Sweet Season - Episode 11 (Finale)

happy ending

Mahiro returns to an empty home
Mahiro: "tadaima"
she sees the divorce papers on the table, and looks out the window. Shinya is sitting under the sakura tree. she goes to him
Mahiro: i have come home
Shinya: "so ka"?
Mahiro: i left home without permission, and i am back again without permission. "hontou ni", "gomenasai"
Mahiro: where's mom?
Shinya: in your room
Mahiro: she wants a divorce?
Shinya nods
Mahiro: then you should clarify matters with mother, tell her not to divorce
Mahiro: although i have always been rebelling against you, dad, for having an affair and betraying our family, but i myself have done the same, and now i finally understand, for the first time, how you feel.
Mahiro: hurting others, is actually more painful than hurting yourself
Shinya: how's Goto-san?
Mahiro shakes her head sadly
Shinya: "so ka"?
Mahiro: because of me, he is going to be transferred to Hongkong
Shinya: "sumi ma" (short for "sumimasen")
Mahiro: "onichan", won't you bloom for us this year?
Shinya: probably, he's still angry with his dad
Mahiro: no such thing
Mahiro: "ne"
they both take hold of the tree
Shinya: our hands really look the same
Mahiro: "so"?
Shinya: the shape of the finger nails
Mahiro: that's true. we are father and daughter indeed
Shinya: ah
Mahiro: i'm sorry what what i did in the past. i couldn't confess it, but i really loved you the most, dad
Shinya: Mahiro
Mahiro: that we can talk like this, is only after i have begun to love Goto-san
Shinya: your father is the same - have always loved you most.

they hug. camera pans to first blossom on the tree

Shinya looks at divorce papers in his bedroom, alone.
Mahiro: "okasan", i've brought your dinner
Yayako is out on the balcony, no response from her
Mahiro: you will injure your health if you don't eat something
Mahiro: i will put it down here
Yayako: "arigato"
Yuma is in her bedroom, moody too. and surprised when her sister pops in
Yuma: "onechan"? how is mum?
Mahiro: "daijoubu"
Mahiro reaches for the bedsheet
Mahiro: come help lay it
Mahiro: oi! take hold of it there
Yuma is on autopilot. super moody

sunrise. Fujitani breakfast club, minus key member
Yuma: i will go and call mother down
Fuji: Yuma. if she wants to eat, she will come down by herself
Mahiro: afterwards, i will take some up?
Fuji: leave her alone. bystanders should not interfere in matters between a couple. the rest is up to Yayako and Shinya

Yayako is looking at her son's pic again, as the sisters go off to work

Yuma: will they really divorce? i have always been putting on this happy face for the family. feel like an idiot
Mahiro: Yuma
Yuma: i am tired too
Mahiro (holds her sad sister's hand): "ne"! Yuma, do you like dad and mom?
Yuma: eh? um. like very much
Mahiro: then you have to wait, as what grandma said. although it's very painful now, but all we can do is just wait.
Mahiro: we can only hope that the problems within the family can be resolved
Mahiro: "ne"?
Yuma smiles and nods, encouraged by her super sis

at Shinya's company, the emergency meeting room door opens, people file out. Shinya just sits alone there, drinking a cup

Yayako goes out to the balcony

Shinya alone in the dark meeting room now.

man: "kachou"?
Shinya: don't worry, you are still young, can still find a job
man: "demo"...
Shinya: why did this happen?

Yayako recalls the tree planting day
Shinya: how old will Masahito be when this sakura tree start to bloom?
Yayako: i wonder too
Yayako (to her baby son): how old, Masahito?

as she looks, she starts to see something on the tree and runs down from the balcony

Yayako: Masahito
she kneels down before the tree.
Yayako: Masahito

that evening, Shinya still haven't got the mood to go home.

Yayako is looking at an old drawing of her family before Yuma came along. probably drawn by her son, who never saw Yuma. someone knocks on the door

Yayako: "hai"
Shinya: Yayako. "kyou", my company folded. "ashita", the news will be made known. although i had heard rumours of this in the past, yet i never thought this would become a reality
Shinya: don't worry! i will not give you any trouble.
Shinya signs the divorce papers before her

next day, Mahiro at work
boss: Fujitani
Mahiro: "hai"
boss: "chotto"
Mahiro: "hai"
Yukata: have you heard Goto "kachou" mention anything about this travel brochure before?
Mahiro: no, sorry, nothing at all
boss: "so ka". then i must trouble you to quickly verify the contents
Mahiro: "hai"! "wakarimashita"! i will go and ask the accountants directly
Yukata is bugged by her super smiley attitude.

that night, at a small food stall
Yukata: "kachou", please think carefully about Fujitani
Akira: "hontou ni", i cannot remember
Yukata: "kachou"!?
Akira (still pretending): what have i forgotten?
Akira: Chiyohachi, what should i do?

