Original subtitles

When people finish their day and hurry home,

my day starts.

My diner is open from midnight to seven in the morning.

They call it "Midnight Diner."

Do I even have customers?

More than you would expect.

It will be cream stew today.

When you've been in this business for as long as I have,

you start to develop a sixth sense.

Hello.

Master, do you have cream stew?

I just finished cooking it.

Perfect timing.

It's getting cold out there.

After that, all the customers who entered my diner

asked for a bowl of cream stew.

Hello.

Welcome.

-A cup of hot sake, please. -Sure.

Master.

You want cream stew too?

I haven't had it in years.

I'll have one.

I have two bowls left.

What about you, Mr. Suzuki?

-No, I'm good. -Okay.

You don't have to rip it up.

Toss this in the bin, please.

Are you sure?

Nakata here says that my novel isn't worth publishing.

Ergo, it's rubbish.

Toss this too.

I asked you to rewrite it, not toss it.

No one wants to read about a homeless protagonist these days.

It's a subject dear to my heart.

I'm going to end up homeless too.

That isn't my fault.

I need a drink. A highball, please.

Sure.

Your protagonist isn't even homeless.

He has a house, but he chooses not to go home.

Actual homeless people literally don't have a home, you know.

"The happiness of the family is the root of all evil."

Mr. Suzuki, you should take a leaf from Osamu Dazai's book.

Autobiographical novels are back in fashion.

"Children will grow up, despite their parents."

Whose quote is that again?

You see news about parents killing their kids these days.

Some children are better off without their parents.

I agree.

Children will grow up, with or without their parents.

Is that your daughter?

My wife sends photos of her from time to time.

Let me take a closer look.

-Here you go. -Thanks.

DINER

Let's go to another bar.

Go home to your wife. You just got married.

Why are you wearing sandals without socks?

I missed my chance to wear proper shoes.

Why did you stop going home to your family?

I missed my chance on that one too.

Give me a cigarette.

I went home once every two days, at first.

And then I went home only on weekends.

And then only at the end of the year.

Finally, I stopped going home altogether.

It's been ten years now.

Your daughter must be in college now.

Like I said, children don't need parents.

No, your wife basically raised your daughter on her own.

Unbelievable.

I'm hungry.

-Watch your step. -What? Okay.

-One, two, three! -One, two, three!

We're here.

What's up?

-Take that! -Welcome.

Hello.

-Hana! It's been a while. -Long time no see!

I know this aroma. Is that cream stew?

Bingo. I still have a bowl left.

Wow, I'm so lucky!

One of the customers passed on it.

Do you mind, Poko?

No, you can have it.

I'll have pork miso soup and a beer.

Sure.

What's that?

It's delicious!

I'm glad to hear it.

You used a ready-made roux, right?

Yes, but I added butter and green peas.

I had a crush on a classmate in grade school.

I went to his house over winter break for a study session.

I stayed for dinner, and his mother made cream stew.

That was when I realized

that I could never marry my crush.

Why not?

The cream stew tasted completely different from my family's recipe.

I found out later that his mother used ready-made roux.

My mother makes the roux from scratch.

She could never get the flour to dissolve, so it was always chalky.

She burned it a few times too.

For the longest time,

I thought that was what cream stew was supposed to taste like.

Hana?

Oh, sorry.

I haven't had it in a while.

It brings back memories of family dinners and my mother's cream stew.

Hello?

Can you send one of your girls over?

Is Kaede available?

My name is Suzuki, and my membership number is 5432.

Is it morning already?

Did I wake you?

No.

I have to change before I go to my classes.

You're working too hard.

It's delicious.

Roasted green tea at dawn.

There's nothing like it.

Did you know?

If you can catch the mole on your palm,

your life will be full of happiness.

I think I've heard that before.

Not many people have moles on their palms.

But I can't catch mine.

I used to be able to do it when I was younger.

I haven't been able to catch it since the day my father walked out on us.

Like Tytyl and Mytyl, children will be fine on their own.

The blue bird flew away from the tiny hand.

Even if you can't catch it, your dream lives on.

Don't underestimate life.

DINER

Is that your daughter?

She's cute.

-Right? -Right?

You've been drinking.

