My daily life with the original diva

However, none of this concerned Hiroshi Kimura and his group. As soon as they entered the television station, the production crew came to pick them up and take them to the performance venue of "The Top Ten," where Hiroshi Kimura and the invited singers would rehearse.

The production team of this show has a huge backstage. The artists are divided into men and women, and each has a separate dressing room and dressing room. If they want to change clothes, there are also separate cubicles. So, Kimura Hiroshi did not see Nakamori Akina, but he did see Ms. Noriko waiting outside.

After exchanging a brief greeting with Ms. Noriko, Kimura Hiroshi entered the lounge, where he saw familiar faces he had met a few times: Itsuki Hiroshi, Tagen Toshihiko, as well as two enka-style bigwigs he wasn't very familiar with, and Kondo Masahiko, whom he least wanted to see.

The atmosphere in the dressing room wasn't very good. The bigwigs of the enka school were getting their looks done with the help of makeup artists, chatting as they did so. Meanwhile, Johnny's idols Toshihiko Tagen and Masahiko Kondo huddled to one side like quails, as quiet as chickens, not saying a word.

When Kimura Hiroshi entered, Toshihiko Tagen smiled and his eyes lit up, as if he wanted to greet him. As for Masahiko Kondo, he glanced at him but didn't look at him again, perhaps because he didn't dare, or perhaps because he disdained him.

Meanwhile, the enka faction saw Kimura Hiroshi. Before Kimura could even speak, Itsuki Hiroshi greeted him first, "Ah, our top kid Kimura has arrived. Mr. Okawa, Mr. Inagaki, let me introduce you to a very unique young man."

The bigwig had given him advance notice, so Kimura Hiroshi had no choice but to go over. However, he didn't speak very humbly. Instead, he said, "Thank you for the compliment, Mr. Itsuki. But compared to Mr. Itsuki, who earns more than 100 million yen in royalties every year, I am still far behind."

Two years ago, Hiroshi Itsuki's royalty income exceeded 100 million yen for the only time, which is a symbol of wealth and honor. Even big shots like to hear such things.

"You little rascal, alright, you'll surpass me in a couple of years. Remember to ask the agency for royalties early, don't be like some guys who are still on a fixed salary and can't even afford a car." It was all too obvious who he was referring to.

The two Johnny's idols next to him didn't dare to say a word in response, especially Kondo Masahiko, who was being targeted. He was probably the one who most wanted to buy a car here, after all, he was known as a race car driver.

Kimura Hiroshi was somewhat surprised to hear Itsuki Hiroshi's words. Did this big shot have a grudge against Johnny's or against Kondo Masahiko?

He seemed to remember that in the programs he watched in his later life, Itsuki Hiroshi seemed to dislike Kondo Masahiko. On many occasions, he said on the show in a half-joking, half-serious manner that Kondo Masahiko was no good. Although the host always smoothed things over, everyone could see that Itsuki Hiroshi did not like Kondo Masahiko, but liked Nakamori Akina very much.

Even when competing for the record award, the two did not become distant at all; on the contrary, they got along very well on the show.

Through Itsuki Hiroshi's introduction, Kimura Hiroshi learned that the two big names were Okawa Eisaku and Inagaki Junichi, both of whom were senior figures. However, Inagaki Junichi was not an enka singer, but a pop singer, although he had been involved in pop music since the 1970s.

The three bigwigs all had a very good impression of Hiroshi Kimura. Although he had previously pulled off a press conference, they thought it was just a matter of personality and nothing serious. They believed that a talented person couldn't create well without a bit of personality.

This allowed Kimura Hiroshi to see another side of these senior figures: as long as you have talent that they recognize, they don't mind if you do something unconventional. Instead, they think you have personality and that it suits their taste.

Chapter 83 Don't Dislike Me for Being Clumsy

"Hey, Kimura-san, why are you hanging out with those old men?" The show rehearsal was about to begin, and all the artists who were going to perform that night had to go to the show venue. This gave Toshihiko Tagen a chance to talk to Hiroshi Kimura. He sneaked up to Hiroshi Kimura and spoke very softly, obviously afraid that the old men would hear him.

Turning around and glancing at him, Kimura Hiroshi patted him on the shoulder and said, "Taiyuan-san, don't forget, you're a senior in my eyes, an old man."

