My daily life with the original diva

The company is too small, with only two popular artists, so we don't dare to interfere too much with their decisions.

A transoceanic phone call was made, but Hiroshi Kimura, who was shooting an album cover, refused without hesitation. He had just debuted and hadn't even established himself in the idol singer circle yet, so it was inappropriate for him to be busy filming movies and TV dramas. Moreover, this didn't fit his scarcity marketing strategy; it felt like he was courting disaster.

"It's too early, President. What I need to do now is sing well, not rush into making movies and TV dramas. I also can't do too many commercials. It's not too late to expand my business after I've completely established myself in the music industry." Kimura Hiro gave Hanami Hyuk the most formal answer.

He will dabble in both film and television, since he can't be a singer forever. After achieving financial freedom, he wants to experience being a producer and screenwriter. When that happens, he will need talent in these areas, and it would be best if he could personally contact and select suitable candidates.

However, we can't go now. First, our foundation is too shallow, and we'd probably just be tools there. Second, this is the last golden age of the record industry before the bubble era, and also the last chance to make money. How can we let this opportunity slip by? We must seize it firmly and make a killing. The next era of record industry resurgence will be when the bubble bursts.

Furthermore, filming in Japan doesn't pay well; the pay is very low, and the production cycle is very long. Isn't that a waste of time and money?

If you want to make movies and TV series, you have to wait until the peak of the bubble economy. Back then, you can't make money from records, so you can make movies and TV series as a pastime, and you can also find someone to film your love letters.

With a clear refusal, Hanami Kagami had nothing to say, but he was still somewhat uncomfortable because Kimura Hiroshi hadn't asked for his opinion or considered Ken-on's interests.

Chapter Twenty-Seven: Ginza's Terrifying Housing Prices

After recording the album, it was time to choose an album cover. The more distinctive and unique the cover, the more attractive it would be. However, Hiroshi Kimura clearly lacked a sense of fashion and couldn't find a satisfactory one after searching for a long time. In the end, he had no choice but to let the record producers from Warner Pioneer choose for him. After all, they had produced many records and generally knew how to choose.

After finishing his work, he finally got half a day off and rushed to the Disney store in Los Angeles to buy the Mickey Mouse doll as a gift for Akina Nakamori, buying the smallest one from the largest.

He then immediately flew back to Japan because his new album was scheduled to be released on August 4th, which meant he had less than ten days left to promote it, and there wasn't much time to waste.

Fortunately, Ken-on was worried that Kimura Hiroshi's continuous work might cause his condition to fluctuate too much, so she gave him a day to rest after returning to Japan.

After a good night's rest in his new apartment, Kimura Hiroshi went to the bank early the next morning to check his royalties. Ken-on promptly deposited all 70 million yen, after taxes were paid, into his account.

"Now that I have the money, it's time to go check out Ginza." Kimura Hiroki hadn't forgotten his plan for financial freedom, and immediately took a ride to Ginza.

Ginza, located in Chuo Ward, Tokyo, is the city's most bustling commercial district. High-end luxury stores are everywhere, high-rise buildings stand tall, and the streets are filled with a constant flow of people, mostly young men and women.

"No wonder it's one of the world's three major commercial centers. It's already so prosperous in this era. I bet it will explode even more when the bubble economy comes out." Kimura Hiroshi's eyes gleamed as he looked at the bustling place. The more prosperous, the better, because he could make more money by speculating on real estate.

To buy a house, you naturally need to find a real estate agent. In Japan, it's practically impossible to buy a house without one. Following the information provided by his assistant, Ms. Michiko, Kimura Hiroshi quickly found a real estate agency. This company was quite large, with many branches in the Tokyo area. It's more reliable to find a large agency.

As a hugely popular idol singer, Hiroshi Kimura always wears large sunglasses wherever he goes. Not to mention, he's so handsome that if he didn't cover up, who knows what might happen? Even when he went to the talent agency, he was still wearing sunglasses.

He was greeted by a young girl who looked like a recent graduate. He was so young that it was obvious even with sunglasses on. Generally speaking, young people like him don't have the ability to buy a house. Sending this young employee over was purely a polite gesture.

In Japan, buying a house is generally something that middle-aged people do; it's rare for young people to do it. After all, they've just started working and don't have much money. Even if they do have money, they mostly squander it, so buying a house is out of the question for them.

After a brief chat, Kimura Hiroshi quickly learned about the girl's situation: Hanano Yoko, a recent college graduate who was interning at the company.

The newcomer may not be familiar with the business, but he is very serious about the customers and does not have the slickness of a seasoned veteran. He enthusiastically introduces the real estate that can be bought in Ginza to Kimura Hiroshi.

