Chapter 145: Career Suicide

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Skip Beat, for if I did, we would see KuonKyo get scouted for Hollywood.

Callister turned on his heel at the sound of footsteps approaching and the greeting from one of the receptionists behind the counter. He had come out of his office in anticipation of the couple's impending arrival. His son told him the couple had a reputation for being punctual and wanted to see for himself. It amused him that they had set this appointment so early in the morning by industry standards. For clients around their age, the agency was used to scheduling meetings no earlier than the afternoon.

Normally, he didn't get too involved at this level but he was intrigued by the young man's audacity to turn down good work in Hollywood of all places. He wanted to know if he was arrogant or just plumb dumb.

He glanced at the large clock hanging on the wall above the main entrance. Ten minutes early, not bad.

His mouth broke into a broad grin as he stepped toward the Japanese. The male actor was tall, broad-shouldered, and devilishly handsome in person while the actress was graceful, confident, and exotically beautiful. Both were professionally dressed for this meeting which Callister took as a favorable sign. It meant they were taking this seriously. "Good morning, Ren, Kyoko. I presume," he called out with a small wave.

The couple smiled and nodded that he was correct. "Perfect, I'm Callister Bennett," he said warmly, holding his hand out for them to shake. Callister's hands weren't small by any means, but his hand was engulfed as he shook the actor's hand. He was impressed by the strength and show of respect in the young man's firm handshake.

"Pleased to meet you, Mr. Bennett," Ren greeted smoothly in perfect English. If Callister didn't know better, he detected a hint of that Southern California accent that some said existed in the area. The actor must be that good to pick up the local dialect and inflections during his short stay.

He smiled warmly at the young lady and extended his hand in her direction. "And finally, I get to meet Kuu's darling daughter." He chuckled as she gaped at him with those expressive golden eyes. Those would film well during emotional scenes. "Kuu didn't tell you? He went on and on about this amazing daughter he had in Japan. He wouldn't even give me your name but I figured it out which one he was referring to when he mentioned you were working with my son."

"Um, I'm not really his daughter. I don't want anyone to get the wrong idea and cause trouble for Mr. and Mrs. Hizuri. They've been so kind to me," Kyoko explained nervously.

"Don't worry, your secret is safe with me," he winked and clasped her hand missing the small furrow between her brows. Her handshake took him by surprise. It was a little timid at first but slowly the shake became confident. In comparison to Ren's, her hand was so small in his. Callister could feel the rough patches on her palms which he could only guess was from long hours of sword practice. He was impressed.

"Thank you for having us, Mr. Bennett," Kyoko said with a slight bow of her head once he released her hand. Ah, I forgot the Japanese prefer bowing.

"No, thank you," he replied slightly amused.

Since he was already two-thirds, he continued with the handshake. "You must be Yukihito, also known as, the super manager," Callister chuckled, shaking his hand. Kyoko giggled, nodding her head in agreement. Any manager that could pull off the save he did was a superhero in his eyes. They wouldn't be having this conversation right now if that incident ended badly. Lucky for him, Cedric's involvement in that mess was kept to a minimum even if he knew his son had to be the instigator. He let him off this time since he pulled through with this meeting.

"Thank you for squeezing me in on such short notice. If you'll follow me down this way. I reserved a conference room for our use."

The trio followed him down the hall, their heels clicking loudly on the polished floor. The people they passed along the way, greeted Callister with utmost respect since he was their boss. He didn't stop to introduce the visitors though many of the employees were curious about them. At best he had about a half-hour to get a feel for their personalities and hopefully convince them how far they could take their career.

Callister waved into a conference room where three employees gathered for an early meeting of their own. The corridor walls were double-paned glass on this floor making the rooms soundproof but visible for anyone to see in and out. It was more for aesthetics purposes, but it did have its pros: no one could slack off on the job. The room he had in mind was at the end of the hall which took them a few minutes to reach.

