If we antagonize Hokuto Construction in Kahoku City,
the relations between ourselves and the city officials will become strained.
I think we should abandon our bid for the construction work at the Civic Hall.
You're right!
We should back off.
- Excuse me! - Yes?
Go on.
I'm Ohshita Hiroshi from the Design Department.
I'm excited about my work for the first time in several decades.
A salaryman can't get things done on his own.
Please! Please help me to get this work!
You don't need to grovel, Yajima.
The Design Department's putting everything it's got into the estimate for the Civil Hall.
I'm talking about the attitude of a young staff member determined to put up a fight,
and his enthusiasm was something I'd almost forgotten.
There are practices going on in Kahoku City that shouldn't be allowed.
We've been turning a blind eye to things.
I don't think it's possible to get rid of all the dubious practices of the construction industry.
But I can't stand those former government officials who never take any risks,
and make excessive profits by abusing their positions.
We're fighting a just war.
Idiot!
Yamato is a major company,
but only twentieth in size in the construction industry in Japan.
Companies don't survive simply from taking an ethical stance.
But what if Yamato breaks the bureaucrats' monopoly in Kahoku City?
Yamato will become a major player in the North East District, and throughout Japan.
That's what we can gain from this war.
But if we lose, Yamato Construction is finished.
The die is cast!
Total war against Hokuto Construction!
Director!
I don't think we've got any other option.
Kin-chan!
I nearly get there, Then I lose my confidence.
I look at the sky and wonder, Will I get to where my dreams come true?
Life used to be so easy for me, And now time is running out.
I left my mistakes behind me, Because I wanted to change.
But I haven't changed.
I built a rainbow over the thunder clouds, And time and space, and I started to run.
I'll climb that rainbow to a world beyond, Where my heart will learn to sing.
And I will come to see tomorrow.
I can flow.
I can go endlessly.
If I find my peck of courage in time and space,
I will start walking again.
DARK FOG IN KAHOKU
You've made me a small fortune again, haven't you, Mr. Akamori?
Still, you've got your work cut out, deceiving the inspectors.
Look after your own affairs. How much is it this time?
Roughly 6 million yen.
Are we splitting the profits fifty-fifty as usual?
OK, we'll place another order with you during next week.
We'll only give you a proof of delivery note as usual, will we?
Yeah. Don't bother to deliver the goods.
All we need is a POD with an attached listing.
See you later, then.
I don't like going fifty-fifty.
We'll go forty-sixty next time, Director Ishiguro.
Let's move it.
President Kuramoto will be in a bad mood if we keep him waiting.
He doesn't know his place.
Yamato Construction is a major company but it doesn't have much push.
They must be wetting themselves.
Yamato.
We'll exclude you from the preferred listing in the whole of the North East next time.
You can take that as read.
You heard? Shibahata Building Firm made it public that we're backing them.
We can't let Yamato take this construction work on at the Civic Hall.
We'll make them eat shit at the tender.
We'll show them who Hokuto Construction really is.
We know the floor price,
so there's no possibility that we could lose the contract.
Of course not.
But we don't want their price too close to ours.
The bidding will have to end in a huge loss of face for them.
President Kuramoto is right.
Hokuto Construction's power is unassailable even in a proper tender.
Let's hammer it into everyone's head in Kahoku City.
This is a good opportunity to show the world what happens,
when a private company takes on people who've worked for the government.
Department Chief Handa.
You know what to do, don't you?
This way we can't lose.
And I'm going to have to ask you to do it.
What's that face for?
But it means that...
What are you grumbling about?
This was all your stupid fault in the first place!
Come, come, Chief of the Executive Department, let's not quarrel.
We'll do whatever needs to be done.
Leave it to me.
Good.
We must not go wrong.
The figure must be just above the floor price.
We'll virtually be in single combat with Hokuto Construction.
It's going to be a singles-game.
Are we going to win?
We sure are!
We'll stake our lives on this being the winning number!
Here you are, Sub-Chief.
This is the estimate for the Civic Hall.
They said we're definitely going to win.
Oh, sorry.
I didn't realize you had a guest.
He's come to see you, not me.
Eh?
I'm lmai, from Kahoku Construction News.
He says he wants to interview you about the fire.
It's for the local news.
Not only about that.
I've heard a lot about you.
You're very unusual for a salaryman, aren't you?
I'd like to write about you for a special issue called "Young Lions".
We're turning the spotlight on young salarymen instead of famous elderly people.
Don't you think it's a good idea?
Excuse me, Sub-Chief, will you settle the account please?
Mr. Yajima.
