So Kyoko had gone to her landlord with them, and he frowned in thought.

"I'm sorry for how things ended up," Watanabe, her landlord, gave her an apologetic look. "Here's your lease agreement. You can look it over, but I can say now that it might be better to keep the apartment."

Kyoko looked down and bit her lip, taking the lease. Kuresaki took it from her. "I don't know if I can keep affording it. I already quit my job at Moz Burgers, and I would like to find time to find a good job instead of working all day with two jobs."

"You should be in school instead of working," her landlord said sternly. But then he sighed. "You are very reliable on rent and do your best to pay on time and in full, so I could let you either try to sublet to someone or lower the price of the apartment for a while. Personally, I suggest you keep the apartment and find a roommate. Finding a new apartment, especially in Tokyo and for cheap, is very hard in this day and age, and if you get rid of the apartment, you might not have anywhere to stay in the meantime. If you choose to sublet, there's still that you have to find someone and you still have to find your own place to live."

"So," Kuresaki interrupted. "Ideally, if she keeps the apartment, you'd rent it to her for a lower price. For how long?"

Watanabe hmmed. "Well, I think I can afford to let her off for a few months? 3 maybe? 4 if I can push it."

"We have three to four months to get you to find a higher paid job," Kijima mumbled thoughtfully.

"At which point, you would be able to keep the apartment and go steady," Kuresaki observed. "And if you have a roommate to halve the rent, that should make it easier on you."

They settled up there and then the three of them were leaving together, heading back to Kyoko's.

"We'll have to keep the price of your rent in mind for your budget," Kuresaki said. "And you don't really have much to sell, so maybe hold off on that?"

"But then I don't have any money to spend on anything that I'll need," Kyoko pointed out dejectedly.

Kijima hesitated. "Look...why don't you let me buy you an outfit? At least two." Kyoko opened her mouth to protest, but Kijima rushed to continue. "One as a gift from me as a friend," he said firmly. "The second one you can work towards paying me back as an I.O.U."

Kyoko hesitated too, but after a moment, she finally nodded. "I guess alright. It would be rude to not accept a gift from a friend, but you have to promise that I will definitely owe you for the second one!"

Kijima nodded. "Sure, but you don't get to pay me back with money. It has to be some sort of favor."

Kyoko scrunched up her nose, but agreed.

"Then the same offer goes for me," Kuresaki said suddenly. "That leaves you with four new outfits."

She almost gaped at him, but instead shook her head, amazed and a bit wary of just accepting all this so freely from them.

"As for a roommate, I think I might know someone," Kijima brought up, looking uncertain. "It's a guy though, so I don't know if that would be okay with you...?"

Kyoko waved it off. "I lived with Sho, even before living in this apartment. It won't bother me."

Kijima nodded satisfactorily. "Your outfits and living arrangements are sorted out for now. Tomorrow, I can teach you how to style your hair and do your makeup and work on your resumé with you. The day after, I can hopefully get you to meet your potential roommate."

"I can work with her a little on her resumé tonight," Kuresaki offered. "After all that has been worked on, we can look to jobs. Is that fine with you, Mogami-san?"

Though slightly overwhelmed, she nodded and felt grateful for all their help. She wasn't sure where she would be without them, though she knew at the least she would probably end up with rash decisions.

"I'm leaving in two hours, so please get ready, Mogami-san," Kuresaki told her and she almost freaked out. She forgot that she was supposed to accompany him to his work, and she felt both worry and excitement about it.

Soon enough, she'd gotten washed and dressed for the day, and had come back to them in a hurry. Still, thinking about her clothes, she knew they were a bit plain and worried about her looks and if she would be a bother to Kuresaki...

"Alright, so I'm off too," Kijima said cheerfully. "I've got to get ready for my own work in a little bit. I'll probably see you bright and early tomorrow, Kyoko-chan."

"Bye, Kijima-san," she said, smiling weakly. Once he'd left, it was just her and Kuresaki and she fidgeted under his stare.

"You have a wonderful, straight posture," he oddly complimented her.

"Ah –I learned to keep my back and shoulders straight in the ryokan I was raised in," she explained. "I grew up this way, so it's comfortable to me."

