wavenovel Chapter 1243, page 1252: By the way, does Naoki-san have one more job to do?
Chapter 1243, page 1252: By the way, does Naoki-san have one more job to do?
Chapter 1243, page 1252: By the way, Naoki-san, is there another job you need to do?
"Shuichi-san, do you know anything about that Councilor Hata Tsutomu?"
On the way back from the hearing, Naoki Nagayama and Shuichi Itō rode in the same car.
"Hata Zi"
During this time, Shuichi Itō enhanced his understanding of the political parties within the House of Representatives, gaining a clearer understanding of the factions within the ruling party.
"He was one of the key early members of the 'Keiseikai' established by Takeshita Noboru, one of the younger generation of key figures in the Liberal Democratic Party."
"So, his obstruction was at the behest of the Takeshita faction?"
Naoki Nagayama found the member's question on the spot rather strange. He had thought that after improving his relationship with Koichi Hamada, the resistance from within the Liberal Democratic Party should no longer exist.
“I don’t know,” Shuichi Itō shook his head. “However, the current prime minister is still Nakasone, who belongs to the Tanaka faction. The Takeshita faction’s establishment of the ‘Keisekai’ is tantamount to setting up their own faction within the party, and their relationship with the Tanaka faction is tense.”
Shuichi Itō's tone was slightly softer:
"I heard that due to the constant suppression by the Tanaka faction, Takeshita Noboru harbored deep resentment towards them and had long harbored the idea of breaking away from them. Before he established the 'Keiseikai', he had already gathered young and promising party members to create the 'Sōjōkai'."
It's said that when this "Founding Association" was established, Tanaka Kakuei, the true core of the Tanaka faction, was so angry that he suffered a stroke and was hospitalized, and he still hasn't been discharged!
"Forehead"
No way! He's a political heavyweight who's been in the political arena for decades, how could he be so temperamental?!
Naoki Nagayama found it somewhat amusing, but he also knew that it was probably a far-fetched connection made by others, linking Tanaka's illness with the Takeshita faction.
"Sigh, it seems that 'subordinates overthrowing superiors' is not uncommon in politics!"
After making some jokes, Naoki Nagayama frowned again:
"Although this hearing was successful, the subsequent House vote might still present obstacles."
"Naoki-san, don't worry too much."
Shuichi Itō said rather casually,
"The Takeshita faction is busy preparing for the next prime ministership, so they won't make a big fuss about opposing a proposal with high approval ratings at this time."
"maybe"
Perhaps influenced by various Western movies, Naoki Nagayama has a poor impression of politicians, believing that most of them are liars who will not give up until they achieve their goals.
However, no matter what the Takeshita faction wants, he has a safety net.
That would be to expose the Recruit bribery case directly, causing the Takeshita faction to be overwhelmed and have no time to deal with other matters in the short term.
After having lunch at a random spot, Naoki Nagayama returned to the Tree Friends Building. He briefly dealt with promotional matters for "Departures," and after considering the outcome of the "Proposal," he realized there was nothing else he needed to pay attention to.
I slumped onto the leather sofa in the office and spaced out for a while.
The test screening of "Departures" has ended, and we're just waiting for its official release. During this time, he only needs to cooperate with some promotional activities and has no intention of going on roadshows everywhere.
So, you could say he's on vacation!
"Now I can finally rest comfortably!"
Naoki Nagayama used his waist to pull himself up from his reclining position on the sofa.
"go home!"
"But before you go home, go and see those who are still working hard!"
Thinking this, Naoki Nagayama walked toward Otomo Yoshimura's office to visit his friend, a model worker.
"Otomo-san huh?"
Upon opening the office door, Naoki Nagayama was surprised to find that Otomo Yoshimura had taken out his elaborate tea set and was leisurely boiling water to brew tea!
"How come you're so relaxed?! You're even making tea?"
For some reason, the tone of his words was a little sour, and Naoki Nagayama's gaze towards Otomo Yoshimura was filled with the look of "I didn't expect you to betray us too."
"Why can't I make tea?!"
Yoshimura Daitomo replied calmly. In fact, Itō Shuichi had just come and said that the hearing had gone very smoothly. Yoshimura Daitomo immediately realized that at this stage, Nagayama Naoki was completely fine!
Then he'll revert to his old, lazy, and indifferent mode!
This is absolutely unacceptable!
That's why we've developed this current behavior.
"As one of the top managers of the Tree Friends, it's only natural that my subordinates should handle the matters. I can simply sit back and relax!"
"."
There was nothing wrong with that statement, but Naoki Nagayama still felt uneasy. Looking at Yoshimura Otomo at that moment was like an old landlord seeing his long-term servant slacking off.
