Chapter 495: I actually thought Naoki Nagayama liked mature *onee-san* types!

It was another crisp, clear autumn day with brilliant sunshine.

However, the temperature in Tokyo had truly dropped; even the young people who weren't afraid of the cold were wearing thick coats and scarves.

With no more excuses to use, Naoki Nagayama arrived at the studio sluggishly in the morning and stayed in the dim editing room to keep company with two men.

Masataka Komori was watching a short clip that Naoki Nagayama had just finished editing.

"Shuichi-san, could you open the curtains a little?" After watching the small screen for a while, Masataka Komori pleaded in a low voice to Shuichi Itō.

"Ah, is it too dark to see clearly?" Shuichi Itō asked casually.

"... No. After watching the edited footage, I'm a little scared!" Although embarrassed, Masataka Komori still explained the reason.

"..." Shuichi Itō was speechless. "Masataka-kun, you're a director; this movie was edited by you!"

Masataka Komori whispered in rebuttal: "This part was edited by Naoki-san."

Shuichi Itō immediately got angry: "So what if Naoki-san edited it! Didn't we shoot it?! You guy, move aside! I want to see what there is to be afraid of!"

Naoki Nagayama watched from the side as Shuichi Itō leaned in close to the preview screen, while Masataka Komori breathed a sigh of relief and ran to the window.

After a while.

"Masataka-kun, what's there to be afraid of with this level of intensity!" Shuichi Itō stood up, his face calm. "Masataka-kun, your training is still far from sufficient!"

Masataka Komori looked full of admiration: "As expected of Shuichi-san!"

Shuichi Itō also walked to the window: "But I do feel the screen was indeed a bit dark, which isn't conducive to observing some details, so let's open the curtains a bit!"

Truly worthy of being Shuichi-san; whether it's being stubborn or thick-skinned, he is "admirable" in every aspect.

Naoki Nagayama almost laughed out loud; it would be a waste if these two didn't perform *manzai*!

The newly edited clip was the scene where Sadako crawls out of the television. Even in the preview window of the integrated editing machine, such a terrifying image still caused fear in the two directors.

In his past life, when Sadako came out in this movie, it really had scared people to death!

Thinking of this, Naoki Nagayama said: "Shuichi-san, Masataka-kun, when the movie is released, we need to remind the cinemas to at least have first-aid measures ready."

"Eh?"

"I think some psychologically fragile viewers might be scared into shock or even sudden death."

Shuichi Itō didn't believe it: "Naoki-san, isn't that too exaggerated? How could people who come to watch horror movies have such poor tolerance?"

Naoki Nagayama laughed: "Who says it's impossible? There are some people who are just 'all bark and no bite'—they're scared to death, yet they insist on watching horror movies."

The other two looked at each other; indeed, there are such people!

Standing up and stretching, Naoki Nagayama walked out of the editing room: "Shuichi-san, Masataka-kun, you guys continue, I'm going to take a break~"

"Naoki-san, don't think about escaping!" Shuichi Itō added, feeling uneasy.

"Ha, am I that kind of person?!"

After wandering around the lobby and then strolling slowly into the office, Naoki Nagayama saw Otomo Yoshimura chatting and laughing with Riko Hayano about something.

"Otomo-san, Riko-chan, what are you chatting about? So happy?"

"Ah, Naoki-san." Riko Hayano turned to greet him. "We're talking about Chikako Aoyama's year-end promotional schedule."

"Chikako-chan, what schedule does she have at the end of the year?" Naoki Nagayama was curious. "It's not like she's reached the point of holding a concert yet."

Otomo Yoshimura interjected: "That's right, so now, besides television appearances, it's all small-scale meet-and-greets, handshake events, and performances at various city year-end celebrations, etc."

"Then what's so funny?"

Riko Hayano said: "It's that Chikako-chan ran into her own grandfather at a handshake event! Haha, and Grandpa even brought a cassette tape to get an autograph!"

Old Man Aoyama? An image of an old man wearing a traditional kimono appeared in Naoki Nagayama's mind. He went to his granddaughter's handshake event?

Don't look at how he usually acts like he doesn't approve of Chikako entering the entertainment industry; did he actually go to support Chikako in private?!

"Haha~"

Naoki Nagayama also laughed out loud. This kind of dirt—he must tease Old Man Aoyama about it in person later.

Riko Hayano, having nothing else to do, soon said goodbye, leaving the office to Otomo Yoshimura and Naoki Nagayama.

"By the way, Otomo-san, I wanted to tell you yesterday."

"?"

"A friend and I decided to open a small investment company, specifically for stock investment." Naoki Nagayama deliberated. "It's expected to officially start working next year, so I'll need to withdraw a portion of the funds from the books of Tree Friend Films."

