Chapter 271: Filming a yakuza movie in the Showa era might be life-threatening

After meeting someone in the teahouse once, Naoki Nagayama developed a subconscious shadow regarding the high consumption there.

Even knowing it was his own shop, he felt it was a bit exaggerated.

Therefore, the meeting with Mieko Harada was arranged in the studio where the agency was located.

Mieko Harada's acting career could be said to be smooth sailing.

Ever since her first appearance on the big screen at 16 in *Love in the Green Wind*, she had successively participated in many movies by well-known directors. Her outstanding acting skills and unique personality had left her own mark in the entertainment industry, and she had also won newcomer awards at various major awards, including the Blue Ribbon Awards.

Last year, the TV drama *From the North Country*, also from Fuji TV, achieved good ratings.

When Naoki Nagayama saw this actress in the conference room of the studio, she was only wearing a simple gray cashmere sweater, plus a pair of jeans. Her loose black hair had a hair clip, and her whole person appeared simple and free-spirited.

At first glance, Naoki Nagayama didn't feel the stunning beauty that would be called the "Showa beauty" in later generations; instead, she looked like an ordinary college student.

The person who followed her was her agent, Naoyuki Okazaki, who was dressed very formally in a black suit. After seeing Naoki Nagayama and Otomo Yoshimura, he stood up very respectfully to introduce himself:

"Good morning, I am Naoyuki Okazaki, the agent of the Dance Promotion Agency. The person next to me is the actress Mieko Harada. Nice to meet you..."

Otomo Yoshimura, who had just entered the door, also hurriedly responded:

"Hai, nice to meet you. I am Otomo Yoshimura, the General Manager of Tree Friend Films, and this is the President, Naoki Nagayama. Please take care of us."

Having to bow and bow every time, recognizing a stranger in Japan was just so troublesome...

After the etiquette of the meeting was completed by both sides, they finally sat down to chat. Because it was Tree Friend Films that went directly to find the actress, the content of the story was naturally shown to the other party.

"Sa, how does Harada-san feel about the script?"

"It's a very novel campus love story."

Mieko Harada didn't have stage fright but spoke her thoughts generously. After all, having participated in more than a dozen movies and TV shows, she was already a very mature actress.

"But I have a question. Generally speaking, shouldn't such a campus youth love drama be looking for a newcomer actress to play it? Why look for me?"

Regardless of the agent Naoyuki Okazaki next to her constantly winking, Mieko Harada still asked her question. After all, she was already 24 years old, and it could be said that there was a big gap from high school.

Otomo Yoshimura looked at Naoki Nagayama.

"Harada-san, it's like this..." Naoki Nagayama organized his language. "Actually, as the absolute female lead of this drama, wanting to express the charm that makes several male leads fall in love is definitely not something that can be achieved by appearance alone."

The setting in the story is the son of the four major financial cliques, what kind of beauty haven't they seen~

"Although I have already made certain settings in the story, such as personality, perseverance, and plot twists, etc., wanting to express this character and also let the male lead accept it still requires a female lead with outstanding acting skills."

"Judging from the movies Harada-san has participated in before, she is very suitable in terms of both acting skills and personality characteristics."

The female lead of *Hana Yori Dango* is from a poor background, with a tenacious and unyielding personality like a weed, which actually fits Mieko Harada's background quite well.

"As for age or something..."

Naoki Nagayama looked at Mieko Harada in front of him. Her big eyes and exquisite features, the plump baby fat when she first debuted had faded quite a bit, and now a thin layer just showed a tenacious expression.

"Harada-san looks exactly like a high school student who just graduated. She is the one who doesn't need to worry the most~"

Being praised a little by a handsome guy, Mieko Harada sitting opposite was obviously happy.

"President Nagayama, you flatter me..."

The subsequent contract negotiations and so on were very boring, mainly the verbal sparring between their side's Otomo Yoshimura and the other side's Naoyuki Okazaki. And at this time, Mieko Harada and Naoki Nagayama chatted in a low voice:

"President Nagayama, I've been a bit curious since just now. The name Naoki Nagayama is exactly the same as the author of a novel I've read."

Naoki Nagayama smiled: "Is Harada-san talking about *Love Letter*?"

"Hai!" Mieko Harada nodded, then reacted, "Could it be?"

"Ah, yes, *Love Letter* is indeed my humble work."

"Honto ni?!" The sudden raised voice of Mieko Harada made Otomo Yoshimura and Naoyuki Okazaki, who were negotiating, look over.

