THE NEW KATSUKI.
As he lay on top of her, using one hand he pulled her closer almost crushing her against him and with the other, he cupped her bright red cheek. In a leasurely slow pace, he moved closer while his gaze flickered back and forth from her eyes to her lips as if he couldn't quite decide which one was more attractive and deserved more attention. His lips parted a little when he leaned down to kiss her.
Their lips almost brushed and would have collided if Kyoko had caught hold of her senses only a second later. She shouted, "get off!"
Ren jerked his head back with a snap and blinked, almost with surprise.
"I'm not someone who'll screw around with you."
In a flash, he was off of her. What am I doing? The question burned in his mind when Kyoko's voice shook him back to the reality. He wondered since when he became so weak that he just gave into his temptations. Was he really about to kiss Kyoko, knowing that it could very well destroy what they already had? If she hadn't stopped him, would he have been able to stop himself? The answers made him shudder.
Kyoko sighed with relief when she succeeded in stopping Ren before it was too late. She picked herself up as well. It took her a moment to realize but she finally understood what Ren was trying to do. Katsuki never let himself be alone with Mizuki because he feared he wouldn't be able to control himself. In this improv though, he actually was alone with her in an empty apartment, so his temptations took over. She was the one who was supposed to stop him because even if Mizuki loved him with all her heart, she would never let him touch her while he was still engaged to her cousin, Misao.
But still, though it was just acting, Kyoko's heart was pounding like a jackhammer because Ren had gone too far, even if he was in character. As Mizuki, she was supposed to stop him but she couldn't help but wonder if he really would've kissed her if she hadn't stopped him.
What am I thinking? Why wouldn't I stop him? Kyoko shook her head vigorously to stop herself from overthinking about the little accident. Because, that's all it was, an unfortunate accident.
Ren sat up. He didn't even remember when Katsuki disappeared from his mind and he became himself again. This was the first time it happened to him. The reason why he started acting in the first place was because he was able to completely lose his past as Kyon, and become somebody else entirely. He loved acting because it made him forget. However, for the first time, the opposite happened. He was Katsuki until he reached out to help Mizuki before they fell, but the moment Kyoko was pressed against his body, he forgot all about acting. He was not Katsuki anymore but himself. He found this fact so funny that a laugh bubbled out from his throat. He pressed the palm to his mouth to suppress it. He was able to drown out the sound, but his body still shook from the silent fits of laughter rising inside him.
After Kyoko sat up beside him, she turned her head to look at him but was shocked to see him shaking. His face was down and his whole body quivered like a withered as if he was sobbing silently.
"Um... Sir?" She hesitantly held out her hand to touch him but she drew it back.
Ren withdrew his hand from his mouth and looked up only to reveal his wide grin. Kyoko was completely stunned and confused to see him trying to suppress a laugh. The moment their eyes met, the following thought popped in his mind, so this is what people mean when they say they're lost in love! And he ended up laughing all over again. Holding his stomach, he rolled on the ground but his howling cackles didn't subside. "I'm sorry... It's just..." He tried to explain but hardly managed to say a couple words through his wheezing.
Kyoko stared at him with shock and amusement. As Mizuki, she was supposed to be angry at him but for some reason, the sound of his laughter melted her heart into a puddle. When he laughed like that, he almost looked like a different person. He was not Ren. He was not Katsuki either. His vibe and energy, it belonged to someone else entirely. What Kyoko found puzzling was the fact that it hit her with a wave of deja vu and nostalgia, like she was supposed to know who this person was almost as if she had met him somewhere before.
At last, she managed to pull herself away from her thoughts and glared at him using her coldest Mio looks. "Sir, you're making fun of me, aren't you?"
After some quick pondering, Ren quickly made up an excuse to lie about his recent behaviour. "Nope. It was actually your punishment, Hongo."
"What do you mean?"
"I warned you not to barge into a single guy's apartment alone, but you didn't listen to me. So I was trying to teach you a lesson. But your face..." His next words for muffled by his chuckling. "It became so flustered and nervous that I... couldn't stop myself from laughing. You actually thought I was going to kiss you?" He laughed out loud like it was the most ridiculous idea in the world.
