Chapter Seven Going for World Champion
One day, Nicole gave me a call. “What’s the matter? There’s a new movie coming up, aren’t you going to star in it?“
"Nicole, I’m not as strong as I used to think I was. I can’t be a big star."
"You don’t need to be strong to become a star. All you need is love and support. C’mon Mikako, you can do it."
I decided to go to the U.S. again. How many times have I gone there? How many times have I tried and failed?
The movie Nicole was talking about was about a couple that got divorced. In the end, they got married again. I couldn’t help thinking that it was like my current state and felt some pain in my heart, but I got the role anyway and did my best to act well in it.
I also spoke with Ryo on the telephone. It has been a month since we last talked.
Ryo was mad at me. “Why did you come to Japan without telling me?”
I grew angry myself. “That’s because you told me not to come.” Tears welled in my eyes. “Don’t you love me? How could you, when we even made a child together...”
“I’m sorry. It was my fault. Please forgive me.”
My heart jolted by those words. I felt this was the moment we may get divorced or not.
I honestly answered, “I don’t know.”
“After you finish acting in the movie, let’s spend some time together in Japan. Let’s start ovèr. I love you and I promise I’ll make you happy. So please.”
“Why didn’t you say so in the first place?”
“That’s because I wanted you to experience some work. But I think you’ve experienced enough, so you can come home now.”
“What makes you the boss?”
This was how our conversation went, but I decided to go back to Japan after starring in the movie and start over with Ryo.
“Mikako, you should pursue big dreams.”
Ryo told me inside the bed.
“I’m still afraid and worried about many things.”
“You can call me anytime. I’m always on your side.”
'I wish you’d stay closer to me,' I thought. But I couldn’t say it out loud.
Our second child was born. She was a girl, and we named her Rin. I wanted her to grow up stronger than I was.
Rin was a kind and gentle girl, and during elementary school she was sometimes bullied by her friends. At those times, Ken, who was in middle school, would rush over to protect her.
I was so worried that I couldn’t concentrate in work.
However, Rin grew stronger and started going to a music school and inviting friends to her house. She was also very smart.
Rin went to the medical faculty, and Ken started working in a foreign owned company.
At that point, I decided to go back to the U.S. and become a great star.
If I acted in normal romance or comedy movies, I would lose against younger people. I thought that I should train myself to become an action movie star.
Ryo was very supportive. “I’ll take care of our children, so you can focus on becoming a star.” He said that and kissed me.
I went to a gym to become stronger and received advice from Kevin, who was a professional martial arts player and had a third dan in karate.
In order to become a strong mother, I ran and fought and didn’t cry even when I got injured. I chose this occupation instead of a doctor or writer. I was determined to become strong.
I played in competitions. I sometimes lost and felt vexed. Otherwise, I won and regained confidence. I somehow managed to get first dan in karate.
However, Kevin told me, “You have to be a lot stronger to become an action movie star.” He told me to get first place in a competition.
For years, I kept going to a karate gym. Kevin was good at teaching and was also a nice person. I knew that I didn’t have much talent in karate, but I tried hard anyway.
In Japan, Ken got married and Rin graduated medical school. Those were the only two times I went back to Japan.
I was almost fifty. I’ve lived half of my life. I wanted to win in a competition...
“Do you ever wonder why we have to try so hard to live?” I asked Kevin.
“To succeed, of course. Don’t I always tell you so?” answered Kevin.
“But why? I sometimes think the task is too hard.”
Kevin seemed to think for a moment. “Well, maybe to live a good afterlife.”
“What do you want to become after you die?”
“A frog. I want to jump from leaf to leaf on a pond.”
I came close to laughing. “A frog?”
“Yeah. What about you?”
“Uh... maybe a wind. I’d like to blow about freely in the air.”
Ken's wedding made me cry, but Rin's graduation ceremony for medical school was also very moving.
Rin’s classmate, who had the top grade, made a speech.
“Which is longer, the ten years in youth or the ten years in old age? Most people would think the ten years in youth is longer. If this dense period of time spent is called adolescence, I think it is possible to live in adolescence, regardless of the age.”
I felt very encouraged by this young man’s words.
Rin told me, “Mother, I’m going to do my best even if I’m ill, so I hope you can do well even if you have illness too.”
“Rin... You’re becoming a doctor.” I said as I cried. Ryo put his arm around my shoulder.
“Rin is going to follow me,” he said happily.
“When you become a doctor, you’ll know how the patients feel very well. Keep on pursuing your dreams.” I was half telling that to myself.
“Thanks, mother.” Rin seemed like the most beautiful doctor in the world to me.
With the body I trained for ten years, I managed to win the Californian competition. However, Kevin still told me to try harder.
I finally started playing in the world championship.
The opponent was a woman. Kevin told me to win in the women’s section of the world championship. I was desperate to complete this task. There was nothing other than that.
I didn’t think too much about who I was fighting for. I just did as Kevin told me to.
When I was 52, I finally won the world championship.
I was interviewed for a newspaper.
“Who's your favorite fighter?”
“Jackie Chan. He’s cool and he has a very warm personality.”
Kevin met my eyes and winked.
I was able to know for the first time how wonderful it felt to have my dream come true.
After that, I got a role of a mother who wanted to become a fighter but didn’t have much confidence, and started starring in movies again. My special pose was clenching my fist and winking. I did this pose at the end of every movie thereafter.
