N-M Chapters 1268 and 1277: Why is Naoki Nagayama everywhere?!
Chapters 1268 and 1277: Why is Naoki Nagayama everywhere?!
Chapters 1268 and 1277: Why is Naoki Nagayama everywhere?!
When Akina Nakamori appeared in a dark, off-the-shoulder woolen dress, the audience understood what it meant to have a beautiful face and fair skin. The entire stage was filled with a layer of white mist, which made Akina seem as aloof as an unreal fairy.
As the newly compiled, somber melody began to play, Akina's brows furrowed slightly, as if recalling a broken relationship, and her eyes gradually welled up with tears.
"
たか爱なんて(It’s just a love affair)
Forget it (If you want to forget it, just forget it)
Crying (Cry if you want)
"
With Akina's deep voice, the song "Nanpasen" seemed to tell the audience about a relationship that ended halfway, and also seemed to be a remembrance of the investment and feelings once had for that relationship.
This song, "Nanpasen" (The Difficult Ship), was released by Tokiko Kato long ago, but the original enka version was far less moving than Akina's rendition. The audience in the studio were drawn into the song by Akina's excellent performance, and their emotions resonated with the melody.
Only when the last verse of the song was sung and the music stopped did the people, who were immersed in the sad atmosphere, come to their senses and immediately offer enthusiastic applause!
"Nanposen," which had been generating buzz in the entertainment industry for a long time, finally made a stunning appearance on the popular music show "Music Station"!
The studio was filled with applause, and even viewers watching on television applauded the wonderful performance of the song.
As everyone knows, a heavyweight song is about to be added to this year's music charts!
"Wow~~~"
During the post-performance interview, even the one-eyed host, Tamori, couldn't help but exclaim in amazement.
"Akina-chan looks so beautiful today! Like a fairy!"
"Arigado~"
After finishing her song, Akina had shaken off her sadness and was now all smiles, a stark contrast to the aloof fairy she had been just moments before.
"Akina-chan, your stage outfit today is quite unique. Why did you decide to make a stage outfit out of a wool skirt?"
"Actually, I originally wanted to use a long tutu. But I happened to have some yarn, so I thought I'd give it a try."
Akina smiled and said,
"I didn't expect it to work so well."
Actually, Naoki Nagayama mentioned it when Akina was designing her stage outfits. His deepest impression of Akina Nakamori in his past life was her wearing a woolen skirt and singing "Nanpasen".
Her cool and broken image immediately leaves a lasting impression!
"That's it~"
Tamori nodded, then asked a question on behalf of all the audience members.
"Akina-chan, when you sang 'Nanpasen' just now, you were immersed in a sad mood, weren't you? That kind of sorrow must have come from deep feeling."
The question can be translated as, "Did Akina also experience heartbreak?!"
Predictably, viewers will soon be wondering, "With whom? Is it Naoki Nagayama?" "If not, has Akina-chan dated anyone else?!"
"Yes~"
Akina nodded, instantly eliciting gasps from the audience in the studio, one of whom shouted, "Todoroki-nii!" This exclamation surprised Akina as well, and she couldn't help but look towards the source of the sound.
Then he explained:
"Actually, as everyone knows, when I perform, I put myself in a scene similar to the song, which is how I can make the performance more infectious."
This time, I immersed myself in the plot of a tragic novel I had read, which is why I was able to sing so sorrowfully.
"A tragic novel?"
Tamori suddenly remembered the recent uproar over the tragic incident involving Akina Nakamori and the tearful incident involving Momoe Yamaguchi, both of which seemed to be related to a novel!
"Is it Naoki-san's novel? I think it's called 'I'm Sorry, I Love You'?"
"Hi!"
Akina gave a positive response, which left the audience somewhat incredulous, sparking a flurry of discussion.
"How could that be?" "That's an exaggeration." "Momoe Yamaguchi watched it too?"
"Where can I buy that novel?" Tamori asked. "I'm curious too!"