Soon, Kimura Hiroshi frowned, because he discovered that none of the shops near Chuo-dori in Ginza were for sale, only for lease. After making some inquiries, he learned that these shops were all owned by large companies or conglomerates and there was no possibility of them being sold.

He was in a terrible mood. Sure enough, the most lucrative opportunities were never available to ordinary people like him; they had long been monopolized by the old money, which was very frustrating.

The only properties he could buy were residences outside of Ginza 1-chome or shops near Chuo-dori, with more residences than shops.

With no other options, Hiroshi Kimura could only buy these places, mainly shops. During the bubble economy, the Japanese loved to buy, buy, buy. Shops had higher appreciation potential and were easier to rent out.

After glancing at the prices, Kimura Hiroshi's worldview was once again shattered. The land price for the shops was about five to six million yen per square meter, which, at the current exchange rate, was about twenty to thirty thousand US dollars per square meter.

Is this price reasonable? Ah, you know, the annual income of a regular company employee in Japan is less than three million yen. That means that if you work for two years without eating, drinking, or spending any money, you can buy about one square meter of land.

"Real estate is a real bloodsucker, it sucks like it's stuck in a major artery." Kimura Hiroshi couldn't help but mutter under his breath.

And this was before the bubble economy. At the peak of the bubble economy, the price of such commercial land could soar to 80 to 90 million yen per square meter, and the price on both sides of the central avenue could soar to over 100 million yen, which shows how crazy it was.

He thought he was already rich, but he was wrong. He could only afford a small apartment of about ten square meters. Kimura Hiroshi felt a deep sense of frustration.

Seemingly sensing the change in Kimura Hiroshi's emotions, Hanano Yoko probably knew that Kimura Hiroshi definitely couldn't afford it. However, she didn't have any contemptuous thoughts. Instead, she would occasionally glance at Kimura Hiroshi.

Although he was wearing large sunglasses that covered most of his face, she still noticed that the young man was very handsome and had a captivating aura about him. Moreover, the more she looked at him, the more she felt that this young man named Kimura Hiroshi resembled the idol singer with the same name who had just debuted.

But she wasn't quite sure, because it didn't make sense that such a young idol singer would come to buy a shop.

"I'm sorry, Ms. Yoko, I've taken up your time. I probably can't afford it now, and I'll probably have to wait until the end of the year to buy it," Kimura Hiroshi said somewhat apologetically.

He was originally full of confidence, thinking it would be a piece of cake. He had just boasted and made the young girl happy for nothing. He didn't expect that he was still too young and had greatly underestimated the land prices in the world's three major business centers.

"It's alright, Mr. Kimura. I'll be working here again at the end of the year. If you need anything then, you can come find me again." Yoko Hanano indicated that she didn't mind, and what she said was true. Once a Japanese person has a formal job, they don't easily change it. She would definitely still be here before the end of the year.

Knowing he couldn't afford it, Kimura Hiroshi didn't want to waste any more of Hanano Yoko's time, so he stood up, gestured, and prepared to leave.

At this moment, Yoko Hanano suddenly spoke up, boldly asking, "Arno, Mr. Kimura, are you that Hiroshi Kimura, the idol singer Hiroshi Kimura?"

Seeing that he had been recognized, Kimura Hiroshi did not deny it. He pulled his sunglasses down slightly, revealing his face. Hanano Yoko realized that it really was Kimura Hiroshi. Her face turned red, and she was about to shout out with joy.

"Shh, please keep this a secret, Ms. Hanano, or I'll have to buy it somewhere else next time," Kimura Hiroshi quickly stopped him.

Covering her mouth and patting her chest, Yoko Hanano nodded repeatedly. Hiroshi Kimura, the Hiroshi Kimura she liked so much, was right beside her. She felt like she was about to faint from happiness.

Unexpectedly, Yoko Hanano was a fan of his. Hiroshi Kimura was not in a hurry to leave. The two chatted for a while, mainly about his opinions on his singing and real estate.

Overly excited, Yoko Hanano stammered her answers, but Hiroshi Kimura still picked up on a lot of information. For example, he learned that buying real estate at seventeen wasn't just about having money; he also needed his parents' consent because he was still a minor at seventeen.

This was done to prevent minors from stealing their parents' money to buy things. In later generations, there were many cases of minors secretly using their parents' cards to watch live streams of young women and men. When their parents questioned them, they had to return the money, which was not a pleasant experience. Therefore, it was necessary for parents to provide a consent form.

Chapter Twenty-Eight: Superficial Brothers

To make a record a bestseller, promotion is crucial, and this is where the importance of talent agencies and record companies becomes apparent. After all, in this era without the internet, it's impossible to promote a record online at your own expense.

There are three main platforms for publicity: magazines, which can be accessed by paying money, but radio and television stations are not something that can be done simply by paying money; you need to have enough connections, which is impossible for ordinary people.

