novelraw Chapter 69: The Shocked Crowd of the Kanto Faction!
Chapter 69: The Shocked Crowd of the Kanto Faction!
Nakano Ward, inside a women's single apartment building with mottled plaster peeling off its walls, and a damp, musty smell forever permeating its corridors.
Ko Kaoruhana curled up on the small tatami, wrapped in a thin blanket washed so much it was turning white. That face, which ought to have been as bright and beautiful as a spring flower, was currently shrouded by a dark cloud named 'confusion'.
She blankly stared up at that piece of sky outside the window, shattered into fragments by countless entangled power lines, feeling as if she were a butterfly trapped in a spider's web, no matter how hard she struggled, she could not escape this cold and viscous web named 'reality'.
This made her desperate and sad.
Her name was Ko Kaoruhana, a country girl who emerged from a small seaside town in Chiba Prefecture in the Kanto region.
She was once the pride of everyone in the town.
Relying on an attractive face and decent acting skills honed in the art academy, she fought her way through all obstacles, successfully auditioning into Kanto TV, becoming a location reporter, occasionally even guest-starring in minor roles in some late-night dramas; her future seemed boundlessly bright.
When Kanto TV was acquired by TV Tokyo, she was so excited she couldn't sleep well for an entire night.
That is Tokyo ah!
The holy land for all young people harboring dreams of stardom!She thought, she finally had the chance, to soar high beneath that broader sky.
But reality, gave her the most resounding slap in the face.
The reason was exactly——
Kanto Faction.
Just because of this label, she became a target for ostracization.
All good roles, all announcements with a chance to show one's face, had no karma with her.
What she could receive, were always background boards with barely any lines, the leftovers picked over by others.
What made her feel even more nauseating, were the undisguised hints thrown at her by certain minor leaders of the 'Tokyo Faction' at the drinking tables, as well as those gazes filled with greasy desire, each causing her heart to tremble in fear.
"Kaoruhana ah, you have a lot of potential, it's just... you're not very good at, or rather, you don't really know how to seize opportunities ah."
"Tonight, I have a friend hosting a party in Ginza, all big shots in the circle. You come with me, I'll introduce you?"
She escaped time and time again using clumsy excuses like 'feeling unwell' or 'family emergency'.
What she received in exchange, was an even more thorough shelving.
She even pondered, should she just give up like this, return to that small town although secluded yet warm enough, find a commoner to marry, support her husband and raise children, just letting this lifetime pass ordinarily.
Actually that's quite nice and warm too.
But right when that young heart of hers was about to be completely submerged by despair, the vibration of her cell phone, akin to a life-saving straw, scooped her out from the icy seawater.
It was an older female senior also from the 'Kanto Faction' who always took good care of her, working in the Artist Management Department.
"Kaoruhana, stop sleeping! Heaven-shaking good news!"
The voice on the other end of the phone, carried a kind of unsuppressable ecstasy: "Sensei Nohara's S-class project, has started casting! Deputy Director Asumi gave the personal order, priority consideration for artists belonging to our own Kanto Faction! I've already submitted your resume, Director Yamamoto personally reviewed it, and told you to go for an audition tomorrow!"
"Nohara... Sensei?" Ko Kaoruhana was somewhat bewildered, she seemed to have an impression of this name, but hadn't paid much attention.
The older sister on the other side of the phone suddenly became angry, reminding her: "It's the genius who created 『Yamishibai』! Right now the entire Production Bureau, no, the entire Kanto Faction, is relying on him! This is our sole opportunity to turn our fortunes around! You must absolutely seize it well!"
Hanging up the phone, Ko Kaoruhana sat there blankly, her complexion filled with confusion.
She didn't know what to do.
Because having experienced numerous failures, having experienced numerous scrutinies laden with malice and desire.
Ko Kaoruhana didn't know if she could still trust the other party.
A long while.
She finally slowly raised her hand, clenching it into a fist.
In those eyes always bearing a bit of stubbornness and unwillingness, a trace of firmness was added.
She planned to go have a look!
...
The same story was staged simultaneously in countless such corners of Tokyo.
Suginami Ward, in the back kitchen of a twenty-four-hour ramen shop.
Fujii Itsuki served the final bowl of steaming hot tonkotsu ramen in front of a customer, then leant against the wall exhaustedly, lighting a cigarette.
Smoke curled upwards.
He looked down at his own pair of hands, which exhibited slight swelling from being soaked in hot water for long periods of time, a trace of self-mockery flashing in his eyes.
