Kyoko perched on a chair in the room's periphery. A boxed lunch rested on her knees. Around her, the other actresses clustered. They quietly discussed their audition chances while ignoring the studio provided food.
A collective gasp silenced the room as the door opened. The earlier administrative assistant swept into the room.
"The posted candidates will please remain. To the rest, thank you for sharing your talents. We hope to see you at future auditions."
The woman taped a paper onto the door's wooden panel before retreating from the rapidly approaching mob.
Patiently, Kyoko waited for the teeming mass to slowly dwindle. Most turned from the results with varying expressions of disappointment. Four reacted differently. One grinned as if given a veritable boon, one smirked as if she expected the outcome, one patted her friend's back in consolation while suppressing her happiness, and one returned to her seat as if nothing unusual occurred.
The room emptied. Closing her lunchbox, Kyoko approached the list with a grace to impress even Shotaro's mother. A soft and dewy smile lit her face as she read her name as the fifth candidate.