My daily life with the original diva

Chapter 553 Farewell Ceremony

"Ah...like a flowing river, it flows gently through countless ages, ah...like a flowing river, it never stops, until twilight paints the sky..."

Hibari Misora's final song, "Kawaru Fushimi," was performed during her farewell ceremony in Yokohama. The ceremony was attended by fans and friends who came to pay their respects.

Saburo Kitajima, Masako Mori, Aki Yashiro, Sachiko Kobayashi, Hiroshi Itsuki, Shinichi Mori, Hiroshi Kimura, Akina Nakamori, and many others attended the farewell ceremony. They were all accomplished singers, dressed in dark clothing, singing songs by Hibari Misora ​​to send her off on her final journey.

The ceremony lasted until the afternoon, and Kimura and Akina Nakamori stayed until the afternoon, when Hibari Misora ​​was officially buried in the Hino Cemetery in Yokohama before everyone prepared to leave.

However, just as Kimura Hiroshi was about to go back with Nakamori Akina, Itsuki Hiroshi walked over, patted Kimura Hiroshi on the shoulder, and said, "Kimura-san, Akina-san, how about we have a drink together? Oh, I also invited Mori Masako-san, let's have a drink together."

Akina Nakamori has work tomorrow, and Hiroshi Kimura originally wanted to refuse, but before he could speak, Akina Nakamori agreed first, "Okay, Itsuki-san, let's have a drink together. At times like this, I always feel like I need a drink to ease my mood."

Since Akina Nakamori had agreed, Hiroshi Kimura naturally wouldn't refuse, replying, "Yes, it's good to have a drink at a time like this."

So the four of them, along with the staff who had come with them, went to an izakaya (Japanese pub), where they ate, drank sake, and chatted.

"I remember Hibari-san was so radiant during last year's song festival. I never imagined that she would leave us in just half a year. Life really does go by so fast." After drinking a couple of drinks, Hiroshi Itsuki couldn't help but sigh. As a fellow enka singer and not young himself, he felt this particularly deeply.

"So cherish what you have now, Kimura-san, so you won't have any regrets in the future. If you feel that you have no regrets in life when you are lying in a hospital bed, then it's not such a painful thing." Kimura Hiroshi began to talk about the philosophy of life.

His words clearly had an effect, as Hiroshi Itsuki drank another glass and said, "Yes, we should cherish the present moment in life."

But it was this sentence that seemed to remind him of something. He suddenly put his hand on Kimura Hiroshi's shoulder and said, "Speaking of cherishing the present, Kimura-san, you promised to write me an enka single. Before Hibari-san passed away, he had a brilliant last moment in his life because of this song. I don't want to die tomorrow because of some accident without giving me this opportunity."

"Cough, cough, cough..." Hearing what Hiroshi Itsuki said, Hiroshi Kimura was almost choked to death by the wine in his glass. What on earth was Hiroshi Itsuki talking about?

"Itsuki-san, why are you saying this as if my single is some kind of bad luck? Does it mean that anyone who sings my enka will die in an accident? You really have guts, daring to accept this?" Kimura Hiroshi couldn't help but say sarcastically.

His words were heard by those around him, which amused Akina Nakamori and Masako Mori, who were initially quite sad, and they couldn't help but laugh out loud.

"Yeah, Itsuki-san, you're really going all out. Even if it might kill you, you still want to sing a single written by Kimura-san." As an old friend, Masako Mori couldn't help but tease Hiroshi Itsuki.

Knowing he had said the wrong thing, but as a senior, how could Itsuki Hiroshi easily admit his mistake? He said, "You kid, can't you show some respect to your senior? Seriously, fine, I know your single doesn't have that kind of magic, but you won't go back on your promise to me. You have to write it for me."

This was indeed something he had promised, so Kimura Hiroshi naturally couldn't go back on his word. He nodded and said, "Give me a few days. I already have an idea. I'll write it down for Itsuki-san when I get back."

