Chapter 30. Homicidal Angel.

Under the charcoal burnt and half demolished tower, which was set for the next shoot, the three actors dressed up as two angels and a devil, were quite busy in reading the story boards before they were interrupted by the executive producer, Asami.

"So, here's the climax of our story," she said and her eyes flickered over to Sho, Mimori and Kyoko right before they started the first take of the devil's death scene. "The devil and his angel have wasted away, too deep in love to see what they've become. Seeing their weakness, Kyoko grabs the devil's neck, chokes him and hurls him from the broken tower to his death. Sho, I need you to close your eyes in your final moments as you fall back because you are choosing to submit. You will be on a wire so don't be afraid of the drop."

Sho nodded.

"Everyone good to do a quick run through?"

All three heads nodded in agreement.

Kyoko flashed a smug smile to Sho, which slowly crept up to her lips while he narrowed his eyes in reply.

"I may still be new to the world of entertainment," she said, "but I have studied hard and learned a lot since your betrayal. I promise you, I will not give in."

Sho tried to come up with a snarky comeback but failed since she was already climbing the tower stairs to take her position.

How dare she? Since Sho didn't get a chance to tell her off, he shot murderer's glares at Kyoko from afar. Staring at me with that defiance in her eyes. She thinks she can overshadow me with her performance. That girl mocks me! ME! Talking about how she is so new and how hard she studied - like I am not fighting everyday to find my own way! No way in hell! I will not lose to her! He punched his fist and gritted his teeth at her. You wanna see some acting? Fine! I will show you some acting!

Kyoko mirrored his reaction and flashed him another cocky smile, as if to say, 'bring it on!'

"Ready?" The director shouted and they took their positions. The second angel was supposed to be unconscious in pretty much the whole scene, so Mimori just had to lay still beside the weakened devil on the edge of the ruins of the infernal tower.

"Action!"

Using the last remnants of his strength, the devil raised himself to face the other angel, waiting for his death.

Kyoko, the other angel, pounced on him, grabbed his neck, and squeezed. Her face a picture of disgust and hate. For the first time in six months, she didn't hide how she felt. Displaying her deepest, darkest emotions out on the surface for the whole, wide world to see, she squeezed to her heart's content... until she was interrupted by a "cut!" screamed by the director and Asami in unison.

Still, Kyoko didn't stop and kept squeezing while Sho coughed and struggled to get free.

Mimori was on her feet, screaming, "she's gonna kill him! No, don't!"

"Kyoko, let go!" Asami shouted from below. "Don't kill him! It's too much hate for the scene. It's way too much hate!"

When they finally broke Kyoko's grip from Sho's neck and pulled her away, she snapped back to the reality and apologized to Asami for her behaviour.

"I am so sorry." Creasing her brows in an apologetic and guilty way, she lied smoothly, "I didn't mean to. I just did what I thought my character would do."

"You could have seriously harmed him," Asami sighed and shook her head.

"I know," Kyoko looked down to avert her eyes before looking up again. "Although, in the end, doesn't the angel become a devil? There's so much rage and hate inside her that in trying to save her friend she falls to the dark side?"

"Indeed. It goes just as you described," Asami gave her a small, impressed smile. "In the end, that hate condemns her to the same darkness the devil rose from. But, there's still hope for her or at least before she kills the devil. A chance to turn back from becoming the thing she hates. It's very important – you have to portray her as an angel until she commits the sin."

On the other side of the set, Mimori grabbed onto Sho's arm and cried through watery eyes, "are you okay, Sho?"

He didn't reply, instead, he massaged his neck with a pained expression. She is insane. I thought I was really gonna die.

"Are you feeling better, Sho?" Asami walked up to him. "Ready to go again?"

"Fine," he sighed.

Clapping her hands, Asami ordered, "okay people, let's get started!"

The crew rushed to their specified positions.

"Here we go, rolling for take two!" Someone shouted in the distance.

There's still hope in her. I'll stay focused this time, Kyoko swore to herself. I am an angel.

The clapper-board shot, "action!"

A minute later, Asami shouted from below, "Kyoko, hold back!"

Should I? Kyoko wondered as she squeezed Sho's neck even harder. So what if I go down, at least I get to take him with me!

"Stop the take already!" Asami shouted desperately. "There's too much hate! There is way too much hate!"

After they were disentangled, Sho coughed on one side of the set while Kyoko sat on the other, hiding her face in her hands, feeling like a failure.

"Okay then," Asami patted her back and consoled her. "Why don't you rest for a little bit? Sho and Mimori still have some scenes together, we'll get those first. In the meantime, take a few deep breaths. Think about your character and what being an angel means."

Kyoko looked down.

"Don't fret," Asami smiled encouragingly. "I know you got an angel inside. The way you acted with Mimori is proof enough that you are perfect for this. The way you smiled at her, every gesture was filled with the kind of love you can't fake. An effortless love."

