Chapter 533: A synonym for being young, promising, romantic, and dashing

The first day of official work~

Naoki Nagayama did not want to attend the New Year's gathering at the studio. He had said before that he didn't want to go on stage to give any motivational speeches, and naturally, he didn't want to listen to "a few words" that would last for an hour either.

So, he decided to stay home today and wait for the people from Shogakukan to come and visit.

In the morning, Naoki Nagayama slept easily until he woke up naturally, and then took Eitaro out for a walk~

On the first day of work, the pedestrians on the road had expressions of unwillingness to work on their faces, trudging toward their companies reluctantly. If a photographer were guarding the street at this time to film, they would surely be able to capture what "indifferent Tokyoites" look like.

Eitaro did not have such thoughts; he ran back and forth excitedly. If it weren't for the restriction of the dog leash, he would probably be frolicking and rolling in the grass of the small park by now.

After a snowfall before the New Year, the small park near Shanyingyuan looked even more desolate. The deciduous trees hadn't kept a single leaf, leaving only bare trunks and branches, posing in post-modern shapes.

As for the evergreen shrubs, they were covered with a layer of dark color, making the green of the leaves, which represent vitality, appear restrained and gloomy.

Because he was very familiar with the walking route, Naoki Nagayama let Eitaro pull him forward, even having the leisure to look around.

Eitaro pulled Naoki Nagayama to the entrance of the Aoyama shop. Seemingly knowing that his master wanted to stop here, the dog pushed the shop door open with his head and walked straight in.

"Naoki-kun?" Aoyama Shin was originally organizing goods, but he was very happy to see Naoki Nagayama arrive. "So early?"

"Old Master Aoyama, didn't you also come early to open the shop door?" Naoki Nagayama teased. "Why didn't you stay in your hometown in Osaka a bit longer, Old Master? In this weather, Tokyo is very cold."

"Staying in the countryside all the time is meaningless." Aoyama Shin brewed a cup of hot tea and handed it to Naoki Nagayama. "Tokyo is still livelier."

"Haha, that's true~"

"Naoki, your movies seem to be very popular." Aoyama Shin chatted with Naoki Nagayama at the tea table in the shop. Although he hadn't seen either movie, Aoyama Shin had been receiving information about the movies during this period.

"Fortunately, everyone still likes to watch them." Naoki Nagayama smiled, not feeling complacent.

"That is also quite remarkable~"

"By the way, Old Master Aoyama, Chikako-chan's first album is going to be released tomorrow. Did you know?" Naoki Nagayama remembered Chikako Aoyama.

"Hmm, I know a little bit." Old Master Aoyama said. "Chikako didn't rest at all during the New Year; she was promoting this album everywhere! It's really too hard for her."

"Yes, the first year of debut is always this busy." Naoki Nagayama comforted him for a while. "As long as the fan base grows, it will gradually become regular later."

"Then how is Chikako's fan base?" Aoyama Shin's eyes were full of concern for his granddaughter.

"Haha, Chikako-chan is very talented." Although her singing skills could only be described as average, as an idol, other conditions were more important.

The pure yet sexy Chikako Aoyama was now the goddess in the hearts of young boys.

"In short, after the first album, she should be a little freer." Naoki Nagayama said. "By then, she can come to see you on her days off~"

"I hope so~"

After chatting in the Aoyama shop for more than half an hour, Eitaro was a little hungry, so Naoki Nagayama set off to return to Shanyingyuan.

Passing by that familiar newsstand, he was surprised to find that a poster for "Love Letter" was actually pasted on the outer wall of the newsstand... The people at Dentsu were truly everywhere!

"Naoki-san, good morning~" The owner, Kenta Yokota, greeted him happily when he saw him.

"Yokota-san, you've already started work. Did you spend the New Year in Tokyo this year?" Naoki Nagayama stopped to chat.

"Hai." Those who do small businesses like newsstands in Tokyo are mostly locals. "I even went to see the New Year's fireworks this year."

"Haha, that's really not bad." Naoki Nagayama laughed, then pointed to the poster on the outer wall. "When was this pasted up?"

"It was pasted up early in the morning." Kenta Yokota looked at Naoki Nagayama and said, "Naoki-san is really too amazing. Such a movie... the latest box office seems to have broken 1 billion already!"

"Oh?"

Naoki Nagayama was surprised; he hadn't seen the newspaper yet. However, breaking 1 billion in box office in just over a week was considered quite good in this era.

Seeing that Naoki Nagayama didn't know yet, Kenta Yokota immediately picked up a copy of "Yomiuri Shimbun": "It's reported in the newspaper!"

