My daily life with the original diva

If this continues, it'll probably never be resolved. Kimura Hiroshi had no choice but to back down, saying, "Alright, it's my fault then. But, Mom wants to meet with Aunt Chieko, so you need to tell her beforehand. Also, about your father..."

"Don't worry about my dad. Just talk to my mom. In a couple of days, I'll go to Saitama with Hiroki to formally discuss the marriage, then go to Kiyose to talk to my mom, and then we'll discuss meeting arrangements. As for my dad, I don't know where he's been hanging out lately, so let's just ignore him." Nakamori Akina had already planned out the meeting between the two sets of parents.

In matters like this, Hiroshi Kimura naturally listens to Akina Nakamori; whatever she decides, that's fine with him.

"Then let's listen to Akina. You can decide this kind of thing. When we meet, let's talk more and try to make the atmosphere better."

"Yes, that's the only way." Nakamori Akina also felt that this was the only option.

The two didn't continue talking in the garage. Nakamori Akina followed Kimura Hiroshi toward the apartment, but before they were halfway there, Nakamori Akina suddenly stopped.

"What's wrong, Akina?" Kimura Hiroshi asked when he saw Nakamori Akina suddenly stop.

"No, why should I go back to Hiro-kun's apartment? It's not time to meet today, so I should go back to my own apartment. Besides, Hiro-kun embarrassed me so much today, I should be angry. So, I should go back instead of going with Hiro-kun." After saying that, Nakamori Akina planned to drive back to her apartment.

Seeing Akina Nakamori turn and leave, Hiroshi Kimura was a little confused and said, "Hey, Akina, are you really going to be so heartless? It's so late, are you still going back?"

Without turning her head, Akina Nakamori replied, "Of course, I have my own principles, and I want to prove that I didn't miss you. It was all just Hiro-kun's imagination. So goodbye, Hiro-kun."

Without any intention of turning back, Kimura Hiroshi couldn't help but smile wryly. His future wife really did hold a grudge. However, he didn't force her. Instead, he helped Nakamori Akina get in the car and then went back to the apartment alone.

Back at the apartment, after confirming that Nakamori Akina had returned safely and that his mother Akiko had arrived home safely, Kimura Hiroshi went to wash up and rest.

Chapter 583 They're all old people

For many days, the news that Hiroshi Kimura and Akina Nakamori had confirmed their marriage had been widely reported. However, neither the couple nor their agencies responded, and no new information was leaked. The media could no longer continue the hype and had to stop, because constantly focusing on a diamond ring was no longer appealing to readers.

The media began to shift their attention elsewhere, such as the year-end record awards, which was the last record awards of the 1980s. News had already leaked that Hiroshi Kimura was still the most likely winner of the grand prize this time.

There's no way around it, because this year, Hiroshi Kimura is the only artist with three singles and one album that have all sold over a million copies. This is truly unique among all singers, and it's not surprising that the Record Awards were given to him.

Of course, the song that might win the grand prize is Kimura Hiroshi's first pop single released at the beginning of the year, "Whenever". As for his two rock-style singles that followed, they naturally failed to win the favor of the judges, especially the hard rock single with a somewhat strange name, which did not receive any award nominations.

Although rock songs have made it into the mainstream music scene in Japan, the judges of the awards have not yet been able to accept them, and it will probably take a long time before rock songs are nominated for awards.

Besides various award ceremonies, the well-known music program The Best Ten has been confirmed to end its run at the end of the year. This music program, which has been broadcast for more than ten years, is coming to an end, which is also a very important piece of news for the Japanese music scene.

The media, of course, wouldn't miss this opportunity to dig up a lot of information and attract attention. Besides saying that "The Best Ten" had poor ratings and was abandoned by the TV station, they also dug up a lot of gossip about the show. In short, there were all sorts of strange rumors, some of which were obviously false, but many people still believed them.

After all, it was a very influential music program, and its finale was not going to end easily. In order to tap into the last bit of potential of the program, TBS invited many regulars of The Best Ten to participate in the final chapter of the show.

As Kimura Hiroshi and Nakamori Akina, who have consistently topped the Best Ten list, were naturally among those invited. Not to mention, the two have recently dominated headlines in numerous media outlets; they are traffic magnets. It would be strange not to invite them.

