""July 19, 1997"" "'Morning." "Hey." "Oh, if you have time, gimmie a hand with this today." "I'm going out." "Oh, okay." "'Morning!" "You're up early." "Yeah." "I'm going to Shibuya." "Oh, to buy a swim suit?" "Where's sis?" "She's up." "She was packing up her things a minute ago." "'Morning, sis." "'Morning." "How's your preparations for departure?" "Almost done." "Ah." "It's going to be lonely after you leave." "It'll be a relief." "Do you have enough money?" "Or do you need some, just in case?" "You can pay me back the change." "It's okay." "I have enough." "I made French toast." "Do you want to eat now?" "Yeah." "What's wrong?" "You look like something's bugging you." "Maybe because I had a weird dream." "Weird how?" "I don't remember..." "You're leaving already?" "Yeah." "Do you have a competition today?" "Yeah." "For the masters." "50 meter breast stroke and 25 meter butterfly." "Good luck!" "Thank you." "Don't let your leg get cramped up like last time!" "Don't worry!" "Well, I'm off!" "Okay." "Dear?" "Yeah?" "I'm off now." "Oh!" "Good luck!" "The dream that Hiromi Yoshii dreamed on the morning of July 19, 1997" "A fat man that I had never met before was gathering mushrooms on a high mountain top." "It seemed like training, and it also seemed like a punishment." "The mushrooms were of a shape that I had never seen before, resembling steamed dumplings." "It had an unusual amount of moisture and a lot of powder was sprinkled on its top." "After picking mushrooms in two different places, the fat man saw a scorpion on a nearby rock." "A small, red and green scorpion." "The fat man said "You can't be doing this." "If you get stung you'll die,"" "But the person in a navy blue uniform pretended not to hear him and ignored him." ""Love and Pop"" "There are things in life that change drastically." "Men and women, adults and children..." "There are people whose fathers have changed twice." "People that were living, eventually turn into graves and photographs." "Shapes that were once visible suddenly disappear." "Shapes within the heart also change." "They fade, and in the end, disappear." "However, before things that one thinks will always be the same change, it might be that it just ended." "Will I change?" "Will I be able to change?" "I soon realized that I can't find the answer to this by thinking about it." "Things in life will all eventually end." "People's feelings end." "Friends from junior high school end." "However, the new beginning allowed me to make new friends." "Life might be all about repeating things over and over." "But I want to keep all things that will eventually change or disappear for now." "For that reason, I got a camera." "I'm going now." " Okay." "A vehicle that runs on a set time and travels on a set course." "I feel as if I'm being taken away." "Every day is a repeat of the day before." "I can't imagine that tomorrow will be different from today." "I still have yet to know extreme misfortune and extreme happiness." "What's wrong with it?" "There's really no need to go on a vacation to a distant country," "Or eat delicious foods at expensive restaurants..." "Right?" "Yeah!" "It's only now that you can go out with friends for the night and have fun." " Yeah, you're right." "But don't you want to eat great food all the time?" " I agree!" "Yeah!" "Let's eat!" "Let's eat!" "Some Takoyaki please!" "Yes." "We don't live so pointlessly as to do things now that you can do when you become an adult." "Anyway, the city of Shibuya is at the other end of the tunnel on the Inogashira line." "The symbolism might be the reason why we gather there." "But that's beside the point." "Hey, what grade are you in?" "You free now?" "Where are you headed?" "You wanna get some tea or something?" "My car is parked over there.Ever see a Honda LSX?" "It's a sweet car!" "Just look at that color!" "Hey, hey!" "How about it!" "Um, just 30 minutes, maybe?" "Hey, hey, come on!" "In my freshman year, after I broke up with my first boyfriend," "There was a time when I was interested in telephone dating services." "Aren't the meeting rooms for the dating service really small?" "Yeah, it's about half of a normal room.Chairs, a TV, a table, a phone, and tissue." "Oh, I wasn't supposed to mention the tissues." "What kind of work do you do?" "I guess you could say a writer." "A writer?" "I write scripts for TV variety and music shows.Sometimes soap operas." "So you're in the big name business?" "I suppose you could say that." "I put in an ad for telephone classified to see if I can use it to write about." " Oh, I see." "Would you like to meet once?" "I guess I should take that as a no?" "Oh, it's okay." "Really?" "Yeah." "I can't believe it." "Okay." "I'll be wearing a Chicago Bulls hat." "So let's meet by the Takarazuka building, the side entrance to the center." "You know the hat, right?" "It has a picture of an angry bull." "It's bright red." "So you met the guy?" "I got scared and stood him up..." "I still get a bit jumpy when I see someone wearing a red hat." "You really do take a lot..." "Can you afford all that?" "Not really..." "It's getting to be a bit tight." "Oh really?" "Yeah..." "You're so cute." "Say cheese!" "Ugh... that was an ugly!" "Hey, you guys." "Do you want to have lunch with me?" "I'll give you some cash.10,000 yen each." "Can I see your business card?" "Wow, you play it safe." "Okay." "Shabu-shabu tastes better when you eat with more people." "Eat, eat!" "So, what grade are you two in?" "Oh, juniors in high school." "One year older than my daughter. |" " You have a daughter?" "|" " Yeah, I do." "A high schooler?" " She goes to Seishinjo Academy." "Wow... a famous school." "She's really smart, isn't she?" " She's only a sophomore, but she was second place in the nationals for an English speech." "Wow..." " What an achievement." "On top of that, like me, she's really good looking.She gets told at school that she looks like Ryouko Hiromatsu." "You know Hiromatsu, right?" "Squid!" " This restaurant's sauce is great, isn't it?" " Yeah, it really is." "Every now and again, we go out for a special elite dinner.It's great!" "Let's order another glass of Oolong tea." " Okay" "Excuse me." "2 Oolong teas please." "You guys..." "You guys!" "You guys!" "It's wrong not to seriously listen when other people are talking!" "Oh, come on, have a drink." "Are we wrong?" "Yeah, you're wrong!" "You don't understand at all how important the end of your teenage years are!" "Will you just seriously search for something to make of your lives?" "!" "If you don't do anything about it now, you'll end up going to a bad college, get a bad career, and get into a bad marriage!" "What the guy was saying wasn't completely false." "When I was younger..." " I just