Arthur felt that something was missing, so after finishing his classes he decided not to go to the club, but instead to feel the vibe of Tokyo and its neon nights. When he left the high school, he felt the freedom he needed. Walking along, he noticed how alive the city was at that hour—almost nightfall. With a smile, Arthur watched groups of young people playing arcade games like Tetris and Mario Bros. Arthur didn't want to erase those games from history, but he remembered that the company behind Mario would become greedier with every release. He wanted to save at least one of their games, leaving only the one that brought them the most money.
When Arthur entered the arcade, the first thing he noticed was the long line of young people enjoying games he had completely forgotten about. But Arthur didn't feel like playing; after noticing the stares, he decided to leave. A particular girl, however, didn't stop looking at him. This made Arthur uncomfortable—he remembered that Japan in the 1980s wasn't as peaceful as it would become in later years. Walking calmly, Arthur entered a restaurant. The first thing he noticed was that everything was written in Japanese. He could read a few words on the sign but not the rest. Feeling remorseful under the gaze of the customers, he left the restaurant.
As he walked out, he heard laughter from inside, but it didn't matter, because the girl who had followed him was now staring at him intently. "It's rare to see a foreigner around here," she said in a threatening tone, pointing at Arthur. "What are you doing here, kid?" The girl's behavior made Arthur think she belonged to some gang; it didn't surprise him, but it did leave him stunned. Thinking he was scared, the girl came closer, looked him in the eyes, and without another word punched him in the stomach.
The people passing by were shocked but assumed it was just a lovers' quarrel, so they didn't intervene. Arthur bent over in pain, in shock from the hit. "When I ask, you answer," the girl said, expecting him to speak. But Arthur said nothing, just looked thoughtfully at the passersby. The girl, surprised, stepped closer again.
Having learned his lesson, Arthur backed away, but the girl chased him. What she didn't know was that Arthur was thinking about why she would attack a foreigner so directly—he remembered that Japanese people were usually polite and would "stab you in the back" instead. He had learned that from a Japanese friend who taught him how not to look like an idiot and not let people take advantage of him.
Before he could escape, Arthur bumped into someone. The girl came closer, but the person he had bumped into exclaimed, "Arthur! What are you doing around here so late?" It was his principal, Ryo Minobe, the director of Azabu University High School.
The girl froze when she saw Ryo and tried to leave, but Ryo quickly grabbed her. "Ah, I see—you met the Tigress, Kyouka Tachibana." Laughing, Ryo looked at Arthur. "So, what did this young lady do to you?"
Arthur told him everything that had happened. After listening carefully, Ryo looked thoughtful. "Well, Arthur, this girl studies at Azabu University High School too, but she didn't join any club. That's why she comes to that arcade every afternoon you mentioned." Kyouka gave Arthur a cold look. Ryo noticed and gently patted her head. "Alright, young lady, this boy is under my protection. Why did you hit him out of nowhere?"
Kyouka whispered something only Ryo could hear. He sighed. "Well, Arthur, the truth is that this girl hates foreigners. When she saw a defenseless young man, she couldn't resist. But don't worry—she's not part of the Yakuza, though her father is. She's always wanted to join, which only angers her father."
Kyouka lowered her head, saying nothing. "Well, Director, I guess she hit me because she hates foreigners? That doesn't make sense," Arthur said. Ryo laughed. "Believe me, Arthur, to her it does. Anyway, you should go home—it's getting late." Arthur nodded.
Looking at the girl, he noticed that she was actually crying, though Ryo's embrace kept her from leaving. Arthur said goodbye and walked away.
"Alright, young lady, stop crying," Ryo said gently. "Your father asked me to take you home. You never come back early, and your mother worries." Kyouka didn't look at him; she just stayed silent. Ryo sighed, let go of her, and when she looked down at his shoes, she finally followed him home.
Arthur wouldn't know about that. Back home, he greeted his mother and went straight to the bathroom to take a shower. When he undressed, he noticed a bruise on his stomach. Shocked by the girl's strength, he pushed the thought aside and stepped into the shower. It had been a strange day—being punched for no reason while trying to clear his mind.
During dinner, his mother Yumi noticed how distracted he was. "Arthur, are you alright?" she asked with concern. Arthur looked at her, confused. "What would you do if a stranger hit you on the street and no one helped you?"
Yumi was startled. "Someone hit you, Arthur?" Realizing what he had just said, Arthur tried to change the subject—and succeeded. But Yumi grew even more worried. When Arthur finished eating and went to his room, she picked up the phone and called her brother, Masato.
Lying in bed, staring at the ceiling, Arthur was confused about how fast everything had happened. With a sudden creak of the bed, he got up, sat at his desk, and began to write a novel—Love Letter. Arthur remembered it had been published along with a film, but he decided to write the novel first, then think about making the movie.
Just as he began, a sharp headache hit him, leaving him sweating. He wrote something but could only remember the beginning of the novel. Surprised, Arthur thought, My golden finger won't disappear… will it? With that thought, he lay down to sleep.
Arthur found himself in a dark room where a movie was playing. First, it was about a dog and its owner, then a love story. Arthur realized it was the movie Love Letter. But the one about the dog—he didn't remember it clearly until he saw that it was an Akita Inu. Hachikō Monogatari, he realized.
With that thought, Arthur woke up and, realizing it was a dream, rushed to his desk to write down the script for Hachikō Monogatari before he forgot it, and then the script for Love Letter. He still didn't remember the novel well, so he decided to use the script as a base to write the book first, then direct the film.
Looking at all he had written and feeling a pain in his wrist, Arthur realized his golden finger had changed. He could still remember his past life, but not as easily as before—only through his dreams did he receive more information to bring into reality. This will still help, he thought. Although he didn't yet understand how it worked, it was better than losing his golden finger entirely.
With that in mind, Arthur got ready for another day at school.