HPDBC Chapter 158 Fated Rivals
Chapter 158 Fated Rivals
Chapter 158 Fated Rivals
Roppongi, the headquarters of Johnny & Associates.
Mary Kitagawa sat behind the large desk, a thin stack of reports in her hand, her face even more gloomy than the dark clouds outside the window.
"Is this what you call 'no upper limit'?"
She threw the report on the table and sneered, "Half a month has passed. And this is what you show me?"
The intelligence officers standing in front of the table kept their heads down, not daring to breathe.
That report was shockingly clean.
Kitahara Shin's life was as disciplined as that of an ascetic. Every day, he either went to the film set or home, occasionally visiting the company or buying a pack of cigarettes at a convenience store. There were no nightclub parties, no secret meetings with young models, and he didn't even commit speeding violations.
The only suspicious action he took was when he went to Fuji Television late at night and then went to Kujukuri Beach with a woman wearing a mask.
However, the woman's identity remains unconfirmed. Some say it's Akina Nakamori, others say it's Izumi Sakai, and still others say it's her manager.
Because the paparazzi who were following him that night were shaken off halfway.
"That Kitahara Shin—he's so cautious, it's unbelievable for someone in their twenties." The intelligence chief wiped his sweat and argued, "And his counter-surveillance skills are too strong. If our car follows him, he'll spot us in less than ten minutes, and then—"
"And then what? And then he dumped you like a monkey?"
Mary interrupted him impatiently, clearly not wanting to hear his excuses.
"Alright, since we can't dig up any dirt on you, let's try another approach."
She turned to the producer in charge of film and television projects beside her: "How's Kimura's project going?"
The producer straightened up and reported to the director with a beaming smile: "It's going very smoothly! Takuya Kimura is in amazing shape. The director said that his roguish yet righteous aura is tailor-made for the role of the policeman. As soon as this drama airs, it will definitely capture the hearts of female viewers of all ages."
"Furthermore, we successfully secured the prime-time slot on TBS's 'Golden Ten' slot. Although it's a day behind Fuji TV's 'Thursday Ten' slot, it's still a direct competition. If we can surpass their ratings, it will prove that Johnny's brand is still the strongest."
Mary nodded, her expression softening slightly.
"very good."
She tapped her fingers on the table, her eyes gleaming with calculation: "Even if we can't dig up any dirt, the propaganda war can't stop. Contact those mainstream gossip magazines and weekly publications and have them prepare press releases."
"The focus is on the remake itself. *The White Tower* is a classic, with Jiro Tamiya (the lead actor in the 78 version) setting a high bar. Audiences are always demanding of remakes of classics. Just by manipulating public opinion, saying Kitahara Shin is too young, his acting is exaggerated, and he's not as good as the original—you're all very familiar with this 'praise one while criticizing the other' tactic, aren't you?"
However, upon hearing this instruction, the producer showed a hint of difficulty on his face.
Producer: "Um—Vice President, we've actually already contacted those magazine publishers."
Mary: "Oh? What did they say?"
Producer: "—More than 70% of the magazines declined the offer."
Mary paused for a moment, then frowned: "A polite refusal? They don't want to make money anymore?"
Producer: "It's not that I don't want to make money, it's that I don't dare to."
He sighed and explained with some helplessness, "Those editors are all terrified of being slapped in the face by Kitahara Shin. Last time, they were paid to mock 'The Grand Hotel' for all they did, but he turned around and won a Silver Lion at the Venice Film Festival. That slap in the face was so severe that it caused the credibility of those magazines to plummet, and their sales were also affected."
"So this time, they said they could help us promote Kimura, praising his looks and acting skills—no problem. But—absolutely no articles criticizing Kitahara Shin. They said they wouldn't dare make any conclusions until they've seen the finished product. They're afraid of being proven wrong by that 'monster' again."
After hearing this, Mary remained silent for a full five seconds.
Then, she grabbed the teacup on the table and smashed it on the ground.
"A bunch of cowards!"
The rooftop of a large general hospital in Chiba Prefecture.
This is one of the last major scenes filmed on location for "The White Tower".
As the sun set, it dyed the entire sky blood red. The distant skyscrapers became black silhouettes in the twilight, and the wind was strong, making the white coats flutter wildly.
"All departments, prepare!"
The script supervisor stood on the edge of the rooftop, holding a sign.
Kitahara Nobukazu and Eguchi Yosuke were already standing in their designated positions.
This scene is the emotional climax of the first half of the play—
The falling out between Goro Zaizen and Shuji Satomi.
In his quest for the professorship, Goro Zaizen opted for a radical and risky approach to diagnosing a critical case, while Shuji Satomi insisted that greater caution should be exercised.
Two close friends who once ate instant noodles together and dreamed about the future together in medical school have now become complete adversaries due to their differing beliefs.
