[CH.68] The Circumstances of Ryuya Ishidou
**TL Notes: So as not to confuse you all, I made a list of the characters that get mentioned in this chapter that you may have forgotten before. Sumire Matsuda: MC Kenji Nakamura: Senior Actor Ryuya Ishidou: From the Boy Idol "Dannies" |
Because it's the first day, everyone from the sponsoring company and the important people who had come to greet us, as well as the assistant directors who had been shouting at Ishidou-san until a moment ago, quickly moved to another room to discuss the future.
The performers, including myself, were told to wait in this room, so for the time being, I greeted the other cast members besides Nakamura-san, and then we engaged in various conversations, including small talk and complaints. I don't know if Ishidou-san was sulking or found it uncomfortable, but he's not in this room. I did see him leaving the room just after the important people moved, though.
The biggest concern for the performers is that due to this delay, the scheduling conflicts with other jobs may become insurmountable. Actors, including entertainers, are individual contractors, so losing a job is a matter of life and death. Especially in the case of movies, it's a better job than others. Unless you absolutely have to withdraw due to illness, you wouldn't want to step down if possible.
"Speaking of which, if one half of the main cast isn't motivated, there's a possibility the whole project might fall through."
The casting director, Iio-san, who is cast in the role of the friendly section chief and is the oldest among us, said with a troubled expression. Hearing that, the other cast members around me thought something and looked at me. The reason the schedule became tight is that it took a while to find a counterpart for me. But even if they tell me that, it's not like I planned this setting and insisted on being the heroine, or asked the agency to push me as the heroine."
However, it's the director and the staff producing the movie who chose not to change to another child actor or actress, so I honestly wish they wouldn't put the blame on me in their words or attitude.
Well, I can't just spill everything honestly, so I lightly replied, "Please don't say it like it's my fault," in a somewhat joking manner, and then announced that I was going to the restroom and left the room. It avoided an awkward atmosphere, but somehow, I felt uncomfortable being there. It's not like I really needed to go to the bathroom, so I headed to the rooftop for a change of mood. According to the story I heard earlier, the rooftop is open because it's sometimes used for filming.
Opening the heavy metal door provided, the hot summer air flowed in. It's much better than the idiotic heat of a past life where people would collapse, but it's still quite warm.
Stepping a few paces onto the rooftop, I saw Ishidou-san sitting with his legs crossed on the slightly larger bench set in the center. Perhaps the arrogant feeling comes from the prejudice of the previous incident.
"...Can I sit next to you?"
At any rate, since we happened to meet here by chance, I thought I'd try to have a little conversation. There was no reply, but I wasn't rejected, so I decided to sit down. I brushed off the bench with my hands and sat down as if bouncing lightly. Even if the uniform gets a little dirty, I'll send it to the cleaners anyway. Instead of placing the handkerchief on the seat, I spread it out a bit and put it on top of my head. Heatstroke... or was it sunstroke back then? If I get sick from the heat, there's nothing I can do, so I'll use it as a hat.
"I'm Sumire Matsuda. You're Ishidou-san, right?"
"...Yeah, but what's it to you?"
"Well, because of what happened with the assistant director earlier, I thought if you don't mind, you could share the story with me."
I tried asking a question that might be ignored or anger him, but Ishidou-san looked at me strangely while saying, "Why would you ask that?"
"Well, because I'm the one starring in the movie we were talking about earlier. If there's a dispute going on, I'm naturally curious."
Ishidou-san nodded in a somewhat understanding manner at my response. He probably had questions about why he knew what the assistant director scolded him for.
"I'm not sure if it's appropriate to complain to you, the lead in this movie, but I've hardly been told anything about the content of this movie. One day, out of the blue at the rehearsal site, Dani-san asked me, 'Can you act?' I said, 'I think I can,' and he patted my shoulder, saying, 'Then I'll leave it to you.' After that, when I asked the office staff about the details, they insisted, 'For projects that Dani-san directly brings, ask the person himself.' Unfortunately, Dani-san is hardly ever at the office due to other work, and I was wondering what to do when he suddenly called today, telling me to come here. I came, and that old man shouted at me arrogantly, asking me what to do. It's ridiculous."
With a deep sigh, Ishidou-san spoke as if he were just venting. Ah, it seems like a case where the communication didn't go well. Even so, Ishidou-san is the one who's pitiable in this situation, being tossed around by the mistakes of the agency. Although it's probably a situation that would never happen, if something like this occurred in our agency, I think Ms. Azusa would be furious.
After that, I continued to make small talk while trying to learn more. It turns out that Ishidou-san is a rookie idol who recently debuted as part of a five-member group. He loves singing and dancing and aims to become a top idol by mastering those skills. He had planned to participate in this movie positively to raise both the group's and his own recognition, but with the recent events, it's understandable that his enthusiasm waned.
However, if you want to become famous in this world or aim for the top, I think quitting this job here would be a bad move. When I conveyed this, Ishidou-san looked at me displeased.
"Why should I? I haven't been given proper instructions or information, and yet I'm suddenly told unreasonable things. Do I have to endure all of this?"
"I understand your feelings a lot, but even so, if you leave without resolving this and go home, you'll end up with zero positives and a lot of negatives, which you'll carry with you as you continue your activities in the entertainment industry, won't you?"
