Tokyo Unnatural Forensics

Chapter 470, Undercurrents

While a few idols were secretly plotting, undercurrents were also surging within YKC48.

Sakura Miyawaki reluctantly completed all the theater performances. It was clear that although Sakura had given her all, her mind was no longer on the performances. Although Sakura had gained more popularity outside the idol circle and landed many endorsements in recent years by riding on the coattails of Uesugi Muneyuki and Shirakawa Mai, the price she paid was that she was no longer liked by these core idol fans.

The core concept of the 48 Group is "idols you can meet". It is a famous large-scale female idol group created by Yoshimoto Kogyo in Kansai and Yoshimoto Grand Theater. Its concept is to make idols less aloof and more approachable. This is why there are so-called grand theaters and handshake events. Idol fans can personally experience the growth of their idols through close contact and face-to-face handshakes.

However, this actually forms the so-called "idol paradox," which is that in the concept of idol fans, idols should diligently attend theaters, hold handshake events, and accompany them as they grow up. But in reality, no girl becomes an idol to attend theaters for a lifetime and hold hands with chubby idol fans for a lifetime. Their goal is to break down this wall, break out of the underground world with their idol status, break into the mainstream, participate in various TV programs, and gain greater exposure, ultimately becoming artists who can appear on television and engage in normal entertainment activities.

Logically speaking, when idols break through the shackles and finally move from the underground to the mainstream, idol fans should be happy, right?
In reality, most people are not happy at all. They want their idols to grow, but not in this way. They want their idols to become famous, but not too famous, because that would mean the idols would no longer perform in theaters or hold handshake events.

Generally speaking, once idol fans reach this stage, they will gradually leave and look for the next hardworking idol who is not yet famous to promote. After the idol becomes famous, he will not care much about his past history of entertaining fans in the theater and letting them touch his hands. He will try his best to downplay it, which is the so-called "mutual dislike".

This is the idol paradox.

It's like how many "welfare girls" and internet celebrities started out by relying on various borderline content, flirting, and commissioning top-tier fans to accumulate their first pot of gold. But once they've made it and become official cosplayers, the first thing they want to cut ties with is their earliest fans. And when these fans find that their comments are no longer paid attention to by the streamer, and even becoming a top-tier cosplayer doesn't earn them special treatment, they will turn to the next small streamer.

After Sakura finished her performance, the operations team suddenly called her over.

"Sakura, do you have any upcoming events?" Imazaki's manager asked, frowning.

"Ah, yes, there's a promotional recording for a show on Fuji TV next." Sakura seemed a little nervous when asked by Imazaki. She quickly replied, "Although it's tomorrow, Mai is going to take me on it, so I have to go prepare tonight."

"Oh, then go ahead." Imazaki's manager frowned, glanced at Miyawaki Sakura with a suspicious look, thought for a moment, and then gestured for her to leave.

Sakura nodded and walked away quickly with an innocent look on her face, leaving Imazaki standing there with a sour expression.

Two days ago, after returning to his office, he discovered that a document in his office had been leaked.

Private events and receptions; internal reports on labor provision and cost accounting.

This document appears to be completely legal, but it actually has significant problems. Because it involves plans for idols' participation in activities and receptions, this document was taken out for other uses. However, after the presentation, Imazaki astutely noticed that a photocopy of the document was missing.

This was originally supposed to be viewed and destroyed internally by the operations team.

Imazaki immediately began to suspect that someone was sabotaging the operation from within. Several managers and staff members from that day, female idols involved at the time... But here's the problem: there are just too many people inside 48! How can he investigate? Wouldn't making a big fuss mean publicly announcing that there's a problem inside, that something's fishy?
Sakura Miyawaki was also a suspect, but she obviously had other things to do. Imazaki's manager thought for a moment and thought that Sakura was now full of energy and brilliance outside the entertainment industry, and her mind was no longer on the group. Moreover, she was specifically requested by Fuji TV. What use would she have for this document?

After thinking for a moment, Imazaki's manager indicated that there was nothing more for him to do and that he should go ahead.

Without giving it much thought, Miyawaki Sakura bowed and quickly left.

However, not long after leaving the YKC48 theater, Sakura immediately turned her car around and headed to another large office building. There, she changed her clothes, wig, and OL trench coat, sunglasses, and makeup, and came out from another exit.

Late at night in an underground parking lot in Tokyo.

The air was thick with the scent of gasoline, dust, and a cold, damp feeling. Several fluorescent tubes overhead were broken, flickering intermittently and making the empty concrete space seem even more eerie. An inconspicuous black Toyota Prius sat quietly in a corner, its engine still running, the windshield wipers rhythmically clearing the thin fog that had condensed on the glass.

Miyawaki Sakura walked quickly, the sound of her high heels striking the ground particularly jarring in the silence, each slap like a blow to her heart. She wore a large trench coat, the collar turned up, almost obscuring half her face, and a baseball cap pulled low, but the face peeking out from under the brim was frighteningly pale. She clutched a brown paper document bag tightly in her hand, her knuckles white from the pressure.

She quickly scanned her surroundings, and after confirming that no one else was around, she opened the back door of the Prius and got inside.

