Tokyo's bubble economy: From literary giants to great entertainers

Nihon University College of Arts (Nikkei Dai) is officially known as the Faculty of Arts at Nihon University.

The university is located in Nerima Ward in western Tokyo. It is only about 10 kilometers away from Shimokitazawa, and although you need to transfer on the subway, it is only three subway stops away.

At 8:30 a.m., a red BMW E34 came to a steady stop in front of the school.

"Remember to keep your cell phone safe and don't lose it. Call me if anything happens. Also, if you don't have many classes lately, hurry up and get your driver's license. I don't have time to drive you to school every day."

In the driver's seat of the red BMW, Honami Suzuki held the steering wheel with one hand and leaned against the window with the other.

"Please, you were the one who insisted on giving me this ride..." Shuichi Kanbara unbuckled his seatbelt and chuckled as he complained.

"How dare you talk back to your aunt?!"

Honami Suzuki's sunglasses slipped down, and she raised an eyebrow, giving her a glare like an older sister—after recovering these past few days, she had reverted to her elegant yet assertive self.

As soon as Shinbara Hide got out of the car and closed the door, he did not leave immediately.

Under the gaze of Honami Suzuki's slightly dilated pupils, he suddenly leaned down, and through the car window, with a smile, reached out and grabbed her chin, swaying it from side to side.

"Auntie? Last night, when someone's stomach was growling with hunger, they didn't call themselves 'Auntie.'"

"Yeah! Shuichi!"

Completely taken aback by his intimate gesture in public, Honami Suzuki's beautiful eyes widened instantly. She froze for a moment before realizing what was happening and hastily slapped away the intruding hand.

However, although she slapped her fingers away, the blush of embarrassment and anger on the young woman's face was impossible to hide. Students passing by cast curious and amused glances, making her, as the older woman, feel utterly ashamed and indignant.

"Shuichi! I'm telling you, you're done for tonight!"

The heat on her face spread all the way to her ears, and her eyes revealed a murderous intent.

But since this was the school gate, she couldn't bring herself to do the same dramatic things she did at home. She could only glare fiercely at Shinbara Shuichi one last time before stepping on the gas, and the red BMW sped away around the corner.

"Heh, what a tsundere guy."

Shuichi Kambara smiled and shook his head, then turned and walked towards the school gate with his hands in his pockets. But just then, a furtive voice suddenly rang in his ears.

"Senior, how did you do that?"

"kindness?"

Shinbara Hide glanced to the side and saw a guy with golden-brown perm hair sticking up to him in a lewd manner, his eyes full of longing and admiration.

This person...

Why does it look so familiar?

Hideaki Kanbara was taken aback for a moment, but quickly remembered—Mihashi, isn't that Mihashi from "From Today, It's My Turn!!"?

He never expected to run into the other person here. However, since he had been here for so long, Kanbara Shuichi was somewhat surprised, but not particularly astonished.

Who are you?

"Oh dear! I forgot to introduce myself, my apologies! I am Kento Kaku, a first-year student in the Department of Performing Arts at Nichigo University of the Arts! I hope you will take good care of me in the future~"

Kento Kaku shuffled along sideways, but his upper body bent into an exaggerated ninety-degree bow, looking comical and quirky, as he casually handed over a delicate little business card.

Does it seem like she inherited Mitsuhashi's quirky personality?

Shuichi Kanbara chuckled and took the business card. "Kento Kaku, that's a nice name. But I'm not some senior. I'm just a freshman in the film department, like you."

"Huh?! Why didn't you say so earlier!"

Kento Kaku's respectful expression vanished instantly, and he slumped to the side in a nonchalant manner, his smug expression remaining unchanged.

"Oh dear, I thought you were a senior at school. But since we're in the same year, things will be much easier."

"matter?"

Shuichi Kambara raised an eyebrow.