These words made Toshihiko Tagen roll his eyes. It's true that he debuted in 79, and compared to Hiroshi Kimura, who was born in 83, he can be considered a senior. But he can't be considered an old man, after all, he's only in his twenties.

"Damn Kimura kid, I'm not that much older than you. Alright, I didn't come to talk to you about this. I just wanted to invite you to hang out after the show tonight. There will be lots of young and beautiful juniors there." As he said this, Toshihiko Tagen winked, making his meaning very clear.

In his past life, this kind of event would have been his favorite, but now he couldn't go even if he wanted to. Tian Yuanjunyan was a member of Johnny's Entertainment, and who knew if this event was a trap set by Johnny's? He had to firmly refuse.

"Ah, I really didn't expect Senior Tianyuan to be this kind of person. I would never go to such a strange place." After saying that, she took two quick steps forward and shook off the guy.

Seeing Kimura Hiroshi's serious expression, Toshihiko Tagen was stunned for a moment, but he quickly recovered, "You little coward, you're still pretending to be serious here. I don't believe you don't like beautiful women."

Upon arriving at the show's location, Hiroshi Kimura witnessed firsthand the extravagance of neon lights in this era: a huge stage with dazzling neon lights behind it, and a massive performance space for a large accompanying orchestra—none of these things are cheap.

Here, Kimura Hiroshi met Nakamori Akina, whom he hadn't seen before, as well as the invited female singers. However, there was only one he recognized: Matsuda Seiko. This time, she seemed to have brought her boyfriend, Go Hiromi, a male idol from the previous era.

Johnny's is really something else. Hiromi Go found Seiko Matsuda, and then wanted Masahiko Kondo to find Akina Nakamori. Haha, if you said it was a coincidence, probably no one would believe it.

"Kimura-san!" The injured Nakamori Akina was sitting in the empty guest seats below the stage. When she saw Kimura Hiroshi, she greeted him and waved her arm so that Kimura Hiroshi wouldn't miss her.

Although he wanted to avoid Nakamori Akina, he couldn't bring himself to do it. He walked over and sat down next to her. Looking at her right leg, which had been unsupported, he asked with concern, "Are you alright, Akina-san? If it's really too much, I think I can ask to finish the song sitting down."

Akina Nakamori enjoyed Kimura Hiroshi's concern, but when she heard his advice, she couldn't help but laugh. "What kind of idol sings while sitting down? It's no problem. Besides, if I sing while sitting down, there's no rhythm, and I'll easily forget the lyrics. I'll embarrass myself then."

It seems that perfect singing has always been Nakamori Akina's pursuit. When she sings well, she will smile happily, but if she sings poorly or forgets the lyrics, she will cry on stage. Except for songs with specific emotions, you can tell whether she sings well or not just by looking at her face.

Having a strong work ethic is a good thing, but sometimes it can push you too hard, and if not careful, you can break down. So Hiroshi Kimura couldn't express his support, but instead said, "Even if you're sitting down and singing, even if you forget the lyrics, I'll still like it, because it's you, Akina-san."

Unexpectedly, Kimura Hiroshi said something like that. Nakamori Akina was stunned for a moment, her eyes welling up with tears. She lightly hit him, "Hmph, you said you had no dating experience, but you can say such gentle things. Hurry up and confess, did you often deceive girls in school?"

“Yes, that’s what they often say. They’re not as easy to fool as Akina-san,” Kimura Hiroshi echoed her words.

"Ah, you're actually saying I'm stupid? Watch me..." She raised her fist as if to hit someone, but then she noticed that many people's attention seemed to be drawn to her, so she quickly withdrew her hand and quietly nudged Kimura Hiroshi.

"You can't look down on me for being stupid, understand?" Nakamori Akina said very seriously.

Nodding, Kimura Hiroshi agreed. The young girl had a strong sense of self-respect and didn't want to be disliked.

The two were chatting happily, which naturally attracted the attention of those around them. Since the young man and woman were getting along so well, their first guess was whether the two were in love.

Hiroshi Kimura is currently a top male idol, and Akina Nakamori is no less so. If these two were to fall in love, it would definitely be a huge entertainment headline. However, they simply cannot be sure unless paparazzi can take photos of the two meeting in private. Even if they were to chat happily in a public place, it wouldn't be considered evidence because there are many ways to deny it.

