Put it down.
That snake...
I’ll slit her throat myself.
Then kill me instead.
I'm the one who seduced her.
That's a lie.
It's true.
Chiyoko did nothing wrong.
Why?
Why would you lie like that?
Do you want to protect her that badly?
Was the sex with her that good?
Drop it!
I'm gonna kill her!
Kazuko, stop!
It's over for us.
Please wait one moment.
Please relax and enjoy your stay.
Everyone, how is your afternoon?
I'm Kaoru Jindaiji, your host on Kaoru's Moment.
Thank you for joining us.
Without further ado, let's welcome today's guest.
Here's Ms. Chiyoko Shimakura. Please welcome her!
Thank you for having me.
It's so good to see you.
Welcome. It's been so long.
Long time no see.
The last time we met was four years ago, right?
Was it really that long ago?
In these four years,
you've been through quite a lot, haven't you?
Yes, a lot has happened.
How did you manage to get through it all?
I’d say singing kept me going.
I see.
Singing saved your life. How wonderful.
How do you feel now?
Well...
I guess it feels like I was released from prison.
Is that so?
I heard you have a new song coming soon.
Yes, the first release from my own agency--
Welcome.
Whiskey, please.
Would you like bourbon or scotch?
Either one. Straight, please.
Coming right up.
I wouldn't if I were you.
Even if it's to get over a man.
Sorry.
I saw what happened at the inn.
I know I should mind my own business,
but when you've been hurt,
you need to put yourself first.
He didn’t dump me.
Oh, really?
It's the opposite.
You’re more straightforward than you look.
It's easier opening up to a stranger.
And the woman he was going to divorce
is actually...
my best friend.
You stole your best friend's husband?
It was so painful, knowing I was hurting her.
When I saw how happy those two were at their wedding,
I decided to give up, but...
From her perspective,
that's exactly what a Void Period is.
A Void Period?
It's from Sanmeigaku, a form of fortune-telling.
A Void Period is when your luck turns unfavorable.
Wow.
Are you a fortune teller or something, miss?
Yes.
I'm actually
a fortune teller.
Wow, really?
Then could you read into my compatibility with him?
Can I borrow a pen?
Yes, ma'am.
Write his name and your name along with your birthdays here.
Okay.
I see...
Listen closely, Ritsuko.
Okay.
Your compatibility with him
is incredibly good.
Almost too good.
Really?
But you know,
there are pros and cons to being compatible.
When you both have good luck, it builds up together.
When it's bad luck,
you bring each other down and cause it to worsen.
And...
the real problem is you.
You're actually right at the height of your Void Period.
You and whoever you're bound with are guaranteed an unfortunate outcome.
An unfortunate outcome?
There's a chance...
the man you're with will take his own life.
Or it may be his wife that kills herself.
Misato? That can't be...
Death is deeply tied the Void Period.
There's a chance that death could find its way to you too.
Which means...
Are you saying I might be killed by Misato?
My fortune-telling uses statistics.
I'm sharing possibilities with you.
What should I do?
That's up to you to decide.
But...
if you want my advice,
before the three of you tear each other to shreds...
you should break it off.
Could I have another glass of that whiskey?
Certainly.
- Are you okay? - I'm fine.
- Be careful. - I will--
You drank quite a bit.
I had too much to drink.
I'm sorry.
You even covered the bill.
It's a parting gift.
I'm sure you'll find a better man
and build a happy family.
That would be nice.
Oh, Ms. Hosoki, I'm heading that way.
Oh, take care then.
Okay.
Oh, wait.
Here.
As a thank-you.
I don't need it anymore.
That’s a little too much for a thank-you.
In that case,
think of it as payment for reading my fortune.
Your fortune-telling is worth at least this much.
You think so?
In that case,
I accept with gratitude.
Goodbye then.
Take care.
Thank you.
Was that the beginning of Kazuko Hosoki the fortune teller?
Yeah.
Something clicked inside of her.
She realized she had a natural gift for fortune-telling.
And most importantly, fortune-telling is lucrative.
So after Shimakura, she set her sights on fortune-telling.
And what's amazing about Kazuko
is that once she decides her destination, she always reaches it.
First, she became an apprentice for a fortune teller she knew
and started learning from scratch.
This should teach you the basics of the Four Pillars of Destiny.
I appreciate the help.
Never read fortunes using superficial knowledge.
Fortune-telling changes people's fates.
To be proficient, you'll need at least ten years of training.
I'll keep that in mind.
What would take the average person ten years to learn,
she managed to scrape through in a year.
I can imagine just how hard she studied.
Your compatibility is the best.
