"The thing that dictates life is luck, not wisdom."
"Marcus Tullius Cicero."
As we all know, the universe contains protons and electrons.
It's a dance of high-energy cosmic materials.
To protect the electrical paths,
the barrier needs to be thick enough.
But still, it's better for the cosmic ship to be light.
We have yet to find the balance between the two.
Interesting.
So when are you two returning to Los Angeles?
Tomorrow. Ethan is breathing down our necks.
So there's no New Year break for you two.
But the fact that there are young Japanese engineers like you...
working at Space Infinity makes me very proud.
All the best.
By the way,
how is that coming along?
Do I stand a chance?
We are just technical staff. Such matters...
But I'm sure you've heard something.
I'll be frank then.
There's no point in keeping it secret.
On the list,
your name is behind Omar of Dubai...
and Chachanatip of Thailand, in third place.
Third place? I want to be first.
It's meaningless if I'm not first.
This is Ethan's decision.
You know he's a dictator.
I can provide money.
But I get it.
For a millionaire like Ethan,
special perks and treatment mean nothing to him.
He is indeed a millionaire.
About as on par as you.
But...
the other committee members might not be.
Such as?
Chief of Avionics Engineering,
Richard Ho.
That's true. Ethan does take his opinions into account.
You could try inviting him to Japan.
His daughter is an animation fanatic.
Oh my gosh! I can't believe it.
Daddy, this is the director's signature.
He showed us around Akihabara and Suginami,
and now this?
Good for you, Monaco.
Thank you very much, Mr. Matsuzaki.
No worries.
Director Bandai who made "What Is Your Name"...
is a friend of mine.
And Richard...
There's two million dollars in this.
Please use it however you like.
No, I can't.
It's all right. But...
I just want you to give Ethan advice.
I'm a very, very lucky man.
- I'm going to the moon! - How nice.
- Going to the moon! - I want to go to space too.
- Yes! - I'm surprised Mr. Matsuzaki...
really got chosen.
As a thank you, he transferred me one million dollars.
I should be getting a phone call of gratitude soon too.
- Go to the moon. - What a nice man.
Dako, Richard.
"I'm done."
I'm serious this time.
The operation this time was a joke.
I'm shocked it actually went well.
This is what you call skill.
You're just lucky.
Isn't it great that I'm always so lucky?
Life is all about having Lady Luck on your side.
It's like we've been blessed with her protection.
Indeed, there are people like you who can't put a foot wrong.
Nothing you do can trip them.
A woman who loves good luck and has its blessings...
is one in a million.
A lucky girl that only exists once in a lifetime.
That's me!
Shut up. You'll run out of luck sooner or later.
No problem!
Don't worry.
You'll be fine as long as you're on my side, Boku.
So adorable.
Stop imitating Mr. Mutsugoro.
Point is, I don't want...
What you see is not necessarily the truth.
What is real, what is fake?
You always win the grand prize you don't need.
Is that considered lucky or not?
I was told that my lucky charm for today is a kappa.
What should I do then?
If you live near a power spot,
would you also be filled with power?
Only God would know.
Welcome to the world of the Confidence Man.
(The Confidence Man JP: The Fortune)
Can you give me a little more time?
I'll pay you back for sure.
I can wait as long as you need, sir.
Really?
Your workshop produces the world's most precise screws.
Ones that are even used on rockets.
You're a national treasure.
Thank you.
Besides, I approve of your wanting to help the woman you love.
Men can't live without women after all.
I understand.
Yes.
Do you play cards?
Cards?
Poker.
How about I help you earn some?
All in.
Call.
Dear Lord, please...
Two pairs of jacks and sevens.
Sorry.
The screw factory lost everything again.
How unlucky.
How much do we have now?
Negative 12 million.
I'll lend it to you.
Is that fine?
Together with the buy-in.
Let's play some more. Win back what you lost.
Otherwise, how will you go home?
Thank you.
But I need a guarantee.
How about your company stocks?
It's okay. It's just a formality.
No one can be lucky or unlucky forever.
Luck is fair and impartial.
Right?
The fish cake here is still the best in the world.
What else would you like?
- Fish cake, fish cake... - All right.
and fish cake.
And also mayonnaise.
Can't you eat it without mayonnaise?
One shouldn't be bound by the norm.
You should introduce this way of eating to other customers.
By the way, I haven't seen that guy lately.
The one who fights over the fish cakes with me.
The president of the screw factory?
- He's facing some trouble. - Trouble?
He started on the wrong foot.
He borrowed money from some scrupulous loan shark.
So, his factory got taken away.
That's quite a story.
Let me have a bite.
I'm having a life crisis.
I know I can't go on like this.
But I don't know what else I can do.
How should I go on with my life?
What?
Well...
I've found another big catch.
This week's first place is...
(The Best 10)
Investor Akutsu Akira with 8,643 points.
Regarding Akutsu Akira,
he's a loan shark operating under the guise of an investor.
He is the boss of a poker den.
- Dako. - He has a lot of...
- I'm interested in... - Madam Kuroyanagi!
Let's pass on this one.
You're going to do it anyway.
Right, Richard?
I think we shouldn't do it this time as well.
- Why? - The candidate is bad.
Akutsu Akira is a famous figure in the underworld.
He forces debtors to gamble and kill themselves...
before taking all the security deposit.
The women are brought to hostess clubs.
That's right.
A factory of national treasure level has been taken away.
Mr. Akutsu!
What a douchebag.
That's why we need to deal with him.
I suppose.
- What's the goal? - The 300 million yen in his safe.
This is the last time.
I've heard enough of that.
So?
The gist is...
The gist is that there's a lot of unusable money in this world.
Money from illegal crimes.
Unusable money is just scrap paper.
The holder of such money is looking for someone to launder it.
