Chapter 38: The First Encounter with Akina

Chapter 38: The First Encounter with Akina

Akina Nakamori. It was really her; there was no mistaking it.

To borrow a phrase from a top author on Qidian: Akina Nakamori is a female star who dominated an entire era.

But here, in Venice, this star was sitting motionless in front of a plate of pasta.

"It really is her."
"Yeah."
"Um... is she here just to eat authentic pasta?"

Shinobu’s question stemmed from that film, "Akina Nakamori’s Spaghetti Love Story." Iwata Takeshi knew nothing of that, but he could offer an example.

"What’s so strange about that? I’ve known people who flew on a plane just because they wanted to feed some pigeons."
"Huh? Really?" Shinobu looked at him with an expression of pure, adorable disbelief.

Iwata regretted saying it the moment it left his lips. The person he was referring to probably couldn't imagine himself doing such a thing at this point in his life. He feigned a cough.

"The tastes of the wealthy are hard to fathom."

Shinobu couldn't help but believe him. After all, she hadn't known until recently that renting a beach umbrella could be so expensive—and that was just for the rental.

She leaned in closer to Iwata and whispered, "Even if she came for the pasta, she doesn't look like someone who's just thinking about pasta right now."

Iwata nodded. Anyone could see that the woman was troubled. And both of them knew exactly what that trouble was; in fact, the vast majority of Japanese people knew what was going on.

Akina’s life had been defined by love, and it had been her undoing.

It was 1988, and her relationship crisis with Masahiko Kondo was common knowledge.

Whenever that man was mentioned, the fierce Iwata Takeshi felt his blood pressure rise.

Last year, Akina had swept the Japanese music scene with her song "Nanpasen" (Shipwreck). Yet, at the most critical moment—the Japan Record Awards—she had withdrawn her nomination, ultimately allowing Masahiko Kondo to win.

Had she not withdrawn, she would have secured a third consecutive win, a record that would have been nearly impossible to break in the fiercely competitive Japanese music industry.

In truth, "Nanpasen" was a sorrowful and beautiful song, mirroring her own romantic struggles, but it wasn't Akina’s signature style.

Akina was known for her subversive style, such as her breakout hit "Shoujo A." If you understood the meaning of the title, you would understand how radical it was. "Shoujo A" was the term used by television stations at the time to refer to female suspects.

In other words, "Nanpasen" was meant for that scumbag, and her subsequent withdrawal from the awards was a clear sign that she had given her all for love.

Unfortunately, that bastard was absolute trash—the lowest form of human life.

Even we, the Yakuza, couldn't stand it!

During the awards last year, Kondo’s mother passed away in a car accident. Yakuza brothers had intercepted her ashes and threatened Kondo: "If you’re a man, don't go accept that award!"

The bastard went anyway, and to this day, he still hasn't recovered his mother’s ashes.

The Yakuza’s methods were indeed excessive, but that award was an unrighteous one. Kondo’s sales were only 150,000; even without the incident regarding the ashes, he shouldn't have gone!

Iwata Takeshi was usually a "peaceful" kind of Yakuza, but thinking about this made him want to find some brothers and take the bastard out. It was a matter of honor; he was a disgrace to all men!

But then he thought, *Probably not.* If it were that easy, someone would have done it already.

*Wait,* he thought, *why am I so familiar with all this? Could this original body have been an Akina fan, too?*

Seeing the older man silent for so long, Shinobu grew anxious. "Uncle, say something! What is she thinking? She..."

Iwata, deep in thought, was caught off guard by her pestering and blurted out, "Suicide."

He immediately regretted it. It was clearly a side effect of being a transmigrator.

Shinobu was shaken. The more she thought about it, the more she felt Akina might actually do it. Japan had a culture where many people, when they couldn't find a way out, would simply...

No!

"Hey, where are you going?" Iwata was still thinking, but Shinobu had already sprung into action. He couldn't stop her, and she bolted like a wild horse.

She arrived right in front of Akina.

What was she doing?

Akina, still holding her fork, didn't even know what she was thinking herself. She had used the excuse of wanting to taste authentic pasta to travel to Italy, and her agency had been quite open-minded about it. But even though she wanted to relax, she found it impossible. Even the delicious pasta, which she had been craving after so long without a proper meal, couldn't stir her appetite.

Suddenly, a young girl appeared before her. Bright-eyed and pure.

"Akina-san, right?"

Oh, a Japanese person.

Hearing her native tongue, Akina smiled. She didn't say anything, just immediately reached into her bag for paper and a pen. Preparing for an autograph—it was a standard procedure.

Shinobu suppressed her desire for an autograph and summoned her courage. She had never done anything like this before, and her heart was pounding.

She pointed toward Iwata. "That man over there said you were going to kill yourself."

Ah, this...

