Summary: Amour Plastique is a song about a love that doesn't die. Like roses, natural roses eventually wilt and become old. Plastic roses, on the other hand, stay alive forever.

東京物語 Tōkyō Monogatari is a Japanese classic movie from 1953 about time. About what we do with the time that is given to us. About mortality, and how nothing really matters, besides the love we immortalize.

・。。・・。。・

Dans mon esprit tout divague, je me perds dans tes yeux Je me noie dans la vague de ton regard amoureux

It was a stuffy summer night. The air felt sultry, but there was still a little natural light coming from the sky, illuminating those who were still outside.

The cicadas sang in some kind of ritual chorus that enchanted some, and frustrated others. And despite the heat that still lingered in the air, they decided to stick to their weekly plan of watching a movie on Friday night.

As always, when the plan was to watch the movie at Takeru's house, he would pick Hikari up from home so she wouldn't go alone. He knew it wasn't safe and she was grateful for how caring he was.

We never know, he would say whenever she insists that it was ok for her to go on her own.

The house was dark and silent when they entered. That was going to be one of many nights that Takeru spent alone due to his mother's job.

She took the night shift at the Tokyo newspaper office. The Tokyo magazine was very invested on their monthly edition that formed an informative duo with the regular newspaper that came out every day. Since it was summer, that month there would be a special edition dedicated to tourism and attractions in the capital. When Natsuko stayed remotely working, recently she was almost permanently locked in her office, and when she needed to go to the newsroom to work with the rest of her colleagues, she spent long hours there.

"You are on your own again?" Hikari said noticing the impenetrable quietness of the empty house, right after Takeru open the door.

"Yes I am." Takeru answered while taking off his shoes.

"I could have had dinner with you if you told me, you were alone"

"Oh, don't worry, I am kind of used to it. Even though…" He hugged her from behind, wrapping his arms softly around her waist. "I prefer to be with you. "

"You didn't even wait a minute, Takeru." She laughed and turned to face him.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and brough him closer to a quick kiss, playing with his hair with her fingers.

In the small space between their lips, she felt him smile. Felt his hands grab her waist tighter, bringing her body as close as he could to his, almost intertwining their existence. For a couple of second, Takeru wanted to feel her warmth, and inevitably, solidified his grip more than usual.

Is that what you invited her for?

A voice inside his head called him back to conscience .

No, for course not.

The kiss that was once harsh and anxious, became slower and slower. Their bodies eventually got separated, and he could feel her hectic breath. His self-control was gladly back.

"So, what movie to you want to see tonight?"

There was no malice in his last sentence, which made her laugh at Takeru's innocence.

"Do you have our list? We can decide based on what we have there."

"Yes, of course I do."

Je ne veux que ton âme, divaguant sur ma peau Une fleur, une femme, dans ton cœur Roméo

[東京物語]

Tōkyō Monogatari

"Are you feeling a classic today?"

"I am feeling a national cinematic masterpiece today."

Takeru had a cardboard box full of visibly old DVDs in front of him and was searching for the right one. Hikari was just observing sit next to him, both in the middle of his bedroom.

In the outside of the box was written the name 高石 奈津子 [Takaishi Natsuko] and some of the names of the movies that may still be on that box.

"I think I saw it here a couple months ago."

"We can search for it online if you don't find it."

"Oh no, I prefer to be vintage. I want to honour the legacy my grandfather left me and use them."

"All of this belonged to your grandfather?" Hikari said amazed.

"Yes. When my mother moved to Japan to study, she brought some DVDs from France in order not to lose her ability to read French. Those DVDs were bought by my grandfather, because he wanted to learn, ironically, Japanese."

"Oh, so, all of these movies are in French?"

"They are in Japanese but subtitled in French."

"I bet these DVDs tell an incredible story Takeru; I understand why you want to keep using them."

"They tell mostly how I got to be the person I am today. The story they tell is the major reason why I want to go to college to study French."

After taking almost all the films out of the box, Takeru finally finds the one he wanted. A black and white cover, notoriously worn by time, picturing an elderly couple and an old train station.

"I knew It was here!"

Hikari was thoughtful. She didn't want to be invasive, but the way Takeru spoke about his family made her want to know more about them. He reorganized all the movies carefully in the box and returned it to the place where they previously belonged.

When he turned around, he found Hikari looking at him still sit on where he felt her.

"Is everything ok?" he asked, while opening the box in his hands.

"Yes… I was just wondering." She got up from the floor and went to him. "If you could tell me more about, that. "Her eyes lied on the old DVD box. That made him smile widely and look at her with a melting care in his eyes.

"My family? Of course. Come."

He led her to the living room where the television was with a DVD player underneath. She instinctively sat down on the couch while he tried to turn on the devices.

"Well, everything started with my great grandpa. For what I know, he was an old Japanese soldier, who emigrated to France after a war. He married in France, and had my grandpa, from whom my mother got her family name, Takaishi."

Hikari was completely silent, listening attentively to Takeru's story. He sat next to her after turning on the TV, trying to understand how to work with the DVD player.

"My mom had a very close relationship with her grandfather. He used to tell her stories about Japan, even taught her some Japanese. Her dream was to visit the place where he was born and to see with her own eyes, the culture she, even from afar, was part of. Growing up in France and with a French mother, little did she know about Japan besides what he told her."

"To this day, she must hold a very dear memory of him."

"She does, she still loves him very much. And after he passed away, my mother asked to take private Japanese lessons to improve her language skills and told her parents that she wanted to come and study in Japan. And they embraced that desire of hers and helped her get, well, here. She came to study Journalism, met my father and well, never returned to France."

