Chapter 622

Roppongi, late at night.

In the dim private room, the colorful lights made people feel dazed, the music made people sing loudly, and the alcohol persuaded people to no longer be reserved; the psychedelic atmosphere made the small room seem like a condensation of the glitz and glamour of Tokyo.

Inside a small KTV room, six or seven people were noisily playing a drinking game; as the dice on the small table stopped, bright red numbers appeared.

"Four, five, six! Big Brother Kaede, drink, drink!"

Takao Ozaki, his face flushed red, smiled at Kaede Nagayama, and the hostess girls beside them were also egging him on.

Although they all knew that Kaede Nagayama was the boss, the atmosphere had been built up to this point—so what if he was the boss? How could he not drink!

Kaede Nagayama didn't say anything either, and generously picked up a bottle of beer from the drink tray and started drinking; the few people beside him were all cheering him on, and for a moment, it seemed like everyone was laughing.

KTV drinks are generally dominated by low-alcohol beer, because most people come to sing and only need a little alcohol to warm up the atmosphere.

Of course, there are also options for hard liquor; vodka, whiskey, and the like are all available, and the drink menu also has individual freshly mixed cocktails, etc... As long as you want to drink, you will definitely be able to drink it.

For Kaede Nagayama, a bottle of beer could probably only count as a glass of water to quench his thirst; after finishing the drink, he continued to the next round of the game~

"Naoki-san, you can go sing now!" Toshihiko Ono put down the microphone, his tone still carrying excitement, "The next song should be Naoki-san's song!"

"Haha, then I'll go~"

Naoki Nagayama's singing skills couldn't compare to his own girlfriend's—of course, there were very few people in Tokyo who could surpass Akina—but in a KTV, guest-starring as a microphone hog was no problem at all!

"Yakimochi (Jealousy)," as expected, it was Naoki Nagayama's own song!

"

As long as the two of us can be together~

As long as our hands are held together, it's fine~

"

The light and lively melody echoed in the room, and the refreshing singing style also made people feel very comfortable; the three hostess girls clapped their hands to keep the beat, and even the few men like Kaede Nagayama couldn't help but stop to listen to Naoki Nagayama sing.

After the song ended, Toshihiko Ono sighed: "As expected of a famous musician, singing is indeed a cut above ordinary people."

"Haha, it's the KTV room that makes the singing effect good~ The enclosed environment acts like abdominal resonance, making the song even more moving."

Naoki Nagayama didn't know what nonsense he was spouting either, but it sounded quite convincing.

"So, who wants to go next?"

A look of eagerness appeared on Kaede Nagayama's slightly drunken face:

"Then how about I offer everyone a song?"

"No, no, no!" "Absolutely not!" "Big Brother Kaede, please sit down!"

"Manager-san, let's just forget it!"

"The customer is God; we should let the guests sing happily!"

In an instant, everyone in the room spoke up to stop him, including the few hostess girls who were subordinates. It could only be said that the song Kaede Nagayama had tried to sing before had given everyone psychological trauma!

Takao Ozaki, with cold sweat breaking out on his forehead, hurriedly grabbed the microphone:

"Let me sing instead; I just happen to have a song I want to sing!"

Amidst Kaede Nagayama's look of regret, Takao Ozaki hurriedly started a duet with one of the hostess girls, letting the others breathe a sigh of relief. His own cousin's singing style really had the power of Gian from Doraemon!

Even Toshihiko Ono said: "Drinking with Big Brother Kaede is very happy, but singing—let's just forget about that!"

Hearing this, Kaede Nagayama angrily started drinking beer again~

After three rounds of drinks, the novelty of just arriving at the KTV had worn off, and it was time for everyone to rest a little; this was the best time to talk about business.

"Big Brother Kaede, Naoki-san." Toshihiko Ono spoke up, "After the KTV in Harajuku last time and this KTV in Roppongi, I really felt the potential of this new type of nightclub.

So I also want to open one to try it out~"

As Toshihiko Ono, who was born with a silver spoon in his mouth, he didn't have so many twists and turns when speaking, and said directly to Kaede Nagayama:

"Big Brother Kaede, Naoki-san told me before that the KTV business is fully under your responsibility; I wonder if I could participate in it too?"

Although he had drunk a little alcohol, Kaede Nagayama was not at all drunk yet; after hearing Toshihiko Ono's words, he pondered for a moment:

"Ono-san, this KTV business is invested in by my family; you are clear about that, right?"

"Hai, the Nagayama Group in Shizuoka, I have inquired about it." Toshihiko Ono had naturally investigated, "However, KTV shouldn't belong to the Nagayama Group's industry, right?"

