Volume One
"There's one thing you should never forget about love. Do you know what it is? First... you have to love yourself. That's more important than anything! If you love someone, you want them to return the love and stay with you always, right? And if you gave your beloved a present, you would want him to cherish it. You would pick your gift carefully so he would never want to part with it, correct? You wouldn't give that precious someone a gift you don't like. Therefore, you couldn't expect that special someone to love you if you don't love yourself." -- Akira Ijyun.
"If you can't give up on this person, then you have to change how you view the situation. Unrequited love is still love, and if you have enough of it for both people, then who's to say it's not just as good?" -- Akira Ijyun.
"Well, then you need a new object of desire. Humans are the worst when it comes to learning from experience. A new love will help you forget the hurt from old ones." -- Akira Ijyun.
"There were once two travelers. They followed the same road, carrying the same load. Even so, each was convinced that the other one had a lighter cargo, so they decided to trade. When they did, each became convinced that he'd been cheated into carrying a heavier pack. It's a fault of human nature. Everybody thinks they have the worst problems in the world. But if you fight that impulse and remember there are many whose luck is worse... your own troubles suddenly become easier to bear." -- Akechi-sensei.
"I won't be selfish and take up all your time. It's stupid to think we'll only be happy only when we're together. I'm going to learn things you don't know. I'll study when you're not around. I want to be a better woman next time you visit." -- Utako Ogawa.
"I won't want forever if it means things will never change. I don't believe in eternal love. I want to fall deep, deep, deeper in love with you. But true love must face many challenges." -- Utako Ogawa.
"I'm not lying. The only thing I could think of while I was eating it was how you made it for me. Nothing could taste bad under those conditions." -- Akira Ijyun.
"So, tell me, Utako-san... do you know the real identity of this dangerous criminal?
No, I don't.
His name?
Nope.
Are you seriously? What if he's a con-artist?
Then that would just be my tough luck. Some people like to whine, 'wah, I was tricked' or 'boo-hoo, I was betrayed.' That's pure baloney. You start throwing around junk like that, you're just going to end up with tainted love. If you end up betrayed or abandoned by someone you love, you're just as much at fault as he is. It takes two to make a thing go right... or wrong." -- Makoto and Utako Ogawa.
"No one ever wants to break a promise, Akira-kun, but sometimes we have to. Listen. There's an old Billy Wilder movie starring Marilyn Monroe called Some Like It Hot. A couple of guys hide from the mob by dressing as women, and a rich tycoon proposes to Jack Lemmon... thinking he's a girl. Jack Lemmon says, "I smoke." The tycoon replies, "Doesn't matter." So the guy says, "I'll cheat." The tycoon says, "I'll forgive you." Lemmon finally has enough, and seeing no other way out, he removes his wing, and declares, "I'm a man!" Without even batting an eye, the tycoon retorts, "Nobody's perfect." No matter how hard you try, you can't do everything exactly right. Even the greatest people in history made mistakes and acted foolishly. If you want to be with Utako, you shouldn't overextend yourself to avoid breaking a promise. Because once you do, you'll find you have to keep extending, and before you even realize it, you won't know who you really are anymore. Just trust that she'll realize how bad you feel for going back on your word. Your relationship is far too fragile if something so small can sever your bond. If your apology is sincere, she'll understand. Just be honest and let her know hoow sorry you are for the mix-up." -- Akechi-sensei.
"I am sure he has a good reason. I'm trying to remain calm about this. But I'm so upset, I can't fend off this frown! I probably look hideous.
It's good to get mad. You get mad because you love him. You wouldn't be anxious if you didn't care about him. I'll bet your heart is beating loudly. Fears are beautiful. People who say 'trust' and 'eternal love' without really knowing what those words mean, without fully knowing their partner have no idea how to care so much that they're this anxious. You should be glad to know that feeling. Get really angry, worry and stress out. It will only serve to make your love stronger. There's just one thing a girl must never do for love.
What's that?
Don't bring any shame to your love.
Shame?