"And you want to preserve all of her memories, and the memory of your great-grandfather."

"Yes, I want to study French because I somehow…" He stopped, thinking about the best way to express his feelings. "I somehow don't want to lose, a part of me, a part of where I came from."

"You have such beautiful feelings, Takeru."

"You think? Oh, I think I got it."

The television screen went black, and shortly after the sound came out. The movie had started.

"Let me just turn off the lights."

The living room went dark, and only the low sound of the television could be heard. The shadows just didn't turn into a black void by the small light it emanated.

He sat on the couch and brought her into his arms, where they stayed for some time. Eventually, as the film progressed, she adjusted herself to lay down on his lap.

Je ne suis que ton nom, le souffle lancinant De nos corps dans le sombre animés lentement

Takeru started to lightly brush her hair with his fingers. She closed her eyes for a moment, and decided she didn't want to leave. Hikari slowly opened her eyes and met his.

"Are you feeling sleepy?"

"I wouldn't say sleepy, but I am incredibly comfortable."

"I can take you home whenever you want."

Hikari looked into his eyes. Darker blue. Slightly ashamed of her thoughts, she didn't want to give them up.

You must be honest, or you will miss incredible things in life.

Sora's voice echoed in her mind. Maybe she was right. Maybe she was missing on some incredible things, because she was afraid to speak her mind. She remembered the attitude he had earlier. He was respectful, calm, and never forced her into anything. She had been knowing him for almost a decade now, and he has always proved himself to be the most trustworthy being.

"Actually, I want to stay, with you. Can I?"

"You…are you sure?"

Takeru was surprised.

It wasn't the first time they were alone on that Friday night type of plan. But at the end of every movie, he always accompanied her home. She always said she would miss him, and he agreed every time. They both wanted to take things slow, they didn't want to ruin anything or make important decisions without care. Their relationship was the most important thing they shared, and that might have made them step back when they should have moved forward many times.

"I am sorry, I didn't want to…"

"Of course you can stay, Hikari. I would love you to stay…" His voice was shaky, even with his efforts to sound normal.

Internally, Hikari reproached herself for even suggesting that. It was too early. What was he thinking of her now?

"Takeru, I shouldn't have…" She got up from his lap, but he stopped her.

"Ei…" He said calmly. "I want you to stay too. I may have wanted that as well from the past few weeks."

"You must be thinking that I am…"

"No, not at all. If I thought anything of you, I would have to think the same about myself too."

Hikari was characteristically hesitant, digging the fabric of the sofa with her fingernails. She was feeling uncomfortable with whatever was going on inside of her. Paralyzed by a lump in her throat, and an irrational urge to cry.

"I will call my mom." Said her hurriedly and got up to go get her things in his room.

Et la nuit je pleure des larmes qui coulent le long de mes joues Je ne pense à toi que quand le jour sombre, que s'abattent sur moi

There was roughly half an hour left for the film to end, and Takeru paused it right after she left. He waited patiently for her to return, looking up at the black roof above him, with his neck completely pulled back on the couch. He felt her presence slowly returning and unconcernedly turned around to find her.

"I may need to borrow some pyjamas from you." She said, visibly hesitant.

"I'll get you one of my t-shirts. They will fit you like a dress. "

Hikari returned to where she was before, but now, with a significant distance between them. She places her arm on the top of the couch, and rested her head on that same arm, her eyes meeting his. He mimicked her gesture, and now they were face to face, strangely distant.

"Was I too much?"

"No, not at all. I am glad you trust me to stay here."

"I have no motive not to trust you, Takeru."

He raised his hand slightly, and bumped her nose, which made her let out a small giggle. The pressure dropped considerably with this gesture, but her urge to cry came back immediately after, and instinctively she let herself go, and rest into his arms.

Takeru held her, knowing that he was not only holding her body, but all her doubts and insecurities. Hikari was light, much smaller than him, but he could tell how heavy her heart was. He kissed her forehead, in an attempt to ease her mind.

I would never be able to love anyone else, she thought.

Slowly, her mind became clear.

Somehow, Takeru made her feel secure. He was her safe place; he always had been. She could hear his heartbeat, was as fast as hers, and his hands were as insecure as her previous movements, placed on her back.

Mes tristes démons, dans l'abîme sans fond Aime-moi jusqu'à ce que les roses fanent

Que nos âmes sombrent dans les limbes profondes

"I love you." She spoke.

" I love you too."

Takeru leaned closer to her, to capture her lips. It was a superficial touch, with no other physical connection associated. It was Hikari, who placed her hands on top of his and started circling her fingers on his skin. Soon he felt one of her hands being placed on his cheek, a humid and insecure approach.

In an impulse, he grabbed her face with both hands, deepening the kiss, their bodies crushing slightly. The summer heat started to combine with their own. Addictive. Hikari broke the contact, gasping for air.

"I am sorry…"

"Don't be."

Whispers were heard before she let her weight press once again onto him.

Shortly after, she was sitting on his lap, feeling how his restless hands were wrapped around her waist, using it press and pull her against him.

"Hikari…" He managed to say when she moved her lips away from his and started to kiss his neck.

"Tell me." Her low voice in his ear made him gulp.

"We don't have to… if you don't want to…"

"I trust you; I trust you enough."

He glued her hips to his, grabbing her thighs firmly, her skin sweaty under his fingertips.

"Are you sure?"

"I am."

Her hands sliding down his chest, his running over the entire surface of her thighs. A foolish refusal to keep their hands away from each other. The silky touch of her lips on his skin, made him lose every ich of sense he could've had. How could he ever pretend not to want her.

Et la nuit, quand tout est sombre, je te regarde danser