Kenji didn't care, as he had a strong physique. As for Kanako and Kaede Mori, they didn't need it either; after all, they could probably get full just by drinking seminal fluid~
After conquering the mother-daughter duo of Kanako, Kenji's life briefly returned to its usual peace and order.
One day, in the company, Saito hurried to Kenji's office with a carefully prepared brief in hand, his face wearing an expression of both expectation and solemnity.
Standing before Kenji, he bowed slightly and began to report methodically, "President, there's something I need to tell you. The 'UTAGE!' program team has sent an invitation, hoping you can participate in today's recording as a guest. What do you think..."
Kenji raised an eyebrow slightly, repeating, "'UTAGE'?"
Seeing this, Saito quickly handed over the brief he had prepared with both hands while introducing it in detail, "'UTAGE' is a music variety show broadcast by TBS TV, hosted by Nakai Masahiro. The show is themed around golden oldies and often invites many famous singers to perform covers. The format is quite novel, building a music exchange platform through audience interaction. It also features special programs like the Autumn Festival and Spring Festival. Its ratings have always been quite good. If you could participate, it would undoubtedly be a great exposure opportunity for our company."
Kenji took the company profile and scanned it. He found that the format of 'UTAGE' this time was somewhat like the previous domestic programs where four mentors selected students and turned their chairs.
It was mainly to discover and cultivate a new generation of young singers.
Kenji thought about it. Since there was nothing urgent lately, recording a show to gain some popularity wouldn't be a bad idea.
So, he nodded and said, "Sure, you can arrange it. We'll go together when the time comes."
Things were arranged smoothly.
At noon, Kenji and Saito packed up briefly and set off for the recording site of the second episode of 'UTAGE'.
Inside the building, the recording site had already been meticulously decorated. With colorful lights and neatly arranged seats, the atmosphere was buzzing with the anticipation of the show's start.
There were already many audience members present, their faces brimming with expectation and excitement. They waited impatiently, whispering to one another and guessing what wonderful performances this episode would bring.
In the backstage area, besides the busy staff, there were more than twenty singers who had come to participate in the recording.
Actually, there were originally more than forty contestants, but after the selection and elimination in the previous episode, half of them had already left with regret.
Of those remaining, apart from a few on standby, the rest had not yet taken the stage.
Most of these people knew each other. Once they entered the waiting room, they gathered in small groups to chat about everything from past competition experiences to their expectations for this episode.
Being a newcomer, Kenji didn't know these contestants and wasn't familiar with them. He found a relatively quiet corner to sit down and played on his phone, occasionally looking up at the lively scene around him.
Meanwhile, on the other side, several contestants were gathered together, chatting heatedly.
"Yoshino Gou, I bet the final grand finale performance this time will be yours."
One of the contestants spoke with a face full of envy.
The Yoshino Gou he mentioned was a clean-cut, fair-skinned young man who was also quite handsome.
Moreover, he was already a debuted rookie. Compared to pure amateurs like them, he already had a fan base and was somewhat famous in the industry.
"That depends on the director's arrangement. I heard the director even brought in a Veteran Trainee!"
Yoshino Gou's lips curled up slightly with a cold sneer.
Naturally, he hoped he would be scheduled for the grand finale, as that would be a high recognition of his strength.
However, he also knew that the other contestant, Kogen Miyano, was not to be underestimated. It was said that he had participated in several competition shows and had considerable stage experience, singing skills, and even his own fan base.
In fact, many people cared about their performance order, especially the grand finale, which in itself signified the program team's and director's recognition of their strength.
So at this moment, many people were heatedly discussing this topic.
Just then, the director walked in with the performance order list, and the scene immediately fell silent as everyone's eyes focused on him.
"Now, I'll announce the performance order!"
"First, Mari Yusuke!"
When the director called Mari Yusuke's name, a middle-aged man in his thirties stood up. It was obvious he was very nervous as he took a deep breath. Since he was the first to go on, whether he could sing well and be selected for the show was unknown; his eyes held both expectation and anxiety.
