1. When people finish their day
and hurry home,
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2. my day starts.
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3. My diner is open from midnight
to seven in the morning.
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4. They call it "Midnight Diner."
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5. PORK MISO SOUP COMBO
BEER, SAKE, SHOCHU
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6. That's all I have on my menu.
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7. But I make whatever customers request
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8. as long as I have ingredients for it.
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9. That's my policy.
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10. Do I even have customers?
More than you would expect.
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11. TOKYO STORIES
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12. TAN-MEN
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13. I use instant dried noodles for ramen.
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14. But for tan-men, I use fresh noodles.
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15. They are better suited
for tan-men.
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16. I feel guilty eating ramen at night.
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17. Tan-men is good since
it comes with veggies.
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18. Here you go again.
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19. If you're going to make excuses,
just don't eat it at all.
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20. It's like life. We can't make
rational choices all the time.
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21. Be careful.
It's that extra bite that makes you fat.
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22. Mr. Shimada is a radio announcer.
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23. I guess his doctor had told him
to watch his weight.
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24. Welcome.
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25. Hi.
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26. Tan-men, no noodles.
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27. Got it.
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28. Here you go. Without noodles.
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29. Thank you.
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30. Excuse me.
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31. I've never heard of such a dish.
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32. I don't want to have carbohydrates
late at night.
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33. Besides,
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34. noodles get soggy
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35. while I eat the vegetables.
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36. Well, that makes sense, but...
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37. Master, cancel my order of rice with tea.
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38. I will have tan-men without noodles,
just like her.
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39. Sure.
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40. Are you done for the night?
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41. Not yet. I will work until morning.
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42. I'm so impressed by you.
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43. I have no sense of direction.
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44. Do you use a navigation system?
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45. I know every street in Tokyo.
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46. Without noodles, huh?
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47. Mr. Shimada was so impressed that...
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48. MIDNIGHT SHIMA-CHAN
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49. Hi Ms. Witch of Tabata,
I've also tried every method.
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50. There's one called the Apple Diet.
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51. Don't try it. It didn't fill me up at all.
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52. So I switched to eating apple pies,
but then I got even fatter.
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53. It all went straight to my gut.
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54. Anyway, "without" at a noodle shop
means tempura soba without noodles.
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55. If someone orders that with a drink,
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56. I know he's a real connoisseur.
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57. Recently I met someone
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58. who ordered tan-men without noodles
at my favorite diner.
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59. Tan-men without noodles
is basically hearty vegetable soup.
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60. It would be a great meal
for someone who is watching their weight.
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61. Really? What a strange dish to order.
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62. You're right.
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63. But I have not tried it yet.
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64. Was it about this diner?
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65. That's right.
It was Mr. Shimada's radio show.
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66. He talked about tan-men without noodles.
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67. That was about Ms. Harumi, right?
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68. - That's right.
- Who is she?
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69. Don't you remember?
The female taxi driver.
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70. That good-looking woman
who is past her prime?
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71. Past her prime? How old is she?
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72. My guess is...
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73. - she is in her mid-forties.
- She is young enough for me then.
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74. I wouldn't even call her mature.
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75. I have a thing for women
with low metabolic rates.
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76. I get a strong libido for such women.
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77. You will live long.
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78. Can I try tan-men without noodles?
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79. - Me, too.
- Sure.
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80. Can I? You look mellow.
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81. - Here's one.
- Mellow?
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82. - One more.
- Shut up.
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83. Two weeks later...
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84. I knew it. It was about me, huh?
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85. I'm sorry for using your story
without your permission.
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86. The way you were eating
made the dish look so tasty.
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87. It reminded me of this one time...
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88. I called into a show to request a song,
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89. and my name was mentioned.
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90. The late-night-radio generation!
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91. Now you know how old I am.
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92. So, why a radio jockey?
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93. I looked up to late-night radio jockeys.
