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

Chapter 120 Shift in Public Opinion

During the morning rush hour, as buses arrive at the station and the doors open, crowds surge out.

A young man walked into a convenience store and bought a copy of the Sankei Sports newspaper.

He walked to the platform to wait for the tram, casually flipped through the newspaper, skipped the social and financial sections, and went straight to the entertainment section.

Browsing entertainment news while waiting for a train is the perfect way to pass the time.

Upon opening the app, the young man saw two statements published on the homepage of the entertainment section.

The young man hummed softly and began to read carefully, his expression gradually changing with the content.

When he read the sentences "deliberate retaliation, malicious smear by the media," his expression suddenly froze.

Suddenly, a low voice sighed from the side: "What's going on? Why is Bunshun, this media outlet, always deliberately targeting this artist?"

The young man looked up and saw that the passersby next to him were also holding newspapers, only the magazines in their hands had changed to the Asahi Shimbun.

As the number of people waiting for the train on the platform gradually increased, many of them took the opportunity to read newspapers and magazines while waiting.

Although the newspapers were of different types, they all published the statement from Sakamoto Yu's management company.

Those who had read the entertainment section secretly criticized Bunshun's report for being inaccurate.

It seems that many people believed Bunshun's words back then.

No one doubted the credibility of the clarification statement.

The production company is the investor, and everyone believes that if an actor really has problems, the production company executives wouldn't risk their own careers and the company's reputation to vouch for him.

The only explanation is that they have solid evidence proving the actors' innocence and that they know who is behind it all.

This level of endorsement can almost instantly shatter the credibility of an "insider."

The young man lowered his head and continued reading the statement.

In the production company's statement, Sakamoto Yu was described as dedicated, down-to-earth, and a mature and highly professional actor.

The statement also cited a real-life example from the film set to illustrate its point.

In one instance, Sakamoto Yu, who doesn't smoke, smoked half a pack of cigarettes for the sake of his role, until he could endure the discomfort and successfully complete the filming, demonstrating his dedication.

The official statement also acknowledged that the leak did indeed come from an insider within the production team, but to protect the individual's privacy, it was not made public.

After righteously condemning the anonymous accusations, he also called on the public to focus on the actors' work itself.

The article concludes by stating that the film starring Yu Sakamoto will be released in April, and that viewers are invited to judge for themselves whether his acting skills are worthy of the stage.

The young man murmured to himself, "I'll go see it in the theater sometime."

Just then, the tram slowly pulled into the station. He folded the newspaper and followed the flow of people into the carriage.

An office building.

Yoshikawa Aya had a newspaper tucked under her arm and a coffee in her hand as she squeezed into the elevator with several colleagues.

Someone next to me flipped through a newspaper and casually remarked, "Hey, I told you Bunshun was up to its old tricks again."

Upon hearing this, Yoshikawa Aya paused in her actions.

"Now the production company behind the film crew has spoken out."

"I said before that he was being targeted, and some people disagreed. Look how quickly things have turned around."

Yoshikawa Aya's eyes darted around, she pursed her lips, and unconsciously lowered her head.

The elevator arrived at the floor and the doors opened.

She was the first to walk out, her steps a little faster than usual.

A colleague's voice came from behind: "Hey, aren't we walking together?"

She waved her hand guiltily without answering.

Meanwhile, during a break at a university.

The girl who was speechless when questioned on the streets of Shibuya is now sitting in a seat flipping through a comic book.

A burst of laughter suddenly came from the back of the classroom.

"Haha, look at this!"

A boy, holding up a copy of the Sankei Sports newspaper, stood next to the podium and deliberately lowered his voice, mimicking an announcer's tone: "This so-called insider leak is actually a deliberate act of revenge against Ichiban Books. They've been used as pawns!"

"Serves you right!" Another boy slammed his textbook down, pointing at the girls in the audience. "I told you from the beginning that you couldn't trust Bunshun, but you wouldn't listen!"

