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earth_colors) wrote2013-07-01 10:42 pm
earth_colors) wrote2013-07-01 10:42 pm
Entry tags:
Amachan: Week 14 (Episode Guide) Part 1
Week 14."I'll be an assistant to a famous actress" Part 1
"Are you perhaps feeling sorry for me?"
Episode Summaries:
(UGH! My least favorite week so far; Somehow, it's poorly written and not well thought-out. I knew that Asadoras usually have periods wherein they suddenly become uninteresting -or lose steam-, usually past the 100th episode, so I didn't expect that it'll come THIS early for Amachan; I certainly hope the story will get back on track though or else XP...)
Ep. 79. The next morning, before heading out to school, Aki asks Takuma why he didn't tell her he and Suzuka Hiromi were acquaintances. Takuma answers, "Well, I didn't know she remembered me over there." Aki: "Well, it was awesome. I got to meet Suzuka Hiromi." Takuma reminds her to call her "Suzuka Hiromi-san." Aki: "Oh, right, I can call her "-san" because we've already met." However, Takuma advises her not to tell the company. "Because there seems to be some things that are going on between Suzuka-san and Futomaki-san."
Aki is in her room fixing her school bag and telling Natsu on the phone about what happened last night. Natsu is at the lounge area for Ama-sans at the Ama Cafe. She is having tea with Misuzu and a male foreigner. "You mean that Suzuka Hiromi?" Natsu asks, "The one in the poster?" Aki: "Right! 'Shizuka Gozen' paid for our sushi." Natsu: "That's great LOL! Thanks to me, huh?" Aki: "Yeah. If I knew about the menu prices, I wouldn't have gone into that shop. Thanks for tricking me." As usual, she asks how everyone is in Sodegahama. Natsu: "Misuzu has gotten herself a boyfriend." She puts Misuzu on the phone. Misuzu: "And!..." Asks the guy where he's from and he answers, "Bangladesh." Aki: "Jejeh! I knew it, elopement is impossible this time." Misuzu also breaks another piece of news to Aki. "Also, Yui has been named Miss KitaTetsu again." Aki: "Jejeh!"
A little while later, while brushing her teeth, Aki confirms the news with Hiroshi on the phone. Hiroshi, at his end, has just arrived at his work. "Yeah, she won the second time. Since she didn't show up for the award, I received her tiara on her behalf." Aki: "I see. How are things lately?" Hiroshi: "Our Dad's getting better bit by bit... Yui-chan? You don't have to worry about her." Aki: "I have to! Yui-chan and I are 'Ichiren takuro'. Hiroshi: "You mean, 'Ichiren takusho' (see Ep. 43)." Aki: "We are 'Nisokusanmon' (dirt cheap)." Hiroshi: "You mean 'Ninin-sankyaku' (three-legged race)? Mm, thanks. She is fine, but she hasn't been going to school. She and Mom take turns in nursing dad. She has little rest, so it seems it's difficult for her to go... Anyway, she's a celebrity over here, right?"... Aki feels sad hearing about Yui. At school, she can't help but worry about her throughout the day, wishing she can do something for her...
In Kitasanriku, Yui, wearing a face mask, arrives at the main station. However, a man recognizes her and starts to harass her.
Jerk: "Aintcha Yui-chan of KitaTetsu! Jejejeh! Handshake, handshake! I went to that Amasonic event at the Ama Cafe in the summer. Thought you went to Tokyo? Did you come back now?" Yui tries to dodge the man but he keeps blocking her path. "Don't run way. Let's go to a karaoke place, okay?" He feels a hand on his shoulder. "Whatcha want, punk..."
It was Isono-sensei to the rescue. "Lay off. Can't you see she hates it?"
Jerk: "I'll remember this..." He goes away.
Isono: "Yeah, you better! (To Yui) Your General Course teachers have been complaining that you haven't been coming to school. I may be a teacher from another department but... you're more important than my students in the Civil Engineering Diving Department and..." He also feels a hand on his shoulder. "What you want, punk..."
And it was Yoshida to the rescue, sorta. "Lay off. Can't you see hates it?.. Areh?" They realize that Yui has already left.
Later at the Rias, Yoshida and Daikichi are both sadly sighing, and saying, "How I wish I could do something..." Their depressing mood is affecting Haruko. "(Sighs) That's why I told you your affection for her is too much. Just leave her alone. At least until everything quiets down." Daikichi asks when will it quiet down. "How long will we wait until Yui-chan rides the KitaTetsu like before? When will she ever flash her friendly smiles at us?!" He starts crying. Haruko: "Don't get mad at me!" Yoshida: "We're sorry if we don't understand the delicate feelings of a woman... But we'll feel a lot better if we're told that the answer is 'Right now~'..." He starts crying along with Daikichi.
At Anbe's noodles stand, Aki tells Anbe what happened. Anbe: "I wish we could do something..." Aki: "But I'm not in a position to say, 'Hang in there.' I'm still helpless, too." A customer has arrived and it's Taneichi, who orders a bowl of mamebu. Aki finally sees him. "Jejeh!" Taneichi: "Yo!" Anbe is surprised that they know each other.
Taneichi is trying to look upset. "You should have told me you were coming to Tokyo. What a cold thing to do..."
Aki says, teasingly: "Well, I'll feel like a loser if I call you right away so... I mean, I didn't want you to think I still have feelings for you."
Taneichi lets out a small shy smile. "Such a troublemaker..."
Aki (laughs): "Jeh~. I miss Senpai! I did receive your postcard. The expansion of Haneda Airport has started, right? You're doing well with being a Nambu Diver?" Taneichi, looking uncomfortable, answers yes. "Cool~. You really ARE the star of the Civil Engineering Diving Department."
Taneichi: "Say, you wanna go and grab a bite somewhere?" Anbe says she is already serving him Mamebu but... "Let's eat something yummy, Amano. Since I'm a working guy, I'll treat you out this time."
Anbe: "Mamebu is good, isn't it? What will I do with this..."
Taneichi (To Aki): "What do you like to eat. Don't hold back..." Aki answers "Sushi!" And the two immediately go off together, leaving Anbe behind with the bowl of mamebu in her hand. "Eh? Aki-chan?"
The two are at "Burai Sushi," discussing about Yui while dining on sushi. Taneichi asks her if she had received any word from Yui. "Not lately. How about you?" He says he heard about Yui's Dad from Isono-sensei. Aki: "But she did reply to my voice messages. She said her Dad is recovering well, and doing physical rehab." She shows him the message but Tanichi says he doesn't believe it. "She wrote 'I'm okay' a total of four times, it proves that she's not okay... Well, she doesn't want to show you her weaknesses. I wish I could do something but..."
Aki: "I envy Yui-chan..." Taneichi: "Why say that?" She says everyone cares about Yui. "Since I came here, they only asked about Yui-chan." She tells him her first day at the Office ('Is she the cute one?' 'No, the one with the accent'). "I knew it.. but it still gets to me. As I expected... Even Anbe-chan, and you, are asking, 'How's Yui-chan'..." Taneichi: "Well, yeah, but you know that she and I are still going steady ..."
Aki: "I'm not bitter. Just makes me think that she's amazing. People talk about her even when she isn't around... That means everyone has Yui-chan in their hearts, right? I can't say it very well but... I feel that it's the qualification of a star or the quality to become a star... It really makes me feel that Yui-chan is someone who is meant to stand on center stage." She suddenly gets mad. "So you two are still going steady..."
Taneichi: "Eh? What?"
Aki: "I see I see... You two are in the middle of a long distance relationship. You're thinking like everyone else, 'Wish that the one who came was the cuter one, not the one with the heavy accent,' right? I see I see... Well, sorry to disappoint you."
Taneichi (speaking without an accent): "No I didn't say that at all..."
Aki: "Huh? All of a sudden, you lost your local accent? (Mockingly) How cool of you~! Since you're a Nambu Diver and all, huh?"
Taneichi: "Hey-- Amano!" They've attracted stares from Umezu and Ito. He says more softly, "Listen, Amano... I..." (using "ore" for "me" rather than his usual provincial term "zubun")
Aki (sensing something): "Eh? Don't tell me, you're breaking up with Yui?"
