"Good. OK."
Director Gotanda, arms folded, nodded in satisfaction and completed the long-awaited first shoot.
Working with Kaoru on this project, Director Gotanda had already come to trust him completely, to the point where he was now naturally one of the actors he could rely on without hesitation. He sent endless trust toward his own "persona."
And that trust wasn’t only Director Gotanda’s.
"Kyaaaaa-★ So cool! So cool, so cool, so cool! You’re way too cool!"
Right behind Director Gotanda, Ai’s star-bright eyes sparkled as she bounced in place and clapped.
Come to think of it... wasn’t she the closest thing Kaoru had in the world to a stalker fan?
Director Gotanda, the very man who had granted Ai the ultimate "special privilege" of watching her husband’s acting shoot in person, clicked his tongue with a rotten smile.
【I absolutely, absolutely can’t give up Kaoru’s first shoot! It’s, um, a field trip... ah, acting study! Kaoru was my acting teacher, after all! It’s educational, and it’s a commemorative day too, right? Hehe-★】
Director Gotanda recalled Ai’s face, flushed bright red with desire bubbling up and overflowing.
Study, acting teacher, all those were just convenient excuses. He couldn’t possibly not know that the truth was her honest desire to "watch" every bit of her husband’s acting right in front of her.
From the start, she had been transparent to the point of not even hiding her goal.
Still, the reason this drama could even begin at all was thanks to Ai’s broad-minded decision(?), and if indulging the husband-obsessed wife made Ai’s efficiency shoot up, then as a director he had no reason to complain.
Director Gotanda accepted it, showing off a surprisingly human(?) side that was unlike him.
And of course, that choice brought an enormous aftershock.
"...Why? Is something weird?"
After the shoot ended and he was getting a touch-up on his makeup, Kaoru asked cautiously when he noticed his wife staring at him so intently that it made him a little shy.
Ai shook her head back and forth and said,
"Hehe-♥ No! If I keep looking at Kaoru in glasses like this, I feel like you’ll show up in my dream tonight♥"
"...Pfft. Then should I keep wearing them until tonight?"
"Eeeh~★ Is, is that okay? If Kaoru’s uncomfortable, you don’t have to...♥"
"I don’t have contacts. One day is fine."
"Then... please...!"
Oh my.
Guhh-
Gulp-
The surrounding staff let out sighs and exclamations all around at the unrestrained lovey-dovey behavior of entertainment’s representative lovebird couple.
Not only the married staff, but even the single staff members were left speechless by the sweetness of the fifteen-year-married couple’s affection.
Even though the area around the set had been controlled, the citizens still gathered like clouds and kept filming the affectionate Kaoru-Ai couple nonstop with their smartphones and cameras.
Director Gotanda scratched his forehead and let out a low, regretful sigh.
'Ah. I should have refused.'
He should have at least dragged out some flimsy justification about this sacred and blood-draining business-and-art boundary where an enormous amount of money was spent on every day of shooting.
He hadn’t expected to witness the couple’s lovey-dovey affection with his own two eyes.
Director Gotanda looked at the couple’s radiant smiles, pretty as a pictorial spread, with the pitiful eyes of a man who had been robbed blind in broad daylight.
Why... was he the one doing all the suffering while those two looked so happy?
Was this the path of the "lonely artist"?
"Sigh. Pull out."
After wrapping up the first shoot, Director Gotanda immediately ordered the staff to withdraw. They still had a long way to go, since they needed to finish all of Kaoru’s allotted scenes for the day.
Director Gotanda rolled up the script, tapped it against his shoulder, and rubbed at his hollow side.
*
The next morning.
Ai’s first shoot began.
For filming, they had rented out an entire convenience store in Shinjuku, and even the 24-hour supermarket nearby, so the amount of footage Ai had to shoot today was far greater than what Kaoru had filmed yesterday.
"Woo- woo- woo- hum~ hum~"
Humming under her breath, she tapped the register with the fingers of the hand holding her script and once again reviewed the emotions and lines in her head.
In the convenience store clerk uniform and apron—
Ai stood at the counter, deliberately wearing only light foundation and lipstick instead of heavy filming makeup so she could immerse herself in the role, with her hair roughly tied back with a hair tie.