Counting on my fingers, I listed things that came to mind one by one. If he withdraws from this movie, he might be resented by the staff, cast members, and sponsors involved. The delays in the schedule, the effort to find a replacement, and the potential waste of money spent on the project would be significant. Sponsors who were expecting profits might hesitate to use the people who caused this issue in future projects. If I were on the sponsor's side, I definitely wouldn't use them again. Also, the TV station among the sponsoring companies might reduce invitations since they have a say in the matter. While the agency's influence is strong, even if there's no outright ban, producers who have heard about the situation might be reluctant to feature Ishidou-san on their shows. Considering the agency's response this time, there's even a possibility that the agency might choose to cut ties with Ishidou-san.
"No, it probably won't be that bad... it won't, right?"
"What I said is just an unpleasant event that even a child like me can imagine. I can't take responsibility for whether it will really happen or not... but if there's a possibility it might, wouldn't it be better to apologize to the assistant director and director from earlier, and try to improve the situation for yourself?"
Even if you're not at fault, there are many situations in life where you have to bow your head and apologize. In my past life, I often had to apologize unreasonably to bosses, customers, both inside and outside the company. Ishidou-san is still young, so he probably thinks it's out of the question to bend himself and apologize. However, even so, I think there's a significant difference in how the other party perceives you depending on whether you apologize and explain the situation or not.
"By the way, is your manager not here?"
"Our manager is currently with the other members for their job, and he'll come later. The other members are more popular within the group, so I'm not a priority."
As Ishidou-san self-deprecatingly chuckled, I started to feel that there might be issues with that manager as well. Instructions and communications from the agency typically come down to the talent through the manager. The fact that Ishidou-san himself was inquiring with the agency indicates that the communication network is clearly not functioning as it should.
It's an issue within the agency, and it should be handled by people from the agency. However, this time, many people outside the agency are being inconvenienced. If he can explain this while reflecting on his own shortcomings, sincerely apologize, and promise to resolve the issue within the agency, he might be able to smooth things over this time.
Once the decision was made, let's promptly join the ongoing discussion. I stood up from the bench with determination and directed my gaze towards Ishidou-san. When I informed him that I would accompany him, he looked at me with surprise.
"Um... Sumire-chan, right? It's none of your business, so why are you willingly getting involved in this troublesome situation?"
"It's not unrelated at all. At least, according to the plans I was informed of, today was supposed to be a meeting, correcting the script, and confirming the director's plans. We were scheduled to start shooting tomorrow. It's really inconvenient that none of it went according to plan, and it will affect my other jobs. Besides..."
"Besides?"
Looking puzzled, Ishidou-san asked, and I playfully smiled before continuing.
"Probably, everyone is having a tense discussion right now. So, if Ishidou-san goes to apologize alone, they might be unnecessarily harsh on you. That's why I'm coming along to lighten the atmosphere as a mediator."
"Be grateful, okay?" I said in a playful manner, puffing out my chest, and finally, Ishidou-san showed a smile. He had only worn a tense expression from the time he was scolded by the assistant director until just a moment ago, so I felt a bit relieved.
If a primary school girl suddenly appeared in the midst of a heated discussion, I think it could go either way – either it would lighten the mood, or it would add to the frustration. If it's the latter, I'll just accept being scolded. I silently prayed in my heart, "May everyone here be kind adults."
"Talking to you feels like chatting with someone of the same age. Even though you undeniably look like an elementary school girl, it feels like talking to an equal."
"If you feel that way, the filming this time is likely to go smoothly. For that, let's start by apologizing to everyone, shall we?"
Ishidou-san and I walked together. Even though our walking paces were different, he was probably adjusting to match my speed. It's impressive how someone who could become an idol knows how to treat a girl. We asked a staff member we encountered on the way about the room where the directors were discussing, and we headed in that direction. I was relieved they were inside the building, I was worried they might be discussing outside the studio while having a meal. We arrived at a slightly spacious meeting room, resembling a school classroom. Thinking that, I knocked on the sliding door.
I heard a voice from inside asking who it was, so I introduced myself before opening the door. As I did, a waft of cigarette smoke drifted toward us. Upon seeing a middle-aged woman inside, I guessed that she was the director for this film.
Just as I was contemplating how to initiate the conversation, Ishidou-san, who had followed me into the room, knelt down on the floor with a loud thud and bowed his head to the point where his forehead touched the ground. It was a traditional bowing posture known as "dogeza." Everyone, including myself, was surprised and momentarily frozen by this.
"I'm truly sorry!"
In a voice that conveyed genuine remorse, Ishidou-san spoke, prompting the people from the sponsoring company, who were bewildered, to raise their heads and stand up. The director instructed the staff to prepare chairs, hastily arranging seats for Ishidou-san and me. If Ishidou-san's sincere attitude managed to convince the director and the important figures from the sponsoring company to listen to the explanation, it was quite remarkable. Overdoing it could lead to a loss of trust, making it difficult for anyone to work with you.
After a lengthy discussion, Ishidou-san received a scolding but was allowed to participate in the movie. It seemed that protests against his agency's negligence came from various sources, making Ishidou-san's position within the agency delicate. However, he expressed determination to redeem himself through his future work. Since he sincerely apologized to the other cast members, relations weren't as strained as they could have been.
And so, despite the delay in the schedule, we managed to escape the unfortunate fate of production cancellation. Our movie shoot finally began in earnest.
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