[Camera slowly pans close to a statue lying at the bottom of the sea. Salt water weeds clings onto the stone structure as they wave their leafy tendrils around in the waves of the underwater current. Then something gives and the statue is released. It slowly rises, breaking into the surface with a burst of pressure]

[Scene changes to the past where a pair of young lovers lay together, bathed in the glow of burning candles]

Hanamichi: Say to me, 'If you die, I'll follow you for I do not fear the loneliness of death'.

Rukawa: ...If you die, I'll follow you for I do not fear the loneliness of death.

~How do I get through one night without you
If I had to live without you.
What kind of life would that be~

[Scene changes back to the present where Rukawa stands outside on the balcony with Ming Mei in his arms. He leans down to kiss her when suddenly his eyes rivets to the glass doors in front of him. He sees a man walking about in the room, dressed in robes of the past with long red flaming hair tied in two places which is swaying at the back as the man strums the strings of a zither. Rukawa walks towards the vision, stopping when the red-head looks up at him through the open glass doors and gives him a dazzling smile]

~Oh and I,
I need you in my arms
Need you to hold~

[Scene shows Hanamichi and Yohei in an elevator having a conversation]

Yohei: [arches an eyebrow] So what is your type of woman?

[Hanamichi stays silent for a moment as if thinking about something]

Hanamichi: I'll tell you when I meet him.

~You're my world, my heart, my soul.
If you ever leave
Baby you would take everything good in my life~

[Scene shows Rukawa in an antique shop, turning around in search of something. He then sees a person standing with his back to him, strumming a zither. Rukawa walks slowly towards him when the man suddenly turns around. He and the redhead stood stock still, brown eyes locked in with blue ones]

[Cut to a shot of the zither in Hanamichi's hand falling to the floor in slow motion]

~Without you there'd be no sun in my sky,
There'd be no love in my life~

[Scene shows Rukawa and Hanamichi standing in a small empty apartment. The golden light of the setting sun falls onto the two and casts shadows in the room through the open balcony doors]

Hanamichi: I saw you three times. Only one was in a dream.

Rukawa: [walking closer towards Hanamichi] What was I doing?

Hanamichi: [looking away, blushing] ...You were making love to me.

~There'd be no love left for me And I, baby I don't know what I would do~

[A sequence of scenes appear in quick shots: The Past- Hanamichi and Rukawa laying on a bed in each other's arms, the redhead's long hair spreads haphazardly on the sheets like molten silk threads. The Present- Rukawa and Hanamichi in the empty apartment. Rukawa walks towards Hanamichi from behind and enfolds the redhead in an embrace before dropping his head to nuzzle the redhead's neck. Another scene shows the couple in the midst of making love, Rukawa's head thrown back as Hanamichi moves against him]

~I'd be lost if I lost you
If you ever leave
Baby you would take everything real in my life~

[Another montage of scenes are shown: Rukawa and Hanamichi sitting in the middle of the unfurnished one-room apartment with their half eaten meal in front of them. They are arguing - ]

Rukawa: How can you not know?! .....Why was it our last night together? What happened to us?

Hanamichi: Shit! I told you I don't know!

[ - Ming Mei lashing out at Rukawa in their pent house, her eyes glittering with anger - ]

Ming Mei: That's crazy! I don't believe in this stupid supersitious thing! How can you?!

Rukawa: Be as it may, I have met him and I'm not leaving him.
[Bowing his head] I... I'm sorry...

Ming Mei: [crying] Damn you! Damn you!

[ - Yohei and Hanamichi sitting down for their dinner in their hotel room. They're not eating but are talking instead. Yohei looks at Hanamichi with a grave expression on his face - ]

Yohei: I don't want you to waste your life for some guy who only comes to you because of a few dreams he had. That's not a life to lead if it's based on that.

Hanamichi: [angrily] We truly care for each other.

Yohei: Because of the past.

Hanamichi: ...Let me relive my dream until the end...

~And tell me now
How do I leave without you, I want to know~

[Scene changes to the past. Hanamichi sits in front of Rukawa's statue in the light of the twin fires burning nearby. He slowly brings the dagger to his throat to makes a deep cut on his neck. Then he lies down, pressing his cheek to the statue's as dark red blood seeps out of him]

~How do I breath without you, if you ever go
How do I ever, ever survive~

[Go back to the present where Rukawa is about to leave with Hanamichi, bringing Rukawa's suitcase with them. Then they turn around and see Ming Mei at the door, her arms open and her front blouse stained with blood. The two men run towards her before she falls onto the floor. Scene shifts to focus onto Ming Mei's face as she turns to Hanamichi]

Ming Mei: [crying] 8 years or 2,000 years, it's still love...

~If you ever leave
Baby you would take everything away ~

[Camera cuts to Hanamichi standing in the rain outside Rukawa's apartment building. He suddenly turns around and in a moment he and Rukawa are clinging to each other and kissing desperately. Then they slowly break off and Hanamichi walks away and enters a taxi, leaving Rukawa behind in the rain]

~How do I, how do I Oh how do I live~

[Scene shows Rukawa meeting Hanamichi one year later at a party. Haruko winds her arm around Hanamichi's and the redhead smiles. Then the scene cuts to Hanamichi and Rukawa outside the hotel, talking for a moment before they look at each other, their eyes full of emotion. Haruko appears and the scene changes to show Hanamichi and Haruko walking away from Rukawa in slow motion]

~Need you with me
Baby 'cause you know that you're everything good in my life~

[Camera focuses at Rukawa calling out to Hanamichi as the redhead is about to enter the car. Rukawa strides over towards the redhead and pulls him forward for a short but forceful kiss. Then the scene shifts, showing Rukawa turning around to walk away in hurt when Hanamichi grabs his arm. The redhead smiles and they embrace joyfully]

~And tell me now
How do I live without you~

[Scene and music fades with Hanamichi and Rukawa's voice in the background]

Hanamichi: ... we will be a pair of beautiful spirits.

Rukawa: No. I don't want to be a beautiful spirit. I like flesh and blood. I love the feeling of being inside your flesh. That's real.

~THE END~