Because her skin was so clean and white, without a single wrinkle or blemish, adjusting her skin tone with foundation actually made her complexion look a little duller and darker than usual.
Like the practice addict she was, having kept rehearsing the script until right before bed after Kaoru’s shoot finished yesterday—
Within her brilliant star-bright eyes, the usual cheerfulness was gone, replaced by the seriousness of an "actor."
Director Gotanda approached her directly to briefly go over the directing points.
"How are you feeling?"
"Perfect-★"
"Good. First... Ai, you’ve already analyzed the character and script, so you know this, but the key is to throw away your usual habit of thinking about your "husband."
The emotions Honoka Aizawa feels when she thinks of Hiroki Fukumoto are very different from the emotions you feel when you think of Kaoru. I trust you understand what I mean."
Just as Director Gotanda demanded that [Kamiki Kaoru] and [Fukumoto Hiroki] be thoroughly separated, he also demanded that [Hoshino Ai] and [Honoka Aizawa] be thoroughly separated.
Since the real-life couple had to play lovers within the work, if the real actor’s habits or their usual emotional inertia leaked through, it would break not only immersion but the truthfulness of the characters themselves.
Ai, who had already understood this well while rehearsing the script with Kaoru, nodded energetically and answered,
"Yes! I’m going to make Aqua and Ruby so surprised!"
At Ai’s terrifying(?) resolve to make even the twins who would later watch the drama believe her performance was [truth],
"...Your spirit is perfect. Good."
Director Gotanda smiled faintly and gestured to the staff to prepare for the shot.
The reason he was putting so much effort into Ai’s direction was, in a way, simple.
By the second day of shooting, they had to film the scene where [Honoka Aizawa] thinks of [Hiroki Fukumoto] and gradually begins to act out clearly deepening emotions.
"Hmm... OK. Scene number 156."
Even though this was pre-shooting, the order of the story’s progression and the actual shooting order did not necessarily have to match.
There were far too many variables to consider in real filming: production costs, actors’ schedules, script revisions, weather, location control, and so on.
It was perfectly normal, whether for dramas or films, for the two lead actors who met for the first time on day one to get into character and exchange a passionate kiss, or even shoot a sticky bed scene.
No matter how much of a "pre-shoot" it was, a drama was still a drama in the end, and Director Gotanda, who had plenty of experience with indie films and drama shoots, already knew through countless experiences that this was exactly when a director’s directing skills shone brightest.
"Ready—"
Director Gotanda fixed his serious gaze on the supporting actor standing at the register and Ai standing in front of the POS machine.
At last, he felt anticipation rising in a corner of his heart, wondering what kind of performance she would show not as [Hoshino Ai], but as [Honoka Aizawa].
"Action!"
At Director Gotanda’s cue, the star that had always sparkled brilliantly in her eyes suddenly began to lose its color.
[Hoshino Ai], the legendary idol and top actress, vanished, and [Honoka Aizawa], who lived lonely without a support to lean on, received the sandwich handed to her by the customer.
"I’m checking out."
At the customer’s indifferent voice, Ai put on her usual bright but somehow sorrowful smile, scanned the sandwich’s barcode, and said,
"That’ll be 250 yen."
"Here."
"Yes. I’ve received 250 yen. Please come again."
After the customer left, Ai retied her hair, which had been loosely bound.
"......"
Shinjuku street at 10 a.m.
Watching passersby move along outside the convenience store, Ai unconsciously checked the old wristwatch on her arm, its plating worn away with age.
The daily life that repeated and layered over itself day after day. And the memories of that daily life, gradually wearing down as well.
Within such a life, the excitement and anticipation of a new presence appearing to breathe fresh vitality into her was, in itself, the "hope" that allowed her to continue living her empty days.
Today was a daytime shift, not a night shift, so sadly she couldn’t meet him—but
"...Ha."
Just the act of thinking of him made a smile bloom at the corner of her lips.
The faint starshine in her eyes came back to life and poured out a bright radiance.
"!"
Director Gotanda did not miss that emotion.
As the saying went, "Like father, like son."
