Be with you
First of all, I must thank my friend who had suggested watching this show for recommending it. It is a great show and I really enjoyed it. Thanks! Seriously a very nice movie which one should watch. In fact, it is so nice that I would give an account of the entire movie.
The show started with a grown teenage preparing breakfast (frying sunny side egg) for his dad and himself, then a cake arrived at the door. The person delivering the cake informed that though his bakery is closing down soon, he was happy that he actually fulfiled his promise (what promise, nobody knows at this point in time). Then the grown teenage rode off for school and along the way, he came across a tunnel and started recounting a story.
The story starting with the passing of someone, Yuji’s mother - Mio. Yuji’s mother had died when Yuji was 5 years old. Somehow, before she died, she left behind a picture book for Yuji’s depicting that she has gone to "The archive star" and would return in the rainy season.
Father and son continued to live their life in this house which is located in this beautiful woods of the suburbs in a small town. It was a very heartwarming scene of father and son trying to pull their life together. The father was trying his best to bring up his son single handedly and Yuji was a really sensible kid for his age who was accomodating to his father obvious flaws in cooking.
One year then passed after the death of Mio and the rainy season arrived when Mio suddenly returned to them, with her memory all lost when Father and son went into an abandon house near their house which was the playground for Yuji.
As Mio has lost all her memories, Taku started recounting his account of their love story. Taku and Mio were classmates in High school. Although they were somehow seated next to each other for the 2 years in school, Taku, being an introvert and an obviously shy person did not dare approach Mio or talked to her though he had fallen for her in every aspect. The only thing which Taku was into then was track n field and after losing out in a competition due to a foul committed by another player on the field, he started training really hard and finally got himself a sports scholarship to study in a local U. However, he felt that his love for Mio was unrequited as he was definitely not the type of guy which Mio would fall in love with. Mio was going off to Tokyo for studies and just before leaving, Mio went up to Taku and asked him to sign her autobiography book and somehow Taku left his pen behind with her as Mio ran off with the book when Taku returned it to her.
After a year or so, Taku somehow found out that Mio has came home from Uni and decided to asked her out. However, it was only after a few attempts before he could muster up his courage and using a really lousy excuse of asking her to return him his pen that he got Mio to come out. Initially, after Mio has returned the pen, Taku did not know what to say and simply bidded goodbye. But once again, he found courage and asked Mio out for a date. Their very first date after so long. During the date, Taku rant on without stopping as he was afraid Mio might want to leave, should the conversation stop and so he went on. It would appears that Mio did have some feelings for Taku as they started corresponding in letters after their first date.
However, things were not to be, Taku had over strained his body by overtraining himself and he collapsed. In fact, he had developed a rare syndrome whereby he could no longer exert himself and would be overwhelmed when he is in the midst of a crowd. Thus, due to this, he dropped of school and became more pessimisstic than he already was. He felt that he would be a burden to Mio and for her happiness, they should not be together. Thus, he decided to disappear from the life of Mio. Of course, he couldn’t stand the fact of not seeing her, and thus, decided to pay her a visit in Tokyo. His journey was an ardous and straining one, due to the rare syndrome that he had. However, he was determined to see Mio. Alas, he caught sight of another guy who was after Mio and decided that he was definitely not good enough for her and left in tears. Well, things took a turn for the better when out of the blue, Taku received a phone call from Mio who asked to meet up with him. At the meeting, Taku revealed the reason for his actions but was reassured by Mio that everything was alright and that they were meant to be together. And so, the 2 loving couple got married and gave birth to Yuji and live happily ever after. Of course, for the next 8 years before Mio passed away.
Throughout Mio stay with Yuji and Taku, though she has lost her memory, she had came to love them, in fact, it was like rediscovering or relearning a lost love. Of course, happiness is never everlasting, somehow, Mio found a time capsule in which she and her son had buried together. In it, contains her diary, which somehow revealed her passing away and from reading the picture book which she left for her son, she understand that she would be leaving with the passing of the rainy season. And so, as Mio seems to be able to sense her impending passing once again, she started preparing Yuji for it. She taught him how the general chores and tasks in the house can be performed, including how to fry a sunny side egg properly and started a plot of sunflower in the garden.
Both father and son of course also had the same concern, whether his wife and his mommy would leave them in time to come, they were sad, but they hide their sadness and cherished every moment which they have left with Mio.
And so came the end of the rainy season. As much as Mio has sensed it, she decided to celebrate Yuji’s birthday, even though it was one week earlier. She went to this bakery in town and bought yuji a cake. Then, an idea struck upon her. She then placed an order for a cake to be delivered to Yuji for the next 12 years, until Yuji turns 18. And so, with the cake and a sumptous meal prepared, Yuji celebrated his 6 years old birthday. Taku seems to sense that something was wrong, but did not say a word. The following day, as sudden as it has arrived, the rainy season came to an end and Mio had to leave.
Once again, Mio has left the lives of Taku and Yuji and Taku decided to read Mio’s diary. In it, Taku found Mio’s account of their love story.
It was love at first sight when Mio met Taku. Similarly to Taku, though she sat right next to him, she was so shy and did not make any moves. She was always looking out for him in school but thinking that her love would be unrequited as she was quite sure Taku would not fall in love with her. During the competition where Taku lost due to a foul play by another player, Mio was so angry that she actually went and shut of the mains for all electricity in the stadium during the medal presentation. She has found her courage simply because she was madly in love with Taku. Using her power as a student councillor in school, she got herself fixed to sit right next to Taku for the 2nd year to come. However, she was still very shy and did not do anything. Then came the bidding of farewell at the end of high school. Mio finally muster enough courage and went forward and asked Taku to sign her autobiography book. She was overjoyed when she realised that Taku has felt very comfortable sitting right next to her for the past 2 year. Then she realised that Taku has not taken by his pen but decided to keep it, so that she could see him again. Similar to Taku, Mio could not muster up the courage to call Taku initially and thus, was overjoyed when Taku called her and asked her out. When Taku asked her out for a date after the returning of the pen, she was overjoyed. During the date, though Taku ranted on without her being able to say anything, she was filled with joy and wished that the moment would never come to an end. Then came the exchange of the letters and Taku’s sudden withdrawal which Mio could not make sense of. Then came the part where Taku went to the University to look for Mio. In fact, Mio actually caught sight of him and went after him, but ended up being hit by a vehicle and became unconscious. During the period where she was unconscious, Mio saw the future, the future of her getting married to Taku, giving birth to Yuji, leading a happy life and dying at the age of 28 and also of her return back their life a year later during the rainy season.
And so she pondered after leaving the hospital. Should she go ahead an pursue such a future which she knows that she would pass away in time to come or one which does not have Taku inside, but perhaps she would not have died at such a young age. And there, she decided that the path was to be with Taku as that was the person she loved and the future which she had already seen is the one which she had always wanted. Taku was her soul mate.
And thus, it was love at first sight for the both of them, who have found each other.
Well, the show has definitely brought out a lot of emotions in me. I came to realise that the harsh reality of life has made me more of a realist in recent times than the idealists or rommantist which I once were. But deep down inside, I realised, it has not change. The romantised view of love and the urge and desire to be in a fulfilling and everlasting relationship has not dampen a single bit. I will not relent and bow down to life once again.
