FIC: Yoshizumi's Night Out, Part 1 of 3

[geri_chan]

Title: Yoshizumi's Night Out, Part 1 of 3
Rating: NC-17 overall
Fandom: Haru wo Daiteita, When a Man Loves a Man
Pairing: Kenzaki/Yoshizumi
Characters: Yoshizumi, Asano, Kenzaki, Kikuchi, Onozuka
Word count: ~6,855
Warnings: spoilers for the When a Man Loves a Man series
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), Going Steady (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6), Audition (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3), Cookout (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3), Press Conference (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3), Sanctuary, The Prince vs. the Groupie (Part 1, Part 2), Family Visit: Tokyo (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5), and Gigolo (Part 1, Part 2). The series also includes two side-stories that are outside of the main timeline: Valentine's Day Surprise and Strictly Business.
Summary: Yoshizumi observes his co-stars during the filming of "Love Reborn," and grows restless during a night of drinking with the cast.

Author's note: Thank you to snapelike, who suggested the idea of "Yoshizumi needs to get laid, soon!" ^_^

***

Yoshizumi was really enjoying his latest project, partly because "Love Reborn" was something new for him: a modern day love story instead of the historical dramas that he usually worked on. At times, he felt almost naked without the usual samurai-topknot wig, but he thought that it was good to challenge himself with something different once in awhile, so that he didn't get stuck in a rut.

Another part of the pleasure was his co-stars, who were all very talented actors and quite interesting in real life as well--watching them was almost as entertaining as watching a movie. Asami amused him with the quick wit masked behind her bubbly personality; she clearly enjoyed catching reporters off-guard when they made the mistake of underestimating her.

Asano amused Yoshizumi, too, for different reasons. He tried to project a cool and collected image, but he wasn't as good at maintaining that facade as Onozuka was. Asano was so prickly and defensive, like a stray cat who would hiss and show his claws if you got too close, that Yoshizumi couldn't resist gently needling him a bit.

It had nothing to do with getting revenge on the actor who had replaced him in "Winter Cicadas," although Asano might think so. Yoshizumi thought that Asano had done an excellent job as Aizawa--his interpretation of the character was very different from Yoshizumi's, but that was part of what made it so interesting. No, what Yoshizumi was curious about was Asano's relationship with Iwaki and Katou. He knew that there'd been some tension between Iwaki and Asano after Asano had initially replaced Yoshizumi in the movie, although he had spoken highly of Asano's skills later.

Katou was suspiciously quiet on the subject of the young actor, and there was a touch of sourness in his voice when he did speak about Asano, but that wasn't surprising, considering the whole sleepover scandal. Yoshizumi had his own suspicions about the incident: he knew that Iwaki would never cheat on Katou, but a smart manager would never have put his client in such a compromising position, however innocent the sleepover was. Asano was obviously not stupid or naive, so chances were that he'd engineered, or at least taken advantage of the ensuing scandal to catapult himself into the spotlight.

Katou and Iwaki--or more likely, just Iwaki--had apparently chosen to take Asano at his word. However, Yoshizumi didn't see any harm in keeping an eye on Asano and making sure that the ambitious young actor didn't step out of line again. It wasn't really his place to punish Asano for (possibly) taking advantage of Iwaki's good nature, and he didn't really care if Asano would rather scheme his way to stardom than work for it, but he would not allow Asano to adversely affect their current film with any of his machinations.

The irony of it was that Asano didn't really need to be doing any scheming: he had plenty of talent, and would likely achieve success with his own efforts if he was willing to work hard and pay his dues. Young actors these days were so impatient--they wanted everything now--but perhaps they weren't entirely to blame. The industry mass-marketed celebrities like they were fast food, to be consumed and then discarded an instant later: a pretty young idol, male or female, would be replaced by another, nearly identical copy as soon as the novelty had worn off. Only a very few went on to have a long-lasting career. In some ways, Yoshizumi was glad that he wasn't caught up in that game; he might not have the fame and adulation that Iwaki and Katou had, but there was always steady work for a good character actor in the supporting roles. Besides, that fame was a double-edged sword as Iwaki and Katou and Kikuchi could all testify to.

As for Kikuchi and Onozuka, the sheer force of their personalities seemed to attract the attention that Asano so craved, which might be why he was so obsessed with them, speculating about whether they were "doing it" or not, and trying to catch them in a compromising position. He wasn't alone in that obsession, though--most of the crew and extras were also debating the issue, and it was rumored that the production assistants were actually betting money on it.

