Chapter 1086: Tokyo International Film Festival, it's starting!

As the pace of October moved forward, there were more and more foreigners in Tokyo.

It was as if the grand occasion of last year was repeating itself; film lovers from all over the world began to flock to Tokyo.

They stayed in hotels in Azabu, drank coffee in cafes in Minato Ward, watched movies in cinemas in Shibuya, partied all night in nightclubs in Roppongi, sang loudly in KTVs in Harajuku, and shopped crazily in the commercial streets of Shinjuku and Ginza......

The huge consumption demand made the entire tertiary industry of Tokyo full of vitality as if it had taken stimulants.

One event revitalizes a city; this sentence had even more weight.

On the day the Tokyo International Film Festival opening ceremony finally arrived, the area around Yoyogi Park was bustling with noise and excitement, shoulder to shoulder, and the red carpet avenue in front of the NHK Hall was even more impassable.

There were reporters, tourists, fans, passersby joining in the fun, and security maintaining order.

Everyone was looking forward to this star-studded day. Almost all the movie stars in the world would come over, and everyone could see them walking the red carpet.

"Akina, are you ready?"

Naoki Nagayama had already put on his suit. After teasing Xia Hua for a while, he didn't see his wife coming down, so he called out.

"Ready!" Akina's voice came from the corner of the stairs.

Naoki Nagayama looked up and saw Akina wearing a black dress she designed herself, slowly walking down along the stairs.

Her originally loose hair was gathered at the back into a bun, fastened together with a black silk hair tie. A few strands of hair scattered at the bangs, and some strands floated at the earlobe, appearing and disappearing in the light, dignified with a bit of hazy charm~

On her jade-like cheeks, her eyebrows were like paintings, her black and white eyes were flowing with light, and together with her delicate nose, they revealed a sense of liveliness. However, the fiery red lips like flames added a stunning style to the liveliness~

Her neck like a swan, her rounded shoulders, and exquisite collarbones were all white as if glowing, and further down was a black tube top, and then a carefully tailored black evening dress that wrapped her whole body~

It should be silk material, even the folds gave a soft and smooth texture.

Apart from black and white, the whole body only had a sapphire ring on her hand, which shone brightly even indoors!

Black hair, black eyebrows, black dress, wrapped in it was skin like snow. The contrast between black and white made Akina look like a pearl in the dark night, making people unable to look away!

"How is it?"

Akina walked to Naoki Nagayama, twisted the skirt with both hands and turned around, the corner of her mouth was a proud smile,

"Naoki-san, does it look good?"

"......" Naoki Nagayama didn't speak, looking up and down at his wife. "Mm, it's okay~"

"Come, let husband hold and kiss~"

Saying this with a smile, he opened his arms and was about to hug her.....

"Ha~ don't mess around!" Akina lowered her body and passed under Naoki Nagayama's arm. "I have full makeup on, it took over two hours, if you kiss me, it'll be ruined!"

"Iee~~"

Naoki Nagayama made a sigh of regret, but didn't say much more.

Anyway, he would kiss her whenever he wanted at night!

Only to see Akina walk to the crib, bend down and gently pinch Xia Hua's face. Xia Hua also opened her eyes wide, seemingly surprised by her mother's outfit today.

"Hua-chan, be good at home today, okay? Mommy is going out to participate in an activity and won't be back until night....."

"Ah~ ah~~" Little Xia Hua stretched her hands and feet randomly, not knowing if she understood.

However, Akina still instructed Mrs. Mari Nonaka in the kitchen:

"Mari-san, Xia Hua is entrusted to you today...... Naoki-san and I estimate we won't be back until evening...."

"Hai, please rest assured, I will take good care of Hua-chan!"

Mari Nonaka had taken care of Akina from pregnancy until the baby was born, and had already become an indispensable member of this family. Maybe she would become a long-term live-in nanny in the future....

The exclusive driver at the door, Tomotomo Toda, had already driven the Mercedes-Benz assigned by the company over, and Naoki Nagayama and Akina sat in the back row.

"Naoki-san, we will arrive at the NHK Hall at about 10:30..... then walk the red carpet...."

Tomotomo Toda reported the itinerary responsibly,

"The opening ceremony starts at 1:00 PM and ends at 4:00 PM, followed by a banquet...."

"For the banquet, there is a party afterward, but apart from the official party in Yoyogi Park, others can be organized freely...."

Naoki Nagayama nodded. Actually, he knew these itineraries; after all, it was the plan he finally approved.

"Akina, are you going to the banquet?"

