A Week and a Half Ago, Konoe Productions Press Conference, Fuji TV Lobby
"I was booted from the room as soon as they realized I was there! There's obviously a problem! And I have no doubt it's due to Yashiro's meddling! That man has been a thorn in my side for four months, and I am sick of it!"
A young lady in a pink ball cap leaned against a wall in the building's lobby, doing her best to listen in on the phone call discreetly.
"Of course they were going to be angry! I'm not a halfwit. I told you this was a bad idea. And I can't believe I was so dumb to say I was your manager. Your name hardly gets me anything these days."
The young lady eavesdropping smirked as the woman snarled into the phone. She adjusted her ball cap, and slowly inched further behind the conveniently placed plant near the water fountains. Even as the young lady continued her various methods of obfuscating her position, the woman she was spying on was only focused on snapping at the person on the other side of the phone.
"No, I'm not risking my tail further for this nonsense. I no longer care who's got their fingers in what pies, or about your petty revenge. The only thing that matters to me, is keeping myself afloat. Thank God I don't carry the name you do."
There was a pause, then came another sharp response.
"Enough. I'm done. This will soon enough descend into chaos. Tell the others. I'm taking that vacation I've been putting off. I'd advise you to do the same, but I know you won't listen."
With that, the well-dressed woman disconnected her call and slipped her phone into her purse. She glanced around, then hurried to the exit, keeping her head down to avoid notice. Once the woman was out of range, her eavesdropper held a phone to her ear and waited for her call to connect. When it went right to voicemail, she tsked, but went ahead and left the message.
"LoveMe Number One, bait has been taken. Inform the others. And tell Kotonami, with this, she owes me that callback."
Erika Koenji disconnected her call, pulled off her bright pink ball cap and shook her curls loose.
"Stupid thing," she muttered down at it, and tucked it away into her bag. She then strode away, her head held high, and a satisfied smile on her face.
Takimoto Misaki was searching for one very hard to find individual. Rather, Kyoko had become hard to find in the past couple of days since the end of shooting for Act Five. Misaki didn't really understand why either. Since she had begun her spying mission Yashiro had given her a couple weeks ago, Misaki prided herself in being able to pinpoint where Kyoko might be at any given point in the day. Kyoko, much to Misaki's confusion, had broken from her typical routine in the past couple of days and that stoked her curiosity.
Misaki cast another casual glance around the lobby, and tapped her chin thoughtfully. It was a little after lunch, and Kyoko wasn't with wardrobe and makeup, or on set. Nor was she in the exercise room. She wasn't in the kitchen, or chatting with Kinji-san at the security desk. She'd not been seen with Kotonami, Yashiro or Tsuruga since the day before at dinner either. It was atypical behavior, she thought as she continued to keep an eye out as she strolled through the halls.
She finally caught sight of her prey when she peeked in the window of the editing room. Kyoko sat at a table, looking between the footage on a screen, and what appeared to be her script. Misaki opened the door, and poked her head in.
"Yashiro-san was looking for you, Kyoko-chan."
Kyoko stirred, blinking up at her, "Ah, thank you Misaki-chan," she peered down at the table and sighed, "Ah, seems like I had my phone on silent. Whoops! Well, I'll shoot him a text and see what's up. Thanks for letting me know."
"No problem," Misaki replied, curious what Kyoko had been so absorbed by to have missed a call. Kyoko didn't elaborate though and went back to studying the papers in front of her once she sent the text. Misaki stood at the door, feeling awkward, before she decided to bite the bullet and sit down across from Kyoko.
Kyoko glanced up, "Misaki-chan?"
"Sorry, I'm just..well. I don't often catch you alone like this. Are you doing alright?"
"I'm not sure what you mean?"
"Ah, sorry. That was a little weird to say. I just meant, since you get along so well with everyone, I'm more used to seeing you around others than alone. I was kind of, uh, impressed by it. I'm a newbie, but I'm older than you, and still, you seem so much more comfortable around everyone, and honestly, I never expected that."
A faint blush tinged Kyoko's cheeks, "Oh, well I guess you get used to the atmosphere the more you work in it, maybe? Not too sure. You're much more comfortable speaking your mind to our directors though. That impresses me."
"Well, you need good communication to do a good job, right?"
"Heh, right," Kyoko smiled back at her. Misaki tilted her head thoughtfully.
"So are you alright then?"
Kyoko looked away, frowning slightly, "I'm not sure. I'm having a couple of... blah days I guess."
"Stress?" Misaki asked, her tone sympathetic.
Kyoko sighed, "Maybe. This last episode we're doing… with it being such an involved episode…well, maybe it's getting to me. I need to show a lot of different expressions, and do so in very short sequences. It's…"
"Exhausting?" Misaki offered.
"Yeah. And real life, life outside of work… That's kind of getting to me right now too. So here you find me, indulging in some 'me' time."
"I get it."
Kyoko sent her a small smile, "You're a really good listener, Misaki-chan."
"I get that a lot, but honestly I'm just kind of nosy. I like knowing things, so I tend to ask," Misaki winked at Kyoko, and that startled a giggle from the younger girl.
"I thought I might find you with Kotonami-san today, actually, since you two are so close. When I didn't see you guys at lunch together today, I might have gotten really curious what was up, eh heh," said Misaki, rubbing at the back of her neck, oddly discomfited.
Kyoko stared at her in surprise at her statement, "Wow, you have such amazing observational skills Misaki-chan!"
Misaki hid a wince, "I'm so sorry, that's my nosiness running away with me."
"Oh it's alright. We are best friends after all. Moko-san is the best, and I'm happy to tell anyone who'll listen! Oh, but, in this case, I just wanted to get in some time to study my scenes for this afternoon."
Misaki nodded, "Makes sense."
They sat there in silence for a moment longer, before Kyoko glanced at her again, curious.
"Did you just come to ask how I was Misaki-chan?"
Misaki flushed, "Ahhhhh, I did do that yeah, um, but I thought I might ask your opinion on something, if that's alright?"
"Oh, alright. I'll do my best."
