"American, Russian and Japanese?" The man with the pale hair snorted. "Don't make me laugh, you're a freak of nature. Even God would've second guessed himself while creating a montrosity like you!"
His words kept echoing in Kuon's mind making his grip around Murasame's neck even tighter. There were screams everywhere, but Kuon had learned to block them away a long time ago. He was a creature who dwelled in chaos. This was nothing for him.
"Stop!" The Director was yelling again and again from below. "He'll really fall, please stop! Someone get a mat over here!"
Konoe couldn't believe that it was still all just part of an act. How could he when Murasame's life was on the line as the poor actor was dangling at the mercy of Ren? Was he even Ren? No. He was all BJ as far as he could tell, or maybe someone even more dangerous.
Meanwhile, Murasame struggled to get free but to no avail. For someone who had been in so many street fights and life or death occasions, he was genuinely scared as his instincts were telling him there was no way out of it.
If I'm falling to my death, then I'm gonna take you with me! He swore bitterly. Letting go of his opponent's hands, which were still busily trying to choke him, Murasame reached for his neck and grabbed a handful of his costume. Before his costar could even try to struggle himself free, he pushed his feet below and tried to pull his weight down.
His plan worked as he started to fall since he successfully pulled Cain Heel down with him. As the two men began to fall, the crew had luckily placed a falling mat below them, but by their trajectory, it seemed like they were a bit off, and they would hit the groud instead.
So many things happened and all at once, as if time itself had slowed down. As the two men were falling, the whole set echoed with the ear piercing shouts of the team. Some people were desperately trying to pull the heavy mat in the right direction before it was too late, but even they knew it deep down that their efforts were probably futile since it was an impossible task.
Murasame contemplated on his life, imagining them to be his last moments, meanwhile Kuon couldn't hear a single one of the shouts, because he was too much engrossed in his own thoughts and he was already well versed by now in blocking out the sounds of others when he had to. When all of a sudden, a single voice pulled him back to the reality.
The place was filled with uncomprehendable words coming out from every direction in varying sounds and voices, yet this one particular voice stuck out as to him as she screamed, "Don't fall!" at him. He wasn't Kuon anymore.
Instantly, his mind went on autopilot survival mode, and he tried to reach for the nearest thing he could find to hold on to. His eyes fixating on a metal pole, he moved until one of his fist closed around it while the other grabbed Murasame by his arm. This didn't break the fall, but it certainly slowed it's pace.
As they were about to hit the ground, he skillfully planted one of his foot on the floor and jerked his body sideways where the mat was with Murasame still in his grasp.
They plopped off the fluffy mat without any pain or evident injury, but Ren's mind was still in a blur. Only after he received aghast looks of shock, which later turned into angry glares, from the people he was surrounded with did he realize that he was supposed to be in character.
Some of them were still in daze as they marvelled at how he was able to do such a risky and flexible stunt so effortlessly, while most of them looked at him with suspicion. But more than half of the people looked relieved, not because he was okay, but because Murasame, who lay beside him was also unhurt.
The crew surrounded Murasame to check up on him while also steering clear of Cain, who still sat in a daze, until one person approached him. It was Setsuka.
"You okay?" She asked in such a casual tone as if he didn't just fell twenty from air and almost landed to his death.
As Cain looked up to face her, a fascinated smirk suffused her lips. "Woah, cool!"
Her usual remark captured the attention of some of the crew members who looked at the two with perplexed furrowed brows.
"So that's the special makeup of BJ? It's so cool. The scars almost seem real!" Setsuka squealed delightfully, making the watching crew almost disgusted by her spoiled and selfish behaviour.
Though, if Setsuka noticed, she didn't seem to care. Taking out her cellphone she waved it in front of her brother's face. "Hold still. I'm gonna take a picture."
If Murasame wasn't being treated by an official med just a few feet away, the interaction of the Heels would've almost seemed adorable, because Setsuka had good reason to be impressed by it. In addition to pale touch up and highlighted eyes, the entire face of BJ was covered with gruesome and timed scars. They were designed to look so old that they were all stiched and dried, but this fact didn't add any less of an impact. Instead, it made him look even more unapproachable.
However, Setsuka wasn't deterred by it or but the fact that she was being judged for acting this way right after such a terrible accident. She continued to click pictures of her brother and even asked him to make a few poses, though his face remained indifferent.
"So cool! I'm gonna put this as my background!" She chuckled after she was done.
Meanwhile, Murasame after finally assuring everyone that he was okay, stood up to his feet. Looking at Cain one last time, he stormed out of the room.
That man is crazy! He almost killed me and now's he acting like nothing happened! The actor thought, once he was alone out in the balcony. Gulping in the sweet and fresh air from outside, he tried to calm his nerves.
