The crew hustled across the street to the park, a sea of pink sakura trees stretching out before us. The natural beauty was almost jarring after the gritty, trash-filled set we'd just left.
I stood off to the side, watching as they positioned Kana for her entrance. She looked different now - softer somehow, despite the heavy scene she'd just performed. This Miyu was meant to be a contrast, I realized. A moment of peace before the storm that was Kanata.
"Action!" the director called.
Kana began to walk slowly through the falling petals, her face a mask of quiet contemplation. It was my cue to enter.
I took a deep breath, feeling Akira slip away as Kanata took over. I hunched my shoulders, letting irritation seep into every movement as I stalked onto the set.
"Oi. You," I called out, my voice gruff and annoyed. "Seen a cat around here? Orange tabby. Kind of mangey looking."
Kana turned, surprise flickering across her face. Before she could respond, I added under my breath, just loud enough to be heard, "Like I've got time for this shit."
Something clicked into place. The park, the sakura petals, Kana's startled expression - it all faded away. I was Kanata now, pissed off and searching for a stupid cat I didn't even want.
Kana's eyes widened slightly, but she recovered quickly. "I... I think I saw one near the fountain earlier. Do you need help looking?"
I scoffed, letting suspicion creep into my voice. "Why would you want to help a stranger? What's your angle?"
"I don't have an angle," Kana replied, a hint of steel entering her tone. "Maybe I just don't like seeing animals lost and alone."
I saw the director shift in my peripheral vision, mouth opening as if to call cut, but then he hesitated, watching intently.
I narrowed my eyes, studying her. "Yeah, well, neither do I. That's why I'm out here wasting my time instead of..." I trailed off, realizing I'd said too much.
Kana tilted her head, curiosity replacing her initial wariness. "Instead of what?"
"None of your business," I snapped, turning away. "Just... forget it. I'll find the damn cat myself."
"Wait," Kana called out, her voice softer now. "I really don't mind helping. Two pairs of eyes are better than one, right?"
I paused, shoulders tense. Slowly, I turned back to face her. "...Fine. But don't expect me to be all grateful and shit. I didn't ask for your help."
A small smile formed on her lips. "Noted. I'm Miyu, by the way."
I grunted in response. "Kanata. Now are we gonna find this cat or what?"
Kana nodded, falling into step beside me. We walked in silence for a moment, the sakura petals continuing to fall around us.
"So," Kana said, breaking the silence. "This cat. Is it yours?"
I snorted. "No. Just some stray that's been hanging around my place. Figured I should make sure it's not, you know, dying or something."
Kana's eyebrows rose slightly. "That's... surprisingly kind of you."
"Don't get the wrong idea," I growled. "I just don't want a dead cat on my conscience. Or stinking up my yard."
"Right," Kana said, a hint of amusement in her voice. "Of course."
We continued searching, the tension between us slowly easing. I found myself stealing glances at Kana - no, at Miyu. There was something about her, a quiet strength that intrigued Kanata despite himself.
"There!" Kana suddenly exclaimed, pointing towards a bush. A flash of orange fur was just visible among the leaves.
I approached cautiously, crouching down. "Hey, you mangy furball. Come on out."
To my surprise, the cat actually responded, emerging from the bush with a pitiful meow. It looked even worse up close - thin, dirty, with a nasty cut on one ear.
"Shit," I muttered, genuinely concerned now. "You're a mess, aren't you?"
Kana knelt beside me, her voice soft. "Poor thing. It needs help."
I glanced at her, then back at the cat. "Yeah. Yeah, it does."
Before I could overthink it, I scooped up the cat, ignoring its weak protests. "There's a vet clinic a few blocks from here. I'll take it there."
Kana stood, surprise and something like approval in her eyes. "Want some company?"
I hesitated, then shrugged. "Suit yourself. Just don't expect me to pour out my life story or anything."
She smiled, a real, warm smile that caught me off guard. "Wouldn't dream of it, Kanata."
As we walked off set, the cat cradled awkwardly in my arms, I felt a strange mix of emotions. Annoyance, sure, but also... something else. A grudging respect for this girl who'd insisted on helping, who saw through my prickly exterior.
"And cut!" the director's voice finally rang out. "That was... unexpected. But incredible! The chemistry, the natural flow of the dialogue - perfect!"
I blinked, coming back to myself. The cat in my arms meowed, reminding me it was just a prop. Kana - not Miyu - stood beside me, a look of surprise and satisfaction on her face.
"Nice work," she murmured. "You really captured Kanata there."
I nodded, still a bit dazed. "You too. With Miyu. It felt..."
"Real," she finished for me. "Yeah, it did."
The crew quickly reset for the vet scene. I cradled the prop cat, trying to keep that mix of annoyance and reluctant care on my face. Kana stood beside me, her expression soft as she looked at the "injured" animal.
"Action!" the director called.
We stepped into the makeshift vet's office, the cat squirming in my arms.
"Can someone help us?" Kana called out, her voice tinged with worry. "We found an injured stray-"
"Miyu-chan?" a voice interrupted.
I turned to see one of the model-turned-actors swaggering towards us. His eyes were fixed on Kana, a possessive gleam in them that made me want to roll my eyes. Instead, I channeled that irritation into Kanata.
"You know this guy?" I grunted, shifting the cat in my arms.
Before Kana could answer, the guy stepped between us. "Hey, stay away from my woman!" he yelled, his delivery so over-the-top I had to fight to keep a straight face.
I let a sneer curl my lip, injecting as much disdain into my voice as possible. "Your woman? Funny, she didn't mention being property."
The guy's face reddened, and I realized with surprise that he was actually reacting to me, not just acting. Good. I could use that.
"Listen here, you punk-" he started, but I cut him off.
