Always With You
Disclaimer: I do not own SkipBeat or any of its characters
Chapter 13 – Life parallels art
It took another fifteen minutes after Rumiko's closing words before she was finally able to speak to Julie alone. The crew and several of the boldest audience members had thronged her beautiful friend as soon as the "On Air" sign went dark.
After everyone had been spoken with and politely shuffled off, Rumiko walked Julie back to her dressing room. "I didn't know that you knew Uchida-san. Actually, I remember something about a date. How long ago was that?"
Julie laughed lightly, "Have you forgotten? Juno-chan was my date to Kuu's funeral."
Rumiko's eyes went wide, "That's right! Oh, the poor man. I remember how forlorn he looked when Kuu-chan swept you away and left Juno-san standing there all alone."
"Don't worry, we've all become good friends since. Anyway, Rumiko, thank you for helping me today."
"Julie-chan, is Mogami Kyoko really worth it. I mean, it sounds like she has been stringing along an awful lot of men…"
Julie couldn't stifle a giggle, "Kyoko-chan? Stringing them along? Oh, Rumiko you have no idea. Takarada Lory actually formed a whole new department called the LoveMe department because of that girl. Not only is she not 'stringing men along,' but the poor guys can't get her to even notice them. She's afraid of love." Her face turned serious and sad, "That poor girl was so mistreated in her childhood that she doesn't believe anyone could love her. She followed that Fuwa Sho punk to Tokyo in order to help him get launched. There was never a romantic relationship."
Rumiko still looked skeptical.
Julie sighed, "You've been digging up dirt on people for so long that you've become jaded. Ok, Rumi-chan, I'll tell you what: if you will spare me a few hours I will take you down to the set of Ronin's Children. I'll clear it so that you can talk to anyone there about Kyoko."
Nishimura Rumiko's eyes widened at the idea, but she nodded.
* * *
Outside of the studio a much less pleasant scene was taking place. Kazu stalked after President Uchida yelling, his face suffused with rage, "How dare you?! How dare you humiliate me in front of national television! And all to protect that #$%!"
Uchida's driver/bodyguard started to step forward, but Uchida waved him off and wheeled to face Kazu, "How dare I," his voice was calm but cold, "You little punk. I only signed you on because of your family's influence. And now you've made me and my company look like pathetic amateurs. You dare to blame that girl when you know perfectly well that you were fired due to your own incompetence? Most young actors wait years to get an opportunity like you had, but you played around and threw your chance away. You had better thank your lucky stars that that girl was there. If she hadn't been there to pick up your slack then the producer and the investors might have sued you and my company for criminal incompetence!"
As Uchida spoke, Kazu's rage continued to build until he took a swing at the older man. Uchida Juno, the veteran of over thirty martial arts movies, easily blocked the clumsy swing and delivered a devastating blow to Kazu's solar plexus.
Uchida looked down at him as he fell to his knees gasping for breath. "Don't ever come near my agency again, you worthless piece of trash."
* * *
Kyoko was having a wonderful morning. The writers had revised the story so that only a few of the earlier scenes needed to be redone. She was very happy with the direction they were taking the story now. Enoki Masami was being subtly altered from a bad girl to a good girl caught in a horrible set of circumstances. This could become the role that would break her out of the bully-girl roles once and for all.
She had been introduced to Choshi Kazu's replacement as soon as she arrived. He was prepared, competent, and professional. They re-shot all of the earlier scenes with Chino Ryoichi and had only two NGs. She almost regretted that the writers had pretty much written the character out of the rest of the story.
And then there was Yamada Genjo. Yamada-san was a actor and model who had recently been listed in the top-ten for Japan's Most Desirable Man (the same one where Ren was listed number 1). He was not arrogant, but he was very self-confident. He had not wasted any time this morning making it clear that he was available if Kyoko was on the market. Yamada-san would be playing Police Detective Kihara Genjo, Enoki Masami's childhood friend and love interest.
Kyoko didn't see Julie and Chiori arriving. She also didn't see Nishimura Rumiko walking alongside them.
The director yelled out, "Places, everyone. Quiet on the set! Cameras Ready? Roll 'em."
(Note: in the previous scene Chino had called his girlfriend's cell phone. He found out that she was at the police station filing a report on the attack and his missing-person status.)
[It was the middle of the night outside as Chino Ryoichi followed Enoki Masami into the police station. She went directly up to the reception window. "We're here to see Detective Kihara," Masami stated.
The elderly sergeant raised an eyebrow as he looked at the mismatched pair. "Just go through the door and…"
"No, problem Sergeant. I know where to find him." Masami stood there looking impatient as the old man's eyes lingered on her, "Are you going to push the button?"
