Thank you so much !
You're welcome.
Thank you.
Hi Ethan.
Hey you.
I'm sorry I'm late again,
I turn to the wrong station.
No worries.
Abby, this is Mio,
Jin, Asami.
Nice meeting you.
Wanna get a drink?
Hell yeah.
Bye bye.
I'll be right back.
Business.
- Hi, I'm Abby!
- Hi, it's Charlie.
So you guys know Ethan?
Who doesn't, sugar ?
I'm Gretchen.
You sound like you're from the South?
No, I just like to talk this way.
So Abby, fresh from the plane, I hear.
Two weeks, actually.
So wild.
I never thought I'd end up in Tokyo
But Ethan work is here
And I just can't stand long distance
relationship, you know.
Abby, need work?
No, thanks.
I'm all set.
I got this job as a copy editor
At a Japanese law firm.
How prestigious.
Please, it's a joke.
They barely gave me anything to do.
So, what do you guys do?
I drink, and Gretchen's geisha.
I'm not a geisha.
I'm a goddess.
She's a hooker.
I'm a hostess, okay?
What's that?
I am paid to look good good and to
entertain businessmen.
Here you go.
Cheers.
Welcome to Japan.
Thanks.
Are you glad I'm here?
So, what's going on?
I got a new client.
I gotta move to Osaka.
They need their website up and running.
How 'bout I come with you?
Don't you have to work?
I hate my stupid job.
You work and i'll be the tourist.
Come on, we could just play all weekend long.
This is going to be non-stop 24/7.
I'm not gonna have anytime to hang out, at all.
When are you coming back?
Not sure.
You know, it could be a while.
As in..
A week .. a while ?
Ethan?
You know I said last night I'm glad you came.
Yea.
Well, I really wanted to say yes,
but I couldn't ..
.. and that's messed up.
You know, it just really intense with Tokyo
and you gotta admit it happened really fast.
What do you mean ?
We talked about this.
No, We didn't talk about this.
You only said you're coming.
You said you wanted me to come.
- No, I never said that, Abby.
- Yes.
No, I know I never said that.
Yes, you did.
Abby, you're just feeling it.
So now, I'm gonna need to do what I need to do.
I gotta go.
So, you're not coming back, then?
I never said that.
This is crazy.
Abby, I'm sorry.
I know this stinks.
But I have to do what I have to do.
I'm a traveler.
I'm proud in fact that I can pack my life
in two suitcases.
Cheer up.
I might be back.
Get off, Ethan.
You jerk.
See, I thought of all people in the world..
.. you'd understand.
Please, wait.
It's Ethan.
Leave a message.
Hi, it's me.
Look , I'm really sorry about everything.
I know that this is all my fault.
You were right.
I put a lot of pressure about me
coming here.
So, I just wanna tell you I'm sorry
And I would love to talk about this.
So, call me, okay ?
I'll be up.
Well, I hope everything's going good.
Thanks. Bye.
Excuse me.
Is anybody here?
Hi.
I don't understand.
Are you open ?
I don't know what I'm doing with my life.
I'm a complete mess.
My cousin, Heather, just got her PhD.
Here I am
Four years out of college
Phi Beta Kappa
And that nothing
to show for it, not one single thing.
And I thought I was so brave coming to Tokyo
.. but
Ethan
.. just left me.
I'm ..
I'm so alone.
What ?
Thank you.
Thank you.
Eat.
It's delicious.
Thanks.
Thank you.
How much ?
Are you sure ?
Thank you.
Thank you.
No, I'm fine, thanks.
I live across the street.
Right down.
Thank you.
Do you know how to cook Ramen ?
Me?
Of course not.
It much too difficult.
You have to training to do it.
I have your umbrella.
And I have less than 24hours now
And I relly don't wanna go home.
Please, please call me back, okay ?
I'll talk to you soon.
Bye.
Can I help you?
You need a rest.
Your foot.
Here you go.
No, I don't wanna go.
I wanna stay here.
I wanna stay here.
No.
I wanna cook ramen.
I wanna cook ramen.
No, you teach.
Teacher.
Please, let me.
I wanna help. I wanna help.
Be my teacher.
Teach me.
I wanna make people happy,
the way you do.
I wanna make people laugh like you do.
Ethan's coming back.
If I leave
-Tomorrow 5:00 a.m.
- Yes.
It's 1:00am.
Quin diablos es esa chica?
Hi.
Good morning.
It's 5:00 a.m.
You told me to come by at 5:00.
So, what would you like me to do first ?
Where should I start?
What ?
I'm sorry, what did you just say ?
What ?
Oh, sorry.
Finish.
I mean, I figured you want me to
clean all the stuff, so
I did.
I hope that's okay.
I mean, I didn't put them away,
I didn't know where they went.
So
Do you want me to chop?
No
I washed those already.
I washed those already.
It's washed.
I'm so sorry,
I didn't see that.
I scrubbed, and I scrubebd it.