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94. When I got sad or stressed out,
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95. and didn't know what to do,
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96. they helped me feel like I wasn't alone.
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97. I know what you mean.
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98. Yes.
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99. Sure.
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100. I'm nearby.
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101. I will pick you up in five minutes.
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102. See you at the same spot.
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103. See you soon.
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104. Is that a regular customer?
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105. Regular customers are great.
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106. It's not always easy finding customers
just by driving around.
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107. Master, check please.
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108. - Thank you for the meal.
- Thank you.
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109. Why does she looks so familiar to me?
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110. Right?
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111. Don't you think they look alike?
I have no doubt.
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112. Crimson Maple.
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113. They do look alike.
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114. What is this anyway?
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115. She's Crimson Maple.
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116. From the legendary TV show,
Super Ninja Squadron Koga.
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117. Do you know it?
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118. No. There were too many
ninja squadron shows.
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119. Black Flying Squirrel,
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120. Ultramarine Gale, Light-green Yonezo,
Orange Tasuke,
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121. and Crimson Maple.
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122. Five super ninjas kill evildoers,
leaving no trace!
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123. When I was a kid, I sent her a fan letter.
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124. Then she sent me this photo.
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125. I wonder if she remembers me.
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126. Mr. Middle-aged Rider,
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127. there is no age limit for falling in love.
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128. But don't be a stalker.
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129. Please consider
how your love interest feels.
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130. Speaking of love...
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131. I recently ran into my first love
at the most random place.
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132. Unfortunately,
it was an unrequited love.
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133. She doesn't even know who I am.
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134. Some of you may remember a TV show
called Super Ninja Squadron Koga,
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135. which was popular when I was a kid.
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136. One of the show's characters,
Crimson Maple,
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137. is my first love.
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138. When I knew
that she was Crimson Maple,
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139. this song started playing in my head.
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140. It's the main theme song
from Super Ninja Squadron Koga.
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141. That brings back so many memories.
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142. Are you starting a fan club for that show?
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143. That's right.
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144. I announced it on my website
to see the listeners' reactions.
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145. The feedback was amazing.
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146. My favorite episode is when the leader
welcomed Maple,
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147. a lone ninja, to their squadron.
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148. - "If It Is Hidden, It Is The Flower."
- Yes!
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149. Flying Squirrel says...
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150. "We got your back.
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151. So don't run. Just fight."
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152. PLAYING NEXT WEEK?
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153. Even as a kid, I was so moved.
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154. I felt the same way.
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155. And Flying Squirrel and...
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156. Men...
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157. never grow up.
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158. Here you go.
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159. Extra large pork and veggie soup combo.
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160. Bon appétit.
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161. Hey, guys.
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162. It's great to show your support,
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163. but have you thought about
how she would feel?
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164. Don't you agree, Master?
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165. Yeah...
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166. I'm sure many things have
led her to where she is now.
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167. And that's what I want her to
talk about on my show.
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168. She's diligent, and loyal to her job.
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169. I felt it when I met her.
It's just a hunch, but...
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170. I think she could even talk about
her downs positively.
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171. That's right.
She must have moved on by now.
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172. She is a good taxi driver now.
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173. I'm sure her past is just
a fond memory now.
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174. It's a fond memory for you,
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175. but it's not for me.
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176. I didn't like the role to begin with.
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177. No matter who I played,
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178. I was always Maple of Koga.
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179. That's the main reason why I quit acting.
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180. I didn't know that.
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181. I've been through a lot to be here now.
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182. Don't expose my life
for your own interest.
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183. That wasn't my—
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184. But...
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185. I understand your point.
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186. I'm really sorry.
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187. Master, another one.
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188. What's the occasion?
You've never had a drink here.
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189. Does Mr. Shimada still visit?
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190. Speaking of... he hasn't in a while.
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191. I...
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192. can finally tell everyone with pride...
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193. how much I love my current job.
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194. Mr. Shimada said the same thing.
