Same story, different plot and direction.

Let me know what you guys think.

This is mostly an introductory chapter and setting the scene a lot more is to come.

Forgive any mistakes. I get excited when I type and I hope to improve over time.

RxExR

Chapter 1: Pilot

"Mikan. Mikan, wake up. We're here."

Hotaru attempted to wake her best friend, as gently as she could muster. It had been a long trip from Nagoya to Tokyo and Mikan had barely slept the night before. Hotaru shook her shoulder slightly, which only caused the brunette to shift her weight and mutter something about five more minutes. The amethyst-eyed girl was quickly losing her patience. Their train had already pulled into the station and other patrons were already filing out. She was glad her friend was able to settle her nerves long enough to get some rest, but it was time to wake up.

Mikan was leaning against the train's window with her long brunette hair hiding part of her pretty face. She used her denim jacket as a blanket and tucked it tighter to herself as Hotaru continued trying to wake her.

Hotaru tucked her pixie short hair behind both ears and rummaged around in her messenger bag. Having successfully found what see was looking for; she tried one more time to gently rouse her sleeping friend.

Whap!

The brunette's eyes burst open and she jerked upright. A confused and dazed look graced her pretty features as she tried to register what was going on. Hotaru unrolled the magazine she had used as her weapon of choice and stood up to stretch. Her figure was lean and clothed in her favorite black pleated shirt and matching blazer. She rolled her shoulders trying to work out her stiffness. A squeak came from her brunette companion, as she finally seemed to grasp where they were.

"Sugoi! Hotaru we're in Tokyo! Can you believe it?"

Her typical cheerful, bubbly-ness had returned and she was now gaping at all the people that filled the train station outside her window. Hotaru suppressed the urge to roll her eyes. Mikan could be fairly childish when she wanted to be and instead of getting her things together, she was gaping at the amount of people in the train station.

"It took almost two hours to get here, so yes I can believe it." Hotaru replied while adjusting her no heel black leather boots.

"Hontou-ne? It felt so quick." Mikan commented adjusting her strapless, floral print dress.

"Let's go baka. You've spent enough time gaping like a fish. We have to get our bags."

Mikan put on her denim jacket, grabbed her brown leather satchel and followed her temperamental best friend off the train. For eleven o'clock in the morning, the Tokyo Train Station was full of people, loud with the hum of conversation over cell phones, conductors making last calls, and trains entering and exiting the station.

The brunette looked around in amazement. Tokyo was very similar to what she had seen on television back home in Nagoya. She and Hotaru collected their bags from the baggage claim sector of the platform and squeezed passed the endless amounts of people entering and exiting the station. Clutching her duffel bag and satchel, Mikan followed closely behind Hotaru until they finally emerged outside.

The day was clear with the sun shining. The Tokyo Street was crowded like the train station only there was a steady hum of traffic and the voices of pedestrians were drowned out. It took them a while to hail a cab on the busy street. She could hardly believe they were actually in Tokyo. Two small town girls in a big city about to take part of an amazing opportunity.

Mikan's mother had put her in the local community theater in Nagoya when Mikan was little. So young Mikan had grown up with a dream of being a famous actress. She stayed with her theater group while growing up and did a few local projects. She's far from being famous, but she had started auditioning for bigger projects outside of Nagoya to get a better chance at stardom.

Finally she got a callback from an Amy Sakamoto, who didn't sound particularly thrilled about calling her, but nonetheless she got invited to Tokyo for her callback. Hotaru, who is a money grubbing entrepreneur, proclaimed herself as Mikan's agent and came along. They used the money Mikan had saved up for their train tickets and Hotaru was going to dip into her own funds to put them up in a hotel. She told Mikan not to thank her because it was her own investment and if Mikan did not become famous and earn her lots of money, Mikan will spend the rest of her life working off the debt.

The lovely spring breeze trailed across her face and danced in her hair. She looked up as a few birds twittered overhead. It was a little after eleven in the morning and the Tokyo streets were in full swing. Mikan felt enchanted and out of place. She snapped out of her thoughts when Hotaru yanked her into a green and white cab. She watched the city go by as they headed off towards their hotel. She felt her drowsiness return, but her excitement and nervousness wouldn't even let her blink for too long.

