stjorthotic Chapter 38 The Rainbow After the Rainstorm
Chapter 38 The Rainbow After the Rainstorm
In Tokyo's major printing plants, the rotary printing presses roared like tireless beasts all night long.
The smell of ink mingled with the morning mist as millions of copies of the newspaper were delivered to convenience stores, train stations, and mailboxes throughout the streets and alleys.
When the first rays of sunlight pierced through the clouds and illuminated Tokyo Tower, the entire nation of Japan was stunned by the shocking photograph on the front page.
That was no longer the perfect smiling face of idol Toshihiko Kanai, but an ugly image of him twisting and screaming in front of a golden screen, being pinned to the ground.
And that huge IOU, enlarged in close-up and with bloodstains on the edges.
"The Collapse of the Idol Myth! Execution Before the Golden Screen!" — Weekly Bunshun
"A Bloodstained IOU: The National Diva's Tearful Accusation" - Mainichi Shimbun
"80 Million Yen Gambling Debt! A Shocking Scandal at Johnny & Associates" - Tokyo Sports
Public opinion took an avalanche-like turn overnight.
Those housewives who had been brainwashed by the agency's press releases and thought that Nakamori Akina was a "mentally unstable crazy woman" now felt a shiver from the bottom of their souls and... a sense of guilt as they watched the replay on TV, seeing the girl standing alone on the ruins fighting against the evil dragon.
That's not a crazy woman at all.
That was clearly a victim who had been forced into a corner and had no choice but to draw his sword in self-defense.
Johnny & Associates' phones were ringing off the hook.
Countless angry fans gathered downstairs at the agency, burning Kanai's posters and records. Some radical members even splashed red paint on the agency's door, a blatant satire of the "bloodstained IOU."
Faced with this overwhelming anger, the firm's executives, who had originally intended to use public relations to suppress the controversy, completely backed down.
Capital is ruthless. When a money tree becomes a bomb that could detonate the entire forest, sacrificing the pawn to save the king is the only option.
That afternoon, Johnny & Associates issued an emergency statement:
"Given the extremely negative impact that Toshihiko Kanai's inappropriate behavior has had on society, his agency has decided to impose an 'indefinite period of caution' (i.e., suspension) on him and suspend all of his entertainment activities."
That once arrogant and domineering top idol, who thought he could control everything, was kicked into the dustbin of history like trash by the very capital he relied on.
As for the two greedy "vampires"—Akina's mother Chieko and her younger sister China—their beautiful dreams were also shattered.
Not only did they not receive a single penny of hush money, but because their ugly behavior backstage was exposed by insiders, they instantly became objects of scorn throughout Japan.
Before they could even escape back to their hometown in Shizuoka, debt collectors' calls and paparazzi cameras had already surrounded their old house.
They will spend the rest of their lives bearing the shame of "betraying their relatives," barely surviving amidst the gossip and pointing fingers of their neighbors.
……
late at night.
Port area.
The torrential rain outside the window had stopped sometime earlier.
Kitahara Shin just hung up the phone with Otae's agent.
The guy was so excited on the phone that he was incoherent, saying that because of this incident, Kitahara Shin's popularity in "Yakuza Blood" had exploded, and some media outlets had even started digging into who the "knife-handler" really was.
Kitahara Shin didn't care about any of that.
He walked to the window and opened it.
The air after the rain was exceptionally fresh, carrying the scent of earth and grass.
"Thump, thump".
There were two very soft knocks at the door.
Kitahara Shin walked over and opened the door.
Akina Nakamori was standing there.
She removed the glamorous makeup she wore at the press conference, revealing her bare face.
She changed out of the dark gray suit that resembled armor and put on a simple white cotton dress.
Her eyes were red and swollen, clearly from crying.
But the gloom that always lingered in her eyes, as if it might shatter at any moment, completely disappeared.
She stood under the corridor lights, looking somewhat transparent, yet incredibly real.
"Come in and talk," Kitahara Shin said, turning to the side.
Akina walked in.
Instead of sitting awkwardly in the corner of the sofa as before, she went straight to the balcony and took a deep breath of the post-rain air.
"it's over."
She looked at the Tokyo Tower in the distance, her voice soft, carrying a hint of weakness as if she had just recovered from a serious illness, yet incredibly relaxed, "The agency just called me and said they agreed to terminate my contract. Although I have to pay a penalty, I'm free."
"Congratulations."
Kitahara Shin took a can of beer from the refrigerator, pulled the tab, and handed it to her. "This is what you deserve."
Akina took the beer, but didn't drink it.
She turned around and, in the dim light of the living room, looked intently at Kitahara Shin.
"Kitahara-kun."
She reached out her hand, and in her palm lay the familiar silver Zippo lighter.
Her body heat still lingered on the metal casing.
For the past seven days, during that suffocating press conference, she had been clutching this thing tightly in her hand; it was the source of her courage, her only support.
But now, she handed it out.
"Here, take this back."
Kitahara Shin looked at the Zippo lighter but didn't immediately take it: "Aren't you going to keep it? If you're not used to smoking, it'll be a good talisman."
Akina shook her head.
She smiled.
That wasn't the cold laugh used to mock enemies at press conferences, nor was it the fake smile used to please others.
It was a genuine, relieved laugh.
She pointed to her chest.
"Thank you for lending me the fire."
Her eyes sparkled like stars after the rain, "But now... I have a fire burning inside me."
That was no longer a candle flame that could be blown out by the wind.
It was a wildfire that reignited on the ruins after the old world had been burned down. She no longer needed to depend on anyone, nor did she need anyone's protection.
She has learned how to hold a knife by herself and how to keep warm by herself.
Kitahara Shin looked at her, a hint of admiration flashing in his eyes.
He reached out and took the Zippo back from her palm.
"Click".
A familiar metallic sound rang out, and flames flickered.
As their eyes met, a silent understanding flowed through the air.
It wasn't the tenderness between lovers, but the camaraderie forged after crossing mountains of corpses and seas of blood; it was the signal between two people struggling to survive in this cruel world, confirming that the other was still alive.
The instant his fingertips touched the Zippo, several lines of pale blue text appeared on Kitahara Shin's retina:
[System notification: The special event "The Golden Screen's Counterattack" has been completed.]
[Equipment: Silver Zippo Discarded by the Songstress (Purple Rare)]
[Compatibility increased to: 80%]
[Special skill unlocked: Mutual understanding between friends]
[Skill Description: You have established a deep spiritual bond with a specific person (Akina Nakamori). When you are on the same side or acting towards the same goal, both of your auras, charm, and mental resistance will be greatly enhanced. Even if you are thousands of miles apart, you can sense each other's determination.]
Friend...
Kitahara Shin closed the lid and put the Zippo back in his pocket.
"That's good."
He raised the beer can in his hand, towards Akina, and also towards the new world outside the window where the rain had finally stopped and the sun was shining.
"Respect for freedom."
Akina lifted the sake jar and gently tapped it against the glass.
"Respect your friends."
With a crisp impact, foam overflowed.
The wind was gentle in Tokyo that night.
The dragon is dead, and the princess no longer needs a prince, for she has transformed herself into a queen.