Despite what Yoshizumi had told Asano about not believing in the obvious, he was ninety-five percent certain that they were sleeping with each other. It wasn't just the blatant flirting--in fact, it was that very blatancy that kept people from fully believing the rumors, since they figured that Kikuchi and Onozuka would be more discreet if they really were having an affair.

But there was a sense of electricity in the air whenever the two were in the same room together, an aura of sexual tension, as if they could barely manage to keep their hands off each other. Kikuchi showed a convincing tenderness in his scenes with Asami, but as Asami liked to say, his scenes with Onozuka had "a little extra sizzle." The only reason that Yoshizumi was keeping that remaining five percent in reserve was because they were both good actors, and Onozuka in particular seemed to be calculating and mischievous enough to fake a romance in order to get attention and make people wonder, "Are they or aren't they?"

Personally, Yoshizumi would still have put his money on "are."

He enjoyed his work, too, although his role as Jun, the protective older brother, was not nearly as challenging as that of the love interest or the murderer. Still, even this smaller supporting role was well-written, and he enjoyed interacting with his talented coworkers--mainly Kikuchi and Onozuka, since Yoshizumi's character didn't share any scenes with Asami's or Asano's. But he was interested enough to come and watch Asano's scenes being filmed even though he wasn't required to be on the set.

***

"Yoshizumi-san!" Asano exclaimed in surprise as Yoshizumi walked into the dressing room. "I didn't expect to see you here so early. I thought your scenes weren't being filmed until this afternoon."

"That's right," Yoshizumi said cheerfully. "But today is your big murder scene, so I thought I'd come and watch it."

Asano smiled, looking flattered but puzzled. "Do you always come and watch scenes that you aren't in?"

"It depends on the script and the actors," Yoshizumi replied frankly. "Of course we don't always get to pick and choose what we work on, but I try to take on projects that interest me personally. I really think that this is a great script, and I'm excited to see it come to life, even the parts that I'm not in. And I'm happy to be working with such a stellar cast--I thought you did a great job with the earlier scene in the flower shop, and I'm looking forward to seeing you fully unleash Akio's dark side."

In the script, Midori worked part-time at a flower shop, and Akio was a customer who had fallen in love with her and become an obsessed stalker. However, he was so outwardly polite and pleasant that Midori and her fellow employees were completely unaware of his obsession. In a scene filmed earlier at the shop, Asano had played his character with a charming sense of innocence and sweetness that was just slightly "off"--a subtle veiled intensity, a hint of ironic humor in his words. The audience probably wouldn't be able to put their fingers on exactly what bothered them, but they would pick up on the cue that there was something sinister about Akio. Yoshizumi was impressed by that subtlety, and he wished that Asano could appreciate his own talents more and accept the challenge of the role, rather than just yearn after the glamor of the spotlight.

Asano's smile grew wider, and he preened just a bit. Yoshizumi should probably just have let him enjoy the moment, but he couldn't resist needling his young colleague by adding, "And of course I look forward to seeing Kikuchi-san and Onozuka-kun's love scenes, since they have such excellent chemistry together."

Ah, Asano was so easy to provoke! A scowl instantly replaced the smile on his face, and he muttered sullenly, "It's a little too realistic, if you ask me."

"Well, it doesn't really matter to me whether their chemistry is real or fake, as long as it results in a good movie," Yoshizumi replied cheerfully. "Although I hear that some of the crew are taking wagers on it. Maybe you should get in on the office pool, Asano-kun--you might be able to earn a little extra cash!"

"Pursuing a career in acting is enough of a gamble as it is," Asano said sourly. "I don't gamble with my money as well."

"But it's a sure thing, isn't it?" Yoshizumi teased. "You seem pretty convinced that Kikuchi-san and Onozuka-kun are 'doing it.'"

"I am, but there's no way to prove it unless they go public or the tabloids catch them in the act," Asano retorted.

Before Yoshizumi could reply, there was a knock at the door and a voice called out, "Asano-san, the director is ready to begin shooting."

"I'm coming," Asano called back, then nodded at Yoshizumi politely. "We'll have to continue our conversation some other time, Yoshizumi-san."

Yoshizumi smiled and nodded back, then followed him out to the set. Kitamura was also a little surprised to see him, but approved of his interest and allowed him to watch from the sidelines, along with Kikuchi, who was scheduled to be in the next scene.

"You're truly dedicated to your craft, Yoshizumi-kun," Kikuchi said with a grin, then fell silent as filming began.