Hiroshi Kimura and Akina Nakamori were aware of the TV station's intentions, but they didn't refuse. They had received a lot of preferential treatment since participating in the program, and now that the program was going to be canceled, they felt they had to participate in the final episode.

So, Hiroshi Kimura and Akina Nakamori arrived at TBS television station right on time that day to participate in the final episode of the program and witness its conclusion.

However, this time, the participation in the program was not for a music chart ranking or performance. Instead, it was an informal banquet. TBS probably took into consideration the hard work of the program and cleared out two studios to set up many chairs so that the invited guests could sit down, have drinks, eat snacks, and chat.

This was exactly what Hiroshi Kimura was happy to see, because the occasion was very relaxed, and he also saw many old acquaintances he rarely saw anymore, such as Yu Hayami, Shibukashi Band, Hidemi Horii, and so on.

Back then, these people were already famous when Hiroshi Kimura debuted, and many of them even debuted at the same time as Akina Nakamori. However, now, so many years later, they have all been squeezed out by newcomers. They still have popularity, but it's not high anymore, so it's hard to see them on many shows. Their agencies have invested resources in newcomers and won't invest too many resources in these past-their-prime veterans. That's how cruel the entertainment industry is.

He is quite familiar with these people, and even has some minor conflicts with some of them. For example, Hayami Yu, back when he publicly criticized her and Matsumoto Iyo backstage at the show "The Best Ten". But now it seems that all of that is in the past. When Kimura Hiroshi sees them, he always greets them with a smile.

However, when these people saw him, their eyes became complicated. Their smiles were tinged with a hint of awe. There was no way around it; although Kimura Hiroshi was their junior, he was still a top-tier entertainer and controlled enormous resources in the entertainment industry. He was not someone they could face with a smile, so their expressions were somewhat complicated.

After finding his seat, the production crew immediately came up to greet him and told him that there might be an interview later, hoping he would accept. That was all; there was no performance and he didn't need to do anything extra.

Kimura Hiroshi naturally accepted this and agreed. The production crew left immediately, and soon after, various snacks and drinks were placed in front of him. He was the only one at the table, and surprisingly, no one dared to sit at the same table with him.

However, this situation was quickly changed when a familiar figure appeared on the set. She greeted people she knew first, then glanced around the room and spotted Hiroshi Kimura sitting there.

"Oh, isn't this Kimura-san? I thought you, such a busy person, wouldn't come?" Seiko Matsuda sat down next to Hiroshi Kimura with an air of nonchalance, showing absolutely no embarrassment.

Seeing Seiko Matsuda, one has to admit that she has a more womanly charm now compared to before, but she's still not his type. Kimura Hiroshi didn't pretend to be a stranger and said quite naturally, "After all, you've been on the show for a long time, and it's about to end, so of course I had to come and see you. But didn't Seiko-chan go to America to develop her career? How come you still have time to participate in the show?"

"You're quite sentimental, Kimura-san." Matsuda Seiko picked up her drink and took a sip, then said with a hint of resentment, "Don't you know what America is like, Kimura-san? Back then, the media hyped up your plans to go to America, but you ultimately stayed in Japan. I suppose you know better than I do what it would be like to go to America?"

There was no answer. Kimura Hiroshi simply smiled slightly. Indeed, America would not tolerate them. As for how Matsuda Seiko was doing in America, one could tell by how often she appeared in the media. Not many. Most of the media reports were about gossip about her married life, and of course, much of it was false.

"By the way, wasn't it said that Kimura-san was getting married? Why did the media hype it up for a while and then disappear? Was it fake news?" Matsuda Seiko asked curiously.

If he told Matsuda Seiko the real news, he didn't know if she would talk nonsense, so Kimura Hiroshi didn't answer directly, but said, "If we really get married, I will invite Seiko-chan."

Matsuda Seiko felt very annoyed by this answer. After all these years, Kimura Hiroshi still treated her with the same attitude as before, neither too close nor too distant, which made her very uncomfortable. Why did such a handsome and talented young man always seem to have a prejudice against her? It was just that he flirted with him when he first debuted. Why did he hold a grudge for so long?

"Kimura-san, Seiko-chan, you're here!" A moment later, another person arrived—Kawai Naoko. She looked very happy to see Kimura Hiroshi and Matsuda Seiko, and then sat down as well. The table could seat six people, and she was the third one there.

