Tokyo Fiancee Page #4

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who wasn't part of this famous floating world,

this world that suited me so well,

where nothing is black or white,

entirely yes or no,

this world of impermanence.

The Japanese feel more than they express.

Not Rinri, at least not about me.

l had to react. l had to tell Rinri.

Rinri, l have to tell you something.

You don't like Sado lsland?

lt's not that. lt's...

Wait. Eat this. lt's delicious.

l couldn't speak.

A little Japanese god lurking

in the octopus stopped me.

Too bad.

lt's all good.

l feel like l'm in a Japanese film.

Amlie, get down.

Gentlemen, some tea?

Persimmons! l love them.

What are you doing? No, we can't.

We can't. We can't.

-No!

-Why not?

ln Japan, we can't!

Come.

"Mu." That's the kanji for "void."

Bravo.

l have to go. l'll come back.

Rinri?

Yes?

Did the mafia call you?

What?

Nothing.

Yeah, nothing.

Here, for you.

l went back.

-Did you...?

-No, l bought them.

From whom?

lt was hard to find.

You're the nicest boy in the world.

Can you eat a persimmon for me?

Yes, l can eat one for you.

lt's so good!

At one point l saw my reflection.

l watched myself.

A ring, but why?

Why now?

Amlie,

will you marry me?

You don't want to.

-Look...

-You don't want to.

Wait.

Before marriage, there's the engagement.

-Engagement?

-Yes. Engagement, marriage.

There's an order to follow.

How long does the engagement last?

lt depends.

l accept your...engagement ring!

Thank you. Fine.

Thank you to the man who

invented engagements. A true genius.

Engagement.

lt might have been a woman.

The engagement.

l'm your fiance.

My fiance.

Christine! How are you?

l'm working for Yamimoto.

Remember, l told you.

Since January.

A year. lt's a one-year contract.

lt's great.

No, awful. The most depressing time of my life.

And you? How are you?

Yeah...

Yeah.

Sure. Let's get together. We'll call.

Marry me!

lt would be easier for you.

We're already engaged. l'm your fiance.

When's the engagement end?

l told you, it varies.

-l'll make more tea.

-Stop!

Don't be so nice.

-Just tea...

-No. Stop.

Go back to bed.

My coworkers are unfriendly.

Being a Japanese woman is hard.

Yes, being a Japanese woman is hard.

What about Rinri?

l'm scared.

Scared? Scared of what?

Scared he sees me as France

and l see him as Japan.

Amlie? Amlie!

What time is it?

You fell asleep.

l know, l was dreaming.

Stop working for Yamimoto.

No, l have a contract.

lt's not for you. You know that.

You should write.

So when?

When what?

Our wedding? When's the date?

We have to decide. l told my parents.

You did?

Yes.

What did they say?

My father is glad.

My mother...

it's harder.

-You see!

-What?

Maybe she's right.

Why?

You know l have to finish my contract.

And after, l can't think about it now.

You're more Japanese than a Japanese.

l'm a samurai.

Did you ever climb Mt Fuji?

Mt Fuji?

No.

You're not a real Japanese.

A real Japanese has to climb Mt Fuji.

You're right.

At least that's what we Japanese say.

Let's climb Mt Fuji.

This weekend?

Yeah.

Very good.

And after...

Yes?

Nothing.

Go home tonight.

l'm exhausted.

Yes.

You're such a good man.

ls that a question?

No.

You're a good woman, too.

Not really.

l hear it's a pretty easy climb.

l know.

Shoes would have been enough.

Yes.

Earthquake!

Come!

Did you call home?

-Yes.

-And?

They're worried.

They want me to come back.

-l can't leave now. lt sucks!

-Amlie,

our embassy is evacuating all expats.

At Yamimoto, how's it going?

Hello?

A third explosion at Fukushima.

-My God.

-You can't stay.

Even in Tokyo, it's dangerous.

No, l'm staying.

Amlie, you have to go home.

To Europe.

No way. l'm staying.

What?

Yasmine's flying to Paris with her husband.

So come with me.

-No.

-Yes.

-l'm not leaving.

-Then l'll stay.

Stop being childish.

You have to go.

This catastrophe doesn't involve you.

l want you to go home.

My father found you a flight.

You leave tomorrow.

You'll come back later.

Rinri? l love you.

We're still engaged.

A lot.

l love you a lot.

Please...

Honorable Amlie?

Neighbors l barely knew came to talk to me.

They begged me to go.

"Thanks for loving our country,

but we Japanese must

face our misfortune alone."

l was beaten.

Bye bye.

l didn't speak to your parents.

They didn't want you to.

l'm reading a book on Ramses ll.

lt's fascinating.

l'd like to become an Egyptian.

Don't come in the airport.

l wanted to tell you.

l'm not a yakuza.

l know.

l never saw Rinri again.

Much later,

l learned he married a French woman,

a general's daughter.

Amazing Rinri.

Our eternal engagement was over.

Too bad.

lt's all good.

lt went way beyond a dumb love story.

As for me...

No,

l'll keep that for another time.

"Everything that one loves becomes fiction"

- Amlie Nothomb

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