Chapter 1120

By the third day, *Tokyo Sports* couldn't hold on anymore and found someone to come and negotiate a settlement with Shuyou.

The intermediary told Hiko Sugiyama that they hoped to settle with 10 million in compensation, and as for the other demands, apologizing for a week straight was suicide for the media, so that definitely wouldn't work...

The intermediary also hinted that firing the reporter wasn't impossible, but it had to wait until the storm was over, otherwise the newspaper wouldn't be able to survive in the entertainment industry...

"Tell them, we won't settle!"

Otomo Yoshimura said to Hiko Sugiyama of the publicity department,

"If the demands aren't met, we will formally file a lawsuit..."

"Otomo-san, actually the previous terms were indeed a bit harsh..." Hiko Sugiyama said, "If we follow that, this newspaper will definitely go bankrupt... even in court, the compensation won't be judged to be much higher than 10 million..."

"Hmm, this isn't about the settlement money!"

Seeing that there was no third party here, Otomo Yoshimura explained directly:

"Sugiyama-kun, pull some strings, file the case quickly, preferably within 20 days for the first public trial... Nagayama-san wants to use this incident as a pretext to keep himself on the media headlines until Christmas!"

In Japan, after receiving a lawsuit, simple cases are generally heard within a month, and complex ones are definitely delayed...

"Hai, I understand!" Hiko Sugiyama understood immediately, "In the meantime, submitting the lawsuit, determining the public trial time, there's a high probability it can be heard a few days before Christmas... I'll make sure the media reports every step of the way!"

"That's right!"

Otomo Yoshimura nodded with satisfaction,

"In the meantime, we need to intersperse the progress of the editing of *Ghost*... it has already been preliminarily edited!"

"Hai!"

"..."

In this office, Otomo Yoshimura also discussed many details of leveraging the situation for promotion with Hiko Sugiyama, before coming to Naoki Nagayama's office.

He happened to see Naoki Nagayama looking relaxed, lounging on the office sofa, eyes closed, basking in the sun!

"Nagayama-san... watch your image! You're the No. 1 of Shuyou after all..."

Otomo Yoshimura felt like he was looking at his own son, Keishin Yoshimura, who was in his adolescence; he also lay on the tatami when resting.

"Anyway, this is my office! If I can't be casual in my own office, that would be too pathetic~"

"Besides, today's sunshine is just right, it would be a pity not to bask in it!"

"..." Otomo Yoshimura was left speechless by this kind of logic, pausing before sitting on the sofa next to him, "Sugiyama-kun just came by, *Tokyo Sports* is here to sue for peace~"

"Haha, sue for peace?" Naoki Nagayama sat up, "They started the war, but it's not up to them to decide when it ends~"

"Do you think someone behind the scenes has admitted defeat?"

"Such a sudden incident, I think the guy behind it might just be impulsive, and didn't even think it through himself~" Naoki Nagayama said, "But ignore him, we just need to do our own thing!"

"Has the news that the editing of *Ghost* is finished been publicized?"

"Sugiyama-kun will arrange it."

"Hmm... one more thing!" Naoki Nagayama looked at Otomo Yoshimura and said, "I didn't want to hold a preview screening before, wanting the movie to be released directly... but this incident happened so suddenly and coincidentally, it made me change my mind..."

"??? You want to hold a preview screening again?!"

Otomo Yoshimura looked at Naoki Nagayama speechlessly; this guy changes his mind as soon as he says so... so hard to serve!

"Hmm... let's hold a preview screening..." Naoki Nagayama said, "It's just another opportunity for promotion... and we can announce the results at the press conference, making good use of this heat..."

"Hai, I'll let Eiichiro Watanabe arrange it..." Otomo Yoshimura sighed, "Five days before the Christmas release?"

"Hmm... when I go to court for the public trial, I'll accept an interview, play the victim, complain about the damage the false news has done to my life, and say that I insisted on editing the movie for everyone under these circumstances... and take the opportunity to shift everyone's attention to the movie...

The opening box office will definitely increase significantly!"

"... Uh, is it useful~"

"Of course, playing the victim to get tickets isn't that standard practice!!!"