The two of them chatted happily, and others were probably just curious about their relationship. But there was one person who was different. That was Masahiko Kondo, who was not far away. He was staring at the two of them from behind, and his jealousy was churning inside him.

But he only dared to watch; as for doing anything, he was too cowardly to do anything unless he had that old woman Mary backing him up.

Standing next to him, Toshihiko Tagen had no idea what one of his colleagues was thinking. Seeing Hiroshi Kimura and Akina Nakamori being so intimate, he suddenly realized and unconsciously said, "This kid has a crush on Akina-san. No wonder he's afraid to go out and have fun. Humph, what a coward."

He spoke softly, but Kondo Masahiko still heard him. This ignited Kondo Masahiko's emotions. He didn't have the guts to do anything to Kimura Hiroshi and Nakamori Akina, but he certainly had the guts to do anything to Tagen Toshihiko.

"You brat, didn't I tell you not to get too close to that guy? How dare you disobey me?" The two's manager and assistant were right next to them, but he didn't give them any face at all and gave Tian Yuanjun a good scolding.

Stunned, Toshihiko Tagen had no idea what was wrong with Masahiko Kondo. It was one thing for him to boss them around in private, but now he was actually cursing at him in front of so many people.

It's worth noting that he's been much more popular than Masahiko Kondo this year. He's even made it into the top ten of the record sales charts. Kondo's appearance at the top ten year-end review event was partly due to Johnny's Entertainment's support, but also partly due to his own reasons, as there was a program where the two of them would perform together, which was of course arranged by his agency.

"Do I need your permission to hang out with whomever I want? Even the agency doesn't have that requirement. Kondo, you're meddling way too much." Without backing down, Toshihiko Tagen retorted directly.

He used to be more popular than Kondo Masahiko, and with Mary backing him up, he could tolerate it. But now that Kondo is almost forgotten, he's become even more ruthless towards him, showing him no respect in front of others. So he shouldn't blame him.

Unexpectedly, this guy who had always been somewhat timid in front of him dared to talk back. Kondo Masahiko, who was already in a bad mood, could not tolerate it. His anger exploded, and he said loudly, "How dare you talk to me like that? I'm the one who made you famous. You ungrateful wretch, apologize to me right now!"

Back then, they were a group formed by Johnny's Entertainment, starring in the drama "3rd Year Class B". The group had three members: Masahiko Kondo, Toshihiko Tagen, and Yoshio Nomura. Masahiko Kondo, who was the main member, became popular first, which also helped Toshihiko Tagen and the others to become popular. Now, Kondo is using that seniority to suppress him.

However, Tian Yuanjunyan was actually quite disdainful of this matter, saying, "You still dare to bring this up? If it weren't for you relying on Mary, who knows who would have become famous first? Don't think that no one knows about your relationship with Mary."

This was like tearing down Kondo Masahiko's last veil of pretense. The Johnny's managers and assistants nearby heard it all, and everyone's eyes widened as if they had heard some incredible gossip. For a moment, they even forgot to stop the two from arguing in public.

Enraged, Kondo Masahiko took a few steps forward and was about to punch Tagen Toshihiko in the face, but Tagen Toshihiko dodged it. Their manager and assistant quickly came over to pull them back.

But their commotion caused quite a stir, drawing the attention of those who were originally focused on Hiroshi Kimura and Akina Nakamori. Seeing the two from the same agency at loggerheads, their gossipy nature kicked in, and they widened their eyes, ready to watch the show. This included Hiroshi Kimura and Akina Nakamori themselves.

Unfortunately, they didn't get to see the show, because the two were quickly dragged away. These agents and assistants weren't stupid; if they let them fight like that, they would lose their jobs when they got back.

Chapter 84 Is there something wrong with their aesthetic sense?

Despite the incident, it didn't affect the show's rehearsal. The two of them came out from backstage shortly afterward, probably after being reprimanded by their manager. Although they still ignore each other, they haven't had any further conflicts. Their performance during the rehearsal went smoothly, though their expressions seemed a bit unnatural.