"I want to apologize to you Kyoko. I saw the tabloid story of you and my son and I hope you don't think poorly of Cedric; unfortunately, he's often surrounded by scandalous women that it's no surprise to me the dogs sank their teeth into this one." Because he was walking at their side, he missed the brief look of annoyance that flashed across Ren's face.

"I assure you, Mr. Bennett, your son has been nothing but a gentleman to me. I admit, it was shocking to see the story this morning, but I suppose if it pays the bills for that reporter. As long as the people that I care about know me and know the truth, then I can easily ignore such ridiculous stories." She exchanged a soft smile with the actor still holding her hand as they walked.

Callister couldn't blame this one on his son. He even commended Cedric for his quick thinking to get them out of the bind last night, but the crowd's disappointed response got to her. Kyoko easily solved the problem with her wardrobe and put on a superb performance. He was glad that she did. That was a favorable skill many directors and producers would look for during casting for action films. Cedric boasted that she performed all her stunts with athleticism and grace that stunned even the professional stunt coordinators in Japan. Based on his son's review alone, he could only imagine what she could do if she was dressed comfortably.

"That's a mature way of looking at it. It would help you get far in this business. It saddens me to say that there are a lot of young celebrities that immediately fold under the negative pressure of the media and fans. I think if you hold on to that positive mindset you'll be able to survive the harsher parts of this industry," he said, extending the advice to Ren, as well. He smiled when they both nodded, considering his words.

"Here we are." He gripped the handle and pushed the heavy glass door open.

"Hi!" Janine, one of his top agents, greeted them as she straightened the mugs on the refreshments table.

"Your OCD is showing, Janine," Callister teased with a soft laugh as she continued to organize the cups.

"I know, I know," she laughed, twisting the handle of the last mug just a smidge so it matched the others. "There, perfect!" She beamed and walked over to the group to shake their hands. "It's great to finally meet you all. Callister and I have been reading and watching your work that I feel like I know you already. And when I say reading, I mean using google translate on the computer. I'm afraid I don't understand Japanese beyond sushi," she cackled and continued to talk. "I know a good deal of Spanish, but that doesn't help anyone here. Unless one of you speaks Spanish?" She pointed to each one of them as they shook their heads in denial. "Bummer!"

The Japanese politely offered their greetings to her when she gave them a chance to finally speak.

"Janine, here, is one of our top agents. She's been with us even before I came aboard so her input is invaluable to me. Don't let her little quirks fool you; it's part of her superpowers. She successfully represents one of the top stars in Hollywood. I'm sure Yukihito could probably relate to how hectic the job can be and I have to commend you, sir. You're juggling two powerhouses. That has to be a lot of work."

"Thank you, Mr. Bennett, but you give me too much credit. These two made my job easy, but it's important to note that Kyoko now has a separate manager back in Japan."

"I'm sure you're being modest, but good to hear you have help," Callister walked to the table of refreshments inviting the others to follow. "Before we get started, could I offer you all anything. Coffee? Juice? There are some pastries and fruit here if you're hungry. I hate to see this all go to waste— ooh are these what I think they are?" He stopped to ask Janine.

"Yup, I stopped into Pop's Bakery and was able to nab a few of those coveted pumpkin muffins before they were sold out," Janine told him, picking up the cup of coffee she already poured for herself.

"I know this makes me a basic bi- err... but these muffins are only sold in the fall and they sell like hotcakes within an hour or two of opening daily. I implore all of you to try one if you can help it."

…

Ren's expression didn't betray the inner turmoil swirling around his mind. He couldn't get a good read on Callister when the man was nothing but friendly. He wasn't as he expected from what his father told him and the small hints Cedric had let slip a few times. When he was younger, Kuon never paid much attention to the adults at any of the functions his parents made him attend so he didn't have a good past reference on the man to compare.

He cordially declined the offer to the muffins but settled on a cup of black coffee to distract him. As he expected, Kyoko and Yashiro did step up to the table to try one more out of respect than curiosity. He watched the delight on his girlfriend's face when she took her first bite. That meant it had to be as delicious as Callister claimed.

