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

When Yuan Chuan You heard her words, his expression faltered slightly.

Is this... a concession?

Okay! I will try my best to do that.

"During filming, I will absolutely not let irrelevant factors affect my state or our work."

At this stage, allowing Akane Kurokawa and Mai Sakurajima to have too much contact would be like adding fuel to the fire; such conditions might be better for both of them.

Seeing the light that instantly lit up his eyes and his unwavering agreement, Mai Sakurajima's inexplicable frustration seemed to dissipate somewhat, replaced by a more complex sense of anticipation.

She stopped looking at him and simply gave a faint "hmm" in response.

Yuan Chuanyou knew when to stop and that it was not the right time to say anything more.

So he suppressed his excitement, regained his calm tone, and said.

"Well... Mai-san, you have a schedule tomorrow, so get some rest. See you tomorrow."

After saying that, he didn't linger and turned to walk towards the conference room door. His steps were much lighter than when he came, as if he had unloaded a heavy burden.

Mai Sakurajima stood still, without moving or turning around.

Listening to his footsteps as he left, until the conference room door was gently closed, she slowly turned around, her gaze somewhat vacant as she stared at the closed door, as if she could see through it and see his receding figure.

Just then, the conference room door was gently pushed open again, and Sachiko Sakurajima walked in.

She watched her daughter standing there alone, her face bearing a complex expression she had never seen before.

"Mai."

Sachiko Sakurajima walked to her daughter's side, her tone filled with concern and a hint of understanding.

"You've been acting strange today. You've been distracted ever since the event ended. Did you and Genkawa... have some kind of conflict?"

As both a mother and agent, she knew her daughter all too well and was keenly aware of the unusual atmosphere between them.

Mai Sakurajima snapped out of her daze, looked at her mother, gently shook her head, and a bitter smile appeared on her lips.

“It’s not a contradiction, Mom.”

Mai Sakurajima paused, seemingly searching for the right words to describe this complicated relationship, "We're both trying to convince each other, and right now... we're just at a stalemate."

She omitted the specific details, after all, she couldn't really tell her mother the details of their argument.

Seeing the clear affection and pain in her daughter's eyes, Sachiko Sakurajima understood. She reached out and gently patted her daughter's arm, her tone tender yet firm.

“Mai, you can’t hide your feelings from me. If you really like him and are really sure about him, then no matter what choice you make, Mom will stand by you and support you.”

She paused, then added meaningfully, as if to say something else.

"In this circle, many things cannot be simply measured by right or wrong. What matters is your own heart and whether you can ultimately achieve the happiness you desire."

Hearing her mother's words, Mai Sakurajima's strong will seemed to find an outlet, and her eyes suddenly became a little hot. However, she quickly blinked hard to force back the tears, and then the confident light that belonged to "Mai Sakurajima" reappeared on her face.

She looked at her mother, her gaze gradually becoming clear and firm, and nodded. Her voice was soft, but it carried an undeniable strength.

"Okay, I understand. Thank you, Mom."

The girl slightly raised her chin, as if making a vow to herself, and added softly but clearly.

"I will find a way... to achieve final victory."

Volume 2 Tokyo Love Story: Chapter 40 Kasumigaoka Utaha: The Sofa is So Warm (2-in-1 5k)

Genkawa Yu dragged his slightly heavy steps back to the apartment, opened the door, and was greeted by the expected tranquility.

At the entrance, Kurokawa Akane's beige soft-soled slippers were neatly arranged, but she was nowhere to be seen.

The air was filled with the clean scent of the apartment itself. She had sent a message in advance, informing us that the troupe would be holding a long, closed rehearsal tonight for an important upcoming performance, which would probably not end until late at night.

Genkawa Yu took off his jacket, which still carried the slight chill of the outdoor air, and carefully hung it in the walk-in closet.

He rubbed his slightly throbbing temples and stretched his facial muscles, which had become somewhat stiff from maintaining a smile on stage for so long.

His packed schedule was already running at high speed, leaving him no time to catch his breath. Two days later, there was another promotional event in another major city in China, and a week later, he would travel across the ocean to Shanghai, China, for overseas promotion.

During this period, he also had pre-arranged magazine cover shoots, high-end brand endorsement events, and the initial tasks of the future development of [Star Engine] that he had to attend to.

This high-intensity operation is the ultimate test of a person's energy and time management abilities.

Walking into the open kitchen, Genkawa Yu poured himself a glass of warm water and leaned against the counter to sip it slowly.

After a brief moment of mental blankness, Genkawa Yu went into the study.

He sat down at the large desk, the ergonomic chair making a slight creaking sound as he pressed the power button on the computer. The screen lit up, its soft blue light illuminating his sharply defined face, which showed a hint of fatigue, yet also a heightened sense of focus.

I first glanced at my system panel.