"Look at which director doesn't say how hard the filming was before the release, how hard the actors worked... so it must be useful!"

"..." Otomo Yoshimura stopped talking.

"What's wrong, Otomo-san?"

"I just feel like you're playing with the public..."

"I'll sue you for defamation!"

While there was a storm outside and Naoki Nagayama was plotting his next move, Akina Nakamori, as the wife of the protagonist, hadn't intended to accept interviews.

However, at the preliminaries for the Japan Record Awards, she was still blocked by an interview team that seized the opportunity...

The melody of *Jounetsu* rang out, and Akina Nakamori danced intensely on stage in a hip-hop kimono; her bob-cut look even at the end of the year was breathtaking.

After the performance, Akina walked back to the backstage amidst applause, heading toward the dressing room.

"Akina-san, what do you think of the hot topic these past few days?" "Akina, do you know whose child Naoki Nagayama was waiting for that day?" "Akina Nakamori, is your relationship with Naoki Nagayama still stable?" "..."

"We are doing just fine! Thank you all for your concern!"

Akina Nakamori only said this one sentence, then she had to leave.

Fortunately, there were only a few reporters, and Maki Ueda was still able to block them.

She saw her spread her arms wide to block these reporters, letting Akina hurry toward the dressing room, while still saying:

"We are not accepting any other interviews! Akina-chan is focusing on preparing for the Japan Record Awards performance... for any questions, please inquire through the agency..."

And Akina Nakamori, wearing her stage costume, also walked quickly into the dressing room with a cold face, making the interviewing reporters feel uneasy; it looked like something had indeed happened... otherwise, the usually gentle Akina Nakamori wouldn't be so cold to the media.

After Maki Ueda also walked in, Akina Nakamori rubbed her face, and her expression began to become rich:

"Why did Nagayama-san ask me to say it half-hidden? So troublesome~"

"Isn't it to leave room for everyone to guess, so that we can maintain the topic's heat~" Maki Ueda naturally knew the truth, "The truth will definitely be explained before the movie is released, just like the scandals hyped for movies in the past."

"Sigh~~~"

Akina Nakamori sighed; as a top idol who had been working in the entertainment industry for so long, she naturally knew the techniques for increasing topic heat and exposure.

If she could keep appearing on media headlines before the end of the year, her heat would far exceed other idol artists, which would be very beneficial for her to compete for awards at the Japan Record Awards.

It would also be very helpful for the sales of her records~

"It's just that Nagayama-san is being misunderstood a lot!"

In this topic, Naoki Nagayama was undoubtedly the one being attacked by public opinion... but fortunately, as long as the truth is revealed in the end, it can all be turned from negative to positive.

"Akina-chan, you don't need to worry about Nagayama-san!" Maki Ueda comforted her idol, "Nagayama-san asked you to do this, he must have his plan!"

"Hmm~~~"

Just as Akina Nakamori nodded, someone suddenly knocked on the door of her private dressing room.

Then she found Yukiko Okada had walked in, and she looked around very alertly to see if there was anyone else:

"Akina-chan..."

"Ah, it's Yukiko-chan!" Akina Nakamori greeted with a smile, "You've arrived too! I was just saying I didn't see you during the performance."

"I'm later in the order, so it doesn't matter if I come a bit late..."

At the end of the year, Yukiko Okada's current schedule was almost calculated by the hour; she had many schedules to participate in every day, for example, after the current Japan Record Awards preliminary performance, she had to immediately go to participate in the recording of the New Year's Talent Show.

In short, she wasn't as relaxed as Akina Nakamori at all~

"You're very busy lately... let me teach you a trick, when you're catching up on sleep in the car, you can drink a little alcohol... then you'll be dizzy and won't get carsick!"

"You're just getting yourself drunk!"

Yukiko Okada subconsciously retorted, then shook her head and returned to the main topic,

"Akina-chan... the news says that Nagayama-san has an illegitimate child, is it true?"

"Ah... Yukiko-chan knows too~" Akina Nakamori saw the naive Yukiko and suddenly wanted to be a bit mischievous, her face showing a sad expression, "Sigh... men, they promise everything well when they are in love, but afterwards, they show their true colors!"

