Chapter 1164: Idol Drama: Looks Are All That Matter!!

In the dining room of Shanzakura-in, the housekeeper was completing the final steps in the kitchen; the aroma of breakfast food spread through the air, making mouths water.

However, at this moment, Naoki Nagayama was not focusing on breakfast; instead, he had one arm around the dog while holding a newspaper in the other hand...

"Eitaro... do you know you've become famous?"

Naoki Nagayama showed Eitaro a front-page news report in the newspaper; the headline clearly read "Akina Nakamori Reveals: The Doings of Naoki Nagayama and Eitaro," detailing what the two had said on the program yesterday...

Things like sleeping in the doghouse with Eitaro, and a certain Meow Taro competing for attention...

"Right now, in all of Tokyo, you are the most handsome dog!"

"......"

Eitaro felt very uncomfortable being handled by his owner; unable to understand the written report, he twisted his head, trying to lick Naoki Nagayama to make him let go.

"Woof woof woof!"

"Alright..." Naoki Nagayama held the dog's head down. "Looks like fame has no effect on you..."

Just then, Nakamori walked over holding little Xia Hua. Seeing her husband playing with the dog, she couldn't help but shake her head... After last night's live broadcast, she knew her cat and dog would surely become famous, and she might even earn the nickname "tigress"...

Although in Nihon, people generally prefer gentle wives, under the new wave of feminism, a more distinctive label wasn't a bad thing; it might even help build a certain persona~

"Is Naoki-san going to the company today?"

After finishing the baby food, Nakamori asked while feeding little Xia Hua.

"Yes, we need to finalize the cast for 'The Undertaker'."

Naoki Nagayama quickly finished his own breakfast, then took over the feeding duties so Nakamori could eat while it was still hot.

"And... we also need to pay attention to the ceremony for establishing the Tokyo Film Association..."

After yesterday's program, he had indeed shared a drink with the TBS station president; during the meal, they discussed this matter. Since it was already mid-to-late March, the Tokyo Film Industry Association should indeed be established.

"Will you be back for dinner tonight?"

"We'll see... I'll call."

Naoki Nagayama and Nakamori chatted like an old married couple, finished breakfast, then drove off toward Ikebukuro.

"Good morning, Naoki-san! Hehe~"

Upon arriving at the Juyuu Building, the receptionist, Hoshika Hana, greeted Naoki Nagayama with a smile... Her expression was shy, as if she wanted to say something~

"....... What's wrong? You're acting strange~"

Naoki Nagayama looked at her in surprise.

"Just say it!"

"Then I will!" Hoshika Hana boldly said with a laugh, "Naoki-san, when you went home last night, did you squeeze in with Eitaro again?!"

"Actually, it was Meow Taro!" Suzuki Yukina added from the side, "Meow Taro's bed is softer! Hahaha~"

"......"

Getting teased by his own employees first thing in the morning... Is the boss of a Nihon company really this undignified!

Naoki Nagayama helplessly rolled his eyes:

"Do your work properly, and stop thinking about such strange questions! Also... I sleep in the bed!"

"Hai~ Hahaha~" X2

Not long after arriving at the office, Yongshan Zhishu Xu Mudao came over, bringing Tomoyuki Nishimoto along~

"Naoki-san..." Yongshan Zhishu Xu Mudao placed the audition records from the day before on the desk, "Kyuichi-san will probably be a while before he arrives... but he said that regarding the actors, Naoki-san can make the final decision; he has no objections..."

"I see~"

Naoki Nagayama nodded and opened the record document to read; besides the lead male and female roles, there were many other characters.

However, seeing Tomoyuki Nishimoto who had come along, he asked:

"Why is Tomoyuki-san here too?"

"Ah... well..." Tomoyuki Nishimoto replied nervously, "Because after Naoki-san finishes selecting the actors, I can start casting for 'Long Vacation'!"

"?"

Naoki Nagayama looked at the materials in his hand, then turned to Tomoyuki Nishimoto.

"Tomoyuki-san... the actor requirements for my project and for 'Long Vacation' are different, right?"

"Hai... but in the Nihon entertainment industry, almost all capable actors with available schedules are here... so I think we can find suitable candidates..."

This was Tomoyuki Nishimoto's first time independently producing a television drama, so he wanted to use the best actors... and the actors attending Naoki Nagayama's casting session were undoubtedly the best batch on the market!

