pjbooks Chapter 142 Following Kitahara means there's meat to eat
Chapter 142 Following Kitahara means there's meat to eat
Chapter 142 Following Kitahara Means Good Fortune (Seeking Monthly Tickets)
In an old apartment building in Urawa Ward, Saitama Prefecture.
For the Hasegawa family, 9 p.m. every Monday used to be the most tense and suffocating time of the week. But in the past month, that time has become a subtle "truce."
This is a blended family that was barely put together two years ago.
The father, Tsuyoshi Hasegawa, brought with him two sons from his previous marriage who were going through a turbulent adolescence; the mother, Keiko, brought with her a daughter who was still in middle school when she married into the family.
At the tail end of the bubble economy, life was still able to maintain a semblance of peace. The father was a section chief at a building materials company, and the mother worked as a cashier at a supermarket; their incomes were decent. In order to maintain the dignity of this family of five, everyone carefully restrained their tempers and tried to play their roles as "new family members" well.
However, with the complete bursting of the bubble, the false peace was shattered by cruel reality.
Six months ago, my father's company laid off employees, and the once high-spirited section chief became a stay-at-home dad; shortly after, the supermarket where my mother worked also went bankrupt.
The lack of money instantly ignited long-simmering conflicts.
"Why is my allowance being cut in half? Didn't that girl (referring to her stepdaughter) buy a new comic book?" "I bought it with my own savings! What right do you have to tell me what to do?" "This is my house! If you don't want to live here, get out!"
The lack of blood ties, coupled with anxieties about the future, turned this cramped apartment into a powder keg ready to explode at any moment. The son looked at his father as an incompetent good-for-nothing, while the stepdaughter viewed her stepfather's brothers as intruders robbing her of resources.
Until "Under One Roof" aired.
At first, they were just sitting awkwardly in the living room to pass the time because they didn't have money to go out and have fun.
But as they watched, they fell silent.
The Kashiwagi family on TV—orphaned, siblings scattered—even though the eldest brother, Tatsuya (Yosuke Eguchi), tries his best to bring everyone together, he constantly faces betrayal, coldness, and arguments. The poverty, the screams erupting from misunderstandings, the pain of wanting to be close yet hurting each other—
It's practically a mirror of the Hasegawa family.
They started watching the show.
Since the first episode, every Monday night at nine o'clock, the whole family puts down what they're doing, even stops arguing, and sits silently in front of the TV. Amidst the chaos of the Kashiwagi family, they seek some kind of resonance and solace.
Today marks the climax of the series—a marathon episode.
On the television screen, to protect his family and to prove "we are a family," the eldest brother, Kashiwagi, is participating in a citizen marathon.
But he could no longer run. His leg was injured, and he was exhausted. His face was contorted in pain, and every step he took felt like walking on a knife's edge.
The living room was deathly silent.
The eldest son, who had just come of age, stared at the screen, his fists clenching unconsciously. He thought of the past few months, how his father had worked tirelessly, leaving early and returning late every day to find a job, wearing out the soles of his leather shoes, only to come home and face their sarcastic remarks.
Just as Tatsuya was about to collapse.
A hand reached out and grabbed his arm tightly.
It is the second brother, played by Kitahara Shin, named Kashiwagi Masaya.
The elite doctor, who usually wore a white coat, exuded a chilling aura, and seemed to despise this impoverished family, had taken off his coat and was now running alongside his older brother in his shirt.
Sweat streamed down Kitahara Shin's handsome but no longer aloof face, and his eyes, which were usually as calm as a deep pool, were now burning with a moving flame.
As he ran, he shouted in a hoarse voice, "Keep running! Big brother!"
"So what if we're not related by blood? As long as our hearts are connected, we're family! Isn't that what you taught us?!"
This line struck like a heavy hammer, slamming into the hearts of every member of the Hasegawa family.
In the scene, Masaya (Nobu Kitahara) supports Tatsuya (Yosuke Eguchi). The two men, with completely different personalities, support each other on the track under the setting sun, moving step by step toward the finish line.
There was no sentimental background music, only the heavy breathing of two men, and something called "bond" flowing in the air.
The eldest son suddenly felt his eyes burning.
He secretly turned his head and was shocked to find that his father, who always had a stern face and whom he found extremely annoying, was now taking off his glasses and wiping away tears in a disheveled manner with his rough, large hands.
His stepsister, who was always at odds with him, also hugged the pillow tightly, buried her face in it, her shoulders trembling violently, and made soft sobs.
In this era torn apart by money, in this society filled with anxiety, Kitahara Shin and Eguchi Yosuke used the most primitive and clumsy way to tell everyone that even if you have nothing, as long as you still have family by your side, it is not a dead end.
As the warm melody of the ending theme song, "Cactus Flower," began to play, no one spoke in the Hasegawa family's living room.
But the smell of gunpowder in the air disappeared.
The father took a deep breath, stood up, and walked somewhat awkwardly to the refrigerator. He took out a few cans of beer that he usually couldn't bear to drink, and a few bottles of soda.