Even half is sufficient.
With the capital provided,
we will buy securities to be sold overseas.
We will sell them at a higher price to those with black money.
So the point is...
I can double my money?
- Exactly. - Exactly.
It will not cause you any trouble.
There isn't a safer gamble than this.
Come.
There's five million here.
I'll leave it to you.
- Thank you. - Thank you.
Two million.
This is two million.
Now, I will add my one million into the bag.
That makes five million.
Why must Richard and I give two million each...
while you gave just one?
You can't divide five evenly by three.
Do you understand?
Dako.
We should stop now that we've got ourselves five million.
- Agreed. - Rejected.
Now that he's got a taste of it,
it will be easy to cheat him off his 300 million.
What are you two so worried about?
Honestly, Dako,
I have something to say. Don't laugh at me.
He's here.
Thank you for coming.
This is the five million you gave us previously.
And this is...
the amount we made from it.
What an easy way to make money.
We only deal with trustworthy people.
We're very fortunate.
People always say that I'm a lucky guy.
Without needing to work hard,
money appears in my pockets by doing what I enjoy.
Just like this time.
Some even say I suck away other people's good luck.
I'm sure you're lucky because you've done a lot of good.
I guess you can say that.
I look forward to us working together again.
No, I'm done.
- What? - What?
Being too fixated on money will only cause harm.
I can introduce some people to you though.
We're interested if it's your friend.
He's a pitiful guy. I'd like to help him.
What do you mean?
He really loves red wine.
Last year, he went to France...
and bought crates of high-end red wine.
But after opening them,
they were all low-quality goods worth nothing.
Some were even mixed with fruit juice.
The sommelier who made the connections disappeared.
Yes, he was scammed.
He told me he was going to find and kill that sommelier.
You can't run.
Thanks for your five million, you scammers.
Why is he friends with a guy we cheated?
I don't know. What does it matter now?
We had to fork out another five million.
We can just take it back.
How? We've already been exposed.
There are many ways.
For instance...
You can't think of anything.
- I'm sure there's something. - Who knew?
Akutsu was a much stronger and smarter opponent...
than we had anticipated.
He just got lucky this time.
Don't forget, he sucks away other people's luck.
Have you met such an enemy before?
Don't forget, I am the one and only Lucky Girl.
That's the problem.
What are you doing?
Didn't I pretend to be a tarot card reader in Hong Kong?
I later became interested.
No matter how many readings I do, the result is always bad.
Dako, this is your fortune.
My fortune?
Your fortune is in a transition period now.
I too tried palm reading recently.
Guess what I was told.
He said there's a jinx by my side.
That I'd be implicated.
I was expecting something more credible,
but divination?
Do you think we're reading a shojo manga or what?
When it comes to divination, only believe in the good outcomes.
Watch as I catch the little fishes.
I'll prove to you that it's all superstition.
We're disbanding.
I'd like to bait someone.
We are rich!
You can always talk to me.
Thank you.
You might be killed if they find out.
You can't win over me.
He must be a scam.
There are only 50 units of this model in the world.
Miss.
Imagine the wind blowing through your hair with the roof down.
It's great.
Daddy, I like this.
Please sign here.
- Daddy? - Sir!
A heart attack?
Daddy, you haven't signed it yet!
With eight million,
you should be able to garner enough votes.
As long as you win this polling district,
you'll win the election.
As a politician, not being elected means you're just another citizen.
- What's the matter? - You look just like my ex-wife.
She was the one who got me into politics.
Using money to buy votes?
How low can I go?
This western-style building doesn't stand out,
but it's actually built by a famous English architect,
Charles Chadwick.
This building has great historical significance too.
It incorporates construction techniques of that time.
A place with such underlying value suits you perfectly.
I like it.
I am going to buy...
What's that?
What on earth just happened?
What happened?
The house.
A meteorite measuring 2.5m in diameter fell from the sky.
It crashed into a house and caused serious damage.
Fortunately, it was vacant and nobody was hurt.
- What bad luck. - Indeed.
Dako, you're out of luck.
Akutsu has sucked it all away.
That sounds stupid.
Don't underestimate divination.
It's a product of human intelligence since the beginning of time.
Bartola, who secretly ate the fresh oysters you bought,
is also suffering.
Food poisoning?
Dako, you previously had a lucky draw at a cafe, right?
How did it go?
I forgot. I threw it away.
Why do you have it?
Isn't this a bad fortune?
"The God of Plague is here."
"Nothing is going your way."
"Being overly greedy will be detrimental."
"You will crash and burn before you rise."
I've never seen a fortune worse than this.
Heaven and hell are separated by a thin line.
Countless prominent figures, geniuses and conmen...
have fallen because Lady Luck abandoned them.
You've had great luck for far too long.
It has turned on you now.
I think it's best you take a break.
Good luck will return one day.
Cleanse your karma, reflect, be a good person for once.
Akutsu still has our five million.
Just give it up. It's just money.
Are you telling me to suck it up and deal with it?
He stole my luck, so I'm getting it back.
"Being overly greedy will be detrimental."
"You will crash and burn before you rise."
If you do that,
you're going to lose everything and end up in jail.
You might even die.
We're reminding you for your sake.
- I get it. - Finally?
That you two are cowards.
Dako.
I don't care if it's jail or fiery pit.
I knew what I was getting into when I started doing this.
I have nothing to say to cowards.
Just get out of my sight.
So be it.
I'd rather not be implicated by you.
Go ahead and self-destruct.
Don't drag any other innocent people into this.
Not even Monaco.
Ungrateful bastards!
Cold-blooded creatures!
Cowardly insects!
Those snide remarks no longer have any effect.
We're disbanding.
We were never partners or anything to begin with.
Calling for a disbandment is pointless anyway.
But...
I'm still going to say it.
