Chapter 11 : Natural Actor Aqua

Chapter Summary : Aqua's first Movie, who knew he was such a natual actor? - except that scary director.

Saitou sat at his desk, his laptop open in front of him as he reviewed the numbers from B-komachi's show last week. The data on his laptop screen was clear – it had been their most successful performance yet, with record ticket and merch sales. B-komachi's popularity was on the rise and its future looked brighter than ever.

His phone buzzed beside his laptop, interrupting his thoughts. Glancing at the screen, he recognized the caller ID – Gotanda, the director of Ai's recent TV drama. Curious, He picked up.

"This is Saitou Ichigo from Strawberry Productions," he answered.

"Gotanda here," came the director's familiar voice. "I directed that high-school drama Ai was in."

"Yes. Good evening ," Saitou leaned back on his chair, stretching his shoulders "What can I do for you?"

There was a brief pause before Gotanda got straight to the point, "We are shooting a movie. It's low budget, nothing glamorous, but I'd like to cast Ai… and that little boy of yours, what was his name again?"

Saitou blinked, momentarily thrown, "Oh– you mean Aqua?"

"Yeah, Aqua. Unusual name for a kid, but he's got presence. I think he'd be perfect for a small role in the film"

Saitou hesitated, uncertain how to respond, "Sir, Aqua isn't an actor. He is only three, and he is not actually part of our agency."

"Look I know he is young, but the kid's got something, He would make a fantastic addition to the cast."

Saitou rubbed his chin, considering. "Aqua's very bright for his age, but this kind of work isn't something he's trained for. Besides, couldn't Ai play the role without him?"

Gotanda's tone hardened slightly. "This isn't negotiable, Saitou. If I don't get the kid, I don't need Ai, either. And as for the agency issue — Strawberry Productions is yours, the kid is yours. You can make it work."

Saitou tapped his fingers against the desk, weighing the decision. He didn't want to turn down a job offer for Ai, especially not a movie, even if it was low-budget. A film role could be a valuable step forward for her career.

Finally, Saitou sighed. "…Alright. I'll make the arrangements."

"Excellent," Gotanda sounded pleased. "I'll send over the contract tonight. We start shooting on Saturday, so there's not much time."

Saitou sat up straight, his expression tightening. "Saturday? That's only four days from now."

"Yeah.. Sorry about the short notice, but everything is kinda finalized. There's a creepy child part in the movie and I have a feeling he'll nail it. So I decided to extend the offer"

- x -

Saturday arrived quicker than expected. With all the formalities handled and the paperwork finalized, Miyako, Aqua, and Ruby arrived at the shoot location early in the morning. Ai didn't join them, she filmed on different days than Aqua, for the most part, and her schedule was packed with other commitments.

The scene they were filming today was about a woman arriving at a shady, isolated hospital deep in the unsettling woods to get plastic surgery. And they couldn't have picked a more perfect location. The old three-story building, its windows cracked and walls stained with moss, stood like a skeleton and posed as the perfect shady hospital. Overgrown trees loomed on all sides, the air smelled damp and earthy, and the gravel path leading to the building crunched underfoot, adding to the eerie stillness.

Aqua walked alongside Miyako, who carried Ruby asleep in her arms. The morning was too early for her. Ahead, the director – Gotanda, stood with his arms crossed, overseeing final adjustments to the set and chatting with the crew. His sharp eyes scanned the scene like a hawk, making sure every detail was just right.

As they approached, Gotanda spotted them and turned to greet them. "Right on time"

Miyako greeted with a polite bow, clutching Ruby tightly to her chest. "Thank you for working with Aqua today."

"Thank you for letting me borrow him," Gotanda said, "And you got that one issue sorted out?"

Miyako sighed, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "Well, yes, four days were barely enough to get all the paperwork, but we got it done."

"Great." He looked down at Aqua with a grin. "Hear that, kid? You're officially an actor now."

Aqua looked up at him, "If you just needed a child to act" He pointed his thumb at Ruby, "I still think my sleeping sister over there is a much better actor than me. Why not use her instead?"

"No can do, wonder kid. You're the one I want," he crouched down to Aqua's level, "Afterall, that's why Ai is in this movie, I get what I want, in exchange for something that you want." he gently tapped his knuckles on his head, "Take a note kid. This is what we call bartering in the industry. It's quite fundamental."

