Ochiyo was famous as a songstress with an innate talent from a young age.
After losing the war, that angelic voice of hers
inspired the hopes and dreams of so many people
who had once been crushed by despair.
"Man shall not live by bread alone."
That was truly
the power of entertainment.
Ochiyo and I
were born in the same year, in the same city of Tokyo.
It's very possible
that we had crossed paths before in the rubble of Tokyo back then.
That is such an incredible story.
After Mr. Hotta saves you,
you brought Ms. Shimakura back from hell with your own hands.
This story about Shimakura is a huge selling point.
It'll also be a major turning point in the book, right?
Yeah.
What was Ms. Shimakura like?
She was just like her singing voice.
Sweet, delicate,
and genuinely pure-hearted.
Sorry to interrupt.
Load those bags in the car.
And use the new carrier for Tiara.
Yes, ma'am.
Are you taking her with you to Hawaii?
Two weeks apart would be enough to die of loneliness.
I see. Since Tiara's so sensitive.
No, I'm the one who would die.
Oh, right.
Since you're very sensitive.
Sorry for bothering you before your trip.
It's okay, I have almost an hour.
Let's continue our conversation.
Ms. Shimakura's debt was over 400 million yen, right?
In today's money, that's easily over a billion yen.
How did you resolve such a huge debt?
Of course,
I couldn't have done it alone.
What are you trying to pull here?
Is this a bluff?
Explain yourself.
There's 150 million yen right here.
I'll get straight to the point.
If we add up all your claims, it comes to 430 million yen.
We'd like to settle the debt with this, divided fairly among you.
Only a third?
You want us to write off the rest?
Will you accept?
- What? Accept that? - You can't be serious.
What kind of nonsense is that?
You must be kidding, Ms. Shimakura!
Hey, assholes!
What if Chiyoko Shimakura never sings again?!
What about our money then?
Chiyoko Shimakura herself
said she'd rather die.
Chiyoko Shimakura's songs are a national treasure!
Usually, a national treasure like her would be priceless!
We're asking you
to accept this offer as if you were buying that treasure.
I...
always remember the faces of those who've helped me.
If you accept,
it'll benefit your businesses too.
In the name of the Edogawa-ikka family...
I'm asking you.
As of today, I'm officially Chiyoko Shimakura's conservator.
My name is Kazuko Hosoki.
By "resolved," does that mean you've repaid the 430 million yen?
The full amount?
No, not the whole thing.
But the fact is that Shimakura herself was also a victim of fraud.
And most importantly,
the creditors understood that we wanted to protect Shimakura's singing voice,
accepting a partial payment of roughly one-third of the debt.
Was this payment covered by you, Ms. Hosoki?
Shimakura will now transfer to my newly established agency
and work alongside me, her manager.
Furthermore, she will repay me from her sales profits.
Ms. Shimakura, how do you feel right now?
I...
thought I would never sing again.
I had decided that if I couldn't sing, I'd rather die.
That was when Ms. Hosoki saved me.
I owe my life to Ms. Hosoki.
It'll all be okay.
- Thank you very much. - Thank you.
It's all empty now.
It's hard, isn't it?
Giving up the life you fought tooth and nail to achieve.
This home
was the only thing always waiting for me.
Listen, Ochiyo.
There are still six months until this place is sold.
Work like hell until then
and buy this place back.
Is that even possible?
That depends on how hard you work.
Okay.
I'll work like hell, one more time.
That's the spirit.
Thank you.
Big Sis.
Big Sis?
I mean, you're like a big sister to me.
What are you saying? We're the same age.
Why not? I'll be the little sister.
Suit yourself.
After that, the two of us worked ourselves to the bone.
Chiyoko Shimakura's handshake event will soon begin!
Everyone, let's call out to Ochiyo.
Ready?
- Ochiyo! - Ochiyo!
We promoted everywhere,
taking whatever job we could get, from local venues to prisons.
To all our guests today,
if you want to shake Ochiyo's hand,
buy this autographed record, okay?
You can only shake her hand if you buy this record.
Who wants one?
This town has more chickens than people,
so you may wonder why we're here.
You're on in five. No talking between songs.
We gotta jump in the car right after seven songs,
or we won't make the next show.
