-Hard mode? What's That?-
After making some preparations and letting news about Eiziel staying in the country for a long vacation spread, the people in the industry couldn't help but pay attention and some rumors were even added to it. The messy things that was speculated on the social medias and forums the other day were included but there was also the normal guess' that he might really accept work here. A lot of people became interested and started on finding ways to contact Eiziel to inquire and even offer prices for cooperations and such. He was after all a successful model and actor who had received awards for the few roles he did even if none of them were lead roles. He was also nominated for a best actor award once that shocked a lot of people. Although the news didn't reached the country as it was quite far at that time, people in the business were left with a good impression for the extraordinary man.
Now that they have the chance to work with him, even if he was currently in some sort of trouble, borrowing his popularity and skill was worth the risk.
As works were pouring in, Eiziel decided to hold their plan to buy a company or some shares for a few days more. He wasn't in a hurry and his selfish thoughts aside, he wanted to think more about it. Doing things half-hearted wasn't his thing and was against their family's principles. Eiziel had always liked to consider what his moves would result to and some of the consequences that could happen, if he needed to do something big so he could deal with the problems that may crop up during the process.
"Hmm," Eiziel thoughtfully read through the script he was holding but he still put it down on the pile that didn't made him interested. Not one on this side made him feel motivated. Some roles that was sent to him wasn't good.
"How about this one? I looked at it and it's a big project. The role they want you to try auditioning in is intriguing," Diane handed the script and continued talking. "The character's parts are relatively small but it's pretty important to the whole drama. You can probably work at ease and the elders won't be worried at you being tired."
Eiziel smiled and praised her excellence and attentiveness after he received the script. He read it and saw that it looked like your typical fairytale school drama that was designed to be beautiful and rich to attract viewers where the characters were set as princes and princesses but the plot weren't just about how the main leads fell in love. It was full of conflicts and representation of humanity and society. The script were written in a way that would make people think more of what it means. It was quite nice and would be pretty meaningful if people could guess it's message. Well, if not, they could still watch it as some fairytale of a rich boy and a poor girl falling in love and going through series of difficulties. It was also perfect for him who couldn't take a complicated work as his promise to his mother. "It's nice. I haven't played a school prince character yet. I'll do it."
Diane saw that her desire wasn't seen through and quickly started reaching out to the crew to talk about the work more while secretly rejoicing that the activity that a fan would have to experience a lot in the whole span of their star chasing life that she had been craving were finally coming her way. Shipping CPs and looking for sweets!
The past jobs of her idol weren't exactly related to the sweet smell of love with his co-actors. There were some scandals but it had been with women. It had been a difficult time for her. She's actually in a good position to watch, too, as an insider but PDA's involving Eiziel doesn't seem to know how to come her way. Eiziel's past relationships wasn't serious and only casual, as well, so she couldn't find some parts to spread her maliciousness as a fan.
But looks like her dry, dull days in her fan life were over.
As Diane were strangely happy while talking to the phone on the side, her fiance also snickered as he was reading something. Stefan's heart were full of wanting to make fun of his cousin for all the grievances he'd experience because of his shamelessness and after he had heard Diane say that the drama they chose would start after a month or so, he felt that it was his time. "Cough. Since the audition is still next week, how about you take some show first to introduce yourself to the public." Pursing his lips to keep his laugh in, not even smiling! Stefan coughed once more and handed his phone over. "Like a debut."
Eiziel looked suspicious but still raised the phone to read it.
Stefan counted slowly in his head the number of scrolling Eiziel had done and estimated that he was nearing the ending of the document he was reading. 'Here it comes!' He was smug as he raised a pillow for cover as Diane had also leaned in to look.
But after a while, the two still didn't react. Confused, Stefan lowered his shield to see that they were now sitting with their heads almost touching while some light flashes and noises came from the phone. Stefan, an expert of reading the mood, totally didn't fell for this act and they were mostly communicating using their mind to plan how to torture him after he lowered his guard.
10 minutes laterr....
Stefan who needed a bathroom break and even took some food after felt he was beginning to get paranoid, scared but also, mostly, bored.
"Hey, why are you ignoring me like this? This is negligence, you know! And could result to…"
The noises from the phone stopped and the two slowly lifted their head to look at him.
