Chapter 25: Barefoot Autumn
Early autumn along the Shonan Coast brought a slightly chilly crispness to the sea breeze. A few pristine white clouds drifted across the azure sky like casually scattered marshmallows. Wave after wave surged toward the shore, leaving lines of white foam upon the golden sand before slowly receding, carrying away stray seashells and kelp. The sunlight filtered through the clouds, scattering across the ocean surface in shimmering ripples, while beautiful shells washed up by the waves lay sparsely dotted along the beach.
Following the completed recording of *Hadashi de Summer (Barefoot Summer)*, Ichigo Saitou had contacted REEL, a professional video production agency, to shoot the song's music video. They settled on the Shonan Coast in Kanagawa Prefecture as the location; its gorgeous scenery perfectly matched the refreshing vibe of the track.
Aqua and Ruby had tagged along as industry insiders with connections, while Hikaru Hoshino, as the original creator of the song, participated in the shoot to provide on-site guidance.
Before arriving here, the director had already paid an offline visit to Strawberry Productions to finalize the shooting schedule with Hikaru and Ichigo.
That had taken place three days ago.
Inside the meeting room of Strawberry Productions, a middle-aged man wearing black-rimmed glasses and sporting slightly disheveled hair sat at one end of the long table. He was dressed in dark work clothes, a thick proposal document gripped in his hands.
"Do you have any guiding feedback?" the director asked politely. "Specifically, what kind of feeling are you looking to capture in this MV?"
Leaning back against his chair with his arms crossed over his chest, Hikaru stated with a serious expression, "My standards are exceptionally high. It must capture a profound sense of youth, allowing the viewers to genuinely feel the purity and beauty of a young girl from the bottom of their hearts."
The director nodded repeatedly. "As expected of the original lyricist and composer! Your understanding of the track is truly profound!"
In his mind, however, he was roasting him frantically: *Isn't that basically saying nothing at all?!*
*Tsk, these vague, generalized opinions are always the hardest to work with. They usually lead to a finished product the client hates, forcing us to take it back and completely rework it. What a massive pain—he clearly can't explain what he wants himself, yet his standards are sky-high.*
The director let out a quiet sigh in his heart. After pondering for a moment, he tried suggesting, "How about we do it like this?"
He opened his notebook, sketching out a few rough diagrams before diving into his vision: "Since Ai is an idol, her dance fundamentals are top-tier. We can contact a professional choreographer to create a routine for the song. Let's have Ai perform the full dance by the seaside as the core framework of the MV, cutting in various close-up shots to assemble the final product."
"The close-ups will highlight elements of the countryside and the seaside. We can feature scenic backdrops like lush woods, a local bus, and a sunlit rooftop," the director continued explaining his concept.
As Ichigo listened, the complete visual manifested perfectly in his mind, and he immediately made the call: "Let's go with that!"
Following the conclusion of the meeting, a few days of preparation slipped by quickly.
Now, the shooting location was fully set up. Professional cinematography equipment was lined up in precise order—ranging from massive camera rigs to portable stabilizers, and from reflector boards to various lighting gear. The entire beach had effectively transformed into a temporary movie studio. Technical crew members were making final adjustments, ensuring every single frame could be presented flawlessly.
The Saitou couple stood inside the safety zone with Aqua and Ruby, keeping their distance from the filming equipment, while Hikaru stood beside them to watch.
Ai appeared a touch bashful, standing off to the side with her head slightly lowered. Today, she wore a pure white dress; its simple design perfectly accentuated her pure, innocent disposition. The hemline rested right at her knees, looking both delightfully refreshing and elegant. Most notably, in strict accordance with the thematic requirements of *Barefoot Summer*, she wore neither socks nor shoes, leaving her completely barefoot.
The girl's delicate feet pressed into the soft sand, leaving shallow footprints behind. The shape of her feet was exceptionally elegant, her toenails neatly trimmed and radiating a healthy luster under the sun. Beneath her porcelain skin, faint traces of blue veins were subtly visible, and her five toes looked rounded and endearing, as delicate as freshly harvested lotus roots—appearing almost like exquisite pieces of sculpted art.
"Get ready!" the director raised his hand, and the entire crew instantly snapped into work mode.
"Action!"
Prompted by the director's command, the instrumental track of *Hadashi de Summer* boomed from the audio system. In a single instant, Ai shed her bashful demeanor, standing by the edge of the sea as she effortlessly began to sing and dance. The vocal segments only required her to lip-sync, and the choreography itself had been designed to be simple, allowing Ai to memorize it entirely after practicing just a few times. The ocean waves gently lapped against the shore, blending with the music to form the perfect ambient background. Ai's movements were fluid and natural, brimming with youthful vitality. The sea breeze occasionally caught her long hair, her purple tresses gleaming brilliantly under the sunlight, injecting a sense of motion and aesthetic beauty into the frame.
