My daily life with the original diva

Although kind and naive, Nakamori Akina wasn't completely clueless. She hesitated for a moment before asking, "R-really, do we have to do this?"

"Well, let me try to handle it. Consider it a thank you for the clothes Akina-san brought me from Europe," Kimura Hiroshi nodded and said.

Chapter Thirty-Seven: The Photos Are in Hand

At a public phone booth on the street, Kimura Hiroshi began calling the two middlemen who had paid the deposit last time. More than half a month ago, he had someone keep an eye on Kondo Masahiko. If they were doing their job properly, they should have captured something useful, such as the situation of the meeting last night. It would be best to capture something different.

The call was quickly connected, and the person on the other end recognized him as the client from the previous case. They said they had taken photos of Masahiko Kondo getting drunk and arguing with someone at a bar, and hoped to conduct the transaction in person.

Immediately, Kimura Hiroshi sensed something was wrong and hung up the phone. This guy was untrustworthy; it seemed like he was throwing out bait to lure him out. Fortunately, he hadn't revealed his identity, and the deposit was paid through a foreign bank account.

"Disputes arising from excessive drinking happen countless times every day in Japan. Fights aren't big news, and even if they do break out, they won't have a significant impact. It's like trying to catch fish but not even bothering to use the bait." Kimura Hiroshi could roughly guess the middleman's thoughts.

They simply paid such a high price to obtain negative information about Masahiko Kondo, hoping to uncover his identity and then find an opportunity to coerce him, thus exploiting him for greater value.

He quickly made a second call, and the person on the other end seemed very excited when they learned it was him. "Ah, it's the client! We got some big news last night. If you hadn't called back, we would have given it to the media."

Last night, it must have been about the two of them meeting, but Kimura Hiroshi didn't seem too excited. Instead, he asked calmly, "Last night, it was just Nakamori Akina and Kondo Masahiko meeting alone. That's not exactly bad news, is it?"

"Ha, client, those media outlets are all paid by Johnny's to report things randomly. The truth is, the two met and barely exchanged a few words before Nakamori Akina seemed to leave in a huff. Afterwards, this Johnny's sunny idol went to a bar to drink and even picked up two women there, taking them into a private room." The person on the other end said, as if showing off.

Shocked, he thought, "Damn, this kid knows how to have fun! He even does threesomes! I've never done that in my past life. I'm not even as open-minded as the Japanese were over forty years ago. He's doing it right here in a bar room. I have to admire him."

"Were there any photos taken of him entering or leaving Mary's apartment, staying overnight, or illegally racing?" Kimura Hiroshi asked, pretending not to care about the matter.

They were somewhat disappointed that such important news failed to pique the client's interest, as they knew they wouldn't get a good price.

"Not yet. I specifically had someone investigate. This kid's driving skills are terrible. Even the underground racers in Tokyo don't want to race with him. Also, Mary seems to have been keeping a low profile lately, without making any strange moves," the person on the other end said.

This is another piece of news that left Kimura Hiroshi speechless. You know, Kondo Masahiko is very proud of his racing skills, but even underground racers look down on him. How bad are his driving skills? How dare he brag about being a racer?

After a moment of silence, Kimura Hiroshi realized that it would be difficult to catch more people for the time being. After all, these guys who had been in the entertainment industry for a long time were quite good at hiding from reporters and paparazzi. It would take a long time of tracking and filming to find them.

"Send a copy of the photos to the traffic lights at the intersection of Fifth Street and Third Street. I'll be waiting for you in a taxi. Also, I want these photos to appear in the media the day after tomorrow morning. Not tabloids, but mid-range or higher entertainment newspapers, at least four. Can eight million solve this?"

Hiroshi Kimura pretended to be dissatisfied with the result, but it was the only option he had and there was no other way.

Upon hearing the figure of eight million yen, the person on the other end became breathless. Selling these photos to the media would be considered good if they earned a million yen, but now they were getting eight million. Even though they had to share some with the media, the reward was still quite generous.

"No problem, I'll take care of it right away. Please rest assured, you'll definitely see the report the day after tomorrow morning," the person on the other end assured excitedly.

"Okay, I'll give you one hour to bring the photos over to the place I told you about." After saying that, Kimura Hiroshi hung up the phone, put on a mask and sunglasses, grabbed his black leather bag, and hailed a taxi.

