Chapter 154: The Persian Cat’s Wariness! We Can’t Let Hiroshi Nohara Go To Chairman Sato!
When the bus carrying the Kumamoto Prefecture performance team and support group slowly drove away with the simple laughter and satisfied sighs of the fellow townspeople, the brief bustle at the doorway of Studio Number Three quickly receded like the tide.
Hiroshi Nohara, meanwhile, took the Oyama Family to continue sightseeing in Tokyo, fulfilling his duties as a prospective son-in-law and host.
But in the corner of the parking lot, Shunsuke Kamiki sat in his car.
The autumn wind carried a bit of chill, blowing through the window cracks, messing up his carefully styled bangs and dispersing the last bit of stiff smile he had barely maintained with professional poise.
Shunsuke Kamiki’s face was gloomy as he watched Hiroshi Nohara’s Toyota Crown leave the parking lot.
His teeth ground with a crunching sound.
“Shunsuke-kun…”
Gold Medal Agent Junichi Watanabe sat in the passenger seat, turning around to look at him, his face full of cautious concern: “Shall we… go straight back to the office, or…”
But Shunsuke Kamiki did not answer.
He merely slowly turned around, his face—which was incomparably handsome in the eyes of countless young girls—now shrouded in deep gloom.
Those peach blossom eyes, carefully lined with inner eyeliner, stared deadly at the black Toyota Crown that had long vanished into the traffic, the gaze like two vipers lurking in the shadows, flickering with chilling malice.
“Back to Kirin Group Headquarters.”
Finally, Shunsuke Kamiki squeezed out these words through gritted teeth.
His voice carried a suffocating repression, like the calm before a storm.
He wanted revenge!
Revenge against this young person who was not much different in age from him, yet could earn the respect of countless people inside Tokyo Television Station, gain recognition from upper-level leaders, and obtain everything without paying any unspeakable price!
……
The black sedan drove along the wide avenue toward Minato Ward, with Junichi Watanabe in the passenger seat, not even daring to breathe.
He could clearly see in the rearview mirror the young man in the back seat, all expressions faded from that handsome face, leaving only a twisted calm like an evil spirit.
It was a near-pathological calm produced after extreme humiliation and degradation.
He knew this most spoiled and precious Persian Cat had truly been angered today.
And it had been publicly stepped on and thoroughly humiliated by a dragon crossing the river that he could never afford to provoke!
The car finally entered the underground garage of a skyscraper that stood out like a crane among chickens in all of Minato Ward, exuding luxurious aura.
【Kirin Real Estate·Headquarters】
Those large characters made of pure gold, full of arrogant capitalist vibe, gleamed brilliantly under the dim lighting.
Shunsuke Kamiki didn’t even bother waiting for the driver to open the door for him and pushed it open himself.
He did not take the employee passage reserved for star entertainers but headed straight for the private elevator that required fingerprint verification, accessible only to the group’s most core executives.
“Shunsuke-kun, the Chairman… he might be receiving guests right now.” Junichi Watanabe hurried after him, his voice carrying a hint of dissuasion.
“Get out of the way!” But Shunsuke Kamiki merely gave him a cold glance.
That look was like looking at an meddlesome underling.
Junichi Watanabe could only step aside.
The elevator doors silently slid open, carrying Shunsuke Kamiki into a whole new world filled with the air of wine and gold.
Top floor, private club “Golden Pavilion”.
There was none of the cheap clamor of KTV private rooms, nor the distant restraint of high-end restaurants.
The air was filled with the rich aroma of top cigars intertwined with the mellow sweetness of aged whiskey.
Underfoot was a handmade silk carpet from Turkey, said to be worth a fortune per inch.
On the walls hung modern master paintings that appeared casually placed but had each caused a stir at auctions.
A private club manager wearing a high-end custom kimono, with a graceful figure, instantly bloomed into a fawning sweet smile upon seeing Shunsuke Kamiki.
