"I think there's really no issue with your acting when it comes to expressing love."
After discussing the script of The Forbidden Game of Youth with Hoshino Ai for a while, Kitagawa Ryo nodded in approval.
He tapped his finger lightly on a page of the script, then suddenly seemed to remember something and asked:
"By the way, I have an ad shoot next week. If you're interested, Ai, you can come to the set and take a look. If you want to earn some extra money, I can also get you a role."
"Oh, what kind of ad?"
"An ice cream ad. Summer's almost here, right? And you're probably familiar with the brand—it's the same company that had me endorse their toothpaste before."
Kitagawa Ryo stretched his limbs on the sofa, sinking into the soft cushions as he spoke lazily.
"So, a toothpaste company is branching out into ice cream now?"
Hoshino Ai asked, slightly puzzled.
"It's just business expansion. It's not uncommon in the industry. For example, a well-known milk candy brand once launched a toothpaste line under the same name. They're leveraging their brand recognition and their understanding of their audience and potential customers over the years."
"I signed a long-term endorsement deal with them back then. Their main products are various fruit-flavored children's toothpaste. Over the years, they've built up some popularity among kids, so now they want to expand their business and try their hand at kid-friendly ice cream."
Kitagawa Ryo took out his phone and showed Hoshino Ai a few pictures:
"It's something like this. The flavors are named things like Strawberry Bunny, Orange Bear, and Watermelon Kitten."
"They're pretty cute."
Hoshino Ai looked at the pictures of the ice cream samples on Ryo's phone. The ice creams were shaped into adorable animal characters—Strawberry Bunny was a rabbit, Orange Bear was a bear, and the art style was so cute that it almost felt like a shame to eat them.
"Honestly, I'm not too keen on doing this ad."
Kitagawa Ryo patted the head of Ruby, who had snuggled up beside him, adjusted his sitting position, and placed her on his lap.
"Have you seen ice cream ads on TV, Ai? There's always that iconic moment where someone takes a big bite out of the ice cream, right?"
"But I don't really like eating ice cream that way. It feels like my teeth can't handle it."
Hoshino Ai nodded thoughtfully:
"So, you're more of a 'lick the popsicle' kind of person?"
"Wait, there's a divide like that…?"
"Of course. But don't worry, Ryo, I'm also on Team Lick. It feels like you can enjoy it longer that way, stretching out the happiness."
Hoshino Ai patted Kitagawa Ryo's shoulder reassuringly:
"So, what are you going to do for the ad? Take smaller bites?"
"The answer is to get it done in one take."
Kitagawa Ryo explained as he gently stroked Ruby's hair:
"The reason I didn't turn down this ad, aside from being familiar with the company, is that it has a bit of a public welfare aspect to it. Do you remember the movie He Once Lived that I did two years ago?"
At the mention of He Once Lived, Ruby's eyes lit up, but she quickly heard Hoshino Ai say:
"Of course I remember! You were the one who took me to the cinema to watch it. It was my first time going to a movie theater."
Ruby's antenna-like hair drooped slightly as she recalled her own experience—she had watched it with Dr. Goro.
Not that Dr. Gorou was bad or anything. Just a few days ago, she overheard her brother talking to Gorou Amamiya on the phone. It seemed Dr. Gorou had finally become a full-fledged obstetrician.
And a dedicated fan of Kitagawa Ryo.
Because in her previous life, during her final moments, Ruby had given all her memorabilia and merchandise to Gorou Amamiya. She heard he was now using them to recruit new fans.
Though she wasn't sure if playing He Once Lived in a hospital room was a comfort or a blow to the patients.
"Most of the box office revenue from that film was donated to hospitals and the Red Cross through official channels. The donations from fans were handled similarly."
Kitagawa Ryo pulled up Twitter on his phone. Even though it had been over two years since the movie's release, the official Twitter account still posted updates from time to time, sharing verified charity events and fundraisers.
"Because the results back then were quite impressive, both in terms of popularity and social impact, my agency has occasionally taken on public welfare projects for me since then. This time, it's this ad."
Kitagawa Ryo swiped to the next picture:
"This ice cream will have a lottery code printed on the stick. Customers can enter the code on the official website after eating the ice cream to participate in a draw. The first prize is an air conditioner, the second prize is a refrigerator, and the third prize is a whole box of the same flavor."
"When I was a kid, the ice creams I ate only had 'one more stick' printed on them."
Hoshino Ai replied with interest:
"I had really good luck back then. I'd usually get one extra stick out of every two."