thought that I didn't want to be told that by someone like you." "July 19th 10:00 AM" "Same day 10:03 AM" " Morning'" "'Morning!" "Pictures, again?" "Again?" "I'm so embarrassed!" "What's that?" " Oh, I got stopped by some strange guy." " A guy?" "Yeah, there was this guy and he said he'll lend me this so to feel free to use it." "What's that mean?" " And he told me to return it to him by late evening.Isn't that really weird...?" "Yeah..." " And he wants to have a lot of call backs from boys about my age." "So to leave messages on the dial up message board." "Maybe he's gay?" "Maybe I should go return it to him..." " Eh, it's okay." "It's okay, isn't it?" " Well, it's the guy's isn't it?" "That means he's going to be paying the bill anyway, so let's make a bunch of calls" "When it's hot it seems like there are a lot more weirdoes around than usual." "I guess I'm an easy target." "I like Nao who doesn't scorn at something she's asked to do." "That Nao became attached to computers." "There was another thing that Nao was passionate about:" "Dieting!" "Current weight 5X kg" "But I like Nao just the way she is." "No!" "I've got to lose more weight!" " Really...?" "But I'm trying really hard as it is you know." " Really?" "How?" "Well, I eat less at dinner, sometimes skip meals, and go jogging occasionally.I've lost 7 kg!" "Wow!" " Yeah, but I still have a ways to go." "Have you been doing that all this time?" " Sure have." "Wow, that's impressive." " Yeah, but I still have to keep going." "Well, I think you're fine." " But still, Hiromi, you're so thin!" "You don't gain weight at all?" "I'm so envious.." " But you know, I get told that I'm just skinny and have no sex appeal." "From who?" " My current boyfriend." "My fingers are just so bony." "It's because you always crack your knuckles!" "I get told that they look like crow's feet." "How rude!" "Your boyfriend?" " No, my sister." "What's so funny?" "Why are you laughing so much?" "Hey!" "Are you two on your way home from school?" "Ha!" "I guess you could tell just by looking." "Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey!" "Do you want some cash?" "Erk!" "I guess that wasn't the best way to ask.How about coming with me as like a part time job, then?" "I just need you to have dinner with me." "I live in an apartment near here and I just want you to eat the food that I make.Here." "An apartment...?" " All you want is for us to eat dinner with you?" "Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah!" "All I do is make it.I make it, you eat it.Ha!" "I guess I'm stating the obvious here.How about 5,000 yen each?" "Want me to make it 6,000 yen?" "7,000 yen?" "It's cool enough now, isn't it?" "Could you turn off the fan?" "Switch..." "ON!" "POWER..." "ON!" "Washing hands." "I am washing my hands." "Um, shall I help you with something?" " It's okay, it's okay.Please, just sit and relax." "Okay!" "Wait's over!" "It looks delicious!" "Did you make all this just now?" " I made most of it last night." "Minestrone tastes especially good when you let it sit for a night." "Normally you'd put olive oil, wine, and vinegar on raw tomatoes," "But I put in crushed nuts, rice vinegar, and just a touch of soy sauce!" "Tomatoes and nuts go really well together." "Oh, eat, eat!" "Thank you." "Oh, that on top of the mozzarella is chopped walnut.Interesting, isn't it?" "Usually in meat sauce there's egg yolks mixed in.But you know how it's muggy outside recently?" "And I got a bit worried about using meat so today I used bonito fish." "So I don't know if the sauce with egg yolks goes well with bonito fish..." "So, how is it?" "Is it good?" "Yes, it's delicious!" "I'm so glad!" "Every now and again I like having parties like this." "I make dinner and the guests bring a bottle of wine." "But parties aren't really things that I can have on a daily basis, you know?" "I don't want it to be like "What?" "A party at Yoshimura's again?"" "So I usually only have one in maybe two or three months." "But I just get in moods to cook something extravagant." "So I go out and buy big expensive steaks and such," "But it's not good if you're only cooking for yourself." "I found this out after thinking something was bad after making something good.As good as the food is, the worse it is." "Do you know why?" "When I see meals getting cold sitting on the table because there isn't anyone to eat it, I feel like I want to die." "Parties are great, aren't they?" "You can reminisce about when everyone was gathered even when you're alone." "Like how Hiromi-san was eating minestrone there, (" " What about your diet?" ")" "Or how Nao-san was eating spaghetti there..." "There's just something good about reminiscing all that when I'm alone..." "Um, you don't have to force yourself to eat." "There's plenty of other things to eat too." "When more pictures were taken, disposable cameras became a waste of money." "So with the money I got from the play-date, I bought a camera." "However, Nao's computer was different." "It was a trade in for all the allowance that I was saving up." "It really kinda sucked..." "I'm a 16 year old high school student." "Um, I'm free today so I am in search of someone to hang out with." "I'm awaiting your call backs!" "( July 19 10:12 AM )" "Something like that, I guess?" " Yeah, I'm sure it's okay." " Okay, now you do one." "Me?" " Yup!" "Here!" "I press 0, right?" " Yeah." "I'm 16 years old, but I am flat chested and am very skinny." "Um, if there are people out there that like girls with small breasts, leave a message please!" "Hey, Chie-chan's here!" "'Morning, Chie-chan!" "'Morning!" "Ugh..." "It's so hot!" " Yeah, really." "I'm going to burn!" "Oh, I just got a page from Sachi." "She said she was going to be a little late." "What are you grinning about?" "Well you see, Nao got a cell phone from a gay guy." "And he asked her to place messages on the dial up message board to gather young guys." "Strange guy..." "Why don't you place one, Chie-chan?" "Just press 0 and it'll start recording." "Hello!" "I'm a junior in high school, 17 years old." "Well, I just broke up with my boyfriend and I think I'm feeling a bit down." "Anyway, I'm free today so I'm looking for someone to hang out with.I'll be waiting." "It's so hard." "I always mess up." "Why don't you go to a nail salon?" " But it's so expensive..." "So you get it professionally done, and then use it as a reference when you do it on your own." "Do you want me to show you the place that I used to go to?" " Yeah." "It was advertised in "JJ" so, it's a pretty good place." "So, how are things with your boyfriend?" "I think I'm going to break up with him soon." "Why?" "He was pretty popular..." "It wasn't like this before, but now whenever I see