The Long Goodbye

Cast -
Philip Marlowe: Ramona Wolf

Terry Lennox: Wang Xue

Eileen Wade: Lilja Kurtbay

Roger Wade: Senju Koyomi

Mendy Mendez: Yonaguni Hikari

Act 1 -
One night, private detective Philip Marlowe met Terry Lennox at a bar, and as they shared a drink, they hit it off. They went out drinking almost every night. Lennox liked gimlets, and so Marlowe began ordering them too.

One day, Marlowe saw someone from behind that looked like Lennox, but Lennox didn’t seem to notice him when he called out to him, and disappeared into the crowds of the town.

After that, he lost contact with Lennox.

Just as he began feeling like something was wrong, Marlowe heard a shocking rumour that Lennox had murdered his wife and was presumed dead.
Shortly after this incident, a letter arrived at Marlowe’s detective agency.

"I want you to drink a gimlet at the bar where we spent our nights and forget about me and the incident."

The message, assumed to be from Lennox, sounded exactly like a farewell message.

"I still don't think he committed the crime."

And is Lennox really dead? The mystery deepens with the mysterious letter...

Act 2 -
Dejected after losing his friend, Marlowe received a new request from a woman named Eileen, who was the wife of popular writer named Roger. The request was to find Roger’s best friend, Paul.

Marlowe began his investigation, but as he was suspicious about Lennox's supposed death, he also began searching for him.

Then, the gang boss Menendez appeared before Marlowe. Menendez threatened Marlowe to get him to stay out of Terry's case, but Marlowe didn’t back down and asked about his relationship with Lennox. Menendez says that Lennox saved his life.

"So I wanted to repay him."

In the underworld, reputation matters. Menendez probably didn’t want to make public that he’d been protected by others in the past. He seemed to have feelings for Lennox in his own way, and didn’t want to allow anyone to pry into his case.

Marlowe understood his feelings, but he couldn’t back down.

"...Do you know anything?"

To that question, Menendez shook his head and said, "No. Terry's case is over. From now on, and forever. Even if..."

Act 3 -
One day, the writer, Roger, called Marlowe.

“The Paul that Eileen is looking for may be using an alias. Terry Lennox...if we look into this name, we’re sure to find another clue."

However, Roger believes that if Eileen and Terry met again, they may leave the city to be together. Roger complained that he would be in trouble if Eileen disappeared. Marlowe was shocked to hear Lennox's name in an unexpected place.

"I can't believe Terry was the one Eileen was looking for."

Roger begged Marlowe to tell say that he couldn’t find Paul, but Marlowe replied that there was no need to do that.

"Terry is dead."

Marlowe convinced Roger that he should tell Eileen this fact that everyone except Marlowe believes.

Later, Marlowe met Eileen and began to talk.

"Paul used the alias Terry."

"I was best friends with Terry, but he disappeared. Maybe now…"

As they reminisced about their mutual friend, the two gradually grew closer. As if she was opening up, Eileen revealed the reason she was looking for Lennox.

"I used to be with Paul...Terry. It was a great time in my life. So I wanted to be with him again.“

“Is Terry dead?” Eileen asks sadly.

Marlowe searched every day, but he still hadn't been able to find him. If he'd looked for so long and still not found him, then there was a good chance that that was the case...Marlowe braced himself for his friend's death.

Act 4 -
In the end, Marlowe was unable to find any clues about Lennox, and was depressed by the realisation that he had lost his friend. While drinking at his usual bar before dark, a stranger came in.

"You must be Marlowe."

The man seemed to know Marlowe, and introduced himself as a friend of Menendez. However, Marlowe felt that something was off.

(...Is this man Terry?)

His face was completely different. But Marlowe’s five senses and his intuition as a detective told him. However, Marlowe behaved as if they were strangers on the surface.

"I see. Then tell Menendez that the person he is looking for is safe and I’m relieved for him.”

"Do you know the person you’re looking for?" The man asks.

Marlowe replies sadly. "He’s my best friend…"

"I see."

Then the man begins to tell him what he heard from Menendez.

"Your best friend’s family was hurt and he was almost framed for a crime. So he's living as a stranger."

Having discovered the reason for his friend's sudden disappearance, Marlowe held back the urge to pursue the matter.

"But what about the people waiting for him?" Marlowe hinted at what Eileen wanted to do.

"No, he's changed his face. He can't go back." The man shook his head and continued. "But...it’s still too early for gimlets."

Marlowe shrugged his shoulders as he heard the name of the drink they’d often shared.

(His appearance has changed, but he wants to be friends again.)

Marlowe hid his face. He couldn't accept or reject the suggestion that was being made to him.

"I don't want to say goodbye here. I've already said the real goodbye."

Aftertalk -

Yonaguni Hikari
I wonder what a gimlet tastes like! I'd like to order one when I'm an adult.

Ramona Wolf
It's a strong drink. Slowly savour it, and get a chaser too.

Yonaguni Hikari
Ramo knows a lot about alcohol! She's had beer too, so she's a real adult. As expected of Marlowe!

Wang Xue
Hmph, you think just drinking alcohol makes her an adult? Look back at the way she normally behaves.

Senju Koyomi
She's more like a child, if anything. She's friendly, and she always comes up with the strangest ideas…

Ramona Wolf
Is that how you see me…!? But in this play I played a hard boiled nice guy, right?

Lilja Kurtbay
Yeah. You were properly hard boiled.

Ramona Wolf
When you say it like that, it sounds like you're talking about eggs...