"To plot the position of X on a graph, you can express it like this." "Then if we calculate this..." "Watch out!" "He's staring at us." "What do you think he's hiding under that bag?" "He likes you!" "Look at that hair." "It's got to be a wig." "I bet his room is stuffed with dirty books." "I agree." "He's so creepy." "Look, if you can't be bothered, fuck off!" "This is the last time you miss school." "What do you mean?" "I went to school." "Your teacher called." "I had a headache, so I came home." "Don't lie to me." "Where've you been?" "What's it got to do with you?" "Don't speak to me like that." "I've had enough of your lies." "Runs in the family, doesn't it?" "Naomi." "I'm not stupid, and neither is he." "I know what you're up to." "Don't change the subject." "Where've you been?" "It's none of your business." "It is my business." "I don't ask where you've been." "I'm home." "I haven't got enough money for a taxi." "Tomoko's mother says I can stay." "Don't call." "Her mother will be in bed now." "Naomi's mother says it's okay." "I've stayed there before, remember?" "No, they'll be asleep now." "See you tomorrow." "Drinking again?" "Do you know what time it is?" "At least I came home." "Hey, that's my CD." "The bands these days aren't up to much." "Keep out of my room." "This is rubbish as well." "Do you mind?" "Have you been out dressed like that?" "Next, look at graph 11." "For this function, the greatest value for X..." "Guess what?" "I'm going to Tokyo next week." "No way!" "Remember Ken?" "That guy who chatted you up at the beach last year?" "He's in Tokyo now." "I need cash, so I thought I could do that job." "You can't be serious." "Will you come with me?" "No way." "Come on." "Do you know what you're doing?" "Don't worry." "Come on." "I'm home." "Naomi, if you hate school so much, why don't you just get a job?" "Be serious for once." "She's got to go to school." "I'm being serious." "It's my money she wastes on all those weird clothes." "Where did you get the money for all that?" "I sold some CDs." "I bet that's not the only thing you sold." "I take after you then, don't I?" "Don't talk to your mother like that." "She's not fit to be a mother." "Naomi!" "You're too young to understand." "Nobody said anything about that." "Nobody's going to touch you." "Just let the perverts think you're doing it." "Well, how much do I get?" "40,000 yen." "How about 50,000?" "I'm not made of money." "Let me think." "What about 40,000?" "Okay." "Deal!" "40,000 each." "I'm not doing it." "Why not?" "She just came with me." "Suit yourself." "We're finished." "Down to business." "Don't leave without me." "Knock them dead." "Why don't you give it a shot?" "No way." "Too shy to show your tits?" "I'm not shy." "So what's the problem?" "I've finished." "All done." "Here you go." "Easy, wasn't it?" "Piece of cake." "Come on, Naomi, give it a try." "Yeah, come on, Naomi." "This is stupid." "Why do I have to go?" "I've got exams soon." "You're never at school." "Anyway, it's almost summer vacation." "Well, I'll get a job, then." "Oh, yeah?" "I can just see you washing dishes." "You're always picking on me." "It's just for the summer." "Until your mom and I sort things out at home." "She's not coming back, you know." "Naomi, come on." "Naomi's turned into a really pretty girl." "Don't be mean to Yumi." "Here's some corn from the garden." "Thanks, that's great." "Drive safely." "Guess what?" "I saw a policeman jump in the river." "A little boy was drowning." "Yumi." "The little boy died." "Yumi." "The policeman was washed away and his hat went down the river." "Yumi, that's enough." "It's true." "Eat your dinner." "What exactly is going on with your parents?" "Let's not talk about that now." "He is your brother, after all." "Naomi, do you want to see a kitty picture?" "Come on, let's have a drink." "Give it a rest, Dad." "Breakfast's ready." "Naomi!" "Yumi!" "What a bunch of old farts." "Naomi." "Hello." "Is this the bill?" "Is she the new help?" "No." "She's my niece from Nagoya." "Is she here to stay?" "No." "Just for a few weeks." "Nice hair." "She looks like Lion King." "Bye." "I bet you never did this in Nagoya." "I'll finish off here." "Go get some rest." "I was in China during the war." "I was bitten by this huge snake." "I was in a hospital for three months." "Everybody said it was a miracle that I survived." "When I was ready to leave hospital, I had my picture taken with this nurse." "She was really pretty." "I liked her a lot." "Cut that out." "I've told you, she's underage." "Don't follow