My daily life with the original diva

After writing down the lyrics and music, Hiroshi Kimura started thinking about summer songs again. There were just too many to list. For example, Akina-san's next single, "South Wind," was confirmed to be a summer song. If he were to write a summer song for Momoko Kikuchi now, wouldn't that be stealing market share from his girlfriend?

"Oh no, oh no, why didn't I think of that? What if Akina-san finds out? Will she be angry?" Kimura Hiroshi suddenly realized that this was a very serious problem.

Both are releasing songs in April, and both have a summer theme. If VAP is confirmed to release a summer-themed song, then it will truly be a competition. However, even at the height of her popularity, Kikuchi Momoko could not compare to Nakamori Akina, and this is even more true now. She is still just a slightly popular idol who has not officially debuted. In terms of competition, she has no strength at all right now.

However, in order to avoid having too much of an impact on Akina Nakamori's new single, Hiroshi Kimura decided to play a little trick. Instead of choosing any summer songs that were too famous, he decided to send the summer song that Tetsuya Hayashi wrote for Momoko Kikuchi in 86 to Momoko Kikuchi two years in advance. This was called returning the song to its rightful owner.

This summer song is also Kikuchi Momoko's best and most popular song. Choosing it is very suitable for Kikuchi Momoko. The single has a sweet style, but it is not very famous, so it is unlikely to make much of an impact. I just don't know if it will be selected.

With the two songs decided, Kimura Hiroshi breathed a sigh of relief. "It's settled. I have some things to take care of the day after tomorrow. I'll have Mr. Tomioka send these two songs to VAP. They can decide how to choose. As long as I get paid, that's fine."

"Ring ring, ring ring." Just as Kimura Hiroshi put down his pen, preparing to watch a Hong Kong movie before going to sleep, the phone rang.

There's only one person who would call him this late, and that's Nakamori Akina. Unless it's too late or she can't call, she'll call him after a busy day, and she's happy even if it's just to say a few words.

Because her new single has a summer theme, she went to Guam for some filming these past two days. In March, Guam, which is close to the equator, is already very hot, and as a resort destination, it is truly full of summer charm.

"Moshi, Moshi, Ms. Nakamori, who is currently on an expedition in Guam, is calling Mr. Kimura in Tokyo. Should I answer?" Nakamori Akina's feigned serious voice came from the other end.

"An adventure, is it an adventure to the summer beach with a large group of photographers? Ah, that's possible, but there's a risk of getting a tan, and I don't like Akina-san being all dark-skinned." Kimura Hiro played along with her trick, but showed no mercy by exposing her.

A voice came through the phone, gritting its teeth, saying, "A tanned Akina is still Akina, you can't help but like her."

“Okay, but it has to be renamed Black Vegetable first,” Kimura Hiroshi said, going along with her suggestion.

"Ugh, you're so annoying, Kimura-san! I won't get tanned! I put on sunscreen, I haven't forgotten what you told me!" Nakamori Akina gave in and started to whine and beg for mercy.

Influenced by Europe and America, for some reason, tanning has gradually become popular. People believe that it is good for the skin. However, in reality, most East Asians have relatively delicate skin. People with cool-toned fair skin like Akina Nakamori cannot be exposed to too much sun, otherwise their skin will age rapidly.

A typical example of someone who got sunburned is Shizuka Kudo. Because she and her husband Takuya Kimura both like surfing, and Takuya Kimura thinks that makeup will pollute the seawater, Shizuka Kudo surfs without makeup or sunscreen, and is often exposed to the sun on the beach.

In her forties, her skin started to deteriorate, which was especially noticeable when she sang alongside idol singer Chisato Moritaka, who was even older than her. She looked like she was more than ten years older than Moritaka. In her fifties, she maintained a good figure and face shape, but her skin had aged terribly.

Hearing that Nakamori Akina had taken good care of herself, Kimura Hiroshi was relieved. Not forgetting to give her a little treat, he said, "That's the best Akina-san. Well then, when you come back, I'll give you a surprise at the right time."