***

Asami-as-Midori had just returned home from the shop and was beginning to prepare dinner when the doorbell rang. She peered through the peephole and asked in a puzzled voice, "Matsumoto-san? What are you doing here?"

"I'm so sorry to disturb you at home, Takahashi-san," Asano-as-Akio replied in an earnest, anxious voice. "But there was an emergency at the shop..."

"Oh no!" Midori cried, opening the door. "What happened? Is everyone all right?"

Akio stepped through the door and closed it behind him. "Oh, don't worry, everyone is just fine," he replied casually, his earnest look melting into a more sinister smile.

Midori began backing away from him nervously. Her eyes darted towards the door, but Akio was standing between it and her. "I...I don't understand," she stammered. "What are you doing here, then?"

"I'm here to make a proposal," Akio said, reaching into his coat pocket and pulling out a small jewelry box. He opened it, revealing a diamond engagement ring.

Midori took another step back, her eyes shifting towards the phone for a moment, before they returned to focus on Akio's face. She attempted a pleasant smile that couldn't quite hide the fear in her eyes, and she said in a voice that trembled slightly, "You said earlier at the shop that you were planning to propose to your girlfriend today. Everyone always says what a nice young man you are, to buy flowers for her every day."

"You're the reason I go to the shop every day, Midori-san," Akio said, a fanatical light gleaming in his eyes. He began moving slowly towards her as she continued backing away from him. "I go there to see you. Today I resolved to tell you how I really feel."

"I'm very flattered, Matsumoto-san," Midori said gently, trying to placate him. "But you know that I'm married. I can't return your feelings."

"To that cop?!" Akio snarled. He spotted a framed wedding photo of Midori and Ryotaro on a shelf, then grabbed it and hurled it down to the floor; Midori flinched at the sound of the breaking glass. "I hear you talking about him with the other women at the shop--I know that he's always leaving you alone while he works late."

"He's a detective, Matsumoto-san," Midori protested. "He can't help it; it's part of his job."

"If he really loved you, he'd quit a job like that and take better care of you!" Akio shouted passionately. "And how good a cop can he be, when he can't even protect his own wife?!" Akio saw that Midori was shaking, tears running down her face, and he softened his voice into a gentler tone. "I wouldn't treat you like that, Midori-san. I would take care of you and cherish every moment that we have together."

"It doesn't matter," Midori said, quietly but firmly, raising her head in a defiant gesture. "I love Ryo. I could never love anyone but him." Akio's head dropped down, and his shoulders seemed to slump in defeat, and Midori relaxed slightly. "Please, Matsumoto-san...I don't want you to get into trouble. If you leave now, I won't tell anyone about this, and there will be no need to bring the police into the matter."

For a moment, it seemed like Akio would obey. He put the ring back into his pocket, but when his hand emerged from his coat, it was holding a knife. "If I can't have you, then no one can," Akio said coldly.

Midori lunged for the phone, but Akio got there first, ripping the cord out of the wall. She tried to run, but Akio grabbed her arm and plunged the knife into her body before she even had time to scream. Midori fell to the floor, as Akio stood over her, still holding the bloody knife.

He stood there stunned for a moment, looking horrified by what he had done, but then he sighed sadly and knelt beside Midori. "It's your fault, Midori-san," he chided gently. "If only you hadn't resisted, we could have been happy together." She gasped, struggling to speak, and a trickle of blood ran out of her mouth. Akio kissed her and rose to his feet, her blood smeared across his mouth like lipstick.

"Goodbye, Midori-san," he whispered, then turned and walked out of the house.

***

"Cut!" Kitamura shouted. "Good work, Asano-kun, Asami-chan. Now let's get ready for the scene where Ryotaro comes home and finds Midori."

"Great job, Asano-kun!" Yoshizumi told the young actor cheerfully as he walked off the set. "You were really creepy!"

"Thanks...I think," Asano replied with a sardonic smile.

Kikuchi chuckled and patted Asano on the shoulder, saying, "Good job, kid. I'm looking forward to our final confrontation scene."

"So that you can kill me?" Asano asked wryly. In the climax of the movie, Akio was supposed to track down Eisuke and attempt to kill him once he learned about the transplant; Ryotaro would come to the rescue (just in the nick of time, of course) and kill Akio in the struggle.

"Hey, it's nothing personal, Asano-kun--just part of the script," Kikuchi said with a rakish grin. "Besides, action scenes are fun!"

"If you say so," Asano muttered dubiously as Kikuchi walked onto the set and got into position. He went off to the dressing room to change and clean off the fake blood, while Yoshizumi remained behind to watch Kikuchi's scene. It was a relatively short one, with Ryotaro arriving home from work to find his dying wife, and Kikuchi was a consummate professional, so they didn't need to shoot many re-takes.

