"Akane, give the phone to Michiya-kun. Let him explain it to me personally."
Hearing Kurokawa Osamu's words, Michiya Gōshin felt a slight chill in his heart, immediately sensing that this phone call would not be an easy one.
Consequently, he nodded to Kurokawa Akane, took the phone, and stood up to walk toward the relatively quieter balcony.
"Moshi moshi, Kurokawa-san. This is Michiya Gōshin."
He pressed the answer button, his tone very polite.
In the next moment, Kurokawa Osamu's steady and slightly oppressive voice came from the other end of the line. One could not discern if he was happy or angry.
"Michiya-kun, that child Akane rarely comes to find me specifically for someone else's affairs."
On the other end of the phone, Kurokawa Osamu's voice was steady and heavy, carrying the unique, authoritative penetration of an elder that commanded respect without anger. Even through the receiver, it made one involuntarily sit up straight.
"Although I have seen the news, I am not too clear on the specific details. Please tell me about it from the perspective of the person involved."
"Yes, Kurokawa-san. I apologize for causing you trouble."
Michiya Gōshin briefly explained the beginning of this scandal storm. After a while, Kurokawa Osamu's steady voice continued to come through the phone.
"I see. I have a general understanding of the matter now."
He paused, and his tone suddenly became sharp.
"Michiya-kun, what exactly is the relationship between you and that Sakurajima Mai-san right now? I want to know the most truthful answer."
"..."
Michiya Gōshin took a deep breath. He knew this question could not be evaded and that he must give a clear answer. Thus, he replied in a deep voice.
"Kurokawa-san, Sakurajima-san and I are currently just good friends who get along well. Those rumors are absolutely shadows chased by the media and deliberate hype; they are not facts."
"Currently just good friends, is it..."
Kurokawa Osamu repeated this phrase on the other end of the line, his tone meaningful.
"Michiya-kun, I already said it last time. You are indeed an excellent man, and I believe Akane's judgment is not wrong. However, as a father, I have to remind you, or rather... warn you."
Kurokawa Osamu's voice became even more serious. "For a man living in this world, the most important thing is to know clearly what he wants and to take responsibility for it. Indecision and wavering will eventually only hurt everyone who loves you."
"If you have thoughts about that Sakurajima-san that go beyond friendship, or if you plan to move toward her, then I hope that before you formally collaborate on the movie with my daughter, you will speak to her completely clearly and draw a boundary."
Kurokawa Osamu paused. "I do not wish for her to discover she is in an ambiguous relationship only after she has invested her feelings and career."
After a while, this Senior Superintendent who held great power continued to add.
"...Furthermore, what I said to you last time was not entirely a joke."
Michiya Gōshin could feel the invisible pressure transmitted from the other end of the phone, brought by a father protecting his daughter.
He gripped the phone tighter, his knuckles turning slightly white, and responded solemnly.
"I understand, Kurokawa-san. I will keep your words in mind. regarding... regarding matters of feelings, I will definitely consider them carefully, sort out my own thoughts as soon as possible, and make a decision that will not let anyone... especially Akane, get hurt."
"Hmph, I hope so."
Hearing Michiya Gōshin address his daughter by her given name directly, Kurokawa Osamu let out a cold snort and spoke sternly.
"Michiya-kun, remember... the water in Tokyo Bay is very cold. If you really dare to two-time... or toy with Akane's feelings, then you must bear the corresponding consequences. A man must have the courage to act and take responsibility, and even more so, know how to make choices."
Michiya Gōshin was somewhat helpless, but he could only promise again: "I understand, Kurokawa-san."
"Alright, since Akane has already spoken up, I will help you this once. Give the phone to Akane now."
"Thank you, Kurokawa-san."
When Michiya Gōshin handed the phone back to Kurokawa Akane, the expression on his face was one of resignation.
After she took the phone, the girl immediately walked to the side, turning her back to Michiya Gōshin. Her voice instantly took on the spoiled tone of a little daughter.
"Papa! What did you say to Gōshin-kun? ...Aiyah, I know, I know. I will pay attention to safety. Mm, regarding the manpower, we will follow your arrangements."
Listening to Kurokawa Akane working hard to strive for her father's help on his behalf, Michiya Gōshin felt a mixture of complex emotions in his heart.
He truly needed to sort out his feelings for these women around him as soon as possible. Otherwise, whether for him personally or for the upcoming collaboration, it could result in bitter fruit.
