From Flower Vase to Film Emperor in Hollywood

Movies are like puzzles, piecing together fragments, chaotic but orderly. Only when everything is arranged in the correct order and position—

—can the whole picture be seen.

"… … However."

"At the time, I thought, cool, orange jacket!"

The camera turns, switching to the restrained and serious Joel, but is interrupted again in the next second.

"Hey.", It's Clementine.

Joel sits on the boardwalk steps by the beach, holding a plate with roast chicken, corn, and mashed potatoes, which doesn't look appetizing at all.

Clementine sits down next to him, generously greeting him.

"I saw you sitting there, all alone."

"And I thought, thank God, there are other ordinary people who don't know how to handle these kinds of social situations."

Clementine's words are slightly shy, cautiously taking a step, testing the waters.

Joel pursed his lips, "Yes, I never know what to say."

Clementine, "By the way, my name is Clementine."

Joel is slightly stunned.

Without waiting for Joel to respond, Clementine takes off her glove, "Can I have a piece of chicken?"

As she speaks, Clementine grabs a chicken leg and gnaws on it with relish.

Joel blinks, "You just went for it, without even waiting for my permission."

He can't help but chuckle.

Joel turns to look at Clementine, seemingly talking to himself, murmuring, "So intimate, as if we're already a couple."

The trailing sound slowly dissipates, with a hint of longing and remembrance.

Taking a deep breath, withdrawing his gaze, Joel returns to reality, "My name is Joel."

Clementine gives a mischievous smile, "Hey, Joel." Pausing, "So, no making fun of my name."

Joel is stunned, then laughs outright, "You mean, 'Oh my darling, oh my darling, oh my darling Clementine, you are lost and gone forever, dreadful sorry, Clementine.' 'Huckleberry Hound'? Animation theme song?"

Clementine rolls her eyes, "Yes, just like that. Forbidden!"

Joel, "Okay, no making fun. When I was little, my favorite was the Huckleberry Hound doll. I think your name has magic."

Wait, if Joel knows "Huckleberry Hound" and likes it so much, why doesn't Joel have any memory of it on the train at the beginning of the movie?

The only explanation is that all memories of Clementine have been deleted, including the "Huckleberry Hound" theme song, which was mistakenly deleted because of the same name!

Clementine quietly looks at Joel, gnawing on the chicken leg.

After a long time.

Then she says, "This is all there is, Joel. This will be deleted soon too."

Joel, "I know."

Clementine, "What do we do?"

Joel, "Enjoy it."

A sigh, helplessness, an uncontrollable sadness spreads.

Joel and Clementine have a beach date in Montauk, their first and last date.

They break into a villa next to the beach. Although Joel tries to stop Clementine, the audacious Clementine still goes in.

There, is the villa where Joel hides his shameful moments deep in his memory, the villa that Joel won't let Clementine near no matter what.

However, back when they first met, Clementine still broke in.

Although his feet eventually step into the villa, Joel's nature makes it impossible for him to enjoy this behavior, and every cell in his body is resisting.

Joel keeps trying to persuade Clementine to leave, while Clementine prepares to spend the night here. She explores the wine cellar, flips through letters—without opening them, just looking at the envelopes—and looks for the location of the bedroom. All of these actions remind Joel that they are intruders.

Without warning, the villa's attic begins to collapse.

Inexplicably, the villa's floor is covered with sand.

Joel makes excuses for himself, "I have to catch the last train."

Clementine, "Then go."

Joel, seemingly talking to himself, or perhaps talking to the Clementine he imagines in his mind, "I'm leaving. I think you might be crazy, but you're exciting."

Joel turns to leave, and not only the beach, but also the sea water, gradually begins to invade the villa, submerging his ankles.

The tide is rising, and in the blink of an eye, it has already submerged his knees.

Joel stands in the sea water, looking up the stairs, "I wish…" But the words get stuck in his throat, and the sadness in his eyes slowly reveals itself, "I wish I could stay. Really."

Clementine, "When I come downstairs, you'll be gone."

Joel shouts, "I left. I walked out that door."

Clementine, "Why?"

Joel, "I don't know either. I'm like a frightened child. My head is full of mush, I don't know anything."

Clementine's voice is full of surprise, "You're scared?"

Joel gives a wry smile, "Yes, I thought you already knew."

The villa is slowly collapsing.

Joel murmurs to himself, "I ran away to the bonfire, trying to cover up my shame."

Clementine, "Was it because of something I said?"

Joel nods, "Yes. You said, 'Then go.' In a contemptuous tone."

So, he ran away, like a stray dog, without the courage to face his own timidity and cowardice, fleeing in a wretched and fragile manner.

Afraid to face that kind of self.

However, the camera cuts, and Clementine pokes her head out from the second-floor stairs, "Joel, what if you stayed this time?"

Joel has already run out the door, turning to look at Clementine, the projection of his memory, "I ran away. I walked out that door, so there are no memories after that."

Clementine, "At least come back and say goodbye. Let's pretend we have a memory."

Joel can't resist after all, still walking back, looking at Clementine with sorrow in his eyes.

Clementine walks down, standing at the foot of the stairs, lowering her head and gently kissing Joel's lips, "Goodbye, Joel."

Joel's voice choked up a little, "I love you."

Clementine leans closer to Joel and whispers, "Meet me in Montauk."

Memory evolves into a dazzling and blurred halo.

Beaches. Seawater. Books. Scattered all over the ground.

First encounters. Reunions. Arguments. Everywhere.

That villa, quietly standing in the darkness, falling apart, slowing down frame by frame, as if the whole world is collapsing.

Blair is completely stunned, never having experienced such a mix of emotions. The disintegration of a building actually plunges her into a magnificent and overwhelming sadness, to the point that she can't even cry. She just opens her mouth slightly, watching with a look of astonishment as the villa turns into countless fragments and is submerged by the sea.

It's over, everything is over.

Whether sweet or painful, whether happy or sad, everything, everything just disappears like that.

Then, in Joel's memory scene, all traces of Clementine are erased. He is searching, he is calling out, but he doesn't get any response.

In an instant, Blair is defeated, tears breaking through her eyes, flowing down silently, almost scalding her cheeks, but she forgets to raise her hand to wipe them away, just letting the colors and brilliance on the movie screen swirl and burn in the tears, finally evolving into countless colors churning and burning.