Chapter 223: Good News for the *Furuhata* Series

After chatting with Kawai Shinta, Akiwara Yuto left the Writers Association. But just after he returned home, Fuji TV producer Fujioka Taishu called and told him some good news.

That was that the ratings of the latest episode of *Furuhata Ninzaburo* had gone further—a 37% minute-by-minute rating, and a 39.2% peak minute-by-minute rating, which rose by another 3 percentage points compared to the previous episode, and further widened the gap with *Detective Kamimura*.

Actually, *Detective Kamimura* wasn't bad either. With the huge investment from TV Asahi, it was filmed very beautifully, and besides that, the actors' acting and the plot design were all very good.

As a detective drama, the IQ of the reasoning tricks was online, and the portrayal of human nature was also good; it was a good work.

But because of this ghostwriting scandal, it was resisted by many viewers from the bottom of their hearts. Besides that, there was another *Furuhata Ninzaburo* with the same theme in the same time slot.

This made those viewers who wanted to abandon the drama directly throw themselves into the embrace of *Furuhata Ninzaburo*.

Under such circumstances, *Furuhata Ninzaburo* was completely soaring, unstoppable!

Seeing the ratings soaring, Fuji TV was full of joy, and everyone in the crew had a smile on their faces.

And the relevant board of directors, after seeing the results, also increased the budget to give it a push, making advertisements fill the train stations.

Seeing *Furuhata Ninzaburo*'s excellent performance, many drama critics directly changed their tune, started blowing up this show, and while blowing it, stepped on *Detective Kamimura*, believing that the two-month-long detective drama battle between the two works finally had a result!

In short, looking at various newspapers and magazines, they were basically consistent praise, including the plot of the work and the actors' acting!

With the help of the soaring ratings and the "big blowing" of drama critics like changing the wind, Kishida Ryota, who played "Furuhata Ninzaburo," became completely popular!

Because of his elegant style, he was affectionately called "Gentleman Police" by many viewers, and his fan club set up on the internet claimed to have over 100,000 people!

You know, this was the internet in the 90s; the number of internet users in all of Japan was only a few hundred thousand!

When he participated in a live event in the Kyoto area, he was surrounded by nearly 6,000 viewers, more than twice the expected number. When surrounding people learned that "Furuhata Ninzaburo" was here, they also rushed over one after another.

The organizers and the local police station were unable to maintain order and were even more afraid of a stampede, so they had to coordinate with Fuji TV to temporarily change the venue and time.

In order to appease the fan group, everyone in the crew, including Kishida Ryota, had to bow and apologize, which was the only way to avoid any trouble.

This incident also made it to the news of several major TV stations, making some news anchors sigh.

Akiwara Yuto listened to everything Fujioka Taishu reported, but thought of another aspect.

Why not take advantage of this wave and release the stand-alone book of the *Furuhata* series now! Let the crew help sell the books! It is estimated that the results would be even better than his own signing event!

After he finished thinking, he immediately proposed this point to Fujioka Taishu, and the latter thought for a while and agreed very readily!

Although this didn't quite comply with the regulations, compared to the favor for Akiwara Yuto, it didn't count as anything at all.

The TV station side already planned to turn *Furuhata* into a long-term unit drama, needing to further rely on Akiwara Yuto's subsequent manuscripts.

Before ending the call, Fujioka Taishu added, "Teacher Akiwara, the crew has sent you a gift; please be sure to accept it."

After saying this, he hung up the phone.

Akiwara Yuto didn't think much about it; it was just accepting a gift. Compared to his help to Fuji TV, it didn't count as anything.

But since the *Furuhata Ninzaburo* series drama had already reached the top, then could the sales of *April Youth* next week surpass *Tokyo Youth* and become the number one in the industry!?

Thinking of this, Akiwara Yuto clenched his fists, and his heart felt excited!

While Akiwara Yuto was excited, Kawai Shinta took a special car and came to a residence hanging the two characters "Miyagi." He got off the car, knocked on the gate, and was welcomed into a tea room by a maid.

In this tea room sat a white-haired old man wearing a traditional men's kimono.

He was also Kawai Shinta's target this time, the leader of the social school, Miyagi Kentaro.