"Oh, sorry." He reached under the counter and the solenoid clicked. Masami swung the door open and proceeded confidently down the hallway. At the next T she turned right and continued.
"You seem to know your way around this place pretty well," Chino said as he tried to keep up.
"Used to play Barbies here."
Chino stumbled slightly, puzzled, then walked/ran to catch back up. The image of this tough biker girl playing Barbies was almost to much to fathom.
They turned the corner into a large, open area with desks spaced evenly in two long rows. The police were obviously having a quiet night; only two desks were active. One had a balding sergeant arraigning two drunks for brawling. At the other sat two very tired and bewildered college-age girls and another sergeant. The girls were stealing surreptitious glances at another man who was leaning against the wall behind the desk. The tall, handsome man wore a white shirt and shoulder holster, marking him out as a police detective.
As they started down the aisle toward the second active desk there was a gasp of recognition, "Ry-chan! Are you Ok?!" The two girls rushed up to Chino Ryoichi and surrounded him with questions.
Detective Kihara Genjo pushed off of the wall and walked up to Masami. "Since when did you start running a delivery service?"
"Hello to you too, Genjo-san. And how are you this fine night?"
Genjo chuckled, "Hello Masami-chan. He looks pretty bruised up. Makada and his choir boys?"
"Yeah. He claims that Mack and his boys insulted the girls and he tried to stop it," she wrinkled her nose, suggesting the story smelled fishy, "the three of them were probably looking to buy drugs."
"Masami-chan, if you wanted to play police, all you have to do is fill out the application. I'll endorse it. But you've got to stay away from Makada. It's not the same as when your brother ran things."
"Yeah, yeah. You know why I can't join. Have you used all those fine detective skills to find out who killed my family?
"Nothing yet. Nobody's talking. But even if I did find out, you know I can't tell you."
Masami stepped closer to the detective. She placed her hands on his chest and looked up into his eyes. "You'll tell me, Genjo-kun. And then I'll take it from there."
Detective Kihara gulped slightly as the leather-clad girl pushed herself away. She turned and walked back down the aisle toward the exit.
The eyes of every man in the room followed her out. When his girlfriend saw Chino Ryoichi's following eyes she sniffed, "Just who is that?!"
The sergeant who had been booking the two drunks walked up beside Detective Kihara, "Yeah, Kihara, just who was that?"
Kihara shook himself back into focus, "If you are finished here, I'll buy you a drink."]
[Scene switches to a bar frequented by policemen. Several uniforms are seated at the bar and spread out among the tables. Detective Kihara and the balding sergeant respond to several greetings and take a table. After they place their drink orders the sergeant leans forward:
"Now, detective-san, tell me about the hottie."
"The 'hottie' was the daughter of Chief Enoki."
Sergeant Eda sat up straight, "Enoki! You mean the one whose car was blown up?"
"Yes," Kihara answered bleakly, "along with him, his wife, and his son. The son Jino was once my best friend, until he got angry at his father and started the Shogun's."
"You telling me that the person who started that little collection of scum was the son of the Chief of Police?!"
"The same."
"Ok, you said that he got mad at his father? Why?"
"Have you ever heard of Akimoto Arata?"
"Sure, he used to run the mob here back in the days. He got arrested and somebody shanked him in jail."
"He was arrested by Chief Enoki. Akimoto Arata was his father-in-law," the sergeant sat in stunned silence, so Jihara continued, "Jino thought that his grandfather was some type of hero-figure. He always bragged about him when we were kids. He was really angry at his dad for the arrest. And then they found out that he was murdered in prison.
"Jino inherited his grandfather's sword. It seems that he was actually descended from an ancient shogun. Jino broke off his ties with his family and started the gang about the same time that I was starting in the Academy."
"So why were they together in the car?"
"Nobody knows. Some of his old friends said that he was thinking of disbanding the Shoguns and reconciling with his family. It's only speculation as far as I know."
"So who killed them?"
"We don't have a clue. They used a homemade detonator and basic plastic explosives. Nobody talked about it then or afterwards. It's become a cold case."
"Ok, what about the girl? I watched you two. It looked like there was something there."
"She had a crush on me when I used to hang out with Jino. At the time I thought that she was a nuisance."
"That girl liked you, and you thought she was a nuisance?!"
Kihara nodded ruefully. Sergeant Eda rolled his eyes dramatically to the sky, "Kami-sama, why do you waste youth on the young?"]
"Ok, cut! Excellent job, gentlemen. Let's wrap for lunch and be back on set by 1:30 pm."