"Of course not. To put it bluntly, this business is an attempt by the family to shift towards legitimate industries, so we will try our best to draw a line with the yakuza."

Kaede Nagayama didn't hide it either,

"Although opening a KTV inevitably involves using the yakuza's name to scare off some guys, on the books, it will absolutely not be related to the yakuza..."

Most nightclubs in Tokyo are like this, more or less related to the yakuza; otherwise, simple protection money would be a big trouble.

However, if there is no connection on the books, then on the surface, it can be considered a legal business.

As for the investment behind it?

Didn't the life mentor from Piltover say it? This world is neither black nor white; it is an exquisite gray...

"Then that doesn't matter." Toshihiko Ono said, "We won't care about that point."

As a family in the pharmaceutical company, they could only know more about the dark side of society.

"I just want to do some things I like. I can invest and buy shares; there is about several hundred million in funds, and I can also get some land leases at a low price, and I can also help with official matters and taxes.

However, in a certain city, we must open a KTV with huge fame!"

Kaede Nagayama didn't refuse either; having grown up in the yakuza, he knew very early on that fighting alone had no future, and to win, one must band together!

"That's good, Ono-san, welcome to join."

Kaede Nagayama reached out his hand; the subsequent specific contracts and cooperation plans would, of course, be discussed after sobering up and then handled by lawyers.

"Mm, Big Brother Kaede, I wish us a happy cooperation!"

Toshihiko Ono grasped Kaede Nagayama's hand... If one were to describe it with a sense of destiny, one could say... the gears of fate began to turn from this moment on...

Just at this moment, Takao Ozaki finished singing and was very curious to see the two shaking hands:

"What are you doing? Did you reach some agreement behind my back?"

"Ono-san decided to participate in the operation of the KTV." Naoki Nagayama helped explain slightly, "Didn't we talk about it before? He has some interest in KTV."

"Eh? Ono, you actually really want to open a nightclub without a sound!" Takao Ozaki said in surprise, "And you didn't bring me along?"

"... Ozaki, aren't you supposed to be managing your family's company..."

Toshihiko Ono looked at his good friend with some confusion; as an only son, such a large construction company and business were all to be inherited by you alone—why do you want to open a nightclub?

"But I..." Actually, Takao Ozaki was just annoyed that his friend didn't bring him along to play.

Naoki Nagayama interrupted: "Ozaki-san, even if you wanted to participate, it wouldn't work."

"Why?"

"Because isn't all your pocket money invested in Tree Friend Capital?" Naoki Nagayama said, "You signed a one-year management agreement... You are penniless now!"

"I..." Takao Ozaki was very unconvinced and opened his mouth, wanting to say something.

"Don't tell me you want to ask your father for money?"

One sentence extinguished the fire in Takao Ozaki's heart; if he wanted to ask his father for money, did he still want his face?

He would definitely say go inherit the family business again!

Maybe he would even have to go on blind dates... get married... have children, and so on...

At the same time, in another private room, Koji Fujioka, Naoshi Fujisawa, and others were also having a great time.

Especially Koji Fujioka, who was hugging a hostess girl and singing off-key songs happily.

That hostess girl's expression remained unchanged; as a hostess girl, being groped was inevitable, and she had psychological preparation when she took this job.

However...

This person sang so off-key that it was truly severe; one could say he was tone-deaf, yet his subordinates seemed to be listening to some concert, constantly keeping the beat, and even cheering when a song finished... a completely sycophantic image.

Koji Fujioka was young and could be parachuted in as a department manager of Itochu Corporation, naturally because he had a background; the surname Fujioka, once heard, one knew it was related to the Fujiwara family, and there was even a city in Gunma Prefecture named after his family's surname!

"Fujisawa!" After Koji Fujioka finished singing a song, he put down the microphone, drank to take a break, and said very happily to Naoshi Fujisawa, "This kind of KTV is indeed very interesting!

I have played in clubs and nightclubs in Tokyo for so long and have seen many similar ones, but this is the only place where one can sing so happily."

Naoshi Fujisawa hurriedly nodded: "Yes, Manager Fujioka, I just felt it had great potential, which is why I wanted to take down that one in Harajuku; that is the first KTV."

"Why be so petty? Can't you just openly discuss an acquisition with them?" Koji Fujioka, who had finished drinking, had a flushed face, "If the Kangin Group wants to acquire them, the manager should be laughing out loud."

"Manager Fujioka, that shouldn't work; that KTV has the background of the yakuza Yamaguchi-gumi, and they won't agree."

Naoshi Fujisawa didn't mention at all that he actually wanted to suppress Naoki Nagayama's shop and wanted to acquire this industry at a cheap price when it was at a low point, which was why he hurriedly took action to frame them, only discovering the yakuza background later.

