Chapter 228: Summer goes better with hot pot~

The sweet voice came from the stage. The young idol standing on the stage, as if she were attending a TV program, was fully engaged and singing to her heart's content, turning the simple handshake event into a concert at the Tokyo Dome all by herself.

A debut song "Slow Motion," a new song "Shoujo A," respectively showed two different styles of sweetness and rebellion. Her breathing was stable, she was at ease, and she also controlled the reaction of the live audience very well.

Taking advantage of the gap between songs, the fans shouted rhythmically under the stage: "Akina~ Akina~"

The loud sound made half of the people in Ginza look over.

This was the first time Naoki Nagayama had seen Akina's offline live performance. Compared to the studio at the TV station before, the current Akina had shed her greenness, her stage presence was more mature and steady, and the fans paying attention to her were also increasing!

"Nii-chan, the current Akina-chan is so cool!"

Tsuruko Nagayama also shouted with the fans under the stage for a while, while Tsubakiya Nana was very surprised. Had the little girl who followed behind the older sisters actually become so charming?

"Yeah, Akina-chan is already a famous idol now, and she will be even more popular in the future!"

Naoki Nagayama saw that the host had started to host the next process, so he said to Tsuruko, "Tsuruko, do you want to go up and shake hands too, and scare Akina?"

"Eh, good, good! Nana-chan, come too, let's see if Akina-chan still remembers you~"

Upon hearing this idea, Tsuruko immediately became excited and pulled Nana to start lining up. However, because they were originally on the outermost periphery, even if they lined up, they were at the very back.

As for Naoki Nagayama, he didn't line up. There were so many people at the scene, and there were some reporters. If he was recognized, it would become news again. Alas, Akina-chan's handshake event, this is a fan benefit that only exists in the very early days.

There were more than a hundred people who arrived at the scene. If they shook hands one by one, it would take more than half an hour. Speaking of which, idols are really hard-working.

The waiting time was not long, nor was it short. In the end, Naoki Nagayama even had free time to go to the shop next door to buy ice cream to eat, but Tsuruko and the two of them finally walked onto the stage.

"Akina-chan!!!" Tsuruko grabbed Akina's hand and shook it, making the host on the side almost think they had encountered some extreme fan.

"Tsuruko-chan! How did you come to Tokyo! And you even came here~"

Akina was also very happy to call out after seeing it was Tsuruko, which made the host breathe a sigh of relief. It turned out to be someone she knew.

Tsuruko explained hurriedly: "I came to Tokyo to play during summer vacation, and I happened to run into Akina-chan's handshake event while shopping!"

Then she pulled Tsubakiya Nana over:

"Nana-chan, do you still remember? We watched cherry blossoms together last year~"

Akina paused after seeing Nana: "Ah, I remember, it's Nana-chan~"

Tsubakiya Nana shook Akina's hand happily: "I didn't expect Akina-chan to have become an idol! Akina-chan's dream has already been realized~"

"Haha, arigato~ It's just the beginning."

Akina suddenly thought that if Tsuruko, this little sister, came to Tokyo to shop, then her older brother Naoki must be accompanying her on the side, but he wasn't among the few people lining up behind.

Akina scanned the audience under the stage, and immediately discovered Naoki Nagayama wearing a sun hat and glasses outside the crowd. He was looking at the stage, and he was actually still eating ice cream. After making eye contact with Akina, he even waved his hand.

"Tsuruko-chan, Nana-chan, wait a moment, I'll come find you after the activity is over~"

Because there were still a few fans behind, Akina didn't chat much, but quietly said to Tsuruko that she would come to find them after the activity was over,

and then she turned back into the idol's artist face, shook hands with the remaining few fans, and thanked them for their support.

Tsuruko and Nana returned to Naoki Nagayama's side, still holding Akina's latest record in their hands: "Nii-chan, there's no share for you. This is a signed record that only fans can get!"

"I already have it." Naoki Nagayama was speechless. When Akina released a new record, she naturally sent him one, which was of course a signed version too.

"Hmph! Wait here for a while, Akina-chan said she would come find us after it's over~"

Tsuruko took her and Nana's share from the bag containing the ice cream without ceremony, found a corner, and started eating while waiting.

With the end of the handshake event, Akina Nakamori returned to the crowd of staff behind the stage, and the crowd outside also began to disperse slowly.

"Konji-san, I remember there are no arrangements after this, right?" Akina Nakamori asked her manager Daikawa Konji. "I just ran into friends. If there are no arrangements, I want to get together with them."

"Hai, Akina-chan's activity arrangements for today are over, but we have to go to Nara City early tomorrow morning. You still need to rest early today, Akina-chan, don't play too late."

Daikawa Konji is that kind of old-qualified manager, and his management of idols has always been relatively strict. This sentence was relatively blunt.

"Hai, I know~"

Although she felt a bit uncomfortable with the manager's words, being able to get together with friends was the most important thing. After wearing a mask to cover up a bit, Akina slipped out secretly.

