Bab 271: Chapter 271: The Japanese Proposal
Inside the Johnston family mansion.
Raymond Johnston hasn't returned from Western Australia yet, so dinner was a small affair with only Janet's mother, the Anthony couple, Simon, and Janet, making five in total.
After dinner, Anthony and Simon headed to the mansion's study, while Janet chose to stay seated, chatting with her mother.
"These past few days have been almost too much for me," Anthony started, laughing as they sat down on the couch by the study window. "The Japanese stock market took a dive of 0.5% at yesterday's close, the biggest single-day drop since the Bank of Japan announced the interest rate hike. Our fund's returns shrunk by $70 million in one day. Moreover, a lot of people have been asking me about the purpose of your visit to Melbourne. Rebel even called to ask if he should also rush over to Australia. Takumi Takagi, from the Japanese Consulate in Melbourne, has been eagerly trying to meet with you since yesterday afternoon, almost camping by my side. In short, the situation is very dangerous, Simon. If we can't stabilize the market, the Japanese stock market is likely to plunge again next week, or even collapse entirely. Then, not to mention continuing to profit, it would be nearly impossible to preserve the gains we've made these past few months."
Simon shared a bitter smile with Anthony. He hadn't anticipated his trip to Australia would trigger such a serious chain reaction.
After a moment's thought, Simon checked his watch and said to Anthony, "Well, Tony, it's still early. I'll take Janet downtown for a bit. You could contact the media to take some pictures and publish them tomorrow. The core message should be that I came specifically to see Janet, nothing more."
Anthony hesitated, wondering, "Simon, would that seem too deliberate?"
Thinking it over, Simon realized that simply doing this might indeed appear as if they were 'explaining too much because they were hiding something.' So, he added, "Then, let's be more direct and not avoid the impact my presence in Melbourne has on the Japanese stock market. However, the news headlines should be light-hearted, presented in a joking manner. I think the market overreacted a bit yesterday. By bringing this issue to the forefront, everyone might be able to calm down. There should be a substantial amount of capital following Sersi Capital's bullish positions, and those investors wouldn't want the Japanese stock market to crash immediately either."
Anthony nodded but still seemed hesitant.
Simon reassured him, "Tony, there's no need for any reservations between us."
Anthony finally said, "Simon, to cut off unnecessary speculation in the market, I think you should return to Los Angeles as soon as possible, ideally tomorrow."
Simon noticed Anthony's embarrassment and offered a way out, "Indeed, that would be best, Tony. If I had known this would be the outcome, I wouldn't have come so casually."
After discussing some details, they left the study together.
Handling media wasn't something Simon needed to worry about. Not only did the Johnston family have connections, but several of Australia's major media dynasties were investors in Sersi Capital. Even for their own interests, they would cooperate with the media strategy for the next day.
Around 9:30 p.m.
Two sedans stopped outside Melbourne's renowned Crown Casino, with four bodyguards escorting Simon and Janet into the casino building.
The security in Melbourne at this time was quite chaotic, especially at night. Given Simon's status, Anthony insisted on having four bodyguards accompany him and Janet for peace of mind.
Despite its name, the Crown Casino was more than just a gambling venue. The 39-story building on the south bank of the Yarra River was a comprehensive entertainment facility, owned by the long-standing Packer family of Australia. Simon had met the family's current head, Kerry Packer, at some events organized by the Johnston family. Packer had a good relationship with the Johnstons and was also an investor in Sersi Capital.
Simon remembered James Packer, the heir to the Packer family, later dated American singer Mariah Carey, even discussing marriage at one point. They eventually broke up due to Packer's inability to tolerate Carey's extravagant spending.
Mariah Carey hadn't yet become famous, and Simon wondered if he could capitalize on this potential opportunity.
Uninterested in gambling, Simon and Janet chose a bar instead.
Simon's role in the "Batman" shoot earlier in the year had increased his visibility in Melbourne. He and Janet were quickly recognized in the bar. As someone who enjoyed having a good time, Simon took to the stage to sing a song under the crowd's encouragement. His electric guitar solo in "Flight of the Bumblebee" set the bar's atmosphere ablaze.
News of Simon Westeros's appearance spread rapidly throughout the building and beyond, attracting many to the bar, which had to start limiting entry due to overcrowding.
Feeling the bar was too crowded, Simon and Janet moved to other venues, inevitably causing each to become packed as well.
After visiting several clubs and bars within the building, it was deep into the night. Both Simon and Janet, having consumed a fair amount of alcohol, were dancing in a bar to the thunderous music when a petite Asian girl made her way through the crowd towards Simon.
