2011, TBS Japan
The Love Story…
The story takes place in Tokyo and Yamagata surroundings in Japan.
Tatsuki Inaba, a 36 year old glass craftsman played by Tsuyoshi Kusanagi, who lives in Yamagata, Japan. He is a quiet gentle person with warm smile and big heart. He is a loner who takes care of his mother and younger brother.
Monami Ishikawa played by Miki Imai is a 41 year old housewife who visits Yamagata in order to see the winter sakura blooms. She is robbed and get into accident that make her lose her memory. She is rescued by Tatsuki who accidently hear her scream.
With no ID, no money and no memory about herself, and due to no inpatient facility in local clinic, the police officer and doctor ask Tatsuki to allow Monami to stay at his place during her recovery. Tatsuki agrees to continue his role as the knight in the shining armor of the lady in distress.
In his house, he juggles between taking care of his dementia-neglectful mother, a no name-amnesia stranger, and his job as glass craftsman in his family home industry as well as supporting his soon to be doctor brother in Tokyo.
Tatsuki’s life revolves around his mother and brother only… Until on one snowy day, the beauty of lady’s smile catches him off balance. A radiant smile that shows the pure joy and appreciation of life, the purest smile he ever encountered in his life. That very same smile will then change the course of his life…
For awhile, he is willing to cheat the heaven to be allowed to live with the owner of the smile and give her the happiness she deserves, in a borrowed time…
It Started with a Smile in a Cold Snowy Day
He seea her when she first arrived in Yamagata, he is captivated by her joyous smile under the showering snow. Beautiful-joyous smiles that captured his heart that then change his life and she becomes his ultimate priority, his goal is to make her have that radiant smiles on her face for always.
He aims to bring that joyous smile back, even if he must races against time, he will do whatever it takes to make her happy within this limited time. He who falls hard for her from the very beginning when he sighted her, who continues to love her from afar while living in Tokyo, and becomes her ardent knight in shining armor during her ordeal, from beginning to end.
In between, he is trying hard to beg, bargain and cheat the heaven in order to be able to live with her for just awhile longer… To have more time to hold her hands, to give her smile back, to be her shoulder to lean on, and to love her…
The first time Monami encounters Tatsuki is just few seconds away before she faints, as the impact of the accident. That’s when she sees a warm smile and caring words, assuring her that “It’s all right, everything is all right..”
A voice belongs to a person with quiet present, a warm smile and caring words that she cherishes and becomes her strength to fight for her life. His smile gives her courage to flap her wings..
During her stay at Tatsuki’s house, she witnesses how wonderful caring and loving person he is, who unselfishly dedicated his time, energy and life for the sake of his mother and brother. He shows her how a simple life could bring much happiness in someone’s life. How a simple-sincere smile and kind words could give strength to others and how to love someone unselfishly-unconditionally would give that person the true meaning of life.
When Keiouzakura Blooms
The reason of Monami goes to Yamagata is to see the winter Sakura, Keiouzakura, blooms. The way she tries to get some space for herself, to enable her to breathe and be herself. She takes a breather from her life in Tokyo, out of the boredom and to be free from the gold cage her husband and her mother in law set for her.
When she is under Tatsuki’s care, Tatsuki learns the purpose of her trip to Yamagata, he then brings the very flower she longs to see with her eyes, Keiouzakura. Through the days she lives in his house, she witnesses every stage of the flower blooms, getting to know him and admire his dedication and loyalty. She finds solace in watching the changes of the flower, peace in Tatsuki’s world and gathers strength from his sincere and caring heart.
Without Monami realizes, Tatsuki gradually becomes an important person to Monami, her very own knight in the shining armor who knows her, cherishes her, sincerely love her without asking anything in return and always ready to catch her whenever she stumbles or falls.
On the night after the police find Monami’s ID card, Tatsuki tells Monami to be brave to face her life that she’s currently forgotten. Monami asks Tatsuki what if that she wants to forget her life before the accident instead. Tatsuki gazes her steadily and tells her that if in case she is not happy with her life, she knows where to go and come to…, since he will always be here, in Yamagata, waiting just for her…
Monami smiles, happy to know that she has him champions her and offers to become her shoulder to lean on whenever she feels tired to face the world she lives in. That last night together, they sleep in the sofa, holding hand, leaning on each other shoulders. Both are at peace with their heart, although they are not sure what the future will holds…
The very next day, Monami contacts the number in her ID card and picks up by her husband and daughter. As she walks out of the restaurant where she meets her family, she sees Tatsuki across the road, Tatsuki silently watches her and raises his hand to wave her goodbye and mouthing “It’s all right” to her. She smiles and nods her thanks to Tatsuki one last time…
When the Bird Flapped Her Wings…
Monami enters back her life as good wife of prominent brain surgeon, mother of teenage girl and daughter in law of prominent rich family. She remembers her life before the accident, the feeling of hopelessness, of helplessness and suffocated while living in such wonderful house. In Yamagata, Tatsuki receives bad news from the doctor who treated her. He runs back to home and see the Keiouzakura he gives to Monami is withered in the vase. He leaves Yamagata for Tokyo, to see her and to convey the message from her doctor in Yamagata. His sudden departure from Yamagata leaves people who know him well wondering about his true feeling towards the lady.
