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

Then, as his gaze swept over the untidy instant noodle cups, scattered snack wrappers, and several game cartridges on the small dining table, his brows unconsciously furrowed slightly, revealing a hint of helplessness and irritation.

Ultimately, all these surging emotions were overshadowed by a deeper weariness and loneliness.

Unlike during the honeymoon phase, when he naturally leaned in and wrapped his arms around his lover from behind, Yuu Genkawa silently and slowly took off the suit jacket that symbolized his struggle and failure that day, as if removing a heavy suit of armor.

Then he went straight to the small kitchen, poured himself a large glass of cold water, and drank it all in one gulp.

The cold liquid slid down my throat, temporarily suppressing the suffocation in my heart and a certain unspeakable grievance.

Throughout the entire process, he did not utter a sound.

This deliberately maintained silence forms a sharp and cruel contrast with the intense game sound effects coming from [Kinu Hachiya]. This silent accusation and sense of distance are more intense than any heated argument, highlighting the accelerating divergence between the two people's mental worlds.

Behind the monitor, Director Doi rested his hands under his chin, his eyes focused, and nodded slightly as he whispered to the assistant director beside him, his voice filled with undisguised admiration.

"Yuanchuan-kun's grasp of the details in this scene is so precise. From the changes in his eyes to the weariness in his body language, he completely expresses the numbness and loneliness of [Yamaon Mugi] after being weighed down by reality, and gradually losing even the desire to confide and share. This kind of restrained performance makes the audience more empathetic."

The following scenes further deepened this sense of growing apart, a feeling that was "sleeping in the same bed but dreaming different dreams," portraying it vividly and incisively.

The next scene was at night, where the two of them squeezed together at a small dining table to eat.

In front of Yuan Chuanyu were various job magazines and several printed job postings. He listlessly picked at the food in his bowl with his chopsticks, his brows furrowed, circling details in the magazines with his pen, and occasionally sighing softly because of the demanding requirements of a certain position or the conditions he did not meet.

Akane Kurokawa, trying to break the silence, enthusiastically shared with him a cryptic European art film she had just watched that day, describing its captivating use of long takes and philosophical explorations of existentialism. Her eyes sparkled, hoping to resonate with her lover and spark a discussion.

"Little Silk".

Genkawa Yu finally raised his head, interrupting her rambling narration, his voice carrying a sense of frustration and helplessness that he tried to suppress but still managed to reveal.

"I have an interview tomorrow morning in the industrial area of ​​Chiba. It requires three train transfers. The earliest train leaves at 5:30, so I have to leave at 6:00."

The next second, Akane Kurokawa's words came to an abrupt halt, as if an invisible hand had choked her.

She blinked her clear, large eyes, and the excitement on her face quickly faded, replaced by a look of bewilderment at being interrupted, as well as a hint of barely perceptible grievance and embarrassment.

“...Oh, I see,” she replied softly, her voice lowered, sounding a little bewildered. “Then good luck, and be careful on the road.”

"Ah."

Yuan Chuan You squeezed out a short, muffled syllable from his throat, almost devoid of emotion, before lowering his head again, his gaze fixed once more on the densely packed job postings, as if that world of salaries, benefits, and overtime conditions was the only reality he needed to face at this moment.

The atmosphere at the table instantly plummeted to freezing point, leaving only the faint clinking of bowls and chopsticks and the invisible barrier between the two.

Akane Kurokawa's portrayal of Kinu Yatani's heartbreak and slight hurt after her passionate desire to share hits an invisible wall is incredibly moving.

She pouted slightly, lowered her head, and unconsciously poked at the rice in her bowl with her chopsticks. Her eyes, which had been bright and lively just moments before, were now somewhat dim and lost in thought. She didn't try to speak again, but just chewed quietly, as if even the taste of the food had become bland.

This performance also received high praise from everyone.

Although the story of "Love Like a Bouquet" doesn't have much conflict, many details need to be carefully polished.

Yuu Minakawa accurately captured the inner struggle and helplessness of [Yamaon Mugi].

It wasn't that he didn't love [Hachiya Kinu]; on the contrary, it was because of his deep love and his desire to give each other a stable and reliable future that he had to force himself to "mature" quickly, abandoning the hobbies and fantasies that they had once indulged in together and regarded as their spiritual pillars, and throwing himself into the cruel competition for survival.