"I see..." Naoki Nagayama closed the documents and said to Tomoyuki Nishimoto, "Since Tomoyuki-san thinks that way, I need to correct your thinking..."

"Eh?" Yongshan Zhishu Xu Mudao and Tomoyuki Nishimoto were both surprised.

"Tomoyuki-san, what kind of television drama is 'Long Vacation'?"

"Uh... a youth idol romance drama?"

"Exactly! You understand perfectly!" Naoki Nagayama nodded, then slapped the table. "For so-called youth idol romance dramas... acting ability is not ranked first!"

"Uh......"

Before Tomoyuki Nishimoto could voice his doubt, Naoki Nagayama continued!

"Both of you must remember: for youth idol romance dramas... whether the male lead is handsome and whether the female lead is beautiful is the most important thing!!"

In the memories of his past life, a street dance fight in the rain, such a chuunibyou and awkward plot, could still become wildly popular... especially the scene where the female lead shouted "Stop fighting!" on the side, which became a viral video...

Naoki Nagayama knew that people watching youth idol dramas actually had no expectations for plot or acting!

"....... Uh......"

Naoki Nagayama, immersed in his memories, seemed to get carried away:

"Don't worry about how the acting is, or how awkward the plot is... as long as the male and female leads are good-looking, the ratings won't be low!"

"......"

Yongshan Zhishu Xu Mudao and Tomoyuki Nishimoto exchanged glances, feeling an inner sense of agreement...

Naoki Nagayama stood up and said to Tomoyuki Nishimoto:

"So you shouldn't be looking for the cast of 'Long Vacation' among this pile of method actors!

As for the female lead, never mind; we Tree Friends already have plenty of our own.... For the male lead, just go to the idol circles, the modeling circles, or even the host clubs..... Find someone young and handsome enough!"

"...... Uh.... Okay!" Tomoyuki Nishimoto nodded dazedly, "Then I'll go ask Johnny & Associates first?"

"Yes, yes, go ahead.... Be generous; you are the director of Tree Friends..... All the agencies will show you respect!"

Johnny & Associates is currently the stronghold of male idols in the entertainment industry; indeed, there is no escaping it~

Once only Naoki Nagayama and Kuki Kojima were left in the office, they returned to the main business of casting for 'The Coffin Man', and the office briefly fell silent.

"Mr. Kojima."

Half an hour later, Naoki Nagayama pulled out a document and handed it over,

"Indeed, the male lead should still be Tomokazu Miura..... No one is more suitable than him!"

"Okay~"

Kuki Kojima was not surprised either, because during the casting process, the group had seen Tomokazu Miura's performance and knew that Naoki Nagayama was very satisfied with him.

Next, let the other members of 'The Coffin Man' Production Committee contact Tomokazu Miura's agency directly to confirm his schedule and fee.....

"Then the female lead?"

"The female lead, well~~"

Naoki Nagayama pulled out files on several actresses, including Kanako Higuchi and Mieko Harada, all of whom had left a deep impression during casting.... Each possessed unique strengths.

"It's a bit hard to choose~"

Kuki Kojima leaned in to take a look..... Actually, he thought any of them would do; after all, there was no movie produced by Mr. Naoki that wasn't good!

However, glancing back at the male lead, Tomokazu Miura, in his hands, he sighed again:

"If Momoe Yamaguchi were to play the female lead, it would be perfect....."

"Huh? You haven't given up on that idea yet?" Naoki Nagayama laughed; Kuki Kojima had said this during casting, "I didn't expect Mr. Kojima to be such a die-hard fan of Momoe Yamaguchi~"

"Not quite to the level of a die-hard fan...." Kuki Kojima waved his hand, "But people who lived through that era always have some expectations for Momoe Yamaguchi...."

"Besides, in the plot of 'The Coffin Man', the husband's career is in decline, forcing him to take up a profession people don't understand.... Isn't that very similar to Tomokazu Miura a few years ago...."

Because his career declined after marriage, Tomokazu Miura had a period where he became obsessed with playing pachinko, disregarding his image and loafing around..... All of which had been caught by paparazzi~

"Hmm.... Indeed~"

If he hadn't happened to meet Naoki Nagayama, he might have remained in that state for these past few years.

