Chapter 34!
The cool evening chill surrounded me as I started a futile endeavour of counting the stars, wondering if by any remote, possible chance, I could figure out where the universe altogether ended and began, I might possibly have an inkling of what was actually going on in my own life. Or, I could just jump into another timeline in the multiverse, one where Yuuichi and I were together. But I couldn't, and the dark expanse of ethereal canvas seemed to stare at me blankly; the distant twinkling stars oblivious to both my cruel fate and my sordid, broken heart. The patio chair squeaked its response of steel and malleable fabric as the timeless beauty I called Grandmother Julie sat next to me, handing me a steaming cup of hot chocolate, foaming at the top – much like the way I had crawled home, slumped on the front porch, frothing from my slack-jawed mouth.
"Etsuko, I'll have you know that something isn't adding up, of all my years of seeing love gained and lost," Obaasan began as she sipped the chocolate mix from her own mug.
"Baachan, it's either that Yuuichi was telling the truth, or he made me into a tool of his revenge."
"Ungrateful granddaughter; for the last time, its Julie Oneechan for you, not Baachan," her accusatory crystal-clear eyes showed anger, yet held a glint of amusement.
"You're still the most beautiful woman I know," I giggled a little bit.
"At least you got that right," Julie 'Oneechan' lovingly stroked the top of my frizzy yellow head. "Drink your hot chocolate, it'll make you feel better."
I sighed, discretely trying to make out what was in the cup other than just chocolate with my sense of smell. Julie Baachan was still at it, making food and beverages that weren't completely safe for consumption and forcing it on us. Like Kuu Ojii-san though, my stomach had already evolved into an ultimate, cast iron state. Now if only my heart could be steeled into the same metal, encased in protective layers that would make it unable to sustain anymore injury from anything else, unable to bleed me dry. Maybe like the Maui Omurice that Otousan ate once in a while, this pseudo hot chocolate would be my protection rather than my poison, that would enable me to bounce right back up again, stronger than before. Maybe, like Yuuichi, I needed to evolve too, and into something more than a Raichu. I closed my eyes, willed my tongue into tasting nothing but chocolate, and took one long swig of the molten liquid before falling into a comfortable silence with my grandmother.
"What I'm trying to say, my dearest Etsu, is that Yuuichi gave you a choice. He didn't want to burden you with his past when you already had yours to deal with."
I pondered over the thought.
"So…you don't think he was using me for revenge?" There was hope in my heart, and the said organ was gathering its broken pieces; preparing to lurch out of my chest.
"If he really wanted to, he'd draw you away from your family and be the ultimate homewrecker," Baachan tapped me gently on the head. "You're already all starry-eyed for him. The best revenge plot would be to turn you against your parents and elope; but look – he took the fall instead and left so that you weren't forced to make the painful decision to drive him away, and so that there would be no reason why your parents would harbour any resentment against you for not letting them know earlier. He took on most of the pain so that you'd only be upset that he left."
"I still don't understand. If Yuuichi knew that I would have to find out anyway, why wouldn't he just tell me earlier? I would have loved him anyway, we could figure things out from there. Otousan and Okaasan aren't unreasonable. Why won't he let me be by his side?"
"When your father left for Japan on his own, he was even younger than you were. But he knew that it was something he had to overcome alone. He didn't even let Kuu or myself into his head then, and I'm not even sure that what he was brooding over was ever resolved. However, though he just left with Lory the kidnapper-kun, without a word; never once did he stop trusting us or loving us. Even when Kyoko thawed out his cold heart, he couldn't tell her for the longest time," Baachan's hand settled lightly on my shoulder, her soft voice echoing in my ears. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say this Yuuichi genuinely loves you, and he'll find you when he's ready."
"If Yuuichi loved me, then; could he not trust me?" I breathed out, looking into grandmother's beautiful eyes as I could feel tears gathering in my own.
Julie Obaachan reached out, set down our mugs and pulled me into a warm hug.
"That's something for you to ask him yourself, Etsuko."
…
"Places everyone, Director Ogata wants the cameras rolling in five minutes!"
The hustle and bustle on set was magnified tenfold as crew jostled one another to make sure that the costumes, make-up, and background on the boardwalk was perfect for the would-be argument – the climax of the relationship between the brothers. Everyone had heard about how the rookie producer Emily Hart had decided that the scene should be adlibbed, and there was a general sense of nervousness that I had made that call. Yet, as the real brothers (my real brothers) entered their trailers separately this morning, there were tepid waters between Kichirou and Kaitou – with Kaitou having the Mogami River etched on his forehead in clear and visible worry, and Kichirou's expression well steeped for two days in indignance and hurt. It was clear that they'd both simmered in the thought of carrying on a "family business" over the weekend, now the only part that required acting from them was to translate reality onto the film reels.
But there was something additional that I felt would elevate the scene, and raise the bar of the mini-series altogether, if I proposed something without my brothers' knowledge. As the crew hurried on set, I approached Director Ogata, and in hushed tones, I calmly laid out my idea. Director Ogata's expression changed from one of shock into one that slowly but surely piqued his interest.
"Emily-chan, are you sure?"
"I believe they will pull it off Director, both the Tsuruga brothers and Sakura," nodding my head resolutely. "She's been briefed and is ready too."
"I hope your gamble pays off, Emily," Director Ogata looked at me pointedly.
As I nodded once again in affirmation, my heart raced as I lingered behind the camera. I watched in trepidation and awe as Kaitou and Kichirou, professionals as they were, took their spots underneath the lights with weary expressions and waited for Director Ogata to give them the cue to begin.
"Episode 5, scene 4, ACTION."
