"This is a copy of column 15 for the newspaper..." "I have added a story to the catch phrase drawn up by Mr. Hashizume." "Ms. Aiba, have you checked with Mr. Hashizume yet?" "I've got the approvals." "Don't you think the size of the sales period is too small?" "It could cause a problem." "Mr. Udagawa, couldn't you make this a little bigger?" "Well, yes..." "Don't you think people will read it through in detail?" "But I'm sure the sales period will be pointed out." "Other forms of media will mention this..." "But at the end of the day we'll be back to square one." "Clients tend to be more conservatively minded." "The dates also..." "We don't have much time left." "If the client isn't happy there will be lot of corrections to do." "Yes." "I am sorry to interrupt but do you mind?" "What for Secretarial section?" "Ah, Yuki, let's go to Odaiba sometime..." "Ms. Aiba, could I borrow you?" "Mr. Hashizume is here." "But he was abroad for the on site shooting until next week." "Not him." "His wife is here." "Oh really?" "What is it?" "You don't have to count it." "500,000 yen in there." "Don't pretend to ask me why." "You're not a child." "Your body temperature seems low." "Huh?" "What do you mean?" "Nothing, it means just what it means." "Even if I make a wish, it won't." "There's no point in my hopes." "I knew this would happen all along." "Up until now I've been living a lie so as not to get hurt." "Now.... and yes, even in the future...." ""Being here"" "Are you on holiday here?" "On business." "Do you often come to Osaka?" "It's my first time." "Oh, really?" "But it doesn't look much different from Tokyo, does it?" "Am I dreaming or something?" "Huh?" "Well, that big Ferris wheel is wedged on top of the building..." "That's standing between the buildings." "Unique isn't it?" ""Osaka branch of Denpa Advertisement Agency"" "At this particular time when the economy has never been worse, especially this millennium period..." "We should go back to the founding spirit of the company originally based in Osaka," "And think about what real advertisement business is..." "Well, quoting the words of our company's founder Mr. Heizaburo Hashizume..." "Mr. Hashizume?" "Mr. Heizaburo Hashizume was..." "What?" "Ah, I'm very sorry!" "You idiot!" "What are you thinking of being late for the first day!" "That's ok." "I'm glad you came." "I was getting off track..." "Boss!" "Mr. Yamada." "He's the new employee in your division, isn't he?" "Well yes..." "Everybody!" "I'll introduce him to you all." "He was hired mid term and has been appointed a position in Yamada's group in the Sales Division." "Who is he?" "Mr. Etsuro Maeno." "What?" "Is this the Sales Division?" "I made a mistake." "And one more has been appointed to..." "I remember now." "Ms. Aiba," "Huh?" "Me?" "Ms. Aiba was transferred from No.1 Creative Division in Tokyo..." "I didn't hear anything about the Sales Division..." "Mr. Tsuchiya!" "Maybe this one?" "She has been sleeping." "Sorry!" "What on earth is Personnel up to?" "They are thinking disrupting our reputable branch here In Osaka." "Sending." "These new employees, on the first day a tardy boy, and sleeping beauty!" "Stop laughing you idiot!" "Hello." "Why am I in Sales?" "Why am I not in the Creative Division?" "Well, it's ok, isn't it?" "Huh?" "It's a good piece of work." "You fool!" "It's you who should be doing good work!" "Excuse me." "I should be in the Creative Division in Osaka as well." "Will you please check Shut up!" "In Osaka, Sales is the most Creative Division here." "Okay." "Are you still in here?" "You can go home now." "Ah, ok." "Excuse me?" "Well excuse me?" "Do you know anywhere I can stay tonight?" "Ms. Aiba, you are checking in today and are staying for a month?" "Yes." "What?" "You can find an apartment in a week or so, can't you?" "That's ok." "I'll go back once I've used up 500,000 yen." ""Go back?" where?" "I'll have someone show you to your room." "Well, thanks." "See you tomorrow." "Ah, Ms. Aiba!" "I heard that there is a welcome party tonight at 8 o'clock." "Is it bad if I don't go?" "Up to you." "It's ok, isn't it?" "Yes." "Ah, Mum?" "I was going to call you when I settle in properly." "What happened?" "A parcel?" "I don't want it." "I'll be home in a month." "What?" "It's a transfer." "No." "It isn't a business trip." "I can't stay on the phone very long." "You want to talk but I don't." "I'll call you when I settle in." "Ok." "I know." "Ok." "Well