The official announcement of the offline fan meeting and first episode premiere of Alice in Borderland made netizens following the trending topic boil over with excitement again.
On one hand, there was the male lead, Michiya Gōshin, whose online discussions and fame were rising higher and higher. On the other, there was the female lead, the national-level actress Sakurajima Mai. The fact that both would appear at the scene coated the event with a halo that couldn't be ignored, making countless fans look forward with bated breath, wishing they could fast-forward to the day of the offline meeting immediately.
Time slipped away quietly amidst the fans' anxious anticipation and the media's lengthy warm-up reports, and the premiere arrived as scheduled.
Backstage at the event venue, inside a dressing room prepared for the leads, the air was filled with the faint scent of cosmetics and a subtle tension before battle.
Michiya Gōshin had already changed into a dark grey suit with a subtle pattern, custom-tailored for him by the brand, which highlighted his broad shoulders and narrow waist, giving him a noble temperament.
Meanwhile, Kato Megumi remained like a silent shadow, standing quietly to the side, holding a tablet computer in her hands, and reporting on work in her usual gentle tone that betrayed no emotional fluctuation.
"Michiya-san, the current heat index of discussions regarding this event on the internet is still soaring, and your Twitter followers are growing steadily."
"On the other hand, according to the established schedule, after this event concludes successfully, you will have about a week of rest until the end of January. Subsequently, you will officially enter the film crew for We Made a Beautiful Bouquet to carry out pre-production preparations such as makeup test photography."
Her voice was clear and restrained, yet it seemed exceptionally prominent in the quiet dressing room.
This caused Sakurajima Mai, who was sitting at the adjacent makeup station flipping through the event flow, to pause her fingertips almost imperceptibly.
The movie We Made a Beautiful Bouquet belonged to Kurokawa Akane.
Although her face still maintained an impeccable, perfect smile, Sakurajima Mai turned her head to look over.
"Gōshin-kun's schedule is really packed full. The TV drama here has just wrapped up perfectly, and the journey on the big screen over there is about to start immediately."
She tilted her head slightly, her soft hair sweeping past her fair collarbone, but her gaze focused on Michiya Gōshin's face with a trace of special meaning.
"Speaking of which, now that you mention it, I actually miss the atmosphere of a movie set a little. After all, the texture of the big screen is something TV dramas can never completely replace."
Michiya Gōshin met her gaze in the mirror, somewhat surprised by her sudden emotion, but he maintained a polite smile in response.
"Mai-san, you are too modest. With your status and influence in the entertainment industry, wanting to film a movie should be a very simple matter, right?"
As soon as these words came out, Sakurajima Mai's eyes lit up immediately.
That compliment was exactly what she wanted!
Thus, the girl seized the momentum, leaning her body slightly forward to further close the distance between the two. A brighter, dazzling smile that could almost blind a person blossomed on her face.
"That's right. Since Gōshin-kun thinks so too, then why don't... we find an opportunity to collaborate on a movie next time? How about you play my male lead? With our popularity and acting chemistry, we will surely be able to shoot a high-grossing popular work."
Sakurajima Mai's tone was half-joking and half-serious, yet it carried a blatant flavor of invitation.
Hearing this, Michiya Gōshin revealed a helpless, bitter smile on his face.
He was well aware of the probing and competitive meaning in Sakurajima Mai's words, and moreover, the other party's proposal was obviously just a joke.
He could only shake his head, his tone carrying a matter-of-fact gentleness.
"Mai-san, stop teasing me. Movie casting... especially the selection of the most important lead roles, is a very complex process involving numerous factors. How could an ordinary actor like me have a say in it? Could it be that I can act in whatever I want? This isn't playing house."
"Hmph."
Sakurajima Mai snorted lightly, her tone carrying a hint of coquettishness, directly puncturing his "excuse".
"You speak so high-soundingly. Has Gōshin-kun forgotten that Kurokawa-san is your movie's female lead?"
"Clearly, public auditions haven't even been held, yet this matter was decided in advance. Is this not Gōshin-kun's handiwork?"
Faced with her such straightforward rhetorical question, Michiya Gōshin indeed had no way out. And to be honest, apart from Sakurajima Mai, no one else dared to ask about such a sensitive matter so directly.
So he just smiled and spread his hands.
"I only made a nomination. The production side also went through a lot of considerations."
Hearing him say this, Sakurajima Mai naturally chose to quit while she was ahead, her gaze becoming smiling again.
The next moment, she directly switched to a strategy of retreating in order to advance, using a more straightforward invitation that contained affection.
