My Name is Hiroshi Nohara, Star of Neon Film and Television!

Chapter 98: Tanaka Kei! The Most Talented of the Former Kanto Faction's Variety Shows!

When Nohara Hiroshi's silhouette once again appeared inside Asumi's office, this Kanto Faction leader upon the power chessboard of TV Tokyo, was standing before that massive floor-to-ceiling window, overlooking that patch of steel forest exactly like a crawling giant beast beneath his feet.

The sunlight outside the window was blazing, cutting the silhouettes of countless skyscrapers to the point of distinct edges and corners, that interlacing of light and shadow, was exactly like a grand picture scroll depicting ambition and desires.

"You've come?"

Asumi didn't turn back, inside his voice yet carrying a kind of uncontrollable smiling expression, originating from the heart's joyfulness: "Nohara-kun, I am already unable to wait wanting to know what exactly your final version variety show project looks like indeed."

"Please look." Nohara Hiroshi smilingly placed that project proposal possessing astonishing thickness inside his hand, also radiating the clear fragrance of brand new printing ink, upon the desk.

Asumi instantly walked over picking up that project proposal.

He flipped open the first page.

Then, his breathing exactly stagnated.

"Hiss hiss hiss!" Asumi sucked in a breath of cold air.

Upon that, was no longer simple creative conceptions, but rather an exhaustively detailed to the point of making hair stand on end, perfect version's variety show bible.That kind of holy bible already successfully constructing divine status!

A perfect blueprint!

From every single link of the program's flow, to every single detail of the scoring standard; from the style control of the host's connecting words, to the emotional rendering of the background music; even down to the seating arrangements of the guest seats, the interaction methods of live audiences, were all annotated entirely crystal clear.

What caused his scalp to turn numb even more, was that attached behind, entire fifty, utilizing simple strokes to outline, "Kasou Taishou" creative examples full of unconstrained imaginations.

Every single example, exactly like an impeccably designed, perfect bomb sufficient to detonate the entire venue's laughter.

"This... this..." Asumi's hands, actually uncontrollably slightly started to tremble.

He raised his head, looking at that young man entirely from start to finish merely peacefully smiling, that gaze, exactly like looking at a demon god hailing from another dimension, having just pulled out an entire set of future technologies from exactly within a 4D pocket.

"Nohara-kun... you..." His voice became somewhat dry due to extreme shock.

He originally thought, Nohara Hiroshi being capable of giving him a preliminary conception within a week, was already counted as a miracle.

But he absolutely wouldn't think even in his dreams, the other party actually within a short few days, after merely discussing with him for a few times, exactly brought out an, capable of directly being put into shooting, impeccably perfect final proposal!

This is already no longer a simple genius, this is a demon! Is a dimensional strike, sufficient to cause all peers to feel despair!

"Merely systematically compiled some unformed ideas a bit only." Nohara Hiroshi's tone remained calm and indifferent, exactly as if having merely completed a homework assignment unable to be more ordinary.

"You guy!" Asumi longly breathed out a breath of air, inside that breath, seemingly possessing carrying away all astonishments and shocks of his half-life.

He took that project proposal, exactly like holding a rare and precious treasure, carefully placing it back anew upon the desk, upon that always refined and composed face floating up a smear of bitter smile originating from the bone marrow.

"I finally comprehended, why a lot of people say you are a monster. To be born in the same era as you this kind of guy, to mortals like us, is truly a kind of... sweet torture ah."

Asumi paused, that shock rapidly transformed into even more practical concerns: "The proposal is perfect, but, the manpower? Nohara-kun, the production of a variety show, is much more complex compared to television dramas, it requires an experienced team to execute it. That Special Section of yours, currently counting completely, core members are exactly merely those few people, fundamentally impossible to prop up such a massive stall."

"Manpower is indeed insufficient."

Nohara Hiroshi nodded his head, towards this point he already possessed expectations early on: "I need to expand my Special Section, at least, need a complete, variety show production team capable of operating independently."

"However, also don't need too numerous." He supplemented adding: "After all variety shows unlike 'Tales of the Unusual' requiring daily broadcasts, one episode per week, giving me a mature team, should exactly be sufficient."

"I understand." Inside Asumi's eyes flashed past a trace of clarity.

He walked to a tin file cabinet appearing possessing somewhat of years at the corner of the office, utilizing a key to unlock the lock, flipping out a similarly brand new kraft paper file pouch from within.

Exactly as if exactly just having been put inside not long ago.

Asumi handed this brand new kraft paper file pouch before Nohara Hiroshi, inside his eyes carrying somewhat of a seasoned person's complexity and ruefulness.

"This, you take it taking a look right."

Nohara Hiroshi received the file pouch, feeling slightly heavy in hand, heavily upon it, utilizing an already somewhat faded handwriting, writing the name of a variety show project—— "Saturday! Let's Rush Rush Rush!".

Nohara Hiroshi had even seen this variety show.

Somewhat interesting.

But also exactly just like that.

