Chapter 624: It

The pattering drizzle had fallen quietly while people were fast asleep, landing on the bamboo leaves around the Cherry Blossom Courtyard. The rustling, soothing sound was like a massage for taut nerves, allowing people to unfurl their brows even in their dreams.

In the early morning, the night rain brought a fresh, cool dampness that surged in through the half-open window, gently brushing against the exposed shoulders on the bed, causing the sleeping person to subconsciously shrink their body and reach out toward the warmth beside them.

Naoki Nagayama felt a cool arm probe into his chest and opened his eyes in a daze... Akina, in his arms, burrowed a bit closer to him, even letting out a soft murmur.

Fluffy hair buried Akina's face, with only a glimpse of her delicate features visible. Beneath her slender neck, rounded shoulders were exposed from her loose pajamas, looking dazzlingly white in the morning light~

His right arm, which had been used as a pillow all night, was somewhat numb, but he could still barely lift it to stroke the shoulder exposed to the air.

The sensations of cool and warmth came from his palm simultaneously; for a moment, he couldn't tell if it was the illusion of blood circulation or the haziness of just waking up...

However... it was indeed time to get up~

"Akina?" Naoki Nagayama rubbed her rounded shoulder. "Time to get up!"

Yet the person in his arms was like an ostrich, burying her head even deeper~

"Didn't we agree that we were going out to play all day today?" Naoki Nagayama was already fully awake, reminding his girlfriend who refused to get up.

"..."

The two of them, having finally gotten up, washed up and went downstairs to start making breakfast. The wheat aroma of toasted bread and the savory scent of bacon grease permeated the kitchen. A simple Western-style breakfast felt incredibly satisfying because it was eaten with someone they loved.

"It looks like it's going to rain all day today!" Akina mumbled while biting into a slice of bread. The weather outside the window was gloomy and dim, and the continuous drizzle seemed as if it would never stop.

"The rainy season is here, I suppose~"

Naoki Nagayama also glanced outside and then said, "But since it's raining today, does Akina still want to go shopping?"

"Of course! It's only more convenient when it's raining!" Akina Nakamori's small face was full of seriousness. "It's precisely because it's raining that there will be very few people out shopping, so the risk of being discovered will be reduced to a minimum."

"And on a rainy day like this, even the paparazzi can't take very clear photos... That's why I can go out openly and honestly with Naoki-san..."

Although it sounded very reasonable, Akina, don't you know that there are people who specialize in taking photos of rainy scenes? With fewer people in the mall, wouldn't attention be even more focused?

However, listening to his girlfriend's enthusiastic tone, Naoki Nagayama didn't refute anything; after all, they had already planned it last night.

At most... they'd just spend a little more on public relations~

Anyway, as long as the parties involved don't admit it... anything can be fake~

Shopping in the morning, having a big meal at noon, then watching a movie together in the afternoon and stopping by an arcade for some fun... dates in the Showa era were actually just that simple and unadorned~

Things like traveling to scenic spots, hiking, soaking in hot springs, or watching the sunrise were truly impractical for top-tier idols stealing a moment of leisure.

Going shopping didn't necessarily mean going to central commercial streets like Shinjuku, which were filled with department stores and high-end shops. Tokyo had many popular streets, and Naoki Nagayama and Akina Nakamori chose to come to an old neighborhood full of downtown charm.

Yanaka Ginza shopping street is located in "Yanesen" in Bunkyo Ward, a traditional old neighborhood in Tokyo.

Emerging from the west exit of Nippori, Naoki Nagayama was uncharacteristically a bit nervous because, at this moment, he and Akina were sharing only one umbrella, and his girlfriend was charmingly hugging his arm, pressed tightly against his side.

"Akina... Daijoubu? If we get photographed like this, we won't be able to explain anything, will we!"

With such an intimate attitude, even if the agency made excuses and the parties involved didn't admit it, there would be no way around it.

"Naoki-san, hold the umbrella a bit lower, we definitely won't be photographed!"

Akina Nakamori felt nervous inside, and also a bit of excitement, but mostly sweetness. Going out shopping openly and honestly with her boyfriend, leaning against each other affectionately, was something she had always wanted to do.

Perhaps there was even a little wishful thinking in her heart: if they were photographed, would that mean they were officially dating publicly?!

In any case, with such complex feelings, Akina hugged her boyfriend's arm and walked toward the shopping street.