He was once a somewhat famous stage actor in the Kanto region, known for his delicate yet explosive acting skills.
But upon arriving in Tokyo, his little bit of talent he took pride in, was as fragile as a piece of paper in face of those strict factional barriers.
He couldn't receive any decent roles.
In order to make a living, he could only take odd jobs with no end in sight in this ramen shop.
Right when he was almost about to have all his sharp edges worn away by this day-after-day grease and exhaustion, a phone call, akin to a clap of thunder, blasted a monstrous wave within his long-silenced heart lake.
It was his mentor, Yamamoto Takeshi, who currently served as Executive Director in the Nohara Production Team.
"Sensei Yamamoto." Fujii Itsuki answered the phone.
"Itsuki, stop wasting your damn talent in the ramen shop!" The voice on the other side of the phone carried a high-spirited and passionate tone not heard in a long time appearing inside: "Tomorrow, come to my place, there's a role, I feel... non other than you is suitable!"
...
The next morning, inside the office of the [Nohara Hiroshi Special Production Team], the place was packed with people, bustling akin to a small-scale award ceremony backstage.
Those Kanto Faction artists who were once marginalized, forgotten, and even humiliated, were gathered here at this moment.
They wore presentable clothes, their faces carrying nervousness and expectation.
They looked at this brand-new office, looking at those seniors equally hailing from the Kanto Faction currently high-spiritedly discussing storyboards and scripts, a warm current named sense of belonging, quietly surged within their hearts.
The people here were all acquaintances or familiar faces.
All were our own people!
In the independent room at the very innermost part of the office, Nohara Hiroshi didn't participate in this audition.
He delegated all casting rights to Yamamoto Takeshi and Sato Kenji.
"Two seniors, you are more familiar with the levels of these people than I am."
Nohara Hiroshi merely stated calmly at the time: "I only have one requirement, attitude comes first, acting skills second, as for fame and backgrounds, they are not within the scope of my consideration. Also just like I said, artists belonging to our own Kanto Faction, under equal conditions, are given priority consideration."
This speech caused the already intense gratitude in the hearts of veterans like Yamamoto Takeshi and Sato Kenji, to deepen by several degrees.
"Hai! Please be rest assured Section Chief Nohara!" They lowered their heads replying in deep voices.
Their attitudes were extremely solemn.
...
And so Nohara Hiroshi immersed himself in his own world.
He needed to draw out the manuscripts as quickly as possible.
『Tales of the Unusual Season 1』 has 39 episodes in total. In order to produce it successfully, stabilize the viewership ratings, and hit the ground running making a name for himself.
Then he cannot slack off!
The tip of the pen wandered on the paper, emitting a soft rustling sound, like spring silkworms tirelessly gnawing on mulberry leaves.
He drew very quickly yet very steadily.
Those smooth lines, precise compositions, and storyboards full of visual impact, seemingly weren't created by him, but had long existed within his brain; what he needed to do, was merely 'dictating from memory' bringing them out.
Of course, this was indeed the truth.
The TV Tokyo elites of the past life's Neon, really went to great pains to produce 『Tales of the Unusual』.
Now it's convenient for Nohara Hiroshi acting as a copycat.
"Ring ring ring——"
Just as he drew the critical frame where the female lead first touches the murder weapon, her inner world impacted by that icy malice, the landline on his desk, abruptly started ringing.
"Hello, this is the Nohara Production Team."
Nohara Hiroshi frowned, picking up the receiver with some displeasure.
He disliked being interrupted.
"Is this Nohara-kun? I am Kurosawa Eiji." On the other side of the phone, appeared an old voice carrying a bit of hoarseness, yet still full of vigor.
"Mhm!?" The hand Nohara Hiroshi used to grip his pen abruptly halted.
Kurosawa Eiji?
That former legend of Kanto TV, that Level 1 Director who filmed 『Samurai』?
Why would he... call me?
Countless thoughts flashed through Nohara Hiroshi's mind in an instant, but his voice maintained that trademark calmness and modesty: "Director Kurosawa, hello, junior Nohara Hiroshi here, may I know what instructions do you have?"
"Wouldn't go so far as instructions."
The Kurosawa Eiji on the other side of the phone, let out a light laugh carrying a bit of self-mockery: "An old fellow like me, how can I still have the qualifications to instruct you young folks now."
He paused, his voice taking on a trace of solemnity: "I heard, Asumi handed that S-class project, to you?"
"Yes, the station indeed made this arrangement." Nohara Hiroshi replied.