We're disbanding!
Just leave if you want out.
That's it, I guess.
Don't worry. She'll give up.
There's no other way.
I'm going to look for a proper job.
You should retire too.
Living a laidback life in the countryside sounds enticing.
Take care.
You too.
I'm so sorry. The fish cakes are sold out today.
How unlucky.
Do you believe in fortune, sir?
Fortune?
I wonder.
But that guy really believes in it.
That guy?
The president of the screw factory.
He gave this to me.
It's supposed to bring good luck.
Thanks to him, my business has been doing well.
How is he?
His whereabouts are unknown. Nobody could contact him.
He might already be...
No, let's not talk about it.
How unlucky for him.
He was a really good man.
He fell for a woman in a nearby club.
He gave her money and ended up with a bunch of debt.
That's why he started gambling. He dug his own grave.
Taking advantage of the good guy, huh?
He always lets me have the last fish cake.
Would you like it?
(Amulet)
(Akutsu Akira)
Monaco.
Can I ask you a favor?
(To Boku)
She asked me to pass it to you.
She is hoping you'd help her take on Akutsu...
Did she think I'd agree whole-heartedly?
What a joke.
Tell her this for me. I'm not her pet dog.
You need to stop listening to her too.
Gosh.
I told her not to get you involved.
She just won't give up.
But without Lady Luck's help, she'll never succeed.
Monaco.
You should stay away from her.
(Amulet)
(A few weeks later)
- Good morning. - Good morning.
One, two.
Stay focused.
No yawning.
- Good morning. - Good morning.
(Omokage)
(Asset management, acquisition, special cleanup)
I couldn't bring myself to throw them out.
I understand.
Everything in this room...
must remind you of your late wife.
Those memories will always remain in your heart.
What should I do with the kimono?
She wore this when we got married.
We bought this for our 10th wedding anniversary.
Should we store them for you?
We will not sell them without your permission.
These things are no longer a matter of price.
Please dispose of them.
Is that really okay?
If I don't let it go,
I won't be able to move on.
I understand.
The sweet potatoes are ready.
- Thank you. - Thank you.
Delicious.
It's nothing.
I've never experienced much family love.
So being able to spend time with everyone...
Sorry.
Even though you're not my mom's age...
It's all right.
All of you are like my children.
This company is like a big family.
Oguchi and Kouta don't have family too.
We all help one another.
This is a meaningful job.
The demand for it will increase in the future.
We'll be depending on you, my second son.
Sure thing.
- Hello. - Hello.
The waves here are gorgeous.
- Hello. - Hello.
(Minato Restaurant)
Hello.
Welcome. What would you like today?
I'll have a miso ramen.
Okay.
One miso ramen.
Thank you for your patronage, as always.
The ramen here...
always warms up the body chilled by the sea water.
Where are you from?
Tokyo.
I'm retired.
I suppose I'm living my second life now.
I'm envious.
Hot.
Thank you for waiting.
My body can't take it.
Having a young wife has its pros and cons.
You need to get enough sleep.
But she won't let me sleep.
What?
It's not hard to join the card game.
You just need to contact the regulars.
The venue is Akutsu's mansion.
This is my patient.
The owner of an udon shop.
I like to play cards.
The rule is draw poker.
You take turns to be the dealer.
Only cash bets.
The minimum bet is 100,000 yen, no maximum bet.
You're out when you lose everything.
Sometimes, it takes a few days to determine the winner.
It's a crazy game.
You're here, Igarashi.
Of course, because you called.
My sweetheart.
That's right.
I still have you, Igarashi.
I should've contacted you right from the start.
I'll win as long as I have someone who can't be tricked.
We will win back our money from Akutsu through poker.
Leave it to me.
My great grandfather was the one who created poker.
By the way, where are the usual two?
What usual two?
What were their names again?
Bo something? Ri something?
That's right, Bartola's not here either.
I've forgotten them all.
Now is Igarashi's time.
You finally get it.
Because there are you and I
That this world exists
What's wrong, darling?
The croissant I had this morning broke my tooth.
A croissant did that. How come?
How strange.
(The Sound of Waves by Mishima Yukio)
(UTOPIA the Final World War by Fujio Fujiko)
They all have traces of damage.
They're probably not worth much now.
Why don't we get rid of them for you?
Please do.
Gosh, my illustrated storybook.
This...
My dad used to read it to me all the time.
Why don't you keep it?
As a memento of that time.
It's in good condition.
You should keep a copy.
I will.
Where did I put my phone?
Well? Good deal, right?
How about 30,000 yen?
What? Are you belittling me?
These are good stuff.
Such a dyeing technique is no longer used now.
I want 50,000 yen.
You're making it hard for me.
And those old books are worth a good price too.
There's Kawabata and Mishima. All first editions.
There's even a copy of Fujiko's first work.
I let her keep a useless storybook.
She cried in happiness.
What's the matter? Why are you here at this hour?
Those items have no price tags, right?
Are they valuable?
- We should tell them then. - Tell who?
The owner, of course.
The owner is already gone.
I'm the owner now because I brought them here.
But the family...
They finally let these go after much inner struggle.
Isn't it cruel to remind them of the past?
- But... - I'm not doing this...
because I like to.
You'll get a bonus too once they're sold.
Just let it be.
We're a family, remember? We help one another.
Wait!
I don't think we should throw them here.
We're not throwing them.
We're just leaving them here.
But...
The president told us to do it.
Done.
If I don't let it go,
I won't be able to move on.
My dad used to read it to me all the time.
Can you help me?
I'd like to bait someone.
Hello.
I think I'll keep trying.
You need to learn to accept help from others.
That's that then. Think about it.
Welcome.
My apologies.
Who was that?
He is just a customer.
You seemed scared.
Not at all.
No such thing.
