Tokyo: My Best Actor Gear List

Chapter 59 Rika and Maruko

On the platform of Baijinji Station in Ehime Prefecture, the sea breeze, carrying a salty and damp chill, relentlessly crept into people's collars.

A white handkerchief tied to the railing fluttered in the wind.

"All departments, prepare!"

The assistant director shouted through a megaphone, but half of his voice was drowned out by the sound of the waves.

Honami Suzuki stood at one end of the platform, tightening her blue trench coat.

She wasn't just shivering because she was cold.

Her gaze drifted quietly to the man a few meters away, wearing a khaki trench coat and looking at the sea with his back to her.

That's Kitahara Shin.

Despite the surprising contrast he displayed in previous auditions, once he arrived on the actual film set, the oppressive aura of the "legendary hot-tempered actor" seemed to reappear.

I heard that he scared the stunt actors so much on the set of "Yakuza Blood" that their legs went weak. Honami Suzuki is worried that if she makes too many mistakes, this man might dislike her on the spot.

"Um... Kitahara-san?" she called out tentatively.

Kitahara Shin turned around.

His originally upright posture slumped slightly, his shoulders hunched inward, and his intimidating sharp edges were instantly enveloped by a gentle, matte feel.

He no longer looked like a thug who could flip a table with one hand, but rather like an unlucky office worker who had just lost his wallet and was worrying about how to make dinner.

"Ah, Suzuki-san."

Kitahara Shin scratched his hair, which was ruffled by the sea breeze, and gave a somewhat naive smile. He put his hands awkwardly in his trench coat pockets. "The wind is really strong at the beach. Be careful not to slip when you run later."

Honami Suzuki was stunned.

That sense of tension, like being on the verge of facing a formidable enemy, deflated completely, like a balloon punctured by a needle.

Standing there was either the ruthless character who struck fear into the hearts of the industry, or the clumsy yet gentle Kanji Nagao, who had come to Tokyo from the countryside of Ehime.

"This episode! 3, 2, 1——Action!"

As the clapperboard fell, the world was switched on and off.

The two followed their positions and walked back to back in opposite directions.

One step, two steps, three steps.

Honami Suzuki turned around abruptly, looking at the figure still walking forward foolishly, and the urge to stop him naturally welled up inside her.

"ball!!"

The shout was as clear and crisp as the cry of a seagull.

She strode forward, her high heels clicking rapidly on the concrete, her whole being like a launched cannonball, rushing headlong towards that figure.

Kitahara Shin heard the shouts.

But instead of turning around immediately, he paused for a moment, displaying the slowness of "the body stopping before the brain can react".

When he turned around, a blue shadow had already bumped into his arms.

"Bang!"

That was a real impact.

The immense force pushed him back half a step, his shoes making a soft squeak as they scraped against the ground.

According to the script, all he needed to do at this point was hug her.

But Kitahara Shin's handling of this moment added two subtle layers.

The first layer is "rigidity".

His hands didn't immediately come together; instead, they hung awkwardly in mid-air, fingers slightly spread, as if stunned by this direct approach, completely unsure where to put them. This instinctive bewilderment perfectly illustrated the panic of a traditional Japanese man facing this kind of "American enthusiasm."

The second layer is "landing".

About 0.5 seconds later, he felt the girl in his arms trembling and smelled the faint scent of shampoo in her hair.

The hand that was suspended in the air was slowly lowered.

First, he gently touched the back of her trench coat to make sure it wasn't a hallucination, and then he tightened his arms around her, firmly encircling her in his not-so-wide but windproof embrace.

A simple hug, like warming up a wet puppy.

Honami Suzuki buried her face in the collar of his coat.

She could hear the steady, powerful heartbeat coming from Kitahara Shin's chest.

The sense of realism brought about by that "stiffness" sent a shiver down her spine.

If the other person simply and skillfully hugs her, they're a seasoned player; but this brief pause makes the embrace incredibly precious.

These are meatballs.

That dumpling that's always a step behind, but will always catch you in the end.

The camera zoomed in at that moment, capturing the expression on Kitahara Shin's face.

It was still that helpless, bitter smile, but a gentle ripple appeared in her eyes.

He lowered his head slightly, his chin brushing against the top of Suzuki Honami's hair, his eyes filled with "I really can't do anything with you."

"...Cut!!"

Director Kozo Nagayama's voice came from behind the monitor, brimming with barely concealed excitement: "Perfect! That take was a hit!"

The hug ended.

Honami Suzuki stepped out of Kitahara Shin's arms.

The sea breeze once again filled the space between the two, taking away a trace of their body heat.

Her cheeks were flushed, not only from running just now, but also from the lingering palpitations in her heart.

"Thanks for your hard work."

Kitahara Shin had already snapped out of his "on-screen mode" and returned to his normal standing posture. He took a pack of tissues out of his pocket and handed it to her. "That bump must have hurt, right? I saw your buttons almost got caught on my clothes."

Honami Suzuki took the tissue and looked up at the man who was bending down to straighten the wrinkles in his trench coat.

That awkward warmth is gone, replaced by the professionalism and composure of a seasoned actor.

This sudden change left her feeling somewhat disoriented.

"Kitahara-san".

"Um?"

Everyone says your acting is terrifying, like a mad dog.

Honami Suzuki couldn't help but laugh, her eyes curving into crescents. "But I don't think it's quite like that. Am I just imagining things?"

"It's not a misperception, I just can play any role convincingly."

"Hey~ You're that confident?"

Kitahara Shin turned up his neatly adjusted collar to block the wind and casually replied, "How can an actor do without this much confidence?"

"You're right, I need to learn from you!"

Honami Suzuki chimed in with great delight, her earlier fear of cooperation completely vanishing. "Then please continue to maintain this attitude for the next three months, Maruko."

"no problem."

Kitahara Shin looked at the film crew wrapping up in the distance and the setting sun gradually sinking into the sea.

He filmed the ending scene directly this time because he was worried that he might have emotional problems, but now it seems that he was overthinking it.

There are more than just one or two truly capable people in this circle...

"That's a wrap! Time for dinner!"

With a shout from the stage manager, Kitahara Shin turned and headed towards the rest area.

Tonight's bento is Ehime's specialty sea bream rice; I hope it tastes better than the leftover rice from the Tokyo film set.