A/N: First, excuses. I am very sorry that it took so long to get this chapter out, but I am very very busy with school work and work work and sleep that it is hard to find time to write as often as I would like. But I hope that you enjoy this chapter. Next, please forgive spelling and grammar mistakes. I use MS word and try to edit, but sometimes I miss things. Also, I do not own Skip Beat. I do quote some of it, and since I don't have my books with me, I use the online translations, which are sometimes very different, so I have to go from memory. (One of them called Dark Moon 'Cloudy Moon' which made me laugh) Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter (which I named after the adorable fish movie).
Finding Mio
The well-worn script sat on the floor next to her. Drumming her fingers on the floor, the actress rested her forehead in her hand, eyes closed in irritation. 'What am I going to do? I never thought it would be this hard…but Mio is so…strange. I don't know how to express her. She is portrayed as having low self-esteem…but she hates to lose, right? How do I show that? The long hair that hides her scar…that won't be a problem, but if I can't portray her emotions, then it doesn't matter.' The young woman stood and began to pace, walking back and forth across the room. Her hands clenched and unclenched as she began to think desperately. 'I only have another day. Auditions begin the day after tomorrow…and if I can't figure her out…then that girl is going to beat me!' Kanae opened her eyes, which now shone with fierce determination. 'No! I've worked for too long to become an actress to lose this part! I will beat Kyoko, whatever it takes!'
As suddenly as the thought came, the image of her best friend's smiling face popped into her mind. Gripping the sides of her head, Kanae cried out in frustration. "Urg! What is the matter with me!" She cried. "So she's my friend! Who cares? I can't let her win! Why am I even thinking this way? This is why I don't have friends." Dropping back down onto the floor, she pushed a strand of hair from her face and sighed, grabbing the script. 'Okay, one more time.'
Kyoko stirred the pot of food absentmindedly. The clock on the stove informed her that it was nearly 1 in the morning. 'Why do I keep ending up here?' She wondered, the sounds of the television wafting in from the living room. Her tall sempai was stretched out on the couch, his eyes closed, obviously not paying attention to the TV. 'I knew that I would be bothering him! Why did I agree to come over! Well…I didn't really agree…'
Her various Love Me Tasks had kept her busy until nearly eight in the evening, and so, after getting a script from Sawara-san, who had two copies for his department, and riding her bike home, she had pulled out the script and began studying it. Hours later, she was still stuck. "I just don't understand." The girl mumbled to herself, pacing back and forth in her small bedroom. "She's obviously a miserable person…who has low self-esteem…right? But why does she hate her cousin Mizuki? Mizuki never did anything bad to her. Her parents don't like Mizuki, so they didn't compare her to her cousin like they did Misao." Sighing, Kyoko checked her clock. It was after midnight. Suddenly, an idea struck her. Without thinking about it, she grabbed her phone and dialed speed dial #3.
"Hello?" The voice was friendly, so she was sure she hadn't woken him up.
"Good evening Tsuruga-san!" She greeted happily. "I'm sorry to disturb you so late."
"Don't worry about it, Mogami-san. What can I do for you?"
"Um…well…" She hesitated for a moment, not sure if she wanted to go through with this, but remembered his words from the day before. "I got the script for Dark Moon today." She informed him hesitantly.
"Ah. That's good. What do you think?"
"Well….actually…I was wondering if you could help me." Her voice was small and frightened, and his answer was gentle.
"Of course. What do you need help with."
Kyoko thought for a moment. "I'm not really sure how to create her character." Kyoko admitted softly. "I've never had to before, and she seems…complicated. More so than I originally thought." There was a thoughtful pause. "Do you have Tsukigomori?" She asked suddenly.
"…you mean the DVDs?" He asked, surprised by her sudden question.
"Yes."
"Can I borrow it please?" He hesitated. "I'll give them back!" She assured him. "I only need to borrow them for a few hours, and I won't hurt them or damage…"
There was a soft chuckle. "Mogami-san." He interrupted her. "I wasn't worried about you damaging them. You are welcome to borrow anything you like. But…are you sure you want to watch the original? Are you worried that it might affect your acting?"
"Affect it? What do you mean?"
He sighed. "Mogami-san, how about this. You can come over and cook something, since I haven't eaten today, and then we can talk about it? Alright? And I'll take you to work tomorrow morning."
"Tsuruga-san! I can't impose on you like…"
"Mogami-san…it was my suggestion. It isn't an imposition."
"…okay. I'll be there soon."
"What? No! I'll come get you." He insisted.
"Tsuruga-san! I can walk. It isn't that far."
"I am not letting you walk all the way over here in the dark! It's cold outside, and it's after midnight. What if something happened to you?" She was silent, wondering at his tone.
'Why does he sound so…frightened?' His words broke through her thoughts.