"Eh? How much do you want to withdraw?"

Logically speaking, even as a major shareholder, one can only take annual profit dividends and cannot take money directly from the company.

However, to avoid taxes, a large portion of Naoki Nagayama's money had accumulated on the company's books, so he needed to withdraw it now.

"All of it..." Naoki Nagayama said. "Plus the money in my personal account, to make up 5 billion as the startup capital for the investment company."

"Naoki-san, do you really want to invest that much?"

Otomo Yoshimura was a bit worried, because excluding real estate, Naoki Nagayama's current total funds were only about 5.5 billion; this was equivalent to investing 90% of his net worth!

"Yes, I believe the stock market will be a major bull market in the next few years, so I'm very confident." There was only a little over a year until the Plaza Accord, and then Japan's capital economy would expand rapidly like a bubble!

"But... Naoki-san, there's actually no need to take such risks, right? Haven't you already earned a lot of money?" Otomo Yoshimura advised. "After all, stock speculation is risky."

"Otomo-san, who would complain about having too much money?" Naoki Nagayama patted Otomo Yoshimura. "If it weren't for the fact that you and Shuichi-san aren't willing to take risks, I would have wanted to pull you in too."

"Then let's forget about it~"

The veteran manager, nearing fifty, was very cautious. He believed that being able to earn his current net worth was already a blessing from his previous life. Isn't it good to honestly earn current profits and live a stable, wealthy life?

Naoki Nagayama didn't try to persuade him further: "In any case, it will put a bit of pressure on the company's liquid funds. But it doesn't matter; the box office revenue from *Ring* will arrive soon, as well as the box office for *Love Letter*."

"Hai, I understand. I will notify Guanglian-chan to arrange it."

"Mm, sorry to trouble you~"

At the Burning Productions headquarters in Roppongi, Akira Terabayashi and Akira Hanami were both in the office.

"Knock knock!" The office door was knocked.

"Please come in."

Fusunori Akisachi walked in and bowed slightly: "President, Terabayashi-san."

Akira Hanami nodded: "Akisachi-kun, there were no problems with Akina-chan's rehearsal for the Music Festival yesterday, right?"

"Hai, it was completed very smoothly." Fusunori Akisachi was a bit puzzled; did the two leaders specifically call him over just for this?

The office suddenly fell into silence. Akira Hanami and Akira Terabayashi looked at each other, seemingly wanting the other to speak. However, Akira Hanami was, after all, the president of Burning Productions, and Fusunori Akisachi was his direct subordinate.

"Akisachi-kun, there is something I want to confirm with you."

"Hai!"

"Yesterday, some paparazzi took some photos. They were originally going to be sent to a newspaper, but I intercepted them in advance." Akira Hanami took out a stack of developed photos.

"Yesterday, you took Akina-chan to Nakano Sun Plaza for the first night of the FNS Music Festival rehearsal. When you went in, there were two people, but in the photos taken by the paparazzi, there was only you when you came out."

Akira Hanami took out another photo: "Then other paparazzi took photos of a Toyota Century coming out of another exit at the same time. That is Naoki Nagayama's car. Although it's not very clear, the passenger seat seems to be occupied by another person..."

"Akisachi-kun, although there have been many rumors, what I want to confirm is whether they are just a gathering between friends..." Akira Hanami said very slowly. "Or, is Akina-chan really dating Naoki Nagayama?"

"..." His own boss asked directly; it seemed it couldn't be hidden anymore. Fusunori Akisachi sighed. "President, although Akina-chan hasn't officially explained it to me, according to my observations, the two of them are indeed dating."

Fusunori Akisachi saw Akira Hanami and Akira Terabayashi sigh at the same time, and Akira Terabayashi was still muttering in a low voice: "As expected, couldn't prevent it..."

As an idol artist in a period of rapid rise, Akina Nakamori is not only the pillar of Burning Productions but also the cash cow of Warner-Pioneer. Now this idol... is in love with someone.

Akira Hanami still held a glimmer of fantasy at this time: "This guy, the fickle Naoki, has always had many scandals; perhaps it's just a momentary impulse."

"Akisachi-kun, in your opinion, are they dating seriously, or is it just a fleeting romance for fun?"

Fusunori Akisachi thought for a while: "President... let's not worry about Naoki Nagayama for now. Our Akina-chan is very stubborn and dedicated when it comes to feelings."

Akira Hanami sighed again. Yes, she, who has always taken Momoe Yamaguchi as her idol, also thinks of that kind of love that lasts from beginning to end.

And in the past year, they have also had a deep understanding of Akina Nakamori's personality—this child is the kind of personality who will hit the south wall once she has made up her mind!

