I, Hiroshi Nohara, the star of Japanese cinema

Chapter 261. Has Kamiki Shunsuke's panic provoked the real big brother?!

The training room on the top floor of Kirin Entertainment, located in the heart of Tokyo, was brightly lit.

The smooth floor reflected the spotlights on the ceiling. A dozen or so idol rookies, dressed in matching training uniforms, stood in two neat rows, their heads bowed low, not daring to breathe loudly.

With his hands in the pockets of his expensive custom-made suit trousers and wearing limited-edition leather shoes, Shunsuke Kamiki paced back and forth in front of the newlyweds.

He is only 22 years old this year, but with his good looks and the support of Kirin Entertainment, he has gained some fame in the idol industry. At this moment, when facing these newcomers, his face is full of undisguised arrogance and meanness.

"Raise your heads!" Kamiki Shunsuke suddenly stopped, his voice sharp like fingernails scraping against glass. "You all look like wilted eggplants. Didn't you eat? Or do you know you're not cut out to be idols and should just get lost!"

The newlyweds were so frightened that they quickly looked up, their eyes filled with fear.

One of the petite girls, nervously clenched the hem of her clothes, which was noticed by Kamiki Shunsuke.

"You!" Kamiki Shunsuke pointed a finger at her, his tone almost overflowing with malice. "What's your name? How old are you?"

The girl's voice trembled with fear: "Kami-senpai Kamiki, my name is Fujisa Mai, and I am 18 years old."

"Mai Fujisato?" Shunsuke Kamiki scoffed, circling around her and looking her up and down. "So ordinary-looking, and with such a mediocre figure, who gave you the courage to become an idol? I think you should just go home and get married instead of wasting the agency's resources!"

Fujisa Mai's face flushed red instantly, tears welling up in her eyes, but she dared not let them fall.

The newcomers next to her were so frightened that they didn't dare to breathe, and no one dared to step forward to speak up for her.

Shunsuke Kamiki seemed to enjoy the feeling of controlling other people's emotions. He pointed at a boy wearing glasses and said, "And you! Wearing glasses makes you look like a nerd. Idols need charm, not just bookish skills! Take off your glasses tomorrow. If your eyesight is bad, get surgery! Otherwise, pack your bags and get out of here!"

The boy nodded quickly: "Yes, Senior Kamiki, I'll go get contact lenses tomorrow!"

"Contact lenses?" Kamiki Shunsuke raised an eyebrow, his tone becoming even more aggressive. "Who told you to wear contact lenses? I told you to get surgery! Can't you understand human language? Or do you think my words don't matter?"

The boy turned pale with fright and quickly changed his tune: "Yes, I'll schedule the surgery this weekend!"

Kamiki Shunsuke snorted with satisfaction and continued his lecture: "Let me tell you, once you're in Kirin Detective Agency, you have to listen to me! I'm your senior, and what I say is the rule! If I tell you to go east, you can't go west; if I tell you to train all night, you can't rest early!"

He paused, his gaze sweeping over each of the newcomers present, his tone laced with threat: "Don't think that signing a contract means everything will be fine! If you dare disobey me or pull any dirty tricks behind my back, I have plenty of ways to make sure you can't survive in this industry! You won't just fail to make money, you'll be condemned by the entire internet, so think it over!"

A slightly bolder boy asked in a low voice, "Senior Kamiki, we...we want to know, what qualities are needed to become an idol like you? We will work hard."

"Effort?" Kamiki Shunsuke laughed as if he had heard the biggest joke in the world, his laughter full of sarcasm. "What's the use of effort? In this industry, being good-looking, knowing how to please your seniors, and being obedient are the most important things! Let me tell you, I didn't get my current position through hard work!"

He leaned closer to the boy, lowered his voice, and said in a sinister tone, "Remember my words: talk less, do more, and always put me first! If I make you drink with me, you can't refuse; if I make you take the blame, you have to take it! Otherwise, you'll get out the same way I told you to come in!"

The training room was deathly silent, with only Shunsuke Kamiki's voice echoing through it.

The newcomers' faces were filled with fear and grievance, but no one dared to refute them.

They all knew that Shunsuke Kamiki was the "favorite" of the agency's boss, Tokugawa Sato, and wielded immense power within the agency. Offending him would truly mean being completely sidelined.

Seeing the newcomer trembling with fear, Shunsuke Kamiki finally released some of the anger that had been building up inside him.

Hiroshi Nohara has been riding high lately, with each of his works becoming more and more popular. He has also been promoted to a second-level director and appointed as the deputy director of the Kanto TV station. Even the cabinet has been full of praise for him, which makes the extremely jealous Shunsuke Kamiki feel very uncomfortable.

Unable to do anything to Hiroshi Nohara, he could only vent his anger on these newcomers.

"Alright, that's enough for today!" Kamiki Shunsuke waved his hand impatiently. "Meet here for training at six o'clock sharp tomorrow morning. Anyone who is even a second late will have to run ten kilometers! Also, remember everything I said today, and don't make me repeat myself!"

