Tokyo: Idol Girls have absolutely no bad intentions!

Asada's voice stammered, her eyes widened, and her hand holding the strawberry trembled as she pointed to the column with the amount written on it.

Chapter 184 "A Man's Medal"

"I...Ito, are we really worth three million?"

After the initial shock came deep worry; Asada was well aware of her own situation.

Last night we had a serious discussion about whether to actually accept Director Hase's suggestion to sing the theme song.

Although this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, Asada was well aware that he did not have the ability to seize it.

Therefore, the result of the discussion was to politely decline the suggestion.

“This,” Director Hase’s calm voice interrupted Asada’s self-doubt, as he gently pushed a new contract in front of Asada, “is the fee for the theme song composition.”

His gaze swept calmly over Asada and Ito. "If Ms. Asada is willing to sing herself..." He paused slightly, then threw out an even more impactful figure, "We are willing to pay ten million yen."

Ten million!

This astronomical figure exploded in Asada's mind like a nuclear bomb!

She instantly forgot all her worries and self-awareness; her eyes widened and her breath caught in her throat.

To prevent the strawberries from falling out of her hand due to shock, she stuffed them all into her mouth beforehand.

After all," the director's voice carried a calm insight into the market, "what I value is the overall worth of the 'Sakura Bento' combination."

"If you take it all out of context, it's not worth the price."

"I'm willing!" Asada swallowed the strawberry in her mouth, not caring about anything else. If she had ten million yen, she would do anything.

Ito didn't lose his composure as much as Asada, but the fact that he didn't stop Asada's actions shows that he wasn't actually against it.

In other words, he was also blinded by money at this point.

Although I don't understand why they were able to get such a price, after all, they are just newcomers to this industry.

Putting aside their abilities, their fan base is far smaller than those who have dedicated themselves to this field.

"Pfft—cough cough cough!" Takikawa, who was elegantly sipping his coffee, was suddenly choked and coughed violently.

She hurriedly put down the cup, looked up in shock, and said, "Wait a minute, Asada, have you forgotten what we discussed last night?"

"And Ito!" She suddenly turned to the contract in Ito's hand, her light blue eyes filled with incomprehension. "Are you really going to let Asada do whatever he wants!"

She was practically going all out; even though Director Hasegawa's usually calm face was now visibly furrowed, and his gaze behind his glasses had become sharp and deep.

She had to stop it too!

Having worked in this industry for many years, she has seen too many examples of people who were tempted by the "ladder to godhood" but ended up falling to their deaths.

Without solid strength to support it, and without a substantial body of work to lay the foundation, how could its first officially released work be a collaboration with a giant like director Hasegawa?

This is not an opportunity at all, but a grill placed on a raging fire!

If she performs poorly, the ensuing ridicule, doubts, and cyberbullying will be enough to completely destroy this naive newcomer, Asada!

Takikawa pursed his lips.

They were too naive.

“Takikawa,” Ito said, looking at the worried man after reading the rules, “you can’t stop Asada from pursuing a better future.”

He reached into his briefcase and took out the round stamp that represented the "Cherry Blossom Bento" set.

“Besides,” Ito’s gaze fell on the signature section on the last page of the contract, his fingers tracing the lines of the seal, his voice low but carrying a penetrating power, “I’ve thought about it carefully since you left last night.”

He slightly raised his head, his gaze meeting Takikawa's with unwavering determination, as if looking through time into the future, "Even if Asada encounters countless opportunities in the future, even opportunities more dazzling and important than this one..."

He paused for a moment, as if confirming each of his words.

"But if we reject it today... someday in the future, when we talk about today, won't our faces still show an undisguised regret?"

This statement was addressed not only to Takikawa, but also to himself.

“Ito…” Takikawa pursed her lips. Since the other party had no objections, she couldn’t say anything more.

Although I hate to admit it, if Ito agrees, then I must be confident.

Moreover... Takikawa looked at Asada, who was already fantasizing about becoming a rich man.

This guy's mental fortitude isn't as weak as he thought.

"When is the deposit due?" Ito asked the director, a barely suppressed smile on his face. "And what about the final payment?"

"You've been blinded by money!" Takikawa, who had just been contemplating his own scheme, immediately realized what Ito meant after hearing his words.

She actually believed Ito's nonsense! How could that guy possibly think so much?

A guy who only cares about money, a scoundrel who even embezzles stage play funds, how could he have such idealistic concerns!

"Not going to reconsider?" The assistant director, after all, wasn't Hasegawa, and he still wanted to remind the young man in front of him.

He admired Ito's decisiveness, but he also knew the weight of this decision.

