Chapter 49: Taking our things, how could there be no price to pay?

It was a clear day, the sun was bright, and the sky was vast and cloudless.

There were hardly any vehicles on this road back to Tokyo.

On both sides of the grey-brown road, one could occasionally see lush shrubs and clusters of blooming flowers scattered against the greenish-brown background.

Driving alone, Naoki Nagayama turned on the car radio.

The currently popular CityPop began to play; the upbeat rhythm accompanied by the breeze blew into his ears, and his mood became exceptionally cheerful.

Wasn't this the cozy life he had always pursued?

Recently, it seemed his heart had been occupied by opening the shop, the girl group, and various activities, as if he had returned to the life of worrying every single day.

When summer comes, he could try going to the seaside to escape the heat~

The coastal highway must have even better scenery!

Naoki Nagayama's good mood lasted until he got home.

Until he heard the message from Otomo Yoshimura on the phone:

"Naoki-san, there's something, we need to talk in person! If it's convenient, please call back."

Otomo Yoshimura's tone sounded very low, with some suppressed anger.

Naoki Nagayama dialed back, and the call was answered quickly.

"Otomo-san, what happened? It sounds like very heavy news."

"Hai, it's a problem with CATS, a problem with the agency... They... they are going to sell this girl group!" Otomo Yoshimura's voice was full of unwillingness.

"Naoki-san, let's have lunch together, the usual place. I'll call Shuichi Itō as well, and we'll talk about it in detail then."

"Hai, let's talk when we meet."

It sounded like the senior management wanted to sell the Wild Cat Group?

Why? The girl group's future prospects were becoming clearer by the day, and the time to make money was just around the corner, right?

Naoki Nagayama was a bit puzzled; everything would have to wait for Otomo Yoshimura to explain in detail.

He arrived at the izakaya where the trio often drank.

Shuichi Itō and Otomo Yoshimura were already in the private room, unusually not drinking, but smoking in silence.

"Naoki-san, you're here." Shuichi Itō saw Naoki Nagayama.

"Hai, Otomo-san, Shuichi-san."

It wasn't until Naoki Nagayama sat down that Otomo Yoshimura spoke:

"Since Naoki-san is here, I'll explain the specific situation."

"Naoki-san, Shuichi-san, you both know the relationship between STARLIGHT Agency and the BURNING faction, right?"

"Isn't it just a small agency that split off?" Naoki Nagayama asked. "Could there be a deeper relationship?"

"Hai, that's right. The agency's president, Kenichi Hino, was actually a subordinate of Ikuo Suō in the past. Because he didn't have much talent, he only did small advertising business after splitting off."

Shuichi Itō seemed to know a little bit: "So, is this actually BURNING Agency wanting to buy CATS?"

"To be precise, it's a mutual exchange, trading part of the advertising business for the Wild Cat Group's management contract."

Naoki Nagayama was a bit curious: "According to past habits, shouldn't the BURNING faction support each other? How could there be direct snatching of business?"

"Usually that's the case, but this time it seems BURNING Agency has taken a direct liking to the girl group format; starting from scratch is never as good as taking over a mature team directly."

"Then the president agreed?"

"Yes, President Kenichi Hino originally entered the idol business with the idea of making a quick buck and leaving. This time, there was also an advertising business exchange, so he agreed without a second thought."

Otomo Yoshimura recalled what Kenichi Hino had said to him two days ago.

On one side was a mature advertising business with long-term profits; on the other side was an idol business with unclear profits and the pressure of competition from established agencies. The choice should have been clear.

Moreover, BURNING Agency was more capable of developing the girl group's idol business.

Kenichi Hino said sanctimoniously: "Otomo-kun, letting CATS go to BURNING Agency is a better approach, whether for the girl group itself or for the agency!"

"I see..." Naoki Nagayama understood. As the president of a small agency, from a businessman's perspective, one couldn't say he did anything wrong.

"Hai, Naoki-san, Shuichi-san, I'm sorry. Even though I tried my best to fight for it, I couldn't change the president's mind." Otomo Yoshimura was very dejected.