good-bye." "Mom!" "Good morning!" "Good morning." "Hey, Aiba!" "What are you wearing!" "?" "Are we going to have a presentation today?" "You dim wit!" "What are you going to do if the client asks you to come over." "This isn't the Creative Division!" "Good morning!" "Both of you..." "you better stop that!" "Enough already!" "What happened?" "Well can't you wear jeans in sales?" "Mr. Maeno good morning." "Ms. Nakajima, Could you give me a cup of tea, too." "Come with me." "Why didn't you come to the welcome party?" "It was the first day of my transfer and I was a little tired." "I don't care about that." "With Mr. Maeno, you both were having a good time together, weren't you?" "No kidding." "You're staying at a hotel, aren't you?" "You have a cushy set up." "A person from the Creative Division in Tokyo, is much different, isn't she?" "Is this room really being used?" "Oh, Mr. Ohtomo." "I was going to pour you some tea..." "In the meeting room?" "We were discussing about how to make good tea for you." "Ah, will you please put me in the commercial again?" "Because of it I was treated as a star by my relatives." "I'll think about it." "Ah, Ms. Aiba." "You were working in Mr. Hashizume s Creative Division in Tokyo, weren't you?" "Ah, yes." "Could you please help us out?" "We are going to talk about it but..." "Can I borrow her for a moment?" "Oh, sure no problem." "You've been having a hard time of it." "Ms. Aiba, you were a copy writer, weren't you?" "Oh yes." "Recently I finally got a little responsible there." "Well, it is open in here." "Have you got some interesting ideas yet?" "Well, the division chief ran up to me early this morning and said," ""The name of the condom for those over 40 years old has been decided!"" "He told me the product name, "It's been a long time"." "You shouldn't talk like that in front of a lady." "When I asked you if there are new names for the Kishu Bullet trains, you were suggesting "Morning sickness" or "Dizziness" or something." "Mr. Yomoda, you were suggesting the name "Ghost"." "What are you talking about?" "A "Ghost" is like..." "Huh?" "Ohtomo, who is she?" "As you know," "Ms. Aiba who came from the Creative Division in Tokyo." "Ah, Bear brand natto, right?" "Ms. Aiba, can you eat natto?" "Ah, yes." "OK." "It's decided." "You've got a good looking face." "Can you give me big, wild movements now?" "Can you hold up your leg, like this?" "Keep it there." "Now, can you spin around a bit?" "From there, looking this way." "One, two, three..." "This has absolutely nothing to do with looks..." "I'm going to try and end this." "Excuse me." "In the next race, who's the least favorite to win?" "Well, let's see..." "That's No.5, isn't it?" "That's it!" "330,000 yen?" "!" "Miss, No.5 is useless." "Absolutely no hope." "Stop it!" "Me, Kudo says so!" "It's ok." "It's like throwing your money down the toilet!" "Ah!" "Oh no, you bought it." "I won't be responsible, ok?" "It's not my fault!" "3, 2, 1 there off!" "At the front is No.3..." "Ms. Aiba?" "Mr. Maeno?" "How?" "This is one of our clients." "How about you, Ms. Aiba?" "No reason." "You skipped work so you must really love this." "Np.5, the underdog has won." "Np. 5 finishes top." "Np. 4 and then No.3 are second and third." "Did you lose?" "Hey!" "Miss, do you remember me?" "I am Kudo." "Me, it's me Kudo, Miss." "Here are the odds: a consecutive triple comes to 31 to 1." "Huh?" "Ms. Aiba." "We're already friends, aren't we?" "Miss." "Gambler!" "330,000 yen multiplied by 31 equals... 10,230,000 yen!" "10,230,000 yen divided by the room cost of 18,000 yen... equals 568 days..." "Mr. Maruyama." "They will work really hard to ensure a prosperous business relationship with you." "Oh, yes." "I see." "Please." "Oh, thank you." "She has been working in the Creative Division in our Tokyo office." "Oh, yes?" "Good timing." "Could you have a quick look at this?" "It's our commercial for Christmas." "It's a bit difficult." "Have a quick look at this and tell me what you think." "Well?" "It's vulgar." "This came from your company." "Are you criticizing your own work?" "But for the toy company's Christmas project, you don't choose "Nice Body, Boom Boom!"" "This one was scrapped, wasn't it?" "This is just a joke, right?" "I've already approved it." "But if you say toys for Christmas..." "I am sorry, she was transferred from the Creative Division, so she has rather strong feeling about it." "Please excuse her