At the fire, I just did what I could.
I think being a salaryman is interesting and I hope to be one for the rest of my life.
Because I like Yamato Construction.
That's all.
Excuse me.
Your real aim is in something else, isn't it?
That's just like you, Mr. Igo. You're a good mind-reader.
How much do you know about Hokuto Construction?
A bit, I don't know if we'd want to carry a story about them, though.
Unless you wanted to share your insights with us giving a competitor's point of view.
It's going to be a good thing for Yamato Construction if we attack Hokuto, isn't it?
Sorry about that.
I hate this kind of strategy, using someone like you to attack the opponent.
What?
I don't want to be in cahoots with someone who only fights on the winning side.
What do you mean?
I wouldn't be awarded any medals for winning if you were my ally.
This could be mega.
I didn't know Yamato Construction was so strait-laced.
As you know, we can be on whichever side we want.
You might come to regret this.
I won't regret it.
Put me through to the Design Department.
Design Department.
It's me. Go through that estimate again.
Raise the price by 2 million yen.
If you don't change it, it'll be under the floor price,
and we'll lose the war before it starts.
Hey! Let's try again!
What?
The tender takes place tomorrow.
Mr. Igo didn't approve the estimate.
He didn't ?
Go through the data once again!
We're going to have to work all night! We'll need plenty of food and coffee.
We're not going to win this, even if we get our sums exactly right.
The closer we are, the more foolish we're going to be made to look.
Hokuto Construction will put in a lower price if we raise our price by 2 million yen.
This is a bid we are unable to win anyway.
Where's Papa?
He's working and can't come home.
Are we going to sleep together tonight, Ryuta?
Yes!
It's really spot on this time!
Wake up, Kintaro!
We've done it!
This figure must be right on target.
We're going to take on Hokuto with this figure.
Let's go!
KAHOKU CITYHALL
A TENDER FOR THE CONSTRUCTION WORK OF THE CIVIC HALL
WILL BE CARRIED OUT IN MEETING ROOM 1 AT 10 A.M. TODAY.
Don't you think the atmosphere is different today?
There's an unusually large number of people here as well.
Of course.
It's not a rigged bid this time.
It's the first gunfight in quite a while. This game's being played in earnest.
It's only natural that everyone's on edge.
Look. Shibahata Building Firm is here.
They've brought five of their team here, so they must be expecting to win.
Obviously. Hokuto Construction is backing them.
Oh! Yamato has Mr. Igo!
They're taking it seriously, I heard.
Not only Yamato. There are other companies here, too.
It'll be the first game played in earnest for quite a while.
Other companies are jumping on the bandwagon and deciding to have a go.
If they win...
It's time to go. We'll be suspended from nominations if we're late.
There are so many people, aren't there?
So what?
Hey, Handa!
Y...yes.
You know what to do, don't you? Don't make a blunder.
Do you understand?
Yes.
Gentlemen, we're ready to receive tenders
for the construction work of Kahoku Civic Hall.
When your company name is called out, please hand in your bid,
the plan and a letter of attorney if you are not a representative.
If there is no response, we'll take it that no tender is being made.
Shibahata Building Firm.
Present.
Thank you very much.
I'm returning the plan to you.
- Next, Hokuto Construction. - Present.
They're going to go for it, as I thought.
Did you say something?
We can't win.
Next, Tabe Construction.
Present.
- Next, lwaki Construction Work. - Present.
There's no way we can win.
Why's that?
Next, Yamato Construction.
Hey, they're calling us.
P...present.
What a bunch of total idiots.
Hey, you're forgetting the plan to return to them.
Why did you say we can't win?
- Hey, Yamato Construction. - Go ahead! You'll find out soon.
Everyone's got other things to do. Get a move on.
I'm sorry.
What are you doing?
Are you bidding or not?
I'm returning the plan.
Hey you, what about a letter of attorney?
Oh, sorry.
Here's the letter.
That's why I don't like having to deal with amateurs.
- Next, Hirose Group. - Present.
Mr. Igo.
The root of my martial arts is based on Tendo-style jujutsu.
The real beauty of the Tendo style lies in its teaching of ways to counter-maneuver.
Styles which lack that subtlety are bound to lead to the death of their practitioners.
That's it. We've confirmed bidding of all in attendance.
I don't know what you're talking about, old man!
Just spit it out without putting on airs!
Putting on airs is the privilege of knowledgeable people.
I'm Handa, Chief of the Planning Department.
I'm going to announce the bidding prices.
Tabe Construction: 341,506,800 yen.
What a figure!
Tabe Construction were serious then.