***

"Midori!" Ryotaro/Kikuchi cried, cradling his wife in his arms. "Who did this to you?!"

"R-Ryo," Midori coughed weakly, more blood staining her lips. "I...love you."

"I love you, too," Ryotaro said, his voice breaking and his eyes filling with tears. "Please, hold on a little longer--the ambulance is on its way." Midori's eyes began to flutter shut, and Ryotaro said urgently, "Midori, don't leave me!" Despite his pleas, Midori's eyes closed and she went limp in his arms.

"MIDORI!" Ryotaro screamed.

***

"Cut!" Kitamura said, smiling approvingly. "Excellent job, you two--we're actually a little ahead of schedule. Let's break for lunch, and when we come back, we'll start on the hospital scenes."

Yoshizumi wasn't surprised that Onozuka arrived early and joined them for lunch. He often spent more time on the set than he needed to--as long as Kikuchi was there. Onozuka jokingly explained it away by saying, "Of course I'll show up for a meal if the studio's paying! Also, I wanted to pass these out." He produced a bag filled with bottles of Gigolo perfume and cologne. "Gigolo sent Kikuchi-san, Asami-chan, and me a bunch of free samples, so we thought we'd share these with everyone."

Yoshizumi was a little more surprised when Asano also joined them instead of just going home, since he was done filming for the day.

"Well, Yoshizumi-san came to watch me today, so I thought I'd return the favor," Asano said, looking a little embarrassed. "I figured that if an experienced actor like Yoshizumi-san takes such an interest in the overall film instead of just his own scenes, then maybe I should follow his example."

"You make me sound so noble," Yoshizumi laughed. "It's partly selfish--I enjoy watching the movie slowly take shape and come to life. But I do agree that it's important to view the movie as a whole, because it will suffer if the actors only care about their individual scenes."

"You really mean that, don't you?" Tanabe asked with sincere curiosity, though without much tact. He had been reasonably well-behaved since their initial confrontation, mostly due to the fact that he seemed to be a little scared of Kikuchi. There was still no love lost between Tanabe and Onozuka, but there were no more rude comments, and he had buckled down and was working hard in his role as the young detective--even if it was "only" a supporting role. Yoshizumi hadn't been impressed by his audition, but with a little discipline and guidance, Tanabe might develop into a capable actor.

But that would be the job of Tanabe's manager and the directors that he worked under. Yoshizumi didn't hold a grudge, but he didn't like Tanabe enough to take the young actor under his wing, assuming that Tanabe even wanted his advice, which was doubtful.

"Why wouldn't I mean it?" Yoshizumi replied pleasantly, countering Tanabe's question with one of his own.

"Well..." Tanabe said hesitantly. "I don't mean to be rude, but nobody really goes into the business hoping to be a supporting actor. I mean, aren't we all here because we had dreams of stardom? To be honest, I thought that you were just putting a good face on things, Yoshizumi-san, but you really seem to mean what you say about the movie mattering more than the individual actors."

"I'll admit that I dreamed of becoming a famous movie star like Kikuchi-san," Onozuka said, smiling playfully at Kikuchi.

"I sort of fell into acting, almost by accident," Yoshizumi explained. "My father was a casting director and my mother was a costume designer, so I got dragged along to the set with them a lot. There was a small role for a child in one of the movies my father was working on, and the director said, 'Why don't we just use Naotaka?' I thought it was fun, so my parents let me audition for other roles after that, and I've been acting ever since."

Tanabe frowned in confusion. "It sort of sounds like you're saying that you're okay with playing supporting roles because acting was only a hobby for you, but that can't be right, because you seemed really passionate when you were talking about improving oneself as an actor." He flushed slightly, no doubt recalling his quarrel with Onozuka, which had provoked Yoshizumi's lecture.

Yoshizumi repressed a sigh. He was glad that Tanabe seemed to be making an honest effort to broaden his mind, but the boy just didn't get it, and Yoshizumi was getting a little tired of trying to explain the beauty of acting as a craft to countless shallow young actors who only wanted fame and glory.

Fortunately, Onozuka interceded for him. "I think that what Yoshizumi-san is trying to say is that because he got into acting as a child, he was able to develop a pure love of it, without caring about fame or money," Onozuka said gently, with just the slightest hint of condescension in his voice.