me." "Go home." "I'm coming to Mrs. Kolde's house too." "No, you're not." "Why not?" "Because I say so." "I know the way." "So do I. You can't go there on your own." "I can." "It's you who can't go there on your own." "We're different, you and me." "What do you mean, "different"?" "It doesn't matter." "You're not coming." "If you don't want to go home, you can wait here." "I'll wait." "Anyone home?" "Hello!" "Now, what was I going to do?" "Oh, there you are." "I thought you were out." "Who are you?" "I already paid the TV license." "It's me, Naomi." "Don't you remember me?" "It's hot, isn't it?" "I'm Naomi." "From Nagoya." "Aunt Mieko asked me to come and get a chicken and some pickles." "Mieko's pickles are wonderful." "Her pickled radishes are the best for miles." "No, I've come to get a chicken from you." "Such nonsense!" "It's Naomi." "I used to come and play here when I was little." "I'm not deaf, you know." "You'll survive." "This is a dangerous bend." "You should be careful." "Me?" "It was you who was going too fast." "Well, you should look where you are going." "It's just a scratch." "They won't have to amputate." "Oh, my God." "It's dead." "Shall I give you a ride home?" "What about your little friend?" "I didn't go to Mrs. Koide's today." "What?" "I didn't go to Mrs. Koide's today." "You and Naomi went together, didn't you?" "I couldn't go to Mrs. Koide's today." "What does Yumi mean?" "I went on my own." "So what?" "But you came back together." "Where did you go?" "I was at the shrine." "On the steps." "Were you waiting?" "Yes, I was waiting." "Why didn't you go together?" "Because Yumi is such a pain." "I told her to go home." "I want to go to Mrs. Koide's." "Mom, I want to go too." "Mrs. Koide." "She was really stunning." "Morning." "How's the leg?" "Well, they didn't have to amputate." "You live in Nagoya, don't you?" "I lived there for about a year." "Didn't like it." "I'm not a big city person." "Nagoya isn't so big." "How old are you?" "17." "17?" "Still in high school?" "Why are you here?" "What do you care?" "Want one?" "Don't tell my Aunt." "Well, I might." "Hi, Yumi." "Naomi's not allowed to smoke." "I won't be long." "Don't worry." "Well, I don't want to give her any more medicine." "Ideally, she should move in with you." "Of course, I realize the problems." "Yes, I've told her, but you know how stubborn she is." "Is it possible for you to look in on her every day?" "Just for an hour or so, if you can." "Come on, it's really near here." "She was coming home late." "Hiroshi was worried." "He's overprotective, though." "The young girls these days!" "They are too spoiled." "She isn't a bad girl." "Just a little jumpy." "Aren't you lonely here all on your own?" "Those insects never shut up." "Naomi's here for the summer." "I'll send her over to help you." "I don't need any help." "Do I have to?" "Just two or three times a week." "It'll be good exercise." "It'll get you out of working at the hotel." "If she has someone to talk to, she won't go nuts." "She'll drive me nuts." "That looks painful." "Shall I kiss it?" "Pervert!" "No, it's just a graze." "It's boring here." "It's like slavery." "When can I come back?" "I don't have any friends here." "Come and pick me up." "It's boring." "Hey, sexy, do you want to come and scrub my back?" "Get lost, you dirty old pervert!" "Come and pick me up." "It's easy." "Do you want to try?" "Disgusting!" "Give it a try." "Yuck!" "Young people these days!" "They need to toughen up." "I bet she's never even seen a dead body." "I have." "I saw a car crash, and the driver had blood pouring out of his head." "When I was young, we saw that kind of thing every day." "Stupid old cow!" "This is my husband's parents' grave." "Of course, he isn't here." "He died in China." "We'd only been married three months when he was called up." "It was an arranged marriage, but, you know," "I'd already taken a fancy to him." "Thirty years ago this was a great place." "After dinner everyone would change into their summer kimonos." "Geishas from Kyoto, writers, politicians." "So many different kinds of people." "Those were the days." "They'd wander around the town, chatting, letting off fireworks." "These days people just sit in their rooms watching TV." "I miss those days." "I wonder why they bother coming now." "Naomi?" "Morning, Mrs. Koide." "Here's your delivery." "Masaru." "It's hot, isn't it?" "Do you want some iced tea or something?" "A beer would be nice." "A beer." "Doesn't she mind you smoking?" "Half the time she's not all there." "She's sharper