It's okay to tell me.
I only knew after my husband passed away.
He borrowed money from that man.
Who is he?
His name is Tajima.
Around here,
he is considered a powerful figure, I guess.
My husband loved this shop.
I want to do my best for it.
My ramen is not good, right?
- That's not true. - I know.
I can't make the same ramen my husband made.
How much is the debt?
Around 50 million yen.
Is that your son?
He was so cute then.
He wouldn't want to live in a house with debt.
I was so frustrated.
We constantly fought.
He dropped out of high school not long after...
and I haven't seen him since.
Tajima said...
that I don't have to repay the debt.
On the condition that you become his woman?
Pay it back slowly.
You can do it.
You think so?
As long as business picks up.
It's impossible. I don't have the skill.
(How to Cook Chinese Food)
- Stay focused, Richard. - Will do.
Hey, you have to toss the wok.
Concentrate and toss it.
Toss the wok!
Akutsu is a tough opponent.
He can do whatever he wants as long as he runs the show.
He surely has tricks up his sleeve unknown to me.
However,
it's not a trick if you can't crack it.
- Not bad. - You too.
Just leave it to me.
You might be killed if they find out.
For you, it's worth it.
You kind of resemble Jude Law.
He is a relative.
What's wrong with your butt?
Well...
I got bitten by a Golden Retriever on the way here.
I'm sorry. I was going to stop for good.
But I couldn't sit by this time.
- How about Dako? - We must not involve her.
Besides, this is a straightforward case.
Who is the target?
Watanabe Waka.
She's actually a member of the triad.
She was the mistress of many VIPs.
That's how she got to where she is today.
Together with middle-aged Oguchi and young Kouta,
they cheat people of their possessions,
sell and dispose of them illegally.
They're bad people capable of anything.
Waka has an eye for antiques. She makes money from that.
So she has got some savings?
I'm afraid so.
At least for the things that I've handled,
I want to give them back with the right price.
- What's the target sum? - Just 10 million.
That's hardly any profit.
I'm not doing this for money.
If I can get her to part ways with 10 million, I'm satisfied.
I will continue to be a good employee.
Excuse me, can I take a look at this tea set?
Go ahead.
I thought there would be gold in such a big house.
But it's just a shell.
This is nothing but old garbage.
This is locked.
(Records of the Kashiwazakis)
President, Oguchi.
He asked if you would like some tea.
Yes, please.
This house looks very old.
It's not particularly impressive.
But I heard when Grandpa was young,
he used to work as the Kashiwazakis' butler.
The Kashiwazakis?
You mean the wealthy heirs?
The master used to be a jet-setter.
He wanted to keep a lion in the courtyard or something.
It made for a good story.
I really adored him.
There's a beautiful desk in the study room.
Please leave that there.
My grandpa cherished the desk, so I want to keep it.
But the key seems to have gone missing.
I have no idea what's in the desk.
So he cherished it.
Thank you for today.
Thank you for choosing us.
Thanks for everything, everyone.
Can you read it?
"The Qing Dynasty. A celadon tea set."
"Behind the Moriyama Shrine at Namiyoko."
"Six steps east from the front of the fox, then eight steps south."
(Namiyoko, Moriyama Shrine)
- This is it. - What is this place?
Is it okay to go in?
"Six steps east from the front of the fox,"
"then eight steps south."
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6,
7, 8, 9.
1, 2, 3, 4.
Dig here.
- What? - Just dig right here. Quick.
There's nothing.
President.
Show it to me.
Open it.
It's the real thing.
A tea set from the Qing Dynasty.
Is it valuable?
It's worth at least two million yen.
President, what is this exactly?
Diamond necklace.
At the back of Matsumoto Residence.
- Let's go. Hurry up. - All right.
We found it.
The diamond necklace.
These are diamonds!
Three million yen. No, probably more.
President, please explain.
What exactly are these papers?
The Kashiwazaki mentioned was...
a wealthy tycoon before the Second World War,
Kashiwazaki Kohei.
He was filthy rich.
But after Japan lost the war,
almost all of his belongings were seized.
But rumor has it that that wasn't all he had.
As speculated,
he defied the order and hid some of them...
in his friends' houses.
- He hid his assets? - Yes.
And he wrote down all the spots right here.
He gave the papers to his butler.
There's a thick book of records in the desk.
Everyone, get excited.
We're going to be rich!
For real?
But that man said he wouldn't sell it.
It's just a piece of junk. It can be bought with money.
You're right.
(Chef from Sichuan, Chen)
(Come and try the dandan noodles)
Welcome.
Thank you for the food.
Thank you.
This is so good.
This is the first time I'm eating such delicious dandan noodles.
Thanks for waiting.
Can I share this online?
Please do. Share it with your friends.
Three dandan noodles, please.
Sure, coming right up.
Three dandan noodles.
Toss the wok!
Sir, please get in line.
Sir, get in line.
Beer after a long day's work is the best.
It's so unbelievable.
That you're actually a famous chef.
I actually came to retire.
But I couldn't do nothing when I knew of your predicament.
It reminded me of my earliest dream.
To come to Japan,
open a small shop and work hard.
I experienced it again.
I like being in the kitchen after all.
It has been a long time since I had fun working.
It's exhausting though.
I'm old now.
Not so. You're still young.
Your future is bright.
Same to you.
Thanks.
You're late.
So sorry.
Thanks, everyone.
Here you go.
Once you guys create the publicity, I'll handle the rest.
Thanks.
You seem very happy.
Is that so? There's no such thing.
Here you go.
What do you want?
Tell your boss that his friend is here.
Tell him...
he's getting five million yen worth of securities.
Gosh, this is not a place for women.
She's a friend.
Is that so? Excuse me.
Long time no see.
Looks like you haven't learned your lesson.