With his coffee in hand, he moved back to stand next to her. It was the most natural thing in the world when she held her muffin up to his mouth and he didn't hesitate to take a bite from it. He was going to miss this about them when they returned to Japan. There would be a level of propriety they needed to maintain whilst out in public.

She looked at him expectantly and noticed they were all watching him quietly as he chewed. Is there something on my face?

"How do you like it?" Kyoko asked gingerly, taking another bite of the muffin.

"It's good," he replied, licking the crumbs from his lips. He refused when she tried to offer him more.

Callister sighed. "Well, that's a relief. I remember reading somewhere that you were a picky eater which I still find hard to believe given your physical appearance. I'll challenge anyone that doesn't like these muffins, even a UFC middleweight looking champion like yourself," he joked.

Everyone laughed at Callister's little jest. He wasn't too far off the mark on Ren's new weight. What else did this man know about him? Should he be more worried about this? Callister's charisma reminded him of Cedric when they were younger. Did he pick up such behavior from watching his father? That was the reason why he had so many people fooled. No one expected bullying or bad behavior from the golden boy plus he had others getting their hands dirty for him. Cedric now seemed to have at least dropped his bad habits. Was his father hiding his true nature? If he remembered correctly, it wasn't Cedric's father that accompanied him on those sets.

"Kyoko, Yukihito," Callister called out when they finished their muffins.

Ren hid his frown at the casual way he addressed them; he had to remind himself that they weren't in Japan at the moment. Americans were used to referring to each other on a first-name basis without explicit permission like the Japanese. They didn't mean any disrespect; it was just naturally accepted.

"Coffee, orange juice," he asked. They both answered in unison with juice. He handed them each a small bottle of organic juice. "Let's sit over there, shall we?" He waved them toward the table surrounded with CEO-style leather swivel chairs. Ren helped Kyoko remove her fitted wool coat before she sat. She looked pretty in her deep green long sleeve blouse tucked into a black circle mini skirt. He noticed that the color was becoming a favorite of hers and would have to keep a lookout for anything similar, after all, she did permit him to spoil her. He liked that the heels she wore with black tights put her at easy kissing access. He ignored that urge and placed their coats on a vacant chair. He sat with Kyoko and Yashiro on one side while Callister and Janine took seats across from them.

"I thought we would have some open dialogue," Callister said, jumping right in. "I'll be honest, I'm disappointed that you've declined the offers we've sent your way Ren. We heard the logistical reasons from your agency, but can you sit here and tell me those were the only reasons."

Ren considered his answer for a few moments before responding. "Well, Mr. Bennett," Ren began calmly adopting his professional smile. "The reasons my boss disclosed are still valid. Please don't mistake what I have to say next as arrogance, but quite frankly, those parts were a waste of my time."

Kyoko gasped while Yashiro smacked his palm to his forehead making Ren wince at the sound. He was practically committing career suicide a la Kuon-style. If Callister Bennett was offended he could easily blacklist him from Hollywood thus ruining his dreams for the future.

Ren didn't even have time to regret the words that tumbled out of his mouth because Callister did the unthinkable and laughed, obnoxiously. That was not the reaction he was expecting. He cringed internally expecting things to get worse.

"Pull yourself together, Cal," Janine scolded. "I thought I found some good roles for someone without experience in Hollywood films," she pouted.

"I don't think Ren meant any disrespect to you, Ms. Janine. Those offers did collide with a few of his contracts. Be assured that Ren takes his work seriously and would never break any of his commitments unless some act of God intervened," Yashiro explained, hoping to salvage the situation. Something passed between the managers as they came to an unspoken understanding.

"Can you elaborate on your answer, please?" Callister asked after he pulled himself together. Ren sighed, internally. He was giving him another chance. It was so weird how the other night he wasn't even sure about taking such a meeting and now he was worried he already blew it before it began. How could he face his parents, face Kyoko? It was like he didn't even want to act in Hollywood despite his dreams.