His silence and the occasional unconscious irritability he revealed were a sign of exhaustion from being unable to maintain romance under the heavy pressure of reality, and also a protective shield that he chose to bear the burden himself for fear of worrying the other person.

Akane Kurokawa perfectly portrayed Kinu Yatani's confusion, grievances, and gradually accumulating sense of loss. She still deeply loved Mugi Yamane, the man with whom she could talk all night about literature and film, share strange and obscure facts, and whose eyes shone with light. Yet, she watched helplessly as the sands of life wore down his sharpness and passion. She felt that beautiful, deeply resonant spiritual world was drifting away from her, and she was powerless to stop it, only able to watch the color of their love fade away little by little.

"Cut! Excellent! This cut is complete!"

Director Doi called "cut" with satisfaction, a broad smile spreading across his face, and he even led the applause.

"Kurokawa-san, Genkawa-kun, thank you for your hard work! Keep up the good work, and the second half of our film will be outstanding."

Yuu Minakawa and Akane Kurokawa breathed a sigh of relief almost simultaneously. They subconsciously exchanged a glance and saw in each other's eyes the lingering fatigue, complexity, and struggle of their characters, as well as a sense of relief and exhaustion after completing a challenging performance.

As evening fell, the day's filming finally came to an end.

After removing the makeup that belonged to the character and changing back into his own comfortable clothes, Yuu Genkawa felt a deep weariness from the inside out.

This is not just physical exhaustion, but more importantly, the psychological burden brought about by being immersed in the state of being squeezed by reality, filled with inner struggle, loneliness and powerlessness for a long time in the [Shanyin Mai] style, as if a part of the weight of the soul has been taken away.

Returning to the lounge, he noticed that Akane Kurokawa had also quietly followed him in and gently closed the door, temporarily shutting out the noise and prying eyes from the outside world.

Only the two of them remained in the lounge.

"Today's scene...felt so heavy, I feel so down. How about you, Yu-kun?"

Akane Kurokawa spoke first, sitting down next to Yu Minakawa and resting her head on his shoulder.

"Yes, after all, it is a crucial stage in the story's transition to reality. Conflicts and estrangement need to be clearly established, which is quite emotionally draining."

“Yu-kun, I actually have an idea, and I’d like to tell you about it now.”

Akane Kurokawa raised her head and looked at Yu Minakawa, her eyes gradually regaining their clarity.

"[Shanyin Mai] Sang is not actually a bad person. In fact, he can be described as a very responsible and serious man. He just chose to face reality. After all, life cannot be sustained by hobbies and games. Daily necessities, a stable job, and a solid economic foundation are the foundation for survival and the responsibilities that adults cannot escape."

Genkawa Yu nodded and added.

"That was indeed the original intention of the script. [Yamaon Mugi]'s choice was, to some extent, a forced expression of 'maturity' in a social sense. However, this rapid and even somewhat cruel 'maturity' was fundamentally different from the love model that [Yatani Kinu] hoped for, which could always remain at the level of spiritual resonance and shared interests."

"and..."

Akane Kurokawa slightly furrowed her delicate eyebrows. Analyzing a character is a fundamental skill for an actor; one must not only analyze the character they are playing, but also the character they are acting opposite.

"The reason why [Hachigaya Kinu] has been able to maintain that kind of dedication and innocence to the spiritual world for a relatively long time is, to some extent, because her family background was more affluent than [Yamaon Mugi]'s, right?"

"She doesn't need to worry about her next meal or next month's rent immediately. She has more leeway and confidence to protect her inner ideal world and postpone facing the harsh reality. This is the insurmountable gap between them, and the ultimate truth that led them to be unable to stay together even though they loved each other..."

As she finished speaking, Akane Kurokawa's voice carried a hint of regret, and her gaze fell once again on Yu Minakawa's face.

"Speaking of which, Yu-kun, since you wrote this script, do you... have any relevant experience?"

Upon hearing this, Genkawa Yu was slightly taken aback, then a bitter smile with a hint of helplessness and self-mockery appeared on his lips.

"Actually, I've never been in a serious relationship." He paused, then continued, "It's just that I've had times when I was short of money, so I can relate to that a little."

"Scriptwriting doesn't have to be entirely based on life experiences, so stop overthinking it."

"Ah."