Mahiro walks towards Sweet Season
bartender: "irasshai"

Akira: taxi!
Yukata: "chotto", "kachou"
Akira is practically trying to kill himself, drunk.
Yukata: "kachou", it's too dangerous. let me call
the taxi stops for them
Akira: heh heh. you are right. you have the strength. i can rest assured
Yukata: "kachou"
Akira: make her happy

Mahiro alone in the bar
bartender: "hai", this is on me
Mahiro: "arigato"
bartender: cheer up, ok?
Mahiro nods: um

Akira rings his chime in the taxi on his way home, as Mahiro drinks in the bar

Mahiro returns home. the tv is on - news
Mahiro: "tadaima"
Fuji: "okaerinasai"
Fuji: Ma-chan, this letter was delivered

Mahiro opens it. it's a package of money, and a letter from Shinji. she mutes the TV sound to read the letter properly

Shinji's voice, reading the contents of the letter:
dear Mahiro Fujitani
i'm very sorry i gave you all a lot of trouble the last time
it was thanks to you, that i was able to meet my father, Fujitani-san, and be reconciled with him
my mother is very happy
of course, because my family has always been just the 2 of us, i am, too, very happy to have found another member of my family
my mother always said you have to wait for the proper season of things
i guess this is what it means, when Fujitani-san deliberately came to meet with us
because of that, it has enabled her to decide to try again. she has decided to remarry. she said she will surely be happy now
for everything that you have done, i am very grateful. thank you.
i wish your family the best of health
regards

during the reading, various scenes flashed by:
- a sad and lonely Shinya unable to return home, is met by her daughter, Yuma, who hands the papers to him
- Yayako in Mahiro's room is also reading the same headline news

Fuji: Ma-chan
Mahiro hands the money to her grandma
Mahiro: "kore". he said this is to be returned to you

Mahiro passes the letter to her. she glances at the first page, then turns to the 2nd sheet, which says:

attached is the money, which had been untouched, because of the hope to be reunited. all through these 20 years of hardship, my mother would never use it. now the money is returned, "arigato gozaimashita", Shinji

Mahiro: he said that one has to wait for the the proper season

flashback of memories of Akira and Mahiro

Mahiro: that is probably so
Fuji: you still have time (====> on Mahiro's side, to wait for Akira to return to her)

now she looks at the news, and realise it about her dad's company
newsreader: the company already gone bankrupt. defaulting in loans of 2300 million yen, this is the 3rd big company to have collapsed this year

Fuji: Kanuma Construction?

Yuma: "tadaima"
Shinya is right behind her

Mahiro: "otosan"!

