"I'm in Tokyo, and this is some kind of movie star comeback system?!"

Chapter 116 United Front

With this thought in mind, Ito Yo strode to his desk to prepare his report.

Unfortunately, just as he made a move, the only phone in the office was taken over by the executive producer.

"Yu, you..." Ito Yo clicked his tongue subconsciously. While he was in a daze, Sakamoto Yu came to his side, patted him gently, and pointed to the door: "There is a telephone in the artist dressing room. Just turn left and walk straight out."

"Huh? Okay, thank you!" Ito Yo blurted out a thank you, only realizing after speaking that it was Sakamoto Yu.

He swallowed hard, his expression somewhat unnatural.

Seeing him standing there, Sakamoto Yu assumed he didn't know the way and asked, "Shall I take you there?"

"No, no need." Ito Yo waved his hand awkwardly, quickly turned his head to avoid eye contact, and then strode towards the door, his steps quick.

In the blink of an eye, Ito Yo had already darted to the door.

"Quite efficient." Sakamoto Yu raised an eyebrow as he watched the other person's retreating figure.

At five in the morning, the lights in the executive producer's office were still on.

Nayuki saw that the production team had finalized a solution, said a brief goodbye, and left first.

After Sakamoto Yu offered his advice, there was nothing else for him to do. He originally wanted to go back to his apartment to rest, but after checking the time, he gave up the idea and went to the lounge for a quick nap.

He need not worry about the rest; Watanabe can handle it.

Watanabe and the executive producer discussed the clarification statement, while Ishida and Ito held a conference call with their respective companies to discuss the next steps.

Time passed by in a flurry of activity, and before I knew it, it was already seven in the morning.

Watanabe has already discussed and agreed on a clarification statement from the production team.

She then went back to the firm, got the seal, and stamped the statement; only in this way would the company recognize the clarification.

After the meeting, Ishida sent a joint clarification statement via fax.

The paper was still a little hot from the machine when Ishida handed it to Watanabe, and only then did he finally breathe a sigh of relief.

The three clarification documents on the table at this moment came from Sakamoto Yu's talent agency, the film crew, and the production company, respectively.

Ishida and Watanabe exchanged a glance, both seeing the seriousness in each other's eyes.

It's impossible to predict the outcome at this point, but this is the fastest way to achieve results right now.

The report in "Bunshun" was published early Wednesday morning and went on sale Thursday. The production team discovered it on Friday, and that night everyone gathered together to come up with a solution.

Information dissemination in the 80s was not very fast, but it followed a predictable rhythm:

After the magazine went on sale, the first people to see it fell into two categories: enthusiastic readers who waited for the release date, and reporters from TV stations and newspapers, as well as publicity staff from production companies and agencies.

On Thursday mornings, during rush hour, everyone carries a book and reads it while commuting. Once at the office, they chat about it in the break room or smoking room.

That evening, news outlets began reporting on the story, and the story gained traction.

Although discussions are starting to emerge, they have not yet formed an overwhelming wave of public opinion.

As soon as Yoichi Ito finished his conference call with the publishing company, he pushed open the door to his office, and everyone immediately looked at him.

"We've already communicated everything, the plan has been approved by the company, and we will fully cooperate going forward."

Ishida looked exhausted, but managed a forced smile and politely replied, "With your company's support, this matter will be much easier."

Ito Yo also gave a familiar smile and shook hands with the other person, as if the argument had never happened.

"I have always believed in your company's capabilities. Now that there is a solution, I will head back."

After saying that, he subconsciously looked around the room and, not seeing the male actor, secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

The other party's sudden response had truly taken him by surprise, and he couldn't help but wonder about the reason behind it before quickly suppressing his thoughts.

Turning to Watanabe, he instructed, "I will keep a close eye on public opinion."

Watanabe nodded slightly to indicate that he understood.

Ito Yo didn't linger any longer, picked up his briefcase, and left the office decisively.

After the others left, the expressions of the remaining people eased slightly.

Ishida waved to Watanabe and the executive producer: "Alright, you can all take a break. I'll have someone keep an eye on the latest news."

The weariness on their faces was impossible to hide.

Upon hearing this, the executive producer said that he still had some finishing touches to complete. Although his eyes were bloodshot, he couldn't rest until Ishida left.

This is the rule of the Japanese workplace.

Ishida understood this as well. He waved to Watanabe, and the two left the office.

The executive producer escorted them to the door, and only after they had gone far away did he drag himself into the inner room of the office, where there was a folding bed where one could take a nap.

Watanabe and Ishida left the film set and went to the area where the staff usually parked. Ishida took out a pack of Hope cigarettes, took one out, and gave it to Watanabe.

This is a short cigarette, only two-thirds the length of a regular cigarette, but with an extremely high tar content and a very strong flavor.

Watanabe reached out and took it, pulling out a Zippo lighter with the company logo printed on it; the metal cap clicked open with a soft sound.

She raised her hand to shield Ishida from the night wind and first lit his cigarette.

After two soft sounds, the two silently exhaled smoke, and silence fell over the surroundings.

The air was filled with the weariness of someone who had been tense.

After a long silence, Ishida's gaze fell on Watanabe, and he asked with a sigh, "How did you discover Sakamoto Yu in the first place?"

Watanabe was slightly taken aback upon hearing this, then chuckled softly.

She understood Ishida's thoughts; when she first encountered the uproar surrounding Bunshun, she felt the same way as Ishida.

Watanabe didn't reply immediately. He took off his hair tie, let his hair down, and casually tied it back up. He took a drag of his cigarette, which eased his mind a little.

"Him? He really was picked up off the street." Watanabe looked ahead, recalling the scene of their first meeting. "Back then, he didn't even have a decent manager."

Watanabe stared ahead, her eyes gradually becoming unfocused. She lightly flicked the ash from her cigarette: "After the old man passed away, I realized how difficult it is to keep a business afloat. Meeting him was truly my good fortune."

After they finished their cigarettes, the two walked together toward the film set.

Before even reaching the entrance, Watanabe saw a staff member standing guard there.

Upon seeing the two, the other party immediately hurried over.

Ishida and Watanabe frowned subconsciously, wondering to themselves if something had gone wrong again.

"Watanabe-san, there's a call for you at the office."

Watanabe's heart sank suddenly.

Ishida patted her shoulder lightly: "Go answer the call."

Watanabe responded and quickly walked into the office, picking up the receiver from the table.

"Moshi moshi, this is Watanabe."

"Watanabe-san! Please come back soon. Sakamoto-san has several endorsement deals coming to him, and they're all asking about the public opinion surrounding him."

Hitomi Ono's voice came through the microphone.

Earlier, Watanabe had instructed Ono Hitomi to go to the agency to receive messages.

"Hiss—" Watanabe took a deep breath and rubbed his forehead.

She was so busy that she completely forgot about it.

The biggest taboo for brand ambassadors is having their reputation ruined.

Sakamoto Yu's image is related to the brand's appearance and reputation. Many contracts clearly stipulate that any incidents that damage the reputation are strictly prohibited during the endorsement period.

There was nothing she could do; she simply couldn't spare the time to deal with it.

"Okay, I got it. I'll be right back!"