Author's Note: Thanks to everyone to has reviewed! I love all of them, and they definitely help keep me motivated. Thanks to all those who have offered constructive criticism. I appreciate it and hope to have corrected some of y'all's concerns.

Also, filming will be starting soon in the next chapter or so. I haven't decided on the pacing of the filming. I may start out with a chapter per anime episode and see how y'all like.

Ren was pacing off on his own during the drama he was filming. As usual, he did very well in all his takes. No, his problem was in his mood once the camera was off. His frustration was reaching new levels which meant that he became more and more dazzling. Women kept messing up either during their scene or by being so careless they would trip and make noise in the background. Ren was busy mulling over disturbing news that Kyoko had again, for the 17th working day running, had lunch with one of her male costars.

She usually had lunch with the tall skinny one. Either that or one she introduced to him. Ren told himself it would be no different than her having lunch with any other castmate, but he couldn't shake a niggling feeling of unease. This unease continued to escalate until he was so frustrated that he was figuratively blinding those in his immediate area with his (fake) dazzling smile. Worst in all this, Kyoko hadn't spoken with him in two weeks. She had seen him from a distance and waved, but she had not bounded up to him as she had done.

Ren found all of very distressing. No else had noticed a difference except Yashiro, but Yashiro always noticed. Thankfully, he had yet to say anything to Ren. Instead, Yashiro would simply continually look in his direction with a smirk of understanding that Ren hated. Still, it was better than being nagged.

Ren completed the rest of the morning's scenes with his usual professional decorum and left. He knew he had to do something to refocus before he actually started to mess up. He was man enough to admit (if only to himself) that he was feeling jealous over Kyoko having male castmates. Still, he thought, surely there were other females in the show? Why couldn't she be spending her free time with them? There couldn't be just attractive men in the cast could there? It was completely unrealistic.

He continued to walk towards the entrance with Yashiro trailing rather helpless trying to keep up with Ren's long strides.

"Ren," Yashiro called out.

Ren stopped abruptly and turned. Yashiro looked at Ren's unguarded expression with sympathy.

"You know, we can find a way to try a fix this," Yashiro stated.

"And how could we do that?" Ren replied. He wouldn't insult himself or Yashiro by pretending he didn't know exactly what his manager was referring to. "I'm not even sure I want to fix this. I just need something to take my mind of everything." Ren started to walk again, and Yashiro walked ahead and opened the door.

"Alright, if you say so. What do propose for distracting yourself? Work doesn't seem to be it," Yashiro said. Goodness, if only Ren would let his manager do what he did best which is advocate for him. Yashiro could do more behind the scenes the magic than most gave him credit for. They reached Ren's car by now and got in. Yashiro gave a sniff and took in the smell of expensive leather.

"Hmm. I need a hobby," Ren stated pulling the sports car out into traffic.

"Hobby? You keep yourself too occupied with work for hobbies remember? We've had this conversation in the past, and you say you only want your work."

"Remember that poll that listed me the most attractive man?"

"Which one? All the magazines list you." Yashiro sighed exasperated. It was a good things Ren was too vain.

"There was one that women stated things they'd like to see me do. What are some of those?" Ren proposed.

"Shouldn't you do a hobby because it's something you enjoy?" Yashiro added. Goodness, Ren really wasn't normal.

"What did the women say?" Ren repeated has he changed lanes and shifted gears again. The car hummed as pedestrians pointed at the car as it sped down the street. It was understandable. Maserati GranTurismos were certainly not a common site.

"Well, number one is they want you to put out a record." Yashiro said this with laugh.

"That's not going to happen. I don't believe in doing anything I'm not good at and singing is not one of them," he replied.

Yashiro thought hard. Ren certainly would not put out a nude calendar as so many women requested. The only thing Ren did was act. That and drive to and from work. Then it came to him.

"I've got it. Ren, why are cars the only things you replace about every year?"

Ren thought. "I don't know. I just like cars. It must come from the time in California. Everybody in California has a car."

"Ren, you need to race cars"

"What are you talking about?"

"Think about it," Yashiro's voice began to grow excited as he continued to realize how this could become a very good thing for his client. "You could race cars on the amateur circuit. Celebrities in America and Europe do it all the time. You race against them and the winnings go to charity."

Ren paused and thought. "Alright, set something up. Just anything to get my mind cleared." Anything had to be better than seeing (and thinking about) Kyoko with other men even if it was completely innocent.

