(A full concert hall, before a concert. Backstage, a woman sighs.)
Woman
Haaah. Liechtenstein, Neuschwanstein, Kloch...
(She’s a castle maniac.)
Aaaah, no matter how many times I do this, I’m still nervous before a performance.
Reciting the names of castles always calms me down.
What about you, Shou?
Is that what keeps you calm?
(Shou holds a bookmark of pressed flower petals and smiles)
Shou
...Yes.
—This is my charm.
(A German street. Reichelt climbs into the back seat of a cab.)
Reichelt
Step on it! I’ll give you a fat tip—I’m going to the hotel up ahead.
Cab driver
The concert? We’re not gonna make it in time, buddy.
Reichelt
That’s all right, just go. —Someone I know is performing.
(The audience claps. Reichelt enters the building as people exit the concert hall.)
Reichelt
—Is it already over?
Woman 1
Don’t you think today’s performance was wonderful?
Woman 2
It really was! I loved the pianist.
Woman 1
Oh, he’s Japanese, isn’t he? Shou...Amori?
This is the first time I’ve heard of him.
Woman 2
I want to hear him play again!
(Reichelt runs backstage.)
Reichelt
Hey, Julia.
Julia
Oh, Reichelt. If you’re looking for Shou, try the stage. Don’t you get disqualified as a manager if you come after the performance is over?
Reichelt
Ah, but Julia, I know even if I’m not here to listen—my Shou’s playing is always beyond compare, right?
(He winks at her.)
Danke, bis bald! (Thanks, see you!)
Julia
Oh my. I give up. He always makes me jealous. ‘MY Shou’, huh...
Woman
No help for it.
—It’s part of a manager’s job, right? You can’t do it if you’re not either in love with the person or in love with his talent.
(Shou is still standing on the stage, looking out at the empty seats.)
Reichelt
Shou.
Shou
—...Reichelt.
Reichelt
I was looking for you.
I’m so sorry I didn’t get here in time to hear you play.
Shou
—It’s all right, really.
Reichelt
But I knew just from looking at the faces of the audience as they were walking out.
Shou
Reichelt...
Reichelt
You must have given them a wonderful concert. I can almost see it:
The audience clapping and calling out ‘bravo’—...
But I want more people to be able to hear you play.
I don’t want you to be just a guest performer with the orchestra, but a world-class soloist—...
To have people around the world hear your playing: that’s my wish now, my dream—...
Shou
Reichelt...
I...that’s not really...
I mean, I’m quite happy with the way things are.
And if only that accident hadn’t happened, the violin would’ve been your—...!
If you weren’t my manager, you would certainly be more—...
(Reichelt stops him with a finger on his lips.)
Reichelt
Shou,
But you know, I have another dream too.
—...you know that, don’t you?
(Reichelt tilts Shou’s chin and kisses him.)
Shou
...!
—...
(Shou closes his eyes tight.)
...Ah...nnn...
Reichelt
Shou...
Your tie seems a bit tight...
(He pulls on Shou’s tie.)
Shou
...!
Rei—
Reichelt?!
How can you do that in a place like this...?!
If someone walked by—...
Reichelt!
(Reichelt hugs Shou tighter, and Shou turns his face away.)
Reich...!
—...!
Reichelt
—And so
The kind Shou Amori would let me go on like this and take however much I wanted?
Shou
...!
Reichelt
Shou...
I love you, but what I want from you isn’t sympathy—
It’s trust.
It hurts me to have only compassion from you in return.
Shou...
Your kindness is one of your virtues, but you don’t know how kindness can hurt another person, do you...?
—Oh, Shou
You should live more on your own terms.
But
There are so many things that could be yours if you only reached out for them.
I am so impatient for that.
I will wait—yes.
—but—...
If one day—you should love me for no reason other than that you love me—
...I think I would be very happy.
—But I don’t think I can just leave you alone either...
—Shou...
Shou
Reichelt...
I’m sorry, I—...
Reichelt
I told you not to worry about it, right?
And besides, I’m craftier than you think. Because I don’t mind stealing what I want.
(He steals another kiss.)
Shou
Reichelt!
Reichelt
Hahahah, I’m going back to the hotel.
(Reichelt turns back, grinning.)
Shou! I like being a manager.
It’s fun adjusting and strategizing for the job.
And more than anything, it’s the best thing in the world to be able to stay with the person I love.
Shou
Reichelt...
—...
(Shou sinks down to the floor.)
—Crafty—?
But I—...
—But I...
Depend so much on Reichelt’s kindness—...
I knew that Reichelt liked me.
I depended on his good will to pick up all the little things for me—...
And that’s how we ended up here.
...Reichelt is smart.
He knows what I need.
Maybe even better than I do myself.
He’s bright, and he’s quick on the uptake, and he’s sociable—...