Kuki Kojima seemed to suddenly have a good idea in his mind;

"Mr. Naoki, should we try to gauge Momoe Yamaguchi's thoughts? See if she has any interest in participating?"

"Uh.... I don't think Ms. Momoe would~"

"This is Mr. Naoki's movie, and she would be playing a wife alongside Tomokazu Miura.... It has the potential to go down in film history!" Kuki Kojima seemed to be urging him on, "Mr. Naoki, should we go ask?"

"......"

Naoki Nagayama looked at the guy and suddenly realized,

"You, you just want to see Momoe Yamaguchi in person, don't you?! Chasing stars all the way to my place?!"

"..... No, not really...."

"Hehehe~"

Seeing Kuki Kojima's somewhat guilty look, Naoki Nagayama let out a cold laugh and said,

"Ms. Momoe is already tired of the entertainment industry; she probably won't want to come back!"

"It's not like she's making a full comeback forever?! If she gets the urge, she can shoot one movie; if the urge passes, she won't shoot..... Anyway, Ms. Momoe doesn't have an agency right now....."

Kuki Kojima said,

"And she would just be making a cameo appearance! Anyway, the female lead doesn't have many scenes...."

Facing Naoki Nagayama's teasing gaze, Kuki Kojima's words gradually trailed off....

"Mr. Kojima, still saying you aren't her fan?"

"Well.... Not exactly obsessed~"

"Forget it; when Ms. Momoe retired, she had an agreement with her agency. If she were to return, her former HORIPRO agency would surely want her to continue being a cash cow..... It would be troublesome to try to retire again then!"

HORIPRO Agency certainly didn't want its cash cow to retire back then, but there was no way around it as Momoe Yamaguchi had insisted strongly.

It was like John Wick; originally retired peacefully, but after stepping back into the world once, all sorts of things from the underworld came pouring in.

"Then sign her under our Tree Friends!" Kuki Kojima suddenly said, "We certainly wouldn't force Ms. Momoe to keep working afterwards...."

Naoki Nagayama paused for a moment, then rolled up the document and tapped Kuki Kojima on the head with it,

"Stop daydreaming; Momoe Yamaguchi's stage name rights still belong to HORIPRO Agency!"

"..... She's called Momoe Miura now...."

"Get out!"

"......."

After Kuki Kojima left the office, Naoki Nagayama half-reclined in the boss's chair, and a thought unexpectedly rose in his mind: what if Momoe Yamaguchi joined? How would 'The Coffin Man' turn out? What impact would this have.....

First, the hype would definitely explode! Moreover, Momoe Yamaguchi's acting skills are guaranteed~

Second, it would be a great convenience for the film's overseas expansion, as Momoe Yamaguchi is very famous throughout Asia~

Third, it might provoke hostility from HORIPRO Agency and other old-established agencies.....

However, does Tree Friends, as it stands now, fear these old agencies?!

"Hmm.... The more I think about it, the more tempted I am!" Naoki Nagayama shook his head, "It's a pity.... Ms. Momoe probably won't want to return to the entertainment industry....."

And as Kuki Kojima walked out of the office, the restlessness in his heart was not suppressed by Naoki Nagayama; instead, it grew like weeds.....

Others racking their brains is not as good as someone having a sudden inspiration~

Originally, someone was supposed to notify Miura Tomokazu's agency, but since Kimishima Kyu was a member of the Departure Committee, he simply called the agent directly to explain the situation, then asked to notify the person himself, and thus obtained a private number...

"Moshi Moshi Moshi Moshi, is this Mr. Miura Tomokazu?"

Kimishima Kyu dialed the contact number left behind.

"Hello, who is this?" Miura Tomokazu's voice came through the receiver.

"This is Kimishima Kyu from Jiyu..."

"Ah! Director Kimishima..." Miura Tomokazu said in surprise, "Why are you calling me?"

"Nothing much... I just wanted to personally inform Mr. Miura that you have been selected as the male lead of Departure!" Kimishima Kyu said with a smile, "Your audition that day left a deep impression! Congratulations!"

"Really?!" Miura Tomokazu asked excitedly to confirm.

"Of course!"

"Then I am truly grateful!" Miura Tomokazu immediately expressed his thanks. "Director Kimishima, Mr. Naoki... Anyway, I am deeply indebted!"

"Hahaha, this is also because Mr. Miura's acting skills are up to standard..."

