Ch 3 Scene Two
Ko, depressed, sitting in chair:
Himura, apologetic face, approaches Ko: Ko, would you please look at me?
Ko, turning sad face to Himura, speaking softly: Ok, I'm looking at you. What do you want?
Himura, bowing in apology: Ko...I told you the truth because I didn't want to keep secrets from you any longer. I cannot find the words to express my regret enough. Might you consider forgiving me?
Ko, softly: You have injured me far beyond words, Himura. You cheated on me a week before our marriage, and when my sister told me she saw you enter another woman's apartment with her, I asked you about it and you lied to me about it. You only told me the truth about it a week ago, on the very day we were officially joined as husband and wife! I cannot forgive you.
Himura, bowing deeper: How long must I wait for you, my love?
Ko: Forever. Perhaps I could have forgiven you if you had told me then, without the lies. But that is simply impossible now. I would simply divorce you if I could, but you know as well as I do that under Japanese law, a woman cannot divorce her husband for an indiscretion that occurred prior to the marriage. Isn't that why you waited to tell me?
Himura, rising up, surprised face: No. I simply wrestled with my guilt but could not bring myself to tell you...until I signed that paper making me your husband. After that, I knew I had no other choice as a real man who deserves to be a husband.
Ko: You are no real man. And you do not deserve to be a husband.
Himura: Ko, I love only you. I know I betrayed your trust in me, but if you give me one more chance, I promise I will make it up to you.
Himura leaves room, Ko stares blankly with no expression straight ahead.
END SCENE
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Kyoko is seated in a chair, looking very sullen and angry, gripping the sides of her chair tightly. Ren approaches her carefully from the front. "Ko...," he says softly, "would you please look at me?" Kyoko looks up, hatred in her eyes, facial features intense, crossing her arms in front of her.
"Ok, I'm looking at you!" she spits. "What do you want?!"
Ren bows deeply in apology. "Ko...I told you the truth because I didn't want to keep secrets from you any longer. I cannot find the words to express my regret enough. Might you consider forgiving me?"
Kyoko coldly glares at him, ignoring his words, for a terribly long and uncomfortable silence.
"You have injured me far beyond words, Himura!" she finally says furiously, then looks away. "You cheated on me a week before our marriage, and when my sister told me she saw you enter another woman's apartment with her, I asked you about it and you lied to me about it. You only told me the truth about it a week ago, on the very day we were officially joined as husband and wife! I cannot forgive you!"
Ren drops to his knees before Kyoko, head down.
That's not in the script! thinks Kyoko. What does he think he's doing?!
--"Director Ogata! That's not in the script!"--
--"Sh! He's ad-libbing! Let's see what he comes up with! And I'd also like to see how Kyoko will react to his abrupt script changes. Keep the tape rolling!"—
Kyoko stares down at Ren's head, wondering what's next.
"I know what I did was inexcusable. I betrayed you in the worst way possible. But I could have kept my secret from you forever and you'd never have known. But I didn't want to keep deceiving you. I know I don't deserve it, but please...won't you at least consider forgiving me?" Ren turns his eyes up to Kyoko's.
Oh, that face! Those eyes...they look so damn sincere! Even through the contacts...he looks like he could burst into tears at any moment! Makes me want to forgive him immediately! She has to really act to react expressionlessly.
"Ko...," Ren says, forcibly unfolding Kyoko's arms to take one of her hands in his, looking her directly in the eyes, "You are the only woman I have ever loved. I know I've broken your trust in me, but if you give me another chance, I swear to you that I'll never cheat or lie again. Those are promises I shall never break as long as I live."
Kyoko is confused...why did Ren suddenly go off-script? What was with those ad-lib lines? And that face...those sincere eyes! His unscripted words and actions—and that face--seemed so real...like it was really Ren, not Himura, speaking—to Kyoko and not to Ko. Was he trying to talk to her? Through ad-lib acting? Or is this to get back at her for doing it to him? But the eyes...dammit, those eyes! With what he said while looking at her with those eyes...it seemed like he really meant it, but it couldn't be true...could it?
All this unscripted acting is throwing her off—confusing her as to whether he is currently Ren or Himura, talking to Ko or to herself. She is so unsure...but nonetheless, this is a movie set. If Ren is simply challenging her--and nothing more--which she has to conclude since she knows Ren isn't in love with her as he said in his unscripted lines--she would rise to it and meet him at his level—proving to him she is good enough for the role of a leading lady.
Kyoko jumps to her feet, pulling her hand out of Ren's, now towering over the man who usually towered over her, because he is literally on his knees.
