木村：「課長、ごきげんですね。両手に花ですか」
課長：「こんな時ぐらいは、楽しませてもらわないとねl
Ryoote ni hana
Kimura: Kachoo gokigen desu ne. Ryoote ni hana desu ka.
Kachoo: Konna toki gurai wa, tanoshimasete morawanai to ne.
Kimura: You certainly look happy, chief. Looks like you've been blessed with two beauties.
Section
Chief: A man has to be allowed to enjoy himself sometimes, yes?
* * *
Ryote ni hana means to have a monopoly on two beautiful things.
A popular excuse for being late returning home one often used by salaried workers - is, "I had an enkai tonight." Though I've never worked for a Japanese company myself, and so am not sure just how often people actually have enkai, I still feel sufficiently confident when I say that for people in important positions, enkai can actually be a daily affair. In many Japanese companies, in other words, business is not really conducted unless it's over drinks at the end of the day.
One can also say that whereas the word enkai in Japanese brings to mind an image of a small number of people sitting and talking (rather intensely) in a Japanese-style room, the imported word pati brings to mind an image of a large number of people chatting away in a big room or hall. Also, enkai, as opposed to pati, are almost always accompanied by hana - kimono-clad women who invariably sit next to the men of the group and make sure they have both a constant supply of "liquid refreshment" and a responsive conversational partner. The section chief is one of Kimura's important clients. Tonight he's flanked by two beautiful women and thoroughly enjoying himself (Ryote ni hana wo kakaete totemo gokigen na no da.)
Upon returning home, Kimura complains to his wife, "Once, just once, I'd like to be like the section chief, ryote ni hana de kashizukarete mitai mono desu (an attractive woman on each arm, attending to my every wish). A bit angry, Kimura's wife replies, "Hey you, what are you saying? You have enough women with me. If you're so interested in experiencing what it's like to be flanked by two beautiful girls (ryote ni hana no kibun wo ajiwaitai nara), why not ask your two daughters. I'm sure they'd be more than happy to accompany you on an evening out on the town." Kimura: "They may be beautiful girls, but they're my daughters ! " As the Kimuras are having this conversation, the TV news playing in the background, dinner on the table, their daughters return home. They immediately brighten the atmosphere. The older daughter:
"Father, you're home early today. Why don't we have some tea together after dinner." The younger daughter: "Green tea? Black tea? What about some black tea with a little dash of brandy?" Though he'd been down in the dumps, his daughters pick his spirits right up. When his daughters say, "Father, ryoote ni hana no kibun wa do? (how does it feel to be flanked by two lovely girls?)," he can only '0reply with the invitation, "It's just wonderful...Why don't we go out to see a movie together? Ryote ni hana de, sukurin mini no mo ii na...(It really would be nice to watch a movie with two lovely girls sitting next to me.)" Kimura's wife, who used to be her husband's hana, looks a little sad. I certainly hope Kimura remembers to sometimes invite his wife out for a date, too!