Mika stared at her teacher, clutching the papers in his hands.
"Matsuda-san, don't despair," was all she could say as she wanted to put her hand on his shoulder to comfort him.
Kenji didn't react.
"I shouldn't have come here," he said in a glum voice after a while. "I only complicate your life, Mika."
"You're not complicating anything," she said softly, kneeling beside him and trying to catch his gaze. "You've helped me to get where I am today. I'll never forget it. And if it's true what Sakamoto-san had said and I'm going to get the part, I'd need your help even more than ever. Don't you see?"
He finally turned his head to look back at her, and she saw a little spark inside his tired, glum eyes.
"I don't know if I can help anyone, Mika," he muttered, his voice barely above a whisper.
"Of course, you can," she said firmly. "Please, Matsuda-san, stay. I need you."
There was a flash of something—hope, or a longing—in his eyes as they lingered on her, searching her gaze, as though trying to understand what lay deep in her mind and heart.
Mika felt a sudden, strange flutter in her stomach as his face softened, and she had to hold her breath for a moment.
What is that? What's this feeling? What's happening to me?
Kenji Matsuda nodded and abruptly looked away, breaking their eye contact.
Still confused, Mika stood up and trudged to the kitchen, unsure of what to make of her body's strange reaction.
Forget it. It doesn't matter. Let me make a snack for the two of us. Food always makes people feel better.
There was a movement in the living room, and she glanced back to see Kenji Matsuda getting his coat on.
"What happened, Matsuda-san?" she asked.
"I have to clear my head," he replied, with a sudden resolve. "I also remembered one thing I forgot to pick up." He paused and glanced at Mika. "I'll be back in the evening. Thanks again, Mika."
And he rushed to the door.
Mika flopped onto the chair, exhausted.
Did I say something wrong?
Shirokuro sat in front of her, purring quietly.
"You think I shouldn't worry?" Mika asked.
Shirokuro's ears perked up, detecting a sound. It was Mika's phone buzzing. There was an incoming message.
Mika, the producers would like to meet with you regarding the role. Please come to our office at 3 PM.
"Matsuda-san!" exclaimed Mika, without thinking, waving her phone.
There was no response. She looked around.
Oh yes, he left to run an errand.
Mika looked at the clock. There was just enough time to get ready and to get downtown to make sure she arrived on time, and by on time Mika meant at least 15 minutes early.
I'll message him before I leave.
Mika rushed to get ready, her heart beating faster and faster with anticipation as the time approached. To her surprise, Shirokuro wasn't sitting calmly in the corner, but constantly coming to her and rubbing against her legs to attract her attention.
"What is it, Shirokuro? Are you hungry?"
The cat instead looked at her with deep stare that seemed filled with worry to her.
"Oh, don't do that, Shirokuro, I'm worried myself."
Suddenly, Shirokuro jumped onto her knees and put his paws on her chest. A strange sensation of missing something came over Mika. She patted herself.
"You're right, my amulet!" Mika exclaimed. "I took it off in the shower!"
Mika took Shirokuro into her arms and gave him a kiss. "You're the smartest cat in the world, Shirokuro! Thank you!"
When Mika arrived at the studio, she was sent to a different floor. There were bigger and better decorated rooms, from which she deduced it was an executive floor. An immaculately dressed beautiful secretary asked for Mika's name and told her: "It's the room at the end of the hallway on the right."
The door of the room was slightly ajar, and Mika peeked inside. She could see a back of the person in a suit standing against the window. As Mika knocked, the person turned and smiled.
"Come in. You must be Mika," he said.
"Yes. Good afternoon," replied Mika, slowly entering the room.
The man took several strides toward her. His face, striking and handsome, possessed an air of authority. His dark hair was neatly styled, and his eyes—piercing and intense—seemed to see right through her. There was a palpable sense of dominance in his stance, a subtle but unmistakable signal that he was in control.
And yet Mika instantly felt something cold about his magnetic presence, something she couldn't described in words, but only feel in her gut. The whiff of chill she felt as he approached contradicted the warmth of his smile and the handshake.
"Good afternoon. I'm Ryuji Takahashi," he said.