"Onozuka-kun is right," Yoshizumi said quickly, before Tanabe had a chance to take offense. "I had the good fortune to enjoy acting for the sheer pleasure of it, without any additional pressures. When I got older, obviously I had to make a decision about whether to pursue it as a serious career, and I decided to stick with it because I loved it so much. Not just the acting, but the joy of being able to watch the finished product and to know that I had a part, however small, in helping it come together."

The decision hadn't been as easy as he made it sound. One couldn't remain an innocent child forever, and as a young adult, Yoshizumi had struggled with his love of acting versus his growing ambitions, and the knowledge that he might never attain lead actor status. But that was a little too personal to share with this batch of coworkers, although he might have confided in Katou and Iwaki if the subject had ever come up between them.

"I can understand both points of view," Kikuchi said, smiling but looking a little more serious than usual. "Like Tanabe-kun and Onozuka-kun, I had high ambitions when I first entered the business--I was determined to become a star, and refused to consider any other alternative. But after the scandal, I had to start over again from scratch in America. There were times when I thought about giving up, especially after that stupid ninja movie, but I decided that I cared enough about acting to continue with it, whether in lead or supporting roles." He laughed self-deprecatingly and added, "Besides, what the hell else was I gonna do? I'm a little too old to switch careers and become a salaryman at this point in my life. I suppose I could have worked behind the scenes, in directing or management, but I like being in front of the camera too much to give it up."

He glanced at Onozuka, Asano, and Tanabe before continuing, "Just remember, if all you want is to be rich and famous, there are easier ways to go about it. It's better to go to a good college and get a steady job if you just want money--or even just go out to the horse races. The chances of picking a winning ticket are probably just as good, if not better than the chance of a young actor becoming a big star one day. And if you just want to see your name in the papers, well...all you need to do is fuck someone famous and let the tabloids know about it." Tanabe's face turned bright red, as that was obviously a dig at him and his accusations about Onozuka sleeping with Kikuchi to get the part of Eisuke. "Or failing that, to publicly pick a fight with someone famous," Kikuchi continued with a wry laugh, proving that he wasn't above poking fun at himself, too. "But you shouldn't be in acting unless you really love it, because realistically, the chances of success are pretty slim."

Tanabe remained silent, but looked thoughtful, and Onozuka said serenely, "I was still in high school at the time, but I thought it over very seriously before making the decision to become an actor. I decided that it was worth it to me to risk everything and leave my old life behind."

"I know that acting is a risky career," Asano said defiantly. "I can't speak for anyone else, but I wouldn't be here if all I wanted was to play it safe."

Kikuchi's serious demeanor vanished, and he burst into laughter; Asano looked slightly offended. "Ah, the new generation of actors is full of spirit!" he chuckled. "They'll keep us veterans on our toes, eh, Yoshizumi-kun?"

"Ah...yes," Yoshizumi agreed, Kikuchi's comment taking him by surprise. He actually was closer in age to Kikuchi than to Tanabe, Asano, and Onozuka, but most people weren't aware of it unless they had known him as a child actor. His agency knew his true age, of course, but kept quiet about it so that he would still be considered for younger roles. His manager liked to joke that he must have consumed mermaid flesh to remain eternally youthful.

"Veteran?" Asano asked curiously. "How old are you, anyway, Yoshizumi-san? I had assumed that you were around our age, maybe a few years older."

Kikuchi just smirked; he had either taken the time to research Yoshizumi's resume, or more likely, recognized from Yoshizumi's attitude that he was more mature than his more brash and impatient young co-stars.

"It's impolite to ask a gentleman that question, Asano-kun," Yoshizumi said lightly.

"I thought that only applied to a lady," Asano replied dryly.

"I'm just a little shy," Yoshizumi said coyly, and Asano gave him a skeptical look.

"And I'm sure that no one wants to get pegged down and stereotyped because of their age," Onozuka said with a sly smile. "If one has the right look, it's possible to play a wide range of ages, both younger and older."

He seemed to be hoping for a reaction--Katou had cautioned Yoshizumi that Onozuka was a bit of a troublemaker--so Yoshizumi chose not to give him one. "You're absolutely right, Onozuka-kun," Yoshizumi replied calmly.

Onozuka looked disappointed, and Kikuchi flicked a finger against his forehead, gently chiding, "Don't be insolent, Onozuka-kun."

"Ow," Onozuka protested, making a show of rubbing his forehead although Kikuchi hadn't hit him that hard. He gave Kikuchi a look of bewildered innocence and said, "I don't know what you're talking about, Kikuchi-san." He bowed respectfully in Yoshizumi's direction and added, "But I most humbly apologize if I said something to offend you, Yoshizumi-san."