"Nani?! Is it true?!"

Yukiko Okada's face turned red all of a sudden,

"I said it, that guy Naoki Nagayama, you can tell he's a playboy just by looking at his face! He's actually cheating on two people?! How hateful!"

"And I even thought he might be a good man!"

"When did he cheat?"

"If the illegitimate child was just born, could it be when Akina-chan was pregnant?! Three months?"

"My god, that's when Akina couldn't have sex! Can't he even hold back for a period of time?!"

"^%&%^$*%^*^"

Akina Nakamori looked in surprise at the quiet Yukiko Okada spewing Japanese profanities, feeling like she had accidentally lit a firecracker... Yukiko-chan seemed to have accumulated a lot of pressure in the entertainment industry!

"This... Yukiko-chan..."

"Nani?!"

Yukiko Okada looked at Akina Nakamori indignantly,

"If Akina-chan wants to divorce, I will definitely stand on your side!"

"..."

If she said she was just joking just now, would the profanities be transferred to her?!

However, she couldn't not say it... otherwise, Nagayama-san would really have his reputation ruined by her!

She turned her head to look at Maki Ueda, who was equally shocked, winking at her to explain... and Maki Ueda also received this signal, sighed, and walked to Yukiko Okada's ear to explain in a low voice...

She saw Yukiko Okada's originally watery big eyes open even wider!

Then she looked at Akina, who was looking at the dressing mirror with a guilty conscience, with unbelievable eyes... Akina-chan, you actually lied to me?!

"Akina-chan..."

"Cough cough... Yukiko-chan, I just spoke a bit slowly... ahahaha~" Akina laughed it off, wanting to muddle through, "Actually, Nagayama-san's schedule is all reported..."

Is this some strange play between you and Naoki Nagayama?!

And you even included me?!

Yukiko Okada felt like a clown, having just spewed a burst of indignant words, and even profanities had come out!

So her face turned even redder, and she wanted to rush out the door!

She didn't want to look at Akina Nakamori's beautiful face ever again!

"Chotto matte~~ chotto matte!" Akina hurriedly grabbed Yukiko Okada's arm, let her sit down, and apologized with her hands together, "Gomen nasai, I just wanted to make a joke on impulse..."

"Akina-chan, how could you do this!!!"

"It's all my fault!"

"You..."

The overly rapid apology left Yukiko Okada with a chest full of anger and nowhere to vent~

"Yukiko-chan... this vent doll is for you..." Akina handed out an ugly doll, letting Yukiko squeeze it to play, "I call him 'Hate-kun', if you have any anger, let him bear it!"

"..."

Yukiko Okada took it hatefully and ravaged it fiercely... making Akina feel a chill...

It looks like Yukiko-chan has really been under a lot of pressure lately!

"Then why don't you issue a statement to explain?" After a while, Yukiko Okada continued to ask, "Now everyone outside is saying the news might be true, the news has nose and eyes!"

"Nagayama-san doesn't want to be held hostage by the media's rumors..." Akina explained, "He wants to sue directly; after winning the lawsuit, other media will have to think carefully if they want to make news in the future!"

As for leveraging the situation to promote the movie, that was another aspect.

"I see..."

Yukiko Okada suddenly thought of the time not long ago when she was rumored to be dating someone from Shonentai... if she also sued, maybe the media wouldn't dare to spread rumors about her either!

After thinking about it, she shook her head again; she couldn't do it, she was an idol, and she was at a time when she needed heat...

"Then... if someone asks me?"

"Just say you don't know and aren't clear about it..."

Akina said,

"Leave this matter to Nagayama-san to handle!"

"Hai..."

After this matter was finished, Yukiko Okada began to chat with Akina about other things at the end of the year; Akina had a good chance of winning the grand prize at the Japan Record Awards being held at the end of this year.

With this wave of heat, she definitely had a better chance!

And the *Kohaku Uta Gassen*...

"Akina, you've already been to the first rehearsal for the *Kohaku Uta Gassen*, right?"

"Hai..."

