All language subtitles for Shabake_06_1920_1080 eng

It all started, oh...

It must be a thousand years ago now.

The one I cared for was a spirit, naturally.

In the Heian period, for reasons of her own,
she lived among humans as a court lady.

Her name was Yoshino, and she was a beauty
who looked her best in the color of irises.

As a fledgling spirit, I admired
her twelve-layered court kimono.

Of course, I never breathed
a word of my feelings.

How could I, when the one Lady Yoshino
wished to wed was right beside me?

If I could do anything,
it was merely to guard her night and day.

The man she loved gave her a bell,
which they used to signal their many trysts.

However...

Human lives are fleeting
compared to those of spirits.

Her lover, who was known as Lord Bell,
took ill and passed away before his 30th year.

Yet Lady Yoshino persevered.

I just know my Lord Bell will take on new life
in this world and return to my bosom.

I found that notion ridiculous.

Even if he were reborn, he would still
be human and die again in no time.

And before all of that,
he would hardly remember Lady Yoshino.

But 300 years later...

The pair were reunited,
and they did indeed know each other.

Yet Lord Bell passed away again
a mere five years later.

Now do you see, hakutaku?

Lord Bell will always come back to me.

Another 250 years passed, and as Lady Yoshino
predicted, she met Lord Bell yet again.

He gave her a bell
the second and third times,

just as he had at their first meeting.

Across these three encounters,

Lady Yoshino was able to live
only two years with Lord Bell.

Won't you stop waiting
for that man now?

Humans die so quickly.
The heartbreak will destroy you.

It's all right. Really, it is. I don't mind.

I won't lose control anymore.

I know I'll see him again.

But another 250 years passed, then 300,
and still Lord Bell did not appear.

SHABAKE

It happened about 100 years ago now.

Yoshino and I had moved to Edo,

and we were running a sundries shop
with the help of other spirits.

Mr. Hakutaku!

Terrible news!

Kidnappers are trying to abduct
the young mistress by Shinobazu Pond!

Did she go out to the Inari shrine again?

It's always like this.
What's the matter with her?

I smell blood.

Is she hurt? It doesn't look like it.

Miss.

What's this? Awful late for a shrine visit.

Chief Mihashi.

Nothing wrong with being devout,

but I have a few questions for you.

A child almost got kidnapped near here.

A local man who prevented it was murdered,
and the killer's still on the loose.

You're Oyoshi from the Yoshinoya, aren't you?
Seen any suspicious characters?

I most certainly have.

What happened?

They were out to grab this young lady
who was on her way to pray, I'll bet.

It's not safe for a woman
to walk alone at night.

Kidnappers? Do you know which way they went?

Probably behind the shrine.

You don't say.

I am the Yoshinoya's head clerk.

You have my sincere gratitude
for rescuing our young mistress.

Man, you sure are polite.

I just happened to be passing through.

Name's Yashichi. I'm a rouge seller.

I stopped by to pay my respects to Inari
on my way home from work,

when I spotted someone
tailing the young lady.

I called out to him, but instead of answering,
he took a swing at me.

Anyway, I'm glad it all worked out.

Is that you?

It is, isn't it?

Who do you mean?

No?

Please excuse her. The young mistress seeks
a gentleman who went missing some time ago.

A childhood friend or something?

I guess you wouldn't recognize him
if you last met as kids.

Call it fate, then.

I'd be happy to ask around about him
when making my rounds selling rouge.

Would you really?

Sure.

The Yoshinoya's not far,
so I'll let you know if I hear anything.

Anyway, I'd better be going.

Young Mistress, do you believe
this Yashichi fellow is Lord Bell?

He can't be. You've always recognized
each other at first sight before.

Of course he's a fake.

A young man called Yashichi is here
to see the young mistress.

Hey, Miss Oyoshi.

The Yoshinoya sure has a good selection.

I can't thank you enough for last night.

Oh, don't mention it.

I just figured I should ask you a few questions
about this guy you're looking for.

Like where he used to live.

If we knew his parentage and lodging house,
we would have found him long ago.

Oh, yeah. Good point.

Yashichi, please take this from the Yoshinaya as
gratitude for last night. I know it's not much.

Are you sure?

I wouldn't want you to think
I fought those fellows for a reward,

but I can afford to stock
quality rouge from Kyoto with this.

Thank you kindly.

Is Oyoshi in?

What do you think?

Another month or so went by.

I have figured it out, Nikichi.

Yashichi was Lord Bell this whole time.

Oh? Did he tell you he remembered
a past life all of a sudden?

He told me he was badly injured
in a fire ten years ago.

He hasn't been able to remember
his childhood ever since.

So?

So that's why he doesn't remember
the past. Nor his past with me.

What else could it be?

Seems awfully convenient.

True, fires are commonplace in Edo.

But assuming Yashichi is Lord Bell
on those grounds is quite a leap.

If you've grown fond of Yashichi,
why force yourself to wait for Lord Bell?

