Chapter 1171: The Return of the Legend

The fact that the male lead for "Departures" had already been decided had long since spread quietly. Even if Tree Friends hadn't publicized it, Miura Tomokazu's agency would have, as the contract was already signed.

Meanwhile, the indecision regarding the actress for the female lead became the focus of industry discussion.

Actresses in the entertainment industry who had gone for auditions were being asked over the past few days if they had received any notification, yet not a single one had received a call from Tree Friends.

Then, some busybodies in the media and press cooked up a competition for the most suitable actress for the female lead of "Departures"... which was essentially a poll!

The Japanese media is particularly fond of such polls, putting a group of artists together for comparison to select titles like "a beautiful girl seen once in a millennium," "the female artist most suitable to be a wife," or "the cutest idol." They do the same for male artists, with titles like "the male artist wealthy women most want to keep."

Agencies, seeing it as a way to increase their artists' exposure and popularity, didn't object; some even proactively mentioned the activity during announcements and interviews to ride the wave of popularity.

This time, the candidates for "the artist most suitable for the female lead of 'Departures'" naturally included Kanako Higuchi and Mieko Harada, actors who had collaborated before and participated in the auditions, all of whom made the list. It also added some popular actresses... like Keiko Matsuzaka, Yuko Tanaka, and Miwako Fujitani.

Moreover, Naoki Nagayama's wife, Akina Nakamori, was also among the candidates, and her popularity was incredibly high!

Akina Nakamori, who was promoting her new song on TV Asahi, was being interviewed by the familiar host Akiko Wada:

"Akina-chan... will you be appearing in 'Departures'?"

"No!" Akina Nakamori shook her head, her tone very firm. "I am not the female lead this time."

"Oh?!" Akiko Wada said, surprised. "Has it already been decided?"

"Yes... but I can't reveal who it is~" Akina smiled. "I was instructed to keep it a secret."

"Eh~~~ why is that~" Akiko Wada, who had a tomboyish personality, felt very helpless after hearing this. "You've piqued everyone's curiosity... was this specifically instructed by Naoki Nagayama?!"

"Yes!"

Akina nodded obediently.

"Can't you say even a little bit?"

"No~"

Akiko Wada didn't give up and secretly leaned closer to Akina:

"Can't you tell me quietly? We're all good friends... there's gossip that needs to be shared!"

"No way..."

Akina pushed Akiko Wada away, speaking righteously:

"I promised I wouldn't say!"

"Fine~" Akiko Wada slumped, as if she had already given up, then spoke in a low voice, "Is it someone I know?!"

"Hey!"

Akina covered her chin and pouted...

"Alright, alright, it seems you really can't say!" Akiko Wada looked at the audience present. "You saw it, I already tried my best... I couldn't get it out of Akina's mouth..."

Akina Nakamori, on stage, widened her eyes: "Did you actually plan this?!"

"Because everyone is very curious about the female lead... and Akina looks very easy to trick..."

The audience in the studio burst into laughter, and the atmosphere seemed very harmonious.

Once the laughter in the studio subsided, Akiko Wada continued the interview, asking a question that many people were also very concerned about:

"Speaking of which, Director Nagayama is young and wealthy, and when filming movies, he works with very charming female artists... has Akina ever worried?"

"Worried?"

"You know, those scandals, gossip, and such..." Akiko Wada said, looking very experienced. "Men are all very unfaithful~"

"How could that be..."

"Naoki-san is very devoted!" Akina Nakamori said to Akiko Wada with a smile. "Men will settle down after starting a family!"

"Oh..." Akiko Wada looked skeptical.

And the recording scene was once again filled with buzzing laughter and discussion...

Akina, however, had absolutely no doubts about her husband.

You should know that friends and besties in the industry would sometimes ask, "Akina, how do you keep your husband in check?" "How do you keep your Naoki's heart tied so tightly?" "How did you turn the unfaithful Naoki into a devoted Naoki?" and other such questions...

After all, such a happy couple in the entertainment industry is indeed a bit rare...

She always answered like this: "That's because Naoki-san himself is already very good. You have to fall in love with someone who is already good, rather than trying to make him better!"

She gave her husband plenty of face in front of outsiders.

Of course, as the main wife, sometimes she still had to be a little jealous and act spoiled so that her husband would feel he was being paid attention to!

This was the "husband-management technique" she had summarized from various long-lasting couples!

Actually, when choosing Momoe Yamaguchi this time, Akina Nakamori felt a slight sense of crisis in her heart.

Momoe Yamaguchi was once Naoki Nagayama's idol, and having been together for so long, she also knew that Naoki Nagayama had once done irrational things because of Momoe Yamaguchi's retirement.

However, after she came to their home once, Akina felt relieved...

Because when Naoki Nagayama was chatting with Momoe Yamaguchi, he was thinking entirely about what Momoe Yamaguchi could bring to "Departures" and Tree Friends, the pros and cons, and there were absolutely no emotional sparks or anything like that...

