CAR CHASE.
Stepping out of the bathroom after her long shower, Kyoko found Ren lying on the bed, heaped into a bundle of blanket. She couldn't even see his face to know if he was sleeping or not, but judging from his stillness, he had probably dozed off.
Kyoko let out a sigh of relief. She was wearing Setsu's nightsuit which was nothing but a skimpy and sexy lingerie. Man, I had been so worried for nothing, she thought, letting her arms fall to her sides, which had been shielding her indecent bodice. If I had known he'd be asleep, I would've come out sooner.
Before getting to bed herself, she made sure to set an alarm for morning. She was was supposed to meet Jelly Woods at eight a.m. in the garage the next day with Ren.
While setting the alarm, she thought about her schedule for the next day. Besides having Box R shoot, she had the rest of the day off. Her head swivelled to the side as she glanced at Ren sleeping, and she wondered about his schedule too. She knew that he had Dark Moon shoot after their meeting with their stylist Ms Woods, but she had no idea about what came after it.
Now that they might occasionally had to rehearse together for their part as the Heels, Kyoko thought it best that she kept a tab on Ren's schedule as well.
Reaching for her cellphone, she dialed Yashiro. It was picked up on the third bell.
"Hello? Kyoko, is everything alright?" The manager sounded alarmed.
"Yeah, why?"
"I asked because it's very unusual for you to call this late."
Kyoko glanced at the wall clock and she realized for the first time that it was one a.m. "I'm so sorry for disturbing you!" She immediately apologized. "Did I wake you?"
"Not really. What's up?"
"Actually, I called to ask you about Ren's schedule. Could you tell me what tomorrow looks like?"
Ordinarily, Yashiro would've gladly shared such information with her, but since Ren's part in Tragic Marker was supposed to be highly confidential, he hesitated in giving away the details of his client's schedule so freely, even to Kyoko. "Um... Why do you wanna know?"
There was silence momentarily. "Mr Yashiro, don't you know?"
"Know what?" The manager frowned.
"Right now, I'm playing Ren's, I meant Cain Heel's little sister."
The garage was empty with the exception of a single person, whose sillouette was visible from a distance, and the Heels approached the lone figure, being certain that the person was waiting for them.
Setsuka glanced at her brother, whose hair were messier than usual, and tsked, shaking her head. "Just look at your hair! You should've dried them before going to sleep! You're so careless!"
Cain answered indifferently, "what's wrong with my hair? They always have cowlicks."
"They're not cowlicks. That's just your bedhead!"
Before Cain could reply, the two had reached their destination, and the lone figure turned out to be Jelly herself waiting for them. "Hey!" She greeted them with a cheerful smile.
Upon meeting her, the two actors instantly dropped their characters, knowing their rehearsal was over.
"That RV over there," the stylist pointed to a trailer. "Get in. We'll talk there. It's not very spacious, but it's big enough to fit the four of us."
"Four?" Kyoko wondered, exchanging a glance with Ren. They didn't have to guess who else would be joining them. The moment they entered the RV, he flashed them a full smile, taking his cigar out of his mouth.
"Yo, Heels!" The President waved at them. "So, how did the rehearsal go?"
Before replying, both Ren and Kyoko looked at Takarada from head to foot. They weren't weirded out by his strange outfit, but they were a little surprised at the familiarity.
"What? You like my new look?" Takarada took off his sun glasses. "I was inspired by you two." This time, the President was dressed up in black leather from head to toe, except his jacket was so small that it left almost all of his chest bare, with only a huge spiky metallic chain to cover it. "What do you kids say? The Mafia look suits me, no?"
Ren and Kyoko both chose not to answer.
After Jelly had removed the traces of Cain Heel from Ren's getup, he sat down with the President. It was Kyoko's turn with Jelly. While the stylist helped her remove the traits of Setsuka from her and get her ready for her next appointment, Takarada used this moment of privacy to inquire about the thing which had been bothering him since he had laid eyes on Ren.
"So... Did something happen?"
Ren instinctively reached for his wristwatch. "Why do you ask?"
"Look at your face, and you'll know."
The President wasn't provided a reply. Ren looked down. No matter how good of an actor he was, the President still saw through his calm exterior.
He sighed. It was only the rehearsal and he had already broken the most important promise he had made to himself. Tracing his finger on his watch, he thought: I swore to God that I would never hurt anyone again. That's why I wear this heavy shackle of a watch so I could remind myself of what I did. How could I forget...? Memories flooded his mind and he squeezed his eyes shut.
"President," Ren commenced, slowly lifting his eyelids back up "I don't think I need to be under surveillance."
"You mean you don't need Setsuka?" Takarada asked.
Ren nodded.
The President frowned in confusion, but soon it was replaced with sympathy. "I know why. You can't manage to act Kyoko's brother, even in a role. You're afraid your real feelings will show."
"Absolutely not!" Ren snapped, but his features softened again, "well... the reason might not be completely unrelated."
"Make up your mind."
