"K-Kghh... Kgh?!"
"Cut!!! That was excellent!!"
The director, Morimura Kogoro, whose sturdy build and stylish white beard made a strong impression, called for a hearty cut and broke into a broad grin.
Kaoru removed his hand from the mouth of Ueto Tatsuya, a much older senior actor, and bowed politely.
"Thank you for your hard work, sir."
"Y-Yeah, right. Good work. Hahaha."
Ueto Tatsuya got to his feet from the carpet where he had been lying down and wiped away a cold sweat.
Until just a moment ago, that chilling, heart-scraping aura of cold-bloodedness had vanished, and he gave Kaoru an awkward smile as if he had become a proper student.
To be honest, it hadn’t felt like acting out a death scene. It had felt like he was really going to die. At his age, already taking blood pressure medication, the shoot just now had felt like a true matter of life and death, and it had sent a shiver down his spine.
In more than twenty years of acting, Ueto Tatsuya had worked with countless actors and prided himself on having learned a great deal about the craft. Yet every time he acted with Kaoru, all he could do was marvel at the boy’s performance—so outstanding it was impossible to believe he was young enough to be his son, so good it felt like a lie that he was still in his teens.
Among the cast, people were already half-joking, half-serious that simply standing in front of the camera with Kaoru felt like having your acting tested.
Kaoru himself would shyly wave it off and ask them not to say such things, maintaining a humble attitude, but Ueto Tatsuya knew better. Even that was one of the forms [sincerity] could take when wielded by a [strong] person.
As the place where Kaoru had gripped his mouth throbbed from the force of his hand, Ueto Tatsuya tried moving his jaw a little just in case. Then, watching Kaoru’s back as he left the set after greeting Director Kogoro and the staff, he nodded and muttered quietly, "That kid really is something else."
-
The new drama set to air in Fuji TV’s Monday 9 p.m. prime-time slot, the so-called getsuku, was [Usurper].
It was a drama about a bloody succession war among the children of [Sawamura Hideaki], the head of a major conglomerate, who suddenly dies.
Kaoru had been cast as [Sawamura Seiji], the third son among the children of the conglomerate chairman, and the youngest, frail from childhood due to a chronic illness. The mysterious death that had led the siblings to suspect one another and wage a blood-soaked battle was actually the crime committed by Seiji, a cold-blooded sociopath. That twist was the hidden card driving the story through the middle and latter half.
His screen time was somewhat less than that of the actors playing the other brothers and the main cast, but he appeared steadily in every episode, and even though the later scripts had not yet been released, the actors were already speculating that the true culprit who had forged their father’s will was Seiji. In other words, he was an indispensable role in the drama.
On the way to the troupe after filming, Kaoru took out his work iPhone and answered a call from Rentaro.
"Yes, President. No, I’m heading to the troupe now."
- Ah, really? Good. I was worried something had happened because I couldn’t reach you!
"......"
Kaoru frowned hard, unsure whether he should laugh or look offended at the sticky, oddly affectionate question from a grown man who was now thirty-four after his birthday had passed.
Three months ago, when this casting had come in through Stani-On’s phone call, Rentaro had dropped to his knees and burst into tears.
The former accountant, the three newly hired office staff, and Kaoru, the one-man army of Stani-On, could only stare blankly at the sight.
For Rentaro, it must have been a deeply moving moment, bringing back the memory of that day eight months earlier when the office’s actors had been on the verge of being ruined and going under.
But for Kaoru...
It had been the moment when he became certain that, among everyone he had met in the entertainment world so far, Rentaro was one of the most unusual types, right up there with Director Gotanda.
- Ah, right, right. Actually, that’s why I called. The day after tomorrow, you’ve got a simple TV station interview. The drama’s almost here, after all! It’s about time we started pushing the promotion hard.
"Yes. Understood."
- You know you’ve also got a CF shoot scheduled for next Monday, right?
"Yes. I’m aware."
- Good! Then keep practicing hard! Make sure you eat dinner properly! Fighting!!
"Yes. Thank you."
After answering Rentaro’s encouragement, Kaoru casually ended the call and lightly toyed with his phone.
Maybe this was what it felt like to have a kind older brother—an overexcited fool who made a fuss over the smallest things, but cried easily and was genuinely good-hearted.
He didn’t have a brother, so he wasn’t sure.
"Hmm."
He still hadn’t told Rentaro about his relationship with Ai or the existence of the twins.
It wasn’t that he was an untrustworthy person. He was tight-lipped, and more than anyone else in this ruthless world, he understood the value and power of [trust].
