[KinKi AU] Butai verse, scene 8
Almost three years after the latest chapter, I'm picking up this AU again. ^_^0
All previous chapters have been revised in an effort to make them a little more realistic and aligned with current plot progression. They may be re-revised in the future, seeing as I haven't fully developed the rest of the story. =P Also, I'm bad with prolonged angst and thus trying to lighten up the feel of the whole fic in the revised version.
Special thanks to jandeth who's been extremely helpful in fleshing out the background details, theatre-related or otherwise, and generally being the motivation for me to move the chapters along. =D Any failure to reflect the proper story setting in the writing remains solely my fault.
Disclaimer: This is fictional.
Pairing: As-yet inconclusive KinKi, Tsuyoshi/Okada
Genre: AU, drama, angst
Rating: G so far, may be PG later
Summary: Tsuyoshi joined the musical directed by Kouichi, with questionable motivation and a defensively guarded past.
Continued from: First | Second | Third | Fourth | Fifth | Sixth | Seventh
-- You Too, I Believe? --
"Junichi-kun, is it?"
Junichi's long strides halted. He turned, readying his camera face for this... reporter? Fan? "...Sawaki-san."
Sawaki approached, a mild crease on his forehead. His eyes flickered to the general direction of the theatre backstage, which Junichi had just left. "It's been a while, hasn't it?"
Junichi managed a smile. "Long time no see, Sawaki-san."
"Did you come to watch Tsuyoshi?"
A longtime cautiousness kicked into automatic gear, and Junichi evaded the question. "He's doing well, I see."
"He is," Sawaki agreed, but his gaze was searching. "You too, I believe?"
Junichi muttered a polite response. "Are you about to see Tsuyoshi-kun at the back? I shouldn't keep you."
"Oh, that's all right," Sawaki said. "I've actually been thinking of contacting you. Now that Tsuyoshi is moving into acting, would you be interested in a reunion of sorts? Not to perform gags, of course. Maybe a cross-interview, or a guest appearance together somewhere..."
Junichi took a hitched breath. Did Sawaki not know how Tsuyoshi felt about all this? Junichi had definitely found out the hard way from their reunion just now. "I don't think it's a good idea, really."
Sawaki glanced briefly at the backstage. "Did it not go well?"
He seemed to have forgotten that Junichi wasn't his charge anymore, that he was no longer entitled to ask such direct questions about Junichi's relationship with his ex-partner. Junichi replied, a tad coldly, "I just think exposing our past career might be more of a distraction to him, at this point of time."
Sawaki conceded. "Distraction, yes. You may be right."
He looked thoughtful for a moment, and Junichi's irritation dissipated. Sawaki had always been rather aggressive in promoting them in the past. He probably thought both of them could benefit from a wider exposure to each other's audience, not knowing the circumstances around their split, the uneasy not-quite-truce unfit for the public eye.
Sawaki began again, "I wonder if you can tell me--"
At that moment a journalist who'd been waiting for the break in their conversation approached, her cameraman in tow. "Okada-san?"
Junichi turned to her, discreetly relieved. "Yes?"
"Pardon my rudeness. We're from Zoom In. May I request a short interview with you, on your thoughts after watching the musical?"
Junichi summoned an apologetic look towards Sawaki. "Sawaki-san, perhaps another time...?"
Sawaki waved with a smile. "Oh, sure."
But he stayed where he was, watching. Junichi tried to ignore him and concentrate on the interview. He played safe, talking about the recommendation from a co-actress who was a fan of the director Doumoto Kouichi, about the senior actors in the show whose works he'd always admired, and none about any specific member of the cast he'd previously worked with.
When the journalist finally thanked him for his time and left, he glanced around, but Sawaki was gone.
--
"I really appreciate your coming, Shimura-san."
Shimura Ken chucked good-humouredly. "Drop the formalities already, Kouichi-kun. Has it been too long since you last came on my show? We should rectify that once your musical is over."
"I'll be honoured to," Kouichi said.
"We should also go for a meal one of these days. I haven't thanked you properly for taking care of our Tsuyoshi-kun."
