Tokyo Unnatural Forensics

Chapter 278, The Show Begins

The conference room of Fujidai's Odaiba building was buzzing with excitement. The production team had specially made a huge screen so that the elderly people with poor eyesight could not see the screen clearly. On both sides of the screen, real-time ratings were displayed, along with various guarantees carefully designed by President Kameyama. He believed that this program would definitely be a huge hit!
As a moderately developed capitalist country, Japan naturally has a very strong business atmosphere. Since the Japanese economy began to weaken, the demand for entertainment has become even stronger. Fuji TV was one of the first to take the plunge, with a typical example being "Long Vacation," produced by President Kameyama and starring Takuya Kimura and Tomoko Yamaguchi. This show comforted the Japanese people at the time with the economic downturn and the bursting of the bubble economy by saying "it's just a long vacation," thus resonating with the entire nation.

Of course, this placebo effect will eventually wear off if too much is given. In this respect, Fuji TV is both a beneficiary and a victim.

Hundreds of audience members, each with their own purpose, stared at the big screen. They were either Fuji TV executives, Fuji TV partners, major sponsors of Fuji TV, or outsourcing companies of Fuji TV.

Everyone knows about the Odaiba building closure incident and the record-breaking viewership last year, and everyone admires President Kameyama's decisiveness and courage. Not only did he turn a tragedy into a celebration, but he also took the opportunity to directly break through the viewership peak.

However, the sealing off of the Odaiba building had its own unique and accidental aspects.

Today, President Kameyama will prove that this is neither a coincidence nor a wish, but a divine arrangement for their reunion. He has the ability to recreate the glory of that night! It is not unrepeatable!

As dusk fell, "God's Hand SP" officially started at 6:30. After a brief opening sequence, national goddess Mai Shirakawa appeared on the television screen. She responded to the camera with a bright smile. Her routine opening jokes and introduction of Uesugi Muneyuki were steady and unremarkable, but they still attracted everyone's attention.

Since she's not a professional host or comedian, Mai-senpai's hosting rhythm was clearly a bit off. She focused too much on her relationship with Uesugi Muneyuki, instead of using the specific details to illustrate a broader point.

But that doesn't matter, because Uesugi Muneyuki is not someone that everyone is unfamiliar with. The audience knows him too well and there is no need for an introduction. On the contrary, Mai-senpai's face naturally radiates joy when she mentions Uesugi Muneyuki, occasionally revealing a little bit of fun anecdotes about when they were alumni of Tokiwa Middle School in Gunma Prefecture, and then complaining about Uesugi Muneyuki's little habits and secrets. The whole program is incredibly entertaining.

This is exactly what we want to see! This is exactly what we want to see – these teeth!
Countless viewers sitting in front of their televisions gritted their teeth in anger.

Mai-senpai is our goddess! A national actress who has never had a single scandal since her debut, how could she fall for a toad like you? Damn it, you're an alumnus, a friend, and you often eat together and know each other's little secrets.

I'm so envious!
Tomorrow, we'll send tanks to the Metropolitan Police Department one by one and send Uesugi Forensic Officer of the Special Missions Unit to his death!
Mai-senpai's die-hard fans absolutely hate Uesugi Muneyuki.

Could you perhaps fall into Tokyo Bay like Ms. Aiko Igarashi in the Yokohama case?
But everyone just couldn't resist watching.

Because everyone is usually completely unaware of Uesugi Muneyuki and Shirakawa Mai's daily lives, even the smallest revelations bring a strange sense of satisfaction to all viewers.

When the show aired, the ratings were only 18%, but after Mai Shirakawa said a few words at the beginning, the ratings soared to 21%.

Then, Uesugi Muneyuki made his official appearance amidst great anticipation.

As expected, upon their first appearance, Uesugi Muneyuki and Shirakawa Mai exuded an inexplicable aura. Although there was no direct physical contact between them, there was a strange feeling and familiarity between them, with no sense of boundaries between them. Shirakawa Mai would even reach out and pat Uesugi Muneyuki's head, making it look exactly like a bullying goddess senior bullying an innocent junior. Uesugi Muneyuki's occasional verbal retorts and tactless teasing were even more exciting.

Both of them revealed previously unknown sides of themselves on the show.

At the same time, there is always a special charm between their eyes and brows. After asking a question, Mai-senpai would look at Uesugi Muneyuki with a sly look, as if testing how he would answer. After answering, Uesugi Muneyuki would even show off with his eyes that he had answered well. When talking about interesting things at school, the two would smile at each other, and then when Uesugi Muneyuki was talking eloquently, Mai-senpai would look at him with a unique gaze.

This look is called "My world consists only of you".

Moreover, since neither of them were professionals, there was a sense of awkwardness between them, and they seemed completely unprofessional.

But it's precisely this lack of professionalism that everyone watching the show dreams of!
Script, design, hype—get out of my sight!

This is exactly what we want to see; this is the realism we want to see!
Therefore, with the appearance of Uesugi Muneyuki, the ratings began to rise rapidly!
The ratings soared from 22%, 24%, and 27% to 28% before slowing down. This is the best rating for a variety show on Fuji TV in recent years!
But that's not all. Everyone knows that the most explosive thing is yet to come!
President Kameyama clenched his fists tightly.

Although it has reached 28%, this is still not the viewership rating that Fuji TV had imagined. It should be noted that Fuji TV paid a huge price and used a lot of connections to get the program broadcast.

Don't panic, it's just a technical adjustment!

President Kameyama comforted himself with this thought: a huge explosion is just around the corner!

After a brief interview and Q&A session, comedians took the stage, and Fuji TV began its broadcast. They repeatedly used ambiguous camera movements to linger on Hiroyuki Miyano's face, body parts, and even his crotch, as if afraid that the audience would forget his name or not recognize his face.

