Traveling through the Tokyo bubble era

Chapter 977 An Expected Assist

"As expected of President Yuzuru, he is so popular even in South Korea."

Just as Hideki Hanyu was calming down the fans at the scene, a voice rang out next to Lee Young-ae.

However, Lee Young-ae did not understand what the person was saying because they were speaking Japanese.

Lee Young-ae turned her head and found that the speaker was an elderly man who looked very energetic.

Although she didn't understand what the other person was saying, she recognized him as Shin Kyuk-ho, the famous founder of Lotte Group.

Lee Young-ae got to know Shin Kyuk-ho because of the Miss Lotte beauty pageant he organized.

After all, how could Lee Young-ae, a part-time model, not know about "Miss Lotte," who is on par with the Miss South Korea pageant?

Throughout South Korea, for any girl who wants to pursue a career in the entertainment industry, participating in these two beauty pageants is the fastest shortcut to fame.

"My father's decision to ask Chairman Yuzuru to hold the book launch at our mall was absolutely the right one. This is the first time I've seen so many people in the mall since it opened."

The person who spoke next was a man who appeared with Shin Kyuk-ho. He looked to be in his thirties and had a resemblance to Shin Kyuk-ho in his features.

Although Lee Young-ae still couldn't understand the Japanese language the man was speaking, she could tell from their appearances that the two were definitely related by blood.

And Lee Young-ae's guess was correct. The man in his thirties was Shin Dong-bin, Shin Kyuk-ho's second son, who had just taken over Lotte Group's South Korean business.

As soon as the father and son finished speaking, Chiba Kaoru stepped forward to greet them.

"President Shigemitsu, President Shigemitsu, good morning. I am Chiba Kaoru, Mr. Yuzuru's assistant."

Although Chiba Kaoru could speak a little Korean, she spoke to the two of them in Japanese at this moment.

They addressed each other by their Japanese names: Shin Kyuk-ho was called Shigemitsu Takeo, and Shin Dong-bin was called Shigemitsu Akio.

The reason for this is that anyone who has met this father and son knows that although they make money from the South Korean market, they don't consider themselves South Korean at all.

Although Shin Kyuk-ho only came to Japan from South Korea at the age of twenty, and South Korea is his mother country and Korean is his mother tongue, he speaks Japanese every day, whether at work or at home, and he likes to be called by his Japanese name.

As for his son, Akio Shigemitsu (Shin Dong-bin), he was born and raised in Japan and America. Now he is in charge of managing South Korean business, but he doesn't speak any Korean. He communicates with his subordinates in English and Japanese.

Facing Chiba Kaoru, Shigemitsu Takeo replied with a smile, "So it's Chiba-san. We spoke on the phone before, and I never expected Chiba-san to be so beautiful."

Lee Young-ae, standing nearby, watched as Chiba Kaoru and Shigemitsu Takeo greeted each other. For some reason, she felt that the smile of the leader of the Rakuten Group was a little strange.

Although both were important figures, when Hideki Hanyu was in close contact with her, he often smiled, but his smile was gentle and natural, making people feel very comfortable.

But the man in front of her, Shigemitsu Takeo, gave off a feeling of forced smiles. He seemed respectful, but in reality, he was indifferent, and there was a hidden greed that frightened her.

Especially when he said Chiba Kaoru was beautiful, a hint of greed flashed in his eyes.

What Lee Young-ae could sense, Chiba Kaoru could naturally also perceive.

However, she was not surprised at all.

After all, according to the information investigated by the assistant's office, Shigemitsu Takeo, the South Korean chaebol tycoon, is definitely a lecherous lunatic.

Although her boss, Hideki Hanyu, was also a playboy and a womanizer, he was fundamentally different from Takeo Shigemitsu.

Their attitudes toward women were worlds apart.

Hideki Hanyu never forces or coerces women, nor does he hurt them by refusing them.

But Shigemitsu Takeo was different. He used coercion, intimidation, bribery, and intimidation to get the women he wanted. He used all sorts of despicable means to get his hands on them.

Even after succeeding, his attitude towards women was exceptionally cruel, bordering on inhuman.

It is said that in order to make it easier to manipulate women and to prevent them from getting pregnant, they would even force women to undergo surgery that would harm their bodies.

Such a blatant and inhumane style of behavior made Chiba Kaoru feel a chill and a sense of fear when she felt the greed in the other person's eyes so closely.

Despite her fear, Chiba Kaoru was Hideki Hanyu's assistant and an absolute confidante. With Hideki Hanyu as her backer, she wasn't worried about what Shigemitsu Takeo would do to her.

In this respect, Kaoru Chiba felt extremely fortunate.

If someone were to be targeted by someone like Takeo Shigemitsu under a different identity, it would be a disaster for an ordinary person.