"Ah, it's no trouble at all," Kouichi said, his tone faltering as his mind was distracted by the mention. Doumoto Tsuyoshi remained an intriguing subject to him. "I should thank you for recommending someone to fill the position."
"Does his performance fulfill your expectations?" Shimura asked, eyes twinkling. "You can be frank with me."
"It does, in fact," Kouichi said, then paused to consider his next words. "His talents seem... unusual, but he's been helpful to the show."
"Good to hear, then."
Shimura was watching him keenly, as if measuring the truth of his words. Kouichi suddenly felt tempted to ask about Tsuyoshi's background, but decided it would hardly be appropriate.
At that point Machida and Yonehana peered into the dressing room where they were seated.
"Kouichi-kun, we're going for a few drinks later," Machida said, after greetings were exchanged. "Would you like to join us?" He was unsure if he should extend the invitation to Shimura, and so he just extended his sorta-puppy-eyed look to him, to interpret as he liked.
The next day was an off day for the show, but at the moment Kouichi was looking forward to none but the comfort of his bed. He offered an apologetic smile towards Machida's brimming hopefulness. "Maybe not tonight, Machida-kun. You guys go ahead without me."
Shimura sounded his disapproval, coupled with a smack on Kouichi's upper arm. "Kouichi-kun! You should go out more often. Meet people outside work. Talk about things other than your work."
"Uh, it's been a long day..." Kouichi tried.
"Well, it can't be helped, then," Machida said quickly, rather downcast yet eager to save their leader from Shimura.
Yonehana watched with mild amusement, until his attention shifted to other figures walking along the corridor. "Hey, Tsuyoshi-kun."
Tsuyoshi turned from a hushed conversation with Sawaki beside him, and approached to acknowledge his fellow dancers with a brief squeeze on their arms.
"Ken-san," both greeted their agency president.
"Oh, good timing," Shimura said, smiling and standing up to clasp Tsuyoshi's shoulder with easy familiarity. "I was about to go and find you after a chat with your director here. Everything going well?"
"Yes," Tsuyoshi replied, managing a smile. "I learnt a lot from everyone."
But Shimura read something less jovial in the tension of his shoulders, in the unhealthy colour around his eyes now that the stage makeup had been washed off. He threw a quick glance at Sawaki, whose lips thinned into a line when he caught his look.
Machida inadvertently rescued the situation from falling into an awkward silence by asking, "So, Tsuyoshi-kun, do you want to come with us for some drinks? Yaracchi should be done with his discussion soon, and then we can go."
Tsuyoshi mentally fumbled for a while. "Eh... I, uh, I don't drink."
"You don't?" Machida repeated, surprised.
"You can still come for the yakiniku," Yonehana said. "I don't think Yara will be drinking much either."
"Thanks, but I'd better go home and rest," Tsuyoshi said, apologetic but trying to sound final. He was already exhausted maintaining a calm front before Sawaki, who'd been trying to extract the story of Junichi's visit.
Shimura took his arm off Tsuyoshi with a sigh. He was a much more experienced actor, and no one quite suspected the real reason behind that sigh when he followed it up with a bright snicker and a finger towards Kouichi. "You two are no fun! Let me tell you, you don't get to use the excuse of going home early until you're my age."
"That's what we've been trying to tell him," Yonehana agreed.
Tsuyoshi looked puzzled at suddenly being lumped together with Kouichi, not knowing what had transpired before he arrived. The director was wearing a sheepish smile, something that looked to Tsuyoshi a little out of place on his normally stoic face. Shimura did have that sort of effect on people, he surmised.
"Um, sorry?" he tried, and then realized that the word had come out simultaneously in both his voice and Kouichi's. Their glances met briefly, but were soon averted to join the others in laughter at the coincidence.
A new twinkle entered Shimura's worried gaze, and his cheerfulness was less of an act when he said goodbye to the cast and left with Sawaki. He had feared it a bad decision to push Tsuyoshi into a world he hadn't cared much about, but that world and its guileless director might yet prove the necessary catalyst to bring out what lied beneath those layers of diffidence -- and that might just work both ways.
