I'll post an extra chapter every 300 Power Stones. Good luck with that!
Goal for the next extra chapter: 242/300
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As soon as I arrived on set, everyone looked at me as if I were some kind of attraction. Why is everyone acting like I'm some kind of animal in a zoo? It's irritating.
All of this because I'm going to film a kissing scene? Is it really that surprising?
I'm starting to suspect that this world is stranger than I thought.
Huff~~
I've been sighing a lot today, haven't I?
I sat down, and then Eiri approached me. She sat beside me and asked, "How are you feeling?"
"Are you going to talk about the kiss too?"
"Hm? Of course not. Were you thinking about that? Why? It's just an on-screen kiss. There are no feelings involved."
"I know that," I said.
"You've never done this before, have you?"
"Are you talking about kissing someone or filming a kissing scene?"
"I'm talking about the scene."
"No, I've never done it before. I just started acting, after all."
"And kissing someone? You're still very young, aren't you? I don't think you have any experience with that kind of thing. Honestly, I was surprised your mother allowed you to film a scene like this."
"I've kissed someone before," I told her.
Yes, I had kissed women before, but in my previous life. That still counts, doesn't it?
"What?" Eiri looked surprised, clearly not expecting that answer. "Who?" she asked.
"That's a secret." I looked at her and smiled.
"Was it that girl who was saying online a while ago that she was your girlfriend? Is she really your girlfriend?"
"Are you talking about Miu? She's a close friend. She's a writer too, just like me. No, I didn't kiss her."
"I see... Argh, now you've made me really curious."
"Why does that matter to you?"
"It doesn't, really. I'm just curious about which lucky girl managed to get a kiss from you."
"Lucky, huh?"
Considering my appearance and my life in my previous world, I wouldn't say the person who kissed me was lucky. I'd say she was unlucky.
I held back a laugh.
"Alright, let's drop it. Are you ready? Filming starts in ten minutes. It's the last scene we're shooting today."
"Yeah, I'm ready."
"How about going out to dinner with me after filming is over?"
Hearing Eiri's question, I stayed silent for a few seconds, wondering whether I should accept the invitation.
Honestly, I don't have much to do today besides writing, so I have plenty of free time.
"Alright."
Hearing my answer, Eiri gave a big smile, and her eyes lit up.
####
Then filming finally began. The moment the director shouted, "Camera!", my mind went blank, and I focused entirely on delivering the best performance possible.
'You can do it, Kyo. You can do it.'
"Sound!"
"Ready!"
"Alright, let's begin. Kyo, Eiri, ready?!"
"Yes!"
"Yes, Director," I replied in a cold tone, already slipping into character.
The entire set fell silent afterward, and I felt my racing heart calm down. Eiri, standing beside me, seemed perfectly calm. In fact, she didn't seem to care about this kiss at all, which only made me feel even more foolish.
Then the director shouted, "Action!"
The moment he did, Eiri and I began walking hand in hand.
Eiri started delivering her lines while I let my thoughts wander, pretending to listen. That's how I was supposed to act. The protagonist wasn't paying much attention at this moment.
The reason?
Because his mind was racing. He was holding the hand of the girl he loved, walking her home after a date.
Even though he didn't show it, he was incredibly happy.
A typical Japanese teenage romance.
Then we arrived at Eiri's house. A typically Japanese home with a low wall and two stories.
As soon as we stopped in front of her house, we both fell silent.
We looked at each other.
"So—"
"I—"
We spoke at the same time, interrupting each other. Then both of us laughed.
"I... wanted to say that I really enjoyed everything we did today. Eating with you, going to the arcade with you..." Eiri—or rather, Emma—said. She pulled a small stuffed animal out of her bag, one that "I" had won for her from a claw machine. "Thank you, Kim."
I looked at her and found myself speechless. My heart started beating faster, as if I were truly in love with her. It was as though I had become Kim.
"I'm the one who should be thanking you," I said, smiling at her. "I should be grateful that someone like you agreed to stay by my side. I never thought I'd have a girl like you beside me."
Eiri's face turned red.
I said those words while looking directly into her eyes.
I poured all of my "love" into that gaze.
She froze for a moment, which made everything feel even more natural. Complete silence filled the studio.
Then, still looking into my eyes, Eiri stepped closer and rose onto her tiptoes. Her face moved toward mine, and I acted surprised.
No, I really was surprised.
The kiss wasn't supposed to happen this way. I was supposed to be the one kissing her.
Her lips were soft and warm. Our lips remained together for a long five seconds before she pulled away.
I stood there, unable to react.
Since the director didn't yell "Cut!", he must have liked what happened.
She had actually changed the script on her own.
"See you tomorrow," Eiri said, fixing her hair with her hands before running into her house.
I continued staring at the door, unable to say a word.
Then the director finally shouted, "Cut! That was great! That was great, Eiri!"
"Hehehe, did you like it? Did you see how surprised Kyo was?" Eiri came back out through the door, laughing.
I let out a sigh.
"We're done, right?"
Then I turned around and walked away.
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