Yukiko Okada dialed the pager back, and the other end of the phone was quickly connected.

"Akina-san, good evening. ”

Shinichi Iwahashi sat in the driver's seat, listening to Yukiko Okada talking to Akina Nakamori on the other end of the phone, and couldn't help but turn his head and look at her.

Yukiko Okada, who is 21 years old this year, still makes people feel a kind of childish innocence from her from time to time. It's the same with Akina Nakamori on the phone now.,The tone is very lively.。

However, this innocence is not a kind of childishness that comes from "not growing up". It's better to say that although I've grown up, while living as an adult, I still retain my own side of a girl.

Therefore, this kind of innocence is not only not disgusting, but it makes people sincerely love her childish charm.

Such a trait made Iwahashi Shinichi feel that it was natural for Akina Nakamori to become friends with Yukiko Okada, and the friendship could be maintained until now.

"Iwahashi-san is still with me. Yukiko Okada said into the other end of the phone.

As he spoke, he turned his face to Shinichi Iwahashi. Although he looked at him, he continued to talk on the phone with Akina Nakamori, "I came to work in the recording studio today, and I worked a little overtime." Iwahashi-san said that as compensation for overtime, he would invite me to dinner. ”

“......”

There's no need to tell Akina Nakamori in such detail about this kind of thing, right? Iwahashi couldn't help but laugh.

Just thought about it in my heart, on the other side Okada Yukiko suddenly smiled and said, "Really?" and said "Wait a minute" on the phone, and suddenly discussed with him.

"Iwahashi-san, let Akina-san come over too, okay?"

"What?" she said in general terms, and Iwahashi asked cautiously.

Yukiko Okada explained: "In the afternoon, I paged Akina-san and wanted to ask her to go to the movies together, but Akina-san was working and didn't come back until the end of the day. ”

Speaking of this, she laughed, "And, Akana-san said, she hasn't eaten dinner yet." ”

"Really?" Iwahashi nodded cautiously and agreed, "Okay." ”

Yukiko Okada said "thank you" to him, and took away the hand covering the earpiece, "Akina-san, how about having dinner together?" and Iwahashi-san ...... together."

Iwahashi understood what she said, and co-authored it to get his consent first, and then went to persuade Akina Nakamori. If Akina Nakamori smiled and refused, it would be too delicate.

......

It's good that there isn't.

Yukiko Okada talked to Akina Nakamori, hung up the phone, and reported a list of addresses in Meguro to Shinichi Iwahashi, which was the place to meet Akina Nakamori.

Iwahashi Shinichi barely went to the area of Meguro, and digested the list of addresses for a long time before setting off.

On the way, he remembered what Yukiko Okada said and asked her, "After eating, are you and Nakamori-san still going to the movies tonight?"

Yukiko Okada looked at the time and shook her head, "It's too late today, the last one is eight o'clock in the evening." ”

"What kind of movie?" Iwahashi Shinichi was a little curious.

"One Hundred Years of Solitude. ”

He scavenged through his memories, as if he hadn't heard of the movie coming out recently. Yukiko Okada didn't wait for him to ask, and said first: "It's an Italian film introduced by art theaters." ”

"Oh. "It's normal not to know.

According to the selection criteria of art theaters, a bunch of niche movies will be introduced every day. That said, for those who love foreign films, this kind of art theater is a real blessing.

"Today, there is a discount for women in the movie theater, so I thought about taking advantage of the discount to go to Akina-san with me......" said Yukiko Okada.

Shinichi Iwahashi was a little amused, "Did you go to see it because there was a discount?"

"I saw the release information in the movie magazine before, and the movie poster looks quite textured. However, it's better to look at it when it's on sale. She spoke in a calculated tone.

Not only that, but also pulled Akina Nakamori, "Akina-san also likes to go to the movies on discount days." ”

"Really?" Iwahashi Shin'ichi thought it was strange and interesting to hear such gossip.

A wool who went to the cinema on a discount day, because he saved a few coins, was complacent, as if he had done something big.

However, when I think about it this way, I think that she, who claims to be a "shopping street kid", seems to be quite in tune with this kind of behavior, and it is quite cute when she actually does it.

