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Chapter 167: Dark Art
🕑 Added 2025-01-16 16:53:16 +0000 UTCYasushi Akimoto, the creator of AKB48.
Ethan never expected that such a legendary figure would show up at his company and even apply for a position. This completely caught him off guard.
The next day, Ethan asked Kane to inform this man, who went by the alias Byo Qiu, to come in for an interview.
"Hello." Yasushi Akimoto, a stout man, nodded politely, revealing his prominent double chin.
"Hello, please have a seat." Ethan gestured to the sofa where they both sat down.
"Why do you want to join Angel Declaration?" Ethan began.
Akimoto nodded repeatedly and explained, "Because I saw your company's theater performance, and I thought it was fantastic. In fact, I previously managed a similar girl idol group in Tokyo, but it never gained much traction."
"Is that so? Then you must have significant experience in managing girl groups, Mr. Akimoto."
Akimoto raised his head in surprise, astonished at Ethan's choice of words.
Ethan smiled and continued in Japanese, "I know a little Japanese. I recently visited Tokyo."
"Is that so? Hai!" Akimoto's face lit up. Since the boss of Angel Declaration was familiar with Tokyo, perhaps there was a chance he'd be hired.
"I have extensive experience. I once founded Onyanko Club, which produced many famous Japanese actresses..." Akimoto went on to list his past achievements.
"Impressive, it sounds like you've had a lot of success. Why did you come to America, then?"
Hearing this, Akimoto gave an awkward smile. "While I made a lot of money at the time, I spent even more on training and staff, so the profits weren't significant. Also, I'm passionate about the idol training model. I believe it has great potential in Japan, which is why I came to America. I wanted to learn from other countries' experiences."
"And did you learn anything?"
"Unfortunately, no. However, a few days ago, after watching Hot Angels' theater performance, I felt that your company's philosophy aligns with mine, though it's still not quite polished. If I join your company, I believe my experience could benefit Hot Angels greatly."
Ethan smirked. Akimoto's words sounded nice, but it was clear he wanted to fully study and replicate the Hot Angels model.
After all, this system was based on AKB48's training model but was more refined in some aspects.
Of course, Akimoto couldn't outright admit he wanted to learn from Hot Angels. That would imply he planned to leave Angel Declaration eventually.
So, to secure the job, he had to phrase it this way.
Ethan, however, didn't care if Akimoto planned to leave someday. What mattered to him was whether Akimoto could accept investment and become another piece on Ethan's chessboard.
"Then tell me, Mr. Akimoto, what aspects of Hot Angels do you think need improvement?"
"Hai..." Akimoto had prepared in advance and shared his thoughts. Ethan immediately expressed his appreciation.
"Excellent suggestions, Mr. Akimoto. I think you'd be a great fit for the planner role. When can you start?"
"Tomorrow!" Akimoto's excitement was evident as his goal was achieved.
"Then let's settle on tomorrow."
"Hai, thank you for the opportunity."
After finalizing Akimoto's start date, Ethan watched him bow repeatedly in gratitude before leaving after a few more minutes of small talk.
"There's plenty of time ahead," Ethan muttered to himself. He planned to slowly win over this idol group pioneer, tempting him with profit. His ultimate goal was to turn idol groups into a lucrative asset for his future.
With this plan settled, Ethan picked up a newspaper. It detailed a racial discrimination scandal at the American Fashion Designers Association Awards, with an eye-catching headline:
"Naomi Accuses Ethan of Racism! Expelled from the Awards!"
The article described Naomi's accusations against Ethan and her subsequent disgraceful expulsion from the event.
This report caused many fashion brands to announce they would no longer consider Naomi as a model. Victoria's Secret also immediately declared they would cease any future collaborations with her.
Naomi's career in fashion came to a sudden halt, and her commercial value plummeted.
However, Naomi wasn't planning to take this lying down. Several media outlets published interviews where she tearfully claimed Ethan had insulted her with racist remarks and accused the awards chairman of siding with Ethan.
She then announced plans to sue Ethan for racial discrimination, demanding $5 million in damages.
