Selecting, from all the films and TV dramas an actor had appeared in, the scenes where they looked their best and the visuals were at their most beautiful was actually a rather time-consuming and mentally exhausting task. When Mrs. Sakurajima realized this, she finally understood why Sogo Doma had looked at her as though she were a mere tool. He was treating her like cheap labor, wasn't he?
"Need any help?" Just as she gritted her teeth in silent annoyance, a cool voice came from behind Mrs. Sakurajima.
"Mai, why aren't you asleep yet?"
"I can't sleep..." Mai Sakurajima stepped forward and sat beside Mrs. Sakurajima. "How about you go to bed, Mom?"
"I'm not sleepy either. Come to think of it, it feels like it's been a long time since Mai and I spent time alone together like this." Mrs. Sakurajima sounded somewhat sentimental.
"Uh..." Mai Sakurajima fell silent for a while before nodding. "It really has been a long time."
"Mai, I'm sorry..."
"Hm!?" Confusion and bewilderment flickered through Mai Sakurajima's eyes.
"I heard from Sogo that your condition is inseparably related to what you've been through. If... if I hadn't let you enter the entertainment industry..."
"Mom, I actually quite like acting!" Before Mrs. Sakurajima could finish, Mai Sakurajima turned her head and interrupted her.
"Is that so?"
"Mm, we can use this scene, right? I remember I had over a dozen retakes just to get this shot..." Mai Sakurajima nodded, pointing at the image of a little girl turning back with a smile beneath the sunlight.
"That's right. Mai, you were nearly scolded to tears by the director back then, weren't you?" As though recalling something, Mrs. Sakurajima smiled behind pursed lips.
"Back then, it was Mom's constant encouragement that gave me the confidence to finish