When it was confirmed that it had actually been written, Hiroshi Itsuki was overjoyed. He grabbed Hiroshi Kimura's shoulder and said, "Good, good. I know you're a man of your word, Kimura. I'll be waiting for your good news. Don't keep me waiting too long, though. I'm a very impatient person."

"I know, I'll call Itsuki-san in a week at most, and then you can pick up the single at the agency," Kimura Hiroshi said with great certainty.

With the single confirmed, Hiroshi Itsuki was naturally overjoyed and wanted to toast Hiroshi Kimura. However, Hiroshi Kimura had always been quite moderate with alcohol, and after a few drinks, he stopped. He didn't want to drink himself to death again.

As for Akina Nakamori, she really is a little drunkard. Kimura Hiroshi wasn't watching her for a while, and she and Masako Mori drank countless glasses. Kimura Hiroshi couldn't help but glare at her, meaning to warn her not to drink too much. However, Masako Mori saw this glare and couldn't help but laugh when she saw Akina Nakamori obediently put down her glass.

"Sigh, I didn't realize that Akina-san, who's usually so amazing on TV shows, is actually managed so strictly by Kimura-san. It's really something to look at." As he spoke, he couldn't help but nudge Nakamori Akina, seemingly trying to provoke her.

"No, Masako-san, Akina isn't in good health. If she drinks too much and then rides in the car, she might catch a bad cold. So I told her to drink less. It's not because she's afraid of me, but because she knows I'm concerned, which is why she listens to me." Kimura Hiroshi didn't want to embarrass Nakamori Akina, so he quickly explained.

Accompanied by this, Akina Nakamori smiled and nodded, saying, "That's right, Masako-san, you can't drink too much."

Seeing the two of them exchanging glances and even working together, Masako Mori was filled with envy and jealousy. These young people were so sweet, while she and Shinichi Mori had only been married for a few years, and their relationship had already started to become less intimate, which made her quite uncomfortable. That's why she left her husband and came out to have a drink with everyone.

They ate, drank, and chatted until seven or eight o'clock in the evening. Seeing that Hiroshi Itsuki had already drunk too much, Hiroshi Kimura thought it was about time to end the dinner and then left with Akina Nakamori.

The next day, news of Hibari Misora's farewell ceremony made headlines. This would be the last time she appeared on such a large scale in the media. It is unlikely that she will ever receive such treatment again. After all, when a person dies, others cannot remember them forever, but her works will live on.

As for Hiroshi Kimura and Akina Nakamori, they couldn't stay sentimental forever. After all, life goes on, and you can't stay in one place forever. However, Hiroshi Kimura and Akina Nakamori made a promise that they would visit Hibari Misora ​​often when they had time.

As July drew to a close, the arrangement of the new single was basically completed, but Hiroshi Kimura was not in a hurry to record this hard rock single. Instead, he was busy with the final filming of "Triangle". The film was in its final stages of shooting, and he wanted to devote more energy to it and make sure that the last shots were filmed well.

On July 27th, the last shot of the film was completed. With director Hiroshi Kimura's "OK," the film was officially finished. To celebrate the completion of filming, Toho held a special wrap-up ceremony on set, which included not only recording but also a banquet.

"They really have a lot of tricks up their sleeves. Toho truly lives up to its reputation as a big company." Looking at all these things, Hiroshi Kimura shook his head and smiled wryly.

He didn't like this kind of thing, but since everyone had made preparations, it would be disrespectful for him to leave alone, especially since Yuya Fukada had come, which was quite a show of respect.

"Kimura-san, congratulations! You've completed filming a blockbuster that's about to gain international acclaim." Fukada Yuya brought Sawaguchi Yasuko to see Kimura Hiroshi and immediately offered his congratulations.

Kimura Hiroshi did not respond immediately, but said, "Fukada-san, whether a film can become world-renowned depends on how the audience sees it, and also on whether Toho's channels can maximize the promotion. Otherwise, I'm afraid it will not achieve the effect of becoming world-renowned."

