"Really…"
Ryutani Nariaki stood frozen, mouth hanging open in shock. He never imagined his granddaughter would have contact with his old friend's apprentice.
No,
They must have crossed paths before.
No, that still didn't sound right!
His thoughts were a complete mess. Ryutani Nariaki only knew one thing with absolute clarity:
He needed to drag Kiryu Nanaya over right now and beat him till he's satisfied
Where did those two even meet?!
If he didn't trust his old friend Hanai Ryuichi's character, he would've thought Ryuichi secretly brought his apprentice over just to swindle investment out of Illya.
"Ilya… can you tell Grandpa how you met that little, Kiryu-nii-san?"
Nariaki's smile twisted into something ghastly. If Illya weren't already used to her grandfather's terrifying expressions, she probably would've burst into tears.
"Hmph~"
Illya proudly straightened her very flat chest and explained:
"Didn't my big brother go to Grandpa's office for investment? After he left, he happened to come to the café where I work. That's where we met!"
What kind of romance-novel plotline is this?!
Illya didn't notice her grandfather's expression morphing; she happily continued:
"I overheard Grandpa's phone call about my older brother. So I decided I wanted to see what kind of genius Grandpa had taken a liking to~"
WHY him?
Then she puffed her cheeks unhappily:
"And it's all because Grandpa wouldn't let me visit the film crew!"
That—
Ryutani Nariaki fell silent.
He had always kept Illya away from the ugliness of the industry. Beneath the glamour was a cruel reality, and as his successor, she would inevitably be exposed but he hoped she'd learn about those things as late as possible.
Fortunately or unfortunately the Kara noKyoukai crew Nanaya put together didn't have the usual filth found on messy film sets. Aside from one shameless woman, the staff were all genuinely hardworking.
This gave Nariaki a tiny bit of comfort.
"I spent all of spring break watching my older brother film!" Illya declared proudly. "Grandpa really has an eye for talent my brother is basically a born director. The crew was chaotic at first, but he quickly got everyone working together!"
Although Illya had never observed the filming process this closely before, she had seen crews at work as a child, following Nariaki around. She wasn't completely clueless.
"That kid… No, that's not the point!"
As Hanai's friend, Nariaki felt a little proud hearing Illya praise Nanaya's work.
But the moment he remembered that Nanaya had "abducted" his granddaughter, the anger instantly returned.
"Ilya, we need to talk about you visiting a boy without permission, "
But to Illya, her grandfather couldn't compare to someone else right now.
Before he could even finish, she cut him off:
"I won't talk anymore! I have to go confirm the budget with my older brother!"
She put down her utensils, hopped off the chair, and sprinted out of the dining room.
"Uh… Illya…"
Nariaki's outstretched hand hovered in the air. He stared at her empty seat with heartbreak.
My precious granddaughter has gone astray…
"Sera…"
Overflowing with despair, Ryutani Nariaki turned toward Sera, hoping she would explain things properly.
Sera, following Illya's strict orders, responded in a heavy, emotionless tone:
"Master, Mr. Kiryu is indeed an exceptional director. The young lady has chosen to support his career. I believe they will become a model of mentor and protégé."
No! That's absolutely NOT what I wanted to know!
"Regarding what you're worried about, sir…"
Sera's expression suddenly hardened. She bowed deeply and declared with icy seriousness:
"If Mr. Kiryu shows even the slightest improper behavior, I will make him regret ever being born."
With that, Sera bowed again, then followed Illya out of the restaurant.
"How did it come to this…"
Ryutani Nariaki stared blankly at her departing figure, despair settling on him like a heavy blanket.
His granddaughter… was slipping out of his control.
Part of him wanted to toss Nanaya into Tokyo Bay immediately to prevent future troubles. But the boy was also his friend's apprentice, so he couldn't simply get rid of him.
After a long internal struggle, Nariaki found only one logical solution:
Make Kara no Kyoukai a complete success.
That way, Illya wouldn't be mocked for her investment and would instead gain praise.
And Nanaya Kiryu could make his old friend Hanai Ryuichi proud.
"Kid… your movie had better succeed!"
Late that night, while Nanaya was revising his shooting plan in his apartment, he suddenly received a call from Ryutani Nariaki.
"Hah?!"
After the single sentence
"Your movie must succeed."
Nariaki immediately hung up.
Nanaya stared at the busy tone in confusion.
"Did that old man stay up late just to say one line?"
He shrugged, placed the phone aside, and continued working.
---
Filming Resumes
The reshoots for Kara no Kyoukai progressed even more smoothly than Nanaya expected.
Once he announced that Ms. Adachi had withdrawn due to personal reasons and that Ryogi Ori would take the lead role, the staff voiced no objections. In fact, many welcomed the change.
These veterans had long noticed Satomi Adachi's lack of focus, and they had also witnessed Ori's dedication and hard work.
"Honestly, Director, I think you should've done this sooner. That woman's heart wasn't in the job from the start. It's satisfying to see her gone."
This comment came from the actress playing Aozaki Touko during a break.
"Was it really that obvious?"
Nanaya sighed. He hadn't noticed at all. His focus on filming left blind spots his inexperience showing through.
"Speaking of which, I thought you'd complain about not getting promoted to the lead role."
The actress laughed. "I had that thought at first, but my mature, refined persona doesn't fit Ryogi Shiki. By the way, there is a sequel, right?"
"If the film does well," Nanaya said.
"Then I'm looking forward to it. Touko gets more screen time in the sequel."
She blew him a kiss before walking away with a playful sway.
"She's into you, senior. You should take the initiative,"
Ori said as she approached Nanaya. Her voice still carried a feminine tone she hadn't fully shaken off acting as Shiki yet.
"She just wants to try her luck. If this movie fails, she'll never talk to me again."
Nanaya shrugged. He'd seen many women like her. Even his teacher had been targeted by similar types.
But romance was a luxury he couldn't afford right now.
Completing Kara no Kyoukai came first.
Once he became a successful director, he wouldn't lack anything.
"Really? You're not backing down for once?"
Ori eyed him with suspicion. It wasn't like Nanaya to ignore an opportunity.
"Stop talking nonsense. Believe me or not, once I become successful, women will be lined up on both sides!"
"Tch. Says the old virgin acting all high and mighty."
Ori curled her lip.
"Hey, don't slander me. I'm not Shounan! I've had girlfriends before!"
But this only made Ori look at him with even more doubt.
"Was it in a dream?"
"I'm telling the truth! Don't just, hey! Don't walk away!"
But Ori had already left.
Nanaya could only sigh in defeat.