Stefan sat straight like a kid who knew he had done something wrong and bowed his head in repentance. "I…I don't need the salary. Bosses, just let me leave here with my soul intact."
Eiziel wouldn't bother understanding how Stefan's brain work and handed his phone back. "It's pretty tasteless and shameless. I like it." Also, a name he just knew was included in the stars who were going that added to his motivation. "Good job."
"What do you mean by that?" Stefan couldn't believe what he had heard. His prank failed! "Hey, don't you have any respect for me who spent a while night planning this and even making a lot of research about the show?! At least give some reaction!"
"..."
"What kind of reaction do you even want?" Diane helplessly asked her cutely dumb fiance as she pointed the grapes when he asked her what fruit she wanted from his platter.
"I don't ask you to become violent. Atleast, be a little angry so I can laugh, you know. Let's be civilized people here and learn how to appreciate a good joke."
What a messed up reason.
"Oh, I see. You want me to get angry? I was going to give you a bonus but,… I take it back. Forget it."
The smug prankster who were carefully peeling grapes for his beloved paused. Making a world record of the fastest grape peeling, he quickly jumped over the back of the sofa with a somber expression after giving the peeled grape to his fiance. He looked at his cousin straight to his eyes while making a smoldering expression. Without hesitation, after receiving the pointing to his shoulder as a signal, Stefan skillfully pinched and loosened the beautiful shoulder of his cousi— No! His boss. "Boss, you probably should relax and take it easy for a while. Your muscles are pretty stiff. This is not good."
Eiziel hummed as he began scrolling on the internet while getting a massage.
"Boss. Take my salary, take it. Do you want me to go find the worst variety in the country? Or should I just make you one? It'll probably take a few days at most. The bonus… this poor assistant needs it. I didn't know what came over me. I was only lonely and sad. I...I was impulsive." Stefan sniffed and turned around to put some eyedrops on his eyes for effect.
As soon as the lunatic had turned back around, the two who were taking a video then waited and saw that the performance were over, they moved back to their previous sitting position and expertly posted the recording and added some caption to it.
# The next strong competitor who would vie for my throne in the family. #
# Shedding tears with him as my heart felt like it's breaking. Cry. Cry. Cry #
The family who were extremely busy immediately commented.
- My lovely son. I didn't know you have a talent for acting. Mother is proud.
- Savage, bro. You just needed to properly and quickly do the transition when you turned around. Needs some more touch.
- I just watched a major hit short, very short, film. I... Currently loss for words.
....
Fuck. That reaction was faster than how his clan do when it's someone's birthday and they needed to greet the celebrant. Maybe even make fun of them being old.
Shit! It wasn't that bad! He gave it justice!
.
Although, Stefan couldn't win the battle making him feel what 'one against the world' felt like from their family, he did get the amnesty form his boss and the sweet cure from his beloved fiancé. Diane was let off for the rest of the day and the day after the variety show.
Eiziel spent the whole day facing his phone and just musing himself with things in the social medias then ended up visiting the official account of Blaze, eherm and felt guilty at first but it didn't took long enough for him to justify to nobody in particular, just himself, that he was only curioused. It's just to pass time!
The posts were mostly pictures and videos of the boys of the group doing their own thing. Either rehearsing, or… rehearsing. There was also just a few announcement for the member's work and it looked like all the Blaze only used this account and it was fine too, as well, as the comments were just full of hate. Passer-bys would surely be deterred by the account.
How pititiful. Also, too thorough.
.
Very early in the morning, Eiziel and his entourage went ready and set off for the location of the set. 'Days in Your Life' was a distasteful variety show that likes to use conflicts and sensationalism of celebrities to stay at the top of other shows. Although a lot of viewers often dissed the show for being shameful, they continued watching it as who wouldn't want to see some discord and celebrities being in a pititiful conditions? Some people likes to gloat secretly at others' misfortune to somehow vent their inferiority complex, after all.
Aside from inviting stars who is currently popular no matter in what way in the internet, especially those who have juicy topics on them, the show also likes to throw them in rural places to do challenges that would test how long their patience are and if they have enough practical skills.
