Substitute Toyokawa Shoko, you can become stronger by breathing

Yutenji Wakamu bit her lower lip and put her phone aside.

She knew that Shoko Toyokawa must be trying to find a way to solve this problem, but she also wanted to show her position and loyalty - after all, she needed to make sure that she was still part of the other party's plan.

.........

The night was as dark as ink. The neon lights at the entrance of a high-end nightclub in Tokyo flickered, illuminating the faces of the guests coming and going.

At 11:30 in the evening, several members of NEO STARS walked out of the VIP box with happy blushes on their faces.

As a popular idol boy group recently, they should have maintained their public image, but in the "private time" tacitly approved by their agent, the nature of young people always temporarily overcomes professional ethics.

“Today is so exciting!”

The leader, Shirosaki Shunsuke, patted the shoulders of the members around him, his tipsy eyes full of pride, "If it weren't for the rehearsal tomorrow, I really want to play for a while longer!"

"Yeah, the sudden early scheduling of the performance really disrupted all our plans."

The blond Katagiri Yuzo took out his cell phone and checked the time.

"However, opportunities like this to jump the queue at short notice don't come around often. The agent said this was a special arrangement."

"I heard they were trying to grab a venue for a small band." Kurokawa Ryuya chuckled, "What band is so unlucky that they offended someone they shouldn't have."

Six young people walked towards the nanny car parked in the back alley, talking and laughing, completely unaware that several dark shadows were quietly approaching from behind.

"Hey, those guys over there dressed up so fancy, they're the NEO STARS, right?" A hoarse voice suddenly came from behind.

The six people turned around vigilantly and saw five burly men standing at the entrance of the alley with disdainful expressions.

"Is there anything wrong?" asked Shunsuke Shirosaki with a frown, instinctively feeling a little uneasy.

"No big deal," the leader, a burly man wearing sunglasses, took out a cigarette and lit it, the red flame illuminating his rugged face. "I just wanted to treat you to a midnight snack."

Before the six people could react, several figures emerged from the darkness and quickly put black cloth on their heads.

"Hey! What are you doing!" Katagiri Yuzo struggled and shouted, but his voice was immediately interrupted by a muffled punch.

For the next few minutes, the only sounds in the alley were muffled thuds and suppressed groans.

Those strong men were obviously experienced, and their attacks were both ruthless and measured - the injuries were severe enough to make people remember the lesson, but not so severe as to leave too obvious external injuries.

The pain from the punches and kicks nearly suffocated Kurokawa Ryuya. He tried to call for help, but was pinned to the ground. Fear and confusion exploded in his mind. Why had this happened? Who had they offended?

Finally, the six people were thrown into the alley, the black cloths on their heads were removed, and there was no one around.

They collapsed on the ground, looking disheveled, their once carefully styled hair and clothes now in disarray.

At this moment, no one noticed the camera flashes passing by at the alley...

.

The next morning, Kujo Renji sat in the hotel restaurant and enjoyed breakfast elegantly.

Amber eyes scanned the phone screen, a satisfied smile playing on the corner of his mouth.

The headline news was: [Shocking! Popular idol group NEO STARS was photographed looking embarrassed at a nightclub late at night]

In the news photo, six young idols were squatting in an alley with disheveled hair and disheveled clothes, which was in sharp contrast to their usual sunny and refreshing image.

"Yamamoto did it? You asked him to do it? I thought when you called him yesterday, you wanted him to mobilize resources to help regain the venue..." Toyokawa Shoko's voice sounded in his mind, with shock.

It's much faster to deal with people than to solve problems, Miss.

Jiujo Renji was speechless. He took a sip of coffee and slowly said in his mind:

"It just lets them taste the price of fame in advance."

Toyokawa Shoko hesitated. "Isn't this a bit... uh, too much?"

If it were in the past, Toyokawa Shoko would definitely be a firm believer in "not harming innocent people."

But now, when the girl said this, she couldn't help but have some doubts in her mind.

Gradually, she has become like Kujo Renji.

Kujo Renji obviously noticed this as well and said with a smile, "Isn't it satisfying to respond to them in a way they can understand?"

It’s really satisfying!

Ah, ah that's not right.