Be selfish, be unreasonable, and don't worry about it. We're girls, so we are allowed. Being a girl is a privilege, and we should take full advantage of that fact. We have the right and the duty to act as we please. But a boy who makes a girl cry is worthless and he brings shame into the romance and makes it untrue." -- Utako and Makoto Ogawa.
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Volume Two
"Have you ever heard the saying 'it;s the thought that counts'? A gift's true value isn't the price tag, bu the emotions and circumstances surrounding it. The giver's intentions determine its value. Because their husband made it for them... the bowl is priceless to your mothers." -- Utako Ogawa.
"Lions do many things that we might consider cruel. For instance, they've been known to hurl their newborn children from the edges of cliffs and make them climb back up by themselves. Something human would find repellent. However, lions look at the bigger picture. They do it to teach their cubs determination, so they'll have what it takes to survive in the harsh wilderness. Sometimes you have to steel your heart, and show 'tough love' to people you care about." -- Akechi-sensei.
"She's right. Feelings do change. One day you're in love with someone, and the next you're not. That's life. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't love at all, Even a little love is more than you can hope for. Even if could predict the future, why would you? That would make life pretty boring. Emotions are meant to be unpredictable. That's the exciting part... the way feelings take you over. Who knows? Maybe you guys will always be this way. Maybe your love will get deeper. Time will pass, you'll both grow old, and then you'll be on your way to heaven. But if all the love you shared is strong enough, if it's worth hanging onto, it will sustain itself over the long years. That may just be what 'forever' means." -- Shigetoshi Ijyun.
"Akira-kun, you are a nice young man, and modest to a fault. Sometimes it's important to express how you feel. Akira, you really care for her, don't you? Then you have to tell her, or she'll never know. You are probably bothering her more by keeping your feelings secret. There are things that you feel you don't have to say, but it's important to express some feelings with words, to let someone know you care. Not even the smartest person can read another's heart. No one can. That's why we have words like 'love,' so we can share our desires with each other. She'll never understand you if you keep it all bottled up. If you really want to be considerate of her feelings, then you need to swallow your fear and be honest with her." -- Akechi-sensei.
"20 Faces didn't show up, did he? And you still like him, so it hurts. You weren't just spending time with him, were you... because you thought he liked you, were you?
No.
Good. You shouldn't be concerned then. You can keep loving him just like before. Your emotions were pure, even if his weren't. You're not going to say dumb stuff like 'our love has to be mutual,' are you? Romance always ends up being a one-way street. You might feel like you understand each other, but it's only an illusion. That's why romance is such a thrill. You and 20 Faces are strangers playing at something more. Both of you might very well love each other, but you'll express that love in different ways, because your emotions are born from separate hearts. Maybe he'll eventually love you more than you love him, you never know. Until now, he came by every Friday night, and that's says something. I think he definitely has feelings for you. Even if he doesn't want to marry you now, that doesn't mean he'll always feel that way. Sometimes guys have to get used to the idea. It's about determination and effort!" -- Makoto and Utako Ogawa.
"I guess certain feelings have to be stated to be realized. I loved you. Even if you didn't return my feelings. Now that I know you love me too... I love you even more." -- Utako Ogawa.
"You two have been together for eleven years. It's so wonderful that you're still anxious to see him after all this time." -- Makoto Ogawa.
"You can be such an enigma. How do you always know exactly what I want? A wish is never supposed to turn out exactly the way you want it to, yet somehow the two of us defy that rule on a regular basis. Today, my fondest wish was to receive a proposal from you. It would've made this the sweetest sixteenth birthday. And here it is. Nothing would make me happier than becoming your bride.
I was worried you'd throw the ring in my face.
Not a chance. I would never let anybody else have you. I love you. With those magic words, we're invincible. I'll probably be the happiest bride in history.
Then I'll be the happiest groom... and together we'll be the happiest newly-weds." -- Utako Ogawa and Akira Ijyun.
 ChiiDoLLx · Fri Apr 09, 2010 @ 10:30am · 0 Comments |
