The filming of Alice in Borderland by the production crew in Ashikaga City, Tochigi Prefecture, had entered its most tense and critical stage.
In order to fulfill his promise to Kurokawa Akane and ensure he could attend her stage play premiere on Monday night on time, Michiya Gōshin had to adjust the originally relatively loose schedule for his subsequent scenes.
This meant that several high-difficulty action sequences, which previously might have required more meticulous polishing, had to be concentrated and completed on Monday morning.
On Monday morning, before the sky was fully bright, the air was still filled with the chill that precedes the dawn.
Michiya Gōshin woke up early; it wasn't even seven o'clock when he appeared in the small gym attached to the hotel.
He was well aware of the intensity and danger of today's action scenes and dared not be the slightest bit negligent. He began his warm-up exercises first thing in the morning, stretching the muscles and joints of his entire body, attempting to tune his physical condition to its peak state.
However, what surprised Michiya Gōshin slightly was that he wasn't alone in the gym. On another treadmill not far away, a slender figure was running at a constant speed, accompanied by the rhythmic movement of the machine's belt.
It was Sakurajima Mai.
She was wearing a form-fitting light green sportswear set, and her long hair, usually worn loose and smooth, was tied up neatly in a high ponytail. It swayed lightly behind her head with the rhythm of her running, revealing her beautifully lined swan-like neck and smooth forehead.
A few wisps of broken hair were dampened by sweat, sticking to her slightly flushed cheeks, injecting a bit of vigorous vitality into her usually elegant temperament.
After their eyes met, Sakurajima Mai turned her head sideways. Her gaze lingered on him for a brief moment, and the corners of her mouth seemed to want to lift habitually into a greeting smile.
But for some reason, the smile didn't appear in the end. She only nodded extremely slightly, then turned her attention back to the treadmill display screen in front of her and continued her morning workout.
Michiya Gōshin simply nodded in response. He didn't think much of it, though he could still sense that Sakurajima Mai seemed a bit more silent today than usual.
He thought that she was probably just focusing her attention for the upcoming shoot.
Little did he know, Sakurajima Mai's heart was far less calm than she appeared on the surface.
Ever since she unintentionally overheard the conversation between Michiya Gōshin and the director last time, learning that he had specifically adjusted his schedule for the stage play premiere of a certain "very important friend," a subtle but impossible-to-ignore grudge had immediately appeared in her heart.
She knew that Kurokawa Akane and Michiya Gōshin had a very good private relationship. It was evident from the gift-giving incident last time; the gleam in the other party's eyes was very obvious.
That was very clear admiration; it wasn't hard to guess.
However, even so, Sakurajima Mai remained very close to Michiya Gōshin. She admired his abilities and liked the time spent with him. But a certain indescribable sense of loss and an inexplicable feeling of concern made the girl subconsciously rein in some of her usual initiative and closeness.
This subtle low pressure carried over to the set.
In the intervals waiting for lighting and camera adjustments, Sakurajima Mai subconsciously turned toward Michiya Gōshin several times, her lips parting slightly as if she wanted to chat casually as usual. Ultimately, she just picked up her water bottle and drank silently, not taking the initiative to say anything.
Although Michiya Gōshin vaguely sensed that Sakurajima Mai seemed a bit different today, the tense shooting rhythm and the impending high-intensity action scenes occupied most of his mind, leaving him no time to carefully investigate these subtle changes.
The highlight of the morning, without any suspense, fell on the intense chase scene designed atop an abandoned bus.
The plot required Sakurajima Mai, playing [Usagi Yuzuha], to display physical fitness and agility beyond that of a normal person in order to evade the desperate pursuit of a violent criminal. She needed to deftly leap onto the roof of a large abandoned bus and complete a series of high-speed runs, sudden stops, turns, and dodges on the uneven and violently shaking metal roof.
meanwhile, Michiya Gōshin, playing [Arisu Ryōhei], needed to follow anxiously on the ground, trying to find an opportunity to support her, his eyes filled with worry and a sense of powerlessness.
Although thick safety air cushions had been laid out on the scene, the roof had undergone professional anti-slip treatment, and there were multiple wire safety officers on standby, the risk factor in actual filming far exceeded that of indoor dramatic scenes.
