Tokyo Wingman King

The call was answered.

The girl's voice was as joyful as a song.

"Hey Robert, what brings you calling so late? Want some Rise delivery?"

"What the heck is Rise Takeout?"

"It's like delivering Rize to your doorstep quickly."

"What kind of human trafficker's takeout is that?"

"Don't you want it? A hot and refreshing girl's stress-relieving service! Rize, quick delivery, ready to go anytime~"

If Shinazugawa had someone with him (Shiina Eimi), he definitely wouldn't have said such explicit things.

Asama remained silent for a moment, then noticed that Shinazugawa's voice was surprisingly clear, with almost no ambient noise.

"Are you still in the practice room? Alone?" Asama asked.

"Huh??? Is Robert following me?" Shinazugawa exclaimed in exaggerated surprise.

"Mr. F, there is still a lot of room for improvement in your acting skills."

"That's true~ How about we act out a scene together? Speaking of which, Robert owes us a script, right~~~"

Realizing he had forgotten something again, Asama coughed lightly and said...

"Instead of improving your acting skills, you should go home and rest."

"That won't work."

Asama's response was an incredibly cool guitar performance.

"The melodies for the 12 verses of 'Project A' have been finalized, and now we're in the crucial stage of polishing the details~ How does this part feel?"

"Sorry to interrupt your work."

"I always feel like Robert's apology lacks emotion and sincerity, just like an AI's... Well, that last part was inspired by when you held my hand and we ran around like crazy last time! As compensation, why don't you chat with me more? Listening to you talk more will make the memories even more vivid, right?"

Okay, what do you want to talk about?
Wait a minute, why are you leading the conversation by the nose?
Asama smacked his forehead twice and said bluntly,
"I saw your magazine interview today."

"Oh? You saw it today? I thought Robert was too busy to see something like this until next month~~~ Hehe~~~ Isn't this just like a stalker showing concern for someone?"

Can we please stop bringing up stalkers?
Asama suddenly paused for a moment, then couldn't help but guess.
"Could it be that you publicly said you [like mature men] to deter stalkers from having any ideas?"

Shinazugawa let out a satisfied hum on the other side.

"Robert, who's like an older man, really understands me! I ran into a troublesome guy at the magazine office today!"

Upon hearing this, the slight resentment in Asama's heart vanished instantly.

"How troublesome? With the reputation of the eldest daughter of the Shinazugawa family, shouldn't all demons, monsters, flies, and maggots avoid her?"

"Isn't it the people who carry these labels on their heads every day who have bigger problems? Well, it's the fashion industry, it would be abnormal not to encounter some oddballs."

Asama could understand Shinazugawa's reluctance to be too high-profile, but wasn't Nakaoka's manager utterly useless? Kodansha was also acting somewhat recklessly.

I'll go all the way and take care of this troublesome guy.

"What's that person's name?" Asama asked.

"Is Robert concerned about me? Hehe~~~ I've decisively and efficiently resolved this matter perfectly~"
The interview statement worked; the guy came over and confirmed things with me. I didn't want to pay him any attention, but he was so disrespectful to Koyanagi and Okubo, so I punched him anyway.

I should have stuffed a smelly sock in his mouth... no, no, this might have been a reward, one punch would have been more direct.

"."

Is this what you call a [decisive and effective solution]?

Isn't this a bigger problem than [being known as the eldest daughter of the Shinazugawa family]?
Although F-san has an impulsive personality, she's not stupid. Asama quickly searched using keywords but found no relevant information.

Well, perhaps besides Shinazugawa's ID card playing a role, or Nakaoka or the magazine trying to smooth things over, she herself also possessed evidence that the other party couldn't easily smear?
By the way, do F-san's feet smell? No, I don't think so.

As long as hygiene and care are done properly, and shoes and socks are antibacterial, they won't smell even when you sweat.

However, it's hard to say whether one can frequently perform while wearing tall leather boots.

Huh, what am I even paying attention to?!
"Why aren't you saying anything, Robert? Are you thinking, [How could F-san's socks possibly smell? Feet that are always moisturized with lotion wouldn't even have a sweaty odor], right?"

F-san, do you have telepathy?

Asama, whose heartbeat had been steady, suddenly felt a sense of respect for the side effects of his "personality possession".

"If you keep talking about smelly socks, you'll turn into a weird old man with a lung infection."

"The weird old man is not bad either. This proves that we are indeed on the same page, Uncle Robert."

Asama gave a fake yawn and changed the subject.
"So when do you plan to finish practicing?"

"Is Robert feeling more and more free now that he's finished his coursework? How about we skip school and grab some late-night snacks together? I've discovered some really good restaurants!"

"I'll read for a while and then go to sleep."

Asama was somewhat relieved that he had changed to a pair of noise-canceling headphones in time, as the ambient noise in Ginza was filtered out very cleanly.

"If you change your mind, remember to name Rise~~~ She can drink and chat with you to your heart's content, and even insult your boss."

"Did you turn your practice room into a nightclub?"