He began to head out, so she assumed he wanted her to follow him.

"It's unlike most teenagers these days," he said as they exited her apartment. "It's very formal and traditional. It's also a good foundation for modeling. Most models would be envious of such good postures. To be a model, you'd have to learn how to walk straight with a good posture, usually learning and practicing by having objects put onto their heads and walking without dropping them. For you, I doubt it would be a problem since you have such an impeccable posture that comes naturally to you."

That surprised her. "R-really? Still, even with that, I don't think I have the looks to stand out as a model."

"You are still pretty, as noted by myself and Kijima-san," Kuresaki pointed out. "Personally, I, and I'm sure he, think you completely underestimate yourself. But even not believing us, you should acknowledge that you are still pretty enough. There are commercial models, who are pretty but not super model standard, as you seem to be differentiating. You can easily look into that."

Kyoko's interest was stirred a bit, but even as a commercial model, she didn't think her looks cut it. But modeling, like a super model on runways and all, she definitely didn't think she could match up to that.

For the rest of the trek to his car was spent in silence, and the drive over was too. Kyoko was lost in thought and Kuresaki left her to them, until they reached the studio where the movie Kuresaki was working on was. Kyoko quietly followed him in, shrinking a bit behind him when someone came over.

"Kuresaki-san," the man said. "Things are just being set up for the final shooting."

"Yamaguchi-kun, this is a friend of mine, Mogami Kyoko. She will be accompanying me today. Mogami-san, this is Yamaguchi Hiroto, my assistant."

"Please to meet you," Kyoko bowed formally, making Kuresaki's assistant laugh nervously and rub the back of his head.

"Ah, me too! Please ask me for anything you need! It's my job for Kuresaki-san after all."

"O-okay," Kyoko said unsurely.

Kuresaki nodded to his assistant and took Kyoko in hand, leading her away.

"I'll introduce you quickly to the director. We've worked together on several projects, so we're quite familiar with each other. Here he is," Kuresaki gestured to a man coming toward them. "Jouji, this is a friend of mine. Mogami-san will be here to observe and try to figure out what interests her in show business."

"How do you do," Kyoko bowed. "I'm Mogami Kyoko. Sorry for the intrusion."

"Such formality," the director smiled slightly. "Most young girls are so informal! Please, no need to be so formal here. I'm Morizumi Jouji."

Morizumi swept forward and tugged her away from Kuresaki, gesturing to the sets already being set up.

"I'll show you around –maybe you'll find you would like to be a director!"

She glanced back at Kuresaki with a quick smile, before she was led away and listening intently to what was going on and which scenes were being filmed. Even just after half an hour, Kyoko found she was really enjoying herself. A lot of work was put into directing and constructing a movie, and as she followed Morizumi around and listened to his thought process, she thought it might not be so bad being a director. Although she doubted it was something she could really do and catch up to Sho and beat him with.

When it came time to start shooting the film, Kuresaki came back to her and she quietly stood by his and Morizumi's sides. She noted that Kuresaki was quite strict and when a scene felt off or not genuine, he didn't hesitate to stop it or encourage Morizumi to do so. There were a lot of retakes that needed to be done, but Kyoko felt that in the end, each time the scene restarted, it actually became better with each take.

She also watched the actors and actresses, who managed to draw her attention intently and fascinated her. She liked how they seemed to be able to mold themselves into character when the cameras started shooting, the different ways they were able to change their expressions, and how they voiced their lines and changed the tones of their voices.

"Water?" she heard someone whisper, and she looked to see Yamaguchi there, holding out a bottle of water to her with a smile.

She blinked before accepting. "Thank you," she whispered and he just nodded after silently handing another one to Kuresaki, who took it without a word or acknowledgement, focused on the scene being filmed at the moment.

Kyoko began to frown though. This particular scene had to be redone several times now because one of the actresses in it kept forgetting her line. She could also feel Kuresaki's ire rising with each take, and even begin to glimpse it on his normally impassive face.

Evidently, so did Morizumi.

"Cut! Why don't we take a 10 minute break? Tofune-san, use the break to relax," Morizumi said calmly, though he did glance quickly at Kuresaki. "Yuki, I'll be back as well. I have to make a phone call anyway. Why don't you use the break to relax as well?"