He chuckled, patting Aqua lightly on the shoulder as he stood back up. "Make yourself comfortable in that house over there, your scenes will be up later" He gestured to a small house – more like a shed, at a distance, before returning to his crew.

Miyako waited until he was out of earshot, then leaned toward Aqua, "Bartering Ai for you… That scary director sure has taken a liking to you. What on earth did you do?"

"Nothing really," Aqua shrugged, "Adults like it when kids act casual around them. Makes them open up for some reason. So I just didn't bother being too polite"

Miyako chuckled nervously, "Not polite, huh? You're one scary baby yourself."

Ruby stirred in her arms, and Miyako excused herself to the rest house Gotanda had pointed out earlier.

Aqua, left alone, wandered around the set, 'Being a doctor in my old life, I used to work with a lot of older people. Who knew that skill would come in handy here'

The director was mid-discussion with a crew member as Aqua approached him. "Hey, I read the script. Couldn't all the lines be delivered by one scary child?"

He turned to Aqua with a smirk, "Sharp eye kid, the role was originally offered to another actor about your age. But I wanted you instead, couldn't cut her off entirely, so we adjusted the script to fit you both"

Aqua had a questioning look on his face, "Directors can just change the script like that to cast more people?"

"Most of the time, no. Casting decisions are made by higher-ups. Only two kinds of directors can pull off changes like this. The big-name, blockbuster types with massive budgets, and…" Gotanda slipped one hand into his pocket, striking a casual pose with a crooked grin, "Small-time directors with shoestring budgets. Which one do I look like?"

Aqua thought for a moment, "Uh… the big-name director with the massive bud–"

Gotanda cut him off before he could finish. "Yeah, no. Welcome to low-budget filmmaking, kid."

- x -

Aqua's scenes weren't scheduled for the next hour, so he wandered into the house where Miyako had settled Ruby in.

The room was fairly lit from the light shining through the windows. Mismatched furniture pushed against the walls and stacks of props cluttering the corners. A faint hum of voices and equipment filtered in from the set outside.

Aqua strolled in, with the script in his hand, his lips moving as he murmured his lines to himself. He barely noticed Ruby, still sprawled on the worn-out couch, her head buried in a fluffy pillow. His footsteps and quiet muttering must have disturbed her because she stirred awake, blinking blearily.

"Where… am I?" she mumbled, rubbing her eyes as they adjusted to the room. "Brother?"

Aqua glanced up from his script, "You're awake? We are at the movie shoot, remember?"

"The movie you and mama are in?" She sat up with still a hint of sleepiness in her voice, looking around the unfamiliar room. Her face scrunched up, "Where's Mama?"

"She's not here today," Aqua replied simply, flipping a page of his script. "Her scenes are being filmed on different days. We already told you that."

"What?!" She puffed her cheeks, "You should've told me earlier! I wouldn't have come if I knew Mama wasn't going to be here."

"And Miayko would have left you home alone?" Aqua quipped, without looking up from his script.

Ruby didn't respond, instead, she flopped back on the couch, crossing her arms, pouting. Next moment, she burst into tears, "Mama! I want my Mama! Why isn't she here?!"

Aqua sighed, lowering the script. Watching Ruby thrash and wail on the couch was almost embarrassing. "Because they aren't filming with Ai today"

His words fell on deaf ears as Ruby flailed dramatically. "I wanna go home! Take me back to Mama!"

'Isn't she embarrassed crying like this? Even a little?'

Before he could say anything else, a girl about their age stomped in, clutching a rolled-up script in one hand and slammed the script on the table with a loud thud.

Her expression was stormy, "This is a professional workplace!" she snapped, pointing a finger at them. "If you want to cause problems, then go home!"

Ruby froze mid-sob, and sat up on the couch. Aqua turned his gaze to the girl who just stormed in, she looked familiar as if he had seen her somewhere before.

"I'm Kana Arima," the girl announced, planting her hands on her hips. "You're the other actor playing the scary child, aren't you?"

Ruby looked at her for another moment, before recognizing her "Ah! Aren't you that girl…?" She pointed a finger at her, "The genius child actor who can lick baking soda!"