"Want to drink in the practice room? That's a good idea. When you arrive, I'll greet you with 'Welcome home, dear master'~~~"

"Why has the practice room been turned into a maid cafe again? Never mind, I'm hanging up."

"Hehe, dear master, get some rest early."

"I prefer older men to maids."

"Then, I'm not washing my socks today?"

"Enough already."

For no apparent reason, the pressure in my heart was almost completely swept away.

Could it be that what Shinazugawa said, that chatting with beautiful girls can relieve stress, is true?
Thinking that Shinazugawa was still working hard, Asama decided to make good use of his [Toyosatomachia] ability today, and work on the script while listening to the story.

Bertolucci's *The Dreamers*, Buñuel's *The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie*, Visconti's *The Leopard*, and Renoir's *The Rules of the Game*.
As if history were reversed, Asama found prophecies about the absurdity and decay of class in the films of these cinematic masters, but history did not undergo any major changes.

The ideals of the left wing have now become a manifesto that cannot be openly discussed. Only the more vulgar, radical, and sensational things will attract attention and popularity.

This contrast is also very similar to the upside-down scene in Buñuel's film "The Illusion of Liberty," where some elites chat elegantly on the toilet and eat hamburgers in the bathroom.

The public and centralized nature of excrement is a characteristic of the cultural decay at its roots in this era.

After watching more than twenty films filled with critical metaphors, Asama suddenly developed an admiration for Shinji Kuonji, the former president of the film club.

A person's taste is a reflection of their spirit.

So, does this mean that the Japanese can indeed cultivate a nation's aristocracy's spirit of self-reflection?

So, how did Ryusuke Hamaguchi sneak in?

Adding Hamaguchi to the list of these great directors is like adding an oddball like Haruki Murakami to the ranks of the greatest writers of the century.

Was Shinji Kuonji just trying to get a Japanese director on the list?
Or perhaps, Ryusuke Hamaguchi is the real key to solving the problem?
Asama then carefully recalled the creative logic behind Ryusuke Hamaguchi's works such as "Chance Encounter and Imagination," "Driving My Car," and "Asako I & II."

He even felt that his example of Haruki Murakami was absolutely perfect.

Postmodernism that rejects sharp ideological criticism; personalized issues that are both absurd and nihilistic yet somehow therapeutic; sophisticated language games fraught with uncertainty.
In fact, the common ground between these two individuals is the answer Japan has consistently given to all left-wing individuals.

Or rather, if it weren't for this kind of thing, the people of this country wouldn't be willing or dare to watch it.

In this country where displaying one's academic advantages excessively is seen as tyranny and being overly outspoken is considered a sign of being a "KY" (a person with delusions of grandeur)? There's an inherent belief that sharp criticism is itself a form of violence. Even the declarations in Shinazugawa's lyrics are mostly subtle. Most fans believe that Shinazugawa is creating music for their predicaments, rather than simply shouting slogans.

But that doesn't mean Haruki Murakami and Ryusuke Hamaguchi were wrong.

They simply made the choice of "saying one more thing" in this country and era where there is too much to say and too much passion to express, but they would never "charge" for anything.

So, does Shinji Kuonji, who is rumored to have no right to inherit the family business, want a left-wing, but Ryusuke Hamaguchi-style answer?

Ryusuke Hamaguchi's answer is like the letter in Chekhov's "Vanka" that will never reach the grandfather.

Ryusuke Hamaguchi seems to like Chekhov quite a bit. Many great novels actually have original stories, such as the original epic Odyssey in relation to Joyce's Ulysses.

So, how about using "Vanka" as the script's plot thread?

The protagonist fails an exam because he got the answer to "Vanka" wrong. Because of this, he has to attend tutoring. Unable to attend tutoring due to work commitments, he is assigned by his teacher to support student council work. While supporting the student council, he is tasked with investigating the school's new welfare policies, which leads him to witness the stark differences in the world. During his investigation, he unexpectedly discovers that many underprivileged students are going hungry. Based on his findings, he participates in the student council's policy of offering a 50-yen special meal in the cafeteria. The story ends with the special meal going unsold for a month after its launch.

Okay, let's add a scene where a poor student is mocked and mistakenly believes the protagonist has revealed that he receives special hardship subsidies, so he beats up the protagonist.

Add a scene where, after the welfare policy is introduced, a rich guy's wish is thwarted, and he beats up the protagonist again.

Add another scene where the protagonist's relationship ends because of various trivial matters, plus being beaten for two consecutive days, and not receiving a reply from the person confessing their love.

The core spirit of "Vanka" and the traditional Japanese "unreachable" fervor can have a great chemical reaction.

The basic storyline has been outlined.

You can start creating now.

Asama opened a blank document on his computer, then thought for a moment and logged into his email account—an email account known only to Komaba, Takishima, Daiki, and the Gosetsu family.

Sure enough, there was an unread email inside.

The email was signed by Tadao Sakon.

When Asama finished typing the first draft of the script, it was still very dark.

I woke up after sleeping for two hours and it was already broad daylight.

He ate a quick breakfast at the hotel restaurant, removed his disguise in the restroom of the Kudanshita subway station, walked to the north gate of the Budokan, and got into the Kujo family's car, which was already waiting by the roadside.