Kento Kaku, completely unafraid of strangers, crept up again, his eyebrows twitching and a mischievous grin on his face. "It's that one~~"

"That one? Which one?"

"Oh, don't play dumb! It's the kind of good deed you just did! Getting intimate with that elegant, rich auntie who drives a BMW and getting paid for it—a heavenly job!"

Don't worry, I won't freeload! If you bring me in and give me a way out, I'll give you this rare, out-of-print "Guide to the School Beauties of All Schools in the West of the City" for free! Please help me out, bro, I've been single for a full eighteen years! Please~~~"

"..."

Shuichi Kanbara's lips twitched, staring speechlessly at the blond baboon in front of him. Before he could even utter a retort, a series of hurried and chaotic heavy footsteps suddenly came from behind him.

"Onii-chan, it's him! He's the one who kept hitting on people on the subway!"

A sweet yet shrill voice came straight this way. Upon hearing the sound, Shuichi Kambara turned around and his brows twitched instantly.

A chubby girl dressed in white Lolita fashion, but with freckles all over her face, was pointing in their direction and complaining to seven or eight muscular, older male students behind her.

In an instant, all the fierce gazes locked onto him.

"Oh no! Bro! Help me cover for him... Ah!"

Kento Kaku yelled and shoved Shuichi Kanbara forward, ready to slip away. But no sooner had he reached out than Kanbara calmly stepped back to the side, subtly tripping him with his leg.

shocked!

Completely surprised by the smooth movements of Kanbaru Shuichi, Kaku Kento was stunned, but before he could say anything, seven or eight burly figures had already surrounded him.

"S-senpai, I..."

"Shut up! Take him to Aruba!"

"Ugh—"

Kento Kaku was instantly grabbed and led away by a group of burly men, who covered his mouth. Before leaving, he desperately reached out his hand. However, it was clear that Shuichi Kanbara had no interest in playing the hero and rescuing the man.

"Just as expected of Mitsuhashi's cheeky personality."

"But speaking of which, it's amazing that he was able to get into the Japan University of the Arts..."

"Did Mitsuhashi's fate merge with his original destiny? Or is it that in this world, some people's fates remain unchanged, but their personalities are altered?"

"This is such a mess."

Shuichi Kambara raised an eyebrow slightly.

While Mitsuhashi in "From Today, It's My Turn!!" is a charismatic protagonist, his academic performance is truly terrible. However, the real-life Kento Kaku is different.

Kento Kaku is considered a second-generation rich kid from an elite family in Tokyo.

His parents were both in management positions at large corporations, and his aunt, Chikako Kaku, was a once-popular leading lady and a regular on TBS's prime-time slot. Furthermore, he attended Aoyama Gakuin University, a prestigious private university in Japan.

To put it simply, it's relatively easy to distinguish the backgrounds of Japanese entertainers.

Those who have attended university are basically either children of celebrities or come from well-off families.

As for those like Akina Nakamori and Seiko Matsuda, who dropped out of high school to enter the entertainment industry, they are basically from humble backgrounds.

Grassroots artists who lack family connections and influential elders to help plan their careers generally don't have a good ending—there were so many stunningly beautiful people in the Showa era, but how many of them managed to survive past thirty?

"Never mind, I don't want to think about it anymore."

Shuichi Kambara shook his head slightly, trying to clear his mind of the negative emotions. But just before he was about to step into the school gate, a familiar, hunched figure caught his eye.

"Grandma Miyazawa?"

That was the owner of the convenience store where he used to work, the kind old man who had given him an extra 30,000 yen in wages.

However, the mother-in-law was accompanied by a heavily made-up, middle-aged woman who had a very worldly air about her.

The woman seemed to have a fiery temper, loudly haggling with the taxi driver over the fare. Beside the two adults stood a little girl who looked only fifteen or sixteen years old.

Shinbara Hideichi was about to go over and say hello, but when he saw the little girl's face clearly, he was stunned again.

"Rie Miyazawa?"