mesbooks Chapter 310: A Gift to Fans
Chapter 310: A Gift to Fans
Chapter 310 Giving Back to Fans
"Click! Absolutely perfect!"
As Shunji Iwai's voice echoed in the rain, this emotionally charged climax was finally successfully completed.
Kitahara Shin took the dry towel handed to him by a staff member and casually wiped his still dripping hair. Just as he was about to walk to the monitor to check the playback footage, two figures dressed in oversized black crew uniforms, completely covered up, suddenly darted out from behind a huge reflector at the edge of the set.
"Whoa—!"
With two deliberately suppressed gasps, the two furtive figures suddenly jumped in front of Kitahara Shin and Matsu Takako, who had just walked over, attempting to give them a real scare.
However, how could Kitahara Shin, who possessed the system's unparalleled perception, be frightened by such childish tricks? He didn't even blink, but stopped in his tracks with extreme helplessness, looking at the two "female thieves" in front of him with their hats pulled low, a smile playing on his lips.
"Hey, you two top stars, why aren't you resting at home? What are you doing here on my set, acting all mysterious?" Kitahara Shin's tone was tinged with a hint of indulgent reproach.
Kitahara Shin wasn't frightened, but Matsu Takako, who was beside him, was just an ordinary girl. She had been immersed in a sad and depressed mood, and this sudden attack startled her so much that she screamed "Ah!" like a frightened rabbit and instinctively hid behind Kitahara Shin.
Seeing that their prank had only succeeded halfway, the two figures, who were bundled up tightly, took off their masks and hats with some annoyance, revealing two stunningly beautiful faces that could drive any man in Japan crazy.
It was Nanako Matsushima and Rie Miyazawa who secretly came to visit the set.
"Oh dear, Shin-kun, you're so boring! You don't react at all, you're like a block of wood!" Nanako tossed her long hair and complained somewhat resentfully.
Rie Miyazawa bypassed Shin Kitahara, grabbed the hand of the still-shaken Takako Matsu, and said with a beaming smile, "Takako, did you scare me? Don't be afraid, don't be afraid, we came here especially to visit you on set!"
Looking at the two highly respected senior figures in the film and television industry before her, Matsu Takako suddenly felt flustered. Her face was still flushed from crying during filming, and she stammered, "Nanako-senpai, Rie-senpai—what brings you here?"
"Of course, I'm here to see that biased boss who only cares about making romantic movies and doesn't even go back to the company!" Nanako glanced meaningfully at Kitahara Shin, her tone tinged with sourness.
Seeing the three women putting on such a dramatic show, Kitahara Shin knew that if he stayed, he would definitely become the target of their criticism. He shook his head helplessly, smiled, and said, "Alright, you two sisters, stop bullying her. I still need to go and confirm the footage with Director Iwai. You two go talk in the rest area."
After saying that, Kitahara Shin left them alone and turned to walk towards the dispatch center.
As Kitahara Shin walked away, Nanako and Miyazawa Rie immediately took Matsu Takako's arms on either side and half-pushed her into the quiet dressing room of the film crew.
As soon as she sat down, Rie Miyazawa eagerly leaned closer to Takako Matsu, her beautiful eyes sparkling with gossip, and asked in a low voice, "Takako, tell us how it goes? Are you completely smitten with this bad guy while filming this youthful romance movie?"
Matsu Takako was already upset because of the kissing scene and the scene in the rain, and now that Rie asked her so directly, her cheeks instantly turned bright red, like a ripe peach.
"No—no, it was just normal filming." Matsu Takako's eyes darted away as she stammered, trying to cover it up. "I felt—I felt pretty good. Mainly, I felt that I performed quite well today, and I was very immersed in the role—"
"Stop trying to cover it up!" Nanako exposed her without hesitation, teasing her with a laugh, "We saw it all clearly from behind the reflector! The way he looked at you in the rain was absolutely amazing! That restrained and suppressed emotion, even Rie and I felt our hearts race when we saw it, let alone you."
Rie Miyazawa nodded in agreement, staring intently into Takako Matsu's eyes, and asked in a slightly provocative tone, "Tell me honestly, when you were moved by his aura and gaze, did you ever feel that extremely strong urge to rush up and do something without thinking?"
Upon hearing this, Matsu Takako's heart skipped a beat, and the image of Kitahara Shin kissing her late last night on that quiet street involuntarily flashed through her mind. Her face flushed even more, and she could only desperately twist her fingers under her breath.
