I'm here again. If you would have me, that is.
But I'm still salvaging my stories hihi. And I'm going all out in madness here, I hope you bear with me.
So before you read this chapter, close your eyes.
Imagine yourself in a jungle. Suck in your cheeks. Make your best animal sound.
Handsome in Blue Navy Jacket
Chapter 4: When Your Name is 'Stagnant'
"Hold it right there! No, no, no! Don't sway to the left! Just there… just there you Timtom!" Sir Ian Mckellen, er, Yannee yelled exasperatedly at a haggard-looking Mikan who was holding up a rectangular aluminum for the set's lighting.
"When will you ever get the hang of it? You're three weeks into the job but still… My bipolar cat could do better than you!" He yelled once more, prompting the staff to cover their ears. It wasn't his job to coach Mikan… but being the director has its perks. He looked distastefully at her auburn locks with green highlights.
Mikan has been three weeks into the job yet she still fails miserably. She arrived at Crolauway Prod. Inc. expecting that she would immediately be working as a camera woman, er, camera man, but she was somewhat innocent in this field.
Media was known to be a messy, grueling business, she knew that. Yet she was shocked when on her first day, no one told her to do anything—she simply sat on a vandalized stool and watched the shoot, which turned out to be the 32nd take of a shampoo commercial. Don't ask why about the dark setting. She was dismissed without another word after it wrapped up.
The second day, she walked into the set silently and sat on the same stool. A man with a round face approached her and offered his arm. Pietro introduced her to the other staff, who nodded or smiled at her politely. He turned out to be the gaffer, or head lightning technician, and he offered to show her the ropes. Mikan casted the camera operators a wistful glance. This would have to do, for now.
She was bad with names but it was fine because she was sure no one remembers her.
The third day, she was back to being thin air. Pietro didn't even spare her a glance, so busy he was with the other staff and equipment. It was quite unfortu, er, fortunate though that Yannee took notice of her.
He assigned her to be the water girl.
From thin air, she was promoted to being the ever-trusted water girl, some giving her suspicious glances whenever she brings them a cup of water. Mikan would smile, but she would appear constipated so she stopped doing it. Lydia, a nonchalant, thirty-something PA was the only one who ever handed her water. She didn't know whether to cry or not as she grasped the thin paper cup in her palms.
The fourth day, she was promoted to be the AAG. People squinted at her messily-scrawled badge which was given by Yannee. He insisted that she was the All-Around Girl.
She was in hell for three whole days.
"Don't be too hard on her, Yannee. She just started in my team a week ago." Pietro chided and a few nodded their agreement. Yannee 'hmphed' and ordered for another take. Someone clapped her on the back.
"Tough day?" Mikan didn't turn, focusing instead on holding up the aluminum plate. They were shooting a soap commercial, Crow, which encouraged dark-skinned people that they were beautiful as they were.
'Clean and fragrant, you don't have to be anything else.' The woman in dreadlocks spoke smoothly, running a hand along her arm. The clapper loader signaled the end of the shoot. Everyone cheered.
"Everyday's a tough day." She sighed and set down the aluminum. Ruka laughed.
"Give it a few weeks, a few months. It will be better, you would get a better assignment." He prodded a wire and she quickly slapped his hand away.
"Don't touch anything. I'm surprised those flowery words survived your sharp tongue." She snapped and proceeded to bunch up the wires and greeting others a job well-done. They cast her strange looks.
"Well if it isn't the love birds." Desonaui teased. A hand clamped on the 2nd AD's shoulder.
"They're not lovebirds. Ruka is mine…" Yannee drawled. The client shot them queer looks before exiting the studio.
"You bet. This git's all yours."
Excitement was so tangible in the air you could almost inhale it.
Mikan was called in on a Saturday, and as she came in at half past seven, almost all of the staff was present and literally buzzing with excitement.
"Oh my gods if they hired us that would—"
"In my nine years stay I haven't done this—"
"The studio set on floor 25 would be sooo jealous the producer chose us."
She heard bits and scraps of conversation as she passed by on her way to the stool. Pietro was bouncing on his heels, and even Lydia was chatting with another PA. She sat down and set her bag beside her, waiting for the news to be announced.
Yannee clapped his hands together, and immediately, the whole set quieted.
"So ladies and gentlemen and lesbians and gays," He winked at Ruka who scoffed, "—bisexuals and transgenders and queers, I have news for you."
"Just fucking get on with it!"
"Bullshit introduction!" Some people interrupted but Yannee waved them away. With his sequined suit, shoes that would make alligators cry and all his glory, he looked like Magneto on crack.
"We're getting a new project! As you know, we're just a small, but fabulous production unit here at Crolauway Prod. Inc..
We specialize in commercials, of course. Clients hire us to write them scripts and direct the shoot. We have been used to that. But now, we're moving on to something bigger, something more fabulous. A client chose our production team specifically, for his new film." Silence ensued after and then the crowd roared.
"What kind of film?"
"Is he going to retain all of us? All of the staff or insert one from other teams?"
"Sa-la-ry, sa-la-ry…."
Yannee clapped his hands once more, but this time more amused than annoyed.
"The line producer and director are going to arrive any minute now, so behave yourselves." He warned and wagged a finger.
"We don't want them changing their minds, do we?" The studio suddenly froze, and Yannee tilted his head in confusion after not getting the response he expected.