Let me do it.
Please.
I want to work, please.
It's okay.
I'll do it.
I'll do it.
Okay, can you just stop yelling at me?
I'm, uh, flushing your toilet.
I thought you want me to clean your toilet.
No?
What?
No.
Over there ?
What's over there?
Jerk.
Sorry.
Good night.
Good night.
Gosh, what a hard day.
What?
What?
You want to clean those now?
Of course you do.
I'm still here,
doing all the work.
Would you please call me?
Bye.
You are just drunk.
You're supposed to be teaching me.
That was our dal, remember?
Ramen.
Ramen.
Me. You teach me to cook ramen.
Screw this.
This is ridiculous.
Nobody, nobody without any self rspect
would put up with you.
You fascist.
I'm outta here.
What?
I'm sorry, how can I possibly forget that?
Clean.
Clean the floors
Clean the pots
Clean the toilet, clean.
I don't understand what the hell you're saying.
And I'm sick of trying.
Goodbye.
Clean.
My dad told me I never stick to anything.
He's right.
I never manage to hold a job more
than four months.
I came here because I want to
be with my boyfriend
and since he left
I'm just hanging around waiting for him to come back.
I will clean for you.
I'll clean the windows
the pots, whatever.
I don't know why I wanted to stay
and the only thinkk that, uh,
I could think of..
the only reason
was
What ?
You need it?
Right.
The floors.
Am I fired ?
Ethan is such a jerk.
Who could have told you that?
But he didn't.
I must have left a hundred messages
But I don't think he even listen
to one of those.
What happened to you?
I walked into a door.
So, what now?
You going home to America, the Beautiful?
Amrica, bland and boring.
I rather die than go back there.
No, I'm staying.
Has that job at the law firm got any better?
No, I'm not doing that anymore.
So, what are you doing?
I'm training.
To become a
a ramen chef.
Isn't that, that noodle stuff?
Yes, ramen.
I have no ida.
Who cars.
Look at him, he's so gorgeous.
You are really studying ramen?
I'm trying to, yeah.
That's awesome.
Dime, where did you learn to speak English?
I lived in Los Angeles for one year
when I was a college student.
So what do you do now?
Our job is very exciting.
In America
I think you call it 'pushing papers'.
These are my colleagues, Akira
I am Akira.
And Kuma.
Call me Kuma.
- I am Abby.
- Abby.
- Charlie.
- Gretchen.
Toshi.
It'a pleasure to meet you all.
Which side do you think he plays on?
It's hard to tell,
he's Japenese.
So, Toshi, where to, next?
Ramen.
Bye, Gretchen.
- Bye.
- Good night.
- Nice to meet you.
- Bye.
Do you guys have any cigarettes?
Here you go.
Thanks, Charlie.
What time is it anyway?
It's 5:00.
Thank you for taking us out tonight.
You are welcome.
See you again?
I'll give you my card.
Thank you.
Toshi Iwamoto.
Thanks.
Good night.
- Have a beautiful morning.
- Nice meeting all of you.
- Call me.
- What's he doing?
Witch!
Call me.
She's priceless.
Let me try.
The spinach.
Here.
Pork
This
at 2:00.
What are you doing?
Can you show me?
Show me.
Please tell me what you mean.
What, are you crazy?
I'm so freaking wasted I'm about to collapse.
You got any beer?
Sure.
Thanks.
Drama, total drama.
You would not believe the stuff.
The creep who pays the rent for my apartment
keeps bringing home his ex
and keeps bringing his friends
Asking me to do favors and stuff.
Once in a while, okay, I mean..
but there's a limit.
Tonight, I get back from the bar,
there he is with Godzilla
and ask me to do him another favor
I lost it.
If you think I'm terrible,
you should see the apartment.
So do you think I could crash here?
You?
Hi.
Hi, Abby.
Hi.
What a coincidence.
Gretchen didn't tell me you are living here.
Gretchen is full of surprises tonight.
She's right in here.
- Please, come in.
- Thanks.
Where should I put the suitcases?
Anywhere you want, doesn't matter.
Gretchen.
I really need to sleep, honey.
Toshi's here.
Great.
She's sleeping.
Yeah.
She looked really tired.
What happened?
She asked me if I have a car.
And?
Se oa muy molesta.
She sound really upset.
Tell me about it.
Well
Probably I should go.
Sorry to bother you.
No.
Wait.
Do you want something to drink before you go?
I mean you come all this way.
Personally, I could really use a beer.
Yeah, me too.
Okay.
That's the ramen shop where I work.
Easy commute.
Yes.
Your boss, he speaks English?
Not a word.
Really?
I can't understand a word he tells me
not to mention he's psychotic.
He keeps trying to kill me.
Why do you stay?
Maybe that's because
I have no where else to go?
That's just pathetic.
No.
I think you're on a path to something.
One day I'm sure I will taste Abby's ramen.
God, I hope so.
Yes.
So, what about you?
What's your path?
My path.