Kyoko sent Misaki a reassuring smile and set her work to the side.
Misaki worried at a hole in her sweater before she plucked up the courage to say what she wanted, "I'm hoping this isn't… weird to ask. But considering your… particular perspective, I thought it would be ok."
Kyoko stared at her for a second, "Misaki-chan? What do you mean?"
Misaki blew out a breath, "Ok, well, I'm just going to say it. There's someone I like that I'm working with on this project and I want to let them know. Kyoko-chan, if you were in my place, how would you do it?"
Kyoko's blood turned to ice in her veins, and she scrambled for a response. For all the downplaying of her keen observational skills, Misaki had zeroed in on the one thing Kyoko prayed she wouldn't notice. This was not a conversation she was prepared to have and in her panic, her mind see-sawed between distracting and defending. There was no role, no character that could help her now, so she relied on the one thing she knew, denial. Her face ashen, she sputtered a second before the words came to her.
"I-is that really wise Misaki-chan? Wouldn't it be best to stay focused on the work we're um...we're doing here instead of being distracted by uh...crushes?"
It was Misaki's turn to stare at her in disbelief, "Why would me letting someone know how I feel about them distract me? Having not told them, I am currently experiencing the exact opposite, as a matter of fact."
This seemed to throw Kyoko for a loop, but Misaki began to feel more agitated as she remembered the other words the girl had said.
"And why are you questioning my focus?! I asked you this because I thought you would sympathize Kyoko-chan!" Misaki stood abruptly, regretting that she'd brought it up.
"Wait!" Kyoko stood also, "I'm sorry, that came out wrong, I just meant, better uh...compartmentalization might be helpful. We shouldn't have personal feelings distract us from important work. When I said, keep your focus, that's what I meant."
"I know what you meant."
Kyoko shrank back at the look on Misaki's face as she said this.
"For you, of all people, to be so… so impertinent as to state such a thing so shamelessly… well, frankly, I'm appalled," continued Misaki coldly.
"I…didn't mean…"
"It doesn't matter what you thought you meant Kyoko-chan! What matters is what you said! You said, to my face, that I needed better compartmentalization so I'm not distracted by my personal feelings! You just... you dismissed both my professionalism, and my seriousness about my feelings. I'm just as professional as you are!"
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to dismiss anything. I just-"
"You just what?" Misaki demanded, cutting her off again. Kyoko flinched. Misaki felt the first stirrings of guilt when she saw it, and she softened her tone.
"I came to you because I thought you might be able to help me out. You seemed to be doing a good job at managing both work and a relationship. Clearly, I was mistaken," said Misaki, her tone full of disappointment she couldn't quite quash.
Kyoko looked back up at her nervously, and her fingers twitched involuntarily against the table top. Misaki realized precisely why she did so right at that moment and she sighed.
"Kyoko-chan. I came to you for advice, but let me give you some, woman to woman. Take a good long look at why you just reacted the way you did when I simply suggested being honest."
As Misaki exited the room she chanced a glance back, only to see Kyoko small, and alone, surrounded by the emptiness of the vacant editing room. Misaki shook her head, but knew she had said the right thing. Kyoko not being true to herself and what she felt was only going to hurt her later.
"Cut!" Shingai shouted, frowning as he observed how Kyoko hid a flinch at the word.
He sighed, "Kyoko-san, to me please. Everyone else, take ten!"
Sugaya-san and Oohara-san stood and stretched some before they strolled off set, while Nick-san sprawled out more comfortably where he'd been sitting. Kyoko did her best to hide the guilt she was sure was plain as day on her face. Her encounter with Misaki-chan earlier that day had badly shaken her, and she hadn't even been that confident with these scenes in the first place.
While Act Five ended with the success for the US Troops on the Destroyer escort, for the Mt. Oguso part of the storyline it had ended with a phone call to the Yoneda residence about Daisuke's passing. Thusly, the beginning scenes of Act Six for Kyoko were much like the ones she'd had for Act Two; with funeral rites and a procession of mourners. Kyoko hadn't been confident with these scenes at all, primarily because it was Yayoi's mother who comforted her, as Yayoi's sister Yumika had never been married and had little idea what to do to comfort a grieving young widow. Kyoko had been well used to diverting her attention from the fact that she still grieved over having never had a loving mother. Now that it was Yayoi, who had reconnected with her mother, actually initiating such behavior, she had very little confidence in portraying that.
"Kyoko-san," Shingai began sofly, "What's on your mind?"
Kyoko mumbled her reply and Shingai sighed again.
"I'm up here Kyoko-san."
Kyoko cleared her throat, looked up at him, and tried again, "Not much is on my mind, except I wish I could express Yayoi's feelings better here."
Shingai studied her, but she said nothing more. He tapped the script against his thigh as he thought, then spoke, "When you think of home, what do you think of Kyoko-san?"
Kyoko blinked up at him in confusion, "Sir?"
"Yayoi's feelings here, it's not just about having lost her husband. After all, she's been unconsciously preparing for that to happen for months. This is about her feeling alone again. Remember, Daisuke promised to make this place feel like home again for her. They promised each other that, since they had lost so much family already. What she's feeling, it has everything to do with her realizing that this place may never feel like the home it used to be before she lost it to the war. She can never go back to that again. So, I ask you again, when I say the phrase, go home Kyoko-chan, what comes to mind?"
Kyoko stared down at her feet, her thoughts whirling. She felt like a faint wind could easily bowl her over when she realized what had first come to mind. Broad shoulders, piercing eyes, a warm and comforting embrace.
"Do you have that in mind Kyoko-san?" asked Shingai gently.
She nodded once, a short jerky motion.
"Keep that feeling in mind Kyoko-san, hold it close to you. Imagine, if you can, your hope of returning to that being crushed, with all the force of a tsunami."
Tears sprang to her eyes, but she quickly blinked them back and sniffed.
"Yes, sir," she said instead. Shingai waved her back to set after looking her over one more time.
She, Sugaya-san and Oohara-san settled back in at their table while Nick-san straightened his posture again so he was properly sitting. They waited patiently for another moment, then heard Shingai call for quiet on the set and for the cameras to roll again.
