[dramatic music]
♪ ♪
[suspenseful music]
♪ ♪
[beeps]
[drill whirring]
[speaking Japanese]
[engine turning over]
[tires screeching, horn honking]
♪ ♪
[laughs] Whoo!
[retching]
[speaking Japanese]
[sighs]
[upbeat electronic music playing]
♪ ♪
[glasses clinking]
[speaking Japanese]
♪ ♪
That is a beautiful suit.
Another bottle? - Of course.
Ohno-san, as I was saying, I was thinking--
- Zuki-sama. - Yeah.
[speaking Japanese]
[group laughing]
[person giggles, indistinct chatter in Japanese]
[light funky music]
♪ ♪
[person singing in Japanese]
[laughter]
[glasses clink]
Be generous.
- Okay. - [speaking Japanese]
[speaking Japanese]
[laughter]
all: Kanpai.
And while there's room for improvement--
[speaking Japanese] [laughter]
You're all doing great.
Thank you.
And a special thank-you
to Club Polina's number-one girl, Claudine.
[all oohing] - Thank you, Mama-san.
Claudine, can I get your help for a minute?
Did you see me
with that big-spending architect, Ohno-san?
The man buys.
He's coming in again tomorrow night.
- One of the girls is stealing. - Are you sure?
Receipts don't match the inventory.
I'm down a million yen this month.
What do you think I should do?
[sighs] I mean, find out who it is, right?
And then confront her.
Yeah, makes sense.
So why are you stealing from me, Claudine?
Samantha, if half your customers are here for me,
it's not really stealing, is it?
I'm just taking my fair cut.
You'll start paying me back tonight.
Take it out of your pay--it should take about eight weeks.
Really? You think I'm going to stick around for that?
You know who owns half of this club.
You cannot steal their money
and go set up shop somewhere else.
Go ahead, whistle for your thugs.
I'll tell them you don't know
how to keep track of their money.
I'll have the keys to this place in ten minutes.
You're fired.
Fine.
I'm taking all my clients,
especially that big-spending architect.
You're going to be fucked
without the money that I bring.
I'll take my chances.
[serious music]
♪ ♪
[both breathing heavily]
[speaking Korean]
[chuckles]
[speaking Japanese]
[dramatic music]
Dad's 60th is in two months.
Mom's got a big thing planned,
and your presence is mandatory.
When you called and told Dad
you were thinking of coming home,
it really hurt him when you didn't.
This is your chance to make it up to him, okay?
[bike bell dinging]
And you should actually make me a tape for once,
because, Joshua, I am the only person in this world
who actually likes you.
[person speaking Japanese]
- What is he yelling about now? - We do not know.
Is he still on you about that Metropolitan Assembly piece?
He made me rewrite it twice,
then reassigned it to Ichihara.
I read your piece about the traffic-fatality scam.
It's good, Jake-san. - Thanks, man.
Yeah, I just wish they hadn't buried it
all the way in the back. - Really?
You have started getting bylines,
and you are complaining?
Jake, now.
Hai.
Your piece in this morning's paper is good.
The last three months, your work has been excellent.
Thank you, Maruyama-san.
I have what look to be two big stories.
You tell me which one you want.
Yeah, sure. Okay.
Motorcycle thefts are way up--
Shinjuku, Asakusa, Shibuya.
A lot of our readers ride motorcycles, even Baku.
Well, he rides a scooter.
What's the other one?
Dead body found last night in a pawn shop.
Police think he's a yakuza.
Um, I'll take the motorcycle story.
Make sure and get a quote from a cop.
Arigato gozaimasu.
[somber music]
♪ ♪
[lighter clinks]
[lighter clicks closed]
♪ ♪
[speaking Japanese]
♪ ♪
[speaking Japanese]
[indistinct chatter, telephones ringing]
Do you also have
a yakuza-related citizen's complaint to file?
Actually, I'm on a story.
Do you know anything about motorcycle theft?
You must have me confused with a real policeman.
[speaking Japanese]
So this is your new position--
organized-crime consultation department?
How much longer do you have to stay there
and take that punishment?
I was held officially responsible
for Miyamoto's death.
So...
I must count myself lucky I was not fired.
How is your work, Jake?
Good.
Busy.
I'm keeping my nose clean.
As you said, other crimes to be exposed,
other wrongs to be righted.
Any word on Tozawa?
The same.
You know, he tried to go to the United States,
then...
nothing.
Have you received anything else
from whoever sent you that tape?
