Chapter 35: Do You Like This Gift?

Marco Müller, a graduate of Liaoning University, has always held a profound interest in Asian cinema, particularly films from China. Currently, he serves as a programmer for the Venice Film Festival.

Regarding Asian selections for this year’s festival, he had initially settled on a film titled *King of Chess*. Based on the novel by A Cheng, directed by Teng Wenji, and starring Xie Yuan, the film greatly appealed to Marco. However, there was a minor complication: *King of Chess* had already been released. For the Venice Film Festival, which prides itself on premiering new works, this posed a problem. Yet, given the somewhat disorganized state of the Chinese film distribution landscape at the time—which lacked a formal theater chain system—Marco, who had lived in China for many years and met his current wife there, felt a deep connection to the country. He had even been the one to introduce *Red Sorghum*, which went on to win the Golden Bear at the Berlin Film Festival. He figured that since *King of Chess* had already been screened, he could simply pretend it hadn't; after all, the foreigners wouldn't be able to verify it anyway. Still, having done this "small favor," Marco felt a lingering sense of unease.

As for Japanese cinema this year, Marco had yet to see anything that satisfied him. Was he to simply have no Japanese entries at all? Just as the deadline for Venice film submissions was closing, a film was recommended by the renowned Toho Company.

*Violent Cop*? What kind of film was this? Who directed it? Iwata Takeshi... never heard of him. Yet, perhaps due to that lingering sense of unease or some other intuition, Marco Müller watched the film with extreme seriousness.

***

The Nippon Budokan was constructed for the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. Its name reflects the primary activities it was built to host—sumo and judo. However, in 1966, the Beatles arrived in Tokyo for their world tour and chose the Budokan as their venue, performing five consecutive shows. Naturally, every show was sold out. Before that, no one had realized that a sports arena could host a concert, and thus, the Budokan gained a new function. In fact, it was the Beatles who pioneered the concept of performing concerts in sports arenas.

Since then, performing at the Budokan became the highest honor for any Japanese artist. To date, the most famous among them are the members of YMO: Ryuichi Sakamoto, Haruomi Hosono, and Yukihiro Takahashi. Their decision to start and end their tour at the Budokan elevated the status of the venue even further.

All of this information had been shared with Iwata Takeshi by Kishibe Ittoku, and now, Iwata was forcing his brain to replay the details. Why? Because Iwata Takeshi was currently inside the Budokan, and he had become...

"Kyaa! Kohhy! Kohhy!"

Beside him, Shinobu was screaming and waving her arms along with the crowd. That’s right! Iwata Takeshi, the boss of the Iwata gang, was now a fanboy! He was still wearing his suit, but he was holding a sign that read: *KOHHY FIGHT!* Such a direct message, paired with meticulously crafted decorations, reached the peak of fan dedication. But these were being held by Iwata Takeshi!

When he left the Iwata gang headquarters this morning, his associates—Cat, Fish, Qing, Matsushige Yutaka, Kagawa Teruyuki, and Endo Kenichi—had all looked on in utter bewilderment. Why had they all shown up today? They were never this enthusiastic about anything else! Iwata couldn't voice his thoughts, so he simply used his fierce gaze to tell them to keep quiet. Fortunately, while these guys were rough around the edges, they weren't stupid.

Shinobu, meanwhile, was overjoyed. Being able to go to a concert with her "Uncle" was incredible. She skipped and hopped along, pulling him toward the venue. But Iwata’s attire... On the subway, he and his sign had garnered many strange looks.

"Boss, wear these." Seeing the situation, Cat, Fish, Qing, and Matsushige—who had insisted on coming to protect their boss—produced a pair of sunglasses.

It must be said, once Iwata put on the sunglasses, his entire aura shifted. However, when paired with that sign... the looks from passersby only grew stranger. Shinobu laughed the entire way, and Iwata Takeshi decided to just let go of his inhibitions. Once they arrived outside the Budokan, his men took off, but not before bowing respectfully, leaving many onlookers confused.

And now...

"It's starting! It's starting!" Shinobu jumped, tapping her uncle’s shoulder.

What was starting? The lighting inside the Budokan was dim. Iwata had already taken off his sunglasses. Suddenly, all the stage lights converged on a single point, angled from above, cutting through the swirling mist and making it hard to see. Then, a figure appeared, standing perfectly still.

*Kyaaaa...* The crowd erupted in screams.

