Chapter 883: The audience is here to see the heroine

"Otomo-san! It's been a few days, I've missed you so much!"

Naoki Nagayama, who returned to Tokyo, didn't go home immediately, but came directly to the Tree Friend building. Then, while his subordinates were preparing in the editing room, he came to Otomo Yoshimura's office.

Originally, Otomo Yoshimura was very happy to see Naoki Nagayama, but after hearing his slightly teasing words, he didn't know why, but he always felt offended again...

So, his expression became disgusted:

"Missed me? Shouldn't Naoki-san be enjoying himself so much in his old home that he forgets to return?!"

"Eh? How could that be? I was clearly working hard filming *Midnight Diner* in my old home!" Naoki Nagayama slumped on the sofa. Seeing mint candies on the coffee table, he took one and ate it, "Filming until after midnight every day!"

"..." Otomo Yoshimura was even more disgusted, "You clearly only started filming at nine o'clock every day..."

"You know that?" Naoki Nagayama was surprised.

"Naoki-san, I am the head of Tree Friend's hosting work... I have eyes and ears everywhere in Tree Friend!" Otomo Yoshimura showed a treacherous expression, "For example, I know you left early last night... to spend some quality time with your girlfriend!"

"!!!"

Naoki Nagayama was a bit terrified. What is this, the Eastern Depot and Brocade Guard? Planting eyes and ears everywhere?!

But on second thought... TM Tree Friend currently only has two editing rooms. The *Midnight Diner* production team must have communicated with Otomo Yoshimura before returning!

"... Otomo-san... you are already at such an age, don't say some inexplicable things!" Naoki Nagayama waved his hand, ignoring this guy who wanted to see Naoki Nagayama make a fool of himself.

"Che..."

Otomo Yoshimura didn't continue to say anything,

"Is returning this time just for the editing of the first few episodes of *Midnight Diner*?"

"Yeah~" Naoki Nagayama nodded, "I want to see how the acceptance of the late-night gourmet show is."

"There shouldn't be any problem~"

"Of course, who can refuse to watch a TV series that makes you even hungrier when you are hungry in the middle of the night?!"

"..."

Otomo Yoshimura had no way to deal with this lazy president of his, so he could only change the subject:

"Speaking of which, you came back just in time. The rough cut of *Diary of the Sea Town* is almost done... I was thinking of making a few preliminary promotional videos. It's just right that Naoki-san is back so we can finalize it."

"Oh? Masataka-kun's efficiency is very high!" Naoki Nagayama sat up straight, looking very interested.

"He has been living in the company for more than a week with a few trainee directors!" Otomo Yoshimura sighed, "Working day and night. If I hadn't gone to see them the day before yesterday, they might have died from overwork~"

"..." Naoki Nagayama was stunned for a moment, "There's no need to work that hard, right?!"

Otomo Yoshimura squinted: "According to Masataka-kun, Naoki-san, you said that if it couldn't be completed before the Tokyo Film Festival, you would film a movie yourself within a month to replace the opening film of *Diary of the Sea Town*..."

"This..."

Naoki Nagayama was a bit embarrassed... He was just saying it casually, how could Masataka take it seriously!

This kid is too honest!

How could I film a movie in a month!

Eh... it doesn't seem impossible...

Just when Naoki Nagayama was letting his imagination run wild, Otomo Yoshimura continued:

"Speaking of this, Naoki-san... regarding the preparation work for the Tokyo International Film Festival, you can't push everything to others. You have to do something yourself!"

"I..."

Originally, Naoki Nagayama wanted to say that he had made a lot of contributions, but seeing Otomo Yoshimura's eyes, he felt a bit guilty,

"Uh... is there anything I can do?"

"At present, there aren't many foreign filmmakers... Naoki-san, put in more effort in this regard!"

"Foreign filmmakers... no problem!"

Naoki Nagayama knows quite a few. At the Cannes Film Festival, he had at least met them a few times...

Although the relationship is average, the film industry and the entertainment industry are about the same. They are all about mutual support. He wouldn't dare to say that those involved in interests would help with all their might, but coming to participate in a film festival, getting exposure, and getting a nomination is no problem.

After all, the promotion of a film is a huge expense everywhere, and the Japanese film market is so big that many film companies want to take a bite!

"I will call and invite them..."