for her directness." "Oh, please, please drink." "When people have strong feelings about something, it is true that they tend to overlook the main points..." "Do you know what day October 23 is?" "You fool!" "Who do you think you are talking to?" "It was the last day of our Hankyu Braves, of course." "That last double header, didn't you go to see it?" "Of course!" "In Nishinomiya, I am still well known around those parts." "So you people scrapped the Braves team, didn't you?" "What?" "What do you mean?" "You were too proud of being so small." "You people were happy that the Braves just belonged to you, weren't you?" "The team itself had faults but the fans didn't try to recruit other supporters, did they?" "Hey you, Maeno..." "He's already drunk too much." "I'm so sorry." "But I loved the Braves, because their side of the stands was always empty." "There was much higher chance of catching home-run balls, too." "That's why I went to watch the games alone without any of my friends." "That's why..." "I am also one of the guilty members who made the Braves sell off the team." "I am so sorry but I didn't mean to blame you for that but..." "No no..." "I understand how you feel." "Get up, get up." "I am sorry." "I wanted to see it." "The last day, October 23, 1988." "I wanted to see the game in the finally jam packed Nishinomiya Stadium." "But I wasn't able to go to see it." "Why not?" "Ah, my operation for appendicitis." "Such bad timing." "Maybe that was a kind of punishment for something." "I really wanted to see the game." "Rainbow colored tapes were thrown from the jam packed stands..." "Mr. Maruyama." "Ms. Aiba was born on October 23." "Really?" "Yes." "But she was born in 1975." "Do you recall?" "That year we finally became national champions." "Oh, is that right?" "Yes." "But I saw them became champions only once in my life." "It was 1984." "That was the strongest team in pro-baseball." "3 times consecutive MVP titles, Boomer." "Imai had the most winning games with the highest pitching average." "He drank beer and played on the mound." "Saving king was Yamaoki." "Catcher, rookie king was Fujita" "Fabulous batters were lined up." "Fukumoto, Minoda, Matsunaga, Mizutani, Ishimine, Bump, Nakazawa." "And there were good pitchers too." "Yamada, Sato Yoshi, Miyamoto and Kinoshita." "Tani!" "He was just great!" "Yeah, wonderful story!" "Well, please go on." "Today I feel great and the drink is delicious!" ""Marugame Toys"" "Well, Mr. Yamada, thank you." "Mr. Maruyama, thank you very much for today." "I will give her a good telling off later." "I am sorry." "I said a little too much." "I can't defend myself against Miss Creator from Tokyo." "Ah, you, Mr. Maeno." "You are all right." "Let's talk more about the Braves sometime, ok?" "Drive on now." "But how did you know about Mr. Maruyama liking Hankyu?" "Nope, that was just a coincidence." "I owe you." "What?" "About what went on in the restaurant." "Well, it's ok, isn't it?" "Ah, Mr. Yamada." "What is it?" "I have something to tell you later." "What is it?" "You can tell me now." "Well, Mr. Hashizume, you are here?" "My client wanted to make of use our Creative team in Osaka." "I see." "That's right." "Ms. Aiba, he was your boss, wasn't he?" "It's been a long time." "How have you been?" "You are not putting him to any trouble, are you?" "Ms. Aiba." "The Creative team here is great." "You should learn as much as you can from them." "It will help you someday." "Yes..." "I understand." "I heard from Mr. Yamada." "You handled that president of Marugame Toys very well." "That's great!" "I gave a bad impression." "It was all thanks to Mr. Maeno." "Ah, Mr. Hashizume, it's upstairs." "Mr. Yamada, let me borrow Ms. Aiba later." "Yes, I understand." "What do you mean?" "Well, about yesterday, Mr. Maruyama really liked you both." "He asked me if you could revise the CM for Christmas." "No kidding." "It's true." "So we will lend you to the Creative for a bit." "Please excuse me." "I thought you wanted to go there?" "I don't want to today." "Today?" "Please." "Let me go home early today." "How come?" "I don't feel very well." "It's for Christmas." "You've got no time." "Well, give me a paid holiday then." "Paid holiday?" "I've got plenty left over from Tokyo." "If you don't let me have it, I will report you to the Union." "Hey, hey, Aiba!" "What?" "Ah, nothing." "Ms. Aiba, wait a minute!" "The president of Marugame really has a high opinion