"No, you listen," I growled, stepping closer. I made sure to keep the cat visible, a reminder of why we were really here. "I don't know who you are, and I don't care. But right now, we've got a hurt animal that needs help. So either make yourself useful or get out of the way."
I saw a flicker of uncertainty in the guy's eyes. He clearly hadn't expected this level of intensity.
"I... but Miyu-chan and I..." he stammered, looking to Kana for support.
Kana, to her credit, picked up on the energy and ran with it. "Takeshi-kun," she said, her voice firm but kind, "that was middle school. I'm not 'your woman'. I'm here to help Kanata with this cat. Now, are you going to help us or not?"
The guy - Takeshi - deflated visibly. "I... I guess I could call the vet," he muttered.
I nodded curtly. "Good. Do that."
As Takeshi shuffled off, I shared a quick glance with Kana. A silent acknowledgment passed between us. We'd managed to salvage the scene, to keep the intensity and authenticity we'd found earlier.
"Thanks," Kana said softly, reaching out to stroke the prop cat. "For stepping in like that."
I shrugged, staying in character. "Don't mention it. Seriously. Don't."
A ghost of a smile flickered across her face before she schooled her expression back to concern for the cat.
"Cut!" the director called. "That was... wow. Akira-kun, Kana-chan, excellent work. Takeshi-kun... we'll work on it next time. Great job everyone."
Takeshi approached us, looking a bit sheepish. "Hey, uh, sorry about that. I got a little caught up in the moment."
I nodded, letting Akira take over from Kanata. "No worries, man. It happens. You okay to go again?"
He nodded, a determined look on his face. "Yeah. Yeah, I think I get it now. The intensity, you know? I'll try to match it next time."
As he walked away, Kana leaned in close. "Nice save back there," she murmured. "You really know how to work with what you're given."
I shrugged, but I couldn't help feeling a bit proud. "It's all about finding the truth in the moment, right? Even if that moment is..." I trailed off, gesturing vaguely at the absurdity of the situation.
Kana chuckled. "Exactly. Now, let's see if we can keep this energy going for five more episodes."
As we wrapped up for the day, Kana gathered her things, nodding to me. "See you next week, Akira-san. Let's keep this momentum going."
I nodded back, a newfound respect for my co-star settling in. "Definitely. Take care, Kana-san."
As she left, Kaburagi approached, a wide grin on his face. "Excellent work today, Akira-kun. You really brought Kanata to life." He handed me an envelope. "Here's your check for 200,000 yen. Well earned."
I shuffled through the papers in my hand, skimming over my lines for tomorrow as I made my way home. The shoot today had gone surprisingly well, all things considered. Kana and I managed to inject some authenticity into the flimsy script, playing off each other's energy and improvising when needed. And that disaster of a scene with Takeshi had turned into an unexpected opportunity to flex our acting chops.
Overall, a productive day. I felt good about the progress we'd made in bringing nuance to these characters. There was still a long way to go, but it was a start.
I rounded the corner to my apartment building, stuffing the script pages into my bag. As I entered the lobby, I wondered if Marin would be home yet. She'd mentioned something earlier about meeting up with friends after school.
The apartment was quiet when I opened the door. Looked like I had some time to myself before Hurricane Marin blew in. I tossed my bag on the floor and headed to the fridge to scrounge up a snack.
As I ate some leftover rice balls, my thoughts drifted back to the shoot. Marin would probably want to hear all about it when she got home. I smiled, picturing her enthusiastic reaction when I told her about the improv with Kana.
That reminded me - I should do something nice for Marin this weekend, to say thanks for being so supportive. Maybe take her out to dinner somewhere fun, or to one of those cat cafés she's always talking about.
The sound of the front door opening jarred me from my thoughts. Speak of the devil.
"I'm home!" Marin sang out. I heard the thump of her shoes hitting the floor.
"Welcome back," I called through a mouthful of rice.
Marin bounced into the kitchen, still in her school uniform. "Hey! How was the shoot? Tell me everything!"
I quickly summarized the day's events, including the improv with Kana. Marin listened intently, eyes shining.
"That all sounds amazing!" she gushed. "I can't believe you just improvised an entire scene. You and Kana-san must have really clicked."
I shrugged, trying not to let my pride show too much. "It was a good day. She's talented, I'll give her that."
Marin nodded enthusiastically. "So what's next for Kanata and Miyu? Ooh, are you filming the fireworks scene soon? That's so romantic!"
I chuckled at her excitement. "Not yet. We've got a few episodes to go first." I hesitated, then added, "Hey, so I was thinking...maybe we could go out this weekend? My treat, as a thank you for everything."
Marin's eyes went wide. "Really? Like a date?"
I felt my face grow warm. "Just two friends hanging out."
"If you say so." Marin grinned knowingly. "A date does sound nice though. We could get dressed up and take cute selfies!"
I sighed, though I couldn't help smiling a bit. "Fine, call it whatever you want. So...Saturday night work for you?"
Marin nodded eagerly. "Absolutely! Leave it to me, I'll plan the whole evening." She clapped her hands together. "Ooh, this is so exciting! My first date with the famous Akira Hoshino!"
It would be nice to relax and have some fun after the intensity of the shoot. And if it made Marin happy to call it a date, what was the harm? We were just two friends enjoying each other's company.
At least, that's what I told myself. But a small part of me wondered if that was really all this was. I cared about Marin, probably more than I should. And the thought of her thinking of this as an actual date...well, it didn't bother me as much as it should.
I pushed that thought aside for now. I'd deal with the implications later. For now, I was just going to enjoy a night out with my closest friend, the one person who could always make me smile, even on my worst days.
Yeah. Just two friends on a not-date. Simple as that.