Love Ghost (2001)

[bunniefuu]

There is this dream I've
had since I was a kid.

I've had it many many times.

I'm at the back street of the
cemetery next to the big tree...

...and shrine where people do Tsujiura.

Tsujiura?

It's a kind of fortunetelling.

You stand next to a shrine and
ask the first person who passes by...

...if you will succeed in love.

And you are doing Tsujiura there?

I think so.

Someone is coming toward me.

A man with black clothes.

Do you know him?

Don't worry. Calm down.

It's the same dream again.

Midori, are you up?

Yeah!

Good morning.

Good morning.

Midori, haven't you changed yet?

Aren't you going to be late?

I had a bad dream.

Don't be late on your first
day at your new school.

I'm late! I'd better hurry.

You're so laid back.

I wonder where it came from.

Mom, what was Dad like?

Don't you remember?

No. He left us 10 years ago, right?

You're right. It's
been 10 years already.

Don't you want to remarry?

Hey, why are you asking
that all of a sudden?

I'm just thinking you might
be lonely being single.

I have you and that's enough.

You are smothering me.

Have a good day.

See you.

Good morning.

What's wrong?

Are you okay?

Yes.

Is there anything wrong?

I'm fine. Thank you.

Come on. Let's go.

You look pale.

I'm fine.

What year are you?

I'm a junior in Class 3.

Class 3? So are you the new student!

What?

I'm in Class 3, too.
You are in my class.

I'll walk with you then.

What's the matter?

Is there another way to go to school?

There is but it'll be a long way around.

But, I...

All right. I'll go with you.

I don't want you to get lost.

Thank you.

My name is Suzue Tanaka.

Hi, Suzue. Nice to meet you.

Good morning.

Good morning.

Where are you going?

Did you forget something?

We only have 3 more minutes.

I didn't know a straight-A student
like you would be late for school.

It's better than being late
everyday like you, Kotaro.

He is in our class, too.
This is our new student.

Hello.

My name is Midori Fukada.

She is a brave girl, late
on her first day at a new school.

And do you have a boyfriend?

No, I don't.

Did you hear that, guys?

First come, first serve.

Since she used to live in this town,
some of you might know her.

Your desk is behind the class
rep, Suzue. Take care of her, okay?

In interpreting animal
behavior as human behavior...

...we risk losing sight of
the original ecological system...

...so we need to avoid
unnecessary personification.

However, when you look at
sparrows' reproductive behavior...

...they would be regulars on talk shows.

Male sparrows are promiscuous because
they want to spread their genes.

In other words, they cheat.

But raising baby birds
is not an easy job.

For example, titmouse birds have
to feed their babies every 40 seconds.

However, male sparrows cannot
provide for two families...

...so, he supports his
"wife", who has his first baby.

Naturally, this doesn't
make his girlfriend happy.

So, his girlfriend kills the baby
birds of the first wife while she's absent.

She thinks this will make the
male bird come back to her.

Let's have lunch together.

I'm sorry, but I have to go.

To the cafeteria? I'll go with you.

No, I just have to go.

Is that you, Ryusuke?

I knew it.

Do you remember me?

We used to play together all the time.

What was that thing you gave me?

The glass tube from a TV.

It's a vacuum tube.

Oh, right.

It's the magical tube that
makes airplanes fly, right?

You told me that.

I don't think there are
vacuum tubes in TVs any more.

They use semiconductors now.

It's been 10 years already.

You've been in this town
the whole time, right?

How's your family?

I've been waiting for you to come
back to this town all this time.

This crossed card in the
center is Tamayo's present.

A moon card.

Is your love one-sided?

You know it is.

The obstacle is Suzue?

No, I think they are nothing
like boyfriend and girlfriend.

Look, it's a justice card.

But this sword card is a problem.

What is it?

This sword will spear your heart.

Heartbreak...

Is he going to turn you down?

Where is the new student?

It's unlike you to talk about a girl.

It's not like that.

She is a little strange.

Is she your type?

Do you always buy bread for lunch?

Yeah, my mom works so she
has no time to make me lunch.

This is not enough! I'm already hungry .

You know what? I always
make my lunch myself.

Uh-huh.

And it's not going to be any
extra if I have to make two.

