Chapter 582: If I am wrong, may the gods punish me, rather than

The sunny spring is perfect for outdoor outings. Musashino Central Park, near Musashino University, is lush with green grass and swept by gentle breezes; in such weather, it is a favorite spot for many young people.

In the morning, Naoki Nagayama was filming the university life scenes for *April Story* here. The protagonist, Uzuki Nireno, along with her newly acquainted classmates, was experiencing the "empty rod" practice of the fishing club...

Come to think of it, in this movie, it feels as if university students don't have to study at all...

Because these were relatively simple scene shots, Naoki Nagayama directly entrusted them to Shuichi Ido and Shizhi Kijima, while he himself began discussing the afternoon's filming with Masataka Komori.

"Masataka-kun, there's no problem with the water sprinkler truck we're borrowing for the afternoon, right?"

Naoki Nagayama asked Masataka Komori. Since they were filming the scene where the protagonist returns an umbrella in the rain that afternoon, he had specifically asked Masataka Komori to rent a sprinkler truck from a car company and had reported to the school about the "artificial rain" they would be creating at the bookstore.

"Hai, no problem." Masataka Komori patted his chest and said, "I even borrowed a fire hose from the school..."

"That's good~"

Naoki Nagayama said while looking at the crowd outside the set... Ever since the news spread yesterday that both Naoki Nagayama and Yutaka Ozaki were filming here, the number of onlookers had been increasing.

No wonder they need to build so many film bases in the future... If there are so many people watching every time you film, how are you supposed to continue...

"The key is, what do we do about these people..."

Masataka Komori's eyes flashed: "Naoki-san... aren't we filming a downpour this afternoon... I wonder if there are enough umbrellas..."

"Hmm... hmm?" Naoki Nagayama instantly understood this guy's intentions. He was actually going to use this trick...

"Masataka-kun, you're quite wicked!" Naoki Nagayama patted Masataka Komori on the shoulder, "I like it!"

"..."

While the two were secretly plotting their little scheme, the scenes inside the park were partially finished. The crew was changing locations, and the lead actress was also slightly changing her outfit with the help of makeup artist Reina Mayu.

"Momoko-chan." Naoki Nagayama said to Momoko Kikuchi, "You might get soaked in the afternoon scenes. Did you bring a change of clothes?"

"This... I do have a coat..." When the young girl arrived this morning, she was wearing a sweater over her shirt, but as it was sunny and warm near the time of filming, she had taken it off.

"That might not work... The rain will be very heavy... You'll be thoroughly soaked..." Naoki Nagayama carefully chose his words, meaning she would be soaked inside and out, "If you don't have any, let Reina-san go buy an outfit with you at noon. You'll need to change completely after filming... otherwise, you'll catch a cold!"

"..."

"The crew will reimburse you!"

"Hai! Arigato!"

Momoko Kikuchi was instantly delighted. She had been signed for less than a month and hadn't even received her first paycheck yet; she had been relying on living expenses from home during this time... She had been thinking about buying new clothes for a long time!

Over at the KTV construction site in Harajuku, the surrounding hoardings had already been removed. The KTV's facade and exterior walls were finished, and there was no longer a need to block dust or the like.

Outside the light-luxury style entrance, the small neon sign had already been hung. When the lights weren't on, the three large capital letters "KTV" even looked plain; only at night would they reveal a hint of decadent allure.

Kaede Nagayama and Shizhi Araki had both arrived~

The retro lobby, converted from the bar downstairs, had been fully decorated. The solid wood bar counter was being used as a front desk at this moment, and the wine rack and background wall behind it had also been assembled. Presumably, when it was fully stocked with drinks, it would definitely feel very atmospheric.

"Seeing this place makes me want to have a drink!" Kaede Nagayama said with a smile, then pulled Shizhi Araki along to experience the genuine leather sofas in the lobby, "It's very comfortable to sit on... It's also very suitable for chatting with friends."

Shizhi Araki shook his head: "A real bar wouldn't have this kind of lobby structure, with no partitions... No one wants to drink under the watchful eyes of everyone."

"So this isn't a bar; everyone will eventually go into the private rooms!" Kaede Nagayama stood up and walked toward the small private rooms on the first floor.

