Chapter 95: The Bold Matsushita Sukāto
[Chapter 95: The Bold Matsushita Sukāto]
That afternoon on the Asahi Television talk show, the host's style was noticeably more open than in America, asking many bold questions, sometimes even heading straight into risque territory. Linton answered them all humorously. He even performed street dance live and sang the song B What You Wnna B, earning thunderous applause from the audience. The talk show was a huge success, with the producers promising to air it in the prime-time slot that evening.
...
After the event, they returned to the hotel. Meena, Izumi Sakai, and Noriko Sakai came back from a shopping spree laden with bags, clearly having had a fruitful trip. Upon seeing Linton, Izumi and Noriko immediately embraced him and gave him grateful kisses.
...
That evening, Matsushita Masaharu hosted a party at his home. Linton attended as promised and brought a gift to thank him for his warm hospitality. Matsushita Masaharu highly praised Linton's movie Step Up and encouraged him before finally introducing his youngest daughter, Matsushita Sukāto, to Linton.
Matsushita Sukāto appeared to be around twenty-four or twenty-five, tall and slender. Wearing a light brown fitted skirt that highlighted her alluring curves, her waistline was high, accentuating long legs clad in black high heels. Her wavy long hair fell over her ample bust, a sizzling figure paired with a stunning, subtly restrained face -- a true beauty.
To Linton's surprise, Matsushita Sukāto was actually a fan. She enthusiastically greeted her idol with a hug and pulled him to a quiet corner to chat. She told Linton she had bought and collected all his singles and albums, knew all the songs by heart, and had watched Step Up twice. She actively promoted the movie in her friends group chat.
Given that she was the family favorite of a large and influential family, the Matsushita family had done well in nurturing her. Having graduated from Tokyo University's graduate program a year ago, she was now working at a frontline branch of Matsushita Electronics.
...
During their conversation, whether about work, art, politics, or a global perspective, she demonstrated remarkable insights that impressed Linton. After all, Linton was from the future, having lived through the information explosion era and understanding global trends well. Combined with his celebrity and film director aura, his talk and knowledge genuinely amazed Matsushita Sukāto, who found herself captivated.
Maybe Linton had really moved her heart, in the latter half of the banquet, Matsushita Sukāto invited Linton: "I know a bar not far from here where the sake tastes amazing. How about we go for a drink, just the two of us?"
Linton wasn't eager to get involved. While Matsushita Sukāto was beautiful, she wasn't a star and lacked popularity, which didn't help his ability progression. More importantly, the Matsushita Group was the parent company of Universal, and as the family's little princess, getting involved could create lots of trouble. Best to stay clear.
"I already have two ladies with me tonight," Linton said, pointing to Izumi and Noriko, politely declining.
"No problem, we can all go together," Matsushita Sukāto replied nonchalantly.
This answer threw Linton off balance. Tentatively, he said, "You mean it's okay if we all go to the bar?"
"Not just the bar. Whatever happens after, we can all be together," she said boldly.
Were Japanese women really that open? Especially a direct descendant of a prominent family? Well, Linton retracted his initial thoughts; it seemed the Matsushita family's upbringing had taken a wild turn.
"But I do mind. Your father might cause trouble for me."
"Don't worry. I'm usually well-behaved. Dad won't bother me."
"Maybe next time. Tonight just isn't right, and the hotel might have paparazzi. If they catch us, it won't be good for your reputation," Linton used various excuses to refuse.
...
But what surprised him was that not long after the banquet, when Linton, Izumi Sakai, and Noriko Sakai had just returned to the hotel, Matsushita Sukāto knocked on his door. At that moment, there was no need to think twice. Even if Matsushita Masaharu caused trouble later, it didn't matter -- the quartet's night had begun.
With guidance from the two veterans, Matsushita Sukāto quickly got into the groove, fully engaging in the game. Soon, the suite was filled with sweet and joyful singing, like spring birds chirping.
Although Matsushita Sukāto was bold and uninhibited, Linton noticed she was inexperienced, unlike a seasoned pro. This impressed him more favorably.
...
The next morning, after breakfast, Linton asked, "I'm heading to Osaka today for more promotion. What's your plan?"
"We already agreed we'll stick with you these two days, of course, we're coming to Osaka," Izumi and Noriko said.
"Linton, you're amazing. I've never felt this good before. I want to go to Osaka with you too," Matsushita Sukāto said, eager for more.
"Don't you have work?" Linton asked, realizing the question was pointless.
"It's okay. I'll just make a quick call," she replied. Indeed, for Matsushita Sukāto, skipping a day of work was as easy as eating and drinking.
...
They boarded the bullet train to Osaka and checked into the Hilton. The three women rested at the hotel while Linton held a fan event on Shinsaibashi shopping street in the afternoon and interacted with viewers in the cinema at night.
The events were as successful as those in Tokyo, drawing large crowds of enthusiastic fans and creating a lively atmosphere.
Bella, accompanied by David, also took fan merchandise to Osaka's fan gathering spots and met with core fan groups, coordinating viewing activities.
...
That night, the foursome continued their poker sessions at the hotel. Thanks to his strong physique and ability, Linton, although playing three against one, held his own, fighting bravely and growing more confident until dawn. To thank his companions, he also gifted them substantial energy from his reserves.
...
On the morning of August 26th, under warm and reluctant farewells from Izumi, Noriko, and Matsushita Sukāto, Linton and his party left the hotel and headed for Osaka International Airport.
On the way, Ichiro Koi informed Linton that the roadshow had been very effective. The box office for Step Up had significantly increased over the past three days, especially in Tokyo, with Osaka expected to see a similar surge.
Japan's total box office had exceeded $12 million, with the total likely to surpass $20 million. Also, the movie's original soundtrack album was selling well in Japan, having surpassed 500,000 copies, and a million sales seemed achievable.
Linton thanked Ichiro for his meticulous arrangements and promotional efforts, gifting him an exquisite $90,000 artifact purchased by Linton's assistant. Ichiro was deeply honored and repeatedly thanked Linton, promising to closely monitor the subsequent promotional screenings to ensure continued box office success.
With abundant gains, Linton left Japan, boarding a flight bound for Paris.
*****
https://www.patreon.com/Sayonara816.