"This... Naoki-san hasn't submitted it to a publisher yet. It's expected to go on sale next year."
Akina Nakamori explained, then suddenly realized what she had done and waved her hands in a panic.
"Tamori-san, I'm not advertising for Naoki-san here!!"
Laughter erupted again, as everyone was very forgiving of their idol's momentary naiveté.
"Haha, I know~ They haven't even been printed yet~"
Tamori sighed, then asked in a very gossipy way,
"But it's good to be a writer's wife; you can see the manuscript of an unpublished novel in advance."
Momoe-san has seen it too, right? Can all friends see it in advance? What's the order? Can I make a reservation?
"To maintain confidentiality, only one original copy was printed. I gave it to Momoe-san after I had reviewed it. Now..."
Akina thought for a moment,
"There shouldn't be any appointments with Naoki-san's personal editor right now."
(After overcoming numerous difficulties and taking a two-week vacation, an editor at a certain Shogakukan magazine finally received the original manuscript of "I'm Sorry, I Love You" and was reading it in the office with tears streaming down his face.)
That's such a pity!
After chatting for so long, Tamori and Akina Nakamori finally got back to the main topic.
"Oops, we've gone off-topic! This is a music program!"
"Haha~" "You only just realized that now?" "Tamori-san's going to have his salary docked!" Similar whispers came from the audience, accompanied by bursts of laughter, which warmed up the atmosphere of the show again.
"Next, please welcome the original singer of 'The Shipwrecked', Tokiko Kato."
Kato Tokiko, dressed in a formal gown, walked to the front of the stage and presented Akina with a bouquet of flowers.
“Arigato!” Akina exclaimed in delight.
"Akina-chan's performance was absolutely brilliant!" Tokiko Kato exclaimed with admiration. "I knew this song would shine so brightly with Akina's voice!"
"Thank you for your recognition, Tokiko-san."
Because the live broadcast was still ongoing, Tamori interrupted their conversation to fulfill her duties as the host:
"Kato-san, how did you and Akina-chan meet? And why did you dedicate this song to Akina?"
"what"
Tokiko Kato responded,
"That must have been when Akina was photographed looking haggard and in tears."
"At that time, I felt that the song 'The Broken Ship' should be sung by a female singer like her."
"And as it turns out, Akina-chan really did perform exceptionally well!"
Hearing this, Tamori was surprised, because when Akina was photographed crying, her initial explanation was that she had read a certain novel:
"So, it's still related to Naoki Nagayama's novel!!!"
"You can say that"
"That Naoki-san, how come he's everywhere?"
At that moment, Naoki Nagayama was watching the live broadcast of "Music Station" in the Yamazakura-in. When he heard what the host, Tamori, said, his face turned awkward.
"What do you mean I'm everywhere?!"
Naoki Nagayama said to Natsuka, who was in his arms.
"I'm Akina's husband, so isn't it normal for me to be involved in her new song?! Don't you agree, Hana-chan?"
However, Xia Hua ignored her father's nagging, instead wriggling her little body to push away Nagayama Naoki's arm, and then walked to the huge LCD screen to look at it.
Then, turning her head, she pointed to Akina Nakamori in the center of the screen and said to Naoki Nagayama:
"Mother."
"Yes, Mom is recording a TV show."
"Mom!" Xia Hua turned her head and called out to the television, "Mom, come out!"
Naoki Nagayama quickly pulled the little guy back from trying to crawl into the TV and explained in a low voice:
"Mom isn't on TV. She'll come out through the door in an hour."
As he spoke, he gestured towards the entrance door.
"It's through that door that Mom will come out."
The little one, who is a little over one year old, has already grasped the meaning of common language and then turned to look at the TV screen.
At this point, "Music Station" was still going on, but the next guest had already started, and Akina was no longer the focus, so the little guy couldn't find his mother.
So the little guy started staring at the front door, as if hoping that Akina would come out of that door.
"Mom won't be out for a long time."
Naoki Nagayama coaxed Natsuka.