Money has an incredibly powerful ability to motivate people. In less than half an hour, a thin young man arrived at the location. He looked at the taxis at the intersection, opened the car window, and waved. The man knew that this was the person who wanted something and handed an envelope to Kimura Hiroshi.

Kimura Hiroshi was not stingy and gave him 50,000 yen. "This is your tip. Tell your boss that I will transfer 4 million yen to him tomorrow. The day after tomorrow, when it will be published in the newspaper, I will transfer the 4 million yen to him. Driver, drive."

Without stopping, Kimura Hiroshi had the driver take him to a nearby shopping street. He then got out of the car and mingled with the crowds, walked through a bar, entered a shopping mall, hid in the restroom, changed his coat, sunglasses, and mask, and came out again to make sure no one was following him before entering a hotel.

In his hotel room, Kimura Hiroshi changed out of all his clothes, put on a wig, checked out, and took a taxi back to his apartment through the back door. He had no choice; if he wasn't careful, he might be targeted.

Don't believe the so-called safety of Japan. In the Yakuza, where cults can exist, you could die a terrible death if you're not careful. Such things have happened in the entertainment industry before.

After changing out of his clothes, Kimura Hiroshi opened the envelope and began to look at the photos. It was quite thick, and one of the most important photos was of Nakamori Akina who had met him briefly before leaving alone.

There were also photos of Masahiko Kondo leaving the cafe and heading to a bar, where he was seen with two women on either side of him, leading them to a private room. Unfortunately, no photos of the private room were taken; otherwise, Masahiko Kondo would probably become the Japanese Edison Chen.

Looking at the photo and thinking for a while, Kimura Hiroshi had a preliminary idea. This matter still required Nakamori Akina's cooperation. It was already past 11 p.m., and Kimura Hiroshi didn't know if she was asleep, but he still decided to make a call.

The phone rang twice, and was immediately answered, with a somewhat languid voice saying, "Moxi, Moxi?"

"It's me, Kimura Hiroshi. Akina-san, you're still awake?" Kimura Hiroshi was a little surprised. She should be very tired, so why wasn't she asleep yet?

"Ah, it's Kimura-san. I'm watching TV, it's a really good program, I'll go to sleep when it ends at one o'clock." Nakamori Akina was happy to hear Kimura Hiroshi's voice, this was the first call Kimura Hiroshi had made since he knew her apartment number.

Damn, she really is a TV addict and a night owl. If she were in later years, she would definitely be a net-addicted girl. But Kimura Hiroshi didn't call to tell her to stop watching TV.

"Tomorrow, many reporters may be waiting for you, asking about the meeting. Remember to answer like this," Kimura Hiroshi told Nakamori Akina his prepared response.

After listening, he hesitated for a long time before speaking, "Wouldn't it be wrong to do this, Kimura-san? This is deceiving everyone."

"Have you forgotten what I said, Akina-san? This matter needs to be resolved with adult methods. They're using these methods against you first," Kimura Hiroshi said very seriously.

Silence followed for a while before a soft "Okay, fine" was heard.

I breathed a sigh of relief. She's so kind. If she were as assertive in real life as she is on stage, she might have a happy and fulfilling life. Unfortunately, that seems unlikely. So she'll need someone to offer her some help.

"Remember to go to bed early after watching it. Lack of sleep can make you an old woman." Kimura Hiroshi couldn't help but scare her when he heard the faint sound of the TV on the other end.

"Oh, really?" The little girl was clearly very concerned about her appearance and was somewhat startled, so she asked in a loud voice.

"Hahaha!" Kimura Hiroshi couldn't help but laugh.

Akina Nakamori immediately realized that Hiroshi Kimura was trying to scare her, and couldn't help but mutter under her breath, "Baka! Hiroshi Kimura is really bad. You delinquent younger man."

Chapter Thirty-Eight: The Power of the Diva

A top male idol and a female idol met alone late at night, seemingly confirming their relationship. This has caused a huge reaction in both the entertainment industry and among fans.

In particular, various media outlets will certainly not let go of this huge amount of traffic. Chasing hot topics is in their nature, and various reports have begun to appear in the media.

Some people did say some nice things and were happy to see it happen, after all, judging from their on-screen images, they seemed to be a "golden couple".