The cab ride was short compared to their train ride in. Their lodging is a typical three star hotel with basic amenities; maid service in the morning, basic cable and internet connection, and breakfast included. Mikan rubbed her damp hair with the white terrycloth towel as she emerged from their bathroom clad in one of the hotel bath robes. She always felt more refreshed and awake when she took a shower. The hot water soothed her stress away and made her feel more energized. Hotaru sat on one of the twin beds surrounded by paperwork and typing away on her computer.

Mikan picked up her brush off of her bed and ran it through her hair. Her hair was fairly long, stopping off in the middle of her back, and is soft thanks to her mother's obsessiveness with it.

'Mikan, a girl has to have long and beautiful hair if she wants to have a boyfriend. That way his fingers don't get caught in it and spoil the moment. Ho, ho, ho!'

Mikan smiled at the memory. Her mother was always on and on about 'boyfriend this' and 'husband that', despite the fact she herself had a boy short haircut and had been single since Mikan's father passed away when Mikan was nine.

Mikan sighed as she dragged the brush through her hair and looked out of their third story window. She could see her mother and grandpa waving at her from the front porch of their house as Hotaru and Mikan set off early this morning. It made her sad to think she had left them behind and was pursuing her dreams, but she knew this is what they wanted for her and what she wanted for herself. She sighed again and turned back to her bed where she had spread out all her clothes; she needed the perfect outfit for her callback.

She was auditioning for the part of the barmaid Yamato Rei. The casting director, Miss Sakamoto, claimed that the director in charge of the project was looking for fresh faces to audition and had stumbled upon her by chance during the first audition and wanted her to come for a callback audition. It was a bigger job then Mikan was accustomed to, but she figured it was a small part so she could handle it. Miss Sakamoto kept referring to it as a 'project', so she wasn't clear if it was for television, film, or a stage performance, however, Mikan was acquainted with all three styles and was assured she could handle it.

She picked up her pink blouse and white skirt, analyzing them both. She tossed them aside and rummaged through the rest of her things. Hotaru's fingers never ceased to type as Mikan mixed and matched her clothes on the bed.

"Mou Hotaru-chan. I can't find anything to wear." Mikan whined tossing another shirt aside.

"Personally I don't see how you fit all those clothes in your bag. You should have planned something ahead of time. Your callback is at two and I want crab for lunch before we get there so pick something." She responded, not once looking up from her computer screen.

"Mou Hotaru, you're supposed to be my agent. Can't you help me a little?" Mikan asked with pleading brown eyes.

"Baka. As your agent I'm responsible for your finances, appearances, schedules and contracts. I am not, by any means, your stylist. Besides clothes are about self-expression and how you want others to perceive you. If I dress you, then you won't be perceived how you want, but rather how I want."

Mikan sighed, "I guess you're right."

"Of course I am." Hotaru corrected, "Now hurry up, I'm hungry."

She debated with herself and mulled over her choices more, before finally deciding on a pink, short sleeved, silk blouse and her black, knee-length pencil skirt. She walked over to the small vanity mirror in the corner of the room and brushed her hair as straight as she could get it. It was still a little damp, so she hoped the spring breeze would dry it in her favor.

She dabbed on a little make up as Hotaru started to get her messenger bag in order. Mikan switched her necessities out of her satchel and into a black purse she had borrowed from Hotaru. She slid her feet into her low heeled, standard audition shoes. Not too flashy, but not every day wear either. That was the rule she had been taught as she auditioned for roles. Twenty minutes later Mikan and Hotaru were walking down the sidewalk in front of their hotel looking for any restaurants they could stop at to grab a bite to eat. The feeling of butterflies in her stomach was excitingly familiar as the clock seemed to hone in on two o'clock. It was only tweleve thirty, but just being in Tokyo for a callback made her nervous. It made her feel as if her potential employers were already watching her to see how she took on the big city. The ludicrous thought made her smile, but glance around at the same time. She waited her whole life for this, now was not the time to be getting cold feet. It was only a small part, but maybe this job will lead to another and then another and then BAM, she was famous or at least recognizable.