"The second rehearsal... is one week before New Year's Eve..." Yukiko Okada calculated, "It's just before Christmas! Akina's movie is just being released..."

"Yes... it seems like the time points are all converging together!"

"It's really lively at the end of this year..."

"Isn't it~"

At the headquarters of *Tokyo Sports*, Editor-in-Chief Junichi Imamura was smoking in his office... the swirling smoke masked the helplessness on his face.

How did it turn out like this?! He just wanted to grab a hot topic, and incidentally flatter someone...

Didn't he often fabricate scandals about other stars before? Why was Naoki Nagayama so agitated this time?!

Could it be that his newspaper really hit his sore spot?!

Then shouldn't he come to the newspaper to negotiate and suppress this kind of news? Why didn't he settle but sue instead?

*Tokyo Sports* contacted an intermediary to negotiate a settlement, which wasn't his original intention, but the decision of the newspaper's backer... Junichi Imamura believed in "freedom of the press, no crime in speaking".

A free, safe, and independent media is the foundation of peace and democracy... infringing on freedom of the press is infringing on international law, infringing on humanity, infringing on freedom itself! This is the attitude of the United Nations!

And it was impossible for him to fire the reporter... if he fired the reporter involved, then no one in the editorial department would listen to him in the future!

However, the financial backer behind the newspaper wanted to make money...

"Sigh..." Junichi Imamura extinguished his cigarette and dialed the phone again, "Kurita-san... I offended Naoki Nagayama for your sake..."

Kenki Kurita of the Agency for Cultural Affairs hurriedly shook his head:

"At that time you said you had caught his pigtail... that's why I supported it!"

Kenki Kurita was competing with Sadanaga Kiba for the position of Vice Minister; he had wanted to alienate the relationship between Naoki Nagayama and Sadanaga Kiba at the Tokyo International Film Festival before, but failed, and instead made them closer...

After the diplomatic banquet, he believed that Naoki Nagayama was a member of Sadanaga Kiba's group, so he subconsciously had the idea of wanting to suppress him.

In fact, when he knew about this news, he was drinking with Nobuo Asai, and it was a decision made in a moment of heat.

"But... Shuyou Group doesn't want to settle and insists on suing..."

"Then you defend the lawsuit! Anyway, this kind of breaking news won't be judged too severely."

"But if we lose, *Tokyo Sports* will lose a lot of face!"

"It doesn't matter, what is face, anyway, just bow and apologize when the time comes..."

"..."

That makes so much sense!

"Anyway... don't let Shuyou know that I'm behind it!" Kenki Kurita said, "Imamura-san, you understand, right?!"

Junichi Imamura was helpless; isn't this just making him the scapegoat!

"... Hai!"

"That's right..." Kenki Kurita's tone relaxed a bit, "I will compensate you later... next year's large-scale cultural exchange activities, the exclusive interview rights are not without a chance..."

"Arigato..."

Although Junichi Imamura was very unwilling, he still expressed his gratitude... after all, he still had to rely on Kenki Kurita to get exclusive news in the future.

The Agency for Cultural Affairs is the department responsible for domestic cultural affairs and religious exchanges in Japan; in a country that values traditional culture and where eight million gods prevail, cultural activities are an important part of news media.

In the "Press Club", an official joint management organization for media, the power of the Agency for Cultural Affairs is still very large.

And in the era when the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology was still called the Ministry of Education and the Sports Agency had not yet been established, many cultural promotions for sports activities were also concurrently managed by the Agency for Cultural Affairs~

It was precisely because of his relationship with Kenki Kurita, the Commissioner of the Agency for Cultural Affairs, that Junichi Imamura sat firmly as the editor-in-chief of *Tokyo Sports*. It was precisely this point that made him want to flatter someone in Naoki Nagayama's matter~

But he didn't expect that, in the end, something went wrong, and he became the scapegoat... The newspaper's board of directors would definitely make Junichi Imamura take responsibility!

Firing him was unlikely, but punishment was certain, and his bonus would definitely shrink by a large margin!

The first day of the month, and it's already 5,000 words! My hands are sore from writing! Playing the victim for monthly tickets!

(End of this chapter)