As their fifth year, the program had planned the episode well and even tried their best to invite the people trending in the internet. The main characters for Love High accepted and even a star from the foreign entertainment industry and a current top ranker celebrity that had the chance to also star in a foreign movie were included. The heads of the show were over the moon and was all smiles while dealing with the preparations. The episode would be broadcasted on real time after all and the whole activities must be showed beautifully!
Eiziel accepted a script after he had arrived at the location and looked at it with raised eyebrows. Well, it was more on like a guidance on how he could act in the program and how to interact with other participants.
As expected, the show might looked real and advocate naturalness, it's still called a 'show'' after all. Viewers would think that it wasn't scripted but was actually sometimes premeditated.
The program even wanted him to act coldly to the starlet who had been compared to him in the net as someone better than him who had fallen so low that he could only go back home to try his luck here, but wasn't allowed to say anything about the topic. Isn't this just looking for trouble for him? This is just basically admitting the woman who had just a few seconds appearance on the blockbuster movie was better than him when he was an important supporting character in it? Making people think that he's just a sore loser.
Shameless! But Eiziel couldn't deny that it was funny.
"Let me guess. She got the script where she would hint at me about the rumors going around the net about the two of us really subtlety?" Eiziel asked with a smile as he finished looking at the guidelines. They said he 'could' follow this script but it should be that he 'have to' isn't it?
The assistant director coughed to keep himself from falling to the charm of the other and remained solemn. "This is just a precautionary measures as we know you haven't experienced a variety show before."
Eiziel's smile deepened. The amused and humorous emotions showed on his dark eyes that curved up making him look like a naughty incubus out for the soul of the person in front of him with the light mole on the end of his eye enhance his allure. He tilted his head a bit making the man in front of him hitched his breathing. "You being like this is making me tempted to be naughty, you know?"
The assistant director who had thought that he had already been used to seeing good-looking people in this industry were stunned and couldn't snapped out of his daze as if he was being enticed by a siren to offer himself.
Eiziel remained smiling and waved the script before leaving the man. It took the assistant director a long time before he returned to himself and saw that the person he had been talking to had been long gone. With a thumping chest, he went back to work while feeling that something bad will happen at the same time when he remembered Eiziel's last statement.
He was deciding if he needed to mention the incident to the director to plan some counter measures or something as Eiziel encountered the respectful and attentive Rocen who was going around to greet his seniors.
What a conscientious kid.
That's right, Rocen who was wearing a simple white shirt and trousers looked extremely handsome, well-behaved young man. Far from his bad boy roles who were always giving in to their desires, he looked restrained and gentle, with his movements mild and careful.
Eiziel greeted him with a smile but felt a bit disappointed inside. He doesn't go for young men. Really what a shame.
.
Rocen looked at his reflection after he had been styled as some gloomy, detached rebellious man who looked like he have some eight-grader syndrome or something.
He stared for a while before pulling the hood of the dark hoodie he was asked to put. His long fringe was pulled down as the eyes beneath it became droopy.
'...Kid, huh.'
"The program's starting. Rocen, get ready." An assistant from the crew called out from the door of the small hut that was used for changing room and such.
"I'm coming." He answered politely but the other had already left.
Rocen stood up, the mild and seemingly dull feeling around him gradually changed and the whole person seemed to become a different person. He looked at the mirror once more before walking towards the door, a firm light shining in his hidden eyes.
'It wasn't the first time.' Sigh. 'Looks like it wasn't enough.''
.
Days in Your Life had released an exclusive about their list of guests just the night before their anniversary. Fans and passer-bys had already been guessing for a week as the program had been publicizing the episode online and in the television commercials with great fanfare that haters or fans of the artists that were greatly impacted by the routine of the show that also wanted other celebrities to be miserable was pulled in adding to the popularity of the show. Some were expecting the main leads for the Love High as the drama were currently on fire as it was nearing its end, especially the controversial antagonist of the show that had quite a number of conflicts and scandals above his head as he was filming the drama, but didn't expect the newly rising female celebrity who had been in a blockbuster foreign movie that was still being shown all over the world and was now, every so often, seen online with some news. Ashley Field was crowned as a new entertainment queen by her fans and was often being compared to other female stars and even girl groups as more beautiful than them. Recently, a male foreign star from the same movie that was rumoured to be in the country after being in a big scandal abroad and fired, or was asked to leave the industry, was also being compared to Ashley. Saying things like just a few months ago, the beautiful girl was just a guest role and the other have more scenes but now have more job than that person who could only beg in his home country thinking that he'll have more chance being someone who started their career abroad.
