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TL: ALT
Chapter 49 – Cosmetics
Ayano Koyuki.
She is a worthy representative of the nation’s leading actresses and continues to shine at the forefront of the industry.
She debuted at the age of twenty.
It all began when a friend invited her to apply to an agency together because she felt uneasy going alone.
She must have had innate talent because her first appearance generated a small buzz.
She progressed from minor roles in dramas to supporting parts and then to leading roles, rising to popularity with astonishing speed.
Koyuki won numerous major acting awards and became the face of the industry.
She has naturally beautiful features.
Her gentle expression and large, wide-set eyes are appealing, as are her perfectly aligned teeth and charming smile when she smiles.
She also has an excellent figure, and her tall, straight posture naturally draws attention, even among industry professionals.
Sixteen years after her debut, the roles Koyuki plays have gradually changed.
She used to play high school girls and college students; more recently, working young women; and now, mothers and wives in period dramas.
Time passes for everyone, and growing older is unavoidable.
Fine lines have appeared at the corners of her eyes, on her neck, and on the backs of her hands. Compared to her twenties, her skin has lost some of its firmness and luster.
Koyuki acknowledges these changes and accepts them as inevitable.
Still, within that natural flow, she wanted to stay as beautiful as possible and resist aging. She paid attention to her diet and exercise, trying various beauty regimens.
“Huh… Is this for real?”
“Seriously. You know my throat got better, right?”
“Yeah, that’s true. But I’ve never heard of this.”
It was precisely because she was Koyuki that she initially resisted Mitsuru’s introduction.
She doubted that such a good deal could just be lying around.
Still, Mitsuru had helped her when she was younger.
He provided the theme song for the first drama she starred in, and it undoubtedly elevated its reputation.
As an industry veteran, he taught her many things, and she felt comfortable around him.
Mitsuru had once been someone she admired.
“I want you to meet him and try it out for yourself. You can refuse after that. Just do me the favor of meeting him once to save my face.”
“If you insist, Wakai-san… Fine.”
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. Congratulations on your comeback. I look forward to seeing you again.”
Mitsuru had once had a girlfriend. After losing his voice in an accident, he disappeared from the entertainment world.
Koyuki offered Mitsuru her congratulations with mixed feelings.
〇〇〇
The meeting place that Wataru had chosen was a coffee shop near Tennoji, one of the busiest areas in downtown Osaka.
Though it had a sign, its hours were irregular.
Even worse, the entrance bore the words “No first-time customers.”
The shop radiated complete unenthusiasm.
Why on earth had he chosen such a place?
Was it perhaps a special shop used for secret rendezvous?
It stirred all sorts of imaginings.
When Koyuki opened the door, the interior revealed a very ordinary coffee shop scene.
Regardless of its operating style, was the place legitimate?
Glancing around, she saw one man and two women seated at a table.
A stunningly beautiful, silver-haired woman stood at the counter. Was she the owner?
Wataru, the man, noticed Koyuki and stood up, raising his hand in a light wave.
The two women also stood in unison.
They were also very beautiful young women.
“Nice to meet you. I’m Wataru Sakai. It’s an honor to meet you today.”
“Nice to meet you. I’m Ayano Koyuki.”
“I heard your name from Wakai-san and have been looking forward to meeting you.”
“Thank you. He told me that it would be right up to my liking, and that I should at least come and meet you. That’s why I came.”
“Oh,” thought Koyuki, feeling somewhat surprised.
Usually, when meeting someone for the first time, most people have a certain air of superficiality about them, but Wataru didn’t.
Was it because of the beautiful women accompanying him? Or did he often meet famous people?
Either way, she thought, this might be a promising product.
“Actually, this place is a business meeting spot that I run.”
“What? Really? You opened a shop just for that?”
“It’s half a hobby and half legitimate business, though. Would you like some coffee, Ayano-san? It tastes like a hobby that’s operating at a loss.”
“Ara, I’m looking forward to it. I’d love to try some.”
“Mariel, Two coffees, please.”
