Tokyo's Most Affectionate - Chapter 133

Obedient Offline, Fearless Online

Not only did Ichinose feel bewildered, but even Kurosawa was in the same state.

“Miss Ichinose, did you just post your photo shoot on Twitter?”

At that moment, Itsuragi’s voice echoed through the hotel via the phone.

“Yes,” Ichinose nodded.

“Are you a model?”

“I work part-time as a model.”

“Actually, I recently started my own agency and am looking for potential newcomers. I want to sign you to expand my business. I have a lot of resources from various manufacturers and brands. Although you currently don’t have a fan base, I am confident in helping you become a professional model.”

Confirming the situation, Itsuragi explained her intention.

What efficiency!

Kurosawa, standing nearby, couldn’t help but be surprised.

Upon careful consideration, Itsuragi was the one who initially found Shiina Ai and Ichinose when she came to look for the Karaoke Song Deity.

“Wait a moment, let me think about it.”

Hearing this, Ichinose couldn’t make up her mind at all. She immediately muted the microphone.

“Hikaru-kun, what should I do?”

Immediately, she turned to Kurosawa with a pleading look, appearing a bit anxious and at a loss.

“Ask her why she discovered you so quickly.”

After pondering for a few seconds, Kurosawa suggested.

Upon hearing this question, Ichinose followed suit and opened the microphone to inquire.

“Because I’ve been looking for potential newcomers recently. My friend saw your photo shoot just now, checked your profile, and found that you don’t match any other model. So she contacted me. After seeing the photo shoot and your Twitter handle, I suddenly realized it was you, so I called you,” explained Itsuragi in a calm voice.

Perhaps due to her work mode, her words were not as playful as usual but still very approachable.

“Okay, please wait a moment.”

Understanding the reason, Ichinose nodded, then turned off the microphone again, looking towards Kurosawa.

She hadn’t yet graduated from high school, making her unfamiliar with things in society. In the past, she would have sought help from her parents, but with Kurosawa by her side, she undoubtedly had a better support system.

“I’ll think about it…” Kurosawa felt a bit of a headache. From the conversation just now, he already understood.

Itsuragi’s entrepreneurship revolved around Kurosawa, this masked artist, and she had been consistently considering expanding her agency.

Since it was a new venture, most of the funds were invested in Kurosawa leaving no extra money to sign other artists. 

Therefore, the focus was on newcomers with no fame but significant potential.

As an agent, Itsuragi’s capabilities were unquestionable. 

After all, she discovered Fujiwara Rika and cultivated many artists, making her a well-known figure in the industry.

If she signed Ichinose, the future modeling career for Ichinose would undoubtedly be bright, without any worries. Additionally, it could bring extra revenue to their temporary agency.

However, the problem was that if Itsuragi signed Ichinose, they would be part of the same agency. 

Working in the same agency would mean frequent interactions, and over time, it would become challenging to keep secrets.

On the other hand, if she didn’t sign, Ichinose’s future in the modeling world would remain uncertain, as modeling, similar to being an artist, relies heavily on fame.

For a newcomer to sign with any company, especially a large agency, even with high potential, they often have little say. 

If Ichinose signed with another agency, there would be no guarantee it wouldn’t lead to a situation similar to what happened with Ayata, where someone appeared to treat you well on the surface but was actually exploiting you to make big money.

“Miss Ichinose, is your photographer with you? If possible, could you let me have a chat with them? I’m interested in having them sign with our agency, and we can negotiate a good deal.”

After muting the microphone but not the speaker, Itsuragi, unable to hear any sound, asked again.

She was very perceptive, noticing the two instances of muting. The decision-making power was not in Ichinose’s hands but in someone else’s.

“Please wait a moment.”

Unable to make a firm decision, Ichinose opened the microphone to reassure her.

“Tell her I’ll consider it for a few days. If I’m interested, I’ll get in touch with her.”

Seeing her mute again, Kurosawa couldn’t make a choice immediately.

“In that case, I’ll wait for further news as before. Miss Ichinose, with your looks, figure, and temperament, you have great potential. If you’re considering becoming a professional model, please give priority to us, and we can discuss favorable terms.”

With this relayed message, Itsuragi did not insist or harass, showing a balanced and reasonable attitude.

This approach not only avoided creating resentment but might even make it awkward for someone to decline.

“Hikaru-kun, actually, Ai investigated Miss Itsuragi after that incident. She seems to be a very capable and influential agent. Wouldn’t it be better to sign with her?” Ichinose, after rejecting her several times in a row, was starting to feel a bit guilty.

“I understand,” Kurosawa nodded.

Without Ichinose saying much, he was clearer than many about Itsuragi’s business capabilities.

In just a few days, she could arrange things perfectly, had an extensive network, good social skills, and a rich and formidable resume.

“Is there a possibility that she wants to find you through signing me?”