"Is President Nagayama actually the author of *Love Letter*?"

Suddenly encountering a book fan, and an actress who was going to cooperate, Naoki Nagayama was also very surprised: "Hai..."

Mieko Harada transformed into a little fan girl and started asking about various details when creating *Love Letter*, even forcing Naoki Nagayama to recall the plot of *Love Letter* once again...

Until the two agents had negotiated the contract, the little fan girl reluctantly stopped asking, but still left a request:

"Naoki-sensei, when we meet next time, you must help me sign!"

"Naoki-san, I didn't expect you to be such a famous writer already!"

Otomo Yoshimura wasn't very interested in reading, at most listening to others chat about bestsellers or something, so he didn't know much about the popularity of *Love Letter*.

And this time, he actually encountered Naoki Nagayama's book fan while negotiating cooperation with an actress. Such a small probability really surprised him.

"Yes, I'm also a bit surprised~"

Naoki Nagayama was also a bit stunned. Before, he communicated with fans of *Love Letter* through letters. Suddenly encountering a living fan, he was almost choked by strange questions.

"However, the female lead, Mieko Harada, is confirmed." Naoki Nagayama didn't dwell too much. "Otomo-san, how is Shonentai?"

"Ah, when Johnny's agent contacted me before, he suddenly mentioned Shibugakitai and the Shonentai Trio, and even said he wanted to talk to me in person."

"Eh? How is this going? We clearly looked for Shonentai?"

"Don't know... feels like internal resource grabbing?"

"Is Otomo-san meeting with Johnny's agent today?" Naoki Nagayama originally wanted to call Shonentai to ask.

"Hai, around 3 PM. Does Naoki-san want to come together?"

Naoki Nagayama shook his head. He didn't have much interest in meeting an old man: "I won't go. Originally, it should have been a confirmed matter. Otomo-san, talk well, and it's best to understand the reason."

"Hai!"

Otomo Yoshimura packed up the materials in the conference room and walked towards the office, but suddenly remembered one thing: "Naoki-san, Shuichi-san's movie filming seems to have problems... Shuichi-san is very distressed now."

Originally, *Hana Yori Dango* was scheduled to be filmed at the beginning of the year, and it had to be finished by February at the latest. To catch up with the filming schedule, Shuichi Indo had been desperately rushing the progress these few days, and he hadn't seen him for a long time. If there was a problem on the filming set, wouldn't he be unable to catch up?

"Nani? What problem?"

"Shuichi-san said when he called yesterday that it seems some delinquents are often hanging around the set... harassing."

"There's such a thing? Delinquents?"

Guys who aren't even yakuza have the guts to harass a movie shoot? There must be a reason behind this.

You know, when filming the movie, Kadokawa naturally greeted the local yakuza in Tokyo.

In Tokyo in the Showa era, if you film a yakuza movie without communicating with the real yakuza, maybe while you are filming well, a group of black-clad underlings will run to the set, letting you film a real yakuza gang fight. This is really life-threatening!

Although they seem to be in two different time and space from these people, Naoki Nagayama really knows the rampant degree of the Tokyo Yamaguchi-gumi, especially when the third generation died unexpectedly and the fourth generation was undecided, the internal struggle was even more sinister.

Even Shimizu's cousin, Kaede Nagayama, had warned Naoki Nagayama not to get involved in this circle of struggle.

Now Shuichi Indo seems to be involved with the yakuza, and Naoki Nagayama is also a bit worried, planning to go and take a look.

"Otomo-san, anyway, there's nothing to do in the afternoon, I'll go visit Shuichi-san's set~"

"Eh? Naoki-san..." Otomo Yoshimura noticed Naoki Nagayama's thought and didn't persuade him much. He couldn't dampen a friend's good intentions. "Okay, Naoki-san, be careful~"

"Haha, daijobu, just some delinquents."

Shuichi Indo's set was located in Yanesen, Taito-ku. Through his own connections, he rented an old teaching building at Tokyo University of the Arts as a filming base.

As a representative of Tokyo's downtown culture, the traditional old architectural style here, as well as various small shops, plus attractions like Senso-ji Temple and Ueno Park, were very suitable for filming scenes rich in the life atmosphere of the old era.

Shuichi Indo choosing this place at the beginning was indeed a good choice.

However, at this time, Shuichi Indo was frowning and looking at the seven or eight delinquents surrounding the set, men and women, wearing school uniforms but smoking and chatting without any scruples, occasionally pointing at the filming scene.

