Tokyo Fiancée

l was 20.

l wanted to be Japanese, it was my sole ambition.

By chance, l was born in Japan.

That should've helped, but chance is fickle.

My parents were Belgian, not Japanese.

They worked in Japan.

When l was 5 they went back to Belgium, taking me with them.

During childhood and adolescence, l dreamed of one thing:

to return to Japan to become what, despite appearances, l was,

a real Japanese.

One day l bought a one-way ticket to Tokyo.

l arrived with only my 20 years.

Actually, l wanted to be more than Japanese.

l also wanted to be a writer.

l wanted to be a venerable Japanese writer.

lt would be more complicated,

but that's another story.

No, in fact, it's the same story.

Hello?

Yes, it's me.

Yes, l am the French teacher, yes.

Yes, wait a second please.

Yes, on the twen...That's tomorrow!

Rich Café.

Ah in French: Riche Café. ln Omote-Sando.

See you tomorrow. Yes...bye.

How will l recognize you?

Hello?

For some reason l recognized him right away.

Sorry, l didn't catch your name yesterday.

Rinri

l see, Rinri. Good.

Can l have also your name?

Amélie

Could you write it? l'm sorry.

A...mé...lie.

Yes. Good. Amélie.

l'm from Belgium.

No, that's alright.

Let's speak French.

Say something in French.

-lt's raining. -Yes, it's raining. Right.

Do you often come to this café?

This café, do you like it?

This café...

is a place...

Young public...

come here.

Very good...l'm sorry.

No, that's good. Go on.

-l'm sorry. -No, that's fine.

Here's my Japanese...

Who taught you Japanese, a five-year-old?

Sort of. The child was me. l was born here.

You were born Japan?

Yes, in Kansai, near Kobe.

l was 5 when l left. l just came back.

You just return Japan?

l'm sorry.

Let's continue.

What food do you like?

What do you like to eat?

Don't know it. ls it Japanese?

-Tamago. Egg. -Yes.

Egg.

Yes, better. That's better.

Monday, 1 0 a.m., possible?

1 0 a.m., possible.

l'll call you.

No, it was just to see. l...

Thank you.

ln Tokyo l awoke each day filled with inexplicable happiness.

The simple happiness of being alive.

To celebrate my 1 0th day in Japan as an adult,

l took the tram.

The rooftops, streets, temples, bikes, pedestrians, cats,

passengers...they all said they'd been waiting for me,

that they'd missed me,

that order had been restored,

and that my reign would last 1 0,000 years.

My megalomania has always had a lyrical streak.

Whatever. l was now an eminent French teacher.

l had one student.

What does your father do?

My father

does

business.

He's in business. What kind of business?

What kind?

l'm sorry. lt's difficult.

Jewel?

He's in jewelry.

Even l find it hard to pronounce.

Jewellery.

-l'm sorry. -No, your French is improving.

Your pronunciation, everything is very good.

Hello, Rinri

Hiroki's a friend of mine.

He speaks a little French.

Let's speak French then.

l present Hiroki, my friend. l present Amélie, my mistress.

-A pleasure. -Me too.

Are you studying French?

Amélie?

Christine! Everyone's here!

Are things going well in Tokyo?

Yes, fine. This is...

l'm Rinri. l present Hiroki, my friend.

-l present Amélie, my mistress. -Really?

She's at the Canadian embassy.

You're both Canada?

No, Christine's from Québec.

And Amélie's Belgian.

-You both speak French? -Yes.

-Thanks to Amélie. She... -l give him French lessons.

Private lessons are the best way.

-Will you join us? -Thanks, but l have a meeting.

l'll call you. Bravo!

The next Saturday, Rinri invited me to a friend's party.

He'd pick me up in his car.

That's better.

Hello.

ls this your car?

No.

lt's my father's car.

Right. l thought so.

Hey Yasmine!

l'm so happy to see you.

This is Amélie.

-Hello. -You're Belgian?

-ls the accent that obvious? -And how!

Where are you from?

Belgium.

Right, of course.

-Hello. -Hello. l'm Hara.

-l'm Amélie. -Welcome.

lt's Belgian beer.

Thank you.

l didn't know there was a band.

Yes. Sit down, please. Play.

l don't play music.

ln Japanese, not working is asobu.

lf you're not working, you're playing.

l know.

Well, excuse me!

-You're the chef tonight? -Yes.You're the chef tonight?

Rinri's a great cook, you know.

Just look at him.

What's that?

-Cabbage. -And this?

Ginger.

-This? -Shrimps. That's the Belgian word.

That's the French word too.

Rinri, is that okonomiyaki you're making?

Yes.

You know okonomiyaki?

l've had okonomiyaki, with Hiroshima sauce.

Would you like more?

You can get it in Paris. On rue Ste-Anne they have okonomiyaki.

Rue Ste-Anne is in Paris.

Our Japanese nanny made them.

What did you say?

Amélie was born in Japan.

Really?

How'd you pull that off?

Masa asks if you have Japanese citizenship.

Being born here isn't enough.

Hiroki says, "lt's true, it isn't enough."

There's sauce on your chin.

Humor, the last barrier to universal understanding...

Even today, l wonder

what was so funny about having sauce on my chin.

Still, it had been a wonderful evening.

l had work, friends...

an enemy...

l felt like l belonged.

Where did you see my ad?

Ad?

The ad for French lessons.

No, one of my father's workers see ad.

And l had Rinri, my pupil.

Amélie...

No, that's not how it'll end.

l hadn't started writing.

l couldn't do everything, could l?

-Hello, Amélie. -Hello, Rinri.

Where'll we have the lesson?

-My house. -Your house?

-ls this it? -Yes.

We are honored.

This is my French teacher, the honorable Amélie.

-Please be welcome. -lt's a great pleasure.

Please,

honor us by sitting.

Let's begin.

Have you lived in this house long?

Yes.

Answer with a sentence.

Yes...

l lived house a long time.