This is the last bottle you're getting from me.

Her name is Sumire.

She must take after her mother.

Hello.

Welcome.

Master, has Hana dropped by since then?

No.

She quit her job at the hostess club.

Her mother raised her all by herself after her father walked out.

But she's stopped depending on her mother.

She pays her tuition with the money she's earned.

Maybe she moved to a club that pays better.

I'll ask her when I see her.

Thanks. I'm worried about her.

-Pork miso soup and a beer, please. -Sure.

What's up?

Hello.

Thank you for your time.

Sorry.

We're only open from midnight.

What's with the suit?

I got a job offer!

Today was the orientation.

Congratulations. You've earned it.

I can make something special to celebrate the occasion if you like.

That's okay. I'll drop by for your stew next time.

I heard you quit your job.

Did you move to a different club?

I'm done with hostess clubs,

and I'll be done with college next year.

I have an essay to submit tomorrow. See you!

Perhaps she had jinxed herself with the story about her mole.

They found out she worked at a hostess club

and rescinded the job offer.

Who is it?

-Hello, I'm from Milky Club. -I just got out of the shower.

Can you wait inside?

I'll let myself in.

You have to pay upfront.

I will. Don't worry.

Would you like a cup of coffee?

I have organic coffee beans.

They're delicious.

Home-roasted.

I mean, I didn't roast them. Someone else did.

Or would you prefer a beer?

Wait, are you allowed to drink during working hours?

Does this count as working hours?

What?

Hey, wait. Where are you going?

I'll pay upfront, I promise.

Do you know who I am?

Sumire?

Why?

That's my line!

I'm interviewing call girls for my novel.

It's about a policewoman working undercover as a sex worker.

Liar!

I can't believe this.

I didn't think it would be you, of all people!

I'm going home. We'll take this as a cancellation.

Or do you want another girl?

Listen...

-Who would you like? We have plenty! -Sumire!

How dare you?

Do you get nostalgic when you eat taro?

I do.

I wonder why that is.

Hello, Mr. Suzuki.

Hana!

Welcome.

Why did you quit without telling me?

I looked everywhere for you.

You're with a hostess even though you're broke?

She's my daughter, Sumire.

-What? -What?

She's your daughter?

Give me a cigarette.

You smoke?

You don't know anything about me.

Your mom will die of a heart attack if she knows what you've been up to.

And you wouldn't?

You want me to kick the bucket?

You've never been there for me. You might as well be dead.

Sorry.

That's it? "Sorry"?

It's my fault.

If I hadn't walked out on you,

you would never have become a call girl.

I'm sorry.

Mom

never said anything bad about you.

I hated that.

But I'm not like Mom.

I'm not like you either.

I'm trying to live on my own without relying on anyone.

Accept me for who I am.

If you still think of yourself as my father,

don't condemn me.

Accept me for who I am!

SECOND RECRUITMENT TEST: FINAL INTERVIEW

Come in.

Hello.

Have a seat.

Wait!

Sit down, please.

The interview isn't over yet.

Ms. Sumire Suzuki.

Do you remember what I said about the mole on your palm?

I forgot to add something.

Put your hands together, like this.

See?

You've caught the mole.

You'll be fine, so don't be hasty.

But this is cheating.

It's fine.

There are other paths to happiness.

Thank you, Poko.

Thank you.

Hana finally found a way to catch the mole on her palm.

She was hired at Poko's company as a contract employee.

Here you go.

Can I have another bowl, please?

Sure.

Why?

Mom!

It's been a while.

Yes, it has.

What?

Is that...

I enjoyed it.

You've never read your father's novels before, right?

I'll read it.

Me too.

I'm rewriting this.

What?

You can read it when I've rewritten it.

This is the perfect night

for cream stew.

On cold nights

Let's make a delicious stew

Let's simmer it on the stove

It brings back memories

Of my mother's stew

Coat the chicken with flour to thicken the stew.

Use less roux and add milk and butter

for a richer, thicker stew.

Here you go.

It smells wonderful.

You should try making it too.

Until next time. Good night.

Thanks for the food!

TO BE CONTINUED

THIS STORY IS A WORK OF FICTION.

Subtitle translation by Chen Li Woon