Chapter 1201: Kiss is the soul of a romance drama!!!

Returning once again to the filming base in Ota Ward, Naoki Nagayama felt a sudden sense of ease as he looked at the familiar set.

Sure enough, people really ought to stay in their comfort zones; the environment of office work was just too bothersome.

"Naoki-san!" "Nagayama-san..." "Director..." "..."

Upon entering the set of *Departures*, Naoki Nagayama was greeted by various forms of address from the crew, all of which he responded to with a smile.

It wasn't until he met with Kijima Shizhi that he officially began the next phase of filming for *Departures*.

"Naoki-san, here is the upcoming filming schedule."

Kijima Shizhi handed the newly prepared schedule to Naoki Nagayama.

"Miura Tomokazu and Yamaguchi Momoe have both arrived, and the other actors and crew members are ready as well. The set has been prepared. We can start filming at any time."

"Arigato."

Naoki Nagayama thanked Kijima Shizhi.

"Kijima-kun... what would I do without you!"

"..."

This time, Kijima Shizhi didn't seem particularly moved; he just shook his head with a sigh.

"Without me, Naoki-san would just dump these chores onto someone else..."

"!"

What was going on? How had everyone's tongues become so sharp after just a day or two apart?

Just as Naoki Nagayama was about to ask for clarification, he saw Miura Tomokazu and Yamaguchi Momoe walking over. Miura Tomokazu's face looked somewhat pale... as if he had just recovered from an illness.

"Naoki-san~"

"Tomokazu-san, Momoe-san."

Naoki Nagayama asked with concern,

"Is Tomokazu-san alright? Did you not rest well after returning home? Or did you catch a chill in Hokkaido?"

"..."

Miura Tomokazu was speechless. Part of his insomnia was due to the filming in Hokkaido, but mostly it was because his own unfilial son had stabbed him in the back at a critical moment, keeping him awake with rage...

*Go fly a kite at Mount Daisetsu?! Just wait until I turn you into a kite one of these days! *

"Daijobu!" Yamaguchi Momoe explained from the side, "He just didn't rest well... he'll recover in no time."

"That's good..."

Naoki Nagayama noticed the look exchanged between the two; there was clearly some hidden story, but he didn't pry.

"Since you're both here, let's go over the upcoming plot!"

"The wife, who left because her husband took up the job of an undertaker, has returned after a month!"

Although both had already read the script, Naoki Nagayama still explained the scene they were about to film in detail.

"The reason is that the wife is pregnant..."

He led them to the set decorated as the old family home, pointing to the bachelor-style living arrangement set up by the props team.

"Returning this time, the fundamental rift between the couple hasn't been resolved; it's just that this unexpected event of the pregnancy has forced them to stay connected."

"So, when acting, there needs to be a sense of estrangement and formality..."

Naoki Nagayama said to Yamaguchi Momoe,

"Momoe-san, you must have had those moments in your many years of marriage—moments where you're fighting, cold-shouldering each other, wanting to strangle the other person, yet having to pretend nothing is wrong under the same roof because the anger hasn't subsided yet..."

"..."

Miura Tomokazu and Yamaguchi Momoe exchanged a look.

"Naoki-san, Momoe-san and I have always had a great relationship; we've never had a falling out!"

That was a lie!

Even teeth bite the tongue sometimes; how could a couple living together, having experienced so much internal and external pressure, never have argued?

Especially during those years when Miura Tomokazu's career was failing and he was completely dejected.

Even the gentle Akina and Naoki Nagayama had had their spats... though Naoki Nagayama was more mature, deeply understanding the principle that "a happy wife makes a happy home," and always managed to resolve things cleverly.

"Haha~ really?"

Naoki Nagayama didn't expose the couple's attempt to save face in public, instead saying with a smile,

"Then you'll just have to rely on your imagination for the upcoming scenes~"

"In short... the wife who has returned home resumes her role as the mistress of the house and has to accept that her husband has become an 'undertaker'..."

"This underlying resistance and lack of understanding will only improve after she witnesses him performing the funeral rites for relatives and acquaintances..."

Naoki Nagayama gestured for Yamaguchi Momoe to come to the kitchen area while explaining the scene.

"Let's start resuming the role of the mistress by cleaning up the dishes..."

This wasn't Naoki Nagayama looking down on women, but rather the traditional culture of Japan where the husband works outside and the wife manages the home... speaking of the mistress of the house, it was always the image of a housewife.

Even with the flood of feminist ideology, this concept was actually very difficult to change significantly.

You can choose not to marry and be an independent woman, a career woman, or a new-era woman shining in society... but once married, the housewife is expected to cook for her husband, clean, and raise children.

"Hai... I understand."

Yamaguchi Momoe looked at the pile of dishes in the sink and the instant food bags left on the dining table, shaking her head.

"This really is what a bachelor's apartment looks like!"

"..."

