I'll post an extra chapter every 300 Power Stones. Good luck with that!
Goal for the next extra chapter: 0/300
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After a few minutes of conversation, we finally approached the movie theater where the event was being held. To my surprise, there were already a lot of people outside. This event was much bigger than I had expected.
When she saw the crowd and all the journalists outside, Miu grabbed my hand. Her hand was trembling slightly.
"Kyo..."
"I know. It's a lot of pressure, isn't it?" I smiled at her. "But it'll be okay. Just ignore everything around you and focus on me."
Then I turned to Rina, but before I could say anything, she spoke first.
"On the way here, I asked the security team to get ready. We'll stop near the red carpet, but we'll still have to walk the rest of the way."
"I see. But is all of this really necessary? I'm the least popular actor here."
"Even so, you have a lot of fans here. Don't forget that you're Aoi Haruki."
"That's true. Even you're one of my fans, aren't you?" I smiled at Rina.
"Let's not talk about that."
Rina opened the car door and stepped out. A few seconds later, several security guards approached.
"Who is it?"
"Hey, someone just arrived."
Then I stepped out of the car through the same door.
"It's Kyo Evans!"
"Kyo Evans is the first one to arrive!"
"It's the author, Aoi Haruki!"
The camera flashes immediately started blinding me, and the journalists rushed toward us. I kept a smile on my face the entire time and waved. I didn't answer any of their questions. When they noticed Miu, things got even worse.
Microphones were suddenly pointed toward Miu, who moved closer to me and hid behind me.
"Who is she? Is she your girlfriend?"
"She's not my girlfriend. She's just a close friend. We work together."
That wasn't a lie. We were coworkers now.
"I'm sorry, but I won't be answering questions."
I quickened my pace and headed into the theater.
As soon as we entered, a kind-looking woman approached us. I thought she was going to guide me to my seat, but instead she held out a sheet of paper and a pen.
"Could I have your autograph? I'm your biggest fan!"
I was honestly surprised by how straightforward she was.
But my biggest fan?
I don't think so.
I remember reading about a girl who apparently leads my fan club or something like that. She's completely crazy.
I don't even know her name, and I've never had any contact with her.
'Well... it's probably best to keep my distance from fans like that.'
The image of John Lennon flashed through my mind.
####
After giving the woman my autograph, she led us to the theater where the first episode of the series would be screened. As soon as I walked in, I noticed the room was almost empty.
The only people I saw were security guards and a few staff members arranging the seats.
"Oh, they have name cards," I said, surprised.
Feeling a little nervous, Miu asked, "You didn't tell them I was coming... Do you think there'll be a seat for me?"
"It'll be fine," Rina said.
We reached the front row of the theater. I normally don't like sitting there because it's too close to the screen, but that's where my seat was.
The moment I saw the seat with my name on it, I smiled with satisfaction.
"You look proud," Rina said with a laugh.
"Of course I'm proud of myself. Just look how far I've come. And this is only the beginning."
Miu looked at me and smiled.
It was as if she were saying, *I'm proud of you.*
I sat down. The seats on either side of mine didn't have name cards.
Miu sat on my right, while Rina sat on my left.
The seat next to Miu didn't have a name card either, but the one beside it was reserved for Ren Kisaragi. I think Miu noticed that, because she was visibly nervous and excited.
The seat beside mine, on the other side, had Aya Fuji's name on it.
Right next to Aya Fuji were the seats reserved for Keiko Fujimura and Hiroshi Takayama, my parents in the series.
Our group was made up of the most important actors in the series.
The other seats were reserved for actors with smaller roles. Even Aoi Hoshino had a reserved seat, even though her appearance as my ex-girlfriend had been very brief.
Some time passed, and the theater gradually became noisier.
The supporting actors and several extras began arriving. Members of the production staff also started showing up.
The first person I recognized was the writer, Hiroshi Kanto.
The very first person he came over to greet was me.
He greeted me warmly and then told me to enjoy the show.
Miu was visibly shocked because she knew him very well.
She was a huge fan of his.
The two of them exchanged a few words before the writer excused himself.
Next, the director came over to talk to me.
I honestly don't understand why I'm always the first person they come to. I guess they like me quite a bit.
Maybe it's because it's been such a long time since we last saw each other.
As time passed, more and more people I knew began arriving.
When the actor Ren Kisaragi arrived with his wife and daughter, Miu grabbed my hand and squeezed it tightly. She looked like she was just seconds away from screaming and running over to ask him for an autograph.
"You should've told me you were such a fan of his from the beginning. I could've gotten you an autograph," I whispered to her.
Just then, Ren noticed me and walked over with a smile.
"Kyo, it's been a long time, hasn't it?"
He held out his hand.
Friendly as always.
I stood up and shook his hand.
"Well, you never gave me your phone number. There was no way for me to get in touch with you, senpai."
I spoke respectfully since he was my senior.
"Cut it out with the 'senpai.' Here."
Ren held up his phone, showing me a QR code.
"Get in touch with me whenever you need anything. And who is this young lady?"
Ren looked at Miu, who couldn't even bring herself to look at him.
"Your girlfriend?" Ren asked with an innocent smile.
Then I heard another voice.
"Girlfriend? Kyo has a girlfriend?"
It was a voice I knew very well.
A voice that sent chills down my spine for some reason.
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