Waving his hand to let Fusunori Akisachi go out, Akira Hanami said to Akira Terabayashi with regret: "I shouldn't have let Akina-chan film Naoki Nagayama's movie! It's all my fault for being greedy for the fame of the movie! Now it's good, lost Akina..."

"President Hanami, it can't be prevented!" Akira Terabayashi shook his head. "From the moment Akina debuted, we have been on guard between her and Naoki Nagayama. We guarded for more than a year, and I really thought the two were just ordinary friends."

"During this period, there were scandals with Yuko Tanaka and Kanako Higuchi, as well as Mieko Harada and Keiko Matsuzaka..."

"I thought the fickle Naoki liked mature *onee-san* types like that; I didn't expect..."

"Sigh" x2, the two giants sighed at each other in the office.

"President Hanami." Akira Terabayashi calmed down. "The most important thing now is to hide the relationship between the two. Don't let them be photographed by the media again! This is a great hindrance to Akina-chan's career!"

"This point doesn't matter; currently, because they are filming *Love Letter*, even if they are photographed, it can be said that they are discussing the script!" Akira Hanami said seriously. "As long as it's not confirmed, everything can be pushed to promoting the new movie, hyping up scandals..."

"So, the main thing is whether the two people themselves admit it, right?"

"Hai!"

"Then... President Hanami, find a time to talk to Akina." Akira Terabayashi was very helpless. "As for Naoki Nagayama... forget it, he has so many scandals that others might not necessarily believe it."

Speaking of which, Naoki Nagayama's emotional state has "excellent credibility" in the entertainment industry; everyone believes that he is unclear with many female artists, but there is no one that has been truly confirmed.

Adding one more Akina Nakamori, not many people would think he is dating seriously.

Passing through ten thousand flowers, not a single leaf touches his body.

"Didn't you take any solid evidence? What's the use of these photos?!" Kinji Fukasaku slammed the photos on the table, looking at Katsutoshi Kawano in front of him. "These photos that chase shadows can only be used as small gossip."

As paparazzi, naturally, they wouldn't sell photos to just one company.

Katsutoshi Kawano and Tadayo Numata, this pair of paparazzi, had been targeting Naoki Nagayama ever since they were taught a lesson by the disco security guards for following him last time.

Knowing that he is currently collaborating on a program with Fuji TV, they squat at the entrance of the TV station every day, and besides waiting for Naoki Nagayama, they also take photos of other artists.

And Kinji Fukasaku, for some reason, wanted to find dirt on Naoki Nagayama, and it just happened to hit it off.

These photos were followed all the way from the TV station to Nakano Sun Plaza before being taken.

"No way, they drove too fast and took another exit." Katsutoshi Kawano said. "However, it has basically been confirmed that Naoki Nagayama and Akina Nakamori have a close relationship!"

"What's the use of this!" Kinji Fukasaku said. "The two of them have known each other for a long time, and I heard rumors from friends that these two are collaborating on a movie!"

"Eh, isn't Naoki Nagayama filming *Ring*?" Katsutoshi Kawano was surprised. "I couldn't catch this guy for a while, and I only found out he went out to film after asking for a long time!"

"Filming together!" Kinji Fukasaku popped out word by word.

"That's really amazing!"

Even though he wanted to sneak photos of him, Katsutoshi Kawano expressed admiration for Naoki Nagayama. Filming two movies at the same time—is that something an ordinary director can do?

"Alright, I didn't invite you here to praise him!" Kinji Fukasaku scolded. He was envious, jealous, and hateful of this kind of inhuman director. "I've asked around; the movie Naoki Nagayama and Akina Nakamori are filming is called *Love Letter*. After studying the original, I think the filming location should be where the story takes place—Otaru City!"

"If Akina Nakamori and Naoki Nagayama disappear at the same time next time, it must be for filming! You can go to Otaru City to try and sneak photos!"

Katsutoshi Kawano was very puzzled. "But, hasn't Naoki Nagayama's film crew all returned? Isn't it finished filming?"

"Baka, it only snows in winter!" Kinji Fukasaku said. "The large sections of snow scenes in *Love Letter* cannot be filmed well! Pay attention to the weather in Otaru City. If it snows and Naoki Nagayama and Akina Nakamori are missing at the same time, then they must have gone to film the movie!"

"Director Fukasaku's reasoning and observation are also very powerful!" Katsutoshi Kawano sincerely complimented. "If you were a paparazzi, you would definitely become a gold-medal paparazzi and take very precious photos!"

He was the only one who didn't want to be praised like that by a paparazzi!

Kinji Fukasaku could only say stiffly: "Go and take them well. If you can take solid photos and bring them back to me, I will give you money far exceeding that of newspapers and magazines!"

"Hai, everything is up to you!"

I'm going to eat tonight, so I'm releasing it early~ ===== CHAPTER 496 =====