My daily life with the original diva

Everyone happily started eating. When sake was served, Kimura Hiroshi had a couple of drinks with Nakamori Akina to celebrate her new single selling over 400,000 copies. He also asked for her apartment phone number so he wouldn't have to ask someone to pass on messages next time he wanted to send something – it was too much trouble.

It was already 10 p.m. when we finished eating. Everyone had a great time chatting, but we had to call it a night. Tomorrow, Hiroshi Kimura has to shoot an album cover, and Akina Nakamori has to be on a TV show. Since we finally don't have to work overtime, we naturally want to go home and get a good night's sleep.

On the way back, Noriko was holding a potted plant and sitting with Nakamori Akina. She had drunk a bit too much and her face was flushed, so Akiyuki Yoshizawa had to drive the car.

"Kimura-san is so gentle. Most boys wouldn't care about a girl's feelings at all. Instead, they would blame us for ruining the atmosphere. I wish he could be my boyfriend. I think I would be so happy." Noriko was drunk and blurted out whatever came to mind.

Listening to Noriko's words, Nakamori Akina, who was standing next to her, thought about how gentle Kimura Hiroshi had been earlier. She had never blushed while drinking, but suddenly felt her face burning. She murmured to herself in a voice that no one else could hear, "He's really gentle, but a little mischievous and a little serious."

Chapter Thirty-Two: The Tense Momoko Kikuchi

At six o'clock in the morning, Hiroshi Kimura, still half asleep, was woken up by a phone call from Yukio Tomioka, who told him that filming would begin at nine o'clock and that he needed to get up and go to the filming location, a beach somewhere in Tokyo.

After washing up, Michiko's car was already waiting downstairs. Kimura Hiroshi got in and headed straight to their destination. Tomioka Yukio, their manager, would take care of everything else.

When Kimura Hiroshi arrived at the beach, the sun had already risen, and a gentle breeze was blowing across the sea, making it very comfortable. The morning was not yet as hot as in summer.

"Go put on your makeup, Kimura-san, and then go change your clothes." Seeing Kimura Hiroshi coming over, Tomioka Yukio urged him to hurry up and get ready.

When he arrived at the dressing room, the makeup artist and other staff were already waiting for him. There was also a little girl next to him, whose makeup had obviously been finished and who was waiting there. When she saw Kimura Hiroshi come in, the little girl's eyes lit up and she gave him a sweet smile.

She is very pure and sweet, with fair skin. She looks very young, with a slight baby fat like Akina Nakamori. She looks to be only fourteen or fifteen years old.

A middle-aged woman, presumably his assistant or manager, was sitting next to him. When she saw Kimura Hiroshi, she immediately stood up and said, "Hello, Kimura-san, this is Kikuchi Momoko. She's here today to assist you with the photoshoot. I'm her manager."

"Please take good care of me, Mr. Kimura." Momoko Kikuchi also stood up and greeted him politely.

It was her! Kimura Hiroshi's memories came flooding back. In the 80s, Japanese sweet idols could be roughly divided into three generations. The first generation of sweet idol queen was Matsuda Seiko, who was popular all the time. Even after getting married and having children, she was still a sweet idol.

The second generation consists of Momoko Kikuchi and Yukiko Okada, who will both debut as idol singers next year. Both of them have a pure and sweet image.

These two, Momoko Kikuchi, had decent singing ability and a phenomenal start, quickly rising to the top tier after her debut. However, she seemed unable to adapt to the fierce competition among idol singers and tried to change her image, but ended up failing and fading into obscurity.

Yukiko Okada's story is even more poignant. She won the audition program "Star Birth!", which featured Akina Nakamori's debut song "Slow Motion," and successfully debuted after convincing her family who were against it. It was a great start for her.

Perhaps she and Akina Nakamori had some kind of spiritual connection; one was a senior, the other a junior, and they became friends simply by meeting on a TV program. However, Yukiko Okada had only been in the industry for two years and was only eighteen years old when she jumped off the building of her own agency.

