Chapter 30: Male Lead A
At 7:30 AM, the phone placed by the bedside rang punctually. The system's default alarm sounded like a flock of chirping birds, jolting Teppei Nishikawa awake from a deep sleep.
He reflexively turned off the alarm, got up to freshen up, and then sat on the other side of his studio apartment, silently and quickly finishing off a piece of bread and some milk. After carefully selecting his outfit, he ultimately chose a high-collared blue suit, even though wearing it made him feel slightly stifled.
Closing the door to his rental unit, Teppei stepped into the streets of Tokyo with hurried footsteps.
Today was a significant day for him—his manager had managed to snag him an audition for the male lead in Gotanda's new film. For the sake of his future and to honor his manager's hard work, he had to give his absolute best to secure this role.
As it was the tail end of summer, there were signs of the weather cooling down, but overall, the temperature remained a bit high, especially in massive crowds. Tokyo's morning rush hour was nothing short of hell. One had to successfully squeeze into the subway entrance past hulking strangers and then continue to fight for breathing room against a cabin full of sweaty bodies. After an hour or two of this struggle, one could finally escape this human-packed nightmare.
By the time Teppei arrived at the audition site, Hikaru Hoshino had also just arrived, driving his own car. Compared to Teppei, who looked disheveled after being squeezed out of the subway, Hikaru appeared incredibly polished and glamorous. With a Pocky stick dangling from his mouth and reflective black sunglasses shielding his eyes, he sauntered into the studio with his hands behind his back like a leisurely nobleman.
Teppei recognized him as Hikari, the musician who had recently appeared on a talk show, and couldn't help but envy his relaxed lifestyle.
*Still, he seems a bit different from how he acted on the show,* Teppei thought.
Entering the studio, he saw five or six male actors—all there to audition for the film's male lead. Rumor had it that all other roles were cast; only the leading man remained elusive. Once the lead was found, filming could begin immediately.
The director, Taishi Gotanda, was currently speaking with the newly arrived Hikaru.
"You go give it a try later, too." Gotanda glared at Hikaru. "And first of all, take those sunglasses off. What is that look? What if Aqua sees you and picks up bad habits?"
Hikaru obediently removed his sunglasses. "I told you already, I can't play this role. You might have some misunderstanding about me. I'm not Kamiki; he was the legitimate actor. Right now, I'm just a singer."
"Asking me to act is like asking a layman to herd cattle—you won't know who's herding whom by the end."
"Aqua is already set to play the lead as a child, and then you come in to play the adult version. Isn't that perfect?"
"Big brother," Hikaru's face twisted into a mask of pain. "That's exactly where the problem lies."
"I'm trying my hardest to bury my connection to him, and here you are, trying to slap that connection right into the audience's faces."
"Not to mention one of the female leads is Ai. Once this movie comes out and three 'Hoshinos' are lined up neatly in the credits, we might as well just rename the film *The Hoshino Family*."
"Hmm, I suppose I overlooked that," Gotanda muttered, stroking his chin.
"In short, it's impossible for me to play the lead. Give up on that idea."
Gotanda suddenly said, "But I still want to see your performance. Why don't you just try? It's just one scene; it won't kill you."
Hikaru couldn't win the argument and eventually gave in with a sigh.
The script for this segment had been distributed beforehand, and most had already memorized their lines by heart. Soon, most people were asked to wait outside, leaving only the director and the actor auditioning alone inside.
Teppei nervously clutched his script. The sweat from his palms nearly soaked the paper through. Even though the lines were etched into the depths of his mind, his heart couldn't help but race now that it was actually time to perform.
Noticing this, Hikaru approached and asked curiously, "Wearing a high-collared suit in this weather... aren't you hot?"
Teppei instinctively replied, "A little."
He realized it was Hikaru speaking to him and felt that this blonde man was a bit too familiar with strangers.
Finding no purchase for conversation, Hikaru silently moved to the side to play on his phone.
The pace of the auditions was fast. Men walked out of the studio one after another in silence—some looked relieved, others bitter—but one couldn't judge the results based on appearance alone. The director was supreme; in a small-budget film like this, he was the sole decision-maker. It was all down to his personal preference. Until the final moment, anyone could be a dark horse.
Finally, only Teppei and Hikaru remained outside. Upon hearing his name called, Teppei took a deep breath, pulled back the curtain, and stepped inside.
Hikaru quietly followed.
The setting was unremarkable—this was just an audition, and they wouldn't spend significant resources on set design. Since the goal was to test acting ability, they only needed to pick a scene that showcased it. To save money, they almost always chose a monologue.
This time was no exception.
The scene for today's audition was the very first act of the film—the opening.
Naoto Anna is an ordinary key animator in Tokyo. Like all "corporate cattle" drifting through the city, he lives in a cramped rental apartment. But unlike others, he has a girlfriend who loves him.
The two are childhood sweethearts who struggled together from the countryside to Tokyo, sharing a deep bond.
Today, after finishing work, Naoto calls his girlfriend, Shizuna Ueda, habitually complaining about the accumulated stress from the workplace. While still on the call, he catches the last subway and arrives at the base of his apartment building.
As he rounds a corner, he notices a long-haired woman standing under a streetlamp.
Because her silhouette looks familiar, he assumes it is his girlfriend waiting for him. He walks straight up and taps the woman on the shoulder.
The woman turns her head slowly, bit by bit, with a rhythmic *click-clack*.
Naoto feels a sense of unease. Why does this scene feel so much like the beginning of a horror movie? Her mouth isn't going to tear open to the sides, is it?
He was clearly overthinking.
What met his eyes was an exquisitely beautiful face of a young girl. Her skin was flawless, and her smile was pure and moving.
He instinctively whispered the name of the girl before him: "Ai Kita?"
She was his classmate from elementary school, and Shizuna's classmate as well. The three of them had studied in the same classroom back then.
Meeting an old classmate after so long didn't bring Naoto any joy or nostalgia. Instead, it made his limbs go cold despite the heat.
Ai Kita... hadn't she died a long time ago?!