Death parted you. Not even he would ask you
to wait centuries to see him again.

You're always so levelheaded,
Nikichi. I rely on you.

But lately...

You've been horrid.

So she pines for Yashichi and detests me.

Perhaps I've stayed by her side for too long.

What am I to her, anyway?

An indispensable bead on her abacus?

Something she would find it
inconvenient to live without,

but would never give her heart to.

A thousand years.

Even I have to admit it's foolish.

Oyoshi, I brought you something today.

Will you accept it?

That's the finest rouge from Kyoto.

Oyoshi, what's the matter?

Thank you so much.
I know what this must have cost you.

But my head aches today.

I'm sorry.

Mr. Head Clerk,
you don't show it on your face,

but I bet you're thinking,
"Serves him right."

What brought this on?

You're a looker, and you've got feelings
for your young mistress, right? I can tell.

But then I butt in, and she and I hit it off.
Of course you can't stand me.

Nonsense. If your business here is done,
I suggest you leave.

You look down on me for being
just a peddler, don't you?

Well? Am I wrong?

Get out.

You're in the way of business.

You haven't heard the last of me.

Yashichi asked me to become his wife.

That's awfully sudden.

Well? Did you say yes?

Of course not.

He wanted to run the store together
"forever and always."

We could never live together that long.

I suppose Yashichi isn't Lord Bell after all.

I bought pilchards from the fishmonger.

Shall we have teriyaki tonight?

I suppose.

Why bother sending a messenger
to request a meeting with me, Yashichi?

How can I help you?

How can you help?

Why won't you agree to marry me?

I want to hear the reason.

Well...

I'll never know unless you speak up.

Yashichi, I'm sorry.

I don't know what to say.

Ah, I've had it.

Just shut up and do what I tell you.

You!

These are the men you fought that night.
You were working together?

So what if we were?

New plan. We'll use you as bait
to make the head clerk pay up.

Or maybe we should sell you off!

I knew you weren't him. You couldn't be.

Lord Bell would never dream of such a thing,
even without his memories.

I've been such a fool.

I went so long without him, I fooled myself.

What are you babbling about now?

Just do as you're told.

Honestly. You never learn.

I know exactly who you are.

I bet she's with Yashichi again.

Nikichi! Nikichi!

We asked around about
this Yashichi character.

Would you believe it? He's a kidnapper!

What?

He's in and out of the red-light district,
selling the women he takes.

Plus, he takes their combs, hairpins,
and anything else he can sell.

Give it up already, or I'll sink you
to the bottom of Shinobazu Pond.

So this is the bell we've been hearing.

Give that back! It's mine!

You'd better run like your underlings.

They'll show your head
by the prison gate if they catch you.

Like hell I'm leaving broke!

Take that and go.

Never darken the Yoshinoya's door again.

I won't beat around the bush
next time I see you.

What's gotten into you, Nikichi?

You're being awfully generous tonight,

letting him go like that.

Yashichi threatened to sell me.
He sounded like an old hand at it.

He was a kidnapper, wasn't he?

I see now. He wasn't Lord Bell.

But I still mistook him.

Can I no longer recognize him?

You'll see him again. Just forget all this.

Can't you do that?

Forget and go back to waiting?

I have no faith I can wait anymore.

After all, I may fail to
recognize him again next time.

I may make another mistake.

What should I do?

You didn't mistake him without reason.

You heard this bell. It misled you.

You're still drawn to it.

I think it's Lord Bell's.

But why did that man have it?

He robbed the women he abducted.

No doubt he stole this bell, too.

From Lord Bell's corpse.

From his corpse?

The day you met Yashichi, the shrine grounds
smelled faintly of fresh blood.

A child almost got kidnapped near here.

A local man who prevented it was murdered.

And that was Lord Bell?

Why didn't I realize?

And how could I have been so...

To think that I confused
Lord Bell with his killer...

I'll never see him again now.
I'm certain of it.

I'm sure you will.

He may even seek you out himself.

Yours isn't a one-sided love.

You've been thinking of each other
for a millennium.

A millennium.

A thousand years is a long time.

Of course. The young mistress
obviously knows how I feel.

I've spent a thousand years at her side.

But she still pursues Lord Bell.

So I'll never speak of my feelings.

Our relationship will fall apart if I do.

Why?

Even another millennium
may make no difference at this rate.

I simply love and long for her.

My story ends there.

What happened to Oyoshi?

Did she never see Lord Bell again?

She found him about 100 years later.

Oh, that's good.

Was it good?

It was for the best. I see that now.

Now, please lie down
before you start coughing again.

The medicine will work better that way.

I've never heard anything of the sort before.

What? You mean you didn't know?

You're only human.

And even for a human, your life is fleeting.

If you were to depart from this world,

I would wait centuries to see you again.

Now I think I know how she felt.

I guess timing is important in everything.

Anyway, I'd better go
see him myself for once,

instead of secretly checking up
on him like I have been.

Young Master, Chief Higiri
wishes to see you.

Young Master?