"I'll be there in a few minutes. Please wait for me."
"Okay." She told him reluctantly, not wanting to hear that tone in his voice again. "Thank you Tsuruga-san."
"I smell smoke. You must be thinking too hard." The soft, teasing voice that was strangely close to her ear made her jump. Looking down, she realized that smoke was coming from her pot. Taking it off the heat, she turned the stove off and stirred desperately, trying to see if it was okay.
"I'm so sorry, Tsuruga-san!" She cried. "I don't think it's ruined!" He only smiled.
"It's fine, Mogami-san." He assured her gently, pulling plates from his cupboard and placing them on the counter. She began spooning the food onto the plates and he took them into his living room and placed them on the low table, while she brought two glasses of water.
A few minutes into the meal, he looked up at the silent girl. "Mogami-san?"
"Hm?"
"You wanted to talk about you character?"
"Um…actually, I still want to watch the movies." He sighed and rested his head on his hand.
"What are you having trouble with?" He wondered. She took a bite and swallowed.
"Mio is…" She sighed. "I don't understand her!" She cried suddenly. He sat back and listened quietly. "Why does she hate Mizuki? Her cousin is only nice to her, and her parents don't compare her to Mizuki like they do to Misao. And her scar!" He cocked an eyebrow. "Why does she have it? The family is rich! She could afford to have something done! But she leaves it. She has low self esteem…but she hates to lose." Kyoko was silent for a moment, staring at the table. "That doesn't make sense. Would someone with low self esteem…hate so intensely?" Ren crossed his arms and smiled, watching her work through the problem. "She doesn't." The words were whispered, and she stared up at him. He thought he heard a tiny 'click' in her brain as the nearly visible lightbuld appeared. "She doesn't have low self esteem." She informed him quietly. He nodded, encouraging her to go on. "Hair dye." He started at the abrupt change in topic. "I'm need hair dye!" He watched as she jumped up, her eyes lit with a strange determination he had never seen before.
"Mo…Mogami-san!" He jumped up when she ran for the door. "You can't just walk around at night."
"I have to find hair dye!" She cried. He saw the look in her eyes again, then smirked.
"I'll drive you." He told her simply. He was no stranger to this feeling he saw reflected in her face. She had found Mio…and now she needed to act as her.
Mio stared at herself in the mirror. She was in a rather strange bathroom, but her surprise didn't show in her flat, cruel eyes. Her short black hair framed her face. Turning stiffly, she threw the door open and stepped into a hallway. 'Katsuki's apartment. He wanted me to come over so that he could talk to me about my cousin.' She frowned in distaste at the thought of the cheerful girl. 'I'm done talking.' Stepping into the living room, she headed for the door.
"Hongo-san!" She didn't even flinch. She strolled toward the door and looked found her shoes. "Hongo-san!" Katsuki was approaching her, obviously confused. "Where are you going? I still need to speak to you." She slipped a foot into her shoe, but was pulled back to his side. "Mio!"
Katsuki fled Ren's body at the look of pure hatred she was giving him. He stared in shock as her withering gaze glared daggers into the hand around her arm, which immediately released her. "Um…." Her eyes found his again, and he restrained himself from taking a step back. 'She hates me.' The thought was involuntary. 'Will this be okay? This much pure hatred? She's changing Mio…but she's the same girl…only showing a different interpretation.' He jumped when the door slammed shut in his face. 'Huh?'
Kanae crossed her ankles under her chair as she idly scrolled through her contacts. Her thumb hesitated over the call button, then she flipped the phone shut. 'She's not my responsibility. If she's late, it's her own fault.' Already there were girls sitting around, staring at each other warily. There was going to be plenty of competition, and Kanae had heard that the woman who played Mio in the original, and who was currently playing the mother, would be there. She took a deep breath and opened her phone again. 'She wouldn't be late, right? She's never late. She still has ten minutes before she has to be here.' Scrolling through her contacts again, she was startled by a soft voice.
"Good afternoon Kotonami-san." Looking up, she found Tsuruga's manager sitting next to her. "Isn't Kyoko-chan here yet?" She lifted an eyebrow.
"How would I know?" She asked coldly. "I haven't spoken to her." She spotted the manager's taller charge entering the room and fought not to roll her eyes and the giddy actresses as they whispered and giggled around him. The man himself was obviously looking for someone.
"Hello Kotonami-san." He greeted smoothly.
"Hello Tsuruga-san. Kyoko's not here." She told him bluntly, enjoying the surprise, embarrassment, and sadness as they moved across his face, followed by a polite smile.
"Oh." He stood by awkwardly as she picked up her script and pretended to read. Unsure how to ask where the girl was, he was about to give up and walk away, when he heart someone yelling.
"Moko-san!"
