My Dad and Mr. Ito (お父さんと伊藤さん)

How many times do I have to tell you? The older ones go in front.

You're laughing?

You think this is funny?

"Loser."

"Dead beat."

Do it right, will you?

"I never want to end up like him." That's what I thought.

That guy... he's something else.

I had absolutely no intention of finding out if that's true.

But by chance, we went out for drinks once.

Which led to a second time...

and then a third.

Somehow, Mr. Ito ended up staying.

So we moved to this apartment.

"Ito and Yamanaka"

MY DAD AND MR. ITO

What? You want Dad to come and live with me?

No way. This is too sudden.

I know.

I'm not saying right away.

Say...

in September?

But Still.

It won't be forever.

Just until Rin and Kota get into middle school.

Just six months. That's all I'm asking.

Are private schools that hard to get in?

Yeah.

They go to cram school every day.

We pack them dinners and shuttle them back and forth.

With twins, it's double the effort.

To have to look after Dad on top of that...

Ririko finally...

What happened?

Did she collapse or something?

Not exactly, but...

She's...

struggling emotionally.

Please.

You're the only one I can ask.

But Still...

I mean...

Why can't Dad live on his own?

Are you serious, Aya?

Dad is seventy-four.

Besides, he has a heart condition and...

What?

Mum's gone.

It's been four years.

That's not the point.

He has never lived alone.

Still...

Wait.

Are you living with someone?

I see.

I guess that's not surprising.

Sorry, Kiyoshi.

Don't be, there's nothing to apologize for.

I'm really sorry.

You're home.

Aren't you even going to say hi?

What's this all about?

This is Mr. Ito.

We're living together.

I'm Ito Yasuaki.

Are you married?

No.

How old are you, if I may ask?

Me?

I'm fifty-four.

What?

So you're twenty years older than Ayo?

That's mathematically correct.

Aren't you too old for her?

Am I?

We have never really thought about it.

What do you do for work?

I work at a primary school.

You're a school teacher?

No, I'm not.

An administrator then?

Not that either.

What then if you're neither a teacher nor an administrator?

I work part-time at the school cafeteria.

What's going on, Dad?

Why did you drop by out of the blue?

You met with Kiyoshi today, didn't you?

Yeah, I did.

So you know.

Yeah, sort of.

That's why I'm here.

Wait a minute. Do you mean...

I'll be living here for a while.

It will be pretty cramped but I'm sure we can manage.

This is for the living expenses.

I prefer Japanese food, but go light on the seasoning.

My bedding and personal belongings will arrive tomorrow afternoon.

That's it.

Let me.

- No, I'm fine. - But...

It's not that heavy.

Soba sounds good for dinner.

The sauce is too sweet.

Aya, didn't we buy some persimmons yesterday?

Why would anyone buy persimmons?

Here we go again.

Buying persimmons is a waste of money.

Then what should we do when we feel like having persimmons?

Pick them from the backyard.

- He'll eat them. - Pick them?

That's what he always says.

Every time Mum bought persimmons...

he would say it's silly to waste money on persimmons.

But he'd eat them once she serve it up peeled and cut.

You had a persimmon tree?

Of course not.

Dad had one when he was a kid.

In his backyard.

He'd climb that tree and pick persimmons.

Don't get him started on his childhood stories.

Dad is kind of stubborn and difficult.

- He can be quite a pain. - He can hear you.

So what?

Let's see.

It's sweet.

Dad's here.

- I know. - You know?

He left a letter.

This isn't going to work.

I told you, I'm living with someone.

He can't just show up.

I know, I know.

But please. Just for a while.

Until things settle down here.

Good morning.

The morning's half gone.

Good morning.

- Have you had breakfast? - He prepared one for me.

How can you eat such greasy food for breakfast?

I'm tucking in.

Where did you meet him?

Who?

- Mr. Ito? - Who else?

At work.

Do you work at the cafeteria too?

No, I mean my previous job at a convenience store.

A convenience store?

It closed down.

Where are you working now?

At a bookstore in front of the train station.

Is it a full-time position?

Of course not.

It's part-time.

What do you mean, "of course not"? You used to work full-time.

Don't you want to have a full time job?

Jobs aren't easy to come by nowadays.

Excuses, excuses.

You're already thirty-four.

What about your future?

You're not eighteen anymore, you know.

Speaking of which... Mr. Ito, was it?

Why are you with someone who is so much older'?

What do you mean why?

The man I like just happens to be older, that's all.

Just happens to be older?

He just happens to be twenty years older?

What are your plans for the future?

He'll be sixty in six years.

What about kids and all?

I don't want any.

I'm off.

I'm home.

Welcome home.

Where's Dad?

He's not home. He wasn't here when I got back.

Maybe he went back to my brother's.

I doubt it.

His stuff arrived.

What is it?

That box.

Oh, that.

It seems to be something very Important.

He wouldn't even let me touch it.

Cremains, maybe?

- Cremains? - Your mum's.

The size of the box looks just right for ashes.

We interred my mum's ashes.

I see. I guess not then.

But I think it's related to my mum.

Maybe it's her photos...

or her journals or even love letters.

Love letters...

- Shall we open it? - What?

- No, we shouldn't. - Aren't you curious about what's inside?

- I am. - Just a little peek.

- No. - He'll never know.

But it's not right.

There are things you shouldn't do even though you're his daughter.

Oh yes, come here.

Look. Isn't this great?