The email I received came from a personal address belonging to a man named Kaito Nakamura. I didn't know who he was, but I read the entire email since it was about Koe no Katachi. As soon as I started reading, I was met with some rather shocking news.
The company had rejected my script.
The man named Kaito said he really liked my script and believed it would definitely become something very successful. However, the company didn't like the fact that it was a film with bullying as a central theme.
He said bullying is currently a major issue in Japan, and a film centered on that topic would certainly cause a lot of controversy.
'Does Japan really have such a big problem with bullying?' I had never actually seen anyone being bullied at my school. Maybe I just haven't been paying enough attention to my surroundings.
Then Miu's image came to mind.
She had definitely suffered from bullying. The story she wrote showed that quite often. Besides, her classmates clearly didn't like her at all. When I went to her classroom looking for her, they seemed very uncomfortable.
Uncomfortable with the fact that "someone like me" was looking for "someone like her."
"I really didn't know. I thought producing this film would be easy." Well, if they don't want to produce it, I'll just save the script for later. I'll definitely release this film in the future.
Then I reached the end of the email.
[My sister works at a well-known studio. She works at the studio that produced the Overlord anime. Her name is Asuna Nakamura. I've sent the script to her to read, and she will definitely contact you afterward.]
The man named Kaito thanked me for my cooperation and signed off.
He didn't even ask me to write a new script.
And honestly, I wouldn't have done it even if he had.
I let out a sigh and didn't reply to the email. "His sister works at CloverWorks? Impressive." I wonder if she's an animator or holds a higher position at the studio.
Maybe she can get this film produced.
I'll wait for her email.
I stood up and went to the bathroom. After washing my face, everything that had happened at the studio came back to mind. 'It was tiring, but it was a lot of fun.' Acting really is enjoyable.
I'm looking forward to next week.
I wonder if outdoor shoots are similar.
I left the bathroom and saw my mother making sandwiches in the kitchen. She saw me and asked, "Do you want one?"
"No, I'm not hungry."
"Are you going to work now?"
Hearing her question made my head ache a little. "I think I'm going out for a walk."
"Oh, if you're going out, could you go to the market for me? I need to buy a few things for dinner, and I can't leave right now."
"Why don't we just order food from a restaurant today?"
"You know very well your father prefers my cooking."
"Alright, alright. I'll grab my wallet."
"I'll make a list for you."
I went to my room and wondered if I should message Daiki, my driver—but I didn't. 'Better to just take a taxi or an Uber.' I'm only going to the market and taking a walk, after all.
####
I left the house and got lucky—there was a taxi passing by. I got in and asked to be taken downtown. When I arrived, I started walking along the street, ignoring the looks around me.
My photos weren't spreading wildly across the internet anymore, and my momentary fame had mostly faded.
My Instagram was still doing well, even though I didn't post much. The only way I'd be approached on the street would be if one of my followers recognized me. 'But honestly, I hope that doesn't happen.'
Thinking about it, in the future, I probably won't be able to do this anymore.
Walking around freely will become impossible.
My privacy will be affected.
'That's the one downside of fame.'
I sighed and stopped at a small ramen shop I found. I placed an order with a kind elderly woman and sat on an uncomfortable stool to eat. When I finished, I left the money on the counter and walked out.
It was a 10,000 yen bill.
In Japanese culture, people don't usually like accepting generous tips like that—but I didn't care.
I walked away with a smile and opened Google Maps to find a nearby market.
'There's one not too far from here, but it looks pretty small.'
I headed toward the market—and then felt something strange.
For some reason, my senses are sharp. I'm sure I felt someone staring at my back. I looked around to see if anyone suspicious was nearby, but I couldn't find anyone.
'Ugh, that gives me chills.'
I kept walking without looking back, and a few minutes later, I felt someone staring at me again.
I'm used to people looking at me in public—but this was different.
I turned around and searched for someone suspicious.
"Hm?" That's when I saw someone hiding, slipping into a narrow alley.
I stared in that direction seriously and slipped my phone into my pocket.
I ran toward the alley, but after checking, I found no one—just a few workers behind a shop.
'What the hell was that?' Was it one of my Instagram followers? Some kind of obsessed fan? No, I'm not famous enough for that. 'Could it be a journalist?'
Even now, there are still many journalists trying to uncover the true identity of the author "Aoi Haruki."
'That can't be it… right?'
I quickened my pace and entered the market.
While shopping for my mother, I kept thinking about that suspicious person.
'I need to talk to my agency about this.'
####
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