Taneichi: "I have no such plans. Our long distance relationship is doing well... I'm no longer a Nambu Diver. I've quit my job. I've also left my company dorm. Since I'm worried about Yui, I'm going back to the countryside next week." Aki asks him what happened. "My parent company have two projects for now... One is the expansion project at Haneda Airport, and the other is the Tokyo Sky Tree. The Haneda construction project is falling behind schedule so for some reason, I ended up with the Sky Tree project.
Aki: "Though you're from the Civil Engineering Diving Department..."
Taneichi: "Doesn't have anything to do with it, right? I wasn't able to show my Nambu Diver spirit... And... I have a fear of heights..."
Aki: "Jejeh!"
Taneichi: "I'm totally calm when I go down 100 meters to the seabed but when I go up 5-6 meters, I get dizzy... Still, I tried but it was impossible. I heard it's gonna be 634 meters tall..."
Aki the Narrator explains about the Sky Tree (remember this was still in 2009): 'There was a plan to construct a tower in Sumida Ward to replace Tokyo Tower. And so a man came to take part in this golden opportunity...'
In a certain press conference, sometime before 2008, Futomaki had made an announcement. "I was asked, 'What are you doing building a theater in Ueno?' 'Is Futomaki an idiot?' Stockholders beat me up on many occasions. And every time, I responded... 'In 2011, Tokyo Edo Tower will be built!'"
Aki: 'In 2008, its name had been decided. The name 'Tokyo Edo Tower' which was endorsed by Futomaki, had been one of the potential candidates but in the end, they chose 'Tokyo Sky Tree'."
Futomaki had said, "Oh, well, I still prefer 'Tokyo Edo Tower' though... The 'Sky Tree'? ...By the time they're finished with it, the center of Tokyo will have been changed to Ueno... Shibuya, Odaiba, Akihibara... They're already passé! Shimokitazawa? Plays are outdated! I hate them! It should be Ameyoko! Sky Tree? In my home territory, I, Futomaki, will train the idols myself!"
This is why Futomaki is adamant to make Ameyoko, the center of Idols, so therefore... Aki: 'Tokyo Sky Tree, in a way, made me an an idol but it took Senpai's dream away.' "So you quit?"
Taneichi: "I'll be going back home and become a mentor of Nambu Moguri or become a fisherman of hoya (sea pineapple) and sea cucumbers. I also want to see Yui... No reason to stay in Tokyo without a job, right?"
Aki feels sad about the change in Taneichi. 'He has changed, the guy who used to be enthusiastic and upright... He's not here anymore.'
Then Aki sees Hiromi and Futomaki enter the restaurant. Both sit at the cubicle which the actress had occupied the other night. Aki, remembering Takuma's warning about the two, plus the fact that Aki is with a guy (Then why the heck did you take him to a place NEAR YOUR OFFICE?!), goes behind Taneichi to hide... "Oh shoot!"
Ep. 80. Hiromi asks Waiter Ito for mizuwari (spirits + water) but Futomaki says none for him since he'll be leaving soon for a meeting. "Eh? You're no fun~!" protests Hiromi. Meantime, in the other cubicle, Aki and Taneichi are listening to them. Taneichi: "Who're they?" Aki: "A famous actress and our company president." Taneichi: "Jeh! If so, then you should greet them." Aki says she can't because "in our office, love is prohibited." Taneichi: "Love?!" Aki: "Shh!" Taneichi laughs, finding as insinuation as preposterous: "Sorry... But do we even look like lovers?"
The actress and the producer continue to talk. While fixing her mizuwari, Futomaki asks, "Do you come here often?" Hiromi: "Here? It's a hassle to prepare meals back home. (To Umezu) Right, Taisho (boss or chief)?" Umezu just gives her a nod and a smile. Futomaki: "Coming to this shop alone, you'll never know who might see you." Hiromi: "It's alright, they'll call a cab for me in front of the shop." Futomaki: "Where's your driver?" "He quit," she replies, "because he said he'll take me home, you know? I can't stand that. And then, he waits for me at the front door in the morning, too."
Futomaki: "That's what a driver does." Hiromi: "Is that so? I was so scared that I reported him." Futomaki: "Eh~!" Hiromi: "It's no use. I want to keep even the smallest degree of my privacy private." Futomaki: "Well, you fired me, too, after one year." Hiromi laughs out loud at the memory.
Aki: 'Could it be the president was the manager of Suzuka-san?'
Futomaki: "Why don't you get an assistant at least? I will introduce one to you. I have someone who's aspiring to be an actress. She's an interesting newcomer. I wonder if you'll like her? Their group name is 'Shiosai no Memory'... (At the other side, Aki spits out the water she is drinking) They're local idols from Iwate, just as their name, they sang 'Shiosai no Memory'."
Hiromi: "'Shiosai no...' Areh? Did someone just mention that the other day...? Oh, well, sure. How was it?"
Futomaki: "Their singing is bad. I don't want to talk about that. They're a duo though... The cute one hasn't arrived in Tokyo yet, and she's perfect. The other one, who has an accent, is crude." Taneichi laughs when he heard that, and Aki scowls at him.
Hiromi (wistfully): "Shiosai no Memory... those were the days... Anyway, I can't remember it..."
Futomaki: "Though it was your debut."
Hiromi: "Once in a while, I do try to play it in karaoke but... Why is that? I can't sing it at all." Futomaki quietly looks down and drinks his tea. "Those days, I was so busy, it was common to sleep for just 2 hours..."
Futomaki suddenly gets up to leave, saying he has to go to his meeting. Hiromi says she'll go home as well, and asks Umezu to hail her a cab. The mild-mannered Chef again just nods and smiles at her. Hiromi: "What was that... Does he think he's Kobayashi Kaoru...? (Masteeeer~! lol)" She says she'll take care of the bill, and Futomaki excuses himself. Hiromi stays and drinks her mizuwari for 30 minutes before leaving as well.
Aki and Taneichi are still talking at the restaurant, hardly touching their food. He says, "So that's what you're doing? Even if Ameyoko Jogakuen is very popular, I can only recognize 7-8 members at the most." Aki: "The Amejo Hakkenden, right? Along with the other members, they seem to have 40-50 girls." Taneichi: "And you're below them?" Aki: "Exactly, we dance underneath them." Taneichi: "Is that ok?" Aki: "It's not so nice. Right now, there is no other way but at least Yui is coming." Taneichi: "I wonder if she is coming." Aki: "What?" Taneichi: "About Yui, I wonder if she has already given up." Aki remembers Yui's conviction to go to Tokyo, crying and apologizing the last time she saw her at the train station. She becomes upset again.
Aki: "Don't say such things... It's bad luck."
Taneichi: "It didn't go according to plan... She's already behind, right?
Even if she comes, she has to start from below the stage? I think she won't be able to stand it. Since unlike you, Yui has a high pride and an elite... Up until this year, she hasn't experienced frustration..."
Aki: "Stop it."
Taneichi: "Better yet, she should remain in the countryside as a local idol..."
Aki loses her temper and bangs her fist on the table. "Don't be talking like you understand it all! Get a hold of yourself, Senpai! She will come, she will definitely come! She doesn't give up easily, she's not weak! She doesn't do things half-way!"
Her outburst has caught everyone's attention, including Umezu. "Excuse me, Miss..." Taneichi tries to calm her down but Aki is not yet done.
Aki: "Not too long ago, you were able to stand tall even with 70kg helmet on you... You've become so small... how pitiful! Have you forgotten the spirit of Nambu Moguri?" Taneichi looks down. With angry tears streaming down her face, she continues, "When in the countryside, you speak ill of the countryside. When you come to Tokyo, you speak ill of Tokyo. I HATE that sort of thing the most. (Raising her voice, even louder) The one I think who's elite and stuck up is you! What is this... I never realized my first love was such a small man!!"
Umezu: "Miss..."
Aki: "I don't care if you feel frustrated and wanna go back home but... don't involve me and Yui-chan!" Umezu: "Miss." Aki: "Yui-chan is coming! SHE WILL COME!"
Taneichi: "Okay, I understand. I understand. I'm sorry... We better get going." He gets up. Aki asks if she can have the uneaten food. Even if she's upset, she still is mindful of her groupmates. "If you're not gonna have this, I'll take it home to my dormmates."
Taneichi asks for the bill but Ito informs him that Suzuka Hiromi had already paid for it. Aki hears it, too. 'She knew...?'
