Chapter 68: Is it a Dream? Or Arrogance?

Miho Nakayama had been keeping a very close eye on her younger sister lately, almost as if she regarded Takeshi Iwata as a big bad wolf.

Ever since her debut performance at the Kohaku Uta Gassen, Miho had been possessed by the distinct sensation that "my era has finally arrived."

Word had it that Akina had no intention of returning to the Kohaku stage anymore, and having made six consecutive appearances, she had matched Momoe Yamaguchi's record. For Akina, who was hailed as Momoe Yamaguchi's successor, tying her predecessor's record of appearances was quite a graceful way to bow out.

Additionally, Seiko Matsuda had made nine consecutive appearances and also planned to step away. Coupled with the massive public scandal she had recently stirred up, NHK was, after all, a broadcaster that cared deeply about its reputation.

If that was the case, would the future not belong entirely to Miho Nakayama and her dear friend Shizuka Kudo?

Ah, ha, ha... Miho had found herself slipping into a regal, triumphant laugh every now and then lately.

In Shinobu's eyes, her older sister seemed to have contracted some strange malady, though she hardly dared to voice her suspicions aloud.

"What sort of movie are you shooting with that guy this time?"

"Uncle says it's a romance film."

"What? You and him?"

"He's directing."

"What's that supposed to mean? Isn't he the leading man?"

"Why on earth does he have to be the lead?"

"Then... who is the male lead? Who are you acting opposite?"

"How am I supposed to know right now? Oh, come on, I know what you're getting at. Uncle said this time it'll be someone around my age."

"Oh, I see... Well, they've certainly got to find a handsome guy, at least."

"Honestly, Sister, why are you always so superficial?"

"Doesn't this world revolve entirely around looks? How else do you think your big sister achieved success? Besides, didn't you see? SMAP debuted just last year and went straight to Kohaku—that boy Kimura, isn't he handsome? Heh, heh..."

"He's handsome, sure, but what does that have to do with me?"

"You little..."

"Alright, alright, I know what you want to say. I'll focus on the filming, and I promise to steal a few extra glances at the handsome co-star, alright?"

"Honestly..."

Miho felt a sense of exasperation toward her younger sister, finding the girl truly baffling.

What on earth was so great about Takeshi Iwata?

He had such a fierce, menacing face. When he glared at her that one time, she suffered from nightmares for days on end. In her dreams, she would end up being...

"Sis, why are your cheeks so red?"

"No, they aren't!"

Miho rushed to deny it, though in her heart she couldn't help but wonder if this fierce, intimidating man might actually have his redeeming qualities after all.

A tough guy, a hardboiled man, steadfast and resolute... How strange, why did all these adjectives associated with hardness keep popping into her head?

"Oh my, they're getting even redder!"

"Not at all!"

A sudden, jarring thought struck Miho: could she possibly be jealous of her younger sister?

No, that had to be an absolute illusion.

As Shinobu watched Miho, the thought running through her mind was:

Could her older sister perhaps be suffering from some serious illness?

...

To think I missed the initial showdown between Hanzawa and Oowada!

When Takeshi Iwata returned, he found Masato Sakai and Teruyuki Kagawa in the middle of a heated argument.

That's right, he recognized him instantly, because the Masato Sakai of the present looked almost identical to the one twenty or thirty years in the future.

His face was simply much more youthful and slightly leaner.

And the moment Iwata appeared, Kagawa and Sakai naturally fell silent.

"Step outside for a moment and wait."

"Hai."

Being still quite young, Sakai obediently walked out, though not before catching a glimpse of the even more formidable man who had just arrived.

So this must be Director Iwata?

He looked just as fierce as he did in the newspapers.

What Sakai might be thinking was of no concern to Iwata at the moment; he simply felt that Kagawa had done the right thing.

"How was it?"

"Boss, are you talking about that kid just now?"

"Were there others?"