Alas, after so many years of affluent life in Japan, it seems that the feudal landlord mentality has still affected Naoki Nagayama's pure heart!
"Ahem. What Otomo-san said makes sense."
Naoki Nagayama could only join Otomo Yoshimura's tea party, and casually asked,
"Don't you need to worry about Shizuka Kudo's nationwide tour?"
"Ah, Yamin-kun is already very skilled at handling these kinds of things. Just follow the steps."
"What about Izumi Sakai's first concert?"
"The team that's in charge, consisting of Yuuto Horiuchi and Kiyoki Nishioka, is something I only need to keep an eye on when I have some free time."
Yoshimura Otomo, without stopping, poured Nagayama Naoki a cup of tea.
"Come, Naoki-san, have some tea."
Naoki Nagayama instinctively took the teacup, and the refreshing aroma of tea wafted up.
This is the finest Kyoto Uji tea!
Its vibrant green color and rich, mellow aftertaste are invigorating, and when paired with delicate wagashi (Japanese sweets) and sweets, it's an absolute delight, perfect for relaxing and enjoying life in the afternoon.
For a moment, the office was filled with the aroma of tea and a relaxing atmosphere. Yoshimura Otomo leaned back on the sofa, squinting his eyes and enjoying the sunlight on his skin; the wrinkles on his face seemed to have smoothed out a lot.
The teacup and tea stand made a crisp clinking sound when they touched, which brought Yoshimura Otomo back to his senses!
"Oh dear! I almost got addicted myself!"
Looking at Naoki Nagayama, who was equally relaxed beside him, Yoshimura Otomo quickly shook his head. As expected, what can be used to test cadres is never just wine and women!
"Ahem. Naoki-san, is there nothing else to worry about?"
"what"
Naoki Nagayama nodded casually.
"With 'Departures' and 'The Proposal' projects now finished, it's time for me to take a good rest. I'll go home and spend some quality time with Hana-chan. She's even able to go out shopping now!"
"Oh? Kids really do grow up very quickly."
Yoshimura Otomo sighed for a moment, then asked, seemingly casually,
"So when is the Jurassic Park project, which was mentioned earlier for the second half of the year, scheduled to start? It's already July!"
Upon hearing this, Naoki Nagayama paused in his tea-drinking motion.
"Please wait a moment, I just finished filming 'Departures'!"
"Yes, you're right!" Yoshimura Otomo nodded. "We really shouldn't have kept spinning like that."
"Yep!"
"."
After a brief silence, Yoshimura Otomo asked again, seemingly casually:
"By the way, Naoki-san, are you starting to prepare for this year's Tokyo International Film Festival? October isn't far away."
"Ah, the Tokyo International Film Festival! Yes, it's time to start preparations!"
Seeing Naoki Nagayama's somewhat embarrassed expression, Yoshimura Otomo continued:
"This year marks the first year of the Tokyo Film Industry Association's establishment, and with the proposal in place, we need to plan even better!"
"Yeah"
Naoki Nagayama's face betrayed his bitterness, and he could only agree.
At this point, the tea in the cup seemed to have turned bitter, but there was nothing I could do but drink it.
After a while:
"By the way, Naoki-san, about the film's overseas distribution that we talked about before, and the acquisition of an overseas distribution company, you should also keep an eye on that, right? I think it's Paramount or something else. After all, if 'Departures' is aiming for an Oscar, its international recognition is very important."
".right."
Naoki Nagayama put down his teacup, his face stiff, and could only nod silently. This was indeed quite important.
"By the way, Naoki-san, shouldn't the Slam Dunk manga be resuming? And shouldn't we keep an eye on the progress of My Neighbor Totoro? Will it be released by the end of the year?!"
"."
Seeing that the heat wasn't quite right, Yoshimura Otomo paused for a moment and then spoke again.
"By the way, Naoki-san, you're about to start preparing for the second season of 'Neon Voice'. Fujiwara Kazuhisa has asked me several times already. What do you think of the choice of mentors?"
"!!!"
Naoki Nagayama stood up abruptly, his face serious.
"Otomo-san, I suddenly remembered that I have a novel idea that I haven't written down yet. I need to go back and write it down right away, or I'll forget it!"
"Hey, hey? Naoki-san, I have paper and pen here."
"No, no!" Naoki Nagayama quickly walked towards the door. "My handwriting is unfamiliar; I need something I'm used to using in my home study."
"Otomo-san, I'll head back now."
Why aren't you leaving yet? I haven't even finished a cup of tea and you've already arranged four or five things. If I stay any longer, I'll become a cog in a meat and blood factory for the rest of the year!
"Autumn beans and sacks."
Yoshimura Otomo stood up to see him off, and was still talking as he reached the door.
"Naoki-san, don't forget to come to the company tomorrow! I have a lot to discuss with you. If you don't come, I'll come to Yamaoin to find you!"
