Kazuo immediately leaves for his new job. There, the story's detective first appears. Of course, the detective's involvement in the case is nothing but a coincidence. They cannot be the culprit.

 

Kazuo immediately leaves for his new job.

There, the story's detective first appears.

Of course, the detective's involvement in the case is nothing but a coincidence.

They cannot be the culprit.

“You see, Sugishita, the key is to always stay motivated. Serve others, be of use to them, make them happy, and take satisfaction in doing so. That attitude is important. Young people nowadays are too self-absorbed. They have a tendency to think only of their own enjoyment, and that's not okay. It's all about selfless service, you know? If you don't have the kind of spirit to sacrifice for others, are you really a full member of society?”

Director Kawasaka was walking and talking. He was a man who both walked and talked a lot. Kazuo was having a hard time keeping up. He had to learn the subtle art of walking and talking when there were other things that needed doing.

“There's a story about Hideyoshi, you know? About how he once warmed Nobunaga's sandals in his own bosom. If you keep that kind of 'nobody can see me' attitude in mind, your body will move on its own. You don't have to think too hard about anything, just be natural, keep your antennae up and tuned to the frequency of 'what does this person want from me?', and receive their signals.”

Director Kawasaka spoke quietly but clearly. He'd been going on like this from the moment they stepped on the train, all the way to their current location at a TV station in the heart of the city. In contrast to the president's cockroach head, the man in his 50s barely kept the appearance of hair on the top of his head with heavy reinforcement from the sides. Hearing this old man speak like a cool older sister giving friendly advice was creepy. Although he didn't want to, Kazuo turned the corner of the TV station's corridor and followed the dodgy director.

The corridors of television stations are narrow and horribly convoluted. Cardboard boxes, bowls from delivery meals, and costume stands were piled everywhere, making just walking difficult.

“The only thing that matters is your attitude. Don't try to do well. Just be sincere.”

Director Kawasaka was walking and talking. He didn't seem to even notice the obstacles as he briskly walked around. Since he had a background in the entertainment industry, it seemed he was used to TV stations. Kazuo had visited several times as well for commercial meetings, but this was his first time back in a studio area. If he'd come alone, he would have immediately gotten lost... He was starting to feel down. He'd been brought here first thing in the morning to take over his new job at the production department.

Director Kawasaka was, of course, the director of the Culture and Creative Department. Although it had a fancy-sounding name, it was ultimately just the entertainment division. It was a new department, established only a few years ago, and it managed those people known as “talents”. Apparently, it was originally founded when a university professor Cockroach Head was close to made an appearance as a commentator on TV and the president was asked to negotiate with the station on his behalf. At that time, the crafty President Cockroach Head realized there was money to be made, and recruited Director Kawasaka, the manager of an entertainment company. It now managed over a dozen talents and had grown to be another powerful arm of Century Ad.

“That's why, Sugishita, don't think too hard about being a manager-in-training. Just be careful and take care of yourself.”

Don't think too hard... Right now, Kazuo was thinking about how fed up he was with the number of turns in this hallway. “Manager-in-training” is a strange title, but in short, he was an attendant. A talent's attendant. No, he was a manservant. It seems popular talents and actors often have these sorts of attendants attached to them. It was said a certain top actress was constantly attended by an entire entourage – a manager in the traditional sense, a personal chauffeur, a caretaker – three or four people in total. Director Kawasaka's Culture and Creative Department was just imitating that old idea. He'd heard that new employees were often forced to do things like this. There were more unpleasant rumors than he could name. There was a story about a celebrity chef who yelled at someone and poured tea on their head, another about an economic commentator who got drunk and had to be physically carried back to his home, and another about a scriptwriter who demanded an attendant get him the phone numbers of every hostess in every club in the district...

I've been sent somewhere terrible... Kazuo thought to himself. This is a step straight backwards.

“Oh, and Sugishita?”

