Thank you so much for the love! I was so excited to see how many people still find my writing interesting. I promise to update more often.
First things first. I was thinking of only replying to fire1-san, but since it may be a question asked a few times as we move forward with the story, I decided to write my reply here. Who Am I is meant to act like a companion transcription of the Skip Beat manga, following Ren's trail of thoughts. In essence you should be able to read both at the same time and be able to follow along. And yes, I said manga. I'm going to try my best to write a companion chapter for every chapter in the series. The text will follow closely to Nakamura-sensei's storyline, however I may deviate from time to time to fill in the gaps where Ren is absent. Suggestions on storylines or situations you'd like to see are welcome.
Thank you and enjoy Chapter 5!
"….And cut. Great job Tsuruga-san, Amano-san. We're done for today. We'll continue with the fountain scene at Yoshino Park tomorrow. Call time is at 8 a.m. sharp." Finally, I'm beat. While this new role is interesting and complex within itself, I'm stuck with another lovesick co-star like Amano-san. I know I'm supposed to keep up my gentlemanly outward appearance, it's just so d*mn hard to keep my patience sometimes. Her attitude is an improvement from Ruriko-san's during the start of filming for Ring Doh, but it's only a slight one. I really think the President owes me another favor. "Bye Ren-san. Good work today." Smile Ren, smile. Fight the urge to move away. I really can't understand how some people can be so bold. I don't remember giving her permission to use my given name. I mean what was with that low purr? It seriously gave me shivers and not in a good way. Honestly, aren't there any new actresses who are more concerned with work and not fame or their co-stars?
30 Minutes Later
"Good afternoon Tsuruga-san." *Sigh* Cue the fluttering lashes. I've really been sighing a lot lately. Maybe I should ask Yashiro to rearrange my schedule so I can take a day off next week. Everything is so trying in my personal life that most times I would rather stay busy with work than have to sit and think everything through. Every interview I sit for, I'm asked the same question. "What do you look for in a woman Tsuruga-san? What is your ideal type?" I always answer back with stating that I don't like discussing my personal life, which I suppose adds to their interest when I sit down for the next interview. I feel like they expect me to break at some point. But if I were to answer honestly, I will take someone sweet, pure and hard-working over someone who is merely beautiful any day. I mean, if she were beautiful, too, that'd be a plus. But, does anyone like that even exist? "Are you a fairy?" Those memories keep flooding back ever since I met Kyoko-chan, ahem Mogami-san, again. I guess it's reasonable since apart from my beautiful mother, she has always been my ideal of a Japanese woman. Well really she has always been my ideal of a woman in general. Seriously Ren? Snap out of it! That was a long time ago. She's a completely different person now. Speaking of which, I've just caught sight of my brand new toy. Let's play shall we? She may not be the same person as before, but she's still just as unpredictable.
"Hey, it's been a while." Heh she looks like a scared little animal. "Don't you think it's a bit rude when you obviously saw me and chose not to greet me? After all I'm somewhat your senior." Is she quivering? "Ah…how..do you…" Hahaha she's bowing to the restroom. "I'm over here" Hahaha she barely missed me. I would probably guess that she could've bruised my chest with how quickly she turned and bowed. "Huh? There's no middle finger today huh?" No reply? "You thought I'm an unforgiving person right?" Oh she's going to deny it. Hmmm…. "Yes, I did. I'm sorry." Hahaha, I can't hold this laugher in for long. It's really refreshing to see that this trait of hers hasn't changed at all. She still can lie. Hn? Oops maybe I overdid it. Now it looks like Yashiro is going to cry. I better clear up this misunderstanding before he thinks my gentlemanly behavior has been replaced with something inappropriate. I wonder why Mogami-san isn't wearing her neon pink uniform. It doesn't hurt to ask right? Is she not listening to me? "I'm asking why you aren't wearing the uniform. You were at the TV station because of an assignment from Love Me right? Then why didn't you wear it?" I mean I can probably guess the reason. "Eh because that is…that uniform is too eye-catching. If I don't have to wear it, I'd rather not." Yup bingo! Still that's a silly reason. "That's stupid. In the entertainment industry, one needs to attract attention. You have to take advantage at every opportunity. Especially at the TV station, you never know whose attention you will attract. It won't kill you to make yourself more appealing. You…should be more ambitious. You have to want to attract more attention. Didn't you wish to be a superstar? Get your spirits up. Do your best."
Later that Same Night
Looking back at today's events, I keep replaying that scene with Mogami-san over and over again in my head. It was true enough when I said it. Even if she did enter the industry for impure reasons, I just can't stand it when people do things half-baked.
Next Day
On the set of Corporate Structure
"Tsu-Tsuruga-san…err..that..eh I'm sorry I made the scene take longer than usual…I will try to be successful in the next take!" Now Hiraoka-san is the complete opposite of Amano-san. She has the correct attitude for a professional. Even if we have to take two dozen retakes, it's worth it if the participants learn something from each one. "Don't worry! It's nothing 'cause great scenes are taken dozens of times. Now, if you don't stop crying, this consolation I'm giving you would be meaningless, don't you think so, too?" I'm sure we'll get the next take right. "Now that I think about it, what is it that graces you with such a good mood?" Huh? What is Yashiro saying? "I was thinking…you're being so nice to give such warm advice. What is it that graces you with such a good mood?" Strange…why would Yashiro say something like that? "No, nothing strange, but I understand that you like Kyoko-chan's perseverance, but from what I've felt all this time…basically you dislike Kyoko-chan, or so I thought." What did he say? "I used to…" Hmmm…have I really? I couldn't have toned down my dislike of her. I still don't like her reason for joining the industry; I just didn't want her to do things half-baked that's all. Or maybe I'm being haunted by my past? "It's so careless of me, eh? Next time, I'll try not to tone it down anymore." Ever since I've started my career in the showbiz here, I have silently pledged that I won't be dragging my old past with me anymore. Memories of the past, made me soften my attitude towards her. "Ok. Let's start again! Scene 12, take 5. Ok!" Therefore, I should not drag any of my memories of her. "Start!"
Thanks for reading chapter 5 of Who Am I. Please continue to review so that I may continue to improve.
~Kaede Itsuki~