English is still not my first language, so whatever this is - I tried my best.
This is not proofread. So, if you find mistakes (what kind soever) or something confusing then please tell me. I will try my best to fix it.
Have fun :3
"There is something off, Sakurai. Those deaths have something in common and I will find that damn connection."
- "Takaya and Souma were suicides. They don't have a connection to the others or anything for that matter."
"They weren't! No one planning on suicide would buy that much fresh vegetables and meat. Or that Takaya; why would he make appointments with his dentist and his hairdresser only a few hours before he decides to hang himself? That's not logical!"
- "Suicide is never logical, Kurata. Well, at least not for normal people. You can't take a look in their head. Maybe it was just on the spur of the moment."
"'On the spur of the moment?' They didn't think: 'Hey, what a wonderful day; let's kill myself!' and then went on and did it. They didn't have a-"
- "Stop it! You know where they lived; high up in those expensive buildings with no way to get around the CSS and there was no one on the footage even near their apartments at that time. It was suicide in both cases, period."
"Exactly! There was no one near who could have heard … … …"
- "Kurata?"
"..."
- "Kurata?!"
"I think I know how they did it. Call you back later." Ending the call, he ran after the only person who could help him right now.
"Cut!" The director calls and everyone stops with what they were doing, waiting for the next command. "Looked alright now. Take a break everyone."
With that everyone not having to put something away, gets off the set and out of the way for those who do.
"I think this time he liked it." His manager tells him, as they meet on the side of the set.
"You said the same the last two times already, Yashiro-san."
"The best things come in threes."
"You do know, this was take number eleven, right?" Taking the bottle his manager hands him, Ren thanks him with a nod and takes a sip of the water.
"Yeah, but this time it was good." Yashiro looks around as if he is searching for something.
"With the timing and all. Oh! Kotonami-san!" He calls to the actress walking past them. She turns to him, showing no expression except a slightly raised eyebrow.
"Good job." Yashiro says, a genuine smile directed at her. But the moment those words leave his lips her glare couldn't be more threatening. Without a word she resumes her way towards her trailer, letting the bespectacled man to watch her strut away.
"That was so totally the wrong thing to say to her, Yukihito-kun."
Both men turn to greet the actress's manager. "Hello Shinjo-san."
"Hello Tsuruga-san." She bows slightly and addresses then her colleague. "Kanae-chan is a bit miffed at the moment."
Yeah right, because 'miffed' is the perfect word to describe that death- glare just now, Ren wonders. Though, when you think about it Kotonami-san isn't called an 'Ice Queen' for nothing. Being cold and dismissive is her default mode. She still is a hardworking actress with a lot of talent though.
"She and her martial arts coach don't get along very well," she continues, "and now the thing with her stunt double. She is a bit behind with her training in parkour anyway and now she won't get any until Honda-san recovers or they find a surrogate."
"Ugh, right. I forgot. How is Honda-san doing?"
"They needed to screw her collarbone together, apart from that it's just bruises and scratches. Still it will take a few months till she can work again."
"Months?" Yashiro exclaimed. "Poor girl. But they'll need to find a replacement in the meantime. They can't possibly postpone filming that long."
"No." She shakes her head. "That's why they try to get one from overseas, but it's not easy to get one on this short notice. And even then a lot of Korean and Chinese girls are too small, whereas Europeans are too tall or the proportions are way too off."
"And why don't they hire a man?" Yashiro wonders. "I mean, the face won't be seen anyway and in movement you won't notice if the curves are real or not, right?"
"I think a stuntman would be the last option for the director." Ren chimes in. "As much of a perfectionist as he is, he wouldn't be able to ignore the difference in movement."
"Is it that obvious?" Yashiro asks, getting a confirmative nod in return. "Hmm, and they probably can't take it out of the script, can they?"
"Yukihito-kun," the manager chuckles, "did you read the script? Or the books for that matter? Without that parkour-thing the story would be a completely different one."
"Of course I read the script!" The fair haired manager answers defiantly. "Well, skimmed it." He admits sheepishly. "But It's his fault." A nod in Ren's direction. "I wanted to read the books first, but he wouldn't let me!"
She looks at the actor. "Not done yet?"
He shakes his head in answer. "I read them already, but I need to reread some parts of it."
"I know that feel!" She grins. "It's awesome how perfectly they're written, aren't they. I had to reread so many parts of it. There was so much foreshadowing, but it was just so perfectly hidden; you wouldn't even notice. And then in that one moment … just POW and everything fits so well. And there are things that go through all three books. I'm sure they'll be concluded in the last one. Oh! And you should read some of those fan theories. Crazy things... what some of them predict..."
