Chapter 28 Section VII

Riichi Shimamura entered a bar he frequented.It is located in the basement of a building in Tamura-cho.The entrance is not conspicuous, because there is a membership system here, and ordinary guests are not accepted. There are only two seventeen or eight-year-old, completely childish girls serving tea and wine to the guests.But the bartender is a veteran in this industry for thirty years, with gray hair and a big belly.Therefore, a novelist Shimamura knew well once said that seeing the bartender wearing an apron is like entering a German bar. The regular visitors here are nothing but writers, musicians, painters, and journalists.Among them, there are both individual members and members who joined collectively in the name of newspapers and magazines.The environment here is quiet.Since we don't accept strangers, we can always meet some acquaintances every time we go.This has become everyone's fun, and some people are willing to come in and have fun even if they don't drink.

"welcome!" Shimamura saluted with pleasant eyes, and looked inside.Against the wall, four or five magazine people were drinking. "What do you want?" Shimamura ordered drinks from the bartender.He was about to sit down when the waitress came up and said: "Shimamura-kun, it's been a long time." She talked and laughed. "For about ten days, I didn't go anywhere." "Are you on a business trip?" "No, it's not." Shimamura himself thought about the reason why he hadn't gone anywhere for ten days. One of the people drinking at the table by the wall spotted Shimamura and waved to him.

Seeing that Shimamura was still standing still, the man deliberately got up from his seat and came over to call him. "Shimamura-kun, it's boring to drink alone over there! Come and join us!" "I don't think you seem to be honest people, you are hiding here on purpose!" Finally, Shimamura walked over to the table over there with his wine glass in hand. Magazine editors greeted him with smiles. "Long time no see." The first to speak was an old editor.It seems that the wine is half drunk. "Any interesting news?" "It seems not."

Saying that, Shimamura sat down on the chair with his legs spread apart. "I would like to ask a question. You all gathered here, did you just finish the meeting?" "no." Another person answered. "It's a continuation of the editorial meeting." "Hey, that's a strange thing to open in a place like this." "Everyone has come up with a lot of good ideas, but we are at a loss. We want to sit here for a while, maybe some new ideas will emerge." "Yamanaka-kun!" A young man said to the senior who was speaking, "Shimamura-kun knows a lot, how about asking him for advice?"

"That's right." The old editor said, "Shimamura-kun is just right. No, it would be impolite to say it's just right. It should be said that there may be some kind of fate to meet here." "I don't know what you are going to say, but I am ignorant." Shimamura picked up the wine glass filled with ice cubes and brought it to his mouth at an angle. "The thing is, we have a plan now, but we're not sure if it will work. Maybe you can help us." "I'm really at a loss. Can such an important plan be disclosed to me?" "Although you say you belong to the newspaper, your mouth is tight." The young editor said with a smile, "Yanzhong-kun, you can speak quickly..."

"Okay!... Shimamura-kun, that's how it is." As he spoke, he raised his body and pulled the chair forward a little, and sat down again.The rest, some smoking, some sipping wine, seem to be listening to the speech in the mountains. "It's about the ink art of Katsuko Takimura and Fumiko Hisai. As you know, they have a tense relationship. They don't recognize each other's art, and they criticize each other... oh, it might be more hysterical to say that they abuse each other. Appropriate." "Not bad." Shimamura laughed, and the others followed suit.

"However, both of them are really talented. Therefore, we want to put their paintings together and hold an exhibition." "Extraction exhibition?" Shimamura tilted his head slightly and asked. "Can it be done?" "That's the problem. If I talk to Fumiichi Kui, she will definitely say that if I go with Takimura, I will definitely not do it. Takimura will also say the same." "That's true." "However, this is the interesting part. Because this is a two-person art exhibition that has never been possible in the past. Of course, it is not very interesting to just exhibit paintings, so I would like to ask the supporters of each to brighten the atmosphere. Regarding this point, Will let our magazine write articles to encourage it."

"Ah, what will happen?" "Is it difficult to achieve?" "No, it's not that difficult...isn't it meaningful?" "why?" Yamanaka felt a little uncomfortable because of the setback of his claim, and stared at Shimamura intently. "In today's Japanese modern ink painting world, when it comes to new female painters, they are the two of them. They are both beauties, and each has its own characteristics. It is also known in the society that the relationship between the two of them is incompatible. In the past, I have introduced them through photos. Their works are gathered together and exhibited in the form of a competition, but no one has ever done it. I think this form is acceptable.”

