Sakurajima Mai's sentence, "I will definitely make you fall in love with me!" was like a heavy bomb dropped into the silent lounge; the voice wasn't loud, yet it carried the force of a thunderbolt.
After saying these words, the determined posture Sakurajima Mai had been forcing herself to maintain receded like the tide. In the next moment, the girl didn't wait for Michiya Gōshin's reply but turned around directly.
"My thoughts... I've already told you, Gōshin-kun. See you tomorrow!"
As if fleeing, she pushed the door open immediately after her final sentence, disappearing from the lounge in a gust of fragrant wind.
It wasn't until she had walked some distance, turned a corner, and confirmed that Michiya Gōshin absolutely could not see her, that Sakurajima Mai leaned her back against the cold wall, stopping to pant slightly.
She pressed the back of her hand against her burning cheeks, her mind uncontrollably replaying the scene from just now—Michiya Gōshin's eyes slightly widened in surprise, and his slightly stunned expression.
Every detail made the girl feel waves of blushes and heartbeats.
I... finally said it out loud.
This thought flashed through her chaotic brain like lightning. Sakurajima Mai paused, feeling that little heart inside her chest beating faster.
Did that count as a confession?
It should count, right? Now Gōshin-kun knows my feelings, and from now on, I will formally launch my offensive on him!
"Gōshin-kun... should know what I mean now..."
She muttered in a low voice, a touch of shyness in her tone, but the corners of her mouth unconsciously curved upward into a small arc.
Although it was really clumsy, Sakurajima Mai still felt she had done a beautiful job.
Liking someone isn't something to be ashamed of. Letting the other person know your feelings, and then working hard to get closer—this is the most open and honest step to harvesting a romance.
As her mood gradually calmed, a sense of relief at finally voicing her feelings slowly rose in Sakurajima Mai's mind.
The girl took several deep breaths, her eyes gradually becoming determined again.
Since she had already taken this step, there was no turning back. Next, it was time to work hard to display her charm!
Meanwhile, Michiya Gōshin, left alone in the lounge, maintained his previous posture, staring blankly at the closed door.
He seemed to still see Sakurajima Mai's flustered profile as she "fled."
The air seemed to retain the wisp of elegant and unique perfume from her body, as well as an emotional aftertaste named "confession."
Michiya Gōshin sighed, leaning back weakly against the sofa behind him. He raised his hand to rub the space between his eyebrows forcefully, a bitter smile that was extremely complex and difficult to describe with words appearing on his face.
This really... stirred up a hornet's nest.
Of course, he knew Sakurajima Mai was good—beautiful, excellent, and having struggled alone in the entertainment industry for so many years had tempered the girl with a unique resilience and radiance.
Facing such a direct and brave confession from such a woman, saying his heart was completely unmoved would be self-deception.
Michiya Gōshin could even recall that when she said those words just now, his heart did indeed skip a beat.
But...
Another beautiful face surfaced in Michiya Gōshin's mind—Kurokawa Akane.
That girl who had undisguised dependence and admiration for him, the girl who held his hand in the hospital while crying and saying she was "afraid of losing him," the girl with whom he had the promise filled with expectations regarding "We Made a Beautiful Bouquet".
This promise was like an invisible shackle, and also like a great mountain that needed to be crossed, lying across the path of his heart, preventing him from easily responding to Sakurajima Mai's confession.
After an unknown amount of time, the door to the lounge was knocked gently, then pushed open silently.
Kato Megumi walked in as soundlessly as usual, holding Michiya Gōshin's coat and carry-on bag, her face still wearing that eternally unchanging gentle expression.
"Michiya-san, the nanny van has been arranged. We can go back now."
Michiya Gōshin looked up at Kato Megumi. Her eyes were clear and calm, like a bottomless pool of lake water, making it completely impossible to guess what she was thinking deep down.
However, Michiya Gōshin had a strong intuition that given Kato Megumi's extraordinary observational skills, and the fact that she was likely nearby just now, she most likely heard the conversation that took place in the lounge.
But she chose silence, probably not wanting to get involved.
Michiya Gōshin rubbed his head, deciding not to look at these things for the time being. He nodded, "Okay, I understand. Sorry to trouble you, Kato-san."
He took the coat, stood up, and followed Kato Megumi out.
On the way home, the car was silent.
Michiya Gōshin leaned against the seat back, watching the flowing lights and colors outside the window, his thoughts somewhat coagulated.
Starting the next day, Sakurajima Mai indeed turned her words into action, just as she had declared.
On the set of "Alice in Borderland", she began her bold yet delicate "offensive." The girl's actions were not aggressive, but like spring rain moistening things silently, quietly permeating every detail of their interaction.
In the intervals between scenes, whenever Director Aoyama shouted "Cut," she would naturally walk over to Michiya Gōshin's side and discuss the performance just now with a more intimate tone.
