MMB The benefits of airing episode 1 of chapter 11
The benefits of airing episode 1 of chapter 11
By early December, the streets of Tokyo were already adorned with Christmas decorations.
The fourth episode of "Winter Sunflower" has officially aired.
After all, it's the "Getsu-9" time slot, and the ratings are steadily climbing.
What surprised TBS the most was that the "mute painter," who was originally just a background character, sparked an unexpected wave of discussion among female viewers.
In the office buildings of Ginza, office ladies during their lunch break begin to whisper among themselves in the break room.
"Did you see it yesterday? That painter?"
"I saw it! The way he looked at the female lead... He didn't say a word, but my heart broke."
"Compared to the male protagonist who only knows how to yell and shout, this kind of silent man is much more interesting."
……
Daejeon Office.
"Five hundred thousand."
Agent Da Tian slammed a contract on the table. His usually gloomy face was now beaming with joy. "Only half a day of shooting, no flat print, this is the price they offered."
Kitahara Shin picked up the contract and glanced at it.
The sponsor is a well-known beverage manufacturer, and the product is a new canned black coffee called "Midnight" that will be launched in the new year.
"They watched the show, and the head of the GG department took a liking to you at first sight." Da Tian lit a cigarette, his tone full of pride. "They said that all the idols on the market now are too sweet, but you have a kind of 'bitter aftertaste,' which is especially suitable for this black coffee that targets the overtime worker market."
"A bittersweet aftertaste?"
Kitahara Shin smiled.
That adjective is quite accurate.
"And they specifically requested that you hold that during the shoot..." Ota pointed to Kitahara Shin's pocket, "that silver lighter. They thought the 'playing with fire' gesture was particularly sexy."
Kitahara Shin touched the Zippo in his pocket.
When will it be filmed?
"Tomorrow afternoon, at a photo studio in Shibuya." Ota flicked his cigarette ash. "Kitahara, this is your first commercial endorsement. Although it's just print, if it sells well, you might have a chance for a TV show later."
……
The following day, at a commercial photography studio in Shibuya.
On this photo shoot set, Kitahara Shin once again demonstrated his efficiency as a veteran actor.
GG's theme is "the solace of the city at night".
The background is a huge black curtain, lit with cool-toned lights, simulating the atmosphere of a Tokyo street late at night.
Kitahara Shin was wearing a simple black turtleneck sweater and holding a can of black "Midnight" coffee in his hand.
"Okay, Kitahara-san, give me an expression that says, 'I'm working overtime until late at night, and although I'm exhausted, I still don't want to go home.'" the photographer instructed.
Kitahara Shin nodded slightly.
He silently activated the Silver Zippo in his mind.
[Equipment Effect: Storytelling (Medium Power Output)]
At the same time, he also activated the [Writer's Glasses] that he had picked up earlier.
He quickly deconstructed the logic behind this GG phrase.
"Click".
He slid open the Zippo lid with one hand.
The orange-yellow flames danced against the dark background, illuminating half of his profile.
He didn't look at the camera or the coffee in his hand, but stared at the cluster of flames, his eyes deep and distant.
It was as if that wasn't fire, but the only warmth he could grasp in this city.
The overwhelming sense of loneliness made even the noisy background noise seem to drop a few decibels.
"marvelous!"
The photographer's shutter clicked incessantly, like a machine gun. "That's the feeling! That sense of loneliness of the individual during the bubble economy! Keep it up!"
The brand representative next to him nodded repeatedly: "If that look were printed on the poster, those commuters on the last tram would definitely be unable to resist buying a can."
The shoot, which was originally scheduled to last four hours, was completed in just two hours.
……
three days later.
Kitahara Shin went to the bank to update his passbook.
Looking at the extra zeros after the number, he let out a long puff of white breath.
After deducting the agency's commission and taxes, he received approximately 350,000 yen. Combined with his previous earnings, his savings exceeded 600,000 yen for the first time.
This amount of money was a pipe dream to buy a house in Tokyo in 1988, but it was enough for him to do something he had been thinking about for a long time.
He walked out of the bank and went straight into a real estate agency.
"Welcome! Sir, are you looking to rent or buy a property?" the real estate agent greeted him warmly.
"Renting a room".
Kitahara Shin picked up a latest real estate magazine from the shelf, his tone calm but firm, "I'm looking for a house near Nakano or Koenji, and I only have one requirement—it must have a private bathroom and a bathtub for soaking."
The old six-story apartment building now only has shared toilets, and you have to go to the public bathhouse on the street corner to take a shower.
This is incredibly inconvenient for an actor who often has to stay up late and even come home covered in sweat.
Especially in winter, your hair can freeze on the way home after coming out of a steaming hot bathhouse.
"A separate bathroom..." The real estate agent flipped through the brochure. "These 1DK (one-bedroom, one-living room, one-kitchen) apartments with separate bathrooms are in high demand right now. The rent is about 60,000 to 80,000 yen a month, and the down payment (key money + deposit) is quite high."
If it had been a month ago, upon hearing the rent of "80,000 yen," Kitahara Shin would probably have turned around and left.
But now.
"Take me to see it." Kitahara Shin closed the magazine. "As long as the house is clean and quiet, money is not a problem."
……
That afternoon, he took a liking to a one-bedroom apartment in Nakano Ward.
Although it was on the second floor, it had excellent natural light. Most importantly, the white enamel bathtub, though not large, was polished to a shine and was large enough for an adult to stretch out.
Standing in the empty room, Kitahara Shin could almost see himself soaking in hot water, drinking red wine and reading a script.
"This is the one."
Sign the contract and pay the initial deposit.
When you have resources at your disposal, you can make decisions faster.
It was already late when I left the agency. The neon lights of Tokyo lit up again, illuminating this city of desire.
Kitahara Shin stood on the pedestrian overpass, looking down at the endless stream of car lights.
A month ago, he was an extra struggling to earn a few hundred yen for a bento box and sleeping in a drafty, dilapidated house.
Now, he's the third male lead in a hit drama, has his own GG endorsement, and is about to move into an apartment with a bathtub.
And all of this stemmed from the silver Zippo lighter given to her by Akina Nakamori.
He took out the sample can of "Midnight" black coffee that the manufacturer had given him from his pocket, pulled the tab, and took a sip.
Bitter, icy, with a slightly sweet aftertaste.
"Not bad."
Kitahara Shin smiled and precisely tossed the empty can into the trash can.