sinovels Chapter 88 Silent Sparks, Unspoken Understanding
Chapter 88 Silent Sparks, Unspoken Understanding
Chapter 88 Silent Sparks, Unspoken Understanding
Roppongi, the No. 1 recording studio owned by Being Records.
In the control room behind the soundproof glass, producer Daisuke Nagato stood with his arms crossed, his brows furrowed as he stared at the fluctuating audio waveforms on the mixing console.
The air was filled with the distinctive burnt smell of overloaded electronic devices, and the bitter aroma of cooled instant coffee.
"No, the drumbeats in this section are too heavy, drowning out the vocals."
Daiki Nagato pressed the call button and said into the microphone, "Izumi, that inhalation before the chorus should be more natural. Although this song is called 'Don't Give Up,' it's not about fighting with anyone. That sense of power should come from the bottom of your heart, warm, not strained."
In the recording studio, Izumi Sakai wore large monitoring headphones, her favorite loose denim jacket and white T-shirt, and held a sheet of lyrics filled with notes in her hand.
The current version of "Don't Give Up" is just a newly formed demo. The arrangement has not yet been polished to the level of perfection that it would later achieve, but the upward spirit in the melody is already beginning to emerge.
"Yes, President, I'll try again."
Quanshui nodded obediently, adjusted the microphone height, took a deep breath, and prepared to start talking again.
Just then, the heavy soundproof door to the control room was pushed open.
A tall, slender figure walked in, carrying two exquisite paper bags.
Just as Nagato Daisuke was about to explode with anger at whoever was so unruly to barge into the recording studio, he turned around and saw who it was. The curse that was on the tip of his tongue was swallowed back, turning into a helpless sigh.
"————It's you again."
The person who arrived was Kitahara Shin, who had just finished filming that morning.
He was dressed casually, with some foundation still on his face, looking travel-worn, but his eyes were bright.
"I happened to be passing by and saw that the lights were still on, so I bought some afternoon tea."
Kitahara Shin placed the paper bag on the cluttered coffee table. It contained a cream puff, a signature product from a long-established Western-style confectionery shop in Ginza. "President Nagato, everyone must be tired, right? Shall we take a ten-minute break?"
Through the huge one-way glass in the recording studio, Izumi Sakai couldn't actually see the details inside the control room.
But as if she had some kind of telepathic connection, she suddenly stopped just as she was about to sing the first line of the lyrics, and her clear eyes suddenly lit up, staring straight at a certain direction in the glass.
Immediately afterward, she took off her headphones and said urgently into the microphone, "President! I need to rest for a bit! My throat is a little dry!"
Before Daiko Nagato could respond, the girl, who was usually a little shy, pushed open the heavy soundproof door of the recording studio and ran out like a kitten seeing its owner.
"I believe you!"
This shout was crisp and melodious, even better than when she was recording the song earlier.
Izumi ran up to Kitahara Shin, abruptly stopping, her eyes, which always carried a hint of melancholy, now brimming with joy.
She instinctively wanted to rush into his arms, but when she caught a glimpse of the deathly-looking President Nagato and his manager, she forced herself to hold back.
She simply stood there, her hands behind her back, her body slightly leaning forward, looking up at Kitahara Shin, a faint blush rising on her cheeks.
"What are you doing here? Weren't you filming that...hotel movie?"
"We're just changing locations, we have a one-hour break."
Kitahara Shin reached out and casually tidied her bangs, which had become a little messy from running. "I heard you were recording a new song, so I came to check on you. How's it going?"
"Hmm...it's alright."
Izumi rubbed her hand against his a little shyly, as if she were pouting, "The songs written by Oda Tetsuro-san are very difficult to sing, and the president has high standards. But seeing you here makes me feel less tired."
Ever since that last kiss, her dependence on Kitahara Shin has been like wild grass in spring, impossible to suppress.
Although neither of them crossed the line and established a formal boyfriend-girlfriend relationship, their frequency of meeting three or four times a week had already exceeded the boundaries of ordinary friends.
The spring water is very understanding.
She knew that Kitahara Shin was currently at a critical juncture in his career transition, and that Itami Juzo's films required complete focus. Meanwhile, she herself was also entering a period of rapid growth under Being's strong support.
Therefore, she never asks for public disclosure, nor does she do anything inappropriate in public.
She only cherished this brief, private time together.
"I brought you cream puffs, they're your favorite vanilla flavor."
Kitahara Shin took a box out of the paper bag and handed it to her, "Eat it while it's cold, the cream inside was just whipped."
