THE DARKNESS WITHIN HIM.
The Producer arrived at the set, finding the whole team busily bustling around. Standing in a corner, he assessed the work going on, when his eyes landed on Setsuka.
"Who is that girl?" He asked one of the crew members with genuine curiosity.
"Her name is Setsuka, Sir. She's Mr Heel's sister."
A frown creased on forehead of the Producer. Since when does Cain Heel have a sister? Looking at the Director, he decided to ask him about it at the first chance he'll get. As far as he knew, Cain Heel was only a character, and it was actually Ren Tsuruga portraying him.
"Ready?" The Director's commanding voice loudly echoed through the studio, as he asked both the actors after he was done explaining the scene to them. They nodded, and he swung his hand up motioning for the cameras. "Remember, just do what you did in the rehearsal."
"Scene three, take one!" The clapperboard was shot.
"And action!"
All activity and conversation ceased with each set of eyes now fixated on the two actors. The stage was set like they were in some sort of an abandoned warehouse, as there were intermodal containers in all four corners, fencing the place.
Murasame, with a metal bar in his hands, waited for BJ to come at him. However, Cain Heel remained as still as a statue. With his cloak pulled forward, his eyes were hidden.
Whispers began to form as they all wondered the same thing: why wasn't Cain starting the scene? However, no one had the courage to ask him.
Murasame's fist clenched. He doesn't even care about his job or the movie! The actor thought bitterly. We've all been bursting off our asses working for weeks on this project before he arrived, and he's not even taking it seriously!
That was it! His anger had already reached it's highest, and now it was overflowing. He couldn't stop himself anymore. Never underestimate the Japanese Yakuza, he thought.
Something changed on Murasame's face, and an unusual calm washed over him as he slowly moved forward. All of a sudden, he threw the metal bar at Cain, and it spun in the air. Before it could hit it's target, Cain moved forward to dodge the weapon about to fall on his head, and the other actor used this opportunity to throw a sucker punch at him from below before he could even realize what was going on, as his eyes were set above.
However, Murasame's plan did not go as intended, since Cain was somehow able to sense his punch even before he threw it. Which was odd considering his eyes never left the metal bar, which fell with a loud clank right where he had been standing a moment ago.
Having blocked the weapon from above, Cain's next move was to do to a backflip to get away from Murasame before his punch could reach him.
The movement was skilled as if he had had a lot of practice. It was also quick and silent, almost like a cat, or a shadow. Murasame approached him again with a kick.
Cain easily dodged it, and raised his right hand in which he was carrying BJ's dagger, in order to stab him. While he did, his lips stretched into a very unsettling and disturbing grin, as if he was having the time of his life.
Not a lot of people were able to see it, since most of his face was covered with his large bangs and his dark cloak, but in addition to Murasame, who felt his heart rate pick up as genuine fear coursed through him at the very sight of that psychotic smile, Kyoko also saw it very clearly.
And the moment she did, her arms dropped to her sides; a small gasp escaping from her parted lips and her brows creased into a partly scared and partly concerned frown.
Despite everything, Murasame was still not about to give up. Having noticed the dagger to be in Cain's right hand, he approached him from the left. As Cain tried to stab him, he skillfully grabbed the wrist of his right hand with his own, and tried to throw a punch at him from the other.
His fist had barely formed, when something he noticed made his blood run cold and froze him on the spot. Cain's gloved hand opened to reveal that it was empty. The dagger wasn't in his right hand anymore.
Murasame couldn't even think, when something sharp pricked his neck. Before he even saw it, the actor knew it to be the pointy end of BJ's weapon which was somehow in the other hand or his opponent now.
The warning in the gesture, as Cain poked the dagger into his neck was clear as the day: Dare to move and I'll cut you open!
"Cut!" Only after hearing the Director's shout did it occur to Murasame that the script had a similar ending of the scene. He had been too focused on the fight to remember that in the end of the fight, Kouji was supposed to lose as BJ would stick his dagger on his neck as a warning. Exactly like now.
The Director clapped his beefy palms together with a grin. "That was amazing! I'm so glad you two decided to improvise, because the fight turned out to be way more interesting this way as when compared to the rehearsal!" Turning to his assistant, he gestured, "we are keeping this scene as it was shot," and the assistant immediately scribbled something into his journal.
Until now, the crew had been pretty much convinced that it was an actual fight. They were just too afraid to get in the middle of it, but after listening to the Director, they exchanged confused frowns, wondering maybe it wasn't a real fight after all and the two actors were only improvising the scene as the Director had said.
"Murasame, you did exceptionally well! Specially in the last part when you tried to attack BJ, I stopped breathing for a second!" The Director praised the actor, but Murasame was still in a daze after the fight. The Director put a hand on his shoulder. "Are you okay?"
How can I possibly be okay after that? After years of experience in street fighting, it one day stopped being a challenge for Murasame. Until now.