Back at a hospital in Kitasanriku, Yui is helping her Dad walk during his physical rehab. The doctor is talking with Yoshie, praising Isao's fast recovery. Yoshie thanks the doctor for what he has done. "No, it was you all along. When the heart of a family breaks and you lose everything, tenacity is the only thing that can help you see it through." Yoshie agrees. Later, she goes to the Rias shop but since it is too early, it is still closed. She sits outside for awhile, deep in thought. Haruko comes bearing groceries for the shop. She sees Yoshie and calls her name but Yoshie does not seem to hear. "Adachi-san." Yoshie finally looks up and is told to come inside the shop.
Inside the Rias, Haruko serves Yoshie a cup of coffee. Haruko says she heard from Hiroshi about Isao's recovery. Yoshie: "He'll be discharged from the hospital early next month. And of course he will be continuing with his rehabilitation. The doctor says that he has a good chance to be able to walk soon." Haruko is glad to hear that and says Isao will pretty soon come walking back into the shop.
Yoshie shares what she's been feeling lately. "I was so tensed for the past month and a half... I don't feel like doing anything any more..." (Note: Here, she mentions about a tight string being cut. Think of a kite being blown in the wind but you keep it under control. String is so tight. Then cut the string loose, kite will be blown away with no control). Haruko tells her she just needs to rest. Yoshie: "Yeah. I did tell the doctor about it. He told me not to work too much. But I don't know how much is too much..."
Haruko: "It's okay to ask for help. During their spare time, everyone here likes to be nosy. Daikichi-san, Sugawara-kun and I were Sensei's students, so please count on us." Yoshie asks about Aki. Haruko: "She hasn't contacted me at all. Once in a while it seems she would call her grandma and talk but... I wonder how she is doing?"
Back at the Hole, the GMTs are practicing a rap part of a certain song. But Ellen, with her thick Okinawan accent... Ellen: "♬~'Jechumechu jikuchu'~♬ Ayumi: "Hold on a sec, (To Ellen) your sense of rhythm is way off." Ellen: "My rhythm is Okinawan rhythm." Shiori: "It's your pronunciation that's bad." Mana tells her how: "Zetsumetsu kikushu (Endangered species)." Ellen: "Jechumechu jikuchu." Ayumi: "That's not it." Kaoroku sings the song for Ellen: "♬~'From Ueno, I live in Okamachi... Zetsumetsu kikushu, Downtown Idol~'♬ Ellen gives it a try: ♬~'From Ueno, I live in Okamachi... Jechumechu jikuchu--" Ayumi: "That's even harder!" Then, Takuma calls Aki from up the stairs. "Amano! Got an email from Yui-chan. Seems her dad's gonna be discharged next month." Aki: "Jeh!"
Yui is shown in her room, gazing at a ticket bound for Tokyo in her hand. She seems upbeat, while packing her luggage. She has written an email message to Aki, too. 'I'm sorry I wasn't able to reply all throughout this time. While you have been working hard, I have also been overcoming this ordeal. It seems at last I'm going to be able to fulfill my promise to you. 'Shiosai no Memory' will be fully revived. Just wait a little more." Aki feels so happy after reading Yui's email. "Thank goodness.~"
After her work, Aki, for some reason, goes to the back of 'Burai Sushi.' She has been hanging out by the back door until Umezu comes out and sees her. "Hey," he says, and points inside. "...She's here." Aki: "Is she alone?" Umezu nods and says, "Go on in."
Suzuka Hiromi is at the counter, chatting merrily with someone. Aki approaches her and says hello. Hiromi: "Oh my, it's the up and coming idol!" Aki thanks her for the meal the other day. The actress says not to mention it and invites her to sit down. Aki finally introduces herself. "I'm Amano Aki. I'm with the 'Shiosai no Memory' group from Kitasanriku, Iwate Prefecture." Hiromi: "So it was you?" Aki: "I'm sorry we sang your song without permission." Hiromi: "Right! (Pretending to be angry) I will win after I take you to court!..." She smiles. "But I won't. LOL" Aki: "The other one will be coming to Tokyo soon. And then, please listen to our song!" Hiromi looks at her strangely and says, "Uh, okay..." She starts clapping, and waits for Aki to sing. Aki: "No, I mean, not now... Next month." Hiromi laughs and says, "I see..." The actress asks her to order anything she wants. And Aki of course orders umi sushi...
Ep. 81. Hiroshi runs into the Rias in a somewhat anxious mood. Haruko greets him and informs him his mom had dropped by earlier before going back home. Hiroshi looks perplexed and was asked what's wrong. Hiroshi: "She didn't come home..." Others: "What?" He continues, "My mother brought only her wallet and left for somewhere... Did you notice anything unusual?" Haruko does remember that Yoshie was acting a bit spaced out a while back...
'Even after a week, Yui-chan's Mom hasn't shown up and as requested by Stove-san, the police have started finally searching for her.' Missing posters are put up around town, and everyone who knows her are also being questioned.
At the Rias, all the Ama-sans, and some of their husbands are present. They're gossiping about Yoshie. Rokuro: "She must have given in to temptation." Katsue: "When her husband's condition had settled down, she must have thought of her future (Or how hard it could be). Well, originally, the missus is not from here, right?" Yayoi: "She was a pampered daughter from an uptown family." Misuzu: "She used to be a TV announcer in Morioka, and at 20 years old, got married through omiai..." Yayoi: "She was a sable to the core." Tamako: "You mean 'celeb'." Yayoi: "A 'hato-sable'." They laugh. Katsue: "Well, anyway, these young brides have no tenacity." Yayoi: "Yes, you are right. Too proud. And they don't keep good relationship with the neighbors. That's why things like this happen." (Sorry, I know it's a culture thing but I think they're really being mean... I mean, IRL, she could be lying in a ditch somewhere!)
Her husband Atsushi says, "But if I get a beautiful bride like that, I won't go out of the house either!" Yayoi gets angry at him and goes over to hit him. "What do you mean by that, huh?!" Atsushi tries to dodge his wife while others try to hold her back. Haruko, Hiroshi, Daikichi, and Sugawara have also come inside the shop. "What're you guys doing? So noisy!"
Natsu (To Yayoi and Atsushi): "I'm glad you two are married." Others: "What?" Natsu: "I'm not worried about you as a couple since you can usually duke it out without hesitation... (To Hiroshi) But your mom was a perfectionist. A beautiful, intelligent woman and devoted mother like her? Such a woman is surprisingly fragile." Haruko tries to hush her mom.
Hiroshi: "It's true that I never heard a word of complaint from my mom. So I thought that she was happy. She had also been continuing to care for my dad... Why didn't I notice it..."
Daikichi tells him not to blame himself and that she'll be back eventually. They ask him if his father knows about it. Hiroshi: "Not yet. I'll tell him when he has recovered a little more." Rokuro: "That's right. He'll be shocked and might collapse again, it'll be trouble." They ask Hiroshi about Yui. "Has she given up on Tokyo?" Hiroshi: "I told her I'll take care of Dad and she should go but... she's not a child anymore either so..."
Yui is sulking in her room. Without a mother to clean up, her room is all dirty and messy. Her phone rings and instead of answering it, she throws it across the room. It seems Aki from Tokyo is leaving her a voice message...
Aki is at the lounge in their Tokyo office with Takuma. She says on the phone: "Yui-chan, I heard about your mom. Somehow, I don't know what to say... But 'nan kuru ne~ zo'! Oh, that was an Okinawan phrase, it means, 'It'll be alright (Nan kuru nai sa)'... Here's Mizuguchi-san." Takuma takes the phone. "Hello. The GMT producer..." The line went dead. Aki: "It ended? Sorry." Takuma gives her back her phone, shrugs and says, "Nan kuru nai sa." Aki: "Why is that God seems so mean to only Yui-chan?" Takuma: "It'll be fine. Once Yui-chan overcomes this adversity, she'll become a stronger person." Aki: "She's an unbeatable idol. At any rate, it'll be a pity. Yui-chan is prettier than I am... Shines more than me..." She looks at Takuma, waiting for him to say something but he says nothing. Aki (a bit annoyed): "Aren't you gonna say, 'That's not true...'?" Takuma: "Oh..." He seems to have remembered something. "What is it?" Takuma: "The president had been asking for you." Aki: "Jeh!"
Later they are at Futomaki's office. The president is seated behind his desk, going over Aki's profile flyer. "You're Arima Meg's shadow, are you not?"
