The cameras were still on him, and the snarling "wolf" was slowly walking toward him. Seiya looked at the director in the distance, who gave him a thumbs-up. He understood that this was a chance for him to get more screen time. But did these adults really think he was a five-year-old child? He should have asked for a salary. It was a lot of effort, and he should get paid for it.
The "wolf" was slowly approaching him, so Seiya had to use his bamboo sword to support himself and "struggle" to get back up. The director and the crew were about to witness what a true kendo genius looked like. A five-year-old child was fighting a police dog that was disguised as a wolf with a bamboo sword.
His movements—evading and attacking—were flawless. The scene where Seiya used his bamboo sword to block the "wolf's" teeth was breathtaking. Even though they were filming a movie, they felt as if it was a real fight.
Seiya's original screen time was only about a minute, but the fighting scene was extended to over five minutes. The director said that this scene would make the entire movie a masterpiece. As for the length of the movie, they could just cut out some unimportant scenes to make up for the time.
"Kid, my name is Soichiro Okawa. I apologize for underestimating you. Here's my business card. Your talent and potential far exceed my expectations. If anyone can become a star, it's you."
After the filming was done, Director Okawa approached Seiya and gave him 30,000 yen for his performance. According to their agreement, Seiya didn't need a salary, but since he did an excellent job and got a lot more screen time, he was given a payment.
Seiya looked at the money in the envelope and the business card in his hand. After a moment of silence, a smile appeared on his face. Becoming a star was very profitable. He was a nobody and got paid 30,000 yen for just a few minutes of screen time. Meanwhile, Yuko only made a few hundred thousand yen a month, and she was already considered a high earner.
"Hmph, you didn't tell me you knew kendo! Everyone on set is praising you. No one is talking about my acting. You're just a newcomer. How did I lose to you?"
For his first-time acting, Seiya was very satisfied with his performance. He wasn't a star yet, but he was in the industry. He was very happy with the result, but a certain loli was not. Kana Arima was a genius child star, and she was the main character. She couldn't accept that a newcomer had stolen her thunder. This was the second time a peer had defeated her. The last time was a boy named Aqua Hoshino, and now it was Seiya. She was a genius, but she was defeated by them. She was not happy about it.
"Don't worry, Kana-chan. I only did well because the role suited me. A true actor can play any role. Compared to you, a genius child star, I have a long way to go. I think you did a great job. I feel like I learned a lot just by watching you."
Seiya was grateful for the opportunity Kana had given him. So when the arrogant loli was upset, he had to comfort her.
"Hmph... as long as you know how talented I am. It's not easy being an actor. But... your performance... was pretty good. Of course, it's not as good as a genius child star like me," Kana said with a proud look.
She was still a little girl, and she loved being complimented. Seiya's words made her feel happy, and she forgot her unhappiness. She then ran back to her mother.
When Seiya came home with his 30,000 yen, Yuko was shocked. She thought Seiya was just going to the set to hang out, but he actually got paid. She was even more surprised when Kana's mother told her that Director Okawa was impressed with Seiya.
Yuko didn't take the money. On one hand, it was a drop in the ocean compared to their bills. On the other hand, she would be too humiliated to rely on a child for money. So instead, she used the money to take Seiya out for a fun day. They even went to see the movie on the premiere day. She felt the movie was meaningful since it was Seiya's first one. She had missed the filming, so she didn't want to miss the premiere. She was also curious to see how well he did that day.
The movie "From Now On, I'll Protect You" was an adaptation of an anime. It was a low-budget film, so not many people came to watch it. Yuko and Seiya were almost the only ones in the theater. The movie was a romance, so it wasn't suitable for children.