The job was new to me, but I pushed myself.
If we wanted to buy Ochiyo's apartment back,
we couldn't be picky with our gigs.
Hey, Hisao.
Why are you driving so slow? Step on it.
Okay, I'll step on it.
- Hey, you made my hand slip! - Sorry about that.
Kazuko, we need to order more records, or we'll run out within the day.
Hey, take these to the fan club members.
Okay, on it.
Ochiyo, you eat while you can too.
Thank you for your help.
- Here's a small gift. - Thanks.
It was tough juggling this job and the disco.
Thank you.
Sometimes, it was so tough that I wanted to give up.
But...
whenever I felt like that,
Ochiyo's songs gave me strength.
I felt like I could keep going if it was for Ochiyo.
I wanted to rid Ochiyo of her debt scandal image,
so I had her work as the disco's poster girl.
When she did,
the mass media ate it up better than I expected.
CHIYOKO SHIMAKURA COMES BACK FROM HELL!
As a result, Ochiyo's reputation shot up again.
Gigs on big stages and TV shows that she couldn't get before were pouring in.
You're a huge success.
And finally,
we managed to buy back Ochiyo's apartment, which had been put up for auction.
Thanks, I appreciate it.
Oh, you can leave your bags, Ochiyo.
I'll carry them.
Are you sure?
- Let's go. - Thank you.
Hurry over.
Our compatibility together...
We have the best compatibility.
To tell you how good it is,
if you were a man,
I'd be with you instead of him.
If one of us had to be the man, it'd be you, Big Sis.
Ochiyo, don't take an amateur fortune teller seriously.
And the compatibility between you two
is the worst.
If you two get close, you'll lose everything.
You'd better be careful.
That's nonsense.
It can't be true.
It's thanks to Mr. Hotta that I can smile like this again.
"The two of us sitting close, shoulders touching."
"Who would have thought I could smile once more?"
How's that? Wouldn't they make good lyrics for your next song?
It's wonderful.
Hey, what if you write the lyrics for my next song?
No way, I'm an amateur.
It's okay, you have talent. It'll definitely be a hit.
...Ms. Chiyoko Shimakura's "Ai no Sazanami."
If there really is a god
In this world
I wish to die
Held in your arms
I'm content
with just watching you sing.
Oh, jeez.
You're kind of embarrassing me.
You two
seem like real sisters.
Over and over
Like the ripples on the water...
Let's keep working hard together,
the two of us.
Yeah.
But Ms. Shimakura leaves your agency after that, right?
Yes.
I made her leave.
But why? Things were going well.
This article says that she wanted to stay with you.
CHIYOKO SHIMAKURA REPAYS HER DEBT AND CHANGES AGENCIES
This takes me back.
There's a right time for everything.
I was an amateur in the music industry,
and I had already started studying fortune-telling.
I wanted to master my craft.
When Ochiyo cleared off her debt,
it was only right to go our separate ways.
Ochiyo is still singing in the spotlight.
It was the right call.
Parting ways wasn't easy though.
Especially since you were like sisters.
I no longer had a relationship with my real sisters, remember?
That made me love Ochiyo all the more.
By the way, what is your brother doing now?
- Hisao? - Yes.
He ran the clubs with you.
You two were the closest in your family.
If possible, I'd love to speak with Hisao too.
I have no idea what he's up to nowadays.
A lot has happened.
Ms. Hosoki.
We should go soon.
- We should head out too. - Oh, right.
Minori.
I can't wait to read your book.
Oh, I haven't finished interviewing you yet,
but I do plan to start writing soon.
Really?
I don't mean to rush you,
but I want you to write and publish it as soon as possible.
You have to strike while the iron is hot.
We'll take that to heart.
SELF-PORTRAIT OF A WOMAN BY MINORI UOZUMI
I'm gonna be late.
- I'm leaving now, Minori. - Okay.
Don't forget to lock up.
Yeah, okay.
- Bye! - Hey, say bye to Grandma.
- Mommy. - Yeah?
Actually, I want rice balls.
Rice balls?
But you wanted bread. Spread this on here. It's good.
Good morning.
Good morning. Please take care of her.
Reina!