"Not at all, Onozuka-kun," Yoshizumi assured him cheerfully, as Kikuchi snorted with repressed laughter, and Tanabe and Asano scowled at Onozuka jealously. Yoshizumi sighed, not sure whether to feel amused or exasperated--it was like sharing a table with three young children all fighting to get the most attention from their parents. It wasn't a perfect analogy, since the way that Kikuchi smiled at Onozuka was far from fatherly. Still, Tanabe and Asano acted jealous whenever he bestowed attention on their rival, even though Yoshizumi was sure that neither of them was attracted to Kikuchi.

If Kikuchi is the father, does that make me the mommy? Yoshizumi wondered, and the other actors stared at him curiously as he chuckled to himself.

***

After lunch, Kikuchi and Tanabe were scheduled to shoot their scenes in the hospital while Yoshizumi and Onozuka got ready for their scenes. Onozuka's role required a more extensive make-up job to make him look deathly ill, but Yoshizumi only needed to change into his costume and have basic make-up applied. So he still had time to join Asano and watch the scene where Ryotaro was told that his wife had died.

***

Ryotaro and his partner Yamaguchi looked up hopefully when the doctor emerged from the operating room, but the grim look on the doctor's face caused their hope to fade.

"I'm sorry," the doctor said quietly. "We did everything we could, but she had just lost too much blood..."

Ryotaro collapsed into a chair and buried his face in his hands while Yamaguchi patted him on the shoulder, a bit awkwardly. "I'm so sorry, Sempai," the young detective said.

"Takahashi-san," the doctor said gently. "I'm sorry to have to bring up the subject at a time like this, but your wife had a donor card on her..."

"He just lost his wife!" Yamaguchi shouted indignantly. "How can you be so cold as to ask him to give away her organs at a time like this?"

Ryotaro placed a restraining hand on Yamaguchi's arm. "It's okay, Yamaguchi-kun," he said, raising his head to reveal his tear-streaked face. "I know about the card. It was..." His voice cracked with grief, and he just barely managed to finish, "...Midori's wish."

"I know it may seem callous to ask you this while you're still grieving," the doctor said, still speaking in a gentle voice. "But time is of the essence when transplanting organs; they are only viable for a few hours..."

"It just seems so heartless, to talk about cutting up Midori-san's body like a piece of meat," Yamaguchi protested, but once again, Ryotaro stopped him.

"Midori saw a news show on TV, about how there aren't enough organ donors in Japan," he said wearily. "She said that if she could save someone else after she died, then she wanted to be a donor. She wanted us both to get cards, so I went along with it, but..." His voice broke again. "I did it because...well, I'm a cop and the job can be dangerous at times. If anything happened to me, I thought it would comfort her to think that part of me would still be able to live on. I never dreamed that she'd be the one to die first!"

Ryotaro began to weep, and Yamaguchi stared at him helplessly. "There's a young man in this hospital who is suffering from heart disease," the doctor said. "He's only twenty-two, but he's spent most of his life going in and out of hospitals. He's very ill, and he likely won't live out the week without a transplant."

Ryotaro looked up at the doctor and said slowly, "And...Midori could save him?"

"Yes," the doctor replied. "A transplant would not only save him, but give him the opportunity to live a normal life."

The grief was still there, but a little hope had returned to Ryotaro's face. "Then yes," he said firmly. "I want you to go ahead with the transplant."

"I'll need you to sign this form," the doctor said.

"Sempai, are you sure?" Yamaguchi asked anxiously.

"Yes, I am," Ryotaro replied with certainty. "It's what Midori would want."

***

"Wow, that was incredibly moving, Kikuchi-san," Yoshizumi congratulated Kikuchi as he walked off the set. "The only thing that stopped me from breaking down into tears myself was the thought of being scolded for ruining my make-up!"

"Thanks, Yoshizumi-kun!" Kikuchi laughed, his rakish grin making an odd contrast to his tear-stained face. "I look forward to seeing your scene with Onozuka-kun."

"Good job as well, Tanabe-kun," Yoshizumi told the young actor, holding out his hand. Tanabe looked surprised, but after a moment's hesitation, smiled and shook it.

"Thank you, Yoshizumi-san."

Asano also politely congratulated the actors. Tanabe and the actor playing the doctor went off to the dressing rooms to change, but Kikuchi lingered behind to watch the next scene, wiping his face with a towel offered by an assistant.

When Yoshizumi was called onto the set, Asano told him, "Good luck," and actually seemed to mean it.