I enjoy being with him, so I don’t want to lose him—...
I’m the one who’s crafty, Reichelt...
(A distant image of Takashi surfaces in his mind.)
—He was the polar opposite.
There was so much tension between us whenever we were with each other.
And yet...
—Now that we’re apart
Why do I miss him so much—...
—...Come to think of it, he once said something similar to me, too.
Takashi, flashback
How do you think I felt...?!
I never wanted to hurt anyone.
Shou
And yet, in the end, someone was hurt.
...Sheesh. It’s been six years already.
...I wonder why?
Nothing—
—Has changed, has it—...
I—...
Suzuna
Huff—
This garden is as humongous as ever.
I’m lost.
Huh...?!
This melody...!
It can’t be...!
It can’t be...!
Shou-san?!
(Suzuna bursts into the music room where she had first met Shou playing the piano. But the one who turns to her is Takashi.)
Takashi
—Suzuna-chan...?
Suzuna
Oh...!
That-
That’s right. —I...
Aaah, I’m such an idiot...
(She laughs a little as she pants.)
Takashi
...Did you mistake me for Shou?
(Takashi smiles. Suzuna blushes.)
Suzuna
Huh?
Ah! I’m sorry!
Takashi
It’s all right. It’s been a long time since I played.
You thought—...maybe...right?
Suzuna
But you’re so good—you should play more.
Takashi
...I stopped playing in senior high.
I have to take up the family business, so...
The college Economics Club was a better choice for me.
Unlike him, I was never a prodigy—....
It’s been six years since he went to Germany, and we haven’t heard anything from him.
What a heartless guy he is, huh?
Suzuna
Takashi-san...
When I first met Takashi-san, I thought he was scary...
But now, though he says things like that,
I know that he’s worried about Shou-san...
I guess he’s a bit more awkward than I thought,
Takashi-san...
Takashi
So why are you here today?
(Suzuna claps her hands together as she remembers.)
Suzuna
Oh!
Right, right!
Grandmother asked to borrow the Karatsu teacup.
(A traditional Japanese tea-house.)
Grandmother
Well, Suzuna-chan, welcome!
You’ve become such a lady!
I have heard that you will be graduating from college this year?
Ah, speaking of which, in our family, our Suzuki-san will also be graduating this year, and he and his friends are planning a graduation party, so recently...
Suzuna, aside
This family even has a tea house...
Takashi, aside
Grandmother wanted it, so it was built separate from the house.
Sounds like this is going to take a while.
Suzuna, aside
Yes...
It does sort of feels like that...
Grandmother
And Suzuna-chan, I hear that you are doing some things for your family...?
Suzuna
Oh...yes.
It’s embarrassing, but I’m working as a maid around the house.
I wanted to find a job outside, but my father refused...
Grandmother
Well, but that is fine.
A girl trains to be a bride.
There is no need for you to do other work. Such practice is good for you.
Suzuna
Oh, but—I—...
Takashi
—Such thinking is an insult to women.
Grandmother, you’re unexpectedly old-fashioned.
Suzuna
Takashi-san!
Grandmother
Well, I never!
What did you just say?!
Takashi
Hot tea is wonderful, but there are other things we must do as well.
Excuse us.
(Takashi takes Suzuna’s hand and runs off with her.)
Grandmother
Wait just a minute, Takashi!!
Takashi!
Well, I never! Goodness gracious!
Takashi
HAH—HAHAH!!
I’ve always wanted to say that, just once, just like that!
Hahah...
Did you see her expression? Ah, that look on her face!
Suzuna
Is-is-is that really okay?
Takashi
Don’t worry about it.
It would’ve gone on and on if we’d stayed.
It’s just that she’d take any excuse to have us meet.
Suzuna
Huh...?
Takashi
What, you haven’t noticed?
It about marriage—mar-ri-age.
Suzuna
Huh?! Wh-who to whom?!
Takashi
You don’t have to be so surprised about it.
Grandmother wants me attached right after I finish grad school.
What she’s saying is that it’s fine for you not to do anything but train to be the bride of the Amori family.
(Suzuna blushes, looking troubled.)
Suzuna
Oh but that’s...!
I-I—...
(Takashi’s eyes soften.)
Takashi
—I know.
You like Shou, don’t you...?
Suzuna
Takashi-san...
—...
But he doesn’t feel the same way, so
It’s just my own silly feelings.
Besides, Shou-san has probably already fallen in love with someone during these six years.
—If that’s true, then I won’t say anything—...
Somehow—
...I just feel sad.
—I’m sad when I think about it...
I know it’s only my selfish feelings, but somehow they make me feel so lonely—...
And I wonder why Shou-san isn’t here—...
(Takashi’s eyes widen, and he stares at her. Suzuna swings around and smiles.)
Aaaah, it would’ve been better if I’d been rejected straight out,
because I’d be over it now.
