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

Mai Sakurajima looked at her mother with a burning gaze, which contained both an undeniable firmness and a hint of expectation for her mother's understanding.

"Don't you trust your daughter's charm and judgment? It's not my style to give up just because I'm afraid of the potential difficulties."

Her tone finally betrayed a hint of shyness and uncertainty that belonged to a girl her age, and her voice lowered.

"Besides, it's too early to talk about these things now. Actually, I... I'm not entirely sure what Genkawa-kun thinks either."

Looking into the clear flame in her daughter's eyes, a mixture of confidence, determination, and the persistence of someone just beginning to fall in love, Sachiko Sakurajima could only remain silent for a long time.

As a mother, she instinctively worried that her daughter would get hurt, but as someone who had watched her daughter grow up, she also knew the determination and "stubbornness" beneath her daughter's seemingly gentle exterior.

Obstruction is futile, and overprotection may become a constraint.

Finally, she let out a long sigh, her serious expression gradually replaced by helpless concern.

"Okay, you've grown up and have your own ideas now. Mom can't stop you, and she doesn't want to."

"But...Mai,"

Her gaze became extremely solemn as she gripped her daughter's hand tightly.

"You must promise me that if you really decide to go to him, you must be extremely careful and protect yourself, both your heart and your career."

As a professional agent who has worked alone in the entertainment industry for decades, Sachiko Sakurajima has a special intuitive judgment about Yu Genkawa.

“Mr. Genkawa, I really can’t see through him, but there is one thing I’m sure of: he is no ordinary person. The whirlpool around him is probably more turbulent than we can see.”

Mai Sakurajima felt the warmth and worry emanating from her mother's hand, and a warm feeling welled up in her heart. She grasped her mother's hand in return and nodded firmly.

"I know, Mom, thank you for supporting me."

"No matter what happens, Mom will always be on your side."

Although Sachiko Sakurajima had an unsuccessful marriage, her daughter's current career success has given her great satisfaction.

She must keep a close eye on her daughter before she embarks on the next chapter of her life.

She desperately wanted her daughter to be happy.

Accompanied by Megumi Kato, Yu Genkawa finally arrived at the filming location for "Alice in the Land of the Dying," which he had been away from for two months.

Everywhere you look, there are familiar sets, busy staff, the sounds of various machines, and the unique atmosphere of the film set.

Everything gave him a sense of security, like returning to his rightful place, but at the same time, it also made him feel tense.

When Director Aoyama and several key staff members saw him, they warmly surrounded him, inquiring about his recovery with concern and expressing their sincere welcome.

Genkawa responded humbly to each of them, thanking everyone for their hard work during this period.

Just as he was exchanging pleasantries with the director, a slender and familiar figure walked over.

It's Mai Sakurajima.

She had already changed into her costume as [Yuzuha Usagi]—a sportswear outfit that allowed her to move around easily, outlining her beautiful and upright figure.

The girl's makeup was much lighter than usual to match the character's setting, which only highlighted her naturally beautiful features and aloof temperament.

Two months had passed, and she seemed to have lost some weight, but her eyes were even brighter, as if they contained a kind of firm and dazzling light.

Her gaze precisely caught Genkawa Yu in the crowd, and without the slightest hesitation, Sakurajima Mai's face instantly blossomed into an extremely bright smile, even carrying a hint of undisguised joy and welcome.

That smile was so radiant, so genuine, that it completely surpassed the emotions a character in the drama should have; it was 100% Mai Sakurajima's own.

Mai Sakurajima walked with elegant and firm steps, straight through the crowd, and stood in front of Yu Genkawa.

Her actions were naturally generous, yet she possessed an undeniable aura, as if a spotlight was always following her.

"Welcome back, Genkawa-kun!"

Her voice was softer than when she was filming, with a warm, intimate tone, "Have you fully recovered? It's so good to see you standing here safe and sound."

Genkawa Yu was clearly taken aback, obviously sensing that Sakurajima Mai's aura and attitude were completely different from usual today; it was a more outgoing, more confident sense of closeness.

He quickly adjusted his expression and returned a gentle smile.

"Sakurajima-san, it's been a long time. Thanks to everyone, I've almost recovered. Please continue to guide me in the upcoming filming."

"Of course. [The rest of the text appears to be gibberish and unrelated to the preceding sentences.]"

Mai Sakurajima's smile deepened, and she even very naturally reached out and gently patted Yu Genkawa's back. The movement was very smooth and natural, yet it carried an undeniable sense of intimacy.

"Let's finish this story together."

"it is good."

"By the way, I think you don't need to use honorifics anymore. We've known each other for so long, why don't you just call me by my name, Mai?"

The girl had bright, curved eyebrows and a lovely smile.

"?"

Volume 2 Tokyo Love Story: Chapter 5 I Will Definitely Make You Fall in Love with Me (Two Volumes Combined, 5k)

"Why don't you just call me by my name? How about Mai?"

On the set of "Alice in the Land of the Dying," Yu Genkawa was stunned into silence by the words spoken by Mai Sakurajima.

In Japanese social etiquette, when people of the opposite sex omit honorifics and address each other by their first names, it is a clear signal that the relationship has entered an extremely intimate stage.

It usually only exists between family members, longtime friends, or... lovers.

Mai Sakurajima's suggestion was so clearly implied—a probing, an attempt to get closer, and even a declaration—that it was almost as clear as if it were written in black and white. Even Megumi Kato, who had maintained a calm expression, couldn't help but glance at her several times.

