THE CRASH.
"Is it okay for you to be leaving the set like this?" Kyoko asked, when Ren quietly slipped away from the camp and found a secluded spot in a nearby park. "Don't you think your fans will ambush you?"
"Only if they find me." A corner of his lips quirked up into a lopsided smirk. "I've got awesome stealth skills."
Kyoko smiled.
Something made Ren's heart shiver with excitement when he noticed a small pink tear-shaped pendant hanging on her neck. He reached for it and fiddled with it for a second before letting go. "It looks good on you."
Kyoko grinned, despite her deep blush. "I know! It goes so well with Natsu's outfit, that the Director approved me to wear it during the shoot. And then something occurred to me. Since I've started playing Natsu, I've been getting all these compliments from people telling me how beautiful I look. At first, I couldn't believe it! But then I realized, it must be because of Queen Rosa's magic!" Her eyes sparkled as rambled on and on about her fantasies.
"I don't think that's true," Ren chuckled. "I'll confess, I was a little surprised myself when I saw you. You looked so different."
"That's because of Queen Rosa. That's what I was saying."
"No, I think the reason you're getting all these compliments is because you portray your character so well that you completely become that person." Staring deep into her hazel eyes, he finally dared to speak what he had been thinking from so long. "It dosen't have anything to do with magic. Because if you ask me, you really are very–"
Before Ren could say the word "pretty", Kyoko cut him off midsentence glancing at her wrist watch. "Oh, I almost forgot why I came here. Ren, I heard from Mr Yashiro that you're not using a stunt double. You're gonna do the car chase scene yourself?"
Ren did not show his hurt sentiments for being interrupted when he was about to say something so important. "I was planning on it," he answered indifferently.
Kyoko tried to hide her disappointment, but failed. "I knew you'd not use a double, but still..." Her words trailed off.
"Are you worried about me?" Ren grinned, his mood recovering. "Really?"
Kyoko didn't share his smile this time, showing her seriousness in the matter. "Well, it's not just fast driving, is it? There will also be a crash." She looked up again, her eyes stern and pleading. "Tell me you'll be careful. Tell me you won't put yourself in danger for the sake of the scene."
Her words tugged the strings of his heart. "I won't. I promise."
"Kyoko!" Amamiya called out to her, interrupting them, running in their direction. "I've been looking all over for you. Let's go back or we'll be late."
"Well, that's all I came to say." She hastily exchanged parting word with Ren and then ran off to her own set followed by Amamiya.
As soon as Ren made it back, he was ushered into Katsuki's car for his solo drive scene. It's purpose was for him to get a feel of his vehicle and the route before the actual crash scene.
Being seated, he stared the engine which roared to life, and his car flew off a second before the Director yelled, "action!" The vehicle accelerated until the needle of the speedometer reached 90kmph. Smoothly gliding at the turns, it skidded to the side before turning around and drifting back. The crowd wildly cheered him on as the car arrived at it's starting point.
Ren disembarked the car to the faces of dazed crewmembers gawking at him in awe because of the sudden discovery of his pro-level driving skills which he had just now demonstrated. The one who was most stunned was his own manager Yashiro, as he stared at him with his hanging jaw.
"What?" Ren asked, snapping his team out of their stuppor.
They shook their heads before getting back to work, except for Kijima, who muttered enviously to some other cast member his thoughts on Ren's driving. "Man, that was so impressive that it's making me mad! Could anyone believe after that he's just an amateur? It seems to me he used to be a street racer or something!"
Before his companion could reply, Ogata exclamed happily, "That was magnificent! Perfect!" He patted Ren's back. "Make sure that you keep that kind of intensity up for the rest of the scenes as well."
"Thank you." Ren smiled. "I will."
"Next up," the Director glanced at his notepad, "we'll shoot the crash scene. Noriyuki is trying to kidnap Mizuki when Katsuki chases him and crashes into his car. Kijima's part will be done by his stuntman. He's a professional. He'll press the brakes right before your cars make contact and you'll have to do the same. Got it?"
"Yes, sir."
"Ren, this scene is quite dangerous, so if you feel anything out of place, just stop the car. Don't worry about the number of retakes. Don't take any kind of risk."
"I understand."
"Alright, listen up everyone." Ogata clapped his hands, "get ready for the next scene immediately. We don't have much time. I'm counting on you all."
The next scene started. The road was empty as the waiting crowd was blocked by a heavy iron chain. Noriyuki's car took the lead, followed by Katsuki. The two vehicles flew by, as fast as lighting.
Near the end of the road, opposite the chained fence, half of the crowd was occupied by fans who've taken time out of their schedules just to witness the shoot, and other half were the busy pedestrians held off from their businesses to wait while the shoot ends.
While the fans eagerly awaited the cars which would be carrying their favorite casting members, one such boy in the crowd, who was probably five years old, constantly complained to his grandmother for being held off like that. The old lady smiled and asked him to be patient.