"Hua Jiang can take a nap first and then wait."
However, the usual words seemed to have no effect. This time, the little guy was as stubborn as a mule, keeping his eyes fixed on the front door. Even when Naoki Nagayama tried to distract him with toys, it didn't work.
"."
Sigh. I wonder where he got this stubbornness from.
Naoki Nagayama also knew to wait with the little one.
The editorial office of Asahi Shimbun is staffed 24 hours a day. As a comprehensive newspaper, it must keep abreast of major news events around the clock, because while it's nighttime in Japan, it's daytime in the United States across the ocean!
If any major news or event occurs over there, Asahi Shimbun can guarantee to find out by phone as soon as possible and then report it in the morning paper!
Ryuta Fukui, an editor in the editorial department, is a veteran journalist with over a decade of experience. He currently serves as the deputy director and chief writer for the Asahi Shimbun, and it just so happens to be his turn to work the night shift today.
"Director Fukui."
Just as Fukui Ryuta was drinking strong tea to fight off drowsiness, the young woman on duty at the front desk came over.
"There's a letter here, delivered at some unknown time. It's addressed to the editor-in-chief of the Asahi Shimbun."
"Oh?"
Ryuta Fukui immediately understood from the printed text on the simple yellow envelope that this was definitely a whistleblower letter.
Having worked in the industry for so many years, especially at a major newspaper like the Asahi Shimbun, he had encountered countless tip-offs—some were whistleblower reports, some were informant letters, and others were all sorts of strange ones.
He took the letter and touched it briefly to make sure it didn't contain any razor blades or bullets, which reassured him that there was no malicious intent.
After all, he's a veteran journalist; his investigative reports have offended countless stakeholders, and he's received numerous razor blades in the mail.
As for putting anthrax or similar substances in the envelope, that's unnecessary. Such things are both dangerous and expensive, and if caught, it would definitely endanger public safety and result in a severe sentence.
Instead of wasting time sending things to harm him, they might as well just find a Yakuza to give him a good beating. Even if the injuries are severe, it would only last a few years at most.
"Let me see what kind of scoop this is."
Upon opening the envelope, I found ordinary printer paper, the kind you can buy anywhere, and the text inside was also printed.
"This is... an old-fashioned mechanical typewriter? Very cautious!"
Before computers, typewriters were popular for a long time, and many people still use them in Japan today. Moreover, because of their simple mechanical structure and the absence of backdoors in printer programs, it's impossible to trace the user.
Without dwelling too much on its origin, Fukui Ryuta began to look at the contents of the paper.
"Hidehiro Komatsu, director of the Kawasaki City Planning Bureau, accepted bribes from Recruit and illegally approved land. He received 3 shares as a bribe and profited 1.2 million yen."
"Licourt Company?!"
I've certainly heard of this company, Fukui Ryuta. It's one of the big players in the real estate industry, and its business is still expanding.
"Using pre-IPO shares as bribes is quite common."
Ryuta Fukui pondered,
"But since we even know the amount and net profit, it seems like it was an inside whistleblower?!"
Fukui Ryuta hadn't considered reporting it purely out of a sense of justice, because knowing even the specific shares and amounts meant that it must have been handled by someone who had done it several years ago. If it were for the sake of justice, he would have reported it back then!
"I heard that the Recruit Company's building is almost finished."
"What is he planning to do? Report his superior? Force him to step down? Or eliminate his competitor? Is there any other evidence?"
Various directions flashed through his mind, but based on the current information, he certainly wouldn't find the answer. However, the other information in the letter was enough for Fukui Ryuta to conduct his investigation.
"The head of the Planning and Adjustment Bureau of Recruit Corporation, Hideki Komatsu, is a good news topic!"
A bribery case between a listed company and a government agency is enough to attract public attention, and it won't face much resistance. At least for a newspaper of Asahi Shimbun's size, it won't put too much pressure on it!
Moreover, reporting on a bribery case is a great honor for journalists, since exposing evil is the duty of righteous journalists.