than she seems." "My granddad still has a thing for her." "No way!" "Really." "How about going for a ride sometime?" "I don't mind." "Just what I need." "My granddad's been asking about you." "Feels as if it's pulling you in, doesn't it?" "Yeah." "When it flooded the valley, the whole village was covered with water." "No way." "It's true." "And in the summer, if it doesn't rain for a long time, the water level falls and you can see the village." "And there's a story about this mad old woman." "Well, she didn't want to leave the village." "So she was just sitting in her chair while the water rose around her." "They say on a sunny day you can see her rising out of the water still sitting in her chair." "Just like Mrs. Koide." "Yeah, right." "Or Mrs. Koide's granny!" "When I was young, women never drank beer." "How things have changed." "I often have a drink." "My dad gives me beer." "Your father spoils you." "I wonder why he sent you out here if he thinks so much of you?" "If he thought so much of me, he wouldn't have sent me here." "So, what did you do?" "Nothing." "It must have been something." "I skipped school a bit." "That's all?" "And stayed out late a couple of times." "Well!" "Anyway, I like going out dancing." "What's wrong with that?" "Nothing." "I used to love dancing when I was in Tokyo." "Come on." "Come here." "I didn't know you used to live in Tokyo." "My, how time flies." "How old are you now?" "17." "When I was 17, no, maybe a little older," "I was in the munitions factory in Toyokawa." "I had a good friend there." "She looked a bit like you, Naomi." "When we heard the air raid siren, the two of us would hide together." "We were terrified." "All those B29s filling the skies." "It was incredible." "But do you know what?" "Once, when there was a big night raid, it actually looked beautiful." "Mrs. Koide." "I've brought the rice crackers you wanted." "I got the crackers." "Oh, thank you." "Put them in there, will you?" "Among the Fireflies" "Naomi!" "What?" "You shouldn't be up there!" "It's dangerous." "The floor could give way." "Why didn't you ever marry again?" "Stop fidgeting." "People say you were beautiful." "You can't always rely on what people say." "Anyway, I wasn't nearly as cute as you." "I hate my face." "No, you don't." "You know you're cute, really." "Cute and beautiful are two different things." "So, when you were in Tokyo, were you in a film?" "Such nonsense!" "I bet you bring your boyfriends here, don't you?" "Don't be ridiculous." "What about Masaru's grandpa, then?" "How about the man at the shop?" "That dirty old man!" "Not your type, then?" "Absolutely not." "What kind of men do you like?" "I'm too old for that kind of thing." "I like guys who make me laugh." "Watch out for those smooth talkers." "They're only after one thing." "Are you still up?" "I have trouble sleeping." "Can I have a cigarette?" "Yes." "But don't tell your uncle." "You know what he's like." "Why didn't Mrs. Koide get married again?" "Well, there were rumors about her." "Someone wanted to marry her, but when he heard them, it fell through." "Things were different back then." "Wash me now." "Stop tickling." "What's this place?" "Come on." "I'll show you." "There are cobwebs everywhere!" "Do you think these are dirty movies?" ""Horai Town Agricultural News."" "I saw a drowned girl in the river." "I almost drowned too." "Boys and girls, 22 people nearly drowned last year." "Why don't you go and drown yourself?" "Let's talk about something." "Okay." "I saw a drowned girl too." "Did you?" "You saw someone too, didn't you, Yumi?" "Yes, Yumi saw someone." "Yes, she was drowned." "But she spoke to me." "She said, "Yumi's next."" "Haven't you heard from her father yet?" "Not yet." "I hope they haven't forgotten about her." "Naomi, I won't let you be mean to Yumi anymore." "Poor Naomi." "Shut up!" "There's no need to speak to Yumi like that." "Yes, there's no need to speak to Yumi like that." "Yumi likes Naomi." "Shut up, will you?" "Naomi!" "Cut it out!" "Naomi's just a baby." "Mrs. Koide!" "Mrs. Koide." "Is that you?" "Ages ago." "I hardly recognize myself." "Who's he?" "A bloody liar, that's who." "Don't tell anyone." "Of course not." "Seeing you makes me think of the old days." "Feeling any better?" "Sometimes I don't know if I'm coming or going." "Everything seems cloudy." "But I feel a bit better now." "Put away those old photos, will you?" "You really are beautiful." "I can't bear to look at them now." "Sometimes I feel so ashamed." "Shall we play a game?" "What game?" "Lt'll