"Thanks, Asano-kun," Yoshizumi replied, then headed onto the set. He took a moment to clear his mind and forget about the little rivalries going on between his co-stars, replacing Yoshizumi the actor with Jun, the loving older brother of a young man on the verge of death.

***

Jun burst into his brother's hospital room; Eisuke was lying in the bed half-asleep, his face wan and sallow, with dark circles under his eyes.

"Niisan?" Eisuke asked weakly, attempting to sit up, but the effort was clearly too much for him.

"They've found a donor for you!" Jun said excitedly, sitting next to the bed and clasping his brother's hand with both of his own. "A nurse will be here in a few minutes to prep you for surgery."

"That's good," Eisuke said quietly, but he looked troubled.

"What's wrong?" Jun asked in a concerned voice. "Are you scared?" He squeezed his brother's hand reassuringly. "I know that it's major surgery, but the doctors here are the best in the country..."

"That's not it," Eisuke replied. "I mean, I am a little nervous, of course, but that's not what's bothering me."

"What is it, then?" Jun asked with a puzzled frown.

"If there's a heart available, that means someone else had to die, right?" Eisuke asked softly. "There's some other family mourning tonight while we're celebrating."

"Eisuke, it's not your fault," Jun said gently. "It's not like you caused that person to die, and refusing the heart wouldn't bring them back to life." Eisuke still looked troubled, though, and Jun struggled to come up with something to reassure his brother. "This way, at least their death means something. I'm sure that the donor's family finds comfort in the fact that part of their loved one will live on in you, or they wouldn't have consented to the transplant. It's an incredibly kind and generous gesture on the part of the donor and their family, and we should honor their generosity by accepting their gift."

"You think so, Niisan?" Eisuke asked, looking comforted by his brother's words.

"Yes," Jun replied firmly. "The best way to show your gratitude is to be happy and live your life to the fullest, so that the donor's gift isn't wasted."

"Thank you, Niisan," Eisuke said, smiling at his brother with more confidence, and Jun smiled back at him tenderly. The nurse arrived to begin the preparations, and Jun squeezed Eisuke's hand again and promised, "I'll be waiting here for you when you wake up with your new heart."

***

They also filmed Eisuke's operation, and the scene where Eisuke awakened after surgery to find Jun by his side, as promised. It was dark by the time they had finished shooting for the day, but Kitamura was very pleased with the footage that had been shot.

"You did really excellent work," he praised all the actors.

Sato, who had been on the set observing that day, nodded in agreement and said cheerfully, "Let's celebrate with a drink!"

He must have been especially pleased, because he didn't take the actors to the usual pub near the studio, but to a more upscale bar in Shinjuku.

"The movie is getting a lot of attention in the media and on the internet," Sato said happily, revealing the reason behind his good mood. "The fact that Hara Akiha did the Gigolo photo shoot is already stirring up a positive buzz, even though the ads haven't come out yet. One of the shots got leaked on the web and really has people talking--I half suspect that Gigolo leaked it on purpose. But whether it was by design or happy accident doesn't matter as long as the result is positive."

"Is it too much to hope that the movie will become a hit because it's a good story with good acting, and not because of a perfume ad?" Kitamura sighed.

"Just think of it as an attention-getter, Kantoku-san," Sato said soothingly. "If it gets a lot of people curious about the movie, it's a good thing right? Publicity can draw the crowds in at first, but the movie still has to be compelling enough to keep them coming back, or attendance will die down after the first week or two."

"I can't wait to see the finished ads," Kikuchi said with a grin.

"I'm a little nervous about it myself," Onozuka said, blushing slightly. "I'm sort of embarrassed about having billboards showing me half-naked going up all over Tokyo."

"You're so cute when you blush, Onozuka-kun," Kikuchi chuckled, trailing one finger down the younger actor's flushed cheek, which caused Onozuka to turn even redder.

"Oh, please don't tease me, Kikuchi-san!" Onozuka protested, while Asano rolled his eyes in disgust.

Yoshizumi was starting to get annoyed with the pair himself, although he usually found their antics amusing. But the nearly palpable sexual tension in the room was reminding him of just how long it had been since he had last gotten laid. Adding to the frustration was the fact that he was attracted to Kikuchi, but it was obvious that Kikuchi's attention was focused solely on Onozuka.

It wasn't just Kikuchi's good looks--it was easy enough to find a handsome man or a pretty woman at a bar or nightclub, if looks were all that mattered. But Kikuchi had revealed himself to be much more complicated than the bad boy actor image that he projected, and Yoshizumi would have enjoyed the opportunity to peel back the surface layers and see what lay beneath. Not to mention that Kikuchi seemed like he would be a very skilled and enthusiastic lover.