Some innocent passer-bys who didn't know the truth was pulled in by the big words of the celebrity's fans while the others who had been tired of her pretentiousness couldn't bother even fighting with her fans anymore, just a few short-fused people and fans of the stars who had been smirched by Ashley's fans from their unrestrained boasting of their idol.
Sure enough, the Days program was still so brazen and involved the people in the middle of the growing conflict, without actually the participation or answer form the male's side, to the show.
As their first time being on live broadcast and it would be for three days, lots of people had become interested and began filling the bullets of comments on the side of the screen that became dense, it almost shrouded the screen.
As the viewers were intently waiting for the start of the merciless show, behind the scenes, a conflict was already brewing as some guests were refusing to go out of their car and was doubtful and couldn't help but considerate things after the international model and actor stepped out of the dressing room.
Except for the taciturn bad guy who were chilling under a tree, almost everyone refused to go after him in appearance. Eiziel's extraordinary looks made him rank quite high from the other guests. The plain shirt and pants that was arranged especially for him was worn like he would do the final walk for an international fashion brand at any minute now. He doesn't even have much makeup but that didn't do anything at all to shroud his look index. Although they weren't bad looking as well, the other guests couldn't be dishonest and only admit that they might be outclassed by the other once they appear before or after him.
Eiziel who was amused by their nonsense as he was sitting under a shade while his assistant were holding a fan with battery as the sun was slowly climbing up the sky and making the temperature higher by the hour, looked at the frantic staffs and the director who looked like he would blew with stress, anger and worry at any minute now. He stood up with a smile after signaling Stefan who quickly changed the wind trajectory of his fan's wind to Diane and walked towards the crew of the show.
"Not yet? How about I go first?" He asked with a kind smile like he didn't know what was going on. It was supposed to be that Ashley or the main leads from Love High to go first.
The director was speechless as well as the others who were nearby. They wanted to say something but it was their miscalculation so the director really couldn't wait for the other guests anymore and delay the program. He just asked someone to relay what Eiziel said to the others to ask for their decision.
In the end, the others could only grit their teeth and chose to appear first and let Eiziel appear last with Rocen. It would look like the order was for the one with more seniority to go first.
Ashley felt her bad mood fade away a bit when she saw her manager and two assistants signaled her that the response in the comments of her appearance were good. So, with a gentle smile she began her introduction. "Hello, everyone! I'm Ashley Field..." Then she went and ask for support on her past and current projects.
Next were the three main leads for Love High. Lucas Torres, the first lead, Annie Fortez, the leading lady and Gillian Troy, the second male lead. The drama had ran for almost a year now and it was a decent one that was popular for young adult and up so the three had amassed a good number of fans that quickly ran to the site to support after they knew that the three would appear in the show including the drama fans.
Everyone tried to be as eye-catching as possible without overdoing it and hoped the last people to come up would be too conflicting to pull each other down. But the first four would have to be disappointed as the two slowly walked towards the front of the camera side by side, the lively comment began to slow down until it stopped as if the viewers were stunned on seeing two tall exquisite man.
Eiziel was as beautiful as he always was as he smiled at the camera but the expression on his eyes were cool and calm as if he was matching the aura from the man next to him while Rocen might still be acting as a gloomy rebel with his downcast eyes slightly hidden by his hair, he had unconsciously curved out his dangerous and sharp aura and was looking more like a silent, handsome, shy boy pretending to be mysterious.
"Hello. I'm Eiziel."
"Rocen."
Eiziel kept his expression but couldn't help but glanced at the man a little and his eyes curved a bit before returning his focus to the camera. "We're the angel and grim reaper here for your soul."
The host that was supposed to start explaining the activities for the day before commencing on baiting the guests for conflicts disguise as an interview: "....."
The crew: "....."
The guests: "..."
The viewers: "....."
