Chapter 12: Kissing with an Audience
"Today, we'll be doing everyone's favorite scenes!" Benedict announced, settling down into his director's chair. "I thought we'd do a kissing scene today."
Misaki cringed. Oh great...
Benedict flipped through the script. "I need Cypress, Marina and Derek on set. This is at night when Marina and Derek have a heart to heart and then kiss. Cypress sees them in the background."
The crew began setting up and Misaki, Vivian and Takumi went to get into costume. Vivian and Takumi were in their Rider outfits and Misaki was in her spring costume that was the raspberry color.
"Hold still," Subaru said. "I need to make sure the circlet is straight."
Misaki tried to hold still as Erika dabbed on lipstick simultaneously.
"Here's your wrap," Erika added.
"I have your script," Honoka added. "Do you want to look over your lines again?"
Misaki shook her head. "I have them memorized."
"Good."
Misaki stepped out of her trailer.
"Peppermint?"
"Gah!" Misaki exclaimed jumping back. "Can you not do that...?"
Takumi just grinned. "Peppermint?" he offered again. He was sucking on one.
"No thank you," Misaki said, avoiding eye contact with him.
They both awkwardly walked back to set- well Takumi was completely chill. Misaki felt awkward. She didn't feel this way with Tora but with Takumi, she felt really nervous. Her palms started getting sweaty.
"Uh oh," Benedict said, pushing his Ray Bands to the top of his head. "We have some awkward bubbles to pop. Do what you have to," he said, sipping his coffee. "If you want duck into a trailer first and practice-"
"No, we're fine," Misaki interrupted, blushing. "Let's get going with the shoot."
"If you say so," Benedict said.
The scene took place at night except they were shooting in broad day light. Here's how it worked, the cameras all had a tinted lens attached to the front. That tinted lens then darkened everything it filmed. It was broad day light but with the lens, all footage would look darker. Since the scene was at an evening time, the lens wasn't as dark to allow more light to be captured.
The crew, on the other hand, was building a small fire in this iron pot thing on a wooden stand. It was like makeshift street lights...except not as tall.
Takumi's makeup artist dabbed concealer under his eyes and then hurried away.
"Ready! Action!" Benedict yelled.
"Princess?" Takumi said as he took the reins off his horse.
The scene started out with Marina walking over to the horse stables. Derek was there unsaddling his horse.
"You know better to call me that," Misaki said, leaning against a post. "I'll always just be Marina Cleo."
"You don't like your title?" Takumi asked, walking over and hanging up the reins.
"I'm so use to being just Marina Cleo. Princess Anastasia Odette Eowen of Tristal is a big name to live up to."
"It's big alright," Takumi teased.
Misaki smiled. "I just..."
"You just what?"
"I feel like an outsider sometimes," Misaki admitted in a small voice.
"I'm sure all leaders feel that way some time or another."
They moved over a bit and sat on the fence. The top was wide so it was actually pretty comfortable to sit on.
"Have you ever felt so alone?" Misaki asked, looking at the sky. "I wonder where my mother is. I also wonder what my birth mother was like. I just have so many questions that don't have answers."
"They say she was a very kind queen," Takumi offered.
"But I want to know her like a mother. Would she have scolded me for getting dirty or gently reprimand me for my ways."
"I think all mothers would do both," Takumi said after a pause.
"Did you know your mother?"
"Barely," Takumi said, sighing. "My father died in the Great War and my mother passed shortly after from fever."
"Did you have any siblings?"
"They died."
"I'm sorry,"
"It's okay," Takumi said, taking a deep breath. "I actually don't remember much," he said, pretending to be a bad liar. "I don't usually remember any of those times."
Misaki timidly placed her hand over his. "I know how you feel..." Misaki whispered. "This war has taken too much from all of us. We are a generation of orphans...but we are also a generation of survivors. None of have simply lived... We survived."
A smile touched his lips.
"The enchantress was right," he said. "You, Marina Cleo, just the way you are, will lead thousands. You will make a great Queen someday."
"Why do you have so much faith in me?"
"Because you've given me hope," Takumi said, slowly taking Misaki's hand into his. They were both uncertain. "That's something I will always cherish."
"But you are the one who gives me strength," Misaki whispered.
Their eyes met. Emerald met Amber.
"I confess, I always feel stronger when I know you're supporting me."
They leaned a little closer.
"Thousands are supporting you. It's not just me…" Takumi whispered.
Misaki slowly began to close her eyes. "But...you…"
Their lips finally melt. Misaki felt an electrical shock go through her and jerked back.