Fortunately, Hiroshi Kimura hardly needs to worry about such things now. With his debut song selling nearly 1.2 million copies, he is already a top idol singer. Any music show he wants will be approved by the production team, because it means higher viewership ratings.

With the new album about to be released, both Ken-On and Warner Music have started to exert their efforts. Kimura Hiroshi's photo has appeared in magazines again, which is rare. Many radio stations have also started playing the album's title track, "What You Name." Kimura Hiroshi himself needs to go on television to promote the album, appearing on no more than five programs.

The song "What You Name" immediately caused a huge sensation upon its release. This J-POP song has a brisk rhythm and is full of youthful energy. The song describes the story of meeting a strange girl who looks like a mermaid on the beach in summer, wanting to know her name but not daring to.

Combined with Hiroshi Kimura's slightly immature yet bright voice, the effect is explosive. The season, the style of the song, and the singer are all perfectly matched, making it irresistible, especially for young girls, young women, and housewives who love Hiroshi Kimura. They absolutely adore it.

From the moment the song appeared, it climbed to the top of the cable music charts at a visible speed. By the third day of its promotion, it had already reached number ten, which was quite astonishing, especially considering that the album hadn't even been released yet.

The main source of publicity was still the television station, which required Kimura Hiroshi to appear on the show himself. His first program was the very popular Night HIT. He was able to appear on this show for the first time thanks to Nakamori Akina's fame, which was like eating a sweet rice bowl. The second and third times, he relied on his own fame.

Arriving backstage on time, Hiroshi Kimura saw a familiar face: Toshihiko Tagen. This guy had released a new album in mid-July and was busy promoting it at the moment.

"Oh, look, it's Kimura-san! It's a rare sight indeed. How can you be so relaxed? We haven't seen you at the TV station for half a month." Toshihiko Tagen said with a tone of jealousy mixed with envy.

Idols in this era need a lot of exposure. After all, there are so many of them, and without exposure, they are just waiting to die. So they are almost constantly on various TV programs and magazines. If they have the opportunity to make movies or TV series, they must do so. This makes them extremely busy, and the time they can rest throughout the year is very limited.

Therefore, Toshihiko Tagen naturally felt envious and jealous of someone as leisurely as Hiroshi Kimura.

Kimura Hiroshi didn't bother to be polite to this overly familiar guy. He imitated him, walked over, put his arm around his shoulder, and said meaningfully, "Taiyuan-san, if you have to blame someone, you can only blame me for being too handsome. Even if I don't appear on TV often, everyone will remember my handsome face."

Although Tian Yuan-san is good-looking, he's only averagely handsome; compared to me, he's still somewhat lacking.

Unable to refute, Toshihiko Tayuan rolled his eyes in anger, wishing he could punch Hiroshi Kimura's handsome face a couple of times to vent his frustration. "Damn it, sooner or later someone more handsome than you will punish you, you bastard."

"Haha, that's probably impossible, Mr. Tianyuan. Live under the terrifying suppression of my handsome looks." Kimura Hiroshi said with great satisfaction, finding it quite amusing to give a blow to the scumbag.

Japanese heartthrobs will continue to appear frequently, such as Takuya Kimura, Takashi Kashiwabara, Tomohisa Yamashita, etc., but they are all slightly inferior to him.

Now Toshihiko Tagen really didn't know how to refute it. Although Hiroshi Kimura had only been in the industry for about two months and released a single, he had brought unprecedented pressure to all male idols.

They couldn't compete in looks, nor in singing ability, as Hiroshi Kimura was a first-rate singer. In terms of talent, Kimura wrote and sang his own songs, which made it very difficult for them. It was a complete and utter crushing defeat, much like how Seiko Matsuda crushes female idols now.

Fortunately, Hiroshi Kimura's foundation is still weak, so the pressure isn't too great yet. But once he fully matures in a year or two, life will probably become increasingly difficult for these male idol singers.

They didn't continue to attack Toshihiko Tagen because someone else had arrived—one of the people Hiroshi Kimura least wanted to see: Masahiko Kondo, who was also on the show today.

They were both idol singers and appeared on similar shows, so they were bound to run into each other often. Therefore, Kimura Hiroshi did not put on any aloof expression, but looked at him very calmly.

Hiroshi Kimura was certain that the rumors that smeared him last time were the work of Masahiko Kondo and Johnny's Entertainment, but these guys were very discreet, and Ken-On has not been able to find any reliable clues so far.

He saw Toshihiko Tagen and Hiroshi Kimura with their arms around each other, gave them a cold glance, snorted, and left without saying anything.

Later generations spread rumors that Kondo and Genji had a good relationship, and he thought it was just two scumbags attracted to each other. But now it seems that's not the case. Were they just putting on an act? Just superficial brothers in front of the camera?