Are they taking on Hokuto Construction and trying to win?
Please stop talking.
Hokuto Construction: 376,186,900 yen.
Iwaki Construction Work: 373,210,200 yen.
Miyagino Building Firm: 380,945,500 yen.
Hirose Group: 379,277,500 yen.
Shimabara Building Firm: 340,394,400 yen.
Shimabara Building Firm, too.
They're up for it. They've put in a low bid.
Next, Shibahata.
What?!
Oh no.
I've mixed up the bidding order.
Yamato Construction is next.
This is the bid from Yamato Construction...
...311...269...860 yen.
Lower than ours!
Isn't that lower than the floor price?
It's above the floor price. The bid is valid.
This is it. Yamato's won.
No one's going to do better than that.
Yeah.
They just sneaked that one in, knowing they'd be suspended from bidding,
if their price came in under the floor price.
Yes!
Our figure wasn't under the floor price.
Well done, Sub-Chief.
It was a good thing that we raised the price by 2 million.
We're winning!
It's no good, Mr. Igo.
It hasn't made them change their expression.
That means their price must be lower than ours.
No way!
The final bid is Shibahata Building Firm.
They don't have a hope in hell.
Yamato's figure must be just above the floor price.
There must be only a few thousand yen between their price and the floor price.
Hokuto Construction wouldn't have dared to come up with a lower price than that,
even though they're in cahoots with the public office.
Hokuto can't win. Yamato will win.
Shibahata Building Firm: 311,2...
N...no.
No way!
...69...
...500 yen.
N...no.
No way! That's not possible!
Yes! We won!
Their bid is also over the floor price and therefore valid.
The contract will be offered to Shibahata Building Firm.
What a...360 yen.
The difference between theirs and Yamato's price is 360 yen!
They wouldn't possibly have gone in that low even if they knew the floor price beforehand.
Thank you very much.
We, Shibahata Building Firm, will put everything we've got,
into completing the construction work satisfactorily.
Mr. Igo.
We will now close the bidding for the construction work at the Civic Hall.
The successful bidder should remain to sign the contract.
The rest of you may leave immediately.
Hokuto Construction's stranglehold is amazing.
That's the most astonishing thing I've seen in ages.
Wait a minute!
W...what? Is there a problem?
Mr. Handa.
Would you show us all the bids you just read?
W...what are you implying?
It's all over.
Or are you trying to pick a fight with public officers?
Why did you panic when you nearly announced Shibahata's bid before ours?
Huh?
Why did you have to leave Shibahata until last?
If there's nothing to hide, show us all the papers you just read!
Check them, Kintaro!
OK!
You can't take over the proceedings!
You! Where do you think you are?!
Hey, just leave!
We're not constrained to have the bids audited by outsiders!
Yamato Construction!
We'll kick you off the public works listing in Tohoku District, no, the whole of Japan!
Mr. Igo?
It's your hand. Knock some sense into them!
Yaah!
What's this?
What's wrong?
That's Shibahata's bid, isn't it?
I...it's a blank paper.
Blank paper?!
There's no bid written down on Shibahata's bidding paper!
- What's happening? - Show me.
- Yes indeed! - You're right. Why's that?
Idiot!
All he had to do was make up a figure lower than the lowest bid.
They could put in any bid they wanted this way.
Very neat.
They were going to fill in the price he read after everyone had left.
That's what it looks like.
Handa! What have you been getting up to?
You've been working with Shibahata to give them an unfair edge!
Are you trying to disgrace the public office?
People will think we're all corrupt!
You can't get away with this sort of thing! I'll see to it that you're dismissed in disgrace!
N...no.
You're despicable.
Don't bullshit!
You're one of the ringleaders, aren't you?
How do you sleep at night with this sort of thing on your mind?
Time to stop, Kintaro.
These kind of people aren't the kind to throw punches at.
They'd be out to get revenge for the rest of their lives.
Let's go.
You'll have time to sort them out later, not now.
Yeah. It's no good.
They can't get away with this.
We'll notify all the companies invited to bid for the construction work at the Civic Hall.
Today's tendering process has been declared void!
We'll have to open the bidding again.
We'll replace all the companies currently involved and reopen the process.
Do you understand?
After climbing up a long road,
The lights of the city flicker in the distance.
I realize why I look up at the sky,
And the dream I had that day comes into my mind.
I've kept searching for what never changes, And I've reached my goal at last.
It's you, in my arms, That will change everything in heaven.
We'll start walking together, Our long way journey to heaven.
As long as it's true that we're together again, I don't need anything else in heaven.