When Michiya Gōshin proposed a certain acting idea, she would tilt her head and listen seriously, her eyes sparkling, and then give sincere feedback. The coordination between the two became increasingly tacit, even adding some unspoken mutual understanding.
During lunch time, Sakurajima Mai would very naturally sit in the empty seat next to Michiya Gōshin to eat with him. The girl would eat while chatting with him about relaxed topics, such as interesting books she read recently, or industry anecdotes she heard in the entertainment circle.
Sometimes, she would very naturally pick up a piece of tamagoyaki or fried shrimp that looked delicious from her own bento box and place it into Michiya Gōshin's lunch box.
"This tastes really good, Gōshin-kun, why don't you try it?"
If it was time to film some high-difficulty action scenes or scenes requiring a lot of physical stamina, Michiya Gōshin would inevitably show a look of fatigue.
At these times, Sakurajima Mai would appear opportunely, handing over a bottle of energy drink with the cap already unscrewed, or a piece of energy-replenishing chocolate, saying softly, "Good work, Gōshin-kun. Take a rest before continuing."
To be honest, while on set, Sakurajima Mai spent more time close to Michiya Gōshin than Kato Megumi did. Sometimes when Kato Megumi came over with mineral water, she found those two already sitting together in front, and there was no need for her to go up and help at all.
Under this atmosphere of interaction, the crew naturally generated some amount of discussion.
However, because Michiya Gōshin is currently the most important male lead for Nenshi, and also has a significant relationship with Suo Shu, no one said anything openly, only daring to discuss it in private.
On the other hand, Michiya Gōshin was certainly not hard-hearted, nor was he a block of wood who didn't understand romance.
Facing a girl like Sakurajima Mai who combined beauty, wisdom, fame, and sincerity, and such continuous, perfectly timed closeness and goodwill, how could he remain indifferent?
Amidst the natural and intimate calls of "Gōshin-kun," and through the repeated side-by-side discussions, sharing of food, and tacit cooperation in acting, the relationship between the two was indeed drawing closer at a speed visible to the naked eye.
Just in this subtle, tense, and tension-filled atmosphere, the filming of the last large-scale game scenario chapter of "Alice in Borderland" was finally successfully completed.
The entire crew was enveloped in a joy of staged success and fatigue; next remained only the filming tasks for the final wrap-up phase of the first season.
That afternoon, during a break in filming, a figure incompatible with the artistic atmosphere of the set appeared there.
It was Suo Shu.
He was still wearing a well-tailored, cold-lined dark suit, with a high-quality wool overcoat draped over it. His face was cold and severe, his pace swift, carrying a sharpness and urgency belonging to a business elite.
His arrival immediately caused a small commotion and whispering.
Suo Shu had a clear target. After scanning the set, he walked straight towards Michiya Gōshin, who was looking down and studying the final phase script in the rest area.
"Michiya-kun."
He was concise, his tone carrying his usual unquestionable nature. "Find a quiet place, let's talk about important matters."
Michiya Gōshin's heart stirred slightly, roughly guessing his intention. So he directly closed the script, nodded, and walked with Suo Shu to a relatively secluded corner of the set where props were piled up.
"It's about time."
Suo Shu got straight to the point, his gaze sharp as a falcon, staring tightly at Michiya Gōshin.
"The core team I've assembled is fully in place. All preliminary preparations, including budget review, main staff assembly, and detailed shooting schedule planning, have been completed. The project "We Made a Beautiful Bouquet" can't wait any longer. It's time to push it to the market and officially announce it."
Michiya Gōshin was not surprised by this.
Although busy with TV drama filming, he had been maintaining communication regarding the movie project with Suo Shu via email and had a good idea of the overall progress.
He pondered for a moment and asked, "Does Suo-san have any plans regarding the specific rhythm and content focus of the official announcement?"
"My opinion is... sooner rather than later."
Suo Shu obviously already had a mature plan in mind.
"Taking advantage of the fact that the heat for "Alice in Borderland" is continuously climbing and audience expectations are at their highest, directly announcing the new movie project can form the strongest synergy effect and maximize attention."
"As for the content of the announcement... I think we only need to emphasize two points. The first is to emphasize that the script for this movie is written by you. This can definitely trigger an internet craze; after all, your Love Letter sold too well."
He paused, his gaze becoming increasingly profound, carrying strong commercial considerations. "The second point is... the selection of the male and female leads."
Michiya Gōshin nodded; he understood Suo Shu's strategy.
Announcing the leads, especially actors like him and Kurokawa Akane who already possess super high popularity and even generated CP topics because of the romance reality show, is undoubtedly the fastest and most effective way to detonate public opinion.
"I have no objections."
Michiya Gōshin gave a positive reply. "What is the specific schedule?"
