"Sensei, how's my grandfather?" "He has survived this time, but if he has another fit again, I'm afraid I can't guarantee that..." "Anyway, we will try our very best." "What should I do..." "If Ojii-chan dies, what should I do..." "Miwa-san, let's just sit down." "May I ask what Kaichou's illness is?" "About one year before I met Sasakura-san," "I came to know about Ojii-chan's heart disease." "I accidentally heard our family doctor talk about it at the hotel." "That's why, Miwa-san... was in such a hurry to find the chief bartender for the main bar." "It might be Ojii-chan's one last dream." "Sorry." "I didn't know anything." "Kurushima-san, he has regained consciousness." "Subs by yuizaki_libra Special thanks to furransu and nomanymore" "Miwa huh?" "Yeah." "It's me." "Ahh..." "I had a dream." "Dream?" "A dream of Lapin... when I was young." " Sasakura." " Yes." "Sorry." "No..." "Thanks God, he has regained consciousness." "But it seems that he has to take a rest for a while." "He must have been pushing himself too hard for the opening of Cardinal's Main Bar." "I will go cheer Miwa-san up." "Please stop there." "You will only get in the way." "Yes..." "Well, we bartenders cannot look gloomy." "Let's do our best." "Yes." " Welcome to the bar." " Welcome to the bar." "Kimijima-sama." "I have only come here a few times." "You already remember me?" "Yes, of course." "Hayase-kun." "It seems that the delivery was late due to an error in the customer relations documents, right?" "I'm terribly sorry." "I will take responsibility for everything." "It's fine if you're just covering for your subordinates to look good, but don't forget that you have to protect yourself too." "Chief, I apologize for the error in the documents." "Then, I will be leaving first." "Thank you for the hard work." " Welcome to the bar." " Welcome to the bar." "Welcome to the bar, Hayase-sama." "Long time no see, Mihashi-san." "Let me take your coat." "Shall I prepare some cigarettes for you?" "Oh, no." "Actually I quit smoking 3 days ago." "But I just unconsciously..." "Welcome to the bar." "What shall I make for you?" "Last time I drank this in another bar." "Right." "Please make me a Bamboo for today." "I understood." "Heh, so there is a drink called Bamboo?" "Then, please give me one pf that Bamboo too." "Certainly." "If it's okay, will you put out that cigar?" "Eh?" "If you leave a cigar lying without smoking it, it's really a nuisance." "Cigars are allowed in this bar, right?" "That is true, but..." "Perhaps you don't know this, but..." "Bamboo is a cocktail that has a very delicate flavor." "Hayase-sama, if it's fine with you, you may sit over there." "No, thanks." "I want to have a drink here." "You there, put out that cigar already." "No." "I want to watch the cigar's smoke." "Want to watch?" "Just like how that cocktail's flavor is important to you, to me, this cigar's smoke is important." "This is the reason why a young woman who doesn't know stuff is troublesome." "A bar is not a place for egoistic kids like you." "I'm fine with being a kid!" "Even if I live a pointlessly long life," "I still don't want to become an eccentric middle-aged man like you." "Hayase-sama!" "I will excuse myself for today." "Thank you for your hard work." "Is that dice-stacking?" "A bartender's wrist must be flexible." "In the past, dice-stacking was even compulsory for bartenders." "Swinging the cup like this..." "How many dice do you think are stacked vertically?" " 3 dice right?" " Don't make fun of me!" "5 dice!" "How come...?" "Sasakura-kun has done that before too, right?" "Oh..." "A little bit." "It's impossible to stack up 5 dice." "Please do your best and continue with your stacking." "A lot of things have happened today, including Kaichou's condition." "Have a good rest." "Then, I'm leaving first." " Thank you for the hard work." " Thank you for the hard work." "But today Hayase-sama was unusually immature." "Um.. that Hayase-sama.." "What kind of person is he?" "He is said to be the next executive for Mitake Commercial Company." "A highly elite person." "His wife passed away about 5-6 years ago due to some illness." ""Kurushima Taizou in critical condition!" "?" "Sudden decline in stock value for Kurushima's companies."" "I'm back." "Miwa-chan." "Are you alright?" "I was thinking of changing clothes while Ojii-chan is asleep." " Sasakura-san, you're here." " Welcome back." "I thought of asking him to hand you these bentos." "But you dropped in." "Here." "You haven't eaten anything, right?" "Thank you." "Oji-chan, Oba-chan." " I'm going to change my clothes." " Okay!" "Then, I'm fine here." "You don't need me to accompany you till the hospital?" "It's fine." "You have to get prepared for work too, right?" "Miwa-san... during hard times, please don't push yourself and count on me." "I will lend you my strength." "Thanks." "Later." "Hayase-sama." "Sorry for coming outside your opening time." "What's the matter?" "Today, both Mihashi and Sugiyama have to drop in somewhere, so they haven't come here..." "Were you employed recently?" "Yes." "My name is Sasakura." "Yesterday, sorry for not acting my age and doing something so unsightly." "Not at all." "Did you come all the way here just