On the set of We Made a Beautiful Bouquet, the afternoon sunlight spilled through the high windows, carving out an interplay of light and shadow across the cable-strewn floor.
Fine dust motes floated in the air, mixing with the smell of equipment heat dissipation and the faint aroma of coffee, creating a creative atmosphere that was both focused and slightly restless.
Director Doi had just yelled "Cut," ending the previous scene where [Hachiya Kinu] was hunting for records in a secondhand shop. He rubbed the slightly prickly stubble on his chin, stared thoughtfully at the monitor for a moment, and then waved his hand.
"Michiya-kun, and Kurokawa-san, could you come over for a moment?"
Director Doi pushed up the black-framed glasses on the bridge of his nose, the eyes behind the lenses flashing with excitement.
"Let's talk about the key scenes coming up next. The sequence where [Hachiya Kinu] and [Yamane Mugi] go from meeting each other to discovering their startlingly similar 'soul resonance'."
Michiya Gōshin and Kurokawa Akane walked over to the director as requested. Several supporting actors who had scenes with them also gathered around curiously, hoping to absorb some nutrients from the exchange between the leads and the director.
Not far away, Asakura Toru, who had just finished her few minutes of screen time and hadn't yet removed her makeup or changed, as well as Kato Megumi, who remained quietly in the logistics area like a shadow ready to handle any request, also cast their gazes toward this temporary core of creativity.
Director Doi pointed to the close-up on the monitor—a replay of Kurokawa Akane's surprised profile when she discovered a favorite vinyl record in the shop—and then pulled up the sample footage of Michiya Gōshin filming city scenery on the pedestrian bridge earlier. He spoke slowly.
"We all know that the skeleton of this movie is these two young people, [Hachiya Kinu] and [Yamane Mugi]. They seem ordinary but are rich inside. Because of those amazing commonalities—niche literature, movies, music—they rapidly draw closer, as if finding the only person in this vast sea of people who can decipher their soul's code. This ecstasy of finding 'another me in the world' is the most moving and critical emotional cornerstone of the first half of the story."
"But..."
He paused deliberately, his gaze patrolling between Michiya Gōshin and Kurokawa Akane with a guiding intent.
"Our performance cannot stop at the surface level of 'liking the same things.' That sense of resonance needs to be deeper, and we even need to bury some imperceptible cracks."
"Michiya-kun, you are the creator of this story, and your understanding of the characters is unmatched. Tell us, what do you think about this seemingly perfect resonance between [Hachiya Kinu] and [Yamane Mugi]?"
In the next moment, all eyes instantly focused on Michiya Gōshin.
He lowered his eyelids slightly, his thick lashes casting a small shadow beneath his eyes, as if gathering his thoughts. When he looked up again, those always gentle eyes had become exceptionally deep and lucid, carrying a kind of gentle calmness.
"Director Doi has indeed asked the most core question."
Michiya Gōshin spoke. His voice was clear and steady; in the relatively quiet set, every word was distinct.
"[Hachiya Kinu] and [Yamane Mugi] were indeed initially shocked and attracted by that amazing similarity. They both like to use movie ticket stubs as bookmarks, they both favor the same neglected stage actor, and even their ways of thinking are so similar."
"So, when we are all lonely people, finding such a mirror-like existence in these years of youth... that ecstasy of 'finally being understood' and the certainty that 'this person is unique' is absolutely real and intense."
He changed the direction of the conversation, injecting a trace of nearly cruel sobriety into his voice.
"But I believe that this resonance, established on the foundation of 'communicating through things created by others,' actually possesses a congenital fragility."
As soon as these words came out, not only did Director Doi's eyes suddenly light up, but even Kurokawa Akane held her breath slightly, staring at him with increased focus. The surrounding actors, including Asakura Toru, revealed expressions ranging from surprise to deep thought. After all, besides being an actor, Michiya Gōshin was also a writer.
Michiya Gōshin continued to elaborate. His words were unhurried, yet they carried a power that pierced through the human heart.
"[Hachiya Kinu] and [Yamane Mugi]... their initial deep communication is largely completed through lines from books they both like, discussing movie plots they've seen, and sharing feelings about music they've heard."
