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FIC: Audition, Part 2
Title: Audition, Part 2
Rating: NC-17 overall
Fandom: Haru wo Daiteita (Embracing Love)
Pairing: Kikuchi/Onozuka
Word count: ~6,090
Disclaimer: No money is being made off this story; consider it a little wish fulfillment on my part.
Sequel to: Unexpected Opportunities, Comeback (Part 1 and Part 2), Forgiveness, Firsts, First Date (Part 1 and Part 2), and Going Steady ((Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6). The series also includes two side-stories that are outside of the main timeline: Valentine's Day Surprise and Strictly Business.
Summary: Kikuchi watches Onozuka and the other actors audition, hoping that his real-life lover will win the role--but Onozuka might have some serious competition.
Author's note: "chu" is the sound effect for a kiss in Japanese.
Part 1
***
The conference room in the studio's office building was filled with about twenty applicants for the role of Eisuke, all very handsome young men. Kikuchi flashed a flirtatious smile at them, just to stir up a little trouble, and several of them stared back at him nervously, obviously wondering what they were getting into and if they really wanted to play the lover of a notorious gay man. Onozuka just smiled politely, allowing no recognition to register in his eyes, while Miyasaka gave him a friendly grin and a nod. A few of the other actors smiled flirtatiously back at him in return, but there was one actor who just smiled in a faintly amused manner, as if he knew exactly what Kikuchi was up to.
Kikuchi didn't remember his name--Yoshi-something--but he recognized the actor's face from a period drama that had recently aired on TV. There had also been some sort of fuss in the media about him being injured and having to give up his role in the "Winter Cicadas" film. Kikuchi made a mental note to keep an eye on this one; he might give Onozuka some serious competition.
Kitamura took his seat at the center of the long table set up at the head of the room, and an assistant seated Kikuchi at the director's left. The casting director, a woman named Takeuchi, took the seat on Kitamura's right; next to her was Suzuki Asami, the actress playing Kikuchi's wife, and then the screenwriter, Mizutani Miwako. The two producers assigned by the studio were seated to Kikuchi's left, and he suspected that he had been deliberately placed between them and Kitamura as a buffer. The young director still had mixed feelings about giving up his independence, and was resentful of any interference that studio imposed on his film, including casting approval.
The actors had been given numbers at random to determine the order in which they would audition. Onozuka happened to be third, after two mediocre readings by pretty but not especially talented actors.
The actors had all been given a section of Eisuke's dialogue to read, from the scene where he first met the detective Takahashi Ryotaro and realized that Ryotaro was the husband of the heart donor. The finalists who made it to the second round would read two expanded scenes with Kikuchi.
When his number was called, Onozuka stepped up to the microphone in front of the table without any hesitation or nervousness. He gazed directly at Kikuchi, but his usual sly smile was gone, to be replaced a look of sweet earnestness.
"I've been wanting to meet you so that I could express my appreciation!" he exclaimed, bowing deeply. He straightened up and stumbled over his words in a seemingly artless manner that actually took a lot of skill to pull off convincingly. "I...you...that is..." He took a deep breath and continued, "I know that words aren't enough, but thank you so much for...for this." His right hand gracefully fluttered up to rest on his chest for a moment. "For as long as I can remember, I've spent most of my life in hospital rooms, unable to walk more than a short distance without getting winded, let alone being able to run and play with the other kids. I was afraid that I would die without ever really having lived. And now, thanks to this incredibly generous gift from you and your wife, I have a second chance at life." He paused, and his expression softened with sympathy, sorrow, and a touch of guilt. "But at the same time, I know that this gift came at a great cost to you and your wife, and to everyone else who loved her," he said quietly. "And...I am so very sorry for your loss, Ryotaro-san."
Kikuchi stole a sidelong glance at the director. Kitamura was keeping his expression carefully neutral, but there was flash of interest in his eyes behind his thick, black horn-rimmed glasses, and he leaned forward slightly. To an outsider, it probably looked like nothing more than nearsightedness, but Kikuchi had spent enough time working with Kitamura to realize that Onozuka had captured the director's attention.
