Tokyo Unnatural Forensics

Chapter 247, How come there's a murder case while recording a TV show?

Uesugi Muneyuki's reaction to Yamaguchi Maho greatly disappointed Fuji TV and 48's manager, Imamura.

Maho Yamaguchi wasn't lying; she probably did know Uesugi Muneyuki before and had a relationship with him, but judging from Uesugi Muneyuki's reply, he didn't care about this girl at all.

Director Abiru's opinion of Yamaguchi Maho plummeted, but since she had already been invited, he figured he might as well let her play the role of a decorative figure and read from a script; a large civilian television station should have that much decency.

This guy managed to snag a prime-time slot... Imamura's manager was also greatly disappointed.

Maho Yamaguchi is too old. She was 18 when she auditioned and 19 when she trained. For an idol, she is definitely an old hand. In addition, she has no talent, is not good at shaking hands, and can't do anything funny. She only has a pretty face. She is a tool to support the group, to attract new fans with her looks. The management really wants to promote her teammates, such as Yuka Ogino, Marina Nishiki, Ayaki Muraya, and Nana Okada, who are young, good at shaking hands, and can do something funny.

Since Yamaguchi is only a nodding acquaintance with Uesugi Muneyuki, she has no value. Let her use her position once or twice and then find a way to replace her. This position should be given to a promising new star in the group. As long as she can get on the good side of Uesugi Muneyuki, the future is promising!

Maho Yamaguchi was unaware that she had been abandoned by both the TV station and the group. The girl was quite disappointed by Uesugi Muneyuki's reaction, but she couldn't show it and could only loudly reply, "Nice to meet you."

Just then, Mai Shirakawa arrived.

As she was to host the event, Mai stood under the spotlight today with her signature intellectual charm. She changed into a well-tailored ivory satin suit, the hem of which fell just two inches above her knees. Her light gray pantyhose had a subtle pearlescent effect that created a soft, misty texture under the camera lens. Her beautiful white feet were clad in five-centimeter nude suede pointed-toe heels, with semi-transparent pearl buckles at the forefoot that accentuated the elegant and sleek arches of her feet.

Mai Shirakawa's most recognizable features are her fair skin and dark eyes, like a newly blossoming camellia. The national goddess's temperament today is as clear as a glass bead formed by morning dew. When she saw that Muneyuki Uesugi was already there, the corners of Mai's lips naturally turned up, forming a natural smile, and her dimples rippled with her smile: "Hello everyone, I am Mai Shirakawa. I am honored to be here today to participate in the recording of the program. Please take good care of me!"

"Please give me your guidance~"

The goddess-like senior gave Uesugi Muneyuki a knowing look, and Uesugi Muneyuki smiled back. The two understood each other instantly without even saying a word.

You're here?
If you come, I'll come too.

I couldn't refuse to film a show with my senior.

Me too, junior!
This feeling of unspoken understanding between them was quite peculiar, so much so that Reina Ikeda, who was standing next to Uesugi Muneyuki, always felt something was off but couldn't find any excuse.

The two greeted each other, said nothing, yet it was as if they had said everything.

"Sakura Miyawaki is here." Soon, the announcements began again from outside.

"Sorry, sorry, I'm late!"

Outside the studio, Miyawaki Sakura, dressed in her stage outfit, hurriedly entered the studio with an apologetic expression. When she saw that Shirakawa Mai and Uesugi Muneyuki were both there, the girl bowed even more frightenedly, almost pressing her head to the ground.

As the top member of the group, Sakura is very busy. Idols are different from actors. In addition to attending theater performances, they basically have no right to refuse any performance invitations. Idols don't have the right to choose jobs; jobs choose them. The turnover rate of idols is extremely fast. Every April, during graduation season, thousands of girls enter this field, and they can be eliminated before they know it.

If you don’t do it, others will!

"Hey! Miyawaki, why are you so late?" Sure enough, Sakura's lateness made her manager feel very embarrassed, especially since Uesugi Muneyuki and Shirakawa Mai had already arrived. It was very impolite for a little idol to make a big star wait, not to mention that this was Japan, a place where seniority is somewhat distorted.

"I'm so sorry, Imamura-san, something went wrong with the recording at TV Tokyo, we had to reshoot a few scenes..." Sakura was almost crying.

Today, during the group's recording, for some reason, several members kept making mistakes, forcing a re-recording. The production team was practically pressing the deadline before letting them go. Although Sakura arrived at the Odaiba building on time, she was already considered late given the current situation.

The agent was so angry that he wanted to slap her or at least yell at her.

Just as Imamura was gathering his emotions, Mai-senpai greeted Sakura: "Oh, you're here, Miyawaki? Come here."

"Shirakawa-san! Uesugi-san!" Sakura quickly went over to greet them, silencing the reprimand her manager was about to utter.

Due to the time crunch, Sakura was still wearing her stage outfit. A light pink and ivory white tutu accentuated her beautiful figure, and a ribbon bow tied at the lace neckline revealed sequined white stockings as the skirt swayed. The thin, semi-transparent fabric wrapped around her slender, delicate legs, shimmering like mother-of-pearl under the bright background light. The warm tones of her skin were faintly visible at the back of her knees, and the white stockings at her ankles were slightly bunched up. Her metal-buckled uniform shoes clattered as she quickly approached the two.