These delinquents just stood on the periphery and didn't do anything too excessive. When the crew went to ask, they couldn't get any information, and they couldn't directly drive people away.

"Shimizu-san, what's going on with these delinquents?" Shuichi Indo said helplessly to Shimizu Renbo, "Why did they suddenly start appearing."

Shimizu Renbo also frowned: "Sigh... although we greeted them before, the Matsuba-kai seems to have changed its mind and also wants to participate in the production."

"Participate in the production?" Shuichi Indo's brows furrowed even tighter. "Why? Kadokawa should have already talked to them, right?"

"Come to think of it, the movie market this year is just too hot.

Kadokawa's yakuza movie *Sailor Suit and Machine Gun* didn't it get a box office of over 2 billion? Earned too much...

The one who greeted them at the beginning was also the Matsuba-kai, they are jealous!"

Shuichi Indo was puzzled: "Then shouldn't it have been proposed when the movie production committee was being formed? The movie is half filmed, what's with suddenly sticking a foot in?"

"Shuichi-san... this is the yakuza. They don't have any principles. When they see meat, they will think of coming up to take a bite."

Shimizu Renbo sighed. When this kind of thing happens, generally, they will ask a big boss in the yakuza to help mediate, and then give a part of the red envelope appropriately before it will end.

Shuichi Indo was angry: "Even if it's the yakuza, they should talk about morality! Clearly, they already greeted them in advance!"

When Naoki Nagayama arrived at the set, the entire crew was also in a paused state.

A slight scan of his eyes, and he found the angry Shuichi Indo, who was smoking under a tree.

"Shuichi-san!"

After walking quietly to the side, Naoki Nagayama called out suddenly, scaring the cigarette in Shuichi Indo's hand away...

"Naoki, you guy!" Shuichi Indo, who was startled, reacted and saw Naoki Nagayama's hateful smiling face. "Scared me... why did you come over?"

"Heard from Otomo-san that you have some trouble here, so I came to see if Shuichi-san is okay. How is it? Is it solved?"

Shuichi Indo pointed to the set and the group of delinquents not far away: "You can see it just by looking at this appearance... still in a stalemate."

"Then what method does the producer have?" Naoki Nagayama looked left and right. "Why don't I see Shimizu Renbo?"

"Went to handle this matter, and went to visit the Matsuba-kai with Manager Isao Morikawa of Kadokawa." Shuichi Indo said, "But it looks like it's really going to bleed."

With a box office of nearly 2 billion in front, the Matsuba-kai couldn't let it go.

Shuichi Indo suddenly looked at Naoki Nagayama: "Naoki-san, do you have any way?"

"Uh... Shuichi-san's meaning is to find my cousin?"

"Almost..."

Naoki Nagayama was a bit speechless: "Shuichi-san... that side is Shizuoka, this side is Tokyo... There is a very important rule in yakuza organizations called the scope of activity, also called jurisdiction. Organizations from Shizuoka coming to manage Tokyo's affairs will be considered crossing the line."

"Aren't they all Yamaguchi-gumi?" Shuichi Indo scratched his head. "Isn't this something that can be done just by saying it?"

"Tokyo's Yamaguchi-gumi and Shizuoka's Yamaguchi-gumi also have a competitive relationship. Do you really think all yakuza in the world are one family?... Besides, isn't this side the jurisdiction of the Matsuba-kai?"

Naoki Nagayama didn't say one more point: the Matsuba-kai is jealous, but wouldn't the Yamaguchi-gumi, which is bigger than them, also be jealous? Yakuza organizations, don't look at the external propaganda as legal organizations, in fact, they are just a group of evil wolves.

"Sigh... if we can't talk it out, the movie won't be able to be filmed..." Shuichi Indo was a bit dejected. "Then I might not be able to catch up with Naoki-san's new TV drama..."

Regarding this movie, Shuichi Indo didn't feel it was a pity. What he was worried about was not catching up with the process and missing the filming of *Hana Yori Dango*.

"Eh? If filming stops, wouldn't I be able to go directly to Naoki-san's group?" Shuichi Indo's eyes lit up.

Naoki Nagayama poured cold water: "Don't think too much... it's highly probable that it will be solved soon. The connections and resources of the Kadokawa Group cannot be underestimated!"

As a large publishing group, the connections in the political world are intricate. If Kadokawa Haruki is angered, it's not impossible to ask friends in the political world to help beat the Matsuba-kai.

"Before that, Shuichi-san, just remember to take care of yourself~"

...... ===== CHAPTER 272 =====