After a while, Kurokawa Akane finished the call, a relaxed smile on her face.
"It's settled! Papa said he will immediately arrange for three subordinates with excellent skills to come over and help. They will participate in Gōshin-kun's plan together."
Michiya Gōshin nodded, trying hard to hide Kurokawa Osamu's words in his heart, and focused his attention on the most important matter coming up next.
The afternoon of the next day. Karuizawa, Nagano Prefecture.
As "Tokyo's Back Garden," even in winter, this place possessed a unique charm.
The villa provided by Suo Hayato was situated within a high-end villa district with excellent privacy, surrounded by large expanses of deciduous forest.
At this time, the trees had shed their leaves, revealing vigorous branches covered with a layer of mist, shimmering with fragmented light under the pale winter sun.
The air was cold and fresh, far removed from the clamor of the metropolis. Only the occasional bird call broke the silence.
This villa featured a classic modern Japanese design with clean lines, utilizing large amounts of glass and raw wood to blend integrally with the surrounding natural environment.
Behind the villa was a slightly steep slope connecting to a denser forest of miscellaneous trees. That area was rarely visited by people and was the key location for the "trap the target" plan.
The first to arrive were the two capable officers sent by Suo Hayato, Shimada and Sugimoto. One was skilled with electronic equipment, and the other excelled in tracking and counter-reconnaissance. They quickly began to set up the villa site.
They not only brought miniature cameras with night vision and infrared functions but also, based on the photo and behavioral habits of the reporter named Nakamura Satoshi that Suo Hayato had already investigated, meticulously set up multiple concealed monitoring points and trigger-based alarm devices around the villa. This was especially focused on the woods at the rear slope and the predicted infiltration route.
Their mission was to use counter-reconnaissance means to lock onto Nakamura Satoshi's possible position and movement route in advance, ensuring nothing went wrong.
"Michiya-san, all equipment has been debugged and covers all possible angles. As soon as the target appears, we can see them immediately from here."
Sugimoto, who was responsible for the electronic equipment, reported the situation to Michiya Gōshin via mobile phone.
In the next moment, the specific surveillance footage was transmitted back through the computer screen.
Michiya Gōshin looked at the clear shots transmitted from various corners of the villa and nodded. Everything was ready; now they just had to wait for the fish to take the bait.
Time passed minute by minute. After about two more hours, a figure carrying a huge backpack, wearing an inconspicuous gray coat and a baseball cap, appeared sneakily at the edge of the surveillance frame.
It was exactly Nakamura Satoshi.
He appeared very cautious. He did not approach the villa immediately but loitered on the periphery, observing for a long time with a long-focus lens to confirm that the villa seemed uninhabited at the moment and had no obvious security force.
Having finished casing the joint, a smug smile appeared on Nakamura Satoshi's face.
In his view, this villa located in a secluded spot was simply a superb location for candid filming.
He familiarly found a shrubbery half-concealed by withered grass near the villa's backyard. The field of view here was relatively open, and there was a small path trodden out that could pass through a small patch of woods, leading directly to the wooden fence of the villa's backyard.
This row of fences was not high. For an experienced paparazzo, scaling it was simply a breeze.
More importantly, the position in the backyard near the living room's floor-to-ceiling windows happened to have some firewood stacked for the indoor fireplace, forming a perfect natural cover.
From this angle, as long as there were people in the living room, he could use his super-telephoto lens to take extremely clear, irrefutable photos.
"Hmph... let's see how you plan to hide this time!"
Nakamura Satoshi muttered to himself in a low voice, as if he could already see the exclusive headline and the huge bonus waving at him. He carefully concealed his figure and began to wait patiently for nightfall, like a venomous snake lurking in the shadows.
On the other side, Sugimoto, who was staying on the third floor of the villa, sent a text message to Michiya Gōshin.
[Target has entered the designated area and is lurking in the shrubbery of Zone C.]
Michiya Gōshin looked at the blurry but identifiable figure on the tablet screen, his eyes gradually becoming icy.
The big fish had entered the net.
Time quietly slipped away until the afternoon of the second day. Michiya Gōshin spoke with Sakurajima Mai on the phone and confirmed today's action plan.
Both of them had donned meticulous disguises—Michiya Gōshin wore a baseball cap and mask, with a loose down jacket to conceal his figure. Sakurajima Mai used a scarf and sunglasses to block out most of her face, changing into an inconspicuous dark coat.
