In "Once," the couple consisting of the Guy (Glen Hansard) and the Girl (Marketa Irglova) make sweet music but never get together.

In real life they're lovers and fellow musicians who have just released an album called "The Swell Season." No wonder that they have so much chemistry together on-screen, but they both know this: the biggest charm of "Once" is that the couple never get close enough to kiss.

"We insisted that it should be that way," says Glen Hansard, in Tokyo on a promotion tour with co-star Irglova.