Aki: "Yes, I am Mamerin's shadow."
Takuma (to Aki): "Don't call her 'Mamerin.' She's the Center, you know."
Futomaki: "Mamerin had an accident last night."
Aki: "Jeh!" Futomaki: "Seems the car she was in got rear-ended at a traffic light. Suffered a whiplash and apparently will take two weeks to heal."
Aki: "Jejeh~"
Futomaki looks at her, unsmiling. Both he and Takuma seem to be waiting for her reaction. After a few seconds, finally it dawns on her, and smiles slightly, "Eh?"
Futomaki (laughs and stands up): "She smiled, Mizuguchi! She gave a smile!"
Aki IS smiling but tries to deny it. "No, no, no."
Futomaki: "That's right! You're her shadow. This is the day you've been practicing for all along at the Hole, isn't it?"
Aki: "Yes... So starting today..."
Futomaki's smile suddenly disappears. "What about today?"
Aki: "Do I get to perform onstage tonight?"
The President explains, "Her injury itself isn't a big deal. The problem is the man who was next to her." Aki: "Man...?" Takuma explains it to her, "She was riding in the car of a man. A handsome actor... Some guy starring in a musical 'Golf' or something." Futomaki: "It came out in an article in a women's magazine." Takuma: "The other party (the actor's PR office) had admitted to it quickly. They faxed a comment 30 minutes after the accident, saying, 'She is one of my important friends and special acquaintances, we work hard together to better and stimulate ourselves'."
Futomaki: "I wasn't aware of it at all! (To Aki) For that reason, I have decided that she go on leave due to injury."
Aki (happily smiles): "So, it means that today..."
However, Meg, wearing a neck brace, comes into the office. "I will go onstage!" Futomaki: "Mamerin..." Meg: "There's no need for a shadow! I don't want to rest. I don't want to miss the show. Please! (She bows to Futomaki) Ouch!" She touches her nape.
Takuma: "Please calm down, Arima. Raise your head."
Futomaki: "If you go onstage tonight, the press people will come rushing in. They'll be asking for an explanation. Will that be okay with you?"
Meg: "I don't mind. Because my conscience is clear."
Futomaki: "What about that guy?"
Meg: "I never met him."
Futomaki: "Are you telling me the truth?"
Meg: "Yes."
Futomaki: "Can you look straight into my eyes and say it?" Meg looks into his eyes and says yes without blinking. "Good. Then, you can go. I will take responsibility."
Meg: "Thank you so much!" She looks at Aki for a moment before leaving.
Futomaki: "As expected, she is evolving. (To Aki) Sorry~. As long as you're pinch hitting for Mamerin, you will not yet rise above the Hole." He leaves her with Takuma. Takuma: "Since he's feeling sorry for you, he's going to give you an opportunity."
Takuma takes her to 'Burai Sushi' where Suzuka Hiromi is expecting them. She is with a group of people. The actress says to them, "Let me introduce you... She (Aki) is the one I was talking about... um..." Aki: "I'm Amano Aki." Hiromi (To Aki): "They're the staff from the BS period drama, 'Shizuka Gozen'. So here's what you'll do... We will start shooting at 8 am tomorrow, so please meet me at the foyer of the west entrance at 6:30, okay?" Aki looks extremely confused. "Eh? Eh? Eh? Mizuguchi-san..." Takuma (to Hiromi): "I'm sorry, she still hasn't..." Hiromi: "Arah~ is that so? I'm looking for an assistant." Aki: "Eh? Me?" Hiromi starts to try mimicking her accent. "Maki told me you said 'I wanna be her assistant'. Lol, so looking forward to working with you." Aki: "Ararah. What to do... Is it okay if I think about it for a while?" Hiromi appears surprised and says "Jojoh." Aki looks at her quizzically. Takuma, probably aware that Hiromi is not used to getting turned down, apologizes for Aki. "Sorry, she's still a kid..."
Hiromi asks them to join her at the counter, and the two sit with her. Aki asks Hiromi: "But why me? Are you perhaps feeling sorry for me?" Again, Hiromi utters, "Jojoh... Why should I feel sorry for you?" Aki: "I'm sorry. It's because you paid for my meals here twice..." Hiromi: "You're saying you're more pitiable than me? Don't joke like that. Even I can be very pitiable. I won't lose to you." Aki: "But you're a famous actress." Hiromi: "So what? Just because I'm a famous actress, you can say that I'm happy? Hah! What a laugh, so funny... You don't know about me..." She drinks from her glass, and seems visibly upset. Takuma apologizes again for Aki. "She's still a kid..." Aki: "Several things happened to me today. My bestfriend from the countryside who is supposed to come here will no longer be coming and..." Hiromi: "Her father had collapsed, right?" Aki: "Eh?" Hiromi: "And her mom has disappeared..." Aki, surprised asks: "Yikes, how did you know?" Hiromi: "I heard it from him."
The actress points at a man who had just come out of the kitchen. It's Taneichi, wearing the shop's employee uniform. Aki blurts out a "Jejeh!" Hiromi, having heard that, finally realizes her error. "Jejeh? That's it! 'JoJo' is from 'Bizarre Adventure,' isn't it! LOL"
Takuma recognizes Taneichi. "Areh? Aren't you from the Diving Department..." Taneichi says hi to them. Aki: "Don't 'hi' me, Senpai! You said you're going back to the countryside?" Taneichi: "I changed my mind. I'm working here now." Aki: "But why? Yui-chan is in trouble right now! You should go back home!" Taneichi: "So annoying. Only I can decide on that." He goes back to the kitchen.
Umezu informs Aki that her 'scolding' of Taneichi the other day had worked. "He came here 2-3 days after that and said he wanted to work here. Just in time, my young assistant had just left-- Welcome!" Customers have come in. Aki watches Taneichi welcome the guests. He looks like he is doing well in his new job. Aki: "Jejejejeh... I give up." He meets her gaze but Aki quickly looks away. He goes back into the kitchen.
Meanwhile, an impatient Hiromi is still waiting for an answer. "Well, are you gonna be my assistant or not?"
At the dorm, Aki tells her group mates about it.
Shiori: "You should do it!"
Aki: "But..."
Shiori: "Why, you're just dancing in the Hole... This chance might not come to you again, right?"
Takuma: "Arima Meg was shunned from the industry one time."
Ayumi: "I heard! She and a former boyfriend took their a pic in a photo booth and it circulated around."
Ellen: "Taking pix in a photo booth is not allowed, too?"
Shiori: "Having a relationship IS not allowed. She got suspended for 6 months."
Takuma: "She has that kind of bitter experience, that's why she has got that kind of stern disposition."
Shiori (To Aki): "If that's the case, I think it'll bring you more experience being an assistant of Suzuka Hiromi, don't you think?" (Okay, took me awhile to get this... It means that due to that humiliating experience, Arima Meg has become bitter, and won't allow anyone to stop her from working, hence, Aki will never get a chance to go onstage, hence, she might as well become an assistant for Hiromi)
Ellen: "Bring us some sushi, too, okay?"
Takuma: "It's just that... Suzuka Hiromi is known to be quite troublesome." Aki (worriedly): "Okay..."
Later, Aki tries sending another voice mail to Yui. "Hello, Yui-chan? Are you okay? I don't know how you're doing but... I'm going to be an assistant for Suzuka Hiromi-san. I'll be taking a short leave from being an idol but... Suzuka-san is interesting so I think I'll try it. I'll call you again soon. Good night." 'I didn't receive any reply from Yui-chan...'
One month later... At the train station, Yoshida is merrily greeting some regular KitaTetsu passengers. "Have a safe trip!" Then two Yankiis, a guy and a girl, arrive. The guy throws his empty (coffee?) can on the floor. Yoshida picks it up and says, "Hey you two... throw your cans properly in the trash bin!" They turn around, and Yoshida lets out a gasp as he realizes who the girl is. It is Yui, almost unrecognizable with her dyed hair, bleached eyebrows, white baggy pants and dark animal printed hoodie. The person she's with is some chubby tough guy, dressed up in the same fashion. Yui's eyes look dead, with dark circles underneath. She stares grimly at Yoshida and asks, "What?" Yoshida: "N-nothing..." The unknown guy calls her by her first name, without using an honorific, and she slowly staggers away with him to the KitaTetsu...