"Second, Kobayashi Mirai!"
As the director read the names one by one, Yoshino Gou couldn't help but look at Kogen Miyano on the other side.
In their small internal circle, they had discussed that unless a dark horse emerged out of nowhere, the champion this time would likely be one of the two of them.
"Twenty-third, Yoshino Gou!"
As soon as the director spoke, Yoshino Gou's face darkened.
He wasn't the grand finale?
This was far from his expectations.
Meanwhile, Kogen Miyano had a smile on his face that he couldn't hide. Clearly, he was the one for the grand finale.
"Twenty-fourth, Kogen Miyano!"
When the director's loud voice rang through the backstage, clearly announcing this order, the scene fell silent for a moment before a slight commotion broke out.
Clearly, everyone saw a triumphant smile quickly spread across Kogen Miyano's face. That smile hid his anticipation and confidence for the upcoming grand finale.
After all, the grand finale was usually the most anticipated. Coupled with the fact that he had participated in many shows and accumulated a certain fan base, he would surely set the stage on fire and attract countless eyes.
However, just as Yoshino Gou was feeling extremely unhappy with a furrowed brow and Kogen Miyano was proudly tilting his chin, something unexpected happened.
"Last one, Kenji!"
The director spoke again, finishing the final performance order.
This voice was like a giant boulder thrown into a calm lake, stirring up layers of ripples.
Although many didn't dare to whisper in front of the director, many still showed shocked and dazed expressions, their gazes turning toward Kenji's direction.
The last one?
Kenji?
Who is this?
Many people's hearts were filled with doubt.
Even Kogen Miyano clenched his fists secretly after hearing this result. Why wasn't he the last one for the grand finale?
He had thought victory was in his grasp, but now his hopes were dashed, and he naturally felt upset.
"Alright, everyone go back to your respective rest areas and get ready," the director said, interrupting everyone's thoughts.
The original production team had meticulously prepared a rest room for each contestant, allowing them not only to practice and rest in peace but also to do an interview first. These interviews would be placed at the beginning of the show to increase the audience's sense of immersion.
Soon, many people began returning to their rest rooms one after another.
But on Yoshino Gou's side, after returning to his rest room and before filming started, he could no longer suppress his inner anger. He threw a pillow hard in a fit of rage!
"What does the production team mean? Why did they schedule that Kenji guy for the grand finale? Didn't we communicate beforehand that my song has the potential to go viral?"
Yoshino Gou was clearly indignant and resentful, his face flushing red and his eyes full of indignation.
He had brought a private assistant with him. Seeing this, the assistant hurried forward to soothe him, "That Kenji seems to be a newcomer, an internet singer who hasn't even held a concert. It's said he has over 300,000 fans."
"He dares to call 300,000 'fans'?" Yoshino Gou curled his lip mockingly. "I have a million fans!"
The more he thought about it, the angrier he got. "No wonder this show is starting to decline; even the performance order is arranged so ridiculously!"
"Forget it, just prepare for the interview. Once the show airs, the production team will naturally regret it!" the private assistant advised. "The company has already prepared a short film for you, which will be edited in. It will surely let the audience see your shining points."
On the other side, Kogen Miyano was equally depressed. He sat on a chair in his rest room, brow furrowed, muttering, "What is the program team doing? Giving the grand finale to someone who isn't even famous and hasn't held a concert? Do they not want ratings?"
Soon, the interview and filming crew came in.
These interviews and behind-the-scenes footage were snippets that might be edited into the main show, allowing the audience to get a deeper understanding of the contestants.
Some contestants were nervously practicing their songs, correcting their pronunciation and rhythm over and over again; others waited quietly, their eyes revealing anticipation and tension for their upcoming performance.
Especially the first contestant to perform, Mari Yusuke, had almost no rest time before going straight on stage. He took a deep breath, trying hard to adjust his state.
But when it came to Kenji, the vibe changed.
