Always With You

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Chapter 7 – Rumor has it... (part two)

"We're back! On the show this morning we have been speaking with our three guests, Tsuruga Ren, Director Kurosaki Shio, and Mogami Kyoko. The reason that they are all here together today is to promote their newest joint-project, a commercial drama entitled Always with you. I'm going to ask Director Kurosaki to start. First of all, could you explain what a 'commercial drama' is?"

"Certainly; a commercial drama is a series of thirty or sixty-second commercials that slowly develop a dramatic story. These spots, or maybe we should call them episodes, will be aired on a periodic basis. As each new commercial is presented, more of the story is told."

"That is interesting! But isn't it a little unusual to have interviews and promotional advertising for a commercial?"

"Yes, it is. But because the early 'episodes' of this commercial drama are so important to the overall story, we want people to start watching them from the beginning. We don't want to wait until the viewer naturally realizes that the commercials are different."

"What can you tell me about the story?"

"Always with you is the story of a young woman who is about to get married when she discovers that her fiancé is having an affair. She becomes angry and bitter; determined that she will never love again. Then a new man comes along and has to find a way to open her heart."

"Let's take a look at the first commercial."

Everyone watched as the scenes quickly switched back-and-forth from a frazzled bride to a handsome worker setting up for the wedding. The bride was as beautiful as a bride should be on her wedding day. The worker, tall, trim, and muscular, with sweaty, roughed-up hair, was all-man. The final scene ended with Tsuruga Ren's unguarded look of desire as he looked up at the sun-drenched Kyoko. After the announcer gave his short spiel about Kamisaka Enterprises, the live audience (mostly women) sighed.

Rumiko dramatically fanned herself, "Well, that certainly was an interesting sixty-seconds. Is there any doubt why Tsuruga-san was voted Most Desirable Man, ladies?

"And that final look! Raise your hands, ladies, if you would like to have that look directed at you." All of the women raised their hands high.

Rumiko laughed, "Tsuruga-san, I've been a fan of yours since you debuted. I have to say that I've only seen that look one other time: On the scene in Dark Moon where you are alone with Mizuki for the first time at her aunt's house." The audience applauded lightly; it was only of the most memorable moments in the show's first season. "Just who do you think about when you need to pull up that expression?"

Kyoko, still in the character of Suzuko Nanami, was just as affected as the other ladies in the audience. One of Rumiko's statements bothered her though: What did she mean when she said she had only seen that look one other time? He uses that 'Emperor of the Night' look all of the time. I must have seen it twenty or thirty times.

This question distracted her so much that she didn't catch Ren's involuntary glance toward her when Rumiko asked him who he thought about when he needed to generate that look. But Rumiko caught the look, and so did the camera.

She chose to let that image linger in people's minds as she switched her focus to Kurosaki. "Director Kurosaki, I am deeply impressed with the strong impact that you were able to make in just sixty-seconds. We can definitely see why you prefer to call your work 'art.'"

Kurosaki smiled confidently.

Nice little fishy… "Of course, part of your art is making the right choice in actors to execute your vision. Have you worked with Tsuruga-san before?"

"No, but I know of his reputation, both as an actor and as an audience-pleaser. I was more than willing to offer him the part when he was recommended to me."

Time for the kill… "Oh, so he was recommended? But not Kyoko; rumor has it that you actually refused to take on this project unless Mogami Kyoko was given the female lead."

This earned Rumiko a startled gasp from the audience and surprised looks from Ren and Kyoko.

Before he could reply, Rumiko turned to Ren, "And Tsuruga Ren, rumor has it that the girl who you always think of whenever you need to bring out that seductive smile is... none other that our guest, Kyoko.

Both men looked startled and out of sorts. I've got them now! "As a matter of fact, rumor has it that you two have been squaring off at each other like schoolyard boys. They say that you've been competing for Kyoko's attention since the first day of the pro…"

Rumiko was interrupted by a sweet and natural laughter. Kyoko was gone and in her place was the "real" Suzuko Nanami. "I understand now, Nishimura-san." Her attitude showed that Suzuko-san was all high-class; a lady of top-level sophistication who was clearly above the petty machinations of the lowly talk-show host.

"You've been focusing your questions for Tsuruga-san and Kurosaki-san on me. I admit to being confused as to why you kept focusing back on the least important person on the stage. You have been hoping to make it look like these two professional men, both at the top of their chosen field, are fighting over an eighteen year old girl!."

Suzuko Nanami's tone made the Rumiko's whole premise look so ridiculous that it would be foolish for her to continue. But Rumiko wasn't about to be backed into a corner by this little snippet. She took a breath and tried to exert control, "Well, Kyoko-san, why isn't that possible? After all, you are both beautiful and talented."