"If there are no problems on your side, at 10 AM the day after tomorrow, we will hold a final confirmation meeting with the person in charge at your Hoshino Talent Agency to finalize all details. Then, at 3 PM this Friday, we will release the official announcement message strictly on time through all official channels of our three parties."
Suo Shu's style of doing things was as vigorous and resolute as ever, prioritizing efficiency. After all, this year was the year of the decisive battle between him and his big brother Suo Shogo; he didn't want to delay for even a day.
"Okay, I will attend on time."
Michiya Gōshin agreed. That very night, after finishing filming and returning to the apartment, although his body was exhausted, his spirit was somewhat hyperactive because the movie was about to be announced.
He sat at his desk as usual and opened the document for The Wind Rises, preparing to use writing to calm his mind.
Perhaps it was the emotional waves experienced during the day, or perhaps the pressure and motivation brought by the movie project, he felt his control over words and emotions seemed to have entered a brand new realm.
When he wrote about the male protagonist accompanying his critically ill girlfriend "Setsuko," looking at the layers of mountains in the distance from the balcony of the sanatorium.
"Setsuko" said with a weak voice, "The wind is rising... it's so nice, to still be able to watch such scenery with you..."
Because of his keen capture of words, Michiya Gōshin immediately felt an indescribable complex emotion mixing immense sadness, infinite tenderness, and extreme cherishing of life churning in his chest.
A story capable of moving people needs to have such an effect.
[Production Queue 2: Tireless Writer]
[Experience: 91/100]
[Experience: 92/100]
[Experience: 93/100]
His fingertips danced on the keyboard. Words were no longer simple symbols but had temperature and life, portraying vividly and deeply that depth and grief of still trying hard to grasp every beautiful moment and carving love into the marrow even when facing inevitable passing.
When Michiya Gōshin finally came back to his senses from that selfless state of creation, he found that he had unknowingly completed nearly half of the first draft of The Wind Rises.
[Production Queue 2: Tireless Writer]
[Experience: 99/100]
[Experience: 100/100]
[Production Complete!]
[Obtained [Tireless Writer (Green)] entry.]
After the entry production was completed, Michiya Gōshin glanced at his system panel.
[Junior Novelist (Green)] + [Tireless Writer (Green)] + [Advanced Research (Green)] = [Bestselling Author (Purple)]
"This synthesis path is still missing the last entry. Let's hurry and put it into the production queue."
[Advanced Research (Green)]
[To write a more moving story, research on identity and profession is not enough; you need to experience more surging insights and feel the most important emotional links between people.]
[Producible]
[Production Condition: Acquire 100 points of Advanced Research experience.]
"Emotional links between people?"
Michiya Gōshin touched his hair, then put [Advanced Research (Green)] into the [Entry Production Station].
[Production Queue 2: Advanced Research]
[Experience: 0/100]
Then there was the remaining [Production Queue 1]. Regarding the promotion of acting skills, it had also reached the final moment.
[Production Queue 1: Proficient Sheng-Tai-Xing-Biao]
[Experience: 78/100]
[Newcomer Actor (Green)] + [All Living Things (White)] + [Proficient Sheng-Tai-Xing-Biao (Green)] = [Lead-Level Acting (Purple)]
Michiya Gōshin looked at the [Entry Synthesis Station]; he was only a little bit away from obtaining [Lead-Level Acting (Purple)]. When the time came to film the movie, he would definitely be able to interpret the character's image more perfectly.
"Not bad."
The next morning, Michiya Gōshin attended the joint meeting with Suo Shu and the senior management of Hoshino Talent Agency on time. Kurokawa Akane, as the female lead, naturally came as well.
The meeting was efficient and pragmatic. Based on common interests, all parties quickly reached a consensus and finally determined all details of the official announcement.
Unified copy format, precise release time, follow-up promotion rhythm, etc.—at 3 PM that afternoon, the official announcement for "We Made a Beautiful Bouquet" would be released synchronously on time!
At 2:50 PM, Michiya Gōshin took a seat in a small meeting room at Hoshino Talent Agency, with Kato Megumi accompanying him quietly by his side.
Meanwhile, Kurokawa Akane sat opposite him somewhat nervously. It was also her first time attending this kind of internal high-level meeting; back when she was a nobody, it wasn't her turn to attend such occasions at all.
In the world of the internet, inside a Michiya Gōshin fan group named "Us Who Love Gōshin-kun," his hardcore fan Natsukawa Yuki was refreshing the page with amazing hand speed and ceaselessly posting messages in the group, her excitement overflowing in her words.
Because Hoshino Talent Agency had already released a schedule preview for Michiya Gōshin as an entertainer a few days ago, the words [Film Project] had kept the fan group excited for a long time.
Important news was to be announced today, and everyone was looking forward to it.
