Rating may change later on! Hope you enjoy!
Strangely enough, the first time we met wasn't the first time we met, and I only realised that a good deal after becoming closer to him. However, I'll start from this forgotten first meeting. Though, I'm not doing it for continuity's sake or anything, it just so happens that it's actually an important point to start from… Oh, whatever, you'll understand.
I was getting the 545 bus through the city centre, since my mum decided to send me on a last minute shopping trip before everything shut. She needed some more milk, and apparently the ones at the local post office 'weren't organic enough' or some shit. Anyway, late night busy journey. It was dark, and I was more than a little pissed off. Plus, my headphones had caved in just that morning, so I couldn't even listen to my music. Tossing the fare at the driver, I immediately grimaced at how packed the bus was. Of course it was rush hour. Just my luck. The only spare seats were next to people, and I had the choice between a snoring old guy, a bratty teen who was talking loudly into her phone, or a freckled guy with a hat.
Freckled guy with a hat it was.
He moved his bag for me as I awkwardly stood waiting in the aisle, and so I sat down without a word and immediately pulled my phone out. If I couldn't listen to music, I could at least play on angry birds or something. He'd given me a friendly enough smile as I'd sat down (one that I didn't return) and returned his attention to the scenery passing by. We stopped at the supermarket fifteen minutes later so I hurried off the bus. I was quick enough in finding the milk and buying a bottle of pepsi (for my sanity), and soon I found myself waiting at the bus stop once again.
It was at this point that someone tapped my shoulder.
"You're from the local college, right?" said some woman. She wore this smile that pretty much scared the hell out of me.
"Yeah?" I couldn't help leaning back a little.
"I thought so!" She began rummaging through her bag and suddenly shoved a business card in my face. "My name is Hanji, you have officially been scouted!"
Now, this would probably have freaked the hell out of me if I wasn't studying drama and somewhat recognise this chick from our showcase last Friday – the same showcase I'd had to hurry home from since my idiot father had tripped had broken his foot.
Long story short, that's how I ended up on the books of the Recon Corps Agency. If you forget the fact that all the agents are fucking mental cases and the other actors working with them are mostly arrogant idiots, it's a pretty good gig.
Two years later, and I'm sitting on the couch in one of the agency's break rooms, playing poker with three of the other actors in the Corps' books.
"Kirschtein! Get your ass over here already!" Levi's damned voice orders from the corridor.
I groaned and put my cards down. "I'm out anyways," I mutter. It's not like I was going to win with Armin playing anyway – the guy can't bluff to save his life, yet he still's the unbeaten champ somehow.
I hurry out the room before Levi has to yell again (every actor here learns to be quick on their feet after their first scolding from the short-arse).
"Here," He shoves some papers into my hand without saying what they are. I don't even have time to give the two strangers with him a glance before he starts to talk again. "You got the job."
"W-what?" I immediately start scouring the paper for a further explanation.
"I'll get Hanji to talk you through the contract later," Levi continues. "This here is–"
He carries on talking but I'm completely out of it. The audition process for a film called 'Humanity's Last Hope' started over two months ago. It was an action-adventure movie about a small group of soldiers. There'd be a ton of fighting, explosions and big dramatic scenes: exactly what I wanted in a film. And I'd only gone and snagged one of the four leading roles? My first big role since getting into the business? This was literally a dream come true.
"So I'll leave you to it."
When I looked back up from the paper, I realised Levi had finished talking and was starting to walk away. Leave what to me? That was when I noticed there were still other people standing with me.
The first was a woman who just smiled at me. Just smiled. Continuously. Like she was expecting something from me. The second, a dark-haired guy. His face was littered with freckles, and he also just smiled. His eyes watched me more carefully than the woman; he seemed to be taking me in.
My lips twitched into a nervous smile as I realised they were still waiting for me to do… something. The stream of curses than ran through my mind at that moment were extremely colourful and inventive compared to normal.
Who were these guys? Please, god, don't let them be the directors or producers – that would be the worst possible outcome. They both looked too young for that though… right?
The guy took a deep breath and shuffled a little, like he'd noticed my silent confusion. He stretched his hand towards me. "Marco Bodt, I'm playing Sole. Nice to meet you."
Sole… Sole… Sole! Private Christopher Sole, one of the other mains! Hallelujah!
I clasped his hand, deciding that I thoroughly respected this guy for bailing me out, even if he hadn't meant to.
"Jean Kirschtein," I nodded. "Playing Jake Banner."
So this was one of the guys I'd be working beside soon. He seemed like a good guy. Looked a little too sweet and innocent to play a soldier, if you ask me, but I'm sure he'd surprise me.
It took me quite some time to realise I was still holding his hand.
I immediately let go, laughing as naturally as I could (which, let me tell you, was not very natural).
"Well, I can see where I'm not needed," the woman chuckled. She nodded politely at me before turning and giving Marco a pat on the arm. "I'll call you later, ok?"
"Sure thing," Marco agreed, before waving as she vanished down the hall. I waved along with him, since it felt like the well-mannered thing to do – even if I still had no clue who the hell she was.
"That was my agent, Mina."
I glanced at Marco. So, he really had noticed that I'd paid no attention to Levi's ramblings earlier. I felt my cheeks heat up.
"Y-yeah… thanks…"
Cue next awkward silence.
"You're not with or agency?" I asked. I really hoped he wasn't – though I doubted I could make myself look anymore stupid right now.
"I'm with Garrison," He still wouldn't wipe that damn smile off his face. "Mina suggested that I come introduce myself, since we're going to be working so closely."
Was the 'so closely' really necessary? I suddenly felt like I'd have to seriously look into what little information on the film I had. Still, I was pretty glad.
"Yeah, that's cool."
Cue yet another awkward silence.
Marco rubbed his neck, still smiling. "So, do you have time to go get a coffee or something? I just figured it'd be nice seeing a familiar face when we start work… It's my first job…"
"First job ever?"
"Yeah…"
I stared at him. This guy must seriously be a hidden talent or something; my first job was as a member of a crowd in one episode of some crappy soap. Pushing the surprise off my face, I shrugged. "Sure, sounds good. There's a great place a few streets down, if you want to go there?"
"Great!"