Director Kawasaka suddenly stopped and turned around. The hazy light of the fluorescent lights shined off the top of his balding head.

“Yes? What is it?”

“Let me tell you just one thing.”

“Okay.”

“Don't lose your temper.”

His statement made, Director Kawasaka started walking again.

Oh God, everybody already knows about the incident...

Director Kawasaka turned another corner, leaving Kazuo behind. On the exposed concrete wall, the words “3 Star Warehouse” were written in paint in large letters. Kazuo let out yet another sigh and walked slowly under the words.

When he turned the corner, he found himself in a small room with concrete walls and linoleum floors. Numerous wooden boxes were stacked like stepping stones against one wall. The steel shelves opposite them were packed with shoes, bags, and handbags. Director Kawasaka was standing next to the entrance, looking up at the ceiling, so Kazuo went behind him. A television was mounted high up on the wall. The director was looking at it.

“Good, we made it in time. It's still on.”

Director Kawasaka murmured that and folded his arms.

“It's almost over, let's wait here.”

“Right.”

Kazuo also looked up at the TV, not knowing what was on.

Above the TV, a bright red revolving light silently spun. Next to it, a red lamp indicated “ON AIR”. There was a man on the screen.

The man sat in a chair in front of a curtain of small lamps reminiscent of a starry night sky. The small lights dimmed slowly and rhythmically, creating a dreamlike atmosphere.

“The sparkling of the stars is not meaningless.”

The man spoke. Kazuo recognized his face from TV. He had a deeply chiseled yet gentle face that didn't look Japanese. His jaw was as smooth and neat as a Greek statue's, his eyebrows were as elegant as a willow tree, and his dark, intelligent eyes were as deep as obsidian lakes. His hair was lightly wavy and hung down over his forehead, giving him the melancholy, fragile appearance of a stereotypical young genius artist.

“If you'll allow me an analogy, say that the branch of a tree breaks in the depths of a far away forest, and there is no one around to hear... It would be safe to say the sound never even existed. But the brilliance of the stars isn't like that.”

The man's voice was quiet and relaxed, as though he were speaking directly to you. His neat appearance as he sat with his legs crossed made it look like he was floating in a starry sky, talking to the stars themselves. The handsome man continued, as though he were intoxicated by his own words.

“No matter how beautiful it is, if there is no one to see it, if there is no heart to feel it, it is just a light. The reason why the stars in the night sky shine so gently is because we humans are there to see them. They travel tens of thousands of light years through space just so we can feel their beauty. The ancient Roman astronomer Pyrtargos left behind this famous quote: 'The beauty of the stars is more intoxicating than fine wine, and to be intoxicated by the stars is a privilege of mankind alone.' I agree with him. Nothing in this world can rival that intimate beauty.”

The screen changed, showing a tiered audience seating full of row after row of middle aged women. Every face was enraptured, fascinated by the man's story. The elderly women had eyes like lovestruck young maidens. They were almost entranced. Kazuo felt himself develop goosebumps. Of course, it was creepy. His butt itched, and he had to resist the urge to scratch himself in front of his new boss.

“When I look up at the stars in the night sky, I can't help but think of the long journey they've made. The light of the stars shines straight ahead – a journey to ask we humans to remember in our hearts how it feels to see beauty. That innocent directness never fails to move me. Tonight, if the weather is nice, please, look up at the stars. The stars will surely speak to your heart. And oftentimes, when we open our hearts to the stars, we experience a time as pure and tranquil as a jewel. Well, I'm afraid that's all the time we have tonight. I hope we can see each other again next week.”

The man on the screen gave a heart-melting smile. All the aunties in the audience sighed sadly. After showing a final full body shot of the man with the graceful demeanor bowing his head slightly, the CRT screen dimmed. There was the sound of applause and murmurs of satisfaction. Then, the familiar face of a daytime TV host appeared.

 “That was 'Look Up at the Night Sky', as we show every Monday. I'm a man, but even I couldn't help but be entranced. What did you think, Kanbayashi?”