But if Kikuchi and Onozuka really were a couple, Yoshizumi didn't want to stir up trouble by trying to come between them. Besides, Yoshizumi usually avoided sleeping with his coworkers--a lover's quarrel or a messy breakup would bring tension of a different kind to the set, and getting laid wasn't worth jeopardizing the movie over.

Which also removed Asami from the list of potential bed-partners. Yoshizumi was attracted to her for much the same reasons that he was to Kikuchi--he liked the glimpses of the shrewd and clever young woman he saw beneath the ditzy starlet image. They had flirted a bit, and Yoshizumi got the impression that she might not be adverse to any advances that he might make, but Kitamura was extremely protective of Asami. Yoshizumi wasn't sure whether Kitamura was motivated by romantic or brotherly feelings, but either way, an on-the-set fling wasn't worth putting the movie at risk by angering the director.

Tanabe was obviously straight as an arrow, and as for Asano...Yoshizumi wasn't sure what his preferences were. He was cute, but it wouldn't be wise to sleep with someone who wasn't above manipulating people to his own advantage, even though an affair with Yoshizumi wouldn't cause all that much of a scandal, since he wasn't famous enough for the tabloids to care whom he slept with.

Yoshizumi sighed and drained the glass of beer he was drinking. Well, just because none of his coworkers were potential lovers didn't mean that he had to sleep alone tonight. Since they were already in Shinjuku, maybe he would stop by Rusty Nail and see if Kenzaki wanted some company...

"Can I refill your glass, Yoshizumi-san?" Asami asked, interrupting his train of thought.

"Oh...yes, thank you, Asami-chan," Yoshizumi replied. Asami poured more beer into his glass, and Yoshizumi added with a cheerful smile, "You were splendid today, but it's a shame that your character had to be killed off."

"Well, it's not so bad," Asami laughed. "At least I get to come back as a ghost!"

Kikuchi grinned and said, "My dad would complain that a cop's wife wouldn't open the door under such suspicious circumstances. He'd say stuff like, 'How would a customer know where Midori lived, and didn't she wonder why the shop wouldn't just call her if there was an emergency?' No offense to Mizutani-sensei, of course--my father enjoys picking apart all the detective dramas and movies that I star in."

"Perhaps Midori should have been more cautious, but if she hadn't been murdered by Akio, there would be no movie," Kitamura pointed out logically.

"And I'd have no job, so that's a good argument," Kikuchi laughed.

"And I--or rather, Eisuke--wouldn't have gotten the heart transplant and become your lover," Onozuka said coyly.

"And that would be a real shame," Kikuchi purred, taking Onozuka's hand and lifting it to his lips.

"Kikuchi-san!" Onozuka protested, with laughter in his voice. A rosy tint spread across his cheeks, and Yoshizumi wondered how he always managed to blush perfectly on cue. It was a trick that Yoshizumi wouldn't mind learning himself, although he worked mainly in historical dramas, where there usually wasn't much call for a blushing samurai.

Kikuchi and Onozuka continued to flirt in a playful manner that made Asami and Sato laugh, although Tanabe looked uncomfortable and Asano regarded them sourly. Kitamura merely gazed at them with an air of patient amusement. Yoshizumi sighed again; it was almost like being around Katou and Iwaki, but not quite as nauseating. At least Yoshizumi didn't have to listen to them having sex in the next room, although that made Yoshizumi think that they'd probably secretly get together after leaving the bar, which again reminded him of his own frustration.

He stole a glance at his watch, wondering how long the others would keep drinking, and how long it would be before he could politely excuse himself.

Part 2, Part 3

Comments

[portisheart.livejournal.com]

If Kikuchi is the father, does that make me the mommy?
an interesting thought, crossdressing Yoshizumi XD
they did this in okane ga nai..
so Yoshizumi is gay too, or bi!! i love yaoi, they all turn/are gay! *ROFLMAO*
this episode's cool too, 2 fics in one (HWD+thre movie) ^^
the movie part is really well done, and pretty long.

[geri-chan.livejournal.com]

Generally, I try to avoid "everyone is gay" syndrome, but it is just so much fun pairing up all the Haru guys! ^_^ Glad you liked the chapter!

[nursedarry.livejournal.com]

How much do I want to see Yoshizumi and Asano get together???? But I suspect I may be disappointed...

Damn, I need a Aizawa icon.