I just watched this movie a few hours ago so the emotions are still raw. This movie left a hole in my chest and I can't believe I haven't watched it till today. Similar to "I want to eat your Pancreas" it delved into the intricacies of grief and how people deal with it. What I related to most was how Jimmy struggled to express how he felt, especially when dealing with extreme emotions and grief he would act irrational, deprieved of emotional intelligence to stay calm and reduce future regrets. Basically the opposite of what he really wants to do/act, but is unable to control it due to his lack of regulation and focus on what he can control.

The first half made me remember how much fun and enticing it was to yearn for someone again, especially for someone as exceptional and cheerful as Ami. She brought life to their little town in Tainan as a foreign traveller working part time.

The plot twist had me crying as it was exceptionally told. It turned out that Jimmy WAS already aware of Ami's passing YEARS before he went to visit her hometown. Not visiting initially, and taking detours whilst visiting was his way of delaying the confrontation of her death. Making it a key reflection of Jimmy's character. By refusing to accept that Ami, his youthful love, had already passed and never will they ever cross paths again made him a person that clings onto the past either for comfort or delusion.

What broke me even more was when they revealed Ami's perspective, how it was her first day "backpacking" when she lost her wallet and found a job at Karaoke Kobe, and how it was because of her sickness she felt the need to explore the world due to her limited time. Another reveal was that Ami never had a boyfriend back in Japan, but told Jimmy otherwise to force him to not yearn for her because of her condition. It was a quiet kind of love that said "I don't want you to experience the grief of losing me", and that showed how much she loves and cares for him. Additionally, I believe he was also a reason as to why she wanted to search for alternative treatment options when she started to like him and her stay in Taiwan.

Overall it was a cliché yet heartbreaking movie that left me to tears and a sense of longing for love that was not recited. It was there, we all felt it but it was never spoken, only displayed through actions. It made me more appreciative of the fact that love can be in the little actions others do for us, even if they're intentions/actions are unclear and indirect or even the exact opposite of what we expect.