Chapter 35: 035, As expected of young people, so knowledgeable about nightclubs

As it turned out,

Life does not permit you to be idle.

Naoki Nagayama was actually quite busy at the moment.

Every week, he had to go to Ms. Sachiko's to study music theory and instruments; the disco in Takadanobaba was nearing completion and needed preparation for its opening; there were matters regarding the transfer of the house in Bunkyo and the shop in Shibuya; he needed to prepare for his driver's license exam; and occasionally, he had to keep an eye on the promotion of his new songs, among other things.

Before he could even get a single day of rest, Kenji Honma, the first-class architect, called. The disco was basically finished with the renovations, and Naoki Nagayama could come over for the final inspection.

Time flies; it was already April.

Naoki Nagayama took the train to Takadanobaba. After crossing a street, he found the warehouse—no, it should be called a disco now—whose obstructions had already been removed.

Kenji Honma led Naoki Nagayama through the entrance. The decoration was complete, and the interior was executed exactly according to the design blueprints.

Directly ahead of the entrance was a partition wall, where the disco's logo would later be mounted, or which would serve as a decorative wall for themed nights.

Entering through the small doors on either side, the space suddenly opened up.

The dark blue dance floor and the DJ booth at the bottom occupied at least two-thirds of the area, with about a dozen booths scattered around the perimeter.

The ceiling utilized a reinforced steel structure; it wasn't covered by a ceiling but was simply coated with a layer of paint.

A massive rotating light sat at the center.

Near the top of the surrounding walls, a ring of hanging effect lights and an audio top rail had been designed, leaving a narrow passage just wide enough for one person to perform maintenance.

To the right of the main hall was the bar, and behind the bar was a small door leading to a storage room and a small office.

To the left was a security side door leading to the restrooms outside.

"Honma-kun, have the lights and music been tested? How is the soundproofing?" Naoki Nagayama asked.

"Everything has been tested. As for the soundproofing, I hired a professional testing agency; it fully meets the standards. Here is the report." Kenji Honma handed over the report, but Naoki Nagayama did not take it.

"I certainly trust your diligence and responsibility, Honma-kun. I bought a record on my way here today; let's give it a try."

Naoki Nagayama pulled a copy of Tatsuro Yamashita's *Ride On Time*, which had just been released last year, from his backpack. This album was said to have ushered in the City Pop era. He asked Kenji Honma to play it.

Accompanied by the rhythm, the lights in the disco began to flash and change in patterns. The central rotating light, in particular, was a kaleidoscope of colors, making the disco feel dreamlike for a moment, as if one were in another world.

The effect could be described as perfect.

In Naoki Nagayama's plan, the main musical genres for this disco would be City Pop, Rock, and Heavy Metal. The operating hours would primarily be night sessions on weekdays, with afternoon and midnight sessions added on weekends.

However, he still needed to find a club manager. Naoki Nagayama had no desire to manage the club's operations himself; it was too much trouble—the Yakuza were one such trouble.

One had to realize that the Yakuza of the Showa era were quite rampant, especially when it came to opening businesses. Without certain means and connections, local thugs could make it impossible for a shop to stay open.

Although Naoki Nagayama hadn't seemed to encounter any Yakuza lately, it was only because his social circle was relatively simple and he was somewhat of a shut-in. The transactions and ways he made money were all conducted through large-scale intermediary companies and agencies, which completely insulated him from the dark side of society.

"So, Naoki-san came to find me?" At this time, Otomo of Obun was clearly a bit confused. "Why did you think I would know someone like that?"

The nightclub manager Naoki Nagayama wanted needed to understand a bit of music, possess some management skills, and finally, have the ability to deal with the Yakuza on the streets.

Naturally, there was no one in his own circle. After searching around, he felt that the Planning Department Head of Obun Agency's planning department might be a suitable candidate.

"Because you are well-informed, Otomo-san," Naoki Nagayama complimented him. "After all, you've been working in the the entertainment industry for decades; among the connections you'