Chapter 6

He had slept poorly, even though he had taken melatonin against jet lag. He had drunk a lot last night and had had a restless sleep with nightmares in which Rick died again and again. However, he felt relieved to have shared his secret with Yashiro-san.

It was early, too early, but he still texted Yashiro-san to see if he was also suffering from jet lag. He was hungry, which was quite rare for him, and searched the minibar for peanuts or chips. A miniature of whiskey and a beer... It's a little too early to drink.

He got dressed and went down to the street. The smell of the sea. It reminded him of his childhood spent in the waves of the Hizuri's private cove. He had always loved the ocean, he missed it in Tokyo. Although the TV studios overlooked the sea... But it wasn't the same.

He was dressed in khaki military pants and an unbleached linen shirt, and although it was November he was warm. The "Santa Anna", coming from the desert, warmed the air. The warm wind played in his hair, breaking his image of a gentleman always well-groomed.

He headed to the seaside and spotted an open café. As he entered, he was assailed by the smell of donuts, he took 6 and returned to the hotel.

His phone told him that Yashiro-san was waiting for him. He knocked on his manager's door.

- Come in, Ren. Um... I decided to keep calling you Ren, that way I won't risk jeopardize your cover, is that okay with you?

- Ok. Thanks. I mean for everything… I bought donuts, I'm starving.

Yashiro-san looked at Ren with an amused look, Ren being hungry, that was a first! But he was hungry too and he bit into his donut with appetite.

- We are free until 3pm. What do you want to do? Are you planning to prepare for the audition?

- No, I'm ready. Do you want to learn how to surf?

- Pardon?

- Yes, I'm a good surfer, do you want me to teach you the basics? Come on, say yes!

Ren made puppy eyes; Yashiro-san had never seen him like that. He thought he was now seeing Ren's true face and not that perfect image the young man liked to send back of himself.

- Ok, said Yashiro-san, let's go surfing.

Yashiro-san came out of the water with see roots stuck in his hair. Without his glasses his vision was blurry, and he was starting to find the water cold despite the neoprene suit. Ren had taught him how to climb on the board, but he couldn't stay standing on it for more than thirty seconds. He was exhausted! It was more physical than he would have thought.

Ren was impressive, he surfed the waves with disconcerting ease, he had to admit Ren was classy even dressed in neoprene! He looked happy playing in the waves, Yashiro-san was reassured, despite last night difficult confession, Ren seemed at peace.

Yashiro-san walked to the beach, dragged his board across the sand, and wiped his face with the towel he had bought earlier. He put his goggles on his nose and watched Ren. He had just caught a nice wave and was approaching the beach at high speed. Then he jumped into the water and joined his manager.

- I'm not very good, Yashiro-san said.

- It just takes practice. Let's go return the equipment and take a good shower. Then we'll go eat a burger.

They went to the hotel to shower and prepare for the audition. When Ren came out of his room his eyes were black, Yashiro-san was surprised:

- You're not going to use your eyes?

- Yes, but I'm counting on the surprise effect to make a strong impression.

They ate their burgers in silence, they were delicious, but Ren couldn't finish his.

Then Ren led them to the studio for the audition, they were 30 minutes early. Yashiro-san was nervously rummaging through his papers and Ren was starting to get stressed. He had to get in!

The director brought them into the audition room. Each introduced himself and Yashiro handed him a book that summarized Ren's work. The producer, Mr. Higgins, congratulated Ren for his role in Tragic Maker, BJ had earned him a few sleepless nights. Ren, well settled into his character of perfection made man, thanked him humbly. They then got to the main topic. The director explained that he wanted a symbiosis between the two actors, a dynamic that would carry the film. Also Kuu Hizuri was there for the audition too, did Ren have any objection to bringing him in?

With a superficial calm, Ren nodded and his father appeared. Ren found him tense, for him too it was an important moment. He had come to find his beloved son. He had been waiting for this moment for so long that he no longer knew how to behave in front of this stranger that his son had become. He shook his hand and introduced himself.

Okay the situation is weird thought Yashiro-san, but Ren is staying calm, so this is very good.

Finally, the audition began. Ren and Kuu had to act out several scenes. Ren mastered the text and his gestures were perfect. His English didn't contain the slightest trace of Japanese. When the producer nodded, Yashiro-san sighed inwardly.