"It's as if they are conversing using a codebook meticulously constructed by third-party cultural symbols. This resonance is passionate, beautiful, and intoxicating, but it may inadvertently avoid the deeper, direct collision and friction belonging to their own souls."
He made a simple gesture, cupping his hands together, trying to express this abstract concept more vividly.
"Imagine this: once the external environment changes, once they leave the fortress constructed by these 'common points' they believe they rely on to be closely connected... When the pressure of reality hits like a mountain, when they need to face trivial daily necessities, when the trajectories of life begin to show inevitable divergences due to employment and growth, when there is no longer ample time and state of mind to immerse themselves in this utopia constructed by arts..."
"That intense resonance, which once made them feel the other was 'fate's only answer,' will decay at a heartbreaking speed, perhaps even revealing the hollowness that might exist beneath it."
His voice was not loud, yet it seemed to carry a magical quality that awakened the deaf.
"Because what they love might not just be the person themselves, but the reflection in which they can clearly see all their own projected preferences and thoughts. It is the immense comfort of thinking, 'So I am not the only strange soul in this world.'"
"When the external environment and common interests supporting this comfort gradually dissipate or change, when they are no longer perfect mirrors of each other's spiritual worlds, that sense of destined certainty will waver."
"This is why their love is like a carefully gathered bouquet. When it blooms, it is extremely brilliant and overflowing with fragrance, but eventually, it is difficult to avoid the fate of withering. Because from the start, its roots never truly struck into the most unique, most resilient soil of each other's souls."
"This is the origin of the story's name, We Made a Beautiful Bouquet."
After he finished speaking, the set fell into a profound silence.
Everyone was attracted and shocked by Michiya Gōshin's profound and unique analysis. Kurokawa Akane looked at him, feeling as if her heart had been gently bumped by something, and then it began to beat faster uncontrollably.
She had long known that Michiya Gōshin was overflowing with talent, but what he displayed at this moment was not just the ability to create moving stories, but a profound insight into human nature and the essence of emotional relationships.
This rational wisdom, combined with his profile—currently immersed in thought, focused, serious, and even carrying a trace of divine radiance—emitted a near-fatal attraction.
She felt her breathing become light and slow. An emotion mixing strong admiration, deep resonance, and uncontrollable affection surged in her heart like a tide.
Standing to the side, Director Doi suddenly slapped his thigh, his face full of the excitement and flush of finding a kindred spirit.
"Brilliant! That was spoken too brilliantly!"
"Michiya-kun, your words have thoroughly illuminated the hidden spiritual core of this movie. We need this sobriety, this cognition that even carries a bit of cruelty. When we are filming, especially in the first half, we cannot only act out the ecstasy of meeting and the sweetness of souls being illuminated. We must also create the premonition hidden beneath this extreme sweetness."
"This is... what a true actor should think about."
Hearing this sentence, the surrounding actors also revealed expressions of realization and enlightenment, exchanging whispers, their gazes toward Michiya Gōshin filled with admiration.
Asakura Toru stood slightly on the periphery of the crowd, her hands tightly clasped in front of her. She looked at Michiya Gōshin, who was talking eloquently in the center of the crowd like a luminous body, radiating rational wisdom and unique charm. In her eyes, aside from the unchanging warmth, a unique longing was added.
Sure enough... I still want to get closer to him.
Kato Megumi remained standing there quietly, like an expressionless sculpture. Through Michiya Gōshin's explanation of the plot, she simply confirmed once again with incomparable clarity that the depth and complexity of the inner world of the person she had chosen were far beyond the reach of ordinary people, and far from being as gentle and simple as he appeared on the surface.
Therefore, staying here herself was the most important thing.
After Michiya Gōshin's explanation concluded, the atmosphere on the set was revitalized.
Filming continued.
In front of the lens, [Hachiya Kinu] and [Yamane Mugi], played by them, carried a trace of nighttime laziness and the uncontrollable excitement of finding a "fellow creature," walking on the street at night while holding things.
"Although I also like Amiko..."
"Picnic, I like that one!"
"Ah! That book really has an impact!"
Michiya Gōshin's voice carried the joy of sharing, his eyes shining as if he had found someone he identified with.