As for the rest of the panel, Takeuchi was similarly playing it cool, but she was jotting down a few notes on Onozuka's bio sheet, which she hadn't bothered with for the first two. The producers looked cautiously approving, and Asami was openly smiling--perhaps she was a fan of the Prince. Mizutani was staring at Onozuka with a startled but delighted look on her face, which boded well for his chances of winning the role. Kitamura and the producers would have the final say on casting, but Kitamura seemed to value the writer's opinion, and had taken pains to include her in the audition panel. The studio had grumbled in private a bit, not wanting any additional interference with the casting decisions, but had given in when Kitamura insisted on it, and also because Mizutani was a bestselling author with a devoted following, and it would be unwise to offend her.
Meanwhile, Onozuka was finishing up with a passionate, "I swear to you that I won't waste this precious gift that your wife gave to me!"
"Thank you, Onozuka-san," Takeuchi said, and Onozuka bowed politely and returned to his seat. "Next, number four: Asano Nobuyuki-san."
A dark-haired man stepped up to the microphone. Kikuchi recalled that Asano had been involved in a scandal with Iwaki when the young man had been working as Iwaki's manager, and Kikuchi had to repress a sigh of disgust. How was it that Iwaki and Katou managed to come through multiple scandals unscathed, when it had taken only one to ruin his own career a decade ago? Those two seemed to have as many lives as a cat--maybe even two cats combined!
But Kikuchi's attention immediately focused back on the actor once he started speaking. He delivered his lines with a sense of earnestness, but it was subtly different from Onozuka's performance. There was a deep intensity beneath the outward innocence that gave it a bit of a darker edge--it was not quite how Kikuchi had pictured the character, but it was an interesting interpretation. Kitamura seemed intrigued, too, while Mizutani had a thoughtful expression on her face.
Miyasaka was tenth, and gave a good performance that was more brash and passionate than Onozuka's sweet naivete or Asano's subtle intensity. There were a few other performances that were good but not outstanding, and many more mediocre ones, and a few that were outright bad, with the actors playing the role in an effeminate manner, even though Eisuke was not being possessed by Midori's ghost in this scene.
The final applicant was the young man who had caught Kikuchi's attention when he first entered the room: Yoshizumi Naotaka. Like most of the other actors, he played the role with an air of naive earnestness, but he added a hint of cheerful good humor that was unique, and difficult to carry off in a mostly serious scene.
After Yoshizumi was done, Takeuchi thanked the actors and had an assistant escort them to a waiting room. Once they were gone, Kitamura turned to Kikuchi and asked, "So, was there anyone in particular who caught your eye?"
Kikuchi didn't want to be the first one to single out Onozuka, just in case their relationship became public someday, so he grinned mischievously and joked, "With so many beautiful young men to choose from, how could I possibly pick just one?"
The younger producer, Sato, laughed nervously, while the older one, a veteran named Hasegawa that Kikuchi recognized from his pre-scandal days, gave him a look of thinly-veiled disdain. Hypocrite, Kikuchi thought bitterly. People like Hasegawa had shunned him and driven him out of Japan ten years ago for being a "pervert," but now those same people were producing gay love stories because of Iwaki and Katou's popularity. Kikuchi was able to take some small consolation in the fact that Hasegawa obviously loathed the idea of working together as much as Kikuchi did, and he resolved to find a way to make Kitamura insist that Hasegawa personally be present during the filming of the movie's big sex scene.
Kitamura just smiled, looking amused by Kikuchi's joke, and Hasegawa gave him an only slightly less disdainful look. As much as it galled him to work with a gay actor, it probably galled him even more to have to cater to the whims of a young punk of a director who had gotten lucky with a few cult hits. (Which was no doubt how Hasegawa regarded Kitamura, although Kikuchi thought that Kitamura was an intelligent young man who had appealed to the public by putting a fresh, original twist on the traditional action and horror genres.) It didn't help that Kitamura looked like an otaku geek who had just been pulled off the streets of Akihabara, with the nerdy glasses and the long, lank black hair falling forward over his face. Hell, he was even wearing a Gundam t-shirt under his leather jacket! However, Kikuchi suspected that it was an image that was partially cultivated by Kitamura in order to catch people like Hasegawa off-guard and make them underestimate him. Or maybe he just liked to celebrate his geek-ness in an openly defiant manner.
