It was six o'clock in the morning on a film set that looked exactly like every other film set, except this one was special because Haruki Hoshi was in it. That, and the fact that someone was about to get yelled at. Probably loudly. And, if we're honest, probably unfairly. The crew knew it, the director knew it, and Ethan, Haruki's manager, definitely knew it. Unfortunately, he knew it too well.
"Where. Is. My. Coffee."
The words weren't screamed yet, but they had that unmistakable weight to them—like thunder in the distance before a storm, giving everyone just enough time to grab their raincoats and run for cover. Haruki Hoshi was standing by the monitor, looking like someone had just informed him that not only was there no coffee, but the entire concept of coffee had been outlawed.
Ethan, who had lived through many of Haruki's storms, fumbled his way onto the set with a cup in his hand that was either too hot or too cold, though he couldn't be sure. What he did know was that it had been at least five minutes since the coffee was supposed to have arrived. Five minutes that, in Haruki's mind, were unforgivable.
"Haruki, I—" Ethan began, holding the cup out like a peace offering. He didn't get to finish.
"Do you know what time it is?" Haruki asked. He spoke softly at first, the kind of softness that had a sharp edge to it. "Of course you don't, because if you knew what time it was, you'd have been here on time. Do you know how long I've been waiting for this coffee? Or how simple your job is? It's not rocket science, Ethan."
Ethan, who knew exactly how simple his job was, nodded like a man who wanted nothing more than to survive this conversation with some small part of his dignity intact.
"I'm sorry, Haruki, there was traffic and—"
"I don't care if the entire city was on fire," Haruki cut in, his voice escalating. "You know what my mornings are like. You know what I need to function." He gestured wildly to the cup in Ethan's hand. "And you bring me this? Late? Cold?"
It wasn't cold, but Ethan wasn't about to argue. In situations like this, logic had no place. Haruki Hoshi didn't deal in logic before he had his coffee.
Haruki took the cup, eyed it with all the suspicion of someone expecting betrayal, then sipped it as though every molecule of his being depended on it being perfect. Ethan held his breath.
Haruki spat it out. Of course he spat it out.
"Cold! Cold! Are you trying to ruin my day, Ethan? Sabotage me before we even start filming?!" Haruki's voice rang out across the set, causing a few of the crew to pause whatever they were doing and pretend they hadn't heard him. No one made eye contact with Ethan. No one made eye contact with Haruki either, but for different reasons.
"I—I can get you another one," Ethan stammered, already taking a step back.
"Another one? Another one? Do I look like I have time for that?" Haruki stared at him like a disappointed father, one whose child had just failed at tying their shoelaces for the tenth time. "Forget it. I'll just deal with it. Like I always do."
He waved a dismissive hand at Ethan, who nodded as though being dismissed was the best thing that had happened to him all day, and quickly disappeared. Haruki watched him go, shook his head, and sighed heavily, as if bearing the weight of the world. Or at least the weight of incompetent assistants.
Then, as if by magic, Haruki's entire demeanor changed. His shoulders relaxed, and his face softened into that familiar, charming expression everyone in the industry adored. The one the fans swooned over and directors praised endlessly.
"Alright, everyone," he called out, his voice smooth and professional now, like the outburst had never happened. "Let's get this scene rolling, shall we?"
To the crew, to the director, to anyone who hadn't witnessed the coffee debacle, Haruki Hoshi was everything you'd expect from a world-famous actor. Polite, hardworking, committed to his craft.
But Ethan? Well, Ethan knew the truth. And the truth was that Haruki Hoshi was not a morning person. Haruki Hoshi needed his coffee, and when Haruki Hoshi didn't get his coffee exactly how he wanted it, he became a person no one in their right mind would want to work for.
But, alas, Ethan wasn't in his right mind. Ethan worked for Haruki Hoshi.
And it was only Monday.