"How about this, let's make a promise. If... I mean if, one day in the future, there is a movie project that I can lead or where I possess enough voice, and I issue a formal invitation to Gōshin-kun hoping you can play the male lead, can you agree to me?"
She blinked those talking eyes, checkmating him half-truthfully.
As soon as these words came out, Kato Megumi, sitting nearby, immediately looked up, her calm gaze looking straight at Sakurajima Mai's exquisite beauty.
After Michiya Gōshin glanced at her, he wasn't quite sure if her words were due to competitiveness or some other reason. After all, although Sakurajima Mai had great fame, wanting to intervene in movie casting was indeed still a bit of a stretch.
Was she acting out of spite?
In order to avoid continuing to entangle on this increasingly sensitive topic and causing unnecessary trouble, Michiya Gōshin thought for a moment and decided to agree for now.
"Okay, okay, okay. If there really is such a day, where you, Mai-san, can take charge of a movie project on your own and feel that I am suitable, naming me to play the male lead, then I will definitely consider it seriously and cooperate to the best of my ability. Is that alright?"
Michiya Gōshin just wanted to end this topic as soon as possible.
"It's a promise!"
Sakurajima Mai immediately followed up, a satisfied, brilliant smile appearing on her face, like one who had finally captured her desired prey.
You said these words yourself. When the time comes, you won't be allowed to go back on your word.
This seemingly casual dressing room chat buried a seed of obsession named "Must Collaborate" deep within Sakurajima Mai's heart. She had already begun calculating at high speed how to turn this seemingly joking promise into a set-in-stone reality.
While this conversation was happening, the offline premiere event officially slowly raised its curtain.
The luxurious cinema main hall, capable of accommodating a thousand people, was fully set up. The lights had not yet dimmed. The huge IMAX screen was extremely shocking, and the air was filled with the whispering sounds of the fans who had already entered, excited and holding their breath in anticipation.
Meanwhile, at the cinema's designated media entrance, the lucky winner from Michiya Gōshin's core fan group "We Who Love Gōshin-kun"—[Sana Under the Camera], whose real name was Suzuki Sana—was flashing her media credentials at the door, meeting up with several other reporters who had also obtained qualifications for inner field interviews.
These people were all women without exception. Although they worked for different media, their goals were consistent at this moment, so the atmosphere was fairly harmonious.
Just as they were waiting for staff to guide them into the inner field area, the corner of Suzuki's eye inadvertently swept past the special passage nearby, which was strictly guarded by security personnel and led to the backstage area.
Several figures appeared there, quickly passing through security in a line.
There were five people in total. They all wore tight masks and hats pulled very low, used to cover most of their faces.
However, that outstanding body proportion shaped by strict physical management radiating from the inside out, as well as the unique aura that couldn't be concealed even in a crowd, made these people stand out like cranes among chickens, their presence exploding.
The instinct of a news practitioner... made Suzuki Sana make a judgment in her heart instantly.
Locking her vision, she immediately began matching them with a certain guess in her heart based on these people's height and hair color characteristics. When all details matched perfectly, her heart skipped a beat violently.
Suppressing the excitement in her heart, Suzuki quickly took out her mobile phone and flew to send a message in the "We Who Love Gōshin-kun" group.
[Sana Under the Camera]: "Everyone, I've arrived at the scene. Also, just now I saw a few super suspicious figures at the entrance of the staff passage."
[Sana Under the Camera]: "Although they were wrapped up like zongzi, I think they should be the cast members from Love is a Required Course in Life. Especially Kurokawa-san, her tall figure and blue hair are really too eye-catching. They should be here to support Gōshin-kun today."
This message was like lighting a fuse on a bomb, instantly triggering an explosion of discussion in the group.
[Yuki-chan_Summer]: "Really? Kurokawa-san came too?"
[Tokyo No. 1 Love Yu]: "Although I support [Yu-Aka], today should be Sakurajima-san's home field, right?"
[Yu's Breathing]: "So what? I think Sakurajima-san and Gōshin-kun are probably just good friends. Kurokawa-san and Gōshin-kun are a better match."
[Love Yu Vanguard No. 1]: "Can't friends come to support? I still support Sakurajima-san. Sakurajima-san is a big star and can help Gōshin-kun go further!"
Leaving aside the discussions of various shipping fans in the group, Suzuki Sana's guess was indeed very precise.
