Lie 6:

"Rivalry is NOT a Relationship"

Megumi's Point of View

The period ends with both teachers still dismissing us earlier, after all. But some students still linger around Mrs. Tsukumo just because either they really like her company, or they still have something to discuss regarding the play. Nobara is one of those that choose to stay to lobby Mrs. Tsukumo to make him the leader of the costume designer team. Yuuji has already run off to the girls' track and field clubroom for a meeting. I had enough of listening to people bicker for today, so I choose to step out of the auditorium and look for Mrs. Geto in her office instead.

I was really lost in my thought when I knock into her office door and step inside. I didn't put much attention to the fact that I could hear her talking to someone even from behind the door, yet I still stormed in unknowingly. I realized that it's already too late when I notice her leaning against her desk, facing someone who sit on a chair before her. Someone with pink-short hair, a loose ivory shirt, and an evil grin that immediately blooms the second he turns around to see me.

Sukuna.

My legs freeze right at the door. In my head, I'm calculating how fast I can turn back, close the door, and pretend like nothing ever happened. But Mrs. Geto has already smiled at me and pointed to the empty seat beside Sukuna. She says, "Hi, welcome. Please take a seat, Megumi. Do you want to discuss about the scriptwriter position, too?" with the sweetest corporate smile I have ever seen.

It takes me a moment to process. I noticed that she said 'too', and I immediately understand what they were talking about before I suddenly barged in. I try to swallow my saliva and only take one step forward. "I'm sorry. I can come another time. Please excuse me…." And really turn around.

Before I could reach the doorknob, though, a husky masculine voice mocks me from across the room. "What? You're that scared of rivalry, little Megumi?" he scoffs, showing how much he underestimates me. I am too pissed to even realize that he calls me by my name for the first time ever. "My bratty little sis said you're a good writer. But I guess she was just bluffing, huh? You probably know nothing about high literature."

And something inside me immediately snaps. I turn around, and stare dagger at him before turning my attention to Mrs. Geto. "Yes, Sensei, I'm here to discuss the script writer position, and I already have an idea for the story in mind."

Mrs. Geto raises one of her brows. "Oh, really? Let's hear it, then."

I take a deep breath and prepare myself. The blood inside me boils and my heart races when I blurt out, "I'm proposing a play based on Shakespeare's Macbeth but from a different and more modern perspective, that is Lady Macbeth's. I want to bring her complexity as Shakespeare's one and only ruthless villainess. Along with that, I'd also like to tackle issues regarding what it takes to be a woman in a patriarchal society. I choose Macbeth because, not only it is one of the greatest plays that has ever been written, but also it has been adapted to a movie by an iconic Japanese director, Akira Kurosawa, as Throne of Blood in 1957. With that record in mind, we can construct a different story about Lady Macbeth and maybe also turn the setting into somewhat medieval Japan. Therefore, we can clearly combine the English and Japanese culture in this play."

My heart beats from inside my ears once I'm done. Sweat dripping all over my body and my breathing is wild. But I immediately retain my composure to hold my head high, staring at Sukuna like I have won a national debate competition against him. And what a victory! That blank look on his face clearly shows how thrown off he is!

But the joy I feel only lingers for a second before he pulls back his devilish grin and raises his eyebrows. "Well then, come here, rival! Take a seat!" He points to the velvet chair beside him. "Let's pit our ideas against each other in a more civilized manner."

I'm still hesitant to move, somehow still pretty much sure that being in close proximity to him could get me in all short of misfortunes. But then again, if I back out now, it only proves to him how cowardly I am. I sit on the velvet chair with his eyes still following my every move. I glare back at him to give him a silent reprimand, but he only responds to it with a soft chuckle.

Mrs. Geto is only watching us in silence, maybe starting to notice the strange air between us. But then she shrugs and says, "I always knew that both of you will show up."

I furrow my eyebrows deep. "How's so?"

"Both Tsukumo-sensei and I have been monitoring students that have a big passion for literature. And among all the classes we teach, the two of you always stand out the most." She smiles at me. "Megumi, you have clear vision of what you write and a unique way of writing it, making the readers able to experience all sorts of feeling. Meanwhile, Sukuna," she pauses and turns her head to him. "You are excellent in using metaphor, allegories, and symbolism in your writing with such deep philosophical meanings. Both of you are great in your own ways, but sadly I noticed that neither of you has the ambition to achieve more than you already have."

I could see from the corner of my eyes that Sukuna tilts his pink head a little. "So, you deliberately orchestrated this 'competition' to 'make us grow'?" he asks, thick eyebrows arcing deep.

"Hm. Perhaps, maybe." Mrs. Geto shrugs. A sly smile blooms on the corner of her lips. "A healthy dose of competition never going to hurt anyone. But then again, this invitation to National Theatrical Play Competition is just a complete coincidence. We indeed want you to reach your full potential, and we thought at first to have you write your own short stories for the upcoming semester. But with this, I know we can lure you out of this. And it works, doesn't it?"

Her slant fox eyes disappear when she smiles. I couldn't help but feel like I fell into a trap, and suddenly curious about how Sukuna's reaction to all of this. I eye him for a moment and find out that his nonchalant behavior doesn't change a bit. So, I turn back to Mrs. Geto, "And the competitors are just us? Me and him? No one else?"

"So far, only the two of you that has reached out to me." Mrs. Geto sighs deeply. "I guess the prompt is just too difficult for most students. I kind of have a high hope that the Ackerman girl will show up too, but back in the auditorium I saw her with Tsukumo-sensei's groups. I guess she has other plans. I don't know." She shrugs.

