A few hours later
Beach
1
Character icon
Crew Member

That's everything for today's shoot!

We'll be starting tomorrow morning around seven, so I'll see you all bright and early!

2
Character icon
Rui

Thank you.

3
Character icon
Nene

Phew...

We somehow managed to get through the second half of the day.

4
Character icon
Rin

<Nice work, you guys!

Your beach shoot went so well☆>

5
Character icon
Rui

Yes, and Bakuno did an excellent job of switching gears. Mr. Ohara sounded very happy about what we took.

6
Character icon
Tsukasa

Yes, he did!

A lot of the scenes we covered today involved complex sets of emotions, but he just kept on being an amazing actor.

7
Character icon
Emu

Yeah, Bakuno was so good!

I love how he's able to jump between completely unrelated scenes like it's no problem!

8
Character icon
Nene

But we still have to keep doing our best tomorrow.

9
Character icon
Nene

Not only do we have an early start, but we're doing that one scene again in the afternoon...

10
Character icon
Rin

<You mean the climax scene you did during the day?>

11
Character icon
Rin

<That looked really hard.

I sure hope things go better tomorrow...>

12
Character icon
Rui

Me too...

13
Character icon
Reki

...

14
Character icon
Tsukasa

Oh...

There's Bakuno right on cue.

15
Character icon
Reki

Oh, hello...

Nice work today, everyone.

16
Character icon
Rui

We should be the ones telling you that. You had quite a long day. How are you feeling?

17
Character icon
Reki

Oh, I'm actually okay.

My usual rehearsals run from morning until evening anyway.

18
Character icon
Reki

Still...

Adapting to a new situation isn't easy.

19
Character icon
Nene

Bakuno...

20
Character icon
Rui

How about we go somewhere to take your mind off things? We haven't had dinner yet, so if you'd like to join us...

21
Character icon
Emu

Oh, Rui, nice idea!

22
Character icon
Emu

I read that the roast beef at the hotel we're staying at is supposed to be super yummy! I've really been looking forward to trying it♪

23
Character icon
Reki

Oh, that sounds nice!

24
Character icon
Reki

Unfortunately...

I'll have to pass.

25
Character icon
Reki

I still need to figure out what to do for tomorrow.

26
Character icon
Nene

Oh...

27
Character icon
Reki

I hope you all have a nice dinner.

You can tell me all about it tomorrow.

28
Character icon
Reki

Anyway, I'll be going now.

Have a nice evening, everyone.

29
Character icon
Emu

There he goes.

30
Character icon
Nene

I guess he's worried about that scene.

31
Character icon
Tsukasa

I'd rather he didn't beat himself up over it...

32
Character icon
Rui

(I've given that scene some thought since then, but I'm struggling to come up with an answer.)

33
Character icon
Rui

(Even after talking with Mr. Ohara about changing camera angles or reworking certain shots, nothing really stood out.)

34
Character icon
Rui

(What are we missing? What are we not see—)

35
Character icon
Crew Member

Are you not having dinner, sir?

36
Character icon
Ohara

No, I'm okay.

I need to start editing that scene right now, so don't call me unless it's an emergency.

37
Character icon
Emu

He isn't having dinner because of that scene...

38
Character icon
Rui

Sorry, everyone.

I need to go as well.

39
Character icon
Nene

Huh...?

40
Character icon
Emu

R-Rui?!

Several dozen minutes later
Work Area
41
Character icon
Ohara

Hmm...

42
Character icon
Ohara

I've tried switching things around, but the shots we've been using don't seem to be the issue.

43
Character icon
Rui

Right... It seems that the feel of this scene remains the same regardless of which ones we use.

44
Character icon
Ohara

Exactly.

Plus, I'd like to avoid fixing anything in this scene that doesn't actually need fixing...

45
Character icon
Rui

I agree.

46
Character icon
Rui

The characters in this scene undergo some big changes emotionally, so it seems best to keep things simple and let the focus be on the actors' performances.

47
Character icon
Ohara

Hey, you're really starting to get the hang of things.

48
Character icon
Ohara

Anyway, you should go.

We have to get started early tomorrow, so head back to the hotel and eat some—

49
Character icon
???

Oh, look at you working in another cramped little setup.