"Oh, not to worry, not to worry Mr. McKellen. We won't." A friendly, masculine voice sounded from the entrance, and Mikan's neck snapped.
There, a man in his forties smiled amiably at Yannee, who stared at him in shock. He was wearing a casual Lord of The Rings shirt with Gollum on the front, and khaki. From behind the cameras, Mikan was sure she heard a paper cup filled with water fall.
"You must be Mr. Yanagi. A pleasure to meet you at last." Yannee strode forward in all his gay glory and clasped his hand. Yanagi's smile didn't falter.
"The pleasure is mine, Mr. McKellen." At that, a nerve pulsed in Yannee's forehead. He forced another smile and retracted his hand.
"Please, just Yannee would do."
"Certainly. I'm excited to work with you, Mr. McKellen." He grinned and Yannee's eyes popped. He sashayed back to his seat with an extra flourish, totally forgetting his speech just a few seconds ago.
The crew stepped forward to shake the director's hand vigorously, gushing about their excitement and gratitude. He returned it with a polite smile.
"If you don't mind, sir. I heard that this film's plot is remarkable." Pietro said, earning a lot of nods from the crowd. Yanagi smiled even more, and Mikan wondered how a man could smile so much without crying.
"I prefer the term 'intriguing'. But yes, it is rather remarkable."
It was the second day since the announcement, and the briefing was almost done.
The producers have already visited the studio, anxiety of the staff. The worry that they won't be part of the hired was imminent. Mikan fidgeted in her seat and Kira, another PA, bit her nails.
Turns out their nerves were for nothing—everyone was hired. A soda toast was in line that resulted to a sticky mess everywhere. Yannee opted for orange juice.
"Congratulations Mikan!" Desonaui greeted her from a podium, quite a distance away from her and her mopping. She grimaced.
"Umm… Well... Thank you." She tried for a smile again but she just looked constipated. Desonaui grinned.
"It will get better, trust me. It will."
"Why does everyone keep on telling me that?" She gestured to the mop mockingly. Apparently soda was bestfriends with the linoleum flooring. She mopped furiously.
A quiet splash was heard but a loud shriek sounded.
"Mikan, come here with a rag!" Yannee yelled and she snapped up. He spilled his juice, er, orange juice on the table where he was sitting with Yanagi, discussing the details of the film. She sighed and fetched a rag from the back.
"Such a haggard-looking Cinderella." Ruka trailed behind her and she elbowed him. He groaned.
"Ow. Hot-headed too."
"Don't you have anything to do? Didn't you say you were part of the navy?" She retorted and grabbed whatever rag. She lied. She chose the one with sword designs on it.
"I got out. I got shot." He said simply and trailed behind her. She snorted and made her way through the throng of people.
"Then go ahead get another job. What the hell are you still doing here?" She saw Yanagi and some of the staff exit the studio together with Yannee. So it was true that the prospective actors and actresses were screen-testing too.
"Umm… My uncle is the CEO of this company." He said quietly and she spun around, wide-eyed.
"Your what?" He scratched the back of his head.
"My uncle. Yes." He muttered. Mikan's mouth opened with a small 'o'. Her eyes narrowed and she reached the table.
"You rich brats." She hissed and began wiping the table vigorously. The orange juice sloshed around and almost reached a black bag. She lifted it carefully, revealing a plastic folder. Mikan froze.
Ruka overtook her and saw what she was looking at. He smiled.
"Oh. Nothing but our past to haunt us."
"Miki, look over here!" Aoshi called, beckoning a hand. She stood up from her perch on the library and towards the bookshelf her friend was at.
"Look at this; they have Haley, the book Eliza was talking about. She'll be happy see this." He beamed at her and she tried to return his smile.
"And here! The other patients would love to have a look at these." He took a stack of books from the shelf and balanced it on one knee. She offered a hand and he looked at her sideways, a happy glint in his eyes.
"I'm so lucky to have you."
Mikan snapped from her daze and turned to Pietro, who was waving a hand over her face. He peered at her worriedly.
"Are you okay? You should go home."
"Oh. I'm fine, I'm fine. I was just… shocked." He nodded at that and winked.
"Don't tell me this is your first time to see a script?" He teased. She tried for a smile.
"Nope. I was just shocked that they would leave the script for an upcoming movie just lying around." She explained and retrieved her rag from the table. Pietro tilted his head to see the words printed at the front.
"Haley? Such a weird movie title. But what do we know…" He dragged on and patted her back, bidding her goodbye.
"Kami-sama. When will I ever see you as a pretty Cinderella?" Ruka sighed exaggeratedly and leaned against the elevator wall. The numbers counted down as they descended the building.
"Maybe never." She said slowly. "I'm so lucky to have you."
"Hmmm. I think not. You're very pretty, you know?" He remarked, but Mikan just looked at her sneakers. Black. It was so dark, like his hair.
"Do you know who the scriptwriter is?" She breathed. Ruka gazed at her reflection on the doors.
Ting.
The doors opened.
"Ah. A friend. A very good friend." He gave Mikan a one last glance and strode forward into the bustling crowd. He disappeared behind the rotating glass doors.
It's done. I feel my muse leaving my body.
Not all information is accurate, forgive me for that.
I just love Desonaui hihihi. De-so-naw-wee.
Grant me a review! I welcome constructive criticism.
Y. M. H. O