"Haha, Kimura-san, you seem to lack confidence in Toho. Please rest assured, this movie will be released simultaneously in Japan, East Asia, Europe, and the Americas. We've already been in contact with the distribution channels, so please don't worry about the release or promotion. As for your share, you won't be shortchanged," Fukada Yuya said confidently.

"Yes, Kimura-san, please rest assured, this movie will definitely be released worldwide," Yasuko Sawaguchi behind her assured with a smile.

Judging from this, they must have already made contact. Wow, he didn't get this kind of treatment in the films he made before. It's amazing that they communicated so far in advance. This is truly super treatment.

He couldn't help but say irritably, "Fukada-san, why haven't you been this attentive to my movies before?"

The question caused Fukada Yuya's smile to vanish, leaving him slightly embarrassed. For a moment, he didn't know how to answer Kimura Hiroshi. However, Sawaguchi Yasuko, who was standing next to him, said with high emotional intelligence, "Then from now on, if Kimura-san wants this kind of publicity in the future, Toho can provide it, right, Manager Fukada?"

“Yes, yes, Miss Yasuko is right. If Mr. Kimura makes such a request in the future, we will do our best to fulfill it and will never let Mr. Kimura down,” Yuya Fukada replied immediately.

Waving his hand, Hiroshi Kimura said with a smile, "I was just kidding. After all, those films were all produced by our company, Wit Power. I can't ask Toho to put in their full effort; that would be too much. Alright, let's have a drink to celebrate the completion of filming."

He quickly offered a way out, saying that he only hoped Toho would increase the promotion of movies produced by Wit Studio in the future, not that he really wanted to argue with Yuya Fukada about whether or not to provide promotion.

The group arrived at the celebration banquet, first raising their glasses to congratulate the staff and actors present, and then clinking glasses and taking a sip of the slightly strange-tasting champagne.

After the toast, Yasuko Sawaguchi walked over to Hiroshi Kimura and said with a hint of sadness, "I really didn't expect the filming to end so quickly. I wonder if I'll ever have the chance to work with Kimura-san again?"

After she finished speaking, she looked up at Hiroshi Kimura, seemingly wanting to get a positive answer from him.

Kimura Hiroshi, without blinking, said, "If a suitable opportunity arises, we will definitely be able to cooperate again. Please rest assured, Ms. Yasuko."

This statement was rather ambiguous. What exactly constituted a "suitable opportunity" was unclear. Sawaguchi Yasuko was slightly disappointed when she didn't get the answer she wanted. She then said, "Kimura-san's talent is indeed admirable, but take this film, 'Triangle,' for example. Although it's already finished filming, I still don't understand its story logic. There are many plot points that I don't understand, but there are just too many. I only want to ask Kimura-san one question: Can the female lead escape the cycle of reincarnation?"

That's a good question. What makes "Triangle" so terrifying is that it's a loop within another loop. It seems like you can escape, but in the end, you find yourself in another loop. However, this is the protagonist's own choice because she broke her promise and deceived Death.

“People who break their promises always get punished, so I don’t know if she can get rid of it. Ms. Yasuko, this is just a movie. Don’t get too caught up in it. Just treat her as a character. Once it’s over, forget about it. Either take a break or wait for the next role. That’s what makes a good actor.” Kimura Hiroshi was a little worried that Sawaguchi Yasuko might be getting too caught up in the role.

Even though filming was already finished, he was still concerned about the female lead, which made Kimura Hiroshi somewhat worried. He couldn't help but offer some advice, knowing that she wasn't an ordinary actress. If there were any problems with her performance, it wouldn't be good if someone came after him.

Seeing Kimura Hiroshi's slightly nervous expression, Sawaguchi Yasuko smiled and said, "What are you worried about, Kimura-san? I'm an old actress, how could I get too immersed in the role? It's just that this movie is too convoluted and too mind-bending. I've never acted in a movie like this before, so I'm a bit curious and want to know the final answer. I had this question when I read the script. Kimura-san made me know, but even after acting, I still don't understand, so I want to ask again."