"Yamaguchi-gumi..."

Koji Fujioka's expression changed slightly; the Kangin Group certainly wasn't afraid of the Yamaguchi-gumi, but he was only a department manager of the subsidiary Itochu Corporation.

"Hai, my injury was caused by them beating me." Naoshi Fujisawa played the victim.

"Alright, alright, who told you to provoke others first." Koji Fujioka didn't want to be a pawn and said directly, "If acquisition doesn't work, then we'll just open one ourselves!"

"Anyway, the model of these private rooms and karaoke is clear."

"It might not be that simple~" Naoshi Fujisawa waved his hand, letting the hostess girl who was originally staying next to Koji Fujioka walk away, and explained in a low voice, "Technically there is no problem, but in practice, there are many needs that cannot be met."

He came from the grassroots, so his experience was still rich.

"For example, this MV, the adaptation of lyrics subtitles and images, requires time to produce... This requires the help of a record production company."

This feature of watching, listening, and singing at the same time is something other nightclubs don't have, which is why it is so attractive.

"We can entrust a record company to produce it!" Koji Fujioka said.

"But just the filming, production, and batch copying alone will probably take half a year..."

Naoshi Fujisawa roughly estimated the time; because it was a new thing, at the current stage, no record company could cover the production of MVs. If he outsourced the filming of images, music subtitles, and MV production to different companies, he arranged the schedule slightly and easily concluded a half-year deadline.

After all, other companies didn't have the flat management like Naoki Nagayama's, and thus couldn't react as quickly as Tree Friend Films.

"After half a year, KTV will have already opened all over Tokyo!"

That was why Naoshi Fujisawa wanted to directly suppress the Harajuku KTV before; he was thinking of getting the entire business line into his hands.

Koji Fujioka was very annoyed: "If that's the case, we really can't compete with them?"

This KTV was obviously owned by the same boss as the one in Harajuku, and even the MVs were universal.

"Competition is certainly possible!" Naoshi Fujisawa offered ideas, "We can invest in building a few KTVs and then poach people from these two shops! We can even poach people from the MV production company!"

"No one will go against money, and this can also slow down the expansion speed of KTV."

Learning the innovation model of small companies, then using larger capital to poach people, rapidly replicating, and using a larger volume to reverse-crush small companies... unless you let capital buy shares and control the company...

Didn't the future internet giants make all internet practitioners understand this?!

This is the routine of capital! It hasn't gone out of style even after decades!

Koji Fujioka nodded: "Then let's do that! Fujisawa, this will be left to you to handle!"

"Hai!"

"It must be fast!" Koji Fujioka turned his head and looked around the room; after all, he had the education of being influenced by what he saw and heard, "I can feel it, so other slightly larger companies will react too!"

"Facing a piece of fat meat that everyone covets, they are greedier than hyenas."

Koji Fujioka's words were very philosophical, making Naoshi Fujisawa think for a moment that he was some big businessman with deep schemes!

However, turning his head, Koji Fujioka greeted the hostess girl to help choose a song, and he started to sing again... He was completely a playboy!

While the nightclub was in full swing with its opening, the entertainment industry didn't stop either.

"The crew of 'Love Like the Falling Rain' wants to invite reporters to visit the set?" Maruyama, an editor of "Kinema Junpo," received a phone call from Tree Friend Films.

As an old film magazine in the island nation, "Kinema Junpo" has always been considered one of the influential major media in the film circle, and the number of films wanting to get on "Kinema Junpo" every year is countless.

However...

"Shuichi Ido?" Maruyama knew the director of this film was a young director who had won the Best Director Award, "And starring Muga Takawaki, the lead role?"

Muga Takawaki's fame in the film circle was also very large.

So naturally, this "Love Like the Falling Rain" attracted Maruyama's interest.

"Alright, then let's go take a look!"

Anyway, after going to see it, whether there were highlights, whether to write a report, or whether to publish it, were all possibilities.

And such an invited interview is one of the ways of film promotion; the production factory will give reporters red envelopes!

"Tree Friend Films, I heard it's a very generous emerging film production factory!"

Maruyama had already thought of the thickness of the red envelope!

"Wait..." Suddenly remembering something, Maruyama hurriedly flipped through previous film reports, seeing something about the director's first love, screenwriter Naoki Nagayama's revelations, and the theme song also composed by Naoki Nagayama...

"This film has a lot to do with Naoki Nagayama!"

"This guy Naoki Nagayama hasn't had any news since 'April Story'... I don't know what he is silently planning..." Maruyama muttered in his heart, "Could it be that he wants to rest?"

"Or does he want to secretly ponder a big news story?"

In short, tomorrow, let's go to the scene and ask the employees of Tree Friend Films!