him, he wants to do it.He leaves hickeys too.Look at this!" "When I wanted to hear his voice," "Please leave a message after the tone." "And when I didn't want to hear his voice," "English Final." "NO talking!" "So you got your phone compensated?" "What was your boyfriend saying?" " He laughed at me." " Ugh, what a creep." "He was, wasn't he?" "Hey, you haven't gone on a play-date yet, right?" " Yeah, I haven't." "I've gone all the way on some occasions." "I had a feeling that Chie-chan hadn't told the other two about this." "So this became a secret between the two of us." "Nao had a little secret too." "That's a fake isn't it?" " Yeah, but even if it is a fake, if my parents find out, I'm in deep trouble." " Hold that pose." " Oh, stop!" "But I plan on getting a real one someday." "Is it weird?" "I guess it doesn't matter." " I think that Sachi has secrets too." "Sachi!" "C'mon, c'mon, c'mon!" "We're going to be late!" "Hurry, hurry hurry!" "You didn't go to the nail salon?" "Yeah..." "I was thinking someday, but..." "Those kinds of feelings had faded away." "When we had gotten tired of going clubbing together, Sachi began taking dance classes." "Hey, Tsuda, are you listening to the beat?" "Get it straight and do it right." "You're too timid.Dance right." "You'll soon grow bored of it, is what she was told, but even now after half a year, she's still going." "I'm going to quit school after first semester." " What?" "!" "You're kidding!" " What are you going to do after you quit?" "I'm going to be a dancer." "I made it in an audition." "I'm already scheduled to be enrolled in a company." "It's so sudden..." "No, I've been thinking it over for quite a while now." "But don't professional dancers need a background?" "It's no use worrying about something like that." "What about your parents?" "My mother lectured me a lot, but my father doesn't really say anything as is." "And besides, school was only a place where I'd be able to see you guys." "Well you love dancing, so I think it's okay." "But isn't it also okay to pursue it after you graduate?" "With things like this, you gotta take these chances when they come." "I was really panicking when I couldn't find anything I wanted to do." "I wondered what it was that I would be doing for the rest of my life." "When I came upon dancing, I knew it was for me." "It might change to where a year a few months from now,I'll be thinking that I was so childish, that I was young, and that I didn't know what I was doing." "I have a habit of hesitating a lot and I hate it." "So I thought that now was my only chance." "Exactly, I thought.Even things that you think are so precious turn trivial overnight." "One time, I watched a documentary on "The Diary of Anne Frank"." "It was frightening, but also moving to the point of tears." "That was good..." " Yeah" "It was really tough to be able to walk around freely outside..." "Even after getting into bed I kept thinking about things like,"Maybe that's why they called it 'Anne, long ago'"" "or "I should go to Holland someday", and my heart was muddled." "However, I soon realized that in the morning, my heart was smooth." "There was something inside of me that made me feel at peace." "It was strange..." "And I didn't like it." "That's so cool!" "Nao wants to too!" "Nao too!" " Nao?" " Yeah!" "Sachi probably hated feelings like that and became determined to become a dancer." "To end something within herself." "Dumped?" "Chie-chan was also trying to end her relationship." "He was pretty cute too..." " I thought so too." "Once he found out that I was a junior, that was it." "He said that unless I was over 20, under 37, he can't be with me." "If they're going to be so specific about age, I'd like to break up with HIM!" "Yeah, I know..." "I know, but..." "Chie, you've been trying too hard lately." "You don't have to push yourself anymore." "Of course, we can't fully comprehend Chie-chan's pain." "The four of us aren't good friends because we can tell each other anything." "It's because when someone doesn't want to answer, we don't ask questions,And when someone wants an answer, we don't stay quiet, is why the four of us were friends." "Even if you diet, even if lessons are tough, even if you get dumped by a guy, finals come to everyone." "Why don't we go to the beach when we get into summer vacation?" " Yeah, why don't we?" "Sachi is going to be leaving here soon too..." "Yeah." "And next year we have college entrance exams." " There's only this year that we can have fun over the summer." "It's our last summer" " Let's go." " Yeah, let's go to the beach." "Yeah!" "Let's go!" "Let's go, let's go!" "Why don't we all go buy new swim suits." " Yeah, that sounds good." "I think Hiromi would look good in a Speedo.You'd look like Venus." "How about toe rings?" " Yeah, I know what you mean." " But you can't really see it because of the sand." " It doesn't really draw any attention..." "Watches draw a lot of attention at beaches." "Rings too." "Here and here, huh?" "Rings, huh...?" "I wonder if one will look good on me." "The flow of time always brings an end to everything." "Final exams were over." "First semester was over." "Sachi's high school career was over." "All right..." "I'm gonna go." "I'm terribly sorry, but we're closed." "Yo-chan, it's okay." "Welcome!" "Nail care?" "Also coloring." " This way please!" "How shall I color them?" " Um... it's my first time,And since my fingers and nails are out of shape, I can't paint them myself very well." "So I want them to just look nicer." "Excuse me.They will look nicer once filed.Well for their shape, hmm..." "You're in high school, right?" "I think an oval will look nice." "That's a rounded shape, right?" " Yes.I'm sure it will look perfect on you." "Okay, I'll go with that." " Well?" "How do you like it?" " Wow!" "They don't look like my own hands!" "You dropped by a little while ago, but went home, didn't you?" " Yes..." "You remembered me?" "Are you going somewhere over summer vacation?" " To the beach with 3 of my friends!" "There she is!" "(July 17 10:39 AM )" "Let's watch her for a little bit." " You're so mean!" "She looks so lonely when it's just her." " Yeah, really." "What the hell?" "Just you guys being all cool." "Today,The southern Tokyo region has warm temperatures coming from the north." "84 degrees, 46% humidity.North east winds at 5.5 meters" "WOW!" "It's so cool in here!" "Ugh, isn't it awful this early in the afternoon?" "!" "I'll bet you that they're targeting high school girls." "Oh you mean like "jailbait" type?" " Yeah." "Yeah, yeah!" " No, no, no, no, no..." "Thank you very much!" "You've picked one already?" " Yeah, I found the kind I had in mind so..." "Hey, what about this one?" " It's okay, I