The commercial came together far faster than anticipated.
Toshi hasn't seen the final results of it, but he was rather please as to how smoothly it went. Sukuna was even having fun, but won't admit to it. Toshi felt it though!
When they finished, he found Sukuna peering at him oddly. "You play the shamisen rather well…"
"Did you play it?"
He was silent. Perhaps that's too much personal information, or he doesn't want others to know he might have other interests. Either way, he wouldn't push him for any answers.
They went home that night, yet, by the next day, people had begun to ask him about the sake.
"Since when did you do a commercial?!" Noranso asked.
"What? We only filmed that yesterday…" Toshi muttered at the table.
"Well, we've seen it twice already since this morning. Some news stations had picked up on it wondering what it was about. It's you playing, Sukuna doing intense labor stuff, then it ends with a symbol that looks like a dragon." Said Eso. "It's very sleek, but no one knows what you are selling. In other words, a buzz has been made."
He never realized how good D'angelo was at his job!
In fact, for a week or so, when the commercial played, social media ate it up, wondering what was going on.
It wasn't long until they were called back to the studio. This time it was to make a complete commercial with D'angelo's help.
Once more, they were done in not time, Sukuna was oddly cooperative. Even when D'angelo presented them with 'uniforms'
"What the hell… it looks like my kimono!" Sukuna protested.
Toshi didn't realize it but he was right. There was a black belt that went around their waist, the uniform itself was white and yet, there was the big marking on the back for their sake company. The jacket was open vest and long sleeves, the pants were nice and baggy too. There was even a headband for them to wear with the marking on it as well. "It's not a bad look," Toshi said as he was able to move around in the odd outfit, it was strangely comfortable.
Once more, Sukuna complained, but Toshi knew otherwise.
He didn't mind it.
The full commercial was what they used as a teaser, but when it continued on. Toshi ended his session rather abruptly. Since a small glass was presented to him, peering up he saw Sukuna offer him the cup. The two toast each other as D'angelo explained that was all they needed. "We can't show drinking in a commercial." He explained.
"Pussies…" muttered Sukuna as he drank from his cup.
Toshi did as well, he wouldn't let good sake go to waste.
It wasn't long, perhaps three days after the complete commercial aired when the buzz began to grow again. All of Japan was talking about how brilliant the commercial was, but now, they are wondering where this product is!
It was a long week of bottling, brewing and making connections. Thanks to the store owner in the village, they were able to get in contact with other distributers. However, there was one that appeared rather strange. "They want to meet us in person." Toshi explained as he got the message one morning. He just saw the shopkeeper and was setting up their brand of sake when he gave him the message.
He was also warned that these people. "Despite being rather odd and strange, they will make certain your sake sells, I promise. But, you need to go along with their request." The shopkeeper warned.
"Tch, you go, I'll stay." Sukuna decreed.
"They want BOTH of us there." Toshi said defiantly.
"What a pain…" he muttered. "Fine, let's go then."
#
They were asked to meet the disturbers in Kyoto.
It was one of the largest sake warehouses in the region, and yet, inside was rather odd. Those who run the place bring in all the new brewers that have caught their eye recently, then, they are put through a test of sorts.
"What is with this place…" Sukuna muttered as he peered about.
Toshi happened to agree, if anything, this meeting place… felt off.
Other brewers were waiting as well, when they saw them they sneered at Toshi and Sukuna. "They better not want to play that game, unless they are damn good at it…" Sukuna growled lowly.
"Easy, this is a hard industry to get in, it's best we bide our time and wait to see what's going on." Toshi whispered.
Sukuna sighed. "Fine, we'll do it your way…"