...
"I, I do not mean to intrude on your mourning period. Once we docked again in Tokyo Bay, I was ordered back here by Lieutenant Commander Taylor," Lt. Bill Burnham said, then paused as he surveyed the women on the other side of the table, desperately wishing he had never needed to have come at all. But wishes very rarely were ever fulfilled in his experience.
"While he was unable to come himself, he entrusted me to pass along his message," he continued. This was never an easy task to complete, and he knew that. Still, every time, his heart ached. When the women said nothing, he spoke again, using the words his commander had instructed him to.
"The message my Commander wanted me to relate to you is as follows: Many months ago I made a promise to Yoneda Michitada that I would look after his family if ever he was not there to do so. I am ashamed to admit that I have failed to do so in this instance. In spite of my best intentions, I was not able to return Yoneda Daisuke safely back into your care. Regardless of my own intentions, Yoneda-san's actions saved lives and he died a hero. Without his actions-"
"We understand Lieutenant," Yoneda Yaeko broke in, her voice firm, "We always knew that Daisuke-kun was a hero. Our family appears to have been made of them."
Bill Burnham winced, "Yes Yoneda-sama. I apologize for my thoughtlessness."
"It is understandable, considering the circumstances," she replied coolly.
Burnham swallowed, nervously tapping his fingers against his folded knees, underneath the table they sat at. He hesitated a second, but then strengthened his resolve and spoke again.
"That is primarily what my commander wanted to relate back to you. While I myself did not know Yoneda Daisuke well, I am glad that I was able to stand with him, as we all did on our ship that day. He will not be forgotten by us at the base. I promise you that."
"Thank you Lieutenant," Yumika said softly.
Yoneda Yayoi simply sat, and said nothing. Burnham shot a discreet glance her way, having never met the girl before. She sat stiffly, appearing tiny and fragile with her hands clasped in her lap. She did not once look up to meet his eyes.
"I shall escort you out now," said Yumika, her tone firm as she stood fluidly from the table. Burnham nodded, his heart aching and eager to quickly put such an awkward and painful encounter behind him. Before he stood to follow her though, he slipped a hand into his inner coat pocket, and pulled out a faded, wrinkled piece of paper.
"Yoneda Yayoi-san. This, I'm told, was to be seen by you, and you alone. My commander received it from Yoneda-san before he passed on. It was your husband's last wish that you have it."
He placed it on the table in front of her, and stood, hurriedly putting his uniform cap back on to avoid seeing the crumpled expression on Yayoi's face. He turned to follow Yumika, and saw her pressing a hand to her mouth, a distressed furrow in her brow, and tears gathering at the corner of her eyes. He cleared his throat, and brushed by her, wanting to leave the family to their mourning. He'd waited to approach them until a couple days after the procession, but he still understood that his presence must be horribly intrusive. He felt a strong sense of relief when Yumika stepped out of the room a few seconds later, her features more composed, to escort him to the door.
Yoneda Yayoi stared at the words on the piece of paper she had just unfolded and felt her grief overwhelm her numbness for the very first time since she'd heard the news. She curled in on herself a little, sobs tearing free of her throat. Her sobs did not cease even when she felt her mother's hand on her shoulder.
"I had hoped," her mother began, "I had hoped he would be the man to make this place feel like home to you again."
Yayoi's crying did lessen some when she heard those softly spoken words, and she looked up at her mother.
"Kaa-san?" she whispered, desperately trying to comprehend the pain on her mother's face. But her mother just stroked her face gently, brushing away a tendril of hair.
"I am sorry, my daughter. I knew what losing your brother had done, what losing your cousins had done. You kids, you had a good life here, before the war. I had hoped, that married to such a good and honest man, that you would have a good life again. That he could have made this place feel like home again for you."
Tears trickled down Yayoi's cheeks as she heard her mother's words. She reached out for her mother, and Yaeko folded her into a tight embrace.
"I don't...I don't know what to do kaa-san! I don't know! I can't-"
Her mother gently rocked her, attempting to soothe her sobbing.
"You will stand strong, my daughter. You still stand tall, and strong, and proud. Because you are a Yoneda, and this, this will not break you."
Yayoi pulled away some, dazed by the confidence in her mother's voice, "But, but kaa-san...I just...I just feel empty. Like there's nothing left inside. I don't feel strong at all."
Her mother cupped her face then and caught her eyes with her own fierce gaze, "My daughter, if you take any of my words and hold them close to your heart, let it be these. The strength of a woman is not measured in the amount of suffering she has endured; it is shown in the courage she has to face every day that comes after."
A wealth of emotion welled up in the girl then, and tears flowed down her cheeks again, "I promise kaa-san, I promise. I'll be strong."
A watery, tear-filled smile came across Yaeko's face then, and she pulled Yayoi into another tight hug, "Good girl. Good girl."
"Cut!"
Sugaya-san sat back slightly, and patted Kyoko on the head, "Are you alright there Kyoko-chan?"
Kyoko sniffed loudly, bringing the sleeve of her mofuku kimono to her face to mop up the overflowing tears.
"I will be, shortly, don't worry," she replied, her voice thick with emotion. Sugaya-san just offered her a small smile though, while Director Shingai stepped up next to them.
"Well done ladies, well done. It took a bit, but we got it. Water?"
He offered the pair of them their water bottles, and they gratefully accepted. Kyoko, even as she swallowed many mouthfuls of water, felt shaky. But in spite of her own imbalanced emotional state, there was a strong resolve growing within her to take her secret to the grave with her. Sugaya-san's motherly comfort had hit a little too close to home and she'd been more Kyoko than she'd been Yayoi in that last moment. She had, with some confusion, felt like she'd actually been promising her own mother that she'd be strong.
The courage to face every day that comes after? Kyoko somehow thought that maybe even her own mother might respect such a notion.
When Hizuri Kuu had been informed by his wife that they were to travel to Japan to help their son, he'd stared at her incomprehensibly for a long, long moment. After the tears of happiness, after the reassurances that it was real, after he'd sat and grappled with it for a time, he had felt his first spark of curiosity. What was it about this series that made Kuon want them with him for the end?