think." "Really?" " Probably..." " I can't decide..." "Are you looking for a triangular style bikini?" "I guess..." "I want something that's bold." "But you know, I have dark hair so if it's that kind of cut it's okay," "But anymore than that and if I get splashed by a wave, it might...." "Well, that's just why I'm taking a long time." "Then why don't you get that one?" "Yeah..." "But you know," "It seems like I'm being told that I'm that kind of girl so I have to pick that one!" "Who are you being told by?" " God... or someone like that." "Hey, where did Hiromi go?" " To the accessories store." "Oh, what a surprise.Hey, Sachi, how's this?" " Huh?" "Looks good, looks good." "Hey!" "You didn't even look!" " Yes!" "Here it is!" "Welcome!" "This ring here?" "Yes." " Would you like to put it on?" "Yes, please." "Chief!" "A customer..." " Welcome!" "This topaz here..." " One moment, please." "Excuse me.There we go.Please, go right ahead." "My heart is beating fast..." "My heart is beating fast..." "Like the moment I closed my eyes on my first kiss." "Like the nervousness..." "I felt when I saw my boyfriend naked for the first time." "My heart is beating fast..." "Where did she go?" " Hiromi?" "Where are you?" "Oh!" "There she is!" "What are you looking at?" "Welcome!" " Let's see!" "Let's see!" " I've been welcomed." "Did you find something good?" "Wow..." "It looks nice!" "It fits you really well.Wow, it's so pretty!" " Let me see." "It seems like just that is another world in itself." " Let me see." "Wow!" "So pretty!" "Pardon me.Excuse me." "Um, where is the price tag?" "It is a special display so we have removed the price tag.Right now it is on sale for 128,000 yen." "What time are you open until?" " Until 9:00 PM." "Hiromi, do you want it right now?" "I wonder if that guy is still around..." "Hm?" "Oh, oh, oh..." " Guy?" "There was this really classy guy downstairs" "Who was saying that he'd give 50,000 yen a person for eating Shabu-shabu with him." "He's not here." "Chie!" "The guy's here." "He's down stairs.Shabu-shabu's there." "Um..." " Huh?" "What?" "You said that you'd give us 50,000 a piece if we eat shabu-shabu with you, right?" "Yeah." " How about going to karaoke with the 4 of us for 120,000?" "Oh, okay." "And, do you have some way to show that you actually do have the money?" "Let's go then." "Okay?" "Well then, shall we go?" "Do you know a place?" " Yeah, there's a good one right around here." "Oh, and in addition, there's something I need to ask a favor from each of you." "What is it?" "It can wait until we get there." "I can't really say it here..." "It can't be anything like "Let me feel you up" or "Let me have sex with you"." "Oh, it's nothing like that.No, no, no." "Nothing like that.It can wait until we get there." "I knew what Chie-chan and Sachi were doing." "I was grateful for it... but there was something wrong..." ""Loosely or seriously,I had a feeling that I could live"" ""Someday at this very place I'd like to see you again... "" "May I ask your name?" "Sure." "Kakegawa." "(He explains how to write his name in kanji and I have no idea on how to translate that.)" "Okay, so Kakegawa-san, let's sing a song that you really like." "A song I really like?" " Yeah, like something that doesn't have to be recent." "But I know quite a bit." "You knew that song, right?" "Yeah, but we know quite a lot too." "Like what?" " Like..." "ALFEE, or Tulip..." "You know Tulip?" " Yeah." "And we kinda feel bad about having just the songs that we like." "Well in that case." "I suppose I'll pick one." " Oh, please do, please do." "" Have you already forgotten? "" "Chie probably wants to get this over with, you know?" "Still it must've been a careless generation." "That kind of song made it to the top of the charts, right?" "It must've been a good time." "If it were now, it'd be ultra-super-very-badly depressing and you'd die!" ""When I was youngI did not fear anything However, I was just afraid of your kindness."" "What have you been listening to?" "That dial up message board." "I wondered what other people's messages were like." "It's pretty extreme..." "Oh, it's my song." "Here, hold this." "Um..." " Hm?" " You were talking about a favor from us, right?" "A favor?" "Yeah, I have one to ask." " What is it?" "Oh, it's okay." "Everyone's having a great time now so..." "I'll ask later.Gotta keep the mood in mind." "Next message..." "Hello." "I'm a 17 year old girl and I'm in search of someone to go on a play-date with." "My preferences are a guy in his 30s or 40s and..." "I'm a 16 year old high school student.Um, I'm free today so I am in search of someone to hang out with." "I'm awaiting your call backs!" "Something like that, I guess?" "Today, 10:12 AM." "Next message" "I'm 16 years old, but I am flat chested and am very skinny." "Um, if there are people out there that like girls with small breasts, leave a message please!" "Today, 10:12 AM." "Next message" "Hello!" "I'm a junior in high school, 17 years old." "Well, I just broke up with my boyfriend and I think I'm feeling a bit down." "Anyway, I'm free today so I'm looking for someone to hang out with.I'll be waiting." "Next message." "Hey, what's wrong?" "Hiromi!" "It's your song!" "Now then..." "What is this?" " Muscat." "Hold out your hand." "You don't have to peel it." "Just chew a couple times and spit it out in your hand." "Don't chew so much that it loses its shape." "You first." "Tell me your name." "It doesn't have to be your real name." "Think up of a name, and tell me that." "Namie Touno." "Your gift." "You next." "High school is the same." "Think up of a name for your school too." "Toritsu Aoyama.Tomomi Yanagisa." "Actually think about your name." "It can't be something off the wall." "Jissen Girls Academy, junior year.Miyuki Ito" "Even if it's not your real name, if it's a name you think up of, it's your name." "Do you understand?" "That's the name of the other you inside of you." "We never talked about that man again.It's not as if it was a taboo," "Or that we hated the fact that we went on a play date and were trying to forget it happened." "We didn't understand that middle aged man nor did we want to understand." "That was why we didn't want to talk about him.However, the fact that there are people who will buy grapes chewed up by high school girls for 120,000," "Happened to us." "Here you go!" "Why don't we split this?" "What's wrong?" " Hiromi's saying..." "To split the money." " Why?" " I don't know." " Reason unknown." "You want that ring,Don't you?" " Then take the money!" "But..." " But what?" " What's wrong?" "We won't get mad or anything so just tell us." " Hiromi?" "I can't really say it well but..." "But..." "It's the money that's from everyone doing karaoke