Nagatachō 2-chōme, 3-1, Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo.
The Prime Minister's Official Residence.
In the press briefing hall of the Prime Minister's Official Residence, the magnesium flashbulbs blazed into a glaring white ocean.
It was all because Tsushima Kagami's Danchi-zuma had dredged up the issue of women's social status all over again.
It had drawn widespread attention from society.
And then Fujin Kōron had quoted that line from Tsushima Kagami's interview—the one that had shaken the entire nation: "I fall into deep thought; it must be a systemic problem."
That single phrase had swept up all the public's various grievances against the state and dragged the current ruling government right into the eye of the storm.
They were, so to speak, being roasted over an open fire.
Now, from the lowest illiterate commoner up to the most erudite scholars, regardless of gender or age, everyone had come to know—amid the nationwide furor—of a seventeen-year-old high school student named Tsushima Kagami.
Besides the married ladies who cried out that Tsushima Kagami was their ideal boyfriend,
there had even emerged a "Son Faction"!
Most of them were the sort of wives depicted in Danchi-zuma—the ones living in the danchi, suffering discrimination and vicious gossip.
They felt that the humanistic compassion radiating from Tsushima Kagami's book was like a child's understanding and protection of his mother.
It made them want to shower him with fierce affection, itching to teach him the meaning of filial devotion!
If Tsushima Kagami ever agreed to release his own merchandise, these ladies would empty out every last yen of their husbands' salary savings without a moment's hesitation.
And those women in the adult entertainment industry were even more astonished to discover that someone was actually speaking up for them.
And a famous, renowned author at that.
And a seventeen-year-old high schooler, no less.
While everyone found it incredible, they all expressed their willingness to line up to relieve Tsushima Kagami of his virginity.
What? You say it doesn't count as virginity once the first time is gone?
Tsushima-sama is the purest person in the whole world—no one can ever take his first time!
His first time will endure forever, just like his character, as noble and pure as a cherry tree!
Amid the ever-mounting appeals and questions from the entire citizenry,
the Prime Minister's Official Residence—that is, the Prime Minister's Office—had no choice but to urgently convene this press conference in response.
Behind the long table sat the Prime Minister, upright, the microphones of every media outlet arrayed densely before him, their recording labels crammed together.
NHK, Kyodo News, Sankei Shimbun, The Asahi Shimbun...
Not a single seat below was empty.
Some of the reporters had already set up their cameras.
Others were bent over, flipping through the documents in their hands.
On the cover of those documents, the three characters of Danchi-zuma stood out boldly, accompanied by a profile photo of Tsushima Kagami taken during his interview.
In the photo, the youth wore a faint smile at the corner of his lips, sitting tall and proud across from the interviewing reporter. The superb angle and composition made the Tsushima Kagami in the photo seem a little less green, lending him a touch of maturity.
"Tap, tap."
The Chief Cabinet Secretary tapped the microphone to test it.
Under a burst of microphone static,
the noisy crowd below fell silent at once.
The Chief Cabinet Secretary spoke first, briefly explaining the reason for convening this conference.
His wording was measured and steady, every sentence seeming as though it had been cut straight from an official-document template.
But the reporters below clearly had no patience to sit through this official boilerplate.
When the Prime Minister took the microphone, dozens of hands shot up at once.
"Prime Minister, sir!"
The reporter who was called on stood up, his voice clear and sharp.
"Regarding Tsushima-sensei's essay Danchi-zuma published in Shinchō, as well as his related remarks during the interview—what is your view?"
"The essay's depiction of the position Japanese women occupy within the social system, and its criticism of the government's long-standing inaction—do you believe these criticisms are objective?"
The air in the briefing hall suddenly congealed for an instant.
The Prime Minister adjusted his posture slightly, folding his hands together on the table.
His gaze swept past the dense forest of microphones, and he fell silent for a while.
At last, with a professional smile,
he spoke at an unhurried, even pace.
"First of all."