“If you want to back out now,” he lowered his voice, with a hint of goodwill, “we can pretend nothing happened. The contract hasn’t gone through the formalities yet.”

Director Hase remained silent, his eyes, hidden behind his sunglasses, fixed on Ito.

He also wanted to see the determination of the young man in front of him, after all, he was the guy who could lure Asada away.

If he didn't show any of his strengths, he wouldn't mind contacting Asada's father.

“You’re right,” Ito nodded unexpectedly, his tone sounding quite sincere. “I do need to think about it for a while longer.”

The assistant director and Takikawa both breathed a slight sigh of relief, thinking that he had wavered.

However, Ito paused for less than three seconds before continuing, "Well, I've thought it over."

His gaze shifted to the assistant director, his eyes showing no hesitation, only a businessman's pragmatism. "So, when will the deposit arrive?"

"..." The assistant director was so choked up that he almost couldn't catch his breath, and all the words of advice he had prepared got stuck in his throat.

He shook his head helplessly, gathered the contracts on the table, and handed them to the finance staff member next to him. He had said everything he could; he had done all he could.

"A deposit of two million yen," he replied businesslike, "can be transferred to your designated account immediately."

"As for the remaining eight million, it will be paid in installments. For example, if the theme song is completed, then another three million will be paid." As he said this, the assistant director secretly observed Director Hase. "The rest depends on when Ms. Asada can finish recording."

“Okay.” Ito nodded.

Although he didn't understand why Asada singing the theme song would account for half of all the funds, he could accept that he would receive five million yen immediately.

"Then please take a look at the document I sent you, Director Hase. If there are no problems, please transfer the five million first."

Ito picked up her phone, opened the chat window with Director Hase, and sent him the theme song she had prepared in advance the night before.

Takikawa was right; all those seemingly righteous words he just spoke were fabricated on the spot.

Otherwise, he wouldn't have directly covered and produced the song "A Man's Medal" that he redeemed from the store.

To be honest, it's not easy to find a working computer in this place late at night.

"You?" Director Hase opened his chat with Ito with a puzzled look, his brows furrowing.

Although it was out of consideration for Asada that Ito, this young man, was given a chance.

But to produce the theme song so quickly... isn't that just fooling themselves?

He did not directly express his dissatisfaction with Ito's behavior, but subtly lowered Ito's opinion of him.

His initial appreciation for Ito's "daring to gamble" was now replaced by deep disappointment and distrust.

He even began to suspect that Ito's generous speech last night, expressing his "unwillingness to leave any regrets," was just as hypocritical and calculating as this "quick-made" product before him.

The assistant director noticed the oppressive atmosphere emanating from the director and broke out in a cold sweat.

Takikawa was stunned, staring at Ito in disbelief.

Is this guy crazy? Trying to fool Director Hase with something like this? Doesn't he know the consequences?!

Asada, after a brief moment of financial dizziness, finally belatedly realized the eerie atmosphere.

She glanced at the director, whose face was grim; then at the assistant director and Takikawa, whose expressions were stiff; and finally at Ito, who remained calm.

Are you not going to send money anymore?

She was no longer surprised by Ito's boundless, seemingly inexhaustible inspiration.

Director Hasegawa's finger hovered over the icon of the unplayed audio file on the phone screen, which now seemed like a silent mockery.

He needed a few seconds to calm down before he could suppress the urge to immediately kick Ito out.

He wanted to hear just how rotten this "garbage" produced in just over ten hours could be.

However, if it's really bad, the other party will have to pay a large sum of money in breach of contract fees.

Based on his observation, the other party definitely couldn't afford to pay, so could he use that to blackmail Asada into working for him?

After all, she wouldn't want to see her colleague heavily in debt.

With a cold, resolute determination akin to a trial, Director Hase pressed the play button.

He didn't even wear headphones, letting the sound flow directly from the phone's speaker, as if he wanted to expose this "clumsy" creation to everyone.

however--

The moment the intro started, the highly recognizable electric guitar riff with a strong retro disco flavor immediately grabbed the auditory nerves of everyone present!

The rhythm is fast-paced and catchy, with a wild and passionate energy that hits you right in the face.

"つっぱることが男の"

(When a delinquent)

"たった一つの勲章だって

(It is a man's only medal)

"この心に信じて生きてきた"

(This is our life motto!)

Every word was like a heavy hammer, striking the souls of the high school students in "From Today, It's My Turn!!", who sported exaggerated hairstyles and seemed to be acting crazy but were actually sticking to their "bad ways".

The assistant director's tightly furrowed brows instantly relaxed, his eyes widened, and his body unconsciously swayed gently to the rhythm.