America: My Time

Chapter 816 A Surprising Accident

Chapter 806 A Surprising Accident

Although Nakamori Akina didn't look that worried, Riko could still sense the pressure she was under. Unfortunately, Riko was powerless to help her, and no amount of advice would help unless Akina pulled herself out of it.

"You're just too straightforward. You could have come with the others. There's no need to worry so much. Don't make yourself look bad. Communicate and interact with others more. It's always better than bearing everything alone. Also, you should learn from Naoko. Make the necessary sacrifices as soon as possible."

Akina Nakamori knew what Riko meant by letting go. She also wanted to let go of this burden, but she just couldn't. After all, if she gave up everything in the entertainment industry, it would put pressure on her family. Without her support, her family's life would be in trouble. Akina was well aware of how incompetent her family was.

"Riko-nee, I understand your good intentions, but I also feel pressured and helpless. This isn't something I can just let go of!" This wasn't the first time Akina had heard such advice. She understood it herself, but she just couldn't bring herself to do it. Every time she had to make a decision, she would give up because of family ties. Her mother's existence was Akina's biggest weakness and her greatest concern. As soon as her mother spoke, Akina could only give up and continue to endure the pressure from her family.

Although Ken-on stepped in and blocked most of the pressure, Akina still secretly gave her mother some family subsidies more than once. After all, she couldn't bear to see her family struggling. But they were hopeless cases, and no matter how much help she gave them, they didn't see any improvement.

The human heart is the most unpredictable and the most difficult to look directly at. In fact, many people understand Akina's situation, and they understand even more that although Akina's mother said she cared about her a lot, Akina was the one who sacrificed the most. Even though Akina paid such a high price and endured so much pain, everything about Akina remained unchanged.

"Then you should rest more, don't put so much pressure on yourself, relax, chat with your friends at the party, let yourself relax, and have fun!" This was all Riko could say at this point, because it was not something an outsider like her could advise on such a family matter.

Does Akina lack money? Actually, no, she does. What she lacks is family affection and a sense of security. Riko understands this, but she can't bring herself to offer advice. Akina needs to understand this herself, and under these circumstances, it's even more difficult for her to speak up, since there are quite a few people watching from the sidelines.

Having a good time at a party like this isn't easy, as many people will try to test the waters. It's up to them to see what their limits are and how they choose to act. As for whether anyone will dare to provoke John again, that's unlikely. No one can withstand John's wrath, especially in the current situation.

"Riko-nee, Akina-nee, why are you standing at the door!" Just as Akina was about to enter the party, another voice came from behind them. It was Sachiko Kamachi who appeared behind them. There was a faint shyness on her face. Riko suddenly had a feeling that Sachiko Kamachi's appearance was a bit coincidental. It was probably not as simple as it seemed on the surface. Someone had arranged it.

Who would make such an arrangement? John? That's impossible. So she thought of Naoko. Naoko had asked Riko to take care of Akina and Sachiko before, so Naoko was the most likely person to make such an arrangement so that the two of them could be together and take care of each other, while also allowing Riko to be taken care of.

"So it's Sachiko-chan. You two go ahead first, I'll come in and have a good chat with you as soon as I get back!" At this moment, Riko invited Nakamori Akina and Kamachi Sachiko to go into the party first, as she still needed to continue entertaining the others. After all, tonight's party was extraordinary, and she dared not be careless in the slightest.

Akina Nakamori and Sachiko Kamachi nodded and entered the party together. Neither of them were quite comfortable at such parties, but they had no choice; tonight's party was different. As soon as they entered, they attracted the attention of some people, while many others were puzzled, wondering what was going on.