Next: Week 14 Part 2
Previous: Week 13 (Part 2)
Episode Index: Link
Character Guide: Link
"Are you perhaps feeling sorry for me?"
Episode Summaries:
(UGH! My least favorite week so far; Somehow, it's poorly written and not well thought-out. I knew that Asadoras usually have periods wherein they suddenly become uninteresting -or lose steam-, usually past the 100th episode, so I didn't expect that it'll come THIS early for Amachan; I certainly hope the story will get back on track though or else XP...)
Ep. 79. The next morning, before heading out to school, Aki asks Takuma why he didn't tell her he and Suzuka Hiromi were acquaintances. Takuma answers, "Well, I didn't know she remembered me over there." Aki: "Well, it was awesome. I got to meet Suzuka Hiromi." Takuma reminds her to call her "Suzuka Hiromi-san." Aki: "Oh, right, I can call her "-san" because we've already met." However, Takuma advises her not to tell the company. "Because there seems to be some things that are going on between Suzuka-san and Futomaki-san."
Aki is in her room fixing her school bag and telling Natsu on the phone about what happened last night. Natsu is at the lounge area for Ama-sans at the Ama Cafe. She is having tea with Misuzu and a male foreigner. "You mean that Suzuka Hiromi?" Natsu asks, "The one in the poster?" Aki: "Right! 'Shizuka Gozen' paid for our sushi." Natsu: "That's great LOL! Thanks to me, huh?" Aki: "Yeah. If I knew about the menu prices, I wouldn't have gone into that shop. Thanks for tricking me." As usual, she asks how everyone is in Sodegahama. Natsu: "Misuzu has gotten herself a boyfriend." She puts Misuzu on the phone. Misuzu: "And!..." Asks the guy where he's from and he answers, "Bangladesh." Aki: "Jejeh! I knew it, elopement is impossible this time." Misuzu also breaks another piece of news to Aki. "Also, Yui has been named Miss KitaTetsu again." Aki: "Jejeh!"
A little while later, while brushing her teeth, Aki confirms the news with Hiroshi on the phone. Hiroshi, at his end, has just arrived at his work. "Yeah, she won the second time. Since she didn't show up for the award, I received her tiara on her behalf." Aki: "I see. How are things lately?" Hiroshi: "Our Dad's getting better bit by bit... Yui-chan? You don't have to worry about her." Aki: "I have to! Yui-chan and I are 'Ichiren takuro'. Hiroshi: "You mean, 'Ichiren takusho' (see Ep. 43)." Aki: "We are 'Nisokusanmon' (dirt cheap)." Hiroshi: "You mean 'Ninin-sankyaku' (three-legged race)? Mm, thanks. She is fine, but she hasn't been going to school. She and Mom take turns in nursing dad. She has little rest, so it seems it's difficult for her to go... Anyway, she's a celebrity over here, right?"... Aki feels sad hearing about Yui. At school, she can't help but worry about her throughout the day, wishing she can do something for her...
In Kitasanriku, Yui, wearing a face mask, arrives at the main station. However, a man recognizes her and starts to harass her.
Jerk: "Aintcha Yui-chan of KitaTetsu! Jejejeh! Handshake, handshake! I went to that Amasonic event at the Ama Cafe in the summer. Thought you went to Tokyo? Did you come back now?" Yui tries to dodge the man but he keeps blocking her path. "Don't run way. Let's go to a karaoke place, okay?" He feels a hand on his shoulder. "Whatcha want, punk..."
It was Isono-sensei to the rescue. "Lay off. Can't you see she hates it?"
Jerk: "I'll remember this..." He goes away.
Isono: "Yeah, you better! (To Yui) Your General Course teachers have been complaining that you haven't been coming to school. I may be a teacher from another department but... you're more important than my students in the Civil Engineering Diving Department and..." He also feels a hand on his shoulder. "What you want, punk..."
And it was Yoshida to the rescue, sorta. "Lay off. Can't you see hates it?.. Areh?" They realize that Yui has already left.
Later at the Rias, Yoshida and Daikichi are both sadly sighing, and saying, "How I wish I could do something..." Their depressing mood is affecting Haruko. "(Sighs) That's why I told you your affection for her is too much. Just leave her alone. At least until everything quiets down." Daikichi asks when will it quiet down. "How long will we wait until Yui-chan rides the KitaTetsu like before? When will she ever flash her friendly smiles at us?!" He starts crying. Haruko: "Don't get mad at me!" Yoshida: "We're sorry if we don't understand the delicate feelings of a woman... But we'll feel a lot better if we're told that the answer is 'Right now~'..." He starts crying along with Daikichi.
At Anbe's noodles stand, Aki tells Anbe what happened. Anbe: "I wish we could do something..." Aki: "But I'm not in a position to say, 'Hang in there.' I'm still helpless, too." A customer has arrived and it's Taneichi, who orders a bowl of mamebu. Aki finally sees him. "Jejeh!" Taneichi: "Yo!" Anbe is surprised that they know each other.
Taneichi is trying to look upset. "You should have told me you were coming to Tokyo. What a cold thing to do..."
Aki says, teasingly: "Well, I'll feel like a loser if I call you right away so... I mean, I didn't want you to think I still have feelings for you."
Taneichi lets out a small shy smile. "Such a troublemaker..."
Aki (laughs): "Jeh~. I miss Senpai! I did receive your postcard. The expansion of Haneda Airport has started, right? You're doing well with being a Nambu Diver?" Taneichi, looking uncomfortable, answers yes. "Cool~. You really ARE the star of the Civil Engineering Diving Department."
Taneichi: "Say, you wanna go and grab a bite somewhere?" Anbe says she is already serving him Mamebu but... "Let's eat something yummy, Amano. Since I'm a working guy, I'll treat you out this time."
Anbe: "Mamebu is good, isn't it? What will I do with this..."
Taneichi (To Aki): "What do you like to eat. Don't hold back..." Aki answers "Sushi!" And the two immediately go off together, leaving Anbe behind with the bowl of mamebu in her hand. "Eh? Aki-chan?"
The two are at "Burai Sushi," discussing about Yui while dining on sushi. Taneichi asks her if she had received any word from Yui. "Not lately. How about you?" He says he heard about Yui's Dad from Isono-sensei. Aki: "But she did reply to my voice messages. She said her Dad is recovering well, and doing physical rehab." She shows him the message but Tanichi says he doesn't believe it. "She wrote 'I'm okay' a total of four times, it proves that she's not okay... Well, she doesn't want to show you her weaknesses. I wish I could do something but..."
Aki: "I envy Yui-chan..." Taneichi: "Why say that?" She says everyone cares about Yui. "Since I came here, they only asked about Yui-chan." She tells him her first day at the Office ('Is she the cute one?' 'No, the one with the accent'). "I knew it.. but it still gets to me. As I expected... Even Anbe-chan, and you, are asking, 'How's Yui-chan'..." Taneichi: "Well, yeah, but you know that she and I are still going steady ..."
Aki: "I'm not bitter. Just makes me think that she's amazing. People talk about her even when she isn't around... That means everyone has Yui-chan in their hearts, right? I can't say it very well but... I feel that it's the qualification of a star or the quality to become a star... It really makes me feel that Yui-chan is someone who is meant to stand on center stage." She suddenly gets mad. "So you two are still going steady..."
Taneichi: "Eh? What?"
Aki: "I see I see... You two are in the middle of a long distance relationship. You're thinking like everyone else, 'Wish that the one who came was the cuter one, not the one with the heavy accent,' right? I see I see... Well, sorry to disappoint you."
Taneichi (speaking without an accent): "No I didn't say that at all..."
Aki: "Huh? All of a sudden, you lost your local accent? (Mockingly) How cool of you~! Since you're a Nambu Diver and all, huh?"
Taneichi: "Hey-- Amano!" They've attracted stares from Umezu and Ito. He says more softly, "Listen, Amano... I..." (using "ore" for "me" rather than his usual provincial term "zubun")
Aki (sensing something): "Eh? Don't tell me, you're breaking up with Yui?"
Taneichi: "I have no such plans. Our long distance relationship is doing well... I'm no longer a Nambu Diver. I've quit my job. I've also left my company dorm. Since I'm worried about Yui, I'm going back to the countryside next week." Aki asks him what happened. "My parent company have two projects for now... One is the expansion project at Haneda Airport, and the other is the Tokyo Sky Tree. The Haneda construction project is falling behind schedule so for some reason, I ended up with the Sky Tree project.