From underneath the table, Kyoko laced her fingers with the hand he had sitting on his lap and gave it an encouraging squeeze. He smiled softly at her before addressing Callister. She made it so easy.

"For as long as I can remember, I wanted to be an actor," he swallowed thickly, debating whether or not what he said next was a good idea. "I grew up idolizing Kuu Hizuri. He was...is my hero. I wanted to be great like him." He paused at the gentle squeeze of his hand again. "I've been taking on more challenging roles, pushing myself so I could one day star in a Hollywood blockbuster just like Mr. Hizuri. The roles you offered to me weren't engaging or challenging in any way. Anyone with enough acting skills could have easily portrayed those characters successfully. When I read over the script and character profile, I thought, maybe I wasn't ready if this was all I was worth. Maybe I had to work harder and take on a variety of roles that are out of my comfort zone like I did with BJ. Maybe then I would be ready to make the move internationally. If I have to rely on auditioning for the roles I know could push me to my limits, so be it. I may be making a huge mistake taking such a gamble. Wiser people have advised me that I should take what I can get and build a portfolio from there." He made eye contact with Kyoko and held her gaze. "If I'm going to commit, I want it to be worth it." It was as if he was talking to her directly. A soft smile graced her perfect lips but the squeeze on his hand that accompanied it was much stronger letting him know that he had her full support.

...

Callister was quiet for several moments considering Ren's motivation. Inner Kyoko squirmed in her seat, but her grudges remained content in sitting this one out. This meant that Cedric's father wasn't at all angry or insulted by what he said which was a good sign. Kyoko worried that Ren may have blown his chances at getting a real shot at a movie or drama deal here. She would wait until they were in the privacy of the car to get to the bottom of his behavior; though, his follow-up answer was sincere. She hoped it was enough to smooth things over and wondered if she could vouch for him. He was the most amazing person she knew. It would be a shame if they couldn't see it. He deserved to be on a grand stage.

"What about you, Kyoko?" Callister asked, staring directly at her. Unbeknownst to her, some additional dialogue was exchanged that she failed to realize they were now discussing her.

"Pardon, me?" She asked, sheepishly. Kyoko pulled out of her thoughts at the sound of her name but had missed his question.

"If I were to hand you a part in an upcoming movie today, would you accept it? Are your standards as high as his? Or are you a package deal? One won't go without the other? If that's the case, I guarantee your career and your relationship is bound for failure. I've seen it happen many times since I've been in this business. If one of you becomes more successful than the other there's no guarantee it wouldn't cause bitterness and strife in the relationship. Then you factor in the outside elements, such as time apart on location, attractive co-stars...it all becomes a mess. You're both so young...," Callister said, trailing off.

Kyoko frowned. He was talking too fast. What was he trying to imply? She couldn't quite grasp the meaning of his words; however, her grudges sure did. They began stirring, agitated by his insinuations. They weren't the only ones agitated. They flocked toward the menacing aura seeping out of her boyfriend. She had to tread carefully.

"Mr. Bennett, I would be flattered if I were to receive such an offer. I'm a greenhorn in this industry and turn to those with far more experience than I for their guidance. It's my biggest dream to become a top actress capable of representing Japan. I am currently in no position to decline any lucrative offers that could potentially help me take one more step towards my goal." She rubbed little circles on the back of Ren's hand to ease his tension as she talked. In no time, his grip on her hand relaxed a little, but it was enough for her grudges to retreat from him.

"If my agency and manager think the role would be beneficial to me and doesn't interfere with my current schedule, I would be inclined to accept. As for your insinuations regarding our relationship, I must tell you that your concern is baseless. A little competition would be good for us to improve our skills. I trust him and he trusts me. I know that might sound naive but whatever happens, we'll get through it together," she smiled warmly at Ren for confirmation.

"Together!" He replied with a confident smile. Callister grew quiet again lost in thought while Janine scribbled on a pad.

"You say Kuu Hizuri is your hero," Callister said addressing Ren after several moments of silence.

"That's right," Ren confirmed.

