The reception staff, all young women in dark gray uniforms from Shochiku Co., Ltd., worked overnight to update every poster to feature After I Close My Eyes.
Sixty percent of the posters show Chu Zhi as Tenei Ki—riding a bicycle prankishly, standing outside a doorway, posing quietly, or chasing and playing. His striking looks drew frequent glances, especially from the sizable crowd of "face fanatics"—among them was Koguchi Yoshihiro.
"This Chinese artist's looks… his beauty is wasted on singing," said guest Jun Kimura. "I've never felt poster filters and text become burdens until now."
The hostess responded: "Mr. Kimura, please follow us; the screening is in Hall 5."
From Koguchi's vantage point among the beauty admirers, the tallest figure was actor Ryatsu Matsuzaka, standing 191 cm tall. A member of Japan's Ainu minority, he's had major roles in Japanese historical dramas and a successful Hollywood career. The media nicknamed him "Tall Matsu."
"Director Dazuko said he'd like to work with me—when could that happen?" asked Matsuzaka.
"If Matsuzaka‑san weren't booked, I would've written in a role," replied director Dazuko Etsushi. Matsuzaka quipped that he was busy from October to November last year. He then asked about tabloid rumors that Dazuko chose Chu Zhi first just by seeing him.
"I said in Week Report, 'I created this role and then God created Chu‑san,'" clarified Dazuko. "It wasn't that I insisted, it's that Chu‑san brings beauty to which no one else can compare."
Koguchi Yoshihiro spotted another handsome actor, Hisahisa Miura—long hair, model looks—hailed as "a stunning boy, a once‑in a millennium beauty." Miura, a friend of Koguchi's, confirmed their friendship.
"Might seem vain, but does Koguchi‑san have confidence in Chu‑san?" Miura asked.
"Chu‑san takes everything so seriously," replied Koguchi. "He succeeds at whatever he does."
They laughed and chatted while more guests filed in.
Among the older male guests were executives and famous directors, like Naoshige Kounai—friendly rivals with Dazuko Etsushi. He didn't like "vase" actors but admitted Chu Zhi's presence elevated the project.
"The film's budget is ¥800 million—it's a cliff edge," warned a financer. Kounai said: "With Chu‑san starring, the box office will be fine."
All major Japanese film studios were represented—Toho, Toei, Kadokawa, Nikkatsu, and Shochiku—the organizer here. Guests filled the 530-seat Hall 5 comfortably.
As media mingled, the screening ran late. Finally, the lights dimmed and the film began.
Chu Zhi, Yuriko Nakamura, and Maki Hashimoto sat in the second row. Front row VIPs included Shochiku board members, the deputy editor of Tokyo Morning News, and the Shinjuku ward mayor.
"It's my first lead role on the big screen—I'm a bit nervous," muttered Chu Zhi. The actress beside him, Maki Hashimoto, was visibly fidgety.
The opening shot revealed heroine Tomoko lying in snow—lonely, vast, white. The film starts at the two-year memorial for Tenei Ki, with family, a monk, and a former classmate, Tomoko, present.
She rummaged through his old school yearbook, noted his address, and wrote a letter:"Tenei Ki, I hope you're well. I am too. — Tomono Tomoko."She didn't expect a reply—his parents said the address was now a highway and she addressed the wrong person.
But a letter arrived back—to a girl also named Tenei Ki, living in Otaru, Hokkaido. Screenwriter Yori Kounai furrowed his brow.
It wasn't a mix-up by the postman; neither had Tomoko miswritten, so it seemed a contrived coincidence: two classmates with the same name, one male (deceased) and one female (the letter's real recipient), rarely occurring but dramatically perfect.
The female Tenei Ki in Otaru, initially curious, eventually responded:"Dear Tomoko Tomono, I'm doing fine, though a bit sick lately."She laughed at the coincidence; Tomoko sent medicine.
The film's 40-minute buildup ended as Tomoko and her boyfriend Akiba came to Otaru to untangle the mystery.
They discover the school yearbook bore two identical names; Tomoko misread the girl's address. Worse, the girl resembled the lost fiancé—suggesting Tomoko might have been an unwitting romantic substitute.
At this reveal, around 430 audience members, including 70 women, gasped at the emotional twist.
"This is getting interesting," muttered Kounai, acknowledging Dazuko's direction.
Earlier flashbacks showed the male Tenei Ki as class prankster—white shirt, black tie, barn-sweeping fringe, riding his bike among drifting sakura petals. Chu Zhi's handsome face seemed to blow into everyone's hearts.
Even "vase-hater" Kounai admitted: "He looks like a vase… but a great one."
Since Chu Zhi is the lead, Director Dazuko Etsushi even tweaked the script: Tenei Ki is now a Chinese international student—a detail delivered naturally, preserving Chu Zhi's spotlight.
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Use of "vase" (花瓶): Criticism in film for using actors valued for looks rather than talent; here, Chu Zhi transcends with both.