Typical Japanese.
Work in a big company
get married
have children
grandchildren
then die.
That's just grim.
But in college I learn music.
I had a band.
That's cool.
Most of the time we just got really drunk.
And we are talking about how we are
going to make revolution
to the Japanese music ground.
Then of course, we became salarymen.
It's what our parents wanted.
My parents would only be happy
if I became a partner at a major law firm.
Strange.
Who'd to think we have the same problem?
That's right.
Interesting.
Somewhere along the way
I just forgot what I wanted to do with my life.
Sometimes when I wake up in the morning
I can't breath.
That's probably why I started this habit.
Sorry, I smoke just the last one
and I don't have any.
Wanna take a walk?
It's monsoon.
I guess I should go home now.
Almost the morning.
Have you ever been to
the ramen museum in Yokohama?
There's a ramen museum in Yokohama?
You kidding me.
I'm not kidding you.
Really?
- Yeah, really.
- Okay, I have to see it.
Let's go there next weekend.
Yeah, okay.
- Great.
-I'll let Gretchen know.
I don't think she's intsrested.
Yeah, but it woud be awkward.
She's my friend.
I have to let her know.
You guys going out and all.
The first night you took a taxi
home together.
No, no.
She just share thhe cab with me.
So it's okay I call you?
Yeah.
It's okay, you call me.
I don't understand you.
Merry Christmas!
Yankee, go home now.
I'm sorry, I thought the
decoration would look nice.
I bought them at the market.
Look.
Look at the color
The texture.
I think corn can be beautiful.
Merry Christmas.
Merry Christmas.
Hey Japan, I was fired tonight.
On Christmas Eve.
Heartless Japanese.
Cold blooded Japan.
I'll tell you one thing
Nobody is running this side of town.
The longer I'm here
I don't understand anything
or anybody.
Like, my boss.
I used to think it was the language.
And now I just realise I don't get him at all.
It's a bowl of soup.
Tell him to get over it.
No, no.
There's something about the Japanese
they make the perfect bowl of soup.
It's kind of beautiful.
It's like, with each bowl
you try to get closer to perfection.
I think that's beautiful.
- Ain't that beautiful?
- It's insane.
Listen to me.
The only you're going to survive in this country
is to do what everybody else does
Drink.
Merry Christmas.
Merry Christmas.
I'm so full.
When I was a kid
I came here one time with my school.
The other kids always made fun of me because
my grandparents came fom Korea.
I wanted to run away from those kids
and sleep onto that ship.
I want to go away from Japan, somewhere.
Where?
I don't know.
I just want to go away from Japan.
You are cold.
I should take you home.
No, I don't wanna go home.
I'd rather be here with you.
i don't understand you
and sto hitting me.
i don't understand, i don't understand
Who is that guy n the photos?
You know, the one you cry over.
He's handsome.
Paris.
Don't hit me.
Where you going, tough guy?
Tough guy?
WHat? You dished it out but you can't take it?
Yes, I gotcha!
What?
What's wrong?
I don't understand.
You look so serious.
My boss wants me to go to Shanghai.
Oh, no.
I've heard this before.
How long?
Three years.
Three years?
How long have you known about this?
Since a couple of days.
I have to go.
It's my obligation.
My God.
You did it again.
I don't want to leave you.
Then tell them to send somebody else.
That's realted to our work in Japan.
If the company wants you to go,
you have to go.
Then how can you spend three more years
in a job that you can't stand?
How?
Why why don't you just tell them to go to hell
and do something
algo que realmente te guste,
algo para ti mismo?
something that you really love,
something for yourself?
And don't say it's because you're Japanese
because that's just not an excuse.
I am Japanese.
Why do Americans think
that everybody should be like them?
I've said everything that I have to say
really.
- Abby.
- What?
Would you please come with me?
Where?
Shanghai?
Yes.
We could be together.
Please, don't do this to me.
Please, Abby.
Please
come with me.
Please, will you taste my broth?
Please, Sensei.
What are you doing?
I did everything I saw you do.
Everything.
I'll miss you.
I'll miss you too.
Are you sure you won't come with me to the airport?
No, no.
That'd be too sad.
Can you just tell me again
just one more time
you really, really want me to go with you?
Go.
I could miss your flight.
Sensei, quick.
Sensei, please help me.
I keep trying and I never get it.
Please.
Teach me how to have
But how?
I don't know anything about love.
Everytime I feel it
it's gone
it disappears.
And all I have left is
pain
and sadness.
Ijust needed to create something for myself.
Myself.
Myself.
Successor.
You .. My successor.
I'd be honored.
Where's sensei ?
I can't leave without saying goodbye to sensei.
and 1 Maezumi special.
In a minute.
Abby, there's a guy, he says
he knows you.
Who is he?
From where?
I don't know.
I hated my job,
so I did what you would do.
I quit.
I started to write music again.
Welcome to my Ramen Shop.
English Translation : i1chocolat @Subscene.com