Always With You
Disclaimer: I do not own SkipBeat or any of its characters
Chapter 4 – The first segment
Author's note: So that the reader understands how the commercials relate to the products to be advertised, I am including the following information from Director Kurosaki's proposal:
In each sixty-second spot the characters will be using products that are made and sold by Kamisaka Enterprises, Inc. The instructions to the actors are to handle the products naturally, but to always have the labels visible. During the last five seconds of each spot the video will shrink by 1/3. An announcer's voice will say, "Kamisaka Enterprises products, a part of your everyday lives for the last forty years." At the same time, the products used during the spot will be displayed in a side-column. The words "Kamisaka. Always with you" will be displayed in the space left on the bottom of the television screen.
First commercial:
[In the bridal tent] Suzuko Nanami, looking beautiful but slightly disheveled, rubs her stomach through her wedding dress. "Some friends you are. I should have never let you talk me into that bridal party." Her bridesmaids, who were also in the process of dressing for the event, look just as bleak. One of them reaches over to her purse and extracts a packet of seltzer tablets. Nanami gratefully dumps the tablets into a glass of water. The camera goes to a close-up of the tablets fizzing.
The scene switches to the workers setting up for the wedding. Matsakuro Kenji, dressed in faded jeans and a tight t-shirt, pulls a heavy marble column/pedestal out of the truck. "What's this for, sis?"
A stressed looking lady glances away from the two people she is giving instructions to, "That's for the guestbook. Just put it over by the bridal tent for now. And thanks again, Kenji."
The tall, handsome, muscular man carries the heavy object over to the tent. As he walks he attracts the stares and whispers of the female wedding guests.
He kneels to set down the column just as the bride steps out of her tent and into the morning sunlight. She raises her head up to drink down the fizzing seltzer medicine and the sun plays across her hair. Kenji looks up from his kneeling position and is captivated by her beauty.
Second commercial:
The bridesmaids put the final touches on the bride's outfit. They all sigh as Nanami stands. She is breathtaking. Nanami, feeling better now, swirls around to show off her beautiful dress.
The bridesmaids start filtering out, "we're going to walk around and make sure that everything is going well."
One girl stops to give Nanami a friendly injunction, "Now remember: you wanted a western-style wedding. That means that the groom isn't supposed to see you until you walk down the aisle. So don't be sneaking off to see him."
Nanami swirls around again, glorying in the look and feel of her dress. She runs slender fingers over the snacks and sundries set in the middle of the table. She opens a small box full of breath mints and pops one in her mouth. A mischievous smile plays across her face, "maybe just one little kiss?"
She pops her head out of the tent, scanning right and left. Kenji is near the tent trimming stragglers on the hedges. He is the only person who sees her sneak dramatically behind her tent and towards the tent set aside for the groom.
When she parts the tent flap her face changes from excited and happy to a look of sick shock. She steps into the tent to confront her intended, who is engaged in a passionate kiss with one of Nanami's bridesmaids.
[Note: the announcement at the end of commercials two through four changes to "Kamisaka Enterprises products. We are always with you, even in the bad times."]
Third commercial
The scene opens to Nanami facing a very surprised looking groom and bridesmaid. After a long moment they leap away from each in shame. The groom tries to speak, can't find his voice. He steps towards Nanami with hand extended in supplication. Nanami's face transforms from a look of shock to one of pure rage.
Scene switches to outside. Kenji is still doing a quick-trim of the hedges around the wedding grounds. He hears a sharp crack, like the sound of a slap. He turns to see Nanami stepping out of the groom's tent, her eyes blazing in fury. She looks around, sees him and stalks across the lawn towards him. He stands stock still as the goddess of vengeance steps up to him and triumphantly snatches the hedge sheers out of his hands. She stalks back to the groom's tent and promptly cuts the tent ropes, one-by-one. A male and female scream can be heard as the tent collapses.
With tears flowing freely down her face, Nanami stalks into the bridal tent. Cries of deep hurt and sorrow can be heard now. Kenji and a growing crowd watch as objects start flying out of the entrance of the tent. Kenji is joined by his bewildered sister. The bride's mother and several other ladies start running toward the tent.
Before they get there Suzuko Nanami stalks back out of the tent, ignoring everyone as she sweeps past Kenji and heads out of the garden.
