I really just want to grind for entries related to crossover anime/manga.

Neither of them noticed that not far behind the sedan, an inconspicuous black car, like a ghost, was silently following at a distance that was neither too close nor too far.

Inside the car, the person in the passenger seat, wearing a thick mask and glasses, was holding a camera with a telephoto lens, a satisfied smile playing on their lips.

After a while, the vehicle arrived smoothly at the luxury apartment building where Yuan Chuan You lived.

Kato Megumi got out of the car first and deftly opened the back door for her. Sakurajima Mai followed suit and then naturally reached out to help Genkawa Yu, who was slightly unsteady as he got up.

"Be careful, Yu-kun."

Her voice sounded exceptionally clear and gentle against the quiet night sky.

Because Yuu Minakawa was indeed a little unsteady on his feet, Mai Sakurajima stood very close to him to steady him, her cheek almost touching his ear.

What was originally just a simple act of helping each other up, when viewed from a specific telephoto lens hidden behind distant bushes, the way the two people turned their heads, outlined by the dim streetlights, made them look just like a couple of lovers kissing intimately.

"Crack!"

"Crack!"

The continuous, subtle shutter sounds were swallowed up by the night wind.

The reporter, who had captured a satisfactory shot, was thrilled and his heart was pounding. But he did not leave immediately. Instead, like the most patient hunter, he retreated back into the shadows.

He pointed his camera at the entrance of the apartment building. As a top reporter for the weekly magazine "Bunshun," he was confident that he would uncover even more juicy scoops tonight.

On the other side, Mai Sakurajima and Keiichi Kato helped Yu Genkawa into the apartment building, one on each side, and took the elevator directly to his floor.

Upon entering the foyer, Genkawa Yu almost collapsed onto the living room sofa, completely intoxicated and his consciousness becoming blurred.

Upon seeing this, Kato Megumi acted almost without hesitation, as if she had returned to her home turf.

She skillfully turned on the living room's warm light, dimmed the brightness, then went into the kitchen and quickly came out with a cup of honey water at just the right temperature.

Then, supporting Yuichiro Yu, she gently but firmly placed the water glass to his lips and whispered something.

"Mr. Genkawa, have some honey water first, it will make you feel better."

Although Yuu was slightly drunk, it seemed that the care he received from Megumi Kato had become muscle memory. He complied by taking a few sips and uttered a muffled thank you.

Then, Kato Megumi brought over a warm, damp towel and naturally wiped the fine sweat from his forehead and neck.

She even knelt down in front of the sofa to help Yuan Chuan You take off his somewhat restrictive leather shoes and socks. Her movements were fluid, without a trace of embarrassment or hesitation, as if this was already her daily routine.

Moreover, the girl's little hands would occasionally and inevitably touch Genkawa Yu's calves or ankles, and Genkawa Yu did not react with any rejection. He would just close his eyes and murmur comfortably.

Standing to the side, Mai Sakurajima watched Megumi Kato's series of smooth, familiar, and almost intimate caregiving actions. She could almost "touch and rub" Yu Minakawa all over, yet he accepted it all and even seemed to have a hint of dependence on her.

The next moment, a strong sense of vigilance and crisis suddenly surged up from the depths of her heart.

She had been focusing her attention on Akane Kurokawa, but almost overlooked the artist assistant who was with Yu Minakawa almost 24 hours a day and spent every day with him!

In the entertainment industry, how many cases are there of artists and their assistants developing feelings for each other after spending a lot of time together?

Moreover, she is a woman like Kato Megumi, who is beautiful, steady and reliable, and who is integrated into almost every detail of Genkawa Yu's life.

Seeing how familiar Kato Megumi was with Genkawa Yu's apartment, and how much Genkawa Yu trusted and relied on her for taking care of her, Sakurajima Mai realized that this seemingly calm and even calm girl might be the most deeply hidden and threatening "enemy".

We absolutely cannot allow her and Yu-kun to be alone together any longer!

Especially when he was drunk and his willpower was at its weakest.

An idea quickly formed in Mai Sakurajima's mind.

So, with just the right amount of worry and exhaustion on her face, she rubbed her temples and spoke naturally to Kato Megumi, who was busy at work.

"Kato-san, I see that Yu-kun is so drunk that he won't sober up anytime soon. He definitely needs someone to take care of him."