Seeing Matsu Takako's shy expression, Nanako and Rie exchanged a glance and smiled knowingly.
Now that the conversation had started, the three goddesses, who were originally seen as unapproachable by outsiders, began to chat like ordinary best friends, sharing their "real feelings about acting with Kitahara Shin".
"Actually, it's not just you." Nanako sighed and said with some emotion, "When I was filming 'Great Teacher Onizuka' with him, even though I played a rigid female teacher, every time he unleashed that roguish yet righteous aura in front of the camera, I almost forgot my lines several times. His acting skills, or rather, his innate charm, are like a black hole that sucks in those who act opposite him, making you unconsciously follow his rhythm."
"Who says otherwise!" Rie Miyazawa chimed in, echoing her sentiment. "I felt that most acutely when filming 'Resident Evil'! That set was like hell on earth, filled with blood and horrible zombies. But on set, whenever Shin picked up a gun, whenever he stood beside me, I felt incredibly safe. His invincible charisma truly gave me the illusion that even if the world ended, it wouldn't matter as long as he was there."
The three women talked more and more deeply, and the distance between them was infinitely shortened because of their shared topics.
As they chatted, Nanako suddenly seemed to recall some old story. She picked up her coffee, took a sip, and looked at Rie Miyazawa with a half-smile: "Rie, speaking of making youth romance films with Shin-kun, you were one of the first among us, right? I remember several years ago, the first live-action version of 'Ocean Waves' that you two collaborated on was a huge hit throughout Japan."
Rie Miyazawa paused for a moment, her mind instantly drawn back to that sunny summer day, with the salty scent of the sea breeze. Back then, she and Shin Kitahara were still a bit naive.
"Why did you suddenly bring up that old movie?" Rie asked, a little embarrassed, as she smoothed her hair.
"Old-fashioned? I remember it perfectly well!" Nanako's lips curled into a sly smile. "I watched the behind-the-scenes footage of that movie! After one scene was filmed, before the director yelled 'cut,' some incredibly audacious girl secretly tiptoed and stole a kiss on Shin's cheek when he wasn't looking!"
After these words were spoken, the lounge fell silent for two seconds.
A rare and striking blush appeared on Rie Miyazawa's usually alluring face! She glared at Nanako, both embarrassed and annoyed, and raised her hand as if to hit her: "Are you kidding me?! How can you remember such trivial things so clearly! And that behind-the-scenes footage wasn't even broadcast publicly, how did you see it? You never told me!"
Nanako deftly dodged Rie's attack, grinning smugly, "Hehe, back when I first joined the company, I was incredibly curious about the boss's past. I went to great lengths to plead with the old man in the editing room to get that tape! Of course, I can't tell you such precious dark history; I need to keep it as leverage!"
Hearing her two older sisters bickering, Matsu Takako couldn't help but cover her mouth and laugh.
After a while, Rie Miyazawa quieted down. Leaning back on the sofa, her eyes filled with deep emotion and nostalgia: "Yes—it's been so many years without us even realizing it. Back then, Shin-kun didn't have such a vast empire as he does now, nor did he have so many overwhelming halos. Back then, although he was very ambitious, he always seemed within reach. It feels like just yesterday we were riding bicycles on the beach, and today, he has become a king standing at the top of the world."
Nanako also dropped her joking expression and sighed softly, "It all seems so close, yet we've already come so far. But no matter how high he goes, his attitude towards us—has never changed."
In the quiet lounge, three women reminisced about their acquaintances with Kitahara Shin, their friendships, and their mutual support throughout their journey in the entertainment industry. Images from their youthful days flashed through their minds like film reels, filling their hearts with warmth and emotion.
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After this heartfelt late-night chat with her best friend (or rather, a tea party during a set visit), Matsu Takako's mindset underwent a wonderful transformation.
The afternoon filming shifted to a famous outdoor location on the outskirts of Shimokitazawa.
It was a vast, open field of green wheat (lawn) rippling in the breeze. This is also the most iconic and beautiful scene in the original film "All About Lily Chou-Chou," which best embodies the repressed youth and ethereal beauty.
Sunlight pierced through the clouds, casting a golden veil over the boundless green ocean.
It was during a break in filming. The crew was adjusting the telephoto lens in the distance, preparing to capture the perfect ray of light before dusk.