I'm sure you know the rules, miss.
I'll have you know that I've never lost in Solitaire.
She has got some guts.
How much do you have?
Everyone here came with 10 million.
I brought 100 million.
Hey.
Let me introduce.
Chinese physician, advertiser, udon shop owner.
- Hello. - Please be kind.
Likewise.
She's from a securities company.
No, she was a sommelier previously.
Not anymore, right?
- How should we call you? - Just call me the conman.
Conman.
I'm impressed, I didn't expect you to come uninvited.
How are the other two?
The snobbish young man and pretentious old guy.
There were such two persons.
- But I don't care anymore. - Bet.
- Call. - Call.
Raise.
Raise again.
Three cards.
Check.
Raise by one million.
Raise by two million.
This girl sure is gutsy.
It's only polite to show some grace towards the beginner.
That's true.
If you put it that way, all right.
Let's do it then.
Call.
Two pairs, queens and sixes.
I lost.
Gosh, it's no good.
Thank you.
I'm sorry, I also have two pairs.
A pair of aces.
There's no place for manners here.
I'm sorry, but...
I have three of a kind.
My apologies.
Well.
This desk?
It looks like a nice antique. Can you sell it to me?
But this is my grandpa's belonging.
I understand.
How about a price of 100,000 yen?
My grandpa really cherished it.
- How about 200,000 yen? - This isn't about money.
Even if you pay me one or two million yen,
I'm not selling it.
How much before you're willing to part with it?
- Like I said... - I mean, if. Just an assumption.
I might consider if it's 10 million.
But nobody would pay that much for an old desk.
He's toying with us.
Well, 10 million is too expensive.
Let's give up.
That's nothing compared to Kashiwazaki's assets.
If you put it that way,
then 10 million is indeed a small sum.
I'm getting it no matter what.
Boku, we've been had.
Come here quickly.
I was careless.
I left the door open.
They actually stole it.
I'm so sorry.
What are those people?
What's that?
This is not right.
It's wrong to steal.
Steal?
Who stole what exactly?
If he found out and called the police...
He doesn't know about this.
Nobody knows that anything is missing from the desk.
Which means, nothing has been taken.
Right?
It will be fine.
Mom will protect you guys.
I met him while grocery shopping, so I got a ride back.
You should've turned him down.
I couldn't. I still owe him money.
You can pay it back slowly.
That's impossible.
Customers have stopped coming.
It's going back to how it was.
It's getting a lot of negative reviews online.
Someone must be behind it.
And you know who it is.
- It must be... - Even so,
if the food was truly good,
the customers would still come.
Sorry.
I know you're doing this for me.
I'm the worst.
But...
It's not like you'll stay forever.
You're going to leave sooner or later.
I had no choice but to accept Tajima's condition.
Please watch the shop for a bit.
Raise.
I'm done.
I will raise again.
By 5.8 million.
Call. Three of a kind.
I have a flush.
I can't believe my luck today.
My time is here.
Let's take a break.
I'm sorry, everyone.
Thanks, I'm taking it all.
And this too.
Seriously.
Little Beard.
Let's wrap it up. Clear the house.
I'll go back with the tea set and necklace.
What are you doing with those?
Who knew we had a thief among us?
Who are you kidding? You guys are the thief.
And those are not your stuff.
You've disrespected the dead and lied to their families.
You are giving honest people of this industry a bad name.
I quit.
Stop right there!
You don't give me orders.
Ouch.
Thank goodness. Are you okay?
I'm sorry. He was too heavy-handed.
Please forgive him.
I've already hit his buttocks as punishment.
You're at fault too for saying those things.
Both sides are at fault.
Ironing out the problems after a fight...
is what strengthens the bond within a family.
Let's continue to help one another, okay?
Yes, good boy.
I've got some warm milk.
Come, open your mouth.
President, a moment please.
Drink up.
Okay.
What the heck?
Thank you.
Don't say anything. Just take this.
It's 50 million yen.
I cannot accept it.
It's okay. Just accept it.
- I can't. - Namiko.
I'm doing this because I want to.
- But... - You know,
my life so far...
has not been very commendable.
I'd like to at least do something for others.
I hope you'll accept my stubbornness.
If...
If you don't mind,
I will continue to stay here.
With you, at this shop.
Chen.
Thank you.
Let's pay him back the money tomorrow.
Now...
is too soon.
(To Chen)
Chen.
I'm sorry.
Your kindness scares me.
I'm scared because I feel safe.
Such happiness does not last.
If that happiness will ultimately disappear,
it's better for me to let go of it myself.
Right?
Please forgive a dumb woman like me.
My time spent with you can never be replaced.
I hope you find happiness with someone better.
Thank you for the money.
Namiko.
(Thank you for the money. Namiko.)
How pitiful you are.
This actually happened to Richard.
What?
You dealt the cards from the bottom.
You're supposed to deal the cards from the top.
You took a card from the bottom, didn't you?
What are you saying? I dealt from the top.
Hey.
Turn his cards over.
Yes, sir.
Two aces.
So, which card are you dealing next?
Ouch.
An ace.
It's only a coincidence. My luck is amazing today.
I actually got three aces.
How lucky!
Hey.
- It's a misunderstanding. - What are you doing?
- Hey. - Calm down. Come on, now.
Sit.
Unfortunately, the udon shop owner's chips will be confiscated.
Hey.
I'm sorry I brought such a person here.
It's fine.
We'll divide his chips among ourselves.
- Now, let's continue. - Count me out.
I'm done for today.
My luck seems to be bad today.
Me too.
I'm feeling unwell.
Well? Shall we continue?
Finally, we meet one-to-one.
Come.
You still have 100 million.
Thanks to the udon shop owner, I'm back to square one.
I also have 100 million.
Looks like it's going to be a good game.