Especially your physical compatibility.
If you get married, you'll be blessed with children for sure.
Under the guise of business,
she used whoever she could to test her fortune-telling.
It was perfect for building real experience.
Ms. Hosoki, can you read our fortunes too?
Sure.
While working in nightlife,
she'd been caught in the whirlpool of human desire for over 20 years.
What is it that people want from fortune-telling?
What kind of writing grabs readers?
She knew better than anyone.
Then, she used her connections to force her manuscript to be published.
Of course, it didn't end with just publishing a book.
She toured the country on her own dime, promoting it herself.
She'd rope in celebrity regulars from her clubs
and use them for publicity.
Thank you.
Before long, her book had sold 500,000 copies.
It's commendable.
Currently,
through a period of rapid economic growth,
this country has achieved great material prosperity.
But what about spiritual prosperity?
Juvenile crime has gone up,
with innocent women and children continuing to fall prey to violent crimes.
I want to use my fortune-telling to make the world a better place.
To that effect,
I want to write even more books and reach even more people.
I ask for your support in this endeavor
from the bottom of my heart.
Bringing peace through the power of fortune-telling...
You're like Queen Himiko. She ruled Yamatai-koku through divination.
Oh, come on.
Oh right, Ms. Hosoki.
Can you read my fortune to see if I can win next year's election?
My sessions are fully booked,
but please give me a call.
I'll be in your care.
- I look forward to it. - It's Mr. Yashiro!
Oh, excuse me.
We've been expecting you!
- Mr. Yashiro. - Mr. Yashiro.
- Hey, you! - Yes?
Do you know who that guy is?
I'm aware the publishing industry is going through tough times.
- That's why-- - Mr. Yashiro.
Nice to meet you. I'm Hosoki.
Nice to meet you. I'm Yashiro.
Mr. Yashiro! I know of you, of course.
I can't believe the vice chairman of the Shigaku Association is here.
I'm thrilled to see you.
Oh, you're aware of our association?
It was founded by Mr. Masataka Yasunaga,
advisor to many prime ministers throughout the years.
It's Japan's most prestigious academic association.
Anyone in this field would know of it.
I hope we can get along.
Mr. Yashiro.
Yes?
I'd like to expand my knowledge and hone my Six-Star Astrology skills.
If it's okay with you,
could you possibly introduce me to Mr. Yasunaga?
Mr. Yasunaga is a distinguished figure
who even sharing a drink with is a story to tell your grandchildren.
It's not that simple.
Of course.
An insignificant woman like me...
I shouldn't be so presumptuous.
Six months later, Kazuko became Masataka Yasunaga's wife.
After fortune-telling, she set her sights on Mr. Masataka Yasunaga.
Once she became his wife,
her social standing skyrocketed.
But how on earth did she do it?
I'm not sure either.
I was busy with my own election at the time.
Pay the Yasunaga family a visit.
His daughter should know the details.
Welcome to this week's I'll Give It to You Straight-Up!
Thank you for tuning in.
Please welcome Ms. Kazuko Hosoki! Come on down!
- Shin. - Yes?
Check, please.
OSAMU MIYAZAWA: CAN WE MEET SOON? I WANT TO TALK ABOUT KAZUKO HOSOKI.
Are you dumb? I thought you were a lawyer!
What about suing for defamation or demanding compensation?
There should be ways around it!
But those are only options once the article is released--
Then it'll be too late.
I don't pay your high retainer for nothing, you know.
In any case, I need you to shut down that article, got it?
She's got some nerve...
My father, Masataka Yasunaga,
spent the last half of his life in this house until he passed.
We preserved it as is to serve as a memorial museum.
When you first reached out to me,
I was planning to say no.
I apologize for being unreasonable.
But...
I read your book.
Huh?
And it changed my mind.
I could feel the love you poured into each and every character.
It felt like a very sincere book.
Thank you.
If you're the author...
I felt that speaking with you would be okay.
I'll tell you everything
exactly how I witnessed it.
As for how you write this information,
I leave that to you.
Tell me about your father.
In his day-to-day,
he loved to wear ro silk kimonos.
He liked how light and thin they were, and how easy they were to move in.
No matter who he was with,
he would treat them gently like ro silk fabric.
He would never force his views onto other people.
Even with those of the lowest social standing,
he would never turn people away or chase those who leave.
His free, broad-minded nature captivated everyone,
from prime ministers over the years
to the heads of major corporations.
But perhaps it was that sheer breadth of his heart
that gave Ms. Hosoki a way in.
Mr. Yasunaga.
There's someone I'd like you to meet.
This is Ms. Kazuko Hosoki.
