Original subtitles

[♪ dramatic music sting]

[clinking]

[narrator] In baseball, soccer,

martial arts, combat sports,

mathematics,

science,

art,

music,

entertainment,

and all categories of every field, there are geniuses.

And of course, they exist in the underworld too.

This is a slightly eccentric tale of one of these men.

[♪ theme music playing]

The Fable

Moving

Damn it! Not now!

Come on, elevator!

- Don't panic. I'll buy us time. - [thug 1 whimpers]

Come on! We're so screwed!

[thug 2] Just calm down!

- [thug 1] Hurry up! - He won't get me that easi...

- [gunshot] - [grunts]

- [thug 1 gasps] - [body thuds]

Just one shot?

- [thug 1 breathing nervously] - [footsteps approaching]

[♪ suspenseful music playing]

[elevator dings]

- [grunts] - [gunshots]

[breathes nervously]

[♪ suspenseful music continues playing]

- [thug 1 panting] - [elevator whirring]

Is that the real Fable?

The hitman Fable?

That was close.

Th-This is so screwed!

[thug 1] I knew this would happen.

Because we started that human trafficking stuff,

now that hitman's coming after us.

Even the boss got killed.

[whimpers] No way I'm dying like that.

Yeah, that's great.

- Bring them all... - [silenced gunshot]

- [squelches] - [thugs exclaim]

[thugs exclaim, clamoring]

- Boss? - [thug grunts]

- [thugs groaning, grunting] - Huh?

[panicked scream]

Damn it. Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!

[dings]

Hey, Tanaka!

- [gasps] - [squelches]

[♪ tense music playing]

Hey!

Kill him. Take him out!

[shouting]

[thug 3 grunts]

[♪ dramatic music playing]

[shouts, grunting]

[thug 3 grunts]

[panting]

Don't mess with me!

[thug 3 grunts]

[grunts]

[body thuds]

[thug 1 groaning]

[in weak voice] Are you Fable?

[hitman] Tsk.

- You people made that name up for me. - [gun clicks]

I'm just a professional killer.

[silenced gunshot]

[assistant] Did it go okay?

I could hear gunshots.

It was those trigger-happy amateurs.

[Fable] Now turn on the TV.

Huh?

- The TV. - [beeps]

- [assistant] Oh. The usual? - Yeah.

[engine revving]

- [shouting on TV] - [laughing]

- [♪ comical music playing on TV] - Are you ready for this, Mr. Jackal?

Hey, I didn't know I'd be doing this!

Is this comedian Jackal Tomioka really that funny?

Jackal's the best, man! [laughing]

How can you laugh so much after just killing five or six people?

What's the big deal?

Hurry down to the dock, GPS chick. [laughing]

It's perfect-memory beautiful-woman car navigation system.

[Jackal hums]

[host] You're particularly adept at doing things in high places, right?

- You're Jackal, after all. - [inhales deeply]

Jackal only works at ground level!

Because I'm related to wolves.

[Jackal in shaky voice] Am I really going to jump from up here?

[host] Okay, let's go!

-[Jackal whimpering] - [host] Human darts!

Hit the bullseye and win 30,000 yen!

Jackal Tomioka 30,000 yen prize!!

[Jackal] Woosh!

[Jackal screaming]

- [Fable laughing hysterically] - [sirens blaring]

[water lapping]

[assistant] I disposed of the car.

[Boss] Good. You tired?

Not really.

I'm used to this.

That can lead to carelessness.

Oh, okay.

[Boss] Good. What about him?

Same as always.

He watched Jackal and laughed.

Same as always.

Oh. Jackal, huh?

[toilet flushing]

- [door closes] - Nice work.

Have a seat.

[Boss] The fish is done.

Oh. Fish again?

About today's job…

I already told him.

You know, unlike when I was working,

things have gotten tougher.

[sniffs]

There's those pesky security cameras everywhere.

We destroyed the cameras, every last one of them.

[groaning softly]

You've been doing this for six years.

Do you know how many

you've killed?

[Fable] No.

[Boss] Yakuza, politicians, doctors, company presidents, celebrities…

Most of our targets are big fish. That's why the price is high.

We've spent hundreds of millions this month alone

just on contacts and info brokers.

In the past six years, you've killed 71.

This year was especially busy.

- Hey. Here. - [assistant] Hmm?

I don't want it.

It's too hot.

Blow on it.