Of all the talented and practiced opponents he had faced in the past, there was none whom he couldn't defeat. Except for Cain.
Murasame would never admit it out loud, but as a fighter, he knew it in his gut, there was no chance in hell he could win in a fight against that guy.
Not only were his movements supple and eloquent, but from what Murasame's experienced eye could gather, his technique was also flawless. Like he used to chew fighters like him and eat them up and it was no big deal to him.
If it had been a real fight, I would be a dead man by now! The realization hit him so hard, that it almost made him want to throw up.
Turning to the Director, who was still looking at him with concern, he managed to speak: "I just need to get some air. I'll be back."
After the first scene was shot, the Director began discussing with the crew which scene to shoot next. Meanwhile, Setsuka was immediately at her brother's side with a bottle of water which she handed to him.
"Brother..." She hesitantly muttered.
Taking a sip of the water, he asked, "Yeah? What?"
Kyoko was tempted to ask him what that grin was about, but she didn't know how to do so without breaking her character. So, she shook her head.
"Nevermind. I was just thinking how your BJ had so much impact. I could feel his raw energy all the way to the back of the room." She smiled, before adding hesitantly: "You seem to be really enjoying playing BJ?" It had come out like a question even though Kyoko had not intended it to be one.
Hearing the last part, Cain's eyes turned wide. "How– How did you know...? That I was enjoying it?"
Even though Ren's sudden out-of-character response concerned Kyoko, she didn't let it show. Instead she put on a smirk, like her character would have done. "I thought it was obvious. Since when you were about to attack, you were smiling so widely."
Something snapped within him, almost as if it was news to him. It was evidently clear on his face because his eyes widened and he hissed in a breath from shock. "I was... smiling?"
The colour drained from Ren's face, as he was suddenly Ren again. Kyoko could see the dread washing over his eyes, and she was not surprised that he took it hard. Even she found it almost frightening that he did not remember smiling such an unsettling grin. Since that would only mean one thing: that he did it subconsciously. And imagining Ren enjoying anything even remotely violent, it seemed so ridiculous to Kyoko that she couldn't even comprehend it.
"Did you not realize it?" She asked.
Ren was still lost in a daze when he answered: "No."
"We already apologized! Just let us go!" The thug begged the young boy, even though he seemed half his age. The man had almost half a dozen companions with him, yet instead of fighting back, he along with his lackeys bent on his knees looking for mercy in the eyes of the young boy. There was no hint of it.
"We'll never bother you again!" One of them cried out, and the others nodded hastily.
"We're sorry we ever came near you! Just let us go this once!" Another one pleaded.
In the moonlight, the blood seeping out of their countless wounds appeared more black than red. The men were practically covered with it.
Yet, Kuon wasn't satisfied. He smirked, cupping a hand around his ear. "What was it? Sorry, couldn't catch it. I'm a japanese bastard after all. Can't speak english very well. Didn't you guys know filthy japanese like me can't speak english?" His smirk widened, and he placed a finger on his temple. The blood on his hands was smeared on his face in the process, but he didn't seem to care.
Fear shone in their eyes as Kuon menacingly stepped forward...
The next thing he knew, someone was calling out his name.
"Kuon!" Rick's shout cut through the air while he raced across the street to get to him, with Tina on his heels.
How long had it been since he was here? Ten minutes? An hour? Kuon couldn't remember. All he could see or care about were the men lying in a front of him in a bloody pool. They were unconsious.
But Kuon was far from done. As he was about to land another kick on the nearest guy, Rick seized his shoulder and pulled him back.
"Kuon, stop it! They've already passed out! Are you trying to kill them?"
Even though Rick had shouted those words right into his ear, for Kuon they were like a distant buzzing. He couldn't focus on them at all, and he didn't care either.
He was covered in blood but it wasn't his own. It belonged to those men below.
Rick would've said something else, but a shrill scream belonging to Tina cut him off. One of the thugs, who had been only pretending to be unconsious, used this opportunity while Kuon was distracted, to escape. As he was running, Tina got in his way, so he pushed her evoking a frightened scream from her.
Unfortunately for him, Kuon noticed him trying to escape, and his lips stretched into a such a psychotic grin as if he had never felt more alive. Like nothing mattered to him besides the thrill of chasing his victims.
Breaking into a sprint, Kuon ran after the guy trying to escape despite Rick's countless attempts to call out to him.
"Kuon, stop! Wait!" He tried running after him, but it was no use as Kuon was much faster. "Please stop! Kuon!"
Everything faded but Rick's shouts calling out to him still rang in Ren's mind. It was the last thing he had heard Rick say. He could still remember the desperation in his voice. If only he had stopped back then, then maybe Rick would still be alive.
Ren's eyes snapped open, and he found himself back in his dimmed room at the Tragic Marker set. For some reason, he couldn't stop himself from shaking.
