Chapter 741: Mori Aikko’s Audition (3) – Part 2
It must not have been the first time for Mama San to handle this sort of business. She was well prepared to make a contract for Mori Aikko’s new work. She brought a copy of Mori Aikko’s personal bank account and a copy of her pa.s.sport even though no one told her that they would need those doc.u.ments.
Ms. Yan Wu explained to Mama San about whom Mori Aikko would be making the contract with, “The name of the movie production company is Huanle s.h.i.+ji Production Company. Mr. Baogang Chen is its owner president. I’m the vice president of the company, and I handle all of the casting matters. I will sign this contract today on behalf of our company’s president—Mr. President Baogang Chen.”
“Hai.”
“The shooting on Ms. Mori Aikko’s part will start next month, and it will probably last for four months which is our main production period. It could be completed earlier than that though. We will try not to exceed four months.”
“Hai.”
“She will need to shoot 60 to 100 times. During the shooting, she will have to stay in China. We will provide her with a plane ticket and accommodation on top of her performance pay.”
“Hai.”
“Also, we will let her bring one makeup artist with her.”
“Hai.”
“We will pay her 200,000 dollars for her performance.”
“The role that she’s going to play is the leading female role, isn’t it?”
“Yes, it is the main female role; however, Ms. Aikko is a newbie actress. If this movie succeeds, we will definitely raise her performance pay for the next movie.”
Mama San Segawa Joonkko looked at Mori Aikko to find what Mori Aikko would think about the pay. Aikko gave a slight nod to her and then Segawa Joonkko nodded her head while looking at Director Yan Wu as well.
“All other terms listed in this contract are boilerplate. Basically, they are about the duties that each party must perform, compensation for damages, etc. pursuant to the customs in the movie production field. I just pointed out to you about the important terms.”
“Thank you.”
“I also want you to know that it costs a significant amount of money to produce a movie. The estimated production cost of this movie is 10 million dollars. So, we had to get a part of our funds through crowdfunding. And, half of the cost is covered by Mr. President Goo here. He is the major investor in our movie production. We could decide to make this movie because of him.”
“Sodesu Ka? (Is that so)?”
Mama San Segawa Joonkko looked at Gun-Ho’s face with an admiring look on her face.
Segawa Joonkko stood up from her seat getting ready to leave.
“I guess we are all set. I will get going then.”
Everyone in the room stood up to say goodbye to her. Before leaving the room, Segawa Joonkko said to Mori Aikko, “You stay here and spend some time with Mr. President Goo. You probably have a lot to talk about with him since it has been a while since you saw him last time.”
The other three men, who heard what Segawa Joonkko said, couldn’t understand the situation.
‘Spending some time with President Goo? I’m pretty positive that they are in some sort of relations.h.i.+p.’
After Segawa Joonkko left the room, Gun-Ho said to the three men, “Our flight back home is leaving tomorrow morning. Let’s take a deep rest now and meet at the lobby this evening. We don’t want to waste our time in Tokyo. We will have a drink tonight.”
“Umm, sir,” Mr. Yos.h.i.+taka Matsuda seemed to have something to say to Gun-Ho.
“Yes, Mr. Matsuda?”
“Why don’t we have our dinner at the Korean restaurant that Ms. Ji-Yeon Choi is running? I miss their Bulgogi*.
“The Korean restaurant? Sure. Ms. President Ji-Yeon Choi’s restaurant is within walking distance from the hotel.”
“I will give Ms. President Choi a call then to let her know that we will have dinner there.”
Gun-Ho thought that something was odd with Mr. Yos.h.i.+taka Matsuda. Gun-Ho was told that he had a wife and children in Tokyo, but he didn’t seem to have any intention to visit his family during the trip.
‘Is he single now? I heard that he has family here…’
“Well, I will see you all later then.”
Gun-Ho went to the beautiful New Otani Hotel’s garden with Mori Aikko. Mori Aikko said while she was watching the fish playing in the pond, “Let’s go somewhere to take a walk.”
“Where do you want to go?”
“Umm… Let’s go to s.h.i.+buya.”
“Sounds good. That’s close to your home at Daikanyama anyway.”
Gun-Ho and Mori Aikko were walking in Koen Dori, s.h.i.+buya. Aikko seemed to be in a good mood. She held Gun-Ho’s arm while walking.
“You will often be traveling back and forth between Shanghai and Tokyo. You will need some outfits like clothes and high-heeled shoes, etc. I will buy them for you.”
Gun-Ho and Mori Aikko went into a shopping mall—s.h.i.+buya109—and he bought a full outfit for Mori Aikko including clothes, shoes, hats, sungla.s.ses, etc. Mori Aikko looked excited and happy while shopping, and Gun-Ho stared at her with a satisfied look on his face. That was one of the differences between Mori Aikko and his wife—Young-Eun. Whenever Gun-Ho bought something for Young-Eun, she always rebuked him for wasting money on such unnecessary things. Mori Aikko reacted differently when he bought something for her. She always showed her grat.i.tude, and she seemed to be genuinely happy. Mori Aikko always made Gun-Ho feel like he did an enormous favor or gave her an extremely precious gift for her.
Gun-Ho and Mori Aikko felt hungry, and they felt their legs were tired as well after spending hours walking and shopping. They went into Midori Sus.h.i.+ Restaurant close to s.h.i.+buya Station, and they ordered sus.h.i.+.
“Oh, oppa, you are supposed to go back to the hotel and have dinner with the directors and Mr. Matsuda at 6 pm, aren’t you?”
“I know but I don’t want to. All I can think of now is staying with you, Aikko.”
Mori Aikko smiled broadly as Gun-Ho told her that he wanted to stay with her.
“I have to go anyway. I need to put all these shopping bags at the condo in Daikanyama before going back to the bar in s.h.i.+njuku City.”
Gun-Ho and Mori Aikko picked up the shopping bags and headed to Mori Aikko’s condo in Daikanyama.
“It has been a while since I came to this place.”
Gun-Ho noticed that there was a new photo hanging on the wall that he hadn’t seen before. It was a photo of several girls in a Yukata with flowers in the back. Mori Aikko was standing in the middle. They must be Aikko’s friends. Since they were all wearing Yukata, maybe they are her colleagues—Maiko San. Gun-Ho turned his gaze to Mori Aikko. She was sweating since they had to walk to the condo carrying the heavy shopping bags. Gun-Ho wiped the sweat off her face with his handkerchief, and he said, “I missed you.”
Gun-Ho then held Mori Aikko in his arms and started kissing her. Mori Aikko closed her eyes. Gun-Ho then started undressing her.
“I didn’t even take a shower yet,” Mori Aikko said.
“It’s okay.”
Gun-Ho could smell Mori Aikko’s perfume mixed with her sweat. Mori Aikko had a different scent from Gun-Ho’s wife—Young-Eun.
“I can’t breathe.”
Mori Aikko said as she was breathing heavily. As Gun-Ho realized that he was holding her so tightly, he released her right away. And then he pressed his lips against Mori Aikko’s cute lips.
The two stayed on the bed for a long time while holding each other.
Note*
Bulgogi – Grilled beef which was marinated with all sorts of vegetables and soy sauce.