"Let's participate for a bit, greet acquaintances and come back...." Akina said. "Naoki-san can come back a bit later."

After all, even with Naoki Nagayama's status, there were still some social needs to participate in.

"Mm, then Toda-kun, you pick up Akina and go back first."

"Hai!"

The red carpet in front of the NHK Hall actually started at 9:00 AM.

The stars participating in the Tokyo International Film Festival arrived one after another, all dressed up, and then lingered on the red carpet, even walking for more than ten minutes for a journey of only a few minutes, just to increase exposure and improve fame as much as possible.

Even on the steps in front of the hall, there were stars who accidentally tripped and fell, causing a burst of exclamations and flashes.

This Tokyo International Film Festival could be said to be one of the few carnivals of fame and fortune in the world at present~

On the road at the entrance of NHK, a row of cars was queuing up, each bringing a famous artist.

Tomotomo Toda finally parked the car at the entrance of the red carpet:

"Naoki-san, we're here....."

"Mm." Naoki Nagayama glanced at Akina, who was doing final touch-ups. "Akina, let's get off the car..."

"Hai!"

The waiter helped open the door, and then Naoki Nagayama first stretched his long legs out of the car door, and then reached out to help Akina out of the car.....

In the sun, people first noticed the sharp contrast between the black dress on Akina Nakamori and her skin like cream, then the exquisite and dignified makeup and the impact of fiery red lips, and then the sapphire ring shining in the sun.....

Akina, wearing a silk black dress, attracted the attention of reporters as soon as she got off the car, and Naoki Nagayama next to her became a foil.

"That is...... Akina Nakamori!! And Naoki Nagayama!"

Some reporters exclaimed, and then the subconscious action was to raise the camera and press the shutter without even focusing.

The sound of the shutter *click-click* was continuous, and the flash was so bright that people wanted to squint even in the daytime.

However, Akina had already been trained and didn't make a squinting look. Instead, she raised her hand and waved gently toward the camera, with a perfect business smile on her face......

"Minna-san..... good morning....""Sashiburi...""Everything is going well for me.... how about you?""....."

Generally speaking, Naoki Nagayama walked forward with big strides on the red carpet, solving the battle in a few minutes.

But this time with Akina, he walked slowly forward, occasionally waving to the reporters.....

And the media, seeing Naoki Nagayama, who didn't often accept interviews, didn't leave quickly, immediately realized that this was a good opportunity and started asking questions one after another:

"Director Nagayama, has the new movie started filming?"

"For the new movie, the opening blessing ceremony has just been held, and official filming needs to be after the film festival...."

"Nagayama-san, do you have any expectations for the film festival awards?"

"Of course I want to win an award~ haha~" Naoki Nagayama answered with a smile. "A director who doesn't want to win an award is not a good director!"

"Director Nagayama, why did you think of inviting Akina-san to play the heroine in the new movie?"

"Of course it's because she's suitable!"

"......"

Various questions were basically focused on the new movie or matters related to the film festival. After all, after Naoki Nagayama got married, his previous scandals and such basically disappeared, as if he had really turned over a new leaf.

And in Japan, if you are not married, it doesn't matter if you have some scandals or anecdotes; everyone will be tolerant, even saying that the person has charm. However, after marriage, you need to take on family responsibilities and cannot mess around.

From this point of view, in the eyes of the public, Naoki Nagayama is considered a model for men~

"Nagayama-san......"

At this time, a reporter asked a surprising question,

"I heard that the grand champion of the first *Voice of Japan*, an artist with the stage name Izumi Sakai, will perform at the opening ceremony..... regarding this, do you have anything to say?"

"Izumi Sakai.... she is a singer with great potential, and also a newcomer that Tree Friend wants to strongly support in the future...... Participating in the opening ceremony performance this time is both an opportunity and pressure. I hope she can give a wonderful performance."

"....."

And on Akina's side, reporters and fans kept asking questions, and even some fans held the record of *Passion* and hoped to get an autograph, which Akina tried her best to satisfy.

"Akina-chan, you are so beautiful today!"

"Arigato, you are also very beautiful!"

"Akina-san...... when will you hold a concert?"

"That's hard to say..... I estimate it will be next year....." Akina showed a helpless expression. "The baby can't be left alone...."

"Then what if you go to film a movie?"

"Of course, bring her along....."

After marrying Naoki Nagayama, married life was very happy..... The expectations of everyone for Akina now had become not to retire, and to meet everyone from time to time......

If she could bring a new song or a new movie, that would be even better....