"Actually, whenever I'm around her, I think I even forgot about the things which I'm never, ever supposed to forget." He reached for his watch again. "Yesterday, I did something like that."
Takarada noticed the oddity in Ren's behaviour but he chose not to ask. "Well, if you say so."
Ren inhaled sharply, flabbergasted, his eyes narrowing suspiciously. "You accept? Just like that?"
"Of course. If you want, we can kill off the little sister. After all, it's not like she's part of the movie's script. However, there's one condition."
"Of course," Ren muttered with a sigh, rolling his eyes. What was i thinking?
"You'll have to tell Kyoko about it yourself."
"Me?" The brows on his forehead creased into an indigent frown. "Why me?"
"Because you suggested the idea. If you ask my advice, I think you need her. That girl is your lucky charm. Only she can help you if your past self takes over. But if you don't wanna listen to me, then go ahead." His lips spread into a cruel smirk. "Go and tell Kyoko that you're killing off her character because you don't need her anymore. All you have to do is say: I don't need you."
After their meeting with the President in the garage, both actors arrived at the agency, from where they went their separate ways. Kyoko was off to her shoot at Box R, while Ren waited up for Yashiro to join him before setting out for the Dark Moon set.
When the manager finally arrived, Ren embraced himself to be mocked more than he had ever been in his whole life, since Kyoko had told him how she had let it slip to Yashiro about her playing the part of Cain Heel's sister.
Ren had personally requested to keep hismanager in the dark about this little detail as long as possible. But now that Yashiro knew about it, there was no helping it.
To Ren's surprise though, the manager didn't even touch the subject during the whole ride to the set. At last, when the car halted to a stop and they were about to get off, Yashiro placed a firm hand on his shoulder, seizing him.
"Ren, are you alright?"
"Of course." Ren frowned. "What brought this on?"
Yashiro cleared his throat. "I talked to Kyoko yesterday, and she told me about the new setup in the Cain Heel project. To be honest, when I think about it..."
Here it comes, Ren flinched inwards.
"...how torturous it must be for you, to spend the night in the same room with the girl you love, but not being able to make a move, I feel so helpless! You must have tossed and turned in bed all night caught between desire and reason. Only imagining it, as a fellow man, I can't help but sympathize with you!" The manager patted his client's shoulder, wiping something off beneath his eye.
Ren jerked his hand off, surprised and slightly pissed at being pitied like that. "It's not that depressing as you make it sound, Yashiro. Honestly," he shook his head with a sigh, "I'd rather you make fun of me and tease me like you always do."
"Even the President must be worried leaving you alone to handle this." The manager regained his composure. "Besides, I can tell you haven't slept properly. If you keep this up, you'll end up getting absent minded and sick from the lack of sleep and exhaustion."
"What are you proposing?"
"What I'm saying is if having Kyoko around is too challenging for you, you should consider other options. She's not really in the script, and since she has accepted this job as a Love Me assignment, she won't be getting paid either. So it's just a waste of her time. Hers and yours too."
Having understood what Yashiro was suggesting, Ren wasn't exactly opposed to the idea. Infact, he himself thought that the part of Setsuka was superfluous to the movie. However, he remembered what condition Takarada had given him in the matter. There was no way he could ever say to Kyoko that he didn't need her. This was the main reason why Takarada had asked him that.
Sighing at his own helplessness in the situation, Ren proceeded to the set.
"Hey you! Yes, you three! I'm talking to you!" Her voiced echoed through the crowded street, drawing the attention of the passerbys. Only after she had shouted out loud did the three addressed girls halted, with only two of them bothering to actually turn to face her.
"I know it's you three who had been bullying my sister Chitose!" The girl screamed, rage burning in her flooded eyes. "It's because of you that she's in the hospital, fighting for her life at this very moment! Unless you want this matter to turn into a police case, come with me and confess everything!"
Kaori and Tsugumi whispered something in turn into the third girl's ear, who finally turned. Her ginger-blonde hair glistening in the sunlight. "If that's what you want," she muttered indifferently. Her eyes seemed uninterested and tired.
"Cut!" The Director shouted, and the curious onlookers erupted into a loud buzz. This was one of those few scenes which had to be shot outside in the open. Despite the taped fence, a small crowd of eager people had gathered on the road, who were watching their every move.
Even before Director Kazutoyo cut the scene, Kyoko had already realized her blunder. She was supposed to deliver the last line with Natsu's charming smile, however she said it indifferently, like Setsuka would.
"Kyoko, why did you say it so expressionlessly?" Kazutoyo asked. "Don't you think it's unlike Natsu?"
"Yeah, I'm sorry." She apologized. "Natsu would've put on a smile. I don't know what came over me."
"It's okay. We'll retake the scene after the break."
"Sure," Kyoko forced a smile. In the middle of the scene, she somehow forgot all about Natsu and her inner Setsu took over. She resisted a deep chill. It was scary. Being swept away like that, especially in the middle of an ongoing shoot.