He walked to the coffee table, opened a can of beer, and handed it to his eldest son.
"—Let's have a drink."
The eldest son was stunned for a moment. He looked at his father's bloodshot eyes and the newly grown white hair at his temples.
This time, he neither refused nor mocked.
----Um."
He took the beer and said softly, "Thank you—Dad."
Although the word "Dad" was uttered softly and vaguely, at this moment, the rift in this blended family finally began to heal.
The immense popularity of "Under One Roof" not only solidified Kitahara Shin's position as the "Man of Ratings," but also brought Yosuke Eguchi a second spring in his career.
Previously, in "Tokyo Love Story", he played the playboy Kenichi Mikami, and was heavily criticized by many of Kitahara Shin's "solo fans". He even had to wear sunglasses when he went out to avoid being recognized.
But this time, the situation has completely reversed.
The image of the older brother with long hair, always carefree, but who loves his family more than anyone else, completely washed away the previous negative comments.
Roppongi, a secluded izakaya (Japanese pub) private room.
"Cheers!"
Yosuke Eguchi raised his beer glass and clinked it with Shin Kitahara's with a cheerful expression. "Kitahara, thank you so much this time. If it weren't for this good script, I'd probably still be being called a scumbag by the audience."
Sitting next to him, Issei Ishida also raised his glass, his eyes filled with admiration as he looked at Shin Kitahara: "Kitahara-senpai is truly amazing. Watching you on set, I felt that the gap between you and those veteran big-name actors was not that big anymore. Especially the way your eyes change, it's terrifying."
Kitahara Shin took a sip of his drink and smiled, "Don't flatter me too much. We're just helping each other out."
"Seriously."
Yosuke Eguchi put down his glass and said in a half-joking, half-serious tone, "From now on, I won't bother picking and choosing scripts anymore. I'll just keep an eye on you. Whatever you film, I'll just follow along and try to get a role. Anyway, there's always something to gain by following Kitahara."
"Stop joking."
Kitahara Shin shook his head helplessly, "I can't just squeeze anyone into any drama."
"That's not necessarily true."
Yosuke Eguchi picked up a piece of grilled chicken skewer and said with some emotion, "I used to think I was invincible, that I could act in whatever I wanted. But after being in this industry for a while, I realized that actors are really too passive. The agencies are pressing down on us, and the TV stations are blocking us in the middle. It's so hard to do something you like."
At this point, he glanced at Kitahara Shin with a hint of envy: "You're so lucky. You own your own company and are your own boss. You can take on any role you want, and nobody dares to give you a hard time."
Kitahara Shin didn't reply, but simply swirled his wine glass slightly.
indeed.
Freedom is still the best.
"Speaking of which, have you made any progress on your next film project?" Yosuke Eguchi asked curiously.
"Got it."
Kitahara Shin didn't hide anything from the two of them, "It's a medical drama. But it's still in the preparation stage, so it'll probably take a while."
"doctor?"
Ishida Issei asked in surprise, "Another character like Masaya?"
"No."
Kitahara Shin pushed up his glasses, a dark glint in his eyes: "He's an ambitious man. The kind who'll stop at nothing to climb the ladder."
That is "The White Tower".
Since the character of Dr. Masaya in "Under One Roof" became so popular, not only viewers but also many real doctors and nurses have become fans of Kitahara Shin.
With Shinji Nojima's strong recommendation and the current box office appeal of Shin Kitahara, Fuji Television finally decided to revive that long-dormant classic IP.
This will be the most important piece of the puzzle for Kitahara Shin's quest for "Best Actor".
After several rounds of drinks...
Yosuke Eguchi glanced at the time, somewhat reluctant to leave: "It's only ten o'clock. How about we go for the second half? I know a nice club nearby; the madam there is very chatty, and I heard they've recently hired some new girls—"
As he spoke, he winked at Kitahara Shin, giving him a knowing look.
Ishida Issei, being a good boy, quickly waved his hand: "I won't go, I have to get up early for class tomorrow."
Kitahara Shinya stood up and draped his coat over his arm. "I'll pass. There are people waiting at home."
"Tsk tsk tsk."
Yosuke Eguchi watched their retreating figures with a look of regret. "They're both so boring. I wonder if Kitahara is really a vegetarian, or if he's just obsessed with his career."
"I think Kitahara-senpai is great like this," Ishida Issei said earnestly, carrying his bag. "Focused people are the coolest."
"Okay, okay, you're all handsome, I'm just plain ugly."
Yosuke Eguchi scratched his signature long hair, looked at the empty streets, and suddenly felt that going out for a drink alone wasn't very interesting.
"Forget it, I'll go home and sleep too. I still need to work out my schedule for the rest of the trip and see if I can hitch a ride with Kitahara again."
Kitahara Shin did indeed go home.
However, he didn't return to his own apartment, but to a high-end residential building in the port area.
That was Akina Nakamori's house.
"Knock knock".
He knocked on the door with practiced ease, and it opened a few seconds later.
