Ah-ga-ssi

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1

You little brats, beat it!

Hey...

It should have been me!

I should be the one going

to that Jap's house.

You'll miss the train.

Hurry.

'PART ONE'

'Kouzuki Noriaki'

Go back to sleep.

We're still far from the house.

Pleased to meet you. I am Okju.

This property has three buildings.

A Western-style wing by

an English architect

and a Japanese wing form the main house.

Not even in Japan is there

a building combining two styles.

It reflects Master's admiration

for Japan and England.

Next is the annex

which Master had furnished as a library.

Last, the servants' quarters.

As the Lady's handmaiden

you won't sleep there.

You may eat her leftover food,

but tea leaves go to the kitchen girls.

Used soap is for the steward.

Anyone caught pilfering

is expelled that day.

I'm sure you wouldn't dare, Tamako.

"Tamako" is you. Your

name Okju in Japanese.

- Call me Sasaki.

- Yes, ma'am.

The Lady's routine is simple. Taking

a walk, or reading for Master.

Among the richest men,

Master is the greatest book lover.

And among book lovers, he is the richest.

His ties to the colonial government

even let us use electricity.

In such a home,

you know what's expected

of a maid like you?

Don't be alarmed at the blackouts.

I sleep in here?

Miss Hideko wakes easily

on account of her nerves.

She's behind this door?

Mother!

Mother!

Mother!

Miss!

Miss, are you alright?

Junko! Is that you?

Junko was kicked out, Miss.

I'm the new girl.

Seems you had a bad dream.

You see that big cherry tree?

My aunt went mad and

hanged herself there.

Sometimes on moonless nights,

my aunt's ghost

dangles from that branch.

Here, drink up.

When babies cry, my auntie feeds them

a spoonful of sake.

"Sweet bird, sweet bird

"My sweet bluebird

"What scent is this, that fills my nose?"

You think I'm Tamako, a

poor Korean handmaiden.

But my real name's Nam Sookee.

Raised by Miss Boksun,

top purveyor of stolen goods.

I was able at age 5 to tell

a real coin from a fake.

Then learned to forge stamps from Gugai,

and studied pickpocketing from Kutan,

but these babies will never learn

such useful skills.

Abandoned as newborns,

we'll wash and feed them,

then sell them to Japan.

Such meaningful work.

Instead of starving, they grow up

gentlemen and ladies.

Kutan only breastfeeds her own kid.

I wouldn't be so miserly.

I wish my breasts gave milk.

I'd breastfeed all of them.

I'll tell you the story of an interpreter,

who bribed his way into translating

for high officials.

After helping Japan annex Korea,

he got rights to a gold mine.

Now he wants to turn fully Japanese.

So he gets naturalized,

marries the daughter of

a fallen Japanese noble,

and adopts his wife's family name Kouzuki.

Ba... Bas...

Bastard builds a mansion,

fills it with books and antiques.

He invites Japanese

collectors to his library,

holds readings of rare books,

and auctions the books off.

He loves books and paintings

like his own flesh,

but he can't help parting with a few.

What to do, when he must sell,

but can't bear to?

He sells a fake.

He seeks out a specialist

to create intricate forgeries.

Unlike him this specialist...

is a real Japanese, of noble birth!

Count Fujiwara from Nagoya.

So, who is this?

It's the wife. His Japanese wife.

- You'll seduce her...

- Is she pretty?

The Jap wife died ages

ago with no children.

But the dead wife's dead sister's

living daughter

performs those book readings.

But is she pretty?

An orphan. Her father was rich.

Soon she'll fall in love with me,

and we'll elope to Japan.

After marrying her there,

and inheriting her fortune,

I'll declare her insane

and lock her up in a madhouse.

Right!

Sookee will be my mouse,

work as her maid, eavesdrop on her,

stay by her side and gently persuade her

to fall in love.

Love?

What does a crook know about love?

What of her fortune? She's rich?

Each night in bed I think of her assets.

1.5 million in cash. 300,000 in bonds.

The uncle is just a guardian.

It's Hideko's fortune.

That's why Kouzuki schemes

to marry the girl.

To his w... wife's niece?

What a s... sick f... f...

Right, a sick f***.

So what's our share?

I'll share 50,000

Sookee gets the dresses and jewellery.

I'll do it! Take me!

My Japanese is better,

and I worked as a maid!

On top of the fifty,

I get dresses, jewellery

and my own 100,000.

She must be crazy...

Crazy? Not a bit.

I'll take my fortune and flee this country.

Endure these country yokels a bit longer.

Those f***ers.

This is Tamako.

I am at your service. Miss...

Bloody hell.

He should've told me she was so pretty.

I'm completely flummoxed.

A reference letter

from Lady Minami, my last mistress.

Here's the letter. Pay attention.

"Dear Miss Izumi Hideko,

"Count Fujiwara has informed me of

your urgent need for a maid.

"A maid is like a pair of chopsticks.

"Her presence is little noted,

but her absence causes much distress."

So is this place to your liking?

The sun scarcely ever shines here.

Uncle won't permit it.

Sunlight causes books to fade.

One could never grow fond of

such a dreary place.

Not a good liar, are you?

I'll take my leave.

My head aches before

every reading practice.

Would you read it to me?

Pardon?

Oh, how kind of her.

Lady Minami said

such nice things about me!

Is that so?

You're a Japanese lady,

why don't you speak Japanese?

I'm sick of it.

The books he makes me

read are all Japanese.

So read that for me.

"Dear Miss Izumi Hideko,

"Count Fujiwara said

you're looking for a maid.

"Maids are like...

a spoon... no...

"are like chopsticks..."

Is it a spoon?

I don't know to read, Miss.

Not at all? What about Korean?

This is your name. Can't you read it?

Reading can be learned,

and I don't care if you curse or steal.

But don't ever lie to me. Understood?

Yes, Miss.

My mum.

She's beautiful, quite the charmer!

And me? Am I "quite the charmer?"

Everyone says I can't compare to my mother.

Count Fujiwara said...

So you've met the Count?

Pardon?

No, I never met him...

My aunt! I heard it from my aunt.

She was his nanny.

What did the Count say about me?

He said your face...

Every night in bed he thinks

of your assets... your face.

Why in bed, I wonder?

What's with your foot?

I've nowhere to go.

I've just stayed in this house

since coming to Korea at age 5.

But in new shoes, even well-trodden paths

feel fresh.

The ones from here

up to here should fit you.

Time for reading practice.

I'll go alone.

Miss?

But rain is falling.

At noon, come knock on the door. Promise?

See you at...

See you later.

What's this?

Why would the lady of such a big house...

Did the big house make her go mad?

My new handmaiden.

The snake, the snake!

You mustn't pass that point.

Be warned!

The snake marks the

'bounds of knowledge'.

A snake!

The Count?

Today?

That's why you insisted on a bath.

My aunt, when she heard a guest was coming,

dropped everything and

bathed her Baby Miss.

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