Kana, got any chocolates for us?
-Mine's handmade, right? -You two won't get any from me.
-Why not? -None at all?
Not even obligation chocolate?
-Nope. -Come on! Just one!
-You have no one to give it to! -I gave it away.
-What? Who? -Tell us.
-Welcome back. -Good luck.
See you later. By the way, it rains hearts when you type Valentine's Day.
How cute!
Now that you mention it,
I just remembered today happens to be Valentine's Day.
I completely forgot!
Valentine's Day.
How come no hearts pop up for me?
Has Valentine's Day given up on me too?
Is 63 too old?
Here's the thing that made you cry about how Valentine's Day abandoned you.
I was kidding. I knew right away it was because of the model of my phone.
No, you weren't kidding. You were completely shocked.
You keep saying you're done with love,
but deep down you still want romance.
It makes sense you've been divorced for three years.
I have no interest in romance. Not one bit.
That's why I told you to open the app I sent you earlier.
Go ahead, open it.
-I already told you, no. -Seriously, now.
-Open it. Hurry up. -Fine. I'll do it.
-This one? -Yeah, that one.
Tap it. There you go.
And?
All right, so this is where you introduce yourself.
And,
these are the traits you're looking for in a partner.
Then you put a checkmark on the ones you like.
You guys match if he gives you a checkmark too.
After that, it's up to you whether to reach out or not.
What do you think?
I'm not sure.
What I do is reach out to them first.
Then after we text for a while,
if they seem worth meeting,
we'll go out for tea.
Wait, so you actually use it?
Didn't you say you started decluttering?
What? Well, yes.
We all get the urge to declutter once we hit 60.
Decluttering, yet the memories remain.
But even memories fade away.
No more things. No more memories.
Yet the end of our lives is still far away.
-Right? -Yeah.
What's the average life expectancy for Japanese women?
It's 88 right?
Something like that.
Which means we need to keep things new.
Right?
New encounters.
New excitements. New memories.
We're too young to wither away.
Well...
So...
No, thank you.
HOW MY WORST DATE EVER BECAME MY BEST
Hello?
Wow, Harajuku Station looks completely different!
It does?
Anyways, do you want me to call you like we planned?
Yes.
You sound nervous. Are you?
Of course I am!
Besides, you're the one who betrayed me.
Yes, I know.
It's all my fault. But Natsuko, it was your decision, you know.
Yes, ma'am. I know.
Also just because it's hot out doesn't mean you can order a beer.
Really? Even if he orders one?
I wouldn't be sure about a man who orders a beer in the afternoon on his first date.
Natsuko, you can be a bit stubborn,
so watch yourself.
Yeah, yeah. I'm almost there, so don't forget to call me later.
Leave it to me. Bye now. Good luck!
Do you think Natsuko will be okay?
I sure hope so.
NATSUKO, 63 FINE ARTS - LIVES IN TOKYO
Welcome.
-You must be Ms. Kurata. -Yes.
Nice to meet you. I'm Hayami.
Nice to meet you too.
I'm so sorry I'm late.
Not at all. I arrived far too early.
-Please have a seat. -Okay.
Hello, welcome.
-Iced coffee, please. -Iced coffee. Certainly.
Once again, it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance.
The pleasure is mine as well.
So, is your job as a curator keeping you quite busy?
I suppose, somewhat.
I see.
So, you work in interior design, right?
Well, I'm semiretired these days.
Were you working today, as well?
Oh, this? It's not that.
I just borrowed some materials from the library that I needed.
Excuse me. Sorry to keep you waiting. Here's your iced coffee.
Thank you very much.
Please enjoy.
It's another hot day today.
It sure is.
-Wow! You ran today, too? -Yes.
-Your drink. -Thank you.
Well, I only did a light jog around my house today.
That's still impressive. Where do you usually run?
Around the Imperial Palace.
Oh, so you're that type of runner!
I thought we were the same type when I read your profile.
You're the Imperial Palace type?
It's close to my office.
Well, I don't mind dirt, so I run wherever.
Dirt, asphalt, you name it. Of course, I change my shoes.
What do you wear?
Normal jogging shoes. The shop recommended them.
Oh, man. Some clerks have no idea what they're doing.
You could injure your feet. Are you okay?
Yes, so far so good.
Send me a photo later. I can give you some recs.
I may not look like it, but I ran the Tokyo Marathon twice.
Oh, wow! That's awesome.
Let's run the next one.
-Together? -Sure, I'll show you how.
Go ahead.
-Oh, I'm sorry. It's work. -I understand.
For that matter, can you run long distances?
I have to run to the bathroom.
It's right back there.
Yes!
Hello?
How's it going?
It's hard to tell.
Is he a weirdo?
I don't think so. For now.
But, you know, we just can't seem to break the ice.
Why not?
Why? Because I've never done this kind of thing before.
I see.
Well, that makes sense since you married your college sweetheart.
