"Seiya, Seiya, look! The original manga artist of From Now On, I'll Protect You even said that the young So-ya you played is his ideal So-ya!" Yuko was beaming with pride, as if she had something to do with Seiya's talent. When she saw that the original artist was praising Seiya, she became so excited that she picked him up and splattered him with her drool.
"Ugh, the movie's rating just went down again. My acting career is over before it even began," Seiya said with a look of disgust and wiped the drool off his face. This was not the result he had expected. He had planned to use his mature mind, his super strong body, and his good looks to get into the acting industry. He didn't even want a salary; he just wanted a chance to show off his "talent." At first, everything went according to his plan. He showed his talent, got more opportunities from the director, and was remembered. But he never expected the movie to be received this way. He had done too well, and now it had backfired. Director Okawa might have admired him before, but with the movie's ratings dropping, he would probably get blacklisted.
"It looks like acting is not going to work out. I have to find another way to make money. I wonder if the tennis industry is big in this world. If I become a professional player, will I be able to make money fast? But I'm only five years old right now, and my family can't wait that long."
Riiiiiiing!
"Hello, this is the Wenren residence. Yes, my name is Yuko Wenren. I am Wenren Seiya's guardian. May I ask..."
Seiya was still muttering to himself, trying to find another way to make money besides being a child star. The phone suddenly rang, and Yuko ran to answer it.
"If all else fails, I'll just have to send Yuko some anonymous emails to give her some inspiration. In my past life, those with big-breasted women and widows were quite popular..."
"Who did you say was going to send me an anonymous email?"
Seiya was so deep in thought that he didn't realize Yuko was standing beside him. He was shocked when he heard her question, but he was relieved when he realized she didn't hear him clearly. He waved his hands and laughed. "Nothing. I was just wondering if you, as a famous artist, ever get anonymous emails from your fans."
"Anonymous emails? I think so, but the things they send..." Yuko was about to answer but then remembered Seiya was a child. She quickly changed the subject.
"Forget about that. I just got some good news, Seiya. If you call me 'Mom' and say you'll always love me, I'll tell you."
Seiya looked at the foolish young woman in front of him with a look of disdain. He wondered why a 20-year-old woman wanted to be called 'Mom.' Was it because she drew too much doujinshi?
Seiya ignored her ridiculous request and walked over to the phone. He tiptoed and turned on the call recording. Yuko's editor often called her to rush her work, and since Yuko was forgetful, their phone had a recording function.
When Seiya played the recording, he was surprised to find that the caller was Director Okawa. What was even more surprising was that he had gotten Yuko's contact from Arima's mother and was calling to offer Seiya a new role.
Yuko asked Director Okawa why he would offer Seiya a new role, especially after he had ruined his movie. Director Okawa laughed and explained that in the entertainment industry, there are no enemies, only eternal interests. The "young So-ya" was a huge hit, and even though the movie's rating went down, people in the industry knew it was just a commercial film to promote a young actor. The bad reviews didn't affect him as a director. In fact, the movie's box office and popularity soared.
The purpose of making a movie is to make money. The box office revenue of From Now On, I'll Protect You was so good that the investors and the director were very happy. The two young actors who were being criticized were actually happy. Before the movie, they were nobodies, but now their popularity was rising. As they say, being famous, even for being a bad person, is still being famous.
With his performance, Seiya had caught the public's attention. Everyone knew he was a gold mine. Even if Director Okawa didn't act, someone else would eventually find Seiya. There was no doubt that people in the entertainment industry were like sharks who could smell blood from a mile away. Instead of waiting for someone else to discover Seiya, Director Okawa decided to take action now. He knew that Seiya would become a star, and if he helped him now, Seiya would owe him a favor.