"Well, I felt that Onozuka Yuu best captured the character of Eisuke," Kitamura said, shuffling through the stack of bio sheets until he found Onozuka's. His hair fell into his eyes, and he absent-mindedly pushed it back, asking, "What do you think, Sensei?"
"Oh, absolutely!" Mizutani exclaimed, her eyes glowing behind gold wire-rimmed glasses that were a bit more stylish than Kitamura's. She was a pretty though scholarly-looking woman in her late thirties who seemed delighted to have her words being transformed into a movie. She had visited the set of the "Yakuza Love Story" TV series a few times, but she was taking a much more active role with "Love Reborn," perhaps because she had written the actual screenplay rather than having it adapted from one of her books by another writer.
"I thought he portrayed Eisuke's innocence and earnestness perfectly," the writer continued. "I saw him in that series he starred in with Iwaki Kyousuke, but it was a very different type of character, a rebellious and angry younger brother. I never thought to picture him as Eisuke, but I was very impressed by his audition."
"He actually seems to have a pretty good range as an actor," Kitamura replied. "I've been watching his current series where he plays a suspected serial killer, so he's able to play more than just the romantic lead. Which ironically, is what this part is."
"But with a twist," Kikuchi said with a grin, and Kitamura smiled and nodded.
"I'd be thrilled to work with the Golden Prince! I'm a big fan of his, and Miyasaka-kun as well," Asami giggled. She was a typically pretty young starlet with a bubbly personality, although she wasn't nearly as air-headed as she appeared at first glance. It was probably just an affectation for her public image, much like Onozuka's role as the Prince.
"He's never acted in a feature film before," Hasegawa mused out loud. "Still, he's a rising young star, and his current series is getting very high ratings."
"And he's popular with the female fans--as Suzuki-san has observed," Sato pointed out, smiling at Asami, who giggled again. "He'd draw in a good market share of the female audience, and we have Kikuchi-san as a veteran actor to balance out his inexperience."
"And physically, he strikes a nice contrast to Kikuchi-san," Takeuchi said. "The two of you would make a very attractive couple."
"I certainly have no objections to the Prince playing my lover," Kikuchi chuckled, very pleased that everyone approved of Onozuka without needing any persuasion from him.
"All right, then, since we're all agreed on Onozuka-san, let's decide on the next slot," Takeuchi said. "How about number ten, Miyasaka Keigo?"
"Hmm," Kitamura said thoughtfully. "He had good chemistry with Kikuchi-san in 'Yakuza Love Story'. On the other hand, he has a very macho image, and I'm not sure how well he'll be able act out the scenes where he has to play Midori in Eisuke's body."
"Well, that's what the second round of auditions is for, isn't it?" Kikuchi pointed out. "Miyasaka-kun told me that he's trying out for this role because he wants to challenge himself as an actor. Let's give him a chance. If he can pull it off, fine; if not, we can go with Onozuka or one of the others."
"I'd also like to see how Miyasaka-kun interacts with Kikuchi-san in the romantic scenes," Mizutani volunteered.
"His macho image might actually help emphasize the difference between Eisuke's masculine and feminine sides," Takeuchi added. "Assuming, of course, that he can carry out the Midori scenes capably."
They all agreed to pass Miyasaka on to the next round, and Kitamura turned to Kikuchi and asked, "Is there anyone else who stands out for you, Kikuchi-san? This character is supposed to be your lover, after all, so I'd like to choose someone suited to you."
"I thought that the last applicant, Yoshizumi, had an interesting take on the character," Kikuchi replied.
"Mm, yes, that was a little different," Kitamura said thoughtfully.
"Upbeat, almost playful, even during a serious scene," Mizutani said excitedly. "But not in a disrespectful way--it's more like he's showing how Eisuke is determined to remain positive in spite of all the hardships he's suffered. Which is true to the character, although it's not exactly how I pictured the scene in my mind."
"He's a solid supporting actor, with a long track record in period dramas," Sato said. "It would be interesting to see what he could do in a modern drama."
"A solid supporting actor," Hasegawa echoed, frowning. "But does he really have what it takes to play a lead role and carry the movie? The studio is putting a lot of money behind this film, and people don't flock out in droves to see a guy who usually plays the sidekick. Besides, isn't Yoshizumi a little too old for the role?"
"His date of birth isn't on his bio," Takeuchi replied. "He has been around for awhile, though--he's been acting in period dramas for at least ten years."