It's complicated.
I wish I could help you with your story, Jake.
Well, it was a good excuse to get you out of prison
for an hour.
[chuckles]
[speaking Japanese]
[all speaking Japanese]
[speaking Japanese]
[dramatic music]
♪ ♪
[speaking Japanese]
[door opens]
♪ ♪
[elevator bell dings]
- Hey. - Hey.
You were right.
This Minekawa Takako is the shit.
Oh, good.
You know, you could buy your own music.
With the price you charge for drinks,
I got to conserve my resources.
So how's business? - Great.
Is being the big boss everything you expected?
Just, you know, having responsibility changes things.
Like what?
Like, I find myself lecturing my girls
on not showing too much cleavage and cursing so much.
This is you we're talking about?
I know, right?
How about you? Still avoiding the yakuza?
Yeah, still staying off the sauce.
Actually, the work I'm doing now,
I can see it make a difference, like, an actual difference.
That's great.
I'm actually working on this big story right now--
motorcycle theft.
I was wondering if you might know anyone
who might know anything?
Oh.
Okay, now we get
to the real reason you just happened to stop by.
God.
Okay.
Yeah, my...
my body guy in Ayase
might possibly walk a little in alternative markets--
no guarantees.
Watch yourself. Don't be stupid.
Don't be stupid--
[snaps fingers] I'll have to remember that.
Thank you.
[speaking Japanese]
[scoffs]
[chuckles]
[soft music]
[indistinct chatter]
♪ ♪
[speaking Japanese] [door opens, closes]
[phone beeps off]
[scoffs]
[slurping]
[grunts]
[speaking Japanese]
Eh?
[suspenseful music]
♪ ♪
[tool grinding]
♪ ♪
[speaking Japanese]
[grinding slows, stops] - Samantha.
[tool whirs]
[whirring slows, stops]
[dramatic music]
♪ ♪
Mm...
[chuckles]
[soft music]
♪ ♪
[speaking Japanese]
[door closes]
[upbeat pop music playing]
♪ ♪
[indistinct chatter, laughter]
♪ ♪
[laughing]
[elevator bell dings]
♪ ♪
That's very kind of you.
Is Claudine here?
Claudine has chosen to pursue other career interests.
[sighs] What a pity.
She was always a wonderful conversationalist.
To be honest, good conversation
is the minimum standard I expect here.
I'm afraid you might have been shortchanged.
Allow me to personally remedy that.
Another time perhaps.
♪ ♪
I hope to see you soon.
[speaking Japanese]
♪ ♪
[energetic music]
Whoo-hoo!
Hey, hey!
♪ ♪
[engines revving]
[lighter clicks closed]
♪ ♪
Whoo!
[speaking Japanese]
[dramatic music]
♪ ♪
[people speaking Japanese]
[laughter]
[all chattering indistinctly in Japanese]
[door closes]
[all shouting]
[chuckles]
[laughter] - Yeah.
[knock at door]
[door opens]
[soft music]
♪ ♪
Your place looks good.
♪ ♪
Thanks.
♪ ♪
I'm sorry for not getting in touch.
Yeah.
I called a lot.
I know.
♪ ♪
I went to your offices.
They said you were somewhere safe, recovering.
They wouldn't tell me anything else.
What happened?
♪ ♪
Tell me.
♪ ♪
A knife in the stomach.
Oh.
It's okay.
It turns out I have very hard internal organs.
♪ ♪
[chuckles]
♪ ♪
I'm sorry about your friend
and for not doing more.
I'm sorry for expecting you to.
♪ ♪
Are you taking over for Kobayashi?
Good.
So you came by to check in?
I came to tell you that you must rehire Claudine.
Excuse me?
She must work here.
Sato, she stole from me.
She's really fucked me.
This is Oyabun's order.
Tell Ishida-san the last time that I checked our contract,
as long as he gets his money, I run the club the way I want.
Samantha, you need to do this.
Trust me.
You need to hear what I'm saying.
My club...
my rules.
Thanks for stopping by.
[somber music]
♪ ♪
[speaking Japanese]
New batch.
Be honest.
Ooh, you made those?
Last night. Butter cookies.
[mouth full] Dude!
You're wasting your talents here.
I used a very light maple glaze.
Mmm. You're a rock star, really.
Don't give all those away, okay?
Save me some? - Okay.
- Don't give them all away. - Sure.
Rock star.
[dramatic music]
♪ ♪
Hello, Mama-san.
