Chapter 119 After Her Peak, the Movie Queen Was a Crybaby
As filming wrapped on "Meridian Mist," the rumor-mongering storm that swept through the industry at the beginning of the year finally came to an end.
This high-profile battle for rights ultimately ended in a complete defeat for the opposing party. In addition to the exorbitant compensation payout, several key figures involved were investigated for defamation due to the egregious nature of their actions.
The news caused another uproar.
Everyone was astonished by the enormous amount of compensation and Risa's resolute and uncompromising attitude.
What followed was even more shocking.
Risa Studio issued a statement announcing that all compensation received from this lawsuit will be donated, without any remainder, to the Foundation Against School Violence and Cyberbullying. The proceeds will be used to assist victims who are currently experiencing or have experienced trauma, and to continuously support related legal education, legal aid, and psychological reconstruction projects.
This news garnered widespread praise from all sectors of society. Multiple authoritative media outlets gave it high acclaim, and national media platforms even published articles paying tribute, calling it—
"We made the perpetrators pay the price in the toughest way, and then used the gentlest way to turn that 'price' into a torch that illuminates others."
Two flowers bloom, each representing a different branch.
In the same year, under the spotlight of the tennis world, Seiichi Yukimura was no longer a promising new star, but a champion who officially ascended to the top of the professional tennis world and announced the arrival of the king.
At the beginning of the year, he decisively won the Australian Open title; then he swept through Wimbledon on the grass, making his way to the semifinals. Although he narrowly lost to the defending champion in a five-set battle, he was still honorable in defeat and won the respect of the entire audience.
That same summer, he defeated the "King of Clay" in the French Open final, successfully defending his title and shocking the world, winning the "Double Crown" of the year.
The media no longer used the old title "Son of God," but instead praised him as "The Silent Ruler" and "The Great Artist on the Field."
The report stated: "He showed no joy when he won a point; he remained calm even when he was down a set. On the court, his aura was like the deep sea, a calm that was suffocating."
Furthermore, on the clay court during his title defense match, his shots were so unpredictable and elusive that they were not only difficult for his opponents to handle, but also something that fans had never seen before. They were all captivated by his performance and gave him a new title – “The Sand Sorcerer”.
At the ATP 1000 Cincinnati Masters, Seiichi Yukimura withstood immense pressure and defeated the world's third-ranked player with his advanced version of "Zero Sense Tennis"—"Absolute Territory"—to win his first Masters title.
Throughout the season, Yukimura defeated the world's top five players three times, achieving an astonishing 82% win rate throughout the year. He stormed into the top 20 in the year-end rankings, becoming the undisputed "biggest dark horse" in the tennis world this season.
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In the golden autumn of September, the new semester begins.
Risa turned down all acting jobs, returned to school, and devoted herself to her professional courses in film and television directing, quietly accumulating strength for her plan to establish a studio.
When "Meridian Mist" had its world premiere in Berlin, Risa won the Silver Bear for Best Actress at the festival. After its global release on Netflix, Risa swept several film critic associations for Best Actress awards for her outstanding performance in the film.
During her senior year winter break, Risa won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her role in "Meridian Fog"; she went on to win the Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Actress.
At the Oscars ceremony at the end of February, this actress, who had gradually faded from the public eye but had won numerous awards, once again shocked the film industry—she successfully won the Oscar for Best Actress.
Risa's acceptance speech was always concise and appropriate, and as is customary, she thanked everyone who had supported her along the way.
Finally, she raised the trophy, smiled at the camera, and said the words she always uttered upon reaching the summit:
"This honor is shared with you."
After the awards ceremony, Risa returned to the dressing room, changed into some casual clothes, and then quietly left wearing a mask.
Upon arriving outside the venue, she opened the back door of a black sedan and leaned inside.
Before the man in the car could even speak, she kissed him on the face. She leaned over and sat on his lap, holding the back of his neck with one hand, and kissed him very lightly, like a dragonfly skimming the water.
After stepping back slightly, she gazed at him with her watery eyes, and just as he was about to speak, she kissed him again. As she lowered her gaze, her intense eyes met his.
