warmy

Hey, lads, don't forget to grab a couple cases of fizzy drinks from the canteen!

Right, whose kid was that again? She's got a loud voice.

I remember her... From the looks of it, she must've found her old man. Good. Good...

Oh, so that's her... How long has she been gone? Two years? So it's been two years already...?

Ah... two years, in the blink of an eye.

Heh, it's like the blink of an eye to us alright.

But I'm sure those same two years have been a very long time to her.

The factory workers keep piling into the empty plot.

(Loudspeaker) Everyone! The movie is about the start!

(Loudspeaker) If you have tall chairs, lean back as much as you can. If you have short ones, come as close to the front as possible to not block the people behind!

There are rows and rows of seats. Most have already taken settled in, while a few are trying to find a spot more to their liking.

Some run up to the roof, some decide to dangle themselves from a crane, and some opt just to go to behind the silver screen.

(Loudspeaker) Potlid—

H-Hu-Huh?! Lanns?

Oh no! I haven't turned the loudspeaker off yet!

Huh? Loudspeaker?

So everyone here heard my nickname for you loud and clear, then?

How about it? Everyone thinks it's a great nickname, right?

*whimper*...

Hello? Can anyone hear me?

I'm never speaking to you again!

Alright, alright. I'm sorry... I'm just worried about you!

Didn't we agree you'd reach out to me as soon as you finished saying hi to the townspeople?

Oh, right.

I got so busy that I forgot...

What do I do with you...? Never mind. Are you happy you got to see everyone?

Yep, I'm very happy!

Really, really happy!

Haha, that's good. Very good.

Warmy, the movie is about to start!

Oh, coming!

Now off you go.

Finish saying all the things you've been holding in for the last couple years. We'll come to the town's station to pick you up tomorrow.

Lanns, I can go tonight.

But... Would it be alright to have you pick me up there?

The workers keep their eyes focused on the screen. The protagonist's monologue is echoing in their ears.

'At the time, I still didn't know where that truck would take him.'

'The wilderness is vast. If you get separated, you may never see each other again.'

'But where is the path ahead that I seek?'

'Having missed the last ride, I follow the dark road and march onward to daybreak.'

Huh...? Is the movie over already?

But it kind of feels like the story's not over yet... What did the main character mean by that in the end?

I don't think I get it... but everyone must've really enjoyed the movie...

Ah, good movie.

I'm jealous... He spent a lifetime chasing a single idea. So courageous.

Oh, please. This stuff only ever happens in movies. Nobody would be so unrealistic in real life.

Take a guess. Why didn't the director give us a clear conclusion to his story?

Everybody knows it in their hearts. He's walking into the mountains, the valleys, to the ends of the earth... He's just walking to a dead end.

A dead end?

You son of a mother... How could you say that?

(Hm... I remember these two always bickering with each other...)

(I'm getting a bad feeling about this...)

They made the ending like this because they wanted us to fill in the rest ourselves. You can't figure even that out?

If you see nothing but a dead end ahead of him, then I can only feel sorry for how life's been treating you!

Hmph, I saw an irresponsible man and that's all. Maybe you're like him.

If my kid grows up to be like him, I'll beat him 'till he can't leave town!

You—

What? Wanna go? Let's do it!

Wh-Why are they fighting all of a sudden?!

*sigh*...

(Takes a deep breath)

Stop fighting—

Heh! I knew we'd be treated to a wrestling match after the movie!

Yeah, hold him down! Don't let him fight back!

Quick, pass out the drinks I brought with me. It's time for the encore!

Wait... It wasn't supposed to go like this...

After the movie, it should've been...

Quit making trouble!

Hyah!

Ugh... my arm...

Eek... My back...

Wow, that's amazing... You stopped the two of them in one go!

*sigh*... You came back for a visit after so long, and these morons didn't change for even one bit.

It's all okay... Everyone's always yelled at each other for as long as I can remember... Although today feels especially bad.

Good thing you're still here, Uncle Fat Head. You took care of them so quickly.

Not just me. Your desserts helped, too.

Help me put the tape back in the cabinet by the wall, Warmy.

Okay!

What's wrong?

N-Nothing! I was just looking at how long the case says the movie is.

So that was actually the full version...

Haha... Sounds like you don't like the movie's ending, either.

N-Not at all. I really like it.

The movie doesn't say... but I think the main character has already reached his goal and is ready to start a new journey.

Oh, that's just what I think... Even if everyone ends up fighting over what they think the ending is about... I think everyone's opinions are valid!

Silly girl... Why does it matter what anyone else thinks? What's important is what <i>you</i> think.

So why did you want to show a movie today, Warmy?

I...

I just wanted to get everyone together to have some fun... just like what Daddy used to do...

Every time he left home, he'd watch a movie with everybody.

He said... That's how you cheer everyone up.

Warmy... You're all grown up now.

I can tell... You wanted to say a proper goodbye, right?

But things got so out of hand, I didn't get a chance...

But, you know what? You've already said your goodbye.

Huh?

When you invited all of us here, you told us what you've been through the last two years.

We can tell you've been taking care of yourself and made new friends... We all know. Just like the movie's main character, you've started a new journey.

The most important thing is you're still young. You have all kinds of possibilities open to you. Do what it is that you want to do.

It doesn't matter if you want to stay here, keep looking for your old man, or something else...