The car was warm, but the quietness that isolated it from the outside world was even more suffocating. In the driver's seat sat a man in a well-fitting suit, with a cool and aloof demeanor—Inspector Kinoshita Touya of the Planning Division of the National Police Agency's Security Bureau. He didn't turn around, but looked at Miyawaki Sakura through the rearview mirror, his eyes sharp as an eagle's.

"Where's the stuff?" His voice was calm, devoid of any extra emotion, as if he were conducting a routine handover. Miyawaki Sakura didn't speak, but silently passed the heavy file folder through the gap in the chair. Her fingers trembled slightly, and the moment they touched Kinoshita's fingers as he took the file, she quickly pulled back as if she had been electrocuted.

Kinoshita turned on the car's interior light and quickly flipped through the documents. His gaze swept over the categories of "temporary personnel expenses," "reception and entertainment expenses," "gift expenses," and "attendee list," his face expressionless, but a barely perceptible glint of satisfaction flashed deep in his eyes. He read very quickly, clearly knowing exactly what he was looking for.

A few minutes later, he carefully put the documents back into the bag and placed it on the passenger seat.

“Very good.” He finally spoke again, his voice still devoid of warmth, but those two words themselves were already a very high compliment. “This ‘non-public activity expense report’ is more valuable than we expected. Thank you for your hard work, Sakura-chan.”

Upon hearing the word "hard work," Miyawaki Sakura pursed her lips even tighter.

This was not what she wanted, so how could it be considered hardship?

This group of people is really pushing me hard... But if I hadn't been young and naive when I first came to the capital, how could things have turned out like this?

She had finally secured a bright future, and her idol activities were making great strides. Everything seemed to be getting better, but... these people were like persistent ghosts.

"You seem rather reluctant?" Inspector Toru Kinoshita, with blond hair, dark skin, and a lean yet muscular physique, said coldly. Through the rearview mirror, he precisely caught the fleeting resistance and fear on her face. His tone suddenly turned cold, carrying an undeniable warning.

“I’m not unwilling.” Miyawaki Sakura lowered her head, looking very dejected. “After all, I… have spent a long time on this. Is this enough?”

“These documents are indeed good, but… don’t get any unnecessary misconceptions, Miyawaki.” His voice was lowered slightly, but it was even more intimidating: “This does not mean your mission is over. On the contrary, those people in YKC are far more cunning and dangerous than you think.”

He turned his head slightly so she could see the cold warning in his eyes more clearly.

"Your situation is more dangerous now. Once they start their internal investigation, anyone could become a suspect. Including you." Kinoshita's words were like a cold carving knife: "Remember, you got to where you are today because of who gave you a second chance, who has been protecting you and allowing you to ignore the unspoken rules of the entertainment industry. Also remember, we in the police force can give you this opportunity, and we can also take it away. If you take a wrong step because of foolish sympathy or fear, or even try to reveal the slightest thing to anyone..."

He paused, letting the threat of silence fill the cramped carriage.

"...Then, what you lose will be far more than just your current idol status. Your life will be countless times more tragic than during the darkest period of your underground idol days. Do you understand?"

Sakura Miyawaki's body trembled almost imperceptibly. She lowered her head, the brim of her hat completely obscuring her expression; only her fingers, clenched tightly around the hem of her clothes until they were white, betrayed the turmoil within her. A few seconds later, a faint, almost inaudible voice squeezed out of her throat: "...Yes, I understand."

“Very good, get out of the car. Same as always, split up.” Inspector Kinoshita Toruya withdrew his gaze, his tone returning to its usual businesslike calm, as if the cold threat from before had never existed: “Stay calm, as usual. I will contact you again if there are any new instructions.”

"Oh! Wait!" Just as Miyawaki Sakura was about to get out of the car, Inspector Kinoshita suddenly called out to her: "It seems that you are quite popular with Uesugi Muneyuki, isn't it? Chief Uesugi seems to... treat you particularly differently. Yamaguchi, who had a relationship with him, never received such treatment... Have you two had a similar relationship before?... No, you haven't, that's strange..."

"Huh?!" Upon hearing Inspector Kinoshita's question, Sakura Miyawaki felt a chill run down her spine. She trembled, wanting to deny it, but it seemed pointless, as the organization couldn't possibly be unaware of her experiences over the past few years. Moreover, the girl sensed the hesitation in Inspector Kinoshita's words, a man she considered a divine messenger. Uesugi Muneyuki clearly held a very high position in his eyes: "Well, it's alright. Uesugi-san really likes me... I, I don't know."

Mai had hinted at trying to match her up with Uesugi Muneyuki, but Sakura was still hesitant. Uesugi-san already had quite a few women around him and a real fiancée. Sakura, on the other hand, was a super beautiful girl. She would take it easy and look for a better option first, without putting all her eggs in one basket.

“Oh, then you’d better make him like you even more, make him even more infatuated with you. That’s my advice, and it’s also the organization’s advice.” Inspector Toru Kinoshita said meaningfully, “This matter is... very complicated. You’d better demonstrate more value to us. This document is far from enough.”

"yes…………"

Miyawaki Sakura pushed open the car door as if fleeing, and the cold air rushed in instantly. However, she felt that it was much better than the suffocating warmth inside the car. Without looking back, she walked quickly towards the exit of the parking lot, and her figure quickly disappeared between the dim lights and concrete pillars.

The black Prius lingered quietly for a moment after she left before smoothly driving away, as if it had never been there.

(End of this chapter)