"Then I officially announce, the spin-off variety show of 'The Strongest Genius' titled 'Geniuses' Daily Lives' is now officially rolling!"
A middle-aged man wearing a baseball cap to conceal his thinning hair declared this energetically before leading the applause himself. The pre-invited press were finally allowed to start filming, and within moments, the sound of flashing cameras mixed with applause created an overwhelming sensory assault. Both Kitagawa Ryo and Sakayanagi Arisu, standing to the left and right of the stage, wore smiles that had noticeably stiffened.
Given the overwhelming popularity of the first episode, and with a clear strategy to extract every ounce of attention possible, the White Room quickly took the lead in organizing this so-called behind-the-scenes variety show, intending to push the hype even higher.
As a result, Kitagawa Ryo and Sakayanagi Arisu were unexpectedly saddled with yet another filming task.
After the press conference ended, the man in the baseball cap — who was reportedly a well-known domestic variety show director and the creator of several hit dating shows — casually approached the two children. He stroked the neatly trimmed beard on his chin as he sized them up for a moment, then extended a hand in greeting:
"I'm Oogawa, the director and producer of this variety show. I look forward to working with you both."
His tone was friendly and showed no trace of condescension despite the two being children. After all, child stars weren't exactly rare in the variety show world. He had worked with even younger talents throughout his seasoned career.
Moreover, these two were no ordinary kids—they bore the title of genius prodigies. Surely they wouldn't be unruly brats.
"Pleased to meet you." "Pleased to meet you."
Sure enough, both Kitagawa Ryo and Sakayanagi Arisu responded politely and expressed their willingness to cooperate during the shoot.
Once Oogawa left satisfied, Ryo turned to Arisu with a slight smirk:
"We meet again."
"Yes, we meet again."
To Ryo's mild surprise, Arisu's response was calm and neutral. She stood with her hands behind her back, seemingly deep in thought, and tilted her head slightly toward him without saying more.
Just as Ryo was about to ask what was on her mind, Director Oogawa returned with a script in hand, looking ready to give them some instructions.
"Mm, this kind of distance between you two is perfect," he said cheerfully, having immediately sensed the subtle tension between them.
"You both know the premise of this show: on one hand, there's a lot of public interest online in your daily academic and personal lives. On the other, both of you have great visual appeal. After the first episode of 'The Strongest Genius' aired, there were tons of viewers shipping you two as a pair."
"That's probably why the production team brought me on board—I've got quite a bit of experience with romance reality shows. Not to brag, but I'm pretty confident in this genre."
Oogawa spoke rapidly in one long breath, then paused to catch it. Regardless of whether the children understood him fully, he waved his hand dismissively:
"The key to a romance reality show is to make the fake, extraordinary situations feel as natural and daily-life-like as possible. Since you're both kids, it shouldn't be too hard to film."
"But first, I need to ask: what's the maximum level of physical and verbal interaction you're both comfortable with?"
Before Ryo could respond, Arisu spoke up:
"Since the director just said the goal is realism, there's no need to set any rules. Whatever naturally happens is what gets shown."
"Arisu-san, you've got great instincts for variety shows," Oogawa laughed. "What about you, Ryo?"
"No objections," Ryo replied with a shrug. After all, they were just kids. The show was just a garnish to keep the hype going.
"Alright then, let's start with something classic and see how it plays out," Oogawa nodded.
"Just act naturally. The editing team will handle the rest."
"Let's go with the theme for the first episode: 'Come to Think of It, This Is Our First Time Meeting.'"
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[Initial Impressions of Each Other?]
"A boy even skinnier than me."
"A girl who uses a cane despite being perfectly healthy."
[Do You Think the Other is a Genius?]
"Yes."
"Isn't it obvious?"
[How Did You Feel After Facing Each Other on Stage?]
"I can accept losing, but I think I can win next time."
"I felt like I won pretty easily."
[Are You Looking Forward to a Rematch?]
"Very much so. I've been preparing."
"I hope it'll be more intense than last time."
[What Are Your Thoughts on the Internet Shipping You Two as a Couple?]
"Rivals can count as a kind of couple, right?"
"Hope everyone continues to follow us."
[Have You Ever Thought About Getting to Know the Other Better—Like Becoming Friends?]
"I have, because I'm really curious."
"Who wouldn't want to be friends with a cute girl?"
[Please proceed to the designated location after answering all questions.]
The first take was complete.
Sakayanagi Arisu squatted down with her chin in her hand, having watched all of Kitagawa Ryo's responses. Then she suddenly turned and asked:
"Ryo, were those answers just for the show?"
"...?"
Ryo blinked in surprise at her question. Truthfully, he hadn't taken this spin-off variety show all that seriously:
"Maybe. I just figured saying it that way would boost popularity and spark more discussion—"
"But I answered very seriously."
Arisu raised a finger.
"This is supposed to be realism."
She recalled the things her father had told her days ago—about the power of asymmetric information.
At first, she had brought him into her life as family, then saw him as a rival.
Perhaps the sickly Arisu of the past wouldn't have cared about such things—her world was so small then that a fleeting figure or a childhood vow could linger for years.
To construct an ideal of love or rivalry from the vantage point of that information gap.
But things were different now.
"This is a realism-style romance variety show."
"So, Ryo, can you show me your 'realistic' self too?"
"Think of it as...getting to know each other again."
Kitagawa Ryo heard her words as her silver-white hair danced lightly in the breeze.
Geniuses often walked hand in hand with loneliness—but they also longed to dance with equals.
Come to think of it, this really is our first time trying to understand each other.
And I want you—to understand the real me too.
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