This incident had a profound impact on Akina Nakamori. Upon hearing the news, she broke down in tears on a television program and was unable to perform properly for several months. It is possible that Akina Nakamori later chose to commit suicide, following in the footsteps of her good friend and wanting to escape the troubles of the world through death.

The third generation is Noriko Sakai, who took sweetness to the extreme. Her face was so tender that you wanted to pinch it. Unfortunately, it was also a tragedy. She was ruined by her gigolo husband.

Pulling himself out of his reverie, Hiroshi Kimura smiled and said, "It's a pleasure to meet you too, Kikuchi-san. Good luck with the filming later."

"Ah, I will." Kikuchi Momoko's face flushed slightly. She hadn't expected the handsome Kimura Hiroshi to be so approachable, and her heart started beating a little faster.

Makeup was quick because Hiroshi Kimura has great skin and impeccable features. What's even more remarkable is that he has a set of perfectly straight teeth, which is rare among Japanese people. So all he needed to do was glance at the eyeliner and add some color to his lips.

Filming began. Hiroshi Kimura was dressed in a summer beach outfit, which made him look full of energy. Momoko Kikuchi, who played the mermaid, was also good. She was tender, innocent, and sweet, which met the requirements.

During filming, the two inevitably had physical contact. Kimura Hiroshi tried his best to avoid touching any sensitive areas. After all, Kikuchi Momoko was not yet fifteen years old. Although he was seventeen years old in body, he was a nearly forty-year-old adult man in mind and did not have any particular fetishes.

It was clearly Momoko Kikuchi's first time taking photos with a man, and she seemed a little nervous and awkward. She had no problem taking photos of Hiroshi Kimura multiple times, but her expression was off, and the photographer was about to get angry. Her manager next to her was also getting anxious.

This collaboration is crucial. If it goes well, there will definitely be a next time, which will greatly enhance Kikuchi Momoko's future popularity and make her debut much smoother.

Caught between two attackers, Kikuchi Momoko's eyes turned red, and she behaved even worse. Seeing that these guys only knew how to lecture people but didn't know how to comfort them, Kimura Hiroshi couldn't stand it anymore.

"Let's take a break, I'm tired too," Kimura Hiroshi said. The more anxious you are, the worse it will be, and the more time you'll waste. It's better to rest and regroup first.

Almost everyone present revolved around Hiroshi Kimura. Since he needed to rest, the meeting had to be paused. Momoko Kikuchi was about to be taken aside by her manager, seemingly to continue putting pressure on her.

"Kikuchi-san, let's rest together. I have some drinks prepared; having something to drink might make you feel more refreshed." Kimura Hiroshi knew that the girl was too unfamiliar with him. Although he was very handsome, physical contact would still be awkward, especially with many people around. So it was better to get to know each other first.

Their agents escorted them to a parasol on the beach, where Kimura Hiroshi had Mieko distribute drinks to everyone, even the odd jobs.

He also ordered a bottle and chatted with Kikuchi Momoko, cracking some jokes. This tactic worked; the girl relaxed a lot and a smile appeared on her face.

After chatting for half an hour, the time was almost up, so filming continued. This time it was much better; Kikuchi Momoko wasn't as nervous, and sometimes she would even lean on Kimura Hiroshi, catching him off guard.

"No way, you've made this girl like you in just half an hour? That won't do. You're too young. I have my limits. I can't deceive such a young girl's feelings." Kimura Hiroshi thought to himself, being a gentleman.

Finally, before noon, the filming was successfully completed. Kikuchi Momoko changed out of her mermaid costume, removed her makeup, and turned back into a young girl, wearing a plaid shirt and black shorts, making her look even younger.

"Thank you so much, Kimura-san, for today. I'm really grateful." The girl was clearly more perceptive; she sensed Kimura Hiroshi's care for her, unlike some of his seniors who would throw tantrums at juniors for their mistakes.

