Chapter 124: Mogae Nohara Wants To Join 《super Change Change Change》 Too! Asking Brother-in-law For A Backdoor
Kumamoto Prefecture, Aso City First Girls’ High School.
In the classroom after school, the sunset’s afterglow was like melted golden honey, lazily spilling onto the desks, dyeing the dancing dust in the air with a layer of warm halo.
“One hundred million yen! Did you see that?! It’s really a champion prize of one hundred million yen!”
A girl with cute twin tails named Yumi was excitedly waving the promotional poster in her hand, her pretty face still carrying a bit of baby fat, fully expressing the purest desire for money.
“And look here! ‘Anyone aged 8 or older can participate’! Oh my god, this is practically robbing money!”
“Exactly, exactly! If I could get this one hundred million yen, the first thing I’d do is buy all the latest models of Chanel and LV in the department store!” Another girl with neat short hair named Rie also had stars in her eyes, lost in beautiful fantasies.
Only Mogae Oyama, this girl who had already witnessed true “money power” in Tokyo, was just propping her cheek with one hand, watching that poster which had been passed around by her classmates until its edges were curled, with the posture of an experienced person carrying a touch of laziness, a faint disdainful smile on her lips.
One hundred million yen? A lot?
This was just the prize for the program fully handled by her brother-in-law.
“Mage, why aren’t you excited at all?”
Yumi leaned over, nudging her with an elbow, her big sparkling eyes flashing with gossip: “I heard that this 《Super Change Change Change》 is planned by your legendary genius brother-in-law, Hiroshi Nohara! If you… if you go participate, couldn’t you pull strings and get directly guaranteed the championship?”
As soon as these words came out, the several girls around who had been chattering about how to split that one hundred million prize instantly fell silent.
Pairs of eyes filled with curiosity and envy all focused sharply on Mogae Oyama.
“Pull strings?”
Mogae Oyama first pretended to sigh deeply, then said slowly in a tone full of Versailles-style distress: “Do you think my brother-in-law is that easy to talk to? That guy, when it comes to work, is simply an impersonal devil. Not to mention me, even if my second sister personally went to plead, he probably wouldn’t even lift an eyelid.”
Her words made the girls around her nod subconsciously, their eyes gaining a bit more awe toward that “genius brother-in-law” who only existed in legend.
Hiroshi Nohara’s name was very popular among young people now!
Whether 《An Shizhi》 or 《World of the Strange》.
The audience was all young people!
However, just as they thought the topic was about to end, Mogae Oyama suddenly changed the subject, a cunning glint like a little fox flashing in her big round eyes.
“But…”
She deliberately dragged out her tone, and under those expectant gazes, she slowly threw out a proposal that would drive everyone crazy: “I might not get the championship. But getting a spot to represent Kumamoto Prefecture to go to Tokyo for the finals, and by the way… getting a few hundred thousand yen in announcement fees as pocket money, should… be no problem.”
“Eh?!”
“Really? Mage!”
“A few hundred thousand?! Oh my god!”
The entire classroom was instantly drowned in an outburst of uncontrollable exclamations!
Looking at her companions’ faces full of shock and fanaticism, Mogae Oyama felt an unprecedented sense of huge satisfaction as the big sister.
She knew it was time to use that “super hotline” straight to the power center in Tokyo.
……
That evening, Oyama Family Home.
Mogae Oyama tiptoed in like a cat that had just stolen some fish, slipping silently into her parents’ bedroom.
She skillfully fished out from the pocket of her father’s suit hanging on the hanger that silver little square she had long coveted, full of a futuristic feel—Panasonic P100.
Hugging this treasure, she dashed back to her room, locked the door, took a deep breath, and dialed that number.
On the other end of the phone, Hiroshi Nohara was immersed in another wonderful world full of worldly life.
In front of him was spread a huge white paper, on which simple lines outlined the silhouette of a late-night small restaurant and a man with a knife scar on his face but eyes as calm as the deep sea.
《Late-night Diner》.
This would be, after “Urban Legends” and “National Creative Imitation Show,” the third new battlefield he was preparing to open, one that would intoxicate all of Neon—
Gourmet drama!
“Hello? This is Hiroshi Nohara.” Hiroshi Nohara saw it was a call from the Oyama family.
“Brother-in-law! It’s me, it’s me! Your cutest little sister-in-law, Mogae!” From the other end came Mogae Oyama’s vibrant voice, warm like a little sun.
“Oh, it’s you.” A doting smile tugged at Hiroshi Nohara’s lips: “What? Want to come to Tokyo to play again?”
“No way!” Mogae Oyama pouted, then said straightforwardly in a solemn tone full of business negotiation flavor: “Brother-in-law! I, representing all the beautiful girls of Aso City First Girls’ High School, formally make a request to you! We want to participate in 《Super Change Change Change》! And we want to represent Kumamoto to go to Tokyo and win the championship!”