of you." "Aren't you happy?" "How come you are leaving?" "I am not happy today!" "Well, Ms. Aiba." "It may be a chance for you to go into the Creative Division." "Why don't you try it out?" "I don't care about the Creative Division any more." "What are you running away from?" "It doesn't matter!" "It doesn't solve anything." "Why don't you go for it?" "Then, I want you to pay me back what you owe me." "I know the best place in Osaka..." "Here we are." "Welcome!" "Oh well, it's you." "I came here to check if you're not bankrupted yet." "Guys like you have piled up debt, so no wonder business is waning." "It wasn't just the lantern outside that was waning." "Shut up!" "You really are a lousy son of a bitch." "Anyway, it's the first time you've brought a girl here." "No, kidding." "What's more, she is really pretty, isn't she?" "Girlfriend?" "No, way!" "Sorry, he hasn't got any manners at all." "Well, it's ok, isn't it?" "Well, he habitually says this phrase." "So once he traps us, anything will be ok after all." "It's ok, isn't it?" "Here!" "Is there something on my face?" "This is my first time I've seen you smiling." "Oh, really?" "Have I always been frowning?" "Well, you don't have to force a smile, it's ok, isn't it?" "He watches people very well." "Don't tell me "stalker"." "You are a "born-stalker"." "Shut up!" "Well, but I think he's gifted." "Even though he doesn't know a girl, he can tell me what she's like." "Stop talking about that." "Well, why don't you guess what I am like?" "Let's not do this." "Saying that, I'm even more curious." "Hey, tell her already!" "Shino Aiba, born in Sapporo, 23rd of October, 1975." "How do you know my birthday?" "Favorite food is rich fatty tuna fish sashimi." "Favorite place is the planetarium." "Her respectable copy writer is Takashi Nakahata." "That was written on the company newsletter." "Well, it's ok, isn't it?" "You, cheat!" "You're a fraud!" "You cannot read people's minds!" "Well if you say..." "You've got a personality where you cannot say something even if you don't like it." "Those shoes." "They are designed by some Italian maker and are very expensive shoes, aren't they?" "So what?" "The size is too big for you." "But you can't even tell the person who bought them for you..." "In addition, he hasn't bought any for you this year." "Because of the relationship is over." "Ah, wait Ms. Aiba." "You did it again." "That's because you talked too much." "You guessed right..." "Ms. Aiba!" "There is a letter for you." ""Happy Birthday"" "Look at the western part of the sky." "It shows Akashi sky at 3pm today." "You can see the sun in the west." "In the east the morning sun passes high overhead in the south, and at about 3pm it is moving toward the lower part of the west, and the sun keeps moving lower and lower to the west." "Today, let the sun set, and we now are going to welcome the night into this room." "In what area is the sun setting today?" "Honey." "Honey." "Shino, Shino, where are you?" "The planetarium show is over." "Please take all of your belongings with you and go out to the exhibition room, thank you." "Today, it is the anniversary of a death." "When I remember it, it makes me cry so..." "I come here every year." "An anniversary of a death?" "This is the 13th anniversary of Hankyu Braves' death." "Huh." "Ms. Aiba, shall we go somewhere we can rejuvenate ourselves?" "Somewhere we can feel the joy of life." "This is it!" ""Daimon Antique shop"" "What do you think?" "What?" "This is a treasure of mine." "You say "yours" but isn't that for sale?" "There is nobody else who is willing to buy this." "I don't know." "300 yen?" "It's cheap." "You buy it." "No, no." "It's a game I am playing." "When I see it whenever I come here, I feel that I've won." "To win, for who?" "For the world." "For the world?" ""Aiba" " Collect material" "Maeno" " Lost in thought"" "Well, this is it." "I want to climb up there." "You won't find it very interesting, maybe..." "You don't know how I'll find it." "You probably can only see around the city of Osaka..." "Probably?" "Ah," "You are..." "Yeah." "I suffer from a fear of heights." "I've never been up there..." "This is a good chance." "Let's climb up there!" "Okay, okay." "How about this?" "If it's heads, we'll climb and if it's tails, we go to a different." "Let's make a wager!" "This is plain so it's tails, so I won." "What?" "Just wait a minute." "Really?" "I smell something fishy." "Hey, I