"I would like to express my personal respect for Tsushima-sensei's essay, Danchi-zuma."
A faint, scattered stir rose from below, and the shutter clicks grew several degrees denser in that instant.
"Though Tsushima-sensei is still very young, the social insight and humanistic compassion he displays in his work fill me with deep admiration."
"Through the medium of literature, he has laid bare a problem we have long overlooked—the unreasonable burdens Japanese women bear within our social structure, and the sluggishness with which our institutions have failed to keep pace."
He paused, then lifted his eyes and looked straight into the camera.
That camera was transmitting his image and signal to news channels across the entire nation, to the television screens of countless households.
"The things he said, frankly speaking."
"Some of that content and those questions are, admittedly, sharp to hear."
Among the crowd of reporters, someone was bent over, swiftly recording every word and syllable the Prime Minister spoke.
"But,"
the Prime Minister's tone grew several shades heavier.
"Compared to a sharp question, what is truly terrifying is when the problem lies right before our eyes, and yet we pretend not to see it."
"And this kind of sharp criticism is precisely what we need right now."
The hall fell dead silent, every gaze fixed on the stage.
"Therefore, I solemnly pledge here and now."
He straightened his body, raising his voice a notch.
"Within this week, the Cabinet will establish a dedicated Committee on Measures to Promote Women's Social Status."
"Spearheaded by the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare, in partnership with the Gender Equality Bureau, Cabinet Office, it will produce a detailed reform draft within one month."
The shutter clicks poured down like a rainstorm.
"The draft will cover the following key directions."
"First: eliminating gender discrimination in the workplace and establishing a stricter mechanism of oversight and penalties."
"Second: improving the support system for women re-entering the workforce, providing a path back to employment for women whose careers were interrupted by childbirth."
"Third: strengthening the regulation of the adult entertainment industry and cracking down severely on coerced employment."
"Fourth: we will launch a comprehensive review of gender-inequality clauses within the current legal system—abolishing what should be abolished, revising what should be revised."
A reporter raised his hand, wanting to press further, but the Prime Minister lifted his own hand to signal that he had not yet finished.
"Furthermore."
He continued.
"These problems should never have had to wait for a seventeen-year-old boy to point them out for us."
"But Tsushima-sensei has not only made us see these problems—he has made us see the hope of this nation."
"I hope—no, I implore all young people who, like Tsushima-sensei, care about the future of this country, to keep paying attention to the livelihood of society, to keep offering your precious opinions!"
"No matter how sharp the question, we will strive to give a proper, responsible, and forthright answer and solution!"
When the Prime Minister finished, he rose to his feet and bowed deeply toward the audience below.
The hall was silent for a moment, and then one reporter took the lead and began to applaud.
The applause quickly spread, swelling from its initially sparse scattering into a single, unified wave.
The Chief Cabinet Secretary tilted his head slightly and glanced at the Prime Minister.
There was a trace of surprise in his expression.
He had reviewed the Prime Minister's speech beforehand, but those last few paragraphs had not been in the script.
The magnesium flashbulbs flickered madly in that moment, freezing his figure into countless photographs.
These photos would spread across all the major news sites and print magazines within minutes.
And then be captioned with all manner of different headlines.
Some would emphasize the Prime Minister's apology at the press conference.
Some would focus on the women's rights draft.
Some would magnify the angle of praising Tsushima Kagami personally.
But no matter how the headlines were written, everyone would remember this moment.
A seventeen-year-old boy, with a single novel and a single reflection, had made the very power center of an entire nation bow its head.
Tsushima Kagami had now truly risen to fame at a young age!
After the conference ended, the Prime Minister returned to his office inside the residence and closed the door.
"You've worked hard, sir!"
The Chief Cabinet Secretary and three secretaries, who had all filed in behind him, now bowed in unison in respect.
He tugged at his necktie, paying the crowd no mind.
He sat alone at his desk for a long while.
On the desk lay a sample copy of the latest issue of Shinchō, opened to the page of Danchi-zuma.