Kana immediately shouted, louder than Ruby, "It's the genius child actor who can cry in ten seconds!"

Folding her arms, Kana puffed up with pride, "I'm a professional, you know. I've worked with top actors in dramas, and everyone says the way I cry on camera is astounding."

She paused, clearly waiting for them to be impressed, when neither of the twins responded, she added, "Because it is."

Ruby leaned closer to her brother, lowering her voice to whisper "I don't like this girl.., she sounds so full of herself."

"Well," he whispered back, "Fame does get to people's head sometimes"

Kana's sharp eyes snapped to them. She grabbed her script, rolled it back up and smacked it lightly against her palm. "I know all about this. You pulled some strings to get in!"

Kana narrowed her eyes. "I got this script weeks ago, and you and that idol weren't in it. Even my mom said the director forced the changes. That's not an okay thing to do!" she said sharply as if she was scolding children.

"That's not what happened–" Aqua tried explaining, but she wasn't listening.

Kana huffed, flipping through her script with exaggerated irritation. "I saw that drama that Idol was in. She barely had any screen time. I bet her acting was so bad they had to cut out all of it!"

Ruby clenched her fists, glaring at Kana.

With that, Kana turned and walked away, "But I guess you both are good at buttering people up." she said over her shoulder.

That was it.

Ruby trembled with fury, "Brother…" she said, her voice low and dangerous.

"I know." Aqua said, his tone equally malicious. "But, she's just a kid. There's no need to kill her."

- x -

The scary children scene was finally ready to be shot. The cameraman adjusted his angle, the boom mic operator found his mark, and Gotanda sat on a creaky foldable chair, his clipboard balanced on his knee.

"Alright, get into position!" Gotanda barked, his voice cutting through the working crew. "We are rolling in thirty seconds!"

The hum died down as everyone took their spots, the woods soon became hauntingly quiet.

Aqua adjusted the collar of his shirt and glanced at Kana, who stood beside him. She was focused, and had clenched her fists, probably running through her lines in her head.

The scene itself was simple. A woman entered the woods, searching for the hospital. On her way, she encountered two eerie children who acted as her ominous guides.

The camera rolled, and the lead actress walked down the dirt path, glancing nervously at her surroundings. The lens followed her as she approached the two children standing by the weathered headstone. Kana and Aqua tilted their heads down, their movements perfectly in sync as they approached her slowly, before slowly lifting their faces towards her.

Kana spoke first, her voice light but steady. "Greetings, visitor. We welcome you to our village…"

Her delivery was smooth and practiced, her words carrying just the right hint of foreboding. Aqua watched her out of the corner of his eye. 'She's good. Well, she is a genius child actor afterall. Why pull me into this? I'd just be doing the same thing as her…' he thought as Kana delivered her dialogue perfectly.

'...but that's not what he wants from me is it?'

When it was his turn, Aqua stepped forward. His voice was low and clear, carrying an unnatural calm that sent chills through the clearing. "I'm afraid there's only one guesthouse in our town. We can lead you there."

He gestured with his hands like a little tour guide, his movements deliberate, almost mechanical. "Once you check in, we can show you around the village. There are many good sightseeing spots here. Is there anywhere specific you'd like to go?"

It's always eerie seeing a young child speak crystal clear in an adult-like demeanor.

The lead actress froze, her wide eyes locked on him. Her mouth opened slightly, but no words came out.

"And cut!" Gotanda called, breaking the silence. He stood up, clapping his hands together. "Great work everyone, we got a great shot"

Aqua let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. Adjusting his shirt, he stepped back as the actress crouched down to his level. Her face was still pale, and she smiled nervously.

"You were incredible, kid." she said, rubbing her arms as if to shake off a chill. "You gave me goosebumps for real."

Aqua looked at her with a nervous smile, "I did? That's great isn't it?"

Kana brushed past him, her head hung low as she muttered under her breath, "No.. it's not."

She trudged to the director and pulled on his jacket, "Director, we need to do another take." her voice was low and trembling.

Gotanda turned his head, "Hmm? we got what we needed. It's fine."

"It's not fine!" Kana's voice broke as tears welled in her eyes. "I wasn't anywhere near as good as that boy…!"

Her grip tightened on his jacket. "Please, I'm begging you! One more take! I can do better!"