Kitamura scowled at Hasegawa and said, "If he looks young enough to play the role, I don't care what his real age is. And as for Yoshizumi being a supporting actor, Kikuchi-san is a veteran actor and more than capable of carrying the movie on his own. I think that we can afford to cast a lesser-known actor as the co-lead."
"Meaning no disrespect, but Kikuchi-san has been away from Japan for a long time," Hasegawa replied. "His presence is no longer an absolute guarantee of a blockbuster hit."
"But 'Future Wars' did very well, as did 'Yakuza Love Story,'" Sato interjected hastily, attempting to smooth things over. "The public has shown that they're ready to welcome him back, and there's the added publicity of this being Kitamura-kantoku's major studio debut. I think that we can take a chance on Yoshizumi-san, especially since it's known that he was forced to drop out of 'Winter Cicadas' due to an injury received during filming. People will be curious to see what he can do and if he's fully recovered--which he seems to be."
"This is only the preliminary round," Takeuchi pointed out. "Surely there's no harm in seeing whether he and Kikuchi-san work well together?"
Hasegawa grudgingly gave in, and they moved on to their next choice. "Speaking of 'Winter Cicadas,' what about Asano Nobuyuki?" Sato suggested. "He's new on the scene, but he did a very nice job as Aizawa."
"I haven't seen that movie, but I was impressed by his audition," Kikuchi replied. "It was very different from the other actors'--maybe a little too much so? Still, I liked his intensity."
"You haven't seen 'Winter Cicadas'?" Sato asked, startled. "I would have thought that you..." His voice abruptly trailed off as he realized, a little too late, that he might be insulting Kikuchi.
"That as a gay actor, I'd want to see a gay love story?" Kikuchi finished for him, giving the young producer a wolfish smile that caused him to pale slightly and squirm in his seat.
"I apologize, Kikuchi-san," Sato said meekly. "I spoke without thinking, but I didn't mean any offense."
To Sato's obvious relief, Kikuchi accepted his apology with a polite nod. The producer wasn't a bad sort--he had lobbied hard for the studio to sign Kitamura, and he seemed to have genuine respect for Kitamura's films. And if he was a bit clueless, at least he didn't find Kikuchi's homosexuality offensive, like Hasegawa--or if he did, he was tactful enough to conceal it well.
As for "Winter Cicadas," it sounded like an interesting story and he probably would have gone to see it if it had starred anyone except Iwaki and Katou. He still hated the idea of those two reaping success as the celebrated gay lovers when he was still fighting to get back to the level he had been at ten years ago. It seemed, somehow, as if they had stolen the success that should rightfully have been his. He had no choice but to accept the situation, but he didn't have to like it, and he refused to pay good money to watch his rivals on the screen.
"Asano-san's audition was very different from how I pictured Eisuke," Mizutani said, tactfully changing the subject. "To be honest, I liked Onozuka-san's portrayal better, but it would be interesting to see what Asano-san would do with the role." She smiled a little sheepishly at Kikuchi and added, "Besides, I liked him in 'Winter Cicadas'."
"Yes, it was interesting," Kitamura agreed. "I agree that it's not quite the interpretation I was looking for, but let's pass him on to the second round and see how he handles the romantic scenes with Kikuchi-san."
Hasegawa agreed without any arguments this time. "He's played only minor roles so far, but he got good reviews for his performance as Aizawa, and he's well known to the public, thanks to that scandal with Iwaki Kyosuke."
Kitamura said sharply, "I would prefer to choose my actors for their ability, rather than how often they appear in the tabloids."
Hasegawa gave him a placating, if somewhat patronizing smile and replied, "I understand, Kantoku-san, but I have to answer to the studio, which is in the business to make a profit, not run a charity. Besides, aren't we all agreed that Asano is a capable actor? The fact that he's well known to the public is merely an added benefit."
"The studio has faith in you, Kitamura-kantoku, and in your ability to make a successful movie," Sato said soothingly. "Otherwise they would not have offered you a contract."
"We have one more slot open for the second round," Takeuchi said in a crisp, business-like manner, refocusing everyone's attention. "Is there anyone else who stands out?"
