The camera was still pointed at him, and the "Hungry Wolf," baring its fangs, continued to slowly advance toward him.
Seeing the director and crew members giving him a thumbs-up from afar, Seiya instantly understood — they were giving him a chance to improvise.
But seriously… letting him freely improvise without any prior notice — had these adults really thought about the fact that he was only a five-year-old boy?
Not asking for a filming fee earlier suddenly felt like a loss. With how hard he was performing right now, if they didn't at least give him a bonus afterward, it'd really be unreasonable.
As the "Hungry Wolf" crept closer, Seiya braced his bamboo sword against the ground and "struggled" to get back on his feet.
And soon, the director and everyone on set witnessed what a true prodigy of kendo looked like.
A five-year-old boy, actually holding a bamboo sword and going toe-to-toe with a police dog made up as a wolf — that was unbelievable enough already.
His dodging movements and sword swings were so natural, and when Seiya used his bamboo sword to block the "wolf's" fangs, the entire crew was holding their breath in awe.
Even though they were the ones shooting the movie, there was a moment when they all felt like what they were seeing was real.
Originally, Seiya's screen time in the movie was supposed to be around a minute. But because of this impromptu action scene, it ended up being extended to over five minutes.
According to the director, this fight scene alone was enough to elevate the whole movie.
As for the total runtime — that wasn't a problem. They could just cut out some of the less important scenes.
"Kid, my name's Ōkawa Sōichirō. I owe you an apology for underestimating you before. Here's my business card. Your talent and potential far exceed my expectations. If it's you… you might really have what it takes to become the brightest child star."
After the shooting wrapped up, Director Ōkawa personally approached Seiya — and even handed him an envelope with 30,000 yen as payment.
Although Seiya had initially said he didn't need a fee, his performance had been exceptional, and his screen time ended up being much longer, so he still received a reward in the end.
Looking at the crisp banknotes inside the envelope and the business card in his hand, Seiya froze for a moment — before a faint smile appeared on his face.
Being an actor really does make good money. Even as a complete nobody, just playing a small extra role and performing naturally for a few minutes had earned him 30,000 yen.
To think that Yuko worked day and night drawing manga, earning maybe a few hundred thousand yen a month — and that already counted as a high income for her age.
"Hmph! You never told Kana that you could use a sword like that! Ugh, now everyone in the crew's praising you, and no one's even talking about Kana's acting anymore! You're just a newbie — a total amateur! Why did Kana have to lose…?"
For a first attempt at acting, Seiya was very satisfied with his own performance.
He might not have officially debuted, but at least he had taken his first step into the entertainment world. And to get paid on his first job — that alone made him happy.
However, while he was happy, the little loli beside him clearly wasn't.
Arima Kana — the genius child actress. Among the ranks of child stars, she was the big name, the real deal.
Now, she couldn't accept that she, a senior, had been overshadowed by Seiya, a complete beginner.
This was already the second time she had tasted defeat at the hands of a peer.
The first was a boy named Hoshino Aqua — and now, Seiya.
Both Aqua and Seiya were around her age, yet as a "genius" child actress, she had been beaten by them both. That was something she couldn't stomach.
"Come on now, Kana-chan. The only reason I stood out this time was because the role suited me so well. That's all. A true actor can handle any role. Compared to you, the genius child star Kana, I'm still far behind. Honestly, I think you acted really well — I even learned a lot just from watching."
There was no helping it. After all, this opportunity came to him thanks to Arima Kana's help, and Seiya was genuinely grateful for that.
So now that the proud little girl was sulking, Seiya could only try to coax her.
"Hmph… As long as you know how amazing Kana is! Being an actor isn't easy, you know. But… your acting just now… it wasn't bad. Of course, compared to the genius child star Kana, you're still a long way off!"
Even with all her pride, Kana was still just a little girl. Hearing praise and acknowledgment from someone else made her puff up with satisfaction almost immediately.
Seiya's well-timed "praise from a junior" quickly dispelled her bad mood, and she skipped back toward her mother.
When Seiya brought home the 30,000 yen he'd earned, Yuko was naturally stunned.
She had assumed he'd just gone along with the film crew for fun, never expecting him to actually earn "payment."
When she later heard from Kana's mother that Director Ōkawa had been deeply impressed by Seiya, Yuko couldn't help but marvel at her son's young face.
Yuko didn't take the 30,000 yen. On one hand, it was too little to really change their financial situation, and on the other — she couldn't bear the thought of relying on her five-year-old child to make money for them. That would be too humiliating for her as a parent.
So, at Yuko's suggestion, the two of them used the money to go out and have a fun day together.
And when the movie premiered, they made sure to go watch it in theaters.
After all, this was Seiya's first ever film — even if it was just a minor role, Yuko felt it was meaningful enough to go and support him.
She had been busy with work and missed the filming itself, something she'd regretted since then.
So, even if she'd missed the set, she wouldn't miss the premiere.
She was also curious to see just how impressive Seiya's performance had been — enough to earn the director's praise.
The movie "From This Moment, I'll Protect You" was adapted from an anime.
Because of its low budget, there weren't many people in the theater.
When Yuko and Seiya entered, most of the seats were taken by a few couples and hardcore fans of the original anime.
As for mothers bringing their children — there was practically none, since it was a romance film, hardly appropriate for kids.
(End of Chapter)
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