Then again, he had talked to Akina Nakamori several times before, and now Yukiko Okada talked to him about Akina Nakamori, did it count as an invisibly retribution?

......

At this time, Yukiko Okada spoke again and asked him, "At the last concert, Iwahashi-san saw Akina-san, right?"

Iwahashi Shinichi replied, "I'm next to Nakamori-san's seat." ”

"Hmm. Yukiko Okada nodded, "I like Akina-san very much, and when I went to participate in "STAR! Birth", I sang Akina-san's song. ”

"Akina-san is an important friend of mine, and so is Iwahashi-san. She said this, looking contented, as if she was proud to have such two friends at the same time.

Iwahashi Shinichi didn't make a sound when he heard this, but vaguely recalled that backstage at the end of the concert, they learned that neither of them had ever told Yukiko Okada about themselves and Akina Nakamori that they had actually met.

Yukiko Okada planned to introduce him to Akina Nakamori, but he didn't expect such a mistake. Iwahashi Shinichi remembered what he had guessed with Akina Nakamori about how Kiko Okada would react if she found out about it, and thought it was funny and wanted to laugh.

If you really tell Yukiko, I wonder how she will react?

Iwahashi-san looked very happy. Yukiko Okada stared at his face.

Iwahashi Shinichi was unhurried and replied, "I'm quite happy." ”

He admitted it so bluntly, but it made Yukiko Okada not know how to say it further. I wanted to ask him why he was happy, but I didn't think it was good to get to the bottom of it, so I stopped the topic and looked ahead.

Yukiko Okada didn't ask any more questions, but it made Iwahashi Shinichi feel better.

This kind of good mood is not because Yukiko Okada didn't chase him hard, but there is a faint sense of the wonderful fun of keeping a secret that only he and Akina Nakamori know.

I don't know if she thought about it when Yukiko Okada invited Akina Nakamori just now.

The last time I met Akina Nakamori was on her birthday, at the recording site of "Night Boom Studio". It was still the height of summer, and now it's autumn.

Even if you are in the industry, there are not many opportunities for "chance encounters". If it weren't for the overlapping itineraries, we might not see each other all year round.

After a showdown with Watanabe Manyumi, he decided to cut the rope between the two and set up a record company, and Shinichi Iwahashi entered an unprecedented busyness.

I deal with people in the business world and the record industry all day long, and I don't have the opportunity to meet Akina Nakamori.

However, the thread of the relationship with Akina Nakamori has not been severed. When he returned to Kawasaki's office, he received another letter from Akina Nakamori.

There was no subject in the letter, and it was written with bits and pieces of trivial things as if they were talking face to face.

When she was wearing a giraffe hood, she met Akina Nakamori and handed her the origami paper, revealing her identity in a vague way.

However, in the subsequent letter, Akina Nakamori did not say a word about the giraffe man.

Because of this, Shinichi Iwahashi felt her thoughtfulness, just as when she didn't know who the person under the giraffe's hood was, she still thought of bringing a snack and asked him to take it back.

Iwahashi Shinichi read the letter and wrote a similar one. If there is anything special, it is nothing more than writing in the letter, which is about the preparation of the record company.

At this time, the record company's matter has been decided, and it can also be written on paper without hesitation.

However, it was not sent immediately. Instead, I waited until the eve of the release of the second single DREAMS COME TRUE, and sent the letter along with the record and, of course, the "tasting impressions".

It is not only a continuation of the solicitation of "tasting impressions", but also a vague response to the question of identity. It's just that this letter hasn't been sent out for too long, and I haven't received a reply yet.

During this time, he prepared for the record company, had a showdown with Watanabe Manyumi, negotiated with the Takeda Printing Company, tried to win the most power within his ability when he was the weakest, and then openly recruited the lead singer on a large scale, and in a short period of time, every step he took was full of calculations.

And now, thinking that the next person to meet is Akina Nakamori, Iwahashi Shinichi feels quite relaxed in his heart, and there is a wonderful comfort that he doesn't have to think about anything.