I guess.

Kotaro, let's do it.

You guys never learn. I'm in
the top 16 in this district.

Your rival is this one, the fool.

It's either a traveler or a deviant.

A deviant?

Isn't it the new student?

Yeah, they came in late together.

But Suzue was with them, too.

I have a feeling it's her...

...because I can't think of anyone else.

A tower card...

...means collapse and destruction.

Thank you for waiting.

I'm almost done.

It's okay.

What's the matter?

I was going to show you around
but instead you're helping me.

Oh, that one goes to the
3rd shelf from the bottom.

We are finished!

Thank you, Midori.

Is it okay if I call you Midori?

Everybody is coming to my house
today because my parents are out.

Do you want to come?

You don't have much luck in love.

You are losing individual initiative.

Be careful not to be the
victim of a love triangle.

You're a stud! I wish
girls liked me, too.

Your horoscope for this month sucks.

I don't believe in that kind of stuff.

What about mine? I'm Libra.

I'd better get going.

Already?

It's not that late yet.

Are your parents strict?

It's not that.

It's just me and my mom in my
family so she might be worried.

I should go too. I'll walk you home.

I'm going in the same direction anyway.

What? Then I'm leaving too.

No, you can't.

No, thank you. I'll be fine.

Oh no, I'm walking you home.

It smells like an ulterior motive here...

That's nonsense.

Yeah, you should take her home.

Do you want to get on
the back? It'll be faster.

No, I'm too heavy.

Was your previous school coed?

Yeah.

And you didn't have a boyfriend?

Were the guys blind or something?

Oh no. You must be very popular, too.

Not really. I don't have a girlfriend.

I thought you were dating Suzue.

No way.

A straight-A student like
her wouldn't even look at me.

Okay. I'm going this way.

I was going to walk you home.

It's okay. It's really close from here.

Thank you.

See you tomorrow.

I'm going to try Tsujiura.

For love fortunetelling, it's better
than horoscopes or tarot cards.

What's Tsujiura?

You stand on a street and ask
the first person who passes by...

...if you will succeed in love.

But what if some weirdo passes
by and tells you bad things.

Actually, it's a historic
fortunetelling method.

You can even find it in the dictionary.

I've never heard of it.

"In the evening, I ask
if I will see him again.

My small comb answers
and shows the sign."

What's that?

In the old days, they read this
poem when they did Tsujiura.

They held a small comb in their hand,
scattered rice and covered their faces.

You are not a straight-A
student for nothing.

You know, there is a little old shrine
on the back street of the cemetery...

...next to a big tree.

Is it the one on the way to school?

That's the one.

That shrine also has a
story related to Tsujiura.

A girl whose boyfriend was a peddler
and hadn't come home for a long time...

...worried about him and
decided to do Tsujiura.

She asked if her loved
one would come home soon.

But she was told she had bad luck.

She thought she would
never see him again.

She grieved and cut her
throat with a dagger.

She k*lled herself...

But her boyfriend came
back a second too late.

So he built a small shrine
in mourning of her death.

That's the shrine there.

I found it, Midori. I found it.

Really?

Let me see it.

You found it again.

Ryusuke hasn't changed a bit.

Midori, why don't you take a bath now?

Okay.

You have to call me
when you come home late.

I'm sorry.

I was worried.

I know. I know.

Mom, the bathroom is getting moldy .

Moldy?

Yeah, on the front wall.

I think that's mold.

Oh yeah.

Do you want me to get some
mold cleaner tomorrow?

Now I remember, didn't you say
Dad was a college professor?

He was just a lab assistant.

But he was studying about mold, right?

He could have invented a chemical
for us that kills the mold right away.

Let's not talk about him any more.

Sorry.

He left us for another woman.

Okay.

You know what?

The boy I grew up with is in my class.

Do you remember, Ryusuke
Shibayama?

Where does he live?

I think it's around here but
I can't remember exactly where.

I remember places where we
used to play together, though.

Ryu... suke?

Mom?

What's wrong, Mom?

I have a headache.

I feel sick.

Mom, are you okay?

It's the same dream again.

What is it?

Good morning.

Mom?

What are you doing?

This mold... I can't get it off.

Mom!

I can't get this mold off.