---
All previous chapters have been revised in an effort to make them a little more realistic and aligned with current plot progression. They may be re-revised in the future, seeing as I haven't fully developed the rest of the story. =P Also, I'm bad with prolonged angst and thus trying to lighten up the feel of the whole fic in the revised version.
Special thanks to jandeth who's been extremely helpful in fleshing out the background details, theatre-related or otherwise, and generally being the motivation for me to move the chapters along. =D Any failure to reflect the proper story setting in the writing remains solely my fault.
Disclaimer: This is fictional.
Pairing: As-yet inconclusive KinKi, Tsuyoshi/Okada
Genre: AU, drama, angst
Rating: G so far, may be PG later
Summary: Tsuyoshi joined the musical directed by Kouichi, with questionable motivation and a defensively guarded past.
Continued from: First | Second | Third | Fourth | Fifth | Sixth | Seventh
-- You Too, I Believe? --
"Junichi-kun, is it?"
Junichi's long strides halted. He turned, readying his camera face for this... reporter? Fan? "...Sawaki-san."
Sawaki approached, a mild crease on his forehead. His eyes flickered to the general direction of the theatre backstage, which Junichi had just left. "It's been a while, hasn't it?"
Junichi managed a smile. "Long time no see, Sawaki-san."
"Did you come to watch Tsuyoshi?"
A longtime cautiousness kicked into automatic gear, and Junichi evaded the question. "He's doing well, I see."
"He is," Sawaki agreed, but his gaze was searching. "You too, I believe?"
Junichi muttered a polite response. "Are you about to see Tsuyoshi-kun at the back? I shouldn't keep you."
"Oh, that's all right," Sawaki said. "I've actually been thinking of contacting you. Now that Tsuyoshi is moving into acting, would you be interested in a reunion of sorts? Not to perform gags, of course. Maybe a cross-interview, or a guest appearance together somewhere..."
Junichi took a hitched breath. Did Sawaki not know how Tsuyoshi felt about all this? Junichi had definitely found out the hard way from their reunion just now. "I don't think it's a good idea, really."
Sawaki glanced briefly at the backstage. "Did it not go well?"
He seemed to have forgotten that Junichi wasn't his charge anymore, that he was no longer entitled to ask such direct questions about Junichi's relationship with his ex-partner. Junichi replied, a tad coldly, "I just think exposing our past career might be more of a distraction to him, at this point of time."
Sawaki conceded. "Distraction, yes. You may be right."
He looked thoughtful for a moment, and Junichi's irritation dissipated. Sawaki had always been rather aggressive in promoting them in the past. He probably thought both of them could benefit from a wider exposure to each other's audience, not knowing the circumstances around their split, the uneasy not-quite-truce unfit for the public eye.
Sawaki began again, "I wonder if you can tell me--"
At that moment a journalist who'd been waiting for the break in their conversation approached, her cameraman in tow. "Okada-san?"
Junichi turned to her, discreetly relieved. "Yes?"
"Pardon my rudeness. We're from Zoom In. May I request a short interview with you, on your thoughts after watching the musical?"
Junichi summoned an apologetic look towards Sawaki. "Sawaki-san, perhaps another time...?"
Sawaki waved with a smile. "Oh, sure."
But he stayed where he was, watching. Junichi tried to ignore him and concentrate on the interview. He played safe, talking about the recommendation from a co-actress who was a fan of the director Doumoto Kouichi, about the senior actors in the show whose works he'd always admired, and none about any specific member of the cast he'd previously worked with.
When the journalist finally thanked him for his time and left, he glanced around, but Sawaki was gone.
--
"I really appreciate your coming, Shimura-san."
Shimura Ken chucked good-humouredly. "Drop the formalities already, Kouichi-kun. Has it been too long since you last came on my show? We should rectify that once your musical is over."
"I'll be honoured to," Kouichi said.
"We should also go for a meal one of these days. I haven't thanked you properly for taking care of our Tsuyoshi-kun."