The bus itself was not a fixed structure. People running violently on the roof would cause the entire vehicle body to shake slightly. The metal plates underfoot made a heart-palpitating "clanking" sound when stepped on. Coupled with the need to act out a realistic escape effect, the actors' psychological quality and physical strength faced a significant challenge.
Director Aoyama, out of concern for safety, asked solemnly one last time before the actual take.
"Sakurajima-san, the range of running and jumping in this scene is indeed very large, and the environment on the roof is complex. To ensure absolutely nothing goes wrong, how about we have a professional stunt double complete some of the high-difficulty running and shots on the dangerous edges?"
"Anyway, we can achieve almost the same effect through editing and clever camera angles in post-production. The audience absolutely won't be able to tell."
The staff on site thought the same. After all, Sakurajima Mai was now an A-list female star. Given her influence and the importance her agency placed on her safety, she would likely follow good advice and accept this safe and professional proposal.
However, Sakurajima Mai's reaction exceeded everyone's expectations.
Without any hesitation, she looked directly at Director Aoyama with clear and firm eyes and shook her head. "I am very grateful for the kindness of the director and the crew, but I won't use a double. One of the core charms that makes the character [Usagi Yuzuha] most moving is her tenacity and sense of power. I want to experience and complete this process personally. Only in this way can I most authentically capture the character's most instinctual reactions and emotional outflow in an extreme environment. This is my artistic persistence."
"Please rest assured, Director, I will focus one hundred percent of my attention and ensure my own safety."
Sakurajima Mai's tone was calm but carried an unquestionable determination. Her attitude won the heartfelt, secret admiration of the staff on site, and Michiya Gōshin, watching from the side, also appreciated that strength within her delicate body.
Ten minutes later, filming officially began.
Several cameras aimed at the bus roof from different angles. The director shouted "Action," and Sakurajima Mai instantly entered her state.
Her eyes became sharp and vigilant, like an alert wild cheetah. An approach run, a takeoff, a push with both hands—the entire movement was done in one breath, leaping smoothly and precisely onto the nearly two-meter-high roof.
She began to run according to the route pre-set by the crew's action directors. After the initial probing, her steps quickly became steady and rapid. Her center of gravity was pressed extremely low, perfectly displaying [Usagi Yuzuha]'s boldness, calmness, and superhuman physical quality.
Michiya Gōshin coordinated closely below the vehicle, looking up and following her figure tightly. Because he possessed the [Long-Distance Runner] Entry, such running was almost no burden to him, so he could focus entirely on preparing to catch the next action or match his lines.
The filming of the first few takes went relatively smoothly. Although there were occasional small problems or places that needed adjustment, they were all within a controllable range.
Director Aoyama glanced at the image in the viewfinder, and his heart relaxed slightly.
However, accidents always like to befall at the most unexpected moments.
While filming a shot that required Sakurajima Mai to sprint from the middle of the roof toward the rear with full force, then make a sudden stop and turn at the edge to observe the enemy situation, disaster struck abruptly!
Perhaps due to physical fatigue from continuous filming of multiple takes, or perhaps because her foot happened to step on a seam in the metal plates that had warped slightly due to wind and sun exposure.
In the process of Sakurajima Mai's sprint, just as she raised her speed to the maximum and her right foot pushed fiercely against the roof for leverage, intending to lean her body's center of gravity forward to complete that beautiful sudden stop and turn—the tiny friction between the sole of her right shoe and the anti-slip layer suddenly failed!
A slip!
A slip, insignificant yet sufficient to be fatal!
The girl's right foot shot violently outward. All the kinetic energy and balance accumulated by her body were thoroughly shattered in an instant. Completely out of control, she was hurled ruthlessly toward the outside of the roof, in a direction far away from the optimal protection zone of the safety air cushions!
"Ah—!"
"Watch out!"
"Sakurajima-san!!!"
Several screams of extreme terror erupted almost simultaneously at the scene. Everyone's heart stopped at that moment.
Because all of this happened too fast—so fast that people simply couldn't react. They watched helplessly as Sakurajima Mai was about to fall straight down from the edge of the roof, several meters high, in an extremely twisted and dangerous posture!
In this moment hanging by a thread, when everyone had almost closed their eyes in despair, a figure moved.