to say that?" "Because that time was right after a young subordinate of mine caused me some trouble at work." "Well, this is just an excuse." "To be honest, when a young woman smokes cigars," "I always think she is arrogant." "Hayase-sama, if it's alright with you, won't you try going behind the counter?" "Behind the counter?" "I will?" "Please go ahead." "Heh..." "So this is what it's like watching from the inside." "Bar is a mysterious place." "If you view it from here, there are times you can see the true face of a customer." "The true face?" "Sitting along the bar counter, when viewed sideway, people can fake tears or smiles." "But at the front, their true face look as if their heart is about to break." "Who are you talking about?" "What I have been talking so far, please regard it as a bartender's monologue." "In Europe, when a child is born, there is a custom that the father will distribute celebratory cigars to his friends." "There are doctors who receive cigars as a celebration of a child's birth." "Okay, it's cold, but hang in there okay?" "But that child had a grave illness right after he was born." "So the doctor-in-charge is determined that she will smoke a cigar when the child gets well." "She was desperately trying to treat him for the past half year." "That doctor is the girl yesterday...?" "But in the end, the child passed away... yesterday." "I'm not qualified to smoke this cigar." "Because I wasn't able to save that child." "This is the smoke to commemorate its death." "And that cigar was crushed by this drunken old man..." "Does she come here often?" "Sometimes, she comes here alone." "Do you remember the brand of the cigar she used?" "A brand called "Romeo Y Julieta"." "I understand." "The French Fair opening party will progress as per your instruction." "Yeah." "Your exhibition will become highly popular." "That's why, it will be a splendid preview for the opening of the main bar." "I'm counting on you." "You can leave the rest to me." "Please take it easy and take a good rest." "Thank you." "Yes." "Ojii-chan." "Oh, Kase-san." "You came?" "Sorry." "I even bother him at the hospital." "Then, I will be leaving here." "Please excuse me." "Thank you very much." "Ojii-chan, you will be having you inspection now." "Okay!" "Thank you." " Then, I leave him in your care." " Yes." "He's still working at a place like this." "Kuzuhara-san will be assisting Kase-san?" "It seems that Kase-san made the appointment himself." "I don't know about Ojii-chan's true intention, but it seems that people around him want Kuzuhara-san to be the chief bartender." "If it's Kuzuhara-san, he will make an excellent chief bartender for Cardinal's Main Bar." "Miwa-san, you think so too, right?" "Last time, I did say that I didn't know who should be the chief bartender between Kuzuhara-san and Sasakura-san." "But I don't like the way it's being decided like this." "That's why, Sasakura-san, please come to the French Fair too." "and then show Kase-san once more that..." " I can't do that." "Sorry." "Besides, with my current self," "I can't become Cardinal's chief bartender." "What do you mean you can't?" "Miwa-san, you heard it too, right?" "What Kase-san said." "I won't acknowledge you as a true bartender." "I feel that I am lacking something." "But I don't know... what that is." "A bartender mustn't make that kind of face." "I'm sorry." " Welcome to the bar." " Welcome to the bar." "Welcome to the bar." "Are you waiting for someone?" "No, actually, I want to pass something to someone." "Please pass this to the girl from the last time." "These are cigars?" "Compensating her with this doesn't mean things will end here, though." "I understand." "I will hand them over to her." "Thank you." "Here you go." "Hayase-sama." "This cigar brand is "Romeo Y Julieta" in Spanish." "Do you know how to say it in English?" "No idea." "I'm not very knowledgeable about cigars." ""Romeo and Juliet."" "That is quite an overly romantic name for me." " Welcome to the bar." " Welcome to the bar." " Oh..." " Ah!" "Um..." "Sorry for being rude to you the other day." "Me too." "I didn't mean to act stubborn." "That was embarrassing." "This way, please." "I'm sorry." " Here you go." " Thank you." "Really sorry about that." "Please accept this." "Cigars?" "It's expensive to buy one whole box right?" "The price is equivalent to about 10 drinks in this bar." "Eh?" "That expensive..?" "I can't accept such an expensive thing." "No." "This is just a token of my feelings." " I would be bothered." " No, if you don't accept it," "I would be bothered too." " I'm serious...!" "If so, how about this?" "We will hold on to these cigars for the two of you." "Eh?" "You mean we can only smoke it when we come to this bar?" "That's right." "Good idea." "I'm trying to quit smoking, but a cigar should be fine." "We can't split 25 cigars into two portions." "This one piece is for you." "Thank you very much." "I'm terribly sorry for this, but since there are customers who do not really like cigars, would you two please move over there?" "Hey." "Somehow, they already look like a couple." "Delicious." "That's true." " Here you go." " Thank you." "Ah~ I'm so exhausted today." " Good work." " Yes." "Hayase-san, aren't