"When the female lead is announced... I wonder if this experience of Naoki-san's will be dug up and discussed..."

At Tree Friends, the three senior executives of the group were all acting mysterious and didn't say a word about the female lead.

Because the acquisition of the IP usage rights for Momoe Yamaguchi hadn't been finalized yet, everything had to be kept confidential.

People at the Tree Friends building were all quietly discussing who the female lead would be, which made the only exception, the insider Xu Xu Midao, very uncomfortable... He had originally wanted to brag about his great achievement in facilitating Momoe Yamaguchi's comeback!

Fortunately, others couldn't find him easily, otherwise he definitely would have leaked the secret very quickly.

Just at this moment, Takayuki Nishimoto arrived at the Tree Friends building, full of joy. He had been to various places over the past few days, looking for the male and female leads for "Long Vacation," and today he felt he had found them!

"Eh? Xu Midao-san..." Through a glimmer of golden light, Takayuki Nishimoto discovered Xu Xu Midao's figure in the office. "Why are you sitting in the corner and not saying anything?"

"It's nothing..." Xu Xu Midao sighed, then asked, "Nishimoto, why do you look so happy?"

"Because I found suitable actors!"

Takayuki Nishimoto said happily,

"Then, who are the male and female leads for 'Long Vacation'?"

"As for the female lead, we have selected our Tree Friends' Chikako Aoyama!" Takayuki Nishimoto said. "She just finished appearing in 'Once a Thief,' and I want to strike while the iron is hot and borrow some of that popularity."

"Ah... Chikako-chan..."

Xu Xu Midao nodded. Chikako Aoyama could be said to be the artist currently walking the smoothest path among Tree Friends' actresses, and her image was relatively grand, with the style of an urban woman. She was very suitable for the female lead in "Long Vacation."

"What about the male lead?"

"Haha, speaking of the male lead, that is quite legendary!"

Takayuki Nishimoto became even more excited,

"Xu Midao-san, do you know how hard I searched? I even went to look in host clubs!"

"..."

There's no need to say out loud that you've been to a host club...

Xu Xu Midao was stunned for a moment, then waved his hand casually. He didn't care about any novel actors now, because no one was more legendary than Momoe Yamaguchi.

"So, is he really a host?"

"Hahaha, he almost became a host!"

Takayuki Nishimoto laughed,

"In a shop in Kabukicho, I happened to see a young man who seemed to have been dragged over by a local pimp... It seems he originally wanted to come to work part-time, but unexpectedly he was called to be a host... Hahaha~"

"Oh?"

"Fortunately, I intercepted him halfway, otherwise he really would have become a host!" Takayuki Nishimoto laughed loudly. "By the way, he's a very handsome young man... called Masaharu Fukuyama!"

Masaharu Fukuyama, a man from Nagasaki who had lived a relatively well-off life since childhood.

Born in Nagasaki, attended a private kindergarten, studied at Nagasaki Prefectural Nagasaki Technical High School, and after graduation, entered the Nagasaki Electric Power Company to work. Later, he might have found a local wife in Nagasaki and had a few children...

It should have been a safe and steady life for a local elite~

However, young people, after all, all have a restless heart... After the first season of "Voice of Japan" was broadcast, he was attracted by this kind of talent show that relied purely on singing, and he kept paying attention to it until Sakai Izumi reached the top as the champion.

After the first season ended, a fire ignited in his heart, and he immediately resigned from the stable and well-paying electric power company and came to Tokyo alone to pursue his music dream!

However, living in Tokyo is not easy!

Soon, this city of glitz and glamour gave him a slap in the face...

"If you don't pay the rent, get out!"

"Not working overtime? You're fired!"

"Sumimasen... the pizza shop doesn't need staff for the time being..."

It is very difficult for a young person without any special skills to make money. He wanted to pursue a music career, but live houses wouldn't want a guy like him who had no fame, and the high cost of living in Tokyo couldn't be paid for by working part-time jobs...

And the auditions for the second season of "Voice of Japan" wouldn't start until June...

Masaharu Fukuyama, who was originally at his wit's end, had no choice but to ask his family for help... But he had already resigned from his stable job at the electric power company, which had already made his family very dissatisfied...

Just when he was wandering around Shinjuku 3-chome looking for part-time work...

"Hey, young man!" A guy with styled hair, wearing sunglasses and a suit, looking very fashionable, said, "You seem to be looking for work!"

"Yes..." Masaharu Fukuyama moved slightly away from this guy.

"I feel like there's a job that's very suitable for you!" Roland pulled down his sunglasses, looked him up and down, and then reached out his hand. "Our shop is still short of a person! My name is Roland!"

"My name is Masaharu Fukuyama... nice to meet you..."

"Haha, alright, alright~ no need to be so formal!" Roland patted Masaharu Fukuyama on the shoulder. "Maybe we'll be colleagues in the future!"

"Uh... may I ask what kind of shop it is?"

