At This Late Date, the Charleston Page #4

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Going back?

"Beep beep! 10 km over!"

No! I'll go!

- Where to?

- Yamatai.

Just kidding.

The place closest to Yamatai.

Shinjuku, please.

- Cheers.

- For a hard day.

I didn't know there's

such insurance company.

Yes.

It's very bourgeois, sir.

200 million for such a punk!

200 million? Punk?

The bomb may explode anytime.

No, it isn't certain if it will explode.

Still, they took out a 200 million...

for him. Stupid!

For Jiro?

Yes.

I found it out today.

Stupid!

- Give him some black coffee.

- Yes.

Right now.

I expected this.

You've prepared it!

My wife will never do such a thing.

Forget it.

About what?

Why didn't you tell me earlier?

Idiot!

For the whole day, I've been

looking for the father, not Jiro!

OK. Drink your coffee.

We'll start a surveillance

on Yamatai!

But this is Saturday night!

I don't mind.

35 years. Never got late.

Never missed a day.

My record is impeccable.

I won't let Jiro...

He's just an adopted son!

His mom and brother are suspicious.

I don't care.

If this goes badly,

my retirement is ruined.

And you...

"Beep beep!

10 km over! License please!"

You want that?

Right?

I don't mind.

You're so good!

Welcome!

The next day. August 7.

Checking the catfish

in the morning...

is one of my duties.

It's quiet, but...

the piano string-border is broken,

intruders may come in.

I noticed...

What are you writing,

Labour Minister?

The chronicles of Yamatai.

Country of the Blooming 1980s.

That would be the book title.

My bestseller.

Great!

The blooming 1980s.

It's a micro country.

It's a sunny country!

No matter what,

please leave a record

for posterity.

Newspaper and milk.

Yes!

Stealing newspaper and milk...

is also the Labour Minister's work.

A person here.

A person there.

I had a feeling

that it's a stakeout.

At midday,

I went out and buy lunch.

I went to a nearby supermarket

with Finance Minister.

I felt that we're followed

by 2 or 3 men.

I felt that strongly.

Luckily, the Yamatai old men...

didn't notice it.

But who are these men?

I think my brother is behind this.

A plan to evict the Yamatai old men.

But what about...

that idiot cop?

I knew the police are working.

I asked them to.

You?

Let's call it...

diversion tactics. It's necessary.

- Right, Ichiro?

- Yes.

They're working, but...

they're just a retiring cop

and a rubbish cop.

Sir! Nothing unusual!

Really?

Somebody must be

about to take action.

Who?

Who?

It's your job to find out!

Like...

someone aimless,

looking at the wrong way.

There are 3 men with

the gaze of cops.

What? And then?

Nothing.

You should follow them!

Stop one of them.

Make him talk!

You should know that, idiot!

But my role is...

find out who's going to kill Jiro.

I'll get there, "Reach!"

With my pistol, "Reach!"

Go back to "Beep beep!".

The next day, August 8.

Around 6 AM.

The phone rang.

Labour Minister is also the operator.

This is Yamatai.

- Jiro?

- Yes.

Labour Minister.

Get me the Foreign Minister.

Foreign Minister!

Telephone!

Foreign Minister!

This is the Foreign Ministry.

Compensation?

1 million each?

1 million?

I'll call a cabinet meeting.

Then...

then...

give you a reply...

before 9 AM.

Labour Minister is also

the alarm clock.

Calling them in...

no, I'm calling them up.

But the Yamatai old men...

are sleepyheads.

If I leave them alone,

they'll sleep forever.

Wake up!

Shut up!

Waking them up is not enough.

They may sleep in the toilet.

7 AM.

Cabinet meeting began.

To start, Cabinet Secretary

told us his view.

Since our independence,

we refuse to take Japan's...

pension or welfare.

So our financial situation is...

deteriorating day by day.

Regarding this situation,

I think we should discuss it.

Yes.

We've been living

on the bank savings...

and race winnings of

Finance Minister.

I'm really sorry.

Don't feel bad about it.

If it's for all of you,

I'd do anything.

Ever since the war, I've been...

We all know that,

Finance Minister.

Yes.

There are very few jobs lately.

They all want young people.

Jobs for the old...

cleaning public toilets,

signal giver at construction.

Processing corpses

for anatomy classes.

I can't do that.

I tried it once, and

I felt like a corpse myself.

If so,

any work other than killing?

I can work for you.

You want to run away?

I can run away anytime!

You got me angry!

What the...

- What's wrong with you?

- Easy, easy.

Our country is in trouble,

no infighting please.

Right.

Please don't do the things...

they do in the Japanese Diet.

Whatever. Remember

I can run away anytime.

I need some fresh air.

Please continue, Cabinet Secretary.

I...

So,

there's no other choice other

than taking the 1 million?

Right.

If we take it,

it's the end of our country.

We'll be vagabonds again.

Don't forget this.

Also,

30 million yen is the

minimum for retirement.

It's common sense.

1 million? Is that right?

Forget it!

Yes.

Ignore it.

By the way, it's hot last night.

We need an air-con.

But,

I have the position of

Foreign Minister.

If we don't give them a reply,

it's a breach of international trust.

OK.

The reply is no.

Do you agree?

Please raise your hands.

Well...

When I woke up,

I had "50 shoulder".

I can't raise...

You're 69. Why 50 shoulder?

Young man.

Just show us your palm.

Oh yes.

I can run away if I want to.

What's wrong with me?

How about you, Labour Minister?

For? Against?

Raise your hand. No?

Foreign Minister replied "No".

My brother...

no, the Okonogis responded

with "Ignore".

That is, hanging up.

This also means "Warning".

August 10.

Our phone line was cut.

That noon, Finance Minister

wanted to tell us...

that her bus ticket was nicked,

so she'd come home late.

She couldn't get through.

So we knew.

The scary part...

was that she...

stole someone's wallet

and came home in triumph.

Gymnastics time.

Today is no exception.

I'll sneak in your home tonight.

To kill my brother?

No more killing.

To steal something?

Fool.

- Reconnaissance.

- Reconnaissance?

Show me around.

If I say...

- What?

- no...

Kill you!

Damn!

Useless!

Please! Let me try again!

You may.

- But before August 15.

- I understand!

Can I have some prepayment?

I've asked someone else.

Only 5 days left.

Why?

You asked me first!

Competition.

Who did it first, wins.

That night,

I went home with

Army Minister.

Perfect timing.

I want to change my clothes.

Sneaking in my own home,

and in my own room.

That's unheard of.

While I was packing some clothes,

Army Minister went

around the house.

He said he was a yakuza,

but from his walking,

his movements,

he's more like a burglar.

Mom...

slept well and snored

as if the world...

had nothing to do with her.

My brother was still up.

While drinking brandy,

he's reading porn with

a magnifying glass.

Descendant of a noble family,

a posy man at daytime,

that's his true self?

Army Minister grabbed...

2 bottles of "Camus"

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