"It's essentially a variation of 'one more stick,' just a different way of promoting the product."
Kitagawa Ryo explained with a smile:
"The director for this ad is Gotanda, who I worked with back then. He's finally moved up from assistant director to full director, though he still doesn't have a signature work. Directors like him, who are competent and affordable, are exactly what companies love."
"I'm bringing you to the set, Ai, to help you build connections early. After all, if possible, it's always good for idols to branch out into different fields."
Hoshino Ai nodded in understanding, then reached out and poked Kitagawa Ryo's forehead:
"So that's why you chose Director Gotanda, huh?"
"Exactly."
Kitagawa Ryo said matter-of-factly. He had known Gotanda for years, so he could confidently make that judgment.
"Just like on stage, Ai, you have to be able to capture the audience's attention. While I know quite a few more famous directors in the industry, they're unlikely to give a newcomer like you a significant role. At best, you'd get a minor part."
"And if a minor character stands out too much, your scenes might get cut in post-production."
"So, you'd need at least a supporting role, like a female lead's best friend."
Kitagawa Ryo paused slightly here:
"That leaves low-budget art films and public welfare films."
"And Director Gotanda happens to be an expert in that area."
Hoshino Ai enjoyed the feeling of someone thoughtfully considering her future, or rather, the two of them sketching out their future together.
And in every tomorrow he painted, she was always there.
She wanted to express the feelings in her heart, but in the end, Hoshino Ai said something playful instead:
"After all, he's cheap and reliable… right?"
She thought she had gotten used to speaking this way, but in front of Kitagawa Ryo, it still felt uncomfortable. This emotion was almost suffocating, stuck in her chest.
"Hello, I'm Hoshino Ai from Berry Pro. Thank you for having me today."
"Recommended by Kitagawa, huh…"
Taishi Gotanda glanced up and casually waved his hand. He stood up, rolling the thin script in his hand into a tube:
"Have you read the script?"
"Yes, Director Gotanda."
Hoshino Ai nodded earnestly.
"An idol… who's dabbled in theater, and what else? A fashion magazine model… a guest on some obscure variety show—"
Taishi Gotanda pulled out his phone and glanced at the resume Kitagawa Ryo had sent him. He rubbed his forehead with the script, looking a bit exasperated:
"You've got no on-camera experience at all, do you? That kid Kitagawa's making me train another rookie."
"Well, I've been on camera before…"
"Those don't count. It's a completely different thing. Whether it's theater, idol work, or being a guest on a variety show, the stage is fixed, and so are the camera angles."
Taishi Gotanda stroked the messy stubble on his chin:
"But looking at it another way, the fact that Kitagawa sent you straight to me means he must see something in you."
"By the way, what's your relationship with him?"
"We've known each other for a while… friends?"
Hoshino Ai felt a bit pressured by the director. It was a different kind of pressure compared to what she felt from Masaya Kaburagi or Toshirou Kindaichi.
"Friends—alright, let's see your basics first."
Taishi Gotanda patted the camera equipment beside him:
"We're on a tight schedule and a low budget, so we only have two cameras on set. This one next to me is one of them."
"Your first task is to perform in front of this area without looking at the camera."
"Let's see—there's a running scene in the script. Run from here to there."
Though she wasn't entirely sure what Director Gotanda was aiming for, Hoshino Ai obediently stood in the designated area and began running as instructed.
"Cut!"
But after just a few steps, Hoshino Ai heard Director Gotanda's voice.
"You ran out of the camera frame."
Taishi Gotanda clicked his tongue, took out a cigarette from his pocket, and habitually put it in his mouth. But then, remembering Hoshino Ai was present, he reluctantly put it back.
"If you want to become a real actor, you need to develop a strong sense of where the camera is. You can't run out of the frame, but you also can't look directly at the camera or search for it. You have to rely on your instincts and the camera's movement to calculate your position and adjust accordingly."
"This is what we call 'blocking.' Simply put, it's about not looking at the camera while staying within its frame."
Hoshino Ai nodded in understanding:
"I'll practice some more then."
"Yeah, I guess that's why Kitagawa had you come early."
Taishi Gotanda shook his head helplessly, but thinking about how Kitagawa had promised to lower his fee for a future project, he felt this wasn't so bad after all.
The middle-aged man leaned back in his chair, watching Hoshino Ai continuously adjust her position and movements on set, a thoughtful expression on his face.
Setting aside her messy resume and Kitagawa's recommendation, Taishi Gotanda could indeed see potential in her.
