Always With You
Disclaimer: I do not own SkipBeat or any of its characters
Chapter 17 – The second segment
Aiko Mari, who had been having an animated conversation with Director Kurosaki, saw a completely transformed Kyoko and ran up to greet her. "I can't believe how different you look! I mean, I've seen the commercials. But this is…, wow!"
Kyoko smiled her ojou-sama smile. "Thank you, Mari-chan. So how's it going over there?"
Mari smiled, "I like him! I think I'll keep him."
Kyoko laughed, "Aren't you supposed to catch him first?"
"Oh, I'll catch him. That poor boy doesn't stand a chance."
They both giggled as they finished walking to the set.
"Ok, everyone should have reviewed the filming sequence thoroughly. I've asked Masoko-san to be the time-keeper so that we don't miss our light-windows. Everyone stay loose and be ready to switch scenes quickly. We'll start with Kyoko in CM8, scene two. Let's go, people."
Authors note: In order to give the maintain continuity in the flow of the commercials I have presented each commercial as a whole. In actuality it was necessary for the outdoor scenes in several of the commercials to be filmed during the appropriate time of day (called a light-window). The first commercial, for example, was filmed at three different times throughout the filming day.
Sixth commercial
[Suzuko Nanami sits disconsolately in the passenger seat of Matsakura Kenji's truck as he is driving down the tree-lined road. Her head is leaning against the window.
"Can you tell me where to take you?"
Nanami lifts her head and looks at Kenji with a blank expression, "Could we just drive for now?"
Scene switches to the truck parked in front of a convenience store. Kenji steps out with a paper bag and a bottle of juice. He climbs into the truck, he reaches into the bag and pulls out a jar of Kamisaka Ibuprophen.
Scene switches to the truck driving in the hills behind Tokyo as the evening turns dusky]
Seventh commercial
[Kenji's truck is parked in front of a large, rambling home with beautiful landscaping. He rushes around to the passenger door in order to give Nanami a hand down.
She bows to him and begins to walk toward the stairs that lead up to the house.
"Wait." he hurriedly reaches back behind the seat for his first-aid kit, pulling out another large bandage and antiseptic cream. He also grabs a business card from the dash and puts it on the stack. He hands it to her.
"Please call me, Suzuko-san, if you need anything at all."
She looks at the card in her hand. She looks up at his almost pleading eyes. She nods.]
Eighth commercial
[(This is a series of approximately 6-second clips going back and forth between Kenji and Nanami. Music plays in the background). The total number of clips is eight; some images took longer than others.
Matsuki Kenji sits on his truck like the statue of The Thinker, only he is looking at his phone.
Suzuko Nanami lays in bed with a cold-pack on her forehead. Her hand drifts over to Kenji's business card.
Kenji, dressed in workout clothes, jogs up a hill his phone is in one hand as he runs.
Nanami, wearing yellow garden gloves, sits outside working on a flower display. She reaches for her clippers. The business card is there on the table in front of her.
Kenji, dressed in a tailored suit, sits at the head of the table in a conference room and listens to a presentation. He is spinning his phone as he listens.
Nanami is sitting with two friends in an outdoor café. She looks bored and lifeless. She opens her small purse to pay the bill and pauses as she touches Kenji's card.
(Nanami again) Nanami opens her nightstand drawer. She hold's Kenji's card in her hand. She lays the card in the drawer, closes it firmly, and walks away.
Kenji lays on his bed in his clothing. He has one arm across his forehead and the other holds up his phone. He sighs and pushes the button. Camera focuses on the phone as it shuts down.]
Ninth commercial
[Nanami sits at the breakfast table with her parents.
Mom wipes her mouth with a napkin: It's been seven months, Nanami. Isn't it time to start meeting new people?
Dad: Nanami, I have set up a meeting with Nagima and his son. I want you to come along. I hear that he's a really nice boy.
Nanami looks at her parents in alarm.
Scene switches to Nanami walking back and forth in her room. She stops and looks across the room at her nightstand.
Scene switches to Kenji sitting in his spacious office. His cell phone rings. Camera focuses on his face. He says "hello"
A female voice says, "Is this Matsakura Kenji?"
Kenji smiles.]
Tenth commercial
[Kenji, dressed in a nice suit, walks into a fancy restaurant and gives the Maître' dam his name. She smiles flirtingly and motions for him to follow. As Kenji walks after her a lovestruck waitress trips on a chair leg and dumps the tray of food all over the guests at the table. In the background the waitress is wiping up the mess.
Kenji continues to a table where Nanami and her parents are seated.
Nanami rises and takes Kenji's arm, "Mom, Dad, I would like you to meet my boyfriend."
The mom blushes at Kenji. The dad, who appears agitated, takes several pills from the table, pops them in his mouth, and drinks.]
* * *
The day ended with the last scene from CM6, as Kenji dropped Nanami off in the evening.
"Cut! Great work, everyone! We'll review tape and edit tomorrow. Keep your cell phones on in case we need to reshoot a scene."
Ren and Yashiro walked with Kyoko toward the changing areas. "Mogami-san, would you care to eat dinner with us?"
Kyoko smiled pleasantly, "Yes, thank you, Tsuruga-san. Can we invite Kurosaki-san along?"
Yashiro blanched and Ren started to turn dark, but Kyoko didn't notice because she was leaning forward to whisper, "Mari-san really likes him. I think that he may be interested as well."
By the time she looked up to meet Ren's eyes, he was smiling and all was right with the world. "Of course, Mogami-san. What would you like to eat?"
"Whatever you like is fi…, I mean… how about a family place that has a variety?" Kyoko had almost let Ren choose. She was afraid that he might suggest boiled frogs again.
Ren smiled, knowing exactly what had made her pause. "Family style it is."
As Kyoko walked away, his smile slipped slightly. He was worried, wishing that he could keep Kyoko close 24 hours a day. His eyes unconsciously scanned the surrounding area, looking for any signs of danger.
* * *
Kurosaki Shio watched Kyoko talking to Tsuruga Ren and felt surprisingly sanguine about it. Kurosaki was a people watcher. He often chose a spot to sit in the middle of a crowded shopping area just so that he could watch the people. By doing this he had become expert at reading expressions.
Like Kyoko's expression the day before, whenever she looked over at Tsuruga Ren. In the chaos of the courtroom Kyoko was at peace; just as long as Tsuruga-san was in the room. He remembered his first day of pre-school. He had been frightened, and he became even more frightened when his mother tried to leave. So she had stayed. Throughout that first morning little Shio has scanned the room for her familiar face. As soon as he found her he was happy. On the following day he had been fine.
That was what he had seen and recognized in Kyoko's actions. She might not be in love with Tsuruga-san yet, but he was already her most-important-person. There wasn't any room for anyone else.
He was surprised when Kyoko stepped up to him and invited him to join her, Yashiro, and Tsuruga-san for dinner. Then he saw the pleased look that passed briefly over Aiko Mari's face. Somehow things didn't seem so bad after all.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Notes: It is surprisingly hard to write these commercials. I have a sixty-second timer I am using to play out the scene in my head and time it. Then I make the necessary modifications and try it again until the timing is right. Of course, my mind-picture doesn't necessarily match what the reader sees. Well, I hope you like it anyway.
Story Spoiler: You may be confused about CM 10 where Nanami introduces Kenji as her boyfriend. In CM 11 you find out that she asked him to "pretend" to be her boyfriend and he agreed, for a price. (you'll have to wait for the rest).
