No one in their right mind would think your romance scenes are believable.
When Katsuki's feelings of love towards Mizuki and your own personal feelings synchronize, Tsuruga,
I believe you can easily surpass the performance in the original.
Ren?!
The party you've dialed cannot come to the phone right now. Please leave...
He's really not answering... What gives?
He usually takes work so seriously... He's never done this before.
...your message after the beep.
Hello. You've got Tokyo Bridge Rock at three o'clock today!
You'd better be there!
I leap out from my dusty room
and start running down the block
I'll hurry it up until I'm faster than anyone
because I want to reach my dazzling future!
A come-from-behind story
I believe it'll go my way
I'll speed off into the distance!
Beating and taking on any chance I get
even if my heart to skip a beat
Rather than pray for a miracle, I'll lay footsteps towards my goal!
Across the horizon, past a yet-unseen future,
lays my true freedom and confidence.
The Permissible Encounter
Kyoko, you won't be on today, right?
Yes, I'm really sorry about that.
Oh, no, it's fine.
But the shoot schedule may not go as I originally planned for a bit.
So it will be a little hard on everyone,
I'm afraid...
S-Sir! It's going to be Okay!
We just have to bear it until Mr. Tsuruga returns!
Sir!
"Until Mr. Tsuruga returns."
That means the one star who should be here on set isn't.
I'm pathetic.
He's struggling and this was the only way I could give him time.
The reason the main star went missing...
...stems from two days ago.
Show me.
Tsuruga suddenly lost the ability to act as Katsuki.
I'm sorry.
Please let me start over again.
Tsuruga...
I think what I did was extreme,
telling an actor to leave the set.
But he just looked...
Looked like he was driven into a corner,
and suffering... I couldn't bear to watch.
He feels the same way I do...
That his slump isn't as simple as being caused from all the retakes.
I understand that he's suffering because something is keeping him from acting, but...
I'm the worst director ever!
I-I-I think you did the best thing by giving him a break!
I also felt it...
That he somehow lost the ability to express Katsuki's emotions.
He portrayed Katsuki in different ways and kept asking for retakes.
It's not that.
It was as if he was searching for a Katsuki that suited him.
I see. So you felt the same way.
But he was doing fine two days earlier.
Yes. Which is why I thought there's something else going on here.
Something serious that he can't even tell the director about.
But I can't rescue him from his suffering the way he released me from my pain.
I'm still brand new to this, so I can't give an experienced actor like him advice.
OK, that's a wrap.
Sho Fuwa
Good work today.
That's all for today.
I'm dieing for some food.
You're too heavy!
Come on, Shoko, let's go get some food.
Sure, sure. I'll go tell them to prepare a table at the usual restaurant.
Just call them now.
I get lousy reception in here.
Just let me do my job.
Wait here, okay?
Yeah, yeah.
Geez, what am I gonna do with him?
He's surprisingly mature while on the job,
but when it's just the two of us, he's just a kid.
I guess he's cute that way, though.
Though he's acting frighteningly normal.
Even after the look on his face after learning about Kyoko and Ren Tsuruga acting together...
Then he...
Sho?
Not my problem.
Like I care who she acts with.
He acted so disinterested.
Maybe he really doesn't care about her?
Even now, she's still mine.
But then why'd he say that?
Wow, it looks delicious!
I worked really hard so you'd enjoy it!
Here you go, Mr. Tsuruga.
Say "Ah"!
Damn, I did it again.
Geez, what the hell am I thinking of?!
Would she really be making him boxed lunches like some obnoxiously in-love married couple?
Just because they're acting together?
Hah. Yeah, right.
Because they say that he's the most [CENSORED] actor around today.
Don't wanna say it
If it were me, I'd never date her.
Why, you ask?
Unrivaled Beauty
Because when I become the top star in showbiz,
I just know I'll have the top girl in showbiz as my girlfriend.
Screw Kyoko, I'll have the top girl.
Say "Ah"!
GAH!
Back off! You have the best girl as your girlfriend!
Good work today.
You too!
Just watching from afar... That's all I can do, I guess.
I mean, if I were in Tsuruga's shoes...
"Why would I listen to you?"
B-But...
"What the hell does a rookie like you know?!"
"Don't overstep your boundaries!"
No!
...is exactly what he would do.
But, if I suddenly lost the ability to portray Mio,
I'd surely want someone to help me out.
Ah, if only I were at least older than him...
Then I could force him to tell me what's bothering him.
This is an order from your senior!
Gosh, just thinking about it gives me shivers!
This is an order from your senior!
No! I can't!
I mustn't!
W-What is this?
Is this God's punishment for portraying such fresh and humiliating scenes involving my senior? Through my own delirious delusions?!
Well, it's true I wished I could force my help on him, even if he didn't want it...
What?! Why did I have to run into him now?!
It's impossible!
There's no way I can rescue him out of that treacherous black hole!
Besides, he has Mr. Yashiro to talk to!
But, now that I think about it, he didn't talk about his troubles to anyone then, either.
He's probably worrying all alone now, too.
I mean, he's the type who can't show his weaknesses to others.
He hides his true feelings with his smile and keeps his emotions bottled up.
How did you know?
It's fine. I knew people would know.
Anyway, I was fired for not listening to the director.
You're a life-saver. Thank you.
Tsuruga, you are being confused by Katsuki and your own self has disappeared.
What happened?
I'm sorry. I'll nail it next time.
It's impossible. In your current state, you can't pull it off.
You're trying too hard.
But...
Tsuruga, go take a good rest.
You needn't rush yourself.
Come back when you're able to enjoy the role of Katsuki.
Yo.