During their brief separation, their breaths were already mingling.
Yukimura gave a half-smile, and was about to say something—
"Shh..." She sealed the kiss with her lips again.
"Let me check if you've missed me."
As she whispered, she tilted her head slightly and offered a deeper kiss. The tipsy feeling of alcohol and the coolness of the chewing candy intertwined and mingled between their lips and teeth, flowing freely.
After a long while, the actress who had just been shining brightly on stage leaned weakly against the man's arm, her breathing ragged and her cheeks flushed.
Yukimura put his arm around the person in his arms and instructed the driver ahead, "Back to the hotel."
Hearing him speak, Risa suddenly snapped out of her daze, and the blush on her cheeks instantly spread to her ears and neck.
She belatedly realized there were other people in the car, and buried her burning face in his chest.
"You didn't even remind me..." she muttered, her coquettish tone tinged with a hint of reproach.
Yukimura lowered his gaze, gently lifting her chin with his fingers, a smile playing in his eyes: "Did you give me a chance to speak just now?"
"......"
The car fell silent for a moment.
Even after the car came to a smooth stop in front of the hotel, Risa still refused to look up, remaining nestled in his arms.
"Help me cover my face as I get out of the car...it's too embarrassing." She whispered coquettishly, burying her face even deeper into his neck.
"Now you know how to be shy." He chuckled softly, his tone full of indulgence and doting. "Where did that boldness from before go?"
After saying that, Yukimura wrapped her in his coat, picked her up, got out of the car, and walked straight to the hotel lobby.
Once inside the elevator and seeing that no one was around, Risa asked Yukimura to let her out.
Yukimura readily agreed and gently put her down.
The elevator ascended smoothly. Risa leaned softly against Yukimura's chest, her fingers fidgeting restlessly with the buttons on his shirt.
As they stepped out of the elevator, the heavy carpet in the corridor swallowed their footsteps, and the motion-sensor lights turned on one by one as they passed by, then slowly dimmed.
Risa, halfway there, practically clung to him, mumbling incoherently, "My head is so dizzy..."
"We'll be there soon," Yukimura said.
"I really can't walk anymore..."
Her cheeks were flushed, her eyes were hazy as she looked at him, and her breath carried the soft scent of wine. She looked drunk and charming.
Yukimura paused slightly, lowering his eyes to look at her closely.
"Are you really drunk?" he asked in a low, amused voice.
Risa raised her eyes and tilted her head to look at him. "Hmm... I'm drunk."
Her fingertips gently traced his Adam's apple, she stood on tiptoe, and whispered sweetly in his ear, "I'm drunk... isn't that the perfect time for you to bully me? Do whatever you want..."
Yukimura's breathing suddenly became heavy, and the arms around her waist tightened.
"...Aren't you afraid of being photographed tomorrow? The newly crowned Oscar-winning actress was found disheveled in a hotel corridor."
Risa met his suddenly deepening gaze and chuckled, "If you're not afraid... what do I have to be afraid of?"
Her eyes sparkled with charm.
Like a spark, it suddenly fell into the silently brewing night.
Yukimura grabbed her fidgeting hands, pulled them over her head, and pressed them against the cool wall of the corridor. He lifted her chin, lowered his head, and sealed her smiling lips with a kiss, swallowing up all her lingering provocation and cunning.
In the silence, only suppressed breathing remained. Clothes rustled, and the sound of water was dappled.
The elevator gave a soft "ding" sound, breaking the silence, and the metal doors slowly opened.
Yukimura glanced sideways, his eyes still brimming with unspoken emotions. He released her from his grasp, swept her up in his arms, and carried her straight to the door. Holding the soft figure in his arms with one hand, he deftly swung open the door with the other.
The smart lock emitted a slight unlocking sound, and the door opened accordingly.
He didn't turn on the lights, but carried Risa to the bedroom, using only the neon lights of the city flowing outside the window as his guide. The hazy light and shadows swept over her eyes and brows, outlining a gentle yet alluring silhouette.
The mattress sagged slightly with her weight. Her arms were still lingering around his neck, her dark hair spread out on the pillow, her eyes glistening with tears as she silently gazed at him in the dim light.