Just like Kaoru, Ai’s dense acting ability stood out for its own [sincerity].
Director Gotanda, who had been sitting in a chair watching the camera, straightened his posture and brushed the side of his thick beard with his hand.
'There it is.'
His eye for talent had been proven right.
The moment he saw Ai’s emotional acting just now, the sliver of concern he had secretly held in his heart was completely shattered.
In the actual editing process, the meeting between [Honoka Aizawa] and [Hiroki Fukumoto] would be included in the flashback scene, but that part had not been filmed yet.
Just by imagining the scripted meeting that had not yet been shot, Ai had become completely immersed in [Honoka Aizawa] and acted out longing and tenderness perfectly.
Director Gotanda nodded once with eyes full of conviction, then continued watching Ai’s performance with a hawk’s eye.
"Ah! Cleaning!"
Ai, who had been lost for a moment in pleasant thoughts, snapped back to her senses and hurried into the storage room behind the counter to bring out a broom and mop.
Just as she was about to put on gloves as a practical, capable character and tie her purple hair back once more—
♬♪-
When the ringtone from her pocket sounded, Ai tilted her head and took out her phone to check the caller.
"Yes, boss? Yes. Yes? Ah... only until tonight? No. I think my schedule will be fine! Don’t worry~ Yes!"
In the original story, Honoka would be on the daytime shift today, so she wouldn’t meet Hiroki when he came by late in the evening, but then the night-shift part-timer would have something come up, and Ai would end up taking over the work until late at night.
After that, it would lead into the important development where she would make bento and side dishes by hand for Hiroki, who came by in the evening under the pretense of buying dinner.
"...Heheh-!"
The joy and fluttering excitement Honoka felt at being able to meet Hiroki again today thanks to this unexpected stroke of luck were clearly conveyed through Ai’s brilliant star-bright eyes and smile, and captured on camera.
Seeing Ai’s aura filling the frame, Director Gotanda took off his headphones, stood up from his chair, and called out,
"Cut. Good work."
"Thank you-★"
At Director Gotanda’s cut signal, Ai slipped out of [Honoka Aizawa] and bowed her head, her star-bright eyes sparkling.
Approaching Ai as she received a makeup touch-up, Director Gotanda tapped his stiff shoulder with the rolled-up cue sheet and said,
"...So you weren’t just staying home and taking care of Amber."
"Hehe-★ Of course, I’m an "actor" too, you know? I’ll work hard and do my best! And... I want to show Kaoru and the babies lots and lots of cool sides of me too~"
"......Right."
Director Gotanda looked at Ai, who wore her usual bright smile, with a somewhat pitiful gaze, then rubbed his tired eyes and muttered.
After that, they filmed the convenience store scenes for another hour, and then Ai immediately moved to the nearby supermarket they had rented as the set.
They solved lunch with the group bento they had ordered in advance, and the shoot continued until 2 p.m. before wrapping up safely without a single NG.
After finishing her schedule, Ai rode home in the van driven personally by her manager, stretched with a tired sigh, and got out of the elevator.
Bang—
"Uuuuuungh- Kaoruuu~ Amber~"
"You’re tired, aren’t you? Good work filming, Ai."
"Mama- mama- mama-!"
After opening the front door and coming inside, Ai hugged Amber and hurried over to Kaoru, who was welcoming her home.
Wrapped in Kaoru’s arms, Ai kissed Amber’s cheek as he flailed his little arms at her, and the baby scent unique to their youngest son melted her fatigue away on its own.
"Uuungh- Amber~ You’re so cute~ Did you miss Mama~♥"
"Mama- mama!"
"Eeeh- I haven’t even washed Mama’s hands yet! Wait a second?"
Smack-!
"Hehe- ‘I’m home’ kiss♥"
Standing on tiptoe with both arms around her husband’s neck, Ai gave him a sweet kiss.
"Puhuhu-"
Pretending not to notice and accepting his wife’s kiss, Kaoru smiled, savoring the pleasant feeling of his wife’s sweet body scent lingering at the tip of his nose.
Honestly, he could never stop the laughter from slipping out, as always.
Kaoru barely managed to hide his smile, patted his wife’s hip, and lowered his head to speak in a quiet voice.