"Ts-Himura! You say that, but...I don't know what to believe anymore!" She flings her arms into the air in emphasis. She shouts her ad-lib lines, using her current feelings toward Ren to do so. "You deceived me, when you were the one person in the world I thought I could trust implicitly! Do you have any idea how b-badly you have h-hurt me??" Kyoko is breaking up with those lines, and real tears begin to fall from her eyes—unbidden, yet working for the scene, so Ogata doesn't stop the take. "You were right when you said you don't deserve my forgiveness! Why should I give you another chance? I don't even know who you are anymore! You've wounded me worse than my last love, the one you rescued me from! How, then, am I even to be able to forgive you?" With that, Kyoko shoves Ren over onto his back and storms off-stage—to her dressing room to calm herself and stop her tears before getting her now-ruined make-up fixed.
Ren is stunned. Her ad-lib lines were obviously real, as were the tears. He truly hadn't realized just how badly he had hurt her. And...what she said...again, sure made it sound like the impossible was true—that she loved him. Not as an Idol Actor--but as a man. That thought would be so thrilling—if I hadn't done so much damage that I may have permanently killed off any feelings she might possibly have had for me...
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A great applause comes from the entire staff making the movie, now used to and enjoying the script changes on stage (except for the Assistant Director), as Ren gets to his feet and puts on his old "fake gentleman" smile again.
"That was magnificent!" says Ogata to Ren with a grin. "This scene was supposed to be a melodramatic non-fight with suppressed anger and barely-expressed guilt! But with your ad-libbing lead and Kyoko's quick following, the scene ended up showing much more emotion! The scene you two just created is far better than what's in the script! You two really make a fantastic team, Tsugura-san! The only mistake was when Kyoko almost called you by your real name, but we can edit that out. You both did an excellent job! And all in one take, too! That Mogami Kyoko, Tsugura-san...I think she's very nearly as good as you!"
"Thank you very much for the compliment, sir. I'm honored. And I believe you are right about Mogami."
"I'd like to tell Kyoko the same! I'll go to her dressing room right away."
"Matte, onegai, Ogata-san. I need to talk to Mogami for a moment myself; I shall tell her what you said. Is that alright?"
Ogata thinks that is a very strange request, but he figures it is code for "I need to be alone with her for a minute" so he agrees. He had noticed such a change in both of them since the shoot had begun...on-screen they were consummate actors, but when not acting, they seemed distant from each other. Kyoko no longer rushed up to Ren to get advice or a pat on the head, and she hardly smiled anymore. As for Ren, his shoulders were always slumping, and he kept sighing a lot, despite the fact that he was still always wearing his famous smile and behaved like a perfect gentleman. Ogata concluded from these behaviors—as well as the nature and intensity of their ad-lib lines--that they had had some sort of falling-out that Ren was trying to mend. Such a thing worked wonders for the filming, but Ogata worried for the two actors he'd come to see as friends. He hoped they would soon work things out between them, whatever those things were, even if it meant less-stellar performances on set.
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Normally at a time like this...I'd use Corn's stone. But since Corn turned out to be a lie as well as that rock...I have to do it on my own. But that is what great actresses do, though, right? They learn to control their own emotions, and put on the emotions of the characters they play. I will show that Tsugura Ren just what I'm made of! I won't let him overwhelm my role in this movie by allowing him to force out my real emotions and throw me off like that again! That said...even though the emotions were my own and not the scripted emotions of Ko, I think I did a pretty good job of using my real emotions to portray how she should really be feeling right now! And that's another thing I've learned about acting...it's normal to use your own emotions to portray your character's. Actors do it all the time! You didn't get one over on me, Tsugura Ren! I AM A REAL ACTRESS!
PPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP"Mogami, it's me. Please let me in. Just for a moment?"
"Go away, Tsugura!" Kyoko hisses, deliberately leaving off "san."
"All I'm asking for is five minutes of your time. And besides, I have a message for you from Director Ogata.
"Ogata-san can tell me himself. Besides, I'm having my make-up fixed. Hanging around my door will not make me change my mind on opening it for you."
Dejected, Ren returns to Ogata's side. "It seems she will only hear your message directly from you, Ogata-san. She refused me at the door because she was having her make-up redone."
Ogata smiles. "Well then...why don't you come with me over there? She'll open the door for me, make-up unfinished and all. You can simply walk in with me and stay behind when I leave." The Director beams at Ren.
The tall actor figures out then that the director knows something is up between him and Kyoko. It is a little embarrassing, but he trusts Ogata to keep his thoughts about the matter to himself. He puts his hand to his forehead and sighs. Having to resort to tricks just to talk to her...how far I've fallen in her eyes.
"Kyoko, it's Ogata! I know you're fixing your make-up, but do you mind if I come in?"
"Come on in, Ogata-san. My make-up is finished now; I was just practicing faces for whatever scene might be next—seeing as how somebody has failed to bring me the script pages yet!"
Kyoko's eyes bug when Ren walks into her dressing room beside Ogata, but quickly returns to "fake normal."