This really disappointed Kimura Hiroshi. If those two had started fighting, it would have made headlines tomorrow, and Kondo Masahiko would probably have been completely forgotten and might even have to leave the entertainment industry. Now that they haven't fought, he can continue to dabble around for a while. It's really infuriating; just seeing him makes me inexplicably irritated.

Also, those guys who take photos secretly haven't taken any bombshell pictures lately. Their efficiency is really bad. If they could take pictures, they would send them to the media and create a big news story so that this guy would disappear from sight completely.

The rehearsal lasted all afternoon, mainly to ensure that there would be no mistakes during the live broadcast. After two rounds of rehearsals, once it was confirmed that there were no problems, the TV station arranged for them to have a simple dinner, after which the live broadcast program would take place that night.

The top ten rankings are based on a combination of three factors: album sales, TV song requests, and cable airplay for each artist. Hiroshi Kimura's two singles, "The Most Important Thing" and "Gaining Through Losing," ranked first and third, respectively.

The second place went to Eisaku Okawa, whom I just met, with "Camellia Hotel" selling 106 million copies. It's a song about falling in love with a married woman in an illicit affair. It seems that Japanese people really like this kind of theme, and many songs of this type have become hits.

As for Akina Nakamori, only one of her songs made it into the top ten, namely "Forbidden Zone," released in September, which ranked eighth. As for Toshihiko Tagen, he was stuck in the precarious position of tenth place, which is still quite good, at least he was able to make it into the top ten despite the unprecedented blow from Hiroshi Kimura.

The program not only has year-end rankings, but also awards certificates and medals. Kimura Hiroshi doesn't really care about that. If he received a large bonus or something, he might be happier.

As a newcomer who just debuted this year, his achievements naturally attracted the attention of everyone present. Kimura Hiroshi ran up and down the stage, sang twice, and received awards twice. It would be impossible for him not to attract attention.

When Kimura Hiroshi was leaving the stage after receiving the award, he passed by Kondo Masahiko twice, deliberately stopping in front of him and glancing at him out of the corner of his eye twice, blatantly provoking the guy.

He wasn't too afraid of what this guy might do to him. Kondo was notorious for bullying the weak and fearing the strong. When he first started out, this guy dared to talk tough to him, but now he probably wouldn't dare even if he had ten times the courage. Without an older woman, apart from being good-looking, he was pretty useless.

Sure enough, the guy stood there, not even daring to glare at him, instead his eyes darted away. But seeing this, Toshihiko secretly gave him a thumbs up. The guy must think he was helping him get revenge. Ha, this kid doesn't even know how big his nose is.

Fortunately, in such a setting, Kimura Hiroshi didn't dare to go too far. He could only launch a psychological attack. If there were no cameras backstage, Kimura Hiroshi would have resorted to verbal attacks.

Hiroshi Kimura was having a good time, but Akina Nakamori wasn't so lucky. Her leg injury hadn't fully healed, and being a perfectionist, she made some very exaggerated dance moves when she went on stage. The pain made her face look very unnatural, but she still had to do it.

"You're really disobedient. If I could, I would definitely spank you." Kimura Hiroshi watched from below, feeling both sorry for her and angry. This girl could be incredibly stubborn at times, the kind who wouldn't listen to any advice.

Fortunately, the singing only lasted two minutes. After she finished singing, she walked down the steps unnaturally. Ms. Noriko was waiting there. When she saw her come down, she immediately went over to help her. Fortunately, nothing unexpected happened.

As she stepped off the stage, seemingly sensing Kimura Hiroshi's gaze, she smiled and waved to him, indicating that she was alright.

At 10 p.m., the show finally ended, and the two got into the car to go back to the agency. Looking at Akina Nakamori, who was grimacing as she lifted her leg, Hiroshi Kimura wondered how she had managed to put on such a performance.

She might cry when she's in a bad mood, or she might cry when she's in a good mood, but sometimes she's so resilient that she can endure any pain, suffering, or exhaustion. She's truly remarkable, making people feel both sorry for her and admire her.

He took a piece of chocolate from inside the car and put it in her mouth, saying, "Eating something sweet will make it hurt less."

Chewing on the chocolate that was suddenly stuffed into her mouth, Akina Nakamori's eyes narrowed into slits with a smile. "Thank you, Kimura-san, it's so sweet."

