Otaku Translation: Absolute Number One C107

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Chapter 107: Righting Wrongs

Yamagami Aiko raced to Futazeno Seiko’s house, blurting out as soon as the door opened, “Why are we watching his interview? It’s not like we’ve never seen him before!”

“But we don’t really know him!” Seiko countered. She had stumbled upon news of their idol appearing on ’s current affairs talk show and invited her friends over to watch. “Didn’t you say you wanted to learn more about and dig into his background?”

Aiko had indeed expressed concerns recently that might be deceived by him, so she was momentarily speechless. Quickly recovering, she retorted, “These kinds of interviews aren’t truthful anyway—what’s the point of watching?” Despite her words, she secretly thought it wouldn’t hurt to take a look and hastily changed the subject. “Is Sagiri here yet?”

“She’s already arrived,” Seiko replied, leading Aiko into the living room where Nishino Sagiri sat cross-legged, blowing on and nibbling a steaming bun with great enthusiasm.

Aiko blinked in surprise. “The ?”

Sagiri mumbled through a mouthful, “Don’t look at me—it was this fool who bought it. But it’s actually pretty good, no wonder the guy on looked so happy eating it.”

Seiko frowned, her tone sharp. “I’m not a fool—I’m supporting Chihara-sensei.”

Aiko and Sagiri exchanged glances. Clearly, Seiko’s judgment remained offline, believing everything from TV shopping infomercials. They sighed inwardly, feeling the weight of responsibility as her friends—if they didn’t keep an eye on her, she’d surely get scammed or kidnapped one day.

Ah well, what could they do? She was their friend after all. If she got taken, who would they bully?

As they settled down, munching on the buns, they chatted animatedly about Sugano Makoto’s recent scandal, worrying whether might face interference from ethics committees or youth protection organizations. The media storm surrounding “Sugano Makoto’s violent past” had grown fierce, dividing public opinion into heated factions. Even these high school girls, usually disinterested in news, were aware of the controversy and feared its escalation.

Such scandals weren’t uncommon in Japan, where societal expectations for public figures were extraordinarily high. Role models were expected to be flawless; any misstep could spell disaster. While Sugano’s personal fate wasn’t their primary concern, they dreaded the possibility of Hanzawa Naoki being canceled due to mounting pressure.

After some fruitless discussion, Aiko grew increasingly upset. She had once admired Sugano Makoto but now felt betrayed, shifting rapidly from fan to critic. Her irritation deepened as she condemned his violent behavior in public.

Soon, NHK’s current affairs program began. Chihara Rinto appeared alongside the host on a semicircular stage, the studio’s minimalist white design drawing focus to the guests. Watching Chihara on screen, Aiko, Seiko, and Sagiri felt a strange disconnect—he seemed familiar yet oddly different.

For television, Chihara had applied light makeup, and under professional lighting, his features softened considerably. Sagiri squinted at him, surprised. “Chihara-sensei… is unexpectedly handsome. I never noticed before.”

“It’s his aura,” Seiko affirmed confidently, clearly among Tokyo’s top ten die-hard fans of Chihara Rinto. Turning to Aiko, she added, “You said earlier that Chihara-sensei keeps harassing Neiko-nee. Honestly, if he marries her, I think it’d be great!”

Sagiri pondered Chihara’s interaction with the host and remarked thoughtfully, “I rarely agree with Seiko, but this time, she has a point. Think about it—Chihara-sensei seems talented, decent-looking, tall enough, famous, and financially promising… Not bad at all.”

Aiko immediately tensed, glaring at Sagiri. “What are you implying? Don’t forget he might just be a playboy!”

Sagiri raised her hands innocently. “Relax, I’m just saying. Materially speaking, he’s a solid choice. And men will be men—as long as he can be managed, right?”

Aiko tilted her head, chin resting on her hand, murmuring uncertainly, “But can Neiko-nee manage him?”

“Who knows? But if he genuinely likes her and has such good prospects, wouldn’t it be unfair to sabotage their relationship? Poor Neiko-nee…”

Even Seiko chimed in, imagining how close ties with Hakuba Neiko might grant her access to Chihara Rinto’s screenwriting expertise. Sagiri, however, remained pragmatic, evaluating Chihara purely based on material conditions—a rational decision given his success.