What?
Wait, that's not true.
Remember?
When you and your husband separated the first time.
What about it?
That...
Wait a minute.
That?
Geez, why would you remind me of that?
My bad.
Anyways, just have a conversation.
Talk as if love itself emanates from your lips.
Wait, you're not making much sense.
It's just a state of mind.
So do you want me to call you again?
Just one more time, okay?
Wouldn't texting be better next time?
I'll text you then.
Bye now. Go for it!
Okay.
Having fun, boss?
It's like you're more into it than Natsuko.
Girl talk is just so much fun!
Girl talk? What's that?
What?
Don't people call it girl talk anymore?
-Sorry about that. -Not at all. Is everything okay at work?
-Yes. -That's good.
By the way, I watched the movie you recommended in your email.
-What did you think? -I enjoyed it.
-What an actor! -Song Kang-ho!
Yes! That's the one. And the artwork was great too.
It sure was.
That's right. You work in design, so naturally you'd be drawn to that.
No, I'm nothing compared to you.
So, you specialize in contemporary art, right?
Yes, but I'll tackle anything for work.
The books I borrowed today are on Da Vinci to help prepare for our next exhibition.
Oh, really? What is it about?
-Do you want to see? -Sure.
It's a bit heavy.
-Here. -It sure is!
Is that so?
Well, I do cook, but nothing special.
I've been into making spiced curry from scratch. Do you know it?
It's been trending for a while now.
Anyway, I ended up buying like ten different spices.
I enjoy cooking through trial and error.
It's more like an experiment than cooking.
But my friends seem to like it.
Do you like spiced curry?
I usually go to restaurants for that.
Then I recommend Grey in Sancha. It's the best in Tokyo, if you ask me.
I'm friends with the owner.
One draft beer, please!
-What? -Coming right up!
Please continue. Sancha?
Sancha? What?
Sorry. I can't drink any alcohol.
Yeah, I know. It was in your profile. I'll go solo. Don't mind me.
Right... What was I saying?
Curry, right? Now I remember.
For me, any type of cooking is an experiment, not just curry.
Following a recipe isn't my thing.
For me, cooking is about pursuing originality.
Different flavors depending on my mood.
Do you cook, Ms. Ishii?
Yeah, well, I do.
Wow. You don't seem like the type.
Shall we get another drink?
That sounds good.
-Pardon me. Here's your beer. -Thank you.
Is it all right if I have a beer?
Sure. You know what? I'll have one too.
Be my guest.
Excuse me.
He is just wonderful. I highly recommend Hwang Jung-min.
He can play anything, from a charming man to a cold-blooded gangster.
Please wait a second.
I'm sorry. I just got carried away.
No, no. It's not that. I just wanted to jot it down.
Hold on a second. One moment, please.
-Hwang Jung-myeon. -No, Hwang Jung-min.
Excuse me, Jung-min.
Yes.
And what was the name of that movie?
New World. You have to watch it.
It's film noir. Are you okay with that?
Yes, I used to watch Hong Kong film noirs all the time.
Good. Make sure to watch Asura too.
I also recommend Ode to My Father.
-I'd call it more of a human drama? -Okay.
Sure...
Futsal does have its charm.
No offense but I think soccer is the best.
It's all about the plays and teamwork...
You know, you really ought to stop saying I, me, for me, and in my opinion.
It's a turnoff.
What?
Let's just say, we didn't hit it off.
Have a nice life!
-Sorry, I'll be quick. -Don't mind me.
Here it comes.
Yay!
Beer.
-Yay. -Yay.
-Well... -Yes?
Do you still have time after this?
Yes. I haven't made any special plans.
Well, if you'd like, I know a great Spanish restaurant.
Why don't we have dinner there?
Sure.
Fantastic.
But it's still too early.
How about we take a stroll around here?
That sounds good.
I'd like that. I haven't been to Harajuku in ages.
Me too. I haven't been here in 20 years.
-I'll carry this for you. -No, I can carry it.
It looks heavy.
I'm used to it.
Let's take turns then.
You carry this first.
All right.
-No, I really don't think it's that way. -No, it's definitely this way.
No, I think Penny Lane's a little farther down.
No, I'm certain it's this way.
If you insist, let's try it your way then.
Let's go.
That's odd. I could have sworn it was here.
Maybe it closed?
No, I'm certain it's on the other street.
Please follow me.
All right.
See? It's right here.
Oh my, you're right!
But I don't recall it being this far in.
The entrance looks completely different too.
It does.
This must be it though.
Well, things change.
It's been some 50 years since I last stepped foot here.
It's been over 40 years for me.
I can't believe it's still here.
Yes, I'm kind of happy to see it.
Me too.
So...
Did the street always look like this?
Memories are never trustworthy, you know.
It means the city is still alive and well.
I think it's a good thing.
I see.
So, we can say it's not because of my age then.