Have a good day!
I'll see you.
KAZUKO FACED THE CRUEL NATURE OF WAR...
THE PAIN OF THE WOUND COMFORTED HER.
TRUE ANGER CAN BE SO INTENSE, PAINFUL, AND LONELY.
THE SHARP FLASHES REFLECTED FROM THE MIRROR BALL
ONTO KAZUKO'S BODY.
"THIS IS MY WORLD."
I WANT TO TRY COMPETING ON A BIG STAGE.
KAZUKO HOSOKI'S BROTHER ARRESTED FOR BLACKMAILING TOWN COUNCIL CHAIRMAN
THE TRUTH AS TOLD TO US
Reina, your mommy's here to pick you up.
Reina, your mommy's here.
Reina.
Coming!
Hello, this is Uozumi.
Are you the writer?
Yes, I am.
My name is Hosoki.
You wanted to talk to me?
Hoso...
Hisao?
You asked that tabloid about me, didn't you?
An editor asked me to reach out to you directly.
You want to ask about my sister, right?
If you'd like, why don't you come to my place?
I'll tell you about her.
Come in.
Oh, thank you.
I have a real sweet tooth.
I'm especially a fan of this Mont Blanc.
Um...
I saw you in a magazine photo.
Oh, yeah.
KAZUKO HOSOKI'S BROTHER ARRESTED THE TRUTH AS TOLD TO US
You've got a lot of nerve.
Huh?
You wouldn't show that to the person in question usually.
Sorry.
No, it's fine though.
Well, that level of eccentricity is good if you're dealing with my sister.
How are you two now?
She cut ties with me.
Was it your sister's decision?
After that article, even the police got involved.
As a celebrity, I'm sure she wanted to avoid any trouble.
I see.
You're writing her book, right?
How much have you heard?
Up until the part where she paid off Ms. Shimakura's debt.
I heard she and your sister were like real sisters.
Did she say that herself?
Yes, she said parting ways was hard for her.
The Chiyoko Shimakura story went like this, didn't it?
Shimakura was about to jump off a bridge somewhere,
and my sister saved her, right?
Yes.
Then she became her manager
and worked like a horse.
Yes.
Did she mention Mr. Hotta?
Yes, she said Mr. Hotta also helped pay off Ms. Shimakura's debt.
And...
she said they bought back Shimakura's apartment?
Yes.
You know that's all a lie, right?
A lie?
A complete lie.
And you totally fell for it.
Do you wanna hear
what really happened?
The disco that my sister started with Hotta
was thriving at first.
But after three years, it was a total failure.
I built this place from the ground up.
I'm never letting it go.
At this rate...
When their finances went cold, so did their relationship.
We should sell while we can...
Well, that just shows how shallow their bond had been.
Excuse me?
You're just a poor yakuza who needs my earnings to look tough.
Stop bossing me around.
How dare you talk back at me?
Besides, you were with those young guys...
At that moment, the phone rang.
So what?
Stop acting so damn defiant all the time, like with this disco.
Stop changing the subject.
- Pick up the phone already. - You do it.
Answer it, Hisao!
Right away.
Hello, this is Manhattan.
Please hold for a moment.
Mr. Hotta.
It's from someone named Mr. Yabe.
Mr. Yabe?
Yes.
Hello, this is Hotta.
Mr. Yabe was a fixer with connections to the yakuza and entertainment industry.
He was also Shimakura's conservator.
Chiyoko Shimakura?
He asked Hotta to protect Shimakura, who was being hounded by debt collectors.
I never thought he'd run from his loans.
That's how my sister met Shimakura.
- All those debt collectors... - That suicide story was a big, fat lie.
I just don't know what to do now.
My sister saw the profit right away.
Even with all of that debt, she's the one and only Chiyoko Shimakura.
She basically showed up on a silver platter.
A long time ago,
the same thing happened to me.
The one who saved me was Mr. Hotta, sitting right over there.
It'll be okay.
We'll figure something out for you.
Hotta went into debt to scrounge up 150 million yen,
and they put on a show.
My sister came up with the script,
and Hotta went along with it since he was struggling financially.
Hey, assholes!
What if Chiyoko Shimakura never sings again?!