Yukimura braced his arms around her, leaning down to envelop his girl. That elegant, poised, and unattainable jewel in front of the camera now revealed such a willful and alluring side in his arms.
Mutual attraction and love are the most deadly poison.
His palms were burning hot, pressed against her lower back, and he pulled her even closer into his embrace.
The air ignited, and the temperature soared with each breath. All reason vanished, burned away. Only the most primal desire remained, the desire to possess everything.
"etc......"
Her voice was soft, with a slight panting, "Did I let you... in, Mr. Yukimura?"
Her eyes were dreamy, gleaming with cunning.
Yukimura gripped her fingertips tightly, pecking at them gently, trying to coax her.
"Can I apply now?" His thin lips brushed against her earlobe, his voice like a hook, irresistibly seductive.
"What I want to apply for isn't just here... but also here... and here..."
The kisses lingered on her earlobe and chin, finally settling on her collarbone. His fingertips slowly moved upwards, touching her heart: "Especially here."
He raised his eyes, deep as the night sea. "Is it alright? Let me live here forever?"
Risa was captivated by the swirling depths of his eyes, and felt as if the air itself had thinned. Her lips moved, but no sound came out.
"Is it alright, Risa?" he asked again.
My heart softens like a pool of spring water, rippling gently, all because of the ripples he caused.
But she hid the shimmering light in her eyes and deliberately acted mischievously.
Yukimura held her and whispered many sweet nothings to her, patiently coaxing her. Finally, she hooked her arms around his neck, kissed his chin, and silently allowed him to come in.
When emotions run deep, one becomes confused and infatuated.
Consciousness floated in the dizzying waves he was leading. Her fingers dug into his shoulders and back, and soft sobs escaped her lips, a far cry from the composure and elegance she had displayed a moment before on the awards podium.
Just as she was about to fall into the illusory world, he suddenly stopped. He propped himself up and, in the dim light from the window, gazed intently at her.
Those purple eyes, always brimming with tenderness, stirred with a kind of ambiguous astonishment and... playful mockery?
Risa opened her eyes blankly, feeling somewhat lost under his gaze: "...What's wrong?"
"It just suddenly occurred to me..."
As he continued his movements slowly, he whispered restrainedly in her ear in a deep voice tinged with emotion:
"This poor little thing in my arms can't even utter a complete sentence, all it does is pitifully shed tears..."
"...Is this really the same Oscar-winning actress who just stood on stage and told the world, 'This honor is shared with you'?"
"Huh? My great, radiant movie queen sister?"
"Mmm...!" He suddenly increased the intensity of his movements, turning her attempt to protest into a soft moan.
Oh my god... How could he... How could he say the most shameful things to her in the gentlest tone at a time like this!
Extreme shyness and overwhelming sensory stimulation swept over her at the same time, causing all the blood in Risa's body to rush to her cheeks, burning so hot it felt like it would scald her skull.
"Don't...don't say it again!" She turned her head away, trying to avoid his burning gaze, but he held her chin and turned her back.
"Don't hide." He chuckled, his eyes sparkling with a mixture of affection and danger. "Look at me. Let me see clearly, is my Risa cuter? Or is the movie queen more captivating?"
Which one... do I love more passionately?
She bit her lower lip hard, the crimson turning pale, her insteps curling and tensing, but she couldn't escape the reactions he caused.
The air was filled with mist, and the color was tinged with crimson.
Tears streamed down her face, wetting her eyelashes and blurring her vision.
"Yukimura Seiichi...you bastard...waaaah..."
"Yes, I always have been." He looked deeply into her moist eyes and calmly admitted.
He wrapped his arms around her back, lifted her up, and held her even closer in his embrace.
Breaths mingled, his gaze locked onto her dazed eyes. A tender, possessive embrace. Utterly and completely, he merged with her.
The answer is...
He spoke each word slowly and deliberately, as if making a vow.
“Every one of you.”
I love you, shining brightly in the clouds, admired by all;
I also love that you fell from grace and lost your finery for me;
I love all your thrones even more, for I will rule them all alone.
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