Tokyo: The evil god doesn't want to be the top star

Ikebukuro, Sunshine City.

Sunshine City in Ikebukuro, which was once the "tallest building in Asia" in the 1980s, still stands out with its 60-story height even in the dazzling night view of Tokyo today.

At eight o'clock, around Sunshine City, whether it was outdoor advertising, electronic screens or roadside posters, the content displayed was only two themes...

The animated films "Cursed Blade" and "Attack of Dwarfs" were released.

The Ikebukuro Cinema located in Sunshine City is the "largest cinema in Kanto" with 10 floors of screening space and IMAXGT, 4DX and other theaters with the largest screens in the th district.

So, like most movies, these two animated films released in the same period chose to premiere in this theater.

"There are so many people, it's so crowded, I really want to go home... The premiere is too exaggerated, wouldn't it be better to wait until the end of the show and watch it at a discount?"

At the entrance of the cinema which was packed with people, Xia Fan stood helplessly in the corner.

"Xia Fan, I'm sorry..."

Suddenly, a girl's apologetic voice came from behind.

"The recording of the interview program was temporarily extended. Not only was I unable to treat you to a meal, but I also made you wait for so long. I'm really sorry!"

Xia Fan turned around and found Hoshina Hanami, wearing a mask and big sunglasses, with his hands on his knees, gasping for breath and apologizing to him.

Today, she wore a fitted white uniform and short skirt, paired with a pink knitted jacket, looking very sweet.

Judging from her exquisite hairstyle, slightly heavier makeup than usual, and her uncontrollable breathing, she must have rushed over as soon as the show ended.

"It's okay, it's normal to have changes in work schedules. I've encountered a lot of unexpected situations recently. It's just a meal. There will be opportunities in the future."

Xia Fan waved his hand indifferently.

Because Hoshina Hanami's interview schedule changed, the two did not have dinner together as planned and had to meet directly at the cinema.

"Will there be opportunities to...eat...and...watch movies?"

As if catching some key words from Xia Fan's words, Hoshina Hanami's ears instantly turned pink.

"Then, then, then, isn't it the same as...that kind of...relationship..."

She didn't know what she was thinking of. She held her burning cheeks, lowered her head, and her voice became inaudible.

"The agreed time is still a while away. The other person hasn't arrived yet. We have to wait a little longer and go in together."

Xia Fan glanced at the time and glanced at the crowd, but didn't see the person he was expecting.

"Hey, is there another person? I thought there were only two of us..."

"Who could Xia Jun's friend be?"

Hearing this, Xing Ming Hana's eyes were slightly downcast, but she breathed a sigh of relief silently.

"Hey, look, the Cursed Blade COSers are all so professional, their expressions and costumes are so realistic..."

"The uniform equipment and combat uniforms on the attacking dwarves' side look pretty good too. Should I take some time to go take a look later?"

Soon, the two simple-minded people's attention was attracted by the official COSPLAY activities of "Cursed Blade" and "Attack of Dwarfs" in the hall.

“If I knew that the theme song composer wanted to watch a box office rival’s movie, I wonder what the production committee who has been working lately to prepare for the release would think.”

Suddenly, I heard the teasing words of a young girl beside me.

Chapter 59 That kind of relationship?

2024-07-13

"Class monitor... you are still as punctual as ever."

Only then did Xia Fan notice that Horie Tsubasa had appeared in front of him at some point and was standing shoulder to shoulder with him, smiling.

Today, she is still wearing the same conservative college-style uniform, but the skirt seems to be shorter than usual, and coupled with bright black stockings, her legs look particularly slender and eye-catching.

"Xia Fan, won't you introduce me to the friend you brought with you?"

Horie Tsubasa pursed his lower lips and looked behind Xia Fan.

"Xia Fan, is this the person you are waiting for?"

There, Hoshina Hanami poked her head out from behind Xia Fan...

"So tall... so big... so gentle and mature..."

Her eyes swept over Horie Tsubasa's proud chest and tight long legs, and finally fell back on herself. She subconsciously protected her chest with her hands.

"Ahahaha, let me introduce you. This is Hoshina Hanami, a debut artist from the same agency. The music department just happened to have tickets for the premiere, so I invited Hanami to come watch it with us."

"She is Horie Tsubasa, who was my class representative in high school and college, and also acted in this movie as a voice actor."

Thinking about how he almost gave away the movie ticket by accident, Xia Fan began to introduce the two to each other with a guilty conscience.

"If I had known you had a ticket, I wouldn't have bothered to ask for one for you..."

"So you are the idol singer Ms. Hoshina. You are even more beautiful in person than in the camera. I have listened to your singing of "Sakura" many times. It is really beautiful."

Horie Tsubasa still had a warm and cheerful expression, but the lenses of his glasses reflected a look of observation.

"No, no, Miss Horie is a top student at Tokyo University of the Arts just like Xia Fan, and she's also a beautiful voice actress. I'm really envious. I just happened to return to Tokyo today and finished work. Xia Fan invited me to watch the premiere of "Cursed Spirit Wars". It's really great."

Hoshina Hanami smiled stiffly and returned the greeting obediently.

"By the way, there's still a while before the movie starts. Xia Fan, Ms. Horie, would you like some milk tea, cola, or something like that? Let's go buy some drinks together!"

Then, her face flushed, she grabbed Xia Fan's clothes and made a suggestion.

"Well, I can do anything. It depends on you..."

Xia Fan shrugged indifferently.

