Japanese Entertainment: A Comeback Beginning from Bankrupt President

"I'm not sure, but judging from their recent behavior... they must have found something." The secretary couldn't give a definitive answer; he could only offer possible scenarios based on the current situation and let Watanabe Sōta make the decision.

If it were captured on camera, it would be a heavy blow to Yuko Yoshioka's career.

In February, thanks to the agency's resources and film promotion, she secured commercials from two major companies, each with contracts to endorse an entire series.

These contracts require maintaining a certain public persona.

Once Yuko Yoshioka's innocent image collapses, it will inevitably trigger a crisis of goodwill. In addition, Yuko Yoshioka is tied to the product, so even the largest companies cannot resist such overwhelming emotions.

Products that don't generate positive feelings won't sell.

Companies seek celebrity endorsements to achieve a win-win collaboration, not a lose-lose situation.

Sōta Watanabe understood what his secretary meant, but he needed more detailed information to support his judgment. "What did Yoshioka do in Seoul recently? Have you checked with her agent?"

He asked about the kind of outrageous things, like meeting up with a younger man at night.

In the entertainment industry, some people are indeed able to maintain their integrity and stay true to themselves, but many more simply follow the crowd and do whatever they please.

Infidelity and extramarital affairs are merely the basis for seeking physical and mental stimulation; some may even develop drug addictions that are difficult to break—this is obvious.

Watanabe Sōta knew a little about Yoshioka Yuko, but she usually kept it very secret, so Watanabe Sōta turned a blind eye to it.

"It's confirmed, and the situation isn't optimistic," the secretary said gravely, giving the agent's response. "Last year on her day off, she went to Seoul to see her South Korean boyfriend and stayed at his house for one night. Kurosaki Takuya was also in Seoul at that time."

"Wow...it seems they did a lot while we were holding ourselves back."

For some reason, Watanabe Sōta laughed at this moment.

The secretary couldn't tell if he was happy or helpless, but based on what had just happened, the secretary didn't think it was a happy smile. It was more like a self-deprecating laugh when he was extremely speechless, or in other words, he was angry with himself.

Why wasn't it discovered sooner?

That group had something to say; they were keeping a very close eye on things, so much so that Watanabe Souta almost developed depression.

He can only assign ordinary detectives to do ordinary things to Amano Aki. If they cross the line, someone will come out to remind him that this is not acceptable. The people you assign must work strictly in accordance with the detective law.

Such intense pressure is the main reason why Watanabe Sōta was unable to grasp these matters immediately.

So now he's almost laughing in exasperation.

The detective appeared around the celebrity, but the celebrity still did things that would ruin his career. He could only make the worst-case scenario plans here and think about how to minimize the loss of hundreds of millions.

He couldn't gamble that Kurosaki Takuya hadn't taken the photos; that would be the most foolish plan.

However, Watanabe Sōta's temper wasn't so good as to just swallow this loss, because he had already paid a price of 2 million yen before this.

The secretary fell silent, awaiting Watanabe Souta's instructions.

The current situation is beyond the control of his secretary. He can mobilize hundreds of millions of dollars, but he cannot bear the loss of hundreds of millions of dollars. Now he can only wait for Watanabe Sōta to make a decision, and then he will carry it out.

And what Watanabe Souta thought...

"You can go out now, I need to make a phone call." He waved his hand, signaling his secretary to leave first.

If the company loses more than 10 billion in such a short time, even if he is the heir to Watanabe Entertainment, he will have to think twice. After all, such a large company is now surrounded by wolves, and countless eyes are waiting to see him fail so that he can take his place.

Therefore, he wanted to resolve this matter before it occurred.

"Yes." The secretary turned and left.

Shortly after he left, Watanabe Souta opened a drawer, pulled out a business card from a hidden compartment, and dialed the number on it.

Shortly after, the call was connected, and a questioning voice came from the other end of the line.

"Who are you? If this is a telemarketing call, I suggest you sell something interesting, not the gadgets on TV shows. Only housewives would like those things."

"...I am Watanabe Souta, Watanabe Souta of Watanabe Entertainment, the company that once had a contractual relationship with your artist, Amano Aki." Watanabe Souta's brows furrowed into a line. He had never heard of Sawashiro Kazuya being such a humorous person before, but he still revealed his identity.

Upon hearing this, Kazuya Sawashiro immediately pressed the record button. Regardless of Watanabe Souta's purpose in calling, recording it was always a good idea.

There was no need to hang up. Kazuya Sawashiro wanted to hear what he had to say; maybe it would be something that interested him.

After making these preparations, Kazuya Sawashiro finally asked him, "So, what did Executive Director Watanabe want to tell me by calling personally? I've actually been busy with film work lately and haven't had much time for casual conversation."

"Did you turn on the recording?" Watanabe Souta asked in return.

Before confirming what he wanted to say, Watanabe Sōta hoped it would be a good communication environment, rather than a calculated and deceitful one.

Of course, he was also recording the call himself.

"Of course, I don't think we're friends," Kazuya Sawashiro readily admitted to what he had done and their relationship. "If you feel that being recorded is inappropriate, then we can find another way to talk, such as meeting in person at my office."

The fact that they asked about the recording means that what Watanabe Souta is about to say is not simple, so Sawashiro Kazuya needs to take the initiative, such as bringing Watanabe Souta to his own territory.

It's deep winter now, and although the office has the heater on, the temperature is still lower than in most homes.

It's as if someone is helping to cool down the firm.

Is it a lame joke by Aki Amano?

Closer to home.

Just because Sawashiro Kazuya answers Watanabe Souta's calls doesn't mean he'll have a friendly conversation with him. After learning that Watanabe Souta was calling, Sawashiro Kazuya figured out why he was calling, so he had to be assertive.

Upon hearing this, Watanabe Sōta, on the other end of the phone, realized that he had lost the initiative.

Whether to continue the call under the condition of recording, or to go to Kazuya Sawashiro's office to discuss it, it seems that he has a choice, but in reality, he has no choice at all.

"So... what do you want? I don't want to be too clear about Yoshioka Yuko's matter while it's being recorded, but you should understand." Watanabe Souta thought for a moment. The call was his last act of defiance; he didn't want to bow down in front of Sawashiro Kazuya.

This wasn't an attitude of begging; it helped Kazuya Sawashiro confirm the purpose of Watanabe Souta's call.

Since that's the case, then we can't do as he wishes.

Kazuya Sawashiro shifted into a more comfortable position and casually retorted, "What would I know? Yuko Yoshioka isn't my artist. I know nothing about her. Why don't you ask her manager?"