Chapter 874: Where did she get the confidence?!

Night fell, and without the noise of the sun, even the large Shanying Garden felt a bit cool in the summer.

Opening the glass sliding door, listening to the sound of the night wind blowing through the cherry tree branches and leaves, and the flow of the pond water not far away, the whole person calmed down~

In the hot weather, one naturally didn't want to cook for themselves, so after finding a Western restaurant for dinner, he returned home very leisurely~

"What?" Naoki Nagayama held the microphone in his hand, very surprised. "She really said that?"

"Yes... it even startled me!" Tomo Yoshimura's voice came from the microphone. "Shizuka-chan said in my office, 'Yabai, does Naoki-san like me!' Hahaha~

She even said this song is a confession song for someone with a secret crush!"

"..." Naoki Nagayama was speechless. In this day and age, are young girls all this confident?!

Uh... that's not necessarily true~

In recent years, the economy of Nihon has been looking good, even girls can easily find jobs with decent incomes, and ideas like freedom and feminism have started to spread...

Although it's not like the "there must be four men around a girl" situation during the peak of the bubble era, phenomena like having to go to high-end restaurants when dating girls, having to give expensive gifts, and having to have a sense of ritual when dating are already very common~

Plus, Shizuka Kudo is already an idol that many people pay attention to; maybe she really thinks the song created by Naoki Nagayama is a confession to her... *As if!!! *

"No matter how you think about it, it shouldn't be!" Naoki Nagayama shook his head. "She's only fifteen... and I'm so rich, handsome, and talented, why would I have a secret crush on her?!"

"Besides, Akina Mori, the top idol in the entertainment industry, is my girlfriend!"

No matter how you look at it, Naoki Nagayama can already be considered the pinnacle of young men, and Shizuka Kudo, in the end, is just a fifteen-year-old girl, at most a bit cute and individualistic, attracting some fans...

"Where on earth did Shizuka-chan get her confidence?!"

Tomo Yoshimura on the microphone was still laughing happily; this scene today would allow him to tease Naoki-san for a long time in the future~

"Young girls~ are always full of naive ideas~" Tomo Yoshimura said. "But I have already explained it for you..."

"... Then I really have to thank Otomo-san!"

"Ahem, in short, I have already told her your opinion, and also invited a professional music teacher to guide her," Tomo Yoshimura said. "When does Naoki-san expect to start recording?"

"I'm not in a hurry here..." Naoki Nagayama said. "I'm going to Shizuoka in August to film *Midnight Diner*, but that's not far... I can come back at any time."

"Mm, I'm relieved to hear that~"

Tomo Yoshimura nodded.

"Then I'll notify you when Shizuka-chan has practiced enough..."

"Mm~"

After hanging up the phone, Naoki Nagayama thought about what was just said and shook his head helplessly. Sure enough, anything can happen in a child's heart!

Shizuka Kudo also has a lot of inner drama!

After being dazed for a while, Naoki Nagayama decided to go to the study to continue perfecting his *Tiger of Ginza*... When the time comes, film a Nihon version, then film another American version, eat the Yen first, then eat the Dollars... This is called eating one fish two ways!

At the venue in Aomori City, many fans were still continuously shouting for an encore.

Akina Mori had already been singing at the concert for over two hours; the originally scheduled songs had all been sung, and even the prepared encore songs had been sung.

But the fans were still continuously shouting for an encore, not wanting today's concert to end.

It was really because Akina Mori's fame was too great now; she was already the undisputed big sister of the entertainment industry, and she couldn't even find a competitor.

"Minna-san... don't encore anymore~"

Akina Mori, who had changed into a cool short shirt and tied her hair into a bun, had fine beads of sweat on her slender neck, which seemed to be shining like light,

"I have already sung all the songs!"

"One more!" "Still want to hear!" "Don't go..." The fans under the stage shouted loudly, their voices making it hard for people to distinguish.

Akina Mori's arched eyebrows furrowed, and her well-defined features formed a look of utter distress:

"There really aren't any left..."

"There must be..." "Just sing one casually~" "As long as Akina-chan sings, we'll listen!" "..."

"Mm... this is really a bit difficult~" Akina Mori tilted her head. "But it's a deal, this is the last one!"

"Yes~~~"

"Let me think, what should I sing..."

