AN: I actually got excited to write for this again so let's see where that takes us. Ren scene in next chapter.
Act 38 – Let's Fight Back
Kyoko watched Kanae and smiled sadly, she didn't know if Kanae would have the same reaction that she did to the words that she had just heard Ren Tsuruga say but it was as if he was directing the question to her. Kyoko saw the glum way that Kanae was continuing to sit in. It made her want to do something to quickly change this scenario.
"Don't tell me that you'd decided to give up in the middle from today's audition," she commented hating to see this passionate future actress let someone else dictate her future to her. This wasn't the sort of smile that she wanted on her friends face. She leaned forwards, "Hey, Moko," she said and didn't receive a response. "If you keep acting like this you'll really lose to that girl, you know."
Kanae sighed slowly and stared at the floor as if she had been given some tragic news already, "It's all right," she told her and Kyoko blinked confused. "I already know what the outcome would be. I won't be part of the second audition."
Kyoko sat upright, her face showing how shocked that statement had made her. Kyoko shook her head, trying to stick true to the determination and courage in her own heart, "Why? How can you say that?" Kyoko took a quick breath in but shook her head, "Well, I'm sure the producer will likely choose that girl to represent them, but look, Kantoko-san hasn't signed a contract with her yet. If we work had until the end there's still a chance."
Kyoko paused as she saw the heartbroken but still frustrated way that Moko turned to her. It was as if she could sob out all the tears in her body and then sob out her soul afterwards. Her eyes were filled with tears. "That's because you don't get it!" Kanae stood, her face showing even more passion that Kyoko knew would be perfect captured on film in the not so distant future. "She always does this. Whenever I'm about to move up in this industry, she comes in and block my way. I can't compete against money."
Kyoko paused and took a few deep breaths that fortunately Kanae managed to match. Once she was beginning to breathe calmly, Kanae started to speak.
"When I was in third grade, I did a play but she got the class to vote for her and took the main role that I played and from then on, she did it again and again. That girl's always been manipulating things behind the scenes. The main part in the school play became hers whilst I was put into some minor role. Then, in middle school she made it so I couldn't join the drama club. There's no way that her participation in this audition is simply a coincidence."
Kyoko looked at Kanae, not even looking away for a moment because she knew how important this was to Kanae to get out. She wasn't even going to say anything until she knew that it was her turn to answer. This was an important matter between friends and Kyoko was going to keep it this way.
"That girl," Kanae said as she struggled to fight against her tears, "Doesn't want me to even see the light of day."
Kyoko listened to the silence. She didn't want to place any more pain on Kanae, that was what made the bond between her and Moko-chan so special. They had both been through pain in the past. They were supposed to help one another give up the pain and learn to seek love and acceptance and that came from loving one another.
"So," Kyoko finally replied, "Why are you going to quit at the second round of auditions?" Kanae clenched her fist and avoided eye contact but this didn't stop Kyoko from wanting to be there with her friend, to help her friend. "If you run at this point, then she will always stifle your dreams."
Kanae kept her head bowed but chuckled darkly. Kyoko knew that Kanae didn't believe her but this was where problems got started when you lost faith in yourself. She might have been like this if Corn hadn't come for her that night. Maybe that's why he had lied to her and got trapped in his own lie, he had wanted for her not to lose. He had wanted her to fight. He had eaten flowers for her. Still, this wasn't the time to think about Corn and want Corn's forgiveness, this was a bonding moment between female friends.
"It's not like it matters," Kanae replied and Kyoko had a glint in her eyes that meant that she was ready to declare war on this individual. "In this world, there's nothing that can win over money. It's obvious that she will buy her way into Kantoko's favor. People, after all, are just like that."
Kyoko moved forwards, slapping Kanae across the face and hoping that the slap would bring her back to reality. There were times in which you did have to learn from your mistakes but it seemed as if Kanae was learning the wrong lesson here and Kyoko had to knock some sense into her. Hopefully Kanae would forgive her for the slap but this was more important. Kyoko wasn't going to let Kanae give up on her dreams just because she had been crushed, you could get over being crushed, you just had to push on harder and stronger than you were before.
Kanae moved her head to take a look at Kyoko and the chestnut haired girl surprised her. It was as if she was in a battle pose. They were really going to fight this, weren't they?
"Moko-san," Kyoko said passionately as she tried to maintain steady eye contact with her friend. "Do you really think there's no other way?" Kanae paused and so Kyoko took the chance to continue speaking, "Is it true that you think your talent can be overthrown by wealth? It doesn't matter how rich you are because talent is something that you can't buy."
