Chapter 4

Chapter 4 — 004, With So Many Songs in My Head, Any One of Them Would Become a Hit

Once a man sets a goal, his actions become swift.

After buying two records, Naoki Nagayama immediately headed back, trying hard along the way to recall every song he had ever heard or seen.

Perhaps because of the transmigration, many memories in his mind seemed buried deep within his subconscious, like déjà vu—only surfacing when he encountered something familiar.

After hearing “Blue Coral Reef” at the record store, everything related to Seiko Matsuda returned to him. Most of it, however, came from videos about Showa-era beauties he had watched on Bilibili.

At this moment, Naoki sincerely felt grateful to those content creators who, while making biography videos, never forgot to use Matsuda Seiko’s famous songs and other classic Showa-era tracks as background music.

Still, he had probably watched even more videos about Akina Nakamori.

Tsui Hark’s ultimate idol.
Leslie Cheung’s dream woman.
Together with Shizuka Kudo—one said to have “stunned time itself,” the other to have “softened the years.”

The marketing accounts had praised them to the heavens. Naoki had originally gone in intending to criticize the hype, only to fall straight into it himself.

Absolutely irresistible.

He remembered Akina Nakamori’s debut songs as well. Selling those songs to her after her debut could probably earn him a considerable profit.

Then it suddenly occurred to him—Momoe Yamaguchi had just retired. Akina Nakamori would not debut for another two years. Right now she was still in the stage of her first two failed auditions, only fifteen years old, just an ordinary junior high school girl with a bit of baby fat, completely lacking the breathtaking beauty she would later possess during the Showa era.

“Forget it. I’ll sell Matsuda Seiko’s songs first. These next two years belong to her.”

He unlocked the door and returned to his small room.

He had hurried on the way back and ended up drenched in sweat under the summer heat, forcing him to take a second cold shower that day.

Once again, a young body really was wonderful. After sitting down briefly, his energy quickly returned.

Listening to the newly purchased records, he began recalling Matsuda Seiko’s hit releases. “Kaze wa Akishoku” had already been released.

Next should be that sweet song—“Cherry Blossom.”

He would check whether it had already been written. If not, that would be the song he would sell.

The melody was extremely familiar. Though he could not understand Japanese lyrics in his previous life, the current Naoki Nagayama could now fully comprehend them. Both lyrics and melody existed in his mind—he only needed to record them.

Simple enough.

But things were not that simple.

Naoki Nagayama did not know how to write musical notation.

In his previous life he had been a science-and-engineering type; in this life, merely a rural high school graduate. He could sing melodies from memory, but had never learned how to transcribe music.

“I’ve already written the lyrics…” he muttered while staring at the words on the blank sheet of paper.
“The grand plan of selling songs has stalled at a completely unexpected place.”

Feeling somewhat defeated, Naoki could only sit there listening absentmindedly to the record.

Listening?

A flash of inspiration struck him.

The melody was already familiar. The lyrics were finished. He could sing the song himself.

All he needed was someone capable of transcribing music after hearing it.

Where could he find such a person?

Certainly not within his own social circle.

Then the image of Nakai Genta appeared in his mind—the brilliant student from Hitotsubashi University who frequented entertainment venues and knew all kinds of people. He should be able to find someone capable of writing notation.

As for not being particularly close?

They were neighbors and had already shared several meals together. After seven or eight years navigating the workplace in his previous life, asking shamelessly for help was something he could still manage.

“So you’re saying that after facing life and death, you’ve completely abandoned Momoe Yamaguchi and thrown yourself into Seiko Matsuda’s arms?”

Nakai Genta looked bewildered.

“Yes. After hearing Seiko-san’s sweet voice, I was completely captivated.”

Naoki spoke with utmost seriousness.

“And after listening to her songs, a melody suddenly appeared in your mind, and you want to give it to Miss Seiko as a gift?”

Genta’s expression turned complicated.

“Yes. This melody was originally meant for Yamaguchi-san. But after hearing ‘Blue Coral Reef’ today, the lyrics came to mind, and I realized the song suits Seiko-san much better.”

Naoki added a fabricated backstory to the song.

“And because you don’t know how to write sheet music, you want to ask whether I know someone who can transcribe the melody?”

Genta confirmed once more.

“Yes. I’m truly embarrassed, but among everyone I know, only Genta-san possesses the personal charm capable of knowing someone talented enough to write music.”

Naoki praised him lavishly.

A few minutes earlier, Naoki had knocked on Genta’s door while he was watching television and explained his request.

What he received in return was suspicion and questioning. For a brief moment, Genta had even wondered whether Naoki had developed mental problems.

“Even if you praise me like that, finding someone to transcribe a song isn’t easy. First, your song has to be quite complete.”

Genta still did not believe Naoki’s story and intended to brush him off.

Naoki understood the concern hidden in his words.

“Genta-san can listen to an a cappella version first. The lyrics are already finished.”

“Really? Then please let me hear it.”

Naoki first hummed the melody from memory, then kept rhythm with his hands and sang “Cherry Blossom” a cappella.

Without a female voice, it lacked that sweet lingering softness, but the lively rhythm and delicate lyrics were already evident.

“I never expected such deep emotion to be hidden behind your dull expression, Naoki-san,” Genta said after listening, seemingly moved by the feelings within the song.

Lines like “I awaken as if from a dream,” “the flower of love held in my arms,” and “you will accept it, won’t you?” perfectly matched Naoki’s state of mind after surviving life and death and rediscovering happiness through his fascination with Matsuda Seiko.

“It’s truly a wonderful song!” Genta became visibly excited. “If Seiko-san sang this, it would definitely become popular!”

At that moment, Naoki silently thought:

Any song inside my head would become a hit if I simply took it out.

History had already proven it.