After searching around the mall for a bit, she found Naoki Nagayama's outfit that was obviously different from others.

"Naoki-san~"

Naoki Nagayama, who was talking to Tsuruko, heard a super light voice coming from behind. When he turned his head, Akina was standing behind a billboard not far away, tiptoeing and beckoning to him.

Naoki Nagayama took Tsuruko and Nana and walked over, crying and laughing: "Akina-chan, why are you being so sneaky..."

"Shh!" Akina hurriedly hid between Tsuruko and Nana. "Naoki-san, don't be so loud. It will be very troublesome if you are recognized!"

That's true. Currently, the people around here are all Akina's fans. If they are recognized, they won't be able to escape even if they want to.

"Okay, let's go somewhere else first..."

The four of them walked back quickly and quietly, and didn't feel a bit relieved until they turned a corner.

Seeing that the three girls were all sweating, Naoki Nagayama pulled them into a coffee shop, found a corner seat, and then sat on the outside, blocking Akina's appearance with his body.

"Let's rest for a while first."

Ordering a few iced drinks, the relaxed people finally started chatting.

"When did Tsuruko-chan come to Tokyo?" Akina Nakamori could finally take off her mask and asked Tsuruko first.

"Yesterday morning~ I arrived in Tokyo with Nana-chan by Shinkansen. Then I went to watch the Jingu Gaien Fireworks Festival in the evening!"

Tsuruko and Nana started talking endlessly about the fireworks performance last night.

"Eh, did you go to watch the fireworks festival? I'm really envious~" Akina looked very envious.

Tsuruko was a bit strange: "Didn't Akina-chan watch the fireworks festival?"

"No time... During this period of fireworks festivals, I have work, so I can only take a look from afar."

"Eh, is idol work so busy?"

Naoki Nagayama said in a very knowledgeable tone: "Tsuruko-chan, this is your ignorance. For idols in the rising period like Akina, there is work almost every day. They are either on the way to filming or on the way to the filming location~"

"Hahaha, what nonsense is Naoki-san talking about, how can that be~" Akina hammered Naoki Nagayama's arm. "It's just a coincidence during the fireworks festival this year."

"By the way, Akina-chan, I saw in the newspaper before that the new song was really banned?" Naoki Nagayama remembered the news he saw in the morning.

"Hai, it was indeed banned by NHK." Akina sipped her straw, a bit disappointed.

Tsubakiya Nana didn't know much about Akina's songs originally. Hearing that it was banned, she was very curious: "What's going on? Was 'Shoujo A' banned?"

"Mm, it is said that the lyrics were out of line..." Akina had to say it again.

"Out of line?"

Nana's curiosity was even greater. When she heard it at the handshake event, she didn't feel where it was out of line? Looking at the record in her bag, she decided she must listen to it again when she went back.

Naoki Nagayama comforted her: "The old antiques at NHK might be too far from the culture of young people. Does the agency have any arrangements for what to do next?"

"The agency has no good way, it can only increase exposure on other channels..." Akina said gloomily. "So there is even more work..."

"That's really pitiful~"

Originally, idol work is a lot. If there is more, wouldn't it be all year round without rest? Sure enough, it feels like Akina's baby fat has already been reduced by a circle.

"Does Akina-chan have any arrangements for the evening? Do you want to have a meal together?"

"No! I didn't eat much at noon, and I'm already hungry~" Hearing about eating, Akina got some spirit. The ice cream and some desserts she ate at noon had been completely digested, and her stomach also started to remind her.

"Then let's have a good meal tonight to make up for it!" Looking at Tsuruko and Nana who were listening. "How about Chinese hot pot? Have you eaten it?"

As the saying goes, there is no problem that a hot pot can't solve. If there is, then have another one!

Even if it's summer, so what? Hot pot is even more fragrant in summer!

"Good!" x3

"Tsuruko, Nana, have you chosen what to buy? If you have chosen, let's go buy it first, and then we will find a restaurant!"

After drinking the drinks, Naoki Nagayama originally wanted to take the 3 people to buy things and then go directly to the parking lot. Unexpectedly, Akina, Tsuruko, and Nana, the three of them, actually followed the route they came before and started shopping again.

Looking at the familiar shops, Naoki Nagayama was a bit speechless:

"I said... Tsuruko, didn't you come to this shop before?"

"Yes, I think a piece of clothing inside is very good-looking, so I called Akina to help pick it out. Is that not okay?" Tsuruko said aggressively.

Akina was secretly laughing on the side. Fortunately, she was wearing a mask, otherwise she would definitely be recognized in the mall.

"Hai, please feel free to shop, Tsuruko-sama."

"Tch, it's like Nii-chan will pay if I pick it out..." Tsuruko turned her head and joined the discussion on clothing selection again.

Akina is very sensitive to fashion and has already begun to give opinions on her stage costumes. It is expected that she will slowly start designing clothes herself in the future.

