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Ah well.
C’est
la vie.
Hang
In There, Kurei! Part 2
(A.k.a.
Ailin has another breakdown)
The
last time we saw our favourite evil bastard (I mean this in a positive
way of course ^^) He had been
bullied
and whacked around by several of the cast members of Recca no Honou (or
Flame of Recca). So
what
would
happen to him now? We continue the story… (Oh come on, you knew this was
coming… *evil
smile*)
[Kurei stumbles out, his eyes spiraling]
Kurei: Whoa… [promptly trips over something]
Kaoru
(role-name): Hey, be careful there, Kurei nii-chan! [looks at Kurei sitting
on the floor looking dazed]
A~ano,
Kurei nii-chan, daijoubu ka?
[Camera
freezes, superimposed: Child star. Has risen to fame after joining a talent
search for child actors.
Rumoured
to be ruled by his manager/mother very strictly. Acts with younger sister,
Ganko (role-name) in
this
series. Is a pin-up boy for young girls currently in Junior High)
Kurei: Hai… daijoubu…
Kaoru: Kurei nii-chan, is this your new character image?
Kurei: Na~ni?
Kaoru:
Lipstick. [Greeted by Kurei’s blank face] Your wearing purple lipstick,
you know. Is this some kind of
new
image to make your character more evil?
Kurei
*panics* [thinking]: Aargh. It must be Tokiya-sama’s fault. (Author’s note:
Remember the kiss? ^^)
[Saying]
Why yes, yes it is. *Smiles weakly*
Kaoru:
Wow… I admire you, Kurei nii-chan. I wouldn’t wear purple lipstick even
if my mom threatened to
take
my Playstation away.
[A plump woman walks over. She’s wearing thick make-up and overpowering perfume]
Woman:
Kaoru! What are you doing here? Don’t you know your scene is coming up?
Why look at your
sister!
She’s
so obliging, and she doesn’t run off every time I leave her alone. Really,
you should learn from her!
(Kaoru: Ganbo no baka, always makes me look bad)
Woman [continuing]: You know what, sometimes I don’t know what to do with you…
Kurei [speaking up]: A~ano, Ma’am… it’s really my fault, I tripped over Kaoru-chan here and…
Woman
[shrieking]: YOU TRIPPED OVER MY BABY! HOW COULD YOU? DON"T YOU KNOW HE
HAS
SCENES
TO DO? WHAT IF YOU HURT HIM? HE MAY BE SCARRED FOR—[trails off. Looks at
Kurei
curiously]
[Turns to Kaoru] Come on Kaoru… haven’t I told you never to speak to all
these lowly newbies?
You’re
a star! How can you socialize with extras like him? [walks off]
Kaoru: Mo~ther…
Woman:
And he wears make-up! [lowers her voice] He must be an okama! What kind
of normal person
wears
make-up?
On the Fushigi Yuugi set…
Tomo (role-name): Bwa-choo!
Soi (role-name): Are you all right, Tomo-sama?
Tomo: Hai. Just could have sworn someone was talking behind my back bad things about me.
Soi: Poor thing… remind me to make you some nice chicken soup when we get home.
Tomo: You’re so nice to me…
Soi: Of course… till Death do us part, remember?
Tomo: Of course! It means I can’t leave you till you’re dead.
Soi:
*whacks him* Baka.
Back at the FoR set…
Kurei: Sigh… there goes my only friend…
[Someone taps him on the shoulder]
Fuuko (role-name): Hi!!! Kurei-san, do you think my outfit’s too revealing?!?!?!
Kurei: A~ano…
Fuuko: I don’t understand why Fuuko has to wear all these tight T-shirts and shorts!!!
(Camera
freezes, superimposed: Another well-known model-turned-actress. Rumours
are that even though
she
doesn’t look it, she’s not as smart as Neon-sama)
Kurei:
Well, Fuuko’s like that I suppose. You’ve read the script for the fight
with Fujimaru right. Fuuko’s just
really
proud of her body…
Fuuko:
Why yes!!! I do believe so!!! Arigatou!!! Kurei-kun, you’re so smart!!!
Oh, and you do know you’re
wearing
lipstick!!!
Kurei:
… … [speechless] Um, excuse me… [Excuses himself so as to prevent his brain
from turning into
mindless
fluff due to overpowering punctuation]
Voice:
KUREI!!! YOU MINDLESS IDIOT! GET YOUR USELESS SHELL OF A PERSON HERE BEFORE
I
FIRE
YOU!!!
Kurei:
Oh noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo.
[shuffles
to
the main set]
Recca: LOOK! Look at what this is! [shoves lunchbox under Kurei’s nose]
Kurei *sniffs* : It’s tonkatsu… [Remembers his destroyed lunch] Oh, what I wouldn’t give for…
Recca: Don’t try to change the subject! Do you know what tonkatsu is made of?