"... Sounds like they are really good."
"Oh, Yukihito-kun, you have no idea. Those books are within my top ten favourites; each one on it's own place of course." Noticing the look between the man and his charge, she can't help it. "If you want to read them soon, you could ask Kanae-chan. She probably has them memorised anyway."
She seemingly knows how to talk to him. "That I can do." He answers, standing just a bit straighter.
"But not now." She smiles. "She needs to calm down first. Besides she's still waiting for an email from the author."
"Oh right. As the script isn't finished yet, she would be in contact with him as well."
"They are." She confirmed. "But Hori-sensei hasn't answered all day and that's a bit unusual."
That indeed is a bit unusual, as Ren himself is used to getting his answers rarely later than an hour after he sends his emails, regardless of the time.
But what's there to do? Even a famous author has appointments to be at, maybe a job apart from writing and sometimes possibly even a few days off from everything. Sooner or later there will be a reply and if it takes too long, there are still the director and the other scriptwriters to ask.
"Oh! As you mention 'unusual'," Yashiro remembers and turns to his charge, "the president called. He wants to 'collect data' from you later. So he'll presumably crash your fotoshooting."
"The usual then." Ren nods, not even considering to ask what his boss wants from him this time. His manager answers him anyway.
"He said, he wants to, I quote, "deduce the not- existence of his love- life". So, indeed the usual."
~.~
Ren hears the laughter from both managers still hours later ring in his ears, when the reason for that outburst sits right in front of him in one of his monstrous, sparkly Limousines.
Wearing an Ulster coat, a deerstalker cap and smoking a pipe, Ren just wonders where Watson is. For someone like Takarada Lory there is no such thing as an imperfect costume and therefore there has to be an ex-army doctor somewhere to complete his performance.
The man was ranting on about the only thing that ever matters to him.
Love. What else was there to talk about for Takarada Lory?
Isn't it ironic? Sherlock Holmes, a figure of sheer logic, delivering a speech about love and it's powers to heal anything and everything, even though love is one of the least logical things in the world? That's Lory for you. The people at LME probably called him 'Sherlove Holmes' all day... He wouldn't even mind.
Lory talks and talks and talks, but Ren still doesn't know why his boss wanted to meet him so badly. Though with Lory you never know what you're in for. He always starts with something oneself deems rather not so important - ranting on about his favourite subject.
But the moment you let your guard down and your thoughts wander, he goes in for a strike - leaving you confused and vulnerable. Lory's favourite tactic. Ren can't remember it ever failing, at least with him.
"So, you think you're ready?"
Huh? Oh dammit! He got him again and just when he thought about it.
"Of course I'm ready." What a weak counterattack… Especially, since he doesn't know what it is about.
But Lory wouldn't be Lory, if he couldn't read Ren like an open book. "You should listen, when your career is at stake, Ren."
And he certainly knew how to get others attention.
"Earlier today Director Kanemoto Subaru confirmed the remake of the movie 'Kokoro no Hana' and he wants you as the protagonist." Seeing no recognition of any kind in the younger man's face, Lory hands him a script and continues. "It's a heavy love- drama. Pretty popular at it's time. Many well-known actors wanted the part of the main character, but director Kobayashi hardly took risks with his casts and therefore didn't even consider casting anybody who wasn't established in this genre already."
Ren knows his boss wants to tell him something, but he just can't grasp where this is going. He looks down at the script and reads the title printed on the cover 'Hanako'. Still, it doesn't ring a bell. He can't possibly know of every movie currently made in Japan, can he?
"This movie was shot just a few weeks before 'Tsukigomori' was in the works. I remember a certain Hozu Shuuhei, who was rather down as he didn't get the part even though his act in the auditions was one of the most convincing."
Ohh… this is where it's going... "You can't compare a failed audition with being cast without one."
Lory knows pretty well how much 'Ren' wants to surpass Hozu Shuuhei, now better known as Hizuri Kuu - world famous Hollywood actor, action-movie star and father of Hizuri Kuon aka Tsuruga Ren.
"No. You can't." The president admits, looking at the actor appraisingly - studying the mask of neutrality he had perfected over the years. "Shuuhei could have done it, but didn't get the chance. Now you get the chance, but can you do it?"
Takarada Lory knows what to say to get someone moving and Ren doesn't know if he should be thankful for it or hate the man for it. He would try that glare from Kotonami-san earlier, if it wouldn't be so much out of character for the ever nice 'Tsuruga Ren'.
