Japanese Entertainment: A Comeback Beginning from Bankrupt President

"So what should we do now?"

After calming down, Amano Aki sat upright in front of Sawashiro Kazuya, just like a top student listening attentively in a university classroom.

Ze Chenghe wasn't a lecturer, but he was carrying a textbook.

"The first step is for me to make a phone call," Kazuya Sawashiro took out his phone, opened his contacts, found a familiar name, and dialed the number. "It's a music producer who was once taken care of by my father. She has a professional recording studio."

Amano Aki nodded silently, without saying a word to disturb him.

A short while later, the call connected, and a warm female voice came from the other end: "Feeding?"

Kazuya Sawashiro pressed the speakerphone button, then placed the phone on the coffee table before calmly replying, "Yumi-nee, it's me, Kazuya Sawashiro."

After the words were spoken, there was a few seconds of silence on the other end of the phone, followed by a burst of laughter: "Hahaha... Kazuya? You're still alive? I thought you jumped on the tracks and committed suicide a long time ago."

It's quite straightforward, but there's nothing wrong with it.

The previous Kazuya Sawashiro did indeed pass away; now someone else is simply using his name.

"It's not that bad yet," Kazuya Sawashiro pushed his phone away a bit, only pulling it back after the laughter had completely stopped. "But if even Yumi-nee doesn't help me, then my future definitely won't be very good."

"Help?" The voice on the other end immediately became serious. "Don't you know? The higher-ups at Watanabe Entertainment have spoken; they will retaliate against any company that offered assistance to Akadon Production."

"...I just found out a second ago."

"My recording studio may not be top-of-the-line, but it's more than enough to meet the needs of most singers and idols. Besides, I have long-term collaborations with singers under Watanabe Entertainment. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

Upon hearing this, the light in Amano Aki's eyes completely vanished.

The flame of hope that had just ignited in her heart was extinguished in an instant by the wind.

"I understand..." Kazuya Sawashiro said, glancing subconsciously at Aki Amano. He knew all too well how cruel the reality was, but he wouldn't give up. "Precisely because I understand, I don't want to give up like this. Yumi-nee, can you understand me?"

There was another silence on the other end of the phone, followed by a sigh: "Sigh... You should know where my recording studio is, right? I'll wait for you guys to come over after get off work tonight."

The phone hangs up.

Realizing what was happening, Amano Aki slowly raised her head and cautiously asked Sawashiro Kazuya, "This Yumi-san... does she mean to help us? Can we use her recording studio for our project? Isn't she afraid of retaliation from Watanabe Entertainment?"

Amano Aki has a lot of problems, but he's also a bit naive.

Such an important matter is not something that can be easily agreed to. Kazuya Sawashiro is only able to secure an opportunity for further communication by relying on past relationships.

"Things aren't that simple, but these aren't issues for you to worry about. Leave them to me," Kazuya Sawashiro put away his phone and assigned Aki Amano a task. "You only have one thing to consider right now, which is figuring out what kind of voice to use to showcase your talent after we meet tonight."

"A voice?" Amano Aki was stunned for a moment, then quickly came to her senses and said excitedly, "This is a trial, right? The trial that Yumi-san gave us. As long as we pass it successfully, we will receive her help."

"...Why suddenly interpret it using a game-like approach?"

But she was right; this was a trial for the two of them, a trial they could not afford to lose.

Not a single step can be wrong.

Kazuya Sawashiro nodded, trying to relax, and said, "Well, since you understand, then use this time before it's over to think carefully about how to deal with this trial."

"Leave it to me."

Amano Aki holds a fist in front of him with one hand, his confidence overflowing.

She wasn't afraid of difficult trials, but she was afraid of a future without hope. Both Ze Cheng and He Ye were striving for opportunities, so how could she, as the person involved, back down first?

Amano Aki started getting busy, and Sawashiro Kazuya didn't just sit idly either.

He compiled Amano Aki's social media accounts and used these accounts to proactively contact people in the fan club.

In this day and age, it's actually very easy to find out information about a fan club. Just search online, and once you find it, send a message to identify yourself and establish initial communication.

Kazuya Sawashiro wasn't worried that the fan club members wouldn't believe him, because Aki Amano was right beside him.

After several busy hours, Kazuya Sawashiro successfully infiltrated Aki Amano's fan club, but that was the end of it, as he was about to take Aki Amano to the recording studio for a trial.