Aki: "Though you're from the Civil Engineering Diving Department..."
Taneichi: "Doesn't have anything to do with it, right? I wasn't able to show my Nambu Diver spirit... And... I have a fear of heights..."
Aki: "Jejeh!"
Taneichi: "I'm totally calm when I go down 100 meters to the seabed but when I go up 5-6 meters, I get dizzy... Still, I tried but it was impossible. I heard it's gonna be 634 meters tall..."
Aki the Narrator explains about the Sky Tree (remember this was still in 2009): 'There was a plan to construct a tower in Sumida Ward to replace Tokyo Tower. And so a man came to take part in this golden opportunity...'
In a certain press conference, sometime before 2008, Futomaki had made an announcement. "I was asked, 'What are you doing building a theater in Ueno?' 'Is Futomaki an idiot?' Stockholders beat me up on many occasions. And every time, I responded... 'In 2011, Tokyo Edo Tower will be built!'"
Aki: 'In 2008, its name had been decided. The name 'Tokyo Edo Tower' which was endorsed by Futomaki, had been one of the potential candidates but in the end, they chose 'Tokyo Sky Tree'."
Futomaki had said, "Oh, well, I still prefer 'Tokyo Edo Tower' though... The 'Sky Tree'? ...By the time they're finished with it, the center of Tokyo will have been changed to Ueno... Shibuya, Odaiba, Akihibara... They're already passé! Shimokitazawa? Plays are outdated! I hate them! It should be Ameyoko! Sky Tree? In my home territory, I, Futomaki, will train the idols myself!"
This is why Futomaki is adamant to make Ameyoko, the center of Idols, so therefore... Aki: 'Tokyo Sky Tree, in a way, made me an an idol but it took Senpai's dream away.' "So you quit?"
Taneichi: "I'll be going back home and become a mentor of Nambu Moguri or become a fisherman of hoya (sea pineapple) and sea cucumbers. I also want to see Yui... No reason to stay in Tokyo without a job, right?"
Aki feels sad about the change in Taneichi. 'He has changed, the guy who used to be enthusiastic and upright... He's not here anymore.'
Then Aki sees Hiromi and Futomaki enter the restaurant. Both sit at the cubicle which the actress had occupied the other night. Aki, remembering Takuma's warning about the two, plus the fact that Aki is with a guy (Then why the heck did you take him to a place NEAR YOUR OFFICE?!), goes behind Taneichi to hide... "Oh shoot!"
Ep. 80. Hiromi asks Waiter Ito for mizuwari (spirits + water) but Futomaki says none for him since he'll be leaving soon for a meeting. "Eh? You're no fun~!" protests Hiromi. Meantime, in the other cubicle, Aki and Taneichi are listening to them. Taneichi: "Who're they?" Aki: "A famous actress and our company president." Taneichi: "Jeh! If so, then you should greet them." Aki says she can't because "in our office, love is prohibited." Taneichi: "Love?!" Aki: "Shh!" Taneichi laughs, finding as insinuation as preposterous: "Sorry... But do we even look like lovers?"
The actress and the producer continue to talk. While fixing her mizuwari, Futomaki asks, "Do you come here often?" Hiromi: "Here? It's a hassle to prepare meals back home. (To Umezu) Right, Taisho (boss or chief)?" Umezu just gives her a nod and a smile. Futomaki: "Coming to this shop alone, you'll never know who might see you." Hiromi: "It's alright, they'll call a cab for me in front of the shop." Futomaki: "Where's your driver?" "He quit," she replies, "because he said he'll take me home, you know? I can't stand that. And then, he waits for me at the front door in the morning, too."
Futomaki: "That's what a driver does." Hiromi: "Is that so? I was so scared that I reported him." Futomaki: "Eh~!" Hiromi: "It's no use. I want to keep even the smallest degree of my privacy private." Futomaki: "Well, you fired me, too, after one year." Hiromi laughs out loud at the memory.
Aki: 'Could it be the president was the manager of Suzuka-san?'
Futomaki: "Why don't you get an assistant at least? I will introduce one to you. I have someone who's aspiring to be an actress. She's an interesting newcomer. I wonder if you'll like her? Their group name is 'Shiosai no Memory'... (At the other side, Aki spits out the water she is drinking) They're local idols from Iwate, just as their name, they sang 'Shiosai no Memory'."
Hiromi: "'Shiosai no...' Areh? Did someone just mention that the other day...? Oh, well, sure. How was it?"
Futomaki: "Their singing is bad. I don't want to talk about that. They're a duo though... The cute one hasn't arrived in Tokyo yet, and she's perfect. The other one, who has an accent, is crude." Taneichi laughs when he heard that, and Aki scowls at him.
Hiromi (wistfully): "Shiosai no Memory... those were the days... Anyway, I can't remember it..."
Futomaki: "Though it was your debut."
Hiromi: "Once in a while, I do try to play it in karaoke but... Why is that? I can't sing it at all." Futomaki quietly looks down and drinks his tea. "Those days, I was so busy, it was common to sleep for just 2 hours..."
Futomaki suddenly gets up to leave, saying he has to go to his meeting. Hiromi says she'll go home as well, and asks Umezu to hail her a cab. The mild-mannered Chef again just nods and smiles at her. Hiromi: "What was that... Does he think he's Kobayashi Kaoru...? (Masteeeer~! lol)" She says she'll take care of the bill, and Futomaki excuses himself. Hiromi stays and drinks her mizuwari for 30 minutes before leaving as well.
Aki and Taneichi are still talking at the restaurant, hardly touching their food. He says, "So that's what you're doing? Even if Ameyoko Jogakuen is very popular, I can only recognize 7-8 members at the most." Aki: "The Amejo Hakkenden, right? Along with the other members, they seem to have 40-50 girls." Taneichi: "And you're below them?" Aki: "Exactly, we dance underneath them." Taneichi: "Is that ok?" Aki: "It's not so nice. Right now, there is no other way but at least Yui is coming." Taneichi: "I wonder if she is coming." Aki: "What?" Taneichi: "About Yui, I wonder if she has already given up." Aki remembers Yui's conviction to go to Tokyo, crying and apologizing the last time she saw her at the train station. She becomes upset again.
Aki: "Don't say such things... It's bad luck."
Taneichi: "It didn't go according to plan... She's already behind, right?
Even if she comes, she has to start from below the stage? I think she won't be able to stand it. Since unlike you, Yui has a high pride and an elite... Up until this year, she hasn't experienced frustration..."
Aki: "Stop it."
Taneichi: "Better yet, she should remain in the countryside as a local idol..."
Aki loses her temper and bangs her fist on the table. "Don't be talking like you understand it all! Get a hold of yourself, Senpai! She will come, she will definitely come! She doesn't give up easily, she's not weak! She doesn't do things half-way!"
Her outburst has caught everyone's attention, including Umezu. "Excuse me, Miss..." Taneichi tries to calm her down but Aki is not yet done.
Aki: "Not too long ago, you were able to stand tall even with 70kg helmet on you... You've become so small... how pitiful! Have you forgotten the spirit of Nambu Moguri?" Taneichi looks down. With angry tears streaming down her face, she continues, "When in the countryside, you speak ill of the countryside. When you come to Tokyo, you speak ill of Tokyo. I HATE that sort of thing the most. (Raising her voice, even louder) The one I think who's elite and stuck up is you! What is this... I never realized my first love was such a small man!!"
Umezu: "Miss..."
Aki: "I don't care if you feel frustrated and wanna go back home but... don't involve me and Yui-chan!" Umezu: "Miss." Aki: "Yui-chan is coming! SHE WILL COME!"
Taneichi: "Okay, I understand. I understand. I'm sorry... We better get going." He gets up. Aki asks if she can have the uneaten food. Even if she's upset, she still is mindful of her groupmates. "If you're not gonna have this, I'll take it home to my dormmates."
Taneichi asks for the bill but Ito informs him that Suzuka Hiromi had already paid for it. Aki hears it, too. 'She knew...?'