Then she could move into a loft, meet a nice guy, get married and finally please her mother. She knew her mother would be pleased regardless, but Mikan also knew that her mother would be worried if she lived in the city as a working actress, even if she was with Hotaru.

"Mikan being in the city alone isn't right for a woman of your age. I know you'll be with Hotaru, but then people might think you girls were lesbians. How would you get a boyfriend then?'

Mikan groaned mentally at the memory. Her mother always managed to direct any subject back to Mikan's lack of love life. Couldn't she understand that stuff like that will come after Mikan was established in her dream career?

Mikan let out a sigh. Getting this job is just the first step of a really steep climb for her, but she wouldn't waver. Feeling a new burst on confidence and determination, she followed Hotaru in a small restaurant that was a block and a half down from their hotel. Hotaru orders crab cakes and green tea, while Mikan orders steamed rice and vegetables with a side of small fish. As they wait for their food to arrive, Hotaru fiddles with her cell phone. Mikan didn't have a cell phone so she could save money, but she intended to get one if this job came through.

She let her eyes wonder around the restaurant which was decently filled considering the time of day. There was a woman who appeared to be in her mid-thirties drinking something hot while scanning the day's newspaper. A pair of businessmen were drinking coffee at the bar debating something that sounded financial. Some girls around Mikan and Hotaru's age, in their early twenties, sat at the table closest to the television in the high corner of the restaurant gossiping about what celebrity was in the news. They giggled and chattered animatedly as the picture of a blond with deep blue eyes popped up in the corner of the screen. The red head hosting the show gestured at the picture and talked animatedly about him. Nogi Ruka or something like that, the picture was of him lying on the hood of a car in a white button down shirt that was anything but buttoned. His hands were behind his head making the muscles in his chest and arms prominent. His chest glistened, but not as bright as those playful blue eyes of his. His hair was carelessly tossed about and a small smile was on his face. Mikan put more rice in her mouth as she stared at him.

'Do all guys in Tokyo look like him? I guess that'd be too much to hope for.' She thought to herself as she chewed thoughtfully.

She couldn't hear what the host was saying, but the three girls in the restaurant were swooning and completely star struck. The caption read 'Making his big movie debut with his best friend'. The photo of him expanded to reveal another guy sitting on the hood of the car in a matching white shirt with his chest also exposed. The girls in the restaurant swooned even more and a waitress had to hush them. The other guy in the photo had jet black hair that was long and shaggy and amazing crimson eyes that were quite rare in Japan. His glance into the camera lens was anything but inviting and gave off a chill. He wasn't as warm or inviting as the blond, but the girls in the restaurant were in a mini frenzy over him. To Mikan, he looked rather distant and cold. She preferred the blond, no contest, but she couldn't help gazing into his ruby eyes for the time being.

The next caption said his name was Hyuuga Natsume and based on the girl's reaction to his picture he must be pretty famous. Mikan spent too much time auditioning, rehearsing, and working odd jobs part time to really watch television or keep up with the tabloids, but she was certain she heard the name somewhere before.

"Hyuuga Natsume. Age 24. An 'A' rank celebrity with a rather large fan base here in Tokyo that is quickly spreading throughout Japan." Hotaru announced as she read it off her cell phone screen.

Mikan hadn't even realized Hotaru had been paying attention to the television as well. Her fingers continued to click away at her cell phone and she hadn't even looked up from the screen.

"Hm? Hyuuga Natsume? He must be something." Mikan said turning back to the television.

"Imagine what working with him would do for your reputation." Hotaru said.

Mikan made a face at her friend, "Even if I did work with him, I don't someone playing a barmaid or 'woman with umbrella' would be acknowledged. Besides he'll be working with the best directors in the business and they wouldn't hire me unless I make a name for myself."

She drained the rest of her tea cup and sighed, "And doing that is going to take time."

"Don't put yourself down. There are dozens of other people who will make it their sole purpose to put you down." Hotaru said putting her phone down on the table so she could have some more crab cake.

"I know, I know. I have to be more positive!" she said with a smile.