Iwata never imagined he would be betrayed like this.

Akina turned her head to look and saw a man with a fierce, intimidating face, but then... she smiled.

...

"Everyone in Japan thinks I’m going to kill myself, right?"
"Perhaps not everyone."
"Ha... Iwata-san, I like the way you talk."
"You mean my way of speaking is strange?"
"No, it’s interesting."
"Really?"
"Really."

They strolled through the water city. The young girl skipped ahead, while Iwata and Akina walked slowly behind.

The encounter had been a total disaster, but Akina’s backward glance had struck the softest part of Iwata’s heart. The fierce-looking man understood that Shinobu wanted him, as an "uncle," to stop Akina from ending her life.

In truth, as things stood, it seemed as Akina herself had said: all of Japan thought she might... and Iwata knew she would do it soon if nothing changed.

But what could he do?

Fortunately, Akina was truly gentle. She seemed like a different person from the peerless diva on stage, especially her voice—so soft.

"I am a Yakuza." Iwata had accepted Shinobu’s request; he would do his best, for Akina’s sake as well.

This statement made Akina’s expression flicker.

"And so, what of it if you are a Yakuza?"
"What do you think I’m going to do next?"
"Don't tell me you’re going to use Yakuza methods to threaten me into not killing myself?"
"Oh, that would be truly bizarre."

They both couldn't help but laugh.

Iwata became serious again. "Beyond being a Yakuza, I’m actually only 24 this year. 24 years old, and being called 'uncle' by someone who’s about to enter high school—the feeling is..."

Akina was trying hard to hold it in; laughing at something like that would be too much.

Iwata didn't care. "If you want to laugh, go ahead."
"Haha..." In fact, Akina really loved to laugh. "I’m sorry, it’s just..."
"There’s nothing to be sorry about." Iwata laughed, too. "My way of speaking is interesting, right?"

Akina was surprised he had returned to the previous topic.

Iwata continued, "Because life is interesting, don't you think?"

Akina quickly understood what he meant, though in truth, Iwata felt a bit embarrassed by himself at that moment. Fortunately, 80s-style chicken soup for the soul was still a fresh concept.

"I made a movie."
"Sugoi."
"It’s being screened at the film festival."
"Really?"
"Really."
"Sugoi."

Iwata looked at the gentle Akina and stopped walking.

"Honestly, I have no position to say anything. If it weren't for that girl..." He gestured toward Shinobu, and Akina wanted to laugh again. "I wouldn't have said a word to you. I’m insecure; I’m so fierce-looking, I’d probably scare you."

"No, you haven't." Akina was truly gentle.

Iwata smiled. "I don't want to be a Yakuza who ends up as a corpse in the street one day. I don't want to have this fierce face and be shunned by others. I don't want my life to be this boring. I want my life to burn bright!"

These words truly reached Akina’s heart. She felt that the Iwata Takeshi before her was—no, compared to most people she had met—truly... sugoy!

Iwata concluded by saying, "Everything I just said is quite foolish, so you can just think of me as an idiot. But I’ve said what I needed to say to you. Maybe it’s useless, maybe I don't truly understand how you feel, but I’ve said it."

He didn't know if his words had any effect, and he didn't have the courage to wait for her response. He just nodded and pulled Shinobu away.

Akina stood still for a long time, watching them disappear.

...

"Uncle! Sumimasen!"
"It’s nothing."
"Hontou ni sumimasen!"
"Forget it, you girl, what were you doing?"
"I’m really sorry, I was too impulsive."
"Silly girl, I wanted to say those things anyway, but... it probably didn't do much good."

Shinobu had wanted to apologize from the start; she had acted too much on her own, but she really wanted to stop Akina from killing herself. No one wanted to see that happen.

Iwata didn't think much of it; if anything, this incident only showed Shinobu’s kindness.

But...

"You can kick me once to make up for that time," she said, crouching slightly.

Was she trying to pay back the debt for the time he kicked her butt?

Iwata raised an eyebrow and was about to raise his leg, but in the end, he reached out and ruffled Shinobu’s hair instead.

"A-ah... Yasashii!"

Shinobu was overjoyed and grabbed his arm.

"Hey, you..."

Iwata blushed. As the saying goes: "A small lotus just reveals its sharp tip"—what a poetic moment.

Shinobu didn't care; she only felt that the "uncle" was even more reliable.

Did Iwata’s words have any effect?

They didn't know, but that very evening, Akina went to the Lido and watched a simple, direct, violent film.

...

Shinobu and Iwata’s "tour" of Italy wasn't exactly a grand tour, but they had a wonderful time over the last few days.

Except...

"You stupid girl! Get back here immediately!"
"What’s wrong?"
"We’ve been selected for the main competition!"

Shinobu had received the news while on the phone with her sister. So, should they go back?