Hello, wild child.
♪ ♪
I don't know what I would have done
if you hadn't hired me.
I knew you'd be a good hostess.
Club Destiny was a great place to start.
Better than Club Onyx you went to next.
[speaking Japanese]
I'm sorry that I left, just disappeared.
I'm really sorry.
Is this what those phone messages
were about months ago?
I called you back the next day.
Yeah.
I meant to call you back again. I'm sorry about that, too.
Thank you.
I was angry,
but that's also in the past now.
And look at you now, Samantha.
Five years on, your own club.
Good for you.
For you too, Erika-san, if you'd like.
I need a number-one girl.
I got out for a reason, you know.
I'll give you half of all your table charges,
half of every bottle you sell.
[chuckles]
Samantha, you must be desperate.
[speaking Japanese]
[chuckles awkwardly]
I had no idea.
It was a surprise to me, too.
Just come tonight-- same offer.
Plus, I'll pay for a sitter, get you a ride home.
The girls are great. The place is great.
And I trust you.
[laughter]
[speaking Japanese]
[ominous music]
♪ ♪
[speaking Japanese]
[cell phone ringing]
[beeps]
[dramatic music]
[engine revving]
♪ ♪
[knock at door]
[speaking Japanese]
♪ ♪
[speaking Japanese]
[phone ringing]
Moshi moshi.
Ohno-san. It's Samantha from Club Polina.
[chuckles]
I seem to be very popular today.
Claudine called me as well. - Did she?
It seems she has decided to ply her trade
at a different club.
I see.
Well, I have been seriously considering your case
and have taken decisive actions to retain your loyalty,
which is why I have engaged
the most beautiful and charming woman in all of Tokyo
to dedicate herself tonight to entertaining you.
This may be true, but it isn't very modest of you.
I'm--I'm referring to my good friend Erika.
And it is, I promise you, quite true.
That's hard to prove.
But I will come in,
and I'll give your place another try tonight.
I am very pleased to hear that.
If you agree to grace my table.
No one else, just you.
[line beeps] - [grunts softly]
[energetic music]
♪ ♪
Okay.
[camera shutter clicking]
[device beeps, drill whirring]
[suspenseful music]
[both speaking Japanese]
Hey, do you lot know where Roppongi is?
[both speaking Japanese]
Where the girls and the clubs and the bars are at?
- [grumbling] - Uh, oh.
Oh, oh, oh. I learned a Japanese song.
- [speaking Japanese] - It's a famous song.
I bet you know it. [engine turning over, revving
[singing in Japanese]
♪ ♪
Maybe another time.
[continues singing]
[all speaking Japanese]
Wait a minute. No, no, no, no, no.
No. I had no idea that investors were so wicked.
They are.
Okay, what about you?
What are architects really like?
Me?
Yeah.
[chuckles]
We're confidence men.
We convince our clients we see the future,
that their building will look beautiful,
that it will fit in its setting.
Okay, okay.
You know, I used to work for a man
who said hostesses sell dreams.
- Hmm. - I don't think that's true.
So what are you selling?
What am I selling?
A place where confidence men can come and be honest.
Then, honestly...
this is the best evening I've had in a long time.
[laughter]
Me too.
I'm so glad.
[somber music]
♪ ♪
[knock at door]
No, Samantha. It's too much.
You're kidding.
You got Nishikawa-san
to buy more bottles tonight than he did in a week.
Honestly, I forgot how good I was.
[chuckles] And you had fun, too, right?
I did.
Hey, I wanted to ask you earlier.
Who's your pretty friend?
Polina.
The club's named after her.
Ah.
She died three months ago.
Oh, Samantha, I'm so sorry.
That night I left you all the voice mails,
that was the night I found out she died.
I called you because I didn't have anyone else.
Oh.
So I'm really glad you're here.
Me too. [knock at door]
I need a locker, store some papers.
Help yourself.
[suspenseful music]
♪ ♪
No Saturdays.
Your other girls can do losers' night.
And I want one night a week for tai chi.
Fine. I will take my number-one girl
as many nights as I can get her.
Sato-san?
Mm-hmm.
[soft music]
♪ ♪
[keys clacking]
♪ ♪
[dramatic music]
♪ ♪
[phone dialing]
[modem squealing, whirring]
[cell phone ringing]
Moshi moshi.
It's me.
Would you like to come over?
[suspenseful music]
♪ ♪
- Hi. - Hi.
I saw one of your articles in yesterday's paper.