Naoki Nagayama had a flash of inspiration, thinking that the fifth-generation directors in the mainland were just emerging. This time, it seemed he could invite some people over. Besides... it seemed Jackie Chan's new film had just been released...

Of course, these were just thoughts in his head. Naoki Nagayama didn't tell Otomo Yoshimura in detail. After chatting in the office for a while, he went downstairs to the editing room.

Of course, he had to go see Tree Friend's second-generation directors first!

Pushing open the door, he saw several bearded, haggard faces...

"Masataka-kun..." Naoki Nagayama was moved to tears, "You are... not long for this world?!"

Masataka Komori's cheeks twitched slightly, but he still opened his mouth:

"Naoki-san... I think I can live for at least another fifty years..."

"That's good, that's good. Seventy-something is also very good!" Naoki Nagayama nodded and patted the shoulders of everyone in the editing room, "Minna-san, you've all worked hard during this time!"

As soon as these words came out, several trainee directors felt a warmth in their hearts~

"It's all what we should do!" "Devoted to film! We will not hesitate even if we die!" "This is the opportunity given by Tree Friend! How can we miss it!" "..."

"Mm mm mm!" Naoki Nagayama looked at these next-generation directors with satisfaction, looking just like an old farmer looking at the leeks growing vigorously in the field, "You are all the pillars of Tree Friend's future!!!"

"Hai!!!"

After a round of pleasantries, Naoki Nagayama talked to Masataka Komori about the editing situation of *Diary of the Sea Town*.

"The rough cut of *Diary of the Sea Town* has only roughly taken shape. There is no problem with the story line, but a lot of effort is still needed in detail processing and camera transitions! We try many times for every shot... to find the most suitable material..."

Masataka Komori looked at Naoki Nagayama, increasingly envious of his confident editing skills, as if the original film was in his mind...

"Why is that? Didn't you say you already had preliminary promotional clips?" Naoki Nagayama asked.

"Hai, we have indeed extracted some materials and made some clips..." Masataka Komori instructed his subordinates to put the processed materials on the projector and watched them with Naoki Nagayama.

On the small screen, the moving plot of *Diary of the Sea Town* jumped out, including the funeral in the deep mountains, the half-sister, the struggle in family life, the final reconciliation...

It was indeed the promotional thinking of an ordinary director, picking out the most moving parts of the film...

However, this was not Naoki Nagayama's view... Having experienced the era of information explosion, he knew best that he had to grab people's attention at first glance!

"Cough cough!" Naoki Nagayama coughed twice to attract attention, "Masataka-kun... if you promote it like this... you won't be able to attract people to the cinema, and the box office won't be a big hit!"

"???" Masataka Komori was puzzled, "Isn't this the selling point of the movie? If this can't attract people, then isn't this movie..."

This movie itself is not attractive... This was what Masataka Komori didn't finish saying.

"The movie is definitely a good movie..." Naoki Nagayama set the tone, "However, if no one sees it, it's useless..."

"As a director... Masataka-kun, you still have a lot to learn!"

"???"

The directors in the editing room looked over in confusion, and Naoki Nagayama didn't shirk...

"You... go and pick out the clip of Chieko Aoyama waking up without clothes in the first act!"

"Then, go and pick out the clip of Yuki Saito praying... the scene of Momoko Kikuchi drinking... and the clip of Rie Miyazawa blowing an electric fan after taking a bath..."

Under Naoki Nagayama's operation, the clips that most highlighted the characteristics of the several heroines in *Diary of the Sea Town* were all picked out, and then Naoki Nagayama warned earnestly:

"Tell me, why would the audience come to watch this movie?"

"Is it warm emotions?" "Delicate family affection?" "Ordinary daily life?!" "..."

"Wrong, wrong, wrong! Isn't the relationship between a middle-aged couple warm? Do you want to see the daily life of a construction site uncle?" Naoki Nagayama chopped on everyone's head with his hand, "It's to see the heroine!!!"

"It's to see the beauty of our four sisters!!!"

Masataka Komori retorted a bit unconvinced: "Naoki-san, we are not an adult movie!"

"..." Naoki Nagayama said righteously, "Who said beauty is an adult movie?! The pursuit of beauty is actually a yearning for beautiful things in the world!"

"???!!!"

The trainee directors were shocked. Although they couldn't quite understand it, being able to say such high-sounding things about being a lecher had already made the group of trainees look up to him!