A one in a million shot of being an 'A' rank celebrity was something that many women in Mikan's position would do anything for, but for Mikan it was about living a comfortable life doing something she loved. She didn't care if she was the supporting actress or the girl who holds an umbrella, as long as she was getting paid to do something she lived to do.

Mikan looked at the clock that hung on the restaurant wall. They managed to kill sometime before the callback, but now it was one o'clock and it was time to get going.

'I can do this.' She reminded herself.

Twenty minutes, a cab ride, and a mental pep talk later Mikan and Hotaru are standing in the elevator of a studio building. The receptionist of the first floor gave them directions to audition room twelve on the sixth floor of the building. She was a portly woman who looked like she never moved from her chair. Her horn rimmed glasses rested on the tip of her nose as she typed away at her computer with the office phone wedged between her ear and shoulder.

She waved them off like they were flies when they initially approached her desk, but eventually gave them directions and a nasty glare.

'So much for getting off to a good start.' Mikan thought sourly.

The elevator ride was smooth and short. As the chrome doors slid open, the voices of over a dozen females poured in. Mikan felt her mouth drop as they stepped out of the elevator. Women of various features and sizes lined the walls of the hallway in front of a pair of double doors. There was a single piece of paper taped to the door that read 'Rei Auditions'.

Mikan couldn't believe the amount of girls in Tokyo who wanted to audition for the part of a barmaid, but then again this was Tokyo there was bound to be an entire fleet of struggling actresses scrambling for roles no matter how big or small. What surprised Mikan even more was how striking some of the women are. Girls of different shapes and hair color littered the hallway chatting animatedly with each other.

"Ne Hotaru, I didn't think this many people would be here." Mikan said.

Hotaru merely shrugged her shoulders, "You wouldn't be the only struggling actress in Tokyo now would you?"

Mikan could feel the women sizing her up and when the deemed she wasn't a threat they continued on with their various conversations. She leaned against the wall beside Hotaru and fiddled with her hair. She tugged at the strands and thought about her initial audition. It was a general audition at a theatre an hour away from Nagoya. Mikan and twelve other girls performed their contrasting monologues and did a cold read for the six directors who held the audition. They then had to do a cold read scene with a partner. Mikan remembered her partner, Raine or something, she was very bossy, but a good partner in the scene when they played bickering sisters. Mikan didn't have any siblings and didn't bicker with anyone, but Raine was good at provoking her into it.

'Sheesh Mikan-chan! If you want to be an actress you have to dig deep and bring out emotions even if you haven't felt them. You have to know how to play a broken heart even if you've never been in love and so on! If not, you could never hope to be anything but a local stage actress!'

Mikan smiled at the memory. Raine was a loud mouth, busty red head with a fiery temper, but she was a good person. Mikan admired her strength and confidence, but also her grasp of what being an actress means and what different jobs entail.

It was already one thirty and as the minutes ticked by Mikan grew more fidgety. As the girls entered the room some went in groups, others went in solo. There seemed to be no real order to the audition process, but it was her first Tokyo callback; maybe they just do things differently. As the clock honed in on two o'clock there were only a hand full of women in the hall and a group who was still in the audition room.

Hotaru sat on one of the few vacant chairs, clicking away on her laptop. Her usually blank face was tinged with contemplation. Mikan was tempted to ask what was wrong, but she knew it was hazardous to disturb Hotaru whenever she had that expression. She pushed it out of her mind and looked at her feet instead. Some of the girls left the room confidently, others in tears, and a few with an 'I'm so above this' attitude. Mikan rocked back and forth on her heels. It was a little after two and she hasn't been called yet. It made her stomach twist uncomfortably. Maybe she shouldn't have eaten, but then again she didn't want her stomach to rumble in the middle of her audition.

"Sakura Mikan!" a young woman called from the double doors.

"H-hai!" Mikan responded, practically leaping off the wall.

She half jogged down the remaining hallway and entered the doors behind the brown haired young woman who handed her a small packet upon entering. There were three girls who exited the room as Mikan entered. Their expressions were unreadable and Mikan swallowed a lump in her throat as she stood in the audition room. It was a rather large room with wood floors and large windows. The sunlight danced across the floor and pooled at Mikan's feet as she stood in front of a row of people. Six people; two women, four men all dressed in different suits sat at a long table with papers scattered about in front of them.