As Shigemitsu Takeo looked at the elegant and beautiful Chiba Kaoru in her professional suit, his possessiveness flared up, but he managed to restrain himself when he thought of Hideki Hanyu behind Chiba Kaoru.

However, right after he finished speaking with Chiba Kaoru, he noticed a young and beautiful woman standing next to her, looking at him with a somewhat fearful gaze.

Upon closer inspection, she was a girl even more beautiful than Kaoru Chiba.

Her youthful and beautiful appearance instantly aroused Takeo Shigemitsu's lust, reigniting his previously suppressed possessiveness.

He also discovered that not only him, but even his son, Akio Shigemitsu, was now focused on the girl.

Even more eager than him, he asked Chiba Kaoru, "Chiba-san, who is this young lady?"

Although Lee Young-ae didn't understand what Akio Shigemitsu said to Kaoru Chiba, she could tell that the other person was asking about her.

Most importantly, the way the two men in front of him were looking at him was like that of hungry wolves locking onto their prey in the dead of night, gleaming with a cold, greedy light.

Faced with such a gaze, Lee Young-ae trembled with fear.

At the same time, Kaoru Chiba answered, "This is Ms. Lee Young-ae, who came at the invitation of Mr. Yuzuru."

Akio Shigemitsu immediately asked, "Is Miss Li also a friend of President Yuzuru?"

"No, Miss Li came here today to..."

Kaoru Chiba reveals the purpose of Lee Young-ae's visit.

Upon hearing this, Shigemitsu Takeo and his son immediately realized that Lee Young-ae was just an ordinary person with no background or talent who wanted to develop her career in the entertainment industry.

Most importantly, Lee Young-ae and Hideki Hanyu have no relation.

In this way, they don't need to have any scruples when they act.

Although they were invited by Hideki Hanyu, they are just ordinary people. They can inform Hideki Hanyu in advance. Would Hideki Hanyu really risk ruining his relationship with them for the sake of a stranger?

After all, in the eyes of Takeo Shigemitsu and his son, ordinary people were no longer considered "the same kind" as Hideki Habu and their social class.

Kaoru Chiba naturally noticed the change in their expressions.

When she introduced Lee Young-ae earlier, she deliberately expressed Hideki Hanyu's interest in her.

However, Shigemitsu Takeo and his son clearly didn't take it to heart and still showed a strong affection for Lee Young-ae.

Kaoru Chiba was powerless to help either of them.

After all, if it weren't for Hideki Hanyu backing her, she wouldn't be able to protect herself against these two, so what right did she have to protect Lee Young-ae?

Chiba Kaoru glanced at the beautiful Lee Young-ae and thought to herself that meeting this chaebol father and son was clearly not a good thing, given their good looks.

Although while helping Hideki Hanyu handle Cloud Entertainment and other entertainment and media investments in South Korea, I heard a lot about the "bad deeds" of South Korean chaebols in the entertainment industry.

However, there is still a big difference between hearing about it and seeing it with your own eyes.

Lee Young-ae, a girl from an ordinary family, is being targeted by this father and son. Her only chance of escaping is through her boss, Hideki Hanyu.

If the boss lends a helping hand, he can immediately gain Lee Young-ae's favor.

When Chiba Kaoru thought of this, a thought suddenly popped into her mind.

Did her boss send Lee Young-ae here precisely because he anticipated this situation and wanted to use Shigemitsu Takeo and his son to push Lee Young-ae into his arms?

The more Chiba Kaoru thought about it, the more likely it seemed.

After all, her boss always planned ahead and never did anything meaningless.

The boss suddenly focused his attention on a girl and inexplicably arranged to meet her in an inappropriate place; it didn't seem like a coincidence at all.

Kaoru Chiba couldn't help but turn her gaze toward the stage, wondering if Hideki Hanyu was paying attention to them.

But what they found was that his president was on stage, interacting with several lucky book fans.

A father with his daughter, a middle-aged woman, and a young and beautiful girl.

These people are currently drawing gifts personally prepared by Hideki Hanyu.

The father brought his daughter, a book lover, and she won the entire set of "The Magical Snack Shop" merchandise in a raffle. Looking at the pile of dolls, figurines, wall hangings, calendars, and other items, she jumped and danced happily on the stage.

The middle-aged woman won a photobook that was only given away with the pre-sale of Hideki Hanyu's limited edition, and it was even signed by Hideki Hanyu on the spot. Looking at the handsome photos of Hideki Hanyu, the woman smiled brightly and was obviously very happy.

As for the young and beautiful girl, the host took the number she drew, checked the list of winners for a moment, and then announced loudly, "Congratulations to Ms. Kim Nam-joo from the Dance Department of Suwon Girls' College! You have the lucky opportunity to have dinner with author Yuzuru Hanyu!"