Like most of the people in this school, I also know Mikasa Ackerman. Beside her 80s gothic style and the fact that that Eren Jeager has been pining over her for ages, I also know Mikasa from her macabre poetry that was once published in the school magazine. It was haunting and yet so beautiful (the title is literally Kiss of Death or something). Though I never had an opportunity to be in the same class or even talk to her, I know for a fact that she has a talent for writing too. It is indeed such a shame that she wouldn't be writing for the script play. But then again, I guess it also means one less competition for me.

My mind suddenly jumps to the fact that I don't even know what my real rival is going to write for this impromptu competition. I turn my head to Sukuna without even thinking too much about keeping my distance anymore or whatever, and straight out ask him, "What's your script going to be?"

"To be good, I hope." He grins jokingly. I immediately realize the error in my wording and couldn't help but to feel a little embarrassed. But not one second later, he looks at me with intended seriousness in that casual demeanor. "I'm thinking of approaching the story of Hamlet but with the Rashomon Effect in mind."

I stare blankly at him while my mind is busy processing what he just said. If I'm not mistaken, Rashomon Effect is the situation in which an event is given contradictory interpretations or descriptions by the individuals involved. It is usually included in storytelling and writing methods in cinema to provide the 'unreliable narrator' situation. So, I say back, "You mean like… Hamlet is going actually crazy after hearing different accounts of his father's death from many people?"

He nods. "Exactly." A proud wolfish grin spread across his face. He enthusiastically moves his hands while explaining, "So, filled with what seems like equally reliable facts from different 'eyewitnesses', Hamlet goes even more and more doubtful about who to trust and what's the truth itself, and slowly but surely lost his mind in the process. It wouldn't be much different from the story written by Shakespeare, but I'd like to make it into a courtroom situation where Hamlet can really interrogate everyone and therefore get clear accounts of their point of view. That way, the unreliability of the narrators not only can mess with Hamlet's mind but also the audience."

I tried hard to swallow my nervousness. "Wow… that is… a pretty good take." I nod awkwardly. What he just said to me is not merely his script storyline, but also makes me realize that I haven't even thinking that far ahead for my own script.

"Thanks." He casually smiles. "Not as groundbreaking as yours, but I admit it's pretty good indeed."

I couldn't help but to feel like there's sarcasm in his praise. "And how would you gonna incorporate the Japanese culture theme?" I probe him further.

"Well, Hamlet has also been adapted by Kurosawa Akira as one of his masterpieces back in 1985, Ran. Clearly, it wouldn't be that hard to adapt it into an entirely Japanese setting knowing that Rashomon Effect is also first claimed by Akutagawa Ryuunosuke in his 1928 short story, In a Grove. Which, you must probably know already." The wicked wolfish smile is back on his face, staring down at me with glints of maliciousness in those ruby eyes.

"In a Grove is actually published in 1922, not 1928," I correct him, trying to be as nonchalant as I will ever be even though the competitive nerves in me agitate my whole body.

But instead of getting pissed off, he still looks at me funny. "Well, seems like someone paid attention in class."

"But neither of you seems to pay attention to your teacher," says Mrs. Geto firmly. We immediately turn our attention to the woman who still standing while leaning back against her desk right between us. I forgot that she's still here. "Good sense of rivalry, but that all-consuming tension that's already between you both is only going to intensify after this. So, better take it easy now because the candle that burns brighter is the one that melts faster."

She walks around the table to sit on the chair. The window right behind her gives off an aethereal vibe to her already mystique figure. "Oh, right. You know what else that feels all-consuming, full of tension, and burns hotter than fire?" She glances at us with those fox eyes which are as dark as the night. "Love."

Dramatic silent fills the room before I couldn't stop myself any longer to snort. Both of them look at me like I just did something gravely wrong. After a moment, Sukuna jeers, "What? Are you afraid we might really fall for each other?"

And I look at him with a half-smile and an eyebrow rise high. "Oh, you don't need to worry about that. I see you no more than a rival. Barely, even."

"Huh, funny, 'cause I think I know everything about you. Surely we should be more than rivals." He raises one of his legs then put it atop the other. "But no matter. I'm willing to use this opportunity to make you know me better."

"Don't flatter yourself. I never want something that I don't need." I glance at him condescendingly. He looks thrown off for a second. "Rivalry is enough," I add, "Let's focus on writing our scripts without indulging our personal lives in this, okay?" Then I turn to Mrs. Geto. "So, Sensei, do we have a deadline?"

She nods knowingly like someone that already know what will happen but decides to keep it to herself. "I'll give you a week. It's okay even if just a rough draft. In a week's time, I hope you can present your script to me and Tsukumo-sensei, then we'll choose."

"A week?" Sukuna snorts. "I can give it to you in three days, Sensei."

"I don't doubt it. But it won't be fair for Megumi."

I immediately feel offended. "I can do it in three days," I say firmly.

Looking at the fake determination in my eyes, Mrs. Geto eventually smiles and nods—a serious nod, this time. "Okay, three days it is. Let's keep the competition fair and square. If you need anything, don't hesitate to contact me or Tsukumo-sensei. I'll see you in three days."

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To Be Continued

Hi! It's Audrey Lea.

Finally, I'm using my literature degree for something, lmao.

If you want to know more about Shakespeare's plays (and Rashomon Effect) mentioned above, Ted-ed on Youtube is a good introduction. They're only 3-5 minutes long each. Here's the playlist:

Why should you read "Macbeth"? – Brendon Pelsue

Why should you read "Hamlet"? – Isseult Gillespie

How do you know what's true? – Sheila Marie Orfano

So, what do you think of this chapter? Please be kind and share your thought in the review/comment box. You can also find some cover arts I made, the wardrobes of the characters, and their 'actors' on my Twitter and Tumblr : ladyambrose2.

See you in the next chapter!