Kimishima Kyu and Miura Tomokazu engaged in a mutual exchange of gratitude over the phone. After this excitement gradually subsided, Kimishima Kyu said:

"Mr. Miura, do you remember what was said during the audition, that the character image needs to be slightly slender?"

Miura Tomokazu immediately promised: "Yes, I will start exercising and adjusting my body right now, and I will definitely meet the standard by the time filming begins!"

"Hmm hmm... It must be that Mr. Miura has been taken care of too well since getting married, haha~"

"... My wife is indeed very virtuous..." Miura Tomokazu agreed.

And only then did Kimishima Kyu begin his own little scheme:

"Speaking of which, Mrs. Miura and the female lead of Departure have great chemistry... If she were to act, she would definitely be very suitable..."

"Ah... Yamaguchi Baimei has already retired..."

"Oh? Ms. Yamaguchi Yamaguchi Baimei has never had the idea of acting in movies? Even with Mr. Miura?"

Kimishima Kyu's tone was full of temptation,

"You know, this Departure is a movie directed wholeheartedly by Mr. Naoki. It has the potential to be a huge hit. Not to mention the dividends, it might even win international awards! It could go down in film history..."

"This... Ms. Yamaguchi Baimei... she has no intention of making a comeback..."

Miura Tomokazu paused for a moment, still respecting his wife,

"She is already tired of the entertainment industry! She has suffered too much hurt before..."

"That is truly a pity..." Kimishima Kyu said. "Mr. Naoki also said that if Ms. Yamaguchi Baimei were willing to make a cameo, Jiyu would definitely be able to keep everything from the entertainment industry at bay..."

"After all, Mr. Naoki's wife, Nakamori Akina, is also in the entertainment industry, isn't she..."

Upon hearing this, Miura Tomokazu had to admit that Naoki Nagayama had protected Nakamori Akina very well...

Moreover, Naoki Nagayama did not need Nakamori Akina's help in terms of fame or fortune. Now that Nakamori Akina still works in the entertainment industry, it is purely for her own love and ambition... She chose it herself!

So...

Does Yamaguchi Yamaguchi Baimei have ambition? Does she like singing?

Of course!

How could someone who reached the peak of idols in the entertainment industry not have aspirations for their career and not love singing?!

It's just that Yamaguchi Yamaguchi Baimei, at the height of her career, believed that family and career could not be had together, so she chose family~

In the end, this is because Miura Tomokazu, as a husband, could not protect Yamaguchi Yamaguchi Baimei from the attacks of the entertainment industry, nor could he support his wife's pursuit of both career and family...

"Ms. Yamaguchi Baimei..."

Miura Tomokazu originally wanted to say that Yamaguchi Yamaguchi Baimei's wish was to become a housewife, but the words stuck in his throat and could not come out...

And at this moment, Kimishima Kyu was not idle:

"Haha, Mr. Miura, I was just saying... But if Ms. Yamaguchi Baimei could come and make a cameo as the female lead, we would definitely welcome her with open arms!

Those matters regarding the entertainment industry and agencies are no problem at all; Jiyu will handle everything...

Mr. Miura can talk about this with Ms. Yamaguchi Yamaguchi Baimei!"

"Arigato..."

Miura Tomokazu didn't know why he suddenly expressed thanks... His wife Yamaguchi Yamaguchi Baimei had not yet agreed to make a comeback!

"Well... that's it for today. We look forward to Ms. Yamaguchi Baimei's reply~"

"... Yes~"

After hanging up the phone, Miura Tomokazu was momentarily stunned. Was this to inform me that I got the role... and incidentally wanted to bring Yamaguchi Yamaguchi Baimei along too?

This should not be Mr. Naoki's way of doing things; he knows Ms. Yamaguchi Baimei too. If he wanted to invite her, he would have called directly!

So is it Director Kimishima's idea? Or the idea of the Departure Committee?

Various thoughts floated through his mind, making Miura Tomokazu's head feel like mush... But eventually, it settled into one question.

Should he go ask Yamaguchi Yamaguchi Baimei if she wants to participate in this Departure, which is destined to be a huge hit and go down in film history?

Thinking of how his wife was once a star watched by millions, but now is trapped inside a house, even having to avoid others' gazes when going out...

Miura Tomokazu made a decision in his heart!

(End of this chapter)