Shinya (knows everyone knows it now, nods, smiling): it's folded

Shinya turns the tv off
Shinya: and i had said to let everyone do their own thing, and said i wanted to take care of everyone properly. (short self laugh) i am now in no position to take care of anyone.
Shinya: this month's pay, and pension, has vanished
Yayako walks down silently
Shinya: all that's left is this house, and the bank savings.
Mahiro: "otosan"
Shinya: as for the rest, it's up to each one of you to decide.
Yayako appears
Fuji: Yayako
Shinya takes an envelope from his briefcase.
Shinya: i have prepared the papers. i will leave this family. if you want to sell the house, fine. whatever you like. everyone make the best of it
Yayako: are you going to Sendai?
Shinya: "iiya". i will live alone
Mahiro: "okasan", the woman in Sendai is getting married. after she had seen dad, she made up her mind
Shinya (that's news to him too): "so ka"? "yo kata"
Shinya: "otosan" is no long able to help anyone.
Shinya gets up and bows
Shinya: i am sorry i let everyone down. i will leave immediately
Mahiro: "matte"! "doushite"?
Mahiro: "okasan". "hontou ni", "ii no"?
Fuji: Yayako!
Shinya: never mind, "okasan"
Shinya: my company has folded, my daughters have all grown up, i am now no longer the head of the family. i am just a useless 50-something "oyaji" (old man, grandpa), difficult to find alternative work. although i was a useless husband, at least i was bringing home the bacon. but now in this situation, it's better to divorce. i no longer qualify to be either husband nor father.
Yayako: "anata wa". did you want to divorce because your company folded?
Yayako: if your company had not gone bankrupt, did you plan to continue like this?
Yayako: what exactly is inside your heart?
Yayako: did you pity me, and that's why you didn't divorce me then, when Masahito died? you felt was i was too pitiful?
Shinya: "chigau"! it wasn't that.
Mahiro: then what was it, dad?
Shinya: "otosan wa"... i never thought your mother was pitiful. i always thought she was a very good woman, that's why i didn't want to divorce. she supported me, all these years, without complaint, despite the man i am
Shinya: it's because of your mom that this family has been able to hold together until today
Shinya: but this vast river that i made, i don't know how to fill it. i deserve it, cos i caused it.
Yayako: "tashikani" (certainly, doubtless). "tashikani", you have returned. but you only came back to atone for your sin. it was not for me, but because Masahito died. you have never hugged me-
Shinya: that isn't so!
Yayako: i am also a woman, "samishika" (lonely). but i finally understand - to you, i have always been just a hindrance (bundle of cloth, to be precise). i think i should not tie you down just for the sake of duty
Shinya: why? why did it come to this? it was for duty that i chose to bear it. if i didn't care, i would not have married you. neither would i come back.
Shinya: i chose you, because you are very important to me. i love you very much.
all silent, tears in their eyes
Shinya: it's my fault that you cannot forgive me
Shinya: 30 years! thank you for your support. i will start all over again
Shinya turns to pack
Yuma: "okasan"!

Yayako gets the divorce papers on the table, and tears it up.
<THEME SONG>

both sisters: "otosan"! "otosan". "otosan", come here!

Shinya: Yayako
Yayako: "gomenasai"
Shinya: i want to be with you, together, this time, let me say, let's start over
mummy nods. tears of joy all round now
Mahiro: "okasan"
Fuji: Shinya-san, i entrust my daughter to you (bows)
family huddle in love, when Fuji spots something outside the window
Fuji: it's blossomed. the sakura has blossomed
Mahiro: brother must be very glad

family hold hands together, smiling, enjoying the blossom

airport, voiceover: Mr Goto is one of the top talents in the main office. we hope you will continue to excel in Hongkong and grow our Hongkong branch
boss: ja, Goto-kun
Akira: "hai"
boss: as this is your farewell, please give a speech
Akira: thanks, everyone, for taking time out to send me off. i really hate to part with all of you today.
Akira: this Hongkong assignment, to me, it's like the beginning of a fresh adventure
Akira: nevertheless, the adventure has to end one day. the important thing is how one has been changed in the course of the adventure. as for me, i hope to discover more about myself
Akira: "kyou wa", "hontou ni", "arigato gozaimashita"
boss: an overseas assignment requires much love and support from the wife
boss (to Chikako): madam, may we trouble you?
Chikako: "hai", i will work hard
boss: subsequently, let's all take turns to bid Goto-san farewell. you first, Kamakura (his secretary, probably)
Kamakura: "hai"
Kamakura: i have received much guidance from you, "kachou". from now on, if i am late for work, there won't be anyone else that will come in later. how?
boss: next, Chiyohachi
Yukata: "hai"
Yukata: i... have learnt a lot from you, "kachou". i hope to be able to have another opportunity to work under you. "hontou ni", "arigato gozaimashita"
boss: next, Fujitani
Mahiro: "hai"
Mahiro: "ano"... please take care of yourself. "arigato gozaimashita"
boss: next is ---
Mahiro walks out of the room, instead staying to listen to the rest. and goes out to the aircraft viewing lounge
PA: sorry for the interrruption. attention, Ms Fujitani Mahiro from Yokohama. Ms Fujitani Mahiro from Yokohama, please come to north side of the departure lounge. someone is waiting for you

she goes and is shocked to see Akira walking confidently towards her, hands in his pants pockets. he takes out the chime
Akira: this is yours, right?
she holds out her hand for it, but he puts it against her ear instead, just like the first time. worse, he kisses her ON THE LIPS!!! then he returns her the chime and walks away, cool as a cucumber, to the plane, without ever turning back once. Mahiro holds the chime, happy and sad, i guess.