Monami avoids Tatsuki’s call, until Tatsuki’s brother’s girlfriend tricks her to come and meet him in the park, where Tatsuki is watching the birds fly cheerfully towards the sky. He recalls the conversation he once had with Monami in the living room of his house, about perhaps she is a bird who wants to fly away from the gold cage.
Tatsuki finally able to give Monami back her stuff and conveys the doctor’s message for Monami to take another test in Tokyo. After few days of fail attempt to inform her surgeon husband about the doctor’s suggestion, she goes to the University hospital to take retest. The result comes out similar to her Yamagata’s doctor suspicion. She is in dilemma, which option she should take, since both options are gloom and pose danger to her. Surgery is difficult action, it could save her life but the risk of memory loss and paralyzed is high, while if she does not undergo the surgery, her days are numbered…
After serious consideration and several meetings with Tatsuki, Monami finally reach her decision. She informs her doctor that she will not undergo surgery and wants to keep her memory intact, since she wants to cherish and remember all of the memory she has with the people she loves until the end. She starts working on the recipes book that she wants to leave for her daughter until….
Her husband finds out about her sickness while they are in Yamagata when he tricks her to go there without her consent to pursue his own agenda. His husband wants to confront Tatsuki, the man he suspects having an affair with his wife… He never suspects that Tatsuki is actually having bigger role in his wife’s life right now. Monami is hospitalized in Yamagata, and in the middle of the night finds out that Tatsuki visits her and leaves her a flying bird glass replica of the one she sees in his house. She runs outside and catches Tatsuki in time. Together, all through the night, they sit side by side, holding hand while trying to give comfort and strength to each other.
She tries to trust her husband words that he will be able to save her life if he is the one who do the surgery, with condition to Tatsuki, that he would never seek his wife out again from that day onward. Tatsuki, without Monami knowledge, agrees to the term for the sake of her happiness and her daughter, Kotone. Until one day before the surgery, he finds out that the surgeon husband has lied to both of them. The risk of success is soo grim. He runs to the hospital and tricks all the barriers installed by Monami’s husband to stop him entering the premises, tell her the facts that he finds out and ask her to leave with him… He wants to save her from the grip of misleading surgeon husband.
She decides to go against her husband’s will by not taking the surgery and runs out of the hospital in the middle of the night with Tatsuki, to go live peacefully, far from her husband’s tyranny. Just like a bird, she wants to live her remaining days freely. Silently, she says her thanks to Tatsuki who gives her strength to decide, courage to freed herself, and wings to fly.
A Promise Made, A Promise To Keep
One afternoon after Monami leaves her husband and family, Monami goes out with Tatsuki spending time together in a fine day. They go walking around town, talking and comforting each other, and be contented with the presents of the other. On one shiny afternoon, Monami surprises Tatsuki by saying that if she survives, she wants to go with Tatsuki to watch their Sakura tree blossoms in spring. It is a promise that she wants to keep, much to Tatsuki happiness to see her spirit to live has come back…
One day, she leaves Tokyo abruptly that send Tatsuki and Kotone, her daughter, runs in panic looking for her. She goes back to Yamagata to visit their tree, since she believes that by visiting their tree one more time, it will give her strength to live on. Tatsuki finds her slumps in a tree in a cold snowy mountain, and carries her on his back to their sacred Sakura tree.
Together, silently, they say their prayers, they offers solace to each other and promise each other again to come together in spring to watch their Sakura tree blossoms… Then she collapses in Tatsuki’s arm under their tree…
Love: Better Be Spoken Out Loud or Keep It in the Heart?
Tatsuki’s love to Monami is way beyond the words could ever describe the extent of his heart… His love is just indescribable, he shows her with his acts, he wears his heart on his sleeves for everyone to see and admire his undivided devotion. He sees only her, he wants only her to smile, and her wish is his command…
He contemplates many times whether it is right to express his feeling in words to Monami or it will only burden her further. His brother and his girlfriend encourage him to tell Monami about his feeling many times, they keep on urging him to say the words before it is too late for her to understand his feeling… Before the time is out… He tries to write down his feeling for her yet never give it to her.
He decides to keep showering her with his love through his acts, by giving her his utmost-undivided attentions and devotions, by being the source of her courage and strength.