Kimura Hiroshi was immediately intrigued and whispered to Tagen Toshihiko, "What's wrong? Tagen-san and he work at the same agency, why doesn't he greet you when he sees you? Didn't you say you two were good friends?"

"Ha, of course it's great, Kimura-san. Adults need to know how to play the game. He's Mary's good son, all the best resources are given to him. How can we compare?" Toshihiko Tagen said indignantly.

Seeing his expression, Kimura Hiroshi became even more curious and asked, "What's going on? Isn't Tagen-san also a top idol at Johnny's? Shouldn't the resources be shared equally among you?"

Speaking of this, Toshihiko Tagen began to complain endlessly. As a powerful agency, Johnny & Associates was able to obtain many excellent songs from those great composers and lyricists, but almost every time, the best songs would be given to Masahiko Kondo, and only the leftovers would be given to Toshihiko Tagen, or good songs that Kondo couldn't sing would be given to him.

And he wasn't even the worst off. Teams like the Bitter Persimmons could only get the last few rounds of selection, or cheap, custom-made idol songs. Their treatment was extremely poor.

Using this identity, Masahiko Kondo was practically swaggering around the agency, often bullying his juniors. Even Toshihiko Tagen, who debuted around the same time and was in the same group as him, seemed to look down on him. Only a fool would believe that they could have a good relationship.

Upon hearing what Toshihiko Tagen said, Hiroshi Kimura suddenly realized why Masahiko Kondo, with his raspy voice that made people uncomfortable while singing, had so many great songs. It turned out that Mary Kitagawa was behind it all. She really loved her son.

"Thank you for your hard work, Mr. Tianyuan. This is really a waste of your voice," Kimura Hiroshi said, unable to resist sowing discord.

These comforting words instantly touched Toshihiko Tagen's heart. He felt that he had indeed made a good friend. He completely forgot how Hiroshi Kimura had just hurt him and said with great emotion, "You really understand me, Kimura-san."

"Damn it, I don't know anything about you. You're no better than me, you deserve it." Kimura Hiroshi's face was sincere, but he kept cursing in his heart.

Chapter Twenty-Nine: Caught in the Middle by a Scumbag

As a popular music show, Night HIT is unusual in that it does not have a live audience. However, it has a huge advantage: it is a live broadcast. The stage setup is rehearsed before the broadcast and then arranged on-site, which puts a great test on the show's control capabilities.

Kimura Hiroshi showed no fear or nervousness about live streaming; he even dozed off in his chair last time and declined Matsuda Seiko's invitation.

After the familiar medley, everyone sat together, waiting for each guest's performance. Unfortunately, when the seating was being arranged, Kimura Hiroshi discovered that Toshihiko Tagen was sitting on his left, while Masahiko Kondo was sitting on his right.

Goodness, he's caught between two scumbags. The one on the left is sleeping with fans now and will cheat on Nakayama Mie in the future. When he's in his fifties or sixties, he'll buy luxury cars for club girls and make his wife work in a bar. The one on the right is an octopus who has cheated on countless women, cheated on them out of money and sex, and even set traps to harm his girlfriend.

"Although I wasn't exactly a good person in my past life, compared to these two, I was definitely the best person imaginable. And now, needless to say, I'm just a pure and beautiful young man, sandwiched between two scumbags. If this were filmed, it would definitely become a famous scene in the future, and I'm sure many female fans would feel sorry for their good brother being attacked by these scumbags."

Hiroshi Kimura, sitting in the middle, remained calm, but inwardly he was ranting and raving.

On stage was folk music legend Takashi Hosokawa performing, a folk song that only lasted a few minutes. Hiroshi Kimura was scheduled to go on stage second, finally giving him a brief respite from the two guys.

Today's hosts are still Jun Inoue and Mari Yoshimura. They've met twice before and are considered acquaintances. Since we still need to set up the stage for his performance, we'll be interviewing them and having a chat, as is customary.

He only said polite words and cracked some jokes before it was his turn to sing.

Wow, the stage was set up in just a few minutes. The beach and seawater really matched the mood of his song. Of course, this was also arranged by his manager in advance with the production team.

In front of the television, countless fans and admirers who knew that Hiroshi Kimura would be performing today were all waiting for his performance. They had already heard the song on the radio and liked it very much, but what they liked even more was Hiroshi Kimura's performance. Hiroshi Kimura himself was more attractive than the song.

The upbeat J-POP, a fast-paced youth pop song, showcases Hiroya Kimura's charm without reservation. To sing this song, he even incorporated Michael Jackson's dance moves and choreographed a dance routine that suited him, fully displaying his physique to his female fans.

"Ah, Kimura-chan, I love you."

"This is unbearable, Kimura-chan. If you keep acting like this, I'll never be able to look at any man again."