Yanaka Ginza is hailed as a treasure trove for eating while walking. Delicious food and desserts are distributed on both sides of the street. The two, having just started shopping, soon had a famous "Yanaka Senbei" in their hands.

The soy sauce-flavored rice cracker had a crisp texture, and there were even sweet matcha-flavored ones; it even made one feel like they were eating Wang Wang Snow Rice Crackers...

Watching Akina eat was very interesting. After taking a bite, her lips would close, relying entirely on her teeth to grind slowly. Her bulging cheeks expanded and contracted, looking exactly like a hamster eating.

"Naoki-san~"

The little girlfriend noticed the playfulness in her boyfriend's eyes and angrily grabbed Naoki Nagayama's hand, taking a bite of the cheese squid pancake from another snack shop in his hand...

Yanaka Ginza is also known as Cat Street. There are many cat sculptures and paintings on the street, but when it rains, these guys hide under eaves or culverts to avoid the rain, and their figures can't be seen.

In the fine drizzle, there were actually still many people shopping in Yanaka Ginza, but the water mist splashed by raindrops hitting the umbrella surface surrounded the people inside in a faint mist. If one didn't look closely, it was impossible to tell them apart, so the two could still move slowly while eating delicious food.

"Naoki-san, what do you think of this bamboo bookmark?" In a bamboo craft shop, Akina Nakamori held up a very special handicraft and asked.

"Very exquisite." Naoki Nagayama leaned in to look at the pattern. "It looks like a watercolor painting."

"It's really quite nice, isn't it! Naoki-san, don't you have a lot of books? It's perfect to use as a bookmark when reading!" Akina Nakamori said, picking out several to have them packed up.

How should he put it? Although it wasn't expensive, receiving a gift from his girlfriend gave him the illusion of being a kept man. If she continued to buy things for him later, this "kept man" life would definitely be fragrant and soft...

While Naoki Nagayama was on a date with his girlfriend, the film crew over at Yin Tangxiu's side was extremely busy.

"Finally, we've waited for this rain!"

Yin Tangxiu looked at the weather outside and sighed. *After the Rain*, as the name suggests, had many plot points related to rain, and many of them were important emotional nodes.

They had previously used methods like fire hoses, but that kind of artificial rain clearly couldn't be compared to natural rain. It was fine for individual shots, but if the scene was pulled back, it completely lacked that feeling.

Xiao Sen Xiaoshen Zhengxiao leaned over and agreed: "Yeah, when it rains, psychological defenses become fragile, and emotions in the heart are easier to vent... That's why it's a good time for a confession! (Single dogs, take note, this is an exam point!)"

"That also makes a lot of sense~" Yin Tangxiu nodded and then asked, "Are the actors ready?"

"Hai, we notified them in advance yesterday, and everyone is aware of the changes to today's scenes." Xiao Sen Xiaoshen Zhengxiao said to Yin Tangxiu.

"That's good~"

Yin Tangxiu looked at the busy crowd. "The daytime scenes today are about the same as usual, but the evening scenes are very important. Everyone will have to work overtime~"

"Hai!" Xiao Sen Xiaoshen Zhengxiao agreed and went to continue communicating with other crew members.

The scenes filmed during the day were mostly interior shots of a restaurant. Wu Fu, playing the manager, looked very troubled when facing the peeking and deliberate closeness of the high school girl, but he also carried a trace of smugness.

"Wu Fu-san, you need to avoid eye contact with Xun-chan, but you can't look like you're afraid!"

Yin Tangxiu had to remind him after calling "Cut!" once.

"Your psychology should first be surprise, then secret joy and smugness, and finally anxiety and distress... These changes in mindset must be expressed in this one shot!!!"

This sentence made Wu Fu's mouth twitch. Five psychological states in one shot?! What do you think I am? A Best Actor?!

"Ahem, Xiu-san, as the director, can you explain it?"

"Eh?"

This suddenly left Yin Tangxiu a bit stumped. You're the actor, aren't you!

However, at this time, he couldn't back down as a director! Otherwise, he wouldn't be able to hold down this group of actors! After all, he wasn't the kind of director who didn't say anything and relied entirely on actors performing hundreds of takes before choosing one.

"Alright, since you've asked me with such sincerity, I'll demonstrate a little."

Yin Tangxiu was, after all, a legitimate graduate of the Directing Department of Tokyo University of the Arts, and he had studied the theory of performance layers.

