After the Storm Page #5

The perfect daughter.

I work extra hard doing your pan, too.

Look who's talking.

Can't you cook dinner for your family?

Stay out of it.

Grandma, sweeten mine.

- What now?

- She wants something to drink.

Why can't you drink plain water?

I'm going to take figure skating lessons.

Grandma's paying for them.

That's great. You must be thrilled.

That explains it.

Explains what?

Figia skating? Whose princess is she?

It's pronounced figure.

So we commoners can't skate?

Not by paying for it

with your mother's pension. Poor Mom.

And who was the kid who used to take

very expensive violin lessons?

Don't you take advantage...

Of me or Mom.

We're going home when you're done.

Staying over?

I'm going home.

What about Shingo?

Kyoko said she'd pick him up.

I called her.

Kyoko's coming?

Let's stick around a little longer.

Stop grinning like that.

She's your sister-in-law.

Ex-sister-in-law.

Hey, now.

We're going home. The typhoon's coming.

You want to see my ex-wife that much?

Kyoko, how have you been?

Oh, hello.

The typhoon's coming. Better hurry.

Thanks. I will.

Good luck with your entrance exams.

- I'm going for a private school.

- Don't be silly.

- I'm gonna be a figia skater.

- It's pronounced gure."

- Bye-bye.

- See you.

See you.

I'm sorry, Mother.

This wasn't the original plan.

Don't be. The more, the merrier.

- Hi, Mom.

- That was fast.

Don't wear shoes inside the house.

Take them off.

You're scratching the floor.

They're cleats, not shoes.

The floor's all worn out anyway,

just like me.

I'm so sorry.

Come inside, Kyoko.

You're soaked! I'll get you a towel.

Don't make me worry like this.

Shingo insisted on coming.

Blaming your son.

Come inside, both of you.

Just for a bit, then.

Don't cut your fingers.

You're doing a great job.

Throw in some green peas, too, for color.

I know.

He loves his peas.

Are you the fifth shortest

in your class now?

Third shortest.

Your dad didn't start growing

until junior high.

You're 4'9 now?

4'9 1/2".

Let me see your legs.

Look, he's got firm knees.

He's not a dog. You can't tell that way.

It's true for all animals.

See? You'll be taller.

You will. You will, you will.

Three times, sounds like a lie.

She made a kimono for me,

sewing it herself,

and everyone is thrilled when I wear it,

which makes me happy.

But it is a little embarrassing

when they say I look adorable in it.

I'm so happy

that you do so many things for me.

But working so hard,

I'm sure you get tired, so please rest.

Please keep living for a long time,

Grandma.

You really wanted

to read it out loud to her, right?

That makes me so happy.

But if you're going to admire someone,

you should pick someone like Mother Teresa

or some astronaut.

This one, there.

Beautiful. You can still find these?

There's still a lot of greenery

around here.

Amazing.

That one was on my tangerine.

Your tangerine?

It was on the leaves, the caterpillar.

- How old was Shingo?

- About three, I think.

A larva.

Three.

Is that strawberry field gone?

Yes. They built a house on ii last year.

If I'd known,

I would have visited it more often.

Seconds?

Yes, please.

You were really hungry.

I haven't tasted that in a long time.

It's great.

Shingo, you have seconds, too.

Seconds?

Even as a child, he always loved my food,

no matter what I cooked.

That was his only virtue.

What do you mean my only?

The curry flavor infuses everything.

Right? I use fish broth for the soup.

His father loved this.

I made a lot of it

and kept it in the freezer.

What?

This is six months old?

Don't make such a fuss.

Besides, it's too late now.

Men pay too much attention

to expiration dates.

Of course we do.

You do, too. Right, Shingo?

Look. There's curry on your shin.

Hey, did you just lick that cloth?

That's disgusting.

Who are you calling disgusting?

I can do it myself.

I've wiped your poo and pee.

Oh, my.

He may be a grown man, but he still

needs someone to take care of him.

Is it gone?

Please spend the night.

You're leaving Grandma all alone

in this storm?

There she goes again,

like she's on her deathbed.

I have extra futons,

and I just washed the sheets.

But Shingo has school.

The schools will close.

But if he has to go to school,

he can leave early tomorrow morning.

I didn't bring a change of clothes.

I see.

It's a 30-minute wait for a taxi.

If you gel home that late,

Shingo will get to bed too late.

It's not good for him.

- Okay, then.

- Great. I'll heat the bath.

- No taxi, then.

- He needs a toothbrush.

And he needs pajamas.

Can Shingo still fit into his pajamas

from two years ago?

She comes right back to life.

Incredible.

See? Your father also wrote well,

even as a child.

Maybe you've got flair, too.

What's flair?

Don't make a face. It's nothing bad.

It's not?

That's right.

It's a wonderful talent.

Not everyone has it.

You don't want to be like your father,

do you?

No.

Why not?

Mom left Dad

because she didn't like him, right?

They got married

because they loved each other.

That's why you were born.

Do you think Dad likes us?

You know he does.

If we win the lottery,

could we all live together again?

Well, maybe. Maybe you can.

If we do, let's build a big house

so you can move in and live with us.

Your invitation makes me so happy.

Please, do make that happen.

Hey, Mom, let's play a game.

At this hour?

Yeah, Game of Life.

Okay. But only one round.

Twelve, 13...

- Who won?

- Let me see.

- I did.

- Good job.

The bathtub here is too small.

I haven't been in it in a while.

A bath, Shingo?

Can't decide.

Take a bath. It'll feel great.

Mom, you need to clean the drain.

There were dust fluffs in the bath.

Those dust bunnies?

Dust bunnies in the bath?

Sure. In the bathwater.

Who's winning?

Let me play, too.

The three of us, then.

I'll sit out this round.

You two go right ahead.

In that case, I'll go take a bath.

I want to see the dust bunnies.

Good, go take a bath.

If the water's too hot,

right is cold, left is hot.

I know.

Shall we play a round?

Not a chance.

Playing Game of Life with you

is like a bad joke.

Are you mad?

What did you and Shingo do today?

I bought him cleats.

We had burgers.

Not McDonald's, the better place.

What else?

Please don't drag him

into that 'hobby' of yours.

What harm is a lottery ticket?

I want to raise Shingo to work hard...

not make money by gambling.

The lottery.

The lottery isn't gambling.

Of course it is.

No, it is not.

What is it, then?

It's a dream.

A dream you buy for 300 yen.

That's gambling.

You just alienated

all 60 million lottery fans in Japan.

I'm happy to alienate them all.

Say, Mom.

Mom, that's not...

This was your father's futon.

I had it cleaned, so it doesn't stink.

That's not what I mean.

We're not like that anymore.

Please don't.

Shingo can sleep in between you two.

A rare family get-together.

He's got real talent.

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