After saying that, he turned and left without looking back, leaving behind a group of bewildered newcomers.

As he walked out of the training room, Shunsuke Kamiki's harsh expression softened slightly, but the ruthlessness in his eyes remained undiminished.

Shunsuke Kamiki's private dressing room is located on the third floor of the agency. It is luxuriously decorated and filled with various brand-name cosmetics and luxury goods.

As soon as he walked in, his manager, Yuichi Yamashita, immediately came to greet him, holding a cup of iced coffee at just the right temperature.

"Kamiki-kun, you've worked hard! You've been giving instructions for so long, have some coffee to soothe your throat." Yamashita Yuichi had a fawning smile on his face and his tone was full of flattery. "I could hear your voice outside just now. Those newbies are so clueless, making you go through so much trouble."

Kamiki Shunsuke took the coffee, took a sip, and comfortably leaned back on the sofa, propping his legs up on the vanity. He said smugly, "A bunch of greenhorns who've never seen the world. They'll never know the rules if I don't teach them a lesson! You saw it just now, didn't you? Didn't I look like a real senior? They were all too scared to utter a sound. It was so satisfying!"

Yuichi Yamashita nodded quickly and gave a thumbs up: "Of course! Kamiki-kun, you are now the pillar of the agency, and those newcomers should be properly disciplined! You looked so cool just now, so dignified and imposing, I can't help but admire you!"

"Hmph, that's more like it." Kamiki Shunsuke raised his chin smugly. "In this agency, apart from President Sato, everyone else should listen to me. If those newbies know what's good for them and work hard for me, they might have a chance to get ahead; if they don't, I have plenty of ways to deal with them."

Yuichi Yamashita leaned closer to him, smiling, and said, "Kamiki-kun, you're absolutely right! But speaking of which, your resources lately have been really good. Next month's magazine cover, and the movie with a famous director—these are opportunities that others would fight tooth and nail for. This is all thanks to President Sato's high regard for you, and also the result of your own hard work!"

When Sato Tokugawa was mentioned, a smug smile appeared on Kamiki Shunsuke's face.

He knew that his current status was inseparable from the strong support of Sato Tokugawa.

Although he didn't like the fat, rude man, he had to swallow his anger for the sake of resources and fame.

“Of course.” Kamiki Shunsuke said arrogantly, “With my talent and good looks, it’s only natural that I get these resources. Unlike some people who become famous by making some boring documentaries and comics, it’s just outrageous.”

Knowing he was referring to Hiroshi Nohara, Yuichi Yamashita quickly chimed in, "You're right! Hiroshi Nohara is no match for you! The stuff he makes is utterly worthless, unlike you, whose movies and magazines are all high-class and sophisticated!"

Hearing this, Kamiki Shunsuke felt even more relieved.

He had always been jealous of Hiroshi Nohara, thinking that Nohara had no real talent and was just lucky. Especially after Nohara was promoted to a second-level director and his fame grew, even overshadowing his own, the fire of jealousy in his heart burned even brighter.

"Hmph, good luck can't put food on the table." Kamiki Shunsuke sneered. "I heard that his recent film, 'A Bite of Neon,' has garnered some attention, but it's all just small-time stuff. When my new movie is released, I'll definitely overshadow him and let everyone know who the real star is!"

Yuichi Yamashita nodded hurriedly: "That's for sure! Kamiki-kun, your new movie is a big production with a famous director and a star-studded cast. It's sure to be a box office hit! Your fame will definitely rise to a new level, and Hiroshi Nohara will be no match for you!" The more Kamiki Shunsuke listened, the happier he became, and his smile grew even brighter.

He picked up the mirror on the table, admired his face, and said smugly, "You're right. I'm so talented, I'll definitely surpass Hiroshi Nohara. Then, everyone in Japan will know my name and admire me!"

Looking at his smug expression, Yamashita Yuichi sighed inwardly.

Shunsuke Kamiki has a terrible personality and is extremely jealous.
But since he was Sato Tokugawa's "favorite," she could only carefully flatter him and dared not be the slightest bit negligent.

'Jingle Bell--'

Just as Shunsuke Kamiki and Yuichi Yamashita were having a pleasant conversation, Shunsuke Kamiki's cell phone suddenly rang in his pocket.

The ringing of the bell broke the tranquility of the dressing room and interrupted Kamiki Shunsuke's smugness.

Kamiki Shunsuke frowned, took out his phone, glanced at the caller ID, and his expression changed slightly.

He winked at Yuichi Yamashita, signaling him to leave.

Yuichi Yamashita quickly and tactfully said, "Kamiki-kun, please take this call. I'll go outside and check tomorrow's schedule." With that, he strode out of the dressing room and closed the door behind him.

Kamiki Shunsuke finally answered the phone, his tone impatient: "Hello, what is it? Didn't I tell you not to call me unless it's important?"

A panicked voice came from the other end of the phone. It was the leader of the shady gang he had previously hired: "Brother Shenmu, I'm sorry to bother you! But something's not right, and I have to report to you!"