They rode in separate vehicles and, under the route arranged by Suo Hayato, met up quietly before driving together toward Karuizawa.
At just past eight o'clock in the evening, the vehicle drove into the quiet villa district. Michiya Gōshin and Sakurajima Mai arrived punctually at the location that had been set up long ago.
Pushing open the heavy solid wood door, warm air mixed with a faint scent of pine wood rushed over them.
The interior decoration of the villa was a warm, homey style with raw wood floors and comfortable fabric sofas. The fireplace could be lit; just one switch could easily create just the right atmosphere.
"The environment here is really nice."
Sakurajima Mai took off her sunglasses and scarf, revealing a face that was slightly weary but still stunning. She looked around and sighed softly.
Continuous work and the recent scandal storm had brought a trace of fatigue to her brow, but placing herself in this peaceful environment at this moment seemed to relax her a little.
"The place Mr. Suo found indeed shows he put thought into it."
Michiya Gōshin hung up his coat. He walked to the living room, his gaze sweeping over the positions of several items that looked like decorations but were actually cameras. He understood the setup in his heart.
The two sat down on the sofa.
Michiya Gōshin picked up the remote control and seemingly casually turned on the TV in the living room. It played inconsequential night news, creating background noise for normal activity.
"Mai-san, how did your talk with HORIPRO Agency go yesterday? Are you really going to become completely independent?"
Michiya Gōshin cut to the main topic, his tone carrying concern.
At the meeting yesterday, since Sakurajima Mai had already expressed a firm attitude, then to accomplish this matter, she would have to conduct difficult negotiations with the massive agency she had stayed with for many years.
Sakurajima Mai lifted her hot tea and took a sip, sighing slightly.
"Hori-san is a very formidable person..."
She put down the teacup, her fingers unconsciously rubbing the cup's wall. "Although he ultimately agreed to my request not to renew the contract and didn't set too many obstacles on the surface, but... he persuaded my mother."
Sakurajima Mai raised her head and looked at Michiya Gōshin, her eyes somewhat complex.
"He told my mother that establishing a new agency is no easy task, especially for an artist like me. Although resources can be obtained through the management of all these years, initial channel exposure will inevitably encounter difficulties. Hori-san proposed that HORIPRO Agency invest in our new agency, holding a 3% stake."
"This way, nominally, I can still maintain a good cooperative relationship with them, and HORIPRO Agency will also provide some support in terms of connections when necessary. In the end, my mother was persuaded by him."
Michiya Gōshin listened carefully, pondered for a moment, and said:
"From a business perspective, this isn't necessarily a bad thing. A 3% stake isn't much; it retains your absolute autonomy, Mai-san, while allowing for a smooth transition with the help of some of HORIPRO Agency's resources to avoid the potential risks of completely tearing up relations. This move by Hori-san should be considered retreating to advance. It saves his face and maintains influence."
"I know."
Sakurajima Mai nodded. "Rationally, I also understand that this might be the relatively better outcome under the current circumstances."
She pursued independence because she longed to completely control her own career and life. Now, still having a strand of connection with her old employer that couldn't be cut made her feel somewhat subtle inside.
"Take it slowly, Mai-san."
Michiya Gōshin comforted her. "Being able to take this step is already not easy. The road ahead is still long, and the initiative is ultimately in your hands."
Sakurajima Mai looked at his sincere gaze, her heart warming slightly. She gave a soft "Mm."
After a while, Michiya Gōshin hesitated for a moment but still asked the question hovering in his heart.
"Mai-san, you... why did you insist on choosing to leave HORIPRO Agency at this time? I know you've always had thoughts of independence, but why choose to announce it precisely at this time?"
He vaguely felt there might be hidden circumstances.
Sakurajima Mai was silent for a moment. In the living room, there was only the steady broadcast voice of the TV news anchor.
There was a ball of dancing flame in the lit fireplace, reflecting flickering points of light in her beautiful pupils. She raised her head, looking directly into Michiya Gōshin's eyes. Those pretty eyes contained complex, indescribable emotions.
There was determination, tenderness, and undisguised, rich affection.
"It was for you, Gōshin-kun."
Her voice was very light, yet like a stone thrown into a calm lake, it rippled layer upon layer in Michiya Gōshin's heart.
"A very large part of the reason is because of you."