"The movie "Cursed Blade" is more than two hours long. Drinking too much caffeinated beverages can easily cause you to have to go to the bathroom in the middle and miss the exciting plot. Besides, isn't Miss Xingming an artist? Aren't you afraid that it will affect your body management?"

"How about some popcorn..."

Horie Tsubasa tilted his head, casually put his hand on Xia Fan's other sleeve, and gave him "reasonable advice".

"What do you think, Xia Fan... I always feel like something is missing if I don't drink anything when watching a movie... I've been a little underweight recently, and the company asked me to eat more..."

Xing Minghua looked at Xia Fan with slightly puffed cheeks, like a squirrel with a vigilant face wrapping food.

"Popcorn has also been a famous 'movie companion' for many years, right, Xia Fan?"

Horie Tsubasa also looked at him gently.

"Ah, ask me?"

"Hey, look, isn't there a 'Cursed Blade co-branded milk tea popcorn set' over there? I'll go buy it right away!"

Although he was not sure what had happened, Xia Fan, feeling some unknown sense of crisis, instinctively separated himself from the two women and ran towards the food counter as if he was escaping for his life.

"You've been calling me by my name since the beginning. It seems like you and Xia Jun have a good relationship?"

Looking at Xia Fan's departing back, Horie Tsubasa crossed his arms and asked curiously.

"Of course, we are... that kind of... first-name relationship..."

Hoshina Hanami puffed out her chest guiltily.

"Could it be that kind of relationship?"

Horie Tsubasa narrowed his eyes and smiled.

"That kind of relationship?! No, no..."

"Xia Fan and I met when we were recording a song last month. He helped me a lot, and we are of similar age, so we get along well..."

Seeing her false courage extinguished in an instant, Hoshina Hana panicked and shook her head in denial.

"Ms. Horie, if you were classmates in high school and college, wouldn't that mean you have known each other for more than four years? Are you childhood sweethearts? Or, is that a relationship like that?!"

Then, she put her hands behind her back, secretly counted her fingers, and looked at Horie Tsubasa with some suspicion.

"Childhood sweethearts, that means at least we have to have a close relationship since elementary school..."

"That kind of relationship is out of the question."

Horie Tsubasa denied it calmly, but a hint of pink quietly appeared on her cheeks.

"Speaking of which, the content of this kind of big-budget movie is really exciting..."

"Yes, I am looking forward to it too."

"As a voice actor, didn't you watch it in advance?"

"Before the release, I only watched the clips I dubbed, and the rest was kept secret."

"I see……"

As if something was confirmed, they both secretly breathed a sigh of relief and the atmosphere was no longer as tense as before.

"I can't get it anymore, help me..."

Not long after, Xia Fan came back with three servings of "Cursed Blade Joint Milk Tea Popcorn Set".

“What a cute drink cup!”

Hoshina Hanami picked up the movie-branded milk tea cup and blinked her starry eyes.

This milk tea cup is a square in the shape of the "cursed box" that the protagonist Tojiro used to seal his sister. There is also a cute Q-version carob on the inside of the lid, which can be said to be very thoughtfully designed.

"Compared to the milk tea cup, this popcorn is quite a bad taste."

Horie Tsubasa, who voiced "The Queen of Curses", smiled bitterly while holding a bucket of popcorn.

The surface of this popcorn bucket is printed with "The Flesh of the Cursed Queen", and the background is a bloody scene of Tojiro holding a long knife and chopping the Cursed Queen into countless pieces of meat.

Of course, what’s filled in is not real “minced meat”, but popcorn in different colors such as sea salt, chocolate, strawberry, butter, etc.

Soon, the movie premieres began to arrive.

The three followed the crowd, checked their tickets in an orderly manner, and then entered the huge IMAXGT screening hall.

"It's worthy of being the largest cinema in District 11. This is the first time I've seen such a big screen."

Although he has always lived in the nearby Ikebukuro shopping street, this IMAX GT is a newly upgraded screening room a few years ago, and Xia Fan has never been here before.

"Found it, our seats are over here."

According to the seat numbers, Xia Fan quickly found the seats of the three people.

Because the premiere was by appointment only, when he asked Yamazaki for tickets, he specially changed to three adjacent seats.

"How should we sit? For people in the middle seats, it's not so convenient to get in and out, and the air quality is worse."

"Well, since I'm the shortest, I'll sit in the middle..."

"It's okay, I'm thin too..."

A few meters behind him, Hoshina Hanami and Horie Tsubasa looked vigilantly at the position in the middle.

The person who controls the middle position can sit with Xia Fan while separating the other person from the side...

The difference between the two is the throne of the winner and the abyss of loneliness.

Chapter 60 The Taste of Lip Glaze

2024-07-13

"Let me do it. Miss Xingming is an artist, so of course she should sit somewhere with better air."

"It's no problem. I was able to survive in the AKSB48 small theater, where three or four people were squeezed into one dressing room."

The two girls walked side by side "in love with each other", saying "giving way to each other", but secretly trying to squeeze towards the middle position.

"The most inconvenient seat is, of course, for boys. What's wrong with you? Sit down! The movie is about to start!"

But Xia Fan, who was walking in the front, had already sat down in the middle seat casually.

"Xia Fan, you..."

"This guy is still as thick-skinned as ever."

The two girls sighed and could only sit on the seats on both sides of him, one on the left and one on the right.

“I’m really looking forward to seeing how the movie will turn out in the end.”

The lights went out, the screen lit up, and Horie Tsubasa was visibly nervous.