Chapter 289: Asking a girl out, and actually watching a romantic tragedy

Listening to Akina Mori's narration, Naoki Nagayama finally understood why her voice was low.

Having only debuted for half a year, she actually encountered the collective transfer of team members. Even for a mature idol, she would be restless, right?

"Then, what does Akina-chan think?" Naoki Nagayama asked. "Do you want to leave with the team? Or stay?"

"I don't know..." The voice seemed even lower.

On one hand, it was the employees who had built up her thriving idol career with her; on the other hand, it was the company that helped her step onto the stage of the entertainment industry. It was really difficult to handle.

Akina had been absent-minded these past few days, and her working state had also become much worse. When on the road, she seemed to feel that she was sitting in a car driving towards the unknown, only feeling that the future was full of confusion.

Want to find someone to confide in?

At home? Her mother and the others didn't understand the operating rules of the entertainment industry; at the company? It seemed like everyone was going to leave at this time; other friends in the entertainment industry? This seemed to be something that couldn't be said casually...

Looking around, it turned out that only Naoki Nagayama could confide in her troubles... although she hadn't forgiven that guy yet!

Naoki Nagayama knew that, in fact, what Akina needed at this time was just companionship and listening.

"Akina-chan, when you are confused, you need to look back and recall your original goal." Naoki Nagayama said gently. "What was Akina's original goal when stepping into the entertainment industry?"

Suddenly being asked, Akina Mori was a bit stumbling: "Ano... to make money, to reduce the burden on the family..."

"Hahahaha~" Naoki Nagayama laughed out loud directly. "That's really a pragmatic goal!"

The other side of the receiver was immediately ashamed and angry, and the tone increased by three points: "What's wrong? It was originally like that! Doesn't Naoki-san want to make money?"

"Of course, so I said it's a pragmatic goal~" Naoki Nagayama didn't laugh anymore. "Then besides making money?"

Akina Mori sat cross-legged on the sofa, holding a pillow in her arms, and moved the phone to her side. In her mind, she recalled the second time she met Naoki Nagayama. It was also at that time that she determined her goal:

"And... to become an idol worth being expected!"

Naoki Nagayama nodded. This was decent. "Since Akina-chan's goal hasn't changed, then think about that time, the person you recognized, trusted, and finally chose to sign with—has his idea changed?"

"Section Chief Terabayashi?" Akina Mori recalled the man who came to her home in person to persuade her and her mother. "Yes, Section Chief Terabayashi hasn't said he's leaving yet!"

As if clearing up the key, Akina's heart settled down all of a sudden. Since the person she trusted was always there, then she would continue to believe in him!

"Arigato, Naoki-san, I feel much better now~"

Hearing Akina, whose mood seemed to have relaxed a lot from the receiver, Naoki Nagayama also breathed a sigh of relief. The effort of comforting was not in vain after all.

"That's good~" Naoki Nagayama looked at the clock in the living room, it was only 19:00. "Speaking of which, Akina-chan, you are resting very early today~"

"Hai, everyone in the agency felt that the state recently was not very good, so they specially arranged rest time."

In fact, Akina's working state these past few days had made people from Ken-On clearly feel the decline. However, everyone also knew about the transfer, so they expressed understanding for Akina's worries, so they specially canceled some activities to give Akina some time to adjust.

"Is that so? Then Akina-chan has nothing to do now?"

"Eh?... Temporarily, there is indeed nothing to do..."

"Akina-chan knows about 'A Scene at the Sea' that I produced, right? Have you seen it?"

Akina Mori seemed to have thought of something, her expression was slightly nervous, and her breathing became faster. But after all, she was an idol who had experienced countless stage performances, so she immediately controlled her tone and pretended to be indifferent:

"Ah, that's the film Naoki-san was nominated for. I haven't had a chance to see it yet."

Naoki Nagayama looked at the clock again: "The film has already been released in theaters nationwide. It's still early today. Do you want to judge my work?"

"Today?" She still wanted to maintain some restraint. "Wouldn't it be very sudden..."

"It's rare that Akina is resting~" Naoki Nagayama gave an excuse. "I also really want to hear how friends around me view this film. It's very important for the progress of future works. Shall I pick you up?"

"... Since Naoki-san said so..."

Agreed.