He didn't wait for an answer, leaving with a nod to the producer and a slight smile to Kyoko. Seeing that she was alone with Kuresaki, she hesitated before reaching out and tugging at his sleeve.

"Um, Kuresaki-san, why don't you take a seat? And drink some water," she urged.

He took a deep breath, but nodded distractedly. Still, his jaw clenched as he found a seat and tapped the rolled up script in his hand hard against the chair's arm.

"Really," he grumbled. "How many takes do you need to get one line straight!"

"It is similar sounding words that she used though," Kyoko offered jokingly. "I know the line is supposed to be 'Don't you bear witness to this crime and act innocent!' But...bear, fair...tear...haha, it rhymes at least? English is a hard language!"

Though she hadn't exactly expected that would make him laugh (she was curious though, what kind of thing could make someone like him laugh?), she was still not expecting him to look at her in astonishment.

"You...said the line," he frowned.

"Um, yes?" she was confused.

"She wasn't able to say it for several takes, but you managed to speak it just fine without floundering, and in perfect English," he told her thoughtfully. "That's...that's not bad intonation either. Mogami-san, when did you manage to read the script? I'm not sure you would have been able to get what the line actually was, considering Tofune-san messed it up every single time."

"Earlier, Morizumi-san gave me a copy to read," she held up the script. "I was reading bits and pieces of it as I walked with him. I saw and read that scene a while ago."

"And you were able to remember it already?" he asked, narrowing his eyes at her.

She was taken aback at this line of questioning. "Yes? I mean, it's not like I remembered the whole script or anything. I just was able to run across the scene and when it was filming, I was able to recall most of it, and since it kept being shot again and again, I remembered it fully and was able to remember the lines."

Kuresaki's frown deepened and she worried that she'd somehow managed to upset him. How, she didn't know, but he seemed...upset?

He grabbed her copy of the script and flipped it to a certain page, and was about to hand it back when he stopped and instead kept it. He let go of his own copy.

"Mogami-san, I'm going to start the scene and speak Hongo-san's lines. Please speak Tofune-san's lines," he surprised her.

She began to panic, not knowing why he wanted her to or how she would be able to do it, when he put a hand on her arm and offered a small smile.

"Just breathe in and then out. You'll be fine," he reassured her and she did as he said, though she still wasn't understanding why he was pushing her to do this.

Then he started. "Rina, this isn't what it looks like."

"How can it not?" Kyoko said, though let herself feel angry, because maybe the line would be said better like that. "You're covered in blood! He's lying there in a pool of it!"

"Please, Rina, I only wanted to help you –"

"That's a lie," Kyoko hissed that out, imagining saying that to Shoutaro's face. "You probably never even cared!"

Hah! How sadly like her own feelings this was. She didn't even noticed until now! Stupid Sho...

Kuresaki actually stood up from his chair and faced her head on, and she made herself not balk away.

"You don't understand," he said coldly.

"You're the one who doesn't understand," Kyoko scowled. "Don't you bear witness to this crime and act innocent!"

Clapping was heard and it startled them, and they saw Morizumi standing near them, grinning lightly at them.

"Not bad, not bad," he said. "Yuki, maybe you shouldn't just be a producer and go on to do some acting! And very well done, Mogami-san. Perhaps you found an interest in something after all," his grin became a sincere smile.

Though Kuresaki hnned and recollected himself, Kyoko blushed a bright red. Taking a quick glimpse around saw that there were others, even some of the actors and actresses on set, were looking at her in interest.

"Yamaguchi-kun," she heard Kuresaki speak, and saw him looking at his watch. "Please take Mogami-san out for lunch. It'll be awhile before lunch is served here, but it's getting late and I don't want her to be hungry."

"Oh no, I'm fine," she tried to protest, even though her stomach began growling at that time. She sighed, especially at his knowing look. "Never mind. You're right."

Yamaguchi came to her and began to lead her away. "That was very impressive, Mogami-san. Have you acted before?"

"Me? No!"

But the idea wasn't so lackluster to her anymore.

~*~*~

They had barely sat down at a booth in Darumaya after their day had finished, when Kuresaki startled her by his firm declaration.