"Thanks!"
Quanshui took the box, opened it, and her eyes curved into crescent moons.
She didn't rush to eat, but looked at Kitahara Shin with some anticipation, "And you? Have you eaten?"
"I ate in the car."
"That's a lie."
Quanshui wrinkled her nose. "You smell of smoke. You must have been smoking with the director earlier. You didn't eat at all."
As she spoke, she picked up a cream puff, stood on tiptoe, and held it directly to Kitahara Shin's lips. "Ah," Kitahara Shin said, seeing her insistent expression, he had no choice but to open his mouth and take a bite.
The sweet, creamy filling bursts in your mouth; it's really delicious.
"Is it tasty?"
"tasty."
"hey-hey."
Quanshui chuckled twice, then contentedly put his own thing into his mouth, a little white cream smearing on the corner of his lips.
Looking at her completely unguarded appearance, Kitahara Shin's heart melted.
He extended his thumb and gently scraped the cream off the corner of her mouth.
Izumi's face instantly turned even redder. She subconsciously wanted to bury her face in Kitahara Shin's chest and rub against him, but remembering that there were other people around, she could only gently nudge Kitahara Shin's shoulder with the top of her head.
This intimate, intimate gesture, imbued with body heat, made the air thicken.
On the sofa next to me.
Nagato Daiko, expressionless, picked up the now-cold coffee and took a sip, feeling as if he were drinking Chinese medicine.
The young manager next to him looked completely distraught, clutching the schedule tightly in her hand, wanting to look but afraid to, and could only whisper in the president's ear, "President—is this really okay? What if a gossip magazine takes a picture of this, or the staff tells everyone—"
"Shut up."
Daikichi Nagato adjusted his sunglasses, his tone carrying a sense of disillusionment, "Just imagine that there are only the two of them in this room right now. We are furniture, air, and the dead. Understand?"
"But----"
"There are no 'buts'."
Nagato Daiyuki sighed, "Some things simply don't exist unless they're discussed openly."
Besides—do you think you can stop her? Sakai may seem mild-mannered, but she's as stubborn as a bull. Once she's made up her mind about someone, not even ten bulls could pull her back.
He watched the two people feeding each other and cursed inwardly: This damn youth.
The brief visit lasted only twenty minutes.
Kitahara Shin had to rush back to the film set.
"I'm leaving."
"Okay, be careful on the road."
Although the spring water was reluctant to let him go, it didn't pester him and obediently saw him to the door.
"Don't push yourself too hard when recording songs, take care of your voice."
"Okay, you should also take care of your throat and smoke less."
The two exchanged a smile, everything understood without a word.
After seeing Kitahara Shin off, Izumi returned to the recording studio.
Daikichi Nagato discovered that the girl who had been struggling with her breathing and strength was gone.
When Izumi Sakai put her headphones back on, her voice was filled with an indescribable brightness.
The song "Don't Give Up" no longer sounded like encouragement for others, but rather like a certain confidence in one's own future.
Got it in one go.
Daiki Nagato looked at the perfect waveform on the control panel and shook his head helplessly.
Love really is the best stimulant.
Four o'clock in the afternoon.
The backstage rest area of the TV Asahi program "MusicStation".
The corridor was bustling with people, with staff carrying props and assistants holding costumes everywhere.
Izumi Sakai had just finished recording when she rushed over to participate in this famous live music program.
With the popularity of the TV series "Tokyo Love Story," the theme song "Goodbye My Love" has become a hit.
Loneliness also rose in popularity, and the name ZARD began to appear frequently on various charts.
"Ms. Sakai, this way please. This is your dressing room."
-
The TV station staff led her forward.
Just as we passed a lounge marked "Special VIP", the door opened.
A cool, refreshing perfume scent wafted out first.
Immediately afterwards, a figure dressed in a black sequined performance costume walked out.
Izumi Sakai stopped in her tracks.
The air in the corridor seemed to freeze for a moment.
That's Akina Nakamori.
This was her first television appearance after returning to China, and the TV station gave her a grand welcome, arranging a private entertainment room and providing special security.
She had just finished her makeup and hair; her short hair was styled to be fluffy and messy, her eye makeup was deep, and her lips were painted a retro dark red.
He exuded a powerful aura that kept strangers at bay, like a black knife that had just been drawn from its sheath.
The two met in a narrow corridor.
On one side is Izumi Sakai, who has just risen to prominence, dressed in simple jeans and a white shirt, with a pure and refreshing temperament.