My name is Hosoki. It's a pleasure to meet you.
Ms. Hosoki is a female entrepreneur.
She recently published a book on fortune-telling.
- I was hoping she could meet you-- - Mr. Yasunaga.
The way you enjoy your drink
is truly elegant and refined.
It's captivating.
Please.
Father,
you've already had enough.
A wise man takes pleasure in slight intoxication.
This single glass shall deliver me to pure bliss.
Then,
why not use this one?
Wait, Kazuko, you're stepping out of line.
Excellent idea. Pour it for me.
Your hands are quite adept.
I spent the last 20 years operating a nightclub.
Then why did you write a book on fortune-telling?
I was inspired by your book, I Ching and Life.
The contents left an impact on me.
As such, I mastered the Four Pillars of Destiny,
which you recommended in your book.
You shouldn't lie.
It's not a lie. I poured everything into my studies--
That book was released four years ago.
To master destiny analysis,
even a prodigy would require ten years.
Did a nightlife entrepreneur like yourself
really have more time to devote than a prodigy has in ten years?
If not,
the book you wrote is misguided.
I knew it.
A dumb woman like me
should have never come here.
Kazuko...
I just wanted to learn from you.
Stop, this is disgraceful.
But...
Good grief. F-Fine.
Come to my house next time.
I'll teach you the basics.
Um, could you contact us here?
Thank you.
A woman crying over me...
Guess I've still got some charm.
A wise man takes pleasure in slight intoxication.
This single glass shall deliver me to pure bliss.
This will be your last one tonight, okay?
My father had begun showing signs of dementia around then.
The day Ms. Hosoki first met my father,
I believe she sensed it.
About a month later,
Ms. Hosoki came here to learn the basics from my father.
Hello, Mr. Yasunaga. I'll be in your care today.
This is just a small token of my appreciation.
Special-grade sake from Niigata.
Thank you for your generosity.
Father.
Your medical exam is today.
Please refrain from smoking.
I will let you know when time is up.
In other words, the foundation of I Ching
lies in how we regulate the changes
that arise from the interactions between yin and yang.
The moments that represent such changes
are shown in the form of these 64 hexagrams.
It's so difficult, I can't make heads or tails of this.
Perhaps I was too presumptuous to think a lowly woman like me
could learn the I Ching.
Vimalakirti, who preached the teachings of the Buddha in the Vimalakirti Sutra,
was a drunkard and a gambler.
One's high or low social standing is irrelevant when it comes to learning.
Well, I do know a bit about drinking and gambling.
Could you go let some air in?
Of course.
Learning...
is not something one can achieve by sitting at a desk.
Only by drawing it out from daily life
can true learning begin to be harnessed.
Harnessed learning?
That is my philosophy, Harnessing of Learning.
I...
lost everything in the war.
Air strikes burned my home to the ground,
and my father and older brother died in battle.
At the evacuation site,
I heard the Emperor's speech that you revised.
After I returned to Tokyo,
I helped with my mother's business.
But it wasn't enough to feed us,
so I quit school and began working at night.
I was so naive back then.
I was almost sold by a man,
bullied at the home I married into...
and tricked into debt...
worth hundreds of millions.
I've been through hell.
And that's not even all of it.
The yakuza treated me like a slave.
I saved a life, only to be repaid with betrayal.
I've thought of ending my life
more than once.
I'm not a perfect person.
I've failed and hurt others in the past.
But I've learned from those experiences.
I fell, got back up, and failed again,
enduring extreme hardship to survive until now.
After all of that,
I finally learned the ways of the world well enough to sit before you.
That...
is the learning I went through.
Magnificent.
Huh?
That is
what I consider a perfect example of Harnessing of Learning.
Thank you.
I don't deserve such praise.
It's been a long time
since I last heard words with such life and humanity.
These days, all I hear
is empty lip service and adulation.
For those striving to follow Harnessing of Learning, it's pathetic.
Excuse me.
It's almost time.
Your medical exam is next, so please get ready.
Mr. Yasunaga.
Here.
This is my club.
Please stop by whenever you're in the area.
It's okay to unwind once in a while.
A short while after that,
my father went out one day and, without notice, didn't come home.
- Please find him. - Got it.
Although he showed signs of dementia,
he had never behaved like this before.
Please call if you find out anything.
Understood.
Goodbye.
Mr. Yasunaga, you're home now.
Father!
Oh, miss.
I'm so glad you're here.
Jeez, Father, what happened?
What drove him to drink this much?
When I was with Mr. Yasunaga,
I had to go take care of something.
He must have had quite a bit while I was gone.
He didn't mention he was going to see you.