As the host's voice rang out, cheers erupted from the crowd, and the female book fans in the audience looked at the young girl on stage with envious and jealous eyes.

In their view, being able to get up close and personal with their favorite author, Hideki Hanyu, was more precious than any reward.

Kim Nam-joo, who won the award, was extremely excited, covering her mouth with her hand and looking incredulous.

Just then, Hideki Yuzuru took the initiative to ask, "Ms. Kim, if you are not satisfied with this reward, I can offer other compensation, or give you another chance to draw a prize."

Hideki Hanyu asked that question intentionally, of course.

After all, once Kim Nam-joo stepped onto the stage, Hideki Hanyu confirmed her identity as the future famous South Korean actress, Kim Nam-joo.

(Photo by Kim Nam-joo)
When people talk about this person, their first reaction is often that she is decisive, hardworking, strong, and ruthless in her pursuit of success. She has a "queen" demeanor on the surface, but she is not lacking in negative press.

According to the original course of history, Kim Nam-joo should have taken the civil service exam after graduating next year, but instead, she participated in the "Miss South Korea" pageant because of her childhood dream of becoming a star, and eventually won the title and debuted in the entertainment industry.

Hideki Yuzuru never expected that Kim Nam-joo, who was still a student, would be a fan of his books and would appear at his New Year's book launch so coincidentally.

Thinking back to his thoughts before going on stage, Hideki Hanyu immediately gave the host a hint, which led to Kim Nam-joo receiving this award.

Even though Hideki Hanyu asked the other person if they wanted to try again.

Even if the other party agrees, Hideki Hanyu will still reward them with a trip and dinner together.

Otherwise, how could he achieve his goal?

However, judging from Kim Nam-joo's excited appearance, Hideki Yuzuru didn't think she would refuse.

As expected, after Hideki Yuzuru asked his question, Kim Nam-joo waved her hand repeatedly and said, "No need, I am very satisfied with this gift!"

"I am very much looking forward to dinner with Ms. Jin."

As the scumbag spoke, he smiled slightly at Kim Nam-joo, deliberately exuding charm. Kim Nam-joo was immediately captivated, her breathing quickening and her eyes seemingly turning into hearts.

However, the next moment, the host announced, "The lucky draw for book lovers is over. Please come down from the stage to collect your prizes. Dear fans of Yuzuru Hanyu, please don't rush. There will be another lucky draw next, and the winners will receive..."

As the host announced the end of the event, the three lucky book fans were reluctantly asked to leave the stage by the staff, while the event continued.

The event lasted for more than forty minutes, ending at 11:00 PM. Hideki Hanyu finally left the stage amidst the farewells of his fans.

When Hideki Hanyu arrived at the staff area, he saw Kaoru Chiba waiting anxiously, Lee Young-ae looking slightly flustered, and Takeo Shigemitsu and his son Akio Shigemitsu.

Shigemitsu Takeo stepped forward first and politely thanked him, saying, "President Hanyu, thank you for your hard work. Because of President Hanyu's event, my mall's foot traffic has reached its peak since it opened."

Akio Shigemitsu echoed his father's sentiments, saying, "That's right, President Yuzuru's charisma is far greater than any of the celebrities we've invited before, or any of the special offers we've given him!"

Facing the father and son with their fake smiles, Hideki Yuzuru, unlike his enthusiastic self on stage, said in a nonchalant tone, "It's good that Chairman Shigemitsu wasn't disappointed."

Upon seeing this, Shigemitsu Takeo knew that Hideki Habu's attitude meant that past favors had been repaid and that he should not do such things again in the future.

To this, Takeo Shigemitsu had nothing to say.

After all, given Hideki Hanyu's status, it would be extremely difficult to invite him to such an event if it weren't for repaying a favor.

So all Shigemitsu Takeo could say was, "President Hanyu, thank you for your hard work."

He then extended an invitation, "I have prepared lunch. I would be honored if President Yuzuru would do me the honor of coming upstairs for a meal."

Considering that Elf Spread had a partnership with Lotte in South Korea, Hideki Hanyu did not refuse.

Of course, he didn't forget Lee Young-ae either, and took Chiba Kaoru and Lee Young-ae upstairs to the banquet.

Although Lee Young-ae was afraid of Takeo Shigemitsu and his son, seeing Hideki Hanyu by her side made her feel safer, and she was no longer so afraid even when eating with them.

However, what Lee Young-ae didn't expect was that halfway through this unprepared lunch, Akio Shigemitsu suddenly made a request to Hideki Hanyu.

That was to sign Lee Young-ae to an artist management agency under the Lotte Group.

In order to persuade Hideki Hanyu, they also made a bunch of promises regarding the cooperation.

Moreover, from making the request to stating the conditions, he completely ignored Lee Young-ae, and even spoke in Japanese, which Lee Young-ae couldn't understand, as if Lee Young-ae's wishes were completely unimportant.