for me so..." "I want to split it with everyone." "I really appreciate everyone's efforts." "But..." "I want to be friends forever..." "Everyone is so important to me..." "But..." "But I don't know," "What to say..." "I..." "I kinda understand what Hiromi is talking about..." "Later on, I found the words "At this time, I wanted to feel whole with everyone"." "It's such a shame, you know?" "That ring looked so good on you!" "You'll be able to buy it some day." " I'll buy it." "I'll buy it today." " I see." "I got it!" "Why don't you..." " This!" "Use this!" "Are you sure, Nao?" "That's something borrowed, isn't it?" "Isn't it your policy to always return something you borrow?" "It's okay,I think this is okay." "Here." "He was carrying a laptop and was a pretty classy guy." "He said he'd be at a cafe." "But if he isn't, then just leave it around there somewhere." "Thank you." "To be able to get the ring," "Hiromi!" "If something happens, page me right away!" "There are people who'll try to take your camera or wallet So be sure to keep an eye on your things!" "Okay?" " Yeah!" "Bye!" "Good luck!" "To be able to get the ring, everyone knew that play dates were the only option." "Unless you grasp something you want to do or want to have at that moment," "It will always disappear." "Yes?" " Oh, hello?" "Um..." " Nao-chan?" " Hello?" "Hello?" " Nao-chan?" "No, her friend." " Where's Nao-chan?" " We just parted." "Who are you?" " Hiromi." " Hiromi-chan, huh?" " You're a friend of Nao-chan?" "Yes." "Um..." " Hmm..." "Have you heard a lot from Nao-chan?" "Uh, yes..." " Okay." "And have there been any other calls from somewhere else?" " No." "Oh, okay." "Oh, and have you left messages that young guys would be likely to respond to?" "Yes." " Good, good." "Oh, I'm in my office at work and I won't be able to get back to Shibuya until night." "So, could you hold onto that for a little while longer?" "You can use it as much as you like." " Really?" " Yeah, sure!" "Oh and there might be a call from Yoshio." " Okay." "Can you tell him that I'm at the office?" "That I'll be waiting for him?" " Okay." " I've been waiting forever, but he hasn't shown yet." "Is that so..." " What are you doing, Nao-chan?" " Um..." "Oh, sorry, it was Hiromi-chan, right?" "What are you doing?" " Just things..." "Okay." "Well thanks!" "Hey!" "Hey!" "Oh come on..." "Current time:3:17 PM Time until 9 PM:5 hours 43 minutes Money Hiromi Yoshii's currently has:44,560 yen" "Imperial topaz price:128,000 yen Money needed:83,440 yen" "Thank you for calling Delta center's Pretty Club!" "For a one on one conversation with a great guy, press 1." "To exchange messages with a lot of people on a message board, press 2." "Looking for a boyfriend?" "Leave a message on the board by pressing 0." "To repeat a message, press 7.To go back one message, press 8." "( All right!" "I'm so happy!" "Thank you!" ")" "To skip a message, press sharp." "Now, the messages will be played from the beginning." "Uh, I'm a 28 year old guy who lives in the city." "Hmm, well if we were to only get intimate, about 20,000 yen." "If you wear your high school uniform, then maybe about 40,000." "H, hello." "Would you like to have intimate phone sex?" "Um, that's all." "I'm 34 years old." "I'm a photographer and am looking for a model." "If possible, if you could pose nude " "Um, I want to go on a play date, but I'd really like to hear some messages." "Please, leave me a message!" "I'll be waiting!" "Um, I'm looking for a girl to go shopping with me to a convenience store." "Requirements are that you have to be young, and pretty." "A pretty girl that other guys will stop to look at." "I have an appointment so please respond by 7." "Oh, I'm not a weirdo..." "Just a pretty girl will do." "And I can pay 50,000." "I am a business man within the city in my late 20s." "I'm looking for a play date." "Um, 15 and over please." "Cute girls are appreciated!" "Please leave me a message" "Yes, hello!" "Oh, good evening." "Um, as a self introduction, I'm 24 years old working as a business man." "If possible, I'd like a large breasted girl and " "Hello!" "I'm Captain EO." "I'm looking for someone to hang out with." "Captain EO will surely pay you!" "Fuzzball is waiting too!" "Bye!" "I'm a single guy in my 30s." "As for intimacy, I'm the type to have confidence." "I can get it up many, many times." "If anyone is interested, please give me a call or leave a message." "Um," "I'm looking for a girl to go shopping with me to a convenience store." "Requirements are that you have to be young, and pretty." "A pretty girl that other guys will stop to look at." "I have an appointment so please respond by 7." "Oh, I'm not a weirdo." "Just a pretty girl will do." "And I can pay 50,000." "I am..." "Hiromi My name is Hiromi." "I am 16 years old" "Please record your message after the tone." "When finished, press sharp." "Hello." "My name is Hiromi." "I am a 16 year old high school student." "I heard your message." "If you'd like, I will go to a convenience store with you." "I have a cell phone, so please call me back." "I can't be very late so please call me as soon as possible." "I'm 160 cm tall and rather skinny." "I'm awaiting your call." "Yes?" "Um, is this Hiromi?" " Yes." " Um, I put in a message..." "Oh, hello." " Where are you right now?" " Shibuya." "What kind of clothes are you wearing now?" " A high school uniform." " A uniform, huh...?" "I guess it's okay." " Um, are you SURE that all I have to do is to go shopping with you?" "Well, I was thinking of changing it to a video rental." "Is it okay if it's both a convenience store and a video rental?" " What are you going to do at the video rental?" "Well, um, link arms, say things like "What should we watch" while browsing the shelves." "But I can't be very late... and even if it's a short one, it will still be about an hour an a half..." "Oh, no." "We're not going to watch a video." "We're just going to browse the shelves." "Um... if it's kinda like where you want to walk around with me," "I'll be sure to pay you." "Could you possibly come over here now?" " Where?" "It's along the Yamanote line, but could you come in a taxi?" " Okay." "Oh, could you be sure to get a receipt?" "You don't look childish, do you?" "Well, just a little..." " If you look too childish, we wouldn't really look like a couple." "You're in uniform too..." " Um, I can put on my lipstick a little darker." "Oh and there's a possibility that I might think it won't work after meeting you so if that's the case, I'll pay you the taxi fee." "May I ask your name?" " Uehara." "Current time:4:51 PM Time until 9 PM:4 hours 09 minutes With drawls (iced tea):500 yen" "Money Hiromi Yoshii's currently has:44,060 yen Imperial topaz