When the host casually directed that question to his co-host, Director Kawasaka turned around.

“Okay, they're finished now. Sugishita, let's go.”

The director started walking again. He went out the way he'd came, and Kazuo hurried after him. He ran out into the hallway, but he went too quickly and didn't look where he was going. He bumped into someone, hard.

“Kya!”

The other person let out a small scream and dropped the items she held.

“Oh, I'm sorry, I was in a hurry.”

After getting back to his feet, Kazuo apologized.

“I'm sorry, I wasn't looking where I was going.”

The other person said that and started picking up what she'd dropped. About twenty new books had scattered in the hall. Kazuo crouched down to help, but hesitated and withdrew his hand. She was a young woman, and exactly his type. Did she work at the TV station?

“Sugishita, what are you doing? Hurry up.”

The director shouted in a high pitched voice from across the hall.

“Ah, yes, right away!”

Kazuo swallowed the butterflies in his stomach and stood up. Now was no time to fool around with girls.

“I'm sorry, I'm in a hurry.”

Kazuo left behind the petite woman with the short haircut and followed the director.

He took another turn down the narrow hallway and arrived at a row of small doors. Each door had a piece of paper with a name written on it. Among them was the name of that TV host. These were probably the performers' waiting rooms.

A young woman stepped out of one of the doors.

The chubby woman was dressed like a hairdresser. She called back into the room, cheeks red with excitement.

“Um, I'll be coming again next week, and I'll bring some colored paper, so please sign for my friend, too. Please excuse me.”

The woman, face as relaxed as if she'd just been shot with Cupid's arrow, staggered down the hallway towards him, mind far away. It seemed she was a makeup artist, as she carried a basket of cosmetics.

Her basket banged Kazuo's elbow as they passed each other, but she was so dazed she didn't even notice.

As Kazuo rubbed his elbow, thinking that apparently he was going to bump into everyone he saw today, Director Kawasaka casually knocked on the door the makeup artist had just come from.

“Sugishita, hurry over.”

He beckoned him over. When Kazuo arrived, the director opened the door and told him to go in.

It was a small room with one wall covered in mirrors.

The man who had been on TV only moments ago turned around and welcomed Kazuo and Director Kawasaka. Even though he was sitting alone, he had his legs crossed in the same pose as he had on camera. His legs were long and thin as a spider's.

“Ah, thank you for all your hard work today. I was watching you on the monitor, and you looked even better than usual.”

Director Kawasaka immediately began to suck up.

“It's so romantic, isn't it? It's as though as I watched I was sucked into the starry sky.”

“Yes, that's my job – to give you a temporary respite from the stresses of the world and give your soul the release of a realm of imagination.”

The man, who looked even more like a marble statue in person, said that cheesy line and gave a smile that exposed perfectly white teeth. It was a smile that could make a woman fall in love.

It was the smile that had melted that makeup girl's brain.

“Ah, that's right. This is Kazuo Sugishita. I've chosen him to be your new manager-in-training, so I hope you two get along.”

Director Kawasaka bowed his head as he said that. The other man, who looked like a prince from a fairy tale, turned his soft gaze on Kazuo. Having such a perfect face staring right at him made him begin to feel uncomfortable. Even as a man, Kazuo almost blushed. He realized why he was so popular with women.

“Mr. Kawasaka, I'm not some child in need of a chaperone.”

The man spoke in that deep, soft voice. The slight shrug he gave had the dignity of a British aristocrat, which suited him well. Director Kawasaka waved a hand.

“What are you saying? You're big enough and popular enough to have an assistant. Once you've reached a certain level of popularity, you can't move around by yourself anymore, you need to take at least one person with you.”

“I don't think I'm there yet, but if the company insists, I suppose I can't complain.”

And then, he suddenly turned his attention back to Kazuo.

“Your name was Kazuo?”

“That's right.”

“Then thank you very much.”