A bespectacled boy in the front row pushed up his glasses and said casually, "When did you say that? I remember you saying 'there's no smoke without fire' just last week."

"Well, that was—I was testing you!" The boy, his face flushed after being exposed, exclaimed. "Anyway, my opinion is very clear now: Sakamoto Yu is innocent!"

The surrounding classmates burst into laughter.

"Why does Bunshun always mess things up!" a girl complained. "I'm never reading their magazine again."

"Me too."

In the noisy atmosphere, the girl sat in the corner, clutching a comic book in her hand, but hadn't turned a page in a long time.

As she listened to the frustrated voices, the complaints, and the boy's stubborn excuses, a smile involuntarily crept onto her lips.

She closed the comic book and pulled out a copy of this morning's Asahi Shimbun from her bag.

She cut out the entertainment section page separately and folded it neatly into a square.

In the desk drawer, there was a newly bought magazine with Sakamoto Yu's name printed on the cover.

She doesn't follow celebrities, never has.

But this time, she wanted to offer her support.

Scenes like this are constantly playing out in every corner of Tokyo.

Public opinion is gradually shifting.

Like ice in spring, it slowly melts from the edges.

Bunshun Editorial Department.

Fukuyama's face flushed red, and he shook off the editor's hand, refusing to give any more interviews.

"The production company has already stated that they know the whistleblower's identity; your promise of confidentiality is completely worthless!"

His bald scalp reflected the incandescent light of the corridor.

"I don't care! Everything I just said doesn't count. If you dare to publish it, I'll hire a lawyer and sue you."

Fukushima sighed and watched the farce unfold with a cold eye.

The production company's move was truly brilliant. Fukuyama already had something to hide, so seeing the statement inevitably made him think it was all part of the story.

He was certain that the production crew had no evidence, but who would dare to come forward and ask them for it?

Wen Chun dared not make any rash moves, as the situation would be difficult to salvage if the other side demanded a public confrontation with the informant.

Not protecting informants is tantamount to cutting off one's own escape route.

If Bunshun were to respond rashly, the production company could simply tell the media, "They can't provide the personnel, so the entire report is problematic." This would give the other side a perfect excuse to retaliate.

Now, everyone is waiting for the latest issue of Bunshun.

Other media outlets are like sharks that have smelled blood.

If Masazo Ogiya can't give an explanation, they won't waste this opportunity. They'll swarm in, and Bunshun will replace Sakamoto Yu as the prey, to be mercilessly devoured.

However, is this all that Sakamoto Yuu's counterattack has to offer?

Around noon, Sakamoto Yu took advantage of a break after filming to go to the Sunshine Fitness Center to work out.

Ono-do, who used to be a fitness instructor, accompanied him, and Alice observed his training movements from the side.

"Mr. Sakamoto, there's a message on your pager."

The receptionist came over with a pager, and Ono Hitomi stepped forward to take it and check it.

"It's Watanabe-san."

Sakamoto Yu didn't care about that and focused on finishing the last set of 20kg dumbbell chest presses.

As he lifted his arms, his chest muscles bulged and defined. Once the movement was complete, Alice reached out to help him return the equipment to its stable position.

After resting for a while, Sakamoto Yu went to Alice's office and made a return call.

"It's me," he said, slightly out of breath.

Watanabe immediately reported on the other end of the phone: "Nissan and Sapporo Beer have already agreed to support you, while the remaining brands are still taking a wait-and-see approach."

On the day the public outcry broke out, all the brands he endorsed came to him with inquiries.

After Watanabe revealed the situation to them, everyone calmed down and decided to observe the situation.

After Watanabe conducted private consultations and assessments, only these two brands ultimately chose to step forward and endorse the campaign. The statement has now been drafted, and they plan to capitalize on the shift in public opinion to launch a promotional campaign.

"When will it be released?" Sakamoto Yu switched hands to hold the microphone.

Upon hearing this, Watanabe's lips curled into a slight smile.

"Today's Evening News"