"A surprise? What kind of surprise?" Nakamori Akina immediately perked up; she was clearly looking forward to it.

"Would it still be a surprise if I told you? I can't tell you, I can't tell you." Kimura Hiroshi spoke in riddles.

This really tormented Akina Nakamori. During the rest of the conversation, she would ask questions every three sentences. When that didn't work, she would try to probe indirectly, but Hiroshi Kimura just wouldn't say anything. Finally, he hung up the phone, saying it was too late and he needed to rest. Akina Nakamori's wailing could be heard from the other end.

Chapter 118 Successful Sale

After finishing his workday, on the way back from the TV station, Hiroshi Kimura took out two songs he had written the night before and handed them to Yukio Tomioka.

"This is what I wrote last night. Please have Mr. Tomioka submit it to VAP for review tomorrow. If they are satisfied, I will sign the contract in two days. If they are not satisfied, please have Mr. Tomioka record their requirements and I will revise them accordingly," Kimura Hiroshi instructed.

Having received the two songs, Yukio Tomioka had calmly accepted Hiroshi Kimura's songwriting speed. He had always been this fast; at the last press conference, he could write a song in just over half an hour, so writing two songs in one night was perfectly normal.

The first song on the list is "Graduation," which was the first style discussed with VAP yesterday. Yukio Tomioka listened to it carefully. Compared to Hiroshi Kimura's own songs, which are either fast-paced or have extremely difficult singing techniques, this song is obviously very gentle.

However, after humming along to the melody for a couple of lines, Yukio Tomioka discovered that the song was truly captivating. First of all, the melody was incredibly beautiful, carrying a subtle and melancholic sadness. The lyrics were the same, gentle and beautiful, as if pulling one back to that afternoon when graduation was approaching and farewell was imminent. As a graduation song, its defining characteristic was its beauty—the beauty of the sadness of parting.

Putting that aside, the next song we'll discuss is a different style, a summery tune. I've listened to it several times carefully, and how should I put it? It's an excellent single, but it feels like it lacks Hiroshi Kimura's signature style. Kimura's previous pure pop songs were all very flavorful, like the one above, "Graduation." This summer song, however, is purely sweet, about a young girl's feelings, without that sense of experiencing the world.

"These two songs are really good. VAP will probably take a liking to them. Kimura-san, even if you don't want to sing, you'll definitely be a top-notch songwriter." Yukio Tomioka couldn't help but praise.

Hearing such praise so often gets tiresome, so Chief Kimura simply said, "Thank you for the compliment, Mr. Tomioka, but it depends on whether they are satisfied."

“If they’re not satisfied with these, then let them find someone else. There are definitely plenty of people willing to sing these two songs. But Kimura-san, this second song, Summer Rhapsody, is quite different from your usual compositional style. Is there something you’re worried about?” Yukio Tomioka couldn’t help but ask out of curiosity.

Scratching his head, Hiroshi Kimura said quite frankly, "Oh, yes, there is. I lowered my standards a little because I thought that Akina-san would also release a summer song in April. Besides, 'Girl's Heart' and Momoko-san are a perfect match."

Hearing this, Mieko, who was driving, was shocked. The car shook violently. Yukio Tomioka's eyes, which were not big to begin with, widened. Well, that's a strong enough reason. Young people really know how to have fun. He would do something like this for his girlfriend. Luckily, there were only the three of them here. If others heard this, they would probably curse Hiroshi Kimura for having no professional ethics.

The people in the car didn't say anything more. After dropping Kimura Hiroshi off at his apartment, Tomioka Yukio also went home to rest with his two singles, because it was already 11 p.m. and the recording of the program had been going on for far too long.

He goes to bed late, but Yukio Tomioka gets up early. That's how managers are; sometimes they work even harder than the artists. At eight o'clock in the morning, he contacts VAP on time to say that Hiroshi Kimura has finished writing the song and will send it over soon. They are quite surprised.