said wait!" "You cheated!" "Whatever!" "Put the coin in there." "Hey, get away." "Now this is a game!" "Great!" "I won!" "I lost!" "You don't have to exclaim each time you win or lose." "Anyway, life can be better after piling together such tiny bits of happiness." "You aren't convincing me at all." "It's true." "Give it a try!" "Ready..." "That's Matsuzaka's booth you are in." "Too fast..." "What?" "Unhappiness is growing." "If you make any contact with it, I'll buy you dinner." "Ah!" "Let's make another bet!" "What are you going to make a bet on now?" "I don't make a bet for money but on life, that's more my style." "Considering you are scared of heights and pretending to be so brave." "Don't pick on me." "Tell me, the next time person to pass this restaurant is a man or a woman?" "A woman." "A man!" "Let's get our picture taken here." "Cheese!" "Excuse me!" "Could you bring more sake, please!" "Ah, and some beer, a pitcher, ok?" "Yes, of course." "I will bet for money." "I..." "I lost." "The bet." "What are you talking about?" "You've have drunk a huge amount of beer." "The date has just changed." "This is the first birthday that I didn t receive a present from Mr. Hashizume." "He didn't even call me." "I have been wearing these shoes, you know." "The shoes I got last year." "I have been so stupid expecting something..." "You stupid asshole, Hashizume!" "And brainless wife of Hashizume, the bitch!" "Ms. Aiba, which direction is Tokyo?" "This way or that way?" "Over here?" "Ok this way!" "Don't overdo the makeup, you bitch!" "Have you ever met her?" "Never!" "Why has she been so patient, her feet killing her for such a long time!" "Her ingrown toenails were killing her feet!" "She's as drunk as a fish tonight, on an empty stomach!" "Why has she been enduring all this?" "Asshole!" "Don't show up with the briefs that your wife bought, dickhead!" "How many times do you think she checked her telephone messages." "You idiot!" ""You have no messages recorded..."" "Ah, sorry..." "Hey!" "Wait a sec!" "You don't have to fish out that stupid thing!" "Please don't pick it up!" "You'll catch a cold." "Please..." "The guy's a loser but the shoe isn't." "Don't get mad at this object!" "Happy birthday." "It was yesterday, wasn't it?" "Thanks." "I'm one year older than you now." "I'll catch up soon enough." "Is it ok if I keep on living this way?" "Well I think you can live any way you like." "It's ok, isn't it?" ""Maeno-absent with cold"" "Mr. Maeno, did he suffer from pneumonia or something." "You appear so calm but sometimes you reveal things." "What are you talking about?" "Mr. Hashizume was here a while ago, you know?" "Then it dawned on me." "I once went out with Mr. Hashizume, too." "Well at that time," "I knew it wouldn't last long..." "But you know, I had a slight expectation," "I had a some kind of hope or something..." "But it's no good." "I hated myself when I realized that it was just futile..." ""Don t pretend to ask me why." "You're not a child."..." "The wife, wasn't it?" "The daughter of the company's founder." "Did you meet her?" "Yes." "She told me to break it off with him and gave me 1 million yen." "1 million yen?" "What?" "How much did you get?" "Not 2 million?" "I got 500,000." "Ah, I guess because of the economic recession." "Don't worry about the amount, ok?" "Ms. Aiba seems to have changed her mind working on the Marugame job." "She's shut herself up in the file room." "I guess she must be having a tough time again with such a gloomy face." "Well, I rather think she will achieve something." "I'm sure she will soon run away from it." "You want to bet on that, then?" "Ok." "I bet 1,050 yen on the girl with the troubled expression on her face." "Consumption tax?" "Of course." "I bet on the girl with the calm face will draw up a storyboard then." "Hey, Aiba," "What are you doing?" "It's so funny looking through Mr. Ohtomo's stuff." "You better look real worried, you fool!" "Write the storyboard for the project, you fool!" "Hello?" "Mr. Maeno." "Are you there?" "Mr. Maeno?" "Oh, Ms. Aiba." "What's up?" "Thank goodness." "I thought you were dead or something." "I'll not die by catching a cold!" "Oh, that's because I threw my shoe in the river..." "Don't worry about it." "Ah, come here." "I've got something to show you." "Watch your step." "Ouch!" "There's a certain way to get to over to the bed." "Did you scratch it?" "Oh no, I'm all right." "Not your