Gotanda blinked, clearly caught off guard. For a moment, he said nothing. Then Kana's mother and the assistant director rushed over, gently prying her hands off the director's jacket.

"Kana, that's enough," her mother said, guiding her away. They sat her down on a nearby chair, handing her water and whispering words of comfort.

Aqua watched the scene unfold and couldn't help but feel sorry for her.

He walked to the bench where Gotanda sat, reviewing the next scene on his clipboard and hopped onto the bench beside him, his gaze still fixed on Kana as she slowly calmed down.

"Wonder-kid" He said without taking his eyes off the script, "What do you think an actor needs the most?"

Aqua turned his attention to him and pondered the question for a moment, "Skill? Or instinct? Maybe effort? How believable their acting is?"

Gotanda glanced up at him, "Not bad guesses, but better acting skills doesn't necessarily translate to making it big in the Industry." He raised an eyebrow, "What does an actor really need to survive in the industry?"

Aqua turned the question over in his head. Skills, effort, instinct — none of it seemed wrong, but his tone suggested it was something else. When no answer came to him, the director supplied it.

"It's people skills," he said simply, leaning back on the bench. "How likable you are. How well you get along with the crew, the cast, the people who write your paychecks. Talent alone won't carry you far if people around you don't like you."

Aqua listened, digesting his words, and the director wasn't done.

"If you let being good at your job get to your head, and start acting like you're above everyone else, your opportunities will dry up faster than you'd think. Your future won't be as bright as it could have otherwise been."

Gotanda gently tapped the rolled up script on his head, "Don't ever let fame get to your head, kid"

Aqua looked over at Kana, "Were you trying to teach her a lesson?"

His eyes followed Aqua's gaze, "I wasn't really trying to do anything, it's just how it played out. Actors who think they are hot shots often crumble the first moment when someone else steals their spotlight."

"But, it's good." Gotanda added, standing up and dusting off his jacket, "This experience would help her grow."

He turned to Aqua, "And you did exactly what I wanted. The way you acted was perfect."

"Really?" Aqua looked up at him, "I was just being myself, she was much better than me, in my opinion"

"I didn't tell you that though, you picked that up on your own. That's one facet of people skills." He said with a grin and held his hands up, framing Aqua's face like a camera. "Following what the director asks for is easy, any actor can do that, but picking up what we cannot put into words – that's what we are always looking for."

Gotanda leaned down, ruffing up Aqua's hair lightly. "I want you to be the kind of actor who can pick up on the director's intent and put that on the screen, rather than someone who is just good at acting."

Aqua didn't reply. His expression remained neutral as he thought to himself, 'But, I'm not going to be an actor…'

The crew wrapped up two more scenes before the day came to an end. Kana Arima had calmed down, but her intensity hadn't wavered. With every take, she watched Aqua closely, her eyes narrowing as she studied his movements, his expressions, even the way he delivered his lines. She didn't say a word to him, but the sharpness in her gaze said enough.

Aqua noticed it, of course. Her stare lingered a fraction too long during the breaks, her posture stiffened whenever they stood side by side, the way she gripped her script a little tighter whenever Gotanda gave him praise. She wasn't just jealous – She felt threatened. But there was something else there, too. She was also learning.

On the way home, Kana sat in the backseat of the car, script in hand as her mother drove in silence. She flipped through the pages absentmindedly, until she saw his name again.

"Aqua…" she muttered, staring at his name printed on the top of one of the pages. "He even has a proper stage name…"

She let the script fall into her lap, her fingers gripping the edges lightly. "Is he an established actor? I've never heard of him before…"

"I didn't even ask his real name." She sighed looking out the window, watching the scenery blur past, "Just you wait, Aqua, I swear I won't lose to you next time"

- x -

Three months later, the day of the first screening had finally arrived.

That was the Start.

The title alone hinted at something bigger — a potential franchise, a story that could grow. Ai might even land a bigger role in the sequels.

Aqua had imagined the first screening as something grand. A red carpet, cameras flashing, a theater full of reporters and excited fans.

Reality was far more subdued.

The theater they arrived at was nearly empty, reserved only for the cast and crew. Gotanda and the lead actors were already seated when Aqua walked in along with Ai and Ruby, hand in hand.

They were the only ones arriving a little late, but just in time as the screening began.