price:128.000 yen Money needed:83,940 yen" "Psh!" "This is why all high school girls today are the way the are!" "I'm sure not all people are like that, but um, what do you call it, especially those people with older guys?" "Well I guess you could say that there are people with sick minds everywhere and..." "Yes?" "Hello?" "Uh..." "I think I dialed the wrong number..." "Oh, I'm borrowing this cell phone..." "Wha?" "I'm borrowing this." "Borrowed?" " Yes." "Are you Kobayashi's daughter?" " Excuse me?" "Kobayashi was saying that he has a daughter but you're not her?" "Who is Kobayashi-san?" " You borrowed it from Kobayashi, right?" " Um my friend borrowed it so..." "Hey, you!" " Yes?" "Did you steal that phone?" " No.It's not like that.My friend borrowed it." "What's the name?" "Excuse me?" " Your friend's name." " It's Nao." "Oh I see." "NaoÕs the one who's the DJ on Wednesdays on Club Ice." "Yes?" " That Nao?" "No" "Which is it, dammit?" "Um, I'm a high school student." "High school?" "Where at?" " Well, that's." "What the hell?" "!" "I don't get it at all!" "Where are you right now?" " A taxi" "What the hell, you bitch?" "!" "Just forget it." "Will you just tell Kobayashi that I quit?" "Tell him that I quit, okay?" "You're going to see him, right?" "When you return the phone?" "Um, he was saying that he's at the office." " Who?" " That Kobayashi person." "When?" " Just now." "Oh well." "I'm not going anyway." "Oh, tell him that his cat's sick too." " Cat?" "Yeah.It's Kobayashi's cat." "It's just a kitten, but it was puking up some green liquid and just looked worn out." "I didn't know what medicine to give it, so I just left it as is, but,If it's in that state, it's going to die soon" "We're here." "This is where you wanted to go, right?" "May I please have a receipt?" "Hiro, Hiromi-san" "Um, I'm Uehara." " Hello." "Um... can I get you to come with me to the convenience store" "and video rental up the road here?" "The video rental place is near here too." "Um, why don't we go over there then?" "It's hot over here." " Oh, I'm sorry." "I'm sorry." "I'm not used to this." "And it's been quite a while... since I talked to a lady." "I, I can handle it on the phone, but, when I'm seeing you in person it's like.I'm sorry" "I'm sorry" "I'm sorry" "I'm sorry" "I'm sorry" "It's nothing to worry about." "I don't feel like going anymore." "Never mind." "This is, as promised." "It's okay." " What do you mean "okay"?" "It's okay." "Nothing really matters anymore." "Well, then." " Wait a minute!" "Maybe just walking together?" "Just a walk." "Oh, this is a disease." " Not a habit?" " Yeah." "My doctor told me it was a disease." "He was saying it was some mental thing." "Seems like there isn't a cure for it." "Said it was Turret's Syndrome." "Turrets?" "Yeah, you know, how some people have sudden outbursts." "Or have muscle spasms in the neck?" "But I was told that a case like mine was rare." "You were fine on the phone though." "Oh, that's because I was covering the mouthpiece." "And it, it really had been quite a while for me" "To see a girl like you smile." "Yeah" "I think it's been about 5 years." "Yeah, 5 years" "I've been hated by this habit, or disease of mine." "Well, I don't blame them." "And I smell too, don't I?" "I sweat a lot so" "I work as a nightly construction crew member so I don't have time to take showers that often." "Isn't it kinda pointless to sweat all over again after taking a shower?" "And well, when I get off work, I drink, then go right to sleep so" "I can't help it, but I smell so no one really comes close to me." "Well, people don't really like people who smell so" "I don't really go out that often, so I just go out when I have to." "I only go to the convenience store and video rentals." "And I always get glared at, I once had the cops called on me." " Why?" "I think they thought that I was being rude.I told him that it's a disease and that I'm not spitting," "But he didn't even apologize." "So sometimes I purposely spit." "He was saying behind my back that I'd never get a girl being the way I am." "So that's why I posted a message." "You were the first one to respond." "Really?" " When I saw you smile at me,I had enough." "Nothing mattered to me.I couldn't ask over and over again so, You smiled at me and that was enough." "Do you know the cause of your disease?" " Yeah, I do." "It tastes like work." "What kind of taste is that?" "Tastes like shit.Oh, you came on a taxi right?" "How much was it?" "860 yen." "Oh, sorry I don't have any change." " Oh, it's okay then." " Well it's a promise so" "Will you just go with me to the video rental?" "I'll rent something and get change for it." ""Welcome!" "Thank you for coming!"" ""Thank you very much!"" ""Welcome!"" " He's here" "The worker who talks about me is here right now." "That's him right there." "That's him." "He never looks at me when I rent something, but, he's always looking at me from somewhere." "Hiromi, let's link arms and talk a little while here." "Here?" " Oh come on." "I need to make him think that you're my girlfriend." "Well?" "Is he looking this way?" "No, he's not." ""Adult"" "Hiromi?" "What do you want to watch tonight?" "Why don't you pick one?" "I'm not..." " He looked over!" "See, there's a lot so browse a while and pick a few." "Me?" " Yeah, pick a few out.." "Browse carefully." "From the edge to the edge of the shelves, from top to bottom." "Real carefully." "Pick three of them." "We'll rent them and then maybe watch them together." "But that's." " I'm just kidding." "I'm kidding." "Just look real carefully." "Yeah, I guess I have to keep our promise." "I'll just rent the videos and then it's over." "I'm sorry!" ""What the hell are you doing?"" ""Thank you for your patronage!"" "Why?" "Why don't I have it?" "I don't know what to do I don't know what to do" "Yes?" " Oh, Hiromi-chan?" "Was there a call from Yoshio?" "Yes." " Did you tell him that I'm here?" "Yes." " What did he say?" "Did he say anything?" "Your kitten is supposedly sick." " What?" "Your kitten." " Sick?" "He was saying that it's in really bad shape." " Yoshio said that?" "Oh well, I guess so." "Only he would." "So I guess he was at my apartment." "Anything else?" "Did he say anything else?" " Yes." "He said that he quit." "Quit?" "Quit what?" "Does he mean me?" " I don't know." "Hello?" "Hello?" "I'm sorry." "It was a bit of a shock to me." " Um, did I do something wrong?" " No, it's not that." "Don't worry about that." " What should I do with your phone?" "You're not going to use it anymore?" "Hiromi-chan?" " Well, just a little longer then." " Okay.Please use it." "But, I feel kind of bad." " No, it's okay." "It's better for me that way." "Anyway, I'm going to go back to my apartment for