They chattered in hushed tones among themselves as they shuffled papers around and scribbled things down. There was a waste bin next to the table where the young woman who called Mikan inside was standing. She looked like an intern who couldn't be much older than eighteen. She took the papers that were handed to her and tore them up into tiny bits and put them in the waste bin. The two women seated at the table wore glasses and were the first ones to acknowledge Mikan's presence, with their eyes trained on her. The one closest to the center of the table had blonde hair pulled into a tight bun and serious green eyes. She leaned over to the man next to her and whispered something. He nodded and wrote something down. He had long black hair and cold blue eyes. Resting his chin on his cupped hands, he analyzed Mikan like she was a show dog. She did her best to not waver under their gazes and stand tall.

'I can do this.' She chanted.

Looking down at the packet she was handed the words 'Dangerous Intentions' was typed out on front in bold and all capital letters. 'Yamato Rei' was typed directly beneath it, in smaller font. A few basic waitressing lines were on the front page including her talking to a man named Tanaka Kenji. Before Mikan could start reading the dialogue section the long haired man cleared his throat.

"Hai let's get started. Sakura-san this will be a cold read where you just deliver the lines as you see fit. We will give you minimal instruction."

"Hai!" Mikan responded.

"No need to be nervous." He said with a smirk.

Mikan nodded. She closed her eyes for a moment and pictured the audition room as a restaurant where she was Rei and the people in front of her were customers. She took a deep breath and opened her eyes. She learned from Raine that mentally getting into character is a useful tool when auditioning and playing a part.

'There are no small parts; only small actors.' She told herself.

She delivered her waitressing lines with an upbeat attitude and then with a more tired tone as if she had been working many shifts. Her audience sat silently scribbling on their pads and making small comments to themselves. All except the man with the cold blue eyes, who remained silent and unchanged by her various performances. Mikan swallowed a lump in her throat as she flipped to the next page of the audition packet. She briefly skimmed the words and her eyebrow rose with confusion.

"A-Ano…" she said as she looked tentatively at the group.

"Hai Sakura-san?" said the man with the cold blue eyes.

"I don't really understand this dialogue section. Why would a waitress have such a bizzare conversation with a patron?" she asked.

Her stomach did a flip as they all looked at her with bewildered expressions. She might as well have asked if she could strip naked. The blonde leaned into him and said something and did not hide her eye roll. Mikan clutched the papers in her hand and reconsidered her question. It seemed simple enough and she asked politely and directly so what was the problem? They continued to murmur amongst themselves until the man with the cold blue eyes held his hand up. They immediately fell silent.

'He must be in charge.' Mikan noted to herself.

"Sakura-san, why are you here?" he asked.

Mikan's throat felt dry, "To audition…"

"Audition for what exactly?" he clarified sharply.

"Audition for the part of Yamato Rei, a barmaid, in your production." She answered feeling her voice shake.

"Just a barmaid?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.

He seemed more entertained than upset. Mikan swallowed the lump in her throat.

"Yes just a barmaid." She replied.

"Interesting." He said and after a moment's contemplation he smiled, "Thank you Sakura-san."

"Thank you." Mikan said with a bow she left the packet on the table with the others and hurried out of the room.

She felt her heart shatter as she could hear the sound of ripping paper.

Hotaru patted Mikan's head as she continued to sob at the foot of her bed. Mikan had gotten rejected before, but she was taking this one harder than the rest.

"And then he just says 'Thank you' with a stupid smirk on his face as if to say I wouldn't hire you in a million years." She sobbed into the hotel pillow.

Hotaru could only sigh and pet her friend's head. Anything she said at this point would only upset the brunette more and probably get hotel management sent up to their room.

"We came all this way for nothing!" Mikan said pounding the bed.

Hotaru's phone started to ring from where it was charging on the nightstand. She left Mikan's side and decided it was best to answer in the hall where the sobs of her melodramatic best friend could not be heard. She slipped outside and noted that it was a Tokyo cell phone calling her.

