Last Waltz 1

(page)
Frontispiece

(page)
Title page

(page)
Phrase 1

(page)
For you, this is just a childish joke. But when this night is over, I want to have the last dance with you

(page)
F/X water splashing

(page)
(Takaaki emerges from shower)

(page)
F/X pulls down shirtcuffs
F/X door closes
Host: You've heard of the Rusty Nail in Roppongi?
We're hosts there, and now we're opening a new branch in Shinjuku
F/X noise of crowd

(page)
Host: And of course a new store needs lovely clients
If lovely clients like yourselves will drop by, our club will be a really gorgeous place
Girl: Ohh, but we've never been to a host club. Aren't they expensive?
Host: Huh? You're joking! It's not that expensive, and we put ourselves out to please
Girl: (seeing Takaaki) OHH! **Neat**!!
F/X sound of crowds

(page 9)
Host: That's Takaaki from Schnapps
Girls: Is *he* a host?
Girl 2: Yeah! What club's he from?
Host: ...damned old man. Always acting high and mighty
F/X step
F/X Kenzaki takes a drag
...throws his cigarette away

(page)
F/X ... and steps on it
Host: Uh-- Kenzaki-san!
Kenzaki: So that's Takaaki Ryou, huh?

(page)
(Entrance to Schnapps)
Employees Room
Host 1: Really? You too?
Host 2: We really oughta ask Takaaki-san about this
Host 1: There's times I've really wanted to kill him
Host: Oh! Takaaki-san. Good morning!
Takaaki: What's the matter? You guys don't look very happy

(page)
Host 1: We can't take this any more! This new guy has just started here, and all he's done is steal our clients!
F/X banging fist on table
Takaaki: Ishii Naoki? True, it seems he's been putting the move son my clients as well
Host 1: He's not as cute as all that!
Host 2: You and Shinkawa-san haven't suffered as much from him so you don't know what it's like, but the rest of us have had our takings cut in half

(page)
Host 1: The way he does things is just too dirty! Then he goes and says *we*'re taking in less cause we're just not charming enough! We can't take it any more! Right?
Host 2: Right! He'll start chatting up another client when the first one's still there! Who can put up with that!?
Host 1: I've had one client after another tell me, 'I guess I just don't matter to him.' But that's what a host's job *is.*
Host 2: Yeah, yeah, me too. It's not funny. There are things you just don't do in this job, and that's one of them.
F/X: footstep
F/X Takaaki snorts

(page)
Takaaki: You agree with this, Shinkawa?
Shinkawa: No.
Host 1: Shinkawa-san, you're saying you don't *mind*!? Until this guy showed up you were the top host here, aside from Takaaki-san.
Host 2: Asshole!!
F/X Host 1 goes Urk-my-big-mouth!

(page)
Shinkawa: Yeah, he uses dirty tricks. And that's a bad way to get clients, right? It just means you can only attract them by being underhanded.
I'm included in that.
But the fact is none of Takaaki's clients have left *him.*

(page)
Ishii: There you all go again- 'Takaaki-san!' 'Takaaki-san!'
Host 1: Ishii!!

(page)
Ishii: Honestly. What are you, children?
Ishii: Specially you, Shinkawa-san. I do so admire the way you worship him.
Host 1: Damn you, Ishii!!
Takaaki: ...Ishii.

(page)
Takaaki: It's fine to have ambitions. As Shinkawa says, the way you go about it is a problem, but if you can give the clients better service than the others, then you're acting for the good of the club. However- whatever experience you had before you came here-
Takaaki: In *this* club you're just the newcomer who changes the ashtrays. Mind your manners better.
F/X Ishii blinks
Ishii: Oh come on. I was just thinking...
Ishii: (thinks) So this is Takaaki Ryou. I've never been able to take a single client from him
Ishii: (aloud) ...everyone was getting too serious about this.

(page)
Ishii: Normally when you're faced with someone like this, you want to do better than him
Ishii: Right, Shinkawa-san?
F/X sniggery smile

(page)
Ishii: (sub voce to Shinkawa) Get ready, Shinkawa-san. I'll take every last one of your clients away
Ishii: I'm not letting you get away with what you did.

(page)
Shinkawa: Get away with it?
Takaaki: He said 'let you get away with it'?
Shinkawa: Yup.
Takaaki: I don't get it. You've never met him before, have you?
Shinkawa: Not that I can recall. And I can't remember having made anyone that mad at me in the first place.

(page)
Takaaki: You being you, maybe you've forgotten.
Shinkawa: What's that supposed to mean?
Takaaki: But still...
Takaaki: it looks like this involves more than our club alone.
Shinkawa: Speaking of which- seems *that guy's* opened a club in Shinjuku too.