When Kuon had been young, he had liked to have his parents with him for his last day of shooting. This didn't always happen, due to his and Juli's schedules, but they had done their damnedest for at least one of them to be there, if not the both of them. It had been a rare pleasure for Kuu to see his son step off of a set, and smile at him, and to tell Kuon great work today, son.
But after all this time, what was it that made Kuon ask this again? When Juli had said he'd asked for help, and she had elaborated on the why, Kuu had just been happy. Later, once they'd been emailed brief details of the work by both Lory and Kuon, Kuu had realized that this work was also what Kyoko had talked to him about months ago. And so, two weeks past that fateful phone call, he and Juli now sat in a lobby, sharing a pot of tea with one Shingai Seiji, and Kuu was intrigued.
"So I've been given permission by Takashi-san, our screenwriter, to share all of Act Six with you two. Tsuruga-san had requested this of us, and well, we felt it would be...wrong to say no."
Director Shingai offered them a smile, his eyes flicking between the two of them like he couldn't believe what he was seeing. Nevermind the fact that he and Lory had set this up all on their own and made it possible to get them here in time, the poor man had had a look of stunned disbelief when he'd seen them get out of the LME car that had brought them to the site. That still hadn't gone away yet.
"We'll look it over, but would you mind giving us a brief overview? With how...our son was talking, he's fascinated by this story. And well, that makes..."Juli glanced at him out of the corner of her eye and Kuu gave her a small nod, "That makes the pair of us really curious."
She laughed a little and Shingai relaxed some.
"Certainly. Takashi-san wrote this in mind with a focus on a particularly prominent family, the Yonedas. Yoneda Yaeko is the okami-san of the Yoneda Inn, one that the Yonedas have run for over two centuries. Her husband became a diplomat and held a position in the Diet after the war, and the Occupation of Japan. Yumika and Yayoi are their daughters, and are becoming instrumental figures inside their town, just like the rest of the Yonedas. A running theme is that they're still trying to heal from the war and their losses"
"How interesting," Juli murmured, "A narrative primarily focused on women then?"
Shingai smiled, "That's a good way to put it. The strongest singular male presence, actually, would be Tsuruga-san's character, Lieutenant Commander Jack Taylor of the US Navy."
Juli and Kuu exchanged another glance, but Kuu kept quiet and took another sip of his tea as Shingai continued.
"Yoneda Michitada and Jack Taylor first come across each other at the Tokyo Embassy and realize that they have a few things in common. Michitada offered for the Yonedas to host outreach events at their Inn as a gesture of goodwill. Jack Taylor accepted and said he would head up the effort. Jack Taylor slowly comes to know the rest of the Yonedas, and his character grows and develops through his relationships with the various family members. Act Six in fact, covers the span of about four and a half years, and is all about Yayoi and Jack's growth as characters."
"How is this being marketed exactly?" Kuu asked, trying to finagle an approximation of a press release in his head. With such a narrative so heavily dependent on character growth, instead of an overarching plot, it would be difficult to muster up a two to three sentence paragraph about a miniseries, in his opinion.
Shingai took a sip of his tea, then carefully set the cup down before he replied, "Funny you should ask. We have both domestic backers, and international. This will be released in several countries worldwide, and simultaneously if we can manage it. So, the domestic marketing is all about the Yoneda Family, an old traditional family, trying to find their feet again after the war. Internationally…"
His voice trailed off as he looked at the pair of them. Kuu's eyes narrowed, but it seemed Juli had cottoned on before he had.
"Political intrigue and war with a dash of romance?" She asked, her tone contemplative. Shingai gave them a short nod. Kuu felt himself laugh.
"I can see why you're trying to keep that on the down-low domestically."
"Yes, well," said Shingai, "We're being very careful. Takashi-san wanted this to be a hard-hitter and knew she'd have to be sneaky about it."
"And our roles specifically?" asked Kuu.
"Ah, yes. We have these narration sequences, and episode six has Jack's. Or rather, Tsuruga-san's. So the narrative 'prologue' as it were, needed Jack's parents. Your roles don't take up too much screen-time I'm afraid, but you will be seen in this prologue."
"Fascinating structure for a dramatic miniseries," remarked Juli, as she gave her character biography a quick once-over.
"Thank you for the compliment," said a soft voice behind Kuu. He and Juli turned, surprised, and saw a woman their age, and their son. The three Hizuris stopped and stared at each other, before Kuon smiled.
"Mom, dad, glad you could make it."
It was Juli who moved first, and Kuu couldn't blame her. She rushed to fold Kuon into her arms, even though he had a good six inches on her, and didn't let up for a good long while.
Kuu smiled at the woman he now knew to be Takashi-san, "Takashi-sensei. Very good to meet you."
"Same to you Hizuri-san."
He turned back to his wife and son, just to get in on the hug, and bear-hugged the pair of them as tightly as he possibly could before they began protesting loudly. Kuu boomed out another delighted laugh and set the pair down again.
"Honestly Kuu! You pulled my hair doing that!" Juli grumbled, trying to set it to rights. Kuon was similarly trying to set his clothing to rights but Kuu just grinned.
"Shall we get some dinner then?" he asked his son, "Go over what you wanted to?"
"I figured that was what was next. Boss told me you hurried out of his place without even getting second helpings at lunch," Kuon teased. Kuu could only offer up a shrug.
"There was something I had to do that was more important."
Kuon glanced away, scratching at the back of his head in embarrassment. Shingai coughed and did his best to politely interject.
"We set aside a room for you three, and got a special chef for the occasion."
"Oh, you didn't have to go to those lengths," protested Juli.
Takashi and Shingai exchanged a glance but it was Kuon that spoke up.
"Yes, well, they insisted. They said it was a standing obligation?" Kuon let the amusement leak through his voice as he stared pointedly at Kuu. Kuu grinned again and Juli arched a curious eyebrow, before her face lightened with realization.
