AN: So it seems that my plan to update more often hasn't worked out for me. Over the past three chapters I've been receiving something like 130-170 hits per chapter and one review. I understand that not everyone who reads a chapter wants to review it but it does make me feel cheated by giving such quick updates so I've decided only to update when a certain review threshold has been met 😊 Sorry/Definitely not sorry.

Act 74 – A Great Actress

As Kyoko reached for Shotaro's throat, she felt the tears prick her eyes. She had to think about how badly this would hurt Moko despite wanting to murder the prey in front of her. Her body turned rigid as she thought about how this might end their friendship and she took another step forward. To lose Moko would be the most painful thing to her, well equal to losing Corn's friendship. Still if it protected her, Kyoko would make that sacrifice. As her hands touched Shotaro's neck, she felt gravity take hold and she knocked him over.

She leaned over him, seeing through him. He wasn't Sho Fuwa right now, he was the demon who could cost Moko her life. As she bent over him, looking at him, she shivered and had the tears flowing from her eyes. She felt the grip on her heart, tugging at her. She had to do this. She had to complete this task.

She could see Shotaro's shocked expression as he looked at her and she pushed forwards, wanting him to fall to his death but not for her sake anymore. This was for her precious Moko. She had to protect Moko-chan with all her strength. She watched as he fell, her hands leaving his throat and felt herself reach for him but then the anger and darkness came into her heart.

As she put her hands to her eyes to catch her tears, she started to laugh. The idea of hurting the one Moko loved was gone. Now she had to find out what the consequences were. She had murdered someone and the guilt seemed to break something inside of her. She looked up from her hands with pure anger in her eyes. She felt the darkness inside of her. It wasn't as if she could turn back time to save him. She started to laugh as she fell into insanity.

…..

…

As Kyoko stood in front of Haruki, he froze, shivering as she listened to the director and her eyes still filled with tears. Maybe Kanae would really never forgive her. As she had said, this hadn't really been her business. Kyoko was still somewhat in a daze as the older woman faced her.

"Let's have it this way," Haruki announced, "So sorry to trouble everyone, let's do a retake. Kyoko, sorry but please do it again," she requested before taking a good look at the girl who hadn't stopped crying, her eyes wide with tears glistening in them. "What's wrong?"

Kyoko sniffed as everyone seemed to draw their attention to her now. She froze as she tried to brush away her tears. "Ah, so sorry," she tried to apologize. "This is embarrassing. We have finished filming, I was just unable to distance myself from the character's agony," she tried to explain and Haruki tilted her head to the side. This was much different from when they had done those first shots where she had seemed truly evil.

"Her agony? What is it?" Haruki asked in interest and Kyoko attempted to steady herself so she could act more professionally.

"Ah, it's…" Kyoko smiled as she looked forwards with her hands together. She felt the joy in the words she was about to say. "Now I have a very good friend I treasure a lot. If we were faced with the same situation as those angels, for her sake, if I kill that man whom she loves deeply, how will she treat me?" Kyoko shivered as the tears started to come again.

"I was thinking it over and over again," she said before turning to Haruki with the tears flowing freely once again, "and I finally got the answer, she'll hate me, she'll despise me, she will abandon me, cut off all ties, and I'll…I don't want that to happen," she bawled like a small child. "I don't want Kanae to die!" she screamed loudly as everyone looked at her, questioning her sanity, "but I don't want her to hate me either."

Haruki stood in front of her, trying to wave her hands to get Kyoko's attention. "Kyo—Kyoko," she struggled as the girl cried loudly. "This isn't real, please come back, stay calm," she said and Kyoko took deep breaths as she listened to that but the pain and loss was still within her. Haruki put her hand on Kyoko's and weakly smiled. "Ah, looks like we need to touch up on your makeup" she commented and Kyoko sniffed as she stared at her.

"Really?" she asked as her back straightened, "I came back to reality."

The way that Shotaro was leaning forwards, looking at her, made Kyoko have the impression that somehow he felt defeated by something, most likely her acting. He kept sneaking glances at her looking annoyed but that was just how his face was. Kyoko stared at Haruki as she seemed to come to her senses and her voice wasn't breaking any longer.

"Reshooting the scene again?" she asked confused, reacting to words that were said a number of minutes prior. "Officially taking the scene? So just now was only practice?" she asked and Haruki turned to her.

"Kyoko," Haruki replied with a patient tone, "Weren't you listening to me? We won't be reshooting everything, I've decided to use the previous scene," she said and Kyoko nodded slowly, "because I don't think you guys could produce such an expression again."

Kyoko's eyes widened as she stared at the successful woman, she opened her mouth feeling as if her acting skills were in question. Her hands were at her sides. She could do it. She could channel the same emotions and do it again. This was her job. She was equipped enough to be able to do her job.