"Yes, it seems Imamura-sensei hasn't released a new book since then."
Kurokawa Akane's response was equally fast. Clearly, they had just met, but their chatterbox seemed to have had a switch pressed, and they suddenly couldn't stop.
"I really want to read Imamura-sensei's new work!"
Their dialogue was natural and smooth, their exchange of gazes filled with the surprise and heat of discovering a new continent. That feeling of instantly breaking the boundaries of strangers and rapidly closing the distance because of common hobbies was portrayed vividly by the two.
"Cut! Good! Very good!"
Director Doi stared at the monitor and shouted with satisfaction, even unable to resist clapping.
"That's the feeling! Hold onto it! That subtle uncertainty within the sweetness is too precise."
The scene was filmed smoothly, entering a short break time.
Michiya Gōshin walked to a relatively quiet corner at the side, picked up his thermos, and took a sip of water, but his heart was somewhat difficult to calm. While performing just now, he clearly felt that his understanding of the character Yamane Mugi had deepened another layer.
Glancing at the System, the Experience gain was indeed substantial.
[Production Queue 1: Proficient Sheng-Tai-Xing-Biao]
[Experience: 88/100]
[Experience: 89/100]
[Experience: 90/100]
Aside from the System's Experience growth, Michiya Gōshin also felt that his capture of some subtle emotions had become more precise. This wasn't just the ability to deliver lines accurately; he felt he had already touched the inner emotions of the character.
[Newcomer Actor (Green)] + [All Living Things (White)] + [Proficient Sheng-Tai-Xing-Biao (Green)] = [Lead-Level Acting (Purple)]
"Once I obtain [Lead-Level Acting], I'll definitely have even more insights."
Michiya Gōshin touched his hair, a faint smile appearing on his face.
Just then, a wave of elegant fragrance carrying a hint of sweetness quietly approached. It was Kurokawa Akane.
Both were leads, so they had separate rest rooms in the crew, but the girl obviously had no intention of returning to her own.
"Yu-kun."
She called out softly, her face still carrying the excited flush of [Hachiya Kinu] that hadn't completely faded after filming.
She approached Michiya Gōshin very naturally, and then, without any warning, directly extended her hands to gently wrap around his waist, resting her cheek against his chest.
This was an active and warm embrace.
Michiya Gōshin had said before that Kurokawa Akane possessed this privilege.
"Hehe, Yu-kun's embrace is very warm. Only I, the female lead, can enjoy this right now, right?"
Michiya Gōshin could clearly feel the softness of her body and the body temperature transmitting through the thin costume, as well as the faint floral scent in her hair.
"What's wrong?"
He asked in a low voice, his tone a few degrees softer than usual.
"Nothing,"
Kurokawa Akane spoke muffledly in his arms, her voice carrying a hint of coquettishness. "I just suddenly really wanted to hug you."
She raised her head, looking up at him, those charming eyes glistening with water. After separating slightly, Kurokawa Akane still grasped the clothes at his waist, not completely letting go. She stared at him with bright eyes, and the topic returned to Michiya Gōshin's viewpoint and expression from earlier.
"Yu-kun, what you said earlier, about the resonance between [Hachiya Kinu] and [Yamane Mugi]... I really agree with it."
Her tone became unusually serious, even carrying the certainty of having found the truth.
"Communicating and confirming through things created by others indeed cannot allow a couple to go on forever, but..."
Kurokawa Akane paused, her gaze burning, as if flames were kindled in the depths of her pupils. Her voice was firm and clear, carrying an unquestionable belief that was nearly a vow.
"But this also makes me confirm even more that the person I found... is my sole 'destined choice,' and that is you, Yu-kun."
"What I see is only the unique you. These things cannot be labeled by any external factors, nor can they be replaced by anyone."
Having said this, Kurokawa Akane felt her small heart in her chest start to thump wildly, but since she had launched the charge, she would not wait any longer.
So in the next moment, before Michiya Gōshin could fully react to this fervent expression, the girl stood on her tiptoes again. With amazing speed—she imprinted a brief lip print on his cheek.
"Am I the first to kiss you? Yu-kun."
"..."