"Ah, it's no trouble at all," Kouichi said, his tone faltering as his mind was distracted by the mention. Doumoto Tsuyoshi remained an intriguing subject to him. "I should thank you for recommending someone to fill the position."
"Does his performance fulfill your expectations?" Shimura asked, eyes twinkling. "You can be frank with me."
"It does, in fact," Kouichi said, then paused to consider his next words. "His talents seem... unusual, but he's been helpful to the show."
"Good to hear, then."
Shimura was watching him keenly, as if measuring the truth of his words. Kouichi suddenly felt tempted to ask about Tsuyoshi's background, but decided it would hardly be appropriate.
At that point Machida and Yonehana peered into the dressing room where they were seated.
"Kouichi-kun, we're going for a few drinks later," Machida said, after greetings were exchanged. "Would you like to join us?" He was unsure if he should extend the invitation to Shimura, and so he just extended his sorta-puppy-eyed look to him, to interpret as he liked.
The next day was an off day for the show, but at the moment Kouichi was looking forward to none but the comfort of his bed. He offered an apologetic smile towards Machida's brimming hopefulness. "Maybe not tonight, Machida-kun. You guys go ahead without me."
Shimura sounded his disapproval, coupled with a smack on Kouichi's upper arm. "Kouichi-kun! You should go out more often. Meet people outside work. Talk about things other than your work."
"Uh, it's been a long day..." Kouichi tried.
"Well, it can't be helped, then," Machida said quickly, rather downcast yet eager to save their leader from Shimura.
Yonehana watched with mild amusement, until his attention shifted to other figures walking along the corridor. "Hey, Tsuyoshi-kun."
Tsuyoshi turned from a hushed conversation with Sawaki beside him, and approached to acknowledge his fellow dancers with a brief squeeze on their arms.
"Ken-san," both greeted their agency president.
"Oh, good timing," Shimura said, smiling and standing up to clasp Tsuyoshi's shoulder with easy familiarity. "I was about to go and find you after a chat with your director here. Everything going well?"
"Yes," Tsuyoshi replied, managing a smile. "I learnt a lot from everyone."
But Shimura read something less jovial in the tension of his shoulders, in the unhealthy colour around his eyes now that the stage makeup had been washed off. He threw a quick glance at Sawaki, whose lips thinned into a line when he caught his look.
Machida inadvertently rescued the situation from falling into an awkward silence by asking, "So, Tsuyoshi-kun, do you want to come with us for some drinks? Yaracchi should be done with his discussion soon, and then we can go."
Tsuyoshi mentally fumbled for a while. "Eh... I, uh, I don't drink."
"You don't?" Machida repeated, surprised.
"You can still come for the yakiniku," Yonehana said. "I don't think Yara will be drinking much either."
"Thanks, but I'd better go home and rest," Tsuyoshi said, apologetic but trying to sound final. He was already exhausted maintaining a calm front before Sawaki, who'd been trying to extract the story of Junichi's visit.
Shimura took his arm off Tsuyoshi with a sigh. He was a much more experienced actor, and no one quite suspected the real reason behind that sigh when he followed it up with a bright snicker and a finger towards Kouichi. "You two are no fun! Let me tell you, you don't get to use the excuse of going home early until you're my age."
"That's what we've been trying to tell him," Yonehana agreed.
Tsuyoshi looked puzzled at suddenly being lumped together with Kouichi, not knowing what had transpired before he arrived. The director was wearing a sheepish smile, something that looked to Tsuyoshi a little out of place on his normally stoic face. Shimura did have that sort of effect on people, he surmised.
"Um, sorry?" he tried, and then realized that the word had come out simultaneously in both his voice and Kouichi's. Their glances met briefly, but were soon averted to join the others in laughter at the coincidence.
A new twinkle entered Shimura's worried gaze, and his cheerfulness was less of an act when he said goodbye to the cast and left with Sawaki. He had feared it a bad decision to push Tsuyoshi into a world he hadn't cared much about, but that world and its guileless director might yet prove the necessary catalyst to bring out what lied beneath those layers of diffidence -- and that might just work both ways.
---