Before filming officially began, the two were getting ready.
Yosuke Eguchi leaned against the railing, holding a half-finished bottle of water in his hand. Looking at Shin Kitahara's angular face, which still looked sharp even in the sunset, he suddenly laughed.
Yosuke Eguchi: "Well, to be honest, I'm getting a little tired of looking at your face."
Kitahara Shin, who was fixing his wind-blown hair, raised an eyebrow upon hearing this:
Kitahara Shin: "Same here. I also feel a bit tired of seeing your face after a while."
Yosuke Eguchi: "What kind of karmic entanglement is this? From 'Tokyo Love Story' to now, including this drama, this is the third time we've worked together, right? It's like we're grasshoppers tied to the same boat."
Kitahara Shin: "It means we're destined to meet. And—with your talent, isn't it normal that you were chosen for the role of Satomi Shuji? I can't think of anyone else who could portray that kind of annoying sense of justice."
Yosuke Eguchi: "Hey! Are you praising me or insulting me?"
The two looked at each other and smiled.
Although they might verbally express their dislike for each other, the unspoken understanding in their eyes was undeniable. It was a trust built up through numerous collaborations and countless interactions in front of the camera.
"Alright, teachers, the lighting is perfect!"
The director's voice came through.
The smiles on their faces vanished instantly.
At that moment, it was no longer Kitahara Shin and Eguchi Yosuke standing on the rooftop.
Instead, it's Goro Zaizen, consumed by ambition, and Shuji Satomi, who upholds his principles.
Action!
""
The wind howled.
Kitahara Shin, with his back to Eguchi Yosuke, gazed at the distant city skyline.
His back was straight, yet it exuded a sense of aloofness and coldness.
Satomi.
Kitahara Shin spoke, his voice soft, yet carried by the wind to Eguchi Yosuke's ear: "Don't you understand? This isn't just about a patient. It's the final stepping stone on my path to becoming a professor."
If I back down now, everything I've done before—all the patience, all the sacrifices—will have been for nothing.
Yosuke Eguchi stood behind him, his brows furrowed, his eyes filled with pain and disappointment.
He took a step forward, his voice trembling slightly with emotion: "That's a human life! Zaizen! In your eyes, what are patients? Are they bricks used to pave the road?"
Kitahara Shin suddenly turned around.
In that instant, his gaze pierced me like a knife.
"That's right!"
He roared, veins bulging on his neck: "Only by climbing to the top, only by possessing absolute power, can I save more people! Your so-called sense of justice, besides self-satisfaction, how many people can it save? In this white tower, without power, you can't even hold a scalpel!"
Yosuke Eguchi looked at him.
Looking at his close friend, with whom he had once spent all night in the anatomy lab and vowed to become a good doctor.
The pure flame that once burned in those eyes has now turned into a black hole of desire.
Yosuke Eguchi did not argue further.
He simply lowered his head slowly, as if using all his strength, and whispered, "—You've changed, Goro."
"We are no longer on the same path."
After saying that, he turned around and walked heavily toward the exit of the rooftop.
The afterglow of the setting sun shone on his back, casting a long, lonely shadow.
Kitahara Shin stood there, watching him leave.
His expression became indistinct in the shadows.
He reached out as if trying to grab something, but in the end he just clenched his fist tightly.
The desolation of being betrayed and abandoned by everyone, the resolute determination to sever all ties for the sake of ambition, strikes straight to the heart through the screen at this moment.
"Cut!!"
The director yelled "Cut!"
The scene was completely silent.
Several seconds passed before a staff member began to quietly sniffle.
The suppressed emotions were so real, so real, that it made you feel like the two people were really going to break off their friendship.
however.
next second.
Yosuke Eguchi, who had been looking somber and resolute, suddenly turned around, strode back, and reached out to hook his arm around Shin Kitahara's neck.
Yosuke Eguchi: "Ugh, I'm exhausted! That gust of wind just now almost made me squint."
The sadness on his face vanished instantly, and he returned to his carefree self, Yosuke Eguchi.
Kitahara Shinya loosened his fist and rubbed his somewhat stiff cheeks:
Kitahara Shin: "Indeed, the wind was too strong, and my hairstyle is completely messed up."
Yosuke Eguchi: "Let's go, let's wrap up! Speaking of which, I heard a new ramen shop opened around here, and it's really authentic. Want to go try it together?"
Kitahara Shin: "Actually, I don't really like eating greasy things like ramen—"
Yosuke Eguchi: "Stop talking nonsense! You have to come with me whether you like it or not! You were so mean to me in the play, you have to treat me to a meal to make up for it, right?"
Kitahara Shin sighed helplessly, "Alright, alright, let's go."
As Yosuke Eguchi dragged him out, he casually asked:
Yosuke Eguchi: "By the way, have you decided what your next project will be? Or are you planning to take a break? I see you've started your own company and are your own boss now, why don't you recruit me? Anyway, my current agency is pretty annoying."