The situation of Nakamori Akina and Kamachi Sachiko overshadowing the guests was unlikely to occur. They were both very low-key, and upon sensing the attention of the crowd, they quietly moved to a corner, discussing musical matters in hushed tones, seemingly oblivious to the opinions of others at the party and offering no particular suggestions for its organization. Following Nakamori Akina and Kamachi Sachiko's 'unexpected' appearance, the others also surprised everyone with their coordinated arrivals. Kikuchi Momoko and Nakayama Miho, Sawaguchi Yasuko and Moritaka Chisato, all appeared in perfect unison and entered the party together. This wasn't an individual act; it was clearly a carefully planned arrangement. When this happened, those attentive at the party couldn't help but feel puzzled, wondering what John was trying to do or what he was trying to convey.

Actually, this wasn't John's arrangement, but Naoko and Hitomi's. They just didn't expect that their good intentions would arouse suspicion among those with ulterior motives at the party, and make those guys speculate.

"What's going on? Is Mr. John worried that someone is plotting against him, or is he warning us? Should we remind those chaebol guys not to do anything too outrageous?" At this moment, one of the Japanese official representatives couldn't help but show a worried look. He felt that this situation was John's arrangement, and also a 'reminder' to them!
"Let's wait and see. Even we can see it. Do you think those chaebols can't see it? Or do you think you're better than them? This isn't the time for us to step in. We just need to observe and wait. Other things are none of our business. I believe those guys won't do anything foolish."

"That's true, my reaction was a bit too strong. But it's not my fault. We're under increasing pressure right now. The situation in the Middle East is still unresolved, causing oil prices to keep rising. They've already reached $40. Who wouldn't be worried? Who wouldn't be nervous!"

“I understand and I can empathize with your feelings, but you need to be patient now. Don’t react rashly because of momentary excitement. If you’re not careful, you might do more harm than good and end up with responsibilities that you shouldn’t have to bear. If all of this is Mr. John’s arrangement, I believe those tycoons can see through it. As for the deeper meaning, only they know it. We have no reason to care. We are here today to bear witness, not to interfere in everything.”

Tonight's reception wasn't just attended by a few Japanese officials; there were quite a few others, including some from the Central Bank of Japan. What appeared to be a simple allocation of resources actually had deeper implications. Less is more, and doing nothing is the best course of action. Just quietly witness everything; there's no need to get involved.

Although John had asked Akio Morita to host the party tonight, he wasn't going to wait until the end to make his appearance. He arrived early, and when he arrived, many bigwigs from Japan hadn't shown up, or rather, they had already arrived but hadn't entered the party, all waiting for John to appear.

"Just as Riko said, Naoko didn't show up at the party. It seems that what I was worried about has come to pass." When he saw John and Hitomi Kuroki walk into the party venue together, Akio Morita couldn't help but sigh inwardly, a glint of light flashing in his eyes. This was the last thing he wanted to see.

Although unwilling to see what was happening, Akio Morita did not forget his duty. The Japanese bigwigs who did not appear did not fail to arrive, but rather they were discussing and exchanging ideas upstairs. When John appeared, these guys already knew, because they also had spies outside.

Those who didn't show up were almost all from the Mitsui zaibatsu. Clearly, these guys had the advantage of the venue, giving them more time to negotiate. However, they couldn't take the initiative, as the power wasn't in their hands. Now that John has arrived, these guys need to enter as well; otherwise, it will give the impression of being disrespectful, making people think the Mitsui zaibatsu is too arrogant and doesn't respect anyone.

If people get that kind of impression, it's not a good thing for the Mitsui zaibatsu. It will make them the target of everyone's criticism, and they can't afford the consequences. After all, they also need to consider other people's feelings and can't act recklessly.

John smiled faintly as he saw Akio Morita walking toward him. He didn't find anything wrong with the situation. It would be a problem if Akio Morita didn't make any move. As the organizer of the party, it would be a big problem and extremely impolite for Akio Morita not to show up.

The absence of Naoko surprised many, and along with the surprise came a sense of doubt. Why did John make such an arrangement? Was it out of dissatisfaction with Mitsui, or was there another reason? Everyone wanted to decipher the meaning behind John's actions, to understand his inner thoughts, and what he wanted to express to them!
(End of this chapter)