[Break from commercials]
"Ok, cut. Good job, everyone!"
Director Kurosaki grinned uncontrollably and the film crew looked on in awe as Kyoko transformed from the goddess of vengeance back into her normal self. The power and intensity of her rage was beyond anything that he had imagined for the scene. In fact, the first three scenes had been flawless and absolutely believable.
"What an amazing actress. How much of that was planned out?"
Kurosaki turned to see the CEO standing beside him. He was too impressed himself to gloat over his choice of actresses, "For the two leads, very little. I had Kenji doing a last-minute trim right where he was just so that he would fit into the scene. Her use of the hedge shears was entirely spontaneous."
Imada looked up at the younger man speculatively. "I think I understand why you chose her now." He sighed, "Regretfully, work calls. I will leave you now to film the last two spots."
He returned the director's bow and then turned to go. Then he stopped and turned his head back, "Director Kurosaki, I don't want to hear that you and Tsuruga-san got into a fight over that girl while I wasn't here." And with that, he walked away.
Kurosaki looked stunned. The key-grip standing close to him stifled a chuckle. Am I that obvious?
"Ok, people. Get back on set for the next scene. Make sure that everything is ready for the meeting on the road."
Fourth commercial:
The scene opens on a crying bride striding down the tree-lined road. Her dress is now visibly the worse for wear. Tears are flowing down her otherwise stone face.
The scene switches to the wedding location. The groom and a very embarrassed bridesmaid lift up the canvass side of the tent and begin to crawl out, only to be confronted with two very angry older men. "Father. Suzuko-san."
As the fathers are yelling at the groom in the background, guests mill around in confusion. Kenji, his sister Yurika, and several others are picking up the debris from Nanami's rage. When Kenji picks up the shards of a glass vase, he notices that one the larger pieces has blood on it.
He rises quickly, causing his sister to look up at him speculatively, "Sis, I have to go. I'll call you later."
Scene switches to Nanami, who is still walking rapidly down the road. A pickup truck slows down to a crawl next to her. "Miss, your hands bleeding. You need to let me look at that."
Nanami stops and looks over to the man in the truck without comprehension. Kenji meets her eyes for the third time.
Fifth commercial:
Nanami sits disconsolately, facing sideways on the passenger seat of the truck. Kenji has the first-aid box open and is treating a gash in her hand.
"My name is Matsakuro Kenji. I was helping at the wedding. I'm so…"
Nanami's face turns bitter and angry. She yanks her bandaged hand from Kenji's and tries to step down. "Thank you for your help. I'll be on my way no-o-oowww." As she stepps down the blisters that have formed from walking in high heals burst. She starts to collapse, but Kenji catches her easily. He lifts her up and sets her firmly back onto the seat. "I think that I had better take you home now."
Scene ends with a gloomy Nanami leaning against the window of the pickup truck as it drives down the road.
[commercials end]
"Ok, cut!"
Ren stepped out of the truck to go around to the passenger side, but the director had already moved forward to offer Kyoko a hand down.
Off in the distance Kyoko could hear one female cast member telling another, "how nice, Tsuruga Ren can bandage my hand anytime he wants." They both giggled.
"Good job, both of you. We'll have our first promotional interviews on Wednesday. The first spot will air during the talk show." He paused; looked at his watch. "Um, it's still early afternoon. I don't suppose that you would like to go have some lunch?"
Kyoko was oblivious to the fact that the question was only directed at her. She bowed, "I'm sorry, director-san, but I have to get to another job. But you two have a good lunch." She turned to Tsuruga Ren, "and make sure that you have something better than rice-balls wrapped in seaweed, Sempai."
As she skipped away to the changing tents, the two men glared at each other.
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Notes: You have probably noticed that the commercials are all in present tense, while the remainder of the story is in past tense. I hope that this is not too distracting for you.
I am gratified with the number of reviews, alerts, and favorites that this story is getting. I will try very hard to make the rest of it live up to your expectations.
Thank you, everyone, and please keep reviewing.
Final note: some may notice that scene three, Nanami's rage, does not feature any products. It would be lame to point out that half of the things that she threw out of the tent were Kamisaka products. Instead I will suggest that the company accepted this omission as necessary to build interest in the drama.