You have a high fever.

You should be in bed.

Why?

Listen, Mom!

Listen!

Good morning.

Good morning.

Tamayo, I was thinking about that thing.

What thing?

The Tsujiura.

I don't think you should do it.

Why?

I heard a spooky story from my sister.

What is it?

She said even though Tsujiura works,
it's very scary.

You know what's scarier? Food
poisoning.

I just got it with a raw egg,
or it might have been milk...

You shut up!

Like Suzue was saying last night...

...a curse stays at the place
where something bad has happened.

Any bad luck could mean k*lling
yourself like the girl in the story.

That's not all.

When you are doing Tsujiura sometimes
a not so ordinary person passes by.

A psychopath?

That's not it.

People say it's a very
handsome boy with black clothes.

They call him the Handsome Boy of
Tsujiura.

What's that?

He's no longer in this world.

His soul has been wandering
around for many years.

This myth has been passed down
among people who do Tsujiura.

It's just a rumor, right?

Anyway, didn't you think
Kotaro was funny last night?

He was like "I'll walk you home."

The Handsome Boy of Tsujiura...

Hi Ryusuke.

Are you taking a detour again?

I've had this dream
ever since I was a kid.

I'm on the street where the shrine is.

And a man with black
clothes comes to me.

His face is blurry but he's
getting closer and closer.

I used to wake up while he was
still far away but recently...

...he comes right up to me.

I don't know what's
going to happen next.

I'm scared.

Are you all right?

It's very spooky but
there are similar stories.

You know what I mean?

Tamayo?

You guys go ahead.

What's up with her?

So the Handsome Boy of Tsujiura is
no different than any other...

...imaginary creature, like
the dog with a human face, right?

I guess.

What happens if you meet
the Handsome Boy of Tsujiura?

Does he run after you?

Do you even have to ask?

What happens?

You will be cursed.

Good morning.

Are you okay, Midori?

You'd better watch your step.

Tamayo, you did it on
purpose, didn't you?

No, I didn't.

Don't lie! I saw you tripping her.

Why are you taking her side?

She's been making eyes at all
the guys since she came here.

I didn't do that!

What happened to your school shoes?

What's going on?

Are you all right?

Aren't you mad at her?

What are you talking about?

Did you do her shoes too?

Wait, Tamayo!

Leave her alone.

Uh... I'm doing Tsujiura.

Can you tell me my fortune?

I have a crush on this boy.

He is very popular.

It's not that he has a
girlfriend or anything...

...but there are other
girls who also like him.

And I think he likes the girl
who just came to this school.

But... I can't accept that.

So I think I should just
tell him my feelings.

Do you think I will win his love?

No, you will never win his love.

It's not just this time. You
will never win anybody's love.

No one will love you or understand you.

You will spend the rest of
your life alone and unsatisfied.

Your life will be
meaningless and worthless.

I won't succeed in love...

The police are here to interview you
so please finish as soon as possible.

Today I have very sad news to
announce.

Some of you might already know...

...but one of your schoolmates has
left us by committing suicide yesterday.

Did you hear that she was doing
Tsujiura when she k*lled herself?

Yeah, I heard she was
doing it next to the shrine.

No way!

And she saw him.

Saw who?

The Handsome Boy of Tsujiura.

You mean she k*lled herself
because she was cursed?

What's up, Midori?

Are you all right?

Hi, Kotaro.

You don't look so good.

Do you want me to take you home?

No. I'm fine.

I was just surprised a little.

Oh, did I scare you? I'm sorry.

I was in deep thought.

See you.

Hey, Suzue. You know what?

Midori doesn't look so good
so can you take her home?

She won't let me.

I don't want to.
She won't let me.

What?

I mean, everybody needs to be alone
sometimes so I don't want to bother her.

Yeah, I guess you're right.

What time does the
wake for Tamayo start?

At 6:00.

I'm sick of everybody
talking about a curse.

They don't seem to understand that
one of our friends just died.

Yeah.

I guess.

Don't tell me you believe in it too.

That the shrine holds
the malice of a girl...

...who died before
meeting her boyfriend?

And also the curse of
the Handsome Boy of Tsujiura?

I don't necessarily believe in it, but...