be fun." "I don't know any games." "Hold your hand like this." "If you copy me exactly, then you win." "I'll give you a prize." "Ready?" "No, that's not it." "Watch carefully." "I'll start again." "Just a minute." "Do you get it?" "No." "No?" "Okay." "Let's do it together." "I did it." "No, you didn't." "Watch me right until the end." "Watch my hands." "Mom?" "Of course we'll have to move." "I don't want to live here anymore." "We'll have to find something just for the two of us." "Things will be different from now on." "Why should you worry?" "You've already got another place." "I'll find some place on my own." "Do you want to sleep with my bunny?" "Do you want to?" "Mariko, don't cry." "Don't look." "It's just a dead body." "Mrs. Koide, it's me." "Naomi." "Go to sleep." "It's over now." "Mrs. Koide!" "You stole my photographs." "Let's go inside." "You'll feel better inside." "Mrs. Koide?" "Who's there?" "It's me." "Didn't I tell you to get out the swallowtail kimono?" "It's me." "Naomi." "I need the striped kimono for this scene." "Right, let's practice our lines together." "What lines?" "He said I don't look right for the part." "Mrs. Koide." "It's been three weeks." "Do you think he'll come here tonight?" "Will he?" "Leave me alone!" "Naomi!" "Mrs. Koide!" "Are you all right?" "Do you know who I am?" "You shouldn't blame yourself." "It was bound to happen sometime." "I went to hospital once." "Not just once, Yumi." "For my tonsils." "My tonsils." "It'll be me next." "Only young people have their tonsils out." "The doctor told me." "I've already got one foot in the grave." "Give it a rest, Dad." "Thanks." "Mariko!" "I told you about that cat." "You shouldn't let her in the house." "I'm not Mariko." "I'm Naomi." "I don't know any Naomis." "Are you from the factory?" "No." "Don't you remember?" "Naomi!" "Naomi?" "You looked after me when I was little." "When I was little, I lived in the mountains." "That's where you are now." "Near your home." "This isn't my home." "Where am I?" "You're in the hospital." "Naomi, is that you?" "Yes, do you remember me?" "Of course, I remember you." "But I feel a bit confused." "What's the matter with me?" "Come here, so I can see you better." "What a pretty girl you are." "I'm nowhere near as beautiful as you." "You're talking about years ago!" "I wish we'd been girls together." "We'd have been great friends." "We are friends now, aren't we?" "Yes, we are." "Of course we are." "Tell me more about when you were young." "Tell me about Tokyo and the film." "But it was such a long time ago." "All those years ago." "It makes no difference now." "Times have changed." "What was the name of the film you were in?" "I don't remember." "Sometimes I wonder if it really happened." "It seems like someone else's life now." "Naomi." "Even if she gets better, she'll probably have to live in an old people's home." "She may not live much longer, or she could go on for years." "There's no need for you to stay now." "You can go back to Nagoya." "I'm not going back until she's better." "I'm not going home to that bitch." "I hate her." "So do you, don't you?" "I'm angry with her, but I don't hate her." "She's worried about you." "I'm very sorry." "Mrs. Koide has passed away." "Would you like to see her?" "Don't go, Naomi." "I don't want you to." "I have to." "I have to go back to school." "You could go to school here." "I'll come to see you again." "And you can visit me in Nagoya." "I don't want to go to Nagoya." "Anyway, I can't." "When I go, you can have your bunny back." "I don't want my bunny." "Don't go, Naomi." "Don't be mean to your bunny." "Don't go." "I'll be back in the winter." "Promise?" "Promise." "And we can go to Paris next summer." "Yes." "We can go to Paris next summer?" "I said yes!" "That's good." "I'll have one of your cigarettes." "I didn't know you smoked." "I used to." "This is just for the time being." "When we find a bigger place, you can come and live with us." "I'm fine here." "Are you okay?" "I'll be fine." "Well, what's going on with you?" "I'm going to get married again." "Congratulations." "It's for the best." "You could have waited." "We're going to Europe for our honeymoon." "You can come too, if you want." "No, thanks." "I wish you'd understand." "What about me?" "Do you ever think about me?" "Don't be like that." "I've always put you first." "You're completely selfish." "Married for 20 years, and as soon as Dad dies, you go and marry someone else." "Dad's not coming back." "No matter how much we might want him to." "Among the Fireflies"