"Sisters, ten minute countdown! I feel like my heart is going to jump out! What exactly is the big news?"
"Since it's a [Film Project], it must be content related to a movie. I'm really looking forward to Gōshin-kun's first big-screen work."
"I'm looking forward to it too! It must be a perfect big production. No matter what genre the movie is, I will drag my whole family to support Gōshin-kun!"
"Praying! Hope it's news that can make everyone happy!"
"Silently eating melons. As long as it's good for Gōshin-kun, I support it!"
3 PM arrived on the dot.
Michiya Gōshin's personal Twitter, the official account of Hoshino Talent Agency, and the official platform of the film production company represented by Suo Shu released a unified format, information-explosive announcement almost at the same moment!
"Michiya Gōshin: Brand new film project "We Made a Beautiful Bouquet" is officially announced!"
"I will serve as the male lead for this film and be responsible for the creation and adaptation of the original script. This is a love story about meeting, resonance, and being as beautiful as a bouquet but also as fleeting as the flowering season."
"Looking forward very much to the collaboration with @Kurokawa Akane_Akane. She will star as the female lead of this film. Thanks to Mr. Suo Shu for his trust and the production team for their dedication. Please look forward to it, everyone!"
#We Made a Beautiful Bouquet Movie#, ##Michiya Gōshin##, ##Kurokawa Akane#
The accompanying image below was a pure white concept poster with an extremely literary and fresh style produced by the art team. The main visual was the text "We Made a Beautiful Bouquet" in what seemed like handwriting. Below it, the names of Michiya Gōshin and Kurokawa Akane were clearly listed side by side. The background was blurred, warm halos and the imagery of falling petals.
This post was like a terrifying bomb, instantly detonating the entire internet! It caused the heat of this official announcement news to soar crazily at a speed visible to the naked eye, parachuting into the Twitter trending list about five minutes later!
"Oh my god! Michiya Gōshin's new movie! And he wrote and acted in it himself! That's too strong!"
""We Made a Beautiful Bouquet"! This name sounds like it has a lot of story! Is it a literary romance film?"
"The female lead is Kurokawa Akane!"
"Michiya Gōshin and Kurokawa Akane! I'm a [Yu-Aka] fan, I've already fainted from surprise."
"The spring of [Yu-Aka] has finally come. The official side really knows how to choose people. Plus, the script for this movie is also by Michiya-sensei. Does this really not count as an official announcement?!"
"Crying! I didn't expect the regrets after the romance reality show to actually be fulfilled here, and on the big screen too."
"Visuals ceiling combination! Acting skills are also worth expecting. Just for this lineup, I can watch it ten times!"
"So are the rumors true? Falling in love through acting? Are they really together?"
"Just looking forward to it is enough! Box office success is pre-ordered."
"Michiya-sensei's movie script? I hope it's a very good story."
And in that "[Yu-Aka] Core Support Group," Natsukawa Yuki's messages had completely entered spamming mode, so excited she was incoherent.
"Ahhh!!! It's a romance-themed movie! Gōshin-kun is the screenwriter and male lead!!"
"The female lead is Kurokawa Akane! It's Kurokawa Akane!!"
"Official certification! Official candy distribution! The [Yu-Aka] party is the happiest today!!"
"Heavens, it's really such a surprise. Congratulations, Gōshin-kun! This combination is too perfect! Looking forward to it!"
"Sob sob sob, I'm so excited tears are about to come out! Kurokawa-san is finally going to collaborate on a major work with Gōshin-kun! And it's a romance movie; I have no regrets in this life!"
The fans of the [Yu-Aka] CP fell into a thorough carnival feast. Social media was almost screened by their celebration posts, analysis posts, and various fan-produced materials, as if ushering in a grand carnival ahead of schedule.
Compared to the noise and clamor on the internet, the office of Hoshino Talent Agency appeared very quiet.
Kurokawa Akane looked at the two names side by side on her phone, the corners of her mouth holding a smile she couldn't hide.
She raised her head and looked at Michiya Gōshin sitting opposite her, her eyes sparkling. "Thinking that I can film this movie together with Michiya-kun, I really... am very happy."
The girl's gaze lingered gently and intently on his face, carrying thick love and expectation.
After a while, seemingly remembering something, Kurokawa Akane seemed to have made a resolution. She leaned her body forward slightly, her voice carrying a trace of imperceptible nervousness.
"Um... Michiya-kun."
She paused, her cheeks turning slightly red.
"Since the movie we are going to act in is romance-themed, we should be able to be a bit closer when we are together, right?"
"Like what?"
Michiya Gōshin's hand holding the water cup paused slightly. He turned back to look at the girl's face. This déjà vu situation and the almost identical request made his thoughts suddenly solidify somewhat.
"Michiya-kun, how about you call me by my given name from now on? Call me... Akane, is that okay?"
________________________________________
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