Watching Ai, Ichigo couldn't help but feel a wave of emotion in his heart: *Ai's skills haven't regressed in the slightest. She really is a natural-born idol.*
Aqua and Ruby worked incredibly hard to suppress their urge to perform idol cheers. Their arms and legs moved awkwardly, terrified that they might accidentally shout out loud.
Hikaru rubbed his chin, his gaze filled with pure, unadulterated appreciation.
*Now that is a magnificent visual.*
Ai dancing in a dress was truly spectacular! That professional stage presence and her innate, inherited charm made it completely impossible to tear one's eyes away.
Before long, the dance sequence was fully captured. The director instructed the crew to pack up the cameras and relocate to the next shooting setup.
Up next were the close-up water shots. Ai stood barefoot in the shallow waters. Following the director's call of "Action," she lightly and playfully kicked at the sea. Her movements sent the crystal-clear water cascading upward, spraying droplets everywhere that shimmered under the sun like countless leaping crystal beads.
The young girl's jade-like feet appeared translucent, the displaced water refracting tiny, vibrant rainbows under the sunlight. Against this backdrop of dazzling light and shadow, her snowy-white feet looked as pure and flawless as premium mutton-fat jade, a sight of breathtaking beauty.
Standing directly behind the camera crew, Hikaru stared intently at the monitor through the viewfinder. Those close-up shots were being captured flawlessly, every single frame as beautiful as a painting.
"It's too high, I can't see the camera monitor," Aqua suddenly spoke up, hinting for Hikaru to take action.
To catch a glimpse of Ai's close-up footage, he was willing to throw all caution to the wind this time.
Hikaru let out a helpless sigh. Bending down, he hoisted Aqua up onto one of his shoulders. Seeing Aqua's strategy, Ruby initially showed a flash of disdain, but after a brief hesitation, she shuffled over rather sheepishly as well.
Left with no choice, Hikaru hoisted Ruby up onto his other shoulder, carrying one on each side like a pair of oversized plush dolls.
Once this sequence wrapped up, the shoot transitioned to a rocky seaside setup.
Ai sat atop a prominent black reef jutting out by the shore, an intricately crafted white feather headpiece resting in her hair as she sang softly toward the boundless ocean. Her snowy feet rested gently against the dark reef, creating a striking, high-contrast visual. Her feet looked as delicate as jade, her skin radiant and translucent, and the arched contours of her insteps appeared exceptionally captivating against the backdrop of the black rocks.
Following that, the director commanded the crew to rapidly rotate through the remaining setups. The rooftop poses, the countryside backdrops, and the shots of the driving bus were completed one after another. Though each shot was brief, a definitive editing blueprint had already materialized in the director's mind. Ai proved to be incredibly cooperative, seamlessly locking into character for every scene and fully demonstrating the professionalism of a top-tier idol.
With the completion of the final frame, the director finally called out in satisfaction, "Wrap it up!"
The crew began packing away the equipment, and Ai changed back into her casual attire before walking over to the group. Thanks to their blazing efficiency, the entire MV shoot was wrapped up in a single day, with nearly every single shot captured perfectly on the first take. The atmosphere on set was lighthearted and cheerful, the crew members rejoicing at the prospect of an early clock-out.
"When will the final edit be ready?" Hikaru asked the director.
The director wiped the sweat from his forehead. "Hmm, the editing workload isn't too heavy, so within a week. If you're in a massive hurry, we can push the schedule to speed things up."
"Once the MV is complete, make absolute sure to send me a copy first. This is my private handle," Hikaru stated with an air of absolute professionalism, handing his phone over. "As the original creator of the song, it is my duty to appreciate—no, strictly critique it at the earliest possible moment."
Aqua didn't even bother to expose Hikaru's blatant excuse.
He quietly tugged at Hikaru's sleeve, whispering in an incredibly hushed tone, "We watch it together."
Ruby chimed in, crowding closer, "Together!"
Watching the trio's interactions, a soft blush crept into Ai's cheeks. She subconsciously began to dig into the fine sand beneath her with her toes.
With her movements, a tiny burrow manifested in the sand.
A miniature crab, smaller than a fingernail, emerged from the hole and desperately clamped its pincers onto her pinky toe.
Yet, it failed to even scratch her skin.
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