This sounded innocent at first, but upon reflection, it implied that Yamaguchi Momoe had seen more than one bachelor's apartment... Naoki Nagayama silently looked at Miura Tomokazu; how did it feel like Yamaguchi Momoe had such a rich experience?

He shook his head, casting the sudden wild speculation out of his mind.

"When filming, Tomokazu-san, you return home to see your wife cleaning the kitchen, you express surprise, and then Momoe-san explains why..."

Naoki Nagayama felt he had explained enough. He scanned the crew and clapped his hands.

"Minasan, prepare to start filming!"

"Hai~~" (xN)

At his word, the crew members, like cogs in a machine, returned to their positions, waiting for the director's next command.

Naoki Nagayama returned to the director's chair and picked up the megaphone.

"Everyone in position... ready..."

"Action!"

The *Departures* crew dove back into filming, while the *Long Vacation* crew, who had returned to the base earlier, were currently not in the park.

They had arrived in Sumida Ward, Tokyo, on the banks of the Sumida River, where lead actors Fukuyama Masaharu and Aoyama Chikako were preparing to film the most classic scene of *Long Vacation*...

Time passed, and night had fallen.

"Kiss!"

Director Nishimoto Tomoyuki was even more excited than the two leads, waving his hands as he directed them.

"Kiss is the soul of a romance drama! Whether a romance drama can be passed down through the ages depends first on the casting, and second on the kiss!!!"

"Years later, audiences might forget the plot of the drama, but the classic kissing scene will remain deeply embedded in their hearts!!!"

Nishimoto Tomoyuki, somewhat carried away, pointed to the nearby Azuma Bridge and said,

"Look at that Azuma Bridge; from now on, this will become a holy site for young couples to come and kiss!"

"..."

Aoyama Chikako shrugged and asked Fukuyama Masaharu beside her, her face teasing,

"Little brother Fukuyama... have you ever kissed anyone?"

"..."

Fukuyama Masaharu's face turned red, but he remained stubborn; after all, being this handsome, he had naturally received confessions during junior high and high school.

"Oh~~~" Aoyama Chikako drew out the sound, "Then I guess there's no need to teach you~"

"Of... of course there isn't!"

Fukuyama Masaharu put on an experienced front.

"I have plenty of experience! I'm very good at kissing!"

"Haha, then I'll have to test that..."

Aoyama Chikako, who was only a year or two older than Fukuyama Masaharu, acted like a seasoned big sister at this moment.

"..." Little brother Fukuyama was teased into silence.

On the other side, Nishimoto Tomoyuki had the crew ready for filming and told Aoyama Chikako and Fukuyama Masaharu to get ready.

"Action!"

In the cool night breeze, the lights on both banks of the Sumida River lit up, and the river surface shimmered with ripples.

Car horns honked in the distance, figures walked by from time to time, and the neon lights of the shops on the opposite bank lit up, casting colorful halos that made the riverbank feel somewhat mesmerizing.

On this bank, a man and a woman in white shirts sat side-by-side on the railing, enjoying the beautiful scenery in the evening breeze.

The atmosphere was just right; the atmosphere was ambiguous.

"Na~"

Fukuyama Masaharu, like a child, lightly bumped his shoulder against Aoyama Chikako's.

"How about we kiss?"

Yes, it was that direct.

Aoyama Chikako thought for two seconds, the corners of her mouth lifting slightly.

"Okay~"

The two looked at each other, and Fukuyama Masaharu, as the younger one, tilted his head first and planted a dragonfly-touch kiss on Aoyama Chikako's lips...

It made Aoyama Chikako laugh... what was this? She didn't feel anything at all.

So she tilted her face and pursed her lips, signaling Fukuyama Masaharu to continue.

A night breeze blew, lifting Aoyama Chikako's hair, making her look incredibly gentle.

Fukuyama Masaharu, after awkwardly glancing to both sides, finally gathered his courage and lightly pressed his lips against hers.

The lingering touch of their lips was the manifestation of two hearts colliding.

After only a few seconds, Fukuyama Masaharu surrendered to the charm of the big sister and actually hid his face in Aoyama Chikako's hair.

"What a long-lost kiss~"

Aoyama Chikako seemed somewhat moved; their first kiss didn't carry too much lust, seeming more like mutual comfort between friends.

At this moment, director Nishimoto Tomoyuki had no intention of calling "cut." He kept his mouth tightly shut, not wanting to make a sound to disturb the atmosphere.

He then waved his hands vigorously to direct the crew's three cameras, filming the scene from the front, left, and right to capture it from all angles.

Of course, through precise calculation, the choice of camera angles was very deliberate, ensuring no bloopers would be captured... they would have to film the background scenery from a distance later anyway.

After a long while...

"Cut!"

Nishimoto Tomoyuki called cut, his face filled with excitement, as if he were the one who had just kissed Aoyama Chikako.

"Great! Fukuyama-kun, Chikako-chan, that was a great performance!"

"The kiss just now had feeling... it was sweet, but also had a sense of innocence... very fitting for the state of the two characters in the drama."