Akina Mori thought of other singers' songs, but singing other singers' songs required paying copyright fees... She thought of her own songs, but they had all been sung...

Even *Unrequited Love*, which Naoki-san gave her, had been sung...

"Wait a minute, isn't there one more?"

Akina Mori remembered a song, *Water Color*, that Naoki Nagayama had given her before. Come to think of it, she had never sung it in front of everyone even once~

"Everyone wait a moment..."

After Akina Mori said this into the microphone, she walked toward the band, because the band hadn't rehearsed it in advance, so Akina Mori had to communicate on the spot, but the melody of *Water Color* was very simple, only needing one rhythm.

Then she walked to the center of the stage holding a maraca:

"The next song is called *Water Color*... This is the first time I've sung it in public, I hope everyone likes it..."

The light piano rhythm sounded, and Akina Mori also started singing while shaking the maraca:

The mischievous flower petals.

Are a letter sent to the distant clouds.

The spotlight shone on Akina Mori. Having shed her gorgeous stage costume, Akina Mori, wearing simple clothes, sang the lyrical song while shaking the maraca.

Her soft voice, steady vocal line, and the ease of singing while accompanying herself made her look not at all like a fledgling idol, but more like a pop singer who could attract the public just by her voice.

"Akina-chan... has really grown into an excellent woman!" A die-hard fan under the stage muttered to himself. "No, can't call her Akina-chan anymore, should call her 'Akina-sama (Princess Akina)'!!!"

After the song was finished, a roar suddenly erupted from under the stage:

"Akina-sama! Saikou!!!" "Akina-sama! Banzai!!!"

Immediately after, the audience in the venue all became excited, the shouts of Princess Akina were continuous, making Akina Mori on the stage feel a bit at a loss...

"What's wrong with you all!"

"Because of Akina-sama!" "Princess Akina sang too well!" "Must have this song on the next record!"

"..."

"As for this song, it might not be possible to put it on an album for the time being~" Akina Mori laughed. The theme of the next album had already been determined, and even the songs had been commissioned for lyrics and composition, which didn't quite fit this *Water Color*.

"However, I can sing it for everyone during this concert tour... as a special surprise~"

Such an answer made the fans at the scene excited, cheering loudly, among which a fan in the front row suddenly shouted:

"Was this song created by Naoki Nagayama?!"

"Was it given to Akina-sama by Naoki Nagayama?"

"..."

Akina Mori heard the fans' question, but she didn't need to avoid it now, so she nodded on the stage:

"Yes..." Naoki-san has written many songs..."

So the people under the stage started to boo, wanting Akina Mori to continue singing a few more...

"I clearly said it was the last one!" Akina Mori shook her head, saying with the demeanor of a mature woman, "A promise is a promise!"

Saying that, she bowed slowly to thank the fans:

"Minna-san, today's concert is coming to an end~"

"Thank you all for your support..."

"I hope to keep singing for those who support me..."

"... Bye-bye~"

Amidst the reluctance of the audience, the curtain was finally slowly drawn, and the first show of the *Bitter & Sweet* concert tour was successfully concluded!

Akina Mori celebrated with various staff members backstage, and everyone was clamoring to suggest going to the seaside to hold a barbecue party...

Maki Ueda helped Akina Mori remove her makeup and said her impressions of today on the side:

"During the last song, we were all startled... Akina-chan actually sang this song!"

"It was pretty good, right?"

Akina Mori smiled, it was indeed a bit risky on stage.

"It sounded great... as expected of Naoki-san's song!"

"Come to think of it, it seems Naoki-san hasn't written songs for others for a long time, right?"

"Seems like it..." Akina Mori also nodded. The recent songs seemed to be written for herself. "Recently, Naoki-san has probably been busy with film matters and hasn't had the energy to create~"

"I see..."

"By the way, we're going to the seaside for a celebration party later, it's definitely going to be very late~" Akina Mori said. "I'll call Naoki-san first later..."

"..."

Maki Ueda was speechless. It had only been one day, weren't they meeting this morning...

The summer fireworks festival was about to begin, and Tsuruko Nagayama and Junshui Ishii were planning this year's action together.

"Sumida River? Seen it... Adachi Fireworks Festival has also been seen..." Tsuruko shook her head. "This year I want to go to a different place to take a look..."