Kitahara Shin sat alone in the middle of this green ocean. He was still wearing that clean white shirt, headphones on, eyes closed, seemingly immersed in some ethereal music. Under the filter of "A Glimpse of Time," he seemed to merge with the world around him, exuding a lonely beauty that dared not be easily disturbed.
Perhaps she was inspired by Rie and Nanako's words that morning, or perhaps the kiss last night gave her immense courage.
Matsu Takako took a deep breath, lifted her skirt, and walked step by step toward Kitahara Shin on the soft grass.
She didn't say anything, but simply sat down next to Kitahara Shin in a very natural manner.
Sensing the movement beside him, Kitahara Shin slowly opened his eyes, took off one of his earphones, and turned to look at her.
As Matsu Takako basked in his warm sunlight, a relieved and radiant smile curved her lips. Instead of maintaining her usual reserved distance, she leaned slightly forward, gently resting her soft head on Kitahara Shin's broad and sturdy shoulder.
A gentle breeze blew by, ruffling the hair at her temples and lightly brushing against Kitahara Shin's profile.
"Shin-kun—" Matsu Takako's voice was soft, yet it reached Kitahara Shin's ears with exceptional clarity. "Meeting you is truly the luckiest thing that has ever happened to me. Thank you for showing me such a beautiful world."
Before Kitahara Shin could even speak, Matsu Takako suddenly straightened up slightly and leaned close to his ear.
Then, she closed her eyes, with a touch of girlish shyness and unreserved affection, and gently, like a dragonfly skimming the water, placed a kiss on Kitahara Shin's cheek.
Instantly separate.
Matsu Takako leaned back on his shoulder, a happy smile on her face.
This unintentional, completely unscripted, sweet interaction was perfectly captured by a background camera that was testing its standby mode in the distance.
In an era without beauty filters or deliberate editing, the scene of a young man in white and an elegant young woman embracing each other amidst the vast green fields is heartbreakingly beautiful.
With the end of this long take, "All About Lily Chou-Chou" officially wrapped up filming.
This beautifully crafted art film, with a radical overhaul by Shin Kitahara, a passionate direction by Shunji Iwai, and a moving performance by Takako Matsu, was completed thanks to the Kitahara Group's terrifyingly efficient production methods.
It's like a eulogy written for the end of the 20th century. In the future, in that 21st-century fast-food culture era bombarded by the Marvel Cinematic Universe and completely torn apart by short video clips, this film will become the last and most dazzling ripple of the golden age of Asian and even global art films.
In the days following the completion of filming, Kitahara Shin seamlessly switched from his "artsy youth" persona on set back into the cold-blooded tyrant who ruled a multi-billion dollar empire.
The top floor of the Kitahara Group headquarters, the president's office.
Kitahara Nobumasa sat behind his large desk, methodically reviewing financial statements and project proposals from all over the world. Stacks of documents on his desk included revenue sharing statements from Hollywood theaters, closing documents for Alibaba's first round of financing, and letters of intent for supply chain cooperation on the next generation of Apple computer hardware.
As is customary, he handled the most urgent business matters at hand with extremely efficient methods.
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Just as he rubbed his temples, preparing to have a coffee and rest, he noticed that Aida, the senior secretary in the president's office, was carrying an extremely exaggerated cardboard box that was almost blocking her view, and was about to walk laboriously towards the door.
Behind Secretary Aida, two administrative staff members were pushing several boxes of the same size on a trolley.
"Aida, what are those things you're carrying?" Kitahara Shin called out to her curiously. Given the current pace of the Kitahara Group's paperless office initiatives, very few documents would require such primitive cardboard boxes to be stored.
Secretary Aida stopped and laboriously peeked out, respectfully replying, "President, these are all physical letters from your fans all over the world sent to the company headquarters. Due to the recent surge in popularity of 'Boys Over Flowers' and 'Resident Evil,' the number of fan letters has increased exponentially in the past month. The planning department is cleaning out the warehouse, so they asked me to gather these letters and move them to the storage room for safekeeping."
"A letter from a fan?"
Upon hearing these four words, Kitahara Shin paused slightly.
In 1998, when email was just emerging and most people still preferred to express their feelings by handwriting letters, physical letters carried a special sense of weight.
Whether it was a sudden whim or a lingering sentimentality from filming an art film, Kitahara Shin put down his gold pen and pointed to his large desk: "Put those boxes over here. I want to take a look."
