[Film Set – Coastal Cliff Location, Late Afternoon]
For no reason, he suddenly went from being the best handsome male lead to a scheming villain.
Komatsu Takuya's heart ached with bitterness.
He still wanted to protest, so he looked at his uncle, Komatsuda, with pleading eyes—the older man's salt-and-pepper hair ruffled by the coastal wind, his weathered face set in concentration as he reviewed the shot list on his tablet.
However, Komatsuda acted as if he hadn't seen him.
At this moment, Komatsuda looked at Nozomi's image on the monitor and was increasingly satisfied. The afternoon light caught Nozomi's sharp jawline, the elegant slope of his nose, those dark eyes that seemed to hold entire narratives without speaking a single word.
This is exactly what my work needs—Hozuki Nozomi brings a presence my nephew simply cannot match.
Compared to the timid Komatsu Takuya, who only showed his warm side, this person in front of him was simply himself!
Of course, this 'him' referred to Komatsuda's ideal self.
Hozuki Nozomi, whether in appearance, temperament, or even height—standing a full head taller than most of the crew—surpassed his nephew, Komatsu Takuya, in every conceivable metric.
Perhaps, portraying the original male lead, Komatsu Takuya, as a villain could instead bring enough shock to the audience.
Therefore, he had to set up a plot to make Nozomi's appearance less abrupt.
And Hozuki Nozomi's final appearance must be striking and handsome!
Komatsuda was also extremely serious about the works he directed, so at this moment, he completely gave up on assisting Komatsu Takuya.
He only focused on perfecting his work.
"How about this? Let's extend the wrap-up time. I'll pay everyone overtime, and we'll shoot a few more scenes to set up foreshadowing for the male lead's later appearance."
Komatsuda waved his hand, confirming the additional filming. The salt-tinged breeze carried the scent of equipment grease and sunscreen from the crew.
Komatsu Takuya, on the other hand, was completely dumbfounded.
Am I still your nephew?
My male lead role is just gone like that?
It was already finished, just needed to reshoot a passionate kiss with the female lead, and it would have been okay!
How did it turn out like this?
Komatsu Takuya's face twisted in bitterness, and his heart felt even worse. His fingers curled into fists at his sides, nails biting into his palms.
But he had always dared not defy his uncle's decisions, so he could only swallow the bitterness and silently accept it.
Sakurajima Mai, on the other hand, showed a joyous smile—her violet eyes bright beneath the cliff's golden hour light, long hair cascading down her back like dark silk catching copper highlights.
She triumphantly raised an eyebrow at Hozuki Nozomi.
Finally. A leading man who matches my energy.
Sakurajima Mai had long wanted to film with Hozuki Nozomi; this way, even if rumors spread later, she could gain a large number of fans.
Moreover, filming with Hozuki Nozomi also counted as having special, shared memories.
After Komatsuda made his decision, he spent over ten minutes writing Hozuki Nozomi's script, pen scratching against paper while the crew reset lights and adjusted reflectors.
The first scene was naturally a kiss scene.
Hozuki Nozomi memorized his lines in just one minute, and he quickly got into character—his posture shifting, something sharper entering his gaze.
On the cliff.
The ocean roared forty feet below, waves crashing against jagged rocks and sending up salt spray that misted across the filming location. Seabirds wheeled overhead, their cries mixing with the wind.
After the thrilling events, the female lead, Sakurajima Mai, and Komatsu Takuya showed expressions of relief at having survived.
Komatsu Takuya looked at the young girl in front of him with deep affection, showing a gentle expression. His costume—torn deliberately by wardrobe—clung to his lean frame, damp with spritzed water to simulate exertion.
"Eri, we finally made it out alive."
"Yes, Taro-kun."
Sakurajima Mai also showed a watery expression, looking at the "male lead" with some emotion. Her chest rose and fell with carefully measured breaths, lips parted just slightly.
In terms of acting, Sakurajima Mai's portrayal of the character was extremely high.
Just by looking at the girl's flowing eyes and gentle, watery demeanor, Komatsu Takuya's heart was stirred.
He seemed to have forgotten his role as the villain.
He raised his hand and pressed it on the girl's shoulder, feeling the warmth of her skin through thin fabric.
"Eri-chan…"
Sakurajima Mai looked up and gazed deeply at him. Her lips glistened with applied gloss, catching the golden light.
"Taro…"
Komatsu Takuya showed a gentle smile, slowly lowered his head—
At this moment, it was Hozuki Nozomi's turn to make an appearance.
"Wait, Eri, don't believe him!"
He suddenly rushed out, movements fluid and powerful, quickly pulled the girl away—his fingers wrapping around her wrist with practiced precision—and instinctively stepped forward to shield her, standing in front of Komatsu Takuya, who was playing "Taro."
"Fujiwara-kun! Why is it you?"
Eri, played by Sakurajima Mai, looked at him in surprise—but her body leaned into his protective stance, back pressing against his chest.
Hozuki Nozomi, playing the role of Fujiwara Koichi, began to confront "Taro."