It was easy, loving her, Kyoko thought as she climbed down the stairs to get to her dressing room in order to rest up for a while. All I had to do was pretend it was Moko besides me instead of Mimori.

Thinking about Moko brought a wide smile on her lips and a dreamy look in her eyes. No matter the circumstances, the fact that she had a real best friend out there always cheered her up and left her thrilled.

"I know that look," a voice said from behind. Kyoko didn't need to look back to see who it belonged to because she knew it all too well.

"You are wandering off in your own fantasy world, aren't you?" Sho asked as he placed himself in front of her, blocking her path. "You seem quite relaxed, especially for a girl who just stalled the entire production. It's kinda funny, everything turned out exactly the way you said it would when I discovered who you actually were. I do regret not firing you. Who knew you would be a source of so many problems?"

Kyoko didn't bother to reply. She didn't trust her mouth to speak, because she knew if she opened it, only curses will come out. She didn't want him to see that he could still get to her. So she maintained a poker face.

"So tell me how is that revenge of yours?"

Her eyes sharpened without her permission, but she still managed to keep her mouth shut.

"You put your whole heart and soul into this, you studied and worked so hard and this is the best you can do?" he chuckled amusingly and stepped closer to her, while whispering in a breathy, seductive voice, "I am begging you, give me your absolute best, Kyoko. Just one more take." Grabbing her chin lightly, he whispered in her ear, "maybe you can dig deep inside and be more beautiful for me."

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"Aaaaaaaaaaaagghh!" Kyoko screamed at the top of her lungs in frustration once she made it to her dressing room. It took all her inner strength to not strangle Sho on the spot when he said those awful things to her, but she had to stop if she didn't want to lose this job, considering all the trouble she caused during the shoot earlier.

Give me your absolute best, Kyoko. Just one more take. Maybe you can dig deep inside and be more beautiful for me.

His words still rang in her ear making her blood boil. Pumping with vexation, she punched the wall and banged her head on the table while screaming, "I hate him!" over and over, behind the safety of her dressing room's (hopefully) soundproof walls.

She kept telling herself that the only reason she was so frustrated was because of Sho, but the truth was, it was because she didn't know how to portray her character.

She still had to act like an angel until the sin was committed, which meant before killing the devil she was supposed to  act not hateful but angelic. She had no idea how the heck an angel was supposed to act while trying to kill someone. The more she thought about it, the more frustrated she became!

Asami is going to fire me... or worse, she'll say it was a mistake to hire me in the first place. Kyoko hugged her knees as she sank down on the floor. I feel like a total fraud. I thought I discovered the real me through acting but maybe I am just kidding myself.

Reaching for her bag, she fished out one of her voodoo dolls, thinking, what would Ren Tsuruga say if he were here?

Puppeting his doll, she scolded herself with his mimicked voice, "you reap what you sow. It's because you are using acting to get revenge. This is precisely why I told you that I didn't approve of your motivation. Insincerity always gets you into trouble, you know. To be perfectly frank, I don't think you deserve any sympathy!"

Great! I'm being shamed by a doll! She shoved the doll back inside her bag since it didn't prove to be much helpful, and fished out her cellphone this time. Scrolling down the contacts, her eyes fixed on Moko's number. That was it! She could ask for Moko's help!

She dialled her, but unfortunately the call wasn't answered. Kyoko wasn't surprised, considering what Moko had told her the last time they met, that she got herself a movie role. Of course, she was busy with her own shoot and didn't have time to chat idly.

Since Moko is not available, who else could I call to ask for advice? She scrolled down the contacts and stopped when the name 'Ren Tsuruga' popped up without thinking. No. No way. I'm not gonna do that. I'm not gonna cave in and call him. Besides, I am sure he's really busy. He'd never bother to pick up the phone anyway!

The next minute, she caved in and called him. Unsurprisingly the call straight went to voicemail. So she left him a similar message she had left to Moko, asking him to call her back because she needed his help with an emergency.

Suddenly, her cell rang, it was Moko. Answering it with a wide grin, she exclaimed, "hey Moko! Thanks so much for calling me back!"

"Kyoko, you sound weird!" Moko mimicked her earlier message and wailed, "oh no!... I don't know what to do. Hope is dead! Help me Moko, wah wah! – that's you. that's the message you left me in this really whiny, pathetic voice! You actually had me worried there for a second! I thought you were in some life or death situation! Don't freak out like that. If you are having work issues, just say so...!"

Moko kept talking but Kyoko wasn't listening anymore. A warm feeling crept inside her chest making her blush. Moko was scolding her but that didn't bother her. She was just so happy that Moko cared enough about her to call her back through her busy schedule and was even worried about her safety.

"...can you hear me? Say something. Hello!"

"I can hear you, Moko." Her smile could be heard through her voice.

"So what is it? What do you need help with?"

"It's just... I've been really preoccupied with the part and it's super hard."

"Tell me more. Why are you having trouble with it?"