Hanging up the phone, Naoki Nagayama hurriedly changed into clothes for going out, and then drove the new Toyota Century towards the apartment in Nakano, leaving Eitaro barking miserably at the taillights of the car.

And Akina here, after putting down the phone, also ran into the bedroom immediately, and then opened the cabinet door to pick out clothes. After choosing the clothes, she started to fiddle with the makeup mirror again~

The weather on the winter night became increasingly erratic. It was a sunny and good day during the day, but suddenly the wind blew at night.

The whistling cold wind hit the windshield of the black Toyota Century, but it couldn't slow down the speed of this car even a little bit.

Once it was night, almost all the office buildings in Chiyoda were off work, and the lights were turned off. Most of Chiyoda was like a ghost town that had lost its popularity, dark and empty, especially since it was still very cold now, and there were few pedestrians on the road.

However, the convenience stores along the road were still flashing with warm lights, plus some high-rise buildings that insisted on working overtime and the street lights along the way, supporting the last popularity of this area.

Naoki Nagayama traveled on the empty highway in Chiyoda and soon arrived in Shinjuku Ward. It was obviously much more lively here than in Chiyoda. Under the colorful shop signs, there were pedestrians in twos and threes, walking on the street in the cold wind, chatting and laughing.

Although it was said to be a city that never sleeps, this scene only existed in a few bustling commercial districts such as Shibuya and Ginza.

And when arriving in Nakano Ward, the scene of ten thousand families' lights appeared in front of his eyes. Compared with the prosperity of the commercial district, it was more full of the taste of life here.

Naoki Nagayama parked the car not far downstairs from Akina Mori, and then made a phone call from a nearby telephone booth. Not long after, he saw Akina come down.

A shoulder-length long hair was softly gathered around, and under the air bangs combed on the forehead was a pretty face with a little baby fat. A light blue knitted scarf was loosely wrapped around her neck, and a dark green woolen coat covered the light-colored thick cashmere sweater, revealing only a short section of black trousers and warm brown long boots.

Simple yet full of vitality, the whole person exuded the charm of an urban beauty.

Akina Mori, carrying a small bag, observed left and right downstairs, like a landscape painting with its own filter under the light at the apartment entrance.

Naoki Nagayama drove the car over, watched Akina sit beside him, and then praised wildly:

"Akina-chan is so beautiful today! Just like someone who came out of a movie~"

"No way... Naoki-san, don't say it anymore..." Although she said humble and polite words, the smile on her face was even more obvious. "Where are we going?"

The Toyota Century started slowly, and the people in the car couldn't feel a bit of shaking at all.

Naoki Nagayama answered while looking at the road: "Let's go to Shinjuku, it's closer, and there are many cinemas open~"

"Hmm~"

The atmosphere in the car was quiet for a while, and Naoki Nagayama hurriedly looked for a topic.

"Akina-chan, it's almost New Year's. Will you rest at the end of this year?"

"This year... it's very difficult to rest. Until the New Year, there are all kinds of announcements, FNS Music Festival, New Year's celebration activities..." Once talking about work, Akina was like opening a chatterbox, counting all the work from the end of the year to the beginning of the next year. "In short, this New Year, everything will be spent at work!"

After speaking, she lay on the passenger seat very exaggeratedly, as if all the joy had been drawn away.

"That's really miserable... Speaking of which, this is Akina's first time not spending the New Year at home, right?"

Naoki Nagayama looked at the young girl beside him. She was clearly dressed in a mature temperament before, but as soon as she spoke, she became a child again.

"Hai... many festivals have been separated from home..." Akina Mori pouted. "I feel like I've become estranged from my family~"

"Well, growing up, it's like this. It's normal not to see each other for a year..." Naoki Nagayama comforted. "As long as you miss them, just make a phone call or take time to go back and see them~"

"I don't really want to go back..."

"? Why?"

"When I go back and come again, no one sends me off, it's very lonely..." Akina's face dimmed as if she thought of her previous experience.

Clearly, she came out happily to watch a movie, but it was turned into a complaint meeting by herself... Naoki Nagayama really wanted to ask himself a few minutes ago why he wanted to talk about the New Year.

However, Akina quickly adjusted her mood and asked Naoki Nagayama: "Will Naoki-san go back to his hometown for the New Year?"