[assistant] Huh?

- [gasps] - [grunts]

[sighs, inhales sharply]

So, when's the next job?

[Boss] There isn't. We won't be taking jobs for a while.

We did too many this year.

We'll take a year off and lie low.

[Boss] Here.

This is the money you've earned.

You keep it now.

Oh, wow!

How much is in there?

I'm not sure. Probably close to 50 million.

How come mine's in a plastic shopping bag?

Lie low?

You mean hide?

Yep. They're fake,

but I'll get driver's licenses and insurance cards made.

[assistant] Where are we going to hide?

There's a group in Osaka I've had connections with for a long time.

[Boss] Well, they're yakuza…

Isn't it ready?

[Boss] I'll set things up with them

so there isn't any trouble between you.

Don't cause problems while you're lying low.

[blowing air]

If we're just lying low, why go all the way to Osaka?

You need to.

Experience starting over in an unfamiliar place.

If you learn to adapt, you'll become an even better pro.

A better pro, huh?

[Boss] It's important to be able to adapt to any environment and situation.

Turn into a totally ordinary person.

You can get work or do part-time jobs.

You can make friends.

You can even fall in love.

Learn how to live as an ordinary human.

[chuckles]

Sounds like lots of fun, huh, Fable?

Blend in as an ordinary person as part of being a pro hitman.

That does sound fun.

- [assistant] Here. - Hmm?

It's ready.

But if you kill anyone while you're on break,

I'll kill the both of you.

Right.

As a pro...

That's hot! [groaning]

All you're bringing is a backpack and the bag full of money?

I've had to move from place to place to get to each target.

Even so, you've got almost nothing.

- [Fable] Yeah. - [assistant] Boss gave me this.

[Fable] What is it?

[assistant] Your fake driver's license.

I've got your insurance card too.

Driver's License

[soft giggle]

[Fable] "Akira Sato."

So, that's my name, huh?

[assistant] You hide a gun there?

[Akira] What about that address?

Have we already got a place?

I don't know.

He said the group in Osaka would get us a place.

[Akira] By the way, what's your name?

[assistant] I'm Yoko Sato.

Sato?

Apparently, we're supposed to be siblings.

- Me and you? - [tape ripping]

[Akira] Boss is amusing himself at our expense.

Yeah, he was grinning.

Show me the photo on your driver's license.

No way!

Tsk. Put this in the microwave.

Why?

[fridge door opens]

I'm thirsty.

[Yoko] Do you have one for your sister?

[Akira] My "sister," huh?

What?

[Yoko] You hide bullets in that?

Get that spray can from over there,

sister.

- [Yoko] This? - Yeah.

[Akira] This is the barrel.

- Boss told us not to bring any guns. - [bullets clinking]

[Akira] That's why I'm getting them out.

I'll leave them in the microwave.

Boss will come pick them up tomorrow.

Only your Glock and PPK are in there. Where's your Nighthawk?

I put the barrel in.

I don't mean just the barrel.

Where's the gun body?

[Akira] You mean this?

You can't! Even disassembled, a gun is still a gun.

Without a barrel, a gun can't shoot.

The Nighthawk is my partner.

[Akira] I'm definitely bringing this.

Don't you understand what we'll be doing for the next year?

We're becoming ordinary people to hide our identities and live normal lives.

I understand that.

Akira Sato

Don't blame me if Boss gets mad.

[Akira] "Birthdate, April 1."

April Fool's Day.

The day of liars.

No, that's not it.

You're allowed to lie on that day.

We'll be living a life of lies anyway, so it's perfect.

Boss's humor.

Show me the birthday on your driver's license.

No way!

- Tsk. - [Yoko] Come on.

We're leaving.

We'll be in Osaka by morning.

- [door opens] - [annoyed grunt]

Shin-Meishin Expressway

Say, why'd you become a hitman, brother?

"Brother"? Tsk.

[Yoko] Hey, don't you "tsk" me.

We'll be living as siblings for a whole year, you know.

We need to start getting used to it right now.

Then what about you, sister?

What was it again? Yoko?

Were you Boss's lover or something?

No way! Don't tick me off like that.

When I was 10, my house burned down and my mom and dad died.

For some reason, Boss took me in.

He taught me all kinds of stuff since I was little.

Then all of a sudden, a year ago, he made me your assistant and driver.

Okay, I've told you my story.

Now it's your turn.