With the blanket still wrapped around him, he sat up on his bed and glanced at the bedside watch. It was 1:40 a.m..
His mind was immediately drawn back to the incident which was probably the reason he was having Rick in his dreams again. While fighting Murasame, he had completely lost himself to Kuon. His smile was proof enough of it.
He remembered fighting Murasame, and to his terror, he remembered enjoying it. Because until the very end, it was a real fight for him, but the fact that he was smiling and he didn't even remember it, it only meant Kuon made an appearance.
I didn't expect him to show up this soon, he cupped his head on which he still had his blanket on like a headscarf. I was unable to react, after being so determined that I would conquer this darkness within myself.
I even forgot that I was acting! He scoffed at his own naivety for thinking that it was so simple. There is no doubt about it, even if it was for a fraction of a second, I was Kuon again. If this goes on, will I be defeated? Will I turn back into him again?
Dread rippled within him and a chill crawled down his spine at only the thought of it. Shuddering, he pulled the blanket even closer as he wrapped his arms around him. If this goes on, I might really end up like BJ. A mindless murderer!
An image popped within his mind. It was of Tina covered in Rick's blood with his lifeless body in her lap. "You murderer!"
Her voice echoed in his mind, and instinctively, Ren turned to face the other side of the bed to reach out for Kyoko's hand, only to find the spot beside him cold and empty. Where could she have gone in the middle of the night?
On the way back to the studio building, Kyoko glanced at the large wall clock at the entrance. It read 1:50 a.m.. She had only gone to the nextdoor supermarket, yet it was almost two now. She didn't expect it to get so late.
Looks like I won't be able to sleep tonight either, she sighed, making her way through the corridor.
Since she started playing Setsuka, Kyoko hadn't been able to get enough sleep at all. How could she sleep with Ren right beside her on the same bed? Her heart would beat so fast as if it might explode. She would only sleep after him and wake up before him.
Although, Ren would always wrap himself in a comforter, the moment he would lie down. He would even cover his face, yet Kyoko still wouldn't dare to close her eyes until he was absolutely still and she was sure he was fast asleep.
Reaching the end of the hall, she got into the elevator and pushed a button, when her thoughts once again ended up on the fight between Murasame and Cain.
She had thought that it was Cain or BJ, but if it was part of an act, Ren would have remembered it.
How could he possibly have not realized smiling like that? She wondered. A click from the elevator when it reached her floor snapped her mind back to the present and she stepped out to find someone tall standing on the other end, probably waiting for the elevator as well.
It was Ren. He still had the white quilt wrapped around his whole body leaving only his face out. But what worried Kyoko was the apprehensive look in his eyes and the distraught aura around him. She could tell from it that it was not Cain, since he was never supposed to be worried about anything. So it meant Ren was so worried about something that he went so far as to break character.
Her breath caught. "Ren, is something wrong?"
"Where have you been?" When he spoke, Kyoko noted his lower lip to be slightly trembling.
"I went to buy something for tomorrow's breakfast."
"You shouldn't go out so late. It's not safe."
"It was right nextdoor–"
"Don't ever go out alone."
The unusual sternness in his tone made Kyoko not object anymore and drop the subject. "I'm sorry."
She could see his eyes blinking agitatedly, and it swelled her chest with fear.
What was she afraid of? She could not tell. It was almost as if Ren was right in front of her, but he was still far away. And if she didn't hold on to him, he would fade away forever. That was what she must be scared of: of letting Ren fade out.
"It's fine," he mumbled. "Since you're back now." Spreading his arms out with the quilt still hanging on them, he nodded to her to come closer as if he was intending to hug her.
Kyoko's eyes widened. He wasn't possibly asking for what she thought he was. And even if he was, she wasn't stupid enough to let Ren hug her with her heart so desperate to let out that thing again which she was trying so hard to keep locked.
"Come here." There was a finality in his tone which gave Kyoko the impression that she didn't have a choice in the matter, but after one glance at his desperate eyes and the pleading in them, Kyoko once again sensed a feeling of immense foreboding as if Ren was about to fade away forever.
Dropping the shopping bags of the floor, she ran forward until they were standing only inches apart. At first, Ren only held her and with such gentleness as if she was as fragile as glass and she would shatter into a million pieces if he wasn't careful. Though he tried to keep them still, Kyoko could feel his arms slightly shaking.
Until finally, he closed his arms around her, wrapping her in the quilt along with him. As he held her, Kyoko finally realized just how badly he was trembling.
Despite her worries for Ren being okay, her brain still instantly went on alert, trying to warn her, her instincts telling her to get away from him before it was late. She could practically feel the sirens in her heart blinking red and repeating 'danger'. However, a part of her, a part which was still locked in some deep dark corner of her heart wanted nothing more than to relish the feel of his arms around her and to savour the warmth of his chest for as long as possible.
To be continued.