The lights dimmed, and the movie began. It all looked just as he remembered from filming — no flashy post-production effects or grand visual flourishes, just raw, straightforward storytelling.

And yet, there was something magnetic about it.

By the end, Ai had completely stolen the spotlight. She wasn't the most technically skilled actor in the cast, but when she was on screen, it was impossible to look away. Her presence eclipsed everyone else's, including the lead actress' herself.

The credits rolled, and Gotanda stood up, turning to address the small crowd. "Thank you all for your hard work," he said, his voice calm but earnest. "This was a small project, but we've made something special here. It turned out better than I imagined, and that couldn't have been possible without talent like you all. Really — thank you."

Polite applause broke out among the cast and crew, except for Ruby, who had curled up in Ai's lap and fallen asleep halfway through the movie.

Ai picked Ruby up and held her in her arms as the little girl slept soundly, her head tucked against Ai's shoulder. Aqua walked beside her as they made their way out, "That was really amazing, wasn't it Aqua? I really loved your acting. I knew you were a genius!"

Aqua shrugged lightly. "I just did what the director asked."

The lead actress walked up behind them and chimed in, "He was great wasn't he? I think you were also amazing, Ai."

Ai chuckled, shaking her head. "You were amazing, Miss Yuuko, I'm still not as good as a seasoned actress like yourself."

The actress returned a friendly smile, "I mean it, you were great. It was a pleasure working with you." she bowed slightly before crouching down to Aqua's level and pinching his cheeks with her gentle hands, "You too, little creepy Kid."

Aqua gave her a polite, nervous smile. "Thank you."

Further back, Kana Arima stood with her mother, watching Aqua being praised. She took a few quick steps to Aqua and called out just as Yuuko left, "Hey!"

Aqua and Ai both looked as she approached them. Little Kana pointed a finger at him and blurted, "Next time! I'll do better than you!"

For a moment, Aqua didn't know how to respond. But before he could say anything, Ai crouched down beside Kana with a gentle smile, still clutching Ruby tightly to her chest.

"You're the creepy girl, I saw you up there on the screen — you looked so good. You were amazing!" as Ai praised her, Kana's cheeks flushed red.

"I… You…" she stammered, then ducked her head, "Your acting was good too!" she blurted nervously and quickly rushed back to her mother.

Ai laughed softly, waving after her before turning and taking Aqua's hand, "Alright Aqua, let's go home"

As they left the theater, Aqua felt the air shift the moment they stepped outside. A pair of paparazzi appeared out of nowhere, their cameras clicking rapidly as they rushed toward Ai.

"Miss Ai! You're Miss Ai from B-komachi aren't you?" one of them called, thrusting a microphone in her face. "What are you doing with these kids? Are they yours?!"

Ai's face didn't falter for even a second. Her smile was as dazzling as ever as she answered, "Oh no, they are my Manager's kids. This little guy is also in our upcoming movie, you know. Since they couldn't make it, I brought them along to enjoy the screening."

"Is that so?", the reporter hesitated and put the mic back down.

"Is the camera rolling?" Ai tilted her head slightly, still smiling and looked at the camera, "Please make sure to come see That was the Start in theaters next week!"

The cameraman lowered his camera, gesturing to his partner as they left without another word.

Aqua exhaled slowly, watching them go. 'That was close. They probably had spotted us earlier and were waiting for us to come out.' he thought

He looked up at Ai, whose smile remained unshaken, as if nothing had happened.

'She is better at keeping her composure than I thought'

Interviewer - Your first movie, someone's really good at acting. Makes me wonder why you want to be a doctor again.
Aqua - I'm not really, there are no great little actors for me to be compared to, made it easy. I'm a child who can speak like an adult, that novelty will wear off soon.
Interviewer - Perhaps you are correct, but I believe breaking into the Industry is the hardest step. Once you are in, you are in for good.
Aqua - That might be true, but I don't really want to act.
Interviewer - Acting must come naturally to you now. You have been acting as a child for the past three years tho.
Aqua - And sometimes that is suffocating.

- x -

No more interviews today folks, the Interviewer has taken the rest of day off.

Authors note : This chapter mostly follows canon. I still hope you all enjoyed reading it.

Up Next - Chapter 12 : First Day of School