"To put it bluntly, is it to provoke a quarrel?" "No, the quarrel has already begun. Therefore, it should be said to provoke a fight?" "Oh, to put it bluntly, maybe so. The question now is whether it is possible for both parties to accept it. This is where we are troubled. Even if we go to one side to do work first, if we are flatly rejected , then everything will fall through. Can you think of a way to coax them to agree?" Shimamura thought for a moment and said: "I still don't think it makes sense." "Can't you?" "It's not a question of whether it's okay or not. Their paintings are no longer good...the two of them are criticizing each other, and what they say makes sense."

"...Then, our plan cannot be realized." The mountain was full of displeasure. "You" Shimamura took a sip of wine, and then said, "I don't think you have a deep understanding of modern ink painting. Whether it is Hisui or Takimura, I think it is outdated. Because both of them used the news to promote their fame. And the behind-the-scenes activities are quite exciting... Maybe there is no need to say these things, after all, they are people who are famous for their propaganda. As far as I can see, their paintings are just drawn by inspiration, neither concrete nor abstract thing."

"However, when it comes to avant-garde ink painting, isn't it just that kind of work?" The young editor interjected from the sidelines. “This may be the case at the moment. However, a new ink art of the future has already broken ground. It is not known how long the same works will last, but the harbinger of its decline is already obvious.” "What an interesting insight!" Shanzhong said. "Is there anything specific about the new ink art you mentioned?" "some." Shimamura replied slowly, seemingly confidently. "Oh... that's what Shimamura-kun, who is proficient in art in the Arts Department of L Newspaper, said. It's so interesting!" said another editor. "You mean a genius has emerged?" "Whether it is a genius or not, there will be a public opinion in the future. I think at least there are new things compared to the two female painters now." "It's some inexplicable, non-painting things, right?" "No. That kind of painting is neither ink painting nor anything else, just imitating the abstraction of recent general paintings. It is occasionally seen by some foreigners who don't understand the tradition of ink painting and take it as an oriental style. The art of the country is treasured. Besides, some of its supporters are nothing more than booing." "This point has become common sense to some people. The question is what is the real new ink painting? It's not enough to just talk about it, you have to come up with specific works." "I think I will meet you with such specific works soon." "Who is this artist?" This sentence aroused everyone's interest.It is clear to everyone that Shimamura is not a casual talker, and he has done a lot of research on ink painting in the past. "You are still very young, less than twenty years old!" Shimamura's words came to an abrupt end, because everyone's eyes turned to the entrance of the bar.Shimamura had his back to the entrance, so he didn't know who came in.All I heard was the bartender shouting "Welcome, welcome!" Shimamura wanted to continue talking, but the person opposite stopped him with his eyes.It dawned on him; these were the words one didn't want newcomers to hear. Shimamura brought the wine glass to his lips.The editors returned their gazes to the table and picked up their cups one after another, all with strange expressions on their faces. Shimamura was no stranger to the voice of the visitor, it was hoarse and hoarse like a broken gong.At first, Shimamura was a little confused, but he soon figured out who it was.It turned out to be the one who was famous for his avant-garde ikebana.He often takes his works to the United States and Europe for exhibition tour. It is only natural for everyone to stop Shimamura from continuing to talk.Because the visitor was Fukai Yanagi who supported Takimura Kasukiko. No, not only Fukai came in, but also Takimura Katoshiko who was talking about it.Shimamura learned of this because a woman's voice came from behind him: "Waiter, please make me some cocktails!" Shimamura couldn't help but chuckle.The group of people in front of them were enthusiastically talking about holding the art exhibition of Takimura Kazuko and Hisai Fumiko just now, but now that the person concerned, Kojuko, has arrived, they are all speechless. "How is the business? Recently." Behind him, Fukai said to the bartender.Then came the answering voice of the gray-haired bartender.Deep Well's hoarse voice stood out. Shen Jing began to talk about the tasting of foreign wine.This is the knowledge he gained from traveling around the world.Ke