Just before Monami’s condition worsens, Tatsuki pleads to Monami to keep her spirit alive, to live on since someone’s happiness is depending on the other existence. In which Monami says, in her heart, that in the end, she gets the answer about the purpose of her to live on from Tatsuki…
Monami shows her love to Tatsuki by insisting to cook his favorite dish during their last meal together in his house, where she express her true feelings in an inexplicit way yet able to make Tatsuki have teary eyes…
Thousands of Beautiful Sakura for a Lovely Lady
From the first time they meet, Tatsuki always gives Monami the best Sakura flower from Yamagata. The only flower that able to brings smile back into her lovely face and keep her spirit alive…
No matter what the season is… Only the best Sakura will do for his lady, to bring joys into her remaining life…
No matter what the time is… He will go and bring her the loveliest Sakura, at all costs…
He who smiles whenever sees her smile… He is happy whenever she is happy, his goal is to give her the happiest memorable moments and to ease her pain by giving her all the beauties…
… Until the end, Tatsuki keeps showering Monami with her favorite- beautiful flowers, including her sick room where she spends the rest of her days in bed with him holding her hand…
The Heart Wrenching Goodbyes
Just a night before Monami falls into unconsciousness, she whispers to Tatsuki that although her memory with Tatsuki is not many, but whenever she is with him she feels free and because of him she gets her courage. She is truly happy for being able to meet Tatsuki, and asks Tatsuki to live on not only for his part, but also for her part too. She tells him to lead a happy live… Just like what he tells her before.
Tatsuki decorates the room with big vase full of Sakura and tells her that they promise to watch Sakura blossoms together in spring, now they are able to fulfill their promise.
When a Sakura petal falls on to Monami’s cheek, she opens her eyes, surprise and happy to see she is surrounded by her favorite flower.
Lovingly, Monami keep looking at him with a beautiful smile on her face and murmurs: “Thank you…” Then starts to close her eyes…
Tatsuki says his final goodbye just as her eyes starts to close, he cries and tells her that he still wants to see more of her smiles, to hear more of her voice and to live together with her for a little longer… And that he really loves her, that he will always loves her …
After her burial, Tatsuki goes to their Sakura tree that now is blossomed. For hours every day, Tatsuki stands under the tree remembering… Remembering their short yet memorable time together, remembering the beautiful love they share while wondering how he could live on, his and her parts, alone… just as her last wish…
Tatsuki gets the answer from Monami few days after the burial ceremony, when his brother runs through the pictures of Sakura he takes for Monami. It is written in the back of the picture: “Tatsuki-san, I love you…”
He weeps, glad that he finally has the answer, that the feeling is mutual… and mumbles: “It’s all right… Now, I am all right…”
*……sighing, hardly breathe, weeping nonstops….*
Oh My Tears… ~Epilogue~
By the end of episode 9, my tears just keep on flowing… It takes me some time to be able to stop weeping. Yes dearie, I weep and weep and weep… Weeping for the beauty of Tatsuki’s and Monami’s love~ ..Of their accidental-fateful meeting, of the time they fall in love and their time together, although in a very short time… *sigh*
Across the 9 episodes, I am awwing, sighing and weeping continuously.. This one drama has touch my heart in very special way.. As if Tatsuki’s and Monami’s story is happening in front of my very eyes, as if I am there with them throughout their journey… I could feel their pain, their longing, their sincerity, their awesomeness as a person. In this materialistic world and life, I am taken back to the world where simplicity is the key of one’s happiness.
The simple life that Tatsuki lead, which Monami longs to have.. The simplicity in loving someone, truly-sincerely loving someone without expecting anything in return… The simplicity in trying to let go and find a way to live on without her… ~ I cry with Tatsuki on the final journey of their love and beyond…
My heart is twisted, wrenched and broken into pieces by the cruel fate that set their beautiful love apart… Now, I pray for their future happiness in the next life, with tears still flowing down my cheeks..
The story of this drama is beautifully woven, the characters are portrayed perfectly by the actors, the directors have succeeded in selecting the strong casts to empower and deliver the drama. The chemistry amongst the actors are very strong, one’s complimenting the others, which is perfect. Such perfect ensembles that I rarely see in the drama, or small screen movie.
The cinematography of this drama is another thing to be proud of.. The editing is wonderful, the camera is able to capture all of Yamagata’s and Tokyo’s beauties. From the 1st episode to end, I am wowed and awed by, not only by the actors, but also by the beautiful landscapes, the changing skies of 2 cities and the artistic scenery that this drama has presented.
The beauty of Tatsuki’s and Monami’s love and the sincerity of their heart will stay with me for long…
The beauty of Japan’s landscape and skies leave me speechless, breathless… It makes me want to explore the whole country someday, in the near future…
All in all, this drama is beautiful, just perfectly-amazingly-stunningly beautiful…
~Thank you Tatsuki, thank you Monami for introducing me to such simplicity in life… I will treasure the journey you both have taken me~
~In the next life, I will visit you on that beautiful spot, under the Sakura tree in Inozaki hill where I will see your joyous smile, loving gazes and to see how happy you are to be together at last..~
~ Thank you for showing me the beauty of your love…~
Sadly, this beautiful love story of Tatsuki and Monami should end here, with Tatsuki standing in front of their blooming Sakura tree in Inozaki hill…
– The End –
Gaeina' s Land 