Sure enough, in the small rooms on the first floor, the surface decoration was almost complete. At least the retro leather seating and the tables for placing items in the middle were ready. It was just that the wall facing the seats was empty, and there was an empty area in the corner, as if there were still things to be placed later.

"Kaede-dage, Araki-san, the karaoke equipment is arriving today, right?" Naoya Sakata walked over and asked the two who were inside the small room.

"Yes, I've already contacted the karaoke company. They will transport two sets over today and install them in the small rooms on the first floor first." Kaede Nagayama pointed to the empty space, "Naoya-san, there's no problem with the wiring, right?"

"Of course! Our workers are all skilled hands!"

Naoya Sakata was naturally full of confidence. The construction team cooperating with the Honma Architectural Design Office had already gone through many projects.

"Hmm, that's good." Kaede Nagayama looked at his watch, "Looking at the time, they should be arriving soon."

Shizhi Araki walked out of the small room: "Kaede-dage, should we let Naoki-san come over to take a look?"

"No need to trouble Naoki with such a small matter." Kaede Nagayama waved his hand, "He should be busy filming a movie right now. When we talked on the phone last time, he said he wanted to finish filming in about a week. Time is very tight."

"Is that so~" Shizhi Araki didn't say anything more. After all, filming a movie was much more important than a nightclub.

Just at this moment, a commotion came from outside the door, mixed with annoying curses like "Baka" and "Konoyaro."

Soon, a person in a suit walked in. His eyes darted around, and he saw the sturdy Kaede Nagayama.

"Mr. Nagayama!" Ryokazu Takayama, an assistant from the karaoke equipment company, walked over, "Your equipment has arrived... However, there is a small problem."

"? What problem?" Kaede Nagayama was very strange. You're here, shouldn't the goods be here too?

"The truck was stopped at the entrance... by a group of punks." Ryokazu Takayama was in a difficult position, "I shouldn't have used these things to disturb Mr. Nagayama, but... those punks said this street is managed by them, and they have the right to inspect all trucks delivering goods..."

"..." Kaede Nagayama was a bit speechless, "Managed by them? Then what are the police and the city government for... Even the Yamaguchi-gumi wouldn't have such a big mouth, right?"

Naoya Sakata said: "It's probably that group of punks again. They came a few times during the renovation, but they didn't say much when they saw so many workers."

Shizhi Araki on the other side was curious: "What are they coming to do? Collecting protection money? Which organization do they belong to?"

"They're probably scouting. It's said they're under the Sumiyoshi-kai... But this group of punks is basically the periphery of the periphery. Today it's Sumiyoshi-kai, tomorrow it might become Inagawa-kai, and the day after tomorrow the Yamaguchi-gumi..."

Naoya Sakata didn't pay much attention. As a construction team in Tokyo, they were a group that couldn't be underestimated. Hundreds of strong men who piled and demolished walls every day weren't local bullies, and the gangsters wouldn't dare to target them... In fact, the construction team and the upper echelons of the gangsters had connections.

"Now they probably see that the renovation is finished, so they've come to scout again."

Kaede Nagayama nodded. As the actual operator of the KTV, this would be something he would have to deal with in the future:

"I'll go take a look..."

Outside the door, a small van was parked on the side of the road, surrounded by five punks who looked like "Sama-t" (punk style), shouting incessantly, sometimes slapping the outer wall of the cargo box.

The driver had already gotten out, and there was a worker moving goods, negotiating with a few people, but the tempers seemed to be getting hotter and hotter.

"Baka, open the door for me quickly! We want to see what exactly you've transported!"

"Yeah, yeah, what if it's contraband and ruins the reputation of our whole street?!"

"Old man, if you don't open it, be careful we beat you up! Konoyaro!"

The chattering was as noisy as a group of ducks, making the originally honest and dutiful driver angry.

While several people were focused on the truck, Kaede Nagayama walked to their side, listened for a few sentences, and immediately showed a look of contempt... Only knowing how to curse, not mentioning their background, not mentioning their influence, and if that doesn't work, at least be able to fight...

Although these five guys looked boisterous, he didn't even know if they had five taels of meat on them.

"Ahem!" Kaede Nagayama had no interest in continuing to listen, coughed twice to get their attention, "You... want to know what's inside?"

"Hmm?"