Naoki Nagayama said to Masataka Komori:

"We must first attract people into the cinema before we can let them discover the connotation of this movie!"

"..." Alright, you convinced me!

On the screen in the editing room, the clips Naoki Nagayama mentioned earlier began to play...

Chieko Aoyama's hot figure made the men at the scene open their eyes wide, Yuki Saito's slightly divine appearance made people yearn for her, Momoko Kikuchi was sweet amidst her liveliness, and the moment Rie Miyazawa opened her bath towel really made people want to stretch their necks to look inside...

Naoki Nagayama nodded. This was the fundamental reason why he was attracted to watch this show!!!

He admitted that he was actually an old lecher at heart!

Under his guidance, the preliminary promotional video for *Diary of the Sea Town* began to move forward in an unknown direction.

And at this time, Naoki Nagayama himself walked into another editing room and began the editing work for the first three episodes of *Midnight Diner*~

As night fell, the people who came to watch Akina Nakamori's performance slowly left the venue, but everyone was in shock.

Although the organizer prohibited bringing video cameras and cameras into the hall and did not allow fans to take the scene of the performance out, the paparazzi who mixed into the venue would certainly not comply.

Some perfectionist paparazzi even used spy equipment, disguising their cameras as binoculars, and took pictures while pretending to enjoy the performance.

And today, they undoubtedly got their reward... The sapphire ring on Akina Nakamori's ring finger was photographed clearly!

"Akina Nakamori and Naoki Nagayama are engaged!"

This headline, which was undoubtedly a headline, had been firmly grasped by the paparazzi!

"Moshi Moshi, is this *Asahi Shimbun*?" After the paparazzi left the venue, he went straight to a public phone booth and began to call major newspapers, "I have explosive news here!"

"Moshi Moshi... is this *Mainichi Shimbun*?" "Is Editor Jin Chang of *Yomiuri Shimbun* there?" "Is this the editorial department of *Tokyo Sports*?"

And at this time, a more skilled reporter had already secretly contacted the recording staff...

"Sell me the videotape of Akina Nakamori just admitting her engagement!" "I know you must have a backup!" "The price is negotiable..."

Then, the reporter began to contact his own TV station...

"Give me a spot on tonight's live show!!! I have major news to break!"

"What news? Tomorrow's front-page headline!!! If you don't want it, I'll sell it to other TV stations!"

"What? You don't believe it?"

"I tell you, Akina Nakamori announced the engagement news herself, and even showed the ring! Such a big sapphire!"

"I have already gotten the live recording!"

"..."

And Akina Nakamori, the protagonist, was a bit embarrassed after returning to the lounge... She wanted to apologize to others, but couldn't even see Norifumi Miki's shadow...

Ueda Maki sighed while organizing the luggage:

"Akina-chan, ever since you said 'It's an engagement ring' on stage, Miki-san ran out to make a phone call..."

"Sumimasen!" Akina Nakamori put her hands together, looking for forgiveness, "I was too happy and couldn't hold it back for a moment..."

Ueda Maki looked at the ring that hadn't been taken off after getting off stage and shook her head,

"It looks like tomorrow... no, it will spread everywhere tonight! Even if Akina-chan doesn't appear in front of the media, you can still occupy the entertainment headlines!"

"There's nothing I can do about that..."

Akina Nakamori was even a little proud~

However, the impact of this headline on her wouldn't be too great... After all, she was already transitioning to a pop singer, and in the entertainment industry... there were simply no idols who could compete with her!!!

The undisputed idol sister, she is just that confident!

Just as they were chatting, Norifumi Miki walked in, looked at his artist, and sighed:

"Akina-chan... I have already reported the situation to Hanami-san... The agency will help issue an announcement and appease the fans... There shouldn't be any impact~"

"Arigato~" Akina Nakamori thanked him obediently.

"In short... if you want to announce this kind of thing next time, please tell us in advance~"

"..."

Akina Nakamori immediately put her hands together and apologized sincerely...

But Norifumi Miki shook his head... His idol apologizes quickly, but she just doesn't change...

"Tomorrow's morning paper should all be this news~"

"Akina-chan... you and Naoki Nagayama... there's no way to end this without getting married~"

Akina Nakamori's eyes were full of determination:

"We will definitely get married!!" ===== CHAPTER 884 =====