If Fukui Ryuta successfully reports on this case, then perhaps his title as deputy director can be promoted further!
Fukui Ryuta looked at the letter over and over before putting it down:
"The idea of having absolutely no connection and no explanation was given to us only"
It seems that if the Asahi Shimbun doesn't take any action, it might leak the information to other newspapers.
"That's why I need to hurry!"
Ryuta Fukui doesn't want his rivals to steal this breaking news!
So, Fukui Ryuta, who was still feeling sleepy, immediately perked up and began gathering information.
It was late at night, and many of the lights in the Yama-oka-in were turned off, leaving only the living room still lit.
Naoki Nagayama sat on the sofa, looking helplessly at Natsuka, whose head was bobbing up and down beside him. This little one actually wanted to run into the living room to wait even after her bath, and would cry if she wasn't allowed to.
"Hana-chan, do you want to go to sleep first?"
Naoki Nagayama gently patted his daughter.
"When I opened my eyes again, my mother was right beside me."
"Mom! Come out!"
Xia Hua suddenly opened her eyes again, looking very determined. After a while, her eyes narrowed slightly, and her head tilted little by little. However, with the reminder of her sense of balance, she regained consciousness for a while.
This looks exactly like a sleepy kitten.
"Oh~~~"
Naoki Nagayama glanced at the clock; it wasn't 11 o'clock yet, and Akina probably wouldn't be back anytime soon. Looks like he'd have to wait until the little one fell asleep.
However, at that moment, the remote-controlled iron gate of Yama-oka-in opened, and a car slowly drove in.
"Oh? Are you back?"
Naoki Nagayama picked up the drowsy little one and walked towards the entrance.
"Hana-chan, Mom's home!"
"Well?"
Xiaoxiahua perked up and looked at the entrance door. Sure enough, the door opened a moment later, and Akina, wearing a loose T-shirt, walked in.
Akina was somewhat surprised when she saw Naoki Nagayama, but she was even more astonished when she saw Natsuka in his arms:
"Why isn't Naoki Sanghua-chan asleep yet?"
"."
Naoki Nagayama shrugged, handed the slightly dazed little one to Akina, and then casually took the bag and hung it up.
"I don't know what's wrong, she's been making a fuss all day, wanting to wait for you and refusing to sleep!"
"Oh?"
Akina took the little one and kissed her little face.
"Hana-chan is waiting for Mommy~"
"Mom~~"
Once Xiaoxia was in Akina's arms, she couldn't hold on any longer. After murmuring a few words, she hugged Akina's neck and slowly closed her eyes. Perhaps it was the familiar scent, but the little one, like a doll with its batteries removed, instantly fell into a sweet sleep.
Akina carried the little one to the living room, intending to talk to Natsuka, but found the little one asleep.
After Naoki Nagayama walked over, Akina said with a bit of a laugh:
"It only took a few seconds. He fell asleep instantly."
"Because it's finally here!"
Naoki Nagayama chuckled softly.
"Alright. Go upstairs and go to sleep."
"."
Akina felt a little helpless. She moved her neck, but Natsuka was holding her tightly. If she took her hands away, it might wake her up.
But I haven't washed up yet.
"Let's talk about it tomorrow?" Naoki Nagayama said with a smile. "Chewing gum is fine too~"
"But I was sweating after just one trip outside."
Akina sighed. Although they went to places with air conditioning, there were always some open areas, such as parking lots, where it was easy to sweat in the summer.
"I don't mind Akina."
"."
Akina gave her husband a coquettish look, momentarily at a loss for words.
"I haven't removed my makeup yet!"
"I'll help you uninstall it."
Naoki Nagayama said with a smile,
"How about this, I'll give you a bath while I'm at it."
"Naoki Mulberry"
Akina blushed slightly. Although they were an old married couple and often took baths together, she still felt shy when talking about it, especially since Naoki Nagayama was smiling so strangely at that moment.
"Ok?"
"You looked like a hentai when you smiled just now!"
(End of this chapter)