"That kid just now—I'd say he's got plenty of spirit!"

"Oh, really?"

"He even said he was going to take the entrance exams for the University of Tokyo."

"Huh? Heh, heh..."

The moment Takeshi Iwata heard about taking the Tokyo University exams, he couldn't help but chuckle... He truly wasn't mocking someone else's dreams.

He would never do such a thing; he was a man with dreams of his own, so how could he ridicule those of another?

In truth, Iwata was reminded of a little anecdote he had once seen online regarding Masato Sakai's university entrance examinations.

That little anecdote hadn't specified which university Sakai had applied to, but it mentioned that it was a national university where the mathematics exam consisted of only six major essay questions, which essentially guaranteed it was Tokyo University.

Sakai had always had uneven academic strengths since childhood, and his math skills were quite poor. During the exam, he couldn't answer a single question, so instead, he wrote a poem expressing his deep yearning and aspiration for Tokyo University.

The result? Needless to say.

Zero points!

And thus, he had no choice but to settle for Waseda.

According to legend, Sakai himself had told this anecdote. Looking back on those past events, there was a sense of inexplicable amusement mingled with bittersweet nostalgia.

To evaluate Masato Sakai as merely an acting fanatic was not enough; rather, he was a recluse.

A recluse who, for the sake of his art, hid away within his own private world amidst the bustling metropolis of modern society.

Later on, he wouldn't even know how to use a smartphone, and he was completely casual about what he ate—as long as it filled his stomach, he would declare it delicious. When he wasn't filming, his primary activity was reading scripts and deeply studying his characters.

Therefore, even though Sakai's family lived out in the provinces, bumping into him in Shinjuku at this moment didn't surprise Iwata in the slightest.

So, as for this time...

Just as he was thinking this, the door abruptly swung open, and Masato Sakai walked back in.

What was the meaning of this?

"Why! Why did you mock my dream?"

Watching Sakai's tightly pursed lips, his quivering chin, and eyes that seemed on the verge of welling up with tears, Iwata felt a momentary sense of disorientation, as if the man standing before him was none other than Naoki Hanzawa himself.

"You brat! How dare you show such disrespect to Director Iwata!" Kagawa instinctively assumed the stern demeanor of a senior.

Iwata knew Sakai had misunderstood, but he was in no particular rush to explain—in fact, he had no intention of explaining at all.

He simply waved a hand toward Kagawa.

Though confused, Kagawa stepped back and remained silent.

Although Sakai currently radiated spirit and determination, the truth was...

While he looked as calm as a statue on the outside, on the inside he was panicking wildly.

Iwata stared at him with a completely expressionless face, and that overwhelming pressure was truly terrifying.

"You said I mocked your dream. Well then, do you actually have any idea how difficult it is to get into Tokyo University?"

"This..."

"And as for the other thing—do you know how difficult it is to become an exceptional actor?"

Sakai's tightly pressed lips finally parted. "But I believe that as long as I work hard, there will come a day when I succeed!"

Hearing this, Iwata shook his head. "To believe that success is guaranteed simply by working hard—isn't that a form of arrogance?"

"..." Sakai's eyes widened instantly, feeling as though his mind had been nearly shattered by that single sentence!

Indeed, "hard work leads to success" was something countless people preached, but what was the actual truth? What was reality?

Weren't countless people working hard every single day, yet how many actually achieved success?

The reason Sakai had wanted to aim for Tokyo University was because he had always excelled academically. While his mathematics was admittedly lackluster, even so, his grades were still superior to those of many others.

Up until then, he had always believed that hard work brought success, but that was back in school, under the protective shelter of his family.

Without school, without parents to shield him, what then?

Iwata's words just now were borrowed from *Run with the Wind*. They might make sense, or they might not, but applied here, he felt they fit remarkably well.

He continued.

"You feel I was mocking your dream? Very well then—go pass the exams for Tokyo University, go become an outstanding actor, and when you do, I will apologize to you."