"This is us Kanto Faction, a year ago, the sole instance, also exactly the final instance, attempting within the variety show domain, trying to wrestle arms with that bunch of guys from the Tokyo Faction." Inside Asumi's voice carried desolateness.

"The person in charge, called Tanaka Kei, was our Kanto Faction's most talented Level 2 Director at the time, also the junior I favored the most. Pity... this program, only aired for five episodes, exactly because the viewership rating persistently couldn't breakthrough 5%, thus being mercilessly axed last month."

"Since then, Tanaka was exactly ruined. The entire person completely collapsed, drinking heavily all day long, unkempt, having become a... living dead person, having completely given up on himself."

Asumi looked at Nohara Hiroshi, inside those pair of refined eyes, sparkling with a kind of solemnity almost bordering on entrusting.

"This team, although failed, but the foundation remains. Inside possessing quite a number, are all exactly veterans who followed me over from Kanto TV back then, possessing experience, possessing capabilities, merely... their entire spirit polished flat by that failure."

"Now, I am handing them, along with that worthless Tanaka Kei, to you. You, are exactly their new General Director, is exactly this 'Kasou Taishou' project's, sole, absolute king."

"I will personally give Tanaka Kei a call. I will also tell all of them, inside your team, there is only one rule—— absolutely obeying your commands. Whoever dares disobey, whoever dares to overtly agree but covertly oppose, I Asumi, will personally come forward, making them roll up their bedrolls and scram!"

This spiel, spoken forcefully and resonantly, exactly like an unquestionable supreme command.

Also exactly the highest authority given to Nohara Hiroshi.

Nohara Hiroshi looked at that file pouch carrying the failure and humiliation of a team in his hand, repeatedly looking at that face of Asumi written full of trust and entrustment, inside his heart surging a gust of lofty sentiments.

"I understand." He nodded his head, not possessing superfluous nonsense, merely storing that file pouch into his own briefcase.

A ready-made team.

Merely possessing somewhat of tiny problems regarding mentality.

To him, not considered a problem.

...

When Nohara Hiroshi returned to that office of his having already become the focal point of the entire Production Bureau long ago, what welcomed him, were those two faces of Sato Kenji and Yamamoto Takeshi written full of curiosity and expectations.

"Section Chief, Deputy Bureau Chief's side..."

"The project of 'Kasou Taishou', is approved." Nohara Hiroshi placed the briefcase upon the table, directly opening the door and seeing the mountains (getting straight to the point).

Conveniently bringing them into his own office.

Subsequently pushing two thick stacks of manuscripts, respectively before the two people: "This is 'Tales of the Unusual' Season Two, the complete storyboards of the first twenty episodes."

"What?! Season Two?!"

Sato Kenji and Yamamoto Takeshi exchanged a glance, both seeing appalling fright exactly like seeing ghosts from the other party's eyes.

They had exactly merely just finished shooting Season One, this monster, actually even had the manuscripts for Season Two prepared?!

"The Broadcasting Department's side is already urging." Nohara Hiroshi's tone peaceful exactly as if speaking of a trivial matter not worth mentioning: "This IP of 'Tales of the Unusual' is exactly holding high popularity right now, must strike while the iron is hot. Therefore, the shooting of Season Two, exactly entirely entrusted to you two."

"I believe, with the experiences of you two, as long as strictly executing according to the contents upon the manuscripts, absolutely won't possess any problems."

This spiel, rather than saying it's an arrangement, it's better to say it is a kind of, almost absolute command.

Sato Kenji and Yamamoto Takeshi looking at that manuscript capable of being hailed as an artwork inside their hands, repeatedly looking at that young man entrusting such an important project to them without hesitation, those two hearts already somewhat worn by the vicissitudes of years, actually uncontrollably, violently started to beat.

"Hai!"

The two uniformly bowed, inside that voice, carrying a kind of resoluteness of a scholar dying for a bosom friend!

"We, will absolutely not let down your rusts!"

Nohara Hiroshi satisfactorily nodded his head.

Wanting to open up a brand new battlefield, must exactly first firmly secure one's own rear.

And Sato Kenji and Yamamoto Takeshi, these two richly experienced, and also utterly loyal veterans to him, undoubtedly were exactly the optimal candidates, to guard this base camp of "Tales of the Unusual" for him.

Right at this time, the office door was lightly knocked upon.

'Dang dang dang——'

Minamura Hoshi poked a head inside, upon the face carrying several fractions of weird expressions: "That... Section Chief, there's a person outside looking for you. He says... his name is Tanaka Kei."

He's come.

Nohara Hiroshi's eyes slightly narrowed.

"Let him enter."

Not in a while, the door was pushed open.

A gust of aura mixing the sour rot of cheap Shochu and sweat stench of having yet to wash for several days, exactly like the most overbearing invader, instantly occupied every single corner of this office.

A silhouette exactly like a ghost, staggeringly walked inside.

Letting the surrounding Section members currently still busily working in the Section, all subconsciously furrow their brows, covering their noses, glaring fiercely towards this silhouette.

"Who is this? So impolite, is this a homeless person on the streets?"

"Feels somewhat familiar."

