My Tokyo Celebrity Girlfriend Is Love-Struck, What Should I Do? - Chapter 11

Photography Department

Two days later, Kimura knocked on the door of Koike’s office once again.

Upon hearing a familiar voice giving permission, Kimura pushed the door open and walked in.

Koike was sitting at her desk, looking at something on her computer.

Compared to the other professors in the directing department, Koike was undoubtedly the most popular teacher. 

However, Kimura couldn’t believe that someone as young as Koike could teach at a university without having some background. 

Nevertheless, Koike remained a very gentle and considerate teacher.

“Koike-sensei, I’ve come to submit the script.”

Kimura carried a black backpack.

Approaching the desk, he took out a stack of thick papers from the backpack.

He had printed and bound the entire script the night before.

“It’s Hayata-kun!”

Koike looked up and said with a smile.

Since learning about Kimura’s living conditions last time, she had developed a favorable impression of this young man. 

She initially thought he might be a pessimistic and lazy individual, but it turned out he was an ambitious youth facing the hardships of life with a positive attitude. 

In the current bleak and lifeless environment, such qualities were quite rare.

Kimura placed the script on the desk and stood silently, waiting for feedback.

Koike picked up the script from the desk, reading the title on the cover.

“Even If This Love Disappears from the World Tonight?”

She read the title aloud, “Is it a romantic youth theme?”

“Yes.”

Kimura nodded.

“Oh~ What a bold theme,” commented Koike.

In this world, Japan, much like the previous one, dominated, and various imaginative and niche-themed films and TV shows were constantly emerging. 

However, unlike the previous world, there weren’t as many classic works in the pure love genre.

It could be said that pure love films and TV shows in this world had been in a state of decline, not very well-received.

Kimura speculated that perhaps the immense survival pressure of the country and the heavy burden of a low-desire society suppressed the development of pure love genre films and TV shows.

While they existed, most of them were not very famous. 

As graduation projects for film students, the most popular ones were often in genres like mystery and detective stories, which were more likely to impress the audience and generally received higher ratings.

Pure love themes were prone to falling into clichéd patterns, so students were not particularly enthusiastic about them. Koike flipped through the script in front of her.

Regarding Kimura’s choice of theme, while she was a bit surprised, she didn’t have strong feelings about it. 

Fewer people filming in this genre didn’t mean no one was doing it; encountering a few such projects each year was normal.

Moreover…

“Hayata-kun, did you choose this theme due to budget constraints?” Koike asked.

Kimura replied, “It’s partly due to that reason, but not entirely.”

Really?

Koike nodded, choosing not to say anything.

For students like Kimura with his conditions, works in this genre undoubtedly had the lowest production costs.

A deep silence filled the office as Kimura stood on the side, quietly waiting. His gaze swept over Koike’s computer, which was displaying a particular page.

T-Station Film Festival Newcomer Competition Section.

There were many videos listed below, each one marked with the corresponding title and director’s name.

【”The Sixth Silhouette,” Director: Natsume Eizaburo】

【”Inheriting the Bull Shop,” Director: Kiyohara Risu】

【”Reincarnated Villager Becomes the Demon King,” Director: Yagi Shoji】

【…】

In this heap of names, Kimura unexpectedly saw several familiar ones.

Similarly, these were fellow students from the Art University’s film directing department.

“Koike-sensei, what’s this T-Station Film Festival about?” Kimura curiously asked.

Koike raised her head and glanced at the computer screen.

“Oh, this one. It’s a film festival jointly organized by T-Station and several film and television companies… There are several competition sections, and I heard that the works with the highest final popularity will receive investments from the collaborating companies behind the scenes.”

“I see.” Kimura nodded with realization.

“This one is the Newcomer Competition Section. Many students upload their graduation projects, hoping to secure investments.”

Koike explained, then turned to look at Kimura after a brief pause. “If Hayata-kun’s graduation project gets made, you can also give it a try.”

Kimura nodded, “I will consider it.”

Seeing that, Koike didn’t say much, continuing to lower her head to read the script.

In the office, one standing and one sitting, an inexplicable harmony prevailed.

After an unknown amount of time passed, Koike suddenly looked up at Kimura, her expression puzzled, “Hayata-kun can leave now. I’ll try to finish reading the script today, and if there’s any need for adjustments, I’ll message you tomorrow.”

“Eh?” Kimura awkwardly smiled. He thought he had to wait here until Koike finished reading the entire script.

“Then, Koike-sensei, I’ll leave first.”

“Sure.”

Watching Kimura leave the office, Yui Koike returned her gaze to the script on the desk.

“How… is this script… so thick?”

Koike looked at the script on the table with puzzlement. She remembered that the scripts for other students’ graduation projects were at most half the thickness of this one. 

What on earth did this guy write to have so much content?

She initially thought she could finish it quickly, but it seemed like it would take a long time.

……

After leaving the office, Kimura didn’t immediately go back. Instead, he took out his phone and entered the number written on the note that Koike Yui gave him last time.

After a brief wait, the call was answered.

“Yo, yo!”

A refreshing male voice came from the other side.

“Is this Koike Koichi? I’m Kimura Hayata, a senior in the directing department. Koike Yui-sensei recommended that I contact you.”

Kimura quickly identified himself to the other party.

After a moment of silence on the phone, Koike Koichi’s voice sounded again.

“Hello, Kimura-senpai. I’m Koike Koichi. If there’s anything, you can come to the Photography Department to find me. I’m currently at the Photography Department… Do you know where it is?”

“I know. Koike-sensei gave me the address.”

“Good, then see you later, Kimura-senpai.”

“Goodbye.”

Kimura hung up the phone, bringing the note to his eyes. Koike-sensei had marked the location of the Photography Department.

After memorizing the address, he tucked the note back into his pocket.

To be honest, he wasn’t sure if Koike Koichi would definitely help him with the filming. The only connection between them was Koike-sensei’s recommendation.

He also wasn’t sure about the strength of Koike-sensei’s relationship and whether it would be enough to successfully persuade Koike Koichi to assist him in completing the film. 

Although he had confidence in the script, realistically expecting Koike Koichi to read the script in a short time wasn’t practical.

It was quite troublesome.

Kimura sighed in frustration. 

If only he had made more acquaintances in other departments during his four years of university, he wouldn’t have to go through such complications now.