People don't die from curses.

The fact that Tamayo k*lled herself
at the shrine was just a coincidence.

Was it just a coincidence?

We don't even know if she
was doing Tsujiura and...

...everyone is still saying
it was the Handsome Boy.

Did you know that Tamayo
was in love with you?

I heard about it.

I guess that's why I especially can't
stand...

...people making stupid comments
about a curse and stuff like that.

But there's nothing I could
do because I like someone else.

Is that Midori?

Gosh. How did you know?

You're so obvious.

Really? I thought I
had a good poker-face.

Do you think Midori knows it, too?

I don't think so.

She seems too oblivious
to notice, like you.

Okay. That's good.

Don't tell her anything.
I want to tell her myself.

See you at 6:00 then.

"In the evening, I ask
if I will see him again.

My small comb answers
and shows the sign."

Can you tell me the fortune...

...of my friends?

A boy in my class.

He plays basketball and is very popular.

He might like a girl who just
transferred to this school.

He says he's going to
tell her his feelings.

Do you think they will start dating?

Why do you want to know
someone else's fortune?

Because they are both my friends.

That's a lie.

A lie?

Be honest with yourself.

I...

I...

Listen to your
heart, your real voice.

I'm in love with Kotaro.

I'll get along with him
much better than Midori.

I'd be a better girlfriend.

I'm not going to let
anyone else have him.

Mom?

Mom, what happened to you?

Mom.

Ryusuke!

You're going the wrong direction.
It's totally opposite from school.

Where are we going?

Guess.

It's where you want to go.

I missed this place. It
hasn't changed at all.

Here you go.

I found it earlier.

It'll bring you good luck.

Thank you. You gave another
one to me a long time ago too.

Do you want to go to that place, too?

What place?

The place we promised to go together.

We promised?

Hey Ryusuke. Wait.

Don't you want to go?

You don't have to go.

If you don't want to go, you never
have to go, not once in your life.

Who are you? I don't know you.

Who are you?

I'm serious. I heard from my mom.

She wasn't the first one who k*lled
herself at that spot next to the shrine.

Who else died?

There was a woman who
k*lled herself 1 0 years ago.

Ryusuke, you were here.

What are you doing at the library?

I just want to look up something.

There are things you don't need to
know.

You're so stupid.

I bet you made that
dangerous turn to show off.

Shut up! That's how you
ride on a motorcycle.

I wish I could get into an
accident and stay in bed for a week.

You'll be tired of staying
in bed after a week.

I missed my desk.

I know you're always eating bread
so I got up early and made you lunch.

Here you go.

Um...

Suzue, I appreciate your concern
but I don't think this is...

You don't like me?

It's not that...

...but I like...

Why Midori?

Just eat it.

Please.

I like you much more than she does.

I'm sure we will be awesome together.

I realized after I did Tsujiura.

Tsujiura?

He told me to be honest.

I met the Handsome Boy of Tsujiura.

I'm sure the articles from
1 0 years ago are around here.

Maybe this one...

You may not believe in these things
but...

...I cast some sort of
spell on the food, too.

A spell?

My blood...

I put my blood in the omelet
so that you will understand...

...how much I care for you.

Kotaro!

What the hell! Don't get in my way!

I guess a suicide in a remote
city is not important enough...

...to be in the newspaper.

A boy was kidnapped in Nadasumi City

The suspect committed self-immolation

It happened near the shrine.

The police announced the suspect
was 26-year-old Haruka Enomoto.

The motive for committing suicide
was her entanglement with her lover...

...35-year-old Takehiko Shibayama, an
assistant professor in the same city.

Shibayama...

Police are searching for a
7-year-old Ryusuke Shibayama.

Boy's Tongue Delivered by Mail
1 st-Grade Boy Missing

No Hope of Finding Him Alive
Blood Found in Suspect's House

What? What is it?

Calm Down, Suzue.

Let me go!

Suzue.

I don't think you've met him yet.

This is Ippei.

Don't mind him. He's
just a motorcycle fanatic.

Isn't it Ryusuke's desk?

Ryusuke?

Ryusuke Shibayama.

Never heard of him.

You know him. He was right
there until yesterday.

What are you talking
about? This is Ippei's desk.

But...