A love- drama… Ren's weak point. After his failing in 'Dark Moon' he hadn't had the chance to act in something similar again and now this… Opening the script he reads the synopsis. There is no point in pondering, when he doesn't know what the movie is about.
Fukusaku Eisuke, 28, hardworking business man. His family is all about money and status. He does rarely anything that's not connected to his work. On a friend's wedding he meets Yosano Hanako, 24, waitress in a café - a girl without status. His family doesn't approve. They marry anyway. But shortly after the wedding Hanako falls ill with an unknown disease. He discovers that flowers seem to be the only thing that keep her alive. Without going to work, spending all his money on flowers and being disowned by his family, he goes broke while watching the love of his life, the only person that ever mattered to him, die.
"What do you think?" Lory asks the moment Ren finishes reading. Better not give him time to get lost in his thoughts.
"Sounds like something Hizuri-san would have loved to do."
"He would." He watches his protégé carefully. "Do you?"
A few years ago Lory had advised Ren against acting in 'Dark Moon' and presumably ruining his career. He had known Ren wouldn't be able to portray a forbidden love like the one between Katsuki and Mizuki convincingly. But the stubborn youth didn't want to listen to him and had to be pulled from the cast after he got himself stuck and couldn't perform anymore. It had been a huge media frenzy.
And even though Lory had threatened Ren with not assisting him, when (not if) he couldn't act it out, in the end he still helped him back on his feet.
Lory knew Ren had never experienced anything as deep as love. You could see it in every single one of the romantic scenes Ren had acted in. He could flirt and seduce just fine, but if it got any deeper - like it did in 'Dark Moon' - he couldn't fool anyone.
But a while ago Lory felt a change in his friend's son. The mask he put on all those years ago, would slip every now and again and there would be a smile, only a small one, but nonetheless real. As if he remembered something beautiful, something that moved his heart - made it beat faster and with more life.
And there were other times, especially in the last few months, when there was pain in those eyes.
Oh, Lory had seen pain in the young man's eyes before. A broken pain. A guilty pain. But now it's a different kind.
It's anguish and sadness.
Like heartbreak.
As if he had finally found love, just to lose it again right away.
If that was true, wouldn't he be perfect for that role?
"I need to read it first." Ren answers, looking from the script to Lory and then right past his boss.
Exactly the answer Lory had expected. "Obviously. But do you think you can handle it?"
'Did you learn from your mistake?' Is what he really wants to ask..., Ren thinks, staring into the dim moving nothingness behind the window.
He did. Ren had learned, that he can't portray love. That he can't convince anyone of his shallow act. He never was in love before. Never had fallen for someone so hard, it didn't matter if he looked stupid.
How could he portray something as complex as love without ever having been one of it's victims?
He had learned that love is more than his little infatuation with that girl. It couldn't have been love. It was solely based on looks, on her appearance, her mesmerising movements. Those bewitching golden eyes.
He didn't know her. Didn't and doesn't know anything about her. Except she smiles at strangers and sums classical music while grocery shopping. She likes to dance without shoes, in a flowy dress that lives her movements, with her hair up in a high ponytail - similar to that woman on the sidewalk there. But as graceful as she is, she wouldn't stumble around like that. Wouldn't need to support herself against the wall - hunched like this…
"Stop the car!"
Hello my dear(s) :D
It took me quite a while, but here is the next part. A rather not so pretty one, I think. But I just don't know how to make it better :/
Is that a good place to end the chapter? I planned on ending it a bit later, but that just wouldn't work.
By the way if something is confusing, then please tell me. I cut a lot of unnecessary description and maybe some things don't make sense anymore.
Sometimes a beta reader would be quite nice...
For everyone who reviewed: Ohhh so many questions... :D ... And I have all the answers... but not yet. I don't want to spoil anyone (or is it anything? Hmm...)
And for that one Guest: I indeed have an ending (not written down yet though) and I could tell you, but wouldn't that be boring and pretty confusing. The journey is the reward after all ;)
One other thing: If you want to read something good for a change, try 'The Others' series by Anne Bishop ('Written in Red', 'Murder of Crows' and 'Vision in Silver' so far, 2 more on the way) I devoured them in not even a week and I barely have spare time... Need to read them a bit slower soon, so I can appreciate them better...
And yes, I even had an idea for a crossover... I chased it away as soon as I realised where my mind was going though. Hope it stays far away from me... for now
Ok, enough. I'm out now :3
A big Thank You to everyone who followed, faved and reviewed :D I love you guys xxx
Thank you for reading (especially, if you read all of this A/N too XD)
Have a nice day.
Ja ne
Kia