Pause.
Kurei: Meat?
Recca: RED MEAT! WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO DO? POISON ME?
Kurei: A~ano…
Yanagi: Baka yarou. Don’t you know Recca-sama is a strict vegetarian?
Kurei: But Neon-sama…
Recca:
Don’t drag Neon-sama into this! She’s a perfectly nice girl, and I don’t
think she’d ever socialize with
you.
[Neon
stands by the wings haplessly. Everyone knows better than to interfere
when Recca-sama is having
a
tantrum]
Kurei *sniffles* : Gomen… Gomen nasai!
Recca:
Director! Can’t we find someone else to do his role? Nakago-sama (role-name)
from Fushigi Yuugi
for
example.
I’m sure he has a lot more experienced than this.
Director: We were thinking about that, but he didn’t want to dye his hair black.
Yanagi *pouts* : Geez, so we are stuck with him after all.
There was an unexpected pause.
Yanagi: He’s wearing lipstick. My god, what’s wrong with you!
Minna: What?! [Crowds around Kurei and gawks at him]
Recca: My lord… what a freak.
Kurei *lower lip trembling*: I… I…
Voice: I think that’s an interesting concept. It makes him a lot more sinister.
[Everyone turns around to see a girl with long brown hair and glasses]
Girl:
I trust Kurei-san is comfortable working here? He plays an integral part
here, and he is to finish the
entire
project, understand?
(Camera
freezes, superimposed: The only sponsor of the entire show. (Also responsible
for this sequel
being
produced
so soon. This fic was meant to collect dust for a year first ^_^) She’s
also the curator of the FoR
museum.
Hmm… that does sound awfully like someone we know, ne? ^___~)
Director:
Ahahahaha… that’s another reason why we can’t change Kurei-sama. (He has
the backing of the
sponsor.)
Minna: … …
Director:
You know what, I think I’ll call it a day. Everyone’s all working on a
new project, and everyone’s
just
really temperamental. Let’s leave the rest for tomorrow, shall we?
There
was a muffled grunt of approval, and the cast slowly dissipated.
Kurei was walking down the street in normal clothes (read: NOT a red dress) then suddenly—
Girl1: Hey isn’t that Kurei-kun?
Girl2: Nani?! Kurei, that bishounen guy from FoR!
Girl3: It must be him! It can’t be anyone else!
Minna: KUREI-SAMA!!!
Kurei: Nani?
Girl2: WAI!!! Kurei-sama, your so cool!
Girl1: I prefer you to that ‘Recca’. His endless ‘Hime’ing is soooo annoying.
Girl3: Gives us your autograph, Kurei-sama!
Kurei: Now, now, there’s more than enough of me to go around ^.^
Minna: KAWAII!!!
As Kurei began to get swamped by his fans, he notices a familiar red-head standing by.
Kurei: Kurenai? Iie… Neon-sama? NEON-SAMA! Hello!!! I’m here.
Neon: *gives him a cold look before stalking off*
Kurei: Neon-sama! Neon-sama! Wait for me…
Girl1: Kurei-sama, don’t go!
Girl2: Stay with us, Kurei-sama!
Kurei:
Matte, matte! Tasuketeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!
Kurei woke up sweating profusely.
Kurei:
Of course…only in a dream will I be this popular.
So
the months flew past, with Kurei working on the set. Things didn’t improve
much, just that Kurei was
no
longer being threatened about losing his job since that threat was already
rather outdated. The filming
soon
wrapped up, and then came the press conference.
Otaku1: Hey, that’s Kurei-sama!
Otaku2: Kurei-sama, look here please! *Clicks camera*
Otaku3: Kurei-sama, give me your signature.
Kurei [thinking]: This is just like my dream… [Saying] Of course, minna!
Otaku2: Sugoi!!! He’s so bishounen!!!
Otaku4: Hey, isn’t that Tokiya-sama?
Otaku5: Mikagami-sempai!!!
Otakus1,2,3: Nani?! Tokiya-sama, where?! [Runs to Tokiya]
Otaku1: Tokiya-sama, we’re your biggest fans.
Otaku3: Tokiya-sama, you’re so cool, please give me your autograph.
[Kurei is left standing at the corner of the screen, in the dark, while the spotlight shines on Tokiya]
Kurei: But… but Tokiya’s a gi—
[Tokiya
gives Kurei a meaningful look that obviously says
Rat-on-me-and-I’ll-make-sure-you’ll-never-work-in-this-town-again]
Kurei: I mean, Tokiya’s a great guy to work with.
