Prisoner
5th Chapter: Reckless

"Well everyone! I'm glad we can all gather here tonight and celebrate the start of a week-long shoot." Director Ogata stood at the end of the long table where forty people composed of the staff and actors were seated accordingly. "As you all know, our shooting schedule met some blocks on the road, but we turned it upside down and here we are." He looked around and smiled since very little people were on the secluded island and only ten people were eating at the restaurant, aside from them.

*hurray* *clap* *clap* everyone cheered and agreed.

"Well, tonight we will all rest or enjoy ourselves since the beach is yours to enjoy."

"What?" Ten-chan, their adorable costume designer said sharply from the opposite end, "You're not swimming with us Director?"

"Hehe… I'm afraid I'm not the swimming type."

"Boo… you work too hard." Ten-chan replied offhandedly, if she could talk that informally with President Lory Takarada from LME, then she could certainly act like the bratty genius that she is with anyone.

Kyoko smiled awkwardly 'isn't that normal for a director?' she thought. She wanted to enjoy the ambience, she even dressed up the way Ten-chan wanted her to. In a white shoulder cuffed blouse, short shorts and sandals instead of the 'love me section uniform', she even wore her bikini underneath! Then her eyes settled on the empty seat next to hers which was probably noticed by the director for he addressed the matter,

"As for one of our leads, Tsuruga-san, he just finished his shoot and will be here this morning."
Kyoko sighed. She knew that, the man called her the moment he finished his shoot since he also wanted to vent out at her for not 'reporting' to him when the bus arrived at Shinobu island. She was frustrated too because…

Well, she didn't know why, but she didn't feel that much secure without her senpai by her side. She growled to herself, since when did she become dependent on a man? But she did try dressing up just so Tsuruga-san could see that she's mature… like one of the actresses sitting at the table.

"I think you could use this." Shou, who was sitting in front of her, handed her a glass of water,

"Err… you're unusually kind tonight." She said, "You look like you're going to throw up." He said while Kyoko took the glass from him and drank it.

The moment the liquid touched her tongue it gushed out reflexively. Shou, including the other actors and actresses looked at her direction and smiled patronizingly.

"Was it too strong for you?" Yoshiki cooed, she was playing one of the student roles, the ones obsessed with Gin.

"It's only gin and tonic." Shou threw out casually, "Oh… wait, Kyoko is this your first time drinking?" he said knowingly. He was surrounded by women, drink in hand, he was dressed in his red long sleeved polo and black jeans, he looked every bit of the rock star he is.

Kyoko turned red, she couldn't come off as a newbie or seem like she didn't know anything so she laughed it off, "N… No. I'm allergic to it. I prefer… this." She stared at Kijima who was sitting beside her and took his glass filled with amber liquid and downed it. It burned her throat she wanted to cry and spit it out but she can't show any kind of weakness in front of other celebrities… No. She was the lead actress and she's supposed to be respected.

"Are you okay Kyoko-chan?" Kijima placed his hand on her shoulder, "You don't look like a girl who prefers whiskey."

"Uh… really?" her stomach was burning as she spoke, "I love it…"

"Chill out Kijima-SAN." Shou said smugly, "We are celebrating with colleagues, stop fussing like her father. Waiter!" Shou called out and ordered Kyoko her own glass of whiskey.

"He's right Kijima-san. Don't mind me and just enjoy yourself," she said then glared at Shou for butting in and giving her the drink in the first place. "And you," she said with glaring eyes, "Mind your own business as well."

'How—did this happen?' Kyoko thought to herself while sitting as stiff as a rock, on the couch in her hotel room, staring at Shoutaro who was just ten-feet away from her, sitting comfortably on her queen-size bed, 'How can my greed for a perfect show cloud my better judgment!?" she thought to herself.

"What's up with your face?" Shou interrupted her thought.

"Huh?" her frown grew darker, her face redder.

"Hmmm. I knew it you really don't drink do you." He crossed his legs comfortably as he said this.

"I do too!"

"I can tell when you're lying and have you forgotten? I knew you since we were infants, you've never drank alcohol before." He cocked a brow at her direction.

"I learned at LME. Actors drink a lot and I'm good at it."

"Hmm. I guess you're right, a glass of gin and tonic, three and half glasses of whiskey and you're still thinking straight. You're a pro." Shou said in an assenting tone, Kyoko missed the condescension beneath and just smiled, before giving into a hiccup.

Shou smirked to himself. "So why don't we start?"

To be continued.

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