However, some media outlets that were inherently hostile towards Akina Nakamori had nothing nice to say. Articles about her seducing her senior, Masahiko Kondo, and hoping to use him to promote herself appeared openly on the front page of entertainment newspapers.

In addition, Masahiko Kondo's fan base was also full of malice towards Akina Nakamori. At this time, Kondo was still popular and was a top male idol with a considerable number of female fans. Some people had already called Ken-On to insult Akina Nakamori, and some even said they would send her razor blades.

The madness of Japanese female fans is absolutely unparalleled in the world. When Shizuka Kudo married Takuya Kimura, Kimura's female fans were furious. They actually sent Shizuka Kudo razor blades and bloodstained cloths, which almost caused the pregnant Shizuka to miscarry. Fortunately, they also made her the most hated female celebrity for many years.

However, Kondo Masahiko's female fans aren't that crazy yet. After all, his looks are far inferior to Kimura Takuya's, and his talents are only so-so. He relies entirely on Johnny's Entertainment's resources to promote him, but those who rely on resources are destined not to stay popular for long.

Fortunately, things had only just begun to escalate, and Akina Nakamori wasn't too badly affected. The next morning, she went to Warner's recording studio in Japan to record her new single for September. Time was too tight, and there wasn't enough time to go to America.

Since the previous song was a sentimental love song, the next one had to be a rebellious one. This song was chosen to be in the forbidden zone of rebellion, blending electronic music and pop, making it very dynamic, but the lyrics were very sad.

Akina Nakamori was in great shape after adjusting her mindset, but the recording didn't go smoothly because several reporters sneaked in, trying to interview her and making a lot of noise outside the recording room, interrupting her recording. This was a major taboo for Akina Nakamori.

She stormed out of the recording studio. Akiyuki Yoshizawa was smiling and asking the reporters to leave. When he saw Nakamori Akina come out, he knew things were going to go wrong and quickly ran to stop her. "Don't be impulsive, Akina-san."

The reporters' eyes lit up when they saw Akina Nakamori. The suspected romance had become such a big deal, yet they hadn't been able to interview any of the parties involved. Johnny's Entertainment had been very protective of Masahiko Kondo. Now that Akina Nakamori was right in front of them, how could they possibly give up the opportunity to interview her?

"Akina-san, is it true that you and Mr. Kondo are in a relationship?"

"Ms. Akina, is your relationship with Mr. Kondo a way to capitalize on his popularity?"

"Where did you go after your date at the coffee shop that night? Did you go to a hotel?"

These reporters seemed to have confirmed the couple's relationship, asking very explicit and pointed questions.

Akiyuki Yoshizawa pulled Nakamori Akina into the recording studio to prevent her from saying anything inappropriate or using foul language, while instructing his assistant to ask the reporters to leave.

Listening to the reporters' questions, Akina Nakamori suddenly calmed down. She remembered what Kimura-san had told her the night before: she was an adult now and should solve problems in an adult way.

A smile suddenly appeared on her face. She shook off Akiyuki Yoshizawa and said very politely, "I know you all have many questions, but I'm recording right now and it's really inconvenient for me to give an interview. Come back at four o'clock this afternoon, and I'll answer your questions in the lobby."

Her performance stunned everyone present, especially Akiyuki Yoshizawa, who had witnessed Nakamori Akina getting angry many times because the recording was interrupted. Today, she actually held back and was so polite.

The reporters were the same. In the past, when they interviewed Akina Nakamori, she would either avoid them or coldly tell them to leave. But today, she was polite and respectful, and even agreed to be interviewed.

"Alright, gentlemen, as you've heard, please come back at four o'clock this afternoon. We need to record this now, I'm sorry." Akiyuki Yoshizawa also began to act as a manager, speaking as he instructed his staff to lead the reporters out.

After much difficulty, they finally managed to get the reporters out. Akiyuki Yoshizawa had a friendly chat with the Warner staff. He couldn't even keep an eye on his own company's gate; what else could he do? Calling him useless would be an understatement.

After the friendly exchange, Akiyuki Yoshizawa returned to the recording studio and saw Nakamori Akina, who was still calming down. "Akina-san, you've grown up. You handled it very well just now, but I think it would be better if you didn't do any interviews this afternoon. These kinds of things will only get more complicated if you keep talking about them."