EPILOGUE
3 YEARS LATER

Mahiro changed job, now with Art Flower Arrangement, delivering flowers

someone: "ohayo gazaimasu"
Mahiro: "ohayo gazaimasu"

Shinya leaves his new office
Shinya: i am going to the site for a while
man: what about lunch?
Shinya: later.
man: you are really hardworking
Shinya: it was tough finding a place that would accept me. i must work hard (he laughs as he sets off)

Yayako working in a shop
Yayako: "hai" sorry to keep you waiting
Yayako: "irasshai"
customer: blah blah blah (various types of buns, beyond my comprehension)
Yayako repeats his order

woman with a child: this child seems to be lost
Yuma: "arigato gozaimasu"
Yuma (to child): "doushita no"? don't cry, don't cry. what's your name?
child (crying): i don't know... daddy...
Yuma: "daijoubu"! let big sister help you find. your father and mother are still here

Fuji is now a full time housewife for the family, preparing dinner
Shinya: "okasan", "tadaima"
Fuji: "okaerinasai". dinner will be ready soon
Shinya: oh! the aroma is really sweet!
Fuji: that's the meat stewing
Shinya opens the pot to look
Shinya: looks very yummy
and accidentally scalds himself from the steam condensation on the pot cover
Shinya: very hot!
Fuji helps him cool his hand under the tap
Fuji: it's very hot
Shinya: "sumimasen"
Fuji: be careful
Shinya: it doesn't matter-
Fuji: how can it not matter!
then they laugh together

woman: Fujitani-san
Mahiro: "hai"!
woman: please bring the flowers over here
Mahiro: "hai"
she is at a photo studio. ====> i wonder if the woman is the same one who first took her pics for Chikako's magazine???
woman: give me 5 stalks
Mahiro: "hai"
as she runs to get it, a woman walks down the stairs. she turns. it's Chikako! she smiles at Mahiro, so Mahiro nods, wonderingly.
====> guess the Gotos are back from the Hongkong assignment

Chikako: why did you quit? because of Akira?
Mahiro: "iie"
Mahiro: although the travel industry is ok, i think doing flower arrangement and delivery is not bad too
Chikako: "kekkon", "wa"?
Mahiro smiles and shakes her head
Chikako: Akira "matte", "da"?
Mahiro: it's not like that
Chikako: "yappari", "dame" (no good, hopeless). still not suited to be a housewife
Chikako: we... are divorcing
Mahiro is speechless.
Chikako: i originally thought Akira had an affair because of my busy work schedule. it was only when we are in Hongkong that i understood it wasn't just because of that. however, i do not regret it at all. when we were there, we both worked very hard. Momotaro tried his best to love me. that is enough.
Chikako: "natsukashii" (yearn). "amai" (sweet) "setsu" (season). that is something that belongs only to youth
Mahiro: that is not how i see it
Chikako: "so ka", "na"?
Mahiro: "hai"!
Chikako: "arigato"

====> Mahiro is encouraging her to find her own sweet season. it's not restricted to young people in first love.

Chikako: Fujitani-san.

Mahiro is walking home, even as Chikako's words ring in her ears: Momotaro is flying back tonight. he has always been waiting for you. i know this, because we are spouses. go and meet him, the place where both your memories are. now, it's no longer an illicit love affair
she wakes up from her stunned state, turns and runs. past Chinatown, down to Sweet Season
fisherman greets her
Mahiro rushes past him into the bar

inside, she scans the place, but cannot see him.
Mahiro: Goto-san! Goto-san!
it's too loud, her voice cannot be heard, and she cannot shut off the jukebox
fisherman: "masutai" (shows off his latest fish)
proprietor: oh! this one is not bad
she runs up to them and shouts
Mahiro: please turn it off!
they cannot hear her initally.
Mahiro: TURN IT OFF!
fisherman: oh!
he pulls the jukebox out, so that she can unplug the power socket
silence, except people's voices in surprise. especially those dancing away
Mahiro: Goto-san! Goto-san!
still no Akira

then she looks, and everyone looks towards where she is looking, and a path is opened.
some puzzled caucasian: what's the matter here?

Akira is standing at the other end
they smile, and then she runs to him. everyone applauds their love

<THEME SONG>

in front of a house
Mahiro: isn't it exciting?
Akira: of course
Mahiro: how will this adventure turn out?
Akira: living life together
they hold hands and walk in

THE END?

family picnic under the sakura tree.

*** The End ***