[ Pfft! What was that?! Ahahahahaha!! ]
[ Actually fitting! LOL! ]
[ A mischievous angel and a helpless reaper. Kyaa! I can't! ]
Everyone saw Eiziel blinked innocently as if he only read the mood just now. "What? That's not it? Oh, pardon me. I thought it was like that because of the clothes and our pairing."
The people watching laughed more seeing the confused faces of the others in the screen and spammed the comments with hahahaha.
[ Their faces! ]
[ The bad boy was full of questions! ]
[ Did anyone saw Rocen looking at his clothes? ]
[ That was actually cute, tbh! Hahahaha!! ]
[ Squeal! Is this continuation to the fated encounter in the airport?! ]
[ This episode is actually a sweet one? Unbelievable?! ]
[ DIYL actually knows how to do this stuff? Amazed! ]
[ Interesting. Continue!! ]
The staff of the show: Where's the hate? The jeering? We're a proper conflict show here! We don't sell that kind of stuff, dear viewers. Please stop!
.
The host that was only for spectating and announcing quickly lead the show back in track and the short interview that was full of hidden traps started as they were eating breakfast. To get the mood a bit tense, the show asked a couple of simple issues about the guests that could be found online. The guests and some fans protested but couldn't stop the heartless show, even saying that it was just a warm-up before the real thing begun. What a shameless program.
The first questions were just a couple of harmless ones as if the show were just testing the waters. But once the crew saw that the guest had lowered their guards and began enjoying the food, they immediately went and released a big question that could make the guests choke, one after the other.
"... N-no. We're just friends."
"... Even that one? I'm telling you all, it's just rumours."
"Oh, I'm so embarrassed. Does people still remember that?..."
After seeing that the audience were getting caught up in the mood, the director gave the host the signal. It was time for the bigger issues to show up and make things more complicated. Of course, they can't waste those who paid their show for conflicts and some schemes, which was the forte of the program.
Muahahaha!
The host who was still pretending to be nice whipped out, magically, some small envelopes and handed them to everyone. "Please read the questions outloud. There's a number on it, so you'll know when it's your turn. This will be mini-game of some sort."
"Alright," Annie who got the envelope that has the number one cleared her throat and acted nervously. "Ooh. 'Someone mentioned that you have an alcohol problem online despite your young age...' Whoa. How ruthless! The program crew, please calm down, okay? Well, actually, I don't think so. We have worked with each other for a long time these past months. Although, it couldn't be called as enough to know one person, I don't think he have that problem."
After she said that, Lucas and her smiled at each other and the audience blew up with excitement at the display of talking with their eyes.
"Eherm. Please don't PDA here and make the single people jealous." Gillian tried to make the mood more light while he opened his envelope as he was next.
"You don't mean me, right?" Ashley followed the joke but only the four of them laughed and the two 'supernatural entity' were wearing the same expression. One could even say that it was cold and unfriendly.
[ What's with them? Totally ruined the mood. ]
[ Why invite these rude people? ]
The host went and hurriedly 'tried' to fix the mood by asking Gillian to continue the small game of questions and answers but the viewers saw that the two were still looking like they weren't gonna participate nicely based on how they were just focusing on their plates.
"Then it's my turn." Gillian tried to fight the awkwardness and lots of the viewers heart was about to give out to him when they noticed movements on the side of the two who were quiet.
Because almost everyone on the table looked, a brother cameraman also turned at the two's direction and was able to capture a certain person's act of sneekily pulling the plate of the dish that has more meat in it, then seeing that he was having a hard time, the gangster idol were pulled into the mission and helped him pushed the dish little by little.
"..."
What the heck are you two doing?
Even the opinionated audience were bafled and got no words.
As what the two were doing weren't supposed to be in the program, the director who had snapped out of it first issued an order for the host to ignore the two. He doesn't understand what was going on or why the two suddenly began to act differently than what they asked but he still composed himself. This was nothing, although he have a bad feeling about this, it's still nothing! The situation was still on track and it's not like what the two did was against the guide they were given so the director couldn't get angry about it.
"Cough." Gillian was startled a bit by the host who prompted him to continue but quickly collected himself back to his usual self. "'Annie and you have been sighted together a couple times. What's your opinion about fans shipping her and Lucas?' What? When was it? I don't remember. Maybe Lucas was with us at that time. I don't really feel anything about it."