"Then where does Tsuruko want to go?!"

Junshui Ishii also agreed. Having grown up in Tokyo, she had naturally seen all the famous fireworks festivals in Tokyo, and going somewhere else seemed very good!

"Let's go to Kyoto! There is a very distinctive water lantern fireworks festival in Miyazu City, Kyoto... setting off fireworks while setting lanterns on the water surface..."

"People who have been there say that the sea surface and the sky are full of colorful colors..."

Listening to Tsuruko's description, Junshui Ishii seemed to have already seen such a psychedelic scene, and her heart was also very moved. Anyway, university life is very free, even if there are classes, one can ask for leave!

Tsuruko was still saying: "We can stay at Nii-chan's Red Fish Garden... It's also very good for avoiding the heat there!"

"Can we?" Junshui Ishii was a bit worried. "Naoki Nii-chan won't be angry, right?"

"Haha, Nii-chan doesn't know how many properties he has, maybe he doesn't even remember he has a courtyard in Kyoto!" Tsuruko waved her hand. "I'll go stay there, it's reminding him that there's still a house there!"

(Naoki Nagayama: I should thank you!)

"..."

Although Junshui Ishii had some doubts, after all, Tsuruko had already said it was fine, so it should be fine, after all, they are siblings!

The place to stay was settled, the time was roughly determined, and the two decided to communicate with their boyfriends... Calling it communication, it was actually notification!

The two didn't worry about the expenses at all; that was naturally paid by their boyfriends throughout!

Studying at Waseda University, both of them were also very beautiful, so they naturally understood their advantages in the love game early on.

Unlike other classmates who kept several suitors hanging, the two of them had long ago clarified their dating objects, so letting them pay a little money was naturally no problem.

You know, as long as they opened their mouths, there were plenty of people who wanted to flatter them~

The bubble era can be said to be the time when the status of Nihon women was at its highest!

At the same time, in the *Diary of the Seaside Town* crew in Kamakura, chief director Masataka Komori was very nervously preparing for the night's filming.

"Today we must film the scene of watching fireworks well!" Masataka Komori said. "Otherwise... we'll have to hold a fireworks festival ourselves!"

Today was exactly the Kamakura Kanagawa Fireworks Festival, fireworks set off on the Shonan coastline... Other scenes of *Diary of the Seaside Town* had almost all been filmed, just waiting for the arrival of these fireworks to fill in the last link!

Although Naoki Nagayama had once really held a fireworks festival at a shrine in Kanagawa when filming *Kikujiro*, this didn't mean Masataka Komori could do the same!

Naoki Nagayama could ignore the budget, but he, Masataka Komori, didn't have such great power!

"I really envy Naoki-san!"

Watching the crew enter the state, just waiting for the fireworks to be set off, Masataka Komori sighed very much. You know, when Naoki Nagayama filmed, it was the fireworks waiting for the crew, not the crew waiting for the fireworks...

Come to think of it, when Naoki Nagayama filmed movies, he would make a detailed budget, but after formal filming started, he completely ignored it.

What does it mean if the budget is not enough? Don't worry about it, I'll pay! Naoki Nagayama patted his chest to the crew... Thus there were luxury hotels, shrine markets, fireworks performances...

This is the confidence of a rich man!

Following the sound of a firework exploding, Masataka Komori reacted:

"Everyone to your positions... get ready, we are going to be the opening film of the Tokyo Film Festival! Ready... Action!"

Rie Miyazawa, wearing a yukata, sat on a pleasure boat, watching the fireworks blooming in the sky. The colorful fireworks flickered in the night sky, also reflecting colorful light on the faces and eyes of the viewers, causing everyone's laughter.

This was a rare beautiful scene, and also one of the most beautiful scenes in *Diary of the Seaside Town*.

Masataka Komori watched this beautiful scene from the lens, and his heart settled down...

"Next, it's the scene at the old home..."

"The four sisters wearing yukatas playing with sparklers..."

"This one is simple!"

"After that... it's time to edit!!!"

"Tokyo International Film Festival, wait for me, wait for my *Diary of the Seaside Town*! My name, Masataka Komori, must be made famous in front of filmmakers all over the world!"

Holding such a belief, Masataka Komori adjusted the angle of the lens even more seriously, wanting to make this shot perfect! ===== CHAPTER 875 =====