"Is it just a coincidence that you're her boyfriend and she just happens to be close to Kuu?" Callister accused. To Kyoko, he sounded like a tabloid reporter trying to create a scandal. She fought to keep from rolling her eyes at the irony. If only he knew the truth. Beside her Ren tensed up again, offended by the accusation that he was using her to gain favor with Kuu.

Kyoko began laughing hysterically, startling everyone in the room. They stared at her dumbly unsure what to make of her outburst. "I appreciate your concern, Mr. Bennett, but if there's one thing I'm confident in it would be his unwavering feelings for me."

Callister chuckled. "Okay, I'll be rooting for you two to prove me wrong. I don't think this young man would have gotten so close to you if Kuu didn't approve. He's very protective of his children. It's your ass," he said, directing his gaze back to Ren, "if you fu- uh...screw things up."

"I'm aware," Ren replied coolly. Before any more could be said on the subject, Janine cursed looking up from her pad and beyond Kyoko.

Kyoko twisted in her seat to look over her shoulder at what might have caught the agent's attention. An attractive blonde woman strutted down the corridor with a desperate-looking receptionist trailing after her. Callister groaned and stood up from his seat. As soon as he stood, Kyoko followed suit along with Ren and Yashiro. They were unsure of what was happening. There are crazy women here too.

"Please excuse me for a moment while I take care of this," Callister said, taking long strides to reach the door before the woman could enter. The receptionist was relieved when Callister spoke to her and allowed her to retreat down the hall.

Kyoko initially assumed that the beautiful woman might be a model for the agency based on her bearing and stylish outfit, but retracted that thought when the woman pecked him on the lips. An Affair? She was tempted to ask Janine, but she couldn't be blatantly rude.

"Nonsense darling, you left so early I didn't get to see you this morning. Plus, I wanted to meet her," the woman called over her shoulder as she burst into the room.

"Morning, Karina," Janine called to her with a hint of sarcasm in her voice.

"Morning," Karina replied with a little too sweet of a smile to be considered genuine. "I see Cal has you up early."

"It happens," Janine replied with a shrug.

"Awe, there she is," Karina said, homing in on Kyoko. Kyoko looked around bewildered at what was happening. She took Kyoko by the hands and squeezed. "Aren't you just like a precious little China doll. You're prettier in person and your skin is so flawless. Why are you Asians blessed with such good genes?"

Somewhere in the background, Kyoko heard Janine snort.

"Karina, don't smother the girl," Callister warned.

"I'm not Cal. I just wanted to meet the young lady dating our son," Karina explained.

Kyoko gasped. She had to be Cedric's mother. Surely she didn't believe the gossip. Karina took her time to look over Kyoko more appreciatively making her squirm. "That color is splendid on you. It makes the gold in your eyes pop."

"She's not dating, Cedric," Cal explained beside her but she ignored him.

"I suppose a modest young Asian woman is better than the trash he's been seeing. Oh, that's a lovely pendant," she said, reaching for Princess Rosa resting above Kyoko's chest. Kyoko instinctively stepped back to keep her from touching her cherished necklace. Ren closed the gap between them and placed a protective arm around Kyoko's waist. Am I shaking or is he? She glanced up at Ren, worried, but his face was unreadable.

Karina looked confused at the intimate gesture. "Oh, excuse me, I tend to forget personal boundaries."

"Ren, Kyoko, Yukihito, this is my wife, Karina," Callister introduced. After the polite bows were executed, Callister made the move to get his wife out of there.

"We're in the middle of a meeting, dear, maybe we can schedule lunch if you're free today. Tell the ladies up front to put it on my calendar," Callister placated her while leading her towards the door. Kyoko couldn't hear her response to his invitation but she shivered when Karina looked back at them over his arm. What was her problem? Callister stepped into the corridor with Karina and didn't realize the door was ajar. They could hear their conversation from inside.

"You aren't considering casting that foreigner in there for anything, are you? You have a perfectly talented son around his age yet you refuse to see his merits," Karina fumed at her husband.