A sticky note was tucked between the pages, bearing a secretary's handwriting.
"This essay has sparked an enormous social reaction; recommend close attention."
He then picked up the Fujin Kōron beside it, turning to the passage where Tsushima Kagami had been interviewed, his eyes sweeping over that faintly green, smiling profile photo of Tsushima Kagami printed within.
His gaze lingered on the final line of text.
"I cannot help but fall into deep thought—this must be a problem with our nation's system, it must be the fault of those incompetent governments."
He gave a bitter smile, closed the magazine, and set it at the corner of the desk.
Outside the window, the distant silhouette of the National Diet Building loomed faintly amid the lights of the night.
He suddenly recalled that many years ago, when he was still a university student, he too had once, on some deep night, written down similar sentences, denouncing all the injustices of this country.
Later he had entered officialdom and learned the arts of compromise, maneuvering, and balance.
Those sharp edges had been ground down layer by layer, until even he himself had nearly forgotten what that young man writing in the dead of night had once believed in.
"Tsushima-sensei, you really have handed me quite a headache!"
The Prime Minister murmured, narrowing his eyes.
The Chief Cabinet Secretary beside him now spoke with a smile as well.
"There is a saying in the Laozi."
"Misfortune is that upon which fortune leans; fortune is that within which misfortune lurks."
"This time may not be entirely a bad thing."
"Especially your earlier remarks, Prime Minister—I imagine they'll surely boost your approval ratings quite a bit."
"This is exactly the opportunity we need."
When the Chief Cabinet Secretary finished, the several secretaries beside him all chimed in one after another.
Leaning back in his office chair, the Prime Minister silently nodded.
The upcoming parliamentary general election, along with recent opinion polls, had not been terribly favorable.
And this time, an unremarkable high school student had once again seemed to stir up a wave of criticism against the government's incompetence, leaving his own approval rating within the party precariously teetering.
But this time, on the contrary, these were all easily solvable problems—at least, solvable on the surface.
So long as he admitted fault sincerely, maintained a humble attitude, and pushed through a few drafts that looked the part,
public approval afterward was bound to rise.
See, we're nothing like those useless administrations before us.
We didn't just dutifully heed the voice of the people—we actually got things done.
If you don't support me now, then come the next turnover, will these drafted bills even be able to keep passing?
And a high approval rating could in turn drive voters to cast their ballots for his candidates, thereby increasing seats.
In the end, it would guarantee his re-election through a majority of seats in the next parliamentary election.
At least one more term was needed to firmly and completely secure his political legacy, passing it down to the next generation of young people in the family.
The Prime Minister, sitting in deep contemplation with his eyes closed, suddenly opened them and looked with a smile toward the Chief Cabinet Secretary standing respectfully at his side.
"So you're saying this Tsushima Kagami is actually my lucky star?"
"And I ought to thank him for giving me such a fine opportunity to shine?"
Watching the Prime Minister's expression, the Chief Cabinet Secretary dared not answer.
He merely kept his head bowed and his back bent in utmost reverence.
"Sumimasen!"
Only then did the Prime Minister give a small laugh and wave his hand.
"What you said makes a great deal of sense."
With that, he looked toward the telephone on the desk.
And so he pressed the button for the internal line.
"Put the matter of the countermeasures committee on the agenda for tomorrow morning's Cabinet meeting."
A concise reply came from the other end of the line.
After hanging up, he stood and left, taking everyone with him.
The office sank into darkness.
Only the lights of Tokyo outside the window still burned, sleepless in the night.
The next day, inside the Manga Research Club.
"Wara wara wara..."
"Hontō ni sumimasen..."
Tsushima Kagami and the others watched the Manga Research Club's television, playing a rerun of last night's press conference at the Prime Minister's Official Residence.
Once it was completely over, Kosaka Akane switched off the television.
Today, both Kosaka Akane and Machida Sonoko had, for a rare change, not gone to cram school, but had come straight to the Manga Research Club instead.