"Be a little kinder to yourself in the future, don't push yourself so hard, okay? Just like me, relax a bit." This was practically a request from Kimura Hiroshi.

How could Nakamori Akina not understand what Kimura Hiroshi meant? She sighed, “If I were as good as Kimura-san, it would be fine to relax a little. But I’m a bit ordinary. Like the president said, I’m not the kind of person who’s very good-looking. I can only rely on singing, and I have to sing well and achieve the best performance.”

I'm starting to wonder if there's something wrong with my aesthetic sense. Hanami Kagami said that Nakamori Akina isn't that good-looking? What kind of twisted world is this?

"Mr. Akiyuki, did President Hanami really say that Akina-san isn't good-looking?" Kimura Hiroshi decided to get a more definite answer from Akiyuki Yoshizawa.

Sitting in the front row, Akiyuki Yoshizawa answered naturally, "Ah, yes, that's true. Back then, Akina-san wasn't particularly outstanding among the newcomers, but in the last two years, she's become more and more beautiful and has started to exude a woman's charm."

"Thank you for the compliment, Mr. Akiyuki." Hearing this reply, Akina Nakamori was even happier.

Only Hiroshi Kimura was in a daze at this moment. The aesthetic sense of these Japanese people is really something else. It's starting to go astray now. Fortunately, it's not too bad. As Akina slowly grows up, they also begin to discover her beauty. However, the obsession with perfect singing seems to be deeply imprinted in Akina Nakamori's heart.

Sitting next to him, Akina Nakamori seemed to sense that something was wrong with Hiroshi Kimura, and thought that her answer might have worried him, so she quickly said, "What's wrong, Kimura-san? Don't worry, I promise you, I won't be so stubborn in the future, okay?"

"Yes, that's for the best. I'm fine. I need to calm down and correct my worldview." Kimura Hiroshi said that he had seen a different world again today and needed to calm down properly.

Chapter 85 Returning to the Old Home of Kasugabe

After participating in the top ten year-end program, on the 29th, Hiroshi Kimura and Akina Nakamori participated in the best ten year-end program. On the last day of 83, Hiroshi Kimura went to the Recording Awards ceremony, while Akina Nakamori went to the Kohaku Uta Gassen to prepare for the live broadcast of the Kohaku Uta Gassen that evening.

Kimura Hiroshi originally thought he would only receive an Outstanding Newcomer Award, but he unexpectedly won the Best Newcomer Award, which was a pleasant surprise.

Similarly, at the Kohaku Uta Gassen (Red and White Song Battle), Akina Nakamori was selected as a representative of the new generation of singers and delivered a singer's declaration before the concert alongside veteran singer Eisaku Okawa, earning her great honor.

However, on this memorable day, the two didn't even have time to talk on the phone. They finished their work at two or three in the morning. It wasn't until the next morning that they finally made a phone call to wish each other a Happy New Year.

As 1984 officially began, Kimura Hiroshi was granted a seven-day holiday. He had to return to his hometown in Saitama because his sister had called that morning, saying that if he didn't come back for the New Year, his family would be coming to Tokyo in a couple of days.

Compared to Hiroshi Kimura, who had a week to spend the New Year, Akina Nakamori was rather pitiful, as she only had two days of rest because her new single, "Kita no Tsubasa," which she personally named, was officially released on New Year's Day.

She was injured during the rehearsal for the Red and White Song Festival. Coupled with the busy year-end season, her new single did not receive enough promotion. Neither Ken-On nor Warner Music gave her much time to rest, and she had to get back to work as soon as possible.

Kimura Hiroshi originally planned to take the Shinkansen (bullet train) back to Saitama, but Ken-on was worried and had his assistant, Michiko, and another staff member drive him back themselves, as the two places are not far apart.

His hometown is Kasukabe City in Saitama Prefecture, which is the legendary home of Crayon Shin-chan. Kasukabe City is actually located within the Tokyo metropolitan area, but old Tokyoites are particular about authenticity and do not acknowledge that this rural city belongs to Tokyo. Similarly, the people of Kasukabe City, which belongs to Saitama Prefecture, do not want to admit that they are Tokyoites.

The actual driving time from Tokyo to Kasukabe City is only about two hours, while the Shinkansen takes just over an hour.