"Moshi moshi. This is Imai Hotaru speaking." She answered monotonously.

"Imai-san, this is Sakamoto-san. I'm calling about your client Sakura-san."

"This is about her callback today." Hotaru stated rather than asked.

"Hai. On behalf of my employer we would like to offer Sakura-san the role of Yamato Rei in our production."

"She got the part?" Hotaru asked a little caught off guard. A rarity for Hotaru.

"Hai," she responded, "The director, Kimura Haru-san , has decided the Sakura-san would be perfect for the part."

"Wait a minute, Kimura Haru? As in, award winning director Kimura Haru?"

"Do you know of any others?" she asked in a 'duh' tone.

Hotaru tucked her raven hair behind her ear and glanced around the hallway, "So let's talk hours and wage because my client isn't based in Tokyo."

"Well if she wants this part she better get based here. This project is going to take some time six to eight months at the least."

Hotaru arched an eyebrow, "That long for a waitressing role in a Kimura film?"

"That's another thing you might want to tell Sakura-san that the role of Yamato Rei is anything but just a waitressing role. She happens to be the female lead."

"Wai-"

"I have no time for questions Imai-san I have a jam packed schedule. I can fax you the contracts and tentative schedule if Sakura-san accepts the job."

"She accepts." Hotaru responded curtly. No one cuts Imai Hotaru off in the middle of speaking.

"Very well then. I expect professionalism and promptness from you both."

"And I expect those contracts within the next half hour. Kuroski Hotel room 337. Have a good evening Sakamoto-san."

Hotaru ended the call, feeling electricity in her fingertips. If this Sakamoto person insisted on acting like a cow Hotaru would have to learn to bite her tongue for Mikan's sake this was a huge role. Hotaru reentered their hotel room and looked at her best friend who was sprawled on her bed puffy eyed and crestfallen.

"Oi baka." She said placing her phone on the nightstand and pulling out her laptop and personal scheduler.

Mikan groaned in response, eyes glued to the children's cartoon on the television. Hotaru flung a pillow in her direction.

"Mou Hotaru, can't you be nice to me for a little while I just blew my audition." She whined.

"There's no time for nice. You have to do something about those eyes and get to bed. You have work in the morning."

"What are you talking about?" Mikan said sitting up in her bed.

"You heard me." Hotaru said typing rhythmically across the keyboard.

"You got me a job?" Mikan asked rubbing her face.

"No, you did." Hotaru responded.

"Huh?"

Clearly her dimwitted best friend was not going to catch up anytime soon. A knock at the door delayed her explaination. Mikan bounced out of bed and opened the door. A bell boy handed her a manila envelope and bowed out. Mikan closed the door and turned over the envelope in her hands.

"What's this?" Mikan asked.

"Open it." was the reply.

Mikan undid the claspon the envelope and took out its contents. The first page looked similar to her audition with the words 'DANGEROUS INTENTIONS' written over the top and 'Tenative Script' written below it.

"What is this Hotaru?"

"You really are thickheaded." Hotaru sighed.

"Demo…" she said as the cogs started turning.

"You got the part."

Mikan felt like she was being tricked. This was all some sick joke to toy with her sanity, but here she is holding the tentative script for a part she thought she lost. She flipped through the other papers and saw that there were contracts, confidentiality agreements and a schedule. She was to be at a cast meeting at 8 am tomorrow morning. Her heart was practically racing.

"I got the part!" she rejoiced launching herself on top of her bed.

"I just said that." Hotaru stated.

"I thought I had blown it, but I actually got the part! Small role or not I'm so happy!" She said bouncing around.

Hotaru looked up at her best friend, as the brunette hugged the papers to her chest and smiled. It was a stark contrast to how she was less than a half hour ago.

"Mikan, there's something you should know."

What she told Mikan next was enough to make the brunette faint.

The long awaited first story since the success of LOANSGG. Thank you to all my fans who are continuing to support me and my stories.

I took this story in a completely different direction. I like my heroine to overcome some kind of adversity. I have a lot planned for this story so hopefully you guys will stick with me. I'm excited to be taking this story in a new direction.

Thanks for the love and support,

Give me good feedback

Chi-chan

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