It was Michiya Gōshin, who had been fully focused and whose eyes had never left Sakurajima Mai.
His brain didn't even have time to process the signal of "danger"; all actions stemmed entirely from instinctual reaction. Michiya Gōshin's body lunged forward instantly with astonishing explosive power.
In that tiny sliver of time when Sakurajima Mai's body completely lost balance and was about to fall, Michiya Gōshin rushed directly to the estimated landing zone below the vehicle.
Without the slightest hesitation, he opened his arms directly and pounced.
Michiya Gōshin wasn't trying to catch her—that was almost impossible and might cause secondary injury to Sakurajima Mai.
He chose to use his entire body as the final buffer barrier. He fiercely pulled Sakurajima Mai, falling like a kite with a broken string, entirely into his embrace. At the same time, relying on the core strength of his waist and abdomen, he twisted desperately, attempting to use his back and shoulders to bear the vast majority of the impact force, isolating the girl in his arms from the cold, hard ground as much as possible.
"Bang—!!!"
A muffled sound, heavy enough to constrict the heart, smashed ruthlessly onto the eardrums of everyone present.
The two of them, like shot-down birds, smashed heavily onto the floor.
Because Michiya Gōshin bore over ninety percent of the impact force, the instant the collision occurred, a tearing agony radiated from his right shoulder. Immediately following that, a clear sound of bone cracking came from his left arm.
A massive concussive force shot rapidly up his spine, slamming viciously into the back of his head.
The world before his eyes spun instantly, gradually swallowed by boundless darkness.
In the second before his consciousness was completely devoured by the dark, he vaguely felt that the girl in his arms seemed to have avoided direct impact due to his protection. A strong sense of relief actually overpowered the severe pain; his taut nerves suddenly relaxed, and his willpower, which had been holding on, dissipated instantly.
Before closing his eyes, he seemed to hear Sakurajima Mai's cry, filled with violent trembling and a sobbing tone.
"Michiya-kun! How are you?"
There was also an incredibly familiar figure charging through the chaotic crowd regardless of everything, rushing toward him like a madwoman.
"Michiya Gōshin!"
"Call an ambulance! Immediately!"
"Doctor! Where is the crew's medical team?! Get over here fast!"
"Don't move him around! Watch out for the cervical spine! Immobilize the head!"
The set instantly descended into ultimate chaos and panic.
Exclamations, the sound of running, and incoherent screaming over walkie-talkies intertwined like a pot of boiling, messy porridge!
The male lead suffering severe injuries and falling into a coma while protecting the female lead during filming—this was undoubtedly a major safety accident sufficient to shock the entire industry!
Sakurajima Mai was helped up from Michiya Gōshin's body by the staff who reacted quickly, all hands and feet. Aside from a face pale as snow and some minor scrapes, she was miraculously unharmed.
But she couldn't care less about herself. She almost crawled and scrambled back to Michiya Gōshin's side, wanting to reach out and touch his face, his eyes closed.
The girl's scalding tears surged out like a bursting dam, her voice trembling violently.
"I'm sorry... I shouldn't have tried to be strong..."
Kato Megumi was the second to rush to Michiya Gōshin's side.
She forced herself to suppress the terror in her heart with astonishing willpower. She quickly knelt to check Michiya Gōshin's breathing and carotid pulse. After confirming his vital signs were temporarily stable, she immediately went to communicate with the crew's medical team.
To be able to calm down at a time like this was already remarkable, but the girl's small hands clutching her phone tightly revealed the panic inside her with incomparable realism.
Soon, the shrill and piercing siren of the ambulance approached from the distance.
Michiya Gōshin was carefully immobilized on a stretcher by medical personnel, lifted into the ambulance, and immediately sent to the Tochigi Prefectural General Hospital, which had the best medical conditions nearby, for emergency treatment.
Sakurajima Mai, Kato Megumi, and Director Aoyama, who followed along, waited in torment for over an hour before receiving the doctor's diagnosis: severe dislocation of the right shoulder joint, comminuted fracture of the left arm, accompanied by a mild concussion.
Although such injuries were not fatal, they required immediate reduction, internal fixation with steel pins, and hospitalization for observation.
Clearly, Michiya Gōshin would be unable to perform any form of filming work in the short term.