“Mr. Kamiki, you’ve arrived. The Chairman is in the tea room inside, meeting an important guest.”
“Hm.”
Shunsuke Kamiki merely snorted from his nose, showing no good face to this curvaceous club manager, rolling his eyes and striding straight toward the thick private room door carved from a whole piece of golden silk nanmu wood.
Leaving the club manager who wanted to stop him standing awkwardly in place.
Not knowing what to do.
Because Shunsuke Kamiki didn’t even bother to knock and pushed open the door that could separate the inner and outer worlds.
Extremely arrogant in momentum.
Besides, the club manager also knew that the Persian Cat kept by Chairman Sato never followed the rules.
Inside the room.
Tokugawa Sato, the absolute emperor of Kirin Real Estate, was sitting cross-legged in the main seat.
In front of him was a set of bone china tea set that looked extremely valuable, his narrow slit-like small eyes smiling as he exchanged with the guest about the essence of the tea ceremony and business matters.
And opposite him sat a well-dressed, rather sharp-looking middle-aged man.
“…So, Chairman Sato, Mitsui Bank’s intention is, as long as you grant us the exclusive financing rights for the third phase of the ‘Sky City’ project, we are willing to lower the interest rate by another 0.5 percentage points on top of the current loan rate.”
The middle-aged man was speaking respectfully with his head bowed, his posture like begging for a favor.
However, when he saw the young man who suddenly opened the door without invitation, all the words on the tip of his tongue turned into a light gasp of astonishment.
He recognized this popular star: “Mr. Shunsuke Kamiki?!”
Tokugawa Sato also saw him and revealed a doting smile: “Shunsuke, how come you’re here at this time?”
He didn’t even bother to glance more at the Mitsui Bank executive, greeting this popular idol star as enthusiastically as anyone: “Come, come, come here quickly, let me take a good look. Is our Shunsuke still as pretty today?”
The bank executive’s eye twitched imperceptibly. But his facial expression instantly switched to a warm smile full of tacit understanding.
“Oh dear, so it’s Mr. Kamiki who’s back. Look at my eyesight, really… I deserve a slap, I deserve a slap.”
As he spoke, he nimbly stood up and deeply bowed to Tokugawa Sato: “Then… then I won’t disturb Chairman you and Mr. Kamiki’s enjoyment. Regarding the project, we’ll… talk another day, talk another day.”
He said this and tactfully scrambled out of the room that was already filled with an ambiguous atmosphere.
When only the two remained in the room, Shunsuke Kamiki’s face instantly bloomed with a fawning smile sweeter than cherry blossoms: “Chairman Tokugawa!”
He walked over with light steps, picking up the top-grade green tea already prepared for the other on the table and offering it: “Why are you talking about these boring official matters again? I have things to report.”
“Hahahaha! You!”
Tokugawa Sato was delighted: “No more talking, no more. Today, I’ll listen specially to Shunsuke.”
As he spoke, his slit-like eyes inadvertently caught sight of his slightly reddened eye sockets.
His fat face instantly clouded with gloom.
“Hm?!”
He frowned, his voice no longer doting but filled with suffocating authority: “Who had the guts of a bear and leopard?”
Shunsuke Kamiki’s eyes instantly misted with grievance: “Chairman Tokugawa… You… you have to stand up for me…”
He didn’t exaggerate or twist the facts.
He merely recounted everything that happened in the backstage of Studio Number Three today from the most objective “victim” perspective that best aroused the other’s protective desire.
Of course, he smartly omitted the details of how he had provoked and acted arrogantly at the beginning.
He didn’t mention even half a word about the name of that Executive Deputy Director named Toshihide Takada.
He precisely directed all the arrows at the detestable culprit who had made him lose face publicly—Hiroshi Nohara.
“…He… he even said that even if you came personally, he wouldn’t give you any face. He said that in Tokyo TV Production Bureau, he… he is the real king.” Shunsuke Kamiki said with pursed lips.