Back at a hospital in Kitasanriku, Yui is helping her Dad walk during his physical rehab. The doctor is talking with Yoshie, praising Isao's fast recovery. Yoshie thanks the doctor for what he has done. "No, it was you all along. When the heart of a family breaks and you lose everything, tenacity is the only thing that can help you see it through." Yoshie agrees. Later, she goes to the Rias shop but since it is too early, it is still closed. She sits outside for awhile, deep in thought. Haruko comes bearing groceries for the shop. She sees Yoshie and calls her name but Yoshie does not seem to hear. "Adachi-san." Yoshie finally looks up and is told to come inside the shop.
Inside the Rias, Haruko serves Yoshie a cup of coffee. Haruko says she heard from Hiroshi about Isao's recovery. Yoshie: "He'll be discharged from the hospital early next month. And of course he will be continuing with his rehabilitation. The doctor says that he has a good chance to be able to walk soon." Haruko is glad to hear that and says Isao will pretty soon come walking back into the shop.
Yoshie shares what she's been feeling lately. "I was so tensed for the past month and a half... I don't feel like doing anything any more..." (Note: Here, she mentions about a tight string being cut. Think of a kite being blown in the wind but you keep it under control. String is so tight. Then cut the string loose, kite will be blown away with no control). Haruko tells her she just needs to rest. Yoshie: "Yeah. I did tell the doctor about it. He told me not to work too much. But I don't know how much is too much..."
Haruko: "It's okay to ask for help. During their spare time, everyone here likes to be nosy. Daikichi-san, Sugawara-kun and I were Sensei's students, so please count on us." Yoshie asks about Aki. Haruko: "She hasn't contacted me at all. Once in a while it seems she would call her grandma and talk but... I wonder how she is doing?"
Back at the Hole, the GMTs are practicing a rap part of a certain song. But Ellen, with her thick Okinawan accent... Ellen: "♬~'Jechumechu jikuchu'~♬ Ayumi: "Hold on a sec, (To Ellen) your sense of rhythm is way off." Ellen: "My rhythm is Okinawan rhythm." Shiori: "It's your pronunciation that's bad." Mana tells her how: "Zetsumetsu kikushu (Endangered species)." Ellen: "Jechumechu jikuchu." Ayumi: "That's not it." Kaoroku sings the song for Ellen: "♬~'From Ueno, I live in Okamachi... Zetsumetsu kikushu, Downtown Idol~'♬ Ellen gives it a try: ♬~'From Ueno, I live in Okamachi... Jechumechu jikuchu--" Ayumi: "That's even harder!" Then, Takuma calls Aki from up the stairs. "Amano! Got an email from Yui-chan. Seems her dad's gonna be discharged next month." Aki: "Jeh!"
Yui is shown in her room, gazing at a ticket bound for Tokyo in her hand. She seems upbeat, while packing her luggage. She has written an email message to Aki, too. 'I'm sorry I wasn't able to reply all throughout this time. While you have been working hard, I have also been overcoming this ordeal. It seems at last I'm going to be able to fulfill my promise to you. 'Shiosai no Memory' will be fully revived. Just wait a little more." Aki feels so happy after reading Yui's email. "Thank goodness.~"
After her work, Aki, for some reason, goes to the back of 'Burai Sushi.' She has been hanging out by the back door until Umezu comes out and sees her. "Hey," he says, and points inside. "...She's here." Aki: "Is she alone?" Umezu nods and says, "Go on in."
Suzuka Hiromi is at the counter, chatting merrily with someone. Aki approaches her and says hello. Hiromi: "Oh my, it's the up and coming idol!" Aki thanks her for the meal the other day. The actress says not to mention it and invites her to sit down. Aki finally introduces herself. "I'm Amano Aki. I'm with the 'Shiosai no Memory' group from Kitasanriku, Iwate Prefecture." Hiromi: "So it was you?" Aki: "I'm sorry we sang your song without permission." Hiromi: "Right! (Pretending to be angry) I will win after I take you to court!..." She smiles. "But I won't. LOL" Aki: "The other one will be coming to Tokyo soon. And then, please listen to our song!" Hiromi looks at her strangely and says, "Uh, okay..." She starts clapping, and waits for Aki to sing. Aki: "No, I mean, not now... Next month." Hiromi laughs and says, "I see..." The actress asks her to order anything she wants. And Aki of course orders umi sushi...
Ep. 81. Hiroshi runs into the Rias in a somewhat anxious mood. Haruko greets him and informs him his mom had dropped by earlier before going back home. Hiroshi looks perplexed and was asked what's wrong. Hiroshi: "She didn't come home..." Others: "What?" He continues, "My mother brought only her wallet and left for somewhere... Did you notice anything unusual?" Haruko does remember that Yoshie was acting a bit spaced out a while back...
'Even after a week, Yui-chan's Mom hasn't shown up and as requested by Stove-san, the police have started finally searching for her.' Missing posters are put up around town, and everyone who knows her are also being questioned.
At the Rias, all the Ama-sans, and some of their husbands are present. They're gossiping about Yoshie. Rokuro: "She must have given in to temptation." Katsue: "When her husband's condition had settled down, she must have thought of her future (Or how hard it could be). Well, originally, the missus is not from here, right?" Yayoi: "She was a pampered daughter from an uptown family." Misuzu: "She used to be a TV announcer in Morioka, and at 20 years old, got married through omiai..." Yayoi: "She was a sable to the core." Tamako: "You mean 'celeb'." Yayoi: "A 'hato-sable'." They laugh. Katsue: "Well, anyway, these young brides have no tenacity." Yayoi: "Yes, you are right. Too proud. And they don't keep good relationship with the neighbors. That's why things like this happen." (Sorry, I know it's a culture thing but I think they're really being mean... I mean, IRL, she could be lying in a ditch somewhere!)
Her husband Atsushi says, "But if I get a beautiful bride like that, I won't go out of the house either!" Yayoi gets angry at him and goes over to hit him. "What do you mean by that, huh?!" Atsushi tries to dodge his wife while others try to hold her back. Haruko, Hiroshi, Daikichi, and Sugawara have also come inside the shop. "What're you guys doing? So noisy!"
Natsu (To Yayoi and Atsushi): "I'm glad you two are married." Others: "What?" Natsu: "I'm not worried about you as a couple since you can usually duke it out without hesitation... (To Hiroshi) But your mom was a perfectionist. A beautiful, intelligent woman and devoted mother like her? Such a woman is surprisingly fragile." Haruko tries to hush her mom.
Hiroshi: "It's true that I never heard a word of complaint from my mom. So I thought that she was happy. She had also been continuing to care for my dad... Why didn't I notice it..."
Daikichi tells him not to blame himself and that she'll be back eventually. They ask him if his father knows about it. Hiroshi: "Not yet. I'll tell him when he has recovered a little more." Rokuro: "That's right. He'll be shocked and might collapse again, it'll be trouble." They ask Hiroshi about Yui. "Has she given up on Tokyo?" Hiroshi: "I told her I'll take care of Dad and she should go but... she's not a child anymore either so..."
Yui is sulking in her room. Without a mother to clean up, her room is all dirty and messy. Her phone rings and instead of answering it, she throws it across the room. It seems Aki from Tokyo is leaving her a voice message...
Aki is at the lounge in their Tokyo office with Takuma. She says on the phone: "Yui-chan, I heard about your mom. Somehow, I don't know what to say... But 'nan kuru ne~ zo'! Oh, that was an Okinawan phrase, it means, 'It'll be alright (Nan kuru nai sa)'... Here's Mizuguchi-san." Takuma takes the phone. "Hello. The GMT producer..." The line went dead. Aki: "It ended? Sorry." Takuma gives her back her phone, shrugs and says, "Nan kuru nai sa." Aki: "Why is that God seems so mean to only Yui-chan?" Takuma: "It'll be fine. Once Yui-chan overcomes this adversity, she'll become a stronger person." Aki: "She's an unbeatable idol. At any rate, it'll be a pity. Yui-chan is prettier than I am... Shines more than me..." She looks at Takuma, waiting for him to say something but he says nothing. Aki (a bit annoyed): "Aren't you gonna say, 'That's not true...'?" Takuma: "Oh..." He seems to have remembered something. "What is it?" Takuma: "The president had been asking for you." Aki: "Jeh!"
Later they are at Futomaki's office. The president is seated behind his desk, going over Aki's profile flyer. "You're Arima Meg's shadow, are you not?"
Aki: "Yes, I am Mamerin's shadow."