Y-You...
Long time no see. Still fretting over something, I see.
You're alone again, looking down. Is there another word in the script you don't understand?
It's fine. Let's commemorate our reunion.
You needn't pretend in front of me.
Tell me your troubles.
I was waiting patiently for this day.
Come, let's have a toast.
T-That's okay. We're on the clock.
Masquerade Ball
Man, I was waiting for you to finally go on break, too.
I'm sorry.
Ogata, I came to check on you and yet I don't see our main star, Ren, around.
What's that about?
Well...
T-Tsuruga, what should I do?!
Maybe it's hopeless, after all.
He seems more concerned than he did last time.
Even if I am Bo, maybe he just won't talk about that.
Has that ever happened to you?
Huh?
You said something just now, didn't you?
Sorry, I missed what you said. Please say it again.
Ah! And he finally said something!
Say it again, say it again!
Say it again! Say it again!
You...
Yes, yes!
Have you ever been in love?
Chirp.
That's what he said?! I don't want to hear about his love life.
I want him to tell me about his acting problems!
Love life?
Come to think of it, he started having issues when Katsuki's love scenes started.
Maybe the two are related.
I'm sure you've been in love before.
I bet you have way much more experience than me.
He's depressed again?
What did I say to cause that?
I knew it. It's unnatural for someone to have never been in love at my age, huh?
No, it's your face, not your age.
With a face like that, it's hard to believe you aren't a Casanova.
Wait... You just said you've never been in love?
Don't repeat it to me. It's embarrassing.
What the hell?! Tsuruga is saying he's embarrassed like an innocent girl!
Double shock!
I thought that I had been in love.
But then someone told me I've never seriously been in love.
He must mean the President.
"You'll get stuck someday,"
"and then you'll only be able to copy the original."
I never thought he'd be right.
I thought I could do it.
But,
it's come exactly to that.
Tsuruga...
Being attracted to someone I shouldn't be falling in love with.
I've never been in a situation where I couldn't control my feelings like that.
I don't know what it's like to lose one's cool after touching someone you shouldn't.
I don't understand. I keep thinking about how the original Katsuki acted.
I watched the original Tsukigomori to try and outperform the original.
But since it's come to this, I wish I hadn't.
I tried to get by using my acting techniques,
but it didn't work.
My feelings weren't there, so everything I did looked fake.
I bet the director saw through it, too.
If I'm unable to grasp those emotions, I'll...
I'll...
What are you doing?
No, I just saw this super-mean looking cockroach, so I just...
I'm pouring out my heart to you and you're off...
...squashing a roach?
I can't tell him the truth.
When I thought that my rotten memories of a past love may help him out,
I relapsed to my usual self...
Hey, come on!
...and started happily stomping my own personal cockroach.
Need I remind you that you volunteered to hear what's bothering me?
I think you failed in your role here.
Stop! Please stop!
No! What are you doing, Tsuruga?!
He's going to pull Bo's head off!
That's inhumane!
I-I'm so sorry.
I understand the situation.
I had to tell him the truth.
What can you do, huh?
Huh?
I expected this to happen, more or less.
Wait three days.
Huh?
There's only so many scenes you can film without the lead in them.
If he still has trouble grasping the role in three days,
you should find a new lead.
OK, you bums! I'm out!
Please wait, President Takarada!
Do you understand the ramifications of what you just said?
Of course. I only said what is natural to say.
What's natural about firing Tsuruga?!
Ogata, what's your goal in filming Dark Moon?
Huh?
You want to surpass the original, do you not?
Aren't you staking your directorial career on this show?
If you are looking for actors with skills superior to those in the original,
then slice away anyone who doesn't make the cut.
You don't have to be so angry.
I put the hat back on.
It'll be fine. No one will even notice.
Of course they will! Don't say such irresponsible things!
We're both irresponsible, then.
It was your irresponsible actions that brought this on.
Oh well. At least he's laughing again.
I know what's bothering him now,
but I'm at an even greater loss now as to what sort of advice to give him.
All I can do is lighten his mood a bit.
Even if it's only a little bit.
Well, it's about time. I should head back.
Talking to you helped cheer me up a bit.
Thank you.
It's fine. You'll master the role.
I guarantee it.
Master the role, huh?
Shit! He's reverting again?
If the "love" I've felt up until now is different from the complex love the TV show requires,
then I'm at a loss as to what that love is supposed to be.
How do you decide what love is?
Is there some sort of universal manual on this?
W-W-Well, let's just say...
If hearing their voice, looking at them, peering into their eyes...
If those small things make you happy,
then that's love, I suppose.
Makes me happy? How so?
Y-You don't know?!
So he really is clueless when it comes to love?!
T-The situation is way worse than I thought!
Are you all right?
W-What should I do? Maybe Katsuki is a lost cause!
B-But maybe he's experienced something really tiny before.
All right. Let's start from the beginning.
T-Tsuruga,
have you ever seen someone's gesture or expression and thought,
"Wow, she's pretty." or "Wow, how cute." and stared at her?
Hello.
What? Is that resonating with him somehow?
If I have, then what does that mean?
So you have been in love!
Congratulations! Congratulations! Congratulations!!
I can see it! A glimmer of hope!
The seeds!
Huh?
Tsuruga, the seeds of love!
You said you weren't crying,
but your voice was trembling.
So I just held you there, without saying a word.
There's not even a hint that we'll be able to promise a future for one another.
So why me?
I'm sure... I'm sure there's no answer to that.
You said you're not scared,
but your voice was trembling.
You're defenseless, so I will protect you.
And though we lack a future, we held onto eternity.
And then the Door Opens