"But we should go! Mom is waiting for us!" He grumbled. When his grandmother didn't answer, he humphed. All of a sudden, he caught sight of his mother on the other side of the road. "Mama!" He called out, and before his grandma could get a hold of him, he ducked to get beneath the iron chain and ran off in the middle of the road to get to his mother.
Meanwhile, Kijima's double smirked, catching a glimpse of Ren's car in the rearview mirror which was still behind. "Catch me if you can."
As if on cue, he heard the squeal of tires and the next thing he knew Ren's car was beside him. The two men caught a hurried glance through the window, and they both saw a fire burning into the other's eyes, like a spark of challenge. The cars were about to crash into each other when both the drivers were startled into seeing the little boy running in the middle of the road.
Both drivers hit the brakes and their tires screeched, as the pace of their vehicles slowed down. But they knew it was no use. The cars wouldn't stop in time for the boy to be safe. It was too late.
"Cut!" Kazutoyo shouted, and the actresses relaxed. "That was brilliant! Let's take a five!"
The Box R crew hurried to do their respective jobs. While the cast slumped down on the chairs, drinking water and wiping off sweat into a towel before the next scene began.
When suddenly, a gofer came running excitedly, as fast as a horse, eager to share something with his team. "Hey, I was at the Dark Moon shoot and you wouldn't believe what happened!"
The curious teammates surrounded him, their interest perked at the mention of Dark Moon. Kyoko was also one of them.
"I heard they were doing a car chase scene when some kid got past the barricade and ran towards the middle of the road."
"Oh my God!" The Director was thrilled. "Was there an accident?"
"Maybe. Judging from the screams I heard, I think there was a crash."
The news hit Kyoko like an arrow, as fear gripped her heart and squeezed it. She suddenly couldn't feel her legs despite their tremendous shaking. With a gulp, she tried asking for permission from the Director to go there, but even though her lips moved, no sound made it out.
Kazutoyo, having interrogated the informant to know all the details, muttered, "I can't handle all this suspense! I'm going there myself."
And before Kyoko could ask him to let her join him, he was gone.
Her friends/co-stars noticed her pale face, and gasped. "Kyoko, are you alright?" asked Honami.
"Of course she's not alright!" Amamiya said. "Can't you see she's worried? They're her co-stars. Kyoko, I think you should go there too."
"B-but," Kyoko hesitated. "Would it be alright? What if the Director returned?"
"Even if he did, you can't act like this. I mean, just look at yourself. You're as white as a sheet. Besides, he left himself in the middle of the shoot! So he can't really scold anyone, especially you, since they've been your co-stars from so long."
Kyoko cast her desperate eyes one last time on her teammates for approval, and then, she ran off.
Without stopping for even a second, Kyoko ran as fast as her legs could carry her. Gasping for air, she pushed the people in her way to get ahead.
From the little bits of conversation she had overheard on her way, she had gathered that the little boy who ran off, was safe and sound, because of the perfect coordination of the two drivers. Even after the brakes were pressed, the cars were going to crash into the boy, but the drivers acted just in time by hastily spinning their cars, barely missing the boy.
Kyoko was partly relieved that no locals were hurt, but her heart was still trembling like a leaf. The reason being no one mentioned if the drivers made it out okay or not. If Ren made it out okay.
Arriving at the camp, she found Ogata, talking to two locals, one of them an old lady and the other being a middle aged woman, who was carrying a young boy in her arms. They were apologizing to the Director.
"It's really okay," Ogata held out his hands. "What matters is that you're not hurt. Just to be on the safe side, please visit the hospital."
The Director turned, and Kyoko ran up to him, "Sir!" She gasped.
At first, Ogata stared at her blankly when suddenly recognition sparked on his face. "Kyoko, is that you?" he exclaimed.
"Are they okay?" She asked impatiently, not bothering to answer, as she panted for breath. "The cars simply skidded to avoid the child, right? Please tell me no one was hurt!"
"That's right. There was no collision."
Heaving a sigh of relief, she managed to relax. "Thank God!" Her pace slowed, but she still followed the Director, who made his way to a middle-aged man. Judging from his similar built, Kyoko soon recognised him to be Kijima's double.
"I'm so grateful to you! It's because of your perfect coordination with Ren that the crash was avoided." Ogata shook his hand.
"Thank you. It was both of us. Couldn't have done it alone."
"Are you hurt? You should get yourself checked just in case."
"No, I'm perfectly fine." The stuntsman assured the Director. "However, can't say the same about him." He pointed his thumb in the direction of Ren's car which was surrounded by a dozen crewmembers. "Physically, he's unhurt, but he's still not responding to anyone."
Kyoko felt the tightness return to her chest. Dread rippled throughout her as she ran towards the car, followed by the Director.
"Ren," she mumbled, her voice a mixture of anticipation and anguish. When she arrived there, most of the crew parted on it's own to make way for the Director.