What an adorable girl! Uesugi Muneyuki remembered Sakura, and her outfit was very much to his liking. He couldn't help but take a second look: "Did you rush here?"

"Yes, I'm sorry, I'm late."

"Hehe, it's alright, you weren't late." Uesugi Muneyuki pointed at the clock: "You just didn't arrive that early. Who dares say you're late? I'll teach him a lesson for you!"

"Hehehe~ That's right, if anyone dares to say you're late, I'll teach them a lesson for you." Mai-senpai chuckled. Standing with Uesugi Muneyuki and talking to Sakura gave her the illusion of disciplining her daughter, and in her pleasant mood, she unusually said a few more words.

I struck up a conversation with them again!

Sakura blushed with excitement and squeezed her legs together.

It's Mai-sama's turn! She's even snagged on Uesugi-san!
Even if I die, it'll be worth it!
Little did she know, the treatment she received immediately elevated her status in the eyes of her agent and Fuji TV.

Abiru Kazuhiko nodded, thinking to himself that it was indeed the right decision to send her!
Uesugi Muneyuki and Shirakawa Mai both like her very much!

The manager, Imamura, immediately put on a smiling face: "Alright, go and say hello to everyone, hurry up."

After greeting everyone in the studio, Miyawaki Sakura immediately prepared to redo her makeup and review the script, but before that, she had one more thing to do.

"Yamaguchi." Sakura approached Yamaguchi Maho and gestured for us to speak privately.

"Ah, Miyawaki-senpai." In the corner, Yamaguchi Maho bowed respectfully to her. Although Yamaguchi was three years older, Sakura had joined the group first, so she was her senior.

"What exactly happened? Why are you here?" Miyawaki Sakura is a little fangirl in front of Mai-senpai, but she's a rather authoritative senior in front of Yamaguchi: "What you said that day was true? You really did have... Uesugi-san..."

"I..." Yamaguchi Maho was in a difficult position and could only hang her head.

"You told everyone? Fuji TV only gave you one role?"

"........."

Seeing her juniors act this way, Sakura, who had been in the idol industry for several years, naturally understood what was going on.

"Hmph!" With a cold snort, Sakura couldn't control her emotions and left Yamaguchi Maho behind.

All the previous joy vanished, and Miyawaki Sakura felt as if her heart was shrouded in a dark emotion. Even being hit by a prime-time pancake didn't seem so appealing anymore.

This is probably reality, right?

Sakura barely suppressed her intense jealousy and the urge to make Yamaguchi eat leftovers. She took a deep breath to calm herself, letting the dark aura in her lifeless eyes gradually dissipate, and once again displaying the professional idol smile she wore for business.

Idols sell a persona, and they can't show such a scary expression.

Even if Yamaguchi resorted to underhanded means, he still managed to get a role for himself.

In some ways, she might even be his benefactor.

Besides, I've already become quite close with Uesugi-san!
In comparison, Yamaguchi... Uesugi-san didn't even chat with her.

Huh? She suddenly understood what the relationship between Yamaguchi and Uesugi really was.

Thinking about this, Sakura finally felt much better, and the makeup artist began to redo her makeup.

Let's keep going today!
Sakura looked at her youthful, sweet, and lively face in the mirror, filled with confidence.

Cherry blossoms, fighting!

........................

Just as Sakura was getting her makeup done, Uesugi Muneyuki and Shirakawa Mai were going over the script with the director.

This is not a live broadcast, but a pre-recorded program that will be edited and broadcast later. Therefore, the two-hour program may take five or six hours to record.

After only glancing at a bit of the script, Uesugi Muneyuki's face darkened.

As expected of Fuji TV.

The script contained many questions that violated privacy and nonsensical variety show jokes.

For example, ask him if he is a virgin, who he had his first sexual experience with, and if he had to choose a woman to go on a two-day trip to Hakone hot springs with.

For example, ask him where he lives, and ask if you can go to his house and show him what's in his refrigerator, and maybe install a hidden camera to see what he eats every day.
For example, wouldn't one have strange thoughts when examining the corpse of a young and beautiful woman?

Mai-senpai was laughing hysterically next to her.

In addition, there are some strange interactions, such as giving him a scalpel and asking Uesugi Muneyuki to peel apples and grapefruits using the "anatomical method", and asking him to smell and distinguish between male and female foot odor. If he is wrong, he will be punished by drinking a cup of fragrant lemon tea - the same as the foot odor.

Is the director of Fuji TV Zhouzhouren?

Uesugi Muneyuki suspected he had dressed in the wrong place.

"Hiroyuki Miyano of the Umbrella Duo is here!"

Just then, another comedian arrived.

Hiroyuki Miyano, the scathing commentator for the Umbrella Duo, one of the comedic duo from Yoshimoto Kogyo, strode into the studio and greeted everyone.

Because of the arrival of a new person, Uesugi Muneyuki and Shirakawa Mai looked up.

The expressions on the faces of the golden boy and jade girl changed simultaneously.

The man's eyes widened, and he quickly gave Mai-senpai a look: Did you see that?
Mai-senpai's eyes also showed surprise: Of course I saw it!

This guy has a Ju-on character following him! A fresh Ju-on!
No, buddy?
Uesugi Muneyuki felt a bit numb.

How can a murder occur while recording a TV program?

(End of this chapter)