a minute." "It's real nearby." "And I'm going to take Puri-chan to the vet." "Oh, Puri is her name." "The cat's." "It's Primavera." "Isn't that beautiful?" "And... well..." "Do you know Hatfield?" "Yes." " What about the second floor there at around 8?" "Okay." " You can be a little late if you have to." "I like Hatfield so." "And Yoshio might come by too.Maybe, not." " Um." " What is it?" "I hope your cat is okay." " Thank you." "See you!" "Current time: 5:44PM Time until 9 PM: 3 hours 16 minutes" "Money received: 50,000 yen" "Money Hiromi Yoshii's currently has: 93,400 yen Imperial topaz price: 128,000 yen Money needed: 34,600 yen" "Hello!" "I'm Captain EO I'm looking for someone to hang out with." "Fuzzball is waiting too!" "Bye!" "Please record your message after the tone." "When finished, press sharp." "Hello, pleased to meet you, my name is Hiromi." "I, too " "Hello?" " Hello?" "This is Captain EO." " Oh hello." "This is Hiromi." "Hiromi-chan, Fuzzball-kun is asking if you're a junior." " Yes, I'm a junior." "Do you know of Namiki bridge if you go down Meiji street?" "Fuzzball-kun is asking." "Yes, I do." " Fuzzball is here right now, but can you tell Hooter too?" "I know of it!" " Isn't that great Fuzzball?" "If you cross the Namiki bridge and go south a ways, do you know of the Sarugaku bridge?" "Sarugaku bridge?" " Yeah." "Hm?" "What?" "Captain EO is going to be wearing a black hat, a blue jacket, and carrying a yellow bag waiting under the Sarugaku bridge." "Oh really?" "Yeah, I guess you're right." "Um, well, I'm wearing my high school uniform with a black bag." "Wow you sound cute." "Hiromi-chan, do you go to Seishin?" "Seishin Girls Academy?" " No." "Hmm Fuzzball is getting worried." "He's wondering if you'll really come." "I will." " Thank you." "I'll be waiting!" " Okay." "Current time: 6:37PM Time until 9 PM: 2 hours 23 minutes" ""Are you Hiromi-san?"" ""Yes, I'm Hiromi!"" ""How come you can do sign language?"" "My mother learned when she was volunteering with community service and taught me." ""Oh, okay." "Go around that way and let's meet up above."" "I want to go to a hotel." "I want to go to a love hotel." "Current time: 6:53 PM Time until 9 PM: 2 hours 07 minutes" "Do you like girls from Seishin?" " Seishin?" " Yeah, on the phone you asked me." "Oh, I once had a bad experience with a girl from Seishin." "She was waiting for me outside my house." "Then all the sudden, she took off her stockings and strangled me with it." "That's beyond extreme." "She was from Seishin, type A blood, a Capricorn, from Tottori-ken, and the youngest child." "Can I take Fuzzball out?" " Yes, go right ahead." "Fuzzball, I'm sorry.It was dark and scary, wasn't it?" "But I won't put you in there anymore." "May I take a picture?" " Sure." "I'm sorry, ---." "I have a special name just for ---." " Not ---?" "That's the name of what sits on Michael Jackson's shoulder." "He has a different name, right?" " What is it?" "I can't tell you." "You can't just easily give out your name." "Unlike the Veiled Sunday that --- likes." "I wondered why this guy was able to show me his strangeness of speaking to a stuffed animal as if it were alive." "Isn't it because you're not going to see him again?" "Yeah, yeah." "If you think that this meeting is it, you can say anything." "Like when you part." "They say write and throw away at the beginning of a journey." "Maybe this is a bit different." "Yes." "My connection with this guy is less than a few hours." "For the first time, I felt that this time now was me being a girl bought by money." "Um, may I ask something?" "What?" ", Hiromi-chan has a question for you." "Ask What is it?" "When did you meet up with him?" "Maybe about 10 years ago?" "It was before my parents got divorced so yeah, over 10 years ago." "We went on a vacation with the 3 of us." "To Florida's Disney World." "That was the first and last vacation I took with my dad." "At that time, Captain EO started in Florida." "It wasn't playing in Los Angeles yet." "I think I went for about 3 days." "I saw the movie over 10 times." "On my second day, I saw Fuzzball in a gift shop." "When I said that I wanted it, my dad bought it for me right away." "That movie was also the first and last that I ever saw with my dad." "He was watching it with a really bored look on his face." "That movie is still entertaining for adults though." "But even so, he still watched it with me over 10 times." "My dad is the one who gave --- his real name." "So in the entire world, only my dad and I know." "Is this place, okay?" " For how much?" ""How much can I get?"" ""How much do you want?"" ""About 40,000 yen."" "Okay.I'll pay you when everything's done." "When everything's done." " "Welcome!"" ""Please choose your style of room with the photo panel."" " Break room 403." "Um, I only have about an hour or so." "Don't worry.An hour's plenty." "Are you hungry?" " No, I'm sorry." "That's probably a menu so why don't you order something?" " Well... the thing is that I'm meeting someone at 8:30." "There's still 75 minutes until 8:30." " I'll pay for this myself." "No, it's okay. 74 minutes now." "Chicken pilaf, then." "Do you go on play dates a lot?" " This kind is my first time." " What do you mean "this kind"?" "To come to a place like this and to get intimate." " Why didn't you do it before?" " I never really felt like it." "Why did you feel like it today?" " There's something I want, and..." " What is it?" "Well, that's..." " Like a Gucci bag or something?" " No." "I got it." "A ring." "Right?" "So a ring, huh?" " How?" " Because your fingers are pretty." "They look like a ring would look good on them." " Really?" "That makes me happy." "I'm going to tell --- ---?" "Hiromi-chan is going to buy a ring." "What the?" "Are you okay?" "Um, I can sew it for you." " You have the materials?" " Yes." "I'll go get it." "Excuse me" "Why don't you eat first?" " Healing is first." "It's gotten cold, hasn't it?" " A little" " But it's good." "Something about you makes me want to just talk to you." " Oh, I get told that a lot." "Oh I see.