Everyone was silent for a moment, mulling over the choices, and then Asami twirled a lock of hair around one finger as she mused, "Well, that pop singer Fukuda was really cute, but..."
"But he can't act his way out of a paper bag," Kitamura interjected bluntly. "There's no way that I'm putting him into one of my movies!"
"You're mean, Seiya-san!" Asami laughed.
"Mean, perhaps, but true," Kikuchi chuckled. "The boy is pretty, but he can't act. I wouldn't mind doing him, but there's no way that he'd be able to carry a lead, or even a supporting role in a film."
"And you're naughty, Kikuchi-san!" Asami squealed delightedly, wagging an accusing finger at him playfully. Kikuchi just grinned wickedly in response, and Hasegawa cleared his throat impatiently.
"If we could get back to the business at hand...?"
"To be honest, I don't really like any of the other applicants," Kitamura said, waving his hand dismissively at the remaining stack of bio sheets. "They're mediocre at best, and I want to make a good--no, a great film! We need an actor who's strong enough not to be overwhelmed by Kikuchi-san's presence onscreen, and a mediocre actor just won't cut it. I think that we should stick with these four, rather than choosing someone just to fill out the last slot."
"But what about number fifteen, Tanabe Yuuichirou?" Hasegawa suggested.
"Well, I guess he was all right," Kitamura conceded grudgingly. "But there was nothing really outstanding about his performance, nothing particularly original or unique."
"But he's popular with the female fans, and he just completed his first lead role in a TV drama, which was a big hit," Hasegawa argued. "And the studio has a good working relationship with his talent agency."
"I am not hiring a substandard actor just because the president of his talent agency plays golf with your president!" Kitamura snapped.
"I'm not saying that you should!" Hasegawa shot back. "I'm just asking you to give him a chance! And by the way, 'my' president pays your salary as well, Kantoku-san."
"Let's all take a step back and calm down," Kikuchi advised. He sympathized with the young director, but he knew that keeping the studio heads happy was the price that one had to pay in this business. Idealism was all well and good, but it needed to be tempered with practicality.
"Hasegawa-san, this is Kitamura-kantoku's major studio debut, so of course he wants to make it the best film that he can, and that means hiring the best actors possible," Kikuchi said smoothly to the senior producer. "It's also in the studio's best interest that the film be of high quality."
"Well...yes, of course," Hasegawa agreed, calming down. "If Tanabe-kun turns out to be ill-suited to the role, then I won't argue further. I'm just saying that we shouldn't make that judgment based solely on this one audition."
"Would it really hurt to pass Tanabe on to the second round?" Kikuchi asked Kitamura. "He wasn't outstanding, but he wasn't bad, either. It might be that he's not suited for the role, or it might just have been nerves. Let's give him a second chance and see if he can impress us. If you still don't like him, then I'll back up your decision."
Actually, he agreed with Kitamura that Tanabe was mediocre. He had seen a couple episodes of the TV show that Hasegawa was referring to, and he thought that Tanabe was getting by on looks and charm, but his acting lacked the depth and quality that Onozuka and Miyasaka possessed. However, it was necessary to toss the studio a bone every now and then, and he figured that adding a lackluster actor like Tanabe to the finalists would only help Onozuka stand out more.
"Very well," Kitamura gave in with ill grace, then told the assistant, "You can call the actors back in now."
Takeuchi announced the finalists, and the rest of the actors filed out with expressions of disappointment--and in a few cases, a touch of relief--on their faces. Then they took a two-hour break to have lunch and give the actors a chance to look over the scripts for the next audition.
When they returned, the actors auditioned in reverse order, from last to first. They did an expanded version of the scene they had read earlier, where Eisuke and Ryotaro first met, and also a second scene: the same one that he and Onozuka had practiced on the couch, where Midori possessed Eisuke's body to make love to her husband.
Tanabe went first, and handled the first scene well enough. He wasn't exactly spectacular, but his performance did improve slightly when he was able to play off another actor and respond to Kikuchi's lines. However, he was obviously uncomfortable with the second scene, appearing nervous and not sure how to play a woman in a man's body. He pitched his voice unnaturally high and acted in a manner that seemed more suited to a bad gay stereotype than a real woman.