Ms. Mieko drove again, accompanied by a staff member from Ken-On. Kimura Hiroshi was reluctant to go, but the agency had to take this matter seriously because it was a collaboration between two agencies and could not be taken lightly, so they had to bring along a staff member from their agency.

"Mr. Tomioka, I didn't expect to see you again so soon. It's really a happy thing. Why didn't I see Kimura-san?" The person who greeted Yukio Tomioka was still the record producer, Watanabe Kawasaku, with a genuine smile on his face.

Of course, he couldn't say that he didn't know what Hiroshi Kimura had done today. Yukio Tomioka replied, "There are some issues with the filming of Kimura-san's movie, so he can't come today. I will take full responsibility for the song negotiations."

"I see. But it's amazing that Kimura-san wrote two songs so quickly. I wonder about the quality...?" Although Watanabe Kawasaku had witnessed Kimura Hiroshi's performance at the press conference, it was still a bit worrying that he had written two songs in just one day and one night.

Yukio Tomioka was not angry about this questioning, because this was actually the normal situation. He simply said, "Then please have Mr. Watanabe take a look at the song first. If you are not satisfied, you can talk to Mr. Kimura, and he can then make revisions or rewrite it."

With this assurance, Watanabe Kawasaku felt relieved and quickly said, "That's wonderful. Please come to the conference room, Mr. Tomioka, so we can review the song. Suzuki, go and call Momoko-chan over so we can try out the song."

In the conference room, Watanabe Kawasaku had already finished reviewing the two songs and was very satisfied. Both were excellent songs, and it was hard to imagine that someone could create them in just one night.

The songs had been handed over to Kikuchi Momoko, who looked at them intently with shining eyes and a strange feeling churning within her. These two songs were truly wonderful; Kimura-san was indeed a genius.

After a while, once she was sure she could sing, Kikuchi Momoko finally spoke, "Mr. Watanabe, Mr. Tomioka, I can sing now."

“Alright, Peach Sauce, let’s start with this graduation song.” Watanabe instructed Kikuchi Momoko.

Without any arrangement, only a cappella, Momoko Kikuchi took a deep breath and began to sing: "The buttons on the uniform chest, asked for by lower-grade students, I was clearly happy, but you ran away in circles, in the empty classroom in the afternoon, you carved your name on the desk, I whispered, don't do this, it's enough to keep the longing in your heart..."

It must be said that Momoko Kikuchi's vocal range is indeed average. This song only has a few high notes, which she seems to have some difficulty singing. However, overall there is no problem. With a little more practice, she can improve.

"Great! The melody is beautiful, and the lyrics are even better. They vividly depict the scene of parting on a graduation afternoon. It's beautiful, sentimental, and yet with a touch of resolute determination. It really makes me miss that afternoon of parting." Watanabe Kawasaku praised the song without reservation.

He then turned to Yukio Tomioka, stood up and said, "I was really shallow. Kimura-san is a true genius. He can write such a beautiful graduation song in just one night. He is an absolute top-notch composer. I apologize for my earlier doubts."

"It's nothing. We still need to be cautious about cooperation. There's another song, would you please sing it, Ms. Momoko?" Yukio Tomioka didn't seem to care much about what happened before; he just wanted to talk about cooperation.

The melody of this song is also very good, but the lyrics have become purely girlish sentiments, lacking the certain artistic conception of the previous graduation song, making it much more superficial. However, Momoko Kikuchi's performance is very smooth and appropriate, making it another excellent piece.

Watanabe was very satisfied with both songs, even more so than expected, which made him unsure which one to choose. However, this time he did not argue with the staff in the conference room.

“We want to sign both songs, one as the A-side and the other as the B-side. Since Kimura-san isn’t here, let’s just sign a preliminary contract, and then sign a formal contract when Kimura-san has time. What do you think?” Watanabe Kawasaku was very decisive and bought both songs directly.

Seeing how generous the other party was, Yukio Tomioka didn't hesitate at all. "That would be wonderful. I wish us a pleasant collaboration this time."

"Happy cooperation!"

