Sounds of Winter (冬のなんかさ、春のなんかね)

How was it?

Um, I can't really see

the color under the orange lighting in this store,

so can I look at it outside?

Of course. Please go ahead.

Thank you.

Go ahead.

-Thank you. -Sorry about our lighting.

-Nice. -What should I do?

Do you want to look at it under the sunlight?

-Thank you. -Sure.

-Yes, nice. -Yeah.

-It's a nice color. -Yeah, it's pretty.

Should I get it?

Thank you for waiting. Here's your hot coffee.

Thank you.

I'll take the empty plates.

-Thank you. -Enjoy.

What are your plans for the end of the year, Ms. Ayana?

Are you going back to your family?

Yeah, I'm planning to.

-You're from Toyama? -Yeah.

-And you, Wachi? -I'm from Saitama.

-Will you be visiting? -Yeah.

Well, I guess it doesn't feel that special because I can go home anytime.

-Yeah. -Yeah.

Oh yeah,

I wanted to ask you something. On Christmas--

No need to bring that up, Mr. Joe.

-Let's get the female perspective. -No, there's no need!

-Fine. -Okay.

What do you think about working on Christmas Day or Christmas Eve?

Wachi says,

"I have a girlfriend, but it's fine. I'll pick up a shift."

Even though I told him otherwise.

Mr. Joe, you just know how to think from a female's perspective.

I want to spend Christmas Eve with the person I love. I don't want to work.

But someone has to work, right?

But it doesn't have to be me.

This is the opposite of a typical situation.

Usually employees want to take the day off and managers want them to work.

Which type are you, Ms. Ayana?

I think I'm the same as you, Wachi.

See?

Places get crowded on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

It's better to just enjoy a day off on a different day.

That's exactly right.

And plus, we're in the customer service industry.

Then will you be working at the store on Christmas Eve?

No, I'm taking a day off.

-What? -Huh?

-You're taking a day off? -Wait.

-Huh? -Wait, listen.

I'm with someone who thinks just like you, Mr. Joe.

Oh, your boyfriend is the type that's big on anniversaries.

-Yeah. -That's lovely.

So I'm taking a day off, to spend the day with him.

Are you going somewhere on Christmas?

We're planning to go buy a chair.

-A chair? -Yes.

I want a chic chair.

A chair, huh? I see.

That's lovely.

A chair on Christmas, huh?

Did you just say "Chair-y Christmas"?

Why would I say such a lame joke?

Chair-y Christmas is so lame.

Hello.

Hello.

Hello.

Hello.

-Hello. -Hello.

Thanks for taking time to see me today.

No problem at all.

-Give me one second. -Okay.

Thanks for agreeing to the talk show event after the New Year. Did you see my email?

Sorry for not replying. Yes, I read it.

I'm glad.

-Here. -Thank you.

AYANA TSUCHIDA TALK SHOW AND SIGNING EVENT

So, what did you want to talk about?

It's regarding the current novel I'm working on.

I'm hesitant about whether I should continue with this any further.

Why is that?

Did Mr. Yamada say something?

No, it's not like that.

Well, a character in this story displays feelings of "envy."

But I'm starting to feel

that it's wrong to display feelings of envy

towards Kozue, who is alloromantic asexual.

Well, I can understand that.

Were you thinking the same way too?

The main character's friend, Kozue, is alloace.

She experiences romantic feelings towards others,

but not sexual feelings.

Therefore, she'll most likely never experience

how a relationship changes,

or sometimes even ends

as a result of having sex.

Yes.

And the main character is envious of that, right?

Yes.

But the main character has a choice,

whether to engage in sex or not.

And so being envious of Kozue

who feels no sexual desire towards anyone

just feels wrong to me somehow.

That did bother me a little too.

It feels like we're missing something.

By the way,

what were you envious of, Ms. Tsuchida?

What?

This character, Kozue, is based on your friend from back in college, right?

Yes.

What made you envious of that person?

There were two things.

One is exactly what you just mentioned, Ms. Tada.

I think I fall in love with people

more easily than others.

That's true both sexually and non-sexually.

But my friend

basically has no desire to sleep with anyone,

so she has never experienced how a relationship can change

by sleeping with someone.

I was envious of that.

What's the other thing?

The other thing is…

I guess

I admired that friend's genuineness.

-Genuineness? -Yes.

Well, she has a guy who likes her.

She's really trying her best to take his feelings for her seriously.

But as for me,

I haven't been able to do that.

So that's why I'm envious of her.

But in this case,

it has nothing to do with the fact that she's alloace.

I think

it's more of my admiration towards her personality.

Maybe that's what it is.

What?

That's what's missing right now.

What do you mean?

Well, this is something really obvious,

but everyone is different in their own way.

Not all alloace are the same.

So instead of making her character portray and represent all alloace,

it would be better if you

portray Kozue as an individual in a way that shows what kind of person she is.

When depicting sexual minorities,

there's a tendency to focus solely

on their romantic relationships or sexual orientation.

But for example,

some like cats,

some can't eat butter,

some are impatient,

some prefer to wear bright-colored clothes,

and some like cloudy skies.

There are many factors and components that make up a person.

In fact,

earnestness and genuineness is included in that too.

So when you portray the character Kozue,

I think it would be good to portray her not as a representative of alloace,

but as a human being,

and portray her charm

and details about her

that only you know about.

That helped to clear up my mind a little.

Oh no, they're all cute.

Yeah.

Which one do you like?

I can't decide.

Choose one that you like, Ayana.

Since you're at home longer than I am.

Even though it's your place?

-We can buy two, right? For each house. -Yeah.

I don't know.

-Which should we choose? -I don't know.

-This one is cute too. -Yeah.

Which one should we choose?

Is it all right to have them delivered to these two home addresses?

-Yes. -Yes.

Thank you.

Regarding the estimated delivery,

it will take approximately two months.

The delivery will be around the end of February. Is that all right?

February. Is that all right?

That's fine with me.

-Then yes, thank you. -Thank you.

It's delicious.

-Yeah. -Yeah.

How did you find this place?

-Is this your first time here? -Yeah.

I came here before with people I work with.

-People you work with? -Yeah.

A small wrap party for a hair and makeup job

for a commercial.

Hey,

Merry Christmas.

What is it?