"Cut!" Benedict yelled. "What was that?!"
"Sorry," Misaki muttered, biting her lower lip.
"Again," Benedict said.
"Thousands are supporting you..."
"But...you…" Misaki whispered.
Their lips touched but Misaki felt awkward which was rare when she was being professional.
Kissing scenes in movies were always a hassle. Misaki was supposed to falling in love with Derek Faramir in their own quiet personal world but the camera man was literally three feet away from them and the sound system was dangling a foot above their heads. There was also a crowd watching. A lot of the other cast members were there.
"Cut!" Benedict yelled again. "The emotion isn't there. Misaki, you need to act more natural."
"Sorry," Misaki muttered.
"Again,"
"You okay?" Takumi asked.
Misaki nodded. "Yeah, let's just do it again,"
They kissed again. Misaki could taste the peppermint on Takumi's lips.
"Cut!" Benedict said, studying the scene. "I still think it's too awkward," he said. "Everyone take five!" he said. "Takumi and Misaki, come here."
Misaki silently cringed. This had never happened in a shoot before.
"What's the matter?" Benedict asked after everyone went back to their own business.
"Sorry, it's my fault," Takumi said. "I can't get into it and that was making Misaki nervous."
Misaki's eyes widened. "No-"
Takumi cut her off. "Could we have twenty minutes of privacy?" he asked. "I just need to get it together with Misaki."
Benedict was skeptical. "I expected more from you…Takumi Usui."
"I'm sorry," Takumi said. "I will do better."
"Twenty minutes," Benedict said. "Go ahead."
"Why did you do that?" Misaki asked as they walked away.
"Do what?"
"It was all me," Misaki said, softly. "You didn't have to take the blame."
"I know Benedict," Takumi replied, opening the trailer door for her. "He won't be too hard on me and the last thing you need is people on your back about this one scene in the entire movie."
Misaki paused. "You would do that for me?"
"Why wouldn't I?"
"I don't even know you,"
"How harsh," Takumi said, closing the door. "I thought we were friends."
Misaki blushed. "I'm sorry."
"No big deal," Takumi said, sitting down on the couch. "So, what's the problem?" he asked.
Misaki felt her cheeks flush. She couldn't tell him the truth. He'd laugh if she admitted kissing him really did make her nervous. Misaki couldn't quite put her finger on it but whenever she kissed him, she'd get butterflies in her stomach. Never in her life had she felt this way.
"I don't know," Misaki said, sitting on the far end of the couch. "Tora said I sucked at kissing too."
"No one 'sucks,'" Takumi said, making quotation marks with his fingers. "That's why movies are movies. No one is good at something they don't do a lot. You got a boyfriend?"
"No,"
"Ever?"
Misaki bit her lower lip. "No…"
"Have you ever kissed anyone?"
"Tora…" Misaki muttered.
"So no high school boyfriend?"
"No! Okay?!" Misaki exclaimed. "I'm extremely awkward at romance scenes or just romance in general! No guy would like me for the real personality! I'm always too aggressive and I always say the wrong thing! I'd probably punch them if anyone ever tried to kiss me anyways. No decent guy would date someone like me!"
Oh no… Did Misaki just say that out loud?
"Really?" Takumi asked, amused. "You seem to be pretty harsh on yourself," he noted.
"N-no!" Misaki stammered. "That's not what I meant!"
"It's okay," Takumi said. "You weren't born knowing how to act right?" he asked.
Misaki nodded.
"What did you do?"
"Practice-"
There was a silence in the room as Misaki covered her face with her hands. She got it now. Takumi got up and sat next to her.
"Completely professional," he promised. "Trust me?"
"Fine…" Misaki muttered.
Takumi turned to her head to face him. "First off," he said. "You need to stop thinking. You're over thinking it. That's what Marina does. She's completely following her feelings. They're talking and talking but then it all fades away. Look at my lips when you say your last lines," Takumi instructed. "Now…slowly close your eyes. Hesitate for a single breath…"
Takumi captured her lips with his. His hand gently cupped her cheek as he tilted his head slightly.
"Not bad," he breathed as they broke apart.
Misaki tried to figure out her feelings. She felt like a mess. Why was her heart thumping so loudly? This was professional! Misaki couldn't lose her head over this. Takumi Usui was simply a costar. After this movie, she'd have no more reason to ever see him again. No, no, this was ridiculous. Professional. Professional. Professional.
"Misaki?"
"What?" Misaki asked, looking up.
"I was talking to you," Takumi said. "Were you listening?"
