The Most Distant Course Page #3

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I think it's the same sound

Miss

Why are you listening to that?

For no reason really

I just want to go to...

...the place where that sound comes from

To feel it

Miss, why do you want to feel it?

Just to feel it

What's the point of that?

It's too vague

It's impossible to find a place just its sound

Madam

This envelope...

Is it yours?

Yes, it's ours

Then do you remember...

...a sound recordist staying here before?

A sound recordist?

Was he holding something very big...

...like a big microphone.

Very furry at the front

I guess so

He said he came to record the...

...the sounds of Taiwan

What kind of person was he?

He was very nice.

Pleasant talking, nice attitude

What did he look like?

Look like...

He was gentle looking, thin...

...very handsome, easy going

Are you his ...

Why are you asking so many questions?

We are friends

Really?

If you are his friend...

...how come you don't know what he looks like?

Well...

Excuse me

I'd been with Yazhu for five years

From the time I graduated...

...right through my military service...

...until I became a sound recordist

I thought we were meant for each other

When I was with her...

...I felt peaceful and happy

I thought she felt the same way

Maybe she did, once

I really loved her very much

And I really needed her too

There were many things that I understood...

...only after we broke up

Actually she broke up with me

That night,

as usual...

...I called her before going to sleep

We both had jobs by then

So we didn't meet so often

We were chatting away...

...when she suddenly said...

"Don't you think

we both need a change?"

I thought she was kidding

So I tried to laugh it off

But she went on...

"I want to break up with you"

"I'm serious"

Yazhu really wanted to stop seeing me

She wasn't joking

I'd always thought our world was stable

With her...

...I could take

all the pressures

Difficulties...

Setbacks...

Depressions

Even pains

Because I knew...

...with her understanding...

...just her being there...

...she'd support me

She'd believe in me

She'd give me strength

And that would be enough

Since the break-up,

my life has been a mess

Why can't I remember

all the details?

I'm thinking of the months before...

...I couldn't accept...

...that we'd seen

our last movie together

That we'd slept in each other's arms...

...for the last time

That we'd had a meal together...

...for the last time

There were so many things we hadn't

yet done together

We hadn't been abroad together

We hadn't seen snow together

We hadn't made

"Sounds of Formosa" together

Now you are Yazhu

I am you

I expected...

...to feel sad...

...after the break-up

I'd be heart-broken

But I thought...

...after the pain...

...life would go on

My life would still move forward

I've realized only slowly...

...that since you left me...

...I don't know how to go on living...

...without you

You have to be strong

You know?

Silly...

I'm also on my own

I have to take care of myself too

If you truly love me...

...you have to remember what I told you

Be good

Don't make me worry

Don't make me sad

You got that?

I will

I'll be good

I'll be good

"Girl, your boyfriends..."

"...are all leading lights"

"Ugly guys like us..."

"...don't deserve your love"

"There's no place for me in your dreams"

"It drives me to drink every day!"

"My dearest girl..."

"...goodbye from the bottom of my heart"

"How can I forget you?"

"Grandpa, Grandma..."

"What am I to do?"

"How will I ever forget her?"

Miss!

Sing with us!

I can't sing

It doesn't matter

Just let it out

"If you don't believe..."

"...God knows"

"Believe it or not..."

What's your name?

Ruoyun

"Ruoyun, Ruoyun..."

"There's no true love"

Open your mind!

Okay

Just sing along, alright?

Then, when I sing...

...you follow

Okay

Go for it

Ruoyun!

Ruoyun!

Now you can sing!

Take care!

Goodbye!

Goodbye!

Take care!

Goodbye!

Hey...

What about you?

What happened between you and your wife?

And what's that wedding invitation in

your hand all about?

The girl I liked in college got married here

So you came for a wedding in Taidong

Hey...

This was three years ago

I didn't go to her wedding three years ago

So you're three years late

The wedding's probably over by now

It was only after she got married...

...that I started to miss her

I've been wondering whether or not...

...she's been happy since then

I haven't seen her in ten years

Surely it hasn't taken you ten years...

...to find out she's your real soulmate?

Very possibly

But she's already married

So even you shrinks

have shitty storylines!

Shitty storylines indeed

Gensheng Road... 577

What number is it?

We're there

How can that be?

Where's 591?

Sir...

Excuse me

Where's 591, Gensheng Road?

You're in 589 here...

...but that's 595 over there

Why is there no 591?

Well...

Some houses were demolished a while back

It's an alley now

So you might not find it

Oh, I see

So there's no longer a 591

That's right

Do you know of a woman

who got married there three years ago?

Was there?

In her thirties

Good-looking

Light-skinned and thin

I really don't know

No-one comes to mind

You're sure it was in Taidong?

You go ahead

Then take care of yourself

Bye bye

I want to talk to you so much

So why couldn't I do it?

Why can't you care more about me?

Why don't you ever know

what I need?

I'm so tired

Do you know...

However much physical contact we have...

...it doesn't fill the emptiness in my heart

We never really get to where

I want to go

Now I'm sitting by the sea

Recording the words I want to say to you

But you won't hear them

November 2nd, 2006

Do you know where I am?

Do you know where I am?

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"Southern Most Point"

Yazhu...

Listen...

This is the sound of the southernmost point

There's still a lot I'd like to say to you

But...

I think...

I will end...

...the recording of "Sounds of Formosa" here

It takes the most distant course

To come nearest to yourself

And the training is at its most intricate

When it leads to the utter simplicity of a tune.

We have to knock at every alien door

To finally come to our own

To find ourselves

It takes the most distant course

To come nearest to yourself,

Come, come, come...

It takes the most distant course

To arrive at the place where one started

It is the final climb

To arrive at absolute pastoral beauty

We have to go through each illusory dream

To finally come to our own door,

To our own field

It takes the most distant course

To come nearest to yourself.

It takes the most distant course

To arrive at the place one misses most.

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