And she told her. She explained to her the whole story of the devil and the two angels and asked her opinion that if she were the second angel instead of Mimori, how she would feel about it.

"Let me think," Moko replied. After a long pause and some quick pondering, she answered "I'd hate you. If I was the second angel, even if you are my best friend, if you kill the devil I'd hate you."

"B-but if you stay with him, you'll die for sure," Kyoko pointed out.

"But I am in love with him, right? I am willing to do anything for him. Even if it's dying. It's not your decision."

This was not the answer Kyoko wanted to hear. She hated the devil before because it was portrayed by Sho, but now personal feelings locked aside, she despised him even through her characters perspective. But that wasn't going to help her with her performance. If she killed him, her best friend would either die or end up hating her and shunning her out. So, she hated him even more and it got harder to kill him with an angel's grace.

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The break time was almost over so Kyoko went ahead to the set, where she found Asami and Sho talking near the door.

"I've sent someone to check up on Kyoko. If she's ready, then we'll shoot the tower scene next," Asami informed him. They hadn't noticed that Kyoko was already there.

"Hell, I am ready whenever she is," Sho replied nonchalantly.

"Have you memorized what's on the story boards?"

"Yeah."

"When Kyoko strangles you, remember to close your eyes. After all, your choosing to surrender yourself and your life."

"Yeah. I know all of that," Sho yawned. "Close my eyes. I am dead. Got it."

They finally noticed Kyoko standing near the door.

"So are you ready now?" Asami asked her. Kyoko's face was covered in gloom since she had the talk with Moko. She couldn't stop thinking about how the other angel felt even when it was no use to her performance. Her body was shaking from fear of losing her only best friend.

"Yes ma'am," she managed to lie.

"Oh hi," Sho smiled mockingly and stepped towards her. "So did you find your motivation-" Whatever snarky retort he was going to give her was cut off when he noticed her quivering with that cold gloom in her eyes.

"What's this now?" he reached for her but she slapped his hand away before he could touch her. She was feeling pretty sad, but she could never be that sad to need consoling from him of all people. Before Asami could ask her anything about her mood, she marched off to take her position on the set. The others followed her. Once everyone was in position, a shout came from below, "rolling for take three!"

Kyoko gazed at the devil's direction without actually looking at him, her mind a mess, because she was not Kyoko anymore. She was the angel, caught up in a dilemma. If she did not kill the devil in front of her, then her best friend Moko would die. But if she did kill him to save her, she'd hate her and shun her for the rest of her life. The latter thought was almost as cold and threatening as the former. A heavy weight settled on her chest when she realised that no matter what path she chose she would lose Moko forever.

The clapper board was slapped along with the director's shout, "action!"

With the realisation settled, big, round tears poured out of the angel's ocean blue eyes and rolled down her soft, pink cheeks. Her brows creased in desperation.

Sho, who was supposed to act like the weakned devil, froze in the spot in a stunned silence. All these years and he still didn't know how to react when he witnessed Kyoko cry. He forgot about the set, his character, and everything else while he racked his brain - like he always did when they were young - but still couldn't do with anything besides freezing. Just like all those times in the past.

Asami wondered why Sho was not doing anything, but she still didn't cut the scene because she didn't wanna interrupt Kyoko whose performance was absolutely perfect.

The angel still had a choice to make. As the tears seeped through eyes, she made her decision. With light steps she scurried forward in slow motion, her hands slowly stretching out towards the devil's neck. Her eyes flashing with pain and fear. She thought, no, it's too much. I can't risk losing her. She can hate me. She can curse me, but I'll still do it. I can't lose her.

She slowly snaked her fingers around the devil's pale, long neck. Pushing him down until he was leaning against the half broken wall on the edge of the tower, she squeezed.

What are you doing, Sho? Close your eyes! Asami shouted silently. She couldn't figure out why he just froze up like that. Like he was lost in his own little world.

Sho still didn't react, or more like couldn't react. His stunned face, like it was carved from a slab of stone, remained stubbornly still even when Kyoko's tears dripped on his cheeks, greasing them. He still didn't close his eyes, when he was supposed to be dead.

After squeezing for a while, she finally pushed him and hurled him down the tower. Even as he fell, he kept his eyes wide open as gaped blankly at Kyoko. One look at his eyes and anyone could tell that a thousand thoughts were running wild inside his head.

Covering her face from her hands, the angel sobbed. The weight of the very first sin she ever committed settled on her chest creating a hollow and darkening her soul. She slowly raised her face from her hands and then she finally let out all the hate from deep inside her heart. The darkness consumed her, her eyes flashed with evil. An ominous aura seeped out off her. The look she gave...it was the look of an angel transformed into a devil.

Asami gasped. It was the perfect look! The very look she wanted from the the beginning. It was true her instincts had high hopes from Kyoko, but what she witnessed just now surpassed her wildest fantasies. It was perfection. The look of an angel falling from grace.