“Right away.”
Mariel, standing behind the counter, began moving briskly. Soon, a rich, aromatic scent began to waft through the shop.
Ah, what a wonderful aroma!
As Koyuki thought this, the tension of meeting someone for the first time melted away.
Chapter 50 – The Effect of the Cosmetic Koyuki Felt
The coffee was placed on the table.
A faint, oily sheen glistened on the surface of the dark liquid.
“It smells wonderful.”
“It was roasted this morning, and I just ground the beans. When I roast coffee beans, I use tweezers to sort them by size to make sure they’re uniform.”
“Isn’t that incredibly labor-intensive?”
“Honestly, it’s not profitable unless I do it full time.”
Wataru laughed and said it was just a hobby.
In the entertainment world, some take a professional approach to their work, while others genuinely love and enjoy show business.
Wataru’s passion for coffee seemed entirely driven by his uncontrollable love for the hobby.
Curious about the taste, she took a sip and was surprised by the rich aroma.
Unlike the recent trend of light roasts, this was a deep-roasted, rich cup; yet, its mouthfeel was surprisingly refreshing.
The beans’ inherent sweetness spread across her palate, followed by hints of acidity and bitterness.
A smile spread across Koyuki’s refined face.
It was a perfect smile, honed by years in front of cameras and capable of captivating anyone who saw it.
“Delicious…”
“I’m glad you like it. To be honest, I was a bit nervous. I started this purely as a hobby, not as a business.”
“I think it’s good enough to sell in a shop.”
“Well, that would probably mean operating at a loss…”
Wataru said with a wry smile.
“How much capital and effort went into just one cup of coffee?”
“Well, then. Shall we move on to introducing the products?”
“Yes, please. Was Wakai-san’s throat healing thanks to Sakai-san? I’m holding out a little hope.”
“Hahaha. You’ll see the effects after trying it. This one here.”
Wataru took out a ceramic bottle.
It was simple and small, holding only about 100 ml.
The water came from the source closest to Azure Stream Town and was concentrated using special machinery.
“This is…”
“Yes, it’s highly effective against wrinkles, spots, and freckles. It also seems to improve skin hydration and texture.”
“Are the two sitting next to you using this, too?”
Koyuki glanced at Aire and Cloche, who were seated on either side of Wataru.
Both were stunning beauties; hearing that they modeled overseas wouldn’t surprise anyone.
They were young and beautiful, and their skin was flawless, without a single blemish.
“I use it, too.”
“Onee-sama, you should be more polite.”
“I-I’m currently using it.”
“Ara, ara, thank you for your kind words.”
Was this not their native language?
Koyuki narrowed her eyes at how stilted Aire’s speech became the moment she switched to polite language.
There was a time when she had youthful, natural skin, too.
If using this lotion could give her skin like this…
“Ayano-san, have you heard the price of this product?”
“Yes, a million yen, right? While many cosmetics are expensive, this is still beyond common sense. I can’t help but be skeptical about whether it’s truly worth that much. I’m sorry for saying such things.”
“I personally believe the product’s value justifies the price, but I understand it’s hard to believe right away. That’s precisely why major companies distribute samples.”
However, Wataru stated that he wouldn’t provide samples.
He refused scattergun sales tactics, insisting solely on direct sales through referrals.
There were some oddities, but it didn’t feel like a scam.
If he had intended to deceive, he would have tried harder to evade detection.
Instead, Wataru revealed his true self and invited people to his shop.
“Um, this is hard to say…”
“What is it?”
“I expect some people will want to gossip about Ayano-san’s transformation out of curiosity or ask you to introduce them to our products. But personally, I’m not in a position to expand distribution yet. I only want to sell through referrals to people I truly trust.”
“Ah, like, ‘Did she get plastic surgery?’ stuff. It’s fine. I’m used to that sort of thing.”
Those lowlifes who write whatever they want to make a living.
Koyuki said this, her disgust evident.
However, the topic of conversation was that Wataru’s product was also quite suspicious.