These five people were precisely the "close friends" Michiya Gōshin had met through the love reality show: the cheerful and extroverted young dancer Kumano Nobuyuki, the cold-outside-warm-inside Morimoto Kengo, as well as the energetic MEM-cho, the ethereal idol Asakura Toru, and the central figure who was particularly eye-catching today—Kurokawa Akane.
They had come specially to support the premiere of Michiya Gōshin's TV drama, relying on internal relationship tickets privately provided by Michiya Gōshin.
Guided by the staff, they passed through the special passage and arrived at a dressing room prepared for important guests to meet with Michiya Gōshin.
However, when the staff member knocked and opened the dressing room door, the scene inside made everyone stun for a moment.
Inside the dressing room, Michiya Gōshin and Sakurajima Mai were standing side by side, seemingly conducting final detail confirmation before going on stage.
Both were fully dressed up. Michiya Gōshin's suit was crisp, his temperament handsome. Sakurajima Mai wore an elegant full-length gown that didn't lack design sense; her makeup was exquisite, radiating glamour.
Under the bright lights, they were very close. Sakurajima Mai was tilting her head slightly, saying something to Michiya Gōshin, a confident and intimate smile on the corners of her lips. Michiya Gōshin, meanwhile, lowered his head slightly to listen, his posture relaxed and natural.
This picture was like a perfect couple about to go on stage to receive blessings, but it also made certain people, upon seeing it, feel as if their hearts had been ruthlessly slammed by something, a dull pain ensuing.
The lips under Kurokawa Akane's mask instantly pursed into a pale straight line, but her strong professional ethics allowed her to adjust her expression within an extremely short time.
She took the lead in stepping into the dressing room, actively took off her mask, revealed a gentle smile, and spoke in a very crisp voice.
"Gōshin-kun, Sakurajima-san, thank you for the tickets you gave. Everyone and I came specially to support your premiere."
Seeing them appear, a sincere surprise appeared on Michiya Gōshin's face.
"It's really great that you all came."
At this time, Sakurajima Mai also cast her gaze over. She naturally heard Kurokawa Akane addressing Michiya Gōshin as "Gōshin-kun," but having anticipated this, she did not reveal any loss of composure.
After her gaze quickly swept over the five people, Sakurajima Mai's face revealed an impeccable, magnanimous, and calm goddess-style smile.
"Welcome. No need to be so polite. You are all Gōshin-kun's good friends. Of course, we are very welcome that you can come to support him. The episodes of Alice in Borderland are very wonderful; I believe they won't disappoint you. Please enjoy them."
Although Sakurajima Mai's tone was kind and gentle, she naturally exuded an aura like that of a hostess.
Although her words were thoughtful, she invisibly categorized Michiya Gōshin into the realm of "us," while placing Kurokawa Akane and the others in the position of "welcomed guests."
Especially that natural "Gōshin-kun"—it was like a tiny needle, gently pricking Kurokawa Akane's heart, making her heart tremble violently.
After a few more simple pleasantries, the staff came to urge the leads to go backstage to wait.
Michiya Gōshin and Sakurajima Mai nodded to them and left the dressing room together.
The moment the door closed, the air in the dressing room seemed to stagnate instantly.
The perfect smile on Kurokawa Akane's face receded like the tide, and a trace of unease uncontrollably appeared in her eyes.
Standing to the side, MEM-cho keenly captured her emotional change. She immediately leaned forward, affectionately linked arms with her, lowered her voice, and spoke with a tone as firm as a little soldier.
"Kurokawa, don't be afraid! We are here!"
She looked into the girl's eyes and said word by word, "So what if Sakurajima-san is a big star? We are all your support group!"
Although deep in her heart, MEM-cho actually favored the hazy, barely-there sentiment between Asakura Toru and Michiya Gōshin, right now Sakurajima Mai's "frontal threat" was simply too powerful. Out of sisterly loyalty and a subconscious "exclusionary" psychology, she unhesitatingly chose to stand distinctly on Kurokawa Akane's side.
Although she didn't dislike Sakurajima Mai, when making a choice, she would always choose the person closer to herself.
Human likes and dislikes had always been so.
Meanwhile, the two grown men, Kumano Nobuyuki and Morimoto Kengo, looked at each other, cleared their throats somewhat awkwardly, felt at a loss regarding this girl's mind game surging with undercurrents, and could only pretend to study the decorative paintings in the room.
Kurokawa Akane was amused into a helpless smile by MEM-cho's childish defense. She shook her head, her tone carrying a hint of fatigue.
"MEM-cho-san, don't talk nonsense. We are all here to watch Gōshin-kun's TV drama today. Don't think about those irrelevant things."