Akina was wearing loose loungewear, her hair casually tied back, and she wasn't wearing makeup, but she still had a natural, healthy glow.
As soon as she opened the door, her nose twitched sensitively.
"Have you been drinking?"
She frowned, put her hands on her hips, and interrogated the man at the door with a serious expression.
"Yeah. I had a little drink with my colleagues," Kitahara Shin confessed as he changed his shoes.
"colleague?"
Akina narrowed her eyes, adopting the aura of an empress, "Explain clearly, which colleagues? Were there any female colleagues? Did you go to one of those shops where only pretty women are there again?"
Kitahara Shin couldn't help but laugh.
He closed the door, took a step forward, and buried his head in Akina's neck like a big dog, taking a deep breath of her faint shower gel scent.
"Who else could it be? It's those two grown men, Eguchi and Ishida, isn't it? If you don't believe me, I'll call Eguchi right now and have him report to you."
Feeling the warmth on her neck and the faint, not-too-unpleasant smell of alcohol on the man, Akina's previously forced composure instantly crumbled.
"—Who wants to hear his report?"
She muttered, reaching out to hug Kitahara Shin's waist, and patted his back with a hint of tenderness: "I told you not to drink so much. Try to decline those social engagements if you can. If you really want to drink—you can come back and drink with me, I can hold my liquor better than you."
"Okay, okay."
Kitahara Shin smiled, looked up, and kissed her forehead. "I'll definitely bring you next time, so you can drink that Eguchi guy under the table."
After cuddling together for a while, the two sat down on the sofa in the living room.
The TV is replaying "The Whole Picture Without Makeup".
Although this drama's ratings were lower than "Under One Roof," it was still the absolute leader in its time slot.
Akina's portrayal of the passionate and daring character showcased a noticeable improvement in her acting, earning her considerable praise.
Several plates of exquisite snacks were laid out on the coffee table to accompany the drinks.
Perfectly cooked edamame, neatly sliced tamagoyaki, and a steaming bowl of oden.
"Try it."
Akina proudly picked up a piece of tamagoyaki and held it to Kitahara Shin's lips, her eyes sparkling: "I don't know why, but lately cooking has suddenly become so easy. I used to always burn these tamagoyaki, but now it seems like I just need to hold a spatula and I know how to control the heat."
Kitahara Shin opened his mouth and ate it.
It has a soft and fluffy texture, a perfect balance of sweet and salty, and tastes even better than what you get at an izakaya.
He smiled to himself.
It seems that the [Discarded Chef's Knife from Midnight Diner] that I secretly equipped her with that day worked.
Although the effect is reduced, it is more than enough to handle everyday dishes.
"How was it?" Akina looked at him expectantly.
"Um--
Kitahara Shin deliberately dragged out his words, and after seeing her slightly nervous expression, he smiled and nodded: "Perfect. I think you might be a culinary genius whose talent is overshadowed by your singing."
"real?"
Akina proudly raised her chin, like a little peacock being praised: "I knew it! I must have recently unlocked some kind of magic. I'm beautiful, I sing well, I have a talent for acting, and now I cook so well—oh my, how can I be so perfect?"
Seeing her arrogant and unpretentious demeanor, Kitahara Shin couldn't help but pinch her cheek.
"Yes, yes, you are the most perfect woman in all of Japan."
"snort."
Akina slapped his hand away, and although she said she was disgusted, the blush on her cheeks betrayed her good mood.
She leaned in and kissed Kitahara Shin on the cheek again, then pointed at the TV screen: "Don't just focus on eating, take a good look at my acting. Although the ratings are slightly lower than yours, in the past, this would have been a sure-fire quarterly champion, okay?"
"Understood, Quarterly Champion."
Kitahara Shin pulled her into his arms, letting her lean comfortably against his shoulder.
On TV, Akina's character is running in the rain, her eyes filled with stubbornness.
In reality, Akina nestled in his arms, eating edamame, looking completely content.
This is probably what people call the "real-life" lifestyle.
After looking at it for a while, Kitahara Shin seemed to remember something and casually said, "Oh, right. I'll be taking a short break during this time."
"If you're free tomorrow, how about we go shopping together? It's the change of seasons, you should probably buy some new clothes."
Akina, who was chewing edamame, paused.
She looked up, somewhat surprised, at Kitahara Shin.
You have to understand, this guy is a notorious workaholic. He spends all his time filming and working on his career. For him to offer to go shopping with her is a rarer thing than the sun rising in the west.
"real?"
"Really. Have I ever lied to you?"
Akina stared at him for a few seconds, then threw down the edamame in her hand, turned around and hugged Kitahara Shin's neck tightly, hanging her whole body on him.
"It's a promise! No taking it back!"
She loudly announced in Kitahara Shin's ear, "I'm going to buy tons of clothes! I'm going to eat at that French restaurant that's so hard to get a reservation at! I'm going to play the claw machine! I'm going to make up for all the dates you owe me these past few months!"
Kitahara Shin smiled and put his arm around her waist to prevent her from falling.
"Okay, be careful."
>