you having a hard time too?" "You're always having to deal with hundreds of millions of yen." "Compared to a job of someone who is entrusted with people's lives my job of dealing with money is much mentally easier." "In my case, there are tough times too, but when the patients get well and say "thank you" to me, it makes me really happy." "You're doing your best." "If there is someone who stays by my side and says that I'm doing my best like this," "I might really be able to do my best." "No, I don't really..." "Thank you." "You still try to meet me despite your busy schedule." "Are you alright?" "Hayase-sama." "Here, please drink some water." "Thanks." "Ah, but..." ""Tomorrow's French Fair,"" ""please persuade Sasakura-kun to attend it for me."" "Miwa-san called me and asked me that." "I'm really sorry, but I don't want to meet Kase-san halfheartedly like this." "On top of this counter, there will be countless times a bartender is driven to despair." "When I was at Sasakura-kun's age, it was really hard, and many times I thought of quitting." "But when I try looking back, I think those sufferings at that time have become my provisions for living today." "Isn't being halfhearted just fine?" "While struggling and suffering, you might be able to discover something." "Well, leaving those formal words aside, don't you want to see Kase Goro as a bartender after such a long time?" "These are the only two pieces left." "Such a pity." "It's been fun drinking with you." "Such a pity?" "Starting next week, I will be working at a hospital in Hokkaido for the next two years." "I wonder if there is a nice bar over there." "I won't have any friend for a while, so I might even have to eat alone." "Then, if it's alright to have this old man accompany you, how about having a last meal together tomorrow?" " Is it okay?" " Yeah." "Yay!" "How nice." "The two of them." "Thanks for your hard work." "Um..." "Mihashi-san." "Can I come a little late tomorrow?" "So you plan to go to the party?" "A bartender must not hesitate." "As I thought, he's not coming..." "Miwa-san." "Everyone, we are truly grateful to all of you who have gathered here today for Hotel Cardinal's French Fair opening party." "Today, we have with us the leading figure in French cuisine, who is also the pride of Japan" "Chef Yamanouchi Seiji to present his dishes." "Please look forward to the cocktails served by the chief bartender of the famous Ratskeller Hotel in Paris, Kase Goro." "Although this is a grand event of the hotel, the president is not here to do a proper greeting." "Sir, please refrain from causing any trouble..." "This is so not worthy of Cardinal's famous reputation." "The president is not present at the party because of his critical conditions." "If the sole president passes away, wouldn't this place be sold off to someone else?" "For this kind of person to enter such an event like this..." "Cardinal's prestige is only this much...?" "Wait..." "Miwa-san!" "Dear Sir." "What is it?" "Would you like one drink from me?" "Thank you for waiting." "What's that?" ""Amber Dream."" "But.. why?" "This is Amber Dream." "A cocktail with the meaning of "amber dream."" "Amber...?" "An amber gem is a fossil turpentine." "There isn't any other gem that shines in amber color." "Transcending thousands of years, it has a beauty that is different from all other gems'." "So what about it?" "Cardinal, so to speak, is this amber." "It is the crystallization of the dream that Kurushima-kaichou has built after countless harships through many years." "And then, the ones who gave that amber this special radiance" "are the guests that are here right now." "Everyone of you." "Today," "I would like all of them to be intoxicated with Cardinal's and this amber's radiance." "Kase-san is amazing..." "Would it be alright for me to receive that drink?" "Ojii-chan...!" "Please go ahead." "Thank you." " Is it alright?" " Kaichou..." "Ah...!" "It was good!" "I'm truly sorry for the many troubles regarding our hotel that have caused you all to worry." "It is unknown to everyone when my life will be finished." "However, these I can promise you." "That soon I will invite an accomplished bartender who will not lose to the genius Kase Goro, and hold an opening for the Main Bar that has long been my dearest dream." "And then, that Cardinal will have wonderful staff." "Moreover, that there will be dear guests who will love the hotel like this." "Cardinal will go on for ever." "As all of you can see," "I am in good shape." "Today..." "Don't touch Kaichou!" "Kaichou can walk by himself." "Kaichou!" "Ojii-chan!" " Miwa..." " Are you alright?" "It was my pleasure." "That drink today... was good." "Convey that... to your master for me." "I understand." "Shall we go?" "Let me take over." " Thank you for your work." " Thank you for your work." "I have learned from you." "Kaichou asked me to tell Kase-san that it was a truly delicious drink, and that he is grateful." "You waited for me just to tell me that?" "I was also saved by Kase-san." "Just now, if I reached out to Kaichou like that," "I would have betrayed Kaichou's feelings." "It is just as you said." "I am far from being a true bartender." "On the other hand," "I