[Meanwhile another group of people approach]
Recca
gumi member1: Hey! That’s that evil bastard (now used in a negative sense)
Kurei! Come on guys,
let’s
stone him for giving our Recca-sama such a bad time, and for kidnapping
hime-sama!
Kurei:
Na~ni?
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrggggggggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!
*Runs for cover*
Kurei [reaching the filming studio]: A~ano, anyone here?
Neon: Kurei-sama, what are you doing here?
Kurei: Neon-sama *bursts into tears*
Neon: What happened?
Kurei gave her a brief summary.
Neon: Fame is like that. People are fickle, so they change easily. Some may like you, while some may hate
you.
It all depends. It’s all a price you have to pay for being famous. (Another
one being not having enough
time
to know a boy/girlfriend.)
Kurei: *sobbing* Do you have a boyfriend Neon-sama?
Neon: Not yet. You?
Kurei: *choke, sob* Iie.
Neon: But the thing is that I’m sure whoever is your girlfriend will suffer a lot.
Kurei: … …
Neon: Ah well, that’s life. C’est la vie. But there’s also another phrase I like to live by.
Kurei: *sniffles* What?
Neon:
Carpe diem. Seize the day. Come on Kurei-sama, are you coming along for
the end-of-production
celebration
dinner?
Kurei: No… I have my job as a waiter.
Neon: I thought you were a salesman in an aromatherapy candle shop.
Kurei: That’s my other part-time job. I need to pay my rent.
Neon:
O_o I see.
Cut to a signboard: Aoiya (my, doesn’t that sound familiar? If you read RK, that is)
Misao: Kurei! Quick get me a table for… get me a large table.
Kurei: Hai, Misao-sama.
Omasu: Welcome, minna! Please wait a while as we find you a table.
Okon: Send them in Omasu!
Omasu: Hai! Kurei, show them their table.
Kurei: Welcome people to Aoiya—
Neon: You work here Kurei-sama?
Recca: I wonder why a restaurant with such a good reputation would hire you.
Kaoru: Kurei nii-chan!
Fuuko: Hey Kurei-sama!!!
Yanagi: *sniffs*
Domon: Hello Kurei-sama.
……………………………
Kurei promptly passed out.
……………………………
Raiha: Pass the beef hotpot will you?
Mikoto: *meekly* Hai, Raiha-sama.
Menou: Joker-sama, why don’t you take off your cap? You have such nice eyes.
Joker: *blush* Iie… I’m shy.
Saicho: Why don’t you just take it off?
Joker: O~okay… *takes off cap to reveal…*
Misora: Wah O.O You have such nice eyes (amber, too). Why don’t you show them more often?
Joker: *blush*
Recca: *picking at his salad* So I told the director, you don’t expect me to do that.
Yanagi: *giggles* Hn. Directors are so silly sometimes.
Fuuko: This restaurant gives the kind of feel of the Meiji era doesn’t it?!?!?!
Domon: I think it’s their theme.
Kaoru:
Beef Hotpot!!! Itadakimasu, minna!
Kurei slowly stirred.
Neon: Ohayo, sleepy-head!
Kurei:
Ne…neon-sama! What are you… what am I…? I’m supposed to be working… Aoshi-sama
is definitely
going
to dock my pay again.
Neon: Don’t be a baka. Everyone’s left already, and Aoshi let you off.
Kurei: Really?
Neon: *clears throat* Recca-sama actually convinced him not to.
Kurei: RECCA?!
Neon: A~ano… he also said that that you’d pryafbkjhfhtyjsn.
Kurei: Nani?
Neon: Well, Recca-sama actually said you’d pay for their meal.
Kurei: *weakly* Oh… how big is the bill?
Neon: $125.67.
Kurei: Oh that’s all right.
Pause.
Kurei: *convulses* WHAT?! That’s about 25 times my salary per day! How am I going to pay it off?
Neon: Well, I paid it on your behalf…
Kurei: Neon-sama… *tears gathering*
Neon:
…so I suppose you’ll have to work for me to pay me back. Come to my house
tomorrow evening. I
have
a job for you.
Kurei:
Evening? *Hentai thoughts follow*
The next evening…
Kurei:
*mumbling to himself* I will tell Neon-sama how I feel about her. I will
tell Neon-sama how I feel
about
her. *Takes a deep breath*
*Doorbell rings*
Neon: [opening door]: Konbanwa, Kurei-sama.
Kurei walks in.
Kurei:
*Takes a deep breath* Neon-sama, remember you were telling me that whoever
was my girlfriend
would
suffer?
Neon: Na~ni, did I?
Kurei: Yes you did, that day when the Recca Gumi was stoning me.
Neon: Huh?