foot." "This clock." "Want something to drink?" "Ah, thanks." "Well, find somewhere to sit." "Where?" "What was he looking at?" "You can see that, can't you?" "What?" "Stars." "Stars?" "What?" "I can't see them..." "Huh, really?" "That bitch." "Bitch?" "Don't misunderstand." "It's not what it seems." "One of my colleagues." "Well, I am leaving now." "Ah, be careful." "Well, take your time." "Look after yourself." "Good morning." "Good morning." "What happened to Mr. Maeno?" "What?" "You went to his place, didn t you?" "Don't get a head start on me." "No." "It's not like that!" "I see." "Then how was he?" "What can I say..." ""What can I say?"" "He was fine." "Then why he's not coming to work?" "I don't know." "Hey, Shino." "Are you hiding something from me, or what?" "Yew, it's sweet!" "I've put a lot of milk and sugar in it." "Hurry up and get fat." "Ah, Ms. Aiba," "Shall we get on and start the meeting?" "Oh, yes." "If you move to the Creative Division, it'll be easier to approach Mr. Maeno" "He appears to have a girlfriend." "No way!" "Yep." "I saw her." "Ms. Aiba." "Yes." "Hey, Akko I am still drinking that." "Akkochan!" "Excuse me." "Oh, it's light." "Yes?" "Mr. Yomoda evaluates the PC according to its weight." "The heavier one is better." "Mine weighs 6 kg." "Mr. Yomoda's PC is called "barbell"." "He's just using it for muscle training." "What the hell are you talking about you?" "I know how to use it." "Ah, Ms. Aiba, can I call you Shino?" "It wasn't a PC commercial." "Let's get down to work." "Yes!" "Well, that's all for now." "I m off." "Thank you very much." "If your face had been like that a few days ago," "I would have won 1000 yen." "Hey, Aiba, where are you going?" ""Recreation"" "Don't brazenly write things like that." ""Free from care"" "Oh dear." "She's starting to crack." "Ok, ok." "This is where the doggies are." "Here's a doggy!" "He is so cute." "The hair is attached very securely." "If the hair is too long, it sometimes causes allergies." "But with this there are no problems." "We'll take this one." "Ok honey, he's so cute and the man says you won't cough." "Where is the cashier?" "Over there." "Let's go, honey." "Thank you." "Thank you very much." "Oh, Miss Creative from Tokyo." "It's called "Marketing", isn't it?" "Yes..." "Are you always here at the shop?" "It is important that I deal with the customers personally." "Oh yes, could you take a look at this?" "What do you think of this?" "It's our new product no problem turtle." "It's so ridiculous!" "This will decide our company's future." "You're comment's pretty harsh." "I am so sorry." "I am looking forward to the CM project." "Hey, boss!" "Welcome!" "Something's not right." "Do you think so, too?" "Yes." "Excuse me?" "Oh, Megumi!" "It's been a long time." "How have you been?" "Yes." "How is your "darling"?" "Are you getting on all right?" "No way." "She is so young!" "And very pretty." "This is terrible." "Shall we go for some tea or even out for a drink out?" "Let's go Sino." "Let's go, out!" "It's already been half a year since then." "Thank you so much for your support." "And you've been taking care of my brother." "Brother?" "Really, I've always been looking after him." "So, you came here to work in place of him?" "I am sorry." "I am so sorry." "Just kidding." "Has he gotten worse?" "No." "Well, he's fine." "How he hasn't come back here?" "I'll explain about it later." "I came here today to talk to Ms. Aiba." "Huh?" "Me?" "Do you live with him?" "No way!" "His place isn't fit for human beings to live." "Well, I'm not supposed to tell you this, but my brother was hospitalized last night." "He is always doing something stupid after the day he mourns the death." "And always his health suffers because of it." "He mourns the death of?" "Oh yes, yes." "You mean the anniversary of Hankyu Braves death?" "Er... yes..." "But really the mourning is for something quite different." "My brother, he had a heart operation 12 years ago." "It was a complicated operation, something to do with the valve in his heart." "Heart?" "The operation went well." "But ever since he got better, he's always doing stupid things." "He said "I was supposed to have died that day, so I'll do whatever I feel like."" "You never know when he'll get worse." "Always a worry to me." "He even caused problems for my darling." "Darling?" "Oh, I am married." "How old are you?" "I am 19." "But my darling is 38." "Twice your age..." "We lost