Looking at the sincere appearance of the newsstand owner, Naoki Nagayama subconsciously took out money to buy a newspaper... Speaking of which, it seemed that every time he chatted with Kenta Yokota, he would buy a newspaper unconsciously. Could this be the owner's superpower?

"Naoki-san... there's one more thing." Before saying goodbye, Kenta Yokota said again.

"? What is it?"

"This... my son is a fan of Akina-chan..."

Naoki Nagayama remembered Kenta Yokota's son. When he had a scandal with Akina Nakamori, he seemed to have clamored about sending razor blades or something...

"... What's wrong?"

"Although very reluctant, ever since he knew that Naoki-san occasionally passes by here..." Kenta Yokota was a little ashamed: "He insisted that I convey a message... Akina-chan will be protected by him!"

"........"

So it was a case of eighth-grader syndrome~

After returning to Shanyingyuan, Naoki Nagayama read the morning newspaper while eating breakfast.

Various prayer rituals for the start of the New Year, the development visions of large companies, and the various hot news in the entertainment industry that could never be missing.

"Eh, this report is interesting, 'Akina Nakamori: Should I buy "Kita Wing" or "Snow Flower"?'"

Naoki Nagayama saw one of the reports and felt it was very interesting. The author of the article described the different styles of the two songs, as well as Akina Nakamori's interpretation in them, letting readers buy based on their own preferences.

"Can't they just buy both products?" Naoki Nagayama complained.

After finishing breakfast, seeing that it was still early, Naoki Nagayama went to the study, reorganized the two-part "A Chinese Odyssey" that he had recalled recently, and then put it into another drawer.

In that drawer, there was already the novel and movie script for "I Want to Eat Your Pancreas," as well as the movie "Days of Being Wild," plus this "A Chinese Odyssey"... all of which were movies not suitable for filming in Japan, and novels not suitable for publication in Tokyo.

"However, this theme song 'A Lifetime of Love'..." Naoki Nagayama looked at this piece of music and felt a bit troubled. "This song... it really sounds deeper in the Cantonese version..."

After thinking for a long time, he still put this song into the unsuitable drawer: "Wait until the right time to release it~"

However, after organizing it, Naoki Nagayama felt that he seemed to have recalled the lyrics "Love and hate rise in the bitter sea" again. With nostalgia in his heart, he began to play at the piano.

The low and winding piano sound spread out from the window on the second floor. Eitaro and Nyataro playing in the courtyard both raised their heads, seemingly infected as well.

The moving melody lingered in Shanyingyuan. By the time it was about to spread outside, it seemed to disturb the bamboo surrounding the courtyard wall. The dense bamboo leaves swayed slightly, dissipating most of the music.

People outside only heard the faint piano melody~

Kuniharu Morikawa, a senior editor at Shogakukan, brought a young editorial assistant with a baby face to the entrance of Shanyingyuan.

The new editorial assistant, Yuya Furuya, was carrying some gifts and looked at Shanyingyuan with some surprise:

"Is it right here? Is Naoki Nagayama-sensei's residence so close to Shogakukan?"

"Yes~" Kuniharu Morikawa looked at the small western-style building surrounded by green bamboo and sighed. "It's rare to find such a quiet residence in Chiyoda."

Just as he was about to press the doorbell, both of them heard the piano sound coming from the second floor. The curiosity on Yuya Furuya's face became even stronger:

"This is... is Naoki-sensei playing the piano? This melody, I don't seem to have heard it before... It's really nice."

"Yes, Naoki-san is a well-known musician." Kuniharu Morikawa reminded his assistant. "Furuya-kun, after going in, speak less and smile more. Don't always look like you've never seen the world."

"Hai! I understand!" Yuya Furuya immediately tried to straighten his face, but his youthful face had no momentum at all.

As Kuniharu Morikawa pressed the button, a crisp doorbell sound came from the big iron gate:

"Ding-ling~"

The piano sound on the second floor stopped, and then they heard "Wang Wang" barking in the courtyard. A large white dog ran to the entrance.

Seeing that they were two unfamiliar faces, Eitaro didn't open the big gate actively but watched the visitors vigilantly on the path between the gate and the house.

"This is... Eitaro!" Kuniharu Morikawa called out. "Eitaro, don't you remember me? I am Kuniharu Morikawa!"

Eitaro heard his name, but his tail only wagged slightly, and he still didn't open the gate.

In his little brain, there were only three people who could make him open the gate actively: his master Naoki Nagayama, the little witch Tsuruko Nagayama, and the recently arrived mistress Akina Nakamori!

"Ah, it's Morikawa-san!" Naoki Nagayama opened the house door and walked out, then opened the big iron gate for the guests outside. "You're here!"

"Naoki-san, long time no see!" Kuniharu Morikawa greeted him enthusiastically, then introduced, "This beside me is the new editorial assistant at Shogakukan, Yuya Furuya."