I shouldn't have left him alone.
No, I apologize for the trouble he caused you.
He smoked quite a lot too.
I'll make sure to keep an eye on him next time.
Tell him he's welcome to stop by again.
After that,
my father began to frequent Ms. Hosoki's business.
- An orange juice. - Coming right up.
I got worried
and had my father's live-in student follow him.
When he did, Ms. Hosoki was glued to my father's side,
feeding him alcohol without a moment of rest.
Then, she took my father directly to her home.
After my mother passed away,
I had taken care of everything for my father.
Many people adored my father,
and I was right by his side.
That was my source of pride.
And Ms. Hosoki took that pride away from you?
I couldn't stand it anymore,
so I confronted my father.
What's with the scary face?
What are you planning to do with those?
Kazuko wants me to show her how to appreciate calligraphy.
You said that last time and never brought them back.
What?
I-I don't remember that.
You didn't give them to Ms. Hosoki, did you?
Father.
Please stop going to see her.
Towako.
Who are you saying that for?
Of course, it's for your sake.
And not just you.
For the Yasunaga family name.
For my late mother.
No.
It's for yourself, isn't it?
Do not use me as your reason for living.
You're at the age where you should live as you please.
And I'll do the same.
Just a bit more.
You can do it.
Yes, good work.
Here.
Thanks.
Oh, right. Let's just stamp it now, okay?
Yeah, sure.
Here we go.
Thank you.
Mr. Yasunaga, I was hoping you'd write a testimonial for my next book.
Sure.
And can I have the hanging scroll you brought today?
Sure.
Your reward.
Here.
Okay, all right.
Yes?
Oh, Towako.
Kazuko!
- Kazuko, I need more alcohol! - Excuse me.
I need a drink!
Father.
Shizuko.
Shizuko, why are you here?
Father, snap out of it. I'm Towako.
Mother obviously wouldn't be here.
Good grief...
We're leaving.
Towako.
Listen.
Your father is here of his own accord.
As his daughter, you shouldn't meddle.
Of his own accord?
You're the one who tricked him and dragged him here.
That's a misunderstanding.
I'm Mr. Yasunaga's disciple.
It's only right that a disciple follow their master's wishes.
After you fed him all this alcohol?
You're no disciple.
I see right through you.
You're so shameless!
Hey, you.
You may be his daughter,
but don't be so full of yourself.
Shizuko.
Such bliss!
I...
have taken back my soul's freedom!
Father...
Father! Are you okay?
Father!
Wake up!
Come on! Father!
My father managed to survive,
but his condition was uncertain.
Yet, in spite of this...
This is bad. That woman's here.
Huh?
Everyone, this way.
Get out.
This is no place for a complete stranger.
A complete stranger?
WRITTEN OATH I PROMISE TO MARRY KAZUKO HOSOKI
MASATAKA YASUNAGA KAZUKO HOSOKI
This is...
HUSBAND: YASUNAGA WIFE: HOSOKI
MARRIAGE REGISTRATION
His wife has come to see him.
Let me through.
- Ms. Hosoki! - Close it!
Open the door!
Open it!
Let me see my husband!
I'm Mr. Yasunaga's wife! Let me see my husband!
Please!
Open it!
At that moment,
I thought to myself...
that I will never forgive this woman for as long as I live.
Open the door!
Let me see my husband!
Please!
Let me see my husband!
Sorry for being late.
Haven't done this in a while.
The last time we met without Reina was before the divorce.
What did you want to talk about?
No small talk, huh?
It's about Ms. Hosoki, right?
How's the book? Making progress?
No, I just started writing.
I see.
Stop beating around the bush and tell me already.
Kazuko Hosoki still has ties with the yakuza
and runs spiritual-related scams, right?
She's done a lot in her past.
If you dig, she's got a mountain of dirt.
Who told you?
Our weekly magazine's preparing a campaign exposing Hosoki's dark side.
Hosoki found out, and she's desperate to kill the story.
Apparently she had her lawyer threaten us.
And of course, we refused.
Hey, Minori.
You got this book offer about two months ago, right?
Yeah, why?
That's when the exposé campaign started moving too.
She's using you as a decoy.
She wants you to write a favorable book to fight against the campaign.
I know you want to release a book.
And maybe you want to prove me wrong.
But you really should walk away this time.
You'll be called a gimmick writer, ending your career.
Hello? Ma'am?
I see. What a troublemaker.
No, it's fine. I have a plan.
Thanks, Teppei.
Things are a bit noisy nowadays, so I'll send your payment in the mail.
Okay. Bye then.
Subtitle translation by: Chul Woong Kim