"Do I finally get to meet this other son of yours Kuu?" she asked as she poked at him teasingly, her fingers digging into his stomach for a second.
"It sure seems like it," Kuu replied. Juli then gathered up the script they were given and bowed to Takashi and Shingai.
"Thank you so much for this. Will you be joining us for dinner?"
Both Takashi and Shingai turned them down, saying they'd already eaten, and Kuu was relieved. He needed a good long meal with his favorite people. Kyoko cooking him his favorite food while he did so was just a bonus.
Once the Hizuris finally convinced Kyoko to come out of the kitchen to join their meal, Kuu was able to finally pin down what about her was so different. He'd been struck by how much she had grown, but couldn't pinpoint why.
"You grew your hair out," the words felt dumb to say. Especially since Kuon's hair had been cut short for his role, and that had startled him too. But Kyoko with chin length hair struck him as so unusual.
She blushed, "Yes, I did. This series covers a lot of months, and Act Six even covers years, so keeping my hair cut short seemed a little silly."
"Makes sense," said Juli, "I prefer mine long myself, I think it's so pretty. I will say though, that I was sad to see your pretty hair cut short and dyed like this Kuon."
She shot a playful glare at her son who could only shrug.
"I do what the role requires."
Kuu nodded in approval. They'd had a light-hearted meal so far, just catching up on everything that everyone had done since they'd seen each other last, but a more pressing question weighed on Kuu's mind.
"So how did she find out?" He asked Kuon. He'd thought he'd said this quietly, but the girls on the other side of the table stopped talking when he asked as well.
Kuon tapped a nervous finger on the table, but simply took a sip of his water and said nothing.
"Kuon," Kuu said, his voice low, "I'm only asking because you were the one that wanted this kept quiet. I can understand telling your director and your screenwriter, especially since you requested us to do this and you would have needed permission. But we've been calling you by your real name all night. Hasn't fazed Kyoko-chan a bit. What's happened?"
Kyoko-chan looked as pale as the white plates they were eating off of, and Kuu felt some regret at that. But, he wanted to know what had happened with his boy that would make him so cavalier about someone else knowing. Had she found out all on her own? Had he told her? Were they truly that close? Kuu had to know, he didn't want anyone else taking advantage of his son.
"Kuu," said Juli softly as Kuon stayed silent, "Do we really need to get into this?"
"Yes," he replied firmly.
Kyoko shifted nervously, "Tsuruga-san, if you-"
"Don't! Don't call me that," Kuon cut her off sharply and Kuu's eyebrows raised as Kyoko flinched slightly. Juli stared between the two of them, concern clear on her face.
"Kuon, if she's supposed to call you that when you're in public, don't reprimand her like that! It's rude, and unnecessary," Juli scolded him. Kuon pinched the bridge of his nose, then rubbed harshly as his face.
"I'm sorry Mogami-san. I didn't mean to snap like that. Mom's right, it's rude. Dad, I told her. We knew each other as kids. We were friends then, and I couldn't keep quiet, not when I was effectively lying about it to her face, even as we reignited our friendship."
Kuon sent him a challenging stare and Kuu held up a hand in surrender, "Hey, I just wanted to make sure you were alright. That's all. I had no idea something like finding an old friend is what sparked this. If that's the case, I am beyond happy for you."
Kyoko piped up again, uncertainty coloring her tone of voice, "Um, I can leave, take care of the dishes in the kitchen if you guys need some time-"
"You're fine Mogami-san," Kuon reassured her, then turned to them again, "Look, Mom, Dad, I'm just taking it one step at a time here. I have found that I genuinely enjoy working in Japan. It's been...incredibly fulfilling. I think I've grown a lot. Do I know yet if I want to be known as Hizuri Kuon again? No, I still have no idea. But, I'm sick and tired of not talking with you, of not sharing things with you, of not being a family. I don't know how it would work, since I want to stay in Japan and keep working, but that's what I want."
Kuu and Juli glanced at each other, a familiar longing springing up between them. Kuu looked away and studied the grain of the table as Juli spoke for the both of them.
"We want that too. If we just have to pre-plan a ton so we can spend time together, we will. We didn't do that when you were a kid, and that was our fault. We were...lackadaisical at best when trying to make sure we always had family time to spend together when you were growing up. If you think of this place as home now, we're not going to demand you do something crazy like come see us every weekend, when our home is all the way over in the U.S."
Kuu cut in then, "I do demand at least two vacations spent together a year."
His outrageously childish pout as he said it broke the rest of the tension in the group and a ripple of amusement ran through the room.
"I think I can manage that," said Kuon, a bright smile coming across his face. Kuu thought it was the best damned thing he'd seen all day. Kuu grabbed his glass and took a swig, and caught sight of the bittersweet expression on Kyoko's face. He set his cup down gently, and tried to figure out a way to change the subject.
"Kyoko-chan! With the seriousness," she giggled at the ridiculous face he made as he said that, "...out of the way, tell me about your role. What's changed since we talked last?"
Kyoko seemed stumped for a second, but then her face lightened, "Oh! We got the rest of the story! The Yoneda Matriarch, the okaa-sama problem I told you about, you remember it?"
"Sure do!" He replied, while Juli and Kuon looked on, curious.
"It got better!" Kyoko smiled brightly, "Sugaya-san even made me cry in our scene the other day! She was amazing!"
Kuon interjected, "Wait, why was it amazing to cry?"
Juli just sighed and shook her head, "It happens, idiot son of mine."
Kuon looked affronted but Kuu shoved a hand in his son's face to shut him up, "Tell me more Kyoko-chan."
Kuon spluttered behind his hand and Kyoko let out a quietly horrified giggle but Kuu just urged her to go on with her story.
"Okay, so, Yayoi gets widowed, right? It's this whole thing. Atsushi-san was amazing at being such a loving husband, by the way."
Kuon's face turned sour then, and Kuu distracted him again by stuffing part of a daifuku in his mouth. (Kyoko made delicious daifuku and Kuu knew that even Kuon couldn't complain about eating one.)
"Go on then, sweetie," said Juli as Kyoko gazed at Kuon in concern, as he tried to swallow the part of the sweet his father had smashed onto his face.