Secretary Aida stared in surprise. After all, the president's time was measured in seconds; how could he possibly have time to read these unimportant fan letters? But she immediately nodded and instructed the staff to carry several large boxes of mail into the office.
After everyone left, only Kitahara Shin remained in the large office.
He walked up to the box and casually opened a letter.
It was a letter from Taiwan, the paper carrying a faint fragrance, the handwriting delicate: "Lord Kitahara, thank you for filming 'Tokyo Love Story.' In my previous hopeless marriage, it was your portrayal of Kanji Nagao that taught me what true responsibility and letting go are. I have now started a new life—"
Kitahara Shin smiled slightly, put down the letter, and opened another letter from Okinawa, Japan.
This was written by a high school boy with somewhat immature handwriting: "Teacher Kitahara! I got into the University of Tokyo last year! If it weren't for watching your film 'Dragon Zakura,' a loser like me, just drifting through life in a low-ranking school, would never have known that knowledge could truly change one's destiny. Thank you, Attorney Sakuragi!"
Kitahara Shin flipped through the letters one by one.
He saw a tribute to the spirit of doctors in "The White Tower"; a sigh for the fate of undercover agents in "Infernal Affairs"; and the crazy infatuation of countless female fans with the domineering love of Domyouji in "Boys Over Flowers".
Looking at these letters, Kitahara Shin's heart was filled with turmoil.
He recalled his journey so far. From an unknown extra in a film crew to a conglomerate tycoon who could influence the global entertainment industry. He always believed that the main reason for his success was his memories of his past life, the extraordinary skills granted by the system, and his ruthless and precise control over the capital market.
But at this moment, looking at the mountain of letters, and at the thousands upon thousands of ordinary people whose lives had been changed and who had found happiness because of his work, Kitahara Shin suddenly had a profound realization.
The system merely provided him with the tools to open this door; what truly propelled him to godhood and built an unbreakable foundation for his empire were these viewers! These were the fans who were always willing to pay for his talent and willing to shed tears and cheer for him in front of the screen!
Just as he was filled with emotion, his hand inadvertently touched a pink envelope at the bottom of the box that was slightly yellowed and even had some tears on the edges.
Kitahara Shin opened the envelope. The handwriting on the letter inside was crooked and messy, as if the writer barely had the strength to hold the pen.
To the most handsome Domyouji-sama (Kitahara Shin-nii):
"My name is Minami, and I'm ten years old. I have leukemia. The doctor said I might not live to see the cherry blossoms bloom next year."
"Every day in the hospital was so painful. Chemotherapy made me lose all my hair, and I cried every day. But just last month, the nurses played your drama 'Meteor Garden' on the TV in my ward."
"Watching you act so domineering on TV, and seeing the hilarious scene of you being kicked away by Shan Cai, I couldn't help but laugh. That was the happiest day I've had since I got sick."
"Thank you for making such a wonderful drama. It's like a ray of light illuminating my hospital room, which is filled with the smell of disinfectant. Although my life is about to end, I feel very fortunate to be able to see such joyful stories in this world."
"If there is a next life, I want to be a healthy and strong girl like Shan Cai."
"Your fan will always support you, Minami."
Holding the thin sheet of paper, Kitahara Shin's eyes suddenly narrowed.
An extremely strong, electric shock struck his soul instantly.
He placed the letter on the table and remained silent for a long time.
In this cold, capitalist world, he had amassed enough money to last several lifetimes. But at this moment, Kitahara Shin suddenly realized that if a tycoon with endless resources and influence could only keep taking money from his fans' pockets, then such success was ultimately narrow and cold.
He wanted to do something.
Since these fans have used their passion to support the glory of the Northern Plains Empire, then he, the man standing at the top of the empire, should use his own strength to repay this profound love.
Suddenly, like a flash of lightning, a variety show concept that was unprecedented and could even be called crazy flashed through Kitahara Shin's mind!
He pressed the communicator, his voice revealing an unprecedented resolve.
"Aida! Immediately notify the heads of the variety show production department and the public relations department to come to my office for a meeting within ten minutes!"
"I'm launching a brand new mega-project. This isn't about making money; it's the Kitahara Group's ultimate strategic extension in Asia."
Kitahara Shin looked out the window at the bustling city, his eyes shining with an astonishing light.
"The name of this project is—'Making Dreams for You: Fulfilling Fans' Wishes'!"