From Kato Megumi's perspective, Sakurajima Mai is a very successful and popular actress with a high status and popularity in the entertainment industry, so it's unlikely she would say something like that directly.

unless

Upon hearing this, Genkawa Yu was somewhat stunned, but he quickly began to ponder the purpose behind the other party's words.

Although his relationship with Mai Sakurajima is getting closer, there is still a distance between them being more than friends but less than lovers.

His hesitation did not escape Mai Sakurajima's keen observation. The light in the girl's eyes dimmed almost imperceptibly for a moment, but was immediately replaced by an even stronger fighting spirit.

Mai Sakurajima didn't back down; instead, she took a light half-step forward, further closing the already delicate distance between them.

A scent of her high-end perfume, mixed with the unique atmosphere of the film set, lingered around Genkawa Yu's nose.

"what happened?"

She tilted her head slightly, her tone playful, "Don't you want to call me by my name, Genkawa-kun? We've known each other for so long, it would seem strange to continue using honorifics, wouldn't it?"

Mai Sakurajima deliberately dragged out her words, her gaze fixed on his eyes with a cunning look that seemed to know everything.

"Or is it that, Genkawa-kun, you think our relationship can only stay this way? Was all the protection you showed me before just an act?"

Her offensive was so direct and skillful, confidently revealing her relationship with Genkawa Yu while ruthlessly throwing the difficult problem back at him with an elegant pressure.

The staff around them, who were pretending to be busy, couldn't hear the specific conversation, but the ambiguous atmosphere between the two, which was almost tangible, made the air seem thick.

Looking at the exquisite face so close to hers, a face regarded as a goddess by countless people, Yuan Chuanyou sensed the confidence, expectation, and an undeniable forcefulness in her words.

After thinking for a while, Genkawa Yu simply sighed.

If a girl has said something like that, it would be incredibly ungrateful of him to actually refuse.

He knew that in front of Mai Sakurajima at this moment, any vague evasion would be futile and hurtful.

The next moment, Genkawa Yu's lips curved into a smile that was tinged with helplessness but ultimately gentle.

"Okay, then I'll call you... Mai-san from now on?"

He habitually tried to preserve a last bit of buffer by adding a polite suffix, but the name was still uttered in the end.

Mai Sakurajima immediately caught this decisive concession, and her face instantly blossomed like fireworks, radiating dazzling brilliance, as if all the sunlight had gathered on her alone.

She smiled with satisfaction, a hint of slyness and joy flashing in her eyes, like a little girl who had successfully pulled off a prank.

"That's right. Since you've called me by my name, I should reciprocate. From now on, we won't use your surname. I'll just call you Yu-kun. That's fair."

"..."

The way she called out "Youjun" seemed to be imbued with a new warmth, intimate and natural.

The change in address was like breaking an invisible barrier, adding a special charm to the space between the two.

As an observer, Kato Megumi and Sakuyama Teruyuki's wife, being women, could naturally understand many things. However, as an artist's assistant, these matters were not something she could concern herself with; it was best to leave the decisions to them.

After a while, Director Aoyama shouted a powerful "Action!", drawing everyone's attention back to their work.

The entire studio instantly entered a state of high concentration.

This scene depicts Arisu Ryohei and Usagi Yuzuha taking a break in a safe corner of the ruins after solving a challenging puzzle, where they have a crucial conversation.

The dialogue contains a range of emotions, including probing each other's motives, uncertainty about the future, and the gradual emergence of trust and dependence. It is a rich tapestry of emotions that puts the actors to the test in terms of their inner acting skills and chemistry.

What's amazing is that both Yu Minakawa and Mai Sakurajima demonstrated the highest level of professionalism.

Once in performance mode, all those private emotional turmoil seemed to be instantly collected and sealed away.

Yu Genkawa perfectly portrayed Arisu Ryohei's exhaustion from struggling in dire straits, the budding of his complex feelings for Usagi Yuzuha, and the hope he refused to give up deep in his heart.

As for Mai Sakurajima, who is always praised for her acting skills, she perfectly portrayed the softness beneath the cold exterior of Yuzuha Usagi, the subtle change in her gradually opening up to Ryohei Arisu, and the protective instinct towards her companions that is especially precious in the apocalypse.

The two actors' performances flowed smoothly, and sparks flew when their eyes met.

They portrayed the emotions of leaning on each other on the edge of life and death, and the quietly growing bond, with great persuasiveness.

Especially when [Usagi Yuzuha] subconsciously reaches out to brush the dust that had somehow gotten on [Arisu Ryohei's] cheek, that brief pause and eye contact conveyed both the unspoken closeness between the characters and seemed to subtly reflect emotional ripples that even the actors themselves were not fully aware of.

Behind the monitor, Director Aoyama stared intently at the screen, his face revealing barely suppressed excitement and satisfaction.

He couldn't help but whisper his praise to the assistant director beside him, his voice filled with suppressed excitement.

"Perfect! Absolutely perfect!"

"Although it's only Genkawa-kun's first day back on set, he's in great shape, even more composed than before his injury. Sakurajima-san, on the other hand, has been exceptionally good today!"

"Look at the tension between them, that subtle chemistry. They perfectly brought to life the feeling of being drawn to each other in despair, just like in the script. This is exactly the 'Arisu Ryohei' and 'Usagi Yuzuha' I wanted!"

The entire morning's shooting proceeded in this efficient and creative atmosphere.

During the afternoon break, Yuan Chuan You returned to his private rest area and leaned back on the sofa, looking slightly tired, to rest with his eyes closed.

As usual, Kato Megumi appeared quietly and handed over honey water at just the right temperature and a clean towel.