Hey.
Sorry. Bad traffic today.
I hate the first morning shift.
Always puke all over the place.
Like the other day at Nanago Dori Park.
In Hatagaya.
That was a real nightmare.
Some guy took forever to come out.
Out of ten, a level eight nightmare!
Are you even listening?
Hirayama, take it easy. It’s getting dirty again anyway.
Mom!
What’s wrong?
You’re here with your mom?
It’s gonna be fine.
Yosuke?
I was looking for you!
Where have you been?
Listen, I was looking all over!
I told you to stay close, right?
I was searching through the whole park.
Sorry, darling.
Now he’s crying, too.
I’m so sorry.
But now we are good.
Thanks a lot.
Hello, welcome back.
Somebody’s back!
For a hard day’s work!
Yes! He hit it!
It’s in right?
It’s in! See?
Hey, what are you doing?
Buying scores with money?
What’s the fun in that, huh?
Kat-chan! Get back!
Always pay respect
to the sport teams or religions of others. Give paw.
Now go. Settled!
They’re playing dirty,
stealing good players from other teams.
Holy shit!
Aya! You really made it!
What a huge surprise! Like ten out of ten!
Just a sec! This is my last spot.
I’m finishing up right now!
You can be fast if you want.
My girlfriend is waiting. I’m done for the day.
Come on, come on!
Hirayama, let me use your car.
Can’t miss this chance tonight. Please, Hirayama!.
I’m begging you.
Come on, please.
That’s Hirayama, my senior at work.
Great worker, but not a great speaker.
I don’t even know his voice.
Hirayama, this is Aya.
Ten out of ten, for sure.
Stop saying that.
Can I play this?
So, Hirayama ...
I like her voice. - Do you?
Smith?
Very common name.
Hirayama,
you really like this job, huh?
You got your own gadgets and stuff.
How can you put so much into a job like this?
Not that I’m expecting an answer.
Just wondering.
This guy is weird.
Nine out of ten on a weirdness scale.
I like the sound of cassette tapes.
Yeah! Cassettes do sound great!
It’s my first time.
First times are always great!
Drop me off down there.
Aren’t we going out? - Extra shift at the girl’s bar.
If you show up, I’ll be with you all night.
Still waiting for my pay day.
Hirayama, this is really a big deal for me.
Dammit! If I had money, I could handle all this.
Can’t even be in love without money? What’s up with this shitty world?
Is this the modern age?
Hey, how much would this make?
Don’t you wanna know?
I’m just curious!
Analogue is really making a comeback. Might be worth lots.
Just out of curiosity! I know a good place in Shimokita.
That’s not in my direction.
Won’t even take us 30 minutes. Ouch!
Should be right here...
Here, this is the place.
Oops.
Hello there.
Excuse me, how much would these make?
This one’s rare, it's Lou Reed.
120 Dollars for this. - Seriously?
For this, 80 $. - Really?
Where’d you find these? - These are all my senior’s.
This one’s 40 bucks.
For real?
This could go for 60. You’ll make a lot with all these.
Here’s my estimate.
Wow, holy shit!
Unbelievable! Let’s sell them, Hirayama!
We’ll take them all. Cassettes are in fashion.
Especially from the 70s or 80s.
We gotta sell them, your whole collection.
120 for this single tape!
Now’s the time!
Ok, just one. Let’s just sell one.
Then I can see Aya at the bar. Tonight’s a big deal for me.
It’s a big deal tonight!
If I miss this chance...
No love life if you’re broke? Is that it?
Seriously?
Thank you so much!
You saved me! I’m off!
Hirayama, you’re the best!
Thanks for coming...
Good night.
Thanks!
Hirayama ...
I don’t think I have a chance with Aya. Like, two out of ten.
Not that I’ve given up yet.
Say, Hirayama ...
You’re not married, right?
Being alone at your age ...
Aren’t you ever lonely?
Takashi!
It's you! - Takashi!
It’s been a while. - Takashi!