Kanae hesitated as she saw her serious Kyoko was. She had her own thoughts about what Kyoko was saying but it seemed to her that she should stay quiet about those. "It's true that no one can buy talent but they can buy people's hearts," Kanae replied and Kyoko shook her head.
"But no body sold their. Nobody" Kyoko argued in an attempt to see reason in this.
"No one will refuse money," Kanae said and Kyoko froze. Her mind quickly went back to Ren's apartment and the sadness that was there despite designer clothes and really elegant material possessions. She mentally kicked herself, she had to stop thinking about him.
"You can't decide that everyone is the same based on your own assumption," Kyoko said and she didn't want to admit how much that phrase rested upon her own heart especially when it came to Kuon. "Moko-san," Kyoko continued, "When I failed at the audition at LME, I also thought that there was nothing I could do. I thought since I didn't belong there, I should just give up. However, that was because I was relying on my assumption that I will never make it to LME unless I passed the audition, but, eventually I realized that my assumption was wrong. It's still too early for us to decide on whether we belong here or not because I know I could do better."
Kyoko let her breathing rest and she met Kanae's gaze. "What about you?
Kanae was speechless and she looked ahead at the girl who seemed to be holding hope for the future, she was leading her to a door that Kanae had always assumed couldn't be unlocked easily.
"What about you?" Kyoko repeated and Kanae blinked, "Moko-san, after all this time, have you ever confronted her?" She questioned and Kanae paused trying to come up with the best answer. "Have you ever insisted on defying her even though you know that you won't win against her wealth or power?"
Kanae continued to stare at her and Kyoko let her breathing relax, "Moko-san, you really want to be an actress, right?"
Kanae stood in front of Kyoko shaking as she cycled through her past but over time her aggressive body posture relaxed and her fist opened up into a hand, she was shaking but it was as if she could finally be herself again.
"Yes," Kanae replied and Kyoko smiled.
"Well then, you should fight back." Kyoko advised and Kanae's eyes widened with hope for a new life, "Don't you feel irritated? Being followed like that?"
Kanae stared at her, an innocence coming to her face that wasn't usually there and Kyoko paused, she hadn't wanted to mislead her friend or build up false hope. She paused as Kanae blinked, "Fight back…how?" Kyoko tried to figure it out and heard Kanae repeat, "How can I fight back?"
Kyoko paused, she tried to figure something out but Kanae kept staring at her. "Umm, well…" Kyoko shuffled before feeling herself sweat under the pressure. "Oh. By the way, since we didn't stand out in the first round we should do something this time, that can create a strong impression on the judges."
Kanae looked at her with so much hope that Kyoko felt a little guilty about rushing them into such a situation. "You're right," Kanae told her before Kyoko felt the push to do something that a best friend might do but she didn't have the experience in that area, "but how?"
Kyoko paused before remembering the interview she had just seen with Tsuruga Ren. He had been saying that she should do something to pull attention and there was always one thing, one cursed item that always brought attention and you would always remember it. Maybe Ren was talking about standing out in a crowd and their Love Me uniforms made that happen, it was drawing attention to their connection to LME as well.
"There is a way," Kyoko smiled and Kanae tilted her head to the side confused. "Moko-san, don't we have a way that we can attract attention without even trying?" Kyoko asked and Kanae shifted nervously. "Yes, the only thing that we have that others don't! One glance of this is enough. For sure, we'll draw attention."
As the realization hit her, Kanae felt the cold sweat down her back and her eyes widened in horror. "Wait, wait a minute. Don't tell me you want to do that!? Not in a million years. Not for the audition. No," Kanae panicked. It was a curse. Kyoko was deliberately telling her that they needed to be part of that curse.
"Moko-san," Kyoko said in a very direct manner, "Don't you even try saying that it's embarrassing. If you truly think it's such a bad idea, then you think of a better idea." Kyoko waited for Kanae to come up with a better plan but from looking at her, Kyoko already knew that this was the best choice that they had. "Then," she stated, "It's decided," she stuck out her pinky.
"What?" Kanae asked as she looked at Kyoko's hand and Kyoko blinked.
"Isn't it obvious?" she asked, "Promise me that you'll go to the second round of this audition with me. C'mon, let's pinky swear."
Kanae pulled back with a huge blush over her face. She wanted to get away from that troublesome little friendship thing. She grabbed her coat and stormed off with Kyoko on her pursuit. No matter what it took, Kyoko really wanted to get that pinky promise.
End of Act 38
Thank you for reading, reviews are loved
Thank you to the reviewers of Act 37
Guest, Kaname671, The Real Jackie-O