Flying over the bubble era

Chapters 1559 and 1560. A Condition

Having witnessed Shinichi Iwahashi's deep scheming, there's no reason not to stand on his side at this time.

Stabilizing the internal situation is essential for dealing with external threats.

Gaining the support of collaborators also means having to publicly acknowledge this trusted identity.

……

The world's attention was drawn to Namie Amuro's high-profile debut and VERMILLION's deliberate confrontation with GENZO. On the other hand, as the release date of the single approached, weekly magazines began to dig into the inside story of this subtle showdown between Namie Amuro and Maki Ohguro.

Why did Tetsuya Komuro choose VERMILLION when collaborating with GENZO?

The past of these two record companies was unearthed at this time. Spread out in the same article, the public learned that the two companies had actually crossed paths in the past.

This makes Tetsuya Komuro's choice and Vermillion's plan all the more meaningful.

The media is digging into the inside stories between record companies, and the record companies themselves are certainly not unaware of this.

Rather, the initial leniency towards the media stemmed from the tacit approval of the record companies.

Initially, the media, which couldn't resist the topic, took the initiative to dig into the relevant inside story. Then, based on the public's reaction, the record company decided whether to fuel the fire and wage a media war, or to handle the topic quietly and cover it up.

The initial public opinion may have been spontaneous, but after that, it becomes a contest of strength. All heated disputes generally follow this process.

When the future is uncertain, the battle for public opinion must be evenly matched. If a magazine reports a negative point about GENZO, it must be countered with a negative point about VERMILLION, without needing a reason, and even logic is not valued much.

These days, clever tricks are useless; what matters is head-on confrontation. To the general public who simply treat entertainment news as entertainment, the battles between record companies are no different from the conflicts between singers. In the end, all they see is excitement, not real drama.

This lively summer has seen impressive newspaper and magazine sales.

Shinichi Iwahashi was determined to fight to the bitter end. As long as he remained firm, his opponent would have no choice but to comply. And the more this was the case, the more precarious Tetsuya Komuro's situation became. And this was exactly the effect Shinichi Iwahashi wanted.

Amidst this ongoing controversy, Namie Amuro debuted as scheduled, achieving a dazzling 480,000 copies sold in her first year, securing her first chart-topping position. With this massive success, she made her debut.

However, during this promotional period, Tetsuya Komuro kept a low profile and did not appear on the show together with other singers as he would when promoting them, ostensibly to lend his support but actually to show off his new work.

During the program, Namie Amuro was openly asked by the host: "Muro-san didn't appear with us... was that something you were worried about?"

Host Akashiya Sanma, relying on her position, openly addressed a question of public concern.

The girl remained calm and replied, "I've only met Komuro-san once."

"You've only seen him once?!"

Those present gasped in surprise. Even Akashiya Sanma could only mention the topic briefly before moving on with a joke.

Namie Amuro appeared very composed, displaying an admirable aura at such a young age.

The public's questions, having only been scratched by this initial attempt, only fuel their anticipation for what will happen next.

As one of the busiest producers right now, Tetsuya Komuro has prepared release plans for all the singers under his label. From TRF, which made him famous, to Tomomi Kahara, who is often seen with him, each has their own schedule.

However, with the new album release date approaching and the singer busy with production, the publicity department remained inactive, taking no action whatsoever in terms of promotion.

This stands in stark contrast to Namie Amuro's current high-profile activities. The revelations from weekly magazines followed immediately—

Shinichi Iwahashi was reinstated as president of GENZO this summer. His first act upon taking office was to cancel all promotional activities for singers affiliated with Komuro, as punishment for Tetsuya Komuro's unauthorized actions.

……

In the end, the struggle comes down to real force and the manipulation of the most naked human nature.

When you're still an insignificant nobody, you have to be careful, anticipating the other person's actions, and subtly provoking them to maximize the effect of your limited power. But now, it's too late to play those kinds of tricks.

When necessary, some simple and direct methods must be used.

Only in this way can we pave the way for the next step: to discuss clear and unambiguous conditions.

"Shinichi Iwahashi has fallen into Shunichi Baba's trap and has to cut off support for the Komuro faction in order to maintain his prestige," the weekly article clearly puts Shinichi Iwahashi in such a predicament.

If Shinichi Iwahashi were to withdraw promotional activities for singers affiliated with Komuro as a result, he would not only harm his own interests but also worsen his relationship with Tetsuya Komuro.

Since its inception, VERMILLION Records has lived in the shadow of GENZO Records. Shunji Baba's victory in his first battle was a brilliant move.

Despite years of management by VERMILLION's president, Daiko Nagato, he has never been able to escape the shadow of Shinichi Iwahashi. The more this is the case, the more it highlights Shunichi Baba's outstanding abilities.

Shunichi Baba was smug, but for Tetsuya Komuro, this result was by no means something he wanted.

On the eve of Namie Amuro's debut, Tetsuya Komuro maintained a composed demeanor. However, as various revelations from weekly magazines stirred up more and more trouble, Shinichi Iwahashi's ambiguous attitude made Tetsuya Komuro uneasy.

Initially, it was partly out of a mischievous curiosity to see how this person would react, but more so to create an opportunity to negotiate. But no one could have imagined that Shinichi Iwahashi's current demeanor would be neither angry nor impatient, or rather, completely unpredictable.

The weekly magazine said that Shinichi Iwahashi wanted to "punish" the Komuro family, but Tetsuya Komuro knew very well that he would never do so.

But more frightening than the explicit "punishment" is Shinichi Iwahashi's composure at this moment.

The more unpredictable a person is, the more dangerous they are.

Tetsuya Komuro suddenly had a feeling that the public opinion stirred up by the weekly magazine and Shinichi Iwahashi's seemingly passive situation were all carefully prepared traps for him.

This man was instinctively drawn to dangerous things, but he didn't want to mess things up at a crucial moment. This made him unable to restrain himself, and he finally put aside his inner conflict and directly sought an audience with Shinichi Iwahashi.

……

Shinichi Iwahashi remained calm after hanging up the phone call from Tetsuya Komuro, who wanted a face-to-face meeting.

Joining Vermillion is essentially no different from staying under GENZO, and it's certainly not what Tetsuya Komuro wants. Therefore, the more Tetsuya Komuro is placed in such an awkward position, the more restless he becomes.

The more someone has something to gain, the more easily they can be seen through. Shinichi Iwahashi knew this perfectly well and never felt that he was at a disadvantage.

Upon receiving the call, he agreed to Tetsuya Komuro's offer of a face-to-face meeting.

Having agreed on a time to meet, Shinichi Iwahashi lowered his head in deep thought before that moment arrived.

How can I get what I want from Tetsuya Komuro?