What’s up?
I was looking for you.
You were? - Yeah.
Oh, Hirayama, this is Dera-chan, my good old friend.
He likes my ears, you see.
Whenever he finds me, this is what happens.
He always chases me down. 10 out of 10.
Dera-chan is friends with my ears.
And I’m just a bonus. Right?
Yes. - Or no?
Yes!
Yesss!
Hey!
I wanted to give this back.
Here.
Can I listen to this again?
Thanks.
Did Takashi tell you anything?
Welcome back.
For your hard work!
Hi.
Thanks.
1 DOLLAR PER BOOK
Aya Koda, she deserves more recognition.
She uses the same words we do yet there’s something so special.
Good evening, Hirayama.
Your usual?
What are you reading now?
Aya Koda, "Tree".
Her essays?
You’ve read them?
You’re such an intellectual.
No, I wouldn’t say that.
Here.
Your potato salad.
And cheers after a long day.
Hey, Mama.
We didn’t get that appetizer.
Oh, I’m sure you did.
And we don’t always see such portions.
That’s not true. We’re all equal here, right?
Have to look up “equal” in my dictionary.
Oh, ladies don’t like fussy men.
You always had a wrinkle here?
No, other side. There.
Hey Mama, do you have fried tofu?
No we’re out. Go get it and I’d cook it for you.
His wife left him, you know.
How can he stay so cheerful?
You’re talking about me? - Oh, nothing.
How can you still act like that, she says, with your wife gone?
That’s easy. I’m back to my carefree single days.
That makes any man happy.
Got rid of that nagging woman. What a relief.
Acting like a tough guy.
Soon you’ll be moaning to Mama about how lonely you are.
Such boring small talk.
Another drink will get you through it.
Here.
Why can’t things just stay the same?
Mama.
Sing us that song.
Our favorite one.
Oh yeah!
Well, but ... Hirayama only just got here.
Don’t let us down. - Please!
Here we go.
Come on.
Since you got your guitar out ... Let’s go.
It’s a good song.
I ended up in a place
in New Orleans,
a brothel called
"The House of the Rising Sun"
The man I loved
did not come back.
That was when I left
my homeland.
I took a train,
and then another one...
And two lemon shochu!
Oh, you’re here, give me a sec!
For your hard work!
Uncle.
Where’ve you been?
You took forever.
Which door is yours?
Up the stairs or below?
Niko?
My, have you grown!
Uncle.
Off to work now?
Can I come along?
You’d better let me.
Dunno what I’ll be up to if you leave me alone.
Get in from the other side.
Wanna coffee?
Yeah!
Same as mine? - Sure.
Thanks.
Wanna play it? - Yes.
No, no.
This way.
Like this? - Yes.
The tape is on this side.
Is that the Skytree?
Yeah, that’s right.
So this is a cassette tape?
From way back?
Way back.
Can I put this on my iPhone?
What’s written on it?
Van-morri-son.
Is this on Spotify?
Not sure.
Where is that place?
What place?
That shop.
It’s not a shop.
Oh, that one!
You mean this? My camera. It’s quite old.
Look!
How come?
You don’t remember?
Uncle, you gave this to me.
Sure I did. - Liar.
You don’t remember, do you?
Is that tree your friend?
My friend?
Isn’t it?
You’re right.
This is my Tree Friend.
Uncle?
Can I borrow this book?
What book is that?
“Eleven. Short Stories”.
Sure.
This boy, Victor, from “The Terrapin”.
He’s so much like me.
I kinda get
what he’s going through.
Can I help?
Really?
Thanks.
Uncle, you and mom don’t get along?
She told you that?
Whenever I talk about you,
she changes the subject.
I see.
You had a fight with your mom?
Sort of.
Do you always run away from home?
This is my first time.
Staying at your place was always part of my plan.
What’s that supposed to mean?
Hi.
Here.
Thanks. I go this way?
See you in ten minutes. - That’s too short.