I thought you'd have some tricks.
But I found nothing.
I don't do those things.
I want to enjoy my good luck properly.
Luck?
You know what?
I used to be a really lucky person too.
I can tell.
Before I met you.
Bet.
Call.
I wanted to con you, but I got conned instead.
Nothing went my way after that.
Divination results were all bad.
So I came here to take back what I lost,
be it money or luck.
That's hard to say.
Divination and life both have their ups and downs.
It's better not to fight it when your luck is down.
Wait until your luck turns around...
and then go all in.
Is that the secret to your good luck?
Who knows?
Bet.
Now it's 15 million.
Life is too short.
I have no time to wait.
Even if it means losing,
I can only continue to fight.
All in.
Either I win 200 million or nothing.
Not bad.
Call.
Miss,
luck is really not on your side.
Three kings.
Three of a kind and a full house.
Which one is bigger?
I want them in cash.
I don't mind being surrounded by these burly men.
How are you planning to entertain me?
Stop.
Give her the 200 million.
Goodbye.
You successfully got your 50 million back.
Impressive. Congrats.
Come back anytime.
Putting on a brave face despite the heartache.
I do admire that in a man.
Heartache? Me? Why?
I didn't lose anything.
Am I wrong?
You have the 100 million you originally brought.
Half of the other 100 million belonged to the udon shop owner.
And the remaining 50 million belonged to me.
But actually,
that came from you too.
Which means, you didn't take any of my money.
You only took back the money I won.
We're both even.
Still, I'd like to thank you.
I haven't had such a fun game in a while.
Not to mention, it was all other people's money.
Thank you.
Get 200 million from your safe.
We're playing again.
You want me to invest?
It's probably another lousy business idea.
Okay, I'll think about it.
I'm gambling right now. I'll call you back.
Everyone wants a piece.
The poorer they are, the more they fixate on money.
How pitiful.
Are you saying you're different?
You can't invest if you're too greedy.
Wanting to make more money to take back what was lost.
Those thoughts will only cloud your judgment.
The obsession for money, material things and people.
They all affect your luck negatively.
Are you regretting for not leaving when you had the chance?
I never regret anything.
Got a good hand?
Looks like my luck is coming back.
Maybe because of this amulet.
(Amulet)
Between you and I,
who will be the lucky one in the end?
Let's find out.
How disappointing.
What's this crap about luck?
Do you really believe in that?
Do you really think that luck was what made me strong?
Disappointing.
I feel like I've just been ridiculed.
You...
can never beat me.
I might as well tell you...
why do I seem to have such good luck.
I grew up poor.
My dad's company went bankrupt and our house was razed by a fire.
I was kicked out of school because of trouble my friend caused.
At that time, I felt like I was the unluckiest person on earth.
I had my heart set on joining the triad.
But a person I knew told me this.
Nobody is born lucky.
There is only one thing to determine success.
Do what you have to do.
That's all.
Do what you have to do?
Establish connections with people that benefit you.
Get rid of useless so-called friends.
Do your research before attempting anything.
Be prepared for anything and everything.
That's how you succeed.
And naturally, good things will come your way.
I changed my life with my own two hands.
Only people who fail blame it on such a thing called luck.
Carrying around an amulet as if God is with you?
How useless.
People who jump head first while believing in superstition...
are all garbage.
Did you say I took away your luck?
What a joke. It's because you didn't do your job properly.
It's only natural for you to lose...
and be destined for an ill-fated life.
That's what you call humans.
They grasp at straws when they're in trouble.
They jump head first,
but still forge ahead.
That's how humans are.
That's why you people are pathetic.
It's a misunderstanding.
How depressing.
Kneel before the depressing life then.
Full house.
Royal straight flush.
You cheated! How did you do it?
Calm down, woman. It's not okay to point fingers.
Do you have proof?
Miss Conman, who has swifter hands than the udon shop owner?
You did do what you had to do, although it was still lacking.
You predicted it all.
Compared to me,
you've prepared more thoroughly.
That's right.
I've imagined all the possible scenarios.
Take this mansion for example.
There is a secret escape route just in case.
Also, if there's any danger,
my friend in the police department will notify me.
Like this.
(Police is coming.)
I'm not sure if it was the physician or the advertiser...
who called the police.
You're smart, Miss Conman.
- You should go! - No.
Don't move! We're the police.
It's 7:22am.
We're arresting you on suspicion of illegal gambling.
They're your people, right?
They work for you, right?
Dako.
I'm hungry.
Give me food.
Is it true? Was Dako arrested?
I think she was caught while gambling.
That idiot.
She asked me to wait here for her.
Dako.
Boku.
Richard.
Were you released?
I had a fake identification document with me.
They thought I was a normal office lady who lost her judgment.
They let me go after a scolding.
Thank goodness.
But...
the real police are very scary.
The time in the cell was hard.
The meal was bad and there was no dessert.
You can't surf erotic websites.
That's why we warned you.
You look pretty terrible yourself, Boku.
Things didn't go too well.
I was beaten up pretty good.
And you, Richard?
My dream of an old-age relationship...
crumbled together with my pride as a conman.
I'm really depressed right now.
Looks like all three of us went through some tough times.
Well then.
Let's see how this all ends.
You cheered up quickly.
Now, will it be good or bad?
Let's go!
What a weirdo.
Big catch!
Go!
What you see is not necessarily the truth.
(A few weeks before)
Calling for a disbandment is pointless anyway.
But...
I'm still going to say it.
We're disbanding!
(Akutsu Akira)
(Ex-girlfriend?)
Monaco.
Can I ask you a favor?
Excuse me for the intrusion.
Dako's proudest pupil, Monaco, is back!
Good job.
Good job too, Esuke.
(Esuke)
I've checked everything.
The woman in this photo is called Watanabe Wakaba.