Her breath was caught the moment she laid eyes on him. His eyes were frozen into space, staring at something far beyond, just like that time when he had fought those thugs. Kyoko could again detect something odd in those deep dark eyes of his, as he features twisted in remorse. Maybe it was longing, or maybe it was fear and regret. Whatever it was, she couldn't quite grasp it.
More than a dozen people were calling out to him, trying to get his attention yet he wasn't answering to a single call, as if he couldn't even hear them. His body might be present there, but his mind was somewhere else.
The Director waved his hands and then snapped his fingers in front of Ren's face, but it was no use. He didn't respond. More like he couldn't hear him at all to respond.
"Did he hit his head?" Ogata demanded.
"We're still not sure yet," a man, holding a first aid kit, answered. "We couldn't find a would. It's more like a trauma. We need to get him to a hospital before we can be sure."
"What are you waiting for then? Get him off!"
The Director shifted back to give way to the men, who were about to carry Ren off, when Kyoko exclaimed, "wait!"
They paused, looking at the Director for approval, wondering if they should actually stop or not. If the Director was about to ask them to keep going, the sternness in Kyoko's eyes and the torment in her quivering voice made him stop his crew.
She made way towards the car, and bent down to face Ren. With his lips slightly parted, his eyes were half-closed, gazing at something which no one else could see. There was still desperation in them. The same as before, only a hundred times worse.
Kyoko reached for his hand, which was hanging to his side. His skin was ice cold as she enclosed his palm into her own hands. "Ren," she muttered, pleadingly. Her tone soft yet stern, like she wasn't about to take no for an answer.
He was surrounded by a void; a void which seemed to be trying to engulf him and eat him up. Everywhere he looked, he was met with darkness and silence. Until he heard the echo of her sobs, which grew louder and louder.
It became so loud and shrill that he had to cover his ears with his hands, but it was no use, since her screams were inscribed into his memory. Not in Ren's memory, but in Kuon's. For that was who he was now.
Slowly, a light emanated and his vision settled. He was back; back at home; on the same familiar road, which he had crossed more than a thousand times; back on the same fateful night when it had happened.
He could see her sillouette in the dim lights. Her small body shook with sobs as she wailed aloud. Cursing him.
Her straight pale hair were wet and disheveled, hiding her tear-stained face. Her golden locks giving an odd pinkish hue, because of the blood.
She cried and cried, her tears unstoppable, while she carried Rick on her lap, with blood seeping out from the fresh would on his forehead.
Hugging the lifeless body in her hands, she squeezed her eyes, from which fresh tears poured out. "Don't die, Rick! Please! Don't leave me!" Her voice was choked as she begged him over and over again to stay with her.
All the while, Kuon stood there gawking, too shocked to move or even speak. He gazed at the lifeless body of his friend, Rick, and he heard the sobs of Tina, as she tried to bring him back. But he stood there motionless. All he could do was stare at the blood on his hands.
We have to help him, Kuon thought. If we don't do anything, Rick will bleed out! He opened his mouth to say it out loud, however, his tongue was stuck. No words could be formed.
His eyes traveled back to the corpse, and followed the trail of blood which was flowing into his direction. He stepped back to avoid getting the blood on his feet, but the next thing he knew, he was painted red. The blood of Rick wasn't just on his hands anymore. It was on his feat, on his knees and legs. It was slowly climbing up to his torso.
He tried to get it off of him, but some force was pulling him down where the blood was.
"I'll not forgive you!" At last, Tina lifted her overflowing eyes from Rick to face him. Her grief replaced with fury, as she glared at him with naked hatred. "I'll never forgive you! Until the day I die! It's all your fault, Kuon! None of this would've happened if it wasn't for you!"
Having lost the ability to speak, Kuon tried stepping closer, but Tina protectively wrapped her arms around Rick. "No! Don't you dare touch him! Rick is dead because of you! If he hadn't met you, he would still be alive! You murderer! You killed Rick! You killed him!" She got into another hysterical fit of crying. "It should have been you! You murderer! You should have died instead of Rick...!"
Her screams continued, until Kuon couldn't take it anymore. He tried lifting his arms once more so he could cover his ears, but they were so cold because of the blood on them that he couldn't even feel them, much less lift them.
All of a sudden, something warm softly caressed the skin on his palm, and he lifted his eyes to see what it was. It was a girl. She also had blonde hair, but she was definitely not Tina.
Unlike Tina's eyes, which were bubbling with hatred, her hazel eyes were filled with longing. "Ren," she called his name, and that one word from her was enough to bring him back to the reality.
Her grip tightened around his hand, her warmth flowing into his him. "Ren, are you okay?" Kyoko muttered. "Can you hear my voice?"
With a sigh, Ren rubbed his eyes. "Loud and clear." He managed a smile, turning towards her. "I'm okay now."