On one side is Akina Nakamori, who has dominated the music scene for many years, returned after experiencing hardships, and is as fiery as a raging fire.
Although it was their first meeting, a subtle magnetic field instantly exploded between them.
That's a woman's intuition.
It makes no sense, yet it's terrifyingly accurate.
Izumi Sakai knew the woman in front of her.
Not only because she is a senior figure in the music industry, but also because—she is someone that Kitahara Shin values highly.
Akina Nakamori also stopped.
When she was in New York, she read the report about "Tokyo Love Story" and heard this theme song.
That voice, so clear it was almost too clear, left a deep impression on her.
Of course, there's a deeper reason—when she returned to Japan and was looking through the gossip reports about Kitahara Shin, she noticed a figure in jeans from behind, perhaps—
The two stared at each other for about three seconds.
Izumi Sakai was the first to break the silence.
She stepped back, making way for them, and then bowed respectfully: "Nakamori-senpai, it's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Izumi Sakai from ZARD. Please take care of me."
The manners were impeccable, and there was not a single fault with them.
Akina Nakamori looked at the meek and obedient junior in front of her.
Clean.
This was her first impression of Izumi Sakai.
It's so clean, like a blank sheet of paper that hasn't been soaked in the dye vat of the entertainment industry.
This kind of temperament is both enviable and instinctively wary of Akina, who is used to hypocrisy and scheming.
ZARD.
Akina repeated the name, her voice a little hoarse, but very pleasant to hear.
She didn't walk straight over, but stopped in front of the spring, a meaningful smile playing on her lips: "I heard your song in New York. 'Goodbye My Loneliness,' you sang it well. It had that feeling of—the power to protect something."
It sounded like a compliment, but she emphasized the word "protect" a little too much.
The spring water straightened up, meeting Akina's gaze.
She did not shy away, nor did she show any cowardice. There was something resilient in those seemingly delicate eyes.
"Thank you for the compliment, senior."
Quanshui responded neither humbly nor arrogantly, "I've always listened to your songs, senior. The rebirth after being broken in your song 'The Broken Ship' is the level of enlightenment I've always wanted to learn."
This is the truth, but it also seems to say that I know your past and admire your present.
"Oh."
Akina chuckled softly, her wariness fading slightly, replaced by a hint of appreciation.
This junior is not as weak as he appears on the surface.
interesting.
"Then keep it up!"
Akina didn't say anything more. She walked past the spring, her high heels gleaming with a cool, refreshing scent.
As they passed each other, neither of them mentioned the man's name.
But everyone knows what the other person's existence means to them.
This is a tacit understanding.
Smart women never fight in public; they let their abilities speak for themselves.
Half an hour later, the live stream began.
The studio lights were all on.
Izumi Sakai, as a newcomer, is the first to appear.
She stood in the center of the stage, still dressed in that simple outfit, without backup dancers or fancy special effects.
The moment the prelude began and she grasped the microphone, the shy girl next door vanished.
"Good—bye My Loneliness————"
His powerful rock vocals, with a force that strikes straight to the heart, instantly captivated the entire audience.
While she was singing, her gaze was fixed firmly on the red dot of the camera lens, as if she were looking at someone through the lens.
That pure, unadorned emotion made Akina, who was waiting backstage, raise an eyebrow slightly.
"He is indeed a formidable opponent."
Akina muttered to herself as she adjusted her gloves.
Then, the grand finale took the stage.
"Two People in Silence"
This new song has a rich oriental classical flavor, with a melody that is both mysterious and gorgeous.
Akina Nakamori stood on the stage where light and shadow intertwined, her body moving rhythmically with the music, every glance and gesture brimming with dramatic tension.
If spring water is like the midday sun, direct and intense; then Akina is like the moonlight at night, mysterious and...
It was cold and eerie, yet possessed an irresistible allure.
Her singing voice is deep and melodious, fully expressing the complexities of love and hate.
Izumi Sakai, standing in the backstage area, looked at her radiant senior on stage, a flame of defiance igniting in her eyes.
Although their styles are different, and their seniority is vastly different.
But on this stage, they are equal opponents.
The audience had no idea what was happening backstage.
They felt that this episode of MusicStation was simply a battle of gods.
One is like a clear spring that cleanses the soul, the other is like strong liquor that intoxicates.
Behind these two completely different singing voices, it seems, lies the shadow of the same man.
That night, under the Tokyo night sky, two completely different stars shone in the same sky for the first time, colliding and creating a silent spark that only they could understand.