When The Camera Flashes, Kisa-san Runs
.5
"ENOUGH!" Haru Mori suddenly yelled. The film club had been going on and on, arguments multiplying faster than they were shut down. He, the leader of the film club, had to put an end to it before his or anyone else's head suddenly exploded. "Arguing over this is pointless. Who has ideas for the prompt!"
All went silent. Mori's stomach dropped.
Every year, a prompt ran to film groups all over Japan. The prompt was always something unusual—One year it was 'A fictional story using only names that start with an A while sticking natural' another was 'A meaningful documentary about something that doesn't exist'. This film club never won but always placed.
Because of the high expectation, the lack of creative insight looked to Mori like an endless black road to shame, despair, and horror.
"Uh… I'll repeat the prompt. Get thinking, guys!" Mori looked down at his paper, a print off of the challenge page. It was different, as normal. Yet it seemed… Ridiculous. Impossible.
"This year the prompt for The Film Creators prize goes away from a single piece film as in past years! The prompt requires you to make a Serialized Elimination Feature! Fiction or nonfiction is up to you. It must have at least 5 episodes in a 4-month period and end with a winner! Here are the catches!"
The catches were the parts that made this a 'challenge'. The A prompt's 'catch' was it could not be a comedy and should seem 'natural'. The Documentary's catch is that it could not be a real thing, but should be done as realistically as possible and include no animation.
These catches seemed impossible.
"Catch 1! These installments will be posted as they come out to the public on the website listed at the end of these instructions! Catch 2! The public will choose who is to be eliminated through a poll system! Catch 3! Our judges will not be picking the winners, your viewers will! Shows we think are good will be promoted, shows that suck will be cancelled! It's up t—"
"YES!" A voice that had stayed surprisingly silent rang out, interrupting the film club leader mid sentence.
"Nakano-kun? " Mori said, relieved in a way. "Do you have an idea?"
"Yes! Mori-san, remember that picture that we never got an answer on using? From the school's art festival?" People nodded, the interesting memory fresh on mind.
"Yes, I do! Yukina kissed a boy on stage, right?" Mori answered, intrigued. "Went all mysterious about it. But what about it?" Mori couldn't quite find connection. Cutest couples? It doesn't seem like a good 'elimination' style show, more a showcase. I'll just wait. He thought, anxiety over the prompt nagging at him.
"A pretty boy competition!" Nakano practically squealed. "Yukina inspired me! We set up teams—This film club is rather large—And find 5 different beautiful boys we can cover in Tokyo! It's a wonderful idea!"
Silence. Everyone mostly looked confused. But Mori saw more in it than the others did, it seemed. So he stood up for it, no matter how stupid the idea sounded.
"Guys, I think Nakano-kun is getting somewhere with this. We cover reality-TV show style different guys… You girls will need to find those, I couldn't spot one on my own if they slapped me in the face." A lie, bisexuality was a fact of his life he would not admit—He could definitely find pretty boys. "We go by popular vote—Fans vote for their favorite boy, and the one with the least votes loses and get's eliminated!"
The idea carried weight, and it was the best out there. Silence took back it's grip, drawing out all flavor from the air. Everyone serious about the competition was getting anxious or annoyed, but Mori knew by now to wait for someone else to talk. Wait. Wait. Wait.
Hayashi Sora, the oldest in the group spoke up. She was an alluring one, always wearing darkly colored gloves and wine red lipstick. Beautiful girl, long legs and charming manner, and stunningly serious. She was the dream of many guys, and she loved entertaining that thought in her head. "Nakano-kun, you really did it! You came up with an idea worse than your fashion choice! I was wondering when you'd do it!" She looked up, natural brown hair that looked black, eyeliner over dark eyes with pale skin that made her look like some sort of succubus. "Fiction is going to be out best bet here. Come up with characters and a setting—"
Crap. Mori thought to himself. Nakano-kun and Hayashi-san are going to start debating and everything is going to fall apart. Fun.
"No." Nakano looked up. "Fiction would be difficult to improvise—Not characters or plot, but lines and costumes and set and budget and who-are-we-working-with. It also will have a slim audience-Remember how many entries there are! If you want proof pretty boys are popular, read some shoujo manga, look at the audience and how well it sells. Watch Yukina at work—He sells the manga! There are so many different things and people we could try. Yukina has to be one of them, and we could find a high schooler, find a working adult with an interesting lifestyle, a reserved, mysterious type, a playboy—It can all fit together! We can all do separate undercover reports on our boy—If they know they'll get nervous. Then the good editors can compile and edit. It's a good idea, Hayashi, and I'm not going to let your personal preference lead the group. Who is with me?"
Hands came up. Mori looked back and forth and then raised his hand. It was perfect, no matter the circumstance. Everyone but three had their hands raised, Hayashi and the two boys who were head over heels in love with her.
"So." Mori said. "Looks like we need to find some pretty boys." All seemed calmer.
"First order of business…" Nakano grinned her child-like smile. "Find out who Yukina kissed." She blushed suddenly. "No. First order of business—Find our boys. Then that."
That's how it all began…
They got more than they expected.