Compared to the kind-faced Kawai Shinta, Miyagi Kentaro's expression looked very serious, having a temperament that was not angry but prestigious.

"Miyagi, an old friend comes to see you, won't you get up to welcome him?" Kawai Shinta said with a smile and then sat opposite him impolitely.

"An old friend who doesn't even know how to say 'sorry for the disturbance' still needs me to get up to welcome him."

Miyagi Kentaro said impolitely, but although his expression was serious, there was a trace of a smile hidden in his eyes.

Kawai Shinta laughed loudly and then poured himself a cup of tea on his own. And Miyagi Kentaro was also very indifferent, his expression didn't change at all.

"May I ask the Vice Chairman of the association, what is the purpose of coming here today?"

"Can't I come to see a friend?"

"I don't think you have this time," Miyagi Kentaro continued, "Speak directly, save both of us time."

Kawai Shinta's smile didn't diminish, but he still didn't answer this question, "Do you know Wada Shin's recent encounter?"

"Know a little bit," Miyagi Kentaro changed his sitting posture, leaned his right hand on his right knee, and showed a disdainful expression.

"As an old guy of our same era, I didn't expect him to fall into such a pit. However, the failure of a despicable person is also a matter of course."

"Yeah," Kawai Shinta sighed, "This incident was indeed unexpected, and I didn't expect him to go and make things difficult for a newcomer."

"However, your intention today shouldn't be this matter, right?" Miyagi Kentaro continued to ask. "I don't think a person like you would be so boring."

"Alright, I'll speak the truth," Kawai Shinta drank the tea in his hand in one gulp and then stated his request: "I hope that for this Uemura Award selection, Akiwara Yuto's work can be shortlisted."

The Uemura Award selection is for judges to consult writers, magazine editors, and other relevant people, and then select some recommended works.

But such rules give judges great power. If a work cannot be recognized by the judges at all, then being shortlisted is also out of the question.

And one of the review committee members this time was a social school writer who had a deep connection with Miyagi Kentaro.

"Hmm?" Miyagi Kentaro frowned and said in a slightly serious voice, "I'm a bit disappointed. The Kawai Shinta in my impression shouldn't be a person who does this kind of thing."

Kawai Shinta glanced at him and said in a flat tone, "I'm just recommending a work to a judge as a writer. Is there any problem with that?"

Miyagi Kentaro raised his eyebrows.

This reason was impeccable because the other party indicated that he was a writer, not the Vice Chairman of the Detective Writers Association, which belonged to the reasonable scope of the rules.

He thought for a while and asked again, "Why recommend Akiwara Yuto? I remember he hasn't debuted for even a year, right?"

"Because I am very optimistic about him," Kawai Shinta explained with a smile, telling Akiwara Yuto's previous creative philosophy and some achievements, and then told the cause and effect of this incident.

He added, "Do you know? The radical faction even wanted to let him be shortlisted for the Uemura Award as a reconciliation, but it was rejected by him. The reason he rejected it was actually because of a dispute of philosophy."

Miyagi Kentaro fell into silence after hearing these words.

In the eyes of an old-timer writer like him, writers with less than 10 years of debut are all newcomers, and Akiwara Yuto was just a newcomer among newcomers.

But such a special "newcomer" actually insisted on his own philosophy and gave up benefits, which was a very rare thing.

You know, even if it's just being shortlisted, it's a very high honor for some writers.

After being silent for a while, Miyagi Kentaro asked again, "Kawai, it's not that I don't want to give you this favor, but you should know the significance of winning the award for our social school, right?!"

The Uemura Award-winning works twice a year will undoubtedly become hot topics of public attention because they are widely reported.

In other words, if a social school work can successfully win the award, it can take this opportunity to promote works of this school.

Kawai Shinta didn't deny it, but took out a book with a black cover from the file bag he brought and placed it in front of Miyagi Kentaro.

"You should know Akiwara's works, right? If it's this one, you shouldn't have any objections, right?"

Miyagi Kentaro took the book and started reading, and seeing the change in his expression, the corners of Kawai Shinta's mouth turned up slightly.

My proposal this time, it seems there won't be any big problems! ===== CHAPTER 224 =====