meal again.
We went picking carrots together... it was pretty exciting!
If Dad got to...
...know about the situation.
The current situation Hotaru is in...
Mr. Kuroita?
Yes?
Is your sister with you?
Who are you?
I'm the son of Kuroki.
Haven't you heard?
My father's a doctor.
I heard a bit.
Will you let us into your apartment?
All right.
Hey, what the hell!
He's the son of that doctor.
Come in.
-I said you can come in. -Hold it there!
Don't act like this is your place!
Who are you ?
And just who are you?
I'm his close friend!
I'm his best friend.
-Let's go inside. -Stop messing around!
-What the hell do you think you're doing?! -Who's messing around?!
His sister seduced his father!
Between your father and and my young sister... I wonder who was the seducer?
You brat!
I was with the SDF*, your moves won't work on me.
Self Defense Force
I could take you to the police.
-Let's take it outside! -Stop it!
Hey!
You bastard!
-Hey! -C'mon, stop it!
I'm sorry.
-Looks like she's not here. -Isn't it obvious?
Stop!
-Have you heard from her? -I wish she had called.
My bad.
-I couldn't bear to look at the way my mother is. -My friend here is equally worried. Me too.
I knew her since we were this tall.
We grew up together like siblings.
I feel terrible for things to turn out like this.
Just that my mother is worried sick...
We're worried too.
Being worried to the point we can't eat.
So...
If you hear anything, please let us know.
Please tell my father to call us.
You do the same too, okay?
Definitely.
Here's my card.
Let's go, all right?
I'm really sorry.
Hey!
Your shoes! Hey, your shoes!
I was...
...pretty sad.
I can't deny that...
I felt his pain.
Hotaru...
What exactly have you done?
Causing trouble to everyone around you.
Doing something you shouldn't have done.
Shokichi!
Hey! You know the girl that Jun's dating, right?
-You know the girl Jun is dating? -You mean Shu?
Her name's Shu?
I'll show you something good.
Wait, it's this!
It's her, right?
Though it says Komori Takane.
It's clearly her, right?
I had no idea that this happened
Are you all right?
Jun, take it over!
Jun, hey Jun!
Are you all right?
Shu and I were seeing each other almost everyday.
Dad adored her a lot.
Like how it was with Hotaru back in the old days.
He treats her...
...kindly and cheerfully.
It was hard seeing him like that.
If dad got to know...
what Hotaru is doing right now...
He still thinks of Hotaru as...
a sincere and kind person.
What would happen if he finds out...
Hey! Jun! Hey!
Next evening, I was approached by Hirosuke.
Did Shokichi say anything?
What do you mean?
Nothing. It's fine if he didn't.
Hey, wait up. Is this about my Dad?
No, it's not. It's about your girlfriend.
Never mind, I was joking!
Hey, wait up. What're you talking about?
Nothing!
What was he talking about?
It's nothing.
But Hirosuke was acting weird.
He's always been like that.
Was he referring to Shu?
Who is it?
Hotaru!
Come in.
I'm going out.
-I'll be outside. -Thanks.
I've been waiting, you know.
I was worried about you.
Sorry.
Where have you been?
You lost so much weight.
How did you find out?
Yuji contacted me.
Even that guy's...
You know, your partner's son, even him too.
What in the world are you doing?
You even quit the hospital, didn't you?
Does Dad know?
No.
Good.
-What are you gonna... -Jun, please.
Can you lend me some money?
Whatever you have is fine.
Thanks.
What're you gonna do now?
Can you stay the night?
-I have to catch a train at Shintoku. -Shintoku?
-The train to Kushiro leaves at 2:31am. -Going to Kushiro?
Nemuro.
It's beside Nemoro.
The town called Ochishi.
I'll be working at a clinic over there.
With the doctor?
He's already there.
Do you know where you'll live?
I know the clinic's address.
Tell me.
-Who are you calling? -His family is worried.
-Stop it. -I promised him!
Stop, I beg of you!
I promise to have him call some time.
Make sure you do.
Don't try to pull a fast one on me.
It'll take around two hours to Shintoku.
-I'll give you a ride. -Where are you going?
Don't worry.
I'm gonna talk to Shokichi.
How much money do you have on you?
Lend it to me.
What're you gonna do?
Hotaru is trying to get to Nemuro. I'm giving her a ride to Shintoku Station.
Here.
Thank you.
Can I use the cassette player?
Can I take a short nap?
Yeah.
I'm exhausted.
How old is he?
43 years and...
8 months.
What's he like?
An extremely unpopular doctor.
But a very skillful surgeon.
He plays the cello too.
He's funny.
When we eloped, he brought nothing but his cello.
He was holding it so lovingly.
How did he seduce you?
He didn't, I made the first move.
I'm the one who fell for him hard.
I thought you were with Yuji.
Yes, but he...
He broke into tears, you know?
He said...
he's fine with your affair as long as you're doing okay.
I'm horrible, aren't I?
Once you find a place to live, be sure to contact me.
Not just me, Dad too.
Say,
can you tell Dad that I moved to some remote area to do voluntary work?
Aren't you even...
Since when did you pick up clever tricks like that?
I wonder when.
He said that...
a lie in the name of happiness is mankind's greatest invention.
I so wanna beat him up.
You'll lose.
He was a member of the karate club back in college.
Is that right?
Does Dad still live there on his own?
I kept thinking about...
when I saw Hotaru off at the gate.
She looked totally different from the Hotaru...
I used to know.
Her back projected a strong-minded woman...
going against society's norms.
She totally ignores what Dad or I would think,
but it is somehow gratifying.
As I entered Furano,
the distant skyline started to fill with the pale glow of the morning sunrise.