Shoko Toyokawa didn't say anything. She chose to remain silent, feeling a little guilty.

Yes, she just couldn't refute Kujo Renji's logic. Deep down, she still felt that this method was too extreme and too dangerous!

Kujo Renji continued browsing the news, and was satisfied to see that all major media outlets were reporting the scandal extensively.

Although the six idols didn't have any visible injuries in the photos, their distressed state and surroundings were enough to tell the truth. Even worse, they were photographed leaving a high-end nightclub, a devastating blow to an idol group known for its innocent image.

The comment section has exploded, with fans going from shock to anger to disappointment. In just a few hours, NEO STARS' social media accounts have been flooded with angry messages.

Continuing to read with interest, Jiujo Rensi came across the emergency statement just released by Xinghui Entertainment:

[Due to recent unexpected events, NEO STARS's performance originally scheduled in Yokohama will be cancelled. The specific return time will be announced separately. We deeply apologize for the inconvenience caused to our fans.]

"Is that the solution?"

Shoko Toyokawa was a little surprised.

Kujo Renji sighed and explained, "What the entertainment industry fears most is negative news, especially scandals like this that directly undermine the 'sunshine idol' persona. There's no way Xinghui Entertainment would allow them to perform under these circumstances; it would only spark further controversy."

Just then, there was a commotion at the restaurant entrance. The other four members walked in together, their faces showing excitement and confusion.

"Xiao Xiang!" Sanjiao Chuhua almost ran to Jiujo Renji, his eyes shining, "Have you heard? Something big happened to NEO STARS! Their performance was cancelled!"

"That's such a coincidence." Kujo Renji said pretending to be a little surprised.

Only Ruo Yemu's golden eyes flashed with a hint of understanding and complexity. She looked at Jiu Tiao Lian Si, and their eyes met in mid-air, a silent understanding flowing between them.

"That's really good news."

Kujo Renji said with a smile, his voice filled with just the right amount of surprise, "It seems fate is on our side."

She raised her coffee cup and gestured to the other members: "Cheers to the first performance of Ave Mujica."

The others also picked up their drinks, their faces filled with joy.

........

The sun is shining outside the window, but the office feels like an icy cave.

"What the hell is going on..." He muttered to himself, tapping on the keyboard with trembling fingers, calling up news related to NEO STARS.

The overwhelming negative reports came like a tide - nightclub scandals, beatings, and photos of humiliation. The information revealed behind these news made Seiichi Fukamachi more and more terrified.

Yesterday, he arrogantly informed Toyokawa Shoko that the performance would be postponed, even dismissively saying, "Your audience base isn't large." And today, NEO STARS, who had forced their way into the queue, has been disgraced and forced to cancel their performance.

This is no coincidence.

Fukamachi Seiichi wiped a cold sweat from his forehead, recalling the initial instructions he'd received. A week earlier, executives from Star Entertainment had contacted him out of the blue, requesting a temporary venue in Yokohama for NEO STARS. When he pointed out that it had already been booked by Ave Mujica, the other party simply replied, "Toyokawa Group's request."

This sentence was enough to make him adjust his arrangements immediately. As the venue coordination person, he knew what it meant to offend the Fengchuan Group in the entertainment industry.

When he learned that the lead singer of Ave Mujica was the eldest daughter of the Toyokawa Group, he immediately thought he had guessed the whole story.

In his opinion, this was just a band run by a willful rich girl, and the group's arrangement was obviously to "discipline" this rebellious young lady.

"I was wrong...completely wrong..." Fukamachi Seiichi muttered to himself, cold sweat soaking his shirt.

Now it seems that the situation is far more complicated than he imagined. This is not some "discipline", but a factional struggle within the Fengchuan Group!

As one of Japan's chaebols, it is an open secret that the Toyokawa Group has numerous internal factions.

And now, the forces behind Toyokawa Shoko have openly confronted another faction - possibly the Toyokawa Hidehiko faction behind Star Entertainment - and have won ruthlessly.

A person who could plan and execute such a precise attack overnight was definitely not the "spoiled young lady" he imagined, but a terrifying figure who was well versed in the game of power.