Despite his struggles, he was still the boss of the Edogawa-ikka family.
In the name of the Edogawa-ikka family...
When he got on his hands and knees, the debt collectors had to give in.
Otherwise, who knows what would've happened to them?
I'm asking you.
It was a polite threat.
Shimakura was moved by my sister and Hotta's performance.
Ms. Shimakura, how do you feel right now?
I...
I had decided that if I couldn't sing, I'd rather die.
Shimakura must have wanted to work as hard as she could for them.
That was when Ms. Hosoki saved me.
I owe my life to Ms. Hosoki.
Kazuko rescued Shimakura from her predicament
and instantly became the woman of the hour.
That's how she set up the groundwork for using Shimakura as a money machine.
Even with the story about Shimakura going on regional tours,
Hotta used the local yakuza to secure venues basically for free
and took a huge cut.
As for the deserted disco,
they used Shimakura for attention and got the media to cover it,
bringing it back to life.
My sister's business acumen is quite impressive.
Hotta was an old-fashioned yakuza who valued duty and humanity.
He gradually grew sick of how Kazuko was exploiting Shimakura.
CHIYOKO SHIMAKURA COMES BACK FROM HELL!
You're a huge success.
Kazuko's plan worked,
and Shimakura made a full comeback in the entertainment world.
Big jobs kept pouring in.
I bet Kazuko was over the moon.
In the end, it was all about money.
All she cared about was how much she could earn from Shimakura.
It's a big lie that she wanted to help her.
When Kazuko got exploited in the past,
she learned how to exploit others.
But when Ms. Shimakura repaid Ms. Hosoki the 150 million yen,
Ms. Shimakura became independent.
Ms. Hosoki didn't have much to gain.
You're pretty naive, aren't you?
Shimakura was a top star at the time.
Even at rural venues, she made at least two million.
Bigger stages earned her three or four million.
Kazuko worked her hard and made her do 200 shows a year.
Do the math.
Um...
That's at least 400 million a year.
She knew she'd easily make back the 150 million yen.
No way...
Shimakura was a kind girl who didn't know how to distrust people,
but even she realized she was being played after three years.
That's why she parted ways with her.
But at the time, she said Ms. Hosoki saved her life.
She never mentioned being played.
That's how she made peace with it.
It was her own way
of settling things once and for all.
Thank you.
Hey.
You and I should take a trip soon.
Like to Hawaii or Guam.
To celebrate our business bouncing back.
I'll pass.
You can go by yourself.
What? You're acting so cold.
And you have work with Ochiyo.
Ochiyo can handle things on her own.
So, come on.
Let's go somewhere.
You're late.
Tomorrow's another early day, so hurry and take a bath.
I haven't had dinner yet.
You didn't eat before you came back?
I didn't have time to eat.
Then I'll make you something.
Go take a bath already.
It's late, so I want something easy to digest.
Something healthy and easy to digest.
You're so spoiled.
You just need to shut up and eat whatever I give you.
Hey.
How much debt do I have left?
I've been working so hard.
It's almost paid off, right?
I kept quiet since I didn't want to upset you.
But actually,
another debt popped up a couple of months ago.
What?
Well, we took care of it, so you don't need to worry.
How much is the new debt?
A little over 100 million.
That can't be...
Your man sure was hopeless, spreading promissory notes everywhere.
Who knows when another will show up--
This is the last one.
I'm sure of it.
Good work, Ochiyo.
Thank you. You too.
Ms. Shimakura.
Oh, Sawamura!
It's been so long.
I'm so happy to see you. How are things?
- I'm managing a newbie. - Really?
- I'm here doing promotions today. - I see.
Is Ms. Hosoki not with you today?
Yeah, we're working separately today.
Saijo is entering the studio!
Hey.
Do you have a moment?
Something's fishy.
There's no way a new debt would pop up after three years.
You're doing big stages and TV appearances like before.
And what's more,
you're on regional tours for almost half the year, right?
How much do you get for each regional show?
She doesn't tell me.
Big Sis said not to worry about the money.
It's outrageous that she hasn't told you.
But I do get a monthly allowance.
How much?
Once a month...
I get 30,000 yen.
Okay, Ms. Shimakura.