[Production Sequence 1: Composition Mastery (Green)]

Experience points: 55/100

[Production Sequence Two: Advanced Material Selection]

Experience points: 78/100

Because she became lovers with Akane Kurokawa and had many entanglements with Mai Sakurajima, the experience points for the "Advanced Research" skill are almost full.

[Junior Novelist (Green)] + [Continuous Writing (Green)] + [Advanced Research (Green)] = [Bestselling Author (Purple)]

Once I successfully obtain the entry for "Bestselling Author (Purple)," I should polish the story of "The Wind Rises" and then prepare for its release.

Then, he opened another folder marked with an asterisk.

These are the lyrics to the theme song "Zen Zen Zense" prepared by Yu Genkawa for the animated film "Your Name".

Are you finally awake?

Why won't you look me in the eye?

You complained angrily, "It's too late!" But I've already run as fast as I can to your side.

My heart even surpasses my body to reach you.

Just seeing the tips of your hair and your eyes makes my chest ache.

I want to breathe the same air and time as you, and I don't want to be apart.

[I heard that voice, so familiar from the distant past.]

What should I say for the first time in my life?

From my past lives, I have been searching for you.

Following your clumsy smile, I finally found you.

Even if you disappear, leaving only fragments.

I will not lose heart; I will start my search anew.

Or perhaps it's about resetting the entire universe to zero and starting afresh!

Genkawa Yu silently read these words that flowed from the bottom of his heart, his fingertips unconsciously tapping a rhythm on the table.

Although the lyrics are ready, the arrangement still requires waiting for the "Arrangement Mastery" entry to be obtained, as that is the real key.

Just then, a slightly hurried yet rhythmic knocking sound broke the silence of the apartment and interrupted his thoughts.

Genkawa Yu frowned slightly. Who could it be at this time?

Akane has the key, and they should still be rehearsing.

He got up and walked to the entrance hall. Instead of opening the door immediately, he habitually looked out through the peephole and discovered that standing outside was none other than Kasumigaoka Utaha, whom he hadn't seen in a long time.

Suppressing his surprise, Yuan Chuanyou turned the doorknob and opened the door.

Kasumigaoka Utaha standing outside the door, her condition truly surprised him.

The other person was still wearing a black long dress, with a beige cashmere cardigan that looked soft but was slightly oversized, draped over it to ward off the chill of the night.

Kasumigaoka Utaha's usually meticulously combed long black hair now appeared somewhat frizzy and fluffy, with a few unruly strands sticking up or clinging to her cheeks, giving her a lazy, messy beauty.

Her beautiful face, which always carried a hint of languor, was now filled with a deep weariness. The dark circles under her eyes were as thick as ink, and her complexion lacked color, appearing almost transparently pale.

However, what is most striking is her pair of beautiful red eyes, which are unusually bright at this moment, creating a strong contrast with her physical exhaustion.

She clutched a stack of printed manuscripts tightly in her arms, as if holding some rare treasure, her knuckles turning slightly white from the force of her grip.

Good evening, Genkawa-kun.

Kasumigaoka Utaha spoke, her voice hoarse and dry from prolonged lack of sleep, but her tone carried a strange exhilaration, a mixture of exhaustion and excitement after completing a masterpiece.

"I've finished the first draft of 'Crying Out Love in the Center of the World,' would you like to take a look?"

Genkawa Yu stepped aside to let her in, his brows furrowing even more deeply. "Kasumigaoka-san, you..."

He closed the door, his tone revealing undisguised concern.

"Did you stay up all night? You look like your soul has left your body."

Kasumigaoka Utaha waved her hand dismissively and walked straight to the living room, where she placed the heavy stack of manuscripts she was carrying on the glass coffee table with a crisp "thud".

Then, as if finally relieved of a heavy burden, or as if having exhausted her last bit of energy, the girl slumped into the soft, spacious sofa and let out a long sigh.

"Fortunately, I'm still a little short of leaving my body."

She raised her hand and rubbed her throbbing temples hard, her tone carrying a sense of exhaustion, yet strangely mixed with intense excitement.

"For the past ten days or so, I've basically been surviving on convenience store coffee, energy drinks, and my willpower that's about to break down."

"Hmm...on average, I can sleep about three to four hours a day? I can't quite remember."

As Yuan Chuanyou listened to her description of her almost self-destructive creative process, he couldn't help but feel a chill.

He knows all too well the state of being that creators enter when they are in a flow state, a state of complete absorption that makes them forget to eat or sleep. He himself went through a similar phase when he was writing "Love Letter".

The fact that someone like Kasumigaoka Utaha could create works at such an extreme intensity for nearly half a month still shocked him and caused him a genuine sense of worry.

This is completely harming your own body.

"This is outrageous! It's practically squandering their health!"

Genkawa Yu's tone became serious, with an unquestionable insistence and even a hint of reproach.

"Kasumigaoka-san, talent needs a healthy body as a vessel! What you urgently need right now is definitely not to discuss the manuscript immediately, but to rest! Immediately, right now!"