"Oh God." Kanae sighed, put the script in her purse, and jumped to her feet, about to run, when a black haired torpedo slammed into her. Somehow managing to keep her feet, she growled in frustration. "MO!" She screamed, shoving the girl to the floor. Ren's eyes widened and he stared at her incredulously. Huge, dramatic tears fell from Kyoko's eyes.
"Moko-san! You're so mean!" She cried from the floor
"Then stop hugging me!" She snapped. "Just say hello like a normal person." Ren crouched down and touched the sobbing girl's shoulder.
"Mogami-san, are you okay?"
"No! Moko-san hates me!" She wailed, still crying. Kanae rolled her eyes, leaned down, grabbed the girl's arm roughly, and jerked her to her feet.
"Mo! Shut up! I do not hate you." She hugged Kyoko quickly, then pushed her away, a little more gently this time. "There. Happy?"
To both Ren and Yashiro's surprise, the girl was now smiling happily, all traces of sadness gone.
As Kyoko chatted with her best friend, Ren glanced around the room. Most of the other actresses were watching the young girl with either confusion or amusement, and he heard a few people asking what she was doing there. 'They have no idea.' Ren thought in amusement, remembering the look on her face from the night spent in his apartment.
Director Ogata entered the room a few minutes later, followed by a tall dark haired woman with a stern frown on her face. "Hello everyone, and thank you for coming." Immediately, Kanae and Kyoko sat, and Ren, after nodding goodbye to them, walked to the front of the room to stand with the director. Yashiro headed for the sidelines to watch. "My name is Ogata. This is Iizuka-san, who is playing Mio's mother, and Tsuruga-san, who is playing Katsuki. We will be starting the auditions shortly. We will call you into the next room, you will perform a scene, and then you may either leave, or wait for the results to be announced this evening." Kyoko and Kanae glanced at each other briefly, their eyes a bit more guarded than before.
The three disappeared for a few minutes, and then began calling names. Kyoko and Kanae busied themselves by chatting softly, their words the only noise in the tense, silent room. Every few minutes, a girl would be called back, and then she would emerge, usually less than ten minutes later. Some looked haughty; others sad, and still others were excited or nervous. Almost an hour passed before a break was called, and the three emerged from the room again. Ogata called informed the remaining twenty or so girls that bentos would be served if anyone was interested, and that a thirty-minute break was going to be given for lunch.
Kyoko and Kanae opted to stay, grabbing their food and sitting in their chairs. Ren took one as well, and, along with Yashiro-san, joined the two girls. For once, Kyoko didn't say anything about his eating habits, and he touched her shoulder. "Are you alright?" He asked softly. She nodded, but her eyes were fixed on the floor. "Are you nervous." She nodded.
"There are a lot of girls who want this part." She said simply. "What are the chances that I will get it?" She told him simply. "I should probably just go home."
His eyes widened, then hardened. "Mogami-san, I thought you wanted to become a professional actress." Kanae glanced up at his tone, then smirked at the effect it had on her now rigid best friend.
"I…I do!" She cried. A few of the other actresses glanced over that the small group.
"A professional actress doesn't give up." He told her firmly. "A professional actress does her best." Her eyes lit up. "So, are you going home?"
"Of course not!" She cried. "I'm going to try out for the part!" He smiled and took a bite of his food, not wanting to invoke her wrath now that she was back to her old self.
It was another thirty minutes before Kanae's name was called, and twenty more before it was Kyoko's turn. The small girl stood and walked into the room behind the assistant. The director sat in the center of the table, with the actors on either side of him. While the woman gave her a cold frown, Ren smiled at her kindly as she bowed to the three.
"Alright, Kyoko-san. For this acting test, I want you to act as Mio, and do a scene with Izuika-san as your mother. Alright." Kyoko nodded. The actress stood and walked over to stand by the girl. "It can be any scene, I just want to see the two of you interact."
Mio sat in the metal chair, her book in her hands. 'Hm. What time is it? I have homework to do, so I should probably finish this…' Like a fly buzzing in her ear, she could hear her mother's voice. She turned a page. 'Maybe if I ignore her, she will go away.' The thought brought a smile to her mind, but not her lips.
"Mio!"
'I'm never going to get any reading done with her here.' Snapping the book shut, she stood, keeping her head turned away from her irritating mother, and walking away.
"Wait just a minute! I'm calling you!" Mio began mounting the stairs.
'I'll just go to my room and she'll give up. Then I can finally have some…'
"At least answer me!" Mio paused, rolling her eyes, then glanced over her shoulder with narrowed eyes, letting her hatred for the woman below her to show.
"Were you speaking to me?" The girl turned fully and held her hands together.
"Y…yes!"