“I see. Then my worries were unnecessary. Since Ms. Yasuko didn’t understand it while acting, she can just watch the movie a couple more times when it’s released and she’ll understand. After all, filming doesn’t happen in sequence. If it were done in sequence, she would definitely understand it clearly, and that would also contribute to the movie’s box office.” Kimura Hiroshi offered his suggestion.

Now Yasuko Sawaguchi really couldn't hold back anymore. She hadn't expected Hiroshi Kimura to make such a strange suggestion. She also discovered another of Hiroshi Kimura's strengths: he could be quite humorous at times.

Chapter 554 I Want a New Image

After filming wrapped, Kimura Hiroshi had more free time, and he finally managed to set aside a day to fulfill his promise to Itsuki Hiroshi: to write an enka single for him. Fortunately, Kimura Hiroshi still had a few enka singles in mind; otherwise, he really wouldn't know how to handle the current situation. He also decided that after writing one for Itsuki Hiroshi, he would never write another enka single.

"Phew, it's finally finished. My goodness, this enka single is definitely harder to write than other singles. I'm never writing one again." Kimura Hiroshi couldn't help but sigh.

The enka single he wrote is also a famous song, "Ito" by Itaro Oizumi. This was the last glorious moment of Japanese enka, which sold more than 1.1 million copies in the 1990s. It was also the last enka single to achieve million-level sales in the era of physical records in Japan.

The reason I remember this enka single so vividly is that when Hiroshi Kimura was searching for Miyuki Nakajima's "Kitoku," this enka single popped up. When he saw that it had achieved such sales in the 1990s, he was truly shocked. Although he couldn't appreciate it to some extent, the fact that it could achieve such success shows that Japanese people had a high acceptance of this enka. If it were released today, its sales would definitely not be bad.

So, Kimura Hiroshi chose to enka single for Itsuki Hiroshi, which perfectly fulfilled his promise. Moreover, given Itsuki Hiroshi's reputation in the enka world, he might even make this enka single even better.

After finishing the song, Hiroshi Kimura took the sheet music to his agency. He had to record his own single that afternoon, so he couldn't be late.

When he arrived at his team's office at the agency, Yukio Tomioka and Ms. Michiko were already waiting for him. As soon as Hiroshi Kimura entered the office, he said to Yukio Tomioka, "Mr. Tomioka, could you please make a call to Itsuki-san's agency and tell him that the enka single is finished and that he can come and pick it up tomorrow morning? The score is with you."

It was quite unexpected that Hiroshi Kimura had written another enka single. Tomioka Yukio took the sheet music from Kimura and said, "I didn't expect Kimura-san to write another enka single. It seems that Kimura-san's talent in enka is extraordinary. Have you ever thought about releasing your own enka single? Kimura-san, perhaps it could expand your fan base once again, such as older grandmothers?"

This remark caused everyone in the office to chuckle. Kimura Hiroshi rolled his eyes and said, "I don't have that kind of time. Besides, the grandmothers don't like young people like me. Alright, Mr. Tomioka, hurry up and make the call. Once everything is done, we should go record. I'm going to the preparation room for a rehearsal."

Kimura Hiroshi has absolutely no interest in singing enka (Japanese folk songs), nor does he want to expand his fan base. His popularity already far surpasses that of most top-tier celebrities, and his future plans are not in the entertainment industry, so he has absolutely no interest in expanding his fan base.

After saying that, he went to the training room to do some pre-recording training, such as practicing his breathing, so that he could complete the recording as quickly as possible and avoid problems that would delay everyone's time.

Making a phone call to notify him didn't take long and was done quickly. However, it took Kimura Hiroshi about ten minutes to warm up his voice in the training room. After that, the group drove to Warner Music to start recording Kimura Hiroshi's third single of the year.

Before the recording officially began, Kimura Hiroshi familiarized himself with the single one last time. While looking at the sheet music, he asked, "Mr. Tomioka, have you decided on the theme for my album this year? July is almost over, and I want to finalize it in August so that I will have time to write the single. Don't forget that Akina and I have a new drama to film in September."

