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

"Congratulations!"

"Well done, Sakamoto-kun!"

Congratulations on wrapping up filming!

With Kiyoshi Nishimura's approval, all filming for "Dangerous Detective" by Yu Sakamoto officially came to an end.

The main actors all applauded him sincerely.

Over the course of our time together, everyone has learned more or less about Sakamoto Yu's past and feels that his journey has been very difficult.

After enduring so much hardship, he finally landed a formal role. Although it was only a supporting role, his talent had already been recognized by the entire film crew.

Hiroshi Tate and Shibata stepped forward one after the other and gave him a firm hug.

Atsuko Asano also smiled and offered her blessings and approval.

Kiyoshi Nishimura also praised him generously:

"You've got potential, kid. Don't give up, keep going!"

Museum official laughed heartily: "Don't rush off after work today, let's go grab a few drinks!"

Sakamoto Yu bowed deeply to all the staff, his face beaming with smiles.

"Thank you all for your care during this time, and thank you to all my seniors for your recognition. I will definitely continue to work hard!"

These sincere words drew applause from many people in the audience.

After finishing work in the evening, Hiroshi Tate, Shibata, Atsuko Asano, Toru Nakamura, and Yu Sakamoto went to the familiar yakitori restaurant in Shinjuku again.

Perhaps seeing that Sakamoto Yu's scenes were about to wrap up, Nakamura Toru secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Finally, I don't have to be compared to him anymore.

Thinking about it this way, the smile on my face became much more genuine.

The two didn't have any real conflict of interest; they were in the same circle, so this little thing wouldn't cause them to fall out.

Moreover, Sakamoto Yu's strength is undeniable, and Nakamura Toru can see that his future is far from limited to this.

It's really not worth it to fall out now. Having more friends means having more options. This saying still carried a lot of weight in the Japanese entertainment industry in the 1980s.

Since that's the case, it's better to maintain a respectable image. Who knows, one day Sakamoto Yu might become a big star, and you might even gain some goodwill in return.

After a few rounds of drinks, Nakamura Toru, slightly intoxicated, took the initiative to offer a few sincere congratulatory words to Sakamoto Yu.

This scene was witnessed by Hiroshi Tate and Shibata, who exchanged a knowing smile and nodded in understanding.

Sakamoto Yu smiled and agreed, taking the initiative to lower his stance and clink glasses with him. The two drank and chatted happily, and the subtle misunderstanding from before vanished.

In the lively atmosphere, Sakamoto Yu also drank a few extra cups, which was unusual for him.

As a junior, he was warm and considerate throughout the event, making the atmosphere of the gathering very lively.

By the time the party ended, her cheeks were already tinged with a light rosy hue.

Just like last time, he silently watched everyone get into the car and leave before walking to the curb and sitting down to wait quietly for someone.

Not long after, a taxi slowly drove up and came to a steady stop not far away.

As soon as the car door opened, a slender figure jumped out and jogged quickly toward him, who was sitting by the roadside.

"How did you get so drunk..."

Kudo Shizuka gently scolded him, but her face was full of worry as she reached out and steadily supported him.

A pleasant, delicate fragrance wafted over, instantly dispelling the effects of the alcohol in my head.

Then he felt a soft body support him.

He was about to speak when he let out a burp.

"Hiccup... I have to entertain guests, you know."

"Seriously, don't you know how to fake drinking?"

The girl complained, but her hand gently patted her back.

She showed no disgust at the smell of alcohol on the man; instead, she naturally moved closer to him.

At 1.63 meters tall, she struggled but earnestly supported him, who was much heavier than herself.

As the evening breeze blew, the hustle and bustle of the entire street seemed to revolve around the two of them.

Once inside the taxi, Sakamoto leaned back in his seat, while Kudo Shizuka sat close beside him, checking on him with concern from time to time.

Sakamoto Yu wasn't a big drinker to begin with, and halfway through the party, he excused himself to go to the restroom and used the shop's phone to call the Kudo family.

After obtaining Kudo's father's consent, he stayed overnight at Kudo's house that night.

Before this, Sakamoto Yu went to the bank to withdraw some money, put 100,000 yen into an envelope, and solemnly handed it to the Kudo family to thank them for taking them in.

At first, Kanchi Kudo insisted on declining, but Shizuka Kudo took the initiative and accepted the gift on behalf of her father.

That's why he won the genuine acceptance of the Kudo family.

Lying in Kudo Shizuka's brother's old room, unlike last time when she was drunk, this time sleepiness quickly overcame her.

With a droop of his eyelids, Sakamoto Yu fell asleep.

Shizuka Kudo knelt by the bed, quietly gazing at his sleeping face.

He was sleeping soundly, his brows relaxed, the restraint and composure he displayed when awake had vanished.

The effects of the alcohol had not yet worn off his face.

His chest rose and fell evenly.