“Oh?” Hiroshi Nohara almost laughed out loud.
“But!” Mogae Oyama changed tone, her voice carrying a righteous coquetry: “We have enthusiasm, we have beauty, but… we have no creativity! So, brother-in-law, you must come up with a one-of-a-kind, god-level creative idea that can stun all the judges in an instant!”
Listening to this unreasonable outburst typical of a teenage girl on the other end, Hiroshi Nohara helplessly shook his head.
He could almost imagine that quirky little girl forking her waist, pouting, with a “if you don’t agree I’ll cry for you” cute look.
“Alright, alright, I’m scared of you.” He smilingly agreed: “Tomorrow, give me a fax machine number near your school. I’ll fax over the creative idea, along with the performance details.”
Speaking of creative ideas, he really had quite a few.
“Yay! Brother-in-law, you are my god!” Mogae Nohara immediately cheered.
……
The next day at noon, Aso City commercial street, in a small stationery store.
That old fax machine that looked a bit dated let out a “squeak squeak” protest, and finally slowly spat out a still-warm sheet of paper.
Mogae Oyama and her four little sisters instantly surrounded that paper like five little birds waiting to be fed.
There weren’t many words on the paper.
Just simple line drawings full of dynamic sense.
In the drawing, five girls in sailor uniforms of different colors used their bodies and a few simplest colored cardboard boxes to form a… huge robot teacher lecturing a group of little paper people on the podium!
And at the very bottom of the manuscript, in a line of neat yet powerful handwriting, was a sentence of encouragement.
【Go, girls. Use your youth to astonish this summer. —Your most reliable brother-in-law, Hiroshi Nohara.】
“Wow—!”
“What an amazing creative idea!”
“Robot teacher! This idea is too great!”
“And… and brother-in-law’s handwriting is so beautiful!”
The five girls looked at that manuscript full of whimsical ideas, their youthful faces completely filled with the brilliant starlight called “worship.”
They seemed to already see themselves in sailor uniforms, standing on that stage under the spotlight, receiving cheers and applause from all the audience, their glorious future.
“Sisters!”
Mogae Oyama held up the manuscript high, like a queen about to charge into battle, her big round eyes burning with fierce fighting spirit!
“Starting today, special training begins! We have only one goal—”
She paused, under those fanatical gazes, enunciating each word, shouting that domineering declaration that would make all opponents tremble.
“Dominate the nation!”
“Oh!!”
The girls’ cheers echoed in this small stationery store, full of the unstoppable power of youth that could lift the roof.
But Mogae Nohara looked at the pattern on the paper, couldn’t help pursing her lips, feeling a bit uneasy inside: “Why does this robot look… so familiar?”
……
“Won!”
Yoshiharu Oyama slapped his thigh hard, watching his most supported local Kumamoto Prefecture sumo wrestler just push his opponent out of the ring on the TV screen, immediately showing a satisfied smile.
However, the smile on his face hadn’t lingered for more than three seconds before it was completely washed away by the scene that followed on the screen.
“Next, we bring you, authorized by Tokyo Television Station, exclusively broadcast by Kumamoto Broadcasting, the National Creative Imitation Show—《Super Change Change Change·Kumamoto Region Audition Edition》! Let’s see what astonishing creative ideas the young people of Kumamoto Prefecture will bring us!”
Accompanied by the host’s passionate voice.
The image switched.
A vibrant team of five high school girls in cute sailor uniforms appeared in front of the lens.
And standing in the center of the team, the girl with a playful ponytail making a confident scissor hand at the camera, who else could it be but his most worrisome youngest daughter, Mogae Oyama?!
“Outrageous! Absolute nonsense!”
Yoshiharu Oyama’s beer mug clanged heavily onto the low table, cold liquid splashing out a lot, but he was oblivious.
His face, which had just been a bit flushed from the sumo victory, was now shrouded in iron blue, his thick eyebrows twisted into an angry “river” shape.
He actually… he actually learned from the TV that his precious daughter had gone to participate in this kind of “undignified” public exposure program!
“What are you angry about now?” From the kitchen came his wife Takao Oyama’s voice tinged with helplessness.
She came out carrying a plate of freshly cut iced watermelon, the red flesh and black seeds exuding the clear sweetness unique to midsummer.
“Look! Look at the good daughter you gave birth to!”
Yoshiharu Oyama pointed at the TV, his voice full of uncontrollable fury, like an old lion whose territory had been invaded: “Our Oyama family is somewhat prominent in Kumamoto Prefecture’s education circle! I’m the dean of students! Her eldest sister is a teacher! And she goes on TV, wearing such a short skirt, bouncing around, what propriety is that?! If my colleagues, the students at school see this, where do I put my old face?!”
“Oh, it’s good that kids have their own ideas.”
Takao Oyama set down the watermelon and sat next to her husband, her always gentle smiling face showing no anger, instead with a bit of appreciation: “Besides, I think Mogae has a lot of creativity. Look, this program is so fun, it trains the kids’ imagination and hands-on skills, isn’t that a kind of learning too?”