The brothers stared daggers at each other in an intense silence, each one goading the other to lash out first.
"I hate you," Kichirou spat out, breaking the silence, but not once turning his eyes away from Kaitou. "What, we don't just have to share the same face, but you have to take the woman I love as well?"
"What?" Kaitou's worry morphed into a scoff. "Please brother, you've always been jealous that Dad trusted me with the business more than he relied on you, and that's because you don't give a rat's ass about the family, or the success of the hotel. You're selfish, that's what you are, and you're blaming me for winning Sakura over because you don't want to blame yourself. She needs someone to give her stability, someone to take care of her."
"And that's exactly what's wrong with YOU! You're taking care of Father. You're taking care of family. That's bloody fantastic, because Sakura needs someone to LOVE her and give her freedom, not just 'to be taken care of'. She's not a business, brother, she's a woman with her own mind!"
Kaitou fell silent, fists clenching and unclenching as Kichirou continued.
"Face it, you love her not for who she is – you saw a beautiful hotel manager, and you're after her because you think she will make the perfect wife FOR THE BUSINESS," it was at this point that Kichirou strode up to his brother and grabbed him by the collar, nearly shaking him such that his teeth rattled.
"You think I want this? The second you walk out that door on this family, on this hotel, Sakura won't even give you a second look. Inheritors of the hotel, that's who we're meant to be, and Sakura loves her job! If you're not going to step up and be who you're supposed to be, I'll provide for her and her happiness, and you won't have any part in it!"
A split second before they came to blows, Sakura appeared on the boardwalk in front of the brothers, tears streaming down her face, as she whimpered the words I had whispered to her moments earlier straight to Kaitou's face.
"I thought you loved me."
"I do love you," Kaitou replied, thrusting Kichirou away with a hard shove. "I want you to be a part of my life, a part of this family!"
"No, you want me to be a part of your family business," Sakura shook her head, lips trembling in a frown as she stepped back slowly. "Tell me, if I stopped loving this hotel; if I stopped loving my job – would you stop loving me?"
Kaitou was stunned into silence a second time as Sakura searched his face for an answer.
"I knew it."
As Sakura turned tail and ran off-camera, Kichirou yanked his brother for a second time, delivered a mind-numbing punch to Kaitou's cheek, then chased after the actress; leaving a stunned, physically and emotionally pained Kaitou alone in the scene, crouched on the boardwalk, with regret painted all over his visage.
"And CUT. Wait for my instructions."
Director Ogata's voice rang out in the silence as the crew gingerly touched up make-up, lighting, and other paraphernalia. Breathing out a sigh of relief, I made haste back to Director Ogata's side, looking at him in anticipation. Director Ogata, however, was sitting perfectly still in his chair, staring at the part of the boardwalk where the scene had just transpired, and all I could do was watch him curiously as cold sweat began to drip down his forehead, before he broke out into a visible shiver.
"Director, are you okay?" I gingerly began, with a few more co-workers coming nearer to Director Ogata with worry in their eyes.
"It's…s-so good…I'm getting the chills…h-haven't felt li-like this in a long time," Director Ogata managed a weak, but bold grin. "Great j-job, Emily-chan."
…
After shooting a few more scenes for the day, I remembered the agreement I had made with that talented snake of an actress that Kaitou would spend the afternoon off with her, and decided I would break the news to him after he was done for the morning. It was with that thought in mind that I found myself beneath Kichirou's trailer, as I stealthily opened the door and snuck inside, though apparently, my ninja skills were less well-honed than I thought they were.
"Etsuko," Kichirou began pointedly, not even skipping a beat.
"Tsuruga-san, I'm not sure who's that."
"Sorry, Emily," Kichirou sighed and shook his head with a wan smile, "how can I help you?"
"Are you alright? I was the one who made that scene a…demanding one for you."
I could sense Kichirou's unspoken feelings in the air as he folded his arms, stared out the window at Kaitou's trailer, and then repeatedly crossed and uncrossed his legs till he found the nerve to look at me again.
"I'm terrified, actually," Kichirou paused, "because I meant every word I said to Kai Nii-san."
"For what it's worth, I think he meant what he said to you too," my palm cupped my forehead in resignation, as my eyes were drawn in the direction of Kaitou's trailer as well, watching as our eldest brother left the trailer to shoot his final scenes for the day.
I looked on as Kichirou nodded in agreement. We didn't have to say it, but we knew that if Kichirou ever left acting to pursue other interests, then Kaitou would truly be alone among the stars – showbiz was empty if the people you loved weren't working alongside you. Kaitou would literally be losing his family in the business, and carrying the double burden of having to, by his strength alone, live up to the title of the Son of Tsuruga Ren and Mogami Kyoko, actors extraordinaire. If we all stayed in this line, to Kaitou, it would be like he had succeeded as the oldest sibling in keeping us united, stable, supported. He would have succeeded in making sure the family name kept going strong. He would have succeeded in taking care of us.
"It seems that Kaitou has been carrying a huge weight on his shoulders as well, hasn't he?"
"Yes," I sighed wistfully, wondering how the both of us would face him in the future, "yes he has."
Just like you and me.
…
A/N: I've always wanted to stay in canon as possible, but with relatively little to work on with Julie, I hope that this version of her has mirrored your perceptions! Same goes for Director Ogata as well. A huge big shout-out to everyone who's been reading this story, whether for weeks, months or years – whenever I read your reviews, I always do a little happy author dance inside. I'm also pretty darn sure you guys will love the rest of this story, it's been stewing for YEARS now, but I promise to execute it to the best of my abilities. Stay tuned for more chapters, read and review!