Akane Kurokawa's voice softened unconsciously. She had already expressed her thoughts to Yu Minakawa last time, and now, as the movie's plot progressed, these insights had become even clearer.

“However, Yu-kun and I are quite different from [Hachiya Kinu] and [Yamaon Mugi],” the girl smiled, her gaze fixed intently on the person she liked. “If we could be together, I wouldn’t make things difficult for Yu-kun; I would be very obedient.”

"Akane..."

"Okay, I've said it many times already. I always feel that if I say too much when I confess, it will seem too hasty," Akane Kurokawa paused again, "I will give Yu-kun enough time to think it over."

"Ah."

After Akane Kurokawa left, the lounge returned to silence.

Genkawa Yu rubbed his temples and began to slowly organize his thoughts.

To be fair, he certainly had feelings for Akane Kurokawa.

She was beautiful, hardworking, and talented, with a sincere and lovely personality. During their time together on set, her companionship and gentleness left a mark on his heart.

Faced with such an outstanding girl who is devoted to him, and such a sincere and courageous confession, it would be self-deception to say that he was not moved or touched at all.

However, this affection, this flutter of the heart, is still missing something crucial that prevents Yuu Minakawa from nodding without hesitation and formally accepting her passionate confession to become her lover.

Is it a confirmation of whether the essence of the soul is compatible?

Or is it the immense responsibility that comes with starting an intimate relationship?

He himself couldn't figure it out.

He only knew that feelings should be pure and firm. If he were to hastily agree to her request while he was still unsure of his own feelings and in a state of hesitation and half-heartedness, it would be a great disrespect and unfairness to her pure and courageous feelings.

Feelings should not stem solely from being moved, admiring, or a momentary impulse.

Just then, there was a gentle knock on the door of the lounge, which was then pushed open with a click, and Kato Megumi appeared in the doorway.

She was still wearing that simple long coat, with a light gray scarf loosely draped around her neck, and her face had its usual calm expression.

The girl was holding a small, simply packaged express delivery box in her hand.

"Sorry to bother you."

Upon entering the room, Kato Megumi saw Genkawa Yu lying on a chair. After spending so much time together, she could keenly sense that he was probably pondering some difficult problem.

"Kato, what's wrong?"

Upon seeing the girl approach, Genkawa let out a long sigh of relief, and his expression returned to calm.

The next moment, Kato Megumi handed over the package and said in a calm, businesslike tone, "Mr. Genkawa, this is a package I just received. The sender is Ms. Asakura Toru, and it seems to contain chocolate."

"Oh."

Genkawa Yu took the package, and inside was indeed an exquisitely packaged chocolate box. Its style was different from Kurokawa Akane's pink and Kato Megumi's simple blue, leaning more towards fashion and simplicity.

Attached to the card was a card with a handwritten note from Asakura Toru, which read, "Thank you for your care, Genkawa-kun. Happy Valentine's Day."

Asakura Toru's group is about to have a live performance, and I haven't had any time these past few days. Sending me a chocolate is already a very thoughtful gesture.

Yuu Genkawa also received a text message from Toru Asakura on his phone, and he was somewhat touched.

It seems I'll have to give a proper return gift for White Valentine's Day next month.

He put the chocolate aside, took out his phone, and quickly sent several messages of thanks and greetings to Asakura Toru.

After resting for a while, the film crew wrapped up, and Genkawa Yu and Kato Megumi got into the company's van to return to their apartment.

On the bus, Genkawa Yu thought of the question again. Looking at Kato Megumi, who always seemed very calm, a strange thought popped into his mind.

"Um... Kato, have you ever been in a relationship?"

"Ok?"

Kato Megumi turned her head, her pretty face showing a faint hint of doubt and a strange expression.

"I've never been in a relationship, why do you ask that, Genkawa-san?"

Genkawa Yu hesitated for a moment, but finally decided to talk to someone, since Kato Megumi was the closest to him and he trusted her as an artist's assistant.

"Um, I have a question related to relationships and I'd like to ask your opinion..."

"That's okay. Although I've never been in a relationship, I can be a listener to Genkawa-san."

Kato Megumi's eyes, which seemed to reflect the emotions in people's hearts, were very clear. After Genkawa Yu said those words, she immediately guessed what the question was, so she nodded, put her hands together, and adopted a standard posture of listening attentively.