If you were to ask why Lee Young-ae could still recognize the Japanese language when she was speaking it, you would likely ask her how she knew it.

Of course, it was Chiba Kaoru who, in order to give her boss a helping hand, took the initiative to translate Shigemitsu Akio's words to Lee Young-ae.

Seeing that Akio Shigemitsu was making his demands, Hideki Habu remained silent, seemingly deep in thought, and Lee Young-ae panicked instantly.

Because she knew very well that if she had already become famous in the entertainment industry, she might still have a chance to resist.

But as an ordinary person, she had no power to resist Lotte Group, one of South Korea's top conglomerates, and could only be slaughtered by them.

At this moment, Lee Young-ae looked terrified, her eyes fixed on Hideki Yuzuru.

Because now, the only person she can rely on is Hideki Hanyu.

Hideki Hanyu didn't keep Lee Young-ae waiting for long.

After all, the father and son, Shigemitsu Takeo, did not disappoint him.

As expected of the scum who would later orchestrate the Jang Ja-yeon case, these two took the bait and offered their assistance before the plan had even begun and before any of the subsequent methods had been used.

He slowly began to speak, "I disagree with this."

Upon hearing this, Akio Shigemitsu said in disbelief, "Could it be that President Yuzuru didn't hear the conditions I gave? She's just a commoner with no background."

Unexpectedly, Hideki Yuzuru's expression darkened, and he retorted, "Didn't you hear me? Or do I need to explain something to you?"

Akio Shigemitsu, who was used to things going smoothly, said with obvious displeasure, "Is President Yuzuru really going to disrespect us for the sake of a commoner..."

Before Akio Shigemitsu could finish speaking, Hideki Habu interrupted him without any politeness.

"Who do you think you are, daring to threaten me! You think you deserve my respect!"

"A good-for-nothing who's ignorant and lazy in America, a complete failure who's made a mess of the family business in his thirties—if it weren't for your father, you wouldn't even have the right to sit here with me."

After Hideki Yuzuru finished speaking, he looked at Takeo Shigemitsu with a cold gaze. "Chairman Shigemitsu, I need an explanation. Tell me that the stupid thing your son did was not at your behest."

"Father……"

Snapped!
Hideki Hanyu suddenly lost his temper, and Akio Shigemitsu was still somewhat unconvinced and wanted to argue, but before he could even open his mouth, Takeo Shigemitsu slapped him back down.

The conflict between his son and Hideki Hanyu erupted so quickly that Takeo Shigemitsu didn't even have time to intervene.

It can only be said that the son was blinded by lust and completely lost his composure. What was supposed to be a discussion turned into a threat.

Do you really think Hideki Hanyu is easy to mess with just because he's young?
Not to mention that Hideki Hanyu is now incredibly powerful and terrifying in Japan, he is no match for him at all.

Even in South Korea, they were equally unable to deal with Hideki Hanyu.

Hideki Hanyu has close ties with high-ranking South Korean officials, making numerous investments and collaborating with major conglomerates such as Samsung Group and SK Group. His network of relationships is intricate and his alliances of interests are complex and intertwined.

"Apologize to President Yuzuru!"

"I……"

"hurry up!"

Under pressure from Takeo Shigemitsu, Akio Shigemitsu reluctantly bowed deeply to Hideki Hanyu and said, "I'm sorry, President Hanyu. I acted impulsively and said the wrong thing. Please forgive my rudeness."

Hideki Hanyu leaned back in his chair and said in a self-deprecating tone, "I wouldn't dare ask President Shigemitsu to apologize. After all, I was once an ordinary person too."

Seeing that Hideki Hanyu had not forgiven his son, Takeo Shigemitsu had no choice but to express his opinion in person.

"President Yuzuru, it is my fault for not educating my son well. In order to gain your forgiveness, we will accept all the conditions that Akio promised earlier, and we will pretend that Miss Li's incident never happened."

Hideki Yuzuru simply tapped the table with his finger and said, "It's been a long time since I've been threatened like this. I find it quite novel. Chairman Shigemitsu, why don't you let your son continue? I'm actually very curious about what he'll do to me if I don't agree."

Upon hearing Hideki Hanyu's words, Takeo Shigemitsu knew that Hanyu was still not satisfied and had no choice but to make many more concessions on the cooperation.

As soon as Takeo Shigemitsu finished speaking, Hideki Hanyu immediately instructed Kaoru Chiba, "Kaoru Chiba, remember Chairman Shigemitsu's good intentions and immediately notify the South Korean head of Elf Communications to sign a new cooperation agreement with Lotte under the new terms."

After saying that, he slowly stood up and smiled slightly at Shigemitsu Takeo and his son.

"Thank you both for your hospitality. I am very satisfied with today's lunch."

(End of this chapter)