The figure finally moved, stepping out of the light to reveal her face. Short, sharp hair, an oval face, clear features, a high-bridged nose, and full lips. Most striking were her eyes—lively, sparkling, and full of infinite energy. It was as if "Kaori" had stepped right out of the anime.

Then, the music began. The opening song was "Ai yo Kienaide" (Love, Please Don't Disappear)—the theme song from the *City Hunter* anime that aired last year!

Iwata Takeshi was momentarily dazed, not just because of how much Kohhy resembled Kaori, nor because her singing was exceptional—far superior to Miho Nakayama—but because he could feel that vitality radiating from her. She was bursting with youthful energy!

"Kohhy! Kohhy!" Iwata looked at Shinobu beside him. The girl was ecstatic, and he finally understood why she liked the woman on stage so much.

"Kohhy!" He, too, began waving his sign, perfectly integrated into the army of fans.

***

Concerts are exhausting, especially at the Budokan. Kohhy felt tired, but she knew she couldn't show it. There was still the autograph session to get through. She took a deep breath—*Ganbatte!*

As soon as she stepped out of the dressing room... "Kyaa!" "Kohhy! Kohhy!"

Fans were lined up on both sides, screaming her nickname. Naturally, many signs bore the name "Kohiruimaki Kaoru." Kohhy bowed and returned their greetings, wondering who she should sign for first. Suddenly, she spotted a peculiar figure. The man was holding a sign like a typical fan, but his demeanor was unique. If nothing else, the black sunglasses made him look exactly like a Yakuza.

*Oh, wait,* she thought, *is he actually a Yakuza? The more I look, the more he looks like one.* Had her fanbase really extended to the Yakuza? Kohhy dismissed the thought, but she had found her first person to sign for. She walked directly toward Iwata Takeshi.

"Kyaa, Kohhy-nee-san, sign here, sign here!" Shinobu was thrilled. She had specifically worn a white T-shirt today just for the autograph. Kohhy realized what was happening and signed with a flourish.

"You two..."

"Uncle is a very good person."

"Oh? You aren't related?"

"I am not an uncle!"

Kohhy signed for Iwata Takeshi as well, smiling broadly, though it seemed this man didn't like being called an uncle.

"This kid intends to follow in your footsteps," Iwata said, "but she sings terribly. Please give her some pointers when you have the chance."

How could Shinobu not be angry at Iwata for exposing her secret? "That’s so mean!" She stomped on his foot. Iwata winced in pain, and with so many people around, he could only groan. Kohhy watched the scene, laughing happily; this autograph session was truly special.

***

At Chidorigafuchi, a Yakuza fanboy and a pure fan sat together on a bench.

"Shinobu, are you angry?"

"Stupid Uncle! Of course not."

"Then..."

"Can I really not become someone like Kohhy-nee-san?"

"At least as far as singing goes, forget about it."

"That's so mean!"

"Are you that petty? Are you really angry?"

Truly, being a fan is physically exhausting, no less so than getting into a fight. Iwata was tired, and Shinobu was showing off her precious autograph. However, there were some things Iwata didn't want to sugarcoat. Sometimes, talent is truly important. Looking at Shinobu’s angelic face, he thought, *Why bother with singing? Becoming an actress has so much more potential.*

"Idiot, I told you I'm not angry." Shinobu looked at Iwata. She was truly happy today, and deep down, she understood what he meant—he was looking out for her.

"So..." she began. "This gift..."

"Do you like it?"

Iwata looked at Shinobu’s face through his sunglasses. He truly wanted to thank the girl before him; Shinobu was the first person in this world who had believed he was a good man. Sunlight hit her profile, and she looked even more beautiful as she smiled. The Yakuza in sunglasses curled the corners of his mouth into a smile.

***

Back home, Shinobu still couldn't shake the excitement. Going out to chase celebrities wasn't something her parents or sister would typically approve of. But the moment she returned, her sister pounced on her.

"It’s amazing! It’s incredible!"

"Huh?" Shinobu was stunned. Had her sister lost her mind?

"We just got the call! We’ve been accepted into the Venice Film Festival! It’s the only Japanese film this year!"

"Oh, this... what is it?" Shinobu was still confused, but she quickly caught on. *Violent Cop* had been selected for the Venice Film Festival!

In her sister's words: "You’re going to Venice!"

*Is this... also a gift?* Shinobu couldn't help but laugh, remembering what she had said to her uncle earlier: *I love it! I love it so much!*