Kitahara Shin glanced at him and said, half-jokingly:
Kitahara Shin: "I can't afford your contract. As for my next project—I haven't thought about it yet. Let's finish this one first. Right now, all I can think about is this tumor and votes; it's about to explode."
99
The two walked off the rooftop arm in arm, chatting and laughing.
The setting sun cast long shadows of them, which overlapped.
A staff member nearby, seeing this, couldn't resist secretly raising his camera and taking a picture.
The photo doesn't show the tension between Zaizen and Satomi, but rather the purest friendship between the two young actors.
"These two are really close."
"After all, they are old comrades-in-arms. From 'Tokyo Love Story' to 'Under One Roof', and now to 'The Hospital', they have witnessed each other's progress almost every step of the way."
"This must be what they call 'comrades-in-arms.'"
At the same time.
Tokyo, another set of soundstages at Midoriyama Studios.
The police drama "Hot-Blooded Cop," which Johnny & Associates has high hopes for, is being filmed here.
"Cut! Okay! That's a good take! Thanks for your hard work!"
With the director's command, the tense atmosphere on set relaxed slightly.
Takuya Kimura wiped the sweat from his forehead and crawled out of the police car.
He wore a slightly distressed leather jacket, his hair was a bit long, giving him a rebellious and handsome look. Although he was still young, his superstar potential, which emanated from his very being, was already undeniable.
He walked to the rest area, took the water handed to him by a staff member, and took a big gulp.
Two staff members in charge of site management were standing nearby tidying up the equipment.
Takuya Kimura glanced at them, as if remembering something, and suddenly asked:
Takuya Kimura: "Um—excuse me."
The two staff members paused for a moment, then quickly stopped what they were doing and respectfully replied, "Kimura-kun? Is there anything you need?"
Takuya Kimura: "I heard—you guys worked with that Kitahara Shin-san before? Was it on 'Under One Roof'?"
"Film crew, right?"
The staff exchanged glances, somewhat surprised that this rising star would suddenly bring up competitors.
Staff member A: "Ah, yes. We were in charge of the lighting crew back then."
Takuya Kimura: "Can you tell me about him? Is he really that amazing?"
His eyes held a hint of curiosity, and also a youthful defiantness: "I've always heard legends about him in the industry. Things like 'one-take wonder,' 'acting monster,' and 'overwhelming presence.' Are these all true? Or are the media exaggerating?"
Because they had never actually worked together or met on variety shows, for Takuya Kimura, Shin Kitahara was like a shadow living in legend.
Although the agency's higher-ups kept emphasizing that they wanted to defeat him and crush him, what Kimura Takuya really wanted to know was just how strong that man was.
The two staff members hesitated.
In this industry, praising another popular actor in front of a popular idol is actually quite taboo.
But looking into Takuya Kimura's honest eyes, staff member A sighed and decided to tell the truth.
Staff member A: "Kimura-kun, to be honest—most of those rumors are true."
Staff member B nodded and added:
Staff member B: "Some of them are even being conservative. Kitahara-san on set—how should I put it—wasn't just acting. He could communicate very smoothly with the director, and could even give the director advice in return. Moreover, he understood the director's intentions very well; as long as the director said it once, he could give it precisely."
Staff member A: "Also, he's really good at creating atmosphere. As soon as he gets into character, the actors around him are unconsciously drawn in. That aura—it's no joke. When you act with him, you feel like if you don't give it your all, he'll swallow you up."
Staff member B: "As for the legend of 'ONG'—while he's not absolutely flawless, he's definitely the actor I've seen who laughs the least and is the most focused. Once he yells 'Action,' he becomes the character himself."
As the two staff members went on and on with their descriptions, Takuya Kimura fell silent.
He gripped the water bottle in his hand, his knuckles turning slightly white.
He recalled seeing director Kanzo Itami, who had directed "The Grand Hotel Lies," from afar on the outskirts of the Venice Film Festival's red carpet last year. At the time, the director had mentioned Kitahara Shin's name in an interview, his tone full of admiration.
So, is the difference really that big?
Although I am currently very popular, my concerts are always sold out, and I am known as the "savior of ratings".
But if it's a contest of acting skills with that man—
Takuya Kimura took a deep breath and drank the water in the bottle in one gulp.
He clenched his fist slightly, a fire burning in his eyes.
That's not jealousy.
That was the fighting spirit inspired by the strong.
Thank you.
Takuya Kimura smiled at the two staff members, a hint of stubbornness in his smile: "After hearing what you said, I want to see him even more."
"If one day—I'd like to work with him too. Face to face, and compete in front of the camera."
"Look at how much more there is between him and me."
The setting sun shone through the studio windows, illuminating Takuya Kimura's young and ambitious face.