The next day, Yuan Chuan You was still sitting alone in a corner of the film studio.
Several prop boxes were stacked against the wall in the corner, bearing the original logo of the '49' production crew. This had already become his regular spot, a fact even the crew staff knew.
His scenes for the day were [Inoue Satoshi]'s final segment in the second episode. After filming, Yuan Chuan You's work schedule for the week would be completely finished.
The ratings for the first episode of '49' were good, setting off a chain reaction within the crew.
For instance, the stagehands moved much faster than usual, and Director Asano spent more and more time behind the monitor. His scolding grew quieter, and a hint of excitement colored his voice.
Everyone was working hard, wanting to make the show even more successful.
The noise of the set ebbed and flowed like the tide, but it didn't disturb Yuan Chuan You's thoughts.
He spread a notebook open on his lap and quietly continued writing the next part of Love Letter.
Occasionally, he would pause, resting the end of his pen against his chin in thought for a few seconds before continuing to write.
Chapter seven of Love Letter: the young Fujii Itsuki discovers the sketch on the back of the library card.
He had revised this part many times, always feeling it wasn't perfect enough.
He wrote very slowly, occasionally pausing to gaze quietly into the distance, as if he could see that fictional library, see the sunlight shining through the curtains onto the yellowed library card, and see the girl's trembling fingers as she flipped the card over.
After more than an hour, Yuan Chuan You finally let out a long, satisfied sigh.
"Whew, this part feels pretty good."
He rubbed his wrist and waited for the crew to wrap up for the day.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
At ten at night, the Tokyo air was damp, and the halos of the streetlights blurred on the asphalt, like a splotch of wet paint.
Yuan Chuan You brushed the wrinkles from his clothes, bid farewell to the director and a few staff members he knew well, then gathered his things and walked off the set.
But just as he reached the main gate of the private high school serving as the filming location, a familiar figure appeared before the young man's eyes.
It was none other than Yamada Shu from Johnny & Associates, the actor playing the male lead, [Kagami Dan], in '49'.
"Good evening, Yuan Chuan-kun."
The other man spoke first, a gentle smile on his face.
"Good evening, Yamada-kun. Are you... waiting for me here?"
"Yes."
Just then, another person emerged from behind Yamada Shu and continued where he left off.
"Good evening, Yuan Chuan-kun. I'm Mizushima Ryo from Johnny & Associates. It's a pleasure to meet you."
The man was middle-aged, around forty, dressed sharply in a suit with his hair slicked back immaculately. At first glance, he looked like a corporate elite from an internet company.
"...May I ask what you two want with me?"
Yuan Chuan You immediately had a guess, but he decided to ask about the situation first before considering how to respond.
"Yuan Chuan-kun, although you turned me down last time, I still think you're a perfect fit for us at Johnny & Associates. So this time, I brought Mizushima-san from the agency to talk with you. Please don't worry, we won't take up too much of your time."
Yamada Shu smiled slightly as he explained.
"I see. But didn't I already give you my answer last time? Why bring it up again, Yamada-kun?"
While speaking with Yamada Shu, Yuan Chuan You kept a close watch on the middle-aged man standing beside him.
As one of the giants of the Japanese entertainment industry, Johnny & Associates' artists held many primetime drama and variety show slots on television, giving the agency a pivotal position in the entire industry.
Since this Mizushima-san was from Johnny & Associates, and Yamada Shu seemed to be deferring to him, his position at the agency was definitely not low.
"Yuan Chuan-kun, could you give me a few minutes of your time?"
At that moment, Mizushima Ryo spoke again. His voice was unhurried, even somewhat refined.
"Of course. I'm all ears for whatever you have to say, Mizushima-san."
"Good."
The next moment, Mizushima Ryo pulled a document from his briefcase and held it out to Yuan Chuan You with a smile.
"I'm not one to beat around the bush. Since Yamada-kun has already invited you once, I won't waste time with pleasantries."
"This is a letter of intent I printed this afternoon. You can take a look at the contents first. I believe that after you've read it, you will make the right decision."