Rumin Sano was attracted by the sudden voice. When he turned around, he found his entire field of vision blocked by a black shadow. He was startled and quickly took two steps back, only to find that it was a sturdy, muscular body blocking the sunlight. The strong muscle blocks made the corners of his eyes twitch...

"Ahem... Yeah! We just want to see what's inside!" Rumin Sano coughed tactically to cover up his momentary panic, "What does it have to do with you?!"

"Ah, this naturally has to do with me!" Kaede Nagayama lowered his head, revealing a smile of eight teeth, "This is my stuff!"

In an instant, the five punks shivered in unison, as if they were being stared at by a ferocious beast.

"This..." Rumin Sano said stiffly, "This street is our territory! We are people from the Inagawa-kai!

You... you better think clearly before you make a move!"

Kaede Nagayama scratched his head: "Make a move?"

Looking at the few guys who were scared, he realized that they might have been scared by himself...

No way, after filming *Crows Zero*, I don't know when it started, but I seem to have something like an aura on me. I used to feel it from my grandfather and some guys who were stained with blood...

It seems very easy to scare children.

Ma Sai hurriedly revealed his warmest smile: "How could I start a fight! I just wanted to see what it was! It's fine to tell you, this is just a set of audio equipment."

While speaking, he walked into the middle of the five people, wrapped his arms around them, and grabbed two young men on one side: "Since you are so curious, why don't you come into the store and sit down, wait for the audio equipment to be moved down and installed, and let you see it!"

Then the four people felt a huge force coming from the arms on their shoulders and backs, pushing them toward the KTV entrance...

"Don't..." "No need, no need" "Chotto matte" "We don't want to go in~"

"No, you want to!"

Kaede Nagayama exerted force on his hands and didn't stop as they intended. Instead, he turned back and said to the driver and the worker: "Please unload the goods and install them in the private room on the first floor."

"... Hai..."

The driver and the worker were a bit confused. In less than a minute, of the five punks who were surrounding them, only one was left standing there in panic, not knowing what had happened, and the others had all been pushed into the door by that sturdy man!

The two looked at each other for a while, shook their heads, and decided to unload the karaoke equipment first.

"Sumimasen, please let me through." The driver said to the punk who was still standing stupidly at the rear of the truck.

"Ah... Hai!" The remaining guy finally came back to his senses.

What to do?! Brother Sano was actually coerced in by a monster-like guy! The other companions also went in! I'm the only one left! What should I do? Call someone? But I don't know people from other organizations! Only Brother Sano and a big brother in the association know...

How are Mina-san? Will they be killed?! Should I run away?

In the midst of intense ideological struggle, this punk suddenly looked up at the sky, and then recalled the happy times with Brother Sano and everyone...

Yesterday, everyone was walking on the streets of Harajuku together under the sunset! The happy laughter was still ringing in his ears. How could I abandon them at this time?!

Forget it, forget it! Today I will go to the Yellow Springs with Brother Sano! Sixteen years later, I will be a good man again!

His messy brain didn't know what he was thinking. Finally, the remaining punk took heavy steps and pushed open the KTV door...

A few moments later...

Inside the retro bar's private room, workers, punks, shopkeepers... were packed full.

The five punks were sitting in a row on the leather chairs, staring at Kaede Nagayama in front with wide eyes, looking just like children waiting for a kindergarten teacher to distribute candy.

"Haha, you guys are just in time! This is the first trial of our karaoke!" Kaede Nagayama directed the workers to plug in the power sockets and connect the lines. Then, after the workers went out, Ryokazu Takayama began to debug, "You are the first batch of customers!"

Kaede Nagayama pointed to the leader: "That... what's your name?"

"My name is Rumin Sano..."

"Ah, Sano... My name is Kaede Nagayama... That..." Kaede Nagayama seemed to have just remembered something, stretched out his hand, "Nice to meet you, please take care of me."

"..."

There was an awkward silence in the private room.

Fortunately, at this time, Ryokazu Takayama spoke, "Mr. Nagayama, the audio has been debugged."

"Ah! That's great! Let's try it quickly!"

Kaede Nagayama said and took out a videotape, stuffed it into the karaoke player. Before long, the TV screen lit up, and a group of beauties in cool clothes appeared... Then, the name of the song slowly appeared: "Aoi Sangoshou"...

I didn't expect Kaede-dage to be a Seiko fan!

"This is my favorite song. Come on, let's follow the original singer once!"