"Um, alright. So the Yoneda family had such a strained relationship, and it was because Michitada disapproved of Yayoi getting married so young, but the okami-san, played by Sugaya-san, approved it anyway when Michitada was bedridden in the hospital from a mugging."
"What?!" Juli gasped, "Why would a wife do that when the husband disapproved?"
"Because she cared so much!" said Kyoko, partly wailing now.
"The okami-san just wanted her kids to have a place they could call home again, and she thought Yayoi being married to a man who loved her that much would mean that she would think of the place as home again! Of course, no one in the Yoneda family had any idea that Yayoi's poor husband was a survivor of the A-bomb, and that there was no way the marriage could last. Yayoi herself only learns that later, but the okami-san just wanted her daughter to feel like she had a home again!"
Juli sniffed along with Kyoko and Kuu rolled his eyes, "Twisted bit of logic there. What about what Yayoi wanted?"
"I know, right?" muttered Kuon, having finished the bit of daifuku.
Juli shot the pair a dirty look, "Sometimes what mothers do doesn't make sense to others, alright?!"
"They're just...they're just flawed human beings you know?!" said Kyoko, still sniffing, "They make bad choices sometimes, but they do it because they care so much!"
She began to cry at this, the tears running down her cheeks and Juli patted her sympathetically on the back.
"I get it, I get it. So this Sugaya-san, she did a scene with you that made you cry?" asked Juli.
"Yeah...She was just so good in it, you know? It was this scene in which Yayoi is given the last note Daisuke ever wrote to her, and the okami-san finally tells the truth about why she said yes to the marriage. So this scene is talking about how Daisuke and Yayoi had made each other this promise that because they had lost so much, they wanted to make the place feel like the home that they were both trying to find again and-"
"Oh, oh no. That's so rough," said Juli. Kuu and Kuon exchanged a look, feeling slightly guilty again as Kyoko sniffed some more, and tried to mop up her tears.
Juli patted her again in sympathy, "A painful scene to be sure. But that's a good truth to have between mother and daughter. I can't say I disagree with the concept either."
"What? What does that mean?" asked Kuon, his brow furrowed in confusion.
Juli smiled over at him, as she patted Kyoko one last time, "I've always thought 'home' wasn't a place; it was people. They are the people you can tell all your woes to, and all your triumphs. They are the ones you want to see after a hard day's work. They are where you go when your mind, heart, and soul need rest. That place, that warm, loving place where you are together, it doesn't matter where it is, so long as you are together. That place, that is 'home'."
Juli caught Kuu's hand with hers and smiled at him. Kuu felt his heart race as she did and he drew her hand to his lips to press a kiss to the back of it.
"Well said, wife of mine."
"Well, you taught it to me, husband dearest."
They smiled at each other. They didn't notice, but Kyoko and Kuon looked away, embarrassed to see such a private sight. Kuu once more found himself feeling gratitude over the fateful phone call from two weeks ago.
Kyoko, as she watched Ren watch his parents, could only agree with what Juli had said.
Home wasn't a place, it was people.
Ren had the distinct feeling of self-consciousness creeping in on him. He didn't much care for the feeling. In his many years away from home, he'd forgotten the peculiar awareness he felt whenever he knew his mother and father were on set with him.
Act Six began from Jack's perspective, with his prologue and narration, then with his ship docking in Tokyo Bay. Jack then sent out Burnham to personally deliver both his message, and Daisuke's last words. The scene directly after that one for Jack, was one where he received his next orders for his unit. So while the first act of episode six was primarily exposition for both Jack and Yayoi and took place over the span of a week, the second act covered a much larger span of time. To keep the running time reasonable, there were brief scenes of Jack and his unit in several different locations, and included them fighting the enemy, or delivering supplies, or escorting bigger cargo supply ships.
Essentially, they had to cover the span of time from early 1951, to late 1953, when Jack resigned his commission, with his contract with the US NAVY finally fulfilled. As they had filmed the military combat and engagement along with the rest of the footage needed for Act Five, Ren's work on Act Six began with his resignation scene. As his parents had only been able to wrangle five days free from their schedule (and that included their travel time), their shooting time was set for right after he finished this scene. Shingai wanted to work with them himself, but didn't want his AD to direct Ren's scene, so Shingai had decided to just do them one right after the other.
Ren normally wouldn't mind this one bit, however, this particular scene hit a little close to home. He tried his best to bury that feeling deep though. His embarrassing rehearsal was still fresh in his mind, as was Kyoko's challenge. I'll be waiting on the battlefield. He wanted to knock this scene out of the park for more than one reason, but he still appreciated the motivation that challenging demand gave him.
After she'd touched up his hair and clothes once last time, Konou-san, his makeup artist, stepped back and gave him a long look.
"Ready?" she asked softly.
He nodded, his resolve growing stronger.
A smile flickered over her face, "Kick it in the ass. You've got some people to impress."
Ren smiled in return as she glanced over at his parents. This was a small, intimate scene, and so was the one his parents were doing. Such scenes didn't require a large amount of crew, so Konou-san was one of the few members of the crew that were on set with them. Ren had even asked Yashiro to refrain from attending. While Ren and Lory had finally come clean to Yashiro about what Tsuruga Ren's real name was (as it had become harder to hide it than to just be honest), Ren knew he would have felt even more self-conscious with his manager there as well. He could only be thankful that Lory was in Tokyo.
As it stood anyways, there'd been murmurings all morning because the resemblance was truly uncanny. No one had dared approached him about it, likely at the behest of the director. Regardless, he appreciated Konou-san's remarks all the same. He nodded to her and then took his mark. He was ready.
...
"Lt Cmdr Taylor, please, come in. Have a seat!"
Jack's CO was an older, jovial gentleman and often commented that Jack reminded him a great deal of his grandfather. It used to be, that Jack was happy whenever he'd heard that. But he'd grown since then. Commander Johnson peered out at him over a pair of bifocals, and ushered him further inside his office. Jack chose to stand instead of sit, tucking his uniform cap beneath his arm and placing papers on the commander's desk.