"First, be startled by a sudden movement like an ordinary person." Yin Tangxiu revealed a startled expression.

"Afterward, seeing that it's the youthful and beautiful Xun-chan, feel secret joy." Yin Tangxiu's mouth corners lifted slightly, then quickly calmed down, and his brows began to furrow slightly. "But then think of the age gap between the two and your own situation..."

"Finally, press the corners of your eyes slightly, with an expression of emotion and distress..."

Yin Tangxiu demonstrated while telling Wu Fu all the key points of the performance.

"So, Wu Fu-san, do you understand now!"

Wu Fu, listening to Yin Tangxiu's explanation, furrowed his brows and only said after a long time: "Xiu-san, I heard your words clearly, but... what were you doing with all that grimacing just now?"

"..." Yin Tangxiu was silent for a while. "It was to relax my facial muscles... keeping a straight face for so long, my face was a bit numb..."

"Souka, then I'll practice according to the points Xiu-san just mentioned."

"Mm, go ahead!"

Fortunately, when the two were talking, no other staff members were listening, otherwise his Yin Tangxiu's face would have fallen into the mud today!

Wu Fu, as a professional actor, quickly practiced the performance movements and performed very well in the subsequent filming process, earnestly expressing the daily life between the middle-aged man and the young girl.

And as time ticked away, the sky over Tokyo quietly darkened. Gradually, the billboards of shops along the street lit up, and the streetlights also lit up at some moment.

The streets of Tokyo in the rain curtain flickered with colorful neon lights, appearing blurry and illusory in the water vapor, like an unreal dream.

After watching Hayao Miyazaki's latest animated film *Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind*, Naoki Nagayama and Akina Nakamori found an arcade to kill time.

Although there were machines like pachinko, the arcade wasn't a shop specializing in pachinko, and other arcade games were the main attraction.

In this era, those who went to arcades weren't elementary school students; instead, they were mostly young people in their twenties... Arcade games were a very trendy thing, and plus, the penetration rate wasn't very high, so elementary school students didn't have enough pocket money to spend.

Because of the rain, the arcade seemed even livelier, but Naoki Nagayama and Akina Nakamori weren't worried about causing a sensation. While watching the movie, the two had used stickers from the merchandise to stick on their faces, and with the special merchandise hats, their original appearances were completely unrecognizable.

"Ma Liao Bros.!"

Naoki Nagayama sighed as he looked at one of the arcade games. These two guys who went down the sewers had just appeared in the arcade, and in his previous life, the big movie had just come out!

"Naoki-san, are you very familiar with this game?" Akina Nakamori leaned over, not understanding the strange pixelated screen.

"Ah! It's very interesting... you get bigger when you eat mushrooms~"

Naoki Nagayama took out game coins to prepare to challenge the journey to save the princess, and Akina Nakamori joined in from the side.

And so, very quickly...

"Naoki-san, save me!" The Luigi that Akina was controlling was bitten to death by a turtle again...

"Hahaha~"

Naoki Nagayama was just about to mock her, and then his Ma Liao was also bitten to death by a turtle...

This must be because of the arcade in this era; it's completely different from the memories of the future! You know, Naoki Nagayama hadn't even used the cheat code!

Up, up, down, down, left, right, left, right, B, A, B, A, B, A... If I used this cheat code, I would definitely be able to finish the game with one coin!

He had a great time playing in the arcade with Akina, spending all the game coins bought with 10,000 yen. In the end, they even chose souvenirs at the front desk... but this must have been a gift from the arcade owner seeing the consumption amount!

When they went out, the sky had already darkened. Akina Nakamori walked slowly on the road, holding Naoki Nagayama's arm, suddenly not wanting to speak, just wanting to keep walking.

However... her stomach seemed to disagree.

"Akina, shall we go to a restaurant for dinner?" Naoki Nagayama asked.

"I don't want to~" Akina drew out her voice. "We already had a big meal at noon... I want to eat food made at home tonight."

"Then... shall we go to the supermarket to pick ingredients?"

"Okay! It's been a long time since I've had croquettes! I want to eat croquettes made by myself tonight!"

Naoki Nagayama shook his head listening to Akina Nakamori's simple wish. As expected, his girlfriend was very easy to raise!

The two walked toward the Toyota Century parked on the side of the road. They had been running around all day today, and their exercise volume had reached the standard. It was estimated that they could eat several croquettes for dinner~ ===== CHAPTER 625 =====