Kurei: You were telling me about how fickle fame was…
Neon:
Oh yes, I remember now. I told you that if you had a girlfriend she’d suffer
because you would
always
be
too busy.
Kurei: Well I’m telling you now, she won’t suffer, because I’ll make her—
*Doorbell rings again*
Neon: Oh, dear that must be my date. He’s early today.
Kurei: Anyway I was saying—DATE?!
Neon:
Hai. Your assignment today is to look after my house and help me clean
it up. As long as you do a
satisfactory
job, I’ll consider your debt cleared.
Kurei: You’re not hearing me here, Neon-sama. DATE?!
Neon: Oh yes. He’s the CEO of a Chocolate Corp.
*Sound
of a funeral bell*
While Kurei-sama’s world is crashing down on him, I the author would like to take a short intermission.
Soi and Tomo are married. Why? Because I wish it. And NO ONE defies the
author. I dunno, I like
them together though… ^^ (Just like in some bizarre twisted way, I like
Kamatari-Chou pairings in
RK)
Kurei’s daily pay at Aoiya is about $5.
Aoiya, if you still don’t know what it is, is the place where the Kyoto
Oniwa Banshuu resides. I made it
into a restaurant. That’s why Fuuko said it gave off the feel of the Meiji
era ^^ Aoshi, Misao, Okon,
Omasu and Okina are all Oniwa Banshuu members. (From Rurouni Kenshin)
There’s a reason why I made the actress who played Kurenai the same as
the one who played Neon. I
think that they both fall into the caliber of Soi (FY) and well since Kurei
is obviously a Nakago kind of
person, one Soi is enough. (I like the Neon-Kurei romance so much because
it’s kinda as if it shows
what if Soi and Nakago had a second chance.)
The Recca Gumi is my own invention. It means the Recca group/team (or something
close to this
explanation) Kinda silly… but here it’s used to refer to Recca fans.
All in all, I’d just like to say I didn’t want to be mean to Kurei, but well, he’s so vulnerable like this.
Kurei: That’s it. You die now.
*Blue flame flares*
And
the CEO of a Chocolate Corp. Hm… sounds like someone we know, now, doesn’t
it? ^.^
Kurei watched horrified as Neon opened the door to reveal—
A 15-year-old Chinese boy?!
Jia Xian: Hello Miss. Neon. Hello Kurei-sama.
Neon: Hello Jia Xian-san. Ah well, jya ne, Kurei-sama.
Jia
Xian: Bye. {Turns to Neon and takes out a box of chocolates] Here, Neon-sama,
I made you some
chocolates…
Neon: Wah, you’re so sweet, Jia Xian-san! *cuddles him*
Kurei watched the door close like his window of opportunity. The lights dim and a spotlight shines on him.
Kurei:
Why… why… WHY!!! Every time something good happens to me, it’s taken away
so fast. When I
was
15,
I was nominated to be a model pupil… then the next day, MY MOTHER TRANSFERRED
ME TO
ANOTHER
SCHOOL!!! And now… all my hopes… NOOOOOOO!!! *Breaks down and starts to
cry* And I
fought
so hard too…
At
that very moment, a letter was shoved under the door. The words Kurei-sama…was
written on the
envelope.
Kurei
opened it gingerly, as he suspected it was another sick gag gift from the
author and was due to
explode
once
opened. He pulled out the letter:
Dear Kurei-sama,
Hang in there, Kurei! Things may be really tough for you now, but remember,
you will
never be alone so long as the KFC (no, not the fried poultry) remains (or
so long as I
keep updating it) We will always stick with you no matter how big a failure
you think
you are. ^_^ Keep fighting, Kurei-sama, we’re behind you all the way!
Love,
Bottou-chan, representative of the KFC
Kurei
found himself physically unable to speak, but he didn’t have to say anything,
because his silence
expressed
more things than words could have done.
Owari
"You
say it best… when you say nothing at all…" – Ronan Keating,
Words I used that some people may have no idea what I’m talking about:
Daijoubu ka: Are you okay?
Tonkatsu:
It’s kind of like fried pork cutlets, commonly had with rice and miso soup.
Only since Tonkatsu
refers
to the pork cutlets, the complete set of pork cutlets and rice would be
Katsu-ju (served in a box) or
katsu-don
(served in a bowl) Just some yummy food trivia… (I like Japanese food ^^)
Okama: Gay. (As in men who like men, not happy)
Matte: I think it means stop ^^
Tasukete: Help
Sugoi: Great or cool or wonderful or something like that… ^^;;
Itadakimasu:
Eat up… or something like that… Miaka’s always shouting this.
Copyright
to Ailin "Wolfie"
0023
hrs, March 25, 2000
Good
night, minna.