She repeated this sentence, her tone even clearer. "My feelings have already been told to you, so naturally, I will work hard to move closer to you."
"Don't forget what you promised me last time. If one day I can lead a movie myself and invite Gōshin-kun to play the male lead, you can't refuse, okay?"
The girl suddenly laughed. Her eyebrows and eyes were clear and cool, movingly affectionate.
"..."
Michiya Gōshin's heart trembled. Looking at this devastatingly beautiful face close at hand, and looking at the undisguised determination and courage in her eyes, for a moment, he actually didn't know how to respond.
"Mai-san, you are even more formidable than I imagined. You really make one... concede defeat."
"Hehe, Gōshin-kun, you don't need to feel too much pressure. I'm not forcing you. One day, you will be captivated by my charm and then agree to be with me."
Sakurajima Mai smiled again, seeming to have great confidence in this matter.
"Is that so?"
Just then, the screen of the tablet computer placed by Michiya Gōshin's hand suddenly lit up, popping up a message from Shimada.
[Target has begun to move. Is crossing the woods and is about to approach the backyard fence.]
In the next moment, Michiya Gōshin instantly pulled away from his chaotic thoughts, his eyes becoming sharp again.
He picked up the tablet and quickly switched to the monitoring feed. Sure enough, he saw that figure wearing the gray coat walking briskly, using the shadows of the trees to approach the villa's backyard with agility.
The corners of Michiya Gōshin's mouth curled into a cold arc. He turned the tablet screen toward Sakurajima Mai and whispered.
"Look, the big fish can't wait to take the bait."
Sakurajima Mai also saw Nakamura Satoshi in the footage. Her brows furrowed slightly, and a trace of disgust flashed in her eyes.
In the footage, Nakamura Satoshi soon skillfully flipped over the not-so-high backyard fence, landing silently.
He first looked around vigilantly, then quickly hunched his body, using the shadows of the wood and haystacks to sneak toward the living room's floor-to-ceiling windows.
The angle Nakamura Satoshi had chosen during his advance scouting happened to allow him to peer into the living room through the gap in the curtains.
A look of excitement and greed appeared on his face. He quickly took out the camera with the huge long-focus lens from his backpack, adjusted the parameters, and aimed it in the direction of the living room.
There, he had already seen Michiya Gōshin and Sakurajima Mai sitting on the sofa conversing, "unaware" of anything.
However, he did not know that his every move had long been clearly captured by multiple infrared cameras hidden in the dark and transmitted in real-time to Michiya Gōshin's tablet, as well as before the eyes of the men lying in ambush inside and outside the villa.
Just as Nakamura Satoshi held his breath, preparing to press the shutter to capture that "decisive moment."
"Do it!"
Michiya Gōshin calmly issued the command through the phone.
In the next moment, Sugimoto, who had long been lying in ambush in the shadows inside and outside the villa, lunged out like a cheetah. He precisely seized Nakamura Satoshi's wrist holding the camera, then twisted it forcefully!
Snap!
A slight crisp sound rang out; it was unknown whether it was the sound of a wrist joint or a camera component.
"Ah—!"
Caught off guard, Nakamura Satoshi let out a miserable scream, and the camera slipped from his hand and fell to the ground.
At this time, Shimada also quickly locked his neck and arms from behind, pinning him deadly against the cold ground, unable to move.
"Who are you? Why did you sneak into this place?"
"What huge gall! Shimada, call the police quickly."
"Okay!"
Just after the two "finished acting out this scene," about a few minutes later, three men wearing casual clothes but with upright figures and sharp eyes also appeared from different directions, quickly surrounding them to form a second encirclement.
They were exactly the police officers sent by Kurokawa Osamu.
Although these few people did not take action, their professional positioning and oppressive aura thoroughly cut off any possibility of Nakamura Satoshi escaping or resisting.
One of the leading officers flashed a badge and spoke in a deep voice.
"This gentleman, your behavior is already suspected of illegal intrusion into a private residence and intent to violate the privacy of others. Now that you have been caught red-handed with the spoils, if you have anything to say, please come back to the police station with us and say it there."
Nakamura Satoshi was pressed against the ground, his face sticking to the cold surface. He struggled to raise his head, his face filled with terror, disbelief, and utter despair.
At this moment, he finally understood.
This carefully planned candid filming had actually turned out to be a trap set for him long ago.
________________________________________
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