The Sea Is Watching (Umi wa Miteiru) (海は見ていた)

THE SEA IS WATCHING

"That night, under a harvest moon...

"so bright it left no shade...

"the brothers went out...

"into the garden to play...

"and saw wild geese flying...

"to who knows where.

"Of those five wild geese...

"one must be the father...

"one the mother, and three their children.

"'You are the younger brother, I am the elder...

"'and though our mother is indeed our mother ... "'

O-Shin ...

Let's close up.

There won't be any more customers tonight.

Where you going, samurai?

You're a good-looking guy, you know. Let's have some fun.

Come on, why don't you?

Don't just walk by!

Could I come in...

and spend the night?

She seems to know you.

I've never been here before.

Come in, please.

This way.

Miss Kikuno! Someone to stay.

Welcome.

Up here.

In here.

Your sword.

I'll bring tea.

- Could I have the service now? - The service?

The due.

What you pay for coming in, and for staying the night.

- How much? - 400 mon.

No, this is far too much.

Take it, please.

I was in a fight. They're after me.

Someone might come here looking for me.

All right.

This might be dusty.

Change into this.

- Where's the Missus? - Gone to bed.

Then you keep this, miss.

It's that mars service...

and a tip to share with everyone.

He was in a fight and they're after him. You know what to do.

We'll say he's a regular...

a cabinet-maker named Taiji.

Beware of fire!

Is your fire out?

Quick! Get changed.

Where were you fighting?

I was with my friends from my household...

at a teahouse near Hachiman Shrine.

- You fought with them? - No.

I was blind drunk.

I've never really gone drinking before.

All I remember is someone holding me...

and my sword being taken away.

So you stabbed someone?

So it would seem.

That's right.

It was someone in the next room.

There was a crowd drinking in there, too.

A samurai?

Maybe. But whoever it was...

I slashed him.

Did you kill him?

No, I don't think so.

Someone shouted:

"Split up, and don't go home tonight."

I started running, and somehow I ended up here.

We've got to disguise you.

What are you doing?

They'll know you're a samurai by your hair.

You're Taiji the cabinet-maker, a regular customer of mine.

That's your kimono.

Watchman! Raise the bar!

Coming.

Quick!

This way.

Open up!

Get into bed and pretend you're sound asleep.

Open up!

That sounds like Ume.

- An officer? - The local constable.

Alone he wouldn't be a problem...

but if he's got others with him ...

I won't eat you. Come over here.

Coming. Well!

- Got any samurai staying here? - No.

The woman across the way says one came in here.

Oh, that samurai?

He just looked us over and went on his way.

Anyone else here?

- There's one with O-Shin. - We'll have a look at him.

He's no samurai.

He's a regular. His name is Taiji. He's a cabinet-maker.

You've got to relax.

Come on. Act like you're here all the time.

We'd like to see him.

O-Shin!

O-Shin! Inspection!

This way.

Hey! We're coming in!

What do you want, Ume?

We're looking for someone. We'd like to see your customer.

Hey, honey, inspection.

He's one of your regulars?

Yes. He's a cabinet-maker named Taiji.

Wake him up, will you?

All right.

Come on, honey, wake up.

Wake up and put this on. Come on, honey.

Shut up, will you?

Taiji!

You can't do a damn thing with him when he's drunk.

Taiji!

Go away!

Taiji! Honey!

That's enough.

I don't want to see any more of this.

Is that how you treat a client? Come on.

What do you mean? You said to wake him up.

That won't be necessary.

What a night.

Did your samurai go?

Just now.

Oh.

Come into my room and have some tea.

No, thanks. I'm going to get a little sleep.

What a mess that was last night.

What happened afterwards?

He put on his kimono, kneeled, bowed and said:

"I thank you."

Then he straightened up and sat there all night.

All I could do was bow back and kneel there myself.

- All night? - Yes.

Oh, dear.

Good night, then.

O-Shin?

- Excuse me. - Yes, miss?

That samurai seems like a very nice young man.

But he isn't somebody you should be falling for.

I know that.

Anyway, he won't be back.

That's fine, then.

Good night.

- Arert they nice? - Which one?

- This one. - All right.

We'll take this one.

Is Kikuno's "steady" that yakuza-looking fellow?

Yes.

I keep telling her to break it off with him...

but she won't listen.

He's brought her no end of grief.

She was working the licenced quarter...

but he gambled away all her money...

and she's gone down since then.

He's always going on and on...

about how she can't live without him.

Missus...

I'm going now. This is for you.

You're too kind!

This way, please.

Think about it, will you?

What does he want you to think about?

Moving somewhere else again.

He knows I don't want to.

This gentleman would like to come in.

Well, bring him in, of course.

He wants to see the girl upstairs, in the back room on the left.

O-Shin? All right.

But she went out...

with her younger sister.

I saw them at the bridge.

I'll go get her. Go on upstairs and wait there.

This way, please.

Take care you don't get sick.

O-Shin.

You have a customer.

Is something wrong?

Now my mother's sick.

Oh, dear. So soon after your father died...

after being ill so long.

We'll be fine. I'll make money. I'm still young.

Hello.

Thank you for helping me the other day.

I'm sorry.

I don't need any tea.

What is it?

I'm a little worried about a customer of O-Shirs.

- Who is he? - A young samurai.

And she's always falling in love with customers.

Old fogies like me are the best customers for a place like this.

Just old men that no girl would ever fall for.

Laugh if you want, but I'm talking about you, too.

The man who was just here is no good for you.

Why don't you come live with me? I've got the perfect house.