Consequently, the production crew was immediately plunged into gloom. It looked as though the lead actor would definitely have to be hospitalized for recovery, and with the duration of that recovery undetermined, the originally established filming plan could only be forced into indefinite suspension.
--------------------
The world does not stop turning because of one person's accident.
That night, within the Tokyo metropolitan area, backstage at a medium-sized theater with a rather retro artistic atmosphere located deep in a bustling district.
Kurokawa Akane had already completed her full set of exquisite stage makeup and changed into that elaborately designed costume. She was making her final mental preparations before the show started.
There was less than an hour until the premiere opened at eight o'clock in the evening. Her mood was like a bowstring pulled taut, a mixture of the tension inherent before a performance and a thread of deep expectation for the arrival of "someone."
She picked up her personal phone again, unlocked the screen, and subconsciously refreshed the interface.
Unfortunately, there were no new messages or missed call notifications.
The name that could make her feel joy just by seeing it did not appear in the notification bar.
A trace of extremely faint disappointment grazed her heart, but Kurokawa Akane quickly suppressed it and began trying to comfort herself.
"He should still be filming, right?" she tried to alleviate her own disappointment. "Maybe the location shoot in Tochigi Prefecture has reached the final few takes and is at a critical juncture."
After hesitating for a moment, Kurokawa Akane's fingertips wandered over the screen, but finally, she couldn't resist sending a Line message.
"Michiya-kun, I'm about to get ready to go on stage. Are you finished over there? Please be sure to pay attention to safety on the road."
The message was sent successfully, the bubble lying quietly in the chat box.
She waited for a few minutes, but the screen remained dim, with no sign of any reply.
Time passed second by second. The sound of the audience entering the front of house could be heard faintly, and the atmosphere backstage became increasingly taut.
Kurokawa Akane's heart gradually suspended higher as the hands on the wall clock moved, and a vague, ominous premonition began to quietly wind around her consciousness like a vine.
Seven-forty... seven-forty-five... seven-fifty...
When only the last ten minutes remained before curtain, the anxiety in Kurokawa Akane's heart reached its peak. She could no longer hold back, so she dialed Michiya Gōshin's number directly.
"Beep... Beep... Beep..."
The long waiting tone coming from the receiver, each sound was like a drumstick striking her heart.
Eventually, the call automatically disconnected because no one answered, leaving only the cold and mechanical system prompt in the receiver.
This state of being completely out of contact was too unusual.
Was the signal bad at the filming location?
At eight o'clock sharp, the stage manager made the unquestionable gesture to begin, and the melodious overture was already sounding in her ears.
Kurokawa Akane had to forcibly suppress all the churning unease and speculation in her heart. She took a deep breath and forcibly poured all her mental will into the impending performance.
She was a professional stage actress and had to do right by all the audience members who had bought tickets to enter.
During the performance, which lasted more than two hours, Kurokawa Akane perfectly interpreted her role relying on her powerful professionalism and highly tense stage presence. She vividly displayed the character's inner struggles and the complex layers of human nature, winning round after round of applause from the audience on site.
On stage, she was radiant, controlling the entire venue.
Only she knew that during the final curtain call bow, when the lights swept over the audience, her gaze still involuntarily and quickly swept over that seat in the second row she had specially reserved.
It was still empty.
A massive sense of loss rushed into her chest. Maintaining a perfect smile, she walked off the stage, returned to the noisy backstage, and accepted the congratulations of her colleagues and the staff.
At ten o'clock at night, all the noise gradually dispersed. The audience had already left, and the staff also began the final wrap-up work.
Kurokawa Akane sat exhaustedly in front of the vanity mirror and began to remove the heavy ornaments from her head.
At this time, she picked up the phone that had been silent for the entire night. The screen was still pitch black, without any messages or missed call reminders from him.
Just as the unease and loss in her heart were about to transform into substantive worry and anxiety, the phone screen suddenly lit up. A Twitter trending topic popped up immediately, the "flame" tag behind the copy looking as glaring as blood.
[Breaking Heavy News!]
[Alice in Borderland male lead Michiya Gōshin accidentally seriously injured on set, currently sent to hospital for treatment, filming completely suspended!]
After reading the headline, Kurokawa Akane's fingers instantly turned ice-cold, and her face went ghastly pale.
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