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195. "She's diligent, and loyal to her job."
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196. Is that right?
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197. Master, "without noodles" please.
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198. Sure.
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199. Back then,
I was the worst actress in the group.
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200. I didn't want to admit it.
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201. So I put myself on a pedestal,
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202. and took my stress out on others.
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203. I was really awful.
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204. But even then,
the leader always defended me.
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205. What's the name of his character?
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206. Flying Squirrel.
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207. That's right.
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208. Flying Squirrel was a good man, huh?
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209. I loved with him.
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210. But then...
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211. Good morning.
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212. One day I went to the studio
earlier than usual.
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213. I...
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214. Sorry.
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215. This one is on me.
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216. No, you really don't need to do that.
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217. Please, let me.
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218. He wished he had been born a girl.
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219. He confided in me about it.
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220. Thanks to that,
I couldn't be in love with him,
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221. but I got an indispensable friendship.
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222. Here you go.
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223. We didn't have much money...
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224. so we always had a drink with this dish.
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225. I was afraid that old fans
might scrutinize his current life
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226. if the show renewed their interest.
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227. Since he protected me back then,
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228. it was my turn to protect him now.
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229. But it turned out
that it was none of my concern.
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230. Did Flying Squirrel tell you that?
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231. "Your life is your business.
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232. And my life is mine.
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233. We are walking on separate paths.
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234. Leave it that way."
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235. So... speaking of...
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236. How is he doing now?
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237. I'm the one who bothered her.
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238. So why?
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239. She feels that she has said too much.
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240. So she wants to apologize to you.
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241. Good evening.
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242. Welcome.
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243. Well...
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244. I was ignorant and insensitive.
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245. I am really sorry. I shouldn't have—
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246. "We got your back.
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247. So...
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248. don't run. Just fight."
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249. Harumi,
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250. I will tell him everything myself.
You got that?
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251. Whatever you want.
I'm leaving after my meal.
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252. - You are so unsociable.
- I stopped meddling in others' affairs.
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253. Don't you recognize me?
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254. Crimson Maple and...
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255. Crimson Maple and...
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256. Flying Squirrel?
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257. You're Flying Squirrel.
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258. Really? Really?
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259. - Flying—
- Want some water?
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260. Flying Squirrel?
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261. Get ready.
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262. We're live,
so please watch your language.
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263. The commercial break will end soon.
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264. Shima, go.
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265. This is "Midnight Shima-chan."
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266. Believe it or not,
I have a special guest tonight.
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267. Honestly, I didn't think
that he would come.
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268. Long time no see.
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269. I'm Black Flying Squirrel
from Super Ninja Squadron Koga.
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270. I'm so happy to hear
that everyone remembers me.
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271. I'm the only one here today,
but get ready for our usual callout.
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272. "When the five super ninjas unite,
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273. they kill evildoers, leaving no trace!
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274. When five bells ring,
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275. time's up for the evildoers.
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276. Koga will go anywhere
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277. beyond good and evil!"
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278. Can you believe
today's show is almost over?
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279. Flying Squirrel wants to send a message
to his dear friend.
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280. I will send out a personal message
through the radio.
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281. I love who I am, as well as who I was.
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282. No matter what others say about me,
I don't care. This is who I am.
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283. I may have a thicker skin now
than I had then...
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284. That said...
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285. I appreciate the fact...
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286. that you care about me.
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287. I want to thank you sincerely.
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288. Please come again, Flying Squirrel.
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289. Until next week.
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290. Good night, everyone.
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291. I'm sorry. I didn't see you.
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292. Where are you going?
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293. Here you go.
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294. I'm the sixth Super Ninja,
White Shima-chan.
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295. My favorite item is "with noodles"
after all.
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296. Hey rookie, no whispering.
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297. Yes, ma'am.
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298. Attention please, everyone.
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299. Good night.
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300. THIS STORY IS FICTION
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