The moment those words dropped, Sakai's heart violently convulsed.

Usually, when a conversation reached this point, what typically followed next would be...

Kagawa chimed in, "Director, there's no need to waste time on a kid who doesn't know the heights of heaven and earth."

Although Sakai completely understood the implication of those words, relying on his years of experience watching plays and films—especially the various tropes found in Japanese cinema—

Would what happened next somehow lead to...

Iwata noticed Sakai's eager, burning gaze, but he only shook his head with a faint smile.

"Are you hoping that I'll give you an opportunity?"

Hearing this, the hope that had just risen within Sakai instantly plummeted.

Yet, wasn't that how Japanese television and film always went?

Scold a person first, and then hand them an opportunity?

Could it be that when it came to him, Masato Sakai, things wouldn't—

Iwata stated quite bluntly, "This upcoming film is called *A Scene at the Sea*. I do indeed need a male lead around your age, but this role also requires mastering the basics of surfing. Judging by your physique, I doubt you're particularly skilled at sports."

Sports... Sakai froze instantly.

Iwata recalled that even when Masato Sakai ran, he managed to showcase what could only be described as the essence of human writhing.

And so, fiercely intimidating man though he was, and appreciative of talent as he might be, this film probably had nothing to do with Masato Sakai.

Kagawa felt a pang of sympathy as well; he actually quite liked this spirited kid standing before him, but he honestly couldn't picture the fellow being athletic at all.

Boss! Your eye for people is top-notch!

Right at that moment, Sakai seemed to snap back to his senses.

"What if I manage to master it? I mean, judging by the title, this movie starts filming in the summer, right? If I can master surfing techniques within this period of time, would that make it acceptable?"

The fierce yearning Sakai held for the role, that intense desire, even managed to touch Kagawa.

However, Iwata shattered his hopes once more.

"It's not summer. Principal photography starts around March."

Damn it! ... Sakai felt a profound sense of despair.

Fate is not on my side!

Yet... so what if fate wasn't on his side?

"Director Iwata, I will master surfing before the month of March!"

Leaving behind those words, Sakai bowed deeply to Takeshi Iwata and dashed out of the room.

Leaving Iwata and Kagawa behind, looking at one another in silence.

"Boss, did you actually think that kid was pretty good after all?"

Iwata replied coldly, "What if he goes reckless out there surfing and gets himself killed?"

"Ah, well..." Kagawa was momentarily stumped, but seeing Iwata's expression, he chuckled and immediately hurried out after him.

Iwata shook his head with a helpless smile. If this kid Sakai could join them, it really wouldn't be half bad, but this project genuinely required surfing skills.

He lowered his gaze and resumed flipping through the actor casting portfolios.

Susumu Terajima?

This fellow showed up at quite an opportune moment, though right now he was nothing more than an extra.

As he turned the pages, Iwata was suddenly struck by a rather serious dilemma.

If Masato Sakai joined the cast, would he still remain the resident handsome face of Iwata Productions?

Damn it...

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*Special thanks to Lone Wanderer Afei, Tian Zhi Qing Langlang, Wuliu Ren Zhen Duo Liang, Uncle AC, Ouchao Xian Guadang Xiuxia, Xixin Ren Yi Ge Hun, Bansai Chashao, Rangkai Rangkai A, Matcha Zhi Xia Ju, Shumeng Piaoxiang, Xue Xiaozhan, Zuo Lin You She Dou Shi Tian, Blue Sky and Ocean Beauty. Thank you all for your generous tips, recommendation votes, and monthly tickets. Sincere thanks.*

*I previously looked into a lot of background materials on Masato Sakai; his obsession with acting truly borders on the bewitched. Also, the university entrance exam anecdote appears to be genuine, and judging by his high school photographs, he looked precisely the same as he did in later years, virtually unchanged, just a bit more youthful.*