I want you to stay calm and listen.
You're a huge star who's performed on Kohaku for 20 years in a row.
If it's not volunteer work,
your fees should be at least two to five million.
If you perform 100 times a year...
All right.
Whoa, you scared me.
I didn't know you were home.
Did the recording go well?
I'm having dinner with a friend.
Order delivery for dinner.
My throat hurts.
What?
I think I hurt my throat at the recording today.
I feel nervous about eating delivery.
Can you make me some okayu?
You can do that much by yourself, can't you?
I...
can't even crack an egg.
You know that, right?
Jeez.
I'm gonna be late to my dinner.
Wait.
What now?
And...
I want black tea with ginger and honey in it.
Can you go buy me some?
What's gotten into you?
Treating me like a maid.
Have you gone mad?
I mean...
this throat is how I make money.
Without this throat, you won't make any money.
Without any money,
you can't buy fancy coats like that.
You.
If you have something to say, just say it.
Tell me how much I earned...
these past three years.
You already know.
It's 150 million yen.
That's a lie.
I asked someone in the industry.
They said I earned at least a billion.
I already paid off the 150 million in the first six months, didn't I?
Someone's been putting strange ideas in your head.
They're manipulating you.
You're the one manipulating me, aren't you, Big Sis?
Hey.
Is it true?
Were you deceiving me this whole time,
trying to squeeze every last drop out of me?
Was the new debt a lie too?
Ochiyo.
The only thing you're good at is singing.
You just need to shut up and sing.
You said it yourself. You'd rather die if you couldn't sing.
Who made it possible for you to sing?
It was me.
I didn't just pay off your debt.
I'm the one who saved your life.
How dare you talk like that
to the person who saved you?
Instead of mouthing off at me,
go sing at a cabaret, the streets, or wherever they'll let you!
Go make some money!
You used...
my love for singing...
for your own benefit.
Your "love for singing"?
You're spouting nonsense like a little girl.
If I felt like it,
I could easily make it so you'd never sing again.
It's not fair!
Get out of here!
Get out of my place!
You're the one leaving.
This apartment's mine.
- What? - I bought it at the auction.
It's under my name.
I got this great apartment for dirt cheap.
I'm so glad you're stupid.
Pack your stuff and get out
before I get home.
Ochiyo.
Kazuko told me what happened.
I got you a place to stay for a while.
Let me take you there.
I won't make any excuses.
But you know...
I loved listening to you sing,
right by your side.
That much is true.
And from here on out,
I'll be here for you.
So...
if there's anything I can do for you, just let me know.
Really?
Huh?
You said I can ask you for anything.
Yeah.
I mean it.
If that's true...
I have one last request
I'd like to ask of you.
I had once considered
Ending my life
Even the roses and cosmos
Told me to wither away
I cut my hair short
And bit down on my pinky
I'd spend my days crying And blaming myself
Hey, isn't youth funny?
Hey, isn't youth absurd?
Tears flow over funny stories
And in those tears Is an abundance of youth
Life is full of ups and downs
Men come in all sorts
Women come in all sorts too And they all bloom wildly
"Jinsei Iroiro" is such a great song.
It's just incredible.
I saw your performance on Kohaku.
My mother was thrilled too.
Thank you so much.
Excuse me, Ms. Shimakura.
Sorry to bother you. Can we talk?
- Please stand back-- - I'm writing Kazuko Hosoki's book.
I want to know the truth about you two.
That topic is--
What do you want to know?
When you were deceived and saddled with debt,
you were saved by Ms. Hosoki, who you met by chance.
Is this true?
It's true.
Ms. Hosoki saved my life.
If I didn't have Ms. Hosoki,
I probably wouldn't have been able to keep singing.
But a certain person told me
that she fabricated debts out of thin air
and continued to steal your earnings.
Even if that were true,
it doesn't change the fact that Ms. Hosoki saved my life.
Even if she deceived you?
Sometimes you're better off being deceived in ignorance.
I hope you write a good book.
Let's go.
INCOMING CALL MS. HOSOKI
CHIYOKO SHIMAKURA REPAYS HER DEBT AND CHANGES AGENCIES
Subtitle translation by: Chul Woong Kim