"This won't take long sir, I just wanted to make sure you signed off on these."
"Ah, yes, my secretary informed me you weren't re-upping your contract," said Commander Johnson as he picked up the papers to study them.
"No sir, I'm not."
"Terrible shame that, your grandfather wanted you to make a career out of it, like he did."
A muscle in Jack's jaw flexed, but his tone was neutral when he replied, "While I'm grateful that my grandfather's recommendation helped me become a commissioned officer, I find that I'm...more fulfilled doing other work."
Commander Johnson's eyebrows raised as his gaze flicked back up to Jack instead of the paperwork.
"Not to play the devil's advocate, but you've got one of the best track records of any men under me. You were being fast-tracked for promotion at every point in your career. Pardon me if I'm a little, disbelieving as it were, but why the change of heart? You had fire in you boy."
Behind his back, Jack's fist curled and uncurled. Once more, he forced his tone into neutrality, "So it was. Does it matter how it happened? I've fulfilled the terms of my contract, have I not?"
His CO's eyes narrowed and he tossed the papers down on his desk.
"Your grandfather intended you to live up to his legacy, even surpass it. Your track record shows you were well on your way to do so. And what the boys in DC want right now, is a success story. Your grandfather was smart enough to calculate all that. All this, it's played out just as your grandfather intended."
"And I believe history will judge us not for our intentions, but for the actions we choose to take," Jack responded sharply.
A deep frown creased the folds of Commander Johnson's face, "You're walking a fine line Taylor. They aren't going to leave you be. Not with McCarthy on the warpath."
"With respect sir, no I'm not. I'm taking myself off the board of play," Jack tugged out another piece of paper from his inner coat pocket, and placed it on his CO's desk.
Commander Johnson let out an agitated hiss of breath, "Taylor this better not be what I think it is."
"If you think it's my proof of documentation for Japanese citizenship, then yes, it is what you think it is."
"Damn it Taylor!" Commander Johnson stood abruptly and shoved the piece of paper back at Jack. Jack shoved it back in his pocket as his CO glared at him fiercely.
"Your grandfather never would have allowed this!"
"Then it's probably a good thing that my grandmother disowned me, hm? There will be nary a mark left to the Taylor name."
"Don't get smart with me boy!"
Jack met the commander's gaze unflinchingly, his shoulders back and his head held high, "My parents named me Junichi Jackson Taylor."
There was a ringing silence, and then Jack spoke again, "Not boy, not Pete Taylor's grandson. I am Junichi Jackson Taylor. It's about time I was honest about that."
His CO's eyes were wide and disbelieving, but Jack was done. He put his cap back on, gave Johnson one last look, gestured to the paperwork, then said, "You can send that to me at my new address in Tokyo. You can't miss it, it's right near the Embassy."
Junichi Jackson Taylor gave Johnson one last smile, then turned and exited.
...
Ren's self-consciousness abruptly resurfaced when he stepped off set once Shingai cleared him to, when he saw his parent were waiting for him.
They held their arms out, and Ren couldn't help but step into them. His mother let out a loud sniff, and said something about her handsome, lovely son, but Ren couldn't make out much more buried in the three-way hug as they were. After some more sniffling, his mother stepped back and placed her hand on his cheek.
"You were so good Kuon," she whispered, "So, so good. You sounded so fierce and proud. I'm so proud of you!"
Kuu thumped him hard on his back when his mother stepped away. Ren went to protest how hard it was, only to find himself on the receiving end of his father's tremulous smile.
"Dad?" He asked, concerned.
Kuu just kept smiling, and then finally managed to get out the words.
"Great work today, son."
Ren found himself blinking back tears as he unexpectedly found himself remembering one of his last US-based productions when he was fourteen. His father had been there the last day, had hugged him tight when he'd done his last scene, and said those same words, great work today, son.
"Thanks Dad," he replied, his voice hoarse with emotion.
Then, without any shame or self-consciousness whatsoever, Ren pulled both his parents into another hug and held on tight.
"Are you alright sir?" asked Iwasaki-san as Shingai blew his nose into his handkerchief.
While his voice cracked tellingly, Shingai replied with certainty, "I'm good. I just can't believe I got to witness that happening. We're making magic here. We really are. Today's a good day."
Iwasaki smiled and shook his head a little before he noticed one of the crew members getting distracted from the fog machine.
"Hey! Hey!" He called out to them, "More fog! Not less! This is a hazy memory! Come on guys! Quit getting distracted!"
He winced as that came out and glanced worriedly at Shingai. He breathed a sigh of relief when Shingai waved him on.
Iwasaki hurried over to the lighting team as he saw them put on too orange of a light filter for their big spotlight.
"Too orange!" he shouted, "Too much! Tone it down. Come on people. This is a hazy memory!"
Shingai chuckled as he saw his AD whip the crew into a frenzy to fix up their last scene of the day. He checked the time on his watch as he saw the kid they cast walk in with his mom. They were a bit early, but ah well, he'd roll with it. He was having a good day.
He beckoned them over and gave them the directions they needed. After getting that squared away, he went to his preferred handheld camera he used for close-up, intimate scenes. The upcoming scene, since Shingai had had a specific image he wanted to show, was one where the audience would primarily focus on Jack's parents, and do so from Jack's point of view. They would walk beneath blooming cherry blossom trees in an arboretum, and would be swinging kid Jack as they walked along. All the while, Shingai would keep the camera behind the boy, and angle it up to mimic his point of view.
They'd have to fill in the arboretum in post-processing, as cherry blossoms were out of season. Shingai had loved the idea, so it was work he didn't mind doing, and luckily, their partial inside/outside set up they were using had a conveniently placed walking path. And he had fake blossoms and fake petals at the ready. As he saw the Hizuris detach themselves from each other, Shingai motioned for Kuu and Juli to go over to their places.
As they took their spots, playing around a little with the boy they'd cast, Shingai watched for Iwasaki's signal. Once it was given, Shingai felt himself smile. He couldn't help it, he was eager to see the final result.
...
