Chapter 7

"Kyoko, I want to see your acting this time. I know you are an expert in the tea ceremony but that not all I'm looking for, so please show me what made the president recommend you for this role."

"Yes, director"

"but director, I did not finish my performance."

"It was completed. It's enough to tell me you are not serious about acting."

"I, I'm serious about my acting!"

"You call this lack of concentration serious. you look at an actor to the point of forgetting your lines."

"This is my first time acting while making tea! It's been a while since I've been under the sun doing outdoor filming!"

"Ruriko, what I want to hear from you are no excuses."

"It's not an excuse. You can not seriously think that this person can replace me, Director. You choose me, especially for this role. Now you are saying that someone with no experience can replace me so easily."

"Why not? You may be a famous singer, but your acting leaves a lot to desire while the president of our company chose me because of my acting skills. You may think that this movie will do good because you are popular. But the reality is that it will taint the name not only of the Director but all the actors if someone like you continues with such a mediocre performance. I may not be popular, but at the very least, my acting can impress people, so please step aside and let us work. I think everyone is tired of your tantrums, miss Ruriko. This movie is not a playground is a working space." walking to the set, Kyoko sat in front of Tsugura-san, leaving the singer with trembling hands and a red face.

"You seem confident to get this role. It's that the reason you accepted the president's crazy idea?" Tsugura-san spoke to Kyoko as she sat in a perfect stance while closing her eyes, concentrating, and trying to forget the phantom pain that she felt in her memories.

"No, I'm only confident that I love acting, and I take my job seriously. If I get the role, it's a bonus. The president has enough trust that I would help Ruriko. Still, I will not baby her like everyone does just because she is famous," Kyoko answers him with her eyes closed.

"Now I intrigued to see what move the president and the judges in the auditions" a playful smile appears in Ren while looking closely at the young woman in front of him.

"Scene fifty-two acting test, action!"

the began with Kyoko opening her eyes and giving a gentle smile to the person in front. She moved slowly but firmly, changing the air around her to an elegant woman as she began to make the tea with precise moves but not looking out of place.

"Amazing"

"Although Ruriko-chan did a good job early on, Kyoko is very skillful."

The scene continues between Ren and Kyoko while Ruriko watches in shock. She questions herself as if she has already lost her role.

"This morning, I went to Suzunary point.

the wing indeed sounded like bells."

"Yes, I've been told that," Kyoko responded, giving Tsuruga-san a sad smile while her eyes looked lonely, ignoring the looked he sent to her as he tried to make her act his way.

"So you've never been there, not even once." The scene continues as the tension on the set intensifies as neither actor back down from their intense performance.

"Yes"

"That's unusual since you live here. its there any reason?" Tsugura-san's aura intensified, trying to make Kyoko act according to his will. The oppression she felt was so intense that Kyoko almost gave in.

"Ever since I was young, I was told to stay away from that point," Kyoko answered with a lonely look in her eyes while looking at her hand clinging to the teacup.

"The sound of the bells..." Ren moved to attract Kyoko's attention "doesn't it tempt you?" looking back at her.

"Yes" instead of looking back at Ren, Kyoko still decided to face the same view as Ren. While answering his question with a whisper taking him and everyone around by surprise as her voice and face show a lonely yearning like something she dearly missed.

"Cut! that was perfect, both of you. I love every moment of it. Kyoko, in the last moment that expression was good it shows different emotions while not being too out of line."

"That... I can also make that type of expression!" Ruriko screamed at the Director while sending daggers with her eyes at Kyoko.

"Really, you want to compare your acting with Kyoko when you lack the most common element in acting."

"I don't understand. You choose me to do this role. What am I lacking."

"Pride," Kyoko responded as she walked behind her to the Director's side.

"what!"

"I said pride; you seem to think that just because your face is known, that will be enough to finish this movie. Do you know how much work is put into this role? From the script to costume and to the correct angle in the scenes all around you, there are people working day and night so that you can come and pour your soul out into your character. Still, all you care about is that every single thing revolves around you, and when things don't go your way, you throw a tantrum and quit without care of how much time is lost. I take pride in my work, even if it will last seconds, because I know I did my best and poured my soul into it. And you are right. You can make the same expression as me, but that's not acting that just a shortcut because when you get a character, you are not more Ruriko. You become entirely different and feel emotions that are strange to you: pain, loneliness, happiness, and embarrassment; the possibilities are infinite, but that only will happen when you begin to take acting seriously. If you are lucky enough, you will get a partner like Tsugura-san, who will push your limits. It will be an adrenaline rush to be acting not because of a face but because you can show everyone else what kind of professional you are. At the end of the day, the only thing left in your body will be pride. Pride in the work you did, pride in knowing that no matter everyone's reaction, you did your best."

"But I don't know how to do that," Ruriko responded with a red face and glassy eyes making her look younger than ever.

"Than star right now, you have an opportunity now to begin. I only came here because the president said, you quit making LME look bad. So I had to replace you, but if you want to make amends start by apologizing to everyone here and ask the Director for an opportunity if you are actually genuine."

"Director, I have something to ask of you."

"Hmm?"

"Please let me act one more time," with a low bow not as refined as Kyoko's but deep enough actually to show respect. Ruriko bowed herself before the Director and crew. "Please!"

"that exactly the words I wanted to hear," the Director responded with a slight smile on his lips. "But if I'm not satisfied, I will ask you to star over for a few times, do you agree?"

"of course!" her determined face made everyone hopeful

"and Kyoko, I hope you can still help us with Ruriko since you have more experience than her."

"Of course, director, I will do what I can while I am here."

"thank you"

At the Mountain Plain Hotel, Tsuruga Ren and his manager, Yashiro, talked at the end of a long filming day.

"Ah! it's almost time Ren, do you want to go and take a look to see how Kyoko-chan's photoshoot is going?"

"Why should I take a look?"

"I heard that she has a rather formal photo shooting. Moreover, the hotel's photo studio has been asked to take the photos too!"

"I'm not interested."

"Are you angry because Kyoko-chan did not fall like everyone who acts against you?"

"I don't know what are you are talking about, but it seems like you are very interested so let us go." As both men got up, the whisper of every woman around them got louder, lamenting the departing Tsuruga-san.

Kyoko and the Director were saying their last goodbyes at the studio as she would depart from the hotel in the morning.

"I can not thank you enough, Kyoko, for coming to help."

"well, the president can be very persuasive."

"Nevertheless, I'm very thankful. Thank you for helping Ruriko find her character; I heard from her managers that she still has nightmares of you coming to take her place."

"then my work is done," Kyoko responded with a chuckle.

"with regards to the matter of the acting role this time, I feel it's a pity, although Ruriko was chosen compared to her, your acting and chemistry with Ren were unmatched."

"Thank you, Director, but I knew from the beginning that this role was to help Ruriko. It was also a great experience that will help me in the future."

"I admire your dedication; you are one of the first people that hasn't given in on the traps that Ren layout. Your dedication is unparallel, and I hope we can work together in the future."

"Thank you, Director. I, too, hope we can work"

Ren and Yashiro enter the room as they finish talking. While the crew takes everything down, the two-man approach the Director and Kyoko.

"It seems like we are late; I hoped to watch you work, Kyoko-chan."

"Yes, we finished just moments ago. Working with Kyoko is like a dream. She follows instructions and is a natural in front of a camera." the Director spoke enthusiastically, making her face turn red as he complimented her. After all of what she changed, there was part of her that still could not take a compliment without embarrassment.

Sorry for the wait soon I will be updating the first one on one between Tsuruga Ren and Kyoko.