(page)
Takaaki: Mmh. I had a call from Iwaki-san the day before the opening
Takaaki: Since he gave up the plan to have his club in the building next to this one, we don't have the right to say anything about what he does.
Shinkawa: What I'm saying is that possibly this is his doing too, disrupting our business like this.
Takaaki: How can you still talk like that?
Takaaki: There's no way Iwaki-san would do something like that.
Shinkawa: I knew you'd take his side. You still in love with him?
(thinks) Iwaki Kyousuke

(page 24)
Shinkawa: (thinks) I hate him. He's so proud that he's the one trained Takaaki-san as a host.
Iwaki: (in flashback) Takaaki's told you, I assume?
Iwaki: Since the place I want is right next door to where you are now, it'll be tough for a bit
Iwaki: but I'm intending to give you charge of the club eventually
Shinkawa: (in flashback) I don't intend to leave my club as long as Takaaki-san is there.
Iwaki: You think that's to your advantage?

(page)
Shinkawa: (in flashback) What I get from Takaaki-san is far greater than what I make at the club
Shinkawa: (thinks) And then this 'first man' of Takaaki-san's...
Shinkawa (aloud): However you feel about him, I don't trust him! He said he'd rethink the whole Shinjuku club idea, and now he's opened a new place here!
Takaaki: Calm *down*, Shinkawa. You always start losing it when it comes to Iwaki-san.

(page)
Shinkawa: I only get worked up because you've got no defences against that guy.
Shinkawa: It really pisses me that you treat him as if he was so much better than you. It's like Ishii said- I've never once wanted to try and outdo you.
Shinkawa: It's the people near you I want to beat.

(page)
Shinkawa: I won't let anyone beat me but you.
Shinkawa: So you've always got to be at the top.
Shinkawa: (thinks) and above *him*

(page)
(Shinkawa kisses Takaaki)
Shinkawa: Takaaki-san...

(page)
F/X Takaaki snorts
Shinkawa: Takaaki-san?

(page)
Takaaki: Don't kiss me unless I give you permission.
F/X Shinkawa sits down in despair
Shinkawa: (thinks) Never mind that I wanted it- I'm getting tired of that queen-bee attitude of his.

(page)
Shinkawa: If I start getting carried away because he's nice to me, he turns around and acts like an icicle
Shinkawa: He makes me happy and frustrated, back and forth, and it's tearing me apart- and all the time I just get more obsessed with him
Shinkawa: 'Faced with someone like this, wouldn't you want to beat him?'

(page)
Shinkawa: I want to beat that other guy
Shinkawa: If I did I'd be able to make Takaaki-san mine.

(page)
Shinkawa: (aloud) But right now...
Shinkawa: (thinks) he's already decided what my place in his heart is.
F/X Shinkawa walking down tiled hallway
Shinkawa: Takaaki-san?
Takaaki: Ssshh!

(page)
Shinkawa: (thinks) Ishii...?
Ishii: Very soon now. Once I've taken all of Shinkawa's clients
Ishii: Next it'll be Takaaki.
Ishii: And when I've gotten all those clients for myself, and I quit- that's the end of this club.

(page)
Voice on phone: Hm- get Shinkawa's clients first and then you can talk. Aside from him and Takaaki, there's no-one who has many regulars of their own.
Voice: That's when you can say 'after this.'
Voice: Oh yes. He's got to find out exactly what being humiliated feels like, like he did me.
Voice: Oh yes...

(page)
Kenzaki: *Exactly* what it's like.

(page)
Phrase 2

(page)
Kenzaki's voice: He's got to find out exactly what being humiliated feels like
Shinkawa: What're you going to do with him, Takaaki-san?

(page)
Takaaki: For the time being all we can do is deal with this business of him taking clients
Shinkawa: But he doesn't care a bit that we heard him
Shinkawa: What kind of nerves does he have anyway?
(flashback)
F/X Ishii turns off his cell phone

(page)
F/X shock as Ishii sees Shinkawa and Takaaki watching
Takaaki: What's this all about, Ishii?
Ishii: So both of you were standing there eavesdropping? Not terribly good taste, is it?

(page)
Ishii: But it seems you heard it all
Ishii: You're going to fire me? But that'll just have the same result, right? You'll lose all the clients that I've got now.
Ishii: You can't do anything. All you can do is watch while your club falls apart.

(page 42)
Shinkawa: 'What being humiliated feels like, like he did me'.... hm.

(page)
Shinkawa: I suppose this'll just make you angry all over again- but me, all I can think of is *that guy.*
Takaaki: Anh. I know. I saw Iwaki-san yesterday and asked him directly.

(page)
(flashback)
Rusty Nail employee: Long day, Iwaki-san. Take care.
Iwaki: Ahh- you too.
F/X Iwaki walks to his car

(page 45)
Iwaki: Takaaki.

(page)
F/X Iwaki lights a cigarette
Takaaki: Ishii Naoki?

(page)
Takaaki: Do you know that name?
Iwaki: What's up with him?
F/X water lapping against the wall
Takaaki: You know, don't you?