"Eri, I actually arrived on this island a long time ago and have been investigating this man in front of us."
His voice dropped lower, intimate and dangerous.
"He's not Taro, but the murderer behind the series of missing girl cases!"
Komatsu Takuya looked at the girl hiding behind Hozuki Nozomi, feeling sour inside, but the scene had to continue. He didn't want to be scolded by his uncle for wasting everyone's time by not acting properly.
I should be the one protecting her... why does this man have to exist?
He showed a pained expression and said, "Eri, we've been through so much together, do you still not believe me? If I really were some kind of killer, then with so many opportunities, why wouldn't I have laid a hand on you?"
The acting was real, and Komatsu Takuya's disappointment was also real.
His incredibly sorrowful expression made Komatsuda nod in satisfaction behind the monitors.
His nephew was indeed improving; wasn't his acting getting better?
Komatsu Takuya, however, wanted to cry.
What the hell, acting.
This was real sadness.
If Hozuki Nozomi hadn't been there.
He could have kissed Mai just now.
Why wasn't her gentle gaze directed at him?
After some back and forth—accusations traded like blows, the villain's mask slipping further with each denial—the heroine ultimately ended up with Fujiwara Koichi, played by Hozuki Nozomi.
And Taro, played by Komatsu Takuya, as the villain, became enraged in the end, wanting to kill to vent his anger, but was ultimately knocked out by Nozomi's excellent martial arts moves—a spinning kick that connected with choreographed precision, sending the villain sprawling across the rocky ground.
Then came the final scene.
The crew held their breath.
Sakurajima Mai turned to face Nozomi fully, her small hands rising to rest against his chest. She could feel his heartbeat through the thin fabric—steady, controlled, nothing like her own racing pulse.
"Koichi-kun... you came for me."
"Always."
Hozuki Nozomi's hand cupped her jaw, thumb brushing across her cheekbone with devastating tenderness. His dark eyes searched hers, and something electric passed between them that had nothing to do with the script.
His touch is warm. Why does this feel so different from rehearsal?
He lowered his head slowly—giving her time, giving the camera time—and pressed his lips to hers.
The kiss started soft. A gentle pressure, the faint taste of cherry lip gloss and something underneath that was purely him. Sakurajima Mai's fingers curled into the fabric of his shirt, pulling him closer as her lips parted against his.
"Mmnh..."
A soft sound escaped her—half performance, half genuine—as his tongue swept across her lower lip. His other hand settled at the small of her back, pressing her flush against him until she could feel the solid heat of his body through every layer of costume.
The ocean wind whipped around them, carrying salt and the green scent of cliff grass, but neither noticed. His mouth moved against hers with confident pressure, deepening the kiss until her knees threatened to buckle. She rose onto her toes, arms winding around his neck, fingers threading into the soft hair at his nape.
When they finally separated, a thin thread of saliva connected their lips for just a moment before breaking. Sakurajima Mai's chest heaved, her lips swollen and pink, eyes glazed.
Nozomi's thumb traced her wet lower lip, and she shivered.
Komatsu Takuya watched Sakurajima Mai, who, despite it being acting, leaned happily into Nozomi's embrace, her delicate hands still wrapped around his neck, and his heart ached terribly.
He felt he shouldn't be here; he should be under the car!
"Alright, cut! That's a wrap! Sakurajima-san, Nozomi-san, both excellent!"
Hozuki Nozomi and Sakurajima Mai passed in one take.
Komatsuda's eyes sparkled behind his glasses.
He felt like he had struck gold.
The chemistry between Sakurajima Mai and Hozuki Nozomi was simply amazing—the kind of on-screen magic that couldn't be manufactured or taught.
If Hozuki Nozomi could continue to play the male lead in his scripts, Komatsuda felt his reputation as a director would surely shine brightly and become even more famous.
Komatsuda praised Sakurajima Mai and Hozuki Nozomi, then patted Komatsu Takuya's shoulder with satisfaction.
"Takuya, you're good, kid! Your acting was explosive today!"
"That distorted, jealous, and perverted look just now was absolutely spot-on!"
"Honestly, I should have let you try villain roles sooner."
Komatsu Takuya's body trembled at the praise, and his face stiffened.
Uncle.
That wasn't acting!
I was genuinely sad, unwilling, and jealous of Hozuki Nozomi!
And, are you implying that I'll have to play villains again in the future?
No way!
What if I go back to school?
What if girls dislike me?
Komatsu Takuya, feeling bitter, had already decided that he would say his younger brother played the villain role.
Even though he didn't have a younger brother…
Unlike the miserable Komatsu Takuya.
Hozuki Nozomi, on the other hand, showed an amused smile, the setting sun painting gold across his features.
"Mai, acting is quite interesting, isn't it?"
"Hehehe, now you know the fun of being an actor, right?"
Sakurajima Mai's cheeks were still flushed, her fingers absently touching her lips where his taste still lingered.
"You should continue to work with me in the future."
"No problem."