Because Kenji checked the time and then unhurriedly called Saito. Then, instead of resting in the room or practicing, Kenji leisurely went out with Saito to eat skewers!
"What?"
When the director heard this news, he was also stunned, his face showing a look of disbelief.
"Director, what do we do now?"
The cameraman was also dazed, his eyes wide with bewilderment and confusion.
Other contestants were either looking nervous, pacing back and forth backstage while muttering lyrics, or concentrating fully on practicing, adjusting their pitch and rhythm repeatedly.
But Kenji had run off to eat skewers. This behavior was simply too unexpected.
This was a recording of 'UTAGE', a high-profile stage. Every contestant should cherish this hard-won opportunity and give it their all.
"How can this contestant not follow the script?" the cameraman grumbled to himself.
"Keep filming him. If the interview has to be outside, then let it be outside."
The director rubbed his temples and sighed helplessly. "Remember, film his every move. Maybe this kid will have some unexpected performance."
The recording of 'UTAGE' had now begun in a lively manner.
Mari Yusuke was the first to take the stage. Standing under the spotlight, he had only sung a few lines before he missed a beat due to excessive nervousness. The originally smooth melody came to an abrupt halt, and the atmosphere on site instantly became a bit awkward.
His face flushed red, and he could only start over.
On stage, the four veteran singers invited by the program team frowned, their eyes revealing a hint of dissatisfaction.
The live performance and the final edited version were actually very different.
Sometimes, you really couldn't blame them for poor selection, because the live singing and the version after the teachers' pitch correction were very different; many flaws could be covered up after editing.
The audience, however, waited patiently for the restart. After all, these were amateurs, and mistakes and nervousness were inevitable. They also expected the contestants to deliver better performances.
On the contrary, the photographer and audio mentor following Kenji helplessly ran out of the recording site with him.
Kenji's pace was light, and he didn't feel constrained at all by the fact that the show was being recorded.
"Why is someone filming you, President? This won't be edited in, will it?"
Saito looked at the people following Kenji and was also startled. He widened his eyes and asked in a low voice.
"It's going to be a long wait. Let's eat together."
Kenji said to the cameraman with a smile. The smile was relaxed and natural, as if he weren't recording a show but gathering with friends.
Then he found a skewer shop on the street, sat down casually, and started eating skewers with great gusto.
"Why are you filming me eating skewers?"
Kenji said while handing a grilled chicken skewer to the cameraman, a hint of teasing in his eyes.
"Actually, the show has already started."
In the control room, a staff member whispered a reminder to the director, his eyes occasionally glancing at the screen showing Kenji's footage.
"Isn't there still a long wait?"
Kenji sat in the skewer shop with his legs crossed, chewing on a chicken skewer with a look of utter indifference, as if the hotly recorded show had nothing to do with him.
While the director was fully focused on directing the live recording, he also kept a close eye on the footage coming from Kenji's side, his eyes revealing a bit of curiosity and expectation.
"Are you really going to edit this in?"
The music director looked at the casual and free-spirited footage of Kenji on the split screen and couldn't help but frown, casting a questioning look at the director.
"This might be a viral point!"
The director's lips curled up in a meaningful smile, as if he had already foreseen the show's popularity after it aired.
Immediately, the director picked up the phone and dialed Kenji's number: "Just interview him in the shop."
This was originally an interview segment that would be played before a typical contestant started singing, which should have taken place in a meticulously decorated interview room. But now, it was to be held in this skewer shop filled with the smell of cooking.
"May I ask, what is your dream in coming to 'UTAGE' this time?" The interview officially began, and the cameraman pointed the lens at Kenji.
Kenji was seen holding a chicken skewer in one hand, oil dripping down the stick. He turned back to look at the camera and said naturally, "To be the Godfather of the Entertainment Industry!"
The tone was as flat as if he were talking about a most ordinary trifle.
"Huh?"
The interviewer and cameraman were instantly stunned, their eyes wide. The cameraman almost dropped the camera, thinking this answer was way too unexpected.
...
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