(page 48)
Iwaki: Umh. He's one of the two men I put in charge of the Shinjuku club
Takaaki: Indeed?
Takaaki: Right now he's working at Schnapps.
Iwaki: ...what...?
Takaaki: He's been threatening the club by interfering with the other hosts' clients. He's been going after Shinkawa especially.
Takaaki: On top of that he said he was going to quit the club once he'd taken all our clients away.

(page)
Takaaki: I don't think this was all your idea. Will you promise to take him away from Schnapps?
Iwaki: I told Ishii he could do what he wants.
Iwaki: I gave the Shinjuku club to the two of them to run. If they think what they're doing is necessary, I'm not going to interfere.
Iwaki: Besides, when you two turned down my offer of the club, you said you would protect your own club no matter what.

(page)
Iwaki: Isn't that right?
Takaaki: I guess I can't win against you.

(page)
Takaaki: I probably shouldn't have stopped Shinkawa, back then. He'd certainly have gone farther if he was working for you
Takaaki: When he's with me, he can only follow behind
Takaaki: Even if I push him away, he never tries to leave me
Takaaki: But it's wrong just to make him be a copy of myself

(page)
Iwaki: You've thought about this a lot
Iwaki: I don't want to let that blond boy have you
F/X pushing Takaaki against the car
Iwaki: If you think it's wrong to make him into a copy of yourself, then you have to decide.
Iwaki: If you want it, I'll take him on.

(page)
Iwaki: I won't do anything to hurt you
Takaaki: How do I do that?
Takaaki: It's Shinkawa who has to decide
Takaaki: But I could manage things to work out for his good

(page)
Takaaki: I could...
Takaaki: in my own way...
F/X sound of ocean

(page)
Shinkawa: So what did he say?
Takaaki: He's connected to Iwaki-san
Takaaki: But it's not Iwaki-san's direct orders
Shinkawa: And you believe that?!

(page)
Shinkawa: What.. You're mad?
Takaaki: Shinkawa- we're at work. We'll talk about this later.
F/X woman walking down the stairs to the club
Shinkawa: This is a work matter! And if that guy and Ishii have some connection, he must have promised Ishii that he'd stay out of this.

(page 57)
Manager: Good evening, Morimoto-sama
Manager: I assume you'll want Shinkawa for the evening as usual?
Morimoto: Uh- no...
Shinkawa: Which is more important to you- him or this club?
Host: Uhh, Shinkawa- I think you have a request...
Host: and... should you talk so loudly when you're at work...
Shinkawa: ALRIGHT!!

(page 58)
Shinkawa: Ah, good evening, Nami-san
Shinkawa: You must have just decided to come tonight. Usually you give me a call. But I'm always glad to see you, even when you come by surprise.
Morimoto: I'm sorry. That's not it, Shinkawa-kun
Shinkawa: What?

(page)
Ishii: I'm so glad you could come, Nami-san
Ishii: Just to see me.
Ishii: Sorry, Shinkawa-san
Host: He- he did it again!
F/X buzz of surprise

(page)
Ishii: Oh yes. Since Nami-san's taken the trouble to come tonight, can I get you to be my assistant, Shinkawa-san?
Shinkawa: Ishii!
Shinkawa: You're lower than me! Don't try to be funny!
Ishii: Don't be so small, Shinkawa-san.

(page)
Shinkawa: Alright...
Host: Shinkawa-san! Shinkawa-san, stop it, please!
Takaaki: Wait.
Shinkawa: Takaaki-san...
Takaaki: I'll do it

(page)
Ishii: Ohh- the number one volunteers? I'm honored
Shinkawa: Takaaki-san...

(page 63)
Morimoto: I wonder if I should have come. It wasn't very nice to Shinkawa-kun
Ishii: Why talk about that now? This happens all the time
Ishii: I just couldn't stand having a wonderful girl like you be some other host's client. That's why I tried so hard to get you.
Morimoto: Ohh, Ishii-kun, don't talk like that...
F/X Takaaki's footstep
Takaaki: Excuse me

(page)
Takaaki: I'm Takaaki. Pleased to meet you
F/X places drink on table
Takaaki: Excuse me

(page)
Morimoto: Uh- OK...
Ishii: Chi'
Ishii: What are you staring at, Nami-san? I want you to look at *me*.
Morimoto: Oh- yes, of course.
Takaaki: Allow me.
F/X click of lighter
Host 1: Look at that. A sight for sore eyes. Takaaki-san's walked off with Ishii's client. Just what you'd expect of Takaaki-san- he didn't have to use any of Ishii's underhanded tricks to do it either.
Host 2: That's a difference in quality for you. Takaaki-san knows just how to charm.

(page)
Host 3: The kind of woman who'd go for the likes of Ishii doesn't stand a chance against Takaaki-san.
Shinkawa: (thinks) that Ishii took my clients from me... What Takaaki-san's showing me now isn't the difference in quality between him and Ishii...
Shinkawa: (aloud) Takaaki-san isn't as nice as all that...

(page)
Host: Shinkawa-san?

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