"Mom, mom! Are these your favorite?" Jack asked, showing a blossom to his mother and eager for her to respond.
"They sure are sweetie," Jack's mother smiled down at him, "Aren't they pretty?"
He felt himself nod, "Yeah!"
"Say it with me son, sakura."
Father and son repeated the word a couple more times before Jack got distracted again.
"Kiiiiite!"
His parents looked up at the sky, and Jack took the opportunity to start swinging himself between them. His parents laughed, and pulled him up, playing along. Jack did this for a little while longer before he spotted something else.
He paused in his walking, and pulled his hands free from his parents' grip. Once Jack walked near enough, he could see what was on the tree properly.
"A ribbon?"
His mother stepped up close to him, "Oh, now this is something I've not seen in some time."
His father stepped closer, "What's it mean?"
"Old legend says, if you a tie a ribbon on a tree, it'll help make your wish come true."
"Is that right?" said Jack's father softly, running his fingers over the knot in the ribbon.
Jack yanked on it though, trying to get it off, "I like the color though, I want it!"
His mother closed her fingers around his, "No, Jack. You don't get to have this."
He pouted, "Why not?!"
"It's a wish remember? If you take it off, it won't come true."
Jack stopped yanking on it, not wanting his mother to keep making that disappointed face, "Oh, ok. Can't I put a ribbon on the tree then?"
His mother hummed in thought, "I think any kind of cloth will do. Here," she tore a bit off from the frayed hem of her yellow skirt.
Jack frowned at it, "But it's not red."
"Well, yellow is important too."
"It is?" He looked at her suspiciously, and both his parents chuckled.
"Yellow is important. I promise. It can mean hope, it can mean joy. It's even a symbol for the season of spring. Oh, you remember the daffodils I grow? Those yellow flowers and how early they bloom? They're some of the earliest blooms I get. It lets me know spring is coming," Jack's mother smiled down at him and he giggled a little as she chucked him under his chin.
His dad ruffled his hair, "Want us to help you tie it, son?"
"Yes please!" Jack said. The three of them picked one of the lower branches, and Jack tossed the ribbon over the tree limb, his mother grabbing one part of the cloth, and his dad the other.
"Alright kiddo," said his mom, "Make a wish!"
Jack squeezed his eyes shut and made his wish. When he opened his eyes again, the three of them had tied it on. His parents smiled down at him and Jack was pretty sure his wish would come true.
Remember. Remember this moment. Remember this forever.
Ren and Kyoko managed to wrangle enough time free in their schedule, with Yashiro's cooperation, to spend some time with his parents the last day they were on site with them. For Kyoko, it was a genuine joy for her to watch Ren and his parents reconnect. As they toured around the premises together, and enjoyed the autumn blossoms in the gardens they were near, Kyoko got the sense that Ren's parents also genuinely didn't mind that she tagged along. Kuu really liked her cooking, and apparently Juli really wanted to know more about her son's old childhood friend. It was such a difference from being around Kanae's family, or even around Shotaro's, that Kyoko didn't even realize what about it felt so weird until she and Ren were actually saying their farewells to them.
Both Kuu, then Juli pulled her in for a hug after they had hugged him, then Juli smiled and said, "I'm so happy we got to spend time with you. You're so fun to be around."
"And smart too. You keep my boy on his toes, hm?" Kuu winked at her as she blushed.
(They may have witnessed an incident in which Ren attempted to help her in the kitchen and Kyoko had turned to him, smiled sweetly, then said, "You? In my kitchen? Tsuruga-san, as your friend, I urge you to recall the last time you tried this, and in which you burned scrambled eggs. You still have much more to learn, my cooking kouhai." Ren had sulked. It had been adorable.)
But it was then, as they said their goodbyes, that Kyoko had finally understood. Shotaro's parents had never said things like you're fun to be around and Kanae's family had never said things like you're smart, hm? With Shotaro's parents, it had always been worry, concern, and despair at trying to raise a child they'd not anticipated that they would need to raise. Kanae's family, as fun as they were, had never once asked her about herself, only things about Kanae.
Kuu and Juli had wanted to know her, truly know her, as she was. They were genuinely curious, and honest about their curiosity. They were like the okami-san and taisho of the Darumaya. Something warm and fuzzy bloomed within her then, and Kyoko found herself smiling as she waved at them as they were driven away in the car sent by LME.
"Thank you for letting me spend time with them Ren," said Kyoko softly.
He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pressed a kiss to her hair, "I had an ulterior motive you know. We've hardly been able to spend time together this past week. They were just a good way to get time alone with you."
A laugh was surprised out of Kyoko and she shoved his arm off of her, "Oh you're such a liar. Konou-san and Nagahama-san were totally gossiping about how many times you guys were hugging on set."
Ren shrugged it off, throwing her a teasing glance, "Whatever you'd like to believe. Two birds, one stone."
She rolled her eyes, "You're impossible."
"You love it," came his quick response. Kyoko blushed again, twirling a bit of her hair so she could distract herself from him saying something like that.
They entered the lobby of the building about then, and Yashiro glanced up from his planner, "They get sent off ok?"
"Yeah. Thanks for all your help Yashiro-san," said Ren.
Yashiro smiled back at him, "No problem. That's what a good manager is for. Isn't it so much easier for me to do my job when I have all the facts?"
His pointed emphasis did not go unnoticed and Kyoko snickered while Ren looked abashed.
"Ahha, indeed. Can I just apologize again for this summer?"
"You may," responded Yashiro graciously.
Ren bowed slightly, his tone a touch sardonic as he spoke, "So kind of you to accept my many apologies."
Kyoko giggled when Yashiro sniffed haughtily.
"I need to get to my scene at the teahouse, so I'll see you guys later, alright?" Kyoko piped up.
The two of them waved her off, and she left the lobby, sighing in contentment. It'd been a long couple days, but they'd been good ones. She thought again to Ren's words the first night his parents had come. I'm taking it one step at a time. She could appreciate that philosophy.
...
Yet another split chapter, but revised for clarity like all the rest. Thanks for reading!
-artsy