Kazuya Sawashiro quickly recalled the location of the recording studio and the two of them arrived in Shibuya under the cover of night.

After several twists and turns, Kazuya Sawashiro led Aki Amano into an inconspicuous building.

Eighth floor, Sakura Studio.

The room was dimly lit and quieter than the office where Kazuya Sawashiro was working. Kazuya Sawashiro rang the doorbell, and soon footsteps approached from a distance. Then the main character of the room appeared.

The newcomer was dressed in unisex work clothes, with her long hair tied up in a bun on her head. Her makeup was simple but could not hide her exquisite features, and one could vaguely see her beauty in her youth. However, there was not a trace of a smile on her face, which made Amano Akira feel uneasy.

She glanced at Kazuya Sawashiro and Aki Amano, then extended her hand to Aki Amano: "Although you are famous, this is our first meeting. I am Yumi Kazama. Are you ready?"

"Amano Aki, the 'Aki' of autumn," Amano Aki introduced herself simply, then, holding Kazama Yumi's hand, asked疑惑地问道, "Does 'prepared' mean... me?"

"Of course!" Kazama Yumi smirked. "If it weren't for you, a former entertainer, wanting to debut as a singer, would it be that tone-deaf person next to me who only scores 30 points in karaoke wanting to debut?"

"Hmm?" Kazuya Sawashiro sensed a strange malice.

He had just raised his head, trying to confirm if they were talking about him, when Kazama Yumi turned around and looked at him, saying calmly, like a robot at an exhibition, "It's you. There are only three of us here."

She was certainly outspoken, but that was how she was in his memory, so Kazuya Sawashiro accepted it quickly.

He looked at Amano Aki and added Kazama Yumi's label to her: "Don't mind her, Yumi-nee is just a straightforward person. Although she doesn't seem to smile much on the outside, she is actually a very gentle person inside."

"No... I don't mind at all." Amano Akira loosened her grip, acting as restrained as a child.

"Me... um?"

Now it was Kazuya Sawashiro's turn to be speechless.

His wide-eyed, bewildered expression brought a barely perceptible smile to Kazama Yumi's lips.

Without asking any further questions, she turned and led the two of them to the recording studio. She pushed the door open and said, "Go in, stand in front of that microphone, and when you hear me say 'start,' tell me the sound you want to make."

"yes…"

Amano Aki hunched his shoulders and tiptoed to the microphone in the center of the recording studio.

Not far in front of her, in the control room separated from the recording studio by thick glass, stood Kazuya Sawashiro and Yumi Kazama side by side. Aki Amano could see their mouths opening and closing, but he couldn't hear any sound.

"You want to get back at the singers, but can you find a songwriter willing to work with you?" Kazama Yumi's hand rested on the control panel, but her mind was on Sawashiro Kazuya. "You can't fight Watanabe Entertainment with just a momentary impulse."

"Don't worry," Kazuya Sawashiro said, looking at Aki Amano with an unchanged expression. "I have a classmate named Ayase from high school who started learning music at the age of four and is very good at songwriting."

Kazama Yumi raised an eyebrow.

"Even if we assume your single is actually a success, what about the subsequent promotion? Are you going to rely on the relatively unknown artist's status and then become a laughing stock with weekly sales of less than a hundred copies?"

"I have great confidence in the quality of the song, and I have also contacted the fan club." Kazuya Sawashiro knew that Yumi Kazama was testing him, and he had to give Yumi Kazama confidence.

He continued, "The power of a few hundred people may be small, but the power behind them should not be underestimated. They represent hundreds of advertising venues, including convenience stores, tea shops, cafes, and so on, which are places that Watanabe Entertainment cannot control."

For distribution, they chose the more independent NexTone, releasing the work on streaming platforms and promoting it with music videos on YouTube and TikTok. If the songs appeal to young people, they'll elevate Amano Aki to unprecedented heights.

Kazama Yumi didn't speak, but her expression became serious.

Kazuya Sawashiro's tone and attitude didn't seem like a spur-of-the-moment decision, but rather something he had planned for a long time, and his confidence was something he had never seen before.

If that's the case, then we have no choice but to listen to Aki's voice that day. After all, she doesn't really need Watanabe Entertainment's cooperation; it's just to test whether Kazuya Sawashiro is planning to give up halfway through.

"Then let me hear this person's resolve," Kazama Yumi moved closer to the microphone and told Amano Aki in the recording studio: "Amano, get ready in three seconds, the song is 'Reminiscences Like a Tide'."