"By the way, Director Gotanda, can I ask where Ryo went?"
After practicing for a while, Hoshino Ai wiped the sweat from her forehead and asked Taishi Gotanda, who was standing by the camera.
"I sent him to handle the kids."
Taishi Gotanda yawned:
"There are a lot of kids in the ad script, even though they only have two scenes."
He continued complaining:
"I don't know if the screenwriter watched too much Ultraman and wanted to 'become light,' but they insisted on having a scene with kids running together. Do they have any idea how hard it is to manage a bunch of kids on set?"
Taishi Gotanda scratched his ear as he spoke:
"The sooner we finish, the sooner we can wrap up. Otherwise, I won't be able to sleep peacefully in a couple of days."
"Keep practicing. We start in an hour. Let's aim to get it done in one take."
"Isn't it said that most of Kitagawa Ryo's fanbase is made up of moms? Why does he seem so popular with kids too?"
Watching Kitagawa Ryo, who was surrounded by a group of twenty or so seven- and eight-year-olds, telling stories and occasionally performing some martial arts moves that elicited gasps of amazement, a crew member couldn't help but ask his colleague.
These kids were mostly extras they had recruited from the area. With Kitagawa Ryo's child star legend still fresh, many parents in Tokyo secretly harbored dreams of their own children becoming overnight stars. So, they were more than happy to send their kids to participate in this ad shoot.
After all, they'd get paid, and their kids might even appear on TV.
"Hah, have you not been watching this season's tokusatsu shows?"
"I stopped watching Kamen Rider after I turned thirty-five."
"That explains it. It's actually kind of funny."
The other crew member chuckled before explaining:
"Ryo played the childhood version of the main character in this year's tokusatsu series. His role wasn't big—just a few scenes in flashbacks."
"But as the show went on, the audience started to riot."
"Because the actor playing the grown-up version of the main character couldn't live up to Ryo's childhood looks."
"It was pretty brutal. It felt like… he'd grown up badly."
"People online started saying that the only one who could play the grown-up version was Ryo himself."
Hearing this, the previously puzzled crew member couldn't help but laugh:
"That's just bad luck."
As the two chatted, a little girl hurried over, panting:
"Has… has it started yet?"
It was like a fairy tale.
Life isn't a fairy tale, but everyone hopes for a fairy-tale-like story to unfold.
MEM-Cho still hoped that luck would fall upon her family like a fairy tale.
She wasn't asking for the first prize in the ad.
The third prize would be enough. She just hoped it wouldn't be Orange Bear. Watermelon Pig would be even better.
Kids don't understand the allure of artificial sweeteners and additives.
MEM Cho only knew that her younger brothers, two or three years her junior, had never tasted watermelon before.
"You're one of the extras, right, MEM Cho? Huh, you've even got a stage name."
The crew member flipped through his notes, his tone teasing, and pointed toward Kitagawa Ryo:
"We're starting soon. Go over there and get ready."
"Okay, thank you, sir."
MEM-Cho politely thanked him, wiped the sweat from her forehead, and carefully tucked her handkerchief back into her pocket.
The set was ready. The ad's plot wasn't complicated.
Three siblings from a poor family wanted to buy a birthday gift for their mother, so they asked the local ice cream shop owner if they could work for him. To avoid being recognized by their mother, they wore animal costumes corresponding to the ice cream flavors: a rabbit, a bear, and a kitten.
Because the costumes were so cute, all the kids in the neighborhood came to buy ice cream. After working hard all day in the summer heat, the trio received their pay and were about to leave when the shop owner gave them each an extra ice cream as a bonus.
The trio wanted to take the ice creams home to share with their mother, but by the time they bought the gift and ran home, the ice creams had half-melted. Though their mother was heartbroken, she was deeply moved by her children's thoughtfulness, and the four of them ate the half-melted ice creams together.
Finally, the ad cut to the lottery promotion.
The second brother, played by Kitagawa Ryo, won the first prize with the code on his ice cream stick.
The story ended with a brand-new air conditioner being delivered to their mother's room.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hey everyone!Hope you're all doing great 😊 Just wanted to say a big thank you for all the love and support lately — it really means a lot!
I've made a small update to the release schedule:👉 Instead of weekly uploads, I'll now be dropping 3 chapters every 4 days to keep things more exciting and consistent.
Also, if you want to read ahead, I've got 10+ advanced chapters waiting for you on Patreon!Check it out here: [patreon.com/Fanfable]
Thanks again for being awesome 💖