“It’s so late now, it’s hard for you to take care of him by yourself, and it’s not convenient for a girl like you to be left here alone.”

Mai Sakurajima paused, her gaze sweeping over the spacious apartment.

"Anyway, there are plenty of rooms here, so I won't go back tonight. I'll stay and help take care of You-kun, so we can look after each other."

Upon hearing this, Kato Megumi, who was adjusting the cushions for Genkawa Yu, paused slightly.

She turned to look at Mai Sakurajima, and for the first time, a very subtle emotion, akin to displeasure, clearly flashed across her calm eyes.

However, she quickly lowered her eyes again, making them impossible to see.

"Wouldn't this be too much trouble for Sakurajima-san? I can take care of Genkawa-san by myself; it's my job."

Her voice remained steady, yet carried a subtle, almost imperceptible persistence.

"It's no trouble at all. After all, Yu-kun drank too much because he was having dinner with me, so I also bear some responsibility."

Mai Sakurajima's smile was flawless, but her tone carried an unyielding firmness, "It's decided then, Kato-san. Could you please find me a set of clean toiletries and a towel? Thank you."

Kato Megumi was silent for a few seconds. At this moment, she glanced at Genkawa Yu, and finally nodded before turning and walking towards the storage room.

After another half hour, under Kato Megumi's careful care and after drinking some hangover soup, Genkawa Yu's drunkenness gradually dissipated and his consciousness returned to clarity.

He rubbed his still throbbing temples, recalling everything that had happened that night, especially Mai Sakurajima's decision to stay overnight, and suddenly felt a headache coming on.

He looked at Mai Sakurajima, who was sitting elegantly on the single sofa opposite him, but showed no intention of leaving. He opened his mouth, wanting to politely ask her to leave.

However, Mai Sakurajima seemed to have seen through his thoughts, and before he could speak, she gave him a look that was both faintly smiling and incredibly firm.

Faced with the national-level actress's insistence on staying overnight, Genkawa Yu couldn't bring himself to force her to leave. Besides, it was almost 1 a.m., and he couldn't very well let her go home alone.

In the end, he could only sigh inwardly and accept the fact helplessly.

"Then... Mai-san, you can stay in the guest room over there. The guest rooms are always cleaned and are very clean. You can stay in that room."

"Okay, thank you, Yu-kun."

Mai Sakurajima flashed a triumphant, bright smile.

That night, the atmosphere in Genkawa Yu's apartment was somewhat unusual.

Although Yuu Minakawa was somewhat surprised by Mai Sakurajima's decision to stay overnight, he didn't think too much about it and quickly fell into a deep sleep. Megumi Kato also stayed after Mai Sakurajima's decision. She stayed in another guest room, her expression still calm, but she didn't fall asleep until very late. Whether her calm exterior concealed turbulent emotions, no one knew.

Meanwhile, Mai Sakurajima lay on the bed in the guest room, her mind replaying the familiar and intimate scene of Megumi Kato taking care of Yuuji Genkawa, her vigilance burning like wildfire.

The next morning, sunlight streamed into the living room through the gaps in the curtains.

Mai Sakurajima got up early, carefully washed and dressed herself, and regained her usual radiance.

When she walked out of the guest room, she saw that Genkawa Yuya had already woken up. He was sitting on the sofa with a helpless smile on his face after a hangover.

Good morning, Mai-san.

"Good morning, Yu-kun. I have work to do later, so I'll be leaving now. Remember not to drink too much in the future."

"...knew."

Mai Sakurajima was a very busy person, so after exchanging a few pleasantries, she gracefully turned around and left the apartment.

Shortly after she walked out of the apartment building, got into the waiting car, and left, the reporter who had been hiding in the bushes all night finally excitedly pressed the shutter again, clearly recording the scene of "national actress Mai Sakurajima leaving Yu Genkawa's apartment alone in the early morning."

"Mission accomplished!"

The reporter from the weekly magazine Bunshun looked at the "ironclad evidence" in his camera and a greedy, satisfied smile appeared on his face.

He knew that these photos were enough to cause a huge uproar in the entertainment industry.

Volume 2 Tokyo Love Story: Chapter 12 Scandal and Inflame, Mai Sakurajima's Resolve (2-in-1 6k)

The rare few days of holiday were like the calm before the storm.

