"Hey!" Ren heard the moment stepped out of the taxi. "Hey, Ren! You're early!" Ren turned to find Tommy Brulstein, the director of his new movie, jogging across the sparsely filled parking lot.

"Good morning, Mr. Brulstein," Ren said, bowing. "I look forward to working with you."

Tommy waved his hand dismissively, "None of that now! I'm just Tommy to everyone except my mother."

Smiling in amusement, Ren responded, "Of course, sir."

Tommy rolled his eyes. "You Japanese people are way too polite! No matter though … a few weeks out here and I'm sure you'll get used to it." He motioned for Ren to follow as they headed for the large studio complex before them. "Speaking of which, just wait till you meet Kuu! Even though he's from Japan, you'd never know it, the way he behaves!"

"I guess he is pretty chill …"

"HA!" Tommy exclaimed as he pulled open a door, "Look at you, already talking like an American!"

A brief look of panic flitted across Ren's face. He would have to be more careful when speaking English with this man. He was so casual that even Ren had lost himself for a moment. 'Chill? What's chill?' he thought snidely.

Ten minutes later found Ren and Tommy sitting inside the partially constructed set of a classy bar. "So," Tommy said, "I came by early to check in with the team here. We'll be filming most scenes on location for an added sense of realism, but for this scene, we thought it best to build a set."

"Of course," said Ren, "But am I keeping you from anything right now …?"

"Nah. I'm actually glad you came early since we haven't had the chance to properly discuss your role before today's script reading."

"Yes, that's right … " Ren said cautiously. It wasn't uncommon for a director to pull an actor aside to speak about a role, but to do so before everyone else arrived was unexpected, to say the least.

Tommy laughed at him, "Don't look so nervous, Ren! It's just some background on what we're looking for in this role. As you know, you're playing a cutthroat businessman, focused on his work above anything else in the world. And, the story follows when your estranged half-brother from Japan urges you to reconnect with your Japanese roots. However, instead of some sort of cultural awakening, you get pulled into intense family troubles that threaten the success of your business."

Tommy snapped his fingers. "You already know that much, of course. But remember? Most of the guys at the audition weren't Japanese."

"Yes, I remember," Ren said thoughtfully. "So you're saying the point of this movie isn't the Japanese part, right? I must focus more on the internal struggle of a man who cannot relate to others – rather than, as you said, a 'cultural awakening.' The country my character comes from is interchangeable."

Tommy looked surprised. "Yeah, that's … that's exactly right! You got this part because of your acting ability, but you really get the business too, don't you?"

"Haha, thank you, sir."

Tommy shook his head in exasperation at Ren's formality. "Anyway, looking at you now, it probably wasn't even necessary to choose Japan. With just some contacts and a different hairstyle you could probably pass as someone of European descent …"

'Or Russian,' Ren thought.

"Oh well," Tommy sighed, "It doesn't really matter in the end. Actually, since we already cast Kuu as the antagonist, it would work in our favor. Since you're both Japanese, it'll highlight the contrast between your characters."

The two fell into a thoughtful silence, but Ren's mind was racing. A comparison between him and Kuu – in the same movie – had the potential to be dangerous. Indeed, the success of this movie was meant to be the springboard for the reveal of 'Kuon,' but it was necessary that the truth came out on his own terms.

This movie would definitely be the ultimate test of his acting abilities. Could he take on a challenging role in a Hollywood film? Could he keep his secret while acting alongside his father, surrounded by the numerous cast and crew? Only time would tell. And there was also the matter of that other guy, his on-screen half-brother. Murasame Taira.

Tommy's voice interrupted Ren's thoughts. "It looks like we won't be having any problems on your end, so I'll be meeting with the set coordinator now. The rest of the cast should be arriving soon, so you can go on ahead to meeting room 107B further down the hall."

"Thanks, I'll see you soon."

A/N: I finally updated! And I realize this chapter might be a little boring, but it was necessary for some background. Also, I know next to nothing about film production, so I did my best. If any of you know that something is inaccurate, please let me know, as I appreciate the feedback. Thanks, and please review!