The three girls became so engrossed in their debate that they almost missed the interview until the host’s question caught their attention.

“Chihara-sensei, I heard you dropped out of university. What happened?”

Chihara chuckled ruefully, lightly touching his eyebrow with his ring finger. “It’s complicated. After the collapsed, my family’s factory went bankrupt…”

He spun the original owner’s life story as his own—failed financing, bankruptcy, estranged relatives, parental suicide, debts wiping out assets, inability to secure student loans—all delivered candidly. Even the breakup with his girlfriend made the cut. He couldn’t risk fabricating details; who knew if former classmates might be watching?

Though a TV producer, Chihara lacked acting finesse. His detached demeanor made Aiko, Seiko, and Sagiri pause, stunned.

Sagiri frowned slightly. “Was he really that miserable?”

Aiko hesitated, torn between disbelief and acknowledgment that such facts could easily be verified. Finally, she muttered, “I guess he wouldn’t lie on national TV…”

Seiko’s eyes welled up. So much suffering hidden behind Chihara-sensei’s composed exterior…

The host pressed on. “So, does your ability to create socially impactful works at such a young age stem from these experiences?”

“Yes, to some extent,” Chihara admitted modestly, still tracing his eyebrow. “After dropping out, I worked odd jobs and witnessed society’s darker sides…”

Here, he freely embellished, knowing the original owner’s isolated years left no witnesses. Crafting tales came naturally to him, and his vivid storytelling captivated the girls once again.

Aiko whispered, “Wow… Chihara-sensei endured all this?”

Seiko sniffled, her voice thick with emotion. “No wonder he’s so talented. I used to think success came easily…”

Even sharp-witted Sagiri found no flaws, her impression of Chihara vastly improved.

The program continued, with Chihara and the host condemning societal issues like and . Chihara earnestly cautioned viewers: “Hanzawa Naoki is an idealist created for entertainment. While we’re honored by your love for the character, please don’t emulate him—you’ll get fired.”

The host nodded solemnly. “Chihara-sensei is right. Social ills require gradual change, not radical action.”

Chihara sighed theatrically, exuding patriotic concern, though internally dismissive. Without dismantling or advancing , progress would remain slow. However, his main agenda wasn’t discussing social reform—he swiftly segued to Sugano Makoto.

“Actually, Hanzawa Naoki embodies today’s working-class struggles. Casting someone capable of portraying him authentically took immense effort.”

He recounted the casting process lightly, omitting specific names. The host prodded, “Did you ultimately choose Sugano-san?”

“Yes.”

“Recently, newspapers have highlighted his past misconduct. Did you know about it when casting him?”

As the host gestured, a shocking image appeared on-screen (added during post-production): Sugano violently pummeling a bloodied man slumped over a bar counter, two others sprawled nearby. The scene horrified viewers.

Seiko flinched nervously. Aiko scowled impatiently, while Sagiri analyzed the photo curiously, eager to hear Chihara’s response—expecting typical deflection.

To her surprise, Chihara calmly replied, “Yes, I knew.”

The host feigned astonishment. “And you still chose him?”

“I don’t believe he was wrong—or rather, his actions and subsequent consequences convinced me he could embody Hanzawa Naoki. I’ve long wanted to defend Sugano. Those who understand the truth recognize he didn’t err fundamentally; at most, they might criticize his methods. As a public figure, he paid dearly—seven years later, continuing to vilify him seems unfair.”

“What truth, Chihara-sensei? Could you elaborate?”

Chihara smiled. “Of course. But it’s better coming from Sugano himself. My purpose here is twofold: discussing Hanzawa Naoki’s creation and clearing Sugano’s name. I’ve brought him along. If permissible, may we invite him onstage?”

“Is Sugano-san here?” The host eagerly agreed. “This platform exists for truth-telling. Feel free to share openly—the audience will judge fairly.”

Chihara turned and waved. Aiko, Seiko, and Sagiri leaned forward expectantly, ready to uncover the truth behind Sugano’s casting. Just then, a public service announcement interrupted, leaving them collectively frustrated.

Damn it! What happens next?!

...........

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