“Learning?!”
Yoshiharu Oyama felt his blood pressure skyrocketing at a speed defying medical common sense: “Twisting around in that outfit in front of national audiences, that’s learning?! For a girl, the most important thing is decorum! Propriety! To marry into a good family later! Her showing off like this now, who would dare marry her later?!”
This speech full of outdated Showa-era “marriage theory” finally made the always gentle Takao Oyama sigh helplessly.
“Kids’ dad, what era is this, how do you still hold such old ideas?” She shook her head: “Besides, who says our daughter has to rely on marriage to live well?”
She paused, looking at her husband’s face full of “what nonsense are you saying,” and slowly dropped a bombshell.
“You don’t know yet, do you? Our Misae is already a president now.” Takao Oyama said.
“…What?” Yoshiharu Oyama was stunned, digging in his ear, thinking he had misheard: “President? What president? She’s just a girl fresh out of school…”
“President of a manga company.” Takao Oyama’s face beamed with a pride of sharing the glory, even thicker by three degrees than when she heard her eldest daughter got the teacher position.
“It was specially set up for her by Hiroshi.”
She embellished and retold the “business secrets” that Misae had excitedly shared with her over the phone a few days ago.
From that two-story office building near Tokyo Television Station with frighteningly high rent, to the startup capital of ten million yen; from the futuristic company name “Future Manga Company,” to that god-level proposal named 《Doraemon》 personally handled by Hiroshi Nohara, destined to explode the entire shonen manga world…
“Hiroshi said Misae may lack initiative on big matters, but she has talent in aesthetics and communicating with people. So, the company’s daily operations, recruiting newcomers, and liaising with Shueisha are all fully handled by Misae. He himself just provides endless creative ideas from behind the scenes.”
“He also said this is just the beginning. Once the company is on track, it will go public, become a big company like Shueisha. Then our Misae will be Neon’s youngest and most beautiful female president!”
Takao Oyama spoke animatedly, her gentle face full of worship for her future son-in-law’s heaven-defying skills and infinite longing for her daughter’s bright future.
While Yoshiharu Oyama was frozen in place, his usually stern face full of incredulous shock.
President…
Ten million…
Going public…
These modern business terms hammered like invisible heavy mallets at his brain filled with traditional notions like “iron rice bowl,” “civil servant,” “stable life,” shattering his worldview upheld for decades.
He felt like he wasn’t listening to his wife, but to a fantastical tale full of magical realism.
He, a man who struggled a lifetime in the education system to barely climb to dean of students, his annual salary less than that young man’s casually tossed “pocket money.”
And his own daughter, in his eyes still just an innocent girl needing protection and a good marriage, had actually… become a president wielding ten million in capital?
“I… I really… can’t understand these young people anymore.” After a long time, he squeezed out this powerless and emotional sentence from his throat.
His voice carried bewilderment.
Takao Oyama covered her mouth and chuckled: “You, you’re retired. Just enjoy life properly!”
“But.” Yoshiharu Oyama pursed his lips, a bit unwilling.
At that moment, the host’s voice sounded again on the TV, interrupting their conversation.
“Next, let’s welcome with applause the ‘Robot Princesses’ group from Aso City First Girls’ High School! What they will imitate is—《Angry Robot Teacher》!”
Yoshiharu Oyama subconsciously looked up.
On the screen, the five girls had their backs to the camera, quickly forming with their bodies a somewhat comical yet lifelike giant robot shape.
And at the very top, playing the robot’s “head,” was his youngest daughter, Mogae Oyama.
And the head even had hair combed back in a big slick.
……
Yoshiharu Oyama seemed to guess who this imitation was of, subconsciously touching his own big slick, his eye corner twitching slightly.
But his lips still curled up gently.
“Class time! Everyone quiet down!”
She imitated her old man’s usual scolding tone, shouting loudly in a majestic yet milkily cute voice.
Then, the “robot’s” body began moving on stage with comical, mechanical-feeling motions, sometimes extending an “arm” to knock on a student’s desk; sometimes turning the “head,” glaring with exaggerated eyeliner eyes at a student sneaking a look at manga.
That clumsy, imaginative performance instantly burst the whole audience into laughter!
“Pfft—”
Yoshiharu Oyama watched his daughter on the screen vividly imitating his angry expression, all the sternness and anger on his usually stern face melting away like ice and snow in this moment.
He wanted to be angry, to maintain his family head’s dignity.
But his uncontrollably upward-curling lips had already betrayed his true feelings completely.
That father’s pride ultimately couldn’t be hidden, quietly leaking from his wrinkled eye corners.
“Hmph, not… not bad, kinda interesting.”
He picked up the flat beer in front of him, took a sip, saying this with his mouth, but his eyes that always carried scrutiny had already curved into a crescent gentler than the moonlight outside the window.