“Nohara… Hiroshi?”
A glint flashed in Tokugawa Sato’s slit-like small eyes.
He slowly leaned back on the sofa, his thick hand wearing a large emerald ring stroking the fluffy little head in his arms rhythmically, like soothing a startled pet.
“This name… I seem… to have some impression.”
Tokugawa Sato pondered for a moment, his alcohol- and desire-filled fat brain starting to operate at a speed far beyond ordinary people.
“Ah, I remember.”
He slapped his thigh hard, a look of realization on his fat face: “It’s that young person who’s been making big waves in the TV circle lately. I heard even that old fox Nobuhiko Sakata favors him greatly, and even… even His Excellency Fujiwara from the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Publicity Department personally met him and praised his 《Super Change Change Change》 highly.”
“Eh?!”
Shunsuke Kamiki suddenly lifted his head from his arms, his tear-streaked handsome face full of incredulous shock: “He’s… that impressive?!”
“Far more than impressive.”
Tokugawa Sato smiled: “This young person is no simple one. I heard he not only makes TV but also draws manga, and the stuff he creates is treasured even by Kazuhiko Torishima, that arrogant one at Shueisha. And…”
He paused, a playful glint in his slit-like small eyes: “I also heard this young person is… extremely handsome.”
As he spoke, his thick hand unconsciously touched his sagging chin.
That gaze, that expression, full of thick interest.
“!”
These words were like the sharpest needle, precisely piercing into Shunsuke Kamiki’s heart, already riddled with jealousy and anxiety!
“Do you… feel that the guy named Hiroshi Nohara is more worth sponsoring? Chairman Tokugawa!! How… how can you praise someone else in front of me?”
Shunsuke Kamiki spoke out in jealousy.
But this jealousy didn’t disgust Tokugawa Sato; instead, it made him burst into laughter.
“Hahahaha! You!” He laughed heartily.
Like soothing a sulking pet, he picked up the expensive bottle of red wine prepared nearby, took a big gulp himself, then handed the wine bottle to him: “Drink this; it’s very expensive red wine. Consider it Mr. Tokugawa’s apology to you.”
“Expensive red wine? Then I must taste it.” Shunsuke Kamiki’s eye twitched, but he soon smiled even more.
Then he tilted his head, letting the liquid slide down his throat, like the gentlest knife, temporarily numbing the humiliation and unwillingness pent up to the limit in his heart.
Watching his obedient manner, Tokugawa Sato still said: “But Shunsuke, we can’t move that Hiroshi Nohara for now. Your 《Samurai of the Cherry Blossom Tree》 still relies on airing in Tokyo TV’s New Year’s slot. Falling out with him now is not good for us.”
Unwillingness flashed in Shunsuke Kamiki’s eyes: “Are we just going to let it go like this?”
“Of course not, just let it go.”
Tokugawa Sato sneered at the corner of his mouth: “Once your movie is released, and when our Kirin Real Estate’s latest property developments need promotion, we’ll have plenty of chances to make him spit it all back with interest.”
He paused, then slowly tossed out a temptation crazy enough for anyone in those expectant eyes.
“Don’t worry, as long as you behave and help me promote those property developments well, then the best-viewed penthouse in ‘Sky City’ will be yours. How’s that?”
“Really?!” Shunsuke Kamiki’s eyes lit up instantly!
“When have I ever lied to you?”
Shunsuke Kamiki finally smiled too.
But when his gaze inadvertently fell on the huge floor-to-ceiling window overlooking the entire Tokyo nightscape, that young man’s face, even handsomer than his, uncontrollably reappeared in his mind.
An unprecedented jealousy uncontrollably surged wildly from the depths of his heart.
He felt he must do something.
He must do something to return to the peak.
He lowered his head, all expressions faded, leaving only icy cold gloom without a trace of warmth.