"No, sorry," Misaki admitted. "We should probably get back."
Takumi chuckled. "Alright," he said.
They returned to the set and waited for Benedict to finish with a different scene.
"Can we do this?" he asked, gruffly.
"Yes," Takumi said. "I got it now. Thank you Benedict and Misaki for helping me."
Misaki was still a little shocked. Takumi Usui…three time Oscar winner, the most well-known actor, was pretending to be incompetent…to protect her?
"Misaki," Benedict said. "We are on a time crunch."
"Yeah, sorry," Misaki said, heading over to the set.
"Just remember," Takumi whispered as the cameras got set up. "You're in love. Imagine. What would being in love feel like?"
They ran a few lines over and then kissed. Misaki's eyes looked down at his lips. She didn't even remember the rest of her lines as their lips touched.
What would love feel like?
Misaki got a very uneasy feeling because this…was exactly how she thought love would feel like.
The next scene was a Cypress scene. She came to find Derek but saw Derek and Marina kissing. Misaki watched as the camera was focused on Vivian's face. Hurt and disappointed tears made her eyes glisten as she backed away.
This segment showed Cypress's vulnerability and her hidden feelings for Derek. She was the toughest Rider on the outside but it showed how even her- someone who seemed invincible had weak moments too. Misaki felt teary eyed watching Vivian's acting. The emotions were so raw and genuine. Vivian clutched the tree so hard, her knuckles turned white.
"Why?" Vivian said, trying to hold back tears. "She has everything already," Vivian said in a broken voice. "If we survive this war, she'll have a title, a name, a place in the world. I have nothing!" Vivian screamed, slowly sinking to the dirt. "You've taken away my family, my friends, and my childhood- WHAT HAVE YOU LEFT FOR ME?!" she screamed at the sky. Her voice was filled with anger and disappointment. Vivian unsheathes her sword and throws it blade down into the dirt.
"You've forgotten about me, Cypress Lunar!" she yelled. "AHHH!" she screamed as thunder rumbled in the distance.
Misaki knew it would look even better when edited. The script had Cypress flash backing to different scenes with Derek. Of course, none of it was really romantic but Cypress loved Derek from a distance. It seemed even more innocent than Marina's love somehow.
People actually applauded after Vivian finished.
"I love it," Benedict said, tossing the script onto his chair. "Perfect," he said, nodding. "The Marina and Derek scene was spot on after we worked out the kinks. This was amazing… This is starting to look like a real movie," he concluded. "Good work everyone. Misaki, Vivian, you have a mini interview now."
"Hello," Misaki said, shaking the interviewer's hand.
"Hi," Vivian said, shaking her hand also.
They sat around in chairs as the camera man filmed them, well mostly Vivian and Misaki.
"That was something," the woman said, smiling. Her name was…uh Gretchen? Misaki couldn't hear over the yelling of people in the background who were moving a piece of the set. "What did you feel when you were filming that?"
"You go first," Vivian said, crossing her legs, looking completely at ease.
"Well," Misaki said. "I was…uh pretending to be in love. I mean for Marina, it's something completely new. She's this lost princess and Derek's this rebel leader yet they realized how much they have in common."
"How do you think Cypress felt running into that kind of scenario?" Gretchen asked.
Vivian dabbed at her eyes. "Sorry," she said. "I just got the after effects coursing through me. That was something I don't even think I knew I had," she explained. "I just completely let myself go. I wasn't Vivian Sullivan but Cypress Lunar."
"Do you agree with how the story goes?"
Vivian laughed. "Of course not! Just kidding, but to be honest, Cypress seems like the obvious partner to Derek."
"How so?"
"Cypress is tough. She's strong. She's not the damsel in distress. There are so many scenes in the movie where it Cypress and Derek leading. They have a kinsmanship," Vivian explained. "I feel like many viewers will see Cypress was maybe even more right for Derek but love is just strange like that. Just because you're right for each other, doesn't mean there will be love."
"What do you think, Misaki?" Gretchen asked.
"I actually like how Vivian put it," Misaki agreed. "Cypress and Derek could completely just leave after the war and go around upholding justice and just traveling. It's a very unlikely love between a princess and a rebel like I said before. I mean, all in all, Derek is a commoner and Marina is Princess Anastasia Odette Eowen of Tristal," Misaki said in one breath. "Without the war, they should have never even seen each other."
"How do you think this love is going to play out?" Gretchen asked.
Vivian smiled at Misaki. "No spoilers," she said. "You're just going to have to wait and watch the movie."
Misaki agreed. How was this going to play out…?