Knowing that he might not be able to work as an entertainer like he does now after this year, Hiroshi Kimura hopes to complete his job well in these last few months and finish all the projects he wants to complete, so as not to leave any work behind and disrupt his plans.

After a moment's thought, Yukio Tomioka replied, "Kimura-san, I've already decided on the theme for the new album. Since the single is hard rock, how about releasing a tender single for the album? That way, we can create a differentiation, and I think both fans and music lovers will be able to enjoy different kinds of music."

"That's a good suggestion," Kimura Hiroshi said, accepting the suggestion. "It's a good plan, Mr. Tomioka. Let's do it your way. For the single, it'll be hard rock. As for the album, let's release a ballad. As for how to write the ballad, I have some ideas."

Suddenly, Kimura Hiroshi thought of the man who stole everyone's wives, Hoshino Gen. This guy wasn't much different from him. He could act, sing, write songs, and even write novels. Although he was only so-so in appearance, he was indeed very talented. No wonder he caught Aragaki Yui's eye.

However, thinking about him, it's not that Kimura Hiroshi is jealous of him. After all, his future wife is the famous Nakamori Akina, who is even better than Hoshino Gen. The reason Kimura Hiroshi thought of Hoshino Gen is because of his famous single "Koi" (Love), which he wrote and sang himself. Kimura Hiroshi planned to sing it directly. Hoshino Gen stole everyone's wife, so he stole his single.

Once it was confirmed, Hiroshi Kimura didn't think about it any further and focused all his attention on the single he was about to sing. This hard rock single by BZ, "Loving You Is Just That Willful, I Won't Hurt You," was different from all his previous singles, which was a challenge of a new style, so he had to put in more effort.

After about twenty minutes of preparation, Kimura Hiroshi signaled that recording could begin. The producer outside saw him give an OK sign and immediately signaled the sound engineer to start playing the accompaniment. After everything was confirmed, he gave an OK sign, meaning that recording was about to begin, and Kimura Hiroshi immediately began to get ready.

As the accompaniment begins, although it is a hard rock song, its intro is quite soft. But that's just the intro. The rhythm suddenly rises to a terrifying level. The rhythm and drumbeats are arguably the fastest of all of Hiroshi Kimura's singles. This requires him to have a solid foundation and a high pitch. Otherwise, he would easily be overwhelmed by the strong rhythm of the accompaniment and be unable to sing well.

When Momoko Kikuchi transitioned to a rock band, she faced this very problem: the accompaniment was too strong, and she couldn't sing high notes. As a result, people could only hear the accompaniment, and her voice was not prominent. How could people listen to her sing? It was inevitable that her transition would fail.

However, Hiroshi Kimura is different. He can sing high notes. He sang "The Most Important Thing" before, which is also a rock-pop single with a very strong rhythm, without any problem. He can do the same now.

However, it had been many years since he had sung such a high-energy song, and the first performance didn't go well. Kimura Hiroshi himself was quite dissatisfied and said into the microphone, "Let's take a five-minute break and do it again. I'll adjust."

After making some adjustments, five minutes later, Hiroshi Kimura started recording again. This time, it was much better than the previous time. Hiroshi Kimura was quickly adapting to this sudden change in pace.

This caused the producers and Yukio Tomioka outside to exchange a glance, their eyes filled with astonishment. There was no way around it; Hiroshi Kimura's adaptation speed was simply too fast. This kind of adjustment, which he made entirely on his own, was something that ordinary singers could not possess. Only a genius singer like Hiroshi Kimura had such an ability.

Even so, the recording lasted all afternoon, and Kimura Hiroshi finally managed to record a recording that he was satisfied with. However, after singing so many times, his voice couldn't take it anymore, and he experienced slight discomfort.

"You really can't sing too many high notes. It's too damaging to your voice. I'll never sing this kind of single again." As soon as he left the recording studio, Hiroshi Kimura made up his mind. Let those gifted guys sing this kind of hard rock. He'll just try it out. He can't take it if he sings it for a long time.