Before going to bed, Asama thought that Kujo Minaru had finally remembered to send over the detailed information of the Kujo family members from the email he read before bed.

As a result, all that happened was that Sakon Tadao confirmed with him again the time he would be visiting the Kujo residence.

Today's driver is also Sakon.

The old butler of the Kujo family didn't exchange many pleasantries. He drove 50 minutes southwest and brought Asama to the door of the Kujo family.

Asama glanced at the map and realized he was in Setagaya Ward, Tokyo, in a place that covered about 20 acres and was surrounded by several temples, marked as a [cultural heritage site].

As expected of top-tier nobles, compared to the mansions of the richest people like Yuanmabu and Nanqingshan, which everyone can take photos at, the Five Hermits' [Hidden in the City] is even more thoroughly hidden.

I had assumed that behind the 4-meter-high wall lay a Western-style mansion belonging to the Nijo family, but it turned out to be a completely oriental garden.

It does indeed look like a cultural relic from the satellite image.

The garden is much smaller than the Konoe family's mansion deep in the mountains, but it is no less exquisite and magnificent. Ponds, willow banks, arched bridges, square pavilions, spider lilies, red maples, koi carp, and white birds—the landscape, reminiscent of the Ming Dynasty landscape of Koishikawa Korakuen Garden, is a feast for the eyes.

The garden is not large, so there are not many paths to walk through.

Following the directions of the old Sakon, Asama arrived at the entrance of the Kujo family's residence in just 3 minutes.

The door is not closed.

At the top of the stairs, the head of the Kujo family stood behind a table in the center of the main hall, gazing intently at the painting on the screen.

He was the only one in the hall; there were no little devils around.

Old Sakon bowed and closed the door as he took his leave.

Kujo Misaki then turned her head around.

"You came."

Asama nodded and found a futon to sit on.

"If I don't come, the cooked duck won't fly away."

Kujo Misaki snorted coldly.
"What if I tell you it really flew away? What are you going to do then?"

Asama shrugged. "Burn down the duck shed. We're not cooking ducks anymore; we're roasting them instead."

Kujo Misaki slapped her thigh, her expression instantly turning even colder.

"But you didn't cook a duck before. You just borrowed my firewood, my fire, and my space to roast a quail. That quail is mine too. Where it flies to and whose stomach it ends up in is none of your business, you little cook!"

Asama also frowned, then suddenly relaxed his brows and sighed.
"Sigh, there's no salary for being a cook, and they don't even provide meals. So all you can do is lick blood off your hands with a kitchen knife to make a living."

Seeing Asama's mercenary and shameless demeanor, Kujo Misaki suppressed her fierce expression and chuckled.
"Still licking blood? Who are you trying to scare? Didn't we already pay you your salary?"

Asama moved the two empty cups on the table in front of Kujo Yoshinari, then picked up the teapot and poured tea into the empty fairness cup while saying,
"That's the salary for being a private tutor and a nanny, one thing at a time. Mr. Kujo, stop beating around the bush, just tell me exactly what you can give me to help me recover my losses."

Kujo Minamoto was very pleased that Asama, a troublesome character whom even Konoe Takumi couldn't quite figure out, had taken the initiative to pour him tea.

"What exactly did you lose? Give me a precise figure."

"Do you believe in eternal freedom of life?"

"You're getting engaged to the girl from the Nijo family? The Nijo family is getting a good deal and then acting innocent."

"No, I'll settle the score with Mr. Nijo later. Hurry up and give an estimate, Mr. Kujo."

"Ha, your freedom is worthless. How about I give you a dollar?"

"One dollar? If I hadn't seen it coming from your mouth, I would have thought you were a beggar trying to fob me off."

"It seems you have no idea what it means to be the heir to the Konoe family."

"I'm not one of them, and I don't care, so why should I know?"

"Don't want to inherit the Konoe family? Did Brother Ma Yuan promise you something? That you would marry into the Ichijo family?"

"Getting back to the point, let me give you my offer. Mr. Kujo, the matter of KKIS ends here. The only price you need to pay me is—KKIS."

Kujo Minamoto was somewhat surprised by Asama's request.

"You've only been a teacher for a few days, and you already want to be a principal? You should know that the fire at KKIS won't spread beyond KKIS. What do you need KKIS for?"

Asama poured out the original tea leaves from the teapot, randomly picked a double-eared, gold-glazed porcelain jar, used wooden tongs to take out the tea leaves, and put them back into the teapot.

"Let's try something different."

Asama smiled.

"What does Konoe Takuma mean? To make KKIS a one-man show for the Konoe family?"

"I haven't spoken to him. Also, I don't represent the Konoe family."

Nine beautiful paths lead to happiness.

"Konoe Takumi is a really bad father."

"I have stated many times that Mr. Konoe is not my father. I hope that Mr. Kujo, who is not very old, can have a better memory."

"You don't need to worry about my memory."

Kujo Misaki looked intently at Asama and continued speaking.
"Didn't I give you fatherly love before? Why don't you come and be my son?" (End of Chapter)