Kimura Hiroshi's attitude towards Kawai Naoko was much better than his attitude towards Matsuda Seiko. The two of them had collaborated before and are now both members of the Composers' Association. They occasionally meet and chat within the association. Not to mention, Naoko is very tolerant and makes people feel comfortable.

The three chatted for a while, and then Akina Nakamori came over. She was dressed in a formal suit today. When she saw Hiroshi Kimura, Naoko Kawai, and Seiko Matsuda, she immediately sat down. The four of them were old acquaintances, so they naturally had something to talk about. But it was mainly the three women chatting, with Hiroshi Kimura occasionally chiming in.

As they chatted, the topic turned to the media frenzy surrounding their upcoming marriage a few days prior. Kimura Hiroshi did not give a direct answer, and Nakamori Akina followed suit, also not giving a direct response but not saying anything about not getting married.

After a while, Toshihiko Tagen also arrived. This guy, who used to be all over Kimura Hiroshi, still didn't talk to Kimura Hiroshi. He just greeted the three women at the table, glanced at Kimura Hiroshi, and then did nothing more, going to sit down with Hayami Yu.

"I really saw a lot of old friends today. It's a pity that we're not all doing so well anymore. But Hiroshi Kimura and Akina-chan are still top stars in the entertainment industry. Who would have thought that this day would come?" Seiko Matsuda couldn't help but sigh as she looked at everyone present.

Indeed, among those present today, only Matsuda Seiko and Toshihiko Tagen still have some popularity. Matsuda Seiko relies on the huge popularity she accumulated during her peak years, which is enough for her to slowly exhaust. As for Toshihiko Tagen, his popularity has rebounded somewhat thanks to a TV series, but it's only a rebound, and now it's slowly declining again, clearly showing that it can't be maintained.

“Seiko-chan is very popular. There are always a lot of people attending her concerts, and it’s not easy to get tickets,” Nakamori Akina comforted Matsuda Seiko.

With a wry smile, Seiko Matsuda said, "Thank you for your comfort, Akina-chan. I know my own situation."

Seeing that Matsuda Seiko looked weak and listless, Nakamori Akina wanted to comfort her again. However, Kimura Hiroshi, who witnessed this scene, felt something was off. Because of him, many things had changed drastically, such as the relationship between Nakamori Akina and Matsuda Seiko.

Too lazy to think too much, the show started soon. It was definitely going to be a music performance today, but before that, the production team interviewed the guests who came to participate in the show.

At their table, there were three top celebrities and one A-list celebrity, so they were naturally the focus of the interviews. All four of them were interviewed and chatted for almost ten minutes before the host left.

Then they didn't have much to do. They just sat there chatting, eating, and watching the show of The Best Ten.

This week's rankings have absolutely nothing to do with them. The people on the list are all their juniors, the most recent being Yoko Minamino and Shizuka Kudo, as well as new groups like Hikaru Genji and Wink. It seems as if they have truly become people of the previous era.

Their activities ended after the interview, and people began to leave one after another. Kimura Hiroshi and Nakamori Akina didn't stay long either; after chatting with others for a while, they got up and left.

On the way back, the two rode in the same car. Ms. Michiko drove, and the two sat in the back. Nakamori Akina rested her head on Kimura Hiroshi's shoulder and said with a sigh, "After participating in the program today, we feel like we've both gotten so old. There are so many newcomers on TV."

Kneading Akina Nakamori's small hand, Hiroshi Kimura said with a smile, "Yes, the very old Akina is suffocating these newcomers. In every sales ranking, none of them can compete with you. She really gets better with age."

Nakamori Akina was quite displeased. She looked up at Kimura Hiroshi and said with great dissatisfaction, "Hiroshi-kun, something feels off about what you're saying. What do you mean by 'getting better with age'? Does Hiroshi-kun think I'm too old?"

"No way, I'm an old man too. They don't even know what they call me behind my back. It's because I always have to be the one in charge. They might even call us an old couple," Kimura Hiroshi said with a hint of speculation.

Seemingly finding the idea of ​​an elderly couple amusing, Nakamori Akina wasn't angry at all. Instead, she couldn't help but laugh and said, "An elderly couple, not bad at all. In the future, if we don't retire, we'll keep them on our backs and let them know how powerful we are."