Before she could get closer, a bodyguard blocked her way.
However, the girl persisted, trying to explain something to the guard and shouting towards Simon.
Noticing the commotion, Simon turned and felt the girl looked familiar. After a moment, he recognized her as the "gift" brought by Takumi Takagi, the Japanese Consul in Melbourne, during their last meeting. He signaled the guard to let her through.
Yoko Kosugi approached Simon and shouted over the noise, "Mr. Westeros, may I have a word with you?"
Before Simon could respond, Janet wrapped her arm around the petite girl and said with a smile, "Little girl, whatever it is, you can talk to me about it."
"Miss Johnston, you misunderstand," Yoko tried to explain while being embraced by Janet, then turned to Simon, "Mr. Takagi is outside."
Understanding the situation, Janet relaxed her grip, allowing Yoko to face Simon while still holding her waist. She made a playful "we'll talk later" gesture to Simon.
Seeing Janet engaging with an Asian girl sparked interest in the hot women around, who thought they might have a chance with Simon and started to approach.
After hearing more from Yoko, Simon realized the urgency and led the two girls out of the dance floor.
Takumi Takagi was waiting anxiously outside.
They found a quiet corner in the bar, and Takagi said, "Mr. Westeros, I apologize for disturbing you so late, but this matter is truly urgent."
Simon had already known Takagi was looking for him after his conversation with Anthony. He replied, "Takagi, I understand, but unfortunately, there's not much I can do about the situation in Japan."
"Takagi, it's something else. This isn't the place to discuss it. Can we set a formal meeting for tomorrow?"
Agreeing, Simon suggested, "Alright, tomorrow morning, let's say 10 a.m., at the Johnston's country estate."
Takagi, relieved at securing the meeting, confirmed the details before departing.
Checking the time, Simon was surprised Takagi came just to arrange a meeting. Curious about the Japanese's intentions and pulled back towards the dance floor by Janet, Simon noticed Yoko seemed to have been forgotten by Takagi, still being cuddled by Janet like a doll.
Originally planning to leave by midnight, Janet's enthusiasm kept them until after 1 a.m.
Leaving the Crown Casino, they allowed pre-arranged photographers to take some pictures before departing. Yoko was nowhere to be seen, but Simon wasn't worried about her being picked up. Having scheduled the meeting, they headed straight to the Johnston mansion.
Waking up at 9 a.m. the next day, Simon found Janet still sound asleep.
After freshening up and heading to the mansion's dining room, he found Anthony Johnston waiting with breakfast prepared. Anthony briefed Simon on the media's coverage, including articles with headlines like "Westeros and Girlfriend's Late-Night Revelries" and "Westeros's Weekend Date Causes Stock Market Plunge."
Simon browsed through the papers while eating breakfast, inquiring about the reaction in Japan and North America. Anthony had organized a PR team to ensure similar news coverage in those regions, hoping to mitigate the situation.
Acknowledging their efforts, Simon realized the final outcome would depend on the Japanese stock market's response the following day.
Discussing the prior night's encounter with Takagi, Anthony revealed he was already aware, as the Japanese had called again that morning to confirm the visit.
As the time approached, a black Honda carrying four people, including Takagi, Yoko, a driver, and a senior Japanese official named Haruo Maekawa, the former Governor of the Bank of Japan, arrived at the Johnston estate.
With such a high-profile figure involved, Simon took the situation more seriously, sensing the discussions would be highly confidential.
Seated in the study, Maekawa, speaking in imperfect English, got straight to the point, proposing a deal to Simon.
Aware of Friday's market reaction and Sersi Capital's efforts to stabilize it, Maekawa appreciated Simon's confidence in the Japanese stock market. However, recognizing Simon as a significant variable, he offered to buy out Sersi Capital's entire investment portfolio in exchange for Simon's withdrawal from the Japanese financial market.
Understanding the Japanese's intentions, Simon considered their proposal. Although aware of the risks in the Japanese stock market, the prospect of securing a lucrative exit was appealing.
Despite his reluctance to fully exit the Japanese market, Maekawa suggested a compromise: avoiding involvement for the next five years. Trusting Simon's integrity, he assured that the conditions discussed wouldn't be officially documented.
Simon, seeing the proposal as a mutually beneficial solution, was ready to negotiate. The Japanese were obviously trying to prevent further market instability, especially if Simon were to publicly short the market.
Realizing the opportunity to exit the Japanese market gracefully and profitably, Simon prepared to negotiate a deal that would satisfy both parties, ready to capitalize on other financial ventures in the future.
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