Shaking her head gently, Akina Nakamori said calmly, "It's no use always running away. I have no intention of dating Mr. Kondo. I need to make this clear. Alright, Akio-san, let's get on with the recording. We don't have that much time to waste."

As expected of Akina Nakamori, whose professional skills are terrifyingly strong, even after such a chaotic moment, her recording did not have any major problems. Before noon, both the restricted area on side A and the songs on side B were recorded.

After lunch, the discussion turned to the album cover shoot. Since the last meeting, Akina Nakamori had gained more power and could now influence the selection of album covers and stage costumes.

The discussion was not very pleasant. After all, the record producer is the one who controls a record, but now Akina Nakamori has stripped him of a lot of power, which is not a good thing in the Japanese workplace.

They believe that you must be useful in a position. Now that the work has been taken by the singers, what role does the producer play? Useless people will be discarded. That's how realistic it is.

“You have to do it my way. The cover colors have to be impactful, but the person has to look quiet and gentle. That’s how you make a lasting impression.” At this moment, Akina Nakamori showed a different kind of assertiveness than she does in real life.

The Warner record producer was put on an awkward position, and Akiyuki Yoshizawa needed to step in again. He quickly stepped in to smooth things over, "I'm really sorry, everyone. Akina-san always has some rather unusual ideas. Please bear with us, consider adopting some of her ideas, and try them out. Thank you!"

This was much softer than Nakamori Akina's directness, and the producer's expression softened. He reluctantly nodded, and Akiyuki Yoshizawa finally breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you all so much for your support. Let's go celebrate together tonight."

With the record deal finally settled, everyone resumed their work. Time quickly passed to 4 PM, and many reporters who had received the news were waiting in the lobby. It seemed impossible to avoid giving interviews.

Chapter Thirty-Nine: He Still Didn't Lie

Entertainment reporters who had received the news gathered in the lobby. Warner's staff dared not offend so many reporters, so they brought them chairs and coffee and let them rest while they waited. By 4 p.m., more than 20 reporters had arrived.

"Akina-san will probably admit to her relationship with Kondo-san. I think they're a good match."

"Oh, that's really big news. I bet tomorrow's newspapers will be sold out."

Some reporters actually enjoy the exposure of top idols' relationships, because it gives them more material to exploit in the future. For example, they can report on the couple's conflicts or who cheated on whom, and they can keep hyping these kinds of stories. People love this kind of scandalous news.

"Heh, she's just a newcomer who hasn't been in the industry long and is just trying to ride on the coattails of her senior. This Ms. Nakamori is really something else."

"Exactly, how could Kondo-san possibly be interested in her?"

The people who said these things were none other than the media outlets closely associated with Johnny's Entertainment. Their orders were to denigrate Akina Nakamori to make their future actions easier.

At four o'clock in the afternoon, Akina Nakamori walked out dressed in a black suit with a serious expression. Yoshizawa Akiyuki and several staff members walked around her, protecting her in the middle to prevent her from being attacked by reporters.

As soon as she came out, the reporters swarmed around her, some to interview her, some to take pictures, and they asked her all sorts of questions.

"Akina-san, are you dating Kondo-san?"

"Akina-san, is it really appropriate for a top idol to go out on a date so late at night?"

“Akina-san…”

There were so many questions that Akina Nakamori had no idea how to answer them. This was the first time she had faced so many reporters asking her personal questions.

Fortunately, Akiyuki Yoshizawa was very experienced in this kind of situation. He calmed down the restless reporters and then let them ask questions one by one.

The first unavoidable question is whether Akina Nakamori and Masahiko Kondo were actually dating.

In an almost resolute tone, Akina Nakamori said, "Everyone has misunderstood. I have not had any contact with Mr. Kondo outside of work. This meeting was to discuss work-related matters."

After saying this, Nakamori Akina felt a little sorry for Kimura-san, who had been telling her all day yesterday. Kimura Hiroshi had asked her last night to say that Kondo Masahiko had tricked her into coming out under the guise of discussing work, but actually wanted to confess his feelings. She left angrily after hearing this.

If this rhetoric is followed, not only can it damage Masahiko Kondo's image, but it can also establish her own persona: independent and rebellious, refusing to date her seniors, which perfectly matches her current style and will definitely boost her popularity again.

But in the end, she still couldn't say it, because it went against her conscience; she didn't want to hurt anyone with a lie.