"It's called Club Ai..." Roland said. "It's a drinking place in Kabukicho!"

"Are you looking for a waiter?!" Masaharu Fukuyama was just an 18-year-old young man, still very innocent. "Then I can handle that!"

"Hahaha, a waiter... I suppose you could say that! But the service requires a higher level of skill..."

Roland didn't elaborate and pulled him directly toward Shinjuku 2-chome...

It was morning, and Kabukicho hadn't reached its peak season yet. Most of the shops were empty, appearing a bit desolate~

Masaharu Fukuyama had heard of Kabukicho. Although he couldn't afford the consumption, he also knew that there were many adult entertainment shops here. But it didn't matter, he was a man, what did it matter if he worked here!

However, when he saw the shop door with the sign "Club Ai," his heart tightened~

"Roland-san..." Masaharu Fukuyama stood at the door. "This is a host club!"

"Yeah! You come here to drink!" Roland pulled Masaharu Fukuyama inside. "I see you have some good looks, young man, you'll definitely be very popular. Maybe you'll become the ace of our shop in the future!"

Masaharu Fukuyama immediately shook his head:

"But... but I don't want to be a host!"

"Don't have any discrimination against the profession... being a male host is a very challenging job!" Roland pulled him inside with both hands. "You'll know once you go in!"

"No... don't!"

Masaharu Fukuyama grabbed the door frame tightly,

"Roland-san, I don't want this job!"

"Hahaha, you're already here... if you don't do this job, are you not giving face to the gold-medal host Roland?!"

In this day and age, Kabukicho is rampant with yakuza... Some of the young ladies working here were forced by the yakuza, and of course, it's the same for hosts...

For men, it's naturally a bit less, because men will resist~

However, Masaharu Fukuyama looked like a young man who had come to Tokyo from the countryside to work, with no foundation, and he looked clean and handsome... If you scare him a little, then show him the earnings, and persuade him properly, there will definitely be no problem!

"Come on, young man Fukuyama... today is your first day as a host!!"

"..."

Just as the two were pulling and tugging, Takayuki Nishimoto walked out of the shop, saw the two pulling, and also heard the general conversation...

"Yo-ho? This young man?"

Takayuki Nishimoto looked Masaharu Fukuyama up and down, grinned, and smiled,

"Are you looking for a job?!"

"I feel like there's a job that's very suitable for you!!!"

Masaharu Fukuyama shivered all over when he heard this...

"Mom, Dad... Tokyo is too dangerous!"

"Hahaha~ Pfft... cough cough cough~"

Xu Xu Midao sprayed out the water he was drinking. He looked at Takayuki Nishimoto in surprise and laughed,

"So... you really found a male lead at the door of a host club?!"

"Yes!" Takayuki Nishimoto also laughed. "I really intercepted him at the door!"

"After that, I explained to him for a long time, and that's how I got him to believe that I was from Tree Friends... otherwise this young man might have run away!"

"Oh? So you've already brought him over?"

"Yeah, Otomo-san is interviewing him right now..."

Takayuki Nishimoto said,

"I think we can sign him directly... young man Fukuyama is very handsome and has potential! I think he's on par with Naoki-san!"

"Oh?"

Xu Xu Midao shook his head, expressing disbelief... He had rarely seen such a handsome and clean-looking guy as Naoki Nagayama in the entire entertainment industry!

However, soon, Kaori Hoshika brought a young man down from upstairs:

"Fukuyama-san... this floor is the film department floor... Director Nishimoto, who brought you here, works here..."

Xu Xu Midao looked back and saw a refined young man with a clear face walking over from the aisle, handsome and with features like a painting... making people feel good at first sight...

Sure enough, he's on par with Naoki-san! Just a bit more refined and delicate...

Takayuki Nishimoto stood up, smiled, and greeted him:

"Hana-chan, have you already brought him to visit? Has Otomo-san decided?"

"Yes! Although the contract hasn't been signed yet, Fukuyama-kun will be our colleague from now on!"

Kaori Hoshika said with a smile.

The process of an agency is so fast; a talent scout finds a good seedling, the president takes a look and sees no problem, and then they can make a decision and sign him directly!

As a former talent scout, Katsutomo Yoshimura could naturally see Masaharu Fukuyama's potential~

"Hahaha..." Takayuki Nishimoto patted Masaharu Fukuyama on the shoulder. "Young man Fukuyama, you're a Tree Friend from now on!"

"Thank you, Nishimoto-san, for the recommendation... I really don't know how to thank you..."

Masaharu Fukuyama was truly grateful to Takayuki Nishimoto... Not only did he pull him out of the pit of being a host, but he also pulled him into the Tree Friends Group, which everyone in the entertainment industry envied... This was a great kindness!

"Haha, it's nothing, it's nothing... we'll have plenty of time to spend together in the future!"

Takayuki Nishimoto was also very happy,

"Soon... your first movie will start filming!"

"Ah?!"

"It's called 'Long Vacation'!"

(End of chapter)