Fukamachi Seiichi reviewed the details of his meeting with Toyokawa Shoko yesterday. His arrogant attitude, his condescending tone, his obvious contempt—

The thought of this made his stomach twist. He had offended someone he shouldn't have, and in a very foolish way.

"I have to make amends..." He muttered to himself, beads of sweat on his forehead dripping onto the table.

He knew that he had to repair his relationship with Toyokawa Shoko as soon as possible, otherwise the consequences would be disastrous.

Seiichi Fukamachi quickly picked up his coat and car keys and decided to visit Shoko Toyokawa in person.

He knew which hotel the other party was staying in - as the venue manager, it was basic work to know the artist's accommodation information.

"Gift...what gift should I bring..."

He walked towards the elevator while thinking. An ordinary gift was obviously not enough for the eldest daughter of the Toyokawa family.

Finally, he decided to take the most precious thing with him - the exclusive resources of several important performances in his hands.

In the car, Fukamachi Seiichi kept thinking about how to phrase it. He had to be respectful enough, but not too flattering; he had to apologize, but not seem too humble. Most importantly, he had to let Toyokawa Shoko know that he was willing to be a help in her entertainment career, not a hindrance.

When he arrived at the hotel, Fukamachi's shirt was soaked with sweat. He changed into spare clothes in the car, straightened his appearance, took a deep breath, and walked to the hotel lobby.

As the elevator rose, his heart beat faster and faster.

"I hope it's not too late..." Fukamachi Seiichi muttered to himself, watching the elevator numbers rise continuously, just like his own rising fear.

Seiichi Fukamachi stood in front of Shoko Toyokawa's hotel room, cold sweat oozing from his palms.

He adjusted his tie, took a deep breath, and knocked on the door gently.

The door opened and "Toyokawa Shoko" stood there, wearing a simple white T-shirt and jeans.

"Mr. Fukamachi," she said softly, a hint of surprise in her tone. "What an unexpected visit."

Fukamachi Seiichi bent down and bowed 90 degrees: "Ms. Toyokawa, I must apologize to you for what happened yesterday."

Toyokawa Shoko stepped aside to let him into the room, closed the door, and then sat on the sofa, legs crossed, looking down at him condescendingly:

"Tell me, what's the hurry?"

Fukamachi Seiichi stood straight, sweat dripping down his forehead. "I want to apologize for my rude behavior yesterday and hope to make amends for my mistake."

He began to list in detail the resources he could provide - priority use of several of Tokyo's most famous performance venues, connections to several well-known producers in the industry, and even special invitations to several upcoming music festivals.

“These are the best resources I can mobilize.”

After he finished speaking, he looked up at Toyokawa Shoko cautiously, "I wonder... Miss Toyokawa, do you think this is okay?"

The room fell silent. Toyokawa Shoko's expression remained unchanged. She simply took a sip of her tea and placed the cup on the table with a crisp sound.

"not enough."

she said suddenly.

Hearing this, Fukamachi Seiichi clenched his teeth and the veins on his forehead bulged.

He has been in the entertainment industry for many years and has long been accustomed to all kinds of compromises and bowing his head.

He slowly knelt in front of Toyokawa Shoko, and the sound of his knees touching the ground was particularly clear in the quiet room.

Seiichi Fukamachi raised his right hand, hesitated for a second, and then slapped his left cheek hard.

Snapped!

The crisp sound of the slap echoed in the room. His left cheek immediately turned red and burned with pain.

Shoko Toyokawa remained unmoved and continued to sip her tea.

Fukamachi Seiichi gritted his teeth and raised his hand again.

Snapped!

This time it was even louder, knocking his head off balance.

Toyokawa Shoko still didn't even look at him.

Snap! Fear! Snap!

With one slap after another, Seiichi Fukamachi's cheeks gradually swelled up and blood began to seep from the corners of his mouth.

His eyes were wet with pain, but he didn't dare to stop or look up at Toyokawa Shoko's expression.

After the dozen or so hits, his hands began to tremble and his cheeks felt burning as if they had been burned by fire.

"Stop."

Toyokawa Shoko finally said.

Seiichi Fukamachi stopped and gasped for breath. The pain on his face made it almost impossible for him to think.

"You are very smart."