"You should think about taking acting classes."

She stared at him. "What?"

"Even if you aren't serious about being interested in acting, it might be a good idea for you to seek out acting classes," Kuresaki told her. "You have talent in it, and acting classes should further help you see if you do like it or not."

"I guess," Kyoko said unsurely and Kuresaki nodded, changing subjects and not pushing the issue.

"Now about your resumé. We can work with writing it up and making an actual one with Kijima-san tomorrow morning, but we can discuss what needs to be on there before you have to go to work tonight."

Kyoko nodded, feeling determination well up. "So what do I need?"

"A list of work experience," Kuresaki said immediately. "And from there, you can also fill out your list of references. You may also use me as a reference."

Kyoko gaped slightly. She didn't know whether to protest or confirm with him. She went with the latter.

"R-really?" she asked weakly.

He nodded as he took a sip of his tea. "It's fine. I don't mind. Now aside from that, you'll have to write out your skills. What can you do?"

Kyoko held up a hand and began listing things as she lifted up fingers. "I can cook and clean."

Kuresaki kept looking at her expectantly, but she waited for him in return.

"Surely that can't be it," he said skeptically. "Think, Mogami-san. What special skills that you have learned or can do even remotely well."

She hesitated, but brought up her sordid past. "It's not something I want to talk of or utilized, but in my very embarrassing past, I was made to learn tea ceremony and I wanted to impress the family I lived with and learned katsurimuki. Not that I'm sure either will really help me in showbiz...?"

He quickly corrected her, looking impressed actually. "Disregard that nonsense about an 'embarrassing past.' Utilize whatever you need to, especially to stand out. Tea ceremony performance in particular is a very valued skill, at least in Japan. Many historical dramas and Japanese films in certain eras, where tea ceremony and traditions are prominent, require actresses to learn how to do tea ceremony since more often than not there are scenes in those kind of films that require it. Those who know tea ceremony have an edge over those who do not in those cases, as well as the fact that if one knows it, any traits and skills learned and gleaned over from tea ceremony can transfer and accentuate certain types of roles. As for katsurimuki, that you know it in any capacity must mean that you have some serious skills in knife work, in which case if you were to be able to learn or perform with knives, swords, things like that...which would be good in an action sequence."

Kyoko couldn't help looking at him with wide eyes. She hadn't really thought of it like that, but he made a lot of sense and she was feeling more amazed and slightly overwhelmed as time passed.

"We'll probably need to go over more skills of yours, since I'm sure there's more to that than you think," Kuresaki decisively laid down. "That's basically most of what you'll need for a resumé, not including your introduction paragraph and your contact information. Now if you knew which direction you wanted to take, we might have to add to that –a music career will probably need to start by you putting together some musical material, probably renting a studio to record those, and then end up with a demo tape that you can include with your resumé. An acting and talent career will require an electronic portfolio, but that's not an immediate thing you need and might even wait until you actually have done some roles. Talent portfolios also include video reels. A modeling career will definitely require a headshot."

"A headshot?" Kyoko asked in confusion.

"A close up photo of your face," Kuresaki clarified. "Generally, all showbiz careers will require photos of you to go along your resumé so you can be scouted on the potential of how fitting you'll be for something, how photogenic you are, or if you have a certain look they want, etc. For a model, it's that and more, considering looks in particular are what modeling focuses on the most. In addition to your resumé photos, they would want a portfolio of you having posed in different shots, different outfits, different looks, different poses –and alongside a close up, they probably want a side-profile and a whole body picture."

"That is a lot of things to do in any of those cases," she admitted. "And a lot of thinking I'll have to do too."

He nodded. "It is. That's why it's important you gain some passion for whatever it is you choose to do, to fuel you and make you keep going. I suppose revenge is a good motivator for now, but show business is a tough industry and can wear down anyone. It will probably be hard on you, if you decide to continue on with this," he ended, sounding rather gentle at the end and giving her a solemn look.

She bit her lip. "I understand, Kuresaki-san. But...I'm not willing to give up yet. I'm determined to see this through."

"I admire your guts and tenacity," he said frankly. "Let's hope you can hold onto them."

She hoped so too.