Agreed.
I think it's my turn to carry my bag.
It's okay.
Hey.
It's just that I think people should carry their own things,
whether they're a man or a woman.
That makes sense.
Why don't we carry it together then?
Pardon?
What's this?
This wasn't here before was it?
You're right.
Shall we take a look?
Sure.
I have a feeling we might stand out a bit.
You're right.
Well, we have been for a while.
Mind if I take a look?
Not at all.
-Hello. -Welcome.
-They look delicious. -Do take a look.
Come on in.
-Excuse me. -Yes?
-I'll take this. -This one?
-Yes. -That will be 800 yen.
Thank you.
-Are you using it? -Yes.
Thank you so much.
I'm sorry. You bought it because of my books.
Don't be. I've wanted one that's perfect for everyday shopping.
I'm glad I found a good one.
-Here's your change. -Thank you.
Thank you very much.
Something smells good.
That's definitely curry.
-That's him, right? -It is him.
Welcome.
Shall we?
Sure, I guess.
What can I get you?
Those two were probably doing the same thing we were.
Yes, on a first date after a match.
It's a pity he was trying so hard.
You think so? Was he even trying?
He reminded me of my dark past 30 years ago.
A dark past?
I actually had a traumatic experience with a first date once.
Ten years into our marriage, my husband and I separated for a time.
I happened to go on a date during that time
with someone I'd never met. It was a total disaster.
Wow.
That guy just kept talking on and on about himself.
Like that guy over there. Actually, no. Maybe even worse.
Like he was trying to one-up me.
Not at all. As a man myself, I'm sure he was desperate.
Call it youthful exuberance.
How shall I put this...
I doubt he was trying to one-up you.
Isn't it worse if he did it unintentionally then?
So what happened to you guys?
At the end of the date, he asked me out on another date.
See? He liked you, so he was trying to get you to like him.
If that's the case, he went about it all wrong.
The real issue was what came after.
He had tickets to a play and invited me to go with him.
It was that theater company's last show
and it was a play I really wanted to see.
But I couldn't get platinum tickets,
so I had given up on the idea of going.
I contemplated for two whole days.
And?
I really couldn't bear seeing him again,
so I lied that I was getting back together with my husband
and turned him down.
So you lied to him?
Yes, I'm just an awful person.
When I saw how the girl next to us told her date exactly how she felt,
I was impressed.
Then there's me, who'd horrible for lying just to get out of it.
The funny thing is that I actually did get back with my husband shortly after.
We ended up getting a divorce though.
So how did you ever find this terrible guy to begin with?
We were pen pals.
How times have changed.
A movie magazine had pen pal ads. They were everywhere back then, remember?
I wanted to meet someone I'd have something in common with.
The Cinema Companion.
Yes! That's the one!
What? How did you know?
-Yes, yes, yes. -Yep.
The Cinema Companion. That takes me back.
His letters were wonderful.
His writing was unpretentious but peppered with literary expressions that stood out.
He had beautiful penmanship too.
So I was convinced he'd be wonderful.
But in person, he kept trying to one-up me.
I was in utter shock.
I thought, "Did you really write those letters?"
I did.
I am the man you are talking about.
What?
The man from your nightmare date
is me.
Come on! Stop that. You almost had me for a second.
You're not like him at all.
In front of the bank at the intersection.
The newest edition of the magazine was our sign.
I invited you to a play put on by Yume no Yuminsha theatrical troupe, right?
What? I'm sorry... What?
Oh.
Now that I recall
I think I talked too much.
I must have been nervous since you were a curator.
I didn't want you to think I was just some stupid guy.
You were attractive, so I pulled out all the stops.
I didn't want you to hate me.
But the funny thing was that's exactly what happened.
I'm...
I'm so sorry.
I imagine you want to leave right about now.
No, that's not what I meant.
I'm sorry for being so rude and saying such awful things about you.
I even said...
Things like terrible and traumatic.
But it was all true.
But it's not the kind of thing you say in front of the actual person.
That's okay. You didn't know.
Besides, I'm grateful.
After you rejected me, I met my late wife.
We also got back together
and was blessed with a daughter.
Well,
you said in your email that you wanted to see a flamenco show, right?
Yes.
Well, you said so because I asked you.
The reason I started using a dating app is because of this.
Wow, it's Rocio Molina.
How did you get these platinum tickets?
I did everything to get my hands on them.
I was supposed to go with a friend.
But she double-booked an overseas business trip.
So...
I started looking,
hoping to find a new friend who would go with me.
You mean...
Me? Are you sure?
If it's okay with you, that is.
I'd love to.
This is it.
But actually,
we came here 30 years ago too.
Really?
I just remembered that myself.
Should we go somewhere else?
No, let's eat here.
I didn't get a chance to enjoy the meal then.
I'm so sorry.
That's all right.
Let's savor it this time.
Let's.
After you.
THE BEST DAY