While most media outlets maintained an objective stance, racial discrimination is a hot topic, and many Black celebrities used the opportunity to share their experiences of prejudice in Hollywood, calling it America's hub of discrimination.
This dragged some white celebrities and directors into the controversy, turning them into targets in this wave of criticism.
As the situation began to turn against him, news broke the next day that stunned Hollywood observers.
A well-known New York law firm specializing in celebrity disputes issued a statement declaring that Ethan had authorized them to file defamation charges and eight other criminal and civil allegations against Naomi. The firm claimed to have critical evidence and planned to submit it to the court before the trial.
Additionally, they warned Black celebrities and public figures defaming Ethan to verify the facts rather than spreading rumors.
This revelation shifted attention from the racial discrimination accusations to the eight charges filed against Naomi.
After all, so many allegations typically apply to murder cases—how could they relate to Naomi?
The law firm's confident tone and claim of critical evidence sparked speculation. Could Ethan have uncovered damaging information about Naomi, leading to these accusations of racism?
Conspiracy theories quickly emerged, with gossip media diving in, muddying the waters around the discrimination case.
Opinions were divided, with everyone debating but no clear resolution.
Naomi, on the other hand, was furious. She hadn't expected Ethan to act so quickly, as if he were the victim.
Unable to avoid legal proceedings, she hired New York's best lawyer and, under their advice, began gathering every piece of dirt on Ethan since his debut.
If she was going down, she intended to go all out.
Ethan, however, remained calm. His lawyers and private investigators followed their plans, leaving him to focus on other matters.
What truly caught his attention was the release of the photos he shot for the American Fashion Designers Association Awards.
These photos, collectively titled "Dark Art," were published across major magazines, capturing the fashion industry's attention.
At the Prada office, Miuccia Prada, the brand's chief designer, examined the photos.
"Truly extraordinary," she remarked with a mix of amazement and admiration.
"This is incredibly imaginative and powerful. I love this style." She handed the photos to her assistant.
"Look at this one. Do you know who she is? I think her expression is fantastic."
The assistant studied the photo of a stunning woman facing the camera in profile.
Light cast a dramatic curve across her face, accentuating her slightly parted lips and the texture of her skin. Her low-cut dress added a hint of seduction.
"That's Jessica Alba," the assistant replied.
"Perfect. Let's make her our spokesperson for the next summer collection," Miuccia decided without hesitation.
She was captivated by Jessica's natural pose in the photo, though it was the style itself that truly impressed her.
"Dark Art—so fitting. The bold angles, the dramatic colors, the raw energy. What if we applied this to fashion design?"
The assistant paused to consider. "It would definitely turn heads."
"Exactly." Miuccia smiled. "This is a groundbreaking style—a new trend, I'm certain. Many brands will try to emulate it in the future. If I were the editor-in-chief of Vogue, I'd already be planning a cover shoot with Ethan."
At the same time, Vogue's editor-in-chief, william, was shouting orders to his team.
"Find me Ethan's contact information immediately!"
"This style is revolutionary. We must secure an exclusive interview and cover shoot. Arrange it all now!"
William was ecstatic—not just because of the stunning photos but because they represented something much bigger.
If Ethan had only created a few images, it might just indicate fleeting inspiration. But he had produced dozens of photos with consistent lighting, tones, and color schemes. This demonstrated mastery, signaling the birth of a new style: Dark Art.
In the world of photography, this was akin to founding a new artistic movement.
However, Ethan's entertainment background meant the photography world hadn't yet taken notice.
Realizing the significance of this innovation, William wanted to act fast to position Vogue as a leader in recognizing new trends.
Unfortunately, he received bad news—Ethan's phone was jammed with calls from other fashion magazines.
"Dammit!" William grabbed his coat and briefcase, heading out the door.
"Are you going to see Ethan in person?" his assistant asked.
"Of course. Why?" William shot back.
"But he's accused of racism..." the assistant reminded him.
William scoffed and stormed off. "To hell with racism. I work for fashion, not politics. Even if he's a scumbag, it doesn't matter right now!"