Since the day Cain Heel had arrived on the set, Murasame had often felt the malicious aura emanating out of him to be real, but it was always suppressed. Today however, before Murasame was attacked, the actor was pretty sure he sensed real murderous intent coming from his opponent. Unlike usual when Murasame would try to pick a fight with Cain and he would ignore him, this time something Murasame had said had been triggering enough for Cain to go as far as to try and murder him!
During lunch, the Heels were back in their own room where Setsuka cooked them both some soup. When they began to eat, Cain wondered aloud, "Aren't you gonna ask?"
"Ask what?"
"What happened with Murasame? How it got so bad."
"I don't really care." She smirked. "But I saw it coming, since he deserved it."
Ren was once again speechless by Kyoko's dedication to her part. He could tell that she must be dying from curiousity, like any sane person would in such circumstances, to know what happened, but she refused to ask just for the sake of maintaining her character.
"Though I must say, that even I was scared for a moment." She admitted. "I knew you could take care of yourself, and nothing would happen to you from just a little fall, but since everyone else was screaming, even I started doubting. But then you were okay, and I was like I knew it all along." She smiled, placing a hand on Cain's hand, who appeared to be lost in thoughts. "I'm babbling here and you're not even listening to me!"
"I was listening." He assured her, snapping back to the present. "Back then, when everyone was shouting, you called out to me, didn't you?"
"I guess. I don't really remember, since it was such a pandemonium. Maybe, I did. Why?"
"I heard you. Infact, it was your voice that pulled me out." He looked up, and as their eyes met, she noticed the sincerity in them. He gave her hand hand a little squeeze. "Thank you. You saved me, Setsu."
Scrolling through YouTube, Sho Fuwa did not expect to come upon an interview of a certain girl with Ren Tsuruga in his recommendations.
However, her name immediately made him pause and gasp. This can't be... No! It's not Kyoko! He gulped, staring at the image of the gorgeous beauty gracefully perched up on the sofa beside Ren Tsuruga.
Only after he watched the whole interview, and then rewatched it was he finally able to face the reality.
God, what the hell happened to her? When Kyoko was first transformed into the angel, Sho was surprised. When he saw her as Mio, she was once again turned into someone completely different. It was becoming a pattern for her. So Sho shouldn't be shocked each time. Yet, he couldn't help himself as he stared at her image in awe. She looked nothing short of a Barbie doll in this new getup. If she had stayed still, people might have mistaken her for a dummy.
"So that's how I ended up looking like this," Kyoko explained to the interviewer with a light chuckle. "It's all thanks to Mr Kijima."
Who the hell is this Kijima? Sho thought. First it was Ren Tsuruga, and now another man! Just how many guys this shapeshifting demoness got wrapped around her little finger? And how can she be stupid enough to let a man, specially a man in this industry, buy her clothes like that?
The more he thought about it, the more quickly his anger seethed into fury. In a blinding fit of rage, he called Kyoko and left her a very short and loud voicemail, which went as: "You piss me off, you shapeshifting demoness!"
Now he finally understood why Shouko went through so much trouble to keep him away from the TV. This interview must have been all over the news.
After dinner that night, Cain went to have a shower. Kyoko, knowing how he always took his time with his baths, used this opportunity to check her voicemails. Most of them were from Mr Swara, reminding her of her schedule. But one such voicemail from an unknown sender ended almost as abruptly as it started.
"You piss me off, you shapeshifting demoness!"
Shoutaro! How dare you? Seething in rage at her mortal enemy, Kyoko thanked her luck that Ren wasn't around since she had played the message out loud. Even imagining how he would have reacted if he heard Sho's voice, specially after what he did...
No! She shook her head, trying to distract herself from what had happened on the Valentine's Day. Ren would've never broken character, no matter the reason.
She was instantly reminded of how he had thanked her for saving him. He was supposed to be in character then too, but he didn't seem like Cain Heel. Was it actually Ren? And if he was, what did he mean? How could she have saved him from just her voice?
No, Kyoko! You're looking at this all wrong. Whatever it was that got Ren so riled up, Setsu was able to snap him out of it through her voice. So it was a good thing, right?
Though the main question was what was wrong with Ren? Was it something that happened in his past–
Her thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door. It was Konoe.
"Director?" Kyoko was surprised.
"Is Ren here?"
"Yeah, he's taking a bath."
"Can I come it? I don't mind waiting for him. Since I wanna talk to you as well."
"Sure." She led him inside. "What about?"
"It's about what happened today with Murasame."
Taking a seat at the small dining table, the Director narrated to her the whole incident from this morning, as how a petty argument almost turned into murder.