Yuan Chuan You glanced at the contract. He didn't reach out to take it, instead looking directly into Mizushima Ryo's eyes.
"Mizushima-san, I appreciate your agency's generous offer, but I'm already with a talent agency and have no intention of leaving."
Hearing this, the smile on Mizushima Ryo's face faded slightly, while Yamada Shu, standing to the side, quickly chimed in, "Yuan Chuan-kun, we at Johnny & Associates are very sincere. We hope you'll consider it seriously."
"I've already considered it very carefully. This matter..."
"Yuan Chuan-kun, if you'll permit me to speak frankly, I looked into your background before coming here today."
Looking at the young man before him, Mizushima Ryo cut him off.
"'49' is the first TV drama you've been in, and you've gained a lot of attention for your excellent acting. But the agency you're with is very small. They simply don't have the ability to help you capitalize on this wave of attention."
"I hear you don't even have a dedicated manager. Do you think that's normal?"
"Yuan Chuan-kun, it's good for a young man to be sentimental, but you also have to think about your future. What can a small or mid-sized agency give you? At most, just audition opportunities for a few low-budget films or dramas. You'd still even have to fight for those roles yourself."
After saying this, Mizushima Ryo began to outline the terms Johnny & Associates could offer.
"If you join us, there will be a major role reserved for you in the Taiga drama next February. Moreover, our long-term commercial partners can offer you three endorsement deals. These promises are absolutely solid."
"How about it? I hope you'll think it over carefully and trust in our agency's sincerity."
"..."
Although the offer sounded wonderful, after reading the [Guidelines for Entertainers] that Nakahara Kazuya had given him, Yuan Chuan You understood it was just a sugar-coated bullet meant to entice him.
Johnny & Associates was indeed powerful, and they had connections with many television stations. If he joined them, an actor would certainly not lack exposure or opportunities.
However, their agency had a strict rule that was completely different from their competitors: their artist contracts were extremely long, practically akin to indentured servitude.
A Johnny & Associates contract was eight or ten years at minimum, with some lasting as long as twenty. This actually violated brokerage regulations, but as an industry leader, the performing arts association couldn't control them at all.
For Johnny & Associates, once you signed a contract, they had countless ways to make you fulfill it.
So, no matter how flowery Mizushima Ryo's words were, Yuan Chuan You remained completely unshaken. Not to mention, he had the Entry System and had no need for the opportunities Johnny & Associates could provide.
He pretended to think for a moment before saying to Mizushima Ryo.
"Mizushima-san, I must thank your agency again for the generous offer, but I can only refuse your kind intentions."
As soon as he said it, the air instantly froze.
The smile on Mizushima Ryo's face vanished, and the warmth drained from his expression.
"Yuan Chuan-kun, have you really thought this through?"
"I have."
Yuan Chuan You calmly met his gaze.
"Fine. Very fine. Young people certainly have guts."
Mizushima Ryo slowly put away the contract, his mind already racing with how to deal with Yuan Chuan You's impudence.
He'd done this sort of thing many times; he knew the process by heart.
First, he could use Johnny & Associates' power to "blacklist" him, then stir up negative comments and verbal abuse online. This two-pronged attack would easily push Yuan Chuan You into a corner.
After all, the other party's agency was very small and would definitely not choose to fight back. They might even give up on him quickly.
Once Yuan Chuan You could no longer take it, Mizushima Ryo would extend the invitation again. At that point, the terms would be non-negotiable, allowing Johnny & Associates to hold all the cards.
When he finally joined Johnny & Associates, they could use the agency's exclusively-operated official fan club to quickly whitewash his image and make him popular again.
Mizushima Ryo was very familiar with this whole process. He had mastered the nuances of every step, which was why Johnny-san had given him direct authority to manage the situation.
With a plan in mind, Mizushima Ryo looked at Yuan Chuan You with utter calm.
"Well then, I won't disturb you any longer, Yuan Chuan-kun. I wish you... a pleasant evening. Goodbye."
"Goodbye."
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