If you think about it carefully, I will write about the record company in the letter, probably because of the state of getting along with Akina Nakamori without trembling and without any impurities.

Because of this, he was able to write these things that he had done after careful calculation without any scruples, like gossip, into letterhead.

......

Shinkazu Iwahashi parked his car in the parking lot, got out of the car with Yukiko Okada, and walked into the street where motor vehicles were not allowed.

In the big night, if he hadn't retired, as an orthodox and pure idol, he wouldn't have been able to go out for a night tour so easily.

It's a wonderful freedom.

These men and women in the era of the big idol are, in a way, similar to the students in co-educational schools.

So there is a difference between 82 groups and 83 groups, and those who debuted in the same year will have a so-called "classmates meeting" in the TV show.

Since it is a coeducational student, there are also upper and lower grades. For Yukiko Okada, Akina Nakamori is similar to a senior sister who is longed for by junior female students in her heart.

Not only that, but this elementary school girl also successfully held the hand of the top student and became her good friend.

Students gather among themselves and are divided into various factions, and there are good friends, after school, and there are coffee shops where they can play board games together, or some kind of confectionery shop.

It's the same with idols.

These young idols also have many "secret bases" like shops to relax. This restaurant in Meguro is like such a "secret base".

Okada has Kiko and Akina Nakamori, as well as their respective friends, all come here to eat.

She knew the way well, and Shinichi Iwahashi walked into the store.

......

Akina Nakamori arrived a little later than Shinichi Iwahashi and Yukiko Okada.

After the work was over, I checked the pager and found that Okada had a pager from Kiko. After dialing it up, she said that she was with Shinichi Iwahashi.

"I came to the studio today to work part-time, and I worked a little overtime. Iwahashi-san said that as compensation for overtime, he would invite me to dinner. Yukiko Okada told her on the phone.

Speaking of this in such detail, Akina Nakamori was amused by her tone, so she also told her that she hadn't eaten dinner yet.

As a result, Yukiko Okada said "wait a minute", and after a while, asked her if she wanted to have dinner together.

"And Iwahashi-san also ...... together," Yukiko Okada seems to be quite happy that Akina Nakamori can get to know Shinichi Iwahashi.

When she said this, Akina Nakamori remembered that when she went to her retirement concert, she realized with Shinichi Iwahashi backstage that neither of them had told Yukiko Okada about their acquaintance.

This misunderstanding is funny when I think about it, and there is a little bit of embarrassment because I hid it from Yukiko Okada.

"Okay?" asked Yukiko Okada.

Akina Nakamori agreed.

After hanging up the phone, the agent Big Ben asked her, "Where are you going next?" Let's eat something first, the show was recorded for about six hours. ”

He, who is an agent, has a rumbling stomach.

Akina Nakamori told him that he was going to Meguro's restaurant, and "made an appointment with Yukiko to meet." ”

......

On the way here, Akina Nakamori remembered the letter she had received from Shinichi Iwahashi.

To be precise, she didn't receive a letter, but a package. After opening it, it contains a new single from DREAMS COME TRUE, and it still comes with a "Tasting Impressions" card.

In addition to this, there is another letter.

Sending in the new single DREAMS COME TRUE is almost a sign of identity. When Akina Nakamori received such a package, she had a subtle tacit understanding in her heart.

When I opened the letter, the content of the letter was similar to the letter she had sent, without a theme, like a small talk, talking about trivial things.

However, it's not all trivial.

In the letter, Shinichi Iwahashi told her that he was preparing to start a record label.

"So, it's time to get a lot of work out at this stage. In his letter, Shinichi Iwahashi wrote, "When I set up a record company, I felt like I had opened a certain door. ”

Akina Nakamori was surprised to see him write and set up a record company in his heart, and he didn't expect that in a short period of time, he would do such a big thing again.

But in my heart, after being surprised, I couldn't help but think of the appearance of Shinichi Iwahashi who said "It's a success!" at the concert venue of the Jojite Martial Arts Hall when they met for the first time, and then high-fived her.

With such Iwahashi Shinichi, Akina Nakamori genuinely believes that he can succeed and never doubts his resilience.

......