"Oh. I thought maybe you were calling Misao. Mio. Misao. They are so similar. You should have given me a different name, so that people wouldn't say that I'm so much of a failure, that my name is even missing a character."
Her mother's mouth dropped in shock, and Mio used ever ounce of willpower not to smirk.
"M…Mio! Why did you cut your hair?" Mio didn't respond. "That hairstyle doesn't suit you."
"You can just say it, Mother. That this scar makes me unsuitable to be your daughter."
"That's…" The woman hesitated. "Tha…that's right. So why don't you cover it back up?" She seemed to be floundering, and Mio, nearly giddy with her little triumph, smiled gleefully.
"Her ugly heart…" She nearly sighed with happiness as she thought about it. "Every time she see's this scar, Misao's beautiful face, becomes twisted."
Ren glanced over at the director. Iizuika-san had taken a step back from the girl staring down at her, and was staring at them in shock. Ogata-san's mouth hung open as he watched the girl at the top of the stairs. "It's so different from the original."
Ren nearly sighed in sadness. 'Just for a second…I really hoped that she would get it. Honestly, her interpretation was so much more original than anything we've seen today. I hope she doesn't take it too hard.'
"Her Mio…will be used." Startled, the taller man stared down at the director. "Yes…I think now we can begin." He looked up at the girl, about to speak, when he noticed her glaring own at them still. "Um…" He looked at the other two actors, at a loss. Ren grinned a little.
"Cut!" He called up at the girl, who immediately seemed to return to normal. She walked down the stairs and bowed.
"Thank you very much." She smiled sweetly at the stunned director and the other two actors, then left the room.
Ogata-san stared after her, then glanced over at Ren. "Do you know her?"
"Hm? Yes. We work in the same agency, and I've gotten to know her fairly well." He left out the part about Kyoto.
"My friend, Fuwa's manager, recommended her." He crossed his arms and stared down at her papers. "I should have just taken her recommendation and saved us all this trouble." He trailed off, staring at the girl's face. "Did she want to act Mio out looking like that?"
Iizuka-san looked surprised, but Ren nodded. "She re-dyed her hair for this." Ogata nodded.
"She's good. She got rid of all the inconsistencies of Mio, and showed us a new interpretation of her, while keeping the original hatred. What do you think, Iizuka-san?"
The woman nodded reluctantly. "She was the best so far." She said slowly. "Though I think we should keep auditioning." The director looked at Ren, smiling a little.
"I don't suppose I need to ask your opinion." Ren smiled.
"My personal feelings aside, my professional opinion is that she has been, by far, the best of all the girls we've seen today." Ogata-san nodded.
"Well, we might as well audition the rest…" He almost sighed at the prospect, sure that no one else would be able to match that performance.
Kyoko paced the floor, her hands clasped. 'I wasn't rude, was I?' She thought fearfully. 'I was just being a character…but the way I spoke to her! And I completely changed Mio! How presumptuous!' She groaned and put her face in her hands. The sudden presence of a hand on her shoulder made her shriek and jump in the air, pulling away from the figure behind her. A soft laugh brought her to her senses.
"Tsuruga-san!" She cried, bowing. "I'm sorry! I was just…" He laughed as she trailed off.
"It's fine, Mogami-san." He dropped his hands to his sides. "I thought you would have gone home by now."
"Well…I just wanted to see if they were going to announce the results tonight." He nodded.
"Well, he's decided."
"Oh." Kyoko glanced up at her tall sempai, whose eyes were dancing. Confused, she tilted her head. "Aren't you going with him to inform the actress? Or did she leave?" Ren chuckled.
"Actually I am going to inform her."
"Oh. Well I'll just go and let you do that." She smiled sadly and bowed. "Goodnight, Tsu…" She was cut off by his continued laughter and crossed her arms, a little irritated. "What?
"I'm trying very hard to inform the actress, but she doesn't seem to understand."
"Wha….oh." Kyoko's cheeks turned a soft pink, and her eyes lit up. "You mean…I got it!" He nodded, still laughing a little.
He couldn't help it really. She just looked so cute and excited, bouncing on the balls of her feet and rambling about how lucky and excited she was. He couldn't really be blamed for his actions when she was that adorable. His hands reached out and he wrapped them around her, ignoring the squeak and the way she stiffened slightly. "Congratulations." He told her softly.
Just as he was about to let her go and apologize for his inappropriate actions to keep her from running, she relaxed a little, even resting her head against his shoulder. He was pretty sure he was hallucinating when he heard her say 'thank you.' But the next thing he knew, she had gone off to talk to the director, and he was still standing in the hallway, grinning like an idiot.
A/N: Reviews are lovely, but not required. (I have no idea how I could require reviews...lol. It just sort of sounded cool. I will keep writing whether I get them or not, because I love it.) I hope you enjoyed it :)
