Norwegian Wood (Noruwei no Mori / ノルウェイの森) (ノルウェイの森)

Hey, give it to me.

Naoko and Kizuki had been close almost from birth.

Because Kizuki was my best friend,

the three of us did things together.

I lost.

I'll pay for the game.

After Kizuki died,

there was a vague knot of air inside me.

I wanted to get away from this town.

I wanted to begin a new life where I didn't know a soul,

and forget everything.

The chain reaction of unrequited love

and its tragic consequences is the core of the story of Andromache.

We want permission to use the remaining time to debate this.

The world is drowning in problems more profound than Greek tragedy.

I can't imagine anything is more profound than Greek tragedy,

but suit yourselves.

For a while after I moved to Tokyo,

reading was all that mattered to me.

My life felt like it was on hold,

as empty as the margins of the books I read so avidly.

That's 1,900 Yen.

Watanabe,

it's already 6:30 am.

Instead of staying up all night reading, why don't you go to bed early

and just get up and exercise with me?

Nagasawa.

Is it true you've slept with a hundred girls?

Don't exaggerate.

More like 70, at the most.

I've only slept with one.

Come with me next time.

Don't worry, it's easy.

I had a definite interest in the strange, complex aspects

of Nagasawa's nature, along with his sophistication.

Excuse me.

Life is too short.

Don't waste valuable time reading

any book that hasn't had the baptism of time.

Shall we make a toast?

He was both a spirit of amazing nobility

and an irredeemably materialistic man.

I... I was sitting over there.

What are you doing in Tokyo?

What am I doing?

Let's walk a little.

Have you been well?

You don't talk much.

I can't say what I want to say well. Sorry.

Don't worry.

I don't talk much, either.

Where are we?

Komagome. We made this big circle.

You're really tough.

Surprised?

Yeah.

Can I call you? This Saturday?

Of course.

Every Sunday, we met and walked,

walking with no destination in mind.

As if walking were a religious ritual to heal our wounded spirits.

We continued to avoid any mention of the past.

Certainly, Kizuki's name

never came up in our conversations.

Can I look?

Sure.

It's cute.

Ready?

Oh, sorry. Wait just a minute.

Okay?

Go ahead.

For you.

For me?

Right.

Thank you.

You're welcome.

Can I open it?

Of course.

I don't know. It's stupid being 20.

I'm just not ready.

It feels weird.

Like somebody's pushing me from behind.

I've got seven months to get ready.

I'll take my time.

You're so lucky, still being 19.

I think that people

should just go back and forth between 18 and 19.

Go to 19 when 18 is over,

and back to 18 when 19 is over.

That way...

That way...

...things would be easier...

Is this your first time?

You didn't sleep with Kizuki?

Why?

I'm sorry.

I shouldn't have asked.

I'm sorry.

I have to go.

Will you call me again?

When her apartment manager told me Naoko had moved,

I was stunned.

I wrote her a long letter and sent it to her home in Kobe.

Wherever she was,

I was certain they would forward it to her.

On your birthday,

I probably shouldn't have done what I did.

What I felt for you

was something I never experienced before.

I need you to answer me.

At least let me know

whether I've hurt you or not.

Watanabe.

Trim your nose hair.

It's really dirty.

You know we're late.

I know. So what?

Hurry up. You're such trouble.

Hatsumi had a pretty good idea that Nagasawa was sleeping around.

But she never complained to him.

She was seriously in love with him,

but she never made any demands.

Want to find some girls tonight?

Sure, let's go get them.

What the hell was that?

Really?

Yes, the elbow is the least sensitive part of the body.

Hmm, is that so?

Do your best. See you someday.

Please forgive me for not answering sooner.

It took me a very long time to be in any condition to write.

For now, I am not prepared to see you.

After I moved out of my apartment,

I came back to my family's house in Kobe and saw a doctor for a while.

He tells me

there is a place in the hills outside Kyoto that would be perfect for me,

and I'm thinking of spending a little time there.

I feel grateful in my own way

for the companionship you gave me.

Please believe that much.

You are not the one who hurt me.

I myself am the one who did that.

This is how I truly feel.

You're Watanabe, right?

Yeah.

Mind if I sit down?

Are you expecting someone?

Nobody's coming, please.

Have we met?

Euripides.

We just finished class, right?

Was your hair down to here before summer break?

But over the summer...

Let me see your profile.

It looks good on you.

You really think so?

Yeah.

Hey, you're not a liar, are you?

I like to think of myself as honest.

Are you suntanned?

I spent the last couple of weeks hiking around.

Alone?

Alone.

Do you always travel alone?

Yes, I do.

You enjoy solitude?

Nobody likes being alone that much.

I just don't go out of my way to make friends.

It just leads to disappointment.

You can use that line if you ever write your autobiography.

Are you teasing?

I love the way you talk.

My name's Midori.

Take your sunglasses off.

My eyes are tired today.

Lack of sleep?

A little.

Sorry I forgot about our lunch.

Did you wait there long?

It doesn't matter. I've got time on my hands.

A lot?

I wish I could give you some to help you sleep.

That's sweet.

Come in!

Hello.

Welcome.

Hello. For you.

Thank you.

I'll water it.

Am I too early?

It's fine.

Hey, you have a bookshop downstairs.

It's been our bookshop for thousands of years.

I'm glad you're enjoying my cooking.

This is great.

You weren't expecting much, were you,

judging from my looks?

So, your family's out today?

My mother's in her grave.

My sister's out driving with her fiancé.