"After the shoot was over, a few of the guys tried asking Cain to join them for drinks. However, Cain being who he was, remained aloof and totally ignored their hospitality. It's needless to say that Murasame got pissed and he once again tried to pick a fight with him.
"When Cain ignored him like usual, Murasame went a bit too far with his insults. It must've been something he said, because one second Cain wasn't the least bit affected by what Murasame called him, but then all of a sudden, he was choking him. Their fight got so worse that they somehow ended up on the trolley, and those who tried to stop them were sent flying. In his struggle, Murasame accidentally kicked the lever of the trolley instantly breaking it. The prop went up and you know the rest."
Even though, Kyoko was still supposed to be in character, she couldn't hide the evident surprise from her eyes. Ren snapping and then going berserk like that, though she had witnessed part of the fight herself, she still couldn't bring herself to accept it. "Um...do you remember what Murasame said to him that might have triggered him?"
"Let me think." Konoe scratched his chin. "He said a lot of things like how Cain was such a sick man who was pretending not to know japanese just so he could keep you with him, and how the british were supposed to be gentlemen but Cain was the opposite." He paused. "I think what actually triggered him was when Murasame called him a real BJ: a mindless murderer, or maybe when he made fun of him for being only half british, since despite the makeup you two apparently look japanese."
Kyoko was speechless.
"That's what I wanted to ask you. Do you think Ren added this inferiority complex about his race to Cain's character?"
"It could be." She frowned. "I can't say for sure. But acting is about discovering aspects of your character not stated in the script."
"Can you ask him?" The Director said. "As his translator, it's obvious you'd be curious to know, so you wouldn't be breaking character."
"I can't."
"Why not?"
"Not asking is part of being Setsu."
"What does that mean?"
"Asking makes no difference to me. Because even if the whole crew would be against him, I would still stay at my brother's side. Whose fault it actually was dosen't matter to me. The only thing that does is my brother."
The way she had said it was so sweet and stern yet there was a deadly charm about her that sent a cold shiver down Konoe's spine. He finally understood why she so casually starting clicking pictures after the accident, because as long as her brother was okay she didn't care whether the rest of them lived or died.
She abruptly stood up to her feet. "I'll get brother."
"Didn't you just say he was taking a bath?"
"He is. I'm gonna check up on him. He's taking too long."
Konoe was almost positive he must have heard wrong. This girl wouldn't go in to the bathroom while Ren Tsuruga, possibly being very naked at this moment, was having a bath in there. His instincts were proved to be wrong as Kyoko without any hesitation pushed open the door of the adjacent bathroom and barged it.
She really went it there! The Director couldn't help a blush. The youth these days!
Meanwhile, Kyoko crossed her arms outside the curtain where Ren was soaking in a bath tub.
"How long are you gonna take?" She asked. "It's been over an hour!"
"That long, huh?" His voice echoed from behind the curtain. He sounded sleepy.
"The Director is waiting for you. He said he wants to talk to you about what happened today."
She saw his shadow reaching for the shower head. "I'll be out soon."
While the Director and Ren talked, Kyoko decided to give them some privacy. Whatever it was that was wrong with Ren, as curious as she was to know about it, she didn't wanna pry into his personal life knowing he didn't want her to meddle. Besides, she was pretty sure Ren wouldn't be disclosing any of his personal issues while answering the Director's questions.
When they were done talking and Konoe rose to leave, she finally joined them again, asked the Director for a leave of three days since she had another shoot.
Konoe agreed since it was already settled that Cain would only come on the set with Setsuka, so both actors got three days off from this job.
"You're working in another drama? What is it called?" Konoe turned to Kyoko, suddenly interested in her career. He had assumed her to be a junior artist but being a witness of her exceptional skills, he wasn't so sure anymore.
"Box R. It's a show about bullying. I'm playing the antagonist."
The Director frowned, scratching the back of his head. "I've heard about it. But I thought the girl playing Mio in Dark Moon was the antagonist in that show."
Ren smiled. "She is the girl playing Mio in Dark Moon."
"Huh? Wha– I– I had no idea! I'm sorry."
Kyoko looked down. "It's okay. I'm used to it by now."
The Director looked at her with the eye of a critic. "It's remarkable! You two look nothing alike."
"So anyway, we are leaving the set now. And we'll be back within three days." Kyoko said.
"Yes, this will be better for Murasame as he will also get some time by himself to cool off. And as for me, I finally understand just how much depth you've put into your characters even though its not a real role. I'm pretty sure the Heels are gonna exceed all my expectations and get this movie to the top."
"We'll try our best." Ren assured him with a smile. "I also went overboard with Murasame, so I'll try to keep it down from now on."
"Please do." Exchanging some parting words, the Director left, and half an hour later, the actors set out for LME as well.