The Could've-Gone-All-the-Way Committee (やれたかも委員会)

-This way, please. -Okay.

What do you need in life?

What does life have to offer?

These are the questions asked by people who are lost in life.

KOSEIJUKU PRINCIPAL YUZURU NOJIMA

WORLD HOLIDAY ASSOCIATION DIRECTOR AYAKO TSUKI

MUSICIAN OASIS

Nobuteru Masuda.

I'm 32 years old.

I work at a medical equipment manufacturer.

When did it happen?

My second year in high school.

When I found an old photograph,

I suddenly had a very strong...

Like a vivid flashback?

No.

It was a smell and sound.

I experienced...

a rush of sound and smell.

At the time,

I was attending a normal public high school,

but I was usually working, instead of going to class.

You might understand if you're from a small town.

Rusted vending machines.

Shuttered-up shops.

Neglected asphalt.

A town that's slowly dying.

But that wasn't the only reason I felt claustrophobic.

It's those mountains that I can still see so vividly in my mind.

You could see them from anywhere in town.

There was no escaping them.

Now that I'm an adult, I've realized that I used this as a means

of opposing the great flow of time, or rather,

the one thing I could grasp tightly to avoid being swallowed up.

What are these black things?

Those are anchovies.

That's what my part-time job was to me then.

Why a fast food restaurant?

Because it was far away enough that I wouldn't run into classmates.

There were only so many places that hired high school students.

-What about convenience stores? -I think we had two.

The one by the station was too popular,

and the other one

was in the middle of a crowded neighborhood.

I see.

Then one day...

I saw it five times.

-It looks awesome. -I want to see it, too.

You can rent it now.

I totally want to see it.

Let's watch it at your place, Yumiko.

Fine, but if you don't like it, don't tell me.

Let's go buy some snacks, then.

Do you want to come, too, Masuda?

Do you watch movies?

This was Ms. Yumiko Kurahashi?

I believe that was it.

Had she ever talked to you before?

No, I don't think so.

It's nice.

The first time.

It was a new feeling.

They were all older than me,

and only I was still in high school.

I'd never even been to the store with my classmates.

Hey.

It's okay. My treat.

This is way too much.

Nothing ever changes in this town.

One of these days I'll move.

-Where's your hometown pride? -I don't got any.

I don't have a future in this town.

-Isn't our manager single? -Nope. He's not.

After that, I walked with her to the only video store in town.

This is me.

Looks nice.

-Honey, I'm home. -Very funny.

What are you doing?

-Come on. -Okay.

A faint aroma of flowers.

The unfamiliar smells of a girl's room made my nostrils tickle.

"I'm actually in a girl's room right now," I thought, assuredly.

This is just the regular flavor.

-What did you want? -I wanted cheese flavor.

-Hey, you have to warn me first. -To commemorate the occasion.

-Okay, big group photo. -Can you get the shot?

We need to get closer.

I brought the photo.

Hold on.

May I take a look?

Yes.

Thank you.

What happened after?

We got out the snacks we bought from the store,

and it looked like we needed more.

And so, her two friends went to buy more snacks.

I knew we didn't get enough.

Make sure you get Donbe and not Akai Kitsune.

I know.

Donbe, not Akai Kitsune?

What is it?

Oh, I was just thinking that I like the opposite.

Make sure you get Donbe and not Akai Kitsune.

-I know. -We'll be back.

I found some potato jerky. You want some?

Yes.

I'll do that.

That's all right.

I'm sorry.

You've got a lot of energy, Masuda.

Do you have a girlfriend?

No.

You have to enjoy your school years.

Actually, I barely even go to school.

Really?

Were you a virgin?

Yes, at the time.

Did you want a girlfriend?

I don't think I even thought of girls like that until then.

Until then?

In other words, that's when you started.

What triggered it?

The movie.

Was it the same movie you saw as a group?

I think... we started watching some other movie we rented,

and it was a very...

erotic Asian film.

The potato jerky really fills you up.

That's true.

Don't push your luck.

Of course not.

Do you mind if I come in?

What's taking them so long?

Where are they?

We kept watching,

but things were getting very awkward.

I'm getting sleepy.

Just then, there was a sex scene in the movie.

When the room was quiet again,

I started hearing all sorts of other noises.

The dripping faucet started to synchronize with her breathing.

I could hear my own heartbeat, too.

What was beyond those mountains?

If I had the courage to even take one step...

The station is so far away.

And it started raining.

You went all the way to the station? There's another store closer.

You could've told us.

Didn't I?

Now I'm pissed.

-No Akai Kitsune for you. -I said, Donbe.

Have you seen Ms. Kurahashi since?

No, I moved to the city...

after I left high school.

Do you ever go home to visit?

No, not at all.

My parents moved away, as well.

I wanted to leave so badly.

Now I have no reason to return.

Oh, also...

I'm being transferred abroad for an extended project,

so, I don't know when I'll be back in Japan.

I probably will never go back to that town.

I see.