"Believe me, as long as this scene is paired with some background music and editing, it will definitely become a classic scene in romance dramas!"

Aoyama Chikako smiled and quickly pulled herself out of the emotion, while Fukuyama Masaharu beside her seemed still immersed in the scene, looking at Aoyama Chikako with shyness.

Seeing this, Aoyama Chikako laughed.

"You said you were very experienced at the beginning~ Little brother Fukuyama..."

"..."

Fukuyama Masaharu looked at the Sumida River in front of him and had the urge to jump in!

Fortunately, Nishimoto Tomoyuki had already directed the cameras to change positions.

"Alright... Chikako-chan, Fukuyama-kun, one more take... this time we're filming from behind..."

"Hai~~"

It was very late when they left the photography studio in Shibuya.

Fifteen-year-old Miyazawa Rie had already shed the childishness of her childhood, and in her beautiful spring outfit, she looked particularly clear and moving.

However, at this moment, she felt all the muscles in her body calling out in "exhaustion"!

Being a magazine cover model wasn't an easy job; as a fashion model, she had to change into dozens of outfits a day, take thousands of photos, and sometimes hold a pose for over ten minutes...

A whole day of this was no less tiring than running ten thousand meters.

However, Miyazawa Rie was actually quite satisfied with this kind of work. Her salary was deposited in the bank and couldn't be touched until she came of age, but at least compared to her peers, her pocket money was quite high.

And she could live in an apartment specifically for Tree Friend artists with well-known idol artists in the entertainment industry, and have the opportunity to participate in filming commercials, dramas, and movies...

After returning to the apartment and washing up, Miyazawa Rie thought about calling her mother. Even though she knew her mother treated her as a cash cow, the bond of mutual reliance between mother and daughter wasn't so easy to break.

But every time she thought about calling, she would be asked for money, and she hesitated.

Today, that hesitation didn't last long... the apartment phone rang on its own.

After connecting, it was her manager, Kawahara Takeharu.

"Rie-chan, have you rested yet?"

Kawahara Takeharu asked over the phone.

"Not yet..."

Miyazawa Rie shook her head.

"Kawahara-san, has something happened?"

"Hmm... there are some work arrangements I need to discuss with you... is it convenient to come to the lobby?"

The Tree Friend artist-exclusive apartment, jokingly called the "girls' dormitory," didn't allow the opposite sex on the second floor where the female artists lived, but there was a shared lobby on the first floor.

"Hai..."

After arriving at the lobby, Miyazawa Rie saw Kawahara Takeharu sitting on the sofa with some documents on the coffee table in front of him.

"Kawahara-san..." Miyazawa Rie sat on a single sofa to the side. "Is there new work?"

"Not exactly..."

Kawahara Takeharu shook his head, pointing to the documents on the coffee table.

"It's this training plan... it's about your development plan, Rie-chan..."

"Mine?"

Miyazawa Rie took it over, somewhat surprised, and flipped through it roughly...

"Rie-chan is at the right age, so the company will be developing you in the direction of an actress from now on..."

"This year, you will participate in an acting training class to learn how to perform... and then participate in the production of several projects in the second half of the year..."

Kawahara Takeharu's voice suddenly dropped.

"I heard from Inada-san that there will be a drama next year where you'll be the lead actress..."

"Me?!"

Miyazawa Rie opened her eyes wide in surprise. She had filmed *Diary of the Sea*, but she was only a fourth-tier supporting actress in it... and next year, she was going to be the lead actress?!

"Hai... I heard it's a script written by Naoki-san!"

Kawahara Takeharu said with a smile.

"Naoki-san thinks very highly of you, Rie-chan!"

"Naoki-san..."

Naoki Nagayama's handsome face appeared in Miyazawa Rie's mind, though it was somewhat blurry. She didn't actually know Naoki Nagayama very well.

The gap between them was too large, not just in age, but in status... she probably only saw Naoki Nagayama once or twice a year...

"In short... you can take this training plan back and look it over carefully..."

Kawahara Takeharu continued.

"As for the training class, it starts next week..."

Miyazawa Rie had no choice regarding these arrangements; strictly speaking, she could only be considered an idol trainee.

Hearing Kawahara Takeharu's words, she could only nod.

After returning to her room with the documents, Miyazawa Rie's little head couldn't help but wander.

"Naoki-san... why would he think highly of me?"

"He... he wouldn't have any ideas about me, would he?"

Miyazawa Rie had known about her own beauty since she was a child... she was very pretty, as she could tell from the gazes of boys and the fact that she could be on magazine covers at thirteen.

But at this moment, Miyazawa Rie felt somewhat uncertain... because Nakamori Akina was at her peak at this time, and her beauty was absolutely not inferior to anyone else's...

"Naoki-san..."

Miyazawa Rie murmured to herself, and then thought of Naoki Nagayama's handsome face, a faint blush rising on her cheeks.

"Actually... it wouldn't be impossible..."

(End of chapter)