Asano went next, and did much better. He didn't try to use a high-pitched voice or effeminate gestures as Tanabe had, but he spoke in a softer, more sensual tone as Midori. Asano played the second scene as so intensely seductive that Kikuchi might have been tempted by the young actor if he hadn't already been involved with Onozuka.
In comparison, Yoshizumi infused the love scene with a sense of mischief and playful flirtation, and Kikuchi found himself enjoying the interaction. He still hoped that Onozuka would win the role, but if Yoshizumi or Asano were chosen instead, he would look forward to working with a young actor who showed such potential.
Kikuchi wondered if Onozuka was feeling any jealousy over watching him act out love scenes with other men. He rather hoped so, but Onozuka showed no apparent signs of it. Onozuka didn't seem nervous, either, for that matter. He looked serene and composed as he watched his competitors audition with Kikuchi--calm and confident without crossing the line over into arrogance.
Miyasaka was next, but Kikuchi was a little disappointed with his audition. He played the scenes with good emotion and genuine sexual tension, which was not surprising, given their past history. However, he seemed uncertain of how to portray a woman's personality, although he erred in the opposite direction of Tanabe--playing the role as a little too masculine, without enough differentiation between Eisuke and Midori.
When Miyasaka was done, Onozuka stepped forward, and they began the first scene. "Excuse me," Kikuchi said, reading the lines from the script where Ryotaro and Eisuke first met. "Are you Honda Eisuke?"
"Yes," Onozuka replied, eyes widening with shock and recognition. Although the two characters hadn't met in person up until now, Eisuke had been having dreams of Midori's life with her husband.
"My name is Takahashi Ryotaro," Kikuchi continued. "My wife Midori was...well, she was your heart donor."
"Ryo!" Onozuka/Eisuke exclaimed excitedly. "It's really you!" Then he was immediately taken aback at his own boldness and familiarity--calling a total stranger not just by his given name, but a shortened nickname. "Ah!" Onozuka cried in dismay, a faint and very pretty blush coloring his cheeks. "Please forgive my rudeness--I don't know what came over me!"
"It's all right," Kikuchi replied, chuckling with genuine laughter. "That's what my wife always called me." He smiled nostalgically. "It's nice to hear someone call me by that name again."
"Takahashi-san--" Onozuka began.
"You can call me 'Ryo' if you want," Kikuchi interrupted. "We're not really strangers since we're connected through Midori."
"Ryotaro-san, then," Onozuka said shyly, blushing again, and Kikuchi had to fight back a grin. He'd have to ask later how Onozuka managed to blush on command, but the effect was totally adorable. Anyone seeing Onozuka for the first time today would never believe how cynical and calculating he really was.
They finished the first scene, and Takeuchi indicated that they should move on to the second. And instantly, Onozuka's demeanor changed. The shyness disappeared as Onozuka tilted his head slightly and smiled at him in a coquettish manner that seemed oddly familiar.
"Ryo," he purred, hips swaying in an inviting manner as he moved a few steps closer to Kikuchi.
"Mi...Midori?" Kikuchi stammered.
"Yes, it's me, Ryo," Onozuka whispered, one hand reaching up in a graceful gesture to touch Kikuchi's cheek and then slowly trail his fingertips down Kikuchi's face.
"Is he allowed to do that?" Miyasaka muttered under his breath, and Asano hissed at him to be quiet. However, Kikuchi was hardly aware of the distraction because it had just dawned on him what Onozuka was doing: he was imitating Asami. He wasn't trying to force his voice into a higher register as Tanabe had, but Onozuka was copying her mannerisms and gestures--the way she smiled, the way she moved.
"But...Eisuke..." Kikuchi protested weakly.
"He has loaned me his body for this one night," Onozuka whispered seductively, his hand sliding down until it came to rest on Kikuchi's chest. "Please, Ryo--let me be with you one last time."
"But Eisuke is a man," Kikuchi argued.
"Am I not myself, no matter what body I'm in?" Onozuka asked, smiling coquettishly again and fluttering his eyelashes at Kikuchi.
"It's not really fair to Eisuke, to use his body this way, even if he's agreed to it," Kikuchi protested halfheartedly. "He feels as if he owes a debt to you...to us."
"It may be selfish," Onozuka said, staring at him pleadingly. "But I don't know how much time I have left in the world of the living. I want--need--to touch you, to make love to you at least once, before I'm gone forever."