Then, in twenty minutes.
Yes. Got it.
Yeah, ok.
Hungry?
Time to eat, then. - Yay!
Towel goes here. - Thanks.
You and mom have nothing in common.
You think so?
She said like, you and we live in a different world.
Might be true.
Is it?
The world is made up of many worlds.
Some are connected and some are not.
My world ...
and your mom's are very different.
What about my world?
Which world am I in?
Does this flow into the ocean?
Yeah. To the ocean.
Wanna go?
Next time.
When’s that?
Next time is next time.
And when's that exactly?
Next time is next time.
Now is now.
Next time is next time.
Now is now.
Next time is next time.
Now is now!
Next time is next time.
Now is now.
Hi, brother.
Long time no see.
So, this is where you live?
I didn’t mean it in a bad way. Niko, get your things. - No!
That’s not an option.
Uncle!
Hurry now.
Uncle!
Come back here anytime.
Haven’t finished your book yet.
Take it with you.
I'm gonna become like Victor.
No, no.
You shouldn’t say that. - Niko!
For all the trouble.
Your favorite chocolate.
She’s a good girl.
Not so sure about that.
As for father...
he no longer recognizes anything.
Won’t you go and visit him in his nursing home?
He won’t act like he used to.
Are you really cleaning toilets?
Uncle.
Thank you.
Hey, it’s Takashi.
Takashi speaking. Hello?
I hear you.
Hirayama, you’ve been good to me. I really appreciate it.
Like, nine out of ten.
So, it’s hard to tell ya, but I’m quitting.
What?
I’ll pay you back the money soon.
Wait. What about your shift?
Yes. - On such a short notice, we can’t find a replacement.
No replacement? What’s gonna happen then?
You’ll have to cover for the day.
Can I? Sorry, just quick.
Sorry.
Excuse me!
Are you new? - I’ll be done soon.
What is it?
Where’s Takashi?
Three times, I’ve called. Why’d no one answer?
Listen, I’m only doing this today.
Just find anyone, got it?
I’m Sato. I was suddenly asked to come here
and take over the former staff's shift.
Should I start over there?
Ah, yes.
Hi. - Hi.
Remember what used to be here?
That’s what growing old means.
Patricia Highsmith knows everything about anxiety.
She made me realize that fear and anxiety are different things.
What brings you here?
Oh, you know ...
May I?
Come in.
A pack of 'Peace'.
And a bag.
May I have one?
Been a while since I last smoked.
Did you see us at the bar earlier?
You always go there, I guess?
Yes.
Since it opened, so, for five or six years.
I see.
It is a nice place.
I’m her ex-husband.
Oh.
I see ...
It’s been about seven years since we got divorced.
I’m married again.
Seven years since I last saw her.
I’ve got cancer.
It metastasized.
My body’s all inflamed from chemo.
Then I...
suddenly felt I owed her an apology.
Not that anything had happened.
Maybe it wasn’t an apology.
I wanted to thank her.
No, that’s not it either.
I just wanted to see her, that’s all.
Wanna drink?
Oh no. - Still got one more.
Well, in that case ...
I'll take one.
Please take care of her.
Oh no, we’re not like that.
I’m counting on you.
We’re not like that.
Shadows ...
Do they get darker when they overlap?
Not sure.
So many things I still don’t know ...
That’s how life ends ...
I guess.
Let’s find out now.
What?
Try standing here.
Huh?
What do you see?
Looks the same to me.
Not getting darker?
Probably not.
Looks darker to me.
Don’t see any difference.
But there is!
It has to get darker to make sense!
You’re really into this.
Nothing is changing after all?
That’s just nonsense.
I agree with that.
Let's play shadow tag.
Huh?
I’ll be “It”.
Ready?
Here I come.
Run!
You alright? - This is tough.
I’ll be “It” now. - Sure? Ready?
Here I come.
Tag! Tag!
So tough.
This is exhausting. Tag!
That was close. I stepped on you!
You did? - I did.