"Hey hey hey, you guys look he seemingly is an old acquaintance of ours right?"

"Can't be, but it's also impossible for a homeless person to enter the interior of TV Tokyo, definitely must be an internal staff of our TV Tokyo right?"

At this time Nohara Hiroshi also looked outside.

That is a middle-aged man looking roughly early forties, hair greasy exactly like a patch of weeds soaked by inferior lard, unshaven, that suit initially supposed to be considered decent, yet at this moment wrinkled exactly like a discarded rag by someone arbitrarily, possessing several patches of suspiciously colored stains upon it.

His most eye-catching feature, is exactly still those pair of eyes.

That is a pair of, eyes already having all brilliance completely hollowed out by failure and alcohol long ago, exactly like a dead fish.

Hollow, numb, full of towards this world, the most profound despair.

"You are exactly... Tanaka Kei?"

Nohara Hiroshi looking at this man before his eyes having almost already lost all human decencies, brows imperceptibly furrowed a bit.

He rather isn't disdaining the other party's sloppiness, he is merely unable to imagine, an Level 2 Director once praised by Asumi as the "Most Talented for Variety Shows", exactly experienced what kind of destructive strike, to fall into this appearance today, state even worse than homeless people by the streets.

"Tanaka! You guy! How'd you become this ghostly appearance?!"

Even before Nohara Hiroshi opened his mouth, Sato Kenji and Yamamoto Takeshi at the side, had already exactly like two enraged male lions, dashed upwards in a single step!

"You look at this virtue of yours right now! Do you still possess half a bit of a director's appearance?!" Yamamoto Takeshi pointing at his nose, loudly cursing, upon that face always sharp exactly like a falcon, written full of heartache of expecting better.

"How dare you utilize this honorable portrait, to come see Section Chief Nohara?! This is exactly the greatest disrespect of yours towards the Section Chief! Do you know or not, this is exactly the final chance, Deputy Bureau Chief Asumi fought for you, for all of us!" Inside Sato Kenji's voice, even more so carried wrath almost bordering on roaring.

Of course they recognized Tanaka Kei.

They even once, were comrades fighting shoulder to shoulder.

Exactly because of this, they were even more unable to accept, seeing the former companion, degenerating into this appearance today, a mold even they felt ashamed of.

"... Chance?"

Tanaka Kei slowly raised his head, inside those hollow eyes, finally rippled a trace of weak wave.

He looked at these two old friends from the past before his eyes, repeatedly looking at that "Section Chief" entirely from start to finish merely peacefully looking at him, excessively young, corners of the mouth hooking up a smear of self-mocking, arc looking even uglier than crying.

"What chance? Letting me go direct a piece of garbage incapable of even obtaining a 5% viewership rating anew?"

His voice was hoarse exactly like having been polished by sandpaper, every single word full of the most unforgettable mockery towards himself.

"I remember, that program of mine called 'Saturday! Let's Rush Rush Rush!', from the initial first episode commencing, exactly was treated exactly like a joke by the entire Production Bureau, circulated for a complete half a year ah."

"They said, my creativity, is 'Kindergarten-level playing house'; they said, my rhythm, is 'Elderly people strolling-style hypnosis song'; they even said, those comedians I invited over, even those performing stand-up comedy by the streets, are funnier than them."

He lowered his head, those greasy bangs blocking his eyes, also blocking that scar already penetrating deep into the bone marrow, unable to heal.

"I... I already don't possess anything anymore."

"Talents, dignity, futures... everything entirely gone."

He raised his head, those pair of dead fish-like eyes, staring fixedly at Nohara Hiroshi, inside that gaze, no begging, no hopes, only a patch, identical to Siberian frozen earth, icy numbness.

"Therefore, this young, Section Chief Nohara having created mythologies."

"You seeking me out this useless person, to do what?"

"Is it wanting to let me, serve tea and pour water for you, or wanting to treat this failed case of mine, acting as a negative example, hanging upon the wall, constantly warning your subordinates?"

This spiel was full of sharp, almost self-abandoning hostility.

Inside the office, everyone was all shocked speechless by this giving up on oneself mold of his.

However, Nohara Hiroshi yet merely peacefully watched him, those pair of clear eyes, like a pool of bottomless lake water, not stirring up the slightest ripples.

He possessed no anger, no sympathy, not even possessing the slightest emotional fluctuations.

Merely watching.

After a while then slowly standing his body up, walking before that man already possessing a heart like dead ashes long ago, gently placing a document upon the desk before him.

The final project proposal for "Kasou Taishou".

"I looking for you, isn't to humiliate you, also isn't to sympathize with you."

Nohara Hiroshi looking at Tanaka Kei faintly spoke: "I looking for you, is exactly wanting to let you see, a true, variety show capable of letting the entire Neon go crazy for it, it, exactly what should it look like."

He paused, inside those pair of clear eyes, flashed past a trace of icy, exactly like a deity overlooking ants-like cold indifference.

"Finish reading it."

"Then, tell me, do you, still possess the qualifications, to stand here, speaking with me."