"... Yes." Although he felt it was not good to say it at this time, Naoki Nagayama couldn't lie to people. "Probably go back the day before the New Year."

"What do Naoki-san's hometown do for the New Year? Like in Aose, making New Year's dumplings, fried meatballs, etc.? Is it Naoki-san's mother and sister doing it together?"

Akina looked at Naoki Nagayama, because when she was in her hometown in the past, the New Year's dinner of the Mori family was completed by her mother and several of them.

"About the same. Didn't I say it before? My father and eldest brother run an izakaya, so they will all help during the New Year's dinner."

Akina Mori seemed to have discovered something, opened her eyes wide, and looked at Naoki Nagayama who was driving: "In that case, Naoki-san is the only one who doesn't do anything and just waits to eat?"

It seems that is indeed the case.

However, Naoki Nagayama couldn't admit it: "No way! I will also help, okay? Besides, Eitaro is also waiting to eat!"

Actually reduced to the same level as a dog, Naoki Nagayama, you are really something!

However, Akina was amused: "Together with Eitaro?"

The scene of Naoki Nagayama and Eitaro biting their rice bowls together, sitting outside the kitchen, waiting to be fed, flashed through her mind.

Akina's mood improved again. On the way to the cinema, she kept talking about Eitaro.

"Okay, let's go to this cinema~" Naoki Nagayama found a cinema that looked quite new on the commercial street in Shinjuku. Sure enough, as the most popular film recently, there were still tickets at this time.

The melancholy blue sea, the silent yet timeless love, the ethereal and ethereal score, "A Scene at the Sea" would always bring a huge shock to those who watched it for the first time.

Akina Mori, who walked out of the cinema, had slightly red eyes and had been immersed in the sad melody.

Naoki Nagayama took her to a dessert shop. Under the comfort of warm hot cocoa and mousse cake, she finally recovered.

"Akina-chan, are you a little better?"

"Naoki-san actually asked a girl to watch a romantic tragedy..."

Akina stirred the hot cocoa with a spoon and complained slightly. However, from another perspective, Naoki-san is really not the playboy Naoki rumored outside, so she was a little relieved.

Naoki Nagayama was speechless for a while before saying helplessly: "I just wanted Akina-chan to see my work~"

Akina dug a piece of cake and put it in her mouth, then sighed contentedly: "It's delicious."

"Speaking of which, how does it feel?" Naoki Nagayama still asked without giving up.

Naoki Nagayama also worked as a middle manager in a big company in his previous life, and he still knew a little about the problems after the company expanded: "So the company develops fast, and there are also annoying things~"

"Ha~ that's good..."

Discussing the plot of the film with the film director, this was something Akina Mori had never encountered before. After the initial low mood passed, the discussion between the two became more lively.

"Naoki-san's film is good at everything, but it's a pity that love doesn't have a perfect ending."

"What you can't get is the best. In real love, the ending is mostly imperfect... In the film, love is perfect, generally only comedies have it~"

Akina Mori said unconvinced: "Does Naoki-san not believe in love?"

"It's not that I don't believe it, it's just that such feelings are hard to come by~" Naoki Nagayama drank hot black tea, recalled several relationships in his previous life, and said his inner thoughts. "It's hard to come by in films, and even less in reality."

"But, isn't Momoe Yamaguchi's love perfect?!" Akina's small face was full of seriousness. This was the persistence of love for someone who had not been hurt.

Eh? Naoki Nagayama suddenly couldn't refute.

Even a fool can occasionally say an irrefutable example, not to mention the quite smart Akina Mori, so Naoki Nagayama could only surrender.

"Ah... checkmated~"

Naoki Nagayama laughed: "The example Akina-chan gave is really irrefutable."

Momoe Yamaguchi had been married for a year. Under the squatting of a crowd of media, there had been no rumors of marital problems. This was an irrefutable example.

"Hmph, clearly Naoki-san is the fan of Momoe Yamaguchi."

Akina had the joy of winning the battle on her face, and there were also mousse cake residues~

"Hahaha, Akina-chan has something on the corner of her mouth. Now she looks like a little cat that stole food!"

"...!!!" Akina Mori's face turned red all of a sudden, and she hurriedly wiped it with a napkin.

Then seeing Naoki Nagayama's hateful smile, she suddenly became bold and used her hand to stick a little remaining cream and smeared it on Naoki's face instantly.