"I am confident that I can produce the same expression again. I only have to imagine Kotonami-san hates me and I'll cry," she tried to explain and Haruki smiled softly to her. Kyoko felt a wash of respect being directed towards her but she was still telling the truth. She was confident in her own abilities.

"Yes," Haruki nodded, "but Sho isn't as knowledgeable as you about acting. He, himself, never thought that you would cry, so that's why he had such a panicked expression. With this retake, he'll be mentally prepared and the same expression won't happen again," Kyoko nodded as she continued to listen to the explanation. Haruki turned to her with a thoughtful expression on her face.

"Kyoko, please don't misunderstand me. It's not that I don't trust your acting skills," Haruki paused with a smile and her arms folded, Kyoko looked up at her with hope. "Speaking of which, Kyoko you are just like a professional actress. Haven't you heard when top notch actors immerse themselves in a role, they'll be captured by the feelings of the character and lose themselves."

Kyoko's back straightened, her eyes widening. That was exactly what happened to her and this was one of her first major roles. She had invested her heart into her role and it was being acknowledged. Despite wanting to say that she could do as Ren would and that she could make the other actor follow her lead and get whatever expression she wanted from them, this praise was important to her as well. She had lost herself a little in the role because she was thinking about Moko. Did that mean she had the skills of a great actor starting to blossom already? She had been facing Shotaro but she hadn't released her demons.

"Unable to remove yourself from the role, still enmesh with the feelings of your character, isn't that just like a professional?" Haruki asked with a smile and Kyoko had to think about that. That definitely sounded like professional acting but Kyoko doubted that anyone would consider her a professional.

She didn't understand this type of compliment. She wasn't a great actor yet, she was just a beginner. She had not reached such a high level because she was only thinking of how Moko would hate her. It wasn't as if she was thinking of the role, she was using her own life and thinking of that. If she was a true actress then she would be thinking completely in character but she was using her own life and her own fears to create the emotions not getting into her role. Still, being praised like that felt amazing.

…

…

Haruki turned to the two young stars as they stood atop of the building, she tried to call out to them. "Okay! We'll start from the point when Kyoko's hands leave Sho's neck!" she announced, "Sho!" she called as she turned in his direction. "Remember to close your eyes!"

"So irritating!" Sho yelled at them and Kyoko could feel his insecurity and she knew that she had won over him. "Stop repeating it!" Sho yelled out, "I'm not an idiot!" Kyoko laughed with an evil smile and laughed bitterly, Sho pulled back in shock.

Kyoko knew that he was suspicious of her and that taste was delicious in her mouth. His shocked and panicked facial expressions were the treats that she was hungering for. She took a step forwards, speaking in a mocking tone. "Sho, please, we have to meet the goal this time," she said before giving him a challenging look in her eyes. "Moreover, learn acting," she said and Sho stared at her in horror.

He wasn't an actor and she was expecting things from him and using his own words against him. Kyoko laughed. This was seriously pissing her off.

…

…..

Kyoko grinned as she looked in the mirror, now with the makeup and costume removed but the happiness still within her heart.

"This is what I heard from others, when top notch actors immerse themselves in a role, they'll be captured by feelings of the character and lose themselves."

"Huh! Really, that's amazing!" she spoke in reply to herself in the one-person conversation,

"and I experienced such a phenomenon today. Although that jerk was my partner in acting but my dark side didn't surface at all."

"That's great! It's really great, Kyoko-san! Your acting skills have definitely improved."

"I think so too."

"Kyoko-san, congratulations, who do you want to tell such joyous news to?"

"Hmm, this of course I'll tell the very good friend who is so concerned about me. Other than that, I will tell the person who absolutely cannot know I took part in Sho's music video. My extremely respected senior."

Kyoko grinned as she zipped up her Love Me uniform and she smiled happily. She had caught up to Ren just a little bit today and more than that, she had felt the joy of acting. She wanted to share that feeling with him. She wanted to see him smile and hear him praise her. Hearing Ren praise her would be more important than hearing anyone else praise her who already had. She wanted to see him. Still, he couldn't know about this because she didn't want to lose his trust. She just needed to focus on this rare happiness that she held within her.

She really didn't want to think of revenge or have him think this was all for revenge. She wanted to experience this joy and happiness. That was what was most important to her.

End of Act 74

Thank you for reading, reviews would be appreciated

Thank you for reviewing Act 73

Kaname671: Yeah, as much as I dislike Kanae, she does have her moments. I do find her a very annoying character though. I kind of wish bad things would happen to her but that might just be me being extra mean. Well thank you for being the sole reviewer even after 154 views 😊