"Kagami, seems to me you're barely back for a few days of school before you're off home to rest again."
Sayuri said from the side.
"Is that so?"
"Why do you look so happy about it to me?"
"Weren't you just saying a moment ago how nice it was to finally have someone to keep you company?"
Ever since Kosaka Akane and Machida Sonoko had to attend cram school lessons,
Tsushima Kagami had been idling at home the whole time.
Sayuri, left all alone in the Manga Research Club, had felt terribly ill at ease.
And she didn't want to head home so early either.
So during this stretch she'd been hanging around with the Light Music Club's Ijichi Seika and Yukinoshita Shizuku and the others.
She'd practically become half a member of their club.
"Oh my, ..."
"Aren't I just worried that resting like this all the time will make you fall behind in your studies?"
Sayuri said, sounding a little guilty.
Tsushima Kagami raised an eyebrow after hearing this.
"You just said 'studies,' didn't you?"
"That reminds me—did you honestly finish all the problem sets I assigned during my time at home?"
"I'll check them in a bit."
"And if I end up taking a break again this time, then you can come to my house for tutoring!"
"Ah!"
"Why does it have to be like this!"
"Winter break is coming up before long, after all."
"Why would I have to go to your house for tutoring?"
Sayuri's previously smug, snickering face immediately fell.
"I'd completely forgotten there was even a winter break."
"Kagami, are you planning to go home for winter break?"
Kosaka Akane, sitting to the side, asked.
"That's right—I plan to head back once Christmas is over."
Tsushima Kagami answered with a smile as well.
"How nice—you even get a winter break."
"We still have to keep going to cram school over winter break."
Machida Sonoko, beside them, complained as well.
"Haha, don't you get one day off on New Year's Day, though?"
Tsushima Kagami said, looking toward Machida Sonoko.
"Oh my, we do, yes."
"But one day is hardly enough."
"It's the New Year, so why do we have to stay at cram school?"
"That reminds me—if Kagami goes back to Chiba, then won't we not even get to see him over the New Year?"
Sayuri cut in at this point.
Kosaka Akane and Machida Sonoko nodded too.
"I was even thinking of going to a temple or shrine together with Kagami on New Year's Eve to pray for blessings."
"If you don't mind the trip, you could come to Shinshoji Temple."
"That works too—I hear Naritasan Shinshoji Temple doesn't just guard your safety and career, it even covers exam luck."
Machida Sonoko's eyes lit up, and she looked toward Kosaka Akane at her side.
Kosaka Akane nodded as well.
"School lets out early on New Year's Eve, so we really could go straight to Chiba."
"It can bless exam luck?"
"Then I want to go too, I want to go too!"
Sayuri hurriedly raised her hand and said.
The Chiba Tsushima Kagami was referring to was Naritasan Shinshoji Temple, where every New Year vast numbers of Tokyoites would forgo the closer options and travel all the way here to pray and worship.
"It's Chiba's most efficacious wish-granting machine."
Just as the group chatted a while longer about what they planned to do over winter break,
Kosaka Akane spoke up again at this point.
"Oh, that's right—today should be the day Nayotake's application form gets approved, isn't it?"
Because although Tsushima Kagami's charitable organization had been established, he himself was a completely hands-off boss.
It usually relied on his mother, far away in Chiba, to manage, and even then there were times it couldn't all be tended to.
On top of that, it had been founded far too hastily, and many of the staff positions hadn't been fully filled.
So in the end it had come down to troubling Kosaka Akane, who borrowed some hands from the Kosaka family to handle interim management while recruiting and training on the go.
Nayotake was also a friend Kosaka Akane approved of, so Kosaka Akane was fairly invested in this matter.
She would ask about the progress of the process every single time.
After hearing this, Tsushima Kagami gave a faint smile.
"It's today."
"If nothing goes wrong."
"Nayotake may well have already received the approval notice by now."
____
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