Saying that, Kaede Nagayama picked up the microphone and started howling like a ghost...

Shizhi Araki had long since run out of the private room, leaning against the door smoking, sighing that the soundproofing was indeed very good, and he couldn't hear the sound inside at the door!

Before long, he saw Ryokazu Takayama, with a stiff face, quickly push the door and walk out.

Shizhi Araki smiled at him and handed over a cigarette: "Takayama-san, slow down... have a cigarette!"

After Ryokazu Takayama took it, he sighed: "Mr. Araki... do you know Mr. Nagayama..."

"Hey... that guy has maxed out his physical talent, so in terms of singing... it's relatively rough." Shizhi Araki tried his best to say a neutral term.

"Ah... indeed..." Ryokazu Takayama nodded.

At this time, in the private room, under the amplification of the audio, the entire room was filled with ear-piercing magic sounds.

The five punks even covered their ears and couldn't isolate the sound, because Kaede Nagayama would hook their necks and sway with the rhythm while singing!

"God, if I did something wrong, please punish me, instead of letting me listen to this guy sing..."

Rumin Sano's eyes were scattered, as if he saw the figure of his great-grandmother, waving at him at the door...

Just as he wanted to reach out to respond, a strong arm suddenly pressed his arm, and then he saw a slightly reddish big face appear next to him.

"Oh? Sano! Not bad! You want to sing too, right?!"

"I'll let you sing the next one!"

"..." Great-grandmother, take me away..." Rumin Sano saw the figure at the door slowly dissipate~

At the entrance of the bookstore named Musashino-do, the *April Story* crew began the afternoon filming.

However, this time, there was no group of people standing by and watching, even if Yutaka Ozaki was there... Because before filming, Masataka Komori had tested the "artificial rain."

The sudden downpour caused the crowd that was still watching to disperse all at once... Those who were close to the set were more or less drenched in some rain...

"Momoko-chan, Ozaki-san, remember... in the indoor scene earlier, Yamazaki-senpai already recognized Uzuki, and it can be considered a formal acquaintance with the person she secretly loved."

"This scene is about the protagonist coming to borrow an umbrella, using the excuse of borrowing an umbrella to talk to the person she secretly loves... First, she borrows this red umbrella, but after finding out it's broken, she has to test all the other umbrellas..."

Naoki Nagayama was explaining the scene to the two protagonists,

"This scene needs to be filmed two or three times. We need to film Momoko-chan, Ozaki-san's front view, and the two of them in one frame separately."

Because the two were talking face-to-face, they couldn't use two cameras to film at the same time.

"When filming, Momoko-chan needs to stand in the rain... but you need to grasp the emotions. In shyness, there must be a kind of impulse. This rain is the only time in the movie that the protagonist's inner emotions are vented, so pay attention."

The red umbrella in her hand was different from the soft tones of the previous filming, and it also gave this shot a different meaning.

The protagonist Uzuki arrived at the bookstore in the heavy rain. Although she was holding an umbrella in her hand, she happily talked to Yamazaki, whom she secretly loved, under the excuse of borrowing an umbrella.

When Yamazaki changed umbrella after umbrella, only to find that they were all broken, Uzuki could no longer suppress her emotions.

"Senpai, are you still playing in a band?" Uzuki in the rain was drenched, very embarrassed, but she asked with a smile on her face.

"No, how did you know?" Yamazaki asked in surprise.

"Because Senpai is very famous!"

"Are you lying?"

"For me, yes!"

The lowered voice seemed to make people unable to hear clearly, or it seemed to be said to herself.

Water droplets were still dripping from her face and hair, but her face was clean, and her innocent and joyful eyes quietly looked at the Senpai she secretly loved.

In the end, Uzuki made a promise: "I will come to return the umbrella." Hidden under this promise, perhaps this introverted and shy girl was boldly saying, "I will come to see you, Yamazaki-senpai, again"!

The wind and rain outside became more and more noisy, as if helping her tell her heart.

The camera turned...

Uzuki stood in front of the building holding the broken red umbrella Yamazaki lent her. The raindrops falling on the red umbrella bloomed into water flowers, as if congratulating her on her encounter with Senpai.

On her youthful and clean face hung a gentle smile, her eyes staring into the distance, full of beautiful longing for the future. ===== CHAPTER 583 =====