Equinox Flower Page #6

I see.

Will you come?

- Sure. Okay.

- It's been a long time.

Guess I'll go play a quick game.

You want to join me?

I'm going to take a breather. I'm a bit tired.

All right.

Goodbye.

- A beer, please.

- Yes, sir.

Hello? Hello?

Hello? Futaba Beauty Parlour?

This is the Hirayama residence.

Hirayama.

Yes, that's correct.

Can you get there an hour early tomorrow?

The ceremony starts at exactly 2:00 p.m.

Okay? We're relying on you.

I called the beauty parlour.

They'll be there on time.

Thank you.

Come have some party food with us.

Thank you.

- Father's late. Where is he?

- He's probably busy at work.

I told him this morning to come home early.

Tomorrow's Setsuko's wedding.

It's okay, Hisako.

I don't understand

why he won't eat with us tonight.

Your father has his concerns,

and he's dealing with them his way.

He's hired a private investigator

to check up on Taniguchi.

I saw the report.

- Are you going to eat that?

- You can have it.

I wasn't able to do a lot for you.

Tell me if you need anything.

I'll send it to you later.

I already have enough, Mother.

You don't need to send anything.

Our place is going to be fairly small.

No matter how small,

there's no place like home.

You probably have a lot to take care of.

You can go upstairs if you want.

Right.

Our visit to Hakone

was our last outing as a family.

I'd hoped we'd have more.

We could have had more

if Father had wanted.

Hisako.

It's okay, Setsuko. You should get

Taniguchi to take you places.

Isn't Miyajima close to where you'll live?

I'm not sure.

I'd love to go, too.

You should visit us during the summer.

Can I? Really? I'd love that.

Of course.

I really am coming over.

Setsuko, you should go now.

Right.

Goodnight.

Mother, I heard Setsuko crying last night.

I had trouble sleeping.

When I asked her why she was crying,

she just turned off the light.

I see.

It's Father's fault.

Why does he dislike Taniguchi?

He's so kind.

Father's too old-fashioned!

Welcome home.

Welcome home. We've already had supper.

What is this?

You'll come to the wedding?

I don't have much of a choice.

All our friends will be there.

I see.

Setsuko, your father will be there tomorrow.

He's coming to your wedding!

I'm so happy!

But I knew he would.

Now everything's going to be just fine.

There's no need to cry.

You have a big day ahead of you,

so clean up and go to bed.

Good.

- Mother?

- What is it?

I'm so sorry.

I'm sorry I caused you all this trouble.

Forget it. I just want you to be happy.

Now clean up.

- Hisako, go help your sister.

- Okay.

Setsuko is really happy.

We need you there tomorrow.

Do you want some party food?

You don't?

You're so carefree.

How so?

I never thought she would defy me.

It's not defiance.

For some reason, I'm less than convinced.

Something's not right.

Getting married is a big event in her life,

but she took that decision without

discussing it with us first. That troubles me.

We, too, were interested

in her getting married.

- The mahjong table is set.

- I see.

- Let's go ahead.

- Yeah.

- Please bring beer to the next room.

- Yes, sir.

- Let's see if I'm lucky tonight!

- Let's do it!

So this is what happened.

I was the intermediary

because his wife asked me.

But Hirayama dislikes the groom.

- Why?

- Well...

It's nearly impossible to find someone

good enough for our daughters

because we spend so much time raising

them only to give them away to a stranger.

How many children do you have, Sugai?

None?

Sugai has a lot of children. Six, wasn't it?

Seven?

I bet they're all girls.

Yeah, right.

They've got to be.

- So are they?

- Forget it.

You keep seeing them as children,

then suddenly they're all grown up.

That's right.

That's the way it's got to be.

Mikami, why don't you sing us a song?

- Which one?

- The one you sang when we went to Kure.

- Not that.

- Which one is that?

- It's a song based on a poem.

- Oh, I want to listen.

- Go on, Mikami.

- Go on.

- Come on!

- All right, fine.

But it's kind of out-of-date.

This is based on a farewell poem

by the patriot Masatsura Kusunoki.

It's pretty long, so you should drink

while you're listening.

That's enough. I'm stopping now.

- Isn't there more?

- Sure.

- You should go on if there's more.

- Go on.

It's not enough.

- Go on.

- That's enough.

It's inspiring.

I agree.

So, you've met with your daughter?

She comes by to the house now.

They're managing. I'm satisfied.

Raising children is sometimes very hard.

Eventually, parents have to let go.

And that's never easy.

I suppose it isn't.

We're getting old.

We're talking about our children

at a high school reunion.

True.

But we carry the dreams of our youth

with us forever.

- I'm home.

- Welcome home.

- Mr Hirayama of Tokyo is here.

- Really? Where is he?

In the back room.

Hello!

Welcome back.

Welcome.

Thank you

for coming to Setsuko's wedding.

It was my pleasure.

Congratulations on this happy occasion!

What brings you to Kyoto?

After my high school reunion,

I went to Osaka.

I see.

Have you taken care of all your affairs?

Yes.

Yukiko, what was it again?

When Setsuko and her husband

stopped at our inn...

- What?

- What was the food they liked so much?

- Those were the pickled rape blossoms.

- Yes, they really liked them.

He said, "This tastes nice."

And she said, "That's right."

He said, "Do you like it?"

And she said, "Yes, I do."

They are perfect for each other.

Isn't that right, Yukiko?

They stayed in this room.

Thank you for being so generous to them.

They were no trouble at all.

They only stayed one night.

I invited them to stay longer,

but they just visited some of the sights

and left.

Really?

Taniguchi is very kind.

I hope Yukiko finds a nice husband like him.

I would love to find a man like Taniguchi.

What is it you don't like about him?

I've nothing against him personally.

Would you mind coming over, please?

- You need me?

- Yes, please.

Excuse me.

- Please, have some more.

- Thank you.

I apologise for what I did the other day.

I'm sorry?

Don't be angry. Please forgive me.

You mean the setup?

Wouldn't I make a good actress?

You were very convincing.

You had me completely fooled.

- Did you make it all up?

- I'm sorry?

You haven't found

a man you want to marry?

I haven't, unfortunately.

I can't seem to find anyone.

Why not?

I just don't have time.

You mother wants you to get married.

That's what she always says.

It's just a habit at this point.

I doubt that.

It's true. She just likes saying it.

But, in reality,

she really doesn't want me to leave home.

I don't believe that for a second.

She keeps picking candidates and then

finds all kinds of problems with them.

She's like a child

playing with building blocks.

Is that what you think?

It makes it difficult for me.

It's time you thought this over seriously.

I can't get married and abandon my mother.

If I leave, she'll spend all her days

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