"Midori!" Kikuchi exclaimed passionately. At this point, Ryotaro was supposed to sweep Eisuke into his arms and kiss him, but Kikuchi settled for slipping an arm around Onozuka's waist and pulling him close.
Kikuchi could feel Onozuka's breath on his face, and was wondering if he could actually get away with kissing him during the audition, when Kitamura cried out, "Cut! Er...I mean, that's enough for now."
The usually calm director looked a little flustered, and the rest of the panel seemed spellbound. Kikuchi grinned; it was a very high compliment to have a panel of professionals so captivated by their performance.
Kikuchi reluctantly released his lover, and Onozuka returned to his seat, looking serene and composed once again, although his face was still slightly flushed. Takeuchi cleared her throat and told the actors, "You may retire to the waiting room while we discuss your performances. We'll announce our decision shortly."
The actors filed out, and as soon as they were gone, Kitamura said, "I don't think there's any question, is there? It has to be Onozuka."
Sato and Takeuchi nodded in agreement, and Mizutani gushed, "He was wonderful! He completely captured the character, exactly as I'd pictured it!"
"It was almost like looking into a mirror," Asami giggled. "If I happened to be blond and male, that is! But I don't think it's fair that Onozuka is prettier than me!"
"That's not true at all," Kikuchi said gallantly, and Asami just laughed.
"I'm sure that you much prefer the Prince over me, but it's nice of you to say so, Kikuchi-san!"
Hasegawa gave in graciously this time, saying, "There's no doubt that Onozuka is the best one for the role." Kitamura seemed a little surprised, but pleased and relieved that he wouldn't have to fight over the casting decision.
"It was a bit bold, to initiate physical contact in an audition," Takeuchi said with a smile. "But there's no denying that there's chemistry between the two of you, Kikuchi-san."
"Sizzling hot chemistry!" Asami agreed emphatically.
"It also shows intelligence and foresight on Onozuka's part, as well as the willingness to put in extra effort to prepare for his role," Kitamura added approvingly. "He obviously took into account the fact that Asami-chan was cast as Midori, and studied her past films in order to mimic her performance."
"If we're all agreed, shall I call the actors back in?" Takeuchi asked.
"Wait just a minute, please," Kitamura replied. "Asano and Yoshizumi also did very well, and I'd hate to waste the opportunity to cast two such talented actors. I was thinking that Asano is a little too dark for this role, but he would be perfect for Akio, the killer."
"I hadn't thought of that, but I see what you mean," Sato said thoughtfully. "He did a very good job as Aizawa, who was...well, not exactly the villain, but definitely the antagonist in 'Winter Cicadas'. He certainly has the intensity needed to carry off the role."
"It gives us a well-rounded cast," Hasegawa approved. "The veteran award-winning actor, and the beautiful young actress who is known as Kitamura-kantoku's muse..." He nodded at Kikuchi and Asami, then continued, "Along with the young TV star and heartthrob, and a young supporting actor from a recent hit film."
"And as for Yoshizumi, I'd like to consider him for the part of Eisuke's brother," Kitamura said. He smiled at Hasegawa, a bit wryly. "It's a supporting role, so it doesn't require a big-name star."
"I have no objections," Hasegawa replied. "His talent was never in question, just his ability to draw in an audience. But as you said, that doesn't matter for a supporting role."
Now that Hasegawa was being so agreeable, Kitamura's mood was also improving, and he seemed inclined to make a peace offering to the producer. "We could cast Tanabe as Ryotaro's partner in the police department. It's a pretty straightforward role that should be within his abilities."
Kikuchi smiled; the young director was learning to be politic.
"Thank you," Hasegawa said gratefully. "That will allow the studio to maintain good relations with Tanabe's agency. It's a small role, but it's Tanabe-kun's first opportunity to appear on the big screen, and I'm sure that he'll be grateful for the exposure."
Kikuchi wasn't as sure that the actor would be happy to get a bit part instead of the co-starring role, but if Tanabe was smart, he'd swallow his pride and accept it anyway. Hasegawa was right--it would be good exposure, and moreover, if Tanabe turned down the role in a huff, he would be seen as a prima donna. That sort of behavior was tolerated out of necessity in big stars who had the clout to go along with it, but not in up-and-coming young actors. There were always plenty of other handsome young actors waiting in the wings to replace those who became too troublesome--even a veteran actor like Kikuchi was not exempt, as he knew from bitter experience.