Almost an hour later, when Mizuki had cooked for Katsuki, and the two had shared dinner together, Ren ended their improvisational exercise before he drove Kyoko back home. "Kyoko, I wanna thank you for staying here to help me."
"We're done rehearsing?" Kyoko's face lit up like a bulb when she realized what it meant. "So that means..."
"Yes," the corners of his mouth quirked up in a confident smile as he finished her lingering thought. "I'm coming back to the set tomorrow. I've got it. My own Katsuki."
On that particular morning, Kyoko was exceptionally exuberant and jaunty as she hopped on to the set of Dark Moon. She had been expecting the place to be filled with frenzy and excitement since he was coming back, but her hopes were dashed to the ground when instead of cheers, she found sullen and icy silence consuming the air.
The crew was gathered around in the middle. Making her way through the thick crowd, she poked her head out in the centre to get a clear view of what everyone was surrounding. There stood Ren, in a usual black worksuit. His eyes were holding the gaze of the man in front of him, who wore a ridiculous purple embroidered tailcoat, the President of LME, Lory Takarada. They both just stood there and stared at each other through cold, narrowed eyes while the crowd whispered in hushed, unintelligible tones. The tension in the air was thick enough to be touched. Kyoko poked her finger to the guy next to her and inquired softly, "What's going on? Why is the President here?"
His brows shot up in surprise. "You mean you don't know?"
"Don't know what?"
And then he told her.
After a few minutes or so, the staring contest between the leading man and the President was intervened by the Director.
"President Takarada, Ren, there's no need to be so serious..." Ogata chuckled nervously to lighten the mood as he placed himself between the two men. "We should relax and wait. Itsumi isn't even here yet."
"I," Takarada ignored him. Without taking his eyes off Ren, he spoke in a clear, precise tone," will not show anyone favoritism, Ren. If you do not surpass Kuu Hizuri, the previous Katsuki, I will have you replaced. If you're here on just a whim, you should leave already. Infact I've already found a replacement for you."
The crowd gasped. If Ren was affected by the President's harsh words, he didn't show it. With his eyes still fixated on Takarada, he shot back, "I will exceed all of your expectations. I can guarantee I will surpass Kuu Hizuri. Not only his acting skills and his charisma, but the power in his performance as well."
The corners of Takarada's mouth twitched up a centimetre. "Those are some big words. You better not forget them."
After his little 'talk' with the President, Ren looked around the set for Kyoko but he didn't see her anywhere. In the end, he found her sitting against the wall in a dark, quiet corner, hugging her knees to her chest with a sombre look.
"What's wrong? Why are you here all alone?" He asked.
"Oh, don't mind me," she sighed dramatically as she shot him a cool glare from the corner of her eyes. "I'm just enjoying my solitude."
"Are you upset about something?"
She twisted in her seat so she could face the wall and hide the sad expression on her face. Through clenched teeth she spat sarcastically "upset? I'm not upset! What reason do I have to be upset? After all, I'm already used to being left out. I'm not at all mad at you for not even mentioning to me that the President gave you a deadline while everyone else knew about it."
"Ah," he couldn't resist a small smile. "So that's what it's about. I'm sorry. It was not my intention to exclude you or anything."
"It's just..." her tone became extremely soft and tender like she was about to break apart any moment. He could feel her sadness reverberating through the sound of her voice. "I know it's silly to be upset about something like this, but I'm just a little sad that I had no idea you had so much pressure on you. It bothers me a little that I was the last one to find out." Batting her eyelashes to stop the tears that was threatening to show up, she clenched her arms around her knees to hug them even tighter.
Ren's heart fluttered in his chest when he heard her shaky voice as her back clinched. Above her torso which was wrapped around in a baby blue top, he eyed her pale, slender neck on which the black clusters of her short hair were parted in the middle to be equally divided on her shoulders. The sight reminded him of her sweet fragrance of lavender from last night, and he shivered fiercely. How could anyone possibly look so darn cute while being so upset? He wondered. What is it you're trying to do here? He asked her silently. Are you testing my patience or are you just trying to seduce me?