After leaving the recording studio, Hiroshi Kimura thanked the recording staff and then said, "Everyone worked so hard today, let's go have a meal together, it's on me."

Everyone readily agreed. After each recording session, Kimura Hiroshi would treat them to a meal. Sometimes, if he didn't have time, he would have his staff take them and he would pay the bill.

After the group finished packing up, they prepared to go eat. However, when they arrived at the entrance of Warner Music, Kimura Hiroshi saw several Warner Music promotional posters. There were posters of two rock bands, and the members in the posters were dressed in a very flamboyant way, and their outfits were a complete mess. This made him stare at them for a moment.

Once in the car, Hiroshi Kimura said to Yukio Tomioka, "Mr. Tomioka, this is a hard rock song that I'm releasing. The stage performance will be very intense. I feel that my current image doesn't quite match the mood of the single. Do you think I should change my image?"

"Sigh, Kimura-san means we shouldn't promote it with the current image. So what do you want to change it to?" Tomioka Yukio couldn't figure out what Kimura Hiroshi meant, so he could only ask him.

After pondering for a while, Hiroshi Kimura felt that suddenly changing it to the look of the promotional poster would be too drastic. Those styles were similar to non-mainstream styles and were called visual kei in Japan. They were as exaggerated as they could be, and Hiroshi Kimura definitely couldn't do that. However, making some basic changes was still possible.

"I want to get my hair extended to be longer and then dye it blonde, so it feels more flowing. As for clothing, I want it to be wilder. Oh, and I also want to play the electric guitar myself," Hiroshi Kimura said, sharing his ideas.

However, Yukio Tomioka couldn't immediately determine what would happen from these ideas, and could only rely on his imagination. But his thoughts were bound to be flawed, so he could only say, "If Kimura-san wants to make some changes, that's fine, but I don't know exactly what it will look like. Why don't we make some changes first and see, or ask Akina-san for advice? She has a lot of experience in controlling these images."

With a clap of his hands, Hiroshi Kimura said, "That's right, how could I forget Akina? She's very knowledgeable about these things. Hmm, no problem, I'll ask her when I get back. But she's not home today; she's out of town promoting her new single."

Akina Nakamori has been incredibly busy this month, not only holding two concerts but also releasing a new single, "Dear Friend." This single, which was originally supposed to be released in 1990, somehow appeared in 1989. Hiroshi Kimura speculated that his arrival might have triggered a series of butterfly effects, just like some singles that he remembered should have been released this year but haven't.

Releasing a new single naturally requires promotion. The promotional activities are not limited to major TV stations in Tokyo; she also goes to some local TV stations and holds some small performances. As a result, she often needs to travel for work. This is why many celebrity couples, especially those who are both very famous, are prone to breaking up. They are simply too busy and spend long periods of time in different parts of the country, which easily leads to conflicts or for them to seek new love.

Kimura Hiroshi and Nakamori Akina, on the other hand, don't have this problem now. Japan is small enough that even if they go on a business trip, it won't be for more than a few days, and filming won't last long either. Besides, their relationship is still very strong.

Akina Nakamori's hard work in promoting the show has yielded excellent results. The drama "Long Vacation," which aired not long ago, provided her, the lead actress, with a huge amount of exposure, allowing her popularity to remain stable. For an artist to maintain top-tier popularity, they need to continuously produce excellent or attractive products to keep people engaged.

Akina Nakamori has clearly achieved this, which has garnered a lot of attention for her new single. "Dear Friend" has been at the top of the singles sales chart for two weeks since its release, and has sold over 400,000 copies in two weeks, making it a huge success and maintaining her title as the queen of record sales.

"There's no rush. We can wait for Akina-san to come back. The record still needs to be produced, and the promotion won't start for at least another two weeks." When Kimura Hiroshi said that Nakamori Akina wasn't there, Tomioka Yukio advised him not to worry.