The actors were called back in and Kitamura announced that the role was being awarded to Onozuka; the other actors looked disappointed but not surprised. Onozuka bowed and said earnestly, "I'm very honored to have the chance to work with all of you. I know that I'm inexperienced, so I humbly ask for your guidance."
"I look forward to working with you, Onozuka-kun," Kikuchi purred, and Onozuka blushed and smiled shyly at him, as if he were still playing Eisuke, and it took a great deal of self control for Kikuchi not to burst into laughter. Kitamura looked amused, which meant that he wasn't completely taken in by Onozuka's act--the director was young, but he was pretty sharp.
The other actors were about to leave when Takeuchi motioned for them to stay. "Asano-san and Yoshizumi-san, we'd like you to come back and read for the roles of Matsumoto Akio and Honda Jun, respectively. And Tanabe-san, we would like you to read for the role of Detective Yamaguchi, Ryotaro's partner."
Asano and Yoshizumi immediately cheered up, while Tanabe--as Kikuchi had predicted--looked less happy, but politely nodded and agreed to return. Poor Miyasaka looked crestfallen, though.
The other actors left, and Onozuka stayed behind to be officially introduced to the director and everyone else on the panel, and he greeted and thanked them with his usual princely charm. The meeting was brief, as he would not be an official member of the cast until a contract was sent to his agency and approved, but that was only a formality. There was no chance that Onozuka or his agency would turn down an offer for him to debut in such a highly publicized movie.
Later, Kikuchi sent Onozuka an e-mail on his cell phone: "Congratulations! Come over to my place to celebrate tonight?"
A few minutes later, he got a reply: "Thanks! Fujimoto promised to buy a round of drinks at Lime tonight if I won the role, but I'll stop by afterwards. *chu*"
Kikuchi turned off his phone, chuckling to himself, "I'll be looking forward to it, Yuu."
***
Afterword: Mizutani Miwako-sensei's name is my own personal little inside joke regarding one of my favorite J-drama shows, a detective mystery series called Aibou ("Partners") about two misfit detectives--one a brilliant Sherlock Holmes-type intellectual, and the other a brash and impulsive younger man--who are relegated to the "Special Missions" section where people who screw up and/or offend the top brass are sent. The actor playing the intellectual guy is named Mizutani Yutaka, and the other cop has a reporter girlfriend named Miwako. When I was trying to think of a name for my fictional author, I took the two names and put them together, since I picture Mizutani-sensei as looking like the actress who plays Miwako, Suzuki Sawa.
Oh, and the actor Tanabe appears briefly in the Fuyu no Semi audition scene in Book 7 (Part b of "Double Casting"). I needed another actor to round out the auditions, and I thought it would be nice to use a minor canon character instead of making one up. He'll probably show up again during the actual filming of the movie.
I really don't know much about the audition process for movies in Japan (or the US for that matter), so I pretty closely followed the procedure they used in the "Double Casting" chapters. I did see a J-drama once, where a young actress was auditioning for a role, and they seemed to use a similar procedure. Seems pretty intimidating and nerve-wracking to me! Asano probably would have done a lot better in "Double Casting" if he hadn't had to watch Katou's performance first, but maybe that's part of the test, that an actor has to be able to handle the pressure? Anyway, I'm sure Katou would have won the role regardless of how well Asano did, but I did feel a little bit sorry for him. I used to be involved with my high school drama club, and even auditioning for a little school play was pretty scary for me! I ended up working on the backstage crew, which suited me much better, so my budding career in acting never got off the ground. ^_^
EDIT 3/25/09: Corrected a minor mistake--apparently I cannot tell left and right apart! >_< I had the producers sitting on Kikuchi's right, when it should have read "left"; if they were sitting on his right, they'd be sitting next to the director, which would negate the effect of Kikuchi being a buffer.
Part 3
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I'm fascinated by all the behind the scenes stuff in showbiz, and it was fun writing the different actors auditioning for the same role.
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I didn't expect Yoshizumi, though (time-lines are so blurry), but it was nice to see him again.
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Glad you liked the audition scene! ^_^