The chosen scenes were not the easiest, first there was the scene where Kunio had to decide his father, Daisuke, to leave the house because he was targeted by the Mexican cartels. Then a scene where the two men were in the car, on the road in the middle of nowhere, and sang under Kunio's impulse, old songs from the American repertoire. Yashiro discovered on this occasion that Ren had a very beautiful baritone voice. Eventually, the last scene was Kunio's suicide, where his father begged him not to die but where Kunio had no choice: It's his death or the cartel would take revenge on his father.

Before the end of this scene Ren abruptly interrupted himself and said:

- No, it's not going to work, I can give more intensity to this film!

With that he took off his lenses, sent the case to his father and quietly, fixing Kuu with his green gaze, he finished declaiming his text. Kuu, surprised by this confession and touched by the intensity of his son's gaze could not hold back a few tears. The tension, the joy, the sadness and the love between these two men were palpable.

- That's exactly what I want! The director shouted.

Then Ren turned his beautiful green gaze towards him. The director was speechless, it was the producer who simply said:

- Ok kid, you're in!

Kanae and Chiori were speechless and didn't know what to do. It had to happen, Ren was absolutely adorable with his kouhai and he wasn't the sexiest man in Japan for nothing. They let Kyoko cry, whispering words of encouragement and patting her on the back. Finally, after about ten minutes, Kyoko, still choking with sobs, raised her head.

- If this secret leaves this room I will pursue you with the worst curse! She warned, a sort of evil aura suddenly surrounding her.

Kanae swore, she wondered what could be worse than being in the love me section. Chiori argued:

- If you don't tell him, he won't guess. This game is already lost!

- But since he loves another... He gave her a bracelet for White Day ... Kyoko sobbed.

- Because you know who it is? Kanae and Chiori said in unison.

- Yes, she was competing with me for the role of Momiji ...

- Morizumi-san? Kanae said, no, it's unlikely.

- She's 17, she's cute, she starred alongside Ren in a film some years ago, she got a bracelet... What more do you need? Kyoko asked impatiently.

- Listen to me, Kanae cut in, I know another 17-year-old girl, who is a high school student and who Ren specially picks up by car, with whom he revises scenes and who was able to give him a hickey, don't you think that this girl could also be the center of interest of your sempai?

- What? He likes several girls? In the end he is indeed a playboy. Kyoko was stunned, she passed miles away from her best friend's allusion.

- No, what I want you to understand is that the description is very broad, and Morizumi-san is a good liar, Kanae continued.

- She tried to kill me, Kyoko said. She and her manager tried to throw me off a terrace after the audition. To think that Tsuruga-san is in love with such a psychopath revolts me.

- Tell him! Chiori didn't understand Kyoko's reluctance.

- That I love him? Never. To be assimilated to one of her brainless fans. No, I want to be like Momiji, she remains at the service of her master out of love even if he loves another. For once, playing the role will match my feelings.

- Morizumi-san probably invented Ren's gift! Said Chiori.

- I don't think so. Ren has given almost everyone a gift. Except me...

- But you didn't make him chocolate for Valentine's Day! Kanae remarked.

- No, no chocolate, Tsuruga-san doesn't like chocolate. I made him some wine jelly.

- You know how to cook this kind of thing. Wow! Chiori exclaimed.

- That's not the point. He should have offered you something in return anyway… Kanae whispered.

Damn, he screwed up on that one thought Kanae.

- He kissed me. I mean he kissed me on the cheek. Maybe that's his gift.

The two girlfriends were speechless, he had kissed her, how many more proof did she need, a marriage proposal in prime time or poems posted on the buildings in Tokyo. This girl was hopeless. Poor Ren.

Kanae took the time to think, it was getting late and the last metro was in 30 minutes. Changing the subject she continued:

- Well, you won't press charges against Morizumi-san to preserve Ren's feelings, is that correct?

- Hum hum…

- This is seriously stupid, you'll never get out of the love me section at this rate!

- That's what the president told me...

- What? The president knew before us?

- I'm sorry. I'll never hide anything from you again, I swear! Replied Kyoko as she parted from her friends.