Kotaro, I heard about it.
It was a big mess, huh?

Don't make girls cry.

Shut up!

It's not your business.

Leave me alone.

I'm sorry about earlier.

Do you feel better?

Something was wrong with me.

But I just want you to
know that I really love you.

I love you. I love you. I love you.

I love you. I love you. I love you. I love
you. I love you. I love you. I love you.

I love you. I love you. I love you.
I love you. I love you. I love you.

Suzue! Stop it!

Let go!

I love you to death!

Suzue!

Missing
August 27th, 1 990

He was seen on the back street of
the cemetery before he went missing.

He was wearing black clothes.

Ryusuke Shibayama (7)
Height 1 25cm, Weight 25kg

Mom!

Mom!

Mom!

What's going on?

Help me. I'm scared.

I don't know what's going on any more.

Mom?

Who are you?

It's me, Midori!

Oh, Midori.

Thank you for playing
with my son all the time.

Ryusuke is out right now.

Ryusuke is not home right now...

Mom?

Ryusuke, where did you go?

Ryusuke told me that he
is going out with Midori.

He said they promised to go
somewhere.

Ryusuke, where are you?

Ryusuke?

Ryusuke?

Ryusuke?

Ryusuke?

Ryusuke, where are you?

Ryusuke?

What is your name?

Kazuko Shibayama.

Midori Fukada.

Where have you been since you
ran away from the institution?

I was living with my daughter.

Your daughter?

That's strange. You
don't have a daughter.

Maybe not.

You took another patient
out from your ward.

Did you think she was your daughter?

Maybe I did.

Where have you been since you
ran away from the institution?

I was going to my new high school.

You came to this
institution when you were 7.

Since then you haven't been to school.

I was in the same class with Ryusuke.

He had been waiting
for me all this time.

Can you remember
anything about your son?

You don't have to if you can't.

I heard they found a body from the
house you used to live in 1 0 years ago.

It was Takehiko Shibayama, your
husband.

Did you k*ll him?

What's the matter?

I have a son.

His name is Ryusuke.

He's going to be 7 this year.

Ryusuke?

Where is he?

Where is Ryusuke?

I see. It's your fault.

That woman took him.

Aren't you ashamed? How could
you be with someone like her?

It's your fault.

Give me my Ryusuke back.

Give him back to me.

If you don't give him
back I'll k*ll you again.

I'll k*ll you. I'll k*ll you.

I'll k*ll you!

Calm down.

I'll k*ll you.

Ms. Shibayama.

I'll k*ll you.

Calm down.

Calm down, Ms. Shibayama.

I have to go.

I made a promise with Ryusuke.

He's waiting for me at the shrine!

Don't worry.

He's been waiting for
you all this time, right?

You don't have to rush. Sit down.

Now, it's your turn
to tell me my fortune.

Will I have a good day tomorrow?

Well...

...tomorrow you will die!

Like the old tale of the sparrow,
your tongue will be cut out...

...and you will be locked
up in a refrigerator.

You're mean, Midori.

Hello.

Do you know her?

She is my dad's friend.

She always buys me ice cream.

I'm going home.

Don't you want to go to the dump?

We may find another vacuum tube.

Maybe tomorrow.

Okay, then tomorrow. Promise?

I promise.

Tell me my fortune too.

I love him so much.

I didn't want to forget him ever
so I tattooed his name on my body .

But he wanted me to get rid of the baby.

If his child is gone, I think
he's going to love me again.

Tell me my fortune.

I trust your words...

...because what you told
Ryusuke yesterday came true.

So I think what you say will come true.

Well, answer me.

Do you think I'll get him back or not?

Answer me.

No, you won't!

Ryusuke!

Mom.

Your bed is over there. Come.

I'm going to bring your medicine now .

I'm sorry, Ryusuke.

I should have saved you back then.

I was terrible to run away from you.

It's okay. You were a child.

Ryusuke, are you still in there?

You don't have to open
it if you don't want to.

You can still turn back.

I'm not going to run away any more.

Won't you regret opening it?

I probably will but I have to do this.

I can't keep you locked up in
such a dark and Ionely place.

Um, I want you to tell me my fortune.

Will I succeed in love?

Yes.

You will.