50
Character icon
Rui

Huh...?

51
Character icon
???

Doing another low-budget film?

What is it with you and those, Tomomi?

52
Character icon
Ohara

Hey, this isn't my choice!

Also, what are you doing here?! How did you find out where I was?!

53
Character icon
???

Your crew tipped us off.

I was in the neighborhood, so I decided to pay you a visit.

54
Character icon
Rui

(Are they friends or something...?

They seem to know each other pretty well...)

55
Character icon
Ohara

Oh, Kamishiro, let me introduce you.

This is my friend from my university days that I just can't seem to get rid of.

56
Character icon
Rui

I see.

57
Character icon
Rui

It's nice to meet you.

My name is Rui Kamishiro. I'm working as Mr. Ohara's assistant.

58
Character icon
Ohara

One thing led to another and I ended up taking him on. He's also a theatre director.

59
Character icon
???

Hey, that's pretty cool considering how young you are.

60
Character icon
Rui

(Wait... “Also”?)

61
Character icon
Rui

(Is he also a theatre director...?)

62
Character icon
???

Hey, is this the film you're working on?

Looks like another snooze fest.

63
Character icon
Ohara

Shut up.

And quit touching my stuff.

64
Character icon
Katsuyuki

“H-How can you say that...?

You show up out of nowhere, mess with my feelings and...”

65
Character icon
Katsuyuki

“The truth is, I don't care about what's really going on with you... I just...!”

66
Character icon
???

Hey, is that Reki Bakuno?

That's a nice catch. Won't this be his first film?

67
Character icon
Ohara

Hey, don't start playing it...

68
Character icon
Rui

(He's rather assertive.)

69
Character icon
Rui

(But I suppose it only makes sense that Mr. Ohara's friend would have a similar personality.)

70
Character icon
Hajime

“I'm sorry.”

71
Character icon
Katsuyuki

“Hajime, wait!”

72
Character icon
Rui

(Huh?)

73
Character icon
Katsuyuki

“...

I'm guessing that's not even your real name.”

74
Character icon
Katsuyuki

“I still don't know anything about you.”

75
Character icon
Katsuyuki

“Absolutely nothing...”

76
Character icon
???

...

77
Character icon
Rui

(What happened there?

His expression suddenly changed...)

78
Character icon
???

So, is this scene all finished?

79
Character icon
Ohara

No, not yet.

It's still bugging me a lot.

80
Character icon
Ohara

I thought it had something to do with Bakuno's acting at first, but doing more takes didn't make the problem go away. I'm starting to think that it's the cinematography that needs fixing...

81
Character icon
???

Hmm...

82
Character icon
???

Yeah, I can see why.

You'd never let anything like this see the light of day, Tomomi.

83
Character icon
Rui

...

84
Character icon
Ohara

How many times do I have to tell you to not call me by my first name?

85
Character icon
Ohara

Anyway, how would you fix this...?

86
Character icon
???

Hmm... Well...

If it were up to me...

87
Character icon
???

I'd try to rethink this scene with Reki Bakuno in mind.

88
Character icon
Rui

(Rethink it...with him in mind?)

89
Character icon
Ohara

What? The film itself wouldn't exist in the first place without Bakuno. Right from day one, we...

90
Character icon
Ohara

No, wait.

What if I—

91
Character icon
???

Alright, there's no need to panic.

I was just giving you my two cents.

92
Character icon
???

I mean, Tomomi, this is one of your films we're talking about. I'm sure it's gonna be fine in the end.

93
Character icon
Ohara

Empty reassurances as usual...

94
Character icon
???

Anyway, I've got an after-party to attend. I'll drop in some other time.

95
Character icon
Ohara

Wait, hey!

Let me know you're coming next time!

96
Character icon
Rui

“Rethink it with him in mind”...?

97
Character icon
Rui

(But Mr. Ohara said himself that the film wouldn't exist without Bakuno, and that he specifically wanted him to play the protagonist.)

98
Character icon
Rui

(Which means it's been created with him in mind right since the planning stage...)

99
Character icon
Rui

(But that expression...

He must've seen something...)

100
Character icon
Rui

(Something that we're still missing.)

Next Chapter: The Final Day