"We'll pick up where we left off," Ogata announced once the set was prepared. "The scene where Mizuki brings tea for Katsuki."
The crew nodded in agreement as the leading actors, Ren and Itsumi climbed up to the stage.
"Director," Ren raised an arm. "I would like to ask for a favour before we start?"
"What is it?" Ogata picked himself up from his chair.
"Following the scene where Mizuki breaks the cup and cuts herself, is it alright if I diverge from the script?"
Surprised gasps arose from the crowd before silence reigned once again. Even Itsumi cocked her head at her partner in shock.
After Ren's words fully sank in, Ogata made sure he hadn't misheard him. "Are you saying you want to improvise? As in change the script?"
"Yes," Ren replied with a straight face. "I believe I cannot bring out my Katsuki properly with the current arrangement."
"But if you improvise, Mizuki's dialogues would need to be changed accordingly," the Director stole the words from Itsumi's mouth before she could point out this little detail and the fact that she was not okay with it. "We should ask Itsumi's opinion first-"
"I'm sure Ms Momose will be happy to oblige," Ren cut in and answered on her behalf before she object, without even looking in her direction. "She must be already sick of recording the previous scene for so many takes."
Ogata sounded almost panicked when he spoke, as if it was a sin to even talk about changing the script. "Without the script, you could deviate from the focus of the scene and-"
"It won't change. You can count on me for that," Ren assured him. "I'll end the scene in the exact conclusion in which Mizuki leaves the room to make another cup of tea and Katsuki sits on the sofa, deep in thought about her with a smile."
"And what if Itsumi does not respond with the line you're looking for?"
"That won't happen. Because what I'm looking for, I'll draw it out from her myself."
His words hit Itsumi like a tight slap on her cheek. Her face burned with humiliation. After screwing up the scene for so many takes, Ren had the audacity to talk about her in that chauvinistic, patriarchal tone while she was right there. She felt like he was purposely trying to mock her and look down on her. Sure, she was not as experienced as him but she didn't need his help to play her character. Draw it out from me, huh? We'll see about that, she thought bitterly while trying not to display her anger.
Just like she had expected, Ogata agreed to give Ren's idea a try.
Kyoko shivered with excitement. Her eyes remained glued to the stage even before the scene started. Her heart fluttered as she smiled in anticipation, waiting for the new Katsuki to come out.
"Action!" The scene started.
Mizuki entered the living room with a small tray in her hands. She flashed a big, wide grin to her teacher and placed the tray on the table. Pouring the tea in a cup, she handed it to Katsuki. Clumsily, she let it go too early because of which the tea spilled on the rich carpet and the white china shattered into pieces.
"Ouch!" Music squeezed her finger and big, fat drops of blood squeezed out from her wound.
Katsuki was at her side at once. He kneeled down beside her and gently held her hand. "Let me help you."
Itsumi had already made up her mind not to respond correctly to Ren's improve to get back at him for humiliating her earlier, but without permission, colour rose to her cheeks when she noticed the gentleness with which he held her hand. His eyes were soft almost like an angel's. She could have sworn that she felt something was very different about him.
His eyes slowly swept up to her face. All Ren had to do was think about Kyoko to make his heart race, to heat up his face, to send delicious shivers down his back, to look like he was in love as he held Mizuki's hand. The look of love was deeply ebbed in Katsuki's eyes.
Ren didn't maintain that look for long though. According to the script, he was supposed to be lost in Mizuki's eyes, but he had something different planned out for his Katsuki. All of a sudden his eyes became deadly cold and dangerous as he stared at the girl he loved with an insatiable desire to possess her sparkling in his eyes.
Mizuki looked like she was tempted to step away from him but she was nailed to the spot, like his eyes were somehow controlling hurt. She shivered with such intensity as if it was a december evening and the fire had run out.
Kyoko was watching the performance from the back of the room but she still stopped breathing when she felt the malicious aura seeping out of Ren. She had been on the receiving end of some of the coldest glares from Ren, but they couldn't even begin to describe the dark look he had in that moment. She shuddered in her seat and felt an odd pity for poor Itsumi.
