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

Inside the meeting room, Sony brand manager Hideo Sasakawa sat behind a long table.

Beside him is the creative director and casting director of GG Entertainment.

The director of photography stood in front, adjusting the camera.

Hideo Sasakawa is holding the resume of the girl who was interviewed on the 14th.

The girl had an approachable face, and her smile was as clean and warm as a coffee shop employee, which perfectly matched Walkman's friendly image.

Hideo Sasakawa nodded to himself and began to take note.

The director pointed the camera at her.

Just walk like you normally would, from the door to the window, and then back.

The music playing in your headphones is something you know very well; imagine you're immersed in it. — Hideo Sasakawa presents the question casually.

The girl nodded, put on her headphones, but no music was playing.

She started walking, one step, two steps.

Before she could finish walking, Hideo Sasakawa raised his hand and called for a stop.

"Alright, next one."

The speed was so fast that the girl didn't even have time to react.

Hideo Sasakawa didn't even give a reason before simply putting the resume aside, making it one of the many rejected resumes in a thick pile.

The air temperature suddenly dropped.

The girl was speechless, glancing at the director and then at the creative director, her eyes filled with helplessness.

"Your smile is your biggest highlight, but your acting completely ruins the atmosphere of that face."

"Sorry, you're not the person we're looking for."

Hideo Sasakawa remained silent; it was GG's creative director who spoke up to offer his evaluation.

He repeated this line countless times, his tone cold and devoid of any emotion.

Hideo Sasakawa picked up the next interviewee's information and didn't look at the girl again.

Such blunt words filled the girl with a sense of shame.

She left hurriedly, head down and face flushed.

Hideo Sasakawa casually took the next resume from the casting director.

It was marked number fifteen, but the resume did not belong to Sakamoto Yu.

A knowing look flashed across Hideo Sasakawa's face.

He paused, ignored the resume, and instead picked up the original chronological list and read aloud:

"Next up, Sakamoto Yu."

The casting director stood up and went out to call someone. He had only been gone a short while when he brought in a young man.

Hideo Sasakawa glanced around casually, and sure enough, the young man who came in was someone else.

Hideo Sasakawa frowned, then turned to the casting director. "What's going on?!"

"What's wrong with the people outside? They can't even confirm the order!"

At that moment, a woman pushed open the door and walked in, giving Sasagawa Hideo a polite smile.

"Sasagawa-san, why are you so angry?"

When Hideo Sasakawa saw the person who had arrived, he slightly composed himself.

He first looked at the young man who didn't match the description, then glanced at the woman.

Hideo Sasakawa put the resume down again and became more polite.

"Ueno-san, what a rare guest! What brings you here to offer your guidance?"

"Sasakawa-san, you're joking," she said softly. "How could I dare to give you work guidance? I'm here to recommend someone for you to take a look at."

Ueno simply shifted the blame to someone else, attempting to gloss over the situation.

It's possible that someone outside misrepresented the message and got the order mixed up. Sasagawa-san, please calm down.

"Oh, so you got them mixed up." Sasagawa Hideo recalled what Sakamoto Yu had said, and the corners of his mouth twitched slightly.

He glanced down at the resume in his hand that didn't belong to Sakamoto Yu, then looked up at the young man standing at the door.

The young man felt a little uncomfortable under his gaze, straightened his back even more, and put on a very idol-like smile.

That forced smile infuriated Sasagawa Hideo.

If someone has real ability, it's one thing to use connections; such a person doesn't even qualify as a fraud.

Hideo Sasakawa withdrew his gaze, turned to Ueno, and his tone suddenly became polite:

"Ueno-san, I know you've always been very supportive of the company's work."

"Of course I'll take a good look at the people you recommend." Sasakawa Hideo paused.

"However—"

He drew out his words, as if considering how to phrase them.

"When it comes to casting, it's not objective enough for just me to look at it."

How about this: let these two audition together, compare them, and it'll be obvious who's more suitable, right?

"Audition together?" Ueno's expression changed, and his brows furrowed.

"Yes," Sasakawa Hideo nodded, "The person Ueno-san recommended must be quite capable."

You won't mind the mere order, will you?

Hideo Sasakawa smiled at Ueno, a perfect smile that was flawless.

Ueno's smile froze instantly, his lips tightening into a straight line.

"Sasakawa-san—" Ueno said with a hint of disbelief, "I think that guy, number 15, his image doesn't quite match Sony's brand image."

"I'll go talk to him myself then..."

Hideo Sasakawa interrupted her directly, "There's no need for you to say that. The company has procedures. Whether it's suitable or not, we still have to go through an audition. You don't mind if I follow the rules, do you?"

Ueno's words were interrupted, her smile faltered, and her gaze swept across Sasagawa Hideo's face.

A flash of anger crossed his eyes, and his attitude instantly turned cold as he slowly and deliberately said, "Of course I don't mind."

"Sakamoto-san should be fine, right?"

Hideo Sasagawa said those last words to the casting director.

The casting director nodded quickly: "I'll go get them right away."

The young man next to him was completely dumbfounded. He looked at Ueno's expression and then at Sasagawa Hideo.

She wanted to say something, but when she met Sasagawa Hideo's ambiguous smiling eyes, she swallowed the words back.

He stood there looking somewhat lost, and finally gritted his teeth, lowered his head, and seemed lost in thought.

As the casting director came out of the meeting room, he ran into Sakamoto Yu, who was standing in the corridor.

He compared Sakamoto Yu's face with his resume, then said to him, "Sakamoto-san, it's your turn. Please come with me."

Sakamoto Yu nodded calmly, then turned and gave Watanabe a look.

Watanabe nodded slightly to him.

Afterwards, Yu Sakamoto followed the casting director into the conference room.

As he entered, Hideo Sasakawa looked up at him, his expression blank, and simply said:

"Sakamoto-san, stand over there." He pointed to the seat next to the young man.

Sakamoto Yu didn't say anything, walked over, and stood still.

The two people stood side by side in the center of the conference room, less than a meter apart.

Hideo Sasakawa leaned back in his chair and placed his hands on the table, crossed.

Sakamoto noticed that Sasakawa Hideo's gaze swept across his face and the young man's face.

He looked calm and straight ahead, showing no signs that the two had just met.

"The question is very simple—"

He paused for a moment, a slight smile playing on his lips, carrying an indescribable meaning.

"Listening to Walkman on the bus."

"There's no scene, no opponents, no lines; you'll have to improvise."

He glanced at Sakamoto Yu, then at the young man, his tone so calm it was as if he were simply going through the motions:

"Who wants to go first?"