"Haha, Kikuchi-san, I'm a newbie too, you don't need to do that. Okay, go back now, and keep up the good work. I still have work to do, otherwise I could take you to the beach for a while." Kimura Hiroshi had a very good impression of the young girl.

She works very hard, but she's still too inexperienced and her professional skills are not yet sufficient. She needs to hone her skills. Her achievements will definitely be high, after all, she has good natural advantages and is very good-looking.

Chapter Thirty-Three: Album's Popularity

With summer as its backdrop and beaches and ocean as its setting, the album cover tells a fantastical story of a human boy and a mermaid girl. As soon as it appeared, it immediately sparked a great deal of discussion, because such a unique album cover had never appeared before.

In the following days, Hiroshi Kimura launched an even more intensive promotional campaign, appearing on two more television programs, and the rest of the time in magazine reports and radio recommendations. On August 4th, the album was released on time.

The promotional campaign was incredibly effective, and the unique album cover attracted a lot of attention. The album sold over 150,000 copies on its first day, causing a sensation in the industry.

Keep in mind that 150,000 copies is almost the total sales of a hit album, and Kimura Hiroshi's album reached that number in just one day, which shows how terrifying it was. There has never been such a terrifying album sales figure since the 1980s.

The next day, record sales still exceeded 100,000, reaching 100,600 copies. The third day saw 94,000 copies sold, and the fourth day 92,000. In just four days that week, sales reached 442,000 copies, ranking first on the sales chart, the Oricon chart, and the cable music chart. He almost parachuted into the top of various charts.

Such a terrifying sweep left almost all the singers breathless, and even some veterans who had been active in the music scene for many years felt unprecedented pressure.

"Handsome young men sweep the music scene!"

"Fantasy is coming! Handsome boys and mermaids are taking over the summer!"

"Explosive growth, 440,000 copies in four days, where is the end for 'What You Name'?"

Newspapers and magazines were filled with rumors about the album's horror, but it didn't seem to stop there. Kimura Hiroshi made rare trips to various cities to hold live thank-you concerts, which boosted the album's sales.

In its second week, it sold another staggering 460,000 copies. With 900,000 copies sold in two weeks, breaking the million mark was just around the corner, and 1.5 million didn't seem like a big problem either. In other words, it could very well become the hottest album of the 1980s to date.

Since his debut, both of his albums have sold over a million copies, a feat no one else could achieve in the 1980s. This means that Hiroshi Kimura could definitely become the hottest male idol singer, surpassing Masahiko Kondo with a single and an album.

But he was only seventeen years old, and he would be twenty years old in three more years before he was considered an adult. This made many of his seniors feel embarrassed and jealous. They thought about how hard they worked to write one great song after another, but the record sales were only tens of thousands. You can imagine how they felt.

"It's just opportunistic; it's nothing more than a popular J-POP song that uses a fantastical cover to deceive fans. It's nothing special."

"Ken-On's marketing is very successful. Hiroshi Kimura is indeed very handsome, but his singing ability is just average, not to mention his talent. I don't believe that a seventeen-year-old boy could write such a melody."

"Although this is a J-POP song, it has strong rock elements. It must be the work of that rock master. Kimura Hiroshi is just a despicable person who steals other people's achievements."

With the album's huge success, all sorts of sarcastic remarks began to emerge. Aside from some fading veterans trying to ride the wave of popularity to gain attention, the rock scene was a major focus. They simply couldn't stand Hiroshi Kimura and felt that he couldn't write such melodies.

You have absolutely no rock 'n' roll spirit. Your hair, your clothes, even your behavior—what makes you seem like someone from the rock scene? You've never even been in the scene and yet you can write like this? What are they then? This guy's songs must be stolen.

They are right, yet wrong. After all, Kimura Hiroshi is a time traveler with an overpowered ability to steal from the future, which means they can only talk the talk but can't find any evidence. How can it be considered theft without evidence?