Glancing at her wrist watch, she decided to use this break to go see her friends at the Dark Moon shoot. According to what Yashiro had told her, the cast of Dark Moon also had a location shoot outside and it was on the road, which luckily wasn't very far from her own set.
As she quietly slipped out of the fence, she sensed someone following her. It turned out to be Amamiya.
"Kyoko," she called out, "are you going over to the Dark Moon set?"
"How do you know that?" Kyoko waited for her friend to join her.
"I heard they also have a location shoot today, and it's in walking distance. So when I saw you sneaking out, I figured that's where you must be going. And then I thought maybe I should join you. I'd love to see the set of the drama which is topping all the charts."
"Sure. We can go together." Kyoko smiled.
Since both actresses were dressed up in their character's outfits, they easily fit in with the crowd. As they walked ahead, they looked nothing more than a couple of ordinary girls in their school uniforms.
As they neared the Dark Moon set, Chiori Amamiya was astonished to see a crowd so large that it had to be held back by the security from breaking into the set camp. Unlike the set of Box R, there was no thin strip of tape fencing it, because it would've never held on with the squealing fans jumping, pushing each other, and going berserk just to get a glimpse of their favorite celebrities.
"Do you know what the scene is about?" Amamiya enquired. "Which they're shooting here?"
"Yeah, it's a car chase." Kyoko answered. "I don't know the details since I'm not in the scene myself, but I read about it in the script. Ren will be chasing Kijima, who'll also have Itsumi in his car. And then there cars will crash into each other."
Before she could say further, a cacophony of ear-piercing shrieks from the ladies suddenly announced the presence of Ren Tsuruga. He was seen having a conversation with Director Ogata from far away. The fans screamed his name and called out to him. He didn't even glance, but getting a chance to see him up close was enough to make the crowd go wild with ecstasy.
"Boy, isn't he popular!" Chiori remarked. "Anyway, we should get away from here! If we're seen with these crazy fangils, people might think we're one of them."
"Alright. Come with me." Kyoko ventured ahead, in search of someone who'll recognise her and let her in.
"I don't see the point of this," Yashiro muttered under his breath. His tone slightly frustrated. "Why can't you just leave this job to a stunt double?" The two men were seated in the back of the bus at the Dark Moon set camp, waiting for the shoot to start.
Ren offered him his brightest, winning smile, probably to lighten up his mood. "I want to do this myself. You know I'm a perfectionist when it comes to acting."
"But this is so risky! Kijima has accepted a stunt double, so why can't you?"
"Yashiro relax!" The actor chuckled. "It's not that risky. I only have to drive in reverse in the wrong lane at 90 kmph, then drift into Kijima's double's car and cause a little crash."
"Only? You call that only?
"Besides, ever since I read this scene, I've been practicing on my own."
Yashiro gave a startling frown. "When exactly have you been doing that?"
"I've been visualizing it," Ren explained half-jockingly.
"Oh, it was in your head! Who're you? Kyoko?"
Before the manager was provided with an answer, a gofer called out to Ren, signalling him to come outside the bus.
"What is it?" Ren demanded. "Is there a problem?"
"No," the errand boy shook his head. "You got a visitor."
With a frown, Ren rushed outside the bus followed by his manager to meet this unexpected visitor, and was even more surprised to see Kyoko waiting for him. She was all dressed up in her Natsu outfit, because of which a lot of people didn't recognize her, casting her a curious eye.
Ren didn't blame them. With her hair turned blonde and her face touched up with light yet classy makeup, she looked quite different. Though it was not just her appearance. Whenever she was in her Natsu getup, her whole aura shifted into something else which made her seem a lot more mature, unattainable and a hundred times more beautiful.
Before Ren could say anything, a one of the recurring cast members, upon seeing her all dressed up from the window of the bus, exclaimed. "Kyoko? Is that you? Wow! What happened to you? What's with the fancy look?"
"I was shooting my other drama. This is my character's outfit," was her answer.
"Wow! You seem so elegant. It's not just your costume. You get so much in the character, that no one would have recognised you. You look so mature and beautiful!"
"Thanks," Kyoko blushed.
When the other cast members overheard a part of their conversation, those who were lucky enough to have a window seat, immediately turned outside just to catch a glimpse of her. And upon finding her worthy of the praise, they showered her with even more compliments.
Hearing the word beautiful again and again perked up Kijima's ears, but he was unfortunately seated on the other side of the bus, so he could glance outside the window to see Kyoko.
Turning to his seatmate Itsumi, he announced: "They're saying Kyoko has had some kind of transformation. I'm curious, so I'm gonna go look."
Meanwhile, outside, Ren asked Kyoko if Box R was being filmed in the area too.
"Yes," she answered. "We were on a break, so I thought I'd stop by. I wanted to talk to you."
Before Ren could answer, he overheard Kijima's voice from behind asking someone to move over and make way for him. Knowing him to be a massive womanizer, Ren put a hand around Kyoko's shoulder and steered her away from the bus as fast as he could manage. "Let's go talk somewhere less loud," he made an excuse, thereby succeeding in getting her out before Kijima could see her.