Chapter Four – Father and Daughter

Two weeks later. Shizuku's bedroom. Next to her desk on the wall her calendar shows the month of August. The 1st is ringed in red pen, as is the 23rd. A huge bag, a large soft military style hold-all with canvas handles, is in the middle of the floor. Clothes, books, shoes and other packing is scattered about. Shizuku goes to various drawers in her cupboard and pulls out more things, she seems to be packing enough for a year away. Our viewpoint is from the window behind her desk. There are lots of books on the desk and bottles too: shampoo, moisturizer, sun protection, other toiletries. Shizuku now kneels with her back to us and bends over the bag stuffing things in. Her father comes in with a neatly folded pile of clothes in his arms.

Mr. T: "Here, your mother just finished the last few things."
Mr. T: "Shizuku?"
Shizuku (looking up): "Um… thanks… just there is fine." (she points to the bed and her father lays the laundry down).
Mr. T: "Is that everything now?"
Shizuku: "…think so." (glances at watch) "Aah! Half an hour! Mr. Nishi is coming in half an hour!" (frantic activity).

Mr. Tsukishima gazes around the room, he looks at the empty upper bunk bed where his eldest daughter slept until last year. His face is sad.

Mr. T: "It's going to be so quiet round here."

Shizuku continues packing.

Mr. T: "First Shiho moves out and now you're going too. The chicks are leaving the nest."

Still looking down, Shizuku pauses in her packing, a pair of sandals in her hand halt in mid air. Poised while she considers her fathers words. She looks up.

Shizuku: "Dad, it's only three weeks."
Mr. T: "But it's the beginning of something isn't it. This is change. There will be other trips away, time's moving on. You're growing up."

Shizuku finally gets it and tunes into her fathers mood. Or at least she thinks she does.

Shizuku: "Dad, don't worry about me. I'll be fine and home again in no time. I'll write as often as I can."

Cut to:

A view from over Mr. Tsukishima's shoulder. He looks down at his daughter. We see her round face looking up.

Mr. T (sighing): "It seems like only yesterday when you were just a tiny baby, sleeping in a cot in our room. How time flies. (he shakes his head gently) I can't believe you'll be 16 soon. Stand up child."

Shizuku lays the sandals down and slowly stands up.

Cut to:

A side view from the bed, we see Mr. Tsukishima and his daughter in profile, facing each other with the bag between them. We notice for the first time that Shizuku really has grown in the eight months since we last saw her, she is taller, her hair cut in a more grown up way and by her profile we can see she is no longer a child.

Mr. T: "Look at you. You're a woman now. Please be careful. You know what I'm talking about don't you?"

Like many fathers and daughters, sex is a difficult subject.

Shizuku: "Daaaa-d! Of course I'll be careful."
Mr. T: "Time passes faster as you get older. Every day, every hour becomes more precious, you don't notice the wasted days until they're gone, and lost forever."
Shizuku: "Dad…?"
Mr. T: "Shizuku please understand this. What you are doing now is a great opportunity, a great privilege, so please use your time wisely. Make every day and hour count. Don't fritter your time away."

Shizuku looks down. She can't make eye contact with her father when he's in such an odd mood.

Mr. T: "Consider each moment and use it. You never know what each minute brings, each one, trivial in itself may be the turning point, the source of great things, great changes."
Shizuku: "Dad, are you OK…?"
Mr. T: "I love you. Please be careful."
Shizuku: "Dad… if I don't get packed right now…"

In a rather clumsy movement, Mr. Tsukishima moves forward and reaches out for his daughter. An instinctive reaction to the gesture brings Shizuku forward too and they hold each other, in an awkward uncomfortable way, the bag between them prevents close contact, they hug only at the shoulders. Mr. Tsukishima seems unhappy with physical affection and he breaks away quickly.

Mr. T: "I'll just check we have the flight tickets ready."

He turns and leaves the room. Shizuku realises too late that she's misunderstood a special moment that cost her father a great deal of effort.

Shizuku (speaking quietly to the empty room): "Dad. I love you too."

Cut to:

The street outside the Tsukishima family apartment block. Mr. Nishi's little grey van is at the roadside. A high hedge borders the apartment grounds with a signboard against it. He and Seiji stand beside it. Seiji checks his watch. Mr. and Mrs. Tsukishima and Shizuku come down the steps from the apartment. Shizuku struggles with her monstrous bag. She also has a pink shoulder bag. Seiji comes forward.

Seiji: "Let me."
Shizuku: "No, I'm fine."
Seiji: "At least let me help."

Shizuku puts the bag down and she and Seiji take a handle each. They stagger to the rear of the van with it.

Seiji: "Wow, did you pack the whole library?"
Shizuku (giggling): "No, just non-fiction."

Mr. Nishi walks up to Shizuku's father. He bows and Mr. Tsukishima returns the formal greeting.

Mr. N: "Good morning. I am Seiji's grandfather, Shirou Nishi."
Mr. T: "Pleased to meet you, I am Yasuya, Shizuku's father. May I introduce my wife Asako."

Asako bows, and Mr. Nishi returns the greeting.

Mr. T: "Shizuku speaks very highly of you, I feel I owe you a debt for having been of such a help to her last year when she was having difficulty with her studies."
Mr. N: "You would be surprised. Your daughter is a very resourceful young lady. She was a great help to me also. It can get a little lonely up in my shop and I appreciate her effort to come over and provide me with some company."
Mr. T: "I understand you have been tutoring your grandson to make violins?"
Mr. N: "Indeed, but he is already exceeding in skill what I am able to teach him," (leaning forward conspiratorially and lowering his voice) "…although he himself will not admit that." (stands upright again) "I am sure he'll get a great deal from the schooling this trip will offer."

There is a slight pause. Another reminder of Shizuku's departure cools Mr. and Mrs. Tsukishima's mood somewhat.

Mr. N: "Seiji and Shizuku have hit it off well together don't you think? They both have a strong artistic talent and they are well matched."
Mr. T: "Yes. Shizuku talks about him all the time. By the way, your grandson, his father wouldn't be the Dr. Amasawa of Amasawa Electronics would he?"
Mr. N: "Yes, that's right."
Seiji: "Please, grandpa, we need to be off."
Mr. T: "I'm sorry, we must continue another time."
Shizuku (from the rear seat of the van): "Bye mom, bye Dad!"

Her parents come to the vehicle, reach in and give her a final hug. Seiji gets in the sliding door next to her.

Mr. N: "It was a pleasure to meet you, I look forward to seeing you again."
Mrs. T: "Thank you. And thank you for taking Shizuku to the airport, we appreciate your kindness."
Mr. N: "Really, it's my pleasure."
Seiji (inside the van, a sing-song voice): "We're gonna miss the plaaa-aaane…"
Mr. T: "Off you go now. Good luck. Safe journey."

Mr. Nishi climbs in and the van's small tinny motor cranks over and fires up with a puff of exhaust. He checks his wing mirror and pulls out into the traffic. The kids wave frantically. Calls of "Byeeee!" "Safe trip!" "I'll wriiiiii-ite soon!" swoop to and fro across the widening gap between those left behind and those leaving them.

Cut to:

Rear view of the van getting smaller until it vanishes over a rise in the road and goes downhill. We see an arm waving frantically from a window until it is lost to sight. Other traffic drones by.

Cut to:

Shizuku's parents stand side by side. Asako still has her hand raised. She stops waving it and lowers it slowly. Yasuya puts an arm around his wife's shoulders.

Mr. T (whispering): "Be safe."

They turn reluctantly and walk arm in arm back up the steps.