"Kyoko, sorry for the delay on the script. I'll get it to you as soon as I can! But I just wanted to tell you what I told Ren...you both did a fantastic job of improvising! The scene you two created on your own is far better than the scripted one! Just like the last time! Please feel free to do it again, if you believe you can top the script! Unless, of course, I don't like it. I am the director, after all!" He chuckles lightly, hoping to improve the depressive mood in the room.
"Thank you kindly, Ogata-san!" says Kyoko with real enthusiasm. She rises from her seat in front of her mirror and bows to the beaming director. "I will do my best not to disappoint you during the filming of this movie!"
"I can't imagine that, Kyoko! You're a better actress than you give yourself credit for! But if you will excuse me, I must be going now."
"Thank you for your kind words, Ogata-san!"
Ogata leaves the room, closing the door after him, leaving Ren behind.
Kyoko glares at Ren. "Resorting to cheating to get in, now, are we? You really are despicable! But since you're already here...what the hell do you want? Make it quick!" She turns her head back to her mirror.
"Mogami...I know you don't want to hear anything I have to say, but I must say at least this much. As an actress, you take on many different forms and personalities—changing the style and color of your hair, wearing different clothing, modifying your manner of speech, altering your mannerisms, changing your attitude. Yet as good an actress as you are...I always see the real Mogami behind it all. You are the only person who has always been able to do the same with me. You alone could always see the real me behind my every disguise. Can't you still do that? I am only one person. Tsugura Ren, Corn, Cain or anyone else I play, and even the person I was born as are all one behind it all, just like you. There is only one me. Please turn your X-ray eyes back on and see it for yourself again? Then I will tell you everything, when you're ready to listen, and you will understand. That's all I wanted to say."
That's when he sees it. The bracelet he gave her. Of course she isn't wearing it; he didn't expect she would. But it lay upon her vanity, unbroken. He had thought she would have destroyed it completely with wire-cutters and tossed it into the trash, but there it is—still in one piece, not even missing a single charm. Maybe I really do still have a chance! he says to himself before walking out—with a re-discovered real smile.
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Kyoko plunks her forehead down onto her vanity. Why did he have to come and say that, dammit! He's making me want to hear his story! He seemed so damn sincere! And he's right...no matter who he acted as, I could always see Tsugura-san behind the veil. When he ate that Maui Omurice, I knew he was fighting something inside himself. I saw that person a couple of times in his eyes. He even thanked me for 'saving' him once...and I know it was from that person...and the President even told me he was battling within himself. Could this type of thing be what he's talking about? He is Corn, but is not Corn. Corn is just a part of him. When I think about it...ever since he started being nice to me, he acted a lot like what I always imagined the "real" Corn being like. But then...why did he tell me all those obvious lies in Guam? He started walking away when I called him that, but then he came back...and the lies to cover up his Tsugura Ren identity began. But other than that...we had a wonderful time together. I could never talk to Tsugura-san so familiarly. Is—is that why he played that part? Come to think of it...I kinda deceived him too, for the same reason when I pretended to be a guy in the Bo costume—twice—to get him to really talk to me. But then...what was the real meaning behind the curse he spoke of? Did he really believe he was cursed by whoever it is he's been trying to defeat within himself all this time? Even if it was, though, WHY DID HE TELL ME HE LOVED ME AND KISS ME?! Were those just for appearances' sake to keep me believing in Corn the Fairy Prince? Or...could it possibly mean...no, that can't possibly be. Could it? I mean he said it again during the last shoot, totally unscripted, with such sincere eyes! Sure did seem like he was talking straight to me...but I can't believe that! I mean...HOW DO I KNOW WHAT'S A LIE AND WHAT'S TRUE??
Kyoko hits her forehead on the vanity again, as if it would make the answers clear. It was Tsugura-san who helped me become the actress I am today. He kept the Vain Day gift I gave him. And he gave me that beautiful rose and this lovely charm bracelet. Tsugura Ren and Corn and the person he fights against...is he trying to tell me they are all just different parts of him? Or is he just trying to mess with me? Dammit! I am so confused, I don't know what to believe!
Kyoko sighs in frustration, her emotions all mixed up. I guess I have no choice now. I must hear his story. Damn it! Not knowing is going to make working with him today difficult. I'll have to make sure we talk as soon as possible. Since we're doing the same movie shoot, I'll ask him for a ride home, and once in the car, have him take me to his place to listen to his story. It's the only way. I'll drive myself crazy thinking about all this and wondering all the time if I don't. But I wonder what kind of scene we're doing next? I have yet to receive those script pages...I do hope it's nothing too flustering like they have been so far. Well, actually, they've been pretty boring...but with Tsugura-san and I both ad-libbing so much, it's been pretty damn dramatic!
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