Chapter 10: A Business Proposal
Takashi Kadomori waved his hand dismissively. "I'm just venting; there's not much I can do anyway. Once you hit middle age, you sometimes find yourself unable to tolerate things you've grown accustomed to."
Hikaru Hoshino suddenly turned serious, speaking with genuine sincerity. "No, you're not old yet."
"People whose hearts are truly old wouldn't say things like that. The very fact that you can't stand it proves you haven't aged—at least, you still have a bit of a conscience."
Hikaru made a "tiny bit" gesture with his fingers.
"Forget it; a conscience is better off fed to the dogs. I brought you here today mainly to show your face around the company—to let people know you're 'Xini-affiliated.' That way, other artists under our wing will proactively seek you out for collaborations." Kadomori led Hikaru out of the elevator. "We have a lot of artists in the Xini family, and we often help each other out in the industry."
Over the next hour, Kadomori took Hikaru on a tour of the company's facilities: spacious, bright meeting rooms, recording studios equipped with the latest gear, professional dance practice rooms, and even a top-tier live house with a world-class sound and lighting system.
"It's a pity that because you only signed a partnership agreement, you don't get your own office," Kadomori said somewhat apologetically. "But if you come by often in the future, you're welcome to hang out in my office or use the practice rooms—those are open to you for free."
As they were walking, an actress suddenly noticed Hikaru. Her eyes lit up as she walked toward them.
"Excuse me, are you Mr. Hikari?" she struck up a conversation. She appeared to be in her thirties, with delicate features and an elegant aura—the kind of natural presence that belonged on camera.
Seeing this, Kadomori hurried forward to introduce them. "This is Ms. Ayami Ishihara, one of Xini's top actresses. Ms. Ishihara, this is the 'Hikari' I mentioned before—Mr. Hikaru Hoshino."
"I've heard so much about you!" Ayami Ishihara flashed a textbook professional smile. "I've listened to many of your songs; they're wonderful, and each one leaves a lasting impression."
Hikaru chuckled inwardly. He had only released two songs, and *Ao to Natsu* had just come out—where did this "many" come from? He had written quite a few for Ai as a composer, but most people didn't pay much attention to the credits.
"You flatter me. Ms. Ishihara's acting is what's truly impressive," Hikaru replied, putting on his own professional smile. "Your dramas are excellent; I really enjoy your performances."
"Oh? And which one is your favorite?" Ayami Ishihara asked with a beaming smile.
Hikaru instantly sensed a hint of danger. He quickly replied, "I don't have a single favorite; I love them all. Each one has a different charm, so it's hard to pick just one."
*This woman asking such questions with a smile... she's definitely a schemer.*
"Haha, it seems Mr. Hikari is quite the smooth talker." Ayami Ishihara chuckled behind her hand, seemingly satisfied with the answer. "I've just finished filming a new drama that should be airing soon. I finally have some time to rest."
"Congratulations!" Hikaru chimed in. "Which network? I'll be sure to watch it when I have the chance."
"It's a TBS Friday Drama titled *Unnatural*; it's a forensic mystery." As she spoke, her eyes suddenly brightened, and she clapped her hands. "That's right! The show is still missing a theme song, and the director is searching everywhere for a singer to collaborate with."
She turned to Hikaru, a sharp glint in her eyes. "Why don't you give it a try? I think your style would suit a deep, meaningful series like this—your songs have a very strong emotional resonance. The producer was already planning to submit a request to Xini, but they haven't settled on an artist yet."
Ayami's calculation was precise. Although she was the lead, her influence over the production was limited; the music coordinator would make the final call. She was simply suggesting Hikaru try out; if he failed, she lost nothing, but if he succeeded, she'd have earned a significant favor.
"I'm not so sure." Hikaru felt tempted but played it modest. "The company has many talented seniors; my experience is still a bit lacking."
Kadomori immediately cut in. "The producer for that drama did indeed want to collaborate with us but hasn't found the right singer. They asked the company for a recommendation list. If you want to try, I can add your name."
"If the person in charge likes you, they'll contact you privately."
"Then it's settled," Ayami Ishihara said with a smile as she bid them farewell. "I wish you a successful collaboration."
Kadomori then led Hikaru to his office. It wasn't large, but it was cozy, with the walls adorned with signed photos of various artists and bookshelves packed with music and film-related materials.
Once they were seated, Kadomori handed Hikaru a letter of intent.
"The company receives many commercial requests daily. I've set aside one with decent terms for you: it's a CM song—a cheering song—for a football tournament. The scale of the event is quite large."
"However, I believe your current focus should still be on an album. As for these commercial tracks..." Kadomori paused. "You can put in a moderate effort, but don't overdo it. While people generally think commercial songs aren't as good as album tracks, if a collaboration song is well-written and the client is happy, it naturally leads to more opportunities. No one turns their nose up at money."
Hikaru flipped through the document. The client was the 97th All Japan High School Soccer Tournament. It was a national event; despite being a high school competition, the scale was surprisingly massive. After reviewing the requirements, Hikaru felt it was a good fit and accepted on the spot.
As he was leaving, Kadomori reminded him, "Hikaru, looking at the timeline, isn't it about time you prepared to release an album? Your career is on the rise; don't get lazy now."
"I can just keep releasing singles, can't I? Albums are so much trouble," Hikaru replied casually.
"Even you think so?" Kadomori sighed. "I suppose it's true; more and more singers don't want to release albums these days."
"Young singers today have no patience. Singles show results quickly and bring in money fast. An album needs over ten songs, and they don't have the energy to polish every single one to perfection."
"But!" Kadomori's tone shifted. "That's exactly why. If you can go against the grain and produce a high-quality album, wouldn't you stand out even more? Sales are tangible proof of success. As long as your album sales are high enough, you can instantly shed the 'newbie' tag and jump straight to being a veteran in the industry."
Hikaru found it odd. "Why would I want to be a 'veteran' if I have nothing better to do?"
"Won't that just happen naturally in a couple of years anyway?"
Kadomori: "..."
"Have some ambition!" he said, sounding like a disappointed mentor. "Fine, I'll just give it to you straight."
"I have a massive opportunity here. Whether you can grab it or not depends entirely on your performance."
---
[100 Ps = 1 Bonus Chapter.]
[10 total review = 1 Bonus Chapter.]
[Total Bonus Chapters Achieved: 0]
[] Patreon:
➔ Unlock advanced chapters & exclusive supporter roles in discord!
➔ For 50 adv chapters. [email protected]/Prince_of_LanL.
LanLi: For those who just want to read the final chapters of this fanfic, I've opened a temporary $3 tier on Patreon.
This gives you full access to the final 50 chapters (though less than 30 are left to be posted!). Check it out if you're interested!
[50 advanced chapters + 13 left to be posted = 63 chs left till end.]