Takuma (to Aki): "Don't call her 'Mamerin.' She's the Center, you know."
Futomaki: "Mamerin had an accident last night."
Aki: "Jeh!" Futomaki: "Seems the car she was in got rear-ended at a traffic light. Suffered a whiplash and apparently will take two weeks to heal."
Aki: "Jejeh~"
Futomaki looks at her, unsmiling. Both he and Takuma seem to be waiting for her reaction. After a few seconds, finally it dawns on her, and smiles slightly, "Eh?"
Futomaki (laughs and stands up): "She smiled, Mizuguchi! She gave a smile!"
Aki IS smiling but tries to deny it. "No, no, no."
Futomaki: "That's right! You're her shadow. This is the day you've been practicing for all along at the Hole, isn't it?"
Aki: "Yes... So starting today..."
Futomaki's smile suddenly disappears. "What about today?"
Aki: "Do I get to perform onstage tonight?"
The President explains, "Her injury itself isn't a big deal. The problem is the man who was next to her." Aki: "Man...?" Takuma explains it to her, "She was riding in the car of a man. A handsome actor... Some guy starring in a musical 'Golf' or something." Futomaki: "It came out in an article in a women's magazine." Takuma: "The other party (the actor's PR office) had admitted to it quickly. They faxed a comment 30 minutes after the accident, saying, 'She is one of my important friends and special acquaintances, we work hard together to better and stimulate ourselves'."
Futomaki: "I wasn't aware of it at all! (To Aki) For that reason, I have decided that she go on leave due to injury."
Aki (happily smiles): "So, it means that today..."
However, Meg, wearing a neck brace, comes into the office. "I will go onstage!" Futomaki: "Mamerin..." Meg: "There's no need for a shadow! I don't want to rest. I don't want to miss the show. Please! (She bows to Futomaki) Ouch!" She touches her nape.
Takuma: "Please calm down, Arima. Raise your head."
Futomaki: "If you go onstage tonight, the press people will come rushing in. They'll be asking for an explanation. Will that be okay with you?"
Meg: "I don't mind. Because my conscience is clear."
Futomaki: "What about that guy?"
Meg: "I never met him."
Futomaki: "Are you telling me the truth?"
Meg: "Yes."
Futomaki: "Can you look straight into my eyes and say it?" Meg looks into his eyes and says yes without blinking. "Good. Then, you can go. I will take responsibility."
Meg: "Thank you so much!" She looks at Aki for a moment before leaving.
Futomaki: "As expected, she is evolving. (To Aki) Sorry~. As long as you're pinch hitting for Mamerin, you will not yet rise above the Hole." He leaves her with Takuma. Takuma: "Since he's feeling sorry for you, he's going to give you an opportunity."
Takuma takes her to 'Burai Sushi' where Suzuka Hiromi is expecting them. She is with a group of people. The actress says to them, "Let me introduce you... She (Aki) is the one I was talking about... um..." Aki: "I'm Amano Aki." Hiromi (To Aki): "They're the staff from the BS period drama, 'Shizuka Gozen'. So here's what you'll do... We will start shooting at 8 am tomorrow, so please meet me at the foyer of the west entrance at 6:30, okay?" Aki looks extremely confused. "Eh? Eh? Eh? Mizuguchi-san..." Takuma (to Hiromi): "I'm sorry, she still hasn't..." Hiromi: "Arah~ is that so? I'm looking for an assistant." Aki: "Eh? Me?" Hiromi starts to try mimicking her accent. "Maki told me you said 'I wanna be her assistant'. Lol, so looking forward to working with you." Aki: "Ararah. What to do... Is it okay if I think about it for a while?" Hiromi appears surprised and says "Jojoh." Aki looks at her quizzically. Takuma, probably aware that Hiromi is not used to getting turned down, apologizes for Aki. "Sorry, she's still a kid..."
Hiromi asks them to join her at the counter, and the two sit with her. Aki asks Hiromi: "But why me? Are you perhaps feeling sorry for me?" Again, Hiromi utters, "Jojoh... Why should I feel sorry for you?" Aki: "I'm sorry. It's because you paid for my meals here twice..." Hiromi: "You're saying you're more pitiable than me? Don't joke like that. Even I can be very pitiable. I won't lose to you." Aki: "But you're a famous actress." Hiromi: "So what? Just because I'm a famous actress, you can say that I'm happy? Hah! What a laugh, so funny... You don't know about me..." She drinks from her glass, and seems visibly upset. Takuma apologizes again for Aki. "She's still a kid..." Aki: "Several things happened to me today. My bestfriend from the countryside who is supposed to come here will no longer be coming and..." Hiromi: "Her father had collapsed, right?" Aki: "Eh?" Hiromi: "And her mom has disappeared..." Aki, surprised asks: "Yikes, how did you know?" Hiromi: "I heard it from him."
The actress points at a man who had just come out of the kitchen. It's Taneichi, wearing the shop's employee uniform. Aki blurts out a "Jejeh!" Hiromi, having heard that, finally realizes her error. "Jejeh? That's it! 'JoJo' is from 'Bizarre Adventure,' isn't it! LOL"
Takuma recognizes Taneichi. "Areh? Aren't you from the Diving Department..." Taneichi says hi to them. Aki: "Don't 'hi' me, Senpai! You said you're going back to the countryside?" Taneichi: "I changed my mind. I'm working here now." Aki: "But why? Yui-chan is in trouble right now! You should go back home!" Taneichi: "So annoying. Only I can decide on that." He goes back to the kitchen.
Umezu informs Aki that her 'scolding' of Taneichi the other day had worked. "He came here 2-3 days after that and said he wanted to work here. Just in time, my young assistant had just left-- Welcome!" Customers have come in. Aki watches Taneichi welcome the guests. He looks like he is doing well in his new job. Aki: "Jejejejeh... I give up." He meets her gaze but Aki quickly looks away. He goes back into the kitchen.
Meanwhile, an impatient Hiromi is still waiting for an answer. "Well, are you gonna be my assistant or not?"
At the dorm, Aki tells her group mates about it.
Shiori: "You should do it!"
Aki: "But..."
Shiori: "Why, you're just dancing in the Hole... This chance might not come to you again, right?"
Takuma: "Arima Meg was shunned from the industry one time."
Ayumi: "I heard! She and a former boyfriend took their a pic in a photo booth and it circulated around."
Ellen: "Taking pix in a photo booth is not allowed, too?"
Shiori: "Having a relationship IS not allowed. She got suspended for 6 months."
Takuma: "She has that kind of bitter experience, that's why she has got that kind of stern disposition."
Shiori (To Aki): "If that's the case, I think it'll bring you more experience being an assistant of Suzuka Hiromi, don't you think?" (Okay, took me awhile to get this... It means that due to that humiliating experience, Arima Meg has become bitter, and won't allow anyone to stop her from working, hence, Aki will never get a chance to go onstage, hence, she might as well become an assistant for Hiromi)
Ellen: "Bring us some sushi, too, okay?"
Takuma: "It's just that... Suzuka Hiromi is known to be quite troublesome." Aki (worriedly): "Okay..."
Later, Aki tries sending another voice mail to Yui. "Hello, Yui-chan? Are you okay? I don't know how you're doing but... I'm going to be an assistant for Suzuka Hiromi-san. I'll be taking a short leave from being an idol but... Suzuka-san is interesting so I think I'll try it. I'll call you again soon. Good night." 'I didn't receive any reply from Yui-chan...'
One month later... At the train station, Yoshida is merrily greeting some regular KitaTetsu passengers. "Have a safe trip!" Then two Yankiis, a guy and a girl, arrive. The guy throws his empty (coffee?) can on the floor. Yoshida picks it up and says, "Hey you two... throw your cans properly in the trash bin!" They turn around, and Yoshida lets out a gasp as he realizes who the girl is. It is Yui, almost unrecognizable with her dyed hair, bleached eyebrows, white baggy pants and dark animal printed hoodie. The person she's with is some chubby tough guy, dressed up in the same fashion. Yui's eyes look dead, with dark circles underneath. She stares grimly at Yoshida and asks, "What?" Yoshida: "N-nothing..." The unknown guy calls her by her first name, without using an honorific, and she slowly staggers away with him to the KitaTetsu...
Next: Week 14 Part 2
Previous: Week 13 (Part 2)
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Character Guide: Link