"Allow me," Kautuki tightened his knuckles which were intertwined with her soft delicate fingers and he drew her hand closer to his face.
When her fingers almost brushed against his lips did Itsumi realize what Ren was up to. With a started shriek, she jerked back from him immediately and blushed hard up to the roots of her hair.
Almost everyone gasped aloud, the men with surprise while the ladies with wonder. The only exception was Kyoko. She pressed her hands on her chest to stop her racing heart, and sent a silent prayer towards Itsumi. She almost felt bad for the leading actress because last night being in a somehow similar situation Kyoko knew exactly what it felt like to be in her shoes. Only it was worse for Itsumi because the whole crew had witnessed her blushing like that.
That scared me to death, Itsumi huffed as she stood back up and looked at Katsuki, who for some reason was hiding his face with his hands pressed against his mouth. I couldn't help but scream. She could have begged the Director to yell cut at that time. She had planned not to react at all when Ren went off script but with this stunt, she played right into his hand by giving him the most expected reaction.
Suddenly, Katsuki started trembling. Mizuki looked at him in puzzlement. Only when she heard a snort coming out of his throat did she realize, he was laughing. And not only laughing but laughing at her.
Kyoko smiled. The way Ren laughed, it was the exact same from last night. But this time she didn't feel that nostalgic presence from him. At that moment he was only Katsuki. Not Ren and definitely not somebody else. Maybe she had only imagined that.
"I'm sorry... sorry..." Katsuki managed through his chuckles. "Did you really think I was going to lick you?" He erupted into another fit ofroaracious laughter.
Mizuki stood there dumbfounded. When his laughter finally subsided, he straightened up and that ominous look twisted his features again. Itsumi couldn't figure out for her life what was going on in Ren's head and where was the scene leading.
"Why would I do something like that to you?" Katsuki mumbled in an icy cool tone that dropped the temperature in the room by probably twenty degrees. "It's not like you mean anything to me."
The words hit Mizuki like a slap. Before she could stop herself, tears flooded her eyes. Without saying anything, she turned her back against him to hide the moisture in her eyes. Itsumi was hating how she kept playing right into his hands. She had decided not to respond to the improv but, this time her silence suggested that Mizuki was rendered speechless by Katsuki's retort. No matter what she did, the scene was going exactly how Ren wanted it to be.
As soon as she turned, the dark look flew away from Katsuki's face like smoke and it was replaced with pain. He clenched his fist, closed his eyes tight shut and his features twisted in agony like someone was piercing his heart through a stake.
The Director finally understood what Ren was trying to show here. The malicious aura seeping out of him was because of Katsuki's vengeful heart. He was purposely trying to hurt Mizuki to drive her away but this was hurting him just as much. Ogata was so much drowned in the scene that his heart almost broke when he saw the pained look on Katsuki's face. He cocked his head towards the President and found him almost driven to tears.
The silence stretched out awkwardly between the two actors and they just stood there speechless. No one said anything, but no words were required to demonstrate their feelings, since they were already apparent to everyone. Mizuki was still in shock and Katsuki was in pain.
At last, when it was too much for Katsuki's heart to bear the silent tears of Mizuki, he mumbled, "you're so naive," as he chuckled lightly. "You actually took me serious there. It looks like I took the joke too far. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you."
Mizuki slowly turned back. The tears were wiped off her face but her cheeks and the tip of nose were bright red from crying. Oddly, it made her look even more breathtakingly gorgeous.
"Your wound," he took a step closer to her. "We should disinfect it just to be safe. Can I borrow your first aid kit?"
This was it. This was what Katsuki had said to Mizuki near the end of the scene before she leaves to make another cup of tea for him, according to the script. Itsumi almost gasped from anger and shock. Yes, Ren's improv had turned out to be way better than expected but even he wouldn't really end the scene this early and skip the whole scripted playful conversation between the two of them. I wouldn't allow it, Itsumi swore. I'm also a leading star. He can do whatever he wants with Katsuki, but I won't let him cut short Mizuki's scenes.
