Tokyo's Most Affectionate - Chapter 88

For Dignity

With the funding issue resolved and excellent talents on board, coupled with her own resources and business capabilities, Itsuragi felt that starting a company would be the best decision of her life!

“Kurosawa, what do you think would be a good name for our agency?”

Excited and unable to contain her joy, Itsuragi, with one foot on the table, looked at Kurosawa.

“Stellar.”

Kurosawa thought for a moment and came up with a name.

Since they were starting a company, relying on just one artist (himself) wouldn’t be enough. In the future, they would undoubtedly recruit many more artists.

“That name has already been used.”

However, Itsuragi quickly dismissed the suggestion.

It wasn’t that she thought it was a bad name; it was just that in the entertainment industry, there were so many agencies, and most good names had already been taken.

“Even if the mountain is not high, it has a fairy; I’m not very familiar with the situation of agencies in the industry. You decide.”

Realizing the situation, Kurosawa thought for a moment and spoke.

“Your words are quite sophisticated.”

Itsuragi found his statement very cool. If he ever got interviewed, this would surely make an impact.

“Excuse me, have you decided on your order?”

At that moment, the curtain was gently pulled aside, and a female waiter walked in and asked.

Neon’s Izakaya was essentially a small pub, offering some meals and alcoholic beverages.

With the arrival of the waitress, Itsuragi snapped back to reality and sat back down.

Before long, they placed their orders.

“Do you want to drink?”

Seeing the waitress leave, Ninomiya was somewhat surprised.

“Because today is a historic moment, July 15th. I feel like I’ll remember this day for the rest of my life!” Itsuragi nodded.

“What about the car you drove here?”

“I’ll leave it overnight and pick it up tomorrow… Kurosawa is also of legal drinking age, he can have some later.”

“Okay.”

Seeing her overly excited, Ninomiya felt that she couldn’t rein her in.

Not long after, the drinks and dishes were served—grilled dishes, skewers, and rice with toppings.

At the drinking table, although Itsuragi had an astonishing alcohol tolerance due to her frequent business engagements, she couldn’t help but drink too much.

“What’s going on? I’m running around outside every day, exposed to the wind and sun, traveling across the country for business. Is it right for me to be scolded in front of so many people without any face?”

“You’ve had limited interactions, so you don’t know how difficult it is to deal with that old lady, Hamada.”

“When the day comes for Kurosawa to become popular, if the agency comes knocking on the door seeking collaboration, I will definitely make them regret it!”

“And that Todo guy, every time he sees me, he has that lecherous look and even wants to invite me to dinner. He should take a look in the mirror at his Mediterranean, middle-aged, slightly chubby appearance. It’s a joke.”

Perhaps with a sudden realization and a firm decision, she unleashed the accumulated grievances in her heart all at once.

From 7 p.m. until nearly 10 p.m., Itsuragi passed out completely drunk.

As for Kurosawa and Ninomiya, they didn’t have as many resentments and didn’t need to drown their sorrows in alcohol. They drank moderately, remaining sober.

“Sorry.”

Seeing Itsuragi collapsed on the table, her head resting, Ninomiya reached out and gently touched her head, apologizing.

“It’s okay; it’s good for her to let it out.”

Kurosawa sat across from the collapsed Itsuragi, speaking softly, a hint of concern in his voice.

“Why did you suddenly think of bringing up the idea of starting a business with her as the boss?”

Although there were three people in the room, the opportunity arose for Ninomiya to have a private conversation with him due to one person being drunk.

“For various reasons… If I were to pinpoint the fundamental reason, it would be about having a say and preserving dignity,” Kurosawa answered after some thought.

“Having a say and preserving dignity?”

Ninomiya was somewhat surprised, sensing that this explanation held more complexity.

“Originally, I intended to join her company and be an artist on a casual basis. However, when I saw her being scolded by her boss because of me, she was left speechless. I felt life shouldn’t be like that. After careful consideration, I decided to venture into business with her.”

Kurosawa nodded, picked up his glass, and took another sip.

In his previous life, due to not studying well in high school and focusing too much on messing around, he failed to enter university and opted to work in a factory after graduation.

But working in the factory was not enjoyable. 

The working hours were long, the salary was low, and the superiors and team leaders acted arrogantly, reprimanding you from time to time as if that would showcase their authority and dominance.

He switched several jobs, but the treatment and situation were almost the same. Without a diploma, life in society was indeed challenging.

It was precisely due to such experiences that, after being reborn in Neon, he decided from an early age to study hard, determined to get into the University of Tokyo. 

After graduation, he planned to find a job with his diploma, become an outstanding elite, marry a beautiful wife, and live his life without regrets.

For the sake of this goal, he had been living numbly before this. Even when girls pursued him or sent love letters, he paid no attention, just burying himself in books.

However, today at the Agency, witnessing Itsuragi being scolded, he suddenly realized that… even if he became a white-collar elite, he would still not escape the consequences of being reprimanded by superiors as long as one thing went wrong.

“Being scolded by superiors is indeed unpleasant.”

Ninomiya also had some understanding of this. Thinking about Itsuragi’s complaints while drinking just now, she empathized.

In school, when she didn’t do things well, her superiors also reprimanded her without mercy.

If you wanted to avoid being scolded, stepping on others and becoming the boss was indeed one way.

“Most importantly, I want to prove to them that even if I leave the agency, even if Miss Runa’s company doesn’t sign me, Miss Runa can still make me popular. Not signing me will be the biggest mistake her company ever makes.”

Kurosawa nodded, harboring some resentment.

In fact, when he was questioned by Hamada about whether he thought being a singer was easy, he really wanted to retort at that time, but out of consideration for Itsuragi, he didn’t say it out loud.

He had the capital to be arrogant, and he had the assistance of the system.

Perhaps he was still an entry-level vocalist now, but in the future, it might not be the case. 

He could become proficient, even achieving perfection at what was considered the human limit.

“I look forward to your success.”

Realizing that their decision to start a company was not just about entrepreneurship but also about breaking free from their current situation, Ninomiya smiled.

Quitting a job with an annual salary of twenty million yen and taking this step required courage.

The previous Itsuragi, even if scolded by superiors or presented with unreasonable demands, would at most complain a bit but never resign.

Clearly, Kurosawa’s talent had given Itsuragi the courage to take this step.

While it might not be for her but for Itsuragi, as a close friend, she genuinely felt happy for them.

If this path succeeded, both Itsuragi and Kurosawa would become better individuals.

She held the belief that the choice of one’s college major was just a temporary decision, not a lifelong commitment.

“I’m looking forward to it, and you have to help too.”

“If Runa is starting a company, I will definitely help.”

“Here’s to our success, cheers.”

Seeing her joining in, Kurosawa immediately raised a glass of beer.

“You’re still going to drink?” Ninomiya gave him a disdainful look, slightly reproachful. 

Did this guy want to get drunk too?

Kurosawa wasn’t much of a drinker to begin with. 

Being met with her alluring glare, he promptly put the glass down.

“Well, then I won’t drink.”