Yuan Chuan You locked himself in his apartment, the curtains half-drawn, leaving only the warm glow of the desk lamp on his desk, isolating him from the outside world.

Since he had a holiday, he planned to make the most of it and immerse himself fully in the creation of "The Wind Rises".

The clatter of the keyboard seemed to be an attempt to construct a spiritual fortress, far removed from the turmoil of reality, within that story permeated with sorrow and the dignity of life.

He was writing about Setsuko's brief moment of lucidity after her high fever subsided, when she said to him in a weak but clear voice, "The maple leaves outside seem a little redder than yesterday..."

This is a style of brushstroke that captures the embers of life in the smallest details, requiring extreme focus and absolute inner peace.

However, this fragile tranquility built by words was abruptly shattered at nine o'clock on the second morning after the start of the holiday by a sharp and persistent cell phone ring.

Genkawa Yu was abruptly pulled from his immersive writing state, his brows furrowing slightly as he saw the name flashing on the screen: "Suoh Hayabusa".

Just as he pressed the answer button, before he could even say "Moshi Moshi," Suoh Hayabusa's usually calm voice suddenly became noticeably urgent, its rapid pace assaulting his eardrums.

"Genkawa! Open Twitter right now! Look at the top trending topic! You've been targeted by those mad dogs from Weekly Bunshun! What happened?!"

Upon hearing this, Genkawa Yu's heart sank, and a bad premonition immediately welled up in his mind.

"Mr. Suo? I was still writing and didn't check my phone. What happened?"

"There's no time to explain, just look! The top trending topic is you and Mai Sakurajima! They took photos, and someone even created a whole storyline out of the blue! The entire online narrative is completely out of control!"

Suoh Shun's voice suppressed anger and a hint of barely perceptible anxiety. After all, Genkawa Yu was the male lead in "Love Like a Bouquet," and he was about to start filming when this trouble happened.

"I've already started preparing to launch public relations efforts to try and control public opinion, but you need to find out the situation immediately and then contact your firm right away! Think of a way to resolve this."

The call was abruptly disconnected, leaving a busy tone.

Genkawa Yu held his phone, feeling a slight tingling sensation in his fingertips.

He took a deep breath and clicked on the blue bird icon that seemed to be brewing a storm.

Upon opening Twitter, without even needing to search manually, the top trending topic appeared as a scarlet sign, revealing a shocking issue.

#Yu Minakawa and Mai Sakurajima are secretly in love#

Following closely behind was a constantly flickering, blood-red flame icon, as if mocking his brief moment of peace.

Upon seeing this, Yuan Chuan You was slightly taken aback, and then immediately clicked on the topic. The pinned content came from a journalist user known for his accurate and ruthless revelations, accompanied by highly vivid text.

[Exclusive scoop! Confirmed! National actress Mai Sakurajima and actor Yu Genkawa were spotted returning to their love nest late at night, sharing a passionate kiss downstairs, and spending the night together until the following morning!]

The attached photos, though somewhat blurry due to lighting and distance, clearly show the facial contours and body features of the people in the photos, making them highly misleading.

The first picture is taken at the entrance of that members-only restaurant. Mai Sakurajima is reaching out to support his slightly staggering arm. The two are very close, and she looks up at him with a bright smile on her face.

The second photo was taken downstairs at Genkawa Yu's apartment building. That damned angle perfectly stitched together the two people's profiles as they leaned in to each other, making it look like they were kissing. The dim streetlights added to the ambiguous atmosphere.

The last picture is taken in the early morning. Mai Sakurajima walks out of her apartment building alone and gets into a waiting car. Although she is wearing sunglasses, her composure and confidence remain unchanged.

What's even more amazing is that it's accompanied by a detailed "timeline deduction" that looks like it was witnessed firsthand.

According to our reporter's observations over the past few days, last night, after the promotional event for "Alice in the Land of the Dying" concluded, Yu Minakawa and Mai Sakurajima deliberately avoided the crowd and went to a high-end members-only restaurant in Ginza for dinner, behaving intimately.

Afterwards, the two returned to Genkawa Yu's apartment in Mai Sakurajima's private car. Downstairs, they couldn't contain their passion and embraced and kissed passionately before going upstairs together.