After working together for eight months, Kaoru had come to feel that beyond the issue of [trust], Rentaro himself was an extremely sensitive man.
Rentaro called himself fragile, but to Kaoru, that seemed more like the side effect of taking in other people’s lack of sensitivity and pouring it into his own cup until it overflowed.
Once Kaoru told him everything, Rentaro would swear up and down that Kaoru should rely on him and not worry, and then, overwhelmed by concern, he would probably lose sleep and frantically collect reporters’ phone numbers like a madman.
He was the kind of man who would ask how Kaoru had managed to endure all this, then grab his hand and burst into tears while performing unasked-for [sincerity] until he went half-mad.
Of course, he was competent and capable enough to be trusted, but because their schedules kept missing each other by small margins, Kaoru found himself troubled.
Still, time would sort it out eventually. Kaoru clicked his tongue softly and stepped into the troupe building.
-
"......"
Director Gotanda Taishi still hadn’t worked with Kaoru for two years now. He had been snatched away by Director Sojiro, and then taken by Director Morimura Kogoro, the man famous for his nickname, White Whale.
They had never met separately to talk or built any personal rapport, but Director Morimura Kogoro was also a fellow alumnus of the same university, and even a senior from the theater and film department.
Jealousy welled up in him, and Director Gotanda’s mood turned so sour it felt like he had smoked five cigarettes at once.
The reason this lone wolf, whose love for independent film only grew stronger with each passing year, had returned to the drama world and taken up the megaphone again was simple.
To earn production money for the film packed with his dreams and hopes!
Of course, there was also the option of flattering investors to secure the budget, but those guys were like artificial seasoning. They might be sprinkled on with a spoon to make things taste good right away, but then he couldn’t cook however he wanted, and the original flavor would be crushed to death.
"Cut! ...Ah. My head."
"Thank you for your hard work!"
The faces of the agencies with sponsors who had poured in a hefty production budget greeted Director Gotanda.
The staff hurried about to prepare for the next scene.
Still slumped in a folding chair, the lonely man only made his fierce expression even fiercer.
Rubbing his rough, unshaven chin, Director Gotanda let out a long sigh.
Getting older really did a number on the body.
Drama shoots weren’t exactly grueling, but they were still boring and unfun. He had to watch the advertisers, watch the agencies... and even watch the power struggles between agencies, so instead of editing for entertainment, he had to edit for survival.
Life was no life at all.
"Ahhh, I want to quit."
"?"
The nearby staff turned their heads and looked at Director Gotanda at his meaningless mutter.
Anyway, after finally finishing that painfully dull shoot, Director Gotanda returned to the office.
He set down his bag and sat slumped in his chair when—
The phone rang.
"......"
Thinking it might be his mother, he checked the screen.
It was a call from the drama production company’s casting director.
"Ah, what now."
Since when had they ever asked for his opinion on casting? They had already decided the leads in advance and only made a token unilateral announcement.
With irritation rising, Director Gotanda furrowed his brow and answered the phone.
"Hello. Yes. Yes? Yes. Yes. Yes."
Apparently, the script for the upcoming shoot had been revised a little, and there would be some adjustments to the supporting cast they had originally planned to hire.
...So what?
He wanted to politely ask why they were bothering to tell him about some supporting-cast change when it wasn’t even the leads, but he didn’t have the energy, so he just said fine, do whatever you want, and hung up.
"Ahhh. Damn it."
Director Gotanda Taishi let out a helpless sigh.
This was exactly why a person had to succeed.
When would the day come that he could capture Kamiki Kaoru’s acting on camera?
Soothing his lonely wish, which he didn’t know when or if it would ever be fulfilled, Director Gotanda quietly sank into artistic contemplation.
-
"Yes, that brings us to the end of All Day Music Drive."
"Yes~☆ It’s always sad when it’s time to say goodbye, but tomorrow is waiting for us, right?"
"Hehe, I hope you end the day safely and well. Ai, see you again next week?"
"Heheh~☆ Yes! This was Ai of B Komachi! Everyone~ see you again next time!"
Ai, having successfully finished her radio assistant schedule for the day, greeted the radio staff and left the booth.
As she stepped out of the station lobby, the cool night air brushed her cheeks.
Before she knew it, autumn had passed into November. Since giving birth to the twins, time seemed to be flying by.
Ruby was already walking, and she would cling to Ai’s arms and act cute; Aquamarine, who looked mature like his father Kaoru but would blush and fail to hide his joy when held, was adorable too.