parents a long time ago, and my brother is, I got married young." "My darling and his parents also understand the situation completely." "Er... yes." "Oh, I'm sorry." "I'm not supposed to be talking about my darling now." "Ms. Aiba, you're a copywriter, aren't you?" "I'm just embarrassing myself." "And his condition got worse again." "But he says that he will never have any operations ever again." "So please, can't you tell him to have the operation?" "What?" "Me?" "Why?" "He said "Copywriter is to make up clever phrases to trick people."" "What kind of job is that?" "Hi!" "Hello..." "Megumi is such a stupid girl, isn't she?" "Causing unnecessary trouble for you." "But I'm glad to see you look fine." "I didn't have to be in hospital." "It's only appendicitis." "Appendicitis?" "Oh yeah." "Take a few pills, and I'll be back to work." "Oh yeah, Ms. Aiba." "Shall we go to the planetarium when I'm out of the hospital?" "Mr. Maeno, you'll start crying again." "Ms. Aiba, you were crying, too." "Well, when I was a girl, just a small kid really, on my birthday we went out to see the stars with my family." "But then, it was snow that started falling, not the stars." "But I kept on insisting that it was the stars that were falling." "That's a delightful story." "Why don't you use it for your project?" "It's not a good story... not for me." "How come?" "It was so cold, freezing actually, we couldn't see the stars because of the thick clouds overhead." "If you wish upon a falling star, it will come true." "So I made a wish pretending the snow flakes were stars." "What did you wish for?" "What's wrong?" "But that wish didn't come true in the end." "Since then, I stopped making wishes... or believing in anything any more." "You see..." "Ms. Aiba," "To wish for something is not just about asking others to change, is it?" "I think if you don't believe in yourself, your wishes never come true either." "To be able to make a wish for something means to be happy, doesn't it?" "In that case, Mr. Maeno." "Yes?" "Have the operation." "Ms. Aiba, why don't we make a bet?" "Huh?" "I want you to go get my bankbook from my room and take the money out." "It's in my desk drawer." "And then, I want you to bet all that money on boat racing, which you love so much." "Just wait a minute." "If you're lucky, I'll have the operation using the winnings." "That's unfair." "I won't do that." "Ms. Aiba, I want to make a bet on you..." "The cash card is also with it." "My secret number is 5963." "It means "thank you"." "Don't worry." "I am only prepared for the worst." "I'd say." "When you wish upon a star..." "Look this way." "What's your name?" "My name is Shino Aiba." "How old are you?" "I am five." "Favorite food?" "Strawberries." "Ready, go!" ""When you are happy, you might not realize your happiness."" "I think it's ok." "What do you think?" "Er, yes..." "Do you really think it's good?" "What?" "You don t believe me?" "Well, is it all right that it isn't funny?" "We are not comedians, so we don't have to make people laugh all the time." "Oh." "We've made funnier ones but we are just trying to make people laugh." "Well, but in this guy's case, he tends to do that." "Yep." "Hey you are being rude." "It's planned carefully." "But, to be able to laugh means that you're happy." "The main point of our job is assess the degree of happiness in the message we can send out to the public." "Yes." "I suppose it can make people laugh as well." "With this innocent, stupid looking smiling face." "Is this your father?" "Ah, yes." "He is such a good-looking man." "What does he do?" "He is a businessman." "He could be much more than businessman." "That's because this is an old picture." "The problem is the snow." "It's no good the snow in picture." "Yes." "I really want the snow to be real here." "It doesn't look like there's real snow in the air." "Shall we go this direction and make up?" "Yes." "Why don't we go to Marugame Company and give a presentation?" "Aiba, do you really think it is OK?" "Yes." "You won't ask for anything, will you?" "No." "Ok." "Let's make sure we give a great presentation." "Thank you very much." "Don't mess up!" "Which is the favorite for the next race?" "Starting from the inside course are numbers 2, 4, 6, 5, 3 and 1. 