Then the hired narrator spoke in a half-smiling, half-straight tone, coupled with the animation effects produced in the later episodes. Hiroyuki Miyano's serious and earnest attempt to be funny, throwing out topics and mocking his own sharp tongue, became another kind of joke. His entire performance was watched by the whole of Japan, and it was truly a hellish joke.

But that's not all. Even before the case was exposed, the comedian segment was already quite explosive.

Uesugi Muneyuki admits to having sexual fantasies about Mai-senpai, and not only that, he also confesses to being a pervert in high school! The appearance of idols Miyawaki Sakura and Yamaguchi Maho is a pleasant surprise, and they both know Uesugi Muneyuki. Yamaguchi gets a joke about lying, while Sakura shows her special relationship with Uesugi Muneyuki and Shirakawa Mai. After the three of them go to Yoshinoya together, the most explosive part of this segment comes!
After drawing the question, which was an anonymous one, Mai-senpai asked Uesugi Muneyuki: "Among the female celebrities present here and in the entertainment industry, if you had to choose one to go on a two-day trip to Hakone hot springs with, who would you choose?"

"That depends on what kind of girl Uesugi-san likes. For example, someone with fair skin? Someone older? Someone he used to be classmates with? Someone he can talk to and meets up with once a month for a meal?" Shiraku, one of the "banana people" (people who are out of the same ethnicity), patiently guided him.

"Wait!" Uesugi Muneyuki suddenly waved his hand: "Why don't you just ask me if I want to go to Hakone for a two-day trip with Mai-senpai?"

"Yes! Yes, yes, yes!" Shirakuto exclaimed excitedly, "You said it yourself! I didn't say that!"

"It's not that complicated, junior. Let's speak Japanese. To put it simply, the question is, do you want to do it with me?" Mai-senpai raised the microphone with a smile.

"Wait!" Uesugi Muneyuki quickly raised his hand to signal a stop: "I have a question. I don't understand, is this question being asked of me by the production team or by Mai-senpai?"

The entire Fuji TV audience burst into laughter, followed by another round of enthusiastic applause. Fuji TV really dares to do this!

Aren't you afraid the Miyazaki brothers from Souls Agency will fight you to the death? Kameyama, you old devil!
And at that very moment, the viewership ratings continued to soar, rising from 28% when Uesugi Muneyuki appeared to 37%! And this number had already soared to nearly 40% when Shirakawa Mai asked the question!

"Is there a difference?" Mai Shirakawa blinked.

“Of course there’s a difference!” Uesugi Muneyuki said with a meaningful smile.

"Okay, let's answer separately. If it's a shoku question, and you have to choose someone to spend two days and one night at Hakone hot springs with, who would you choose?"

"Of course, it's my dear senior, Mai Shirakawa~"

"What if I were to ask that?"

"Of course, it's my dear senior, Mai Shirakawa~"

"What? Isn't there absolutely no difference?" Mai-senpai was clearly pleased with the question, and the national actress chided, "Then why did you have to say that?"

“Completely different, okay?” Uesugi Muneyuki revealed a serious expression rather inappropriately at this moment: “If the production team asks, it just means that we will go to Hakone together to record a program and do promotion.”

“But if it’s Mai-senpai who asked, then that means…you know, it’s a romantic invitation, and I will gladly accept it~” After the audience burst into good-natured laughter, Uesugi Muneyuki suddenly asked, “Don’t you want to come with me, senpai?”

"I..." Shirakawa Mai didn't expect Uesugi Muneyuki to pull such a move. Even she, who was always strong, confident, and methodical, finally lowered her head shyly at this moment.

The most charming sight is that shy lowering of her head, like a water lily gently trembling in the cold wind.

Senior, you got killed by the junior!
While watching the program, Miyazaki Takataka, the president of the Soul-Connected Agency, slammed his fist on the table in anger: "Fuji TV! Kameyama! I'm going to sue him! I'm going to sue him!!!"

Similarly, at the Watanabe residence in Gotokuji, Setagaya Ward, both Watanabe Eiji and Watanabe Michiko turned their attention to Watanabe Minami.

The real enemy has appeared! Miss Minami's face turned serious.

"What?!" The Uesugi family, including Uesugi Muneyuki, were dumbfounded at the Uesugi mansion in Bunkyo Ward.

This guy not only keeps a woman at home, but he's also having an affair? And it's actually Mai Shirakawa?! How is that possible?!
Otsuka Police Station, Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office, Nippon Life Insurance, Sumitomo Mitsui Group, as well as the YKC48 dormitory and Yoshimoto Kogyo headquarters.

The whole of Kanto is watching!

And at that very moment, the real-time viewership ratings were released!
"Station manager, the peak viewership has surpassed 42%!!!" an employee shouted excitedly. "We beat Red & White again!!!"

The conference room of the Odaiba Building was completely silent; only the sound of breathing could be heard in this famous 50-year-old television station.

President Kameyama's hands tightened more and more, and his breathing quickened. He was clearly more nervous than the people around him. The opening ratings for this episode were not as ideal as expected, and he was under tremendous pressure because of this. But... Takamagahara's hard work paid off. He proved that the ratings miracle of the night the Odaiba Building was closed could be replicated!
Uesugi Muneyuki, he's my dad! Shirakawa Mai, she's my mom!
The peak viewership rating has already exceeded 42%, but the real behind-the-scenes scoop hasn't even been shown yet.

The conference room in the Odaiba building was waiting, the people of Tokyo were waiting, and television media and print newspapers all over Japan were waiting—waiting for the moment the accident would happen, waiting for the moment when the ratings would break through the peak!
Uesugi Muneyuki's on-site testimony is coming!
(End of this chapter)