---, should we ask her?" " What is it?" "If God came here at this moment, And said that he'd grant you one wish, what would it be?" "A wish?" " It can be anything." "Just one wish." "I can be something like 100,000,000,000 yen." " I don't want any money." "Oh thatÕs right." "You wanted a ring." " It's not even the ring." "What is it?" " You won't laugh?" " No." "What is it?" "I want bigger breasts." " Breasts?" " I have small ones so" "The other parts of me I like." "I can live with, I guess." "I guess it would be my breasts." " Wouldn't you rather be like..." "The world's smartest person than have breasts?" "The smartest person in the world?" "It seems kinda tough to be a person like that." " I guess all high school girls are like that." "Probably." "What about you, Captain EO?" " Me?" " Yeah." "What would you ask from God?" " I don't know" "I'm always thinking about it, but I still don't know." "Right, ---?" "You know that white stuff?" "The stuff that's in between a woman's flaps?" "I hate that so make sure you wash it all off." "Uh, when he was making a teru-teru-bouzu," "Kenta came in and snobbishly said along with Eddie Flee-chan." ""What was wrong with your father?" Uh... it doesn't matter if Kenta is really my child or not." "How Japan is to the rest of the world;" "That's exactly the same as our family." "We're being made fun of!" "Come here." ", she should listen to me, shouldn't she?" "If she doesn't listen, I might just kill her." "Come here." "Hey, do as I say." "Hey!" "I won't kill you, so do what I say." "Hey!" "Huh?" "Hey, what the hell?" "They're not that small." "Did you get the white stuff off?" "Huh?" "Did you get the white stuff off?" "You cleaned it off." "You're naked." "I'm clothed." "You're not supposed to be doing stuff like this." "You can't be getting naked easily in front of some guy you don't know." "Everyone has someone that needs him." "Okay?" "That guy will be so heartbroken, so depressed, and feel like crying." "How do you think he'd feel if the girl he treasures was getting naked in front of some other guy?" "Hey!" "Huh?" "!" "How do you think he'd feel?" "You don't understand at all." "You're probably thinking that while you're doing something like this, no one is thinking about you." "Right?" "You're so wrong." "While you're naked, there's someone out there that's feeling so heartbroken." "All right?" "!" "Do you really understand?" "Hey." "I was planning..." "to use this on you too." "There are people who'd use this, be like doing it with a dead body, take your money, and run." "I'll forgive you though." "It's fun talking to you and you fixed --- for me." "I'll pay you too." "I was with you a little over an hour so as a bonus," "I'll pay you for 2 hours." "Quit fooling around." "Where are you going?" " I have nowhere to go." "What are you going to do?" " I don't want to do anything." "Don't you want to see someone?" " I don't want to see anyone." "I can't talk to anyone about something like this." "So what are you going to do?" "I need to return the phone." ""Thank you very much for shopping with us today." "We will be closing momentarily."" ""Please bring your purchases to a cashier now.Thank you very much."" ""Welcome"" ""Welcome"" "How about going to karaoke with the 4 of us for 120,000?" "It's such a shame, you know?" "That ring looked so good on you!" "I'll buy it." "I'll buy it today." "Good luck!" "9:00 PM Closed." "Welcome!" "Are you meeting someone?" "Hiromi-chan?" "Why don't you sit down?" "Hiromi-chan, did you cry?" "Oh, thanks to you, Puri-chan made it." " What?" "She made it!" "From a while ago, her body wasn't too healthy." "Cats get real weak when they start throwing up." "It's the same with dogs too though." "They say a lot of different things in magazines." "Do you like cats, Hiromi-chan?" " I like dogs better.I like cats too though." "You know what's interesting?" "People who have a cat-like appearance like dogs." "And dog-like people like cats." " "Cat-like"?" " Yeah, cat-like." "Sleek.Dog type, Built." "I'm definitely a dog-type." "I got a call from Yoshio afterwards." "Probably my last call from him." "We had our last fight." "Well, I can't help it.He's still young." "When I was young, I didn't think of anything either." "Well... right now I'm a struggling writer so" "I can't be lecturing Yoshio that much either." "A writer?" "I write scripts for TV variety and music shows." "Sometimes soap operas." " So you're in the big name business?" " I suppose you could say that." "Um..." "I heard this from somewhere, but..." ""While you're naked like this, someone somewhere is feeling so heartbroken."" "What does that mean?" " Whoever thought up of that is a very kind person." "Doesn't that mean that he thinks you are worth a lot?" "To not sell yourself cheap?" "Not necessarily naked, but your existence... has a lot of worth to someone." "So that's why that someone is going to feel so heartbroken." "Welcome home." "Thanks." " What happened?" "I'm exhausted." " Did you find a good swim suit?" "Yeah." "Your mother did great today!" "12th place and 14th place!" "Before her leg cramped up so she had to withdraw." "Look, look, look!" "What do you think?" "The image of a man's dream." "Dad, you showed Hiromi so it's enough isn't it?" "Please stop playing with this and have it cleared away tomorrow." "I know, I know." "My dream come true is only around for an hour, huh?" "I'll help too." " Okay." "What about dinner?" " I had some." " What did you have?" " Pilaf." "Pilaf, huh?" "I'm tired so I'm going to bed, okay?" "Goodnight." "Goodnight." " You're going to bed already?" "Okay." "Goodnight." "The ring wasn't there after all." "Of course it wouldn't be" "Your family's kindness is annoying, isn't it?" "Yeah, but no one is at fault." "I think that I'm the one at fault." "What are you going to do about that ring?" " I don't want to give it up." "But I don't have the nerve." " You don't have the nerve to try to get something you failed once at, right?" "When Sachi started taking dance lessons, you wanted to take them too, didn't you?" "But I can't catch up to her now." "When you were told that Nao bought her own computer with her own money, you were surrounded by jealousy, weren't you?" "I hurt as if I was pricked by a pin." "When you found out Chie-chan was experiencing an adult's world on her own, you felt as if you were left behind, didn't you?" " Just that I couldn't say anything and I felt lonely." "When you feel as if you're missing something, hanging out with your friends is tough." "Feelings that one is missing something makes him feel lonely." "When time passes, the connection with the ring will slowly disappear." "Keeping the feeling of wanting something," "Is in turn keeping the feeling that you don't have something and feeling powerless, thus being very difficult." "I probably couldn't do it." "Extra!" "I'll tell you especially." "'s real name is also Star Love and Pop" "The dream Hiromi Yoshii dreamed on the night of July 19, 1997" "I was feeling my way around a dark narrow basement hallway." "At the end, there was a large, old refrigerator." "The door was rusted and heavy." "An awful sound was made when the door was pulled open." "Inside, a number of dogs were frozen." "A number of dogs frozen in many different positions." "I hugged the one in front." "The dog melted in my arms and and eventually wagged his tail," "And barked happily."