Meanwhile, Asakura Toru, who remained quiet like an elegant ink wash painting on the side, although she didn't speak and just lowered her eyelids slightly, the depths of her eyes—always shrouded in a layer of hazy mist—clearly reflected the scene of Sakurajima Mai and Michiya Gōshin standing side by side in an intimate posture just now.
Regarding the rumors already generated on the internet, it wasn't that she hadn't seen them.
Witnessing it with her own eyes at this moment, that naturally flowing atmosphere of intimacy similarly caused a ripple difficult to describe to rise in her heart.
Ten minutes later, the premiere officially began.
The lights in the cinema dimmed completely. The huge screen lit up, and the first episode of Alice in Borderland officially began playing.
The plot at the beginning was extremely compact and full of ups and downs, starting from when [Arisu Ryōhei], played by Michiya Gōshin, as a decadent youth addicted to games, accidentally got involved in the bizarre "Alice in Borderland" with two good friends.
The everyday feel of the opening formed a strong contrast with the sudden survival game that followed, instantly grabbing the hearts of all the audience.
The core of the first episode mainly focused on [Arisu Ryōhei]'s perspective, showing the process of how he went from initial panic and escapism to being forced to face cruel rules, gradually using his wisdom and powers of observation to find a way to survive.
Michiya Gōshin portrayed this complex psychological transformation and growth with delicacy and rich layers. Especially when cracking the first game, "[Life or Death Door]," his focus, wit, and courage at the critical moment that burst forth in a desperate situation appeared exceptionally dazzling through the magnification of the big screen.
Asakura Toru stared tightly at the youth on the screen who was struggling on the edge of life and death yet whose eyes were becoming increasingly firm.
On her face, which usually had no expression, a very faint but real smile unconsciously emerged. That smile contained many complex meanings; her "sense of closeness" to Michiya Gōshin was complex, but there was still some distance before it would come out.
The others from the love reality show were also fully absorbed, occasionally crying out in low voices at the tension and excitement of the plot, and marveling at [Arisu Ryōhei]'s quick wit.
The duration of the first episode was about one hour. When the playback finished and the ending theme sounded, warm and lasting applause erupted from the whole venue.
Immediately after, the big screen began to play wonderful highlights and teasers for the subsequent episodes.
When the vigorous figure of [Usagi Yuzuha], played by Sakurajima Mai, appeared in the frame—calm, decisive, and skilled—meeting with [Arisu Ryōhei] played by Michiya Gōshin, and with many scenes of the two fighting side by side, these images caused the fans to cheer and marvel once again.
Finally, amidst the host's enthusiastic introduction, Michiya Gōshin and Sakurajima Mai, as the leads, stepped onto the center of the stage side by side, followed by the director and the producer, making a total of four main personnel for today's offline event.
Of course, the audience didn't pay much attention to the middle-aged male director and the older female producer; basically, their gazes were focused on the male and female leads of this show.
Standing under the spotlight, they were simply too eye-catching.
Michiya Gōshin's suit set off his tall and straight posture, handsome and extraordinary, while Sakurajima Mai was brilliant in her dress, with perfect makeup and a confident, calm smile. Standing beside him, her aura was fully unleashed, like a queen.
The image of the two standing together was very harmonious; even their heights were a good match, as if they were born to be so.
Offstage, Kurokawa Akane looked up at the two on stage who were incomparably dazzling, as if they were in another world.
Seeing Michiya Gōshin calm and unhurried under the gaze of thousands, interacting tacitly with Sakurajima Mai and smiling at each other, then recalling the scene she saw in the dressing room just now, mixed feelings filled her heart.
Although she felt very happy for Michiya Gōshin's success, Kurokawa Akane was still a little concerned.
There was still some time before the official filming of We Made a Beautiful Bouquet, but Sakurajima Mai's offensive toward Michiya Gōshin was already very obvious.
Just as the actors on stage and the fans offstage were interacting, Kurokawa Akane suddenly felt the corner of her clothes being tugged. Turning her head, she found Asakura Toru looking at her.
"Asakura-san, what's wrong?"
"Later, when the event is over... can we chat a little?"
A strange light floated in Asakura Toru's cyan eyes as she gazed faintly at Kurokawa Akane's face.
"...Okay."
Kurokawa Akane did not refuse her. Actually, as early as the filming of Love is a Required Course in Life, she had felt Asakura Toru's difference toward Michiya Gōshin.
Could it be... she couldn't wait either?
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