Me?

[Akira] I don't feel like it.

Not fair!

Then show me your driver's license.

[Yoko] No way!

[Akira] Then I won't talk.

[car doors close]

[Yoko] Huh? What is it?

[sighs]

Those two over there are car burglars.

Huh? Who? You can tell?

[Akira] Yeah. Their attitude and air.

Hmm… Anyway, don't cause any trouble, okay?

I'll keep an eye on the car just in case.

Get me a coffee after you're done in the restroom.

- Hot coffee? - [Akira] Make it cold.

No, that car's no good.

It's got a child seat in it. Learn to sniff out the money.

There's no point in looking in that old junker.

Hey, there's a bag with 50 million in it two cars down.

[Akira] That's right. That one.

You can smell the money, right? Smell it. Smell it.

Aw, too bad.

They're not pros.

[thug] Huh?

[annoyed grunt]

Let's not have any useless violence.

It won't do any good.

Just stand up, you punk.

[Akira] I'll stand up, but don't touch me.

If you're going to wuss out, then don't stare.

For starters, get out your wallet.

- [bone cracks] - [grunts]

[grunts]

[bodies thud]

[Yoko screaming]

[screaming continues]

It was just instinct.

Darn you! Didn't he just warn you yesterday?

They came at me first.

No excuses!

How can you pick on little wimp car burglars?

Not my fault. I only did it because they touched me.

[Yoko] Just get going! Forget about it.

- Hey, you punks. Say something. - [Yoko] Enough!

Don't look back!

[thugs groaning]

Tsk.

[Yoko] Get in! Now!

- [tires screech] - [engine revving]

[Yoko] Are you stupid?

The moment we try to become ordinary people, you do this?

[Akira groans] It's because I trained to take down any opponent

in under six seconds.

Who cares about that!

Are you going to harm everyone we meet like that?

I thought you were a pro!

Yeah, I'm a pro.

For the next year, if you go off over little things like that,

you'll end up killing someone.

Don't you understand that?

True…

Say, Yoko.

What?

You know, actually…

this may not be so easy.

[Yoko] We'll be in Osaka soon.

It's dawn.

[sighs] By the way, can you speak Kansai dialect?

I've mastered five languages, Kansai dialect, Hiroshima dialect,

Kyushu dialect, Tohoku dialect, and standard dialect.

Those are all Japanese.

Tsk. You have no idea just how useful that is, do you?

Never mind that. You've got to make it a habit to speak the dialect.

All I have to do is flip the switch in my head.

Is that so?

And your name is Akira Sato. Don't forget that.

[Akira] What's up with Maguro Group now?

[Yoko] Don't you know? You've worked with them.

That was three years ago.

I just did the hit, that's all.

Is that right? So you've never met them?

Why would I meet with the client? It just increases the risk.

[Yoko] There's about 20 people in the group.

They're the only yakuza in Asase-cho, Taihei, Osaka.

Their boss is Hiroshi Hamada, age 53. He's their fourth-generation boss.

He succeeded as boss two years ago.

Their captain is Takeshi Ebihara, age 38.

He's a hardcore bruiser with five previous convictions.

Those two are the only ones who know about our situation.

[confused exclaim]

- [♪ quirky music playing] - [groaning softly]

[awkward grunt]

That flipped the switch.

Aren't you coming?

- Are you sure that'll work? - [car door closes]

[in Kansai dialect] Get a move on.

The heck are we?

[Akira] The heck am I here for? The heck are we doing?

- [Yoko] That's perfect! - [Akira] Damn straight it's perfect.

[Yoko] Let's go in here.

[Akira in normal voice] Why?

[Yoko] You need to get clothes, brother.

You can't wear that black V-neck T-shirt.

Oh?

You've got to change the first impression you'll make.

Oh.

Maguro

Boss,

should we be doing this?

Doing what?

I know we've worked with them since the last boss,

but should we really be harboring that freelance hitman punk?

I'll agree, it's not ideal.

It's like swimming with a shark without having a cage.

Maybe so, but Fable's more like a wild killer whale.

Well, well. My captain, Ebihara thinks that highly of him, huh?

I know lots of dangerous people.

But this guy…

Listen, Ebihara.

This shark or killer whale or whatever, he won't frighten us.

Let him swim free.

[♪ closing theme music playing]

Next Episode A Wonderful Night

Translated by Brian Athey