"."
Naoki Nagayama quickened his pace again. He wanted to get as far away from Otomo Yoshimura as possible!
After the elevator doors closed, the door to Shuichi Itō's office next door opened, revealing Itō's sly smile.
He looked at Yoshimura Daitomo:
"Otomo-san, isn't what you're doing a bit inappropriate?!"
"How can we not do it this way?!"
Yoshimura Otomo scratched his already dwindling bald patch, looking somewhat helpless.
"Naoki-san is good in every way, except he's a bit lazy. I'm worried that he'll take another month-long trip abroad during his break."
Shuichi Itō came out to comfort her:
"They're all married and have kids now, that's impossible!"
"Maybe we'll take Akina and Natsuka with us?!"
"."
Upon hearing this, Shuichi Itō initially thought it unlikely, but considering Naoki Nagayama's unconventional style, it might actually be possible.
"That's why I need to remind him that there are still so many things he needs to care about."
"Taking a break is fine, but you can't let yourself go too much!"
".All right"
Upon returning to Yamaoin, Naoki Nagayama was surprised to find that no one was home!
I learned from the housekeeper that Akina had taken Natsuka back to her hometown to visit Nakamori Chieko, who was still recuperating, and they were expected to return later that afternoon.
"so."
Naoki Nagayama scratched Eitaro's chin, making the big dog so comfortable that its eyes narrowed.
"Eitarou, is it just you and me left at home?"
"Oh, and Nyantaro too."
Turning his head to look at the tangerine tree lying leisurely in the eaves, watching the scenery of the yard, Naoki Nagayama actually felt a pang of jealousy.
This orange cat, who's latched onto its owner's leg, doesn't have to work or worry about making a living, so it can comfortably enjoy life every day—even more so than its owner!
The more he thought about it, the angrier he became. Naoki Nagayama walked over to the veranda, picked up the chubby orange cat, and gave it a good rub.
Then he said to the somewhat bewildered cat:
"This is the price you pay for enjoying a leisurely life!"
"Come on, Eitarou, let's go play with the dog ball in the yard!!"
Eitarou's tail is wagging so hard it's practically a propeller!!!
One hour later~
The panting Labrador was met with Naoki Nagayama's disdain:
"Eitarou, you need to train harder! Your stamina isn't good enough!"
"Woof woof woof!! (Try running the 50-meter shuttle run for an hour if you dare!) Woof woof woof woof! (You just stand there, and I have to fetch the ball for you!)"
"Haha, you agree, right? Okay, let's continue our evening runs starting tomorrow!"
"."
After sweating a little, Naoki Nagayama was still quite energetic. After taking a quick shower, he sat on the sofa, drinking a beverage and reading a magazine.
His mind, however, was racing. He suddenly remembered the excuse Yoshimura Otomo had given, and also his previous idea of writing a novel that would make Akina cry.
And so, as if by some strange twist of fate, Naoki Nagayama came to the study and sat down.
The computer is already on, a white document is displayed on the screen, and a mechanical keyboard is in front of me.
"What kind of story should I write?!"
"Ideally, it should be a sadomasochistic romance suitable for girls."
"Japanese melodramatic romances are more about pure love, regret, and a kind of aesthetic of melancholy."
Naoki Nagayama stroked his chin.
"So if you want to make Akina cry, you can't look for it in Japanese dramas. You should look for it in Korean dramas."
"No Korean dramas, no melodramas. Luckily, I watched quite a few when Korean dramas were popular."
Naoki Nagayama closed his eyes, his mind racing as he recalled Korean dramas he had watched. These were deeply ingrained memories; a single keyword could bring back a multitude of them.
Gradually, images appeared before my eyes, just like when I first watched them.
The story is tragic from beginning to end, depicting the harsh realities of an abandoned orphan's life, the hippie-like protagonist, numerous touching moments, and a tragic ending. The injustice and cruelty of fate are clearly revealed in this tragedy and farewell.
This TV series once made all the bored guys in college dorms cry.
"Da da da da."
The continuous clatter of the mechanical keyboard created a rhythmic melody.
On the glowing computer screen, a title slowly appeared at the beginning of a blank document.
"I'm Sorry, I Love You."
At the same time, unlike the traditional female version of "Snow Flower," a version of "Snow Flower" sung entirely in male voices began to resonate in my ears.
"When we start filming in the future, we won't even need to think about a theme song anymore. We can just have Akina sing it, and we can even add a male version."
Thinking about this, Naoki Nagayama slowed down his typing speed, and suddenly a question came to mind:
"If I make Akina cry, will she still agree to give 'Snow Flower' to her?!"
"Forget it, I'll cry first!"
(End of this chapter)