"I don't want to discuss this right now, Karina, you're interfering with business," Callister said in an exasperated tone. It was strange to hear him talk that way after spending time with him. "Cedric is not hurting for work and if he was then he's not cut out for this business. Even if he is my son, I won't tolerate mediocre work. He can only skirt by so far on name alone."

"You know that's not true. Why are you only harsh on him, Cal?"

"Someone needs to be, otherwise he'd become complacent. You and Eltra babied him for too long and look what a mess he's made of his life. The boy can't even go a day without being mentioned in the tab…"

"Okay, let me just take care of that," Janine said embarrassed as she pulled the door completely shut silencing the squabbling couple.

Kyoko turned around quickly, ashamed of eavesdropping on a very personal conversation. Kyoko worked with Cedric and thought he played the part brilliantly given the language barrier. Did he think so little of his son? Flashbacks of her mother floated through her mind.

"Hey," Ren whispered, pulling her out of her head. She smiled gratefully, comforted by having him in her life. She knew all too well what Cedric might have endured growing up. She cleared her mind and focused on the meeting.

"Sorry about that," Janine said with an embarrassed smile and took her seat. She consulted her notepad where she was scribbling random notes throughout their entire conversation.

"Well," she said, looking up from her pad. "I did have another script for you, but after hearing your concerns regarding the previous ones we've sent your way, I don't think this one would suit your palette either," Janine told Ren.

"I'm very sorry for wasting your time," Ren replied with a slight bow. It was good to see him acting normal again, but she made a note to ask him about it later.

"No worries, at least we figured out your main issue. It's a bit of a turnoff if you ask my opinion, but Callister sees your potential. I can't confidently say that you just didn't blow your chances here. Maybe some other agency would pick you up if you're lucky. I'm going to be blunt. You'll never make it in the door of Hollywood if you keep turning down minor roles offered to you. All we have to work with is your work in a foreign country and a foreign language. We don't know how your skills will translate to an American film so it's hard for anyone to bet on you."

Kyoko squirmed and opened her mouth to object on his behalf since he wouldn't, but Ren squeezed her hand making her settle down.

"Thank you for your bluntness. I will reevaluate my strategy for the future," he told her.

"Good," she said, satisfied with his response. "Your performance as BJ was brilliant even if you didn't have any lines. I'm excited to see how far you go in this industry."

"I apologize for the interruption," Callister said upon his return and dropped into a formal bow.

"Everything okay," Janine asked, concerned when he stood back up.

"Fine, you know how passionate Karina can get," Callister said dismissing the issue with his wife and taking his seat. "What did I miss?"

They continued the conversation by bringing up Kyoko's interest in the music industry. According to Callister, she was guaranteed to become a hit sensation if she pursued that part of her career fulltime which she wasn't willing to do. She was adamant about making acting her number one priority but willing to dabble in music on the side as she had done previously. Other topics such as their modeling work were discussed that ate up the remainder of their allotted time. The meeting ended with no deals made, but nobody walked away from the table disheartened.

"If you're still interested in my charges, you can continue to send your inquiries to LME. I'll be sure to go over it with them thoroughly so they won't miss out on any good opportunities. Here is my card if there's anything further you would like to discuss. I guess I should extend professional courtesy and let you know that other interested parties in the U.S. have reached out to us. I don't think it would be long before they make their American debut," Yashiro announced proudly in the middle of the lobby. Ren and Kyoko had already said their goodbyes and were waiting for him by the door.

"Thanks for the heads up, Yukihito. I'm expecting great things for these two whether it's with me or another. I just don't want their talents to go to waste."

"I understand. I agree with you in that regard. Thank you for having us Mr. Bennett, Ms. Janine, this has been an enlightening experience." Yashiro bowed one last time then followed his charges through the main double doors.

AN: Phew, thanks for sticking with me on this one. Over 5k words later and I finally got myself out of this scene. I think... Anyway, I hope you enjoyed it!

Thank you for always reading and I appreciate all your reviews of the last chapter.

Until next time, Ja ne! ^_^