don't know what I'm still lacking." "I'm sorry about this." "Please excuse me." "I... didn't make that one drink for the sake of winning the crowd over." "I just thought of what I ought to do for all the guests who were present and Kaichou who always thinks about his guests." "That is... my way of life as a bartender." "Being a true bartender is... a way of life." "Before you search for what is lacking in you, train yourself to think about what you can do for your customers." "Without relying on your little talent, bear with the pain, and learn from reality." "I'm sorry." "How was the party?" "I'm glad that I went." "Thank you very much." "Welcome to the bar, Kimijima-sama." "Today, you are supposed to meet with Hayase-sama..." "He stood me up." "He said something urgent suddenly came up at work." "Is that right?" "He cannot be here at the moment, but thanks for all the fun times." "No..." "Before you search for what is lacking in you, train yourself to think about what you can do" "for your customers." "Come in." "Good afternoon." "Oh!" "What's wrong?" "I wanted to see you." "Isn't that such a sweet thing to say?" "This is...?" "The blueprint for the Main Bar." "How can Kaichou focus that much passion in creating" "Cardinal's Main Bar?" "Hey, you..." "Do you have time today?" "Yes." "When I was young," "I barely scraped by as a hired manager of an inn." "Kaichou used to have those days too?" "Of course." "That's why coming to Lapin once a month was the only thing I looked forward to." "How delicious was the drink that I paid with the little money I had." "You know, that happiness gave me the energy to live to the next day." "To me, opening the best Main Bar in Cardinal is to fulfill my wish to once again bring the happy dream I had at that time into this world." "The happy dream...?" "The same applies for you." "If you have any worries, just empty your heart." "The answer is within you." "Turning your back on the job that you risked your life for is equivalent to abandoning it for a lifetime." "It might be Ojii-chan's one last dream." "It's good!" "What's wrong?" "Kaichou." "Will you let me help you?" "That means, you will be partaking as a candidate for the Main Bar's chief bartender, right?" "Yes." "You are prepared to compete with Kuzuhara, right?" "Yes." "The ones who brought me back to the path of being a bartender were you and Miwa-san." "For the sake of these two people, the only thing I can do right now... is to realize Kaichou's dream." "Definitely in the future," "I will be able to find that something I lack to become a true bartender." "If you understand that much already, there's nothing left for me to say." ""Kurushima Taizou"" "Welcome to the bar." "Welcome to the bar, Hayase-sama." "She smoked this alone yesterday huh..?" "Yes, she did." "Romeo and Juliet huh?" "What shall I make for you?" "A drink for a lonely old man who smokes by himself a cigar that was supposed to be for two people..." "I guess?" "Before I serve you a drink, shall we play this game?" "Game?" "Dice stacking huh...?" "Bartenders have to practice this in order to hone their shaking skills." "Amazing...!" "The next time I do this, if five dice are stacked up," "Hayase-sama will go to see Kimijima-sama." "Stop it." "That's impossible!" "Is it okay for him to do such a thing to the customer...?" "What is the probability that all five dice will be stacked?" "Normally, it's once in thirty tries." "A probability that is derived by chance rather than by skills, isn't it?" "Indeed." "But in gambling, although aiming for a big and unexpected win means you will be digging your own grave, it is more interesting to aim a little bit high in life." "Because it is easier to accept that you have lost a big and unexpected win rather than that you have lost your heart's desire." "Okay..." "Shake it one more time." "I understand." "If not all five dice are stacked," "I will give up on her." "But if all of them stand straight, if such coincidence does happen..." "Stand!" "I think there are times people just pretend to be lost." "Pretend... to be lost?" "Even though what they truly need is just a little courage, they don't have the guts to be honest with each other." "And so they leave it all to God." "Then, I will open it." "Hang on!" "The truth is..." "I already knew about my feelings right from the start." "Right now, what I need is... some courage, right?" "I'm going to the hospital where she's working." "Please have a safe trip." "Awesome." "All five are stacked!" "No, this is just a fluke." "No matter how many times you do, all five will be stacked, right?" "You purposely missed it the first time." "Is that true?" "No..." "It is also a bartender's job to give a little courage to the customers." "Don't say cool things!" "Let's go to see Kurushima-kaichou tomorrow." "Eh?" "I heard about the matter regarding Cardinal's chief bartender." "We will be rooting for you." "Thank you very much." "If we go to the hospital, we will be able to meet Miwa-san, right?" "You will look after the bar." "Eh.. how come?" "Please let me go with you." "I can't." "There, the phone." "Ah, I will take it." "Yes." "This is Lapin." ""Sasakura-san...?"" "Miwa-san?" "What's wrong?" "Ojii-chan has..."