"CATS' management contract is with STARLIGHT Agency, so if the president decides, there's nothing I can do."

"I'm truly sorry!!!"

Shuichi Itō was quite carefree: "Otomo-san, what are you saying? This isn't your fault."

"After all, it's the hard work of the three of us... to be snatched away for nothing like this... I'm truly sorry to you two." Even sitting in the private room, Otomo Yoshimura bowed deeply, his eyes reddening.

After months of putting his heart and soul into it, just as it was about to sprout and bear fruit, to think that...

What's more, this was the hard work of the three of them, and in the end, only STARLIGHT Agency gained the benefits.

Naoki Nagayama also sighed: "Sigh... although I'm a bit reluctant, if we're talking about who is the most dejected, it must be Otomo-san. You've been busy running around, and you've been the one working the hardest..."

In fact, in the operation of the Wild Cat Group, Naoki Nagayama was the creative force, Shuichi Itō was the training and packaging, but the one who truly treated the girl group like his own children, caring about every aspect, was Otomo Yoshimura.

He was the one who truly treated the idol business as an ideal.

Now that the girl group had been snatched away, he was definitely the one most heartbroken.

Perhaps in the eyes of President Kenichi Hino, this was just a normal business operation, but in the eyes of Otomo Yoshimura, this was a betrayal.

A betrayal of his past aspirations,

A betrayal of the experiences during this period,

A betrayal of the hard work spent,

A betrayal of the friendship between the three.

In the time that followed, Otomo Yoshimura drank one glass after another. Although Shuichi Itō and Naoki Nagayama kept trying to comfort him, the frustration and pain of this middle-aged man could only find some solace in the alcohol.

Looking at Otomo Yoshimura, who had passed out and was still muttering something, Naoki Nagayama said to Shuichi Itō: "His tolerance for alcohol is so poor, yet he loves to drink... It looks like he'll have to be sent to your place again, Shuichi-san."

"Kuso, I guess I have no choice..."

Settling Otomo Yoshimura on the recliner in the office, Shuichi Itō and Naoki Nagayama took a beer and drank it slowly.

"The girl group has been given to BURNING Agency. Does Shuichi-san have any thoughts?"

"With such a large agency, all the packaging and creation work must be done by professionals now. They probably won't need a half-baked person like me..."

"Haha, if Shuichi-san is half-baked, then who among so many producers dares to call themselves a professional?"

"Haha, Naoki-san really knows how to compliment people... But indeed, I won't need to invest in the girl group anymore."

Shuichi Itō smiled, though one could hear some unwillingness.

"Actually, I still like directing and filming; I've always wanted to officially enter the television and film industry."

"I see. Then, I wish Director Itō an early Palme d'Or!" Naoki Nagayama raised his beer.

"Hahahaha, Naoki-san is really..."

Although Naoki Nagayama didn't care too much about the ownership of the Wild Cat Group, to have the original girl group he created snatched away like this, he was naturally unwilling in his heart.

"Shuichi-san, I remember that the CATS brand, the contract with the livehouse, the licensing of merchandise... are all under that shell company GG, right?"

"Hai, that should be the case. Why?"

"That shell company seems to be under my name, and Shuichi-san and Otomo-san only had your names attached?"

"That is indeed the case. So what?"

"The patent for the cat-ear hair accessory is also under my personal studio, HALO."

"You mean?"

"If I don't agree, they can only take away the 5 gravure models!"

"But they can also start a new brand, right? The members haven't changed?"

"Shuichi-san, this is different from the traditional idols of the past. The fans of a girl group aren't necessarily gathered around individual idols." Naoki Nagayama's eyes flashed with confidence.

"Without the cat-ear feature and the characteristics of CATS, they are just 5 former members of the Wild Cat Group. We can create another Wild Cat Group at any time!"

"This..." In the past, digging up idols meant digging up all the resources under the idol. Shuichi Itō had never thought about the uniqueness of a girl group.

"When Otomo-san wakes up, let him use this point to negotiate."

"Taking our things, how could there be no price to pay!" ===== CHAPTER 50 =====