After the other two agreed with his answer, Gillian announced that it was just rumours that the host tried to call out because their answers were vague but after a while, he could only accept and called out the next number.
Eiziel, who acted like he was still the cold person who didn't secretly ate some meat, was next. He pulled out his question and read it out loud. "On XX day at the beginning of the year, a bar scene had been shot but a fight happened and it was said that you were there and was included with your gang. Is it true that the shoot nearly stopped because of it? Are you really a part of a gang?"
The whole table went silent with heavy mood appearing around all of a sudden. The comments were becoming excited as well. Although that scandal had passed a long time ago, it became a pretty big deal so a lot of people still remember it.
"Hmm. I don't have a gang, though. How would I know? Also at that time... I don't remember what I was doing. How were you able to? Amazing."
Wait. What?
"No, no, Mr. Eiziel. This question isn't for you to answer. The person who needs to answer has their name on the back." The host who realized quickly corrected the mistake.
[ Is something wrong with his brain? ]
[ Wow. Didn't realize that he's screwy. ]
[ Male version of being pretty but hella dumb. ]
"Oh! Sorry. They answered the question after reading it so I thought it was supposed to be like that."
It appeared like it really happened like that.
[ I actually thought it was like that, too, ah. ]
[ Was surprised to know that a young lady have an alcohol problem. It wasn't her question, after all. No wonder why her answer was confusing. ]
[ Me as well. So the haters up there. You're dumb. ]
[ Right! Right! It's the program's fault for being vague! ]
Eiziel sheepishly laughed. "Then let me correct my mistake." And he looked at the silent grim reaper with a solemn face. "So, what kind of fight happened?"
That wasn't the question at all!
Rocen wasn't really supposed to answer or should just evade by being a jerk but he, cough... couldn't right now because of a certain person's bright eyes. "It happened... in the bar adjacent to us." He could just forfeit the pay and promised not to appear in the show again.
"Oh. Another rumor online."
Another silence.
The audience who didn't noticed anything wrong before were now picking up suspicious points to this mini-game so when it continued to Lucas, the gossipy people on the comment started to complain that the program were just reviving rumors online and was just boring.
Ashley: "Is it true that you have been fired abroad and... could only try your luck here?"
[ Ha. Knew it. ]
[ Doesn't the program know how to do something new? ]
[ Thought it would be a good episode. Disappointed. ]
Eiziel smiled. "Sure."
[ Is that the face of a fading or fired celebrity? ]
[ His brain is a bit doubtful but... Hmm, I don't think so about his career. ]
[ Ugh, really? ]
[ ... ]
Unknowingly, the breakfast of impending disaster became quite bland. Before the crew could know it, they had invited a strong contender ho had already started to thwart their plans.
Falling for hidden poisonous question traps: Fail.
Conflict? Chaos? Schemes? Sorry. What's that?
Stefan who was watching to the side while holding the small fan for his beloved couldn't help but shook his head while apologizing in his heart. Well, they were the one who invited Eiziel, so it could be said that they brought this onto theirselves. They should've made some investigation. The last program that wanted to make trouble for the demon was still... No. He'll just refrain from mentioning those poor souls.
Diane on the side: Go, idol!
Author's corner:
Eiziel: Proudly resting his hands on his waist. "Ha! Try all you like! Don't you know that the last time someone tried to scheme at me they were still 'bleep-bleep'!!"
??: "They were what?"
Eiziel: "I want to 'bleep-bleep', 'bleep-bleep'! Ey, what's happening to me? 'Bleep-bleep', 'bleep-bleep', 'bleep-bleep'!!
??: "Good. The mosaics are working."
Eiziel: "You're using it wrong!"
??: "I am using it right. We have to keep this work clean and under parental guidance kind of thing."
Eiziel: "Wrong! I wanna do all kinds of things! Like bleep-bleep, bleep-bleep, bleep-bleep and bleep-bleep! Bleep!"
??: "... You're kind of transforming into a horn or something. Fine. Turning it off now."
Eiziel: ( ´◡‿ゝ◡`) "I win."