He looked at Kurokawa Akane who was close at hand. Her face wore a smile of having succeeded, and her eyes were filled with undisguised, passionate emotion that almost burned one.
"Well then, I'm going to prepare for the next scene!"
After saying this, as if she had completed some important ritual, Kurokawa Akane walked quickly out of the rest room, leaving Michiya Gōshin standing alone on the spot.
Toward evening, today's filming schedule was successfully completed.
Filming a movie was different from TV dramas which pursued efficiency and volume. The total runtime was limited, and Director Doi's expectation was to complete all filming within two months.
As an urban romance film with a soothing tone that remained close to life, post-production didn't require too many complex special effects or grand scenes. The main energy would be placed on polishing the camera language, grasping the editing rhythm, controlling the color grading, and creating a soundtrack highly compatible with the plot. Therefore, although the requirements for the overall work rhythm were extremely high, it wouldn't be a race against time and working day and night like a TV drama.
Michiya Gōshin removed his makeup and changed back into his comfortable private clothes.
Kato Megumi was efficient as always. She carefully hung up the costume he had taken off, organized his personal items one by one, and after confirming there were no omissions, she led Michiya Gōshin toward the nanny van.
Just as they were about to walk to the parking lot, a figure suddenly trotted over to catch up.
It was Asakura Toru.
She had already changed back into her regular clothes, a beige knit sweater and light blue jeans. Her face still carried a bit of light makeup that hadn't faded, further accentuating her fair skin and clear, lovely appearance.
"Michiya-kun!"
She called Michiya Gōshin's name. A natural flush rose on her cheeks; it seemed she had something to say.
Michiya Gōshin stopped and turned around, looking at her gently.
"Asakura? What's wrong? Is there something else?"
Kato Megumi also stopped, standing quietly in a position slightly to the rear, gazing calmly at the scene.
In the next moment, Asakura Toru took out two beautifully designed cards with shiny gold foil patterns from behind her back and handed them to Michiya Gōshin with natural grace.
"Um... Our [NoctChill] is holding a Live at Zepp Tokyo on the evening of the Saturday after next. These are internal complimentary tickets for relations, with seats in the front row facing the stage!"
"I asked you last time, and didn't you say you wanted to see our performance?" Asakura Toru smiled. "If there are no filming arrangements that day, would you like to come and see?"
"The Saturday after next?"
Michiya Gōshin was somewhat surprised, but looking at the calm smile on Asakura Toru's face, he soon revealed a soothing, gentle smile. He took the high-quality complimentary tickets, looked at the performance information printed on them, and nodded.
"I remember your group's songs are quite good. That sounds great. Thank you for the invitation, Asakura. If the crew indeed has no arrangements that day, I would be very happy to go to the venue and experience your performance."
Hearing Michiya Gōshin agree clearly, Asakura Toru nodded immediately. Then she said goodbye to him quickly and turned to leave crisply.
Kato Megumi stood behind Michiya Gōshin, watching this scene silently, her face still showing no emotional fluctuation.
On the car ride back, Michiya Gōshin leaned against the comfortable back of the rear seat. This little interlude had actually triggered a new thought in him.
He glanced at the System. After today's filming, the accumulation of acting experience was almost full.
[Production Queue 1: Proficient Sheng-Tai-Xing-Biao]
[Experience: 92/100]
Wait until this entry finished production, and he could synthesize [Lead-Level Acting (Purple)]. Higher-tier acting-related entries hadn't been unlocked yet, so the path he had considered earlier could serve as a backup plan.
Thus, he closed his eyes, but his attention began to search through the System's [Entry Library].
His gaze crossed the dazzling array of various entries, and soon he found the one he wanted.
[Lyric Writing (Green)] + [Music Theory Mastery (Green)] = [Song Producer (Purple)]
[Lyric Writing (Green)]
[Producible]
[Production Condition: Gain 100 points of Lyric Writing Experience.]
[Music Theory Mastery (Green)]
[Producible]
[Production Condition: Gain 100 points of Music Knowledge Experience.]
"If I can successfully master this, perhaps I can learn a bit from Akimoto Yasushi in the future..."
After the image of that middle-aged man floated in his mind, a faint smile appeared on Michiya Gōshin's face.
________________________________________
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