After Waking | A Psychological Short Film [Chinese & English Subtitles]

Who are you?

Mm. Okay.

Told me to lie on the bed.

Shaking all over.

Say it.

Wake up.

Wake up. Let the water out.

Wake up. Wake up.

I'm fine. I'm okay.

Out on the street, one place was lit up.

I ran toward it.

You thought...

I thought this would save you.

But I didn't know you were...

It's like a...

Like a fish tank.

You're swimming in there.

I can't swim.

Can't swim.

So he...

Could you teach me?

[Indistinct whispering]

You know what I want?

Help me.

Thank you.

To repay you.

Mm.

What are you thanking me for?

What are you thanking me for?

Want to come over?

No, no.

You just seemed upset.

I could show you around.

Oh.

Or Yanjiao. Up to you.

I'm afraid to go.

Why?

I'm afraid to go.

Maybe later.

You don't usually drink, do you?

Diluted whisky.

You added water?

Yes.

It's all melted now.

Thank you.

Go get some ice, then pour the drinks.

I'll lie on your lap.

Okay.

I haven't brought the drinks, and you're already lying down.

Ha! All right.

Grown-ups need to play too.

But we didn't mean playing games.

Not video games or arcades.

Not sightseeing together either.

Just running around the neighborhood.

That was my happiest time.

The happiest I'd ever been.

I want to go back to then.

I remember it so clearly.

We were playing hide-and-seek.

We were running around,

and I hid in an apartment building,

right behind the entrance door.

I couldn't stop panting.

Anyone could have found me.

It was so silly.

You wanted them to find you?

No. I couldn't stop panting.

Oh, right.

There was a well. A really deep well.

We dropped stones and timed the splash to work out how deep it was.

It felt like something mysterious was down there.

Me too.

Like an underground cave.

When I was little...

This is a little shop.

I used to play there all the time.

Nobody at home looked after me.

The old lady there was so kind.

She gave me snacks and toys.

And later...

I lived here in primary school.

Seven or eight years later,

I used to skip high school.

One day I skipped class and went back.

To see her.

I bought a few things.

I asked, "Do you remember me?"

She thought, but couldn't remember.

Then suddenly: "You're Zhuangzhuang!"

She recognized me.

I was so moved.

And she wouldn't take my money.

I should have paid first.

But when I opened the door,

it was just like seven or eight years ago.

Even she looked exactly the same.

I could barely hold it together.

After that, I was afraid to see her.

I thought she'd give me things again.

Love comes through at other moments.

It was there in that moment too.

But sex and love are separate,

for me.

I often wonder why I can't love.

Nobody...

Nobody taught us how to love.

Can it be taught?

It takes steady perseverance.

Never abandoning, never giving up. And...

Feeling secure.

You have to feel secure to love someone.

That's so heavy.

But many people don't feel secure.

They can only protect themselves.

We never took the proper mountain trail.

We climbed down over these rocks,

then up the cliff opposite.

Mm.

Now...

In high school, I'd skip class to watch sunsets here.

Oh, beautiful.

I watched the sunset here every day.

Beautiful.

A time we can't return to.

But you can't live there forever.

You can't keep looking back.

I was wrong.

I was wrong. I was wrong.

I was wrong.

I was wrong.

You're here.

I forgive you.

Let's go. Come on.

It's time to go fishing.

Such a lovely day.

Set up the tent.

Get in the inflatable boat.

Then Barbie accidentally drowned.

Give me a chance.

Give me a chance.

Turn on the light.

You were drunk that day.

That's not what happened.

Barbie was on the boat too.

But later she was gone.

It's him.

Why won't he come over?

I hate him! I hate him!

Do you understand?

I hate him!

I'm not what you need.

You're all I have.

Why say this now?

Get out!

Get out.

Go.

Hmph.

Is this okay?

I don't want this.

I see the slightest reluctance in your eyes.

No.

How can I trust you?

I can't trust anyone anymore.

How can I trust you?

We can keep our distance.

Do you understand?

Once the cup is empty, throw it away.

I have nothing more to give you.

What's the point?

Please, just go.

Go. Don't do this.

At least I still have a cat.

But one day,

it went missing.

Where do I go now?

The cartoon's over.

The clock stopped.

It doesn't matter who's right anymore.

I lost my shoes.

I don't fucking believe you anymore.

I hate you.

You thought...

I thought this would save you.

Let's end this.

Forget it.

You're a failure.

That's what you want me to say?

You failed. Such a failure.

You're nothing.

You're nothing. Everything you do is pointless.

Baby.

I don't care. I don't care.

A failure, baby.

I don't care.

Are you afraid of ghosts?

Are you afraid of ghosts?

This is terrible.

No idea where to begin.

He wants me to slow down.

We...

Slowly.

Turn on the light.

Then I could see clearly.

Maybe you should stop.

It's gone.

It's gone.

Wrong format.

When the hallucination appeared in the drawer,

I happened to be asleep.

Please, hurry up.

You're too slow.

Wrong format.

I don't know what to do.

Like a fish tank.

You're swimming in there.

I'm swimming in there.

I'm killing fish in there.

You know...

You're swimming in there.

You know I'm in there. So let the water out!

You know I'm in there. Let the water out! Let it out!

Wake up!

Wake up!

I can't stand your hypocrisy. There you are, bouncing around.

What are you talking about?

It's suddenly so cold.

You don't understand.

It feels like my heart is being torn apart.

My heart, torn apart.

Communication is where evil begins.

How many worlds fit inside one mind?

You can paint one world, then jump into another.

Paint one, then go to another.

You must never lie.

Tell me.

What does it mean to create?

Do you know you're lying?

Are you done yet?

Are you done yet?

You should step aside.

Give him a chance to live.

Be careful.

Listen. Nobody's fighting you.

Can't swim.

Mm.

Can't swim.

Let me go down.

I've changed my mind.

Even hell would be fine.

Let it all disappear. Disappear.

How can it end like this?

How can it end like this?

What else do you want?

Tell me. I'll give it to you.

You can't keep giving it to him.

I can write this down.

Mm.

There is no "if."

There is no "if."

I haven't said what I really want to say.

It's because I'm keeping a diary.

Huh?

Keeping a diary... Yes.

It's a place to put some of your feelings.

So cold.

Give me a blanket.

So cold. So cold.

Do you know?

Do you know?

People who freeze to death... Did you know they undress before they die?

They feel hot.

Mm. They feel so hot.

What are you thinking?

I find it amazing.

But, but...

I want to understand it, but I can't. So I give up.

You thought...

I thought this would save you.

Say it. Wake up.

Wake up. Let the water out.

Wake up. Wake up.

Who are you?

Mm. Okay.

Told me to lie on the bed.

Shaking all over.

I don't know if I'm awake or asleep.

I look up.

Like a fish tank.

Then why don't you let the water out?

I'm swimming in there too.