"That's a great idea, shall we do it?" Kimura Hiroshi asked tentatively.

But when it came to getting serious, Akina Nakamori shook her head and said, "Let's not do that. Newcomers need opportunities too. Besides, I don't have that much time to go in the future. I have a lot of things to do."

Kimura Hiroshi knew what many of the things she mentioned were: housework. Nakamori Akina had told him more than once how busy and time-consuming housework was after marriage.

"Whatever you want, Akina. You can do whatever you want, I'll support you. Oh, and don't forget to go to Saitama first, then Kiyose, the day after tomorrow. It's very important." Kimura Hiroshi suddenly remembered that they were going to formally inform both sets of parents about their marriage the day after tomorrow.

"How could I possibly forget? I just hope Hiro-kun won't need me to remind him then," Nakamori Akina said earnestly.

Chapter 584 Going Home to See Relatives

Before the busiest time of the year arrives, Hiroshi Kimura and Akina Nakamori decide to visit each other's families to inform them of their marriage plans. Their first stop is Hiroshi Kimura's hometown, Kasukabe City, Saitama Prefecture.

Driving back to Kasukabe is now only about an hour's drive for Kimura Hiroshi, so it won't take too much time for him to go back.

"Akina, are you really ready? It's not just my family here today, there are relatives too. If you feel uncomfortable, just say hello, no need to say anything more. If you really can't stand it, we can leave early." Kimura Hiroshi was making a final confirmation with Nakamori Akina as they were almost home.

Knowing that they were coming back today to announce their marriage, Nobushi Kimura, the father, took it very seriously. Not only his family, but also other members of the Kimura family, would all be going to Hiroshi Kimura's house today to confirm their future daughter-in-law.

My mother, Akiko, called last night to tell me about this. It's a tradition in our big family. However, Akiko also said that if I felt awkward about it, I could just say hello politely. She would then find an excuse to help Akina leave as soon as possible or go to her room to rest.

However, on the phone, Akina Nakamori happily said that it was nothing and that she could have a good chat with her relatives. At the time, Hiroshi Kimura couldn't be sure whether Akina Nakamori was just saying that to appease her or if she really felt that way, so he checked again before entering the house.

With a beaming smile, Nakamori Akina gently touched Kimura Hiroshi's face and said softly, "I know Hiroshi-kun is concerned about me, but I don't dislike these family gatherings. When I was little, my family would ask me to perform for them when they got together. Meeting Hiroshi-kun's family and talking to them is nothing. I'm very happy. It shows that Hiroshi-kun's family values ​​me. Okay, enough talk, let's go in quickly, or they'll all be waiting impatiently."

Seemingly unconcerned about the situation, Kimura Hiroshi breathed a sigh of relief and drove the car to the door. He saw his sister, Kimura Ryo, waiting for them at the door. Compared to usual, Kimura Ryoshi was clearly dressed up specially today, wearing a traditional kimono and hairpins. Beside her were two young girls, whom Kimura Hiroshi vaguely remembered as his uncle's daughters.

As soon as she pulled up to the entrance, Nakamori Akina eagerly opened the car door and walked towards Kimura Ryo, calling out, "Ryo-neechan, I'm here!"

Having not seen each other for a long time, the two were extremely excited and happy to see each other again. As for the two girls next to them, they looked completely bewildered and excited when they saw Nakamori Akina.

There was no way around it; standing in front of them was Akina Nakamori, a top female celebrity and idol to many young men and women. It was impossible for them to remain completely unmoved when such a person appeared before them.

After parking the car, Kimura Hiroshi got out and went to the trunk to get the various gifts he had brought back. Knowing that his relatives were coming, he had prepared a lot of gifts, and both of Kimura Hiroshi's hands were full.

"Brother Hiro, Brother Hiro..." When Kimura Hiro walked up to him, two young girls quickly greeted him, sweetly calling him "brother."

Although they hadn't seen each other for many years and had only met a few times before, Kimura Hiroshi still recognized them. He greeted them with a smile and then gave them a small gift, which made the two girls very happy.

After exchanging greetings, Kimura Hiroshi asked, "Sister, are there many relatives here today? Are there any difficult ones?"