Shunsuke Kamiki frowned even more: "What's going on? Did you manage to settle things with Hiroshi Nohara's Future Manga Company? I told you guys we were going to teach them a lesson and show them what I'm capable of!"

"No, Brother Shenmu." The voice on the other end was even more flustered. "We...we went to Future Comics Club to cause trouble yesterday, but we didn't succeed, and we almost had an accident!"

Kamiki Shunsuke's heart skipped a beat, and his tone instantly turned stern: "Didn't succeed? How could it not succeed? Didn't you all say there wouldn't be any problems? A bunch of useless trash! What exactly happened?"

"Brother Shenmu, please listen to me," the gang leader hurriedly explained. "Yesterday, we followed your instructions and went to Future Comics Studio to collect protection money. We even knocked over their easels, and everything was going smoothly. But just as we were about to make our move, a man in a yellow suit and sunglasses suddenly appeared. He looked particularly fierce, like a mafia boss!"

"A yakuza boss?" Kamiki Shunsuke was stunned. "What yakuza boss? How could Hiroshi Nohara know someone like that? Are you sure you're not mistaken?"

"I'm absolutely sure I didn't see wrong!" the gang leader said with certainty. "That man was slightly overweight and had a very strong presence. When we made eye contact with him, we were too scared to say a word. He asked us what we were doing, and we said we were collecting protection money. He didn't say a word, just glared at us, and our legs went weak. We ran away as fast as we could!"

Kamiki Shunsuke's expression turned somewhat ugly: "That's it? You guys are so useless! A stranger glared at you and you ran away? I paid so much money to hire you, and this is how you do your job?"

"No, Brother Shenmu!" the gang leader hurriedly explained. "That man is really extraordinary! We inquired around later and some people said he's the boss of some underworld organization, with murders on his hands, and he's extremely ruthless! We're just an ordinary gang, we usually just collect protection money and fight, how could we dare to provoke someone who kills without blinking an eye?"

"Murder?" Kamiki Shunsuke's voice rose instantly, his face showing disbelief. "You're saying he murdered someone? Really? Don't scare me!"

"It's true, Brother Shenmu!" The gang leader's voice trembled with tears. "Some people in our circle know him. They say he used to be very famous in the underworld, but he retired for some reason and opened a kindergarten as its principal. But his reputation still stands, and no one in the underworld dares to mess with him! If we go against him again, we might not even know how we died!"

Kamiki Shunsuke's hand holding the phone began to tremble, and a fine layer of cold sweat appeared on his forehead. He only wanted to cause some trouble for Nohara Hiroshi and vent his jealousy; he never expected it to involve the yakuza or murder.

Although he was arrogant and domineering, he was actually very cowardly at heart and dared not provoke such a ruthless character.

"You...you're sure he knows Hiroshi Nohara?" Shunsuke Kamiki's voice trembled slightly.

"Confirmed!" the gang leader said. "We saw him chatting very familiarly with Hiroshi Nohara and his girlfriend. Hiroshi Nohara even called him Mr. Takakura. They seemed to have a good relationship. That yakuza boss must be Hiroshi Nohara's backer!"

Kamiki Shunsuke fell silent, his heart filled with shock and fear.

He never imagined that Hiroshi Nohara, who seemed so refined, would know such a ruthless yakuza boss. This was a huge problem; not only had it not caused trouble for Hiroshi Nohara, but it might have gotten him into trouble instead.

"Brother Shenmu, what do you think of this matter..." the gang leader asked cautiously.

Shunsuke Kamiki took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down.

He knew that he absolutely could not provoke Hiroshi Nohara now, otherwise if that yakuza boss got serious, he wouldn't be able to bear the consequences.

"Forget it, forget it!" Kamiki Shunsuke said urgently. "Don't mess with Hiroshi Nohara for now, and don't cause trouble at Mirai Manga Club! And whatever you do, don't mess with that Takakura guy! Just pretend this never happened, understand?"

"We heard you! We heard you!" the gang leader hurriedly agreed. "We will definitely not provoke them again! Brother Shenmu, what about our previous payment..."

"You'll get your money's worth!" Kamiki Shunsuke said impatiently. "I'll have my manager transfer it to you tomorrow! Okay, don't call me again, and don't contact me if you need anything!"

After saying that, he hurriedly hung up the phone and threw it on the table.

The dressing room was deathly silent. Kamiki Shunsuke leaned back on the sofa, his face pale and his forehead covered in cold sweat.

He stared at the crystal chandelier on the ceiling, his heart filled with fear and unease.

He never imagined that simply wanting to vent his jealousy would cause him such big trouble.

That yakuza boss named Takakura Bunta became a shadow in his heart.

At this moment, he was no longer smug and arrogant, but filled with fear.

He even began to regret his impulsive act of provoking Hiroshi Nohara.

But now that things have come to this, there is no use regretting.

Kamiki Shunsuke could only pray in his heart that the yakuza boss wouldn't come after him, and that Nohara Hiroshi wouldn't retaliate against him for this.

(End of this chapter)