When Kazuo lowered his head, the other man suddenly spoke.

“It's best to avoid using bars for dates. Women should be escorted to restaurants with more romantic atmospheres. If they think you're uncouth right from the beginning, you've already lost.”

“Wha-?”

Kazuo looked at him, stunned. What was he saying all of a sudden? He couldn't find the words to answer.

“Well, the master of clairvoyance strikes again, hahaha! Surprised, Sugishita? Judging by your face, he's hit the bullseye once again.”

Director Kawasaka gave an exaggerated grin.

Kazuo couldn't understand it. It was true that he sometimes invited girls out to bars. He figured there was no point going to a date spot that was inappropriate for him. But how did this man know that? He'd thought one of his coworkers had told him before, but judging by Director Kawasaka's reaction, it seemed he'd figured it out himself at a glance. But how was that possible?

The director kept his plastered grin, ignoring Kazuo, who looked like he'd been whacked with a bundle of uncooked ramen.

“Please, sir, explain it to me. I'm sure this is another result of your wonderful powers of observation.”

“Not at all, it's elementary.”

The man held up one finger and waved it side to side, “tsk tsk”-ing with his tongue as he did so. It was the first time Kazuo had ever seen someone act so flagrantly rude in real life. His jaw hung even lower.

“As always, this is just an inference drawn from simple observation.”

With Kazuo left out of the loop, the man spoke to Director Kawasaka.

“First, the ironing of his dress shirt around the collar and the cuffs – if you look closely, you can see this was done at a dry cleaners. If it had been washed at home, it wouldn't fit so snugly, as the buttons wouldn't have been pressed. Also, there's some unshaven hair on the underside of his chin. Those two things led me to conclude that Kazuo lives alone. If he still lived with his family, he wouldn't have had to take things to the dry cleaner, as his mother would wash them for him. And if there were a woman in his life, she wouldn't have let him leave the house with an incomplete shave. Considering his age, I can't imagine he's a married man whose relationship has cooled to the point where his wife is totally indifferent about his appearance. Therefore, I concluded he lives a life where he takes his shirts to the dry cleaners because washing them himself is a hassle, and there are no women around him who care about his appearance – in other words, he's a single man who lives alone.”

He spoke with a smooth eloquence. The director listened with great interest, while Kazuo stood stunned.

“Also, the thread on the second button of his suit is frayed and starting to come loose, his tie has a large wrinkle, and his shoes are clean, but don't appear to have been polished very well. From these, I can conclude he's a simple man, straightforward and not concerned with appearances. He probably has a very honest personality. And – although I probably shouldn't say this in front of you, Director Kawasaka – Century Ad is a company that doesn't pay very high salaries. Considering his age, which appears to be in the late twenties, if he's going to ask a woman out on a date, he's probably considering her as a marriage candidate. That also lines up with his honest personality. Then I wondered what kind of place he'd take a woman out on a date. I figured he probably wouldn't take her to a fancy restaurant. It's more likely he'd take her to a simple bar so that the woman he was hoping to marry, who he'd be responsible for the financial welfare of, could see him as he really was – to let her know that he wasn't rolling in money. Rather than trying to show off, he'd expose his true self and compete on personality. I guessed that he would act this way, and I see I was right. So, even though it might not be my place to meddle, I gave him a little advice.”

“Well, it was a wonderful job. I'm very impressed.”

Director Kawasaka clapped his hands with unsuppressible emotion. Kazuo didn't make a sound. What was with this guy? He'd been hit with an unexpected surprise punch, and he was still staggered. The man looked at Kazuo with a soft smile and said:

“From today on, we're a team, so let's try to get along.”

He stood up. He was tall and slender. Then, with the air of a magician pulling a bouquet of flowers out of his sleeve, he held out a business card.

“Please take good care of me.”

The man's name was written on the business card he held between slender fingers.

Star Watcher

Shiro Hoshizono

This was Kazuo and Hoshizono's first meeting.

 

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