Kyoko had been standing on the other side of the set watching the bar scene. When she looked up she saw Julie and Chiori. She worked her way rapidly around the scrambling set crew, dragging another girl along.
"Okaa-san… " she paused in her approach as she saw Rumiko standing with the other two. The girl behind her was not expecting the sudden stop and she collided into Kyoko's back. Kyoko recovered quickly and bowed to Rumiko. "Julie-san, Amamiya-chan, Nishimura-san, please allow me to introduce a friend and my stunt-double, Aiko Mari."
Julie stepped forward, "Aiko-san, I'm pleased to meet you. Kyoko has said wonderful things about you." Chiori and Rumiko both bowed.
Aiko blushed. Many actors and actresses treated stunt people like so much furniture. But Kyoko treated her and everyone else with deep respect. She was a favorite among them because she worked so hard and was never afraid to get her hands dirty. The girls were becoming good friends.
"If everyone will excuse us, Aiko and I are running down to the corner store to pick up drinks for everyone. Amamiya-chan, can you come?"
Chiori looked at Julie, who waved her on. The three girls quickly headed down the road toward the store.
* * *
Choshi Kazu was still wheezing as he drove his car aimlessly through the streets of Tokyo. His plans for revenge during the morning had been destroyed and his career was ruined. It's all because of that upstart $%#! Just because she prances around in that little leather outfit all of the men are falling all over themselves to please her!
Without thinking about it he had driven to the set of Ronin's Children. He parked where he could see the entrance. He was surprised to see the hot older lady, Julie-something, another cute girl, and Nishimura Rumiko walking into the building. Even his slow mind realized the implications of this. They are all in this together! She asked me to be on the show this morning just so that she could see me humiliated. They're all working for Kyoko! I'll get her! I'll make her pay!
He sat fuming in his car as he tried to think of a way to get his revenge. An hour had passed when people started streaming out of the door for lunch. After a few minutes he saw the person he had been watching for. Kyoko walked out of the building, chatting animatedly with two other girls who Choshi didn't recognize. He started his car and began following them as they walked down the main street. He parked against a curb when he saw them turn into a corner store. Then he saw a group of hoods standing close to his car and he had an idea.
* * *
The three girls were having a fun conversation about nothing in particular as they walked out of the store. Aiko Mari had recognized Chiori Amamiya as Yumika from Box-R. She had been surprised at how relaxed and inclusive the two girls were being with her.
In fact, she was so relaxed that she finally allowed herself to ask the question that had been preying on her mind. "Mogami-san, who do you like: Tsuruga-san or Kurosaki-san?"
Kyoko stopped in her tracks and looked at the older girl. "Mari-chan! Not you too!"
"No! I'm not trying to pry or anything… it's just that… if you're not interested in Kurosaki-san… then maybe… could you introduce me to him?"
Kyoko and Chiori both grinned teasingly. "You like him! Well, he is kind of cute, if your into the hoodlum look."
"Well, well. What do we have here boys?" The three girls were startled to look up and see four rough looking men working their way around the girls.
"Aren't they cute? And they have drinks! Well girls, since you provided the drinks, the least we can do is provide the party."
Chiori was scared. Kyoko reverted to Enoki Masami. Aiko Mari was herself; and that was enough. "I suggest that you losers back away now."
The hoods were surprised by the older spiky-haired girl's tone. "Look boys, we've got a tough one." They all laughed, and the leader stepped forward to grab her. He never made it. Mari held third-degree blackbelts in kenpo karate and taekwondo. As a part of a stunt-family she had started studying the martial arts at the age of three. Now the full force of that training was unleashed. The leader suddenly found his extended hand twisting painfully behind his back as the world turned upside-down and he landed with a "ooof" on his back.
Another had been stepping toward Kyoko. She had only been training for five weeks now, but it had been five weeks of intensive training, four hours per day, with three different instructors. When the man grabbed for her she caught his right hand with her left, pulling the him forward into a brutal elbow-strike to the nose.
A third tried to grab Chiori, but Aiko Mari had already dispatched the first and she took this man off of his feet with a leg sweep that was instantly followed by a dropping leg-chop right onto the man's chest.
The fourth hood wisely chose to run away. He only made it twenty feet before a policeman who had seen the whole encounter squealed his car into the parking lot and blocked his path.
And that is why Kyoko was able to sit in a real police station and compare it to the one on the set of Ronin's Children. Being Kyoko, she took note of several details which she planned to mention later.
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Notes: This is definitely the longest chapter I have written, although much of it is dialogue from the movie.
