Chapter 97

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After the various talent agencies received the polite rejections from Kōshū and Yamada Takayuki, they were all somewhat disappointed, especially Yoshimoto Kogyo, which had been the most proactive in pursuing Yamada Takayuki. They never expected to receive such a response after so much time, which left them with a bit of resentment towards Kōshū and Yamada Takayuki. However, Kōshū and Yamada Takayuki were now at the peak of their popularity, so they could only keep their resentment buried in their hearts.

Although Akimoto Yasushi had taken a laissez-faire attitude towards the recent "skirt incident" involving AKB48, the public criticism of Akimoto and the AKB48 members had reached a point of no return, from the girls' dance moves to their costumes. At this moment, someone launched a fierce attack on three members of Kōshū's agency, especially on Itano Tomomi. This person was none other than Yoshimoto Kogyo's star talent, Shimada Shinnosuke!

"I feel that some girls, like that Itano Tomomi, dye their hair to a yellowish color at such a young age, which is really indecent. And her performance in 'Meteor Butterfly Sword' was really terrible. I don't understand why NHK would use such a young child..." Shimada Shinnosuke spoke freely to the media, and some of the media became excited. Itano Tomomi, though just a young girl with little influence, had a manager who was not someone to be trifled with! If Shimada Shinnosuke had criticized other young artists, they might have accepted it humbly, but this one was different. This one was a madman!

Speaking of Shimada Shinnosuke, while he had some talent, his record of misconduct was extensive. The most famous incident was the 2004 "assault case," where Shimada Shinnosuke, before the recording of Asahi Broadcasting's "Quiz! Shimada-kun," got into a verbal altercation with the female manager of Masutani Seiichi and assaulted her neck, causing her injury. On October 28, 2004, the Osaka Prefectural Police formally charged Shimada Shinnosuke with assault. On the same day, Shimada Shinnosuke apologized at a press conference held by Yoshimoto Kogyo's Tokyo branch. As a result, Yoshimoto Kogyo suspended Shimada Shinnosuke until November 4, 2004. On November 4, 2004, the Osaka Prefectural Prosecutor, due to the clear evidence in the assault case, filed a summary indictment with the Osaka Summary Court, which sentenced Shimada Shinnosuke to a fine of 300,000 yen. Clearly, with the influence of Yoshimoto Kogyo's power and connections, he received a lenient sentence. However, this time, his attack on Itano Tomomi gave Kōshū, who had little affection for the comedy industry, a chance to vent his frustration!

At the office in Akihabara, Kōshū was surrounded by a swarm of media at the entrance.

"Mr. Kōshū, what are your thoughts on Mr. Shimada's comments about Itano-san?" an unknown journalist asked excitedly.

Kōshū knew these journalists were always eager for drama, but today he was in a good mood and was happy to give them what they wanted.

"Shimada Shinnosuke, I've heard of him... a person who relies on his mouth to live, sometimes he really takes himself too seriously... and I've heard that his character is very despicable. I didn't believe it at first, but after the 2004 incident, I believe it. He's a coward who only bullies women, and he's lived like a dog for so many years. I just can't understand how such a scumbag can still have a place in the entertainment industry!" Kōshū said with a calm and composed demeanor.

The journalists all drew in a breath. Kōshū's words were incredibly harsh. In this country, which values seniority, juniors are expected to show respect to their seniors. While there have been instances of juniors not respecting their seniors, Kōshū's direct attack was unprecedented. This was not just a lack of respect but a personal attack, and the target was a star from the super agency Yoshimoto Kogyo. It was clear that Kōshū would have a falling out with Yoshimoto Kogyo!

"But Mr. Kōshū, Mr. Shimada is still a senior..." a journalist cautiously reminded him.

"Does someone like that even deserve to be called a senior... are you kidding me... he's just a scumbag who has lived like a dog for so many years!" Kōshū said coldly, then turned and walked into the office without looking back. The journalists did not stop him this time; they had already gotten the sensational news they wanted!

Inside the office, the three girls from Itano Tomomi's group were not present for the performance, and Horikita Makoto was out shooting an advertisement under the agency's arrangement. Besides Yamada Takayuki and Nishikido Gakuto, there was a short-haired middle-aged woman. Although the years had left their mark on her face, Kōshū recognized her as the idol queen of her time—Miki Nakayama! He never expected that even this great figure would be moved by Yamada Takayuki. Kōshū didn't know whether to laugh or cry...

"Ms. Nakayama, hello... you are my goddess," Kōshū bowed respectfully to the senior, despite his earlier harsh words about Shimada Shinnosuke, which were indeed a reflection of his disdain for Shimada's character and actions. But Miki Nakayama was different; she was a generation's idol, not just in Japan but throughout East Asia. If it were known that he disrespected his goddess, he would truly be in trouble...

"Mr. Kōshū, you are younger than I imagined... but I was afraid you might kick me out..." Miki Nakayama said with a smile.

"How could I do that... I wouldn't dare kick you out... you are my goddess, and even after so many years, you still look so young and beautiful..." Kōshū said sincerely, which was indeed his honest opinion. However, Yamada Takayuki and Nishikido Gakuto didn't see it that way; they thought Kōshū was just flattering her...

"I didn't expect Mr. Kōshū to be not only talented but also good at making girls happy," Miki Nakayama smiled brightly.

"Others might say I'm flattering, but for you, Ms. Nakayama, these are my heartfelt words... no flattery!" Kōshū said with a serious and earnest expression, which left Nishikido Gakuto speechless.

"I came here today for Mr. Yamada's sake..." Miki Nakayama's smile faded as she began to speak seriously.

"No problem, since Ms. Nakayama is here... I won't let him sign with any other agency," Kōshū made the decision without hesitation.

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