When Yuan Chuan You pushed the half-finished manuscript of Love Letter in front of Kato Arashi, the female president, known for her composure, visibly raised an eyebrow, a flash of surprise in her eyes.
"This is..."
"It's a novel I'm writing. I've just finished the first half," Yuan Chuan You said calmly. "Words are ultimately limited. You can start by reading the story."
"A novel you wrote?"
Kato Arashi couldn't help but recall the young man's earlier statement—Johnny & Associates can't possibly control all of Japan—and her curiosity was immediately piqued.
"What kind of story is it?"
"A romance novel. The theme is unrequited love."
Yuan Chuan You smiled faintly. "As the president of the agency, I'm sure Kato-san can judge whether this story is good or not."
"Alright, let me have a look."
At that moment, the agent beside them, Nakahara Kazuya, could no longer contain himself. He walked briskly to Yuan Chuan You's side, and together, they watched Kato Arashi flip through the pages. The only sound in the office was the soft rustle of paper.
Opening the notebook, a story set in a snow country slowly unfolded before the female president.
...
Watanabe Hiroko lay on the snow, flakes landing on her eyelashes.
The letter she had sent to heaven had unexpectedly received a reply. The girl who shared the same name as her late fiancé wrote in her letter:
"My name is also Fujii Itsuki."
Two people named Fujii Itsuki were, it turned out, the real protagonists of this story.
The boy, Fujii Itsuki, loved to slip library cards into books no one read, filling them with the name "Fujii Itsuki."
The girl, Fujii Itsuki, thought it was just a prank by someone with the same name, until twenty years later, in a pile of old books in her alma mater's library, she found that copy of Proust's In Search of Lost Time.
When she turned over the yellowed library card, she found a pencil sketch on the back—a profile of her face from her middle school days.
To her shock, the librarian brought out an entire box of library cards.
"We called it the Fujii Itsuki whirlwind. That boy left his name in every single book nobody ever borrowed."
Every single library card had "Fujii Itsuki" written on it.
The girl finally understood. He had never been writing his own name; he had been calling out to her, over and over again.
...
The first half of Love Letter was only about fifty to sixty thousand characters long. Kato Arashi finished reading it in less than an hour.
But after she finished, she didn't speak immediately. Instead, she gently touched the corner of her eye.
The plot had no earth-shattering twists, but like tea slowly steeping in warm water, it gradually seeped into one's heart.
The unrequited love hidden in the details, the moments of unspoken words, the secret feelings that only one person could understand—it was all written so vividly, as if one could smell the warmth of days gone by.
After a long while, Kato Arashi finally looked up, her gaze falling on Yuan Chuan You. The young man stood straight and tall, his handsome face holding a calm smile, showing no trace of anxiety or unease. It was as if he was already certain of the outcome.
"Did you really write this book?"
"Yes."
"What do you plan to name it?"
"Love Letter."
"Love Letter?"
Kato Arashi repeated the name, then nodded. "A good name. It fits perfectly."
She stood up, walked to the window, and pushed it open. Fresh air immediately rushed in, dispelling the oppressive atmosphere in the office.
"Yuan Chuan, how much longer will you need to finish this book?"
"I don't have any roles to film now. If I focus solely on writing at home, I can probably finish the ending in about a week."
Yuan Chuan You thought back on Johnny & Associates' 'blacklisting' operation, and a faint smile touched his lips.
49 is a drama funded by Johnny & Associates. It would indeed be very easy for them to kick someone with only a few episodes' worth of scenes off the show.
However, if filming were to continue, the script would need to be rewritten. The screenwriters on set are probably cursing up a storm right now.
"Alright, I'll give you one week. During this time, don't pay any attention to the noise online. Just focus on writing at home."
"After you've finished, we'll contact people at publishing houses and begin making the necessary preparations."
Kato Arashi was very familiar with Johnny & Associates' tactics and immediately began planning the next steps.
"The noise online?"
Yuan Chuan You was a little confused.
"Heh, you don't actually think Johnny & Associates will simply stop you from getting work, do you?"
Kato Arashi turned and leaned against the windowsill, her tone laced with a hint of coldness.
"They have a whole army of professional online marketers on their payroll. As soon as the 49 production team releases an announcement about the cast change, your name will be dragged through the mud with all sorts of fabricated scandals."
No sooner had she finished speaking than Nakahara Kazuya, standing nearby, hissed sharply and pulled out his phone with a grave expression.
"It's already out. They move fast..."
#YuanChuanYouConfirmedPrimaDonna#
An anonymous source claimed that Yuan Chuan You was repeatedly late on the set of 49, scoffed at the director's instructions, and even hid in a corner of the set refusing to film because he wasn't happy with a prop.
There were even several fake chat log screenshots circulating, showing an account under 'Yuan Chuan You's' name verbally abusing staff members in an extremely arrogant tone.
In addition to these false negative reports, Johnny & Associates' online army was also posting exaggerated messages and comments under various news articles.
For example: [I always knew he was a bad person, but I never thought it was this bad!], [Yuan Chuan You, get out of the entertainment industry!], [No wonder Johnny's didn't want him. He has no talent at all, just bullies the staff.]
Watching these comments multiply, Nakahara Kazuya's expression turned very ugly.
He glanced at the expressionless Yuan Chuan You and couldn't help but offer some comfort. "It's okay, Yuan Chuan. Once your novel is published, these rumors will naturally disappear."
"Don't worry. These tricks can't affect me."
Yuan Chuan You smiled faintly. These tactics were far too childish to have any effect on his mood.
"You can still smile at a time like this?"
Nakahara Kazuya's eyes widened, and he said irritably, "Aren't you afraid of becoming an artist everyone wants to shun?"
"Of course not. I just think Johnny & Associates' actions are a bit foolish."
"You..."
Just as Nakahara Kazuya was left speechless, Kato Arashi had been quietly observing Yuan Chuan You.
Seeing the young man remain so composed in the face of this media storm, the admiration in the female president's eyes deepened. She walked over, patted Yuan Chuan You on the shoulder, and spoke with gravity.
"Yuan Chuan-kun, your task now is to focus on your writing. Leave the rest to us."
"I understand."
"Remember what I just said. Since your reasoning has successfully convinced me, the agency will do everything in its power to protect you this time."
"Once you get through this, I will upgrade your management contract to the highest tier, and Nakahara will become your dedicated agent!"
"This promise is absolute. I trust that you will deliver results that satisfy me."
"Ok."
Note: The protagonist's name will be changed to Michiya Gōshin.
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