XXXXX

Murakami Arata was starting to get nervous again, and he hated it. He glanced back and forth down the practice hall where the other cast members had been learning to realistically fake playing. It was another day where he was dressed as inconspiculously as he could. His hair was mussed and his track pants had seen better days. He was becoming increasingly nervous about his acting. His piano was ready, and he knew it even without his piano teacher telling him so. He realized his intense desire to practice the piano had just as much to do with avoiding practicing his acting as anything else. Yes, he had taken lessons with Toshio, but the looming date of filming would be coming up in a few days. He knew he should be able to ask his friend, but he couldn't tell him about the nerves that were starting to do a number on his stomach.

The following day they would be introduced as the characters in a press conference held in the main ballroom of one of the best hotels in the city, and there was no going back after that.

Lord, where was Mogami? He hoped she was by herself or he would need to make up and decent excuse for being outside her practice room. He began to bounce on his heels and checked his watch again and again. It was thirty seconds since the last time he looked. He had gotten there early; it was only 7:45 am. He knew from speaking with some of the other guys that she usually got places really early. Arata was counting her being there with enough time to ask for some advice. She had said that he could ask her questions if he needed to.

He heard a noise down the hall and glanced up quickly to see a cleaning woman pushing a cart. He needed to get this under control. He had performed piano in major concerts for prizes in front of hundreds of people. He snorted. It was amazing how the human mind could find something like that completely normal and natural and the thought of acting in front of cameras was terrifying. He felt a tug on his left sleeve and looking down to find Mogami looking up at him. Her head was tilted to the side with puzzled look on her face.

"Good morning," he said quickly.

"Good morning," she returned, "How are you doing? I have not seen you since the fitting last week."

"Well enough, I've been working trying to get my piano where it needs to be so it can be recorded."

"That must be wonderful for you," she said.

"What do you mean?" he asked confused.

"To be so talented at something. I wish I had something I was really good at," she supplied with a laugh.

"Wouldn't that be acting? You've been in several shows I heard."

She smiled to herself. "I suppose that's true. But I guess I meant an outside hobby apart from acting since this is my job."

Arata said slowly, "I guess I would consider music my career and my hobby."

She looked like she wanted to ask him something else, but she closed her mouth and just smiled.

"Actually," he said slowly looking at clock across the hall instead of at her. It was easier to get the words out this way. "That's kind of why I needed to speak with you."

XXXXX

Kyoko was taken aback. If he needed to speak with her, why couldn't he look her in the face?

"And why is that?" she prodded.

Arata muttered something indistinguishable. He looked up and saw Watanabe who was playing Fuyuumi coming down the hall and pulled her into the practice room behind her.

"What's wrong with you?" Kyoko demanded.

"Look, I just need to talk with you with no one around," Arata told her.

"Then go ahead," she said. Ooooh, she hated it when people acted high handed with her. Why had she tried to be nice to him last week? He still seemed to ignore her and got under her skin with his relaxed demeanor with everyone else. Why would he behave differently with her?

"O.K." he drew in a great breath, "Remember last week when you said I could come to you if I needed something? You know, since I've never been in a drama before?"

"Yes," she said feeling her annoyance deflate. It was hard to be angry with someone who was looking like a little boy about to confess he had broken a vase.

"Wouldyoupleasehelpme?I'minbigtrouble," he said as quickly as he could.

"You'll have to repeat that," Kyoko said with a confused look.

"Would you please help me? I'm in big trouble," he repeated each word slowly and deliberately and with a slight grimace as though the admission brought him pain.

Kyoko knew that her mouth was open but couldn't figure out what her response needed to be. Well, closing her mouth should be first. After that, she said carefully, "What is it that you need help with?"

"I need help with my lines and acting. You said I could come to you with questions. I realize this is much more than that, but I really need your help, senpai," he said and bowed.

Kyoko looked down at his mussed head with surprise. She always thought of herself as the one who would need help. She definitely didn't feel old enough at 17 to be anyone's senior at anything. She drew in a deep breath. She knew Arata didn't like her, but she also knew was Tsuruga would have wanted her to do. The show and the actors' performance were most important. She wasn't sure how to help him yet, but Kyoko knew she was resourceful and had to try.

"Alright, please be at my place tonight at 7 pm. We'll work on some stuff about the character. But I have to ask, are you sure you want help from me and not one of the guys? Iwakawa-kun is your best friend, right? Why are you coming to me with this?"

"I just felt that you would be more understanding I guess. I mean, you're the only one to notice that I was off. Besides, I can't tell Toshio. Guys don't talk about this kind of crap, er, stuff with each other anyway."

Kyoko rolled her eyes as she provided him with her address and phone number. Now, what was she going to do with him?

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