"Very good, very good."
Within Kurosawa Eiji's voice, carried a sincere approval from the bottom of his heart: "I watched your 『Yamishibai』, also looked at your project proposal. To tell the truth, an old fellow like me was also frightened by you. Not by those ghosts and monsters, but by those ideas inside your head."
"I filmed Samurai for a lifetime, talked about loyalty and righteousness for a lifetime. But at the end of it all, I realized, in this era, no one is willing to listen to me tell these outdated and cliché stories anymore."
In his voice, carried the desolation of a hero in his twilight years, causing Nohara Hiroshi to also slightly sigh upon hearing it.
"So..." Kurosawa Eiji took a deep breath, using a tone akin to requesting: "Nohara-kun, I... I wish to go over to your side, to take a look. Look at exactly how you young people work. Look at exactly how this so-called 'urban legend'... captures people's hearts."
"An outdated old man like me, also wishes to... study and learn from you."
If this sentence was spoken by anyone else, perhaps it was just pleasantries.
But spoken from the mouth of Kurosawa Eiji, an industry titan, that weight, was sufficient to make any young director feel extremely honored and fearful.
Of course, it also made Nohara Hiroshi somewhat astonished.
A highly-qualified grand senior, coming to find himself to study, speaking this out is simply to shock a group of people!
Slightly pursing his lips.
Nohara Hiroshi still answered: "Director Kurosawa, you speak too highly of me." His voice was gentle yet firm: "If you are willing to come, that is the honor of our entire production team. For you to come, is to guide our work. I, am the one, who needs to study and learn from you."
"Hahaha, you kid, certainly knows how to speak." The Kurosawa Eiji on the other side of the phone let out hearty laughter: "Good! Then it's settled! I'll come over in the afternoon after starting work!"
Nohara Hiroshi answered respectfully: "Welcoming your arrival, Senior Kurosawa."
...
Nohara Hiroshi didn't deliberately avoid anyone for this phone call.
Hence, when he hung up the phone, the entire outer area of the office, had long sunk into deathly silence.
Everyone was like being cast an immobilization spell, gazing at him blankly. That look in their eyes, was akin to looking at a superman who just crushed an atomic bomb barehanded.
Director Kurosawa... wants to come to their place... to study?
This news had more impact than any viewership rating myth!
Due to the fact that Kurosawa Eiji is the spiritual pillar in the hearts of all their television professionals of the 'Kanto Faction', the flag that was long battered by wind and rain but still stood upright!
And now, this flag, was going to personally arrive at their small production team, to a 'Section Chief' younger than everyone among them...
To ask for advice?
The gazes of everyone looking at Nohara Hiroshi changed.
Inside there, was no longer just admiration and conviction.
But a kind of... fanaticism akin to looking up to the heavens!
Even Sato Kenji, this Level 3 Director sent to 'coordinate', was thoroughly shocked at this moment.
He looked at that young man still sitting there calmly as if he just received an ordinary greeting call, that bit of modesty belonging to a senior in his heart, was completely smashed into pieces at this moment.
He seemed to have thought of something, handing the interviewing task over to others for now, while he himself promptly grabbed the storyboard manuscript of 『The Frightening Touch』 from the desk that was flipped through countless times by him, and akin to holding a peerless treasure, rapidly walked out of the office.
He needed to see Deputy Director Asumi.
He had to tell him, their Kanto Faction, this time, perhaps truly... dug up a genius capable of changing an entire era.
...
Inside Asumi's office, the sunlight was just right.
He finished listening to Sato Kenji's somewhat excited and incoherent report, then personally read through that storyboard manuscript carefully from beginning to end.
A long while, he exhaled a long breath of air. Inside that breath, carried an unsuppressable lament and relief.
"To think that he really made even Director Kurosawa yield in admiration."
Asumi looked at Sato Kenji. On that normally refined and steady face, blossomed an unprecedented brilliantly radiant smile: "This Nohara Hiroshi, his talent, has already exceeded my imagination. But his most terrifying aspect, is exactly this mindset of unmoved by favor or disgrace."
"That old fellow Suzuki, this time, has truly established an unparalleled merit for our Kanto Faction ah."
Asumi stood up, walking to the huge floor-to-ceiling windows.
Looking down at that endlessly bustling city below his feet, within those deep eyes always like an ancient well, for the first time ignited the flames of desire.
Asumi knew, having Nohara Hiroshi this sharpest sword, the situation where he laid low enduring for several years in this television station.
Is finally about to break open!