Seeing his serious expression and deep in thought, Ichinose pondered and made a guess.

“It is indeed possible, but I think she genuinely approached you.”

Kurosawa nodded and shook his head at the same time.

Based on her recent attitude, Itsuragi did seem to temporarily give up on the Karaoke Song Deity unless the other party had intentions. Otherwise, she wouldn’t insist, showing a lot of tact.

It was precisely because of this that her purpose for calling this time was indeed to see the potential in Ichinose.

“Because of my photo shoot?”

Ichinose was somewhat surprised.

Although those photos were indeed beautiful, could just three pictures attract such a powerful agent?

Initially, she didn’t think much of them, but after listening to Shiina’s introduction, she learned that Itsuragi was exceptionally skilled, she was even nationally recognized idol singer Fujiwara Rika’s manager.

In the talent management industry, Itsuragi was among the top figures, and if she set her sights on you, you were likely to become a sensation.

“You may not be aware, but your facial features are beautiful, your body proportions are excellent, you have a good temperament, outstanding expression management, perfect leg shape—prominent in all aspects. You possess innate talent. Even with height restrictions that prevent you from becoming a supermodel, you can still become a top model.”

Seeing her confusion, Kurosawa explained.

Looks, body proportions, temperament—if professionally packaged and managed, Ichinose’s value was very high.

Previously, Itsuragi didn’t pay much attention, probably because she was initially focused on the Karaoke Song Deity and Ichinose’s sexy makeup. Her temperament and beauty were not fully expressed.

Now, due to her own makeup and photoshoot, Ichinose was able to showcase her charm, and Itsuragii immediately recognized her potential.

To be more precise, anyone with eyes could see it.

Now, Itsuragi’s call was just the beginning; there would likely be many talent agents interested in Ichinose, coming for consultations.

“Many more people will come to inquire.”

Kurosawa bent slightly at the waist, hands crossed, feeling a bit accelerated heartbeat.

To be honest, he now had a sense of pride in helping Ichinose’s potential be recognized and valued by the world.

“Prominent in the front and raised in the back…” Ichinose contemplated this evaluation, looking at her figure. 

Due to the oversized T-shirt, her body wasn’t very visible, but she still blushed a bit.

Because Kurosawa’s earlier appraisal was straightforward, like genuine feedback, it made her feel a bit shy but more so pleasantly surprised.

She was happy, but Kurosawa had a slightly furrowed brow, lost in thought.

The goal of the date mission was achieved, high-scoring photos were posted, and it even attracted the attention of a talent agent… but what should be the next step?

He had researched the modeling industry online, but he was not a practitioner—more like an outsider watching the spectacle.

The entertainment industry had confidentiality rules. Just like when he entered the Illusion Star Agency, there was an unspoken rule: never disclose internal matters outside.

That’s why he needed to understand the real situation inside various companies, not just relying on the media and ordinary opinions.

If he didn’t handle things well, and Ichinose ended up signing with a company that had a good public image but was actually problematic, it could lead to significant issues.

But if Itsuragi signed Ichinose, and she frequently went in and out of the agency, his identity might be exposed.

When he initially decided to sign as an entertainer with Itsuragi, it was based on several considerations.

In the past, he didn’t want to become an entertainer because he lacked talent and strength, so he wasn’t interested. 

But now that he had the talent, he decided to give it a try. After all, experimenting with a life he had never considered before wasn’t a loss.

Moreover, he wanted to repay Itsuragi for her favor as his manager and create more opportunities to meet Ninomiya outside of school.

Of course, there was another intention, which was to dispel her interest in the Karaoke Song Deity and conceal his relationship with Ichinose, the hot JK.

“…”

Seeing him frown, looking deeply troubled, Ichinose didn’t know how to console him.

Honestly, she didn’t quite understand what Kurosawa was worrying about. Being recognized by Itsuragi was undoubtedly good news.

“Hikaru-kun, look at this, there are so many likes and comments.”

After some thought, she took out her phone, checked it, and exclaimed with joy.

It hadn’t been even twenty minutes since she posted the tweet, but there were already many reactions.

Holding the phone in front of him, Kurosawa lowered his eyes and saw the comments.

“@Phoenix Inn Kyo Shin, @XXX… come see the goddess.” The retweet messages mentioned dozens of people.

“Miss Shinjuku?”

“I saw her in person this morning in Shinjuku. She’s super beautiful, just like in the photos, she’s a goddess.”

“I can guarantee with my personality, Miss Shinjuku definitely didn’t use Photoshop.”

Despite being a new account, due to continuous retweets, in this short period, Ichinose’s tweet had already garnered many comments.

Those who praised her the most were the ones who had seen Ichinose in Shinjuku this morning. 

These people didn’t dare to approach or strike up a conversation offline, but once online, they expressed themselves freely.