Chatting back and forth with Tsuruko and Nana, they still didn't see anything they liked, so they ran to the next shop they had already picked out.

Walking and stopping, the group spent more than an hour, and Tsuruko and Nana finally picked out the clothes they liked. Even Akina bought a piece of clothing.

Fortunately, it took nearly half the time less than when they first came over.

"Naoki-san, is this car rented?"

After Akina saw the Toyota Century, she realized something was wrong. This is not Naoki's convertible sports car.

Tsuruko was chattering on the side: "It's a new car! Even though that car was bought less than a year ago, he actually bought another one. Akina-chan, let me tell you, this person Naoki Nagayama is really too extravagant! He doesn't know how to live!"

Akina said on the side: "Naoki-san is really good at making money~"

Naoki Nagayama had black lines on his head: "Tsuruko, this was bought so that I could carry you around Tokyo."

Tsuruko said while opening the car door: "Hmph, carry me? I don't believe it~"

After getting in the car, Tsuruko and Nana were still in the back row, and Akina sat in the passenger seat.

"Look at this car model, the one sitting in the back row is the boss." Naoki Nagayama still said this and started the car.

"Hehe~" Tsuruko didn't say anything more, but asked Akina, "Akina-chan, is it really that fast to make money as a star?"

"Maybe~"

Little Akina didn't dare to say much at this time. She originally thought that a salary of 200,000 a month was already a lot, but the gap with Naoki-san is not generally large.

"Tsuruko, don't ask blindly, it's very rude~" Naoki Nagayama scolded. "Hurry and look at the guidebook to see where the Chinese hot pot is nearby."

Coming to Ginza to shop, Tsuruko had already bought a guidebook, and it came in handy at this time.

There are quite a few Japanese-style hot pots in Ginza, but there are relatively few Chinese-style hot pots. Naoki Nagayama turned around and found a medium-sized Sichuan hot pot in a residential area.

After parking the car and entering the shop, a spicy smell rushed toward them. Before eating, they felt hot. Following the waiter to a position near the inside,

the shop owner inside should be from Sichuan. The signs, decorations, and menus are all thick Chinese styles. At this time, the guests in the shop are also mostly Chinese.

"Tsuruko and Nana can't eat spicy food very well. Akina-chan, you should eat spicy pot, right?" Naoki Nagayama asked. "Any taboos?"

"Hai! Absolutely none."

"Then let's have a mandarin duck pot~"

Naoki Nagayama ordered directly in Chinese. Seeing that Tsuruko and Nana had no opinion, he ordered some common beef, beef tripe, omasum, lamb, shrimp paste, etc., plus tofu, green vegetables, dried bean curd, and other vegetarian dishes.

Akina was very surprised on the side: "Naoki-san, your Chinese is too proficient!"

Tsuruko looked at Naoki Nagayama ordering skillfully and said: "My brother's English suddenly became super good before. I don't know when he learned Chinese again. I don't know if he was transformed by ET!"

Some time ago, the movie "E. T. the Extra-Terrestrial" was passed to Japan, and many people's impression of aliens changed greatly.

"Read more books in your spare time..." Naoki Nagayama glanced. "Don't always watch movies and variety shows."

Nana looked at Tsuruko: "Sure enough, your family are all top students~"

Soon the hot pot base was brought up. In the red soup, one chili after another floated on it. Just looking at it with eyes, one could feel the spiciness. The clear soup was boiled with beef bones, emitting a strong fragrance. In this era without non-dairy creamer, it can be determined that the shop uses real materials.

Naoki Nagayama helped the young girls who had never eaten Chinese hot pot adjust the sauce dishes, and then began to teach them how to master the essence of Chinese shabu-shabu.

"Akina-chan, beef tripe only needs to be shabu-shabu 7 times, and you can eat it. It's the most crisp at this time!" Naoki Nagayama used public chopsticks to put the beef tripe shabu-shabu in the red soup into Akina's dish, and then shabu-shabu it in the clear soup for Tsuruko and Nana again.

Akina rolled the beef tripe from the red soup in the spicy dish, then put it into her mouth, and then made a "hot, hot, hot" sound. She wanted to spit it out but couldn't bear it, so she had to suck in cold air while chewing in big mouthfuls. It was not easy to eat it down.

"It's really crisp!"

The spicy taste stimulated her appetite. After learning it, Akina couldn't wait to start shabu-shabu in the red soup again, and Tsuruko and Nana opposite also started to shabu-shabu in the clear soup.

"Boil the omasum for about half a minute~"

"You can take the beef out when it changes color!" Naoki Nagayama acted as a teacher. "Boil the mushrooms for a while longer, and eat them last..."

Next, beef, omasum, lamb, and vegetarian dishes were put into the pot one by one.

Even though there were air conditioning and milk to relieve spiciness in the shop, the few of them also ate until they were sweating profusely. ===== CHAPTER 229 =====