Kudo's gaze, which had been fixed on the scene, gradually lost focus.

She raised her hand, hovered it over his face, hesitated for a moment, and then carefully lowered it.

The moment her fingertips touched his warm skin, she recoiled as if startled.

She pursed her lips and leaned forward slightly.

Strands of hair fell down, brushing against his forehead.

Holding my breath, I carefully looked from my eyebrows and eyes to the tip of my nose, finally settling on my slightly parted lips.

The surroundings seemed to quiet down.

All external sounds became distant and unreachable.

She tilted her head slightly, and her soft lips gently touched his forehead.

Like a feather brushing past, so light it's almost invisible.

In an instant, she sat up straight.

She raised her hand to cover her mouth, her chest heaving, her eyes filled with panic.

He glanced at Sakamoto Yu, who was still sleeping soundly, and seeing that he showed no signs of waking up, he breathed a slight sigh of relief.

She couldn't help but look up at him again.

In the quiet room, only the two of them remained, breathing evenly.

...

Two days have passed since filming wrapped.

At the end of September, Sakamoto Yu's episode in "Dangerous Detective" finally aired.

In a certain university.

Kaori Ide is talking to her classmate about her idol.

Have you listened to Masahiko Kondo's new song?

No.

"You should listen to it, it's really great!"

"Pshaw, I don't want to. He's dating that woman, Nakamori. I don't like him anymore."

"So, which idol are you following now? Nomura? Or Shonentai?"

The girl shook her head. "No, I've been watching crime dramas lately."

"A crime drama?" Kaori Ide looked puzzled. "Isn't that something only boys like to watch? What's the point of all the fighting and killing?"

"No, that's not it. I've recently become a fan of an actor. Look at this."

The girl took out a cut-out character poster, and Kaori Ide was immediately attracted to it.

Wow! So handsome~

"What attracts me most is his eyes. He's incredibly sexy as a villain. I've already watched his movies twice!"

Similar conversations are quietly gaining traction between high school girls and professional women in office buildings. Some people are secretly taking screenshots of his character and putting them in their textbooks and notebooks, circulating them privately.

As a prime-time drama, its viewership ratings are quite impressive.

With an average viewership rating of 20%, it is considered a popular drama series of the year.

The scenes featuring Yu Sakamoto and Hiroshi Tate achieved a record-breaking 22.9% viewership rating, firmly surpassing the 22.3% rating of Fuji TV's "Seven Men and Women in Autumn".

Unlike hard-boiled crime dramas like "Roar at the Sun," "Dangerous Criminal" presents a different kind of modern feel with its light-hearted dramatic elements.

Even so, his audience is still mainly office workers and teenagers.

However, to TBS's surprise, the airing of the new episode attracted a considerable number of young female viewers.

The attention of these young women was completely stolen by the yakuza villain played by Yu Sakamoto.

With his idol-like good looks and contrasting acting skills that exude arrogance and ruthlessness, he has sparked a small-scale craze among women.

Before this, the villains in the audience's mind were all menacing figures with fierce eyes.

Either they're full of bad intentions and are repulsive.

Never before has someone possessed both danger and good looks like Sakamoto Yu, whose every appearance exudes tension.

This mystery and sharpness have a fatal attraction for women.

Many female students wrote to TBS television station, requesting more screen time for him; their letters were full of straightforward expressions of their affection.

"Sakamoto-kun's villainous roles are so charming, I want to see him appear more often."

This unexpected surge in popularity quickly reached the production team.

The TV station keenly sensed this "villain craze" and, without adjusting the plot, quietly added nearly 3 minutes of screen time to Sakamoto Yu in subsequent editing.

This has sparked a small-scale discussion within the industry. One veteran producer casually remarked in a private conversation, "For an actor to break through audience limitations in a crime drama, their commercial value must be considerable."

His seniors in the same production crew also praised Sakamoto Yu's professionalism and attitude during casual conversations on set, saying that he was humble and composed, and a junior worth mentoring.

Audience feedback was also concentrated in a niche group.

TBS received dozens of letters from young women, most of whom inquired about his basic information and future works, and some even included hand-drawn character portraits.

This small surge in popularity, while not making him a huge star, was enough to give Sakamoto Yu a little recognition within the industry, transforming him from an unknown actor.

To get more people to notice him.

What's even more noteworthy is that two small talent agencies proactively contacted him, offering brief cooperation intentions and mentioning that they could connect him with audition resources for minor male and supporting roles. Although there were no overly ambitious promises, these were genuine opportunities.

This attention also made Nozomi Suzuki feel a sense of crisis.

Sakamoto Yu is indeed a promising talent, not to mention that he mentioned before that he still has an audition slot in hand.

Such talent is rare and hard to find!

Nozomi Suzuki spoke directly through Kudo, hoping to have a talk.

Sakamoto Yu agreed, and they arranged to meet at the coffee shop where they signed the contract last time.