She did date Akutsu before.
Currently, she is running a dodgy asset management company.
She supposedly has about 100 million in savings.
Very detailed findings.
I've also discovered something interesting.
The man from the screw company gave her a lot of money.
Clearly, she's a seasoned honey trapper.
She runs a ramen shop and seduces helpless men...
to cheat them of their money...
and then disappear, like a hermit crab.
She's currently casting her net at a seaside town.
Okay, I got it.
(To Richard)
(To Boku)
She asked me to pass it to you.
She is hoping you'd help her take on Akutsu...
Did she think I'd agree whole-heartedly?
What a joke.
Tell her this for me. I'm not her pet dog.
You need to stop listening to her too.
Stop it.
Akutsu harmed so many people.
Because he took everything away,
the owner of a world-renowned factory killed himself.
She felt bad because she couldn't do anything.
I said stop.
She would do it alone if she had to.
Are you just going to watch her die?
I don't need the letter. I remember it all in my head.
What?
Boku!
I'm not saying I'm doing it.
I'm just going to confirm whether they are truly bad.
Still, I want you to tell her that I'm not her pet dog.
Monaco.
You should stay away from her.
Of course, you wouldn't need the letter.
It's a win-win situation, Richard.
That woman is supposedly a ravishing beauty.
Don't make a fool of adults.
That's not the reason.
Be careful not to invest true feelings.
- Good morning. - Good morning.
Can you come and help?
I'm pretending to be a local helpless damsel in debt.
Yes.
Looks like someone is about to take the bait.
See you then.
Hello.
Welcome. What would you like today?
I'll have a miso ramen.
Okay.
One miso ramen.
President, a moment please.
Drink up.
This is bad.
I found where the gold bars are stashed.
It's nearby.
Time to investigate.
It says there are 50 bars in total.
How much are 50 bars worth?
That must be around 200 kilograms.
According to the current market price,
that's three billion yen.
- Let's get moving! - All right!
(Omokage)
- Thank you. - Thank you for your patronage.
Did you find the well?
There is an old well.
But there's no way to get inside.
If it's 200 kilograms, we'll need an excavator.
This shop doesn't seem to be doing well.
I should be able to buy it for 100 million.
How pitiful you are.
This actually happened to Richard.
Excuse me.
I'm sorry, we're closed today.
It's not that.
I actually came to buy this shop.
So I'm wondering if you're interested in selling it.
I don't own this shop.
Please check with the owner.
All the land here once belonged to my grandpa.
But my dad sold it all off.
I couldn't believe it.
He has no respect for the ancestral land.
So frustrating.
My grandpa in the sky would be crying.
That's why I'll never sell the land I have inherited.
- I'll pay whatever the amount. - It's not about money.
Even if it's 100 or 200 million, I'll never sell it.
Why do we keep meeting such people?
After much persuasion,
she finally agreed to sell for 600 million.
What? 600 million? You've got to be kidding me.
But the gold bars will fetch us three billion.
I for one, don't plan to do this stupid job forever.
I've been with a lot of powerful men, you know.
- Am I right, Oguchi? - That's right!
My time isn't over yet.
I will climb to the top again.
I'll get it even if I have to borrow money.
You want me to invest?
It's probably another lousy business idea.
It's different this time.
You'll be thanking me later.
Okay, I'll think about it.
I'm gambling right now. I'll call you back.
Will he give us the money?
What a stingy guy.
These are what you found?
They look like the real thing.
I'm sure the gold bars are there too.
I have to buy that piece of land first.
I'll give 100 million and you, 500 million.
We'll divide the gold bars in half.
Are you kidding me? That's five to one.
But I'm the one who found this lead.
You get four to two.
You're still as greedy as ever.
The little gangster who was in a rut.
Who was it that helped you get to where you are today?
You were groveling in dirt before.
You always blamed it on bad luck.
I was the one who taught you the way.
Luck has nothing to do with it.
Do what you have to do.
Did you forget?
All right then. I happened to win some today.
Your usual trick again?
No way.
Between you and I,
who will be the lucky one in the end?
Let's find out.
The cards in my hand were a jack and queen of spades.
The other three were useless.
For sure, I'd switch out the three cards.
Guess what I got.
A royal straight flush.
Fair and square.
The opponent cheated. I didn't, but I won.
The look on her face was priceless.
That's amazing.
It must be your lucky day today.
Lucky day?
- Me? - That's right.
Both you and I are on a lucky streak today.
I am lucky.
Yes, that's right. I'm lucky.
- Lucky! - That's right.
I'm so lucky! Yes.
Will it be good or bad?
Let's go!
What a weirdo.
Big catch!
(Present)
Let's go.
Time to find out the result.
Awesome!
Welcome to my home.
My dear muses.
Welcome back.
We helped ourselves.
Akutsu and Wakaba happily handed over 600 million.
I'm buying this piece of land. Sign it quickly.
As such, the initial 50 million that was taken...
and the money used to buy the land and antiques have been recovered.
We also got the 300 million we targeted from his safe.
Yes!
Justice!
- Cheers! - Cheers!
We used Namiko, the poor widow as bait,
and presented it to Akutsu...
with the help of Wakaba, the bygone mistress.
We let Akutsu win the poker games...
to get his guard down and divert his attention.
With some clever planning,
we made him believe it was his lucky day.
In the end, he got played by luck itself.
Great job.
You baited both of them at the same time.
You're amazing. You're a genius!
I think you're right.
Thank you for the great food as always.
But Boku, it was mean of you to keep me in the dark.
Sorry. I thought if you knew too much,
you'd be implicated by the jinx, Dako, too.
By the way, where is Igarashi?
Igarashi?
I forgot about him.
Now that you mention it, Igarashi is not here.