"Nice to meet you, I am Yuya Furuya..." Yuya Furuya bowed respectfully and greeted him. He already knew Naoki Nagayama in front of him before he came!

A young best-selling author, Naoki Prize winner, also a well-known director, screenwriter, and musician. More importantly, he is young, rich, talented, and handsome, the playboy Naoki with endless scandals!

He is simply a synonym for "young, promising, romantic, and dashing" in the literary circle, and an object of envy, jealousy, and hatred for young people!

"Nice to meet you, I am Naoki Nagayama..."

After a slight greeting, Naoki Nagayama welcomed the two into the living room and served hot tea.

"Naoki-san, it's a new year, do you have any plans for publishing a new book?" As expected of a senior editor, the first sentence Kuniharu Morikawa said after seeing the author was to urge for more!

"Haha, Morikawa-san is too anxious~" Naoki Nagayama smiled. "However, the new book only has some ideas and hasn't been completed yet~"

Kuniharu Morikawa also had a smile on his face: "It doesn't matter, it doesn't matter, take your time~"

The author in front of him publishes at least one best-selling novel a year, without needing the editor to modify or adjust... that is already very remarkable!

"What kind of ideas do you have? Can you tell me? I'm also very curious."

Naoki Nagayama choked slightly. Writing a novel is mainly about his memories.

"This... it's probably about love too." After all, he watched more Japanese romance movies and youth novels in the future. "A novel about meeting and parting."

"Is it another love tragedy?" Kuniharu Morikawa nodded. Through the previous two books, he knew that Naoki Nagayama liked to write about youth love.

"Yes... but it will add some fantasy feelings..." Naoki Nagayama responded vaguely.

In order not to talk about the new novel, he changed the subject slightly: "This... Furuya-kun, is he a new addition to Shogakukan this year? He's very young~"

"Ah, hai!" Yuya Furuya didn't expect the topic to turn to himself suddenly. "I already joined as an editorial assistant last year, but I haven't graduated yet."

"Is that so~"

Kuniharu Morikawa nodded: "Furuya-kun's entry process can be said to be reversed~ Others find a job after graduating from university and then join... he hasn't graduated yet, but he has already joined~"

"Why is that?"

"Haha, because he is a shareholder!"

"......." Furuya Yuya looked a bit shy. "Morikawa-san, please don't joke around. My elders were just afraid I'd be bored during the holidays."

In reality, Furuya Yuya was the heir to a major shareholder of Shogakukan, which was why he had come early to get a feel for the industry.

Naoki Nagayama finally understood—this baby-faced guy in front of him was a second-generation heir born with a silver spoon in his mouth! No wonder he looked so harmless; he had always been well-protected.

"Hahaha, the process of going against others is actually an interesting experience too~"

After joking around for a while, Kuniharu Morikawa finally brought up the formal purpose of his visit today. He took out a document and handed it to Naoki Nagayama:

"Naoki-san, this is the proposal for the autograph session to be held at Keio. It was drafted based on our discussion before the new year. Please take a look and see if there are any issues."

After Naoki Nagayama took it, he slowly flipped through it, and Kuniharu Morikawa signaled for Furuya Yuya to introduce it.

"Naoki-sensei, the autograph session is tentatively scheduled for January 15th, after the new semester registration, as the first event of the new semester." While Naoki Nagayama was reading, Furuya Yuya introduced it from the side.

"The location is the main auditorium of the Faculty of Letters. We will have the student council promote it in advance and invite students to participate."

"The main flow includes these items: 1. Introduction, 2. Interview and guest discussion, 3. Student interaction, 4. Autograph session..."

Seeing that the interview outline was already listed in the proposal, Naoki Nagayama felt half the weight lift off his heart. If he could prepare in advance, he wouldn't be afraid. As for the interaction, that group of college students—a little bit of smooth-talking should be enough~

After Furuya Yuya finished the introduction, Naoki Nagayama asked a few more questions he cared about, such as how many guests were invited, who they were, how long the interaction would last, and whether there would be media coverage.

Furuya Yuya answered everything in detail, and only then did Naoki Nagayama ask: "Furuya-kun, how come you seem so familiar with Keio University?"

"Ah, I'm actually a student in the Faculty of Letters at Keio University!" Furuya Yuya laughed. "I'm also an officer in the student council."

So that was it; no wonder this was the reason Kuniharu Morikawa brought him along!

By the end, the plan for the autograph session had been discussed thoroughly, and Kuniharu Morikawa asked: "Naoki-san, if you have no other questions about the autograph session, shall we start preparing according to this proposal?"

"Hmm, I have no objections."

Naoki Nagayama decided to hold this autograph session at Keio University in mid-January.