Some magazines and entertainment newspapers also began to follow suit. The reason is simple: last time they spread rumors to slander Hiroshi Kimura, he issued a no-interview order, which means they will never be able to interview him again.

These magazines and newspapers felt that a newcomer dared to offend them, which was unacceptable. They would definitely follow up immediately with their sarcastic remarks. At the same time, they also wanted to dig up dirt on Kimura Hiroshi and make him know the consequences of offending them.

"It's broken a million! It's broken a million! The third week hasn't even passed yet, and it's already surpassed a million copies! Kimura-san, you're practically invincible, just like Oda Nobunaga! Hahaha!" Hanami Kagami was so happy he was practically going crazy, completely oblivious to everyone in the conference room.

There's no way around it, Hiroshi Kimura's album is just too popular, a million copies sold, and it looks like 1.5 million copies won't be a problem. How could he not be happy? Just two months ago, they released a single that sold a million copies.

However, Hiroshi Kimura wasn't too excited. Running all over Japan for ten consecutive days had exhausted him. He had come to understand the hardships that Akina Nakamori had faced when she traveled all over the country. However, he couldn't share his joy of his album surpassing one million copies with her because her grandfather had passed away and she had been back in her hometown of Kiyose for several days.

He'll probably be back in the next couple of days. That's just how idols are; if they don't show up for a long time, they'll be replaced by newcomers very quickly. Even Kimura Hiroshi is no exception. But he might be back a little longer, maybe two or three months. After all, he has a face that's devastatingly beautiful!

"This is the result of everyone's joint efforts. It's not something I could have done by myself. President, we should give every staff member a reward, preferably in cash. What do you all think?" Kimura Hiroshi advocated for benefits for everyone.

His statement immediately resonated with everyone. After all, no matter how well you put it, nothing beats cash. Who doesn't like money?

Unfortunately, in Japan, a place that values ​​hierarchy, no one joined in the commotion. They could only express their agreement with their eyes. Kimura Hiroshi could say that, but they couldn't, because Kimura was almost second only to Hanami Kagami in Ken-On.

Perhaps overjoyed, Hanami Kagami immediately announced, "Okay, this month's salary will be increased by 20%."

Everyone was delighted and continued discussing matters. The staff present were much more enthusiastic about the bonuses, and the subsequent publicity and performances were quickly finalized. The meeting then ended, and the staff went to get busy, leaving only Hanami Kagami, Terahina Akira, Kimura Hiroshi, and Tomioka Yukio in the meeting room.

Having finished talking about the happy things, it was time to talk about the unhappy things. Terahina Akira brought up all the sarcastic remarks that had recently appeared in magazines and entertainment newspapers.

"That's all?" Kimura Hiroshi flipped through the books one by one and found that there were far fewer than the last time they smeared him, and the attack points were very scattered, which made him somewhat disappointed. It seemed that Johnny's had not made any further moves.

"How many more do you want?" Terahina Akira was speechless. "A total of six magazines and four newspapers. They are all small and medium-sized media outlets with low sales, but they still have an impact. For example, in the rock music scene, some people have asked us if we deliberately hid the creators behind the scenes in order to create a persona."

Kimura Hiroshi frowned slightly upon hearing this. There are rock singers active in the entertainment industry these days, such as big names like Inoue Yosui, who is an absolute big shot. However, the big shot plays folk rock. He can be associated with rock, but his background is folk. In addition, he started playing in the 1970s. People in the rock scene today are not even worthy of shining his shoes.

There's also Yoshiki Hayashi, the godfather of visual kei rock, but when he appeared on television, he was also heavily criticized by the rock community. With the rise of idols, he was forced to go to the United States to develop his career, and he won't return until the 1990s when rock music revived.

Another example is Anzen Tei (Safe Zone), but right now it's just the backing band for Yosui Inoue, not a big name. Overall, rock music doesn't really have enough energy in Japan right now.