If it hadn’t been for Wakai’s introduction, she probably wouldn’t have listened to the story at all.
“If you’re considering buying it, you can try the product. I think it’s best to take photos with your smartphone beforehand, or try using it on just one side to test the effect. If you were to use it first, is there a specific area you’d prefer?”
“Hmm… Probably the outer corners of my eyes. I often film close-ups of my face.”
With advances in filming equipment and monitor technology, pores show up clearly now.
While some high-end video cameras offer real-time image processing to correct such issues, skin imperfections still show through in some cases.
No one knows her own aging process better than she does.
There was a hand mirror on the table, but she took her own photos as before-and-after evidence.
If it worked, great. If not, it would give her a good reason to decline, she thought.
Koyuki took the bottle as offered.
Unlike plastic, the bottle felt sturdier and heavier than it looked.
An indecipherable design was printed on its surface, but she didn’t mind—cosmetic bottles often had eccentric designs.
She broke the seal, dripped a few drops onto her palm, and gently applied the liquid around her left eye.
She could feel her bare skin soaking it up like a sponge.
Simultaneously, a tingling sensation spread across her skin.
It was a strange feeling—ticklish yet pleasurable.
“Whoa…”
“Is something wrong?”
“No, I thought you might want to see for yourself.”
“Right. ……Ara…”
After being shown the hand mirror, Koyuki was speechless, staring intently at her reflection.
She scrutinized the corner of her eye, the area she’d been worried about just moments ago, as if it would fall apart.
The fine lines that had been so clearly visible when she smiled were gone.
Wondering if the mirror had a special coating, she hurriedly took a photo, but it showed no change.
This… Could this really be happening?
It wasn’t just surprise; a slow, creeping joy spread through her. What started as a ripple soon became a tsunami, sweeping away Koyuki’s heart.
As if urged on, she grabbed the bottle and pressed it against the other side.
Amazing!
They’re gone! Not just the wrinkles!
The spots and dullness, too!
They were gone from her forehead, cheeks, neckline, and the backs of her hands.
As if she might lose this chance forever if she didn’t act immediately, Koyuki hurriedly applied the product to every area she’d been concerned about, one after another.
With an almost eerie intensity, her gaze fixed on her transformed reflection without blinking. Wataru and the others watched silently.
By the time she had used about twenty percent of the bottle, Koyuki gazed dreamily at her changes, an ecstatic look on her face.
When had her skin last been this translucent?
No spots, no wrinkles, no dullness—just plump, hydrated, glowing skin!
Her troublesome nasolabial folds had vanished, and her sagging cheeks were naturally lifted.
It felt as if her skin itself had been rejuvenated, unlike cosmetic surgery.
With an intensity bordering on lethal, Koyuki declared her intent to purchase the product.
“…Sakai-san. I’ll buy this. I’ll be a repeat customer. If possible, I’d like an extra one right now.”
“Oh, thank you for your purchase.”
“How long do the effects last?”
“As you go through life, spots and other changes will naturally occur, but the effects of the product will continue. However, if you want to maintain your current condition, I recommend using it on areas of concern about once a month.”
“Well…”
Spots and dullness appear gradually, little by little.
In some cases, one bottle might last about a year.
Thinking about it that way, it’s almost too cheap.
“I came to see you to save face for Wakai-san, but I thought I’d listen to what you had to say first and then turn you down.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes, but I’m glad I came. Maybe I could play a high school student again. Just kidding!”
Her radiant smile, which seemed to bloom naturally, charmed even Wataru, who saw beautiful women daily. It also charmed Mariel and the others, who were the same gender. They all blushed.
After that, they signed a non-disclosure agreement, and Koyuki bought three bottles of the product.
She also secured a promise for regular, priority product deliveries going forward.
If the product quality holds up long-term, she would have bought more.
This cosmetic is bound to become a huge sensation eventually.
She absolutely wanted to avoid a future where it would be sold out and become unavailable.
What a great purchase!
It was an impulsive decision, but Koyuki felt completely satisfied.
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