Shouzi's voice could not be heard, which meant that she was drinking in silence.No, there was another reason for Shouko's silence, which Shimamura knew well, and she also noticed that Shimamura was here.I probably came in unprepared, so I was taken aback. Shen Jing also has a lot of friends in the press, but he doesn't seem to have any deep friends with the people present at the magazines.None of them came forward to chatter. But Shen Jing had estimated that the group sitting in the corner was either from the magazine or the newspaper.Therefore, not to be outdone, he raised his voice. The editors were all inexplicably silent.Shen Jing seemed to realize that this was obviously related to him, so he spoke more vigorously. Suddenly Shenjing's hoarse voice disappeared. Shimamura stubbornly maintained his original posture without turning his head. There was the sound of leather shoes behind him.Shen Jing seems to have gone to the toilet. "waiter!" After a long time, I finally heard Ke Shouzi's low voice again. "Come here!" But Shimamura couldn't figure out what Shouko was doing, he just felt that he was catching her movement with his whole back. "Don't be so drunk!" Shimamura broke the silence and said to Yamanaka, "Recently, magazines have gradually raised their prices. I heard that if you don't sell a certain number of copies, you will lose money." "That's the thing." Yamanaka said with a sigh of relief, "It's getting more and more difficult now, and it can't be as easy as it used to be. The economy has also stipulated corresponding standards. Therefore, we are often attacked by business. It's exhausting." As soon as the conversation started, the people next to him also chattered.After a while, it seemed that Shen Jing had returned.There were hoarse voices in the room again. "Hey, it's time to go!" He said to Ke Shouzi who came with him. "it is good." Ke Shouzi answered in few words. "Oh, are you going back?" said the bartender. "Come back later." Shenjing's words seem to be intended for the editors to listen to, and it sounds like there is a subtext; everyone from the avant-garde school of ikebana came here, but the editors didn't come forward to speak, it's really unreasonable! "Then, please come later!" The footsteps gradually receded, as if they had reached the stairs leading to the first floor. "As soon as there is rain," an editor immediately said a Japanese proverb, "then there is wind. But this time it is not the wind, but the person himself." Everyone burst into laughter.Immediately afterwards, "What is he like that!" said a young man, "Look at his arrogant expression, it's almost like saying that I am Shenjing Liubei." "That guy is not boasting. Therefore, if we don't come forward to talk, he probably finds it boring, so let's go back! Taking Keshouzi around, it seems that he is very proud!" "I'm sorry!" Shimamura said, "I made an appointment with someone to go to another place, so I'm leaving." "just now……" Still remembering the previous conversation, Yamanaka seems to want to keep him. "Did Shimamura-kun discover that genius girl?" "That's it!" Shimamura stood up and replied, "It will be announced to everyone soon. Well, please wait patiently!" "If you need to be introduced in the monthly magazine, please contact us first." "Just do it!" There was another burst of laughter.Shimamura turned his head and walked towards the counter. "Please!" The bartender delivered it in a tea-brown envelope along with the bill.Nothing was written on the cover. "what?" Shimamura asked after signing the bill. "Just now, Mr. Takimura said..." The bartender craned his neck and whispered in a voice inaudible to those sitting in the corner. "Please give this to Mr. Shimamura." Shimamura wanted to open it to have a look, but he stuffed it back into his pocket untouched. "goodbye!" The waitress walked him all the way down the stairs. Shimamura came to the ground, went under the light of the store sign, and took out the envelope.He opened the half-folded letter paper, on which he wrote hastily in pencil: "I must talk to you. Please wait for me at the Green Grass Bar in the back street of Ginza at nine o'clock." Shimamura tore up the letter with his hands.Debris was carried by the wind into the shadow of the building. Shimamura is waiting for Kotoko at the "Green Grass" bar.It was almost nine thirty, and thirty minutes had passed. "Shimamura-kun," a girl came to report, "Your call...is from a woman." Ke Shouko's voice came from the receiver: "I'm nearby. Can I come out?" "What's the matter here?" "I don't want to drink anymore. It's just that I couldn't think of a place to meet, so I invited you there..." "He's back?" "Why do you still have to ask about this kind of thing? I sent him away early." Shimamura drank the remaining wine in his glass.