"Ignore them for now. Wait until my next single is released. It's pure pop music. If they keep bothering me, I'll teach them a lesson they won't forget," Kimura Hiroshi said calmly.

Chapter Thirty-Four: Please Don't Say Such Things Again

Sitting in the back seat of the car, Akina Nakamori looked pale, and her chubby face had become much thinner. Her grandfather's passing had left her somewhat listless, and she listlessly looked at the magazines and newspapers in the car.

"Kimura-san's new album is selling very well. It's estimated to sell over 1.2 million copies in the first month. Akina-san, do you have a gift prepared to celebrate?" Sensing Akina Nakamori's emotions, Yoshizawa Akiyuki, who was in the passenger seat, took the initiative to speak with her.

Setting down the magazine in her hand and picking up a newspaper, Nakamori Akina forced a smile and replied softly, "Oh, I was prepared. I bought a lot of clothes when I went to Europe, including some for Kimura-san. But I didn't have time to give them to him when this happened."

"Giving clothes as a gift?" Akiyuki Yoshizawa sensed something was off. Are clothes gifts given out casually? Only men and women with special relationships would give each other clothes. Could they really be dating?

At this moment, Noriko, who was driving, also pricked up her ears, looking excited and ready to hear the biggest gossip.

Seemingly noticing Akiyuki Yoshizawa's strange gaze, Nakamori Akina's pale face flushed slightly, and she quickly explained, "Mr. Akiyuki, what are you thinking about again? These clothes are for Kimura-san to wear on TV shows. He's dressed too plainly. You know, he doesn't have much of a sense of fashion. It's boring to always appear in the same image. It's probably because the agency isn't doing a good job."

"Huh?" Mingxing Fangze didn't feel relieved at all. Instead, she felt even worse. It was obviously wrong for a girl to care about a boy like this.

"It's just a friend's concern, Akira-san, please don't overthink it." Nakamori Akina's tone became serious. She was concerned about Kimura Hiroshi, but they really were just friends.

When Akina Nakamori said that, Yoshizawa Akiyuki knew it was true, because when she spoke seriously, it meant she wasn't joking, but was speaking from the heart.

After ending the topic, Akina Nakamori breathed a sigh of relief and picked up a newspaper. But as soon as she opened it, her brows furrowed tightly because the headline of the entertainment newspaper was questioning the persona of Hiroki Kimura.

It also included interviews with several well-known figures in the rock scene, saying that Hiroshi Kimura had never been involved in the rock scene and that it was impossible for a seventeen-year-old boy to write such a melody.

Furious, Nakamori Akina crumpled the newspaper into a ball and threw it aside, muttering, "That's too much. These reporters are lying. They've never seen Kimura-san's talent. If Kimura-san saw this, he'd probably be very upset."

Because I often suffer from such rumors myself, I can empathize with her very much. For example, she became famous through the song "Girl A," which had a rebellious girl vibe.

The media naturally assumed that she was a delinquent. To prove it, they even went to the school she attended, interviewed her teachers and classmates, and even found her attendance record, which showed that she had a lot of absences. The media suddenly found evidence and reported extensively that she skipped classes to go out and have fun, and that she must be a delinquent.

In reality, she was frail and sickly since childhood, and often had high fevers, making it impossible for her to go to school. Every time she asked for sick leave, the teacher had to prepare materials, and she felt that she was causing the teacher a lot of trouble, so she simply recorded her absence.

This made her dislike reporters and the media, keeping her distance from them. However, this attitude was also seen as evidence that she was being arrogant and refusing interviews. In short, these guys didn't care about the facts at all; they just wanted to create buzz and boost sales.

The car sped along the highway and soon arrived in Tokyo. Without even a moment to rest, she had to go to the TV station to record a program. It wasn't until 9 p.m. that she finally returned to her apartment, completely exhausted.

She was just about to take a shower and get some rest when the apartment phone rang. She rubbed her face before answering, "Moshi moshi?"