3 against 3 and now they're off!" "The leader is number 4 boat in the 2nd course." "And from the puter course group." "They will shortly be coming over the finish line." "The winner is No.3." "Then No. 4, No. 1, Np. 5 and Np. 6 have finished." "The last boat Np. 2 has comes in now." "Here are the odds: a consecutive single win is 10.3 to 1," "Hey, Miss gambler!" "It's me, Kudo." "How did it go?" "Oh, dear." "Not so good." "Well then, all the best." "Here is the final result." "The winner is No. 3, second is No.4, the third is No. 1." "It's said if you wish, the dream comes true but... this is too much." "I will return the rest to you after deducting the cost of the operation." "Well, it's ok." "Keep it all." "It's your turn next, You will definitely win, ok?" "I really need the snowing scene no matter what." "But I can't control the natural elements." "Snow..." "You will probably find a place where it'll definitely snow." "There isn't any place where snow falls at our convenience." "If you don't make a wish, it will never come true." "Trust me, ok?" "You are right." "Those who believe will be saved." "It is not exactly right." "But it s ok, isn't it?" "You bought some antique junk again." "The more I throw out, the more you keep collecting." "Aren't you going to cooperate with me on this?" "Hey, are you listening to me?" "Wake up." "Hey, you!" "You?" "Please wake up!" "You are always easy to trick." "Don't you ever learn?" "I've had enough!" "Go ahead and die!" "Megumi..." "Die!" "Mr. Kadokura, how is he?" "Darling?" "Thanks for asking, he's fine." "Don't call him darling in front of me." "Why don't you live with us together?" "Are you asking me to intrude on newly weds?" "Darling..." "Stop saying "darling'." "You idiot!" "You didn't tell Ms. Aiba, did you?" "About what?" "My heart." "No, I didn't." "I told her it was your tonsils." "My tonsils?" "After the operation, should I climb up the Air Park or something?" "What are you talking about?" "You are absolutely petrified of heights." "Air Park is higher than Tsutenkaku tower." "That's the reason I am having the operation." "By having the operation, your fear of heights will be treated as well?" "Maybe it will." "I will climb up into the sky still very much alive." "I will come with you then." "Who the hell wants to go up with you?" "Mr. Yamada, I didn't realize you knew such a place as this." "I used to climb up here all the time." "I never thought that you climbed mountains." "I was always delighted to see the stars from the very top." "It doesn't suit your face at all." "Leave my face alone!" "The truth is that Maeno told me about it." "But he doesn't want Aiba to know about it." "Brother?" "Brother?" "Oh, you are here." "The nurse is looking for you." "Brother!" "You can't fool me today." "It's a lovely blue sky." "Ok." "I'm waiting for you in the ward!" "Come down quickly." "He is scared of high places, why he is so high up there?" "Can you pull it toward your side?" "The Mother is in the shadow." "Ok." "Good." "Mother come forward a little bit." "Ok!" "Thank you!" "Thank you." "Thank you." "Good work!" "Thank you very much." "It was touch and go, wasn't it?" "The snow was really falling quite a bit." "It was like a miracle." "Thanks to Maeno..." "Give me the red one?" "No." "Good job!" "Thank you very much." "Thanks, Ohtomo." "Sorry to push you around so much." "It is because you crouched low down on the ground and begged for this job." "You idiot." "It was Yomoda's joke from your group that did it." "She should move over to my group, shouldn't she?" "Hey, just a minute." "Wait!" "I caught you up!" "I won!" "Yes, she should." "How was it?" "Your wish came true, didn't it?" "Mr. Maeno?" "Ah, hello, hello, Mr. Maeno?" ""Out of range"" "Hey, Aiba!" "How long have you been there?" "We are going home!" "Ah!" "Mr. Yamada." "Mr. Yamada." "It's your phone." "Yes, this is Yamada." "I'm listening." "She's with us." "Ok, I understand." "Is there a problem?" "Ah, no..." "The planetarium show is over." "Please take all of your belongings with you and go out to the exhibition room." "That day.... ...under the sky which was full stars," "Mr. Maeno peacefully came to the end of his life." "Of course, miracles can't happen all the time." "Well, he has gone leaving us with this messy room." "I give up." "This junk, I will ask Daimon Antiques to take everything." "Megumi." "Yes?" "How much is the rent here?" ""When you happy, you might not realize your happiness."" "I wonder, shall I stay here a little longer?" "It's ok, isn't it?" ""Daimon Antique shop"" "Let's make a bet!" "Yes, I won!" ""Not for Sale""