As the sleek Ferrari pulled alongside the weathered Toyota, its window rolled down, revealing a blonde beauty in sunglasses who called out, "Excuse me…"
Hayashi Shuichi, nearly dozing off in the passenger seat, snapped to attention at the sound. He turned to look, and both he and the blonde woman exclaimed in unison, "You?"
Hayashi Shuichi's eyebrows shot up, a flicker of surprise in his eyes. The blonde tilted her head slightly, her lips curling into a faintly amused expression.
"Who's that? Someone you know?" Fujimine Yukiko asked, rolling down her window to peek out. Her eyes widened at the sight of the blonde. "Miss Vineyard? What are you doing here?"
"I was invited to make a cameo in a production nearby," the blonde—Sharon Vineyard—replied, her gaze sweeping over the teens in the car. A refined smile played on her lips. "I never expected to run into you two here."
"Y-Yeah, quite a coincidence," Yukiko said with a forced laugh, her smile stiff.
She wasn't exactly fond of this American celebrity.
At a film event in Mihua City Hall, they'd accidentally worn matching outfits. If Yukiko hadn't been quick-witted enough to alter her dress on the spot, the tabloids would've had a field day. Later, Sharon had approached her, spouting cryptic nonsense that left Yukiko half-convinced the woman was hitting on her.
"Given your age, shouldn't you be in school today?" Sharon asked, eyeing them as she drove. "What brings you out here? Don't tell me you're headed to the same set."
"I'm playing the female lead—Sakamoto Otome, Ryoma Sakamoto's sister!" Yukiko declared, her voice brimming with pride.
"Is that so? Congratulations," Sharon said with a light chuckle, though her smile carried a hint of indifference. "It seems your acting career's taken off since that City Hall event."
"It's mostly because I've got a natural talent for acting," Yukiko said, tossing her hair with a confident grin.
Since their destinations aligned, Fukuda Hidekazu shared the village's location with Sharon, offering to travel together. But Sharon merely waved him off, floored the accelerator, and her Ferrari shot forward like a silver bolt of lightning, leaving the Toyota in a cloud of roaring exhaust.
Fukuda's face remained impassive, but he noticeably sped up.
Yabuuchi Hiromi huffed indignantly. "That foreign woman's so rude! We gave her directions, and she didn't even say thank you."
"Exactly," Yukiko chimed in, launching into a rant to her friend about her frustrating encounter with Sharon at City Hall.
Hayashi Shuichi gazed out at the mountain road, stifling a yawn and staying out of the conversation.
To think we'd run into Belmod here, he thought. I just hope the Black Organization doesn't cause any trouble.
He had to get back to Mihua by tonight, or his family would raise hell.
…
The sky grew darker, thick ink-black clouds piling up, ready to collapse at any moment. A howling wind whipped through, sending roadside branches into a frenzied dance.
Ten minutes later, the old Toyota rattled into the village, its frame creaking over the uneven road.
The film Yukiko was starring in was set during the Meiji Restoration, chronicling Sakamoto Ryoma's awakening amid the clash of personal and historical destinies, as he joined the movement to overthrow the shogunate. The village, near Nagano Prefecture, was dotted with century-old houses, their walls cloaked in moss and roofs patched with broken tiles. Its rustic charm made it the perfect filming location.
Hayashi Shuichi and the others stepped out of the car. The crew, informed of their arrival, sent a staff member to greet Yukiko and guide her to her lodging for the next few months.
"These are houses rented from the villagers," the staff member explained, gesturing to the modest buildings. "The locals are very welcoming, so you won't have trouble settling in, Miss Fujimine. But space is limited, so your friends might need to find their own accommodations."
"They're just here to drop me off," Yukiko clarified quickly. "They'll be leaving soon."
"You'd better head out quickly, then," the staff member said, then caught himself, waving his hands. "I don't mean to rush you, but the weather forecast this morning predicted a big storm. The roads here are rough, and heavy rain could cause landslides or other hazards."
Yukiko thanked the staff for the warning and dashed into her assigned room with Hiromi, both girls bubbling with excitement. Hayashi Shuichi, dragging the suitcase, followed behind with Fukuda Hidekazu, shaking his head at their chatter.
The production was clearly low-budget. Despite being the female lead, Yukiko, as a newcomer, received no special treatment—just a simple single bedroom.
After setting down the suitcase, Hayashi Shuichi noticed Yukiko and Hiromi engrossed in their animated conversation. Not wanting to interrupt, he stepped outside with Fukuda and began wandering the village.
The village was surprisingly large, and Japan's birth rate hadn't yet plummeted at this point in time. Children darted along the paths, clutching butterfly nets.
"This time of year's perfect for catching butterflies," Fukuda said, his eyes narrowing with a nostalgic smile. "When I was a kid, I used to make specimens. Once caught a huge one…"
Before he could finish, two kids ran toward them, chatting and not watching where they were going. They collided with Hayashi Shuichi and Fukuda.
Hayashi Shuichi and Fukuda were fine, but the kids stumbled backward.
"You okay?" Hayashi Shuichi quickly steadied the child in front of him.
"Thanks," said a boy with short black hair and blue-gray eyes, bowing in gratitude.
Fukuda wasn't as quick. The boy in a red vest and straw hat who'd bumped into him fell flat on his backside.
"Ow…" the boy whined, tears welling as he rubbed his rear and grumbled to his friend. "There's been so many strangers in the village lately, all here for that movie. They're always wandering around, and we've gotta tiptoe or we'll crash into them…"
The black-haired boy helped his friend up, chiding gently, "Soma, hush. It was our fault for not looking."
"I know, but…" The red-vested boy started to protest, but his friend pressed his head down, forcing him to bow to Hayashi Shuichi and Fukuda.
"We're really sorry for running into you…"
(Chapter End)
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