Chapter 119 A Surprise Needs to Be Arranged

Senso-ji Temple, located in Taito Ward, Tokyo, is the oldest temple in Tokyo. Legend has it that in 628, a fisherman retrieved a small statue of Kannon from the sea and enshrined it, thus creating Senso-ji Temple. However, this is actually just a embellishment of the legend of Buddhism crossing the sea from Tang Dynasty China to Japan.

However, the Senso-ji Temple today is not just a simple temple. It was expanded by Tokugawa Ieyasu, the shogun of the Edo period, which made it a place of extraordinary status. It was a place of prayer for the wealthy and noble families, and holding a religious ceremony there would cost a lot.

Today it has become a large temple complex located in a bustling area of ​​Tokyo, surrounded by shops and amusement parks, and is the most famous temple in the Tokyo area.

As for the claim that Senso-ji Temple will have a fireworks display on April 2nd, that's completely untrue. Senso-ji Temple has never held a fireworks display in recent years. So, Kimura Hiroshi is here today to make his claim a reality, and of course, it's not just about the fireworks display.

Surprises never happen randomly; they require careful planning and even some coordination. To create a surprise at Senso-ji Temple, the first thing you need to do is win over the monks.

It's very easy to meet monks in temples. Monks in Japan can get married, drink alcohol and eat meat, and even conduct business. For example, they can clearly state how much it costs to hold a prayer ceremony at a temple or to perform a religious service outside the temple.

So when Kimura Hiroshi directly informed the temple that he wanted to hold a blessing ceremony, the temple's abbot immediately came to see him, because those who hold blessing ceremonies at the temple are considered big clients.

The abbot, whose Dharma name is Tianhai, is a chubby middle-aged monk. Japanese monks live a life of luxury and don't exercise much, which leads to many middle-aged monks being overweight. However, this also makes them appear kind and gentle, giving people a sense of closeness.

Upon hearing the abbot's Buddhist name, Kimura Hiroshi was eager to know his relationship with a certain actress, Amane Tsubasa, but ultimately refrained from asking.

The abbot was slightly displeased when he saw that the person who came to see him was a young man wearing large sunglasses. He glared at the novice monk who brought in Kimura Hiroshi. In this day and age, what young man would come to a temple to perform prayers and rituals? Not to mention, such a young man must not have any money. This was simply a waste of time.

"Amitabha, I heard that this young benefactor is going to hold a prayer ceremony. I wonder which elder in his family it is for?" Tianhai did not immediately send him away, but asked Kimura Hiroshi with the professional demeanor of a monk. The only possibility for a young person to come is that an elder in his family requested it.

Shaking his head, Kimura Hiroshi said directly, "Master Tenkai, I'm not here to perform a prayer ceremony."

"What's the point of coming here if you're not going to help with the ritual? It's a waste of time." Just as he was about to say something like "get rid of him," Kimura Hiroshi spoke up again.

“Abbot Tenkai, I would like to hold a fireworks display at Senso-ji Temple, and there are a few other small matters that require Senso-ji Temple's cooperation.”

Abbot Tenkai was even less willing to listen to the fireworks display. This kid was really just playing him for a fool, wasn't he? "Young benefactor, our Senso-ji Temple has never held any fireworks display before. You should know that this is an ancient temple. If a fire were to occur because of this, the consequences would be unimaginable."

An ancient temple? That ancient temple was bombed to pieces long ago. The current temple was rebuilt after the war, and he could even see traces of reinforced concrete inside some of the pillars.

"Five million yen, Master Tenkai, is that a reasonable price?" Kimura Hiroshi made the offer directly.

The more I try to cure it, the more I realize that although the prices are clearly stated for each ritual, no one would mention money so directly. Instead, they would say something like, "Thank you for your hard work," and then offer money for incense to Buddha. How could they say it so directly?

Five million yen is a generous sum, but as the abbot of Senso-ji Temple, he had seen this amount of money before. He said unhappily, "A fireworks display is impossible. Please leave, young benefactor."