He has some prior records. He'll be in the cell for some time.
That's true.
It's still better than being killed by Akutsu, I guess.
The food in jail is good for weight loss anyway.
This is delicious.
I must say, Namiko is a great woman.
I told you to put the seat back in its original position.
Sorry.
Here you go.
Is it okay to accept this much?
That old man actually gave me all 50 million.
He didn't leave any.
That factory owner only gave me five million in the past.
- What? - What's this?
- What's wrong? - What...
Look.
What?
I need the land where your shop is,
so you had to go.
There's 300,000 yen here.
Please forgive me.
Namiko.
The time I spent running the shop with you was wonderful.
I mean it.
Though you have no confidence in your ramen,
I still think they can sell.
Here is the recipe for the dandan noodles.
You might have lied about your background,
but I believe you were telling the truth about your family.
As long as you lead an honest life,
Lady Luck will bless you.
Chen.
I have to say the honey trapper's plan was done well.
She actually opened a ramen shop in order to bait preys.
Maybe it really was her dream to open a ramen shop.
If she had met the right person,
she could have stopped conning people.
The two of them would lead an honest life together.
Too bad I wasn't the right one.
So you did invest true feelings.
I'm guessing Wakaba and Akutsu...
must be digging for the gold that doesn't exist right now.
If Akutsu is lucky,
he might find a hot spring or oil.
There's nothing.
It won't be so easy to dig up.
We need to dig deeper. This is the right spot.
Dig.
So tired.
Akutsu said he doesn't believe in luck.
Obsession causes one's luck to disappear.
Do what you have to do.
He said that's how you succeed.
- That makes sense. - Perhaps.
Humans will never be able to get rid of obsessions.
(This is the true value of the belongings.)
Obsessing about things that matter is what makes us human.
So does holding on to things we have lost.
Three dandan noodles, please.
Sure, coming right up.
Three dandan noodles.
Toss the wok!
We keep persevering,
all in the hopes that Lady Luck would bless us once more.
That's what humans do.
I thought I was going to die.
We almost got buried alive.
That's because you kept asking me to dig.
There was nothing.
Give me back my 500 million!
I have invested 100 million too!
- Stop it, President! - Stop!
President!
My luck is terrible after all.
Go cleanse your karma.
I think I need an amulet.
It's because of perseverance that makes us humans adorable.
You could say that.
You.
What are you doing?
I should be asking you that.
What are you doing in my shop?
Mom?
Kouta?
This is the one. Give me one more fish cake.
Sir.
Where did you go?
Everyone was against the new management's ways.
They resigned and came over to me.
We're going to start a new factory together.
I also got an anonymous donation.
This is just the beginning.
I thought you died or something.
Right, I haven't seen that lady who likes the fish cakes.
She just left. She came to return something.
Your fish cake. Thanks for waiting.
And mayonnaise too.
Are you kidding me? Fish cake with mayonnaise?
Just shut up and try it.
Don't be bound by the norm.
Right?
By the way, Dako.
I know things went according to what you've planned.
But thinking about it in detail,
was there a need for me to pretend to have been tricked by Namiko?
- What's the point? - I wonder too.
There were many useless points in the plan.
Like retrieving the tea set and necklace.
I wouldn't have gotten beat up if not for that.
Was that part of her plan too?
Yes.
I've given them the records.
My job is done. I'm leaving.
Retrieve the tea set and necklace.
I spent a whole lot on them.
Seriously.
Little Beard.
Let's wrap it up. Clear the house.
I'll go back with the tea set and necklace.
What do you mean useless?
That was the most important point.
That's why I asked you to.
Hello, this is Omokage Asset Management.
I'm your neighbor.
There's a suspicious man sneaking around your warehouse.
- What? - What?
Wait a minute.
- You're kidding. - Of course not.
I called the police myself to get arrested.
- What? - What?
Why?
What do you mean?
Because of this.
"The God of Plague is here."
"Nothing is going your way."
"Being overly greedy will be detrimental."
"You will crash and burn before you rise."
That means, I was bound to fail this time.
That's why I added them into the plan from the beginning.
- Added what? - Failures.
"You will crash and burn before you rise."
That means you will be able to change your luck...
after you fall.
Boku got beaten up.
Richard got tricked by Namiko.
I got arrested.
With that,
they would think we were defeated, right?
"They"?
God.
"God"?
Are you saying that you purposely planned the failures...
in order to improve your luck?
In order to trick God?
That's correct.
Now, Richard, please read my fortune.
"The Sun."
It represents good fortune.
This is the divination I drew at the cafe just now.
It's a good fortune.
Excellent.
My luck has returned.
We're back in business!
A woman who loves good luck...
- and has its blessings... - Hold up.
So I got beaten up for such a dumb reason?
Don't underestimate divination.
You said it yourself.
That it's a product of human intelligence.
That's why I did as told.
- As expected. - That's nothing to shout about.
So this was all about fortune and divination?
I can't believe it.
Boku.
Just think of it as Dako's unique way of thinking.
You got lucky, Richard.
It was just a fling for you.
Our scenarios were way different.
It hurts, doesn't it?
To be beaten up like that.
Now, now.
Stop it, mudskipper!
All right. Now that our luck has returned,
it's time to go catch more fishes.
I've already found a suitable catch.
An immoral entertainment promoter from Southeast Asia,
Huo Nan Shen.
I'm going to be a Japanese idol,
so you guys will be my producers.
An idol?
I already have the song and dance prepared.
If it is true love
No way. It's too forced.
Best not to force yourself.
Monaco, come.
I'm here.
Teach me.
Monaco, don't listen to her.
This will never work. We're disbanding.
This time, we're disbanding for real.
My little Dako!
- You were here, Igarashi! - You were here, Igarashi!
(The Fortune, End)
(This is a work of fiction)