"Go wash your hands first. I cut up some fruit."
"Understood~!"
Watching his wife dash off toward the bedroom, Kaoru soon met eyes with his youngest son and gently patted him with a soft bounce.
-
That evening.
It was dinnertime, when the whole family gathered together to eat.
Kaoru and Ai, Aqua and Ruby, and even Ame and Amber.
The six of them sat at the table, eating together and chatting about what had happened today, making it a fun and pleasant time.
Ruby, happily eating rolled omelet, sparkled her star-bright eyes and asked the Ai sitting opposite her with a cheerful smile,
"Mama. How was the drama shoot today?"
"Hmm~ It was way more fun and fulfilling than Ruby could imagine?"
"Eeeh-!? It was that fun? Even more than the stage?"
When Ruby asked in surprise, Ai, who was feeding baby food to Amber, smiled bashfully and shrugged.
"Mm-hm~ They’re almost the same. The stage is the stage, and acting is acting. They both have different kinds of fun! And more than anything else... I was so, so excited to be there with Papa! Kyaaa-★"
Covering her flushed cheeks and squealing like a rabbit, Ai’s cry made Kaoru, who was feeding baby food to Amber, glance at the twins and give an awkward smile, as if embarrassed.
"...Mama’s shining way too much."
"...Let’s endure it since she’s happy."
Ruby and Aqua clicked their tongues bitterly, reviving the long-forgotten irritation they felt toward their father for no reason at all.
But... like him or not(?), he was the dependable and cool father whom their beloved mother adored so much.
The twins let out a synchronized sigh and chewed their rice in silence.
"Dad! Then tomorrow—uh—your turn, right?"
After drinking some water and setting down her cup, Ame asked with sparkling blue eyes.
Kaoru nodded at Ame’s question.
"Yeah. Mom went to work today, so tomorrow it’s Dad’s turn."
"Waaah~! What are you filming tomorrow? When are Mom and Dad going to be filmed together? I want to see it soon!"
Ame bounced her feet in excitement, grinning with delight just from imagining it.
Since Ame was already in third grade, she probably wanted to brag to her friends about it without anyone noticing.
Kaoru wiped Amber’s mouth with a tissue, met Ame’s eyes, and smiled softly.
"Hmm~ Tomorrow... I’ll be filming a conversation between Dad and some other people, and then—"
"What kind of conversation?!"
"Hahaha— if I tell you in detail, then when Ame watches the drama with your sister and brother, it might not be fun anymore. Is that okay?"
"Eh! No! You don’t have to tell me! I’m going to watch it with my sister and brother!"
Ame looked at her older siblings and giggled.
But Ruby and Aqua could only force their mouths into awkward smiles.
Actually, we’re dying to know what they’re filming too!
The twins’ eyes trembled at the same time.
Maybe blood really couldn’t be fooled, because even when they were acting at the troupe or practicing in the rehearsal room, Aqua and Ruby, who still had the memories of their past lives while physically going through puberty, were very curious about their parents’ workplace.
The nasty Director Gotanda would probably threaten them not to interfere, but with their reliable parents as a shield, there was nothing to worry about anyway.
Still, the reason the twins were holding back their desire was simple.
'Interfering with the business of our oshi and second oshi...'
'...is absolutely taboo as a fan!'
Even without saying it, their hearts were already in sync!
Aqua and Ruby once again reaffirmed their bond and nodded at the same time!
"Hehehe- so cute."
Ai, drinking her miso soup, couldn’t help laughing as her chest tingled at the sight of the adorable babies.
-
The next day.
Swish—!
Yuriko lifted a glass of water and splashed it into Kaoru’s face across from her.
Glaring at him with the typical look of contempt and mockery a strong person shows a weak one, Yuriko bit out each word distinctly.
"...Don’t you dare speak so arrogantly to Father."
At Yuriko’s venomous words, Kaoru quietly removed his glasses, from which water was dripping, and brushed back his soaked bangs.
"......"
With a calm breath that trembled with a cold fury he could not hide—
his shining blue eyes, filled with cruel vengeance, pierced Yuriko straight through.
Comments (0)
Please log in to leave a comment. Login or Register