Suzuko Nanami sighed, "Please, Nishimura-san, let's not insult your audience's intelligence any further. As you've already pointed out twice, Tsuruga Ren has been voted as Japan's most Desirable Man. He could have his pick of women. And Kurosaki Shio is a top-notch director in his genre who has had one success after another. If he was looking for a girlfriend, would he really focus on little-old-me?"

Rumiko fumed inwardly. She knew that she was being outclassed by this little newbie, but she couldn't figure out how to regain her momentum. She also knew that she was right about her assertions. Does that girl really not know that she has these two men wrapped around her finger? Is she just playing dumb or is she just inexperienced with men?

"Ok then, Mogami-san, have you ever been in love?"

There was a long pause before Kyoko responded. "I've only ever loved one man; well actually a boy." The camera was focused on Kyoko, so it didn't catch Ren's bleak look, "Truthfully, I only knew him for a little over a week. I met him when I was a little girl." Still off camera, Ren's face loosened and became speculative.

Kyoko was Kyoko now, pure and unsophisticated. Her eyes had stars in them, "He was the most beautiful boy I had ever seen. At the time I believed that he was the Prince of the Faerie world." The audience, Rumiko, and even Kurosaki chuckled, but Kyoko paid them no attention. "Oh, I know that that isn't true now, but he was certainly perfect enough for the position. He had to leave as suddenly as he appeared, but he left me a small gift. I still have it and it gives me comfort whenever I feel lonely or depressed. I guess you could say that it is 'always with me,' just like the title of our little drama."

Rumiko recognized Kyoko's last words as an attempt to return to the topic of the interview, but she wasn't ready to be guided. "So, is that the only time that you've been in love?"

For the briefest moment Kyoko started to look like Mio. Several of the more clairvoyant in the audience would have sworn that they saw little demons flying around the girl's head. Then, as if something drove them away, they disappeared and a more mature Kyoko responded, "I thought that I was in love with somebody else at one time. Now I have realized that it was only a one-sided infatuation." Kyoko's eyes became sad in a way that impacted everyone on the stage and in the audience, "You see, I wanted so badly to be loved that I was willing to take whatever I could get.

"But that isn't real love. Real love is a give-and-take; it's mutual. It's like the story that we are here on your show to promote. My character, Suzuko Nanami, has been terribly hurt by a one-sided love. Now she will have to learn to believe in the real thing if she ever hope to be happy."

Everyone, including Rumiko, was totally captivated with Kyoko's heartfelt words and her delivery. Rumiko was startled back to awareness only after her assistant repeatedly cleared his throat.

"Ah… yes. We'll go to commercial now and be back for the final portion of today's Rumiko Show, right after these messages."

Rumiko played it safe in the final segment. She allowed Director Kurosaki to promote the website and chat room. They discussed the director's plans to solicit viewer feedback in-between each five-commercial segment. They even tested the idea by taking audience questions for the final six minutes of the show. Among the usual banal questions there were a few good ideas.

* * *

After the guests departed Rumiko called her assistant over. "I want you to find out everything that you can about that girl's past. She mentioned two boys. Get their names and find out where they are today. I want anything and everything!"

"Got it boss. I'm on it."

* * *

In another part of town a DVR was recording The Rumiko Show so that Fuwa Sho could watch it when he woke up. The critics and audience alike agreed that his performance that night was rather lackluster.

* * *

In New York, where Reino had joined Vie Ghoul, he watched the show on the Japanese channel. When he saw her demons' failed attempt to appear he shook his head sadly. Her demons are disappearing. How boring. Well, there's lots of good potential in this old city.

* * *

In the spacious living room of one Hollywood mansion a middle-aged couple watched Rumiko's closing words. The beautiful woman turned her serious gaze on her tall, handsome husband, "I'm going to Japan."

"Julie, that's not such a good…"

"I'm going! I know Rumiko. She won't let this go, and you know it."

Hizuri Kuu sighed, "You're right. I'll call the boss."

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Notes: I dedicate this chapter, and as many more as he/she (?) wants, to NehNeh (hereafter NN). NN read my question about Director Kurosaki's name and spent a considerable amount of time rooting out the correct answer. I will not cut-and-paste NN's exact words because I forgot to ask permission. The long-and-short of it is that Hei Qi Hu is the Chinese translation. Kurosaki's full Japanese name is Kurosaki Shio. Thank you NN.

I originally promised to send this chapter right after the last chapter. Within an hour of sending part one I had to drive someone to the emergency room. It was a very, very long night, but she is stable now.