With her hands in her jacket pockets, Ai walked toward the train and recalled the image of her cute twins stored in her mind.
"Hmm...♥ Should I stop by for a bit after all?"
She had an early schedule tomorrow morning, but if she stopped by the Saito family home and saw the twins even for a little while, her energy would shoot right up.
It had already been two weeks since she’d seen the busy Kaoru... She had thought Miyako-chan’s tearful, lonely look while taking care of the twins without President Ichigo around was someone else’s problem, but now...
"...Sniff. I miss him..."
Between drama shoots, school, troupe performances, CF shoots, and everything else, Kaoru had become so busy that it was hard to see his face.
Whenever their schedules somehow lined up, some misfortune would come along disguised as coincidence and fill her schedule instead.
She still wasn’t as famous as Kaoru, but after her comeback her recognition was gradually recovering, and people were starting to recognize her on the street.
Knowing her worries and anxiety about what might happen if reporters caught wind and did something strange, Kaoru had held Ai in his arms and said this:
- I’ll come to you, Ai. If you miss me, make sure to text me. I love you.
With his calm voice focused on reassuring her and telling her not to worry, Kaoru’s kindness and reliability made her heart feel light.
At the same time, she was curious about exactly how he planned to come find her, but she already knew Kaoru was a much scarier(?) man than he seemed.
"CI...S? B? Was it? Anyway!"
Back when she had started dating Kaoru, she had looked it up on the internet and only remembered one thing clearly: it was a scary place full of terrifying American men. She couldn’t remember the official name of the organization, but that one fact stuck in her mind.
"......"
Ai stopped, deciding to take a taxi instead of the train, and took out her personal phone, hesitating for a moment.
Kaoru might be too busy to answer a call. He might not even see a text.
But... on this chilly night as autumn deepened, she wanted to see the twins, yes, but she also found herself aching to see her husband.
It had already been two weeks since she’d seen his face, and she was starting to miss even the scent of his body.
Solitary nights were a phrase that did not suit her at all, not when she was still not even twenty and full of youthful energy.
In the end, Ai felt that strange sensation seep into her lower abdomen, fanned her slightly flushed face with her hand, and, wanting at least to hear his voice, carefully typed out a text.
- I’m done with my radio schedule! Can you talk now!? ♥♥♥
Bzzzt—
"Hya?!"
Just as she was about to send the message, a call suddenly came in, and Ai nearly dropped her phone in surprise.
She hurriedly checked the number... President Ichigo?
"......"
Ai’s starry eyes filled with disappointment.
"Yes... this is Ai~"
- ...That sounds like the voice of someone who mistook me for her husband.
"...Eh, eeeh~? What could that mean~? The phone screen shows the number, so how could I possibly make that mistake~"
Stung by Ichigo’s uncanny intuition, Ai panicked and waved her hand frantically. She was so flustered she was waving her hand at a person who couldn’t even see her, but Ichigo gave a small cough as if it were almost a joke and explained why he had called.
"Huh? A drama supporting-role offer?!"
Ai repeated the words in surprise, her starry eyes sparkling at Ichigo’s explanation.
Her recognition had risen a lot in proportion to her increased activities after her comeback, but even Ichigo hadn’t expected a drama supporting-role offer to come in this soon, and his voice carried a hint of excitement.
- The camera test you shot right after your comeback paid off.
"Ah. Come to think of it..."
Ai remembered the camera test she had done once in the agency practice room after Kaoru’s advice, filming one minute of acting.
Originally, she had planned to keep it very short, around twenty seconds, and only include a self-introduction, but Kaoru had said firmly:
【Show me your [sincerity]. Refine the emotions and impressions you have about the character into something detailed, and turn it into acting that is wholly your own. Don’t make the lazy mistake of thinking that the target you need to satisfy has merely shifted from an unspecified number of [fans] to a countable [camera]. The eyes watching you beyond the camera may be two—or more. This has to be one minute in which you prove only yourself.】
【Okay!】
Seeing Kaoru return, after so long, to his serious teacher mode from his troupe days, Ai had also steeled her resolve and nodded vigorously.
The one-minute camera test video they shot that way... was finally seeing the light of day at an earlier-than-expected time, something no one had anticipated.
"Kyah! You dummy, Oruuuuu♥"
He knew this kind of luck would come...!?
With her starry eyes sparkling, Ai ended up calling out her husband’s name with love and excitement.
- My eardrum.
President Ichigo soothed the eardrum that had nearly fallen out at Ai’s ultimate cry of love for her husband.
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