"What nonsense are you talking about? They're all family, my uncle and my mother's relatives. There's no one difficult to deal with. You haven't seen your relatives for years, and you're talking bad about them. Be careful, or I'll tell on you," said Kimura Ryo, her older sister, in an annoyed tone.

“That’s right, how can you speak ill of your relatives like that? That’s not good. Sister, when I go in later, remember to tell me how to address them. I need to be polite. Also, you two younger sisters should put in a good word for me.” Nakamori Akina was clearly not on Kimura Hiro’s side either. She seemed more comfortable in this kind of situation than Kimura Hiro, and quickly found three allies for herself.

Kimura Hiroshi was somewhat bewildered, never expecting that Nakamori Akina possessed such formidable interpersonal skills. However, since it was Nakamori Akina who was being tested today, it was a good thing if she could adapt so well; at least she wouldn't feel too uncomfortable later.

"Okay, it's my fault. I shouldn't have spoken ill of my relatives. Let's hurry inside, it's getting late, they must be getting impatient." Kimura Hiroshi surrendered, deciding to just go along with the women's arrangements.

Seeing that it was indeed almost time, and it wouldn't be good to keep the relatives waiting too long, Kimura Ryo led the way, and they followed into the courtyard. Then, they opened the door to the living room and saw more than a dozen people sitting inside. Apart from Kimura Hiroshi's parents, the others were all relatives. As soon as the door opened, their eyes all turned to the entrance.

Faced with this situation, Hiroshi Kimura felt very uncomfortable. This was not a performance in front of fans; those present were all his relatives and even elders, so you had to be extra careful when interacting with them.

"Hiro and Akina are back! Come in and greet your relatives. They've been waiting for you for a long time. Hurry up and greet them," said Nobushi Kimura, the father, looking every bit the head of the household as he saw Hiro and Akina at the door.

Fortunately, Kimura Hiroshi still remembered who his relatives were, so he quickly pulled Nakamori Akina, who was whispering with her sister, over and greeted them one by one.

Kimura Hiroshi spoke first, followed by Nakamori Akina sweetly calling out to him. She showed no stage fright whatsoever, behaving with great politeness and without any awkwardness. She was quite elegant, and even the relatives nodded in approval, clearly very satisfied with Nakamori Akiyuki.

After calling everyone over, Akiko, the mother, immediately found seats for them and praised them, saying, "Akina did a great job, she has the demeanor of a young lady from a wealthy family."

"Hehe, thank you for the compliment, Aunt Akiko. I just made some preparations in advance." Nakamori Akina was very happy to receive the compliment.

After greeting everyone, Kimura Hiroshi presented the gifts he had brought back one by one, and then, holding Nakamori Akina's hand, said, "Dear elders, I have come back this time to tell you that I have decided to marry Ms. Akina, and the wedding date is set for April next year."

“Very good, Hiroshi, you are doing very well in the entertainment industry now. Although you are an entertainer, you have achieved some success. We are all happy for you. Now that you have achieved success in your career, getting married is also a very good thing. We have heard a lot about Ms. Akina beside you. She is a very good marriage partner. So we support your marriage.” The one who led the expression of support was the oldest elder in the Kimura family.

He clearly didn't like Kimura Hiroshi becoming an entertainer. After all, even in the 21st century, entertainers weren't considered a good status by large families in Japan. However, seeing his success and knowing that he was transitioning into a businessman, he didn't say much.

He expressed his support, and naturally, the others had no reason to object, so they all expressed their support as well. Faced with this situation, Kimura Hiroshi breathed a sigh of relief. Fortunately, there was no plot like in TV dramas, where when the male and female protagonists are about to get married, there are always so-called weird relatives who jump out and say things like, "You can't be together."

"Thank you for your support, elders. Please rest assured that after the wedding, I will definitely learn how to be a wife of the Kimura family and how to take care of my husband. I will not let you down." Seeing that everyone approved of their marriage, Nakamori Akina bowed to express her gratitude and said the words that the elders loved to hear.

Sure enough, when the elders heard Akina Nakamori say this, they all said, "Very good, Ms. Akina, Hiroshi is very lucky to have found a wife like you."

This scene left Kimura Hiroshi bewildered. When did Nakamori Akina become so good at responding and coaxing people? If he treats Nakamori Akina badly in the future, these relatives and elders will probably all side with her.