(Takashi looks away, blushing.)
Takashi
...That’s probably true.
Suzuna
Huh?
Takashi
Ah, no, it’s nothing.
Suzuna
?
Um...can I ask something of you?
Takashi
Huh? What?
(Suzuna smiles.)
Suzuna
Will you let me hear that song you were playing again?
Chopin’s Prelude...
—It’s the song that Shou-san was playing when I first met him—...
(Augsburg, the Schneider residence. Shou is playing. Reichelt bursts into the room.)
Reichelt
Shou!
Shou
What’s up, Reichelt?
You’re all out of breath.
Reichelt
Good news!
It looks like we’ve found a sponsor!
Shou
Sponsor?
Reichelt
That’s right. I think you know it too, but no matter what anyone says, you need connections, reputation, and money in the music business.
Especially if you want to have a concert where you can make an impression—that requires quite a bit of money. So of course you’d need a backup sponsor.
If you win a big competition, productions will swarm all over you even if you want to be left alone, but you’ve only just graduated. I was thinking that there are several people who might’ve taken notice of you from your performances in school competitions, but—...
Honestly, I thought it’d be years down the road before a major enterprise like this would come along.
It’s probably because you performed in the Tchaikovsky and Chopin and other competitions.
Shou
So he’s saying that I need to win those competitions...?
That’s easier said than done, Reichelt!
Hey, earth to Reichelt!
Reichelt
—Let’s go to Japan, Shou.
The sponsor is actually a Japanese company.
Shou
...Huh?
Wai...!
Reichelt
And what great timing, too—now I’m glad we’re taking it easy after playing with the orchestra the other day, so our schedules are open.
Shou
Reich—
Don’t you think that’s a bit sudden? Um...
Reichelt
—It’s been six years, right? It’s your birthplace!
Shou
Huh?
WHA?!
Reichelt
This would be a great opportunity for you to visit your parents, right?
Shou
WHA—?!!
Reichelt
—Let’s go to Japan together!
(Shou and Reichelt arrive in Japan.)
Shou
—And so
I’ve ended on Japanese soil once more—...
Reichelt
Huuuuh—
Japan is totally different from what I expected.
Wow. Everything’s all jumbled up and you can’t see much green and there are so many cars!
Shou
How did you think it would be?
Please don’t say anything about topknots or geisha.
Reichelt
Anyway, Shou, is it really okay for you to be staying with me at the hotel?
Shouldn’t you at least contact your family and go back home for a visit...?
Shou
Mmm...not really.
I’ve been a stranger to that family since my mom died.
I haven’t even heard from them in six years, so it’d be difficult for me to just show up on the doorstep.
Though I guess they are related to me by blood.
Reichelt
So there’s...no one you want to see?
Shou
...
Someone I want to see...huh?
Oh!
Actually, there’s a sea of girls I want to see again—!
I was really popular, you know—!
And I want to see Suzuna-chan again, too—!
Reichelt
What?!
Are you serious, Shou?
Well, should we get a taxi for now?
Shou
—...
Sorry, Reichelt.
Could you go on ahead and take our luggage to the hotel?
There’s a place I’d like to visit.
Reichelt
Shou...
It’s not a woman...is it?
Waaah—!
I was just joking earlier!
Shou
Well, yes, she is a woman, but
she’s more than twenty years older than me, so?
Reichelt
Waaah, Shou...
I didn’t know you liked older women?
Shou
—Ah, but
...in truth, there is
someone whom I would be more uncomfortable in meeting—...
(A cemetery.)
Shou
—A woman twenty years older than me,
related to me by blood,
and who now lies beneath cold stone—
...Heh, or something like that, right?
Long time no see,
...Mom.
...Guess I’m an unfilial son, huh?
I haven’t come to visit your grave even once in six years.
(He smiles, arms full of lilies.)
I‘ve brought six years’ worth of flowers
So will you forgive me?
—Mom...
Today is the anniversary of your death, but
I guess those heartless Amori bastards aren’t even coming to visit your grave, huh?
Not that you’d want to see any of them either, so I guess it doesn’t matter.
—Anyway,
Aaaah, it looks like you have some withered flowers stuck there.
(He kneels in front of the grave.)
I’ll clean it up for you, Mo—...
...!
—Wait a minute.
Actually, if no one has come here on a grave visit at all,
Then there wouldn’t be dried flowers.
And now that I think about it, there aren’t weeds around the grave either.
Is there someone taking care of this grave?
(A step. Someone approaches from behind.)
Someone is coming to visit Mom’s grave...
Grandmother wouldn’t. ...Father?
...!
—Or could it be—...?!
No, that couldn’t happen.
There’s no way he would...would he—?
...!
Takashi
—Shou...?
(Shou turns. They stare at each other.)
Shou
Takashi...!