"Ten million yen." Kimura Hiroshi immediately doubled the price. Five million yen was clearly not enough to make such a big fuss at Senso-ji Temple, so Kimura Hiroshi had prepared more than just that amount of money.

Upon hearing the figure of ten million yen, the young novice monks next to him gasped in shock. Even for large-scale Buddhist ceremonies, the reward was only one million yen. This price was equivalent to ten large-scale Buddhist ceremonies.

Tianhai, the host, was also wide-eyed. This kid was actually so rich? He had just refused, but the other party agreed just because they raised the price. Where would he put his face as the host?

“Amitabha, young benefactor, this is not about money at all. Senso-ji Temple will not hold a fireworks festival.” Tenkai composed himself and still refused.

Nodding, seemingly agreeing with Tenkai's statement, Kimura Hiroshi said, "Alright, in that case, I'll be going now."

After saying that, he turned around and left without any hesitation, quickly walking out of the temple's reception room.

Seeing Kimura Hiroshi leave so quickly, the host, Tenkai, was dumbfounded. Just a moment ago, this man seemed determined to achieve his goal, but now he's saying he's not going to do it anymore and running away so fast.

Thinking back to how he had just refused ten million yen, he felt a pang of heartache. He knew that with that money, they might need to hold a grand Buddhist ceremony that lasted for more than half a year.

Just as he accepted the result and was about to leave the meeting room, a figure suddenly appeared at the door of the meeting room. It was none other than Kimura Hiroshi, who had just left, which made the host, Tenkai, stunned.

Standing at the door, Kimura Hiroshi, wearing sunglasses, asked, "Master Tenkai, is 15 million yen a acceptable price?"

The price was raised again, and the host, Tenkai, didn't even have time to react, because Kimura Hiroshi's behavior was so strange that he couldn't process it for a moment.

Seeing that Master Tenkai did not reply, Kimura Hiroshi took it as a refusal and said, "Excuse me, since Master Tenkai is unwilling, I will leave."

After saying that, he disappeared through the door again, leaving two monks in the reception room who were completely confused about what was going on.

"Abbot, it's 15 million yen! Why don't you agree? That's almost as much as the temple's annual income from its religious ceremonies!" The young novice was puzzled and anxious, because if he received this money, he would also get a share, although it would be much less than what the abbot would receive, it would still be quite substantial.

Tenkai couldn't very well admit that he hadn't realized what was happening. He was also heartbroken that 15 million yen had slipped away, but in order to maintain his authority as the abbot, he loudly rebuked, "Damn it! How can we threaten the temple for money? Besides, that kid came back once, he'll definitely come back a second time. We'll see what price he offers then."

But things didn't go as he expected. The morning passed and Kimura Hiroshi didn't show up. Noon passed and Kimura Hiroshi still hadn't appeared. This made Tenkai increasingly anxious. The usually approachable man actually scolded two novice monks who weren't taking their work seriously.

He wondered if the kid had gone to find another temple. After all, there's more than one temple in Tokyo, and it would be easy to find another one. So, he must have lost 15 million yen today.

As the temple's closing time drew closer, Tianhai became increasingly certain that the young man would not return, which made him even more disappointed. Just as he was about to go to rest, he saw a young novice monk bringing the familiar young man over.

Upon seeing the young man again, Master Tianhai was overjoyed, for it meant the money had been returned.

"Master Tenkai, twelve million yen, that's the most I can offer." Kimura Hiroshi actually quoted a price even lower than before.

Abbot Tianhai, who was initially delighted to have his money back, suddenly turned grim and became displeased. "Amitabha! Just now, the benefactor was willing to donate 15 million yen incense money to Guanyin Bodhisattva. Why are you going back on your word now?"

"Ah, I just asked the other Bodhisattvas and Buddhas, and they said it would only cost ten million. I'll give an extra two million yen because Guanyin Bodhisattva is such a beautiful woman, as a token of my respect." This implies that if you don't do it, someone else will; other Bodhisattvas aren't as expensive as you.

He gritted his teeth, filled with hatred. Just because he wasn't careful, he had lost three million yen. He wanted to slap himself twice.