Even though Naoki Nagayama and Akina tried their best to speed up, they spent more than ten minutes on the red carpet, mainly because Akina's fans were very enthusiastic, and the questions one after another made Akina unable to leave.

Following the waiter's guidance, the two took a group photo against the big background wall, and finally arrived at the gate of NHK Hall, walking in from the front door hanging with banners.

Arriving here, Naoki Nagayama and Akina both relaxed a bit, and the two were very familiar with this hall, so they walked toward the venue arm in arm.....

"Akina....." Naoki Nagayama looked at the movie posters and promotional booths densely packed in the venue, "Next year, *Ghost* will also be here..."

"Is Naoki-san so confident?"

Akina laughed.

"That goes without saying, this movie will definitely be as immortal as *Love Letter*!"

"Oh? Then I'll wait and see...."

Once they arrived at the main hall, Naoki Nagayama suddenly thought:

"By the way, Akina, the Kohaku Uta Gassen is also in this hall, right?"

"Hai~" Akina had been on it twice, so she naturally knew the location.

"Akina will also be on stage this year, right?"

"Ken-On is already trying hard to strive for it." Akina nodded. "The list should be out in a few days. It should be no problem."

As a top idol, even if she had retired for a long time, it was very simple for Akina to be on the Kohaku Uta Gassen.

"Then there will be rehearsals afterward, right?"

"Yes, there are three rehearsals..."

"What song will it be this time? *Passion*?"

Although Akina's new song *Passion* came out relatively late, it was already the second half of the year, but the popularity had remained high since the start of the song promotion, and it had already ranked in the top three on the Oricon charts!

"Should be..."

Just when the two were talking and walking, a few people walked out from the side. After seeing Naoki Nagayama, they revealed a smile:

"Naoki-san!"

Listening to this Japanese with some accent, Naoki Nagayama knew it was from Hong Kong. Turning his head to look, it turned out to be Jackie Chan and Leslie Cheung and their party.

"Jackie, Leslie....."

Naoki Nagayama opened his arms and hugged both of them. They must have been able to come to participate in the Tokyo International Film Festival, but he didn't expect them to be together,

"Why did you come together?"

"Because of the same flight...." Jackie Chan laughed. "Then we came together...."

"We are all good friends, even the car is one...."

Both were busy people, and they were good friends in private, so everyone was very happy to come to participate in the activity together.

"Who else from Hong Kong came? Tony Leung?"

"Tony Leung is in the crew, no schedule."

Since filming *Tiger of Ginza*, Tony Leung hadn't continued to be frozen. There were directors inviting him to film new movies, and he was very busy now.

Jackie Chan had met Akina several times, and Naoki Nagayama introduced his wife to Leslie Cheung:

"This is Akina Nakamori, my wife...."

"We have met before!" Leslie Cheung laughed. "Seems like at some party..."

"Sumimasen, I don't remember..." Akina was a bit embarrassed.

"Haha, I didn't have much fame in Japan at that time...." Leslie Cheung smiled very warmly. "I heard that after marrying Naoki-san, you've already had a baby?"

"Mm....."

None of the few people were introverted. After gathering together, they found a lounge and chatted. Naoki Nagayama talked about the script of his next movie *Once a Thief* and also mentioned that Masataka Komori hoped to invite Leslie Cheung to film it.

And Leslie Cheung naturally had no intention of refusing, indicating that he would definitely come to participate.

"Naoki-san...." Jackie Chan heard it from the side and interrupted, "Why don't I have a share in such a good thing?"

"Haha, Jackie, what you film are true action movies..... unique style, I naturally have no way." Naoki Nagayama said.

"I can also film serious movies!" Jackie Chan said. "Don't look at me as an action actor, but my literary acting is also very good!"

"Oh?"

Leslie Cheung looked over unexpectedly, and even Akina opened her eyes in surprise under Naoki Nagayama's explanation.

An action superstar, saying his literary acting is good?

"Really good!" Jackie Chan explained. "I am from a theatrical background! Learned Peking Opera...."

Naoki Nagayama wasn't surprised. Jackie Chan's acting in some movies, such as *New Police Story*, *Shinjuku Incident*, and *The Foreigner*, whether it was his eyes or performance, was very good.

At least much stronger than some of the little fresh meat at that time~

"Haha, there will be opportunities for cooperation!"

Naoki Nagayama promised with a smile.

"Then it's a deal. If there is a suitable movie, let's cooperate on one together!"

"No problem!"

After chatting for a period of time in the lounge and having lunch together, the opening ceremony was finally about to start.....

Everyone came to the venue together and sat in their seats~ ===== CHAPTER 1087 =====