A Villain's Family Circumstances
Cast:
Girinma, Kamaki Rintarou – age 23
Hamura Kaneda – Girinma's cousin – age 22
April, 2004
A wirey man wearing a suit and a bowler returns to his apartment to see a man with a packed suitcase. The other has unkempt brown hair and a goatee, and quickly greets the first as the door opens.
"Well, cousin, you should be glad to know: I found a place, so I'm moving out."
The salaryman's eyes narrow. "Kaneda, as if you have anyplace else to go. What brought this on?"
"For one thing, I don't like you. Also, you don't like me."
"Yes, but what of it? You are family and I am your elder. I have a measure of responsibility for your well being."
"My well being? My well being? Try thinking about yourself, first, Rintarou! You work in a sweatshop!"
"Nightmare is not a sweatshop!"
"Right. Sure, it's not. On call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, no overtime ever, your boss doesn't even know your name, gives you a nickname that sounds like some cheap toku villain, and you just roll with it. How is that not a sweatshop, Girinma? How are you not a perfect corporate slave?"
"It's not a bad nickname. The rest isn't as bad as you think."
"Look, I didn't start this conversation just to argue with you. I need to leave to do my own thing, and you need for me to leave so you can think about how shitty your situation is without a freeloader holding you down."
"And I suppose you plan to support yourself by painting? Cousin, you'll end up right back here, a typical starving artist."
"Hey, give me some credit. I do want to sell my paintings eventually, but for now..." Kaneda produces a flyer for a well-known fast food chain. "I'll be working at the Mag."