[42] Fractures in the Mask

July 26, 2025

{Akane's POV}

I stepped out of the school building, the overcast sky looming above. The air felt heavy, promising rain at any moment. Nobuyuki fell into step beside me as we walked towards the front gate.

"So there I was, in the middle of literature class," I said, recounting a recent embarrassing moment. "I completely zoned out and when Sensei called on me, I blurted out the first thing that came to mind."

Nobuyuki chuckled. "Let me guess, it had nothing to do with the book we're studying?"

I nodded, feeling my cheeks warm at the memory. "Worse. I started rambling about the proper way to make tamagoyaki. The whole class erupted in laughter."

"Oh man, that's-" Nobuyuki's response was cut short as Yuki suddenly appeared, grabbing his arm.

"Nobuyuki, you like puppies, right? I just saw a cute Labrador over this way!" Yuki exclaimed, tugging him along. Nobuyuki allowed himself to be led away, throwing an apologetic glance over his shoulder.

I watched them go, my earlier amusement fading. The tweets I'd seen earlier flashed through my mind - harsh criticisms of my performance on LoveforReal. Then came the memory of overhearing my manager's boss, his voice raised in anger: "Why isn't Akane standing out? She's barely getting any screen time!"

My chest tightened. I have to stand out. I must stand out.

Without thinking, I jogged after Yuki and Nobuyuki. "Stop it!" I shouted, swiping my right hand through the air. My eyes were squeezed shut as I continued, "You're always throwing yourself at guys! It's indecent the way-"

I opened my eyes and froze. A thin line of red appeared on Yuki's cheek where my hand had connected. My stomach dropped.

"Cut!" the director yelled. Crew members rushed forward, crowding around Yuki. Their voices blended together, but I caught snippets:

"How could she do that?"

"Is Yuki okay?"

The world seemed to tilt. My breath came in short gasps. "Oh god... I didn- I didn't mean to," I stammered, covering my mouth with my hands.

I heard Yuki call my name, but it sounded distant, muffled. My vision blurred. Suddenly, arms wrapped around me, snapping me back to reality.

Yuki's voice was soft in my ear. "It's alright, just calm down. I get it, you got flustered. I know you're a hard worker."

She pulled back, her hands on my shoulders. "You must have been under a lot of pressure and did something you're not good at. It's okay."

Tears spilled down my cheeks. "But... you have a magazine shoot tomorrow," I choked out.

Yuki smiled, shaking her head. "This can be fixed easily with some editing. It won't affect my work at all!"

Her kindness only made me feel worse. I'd hurt her, and she was comforting me? My legs gave out and I sank to the ground, sobs wracking my body.

"I'm so sorry," I gasped between breaths. "I don't know what came over me. I just... I felt so..."

Yuki knelt beside me, her hand on my back. "Hey, it's okay. Take a deep breath."

I tried to follow her advice, but my chest felt too tight. The crew's murmurs seemed to grow louder, pressing in on me from all sides. I squeezed my eyes shut, wishing I could disappear.

"Everyone, please give us some space," I heard Yuki say firmly. The voices receded, and I felt the pressure ease slightly.

"Akane, look at me," Yuki said gently. I forced myself to meet her gaze. "You made a mistake. It happens. But beating yourself up won't fix anything."

I shook my head. "But I hurt you. And I ruined the scene. I'm always messing up, always falling short."

"That's not true," Yuki insisted. "You're talented and hardworking. Everyone has off days."

"I just wanted to stand out," I whispered, the admission painful. "I thought if I could be more... I don't know, dramatic? Maybe people would notice me."

Understanding dawned in Yuki's eyes. "Is this about the show? Akane, you don't need to change who you are to be noticed."

"But I'm barely getting any screen time," I said, voicing my fears. "What if they cut me from the show? What if this is my only chance and I'm blowing it?"

Yuki sighed, settling more comfortably on the ground. "Can I tell you a secret? When I first started modeling, I was terrified. I thought I had to be perfect all the time or they'd replace me."

I blinked, surprised. Yuki always seemed so confident. "Really?"

She nodded. "I'd stay up all night practicing poses, skip meals to stay thin. I was miserable. And you know what? My work suffered because of it."

"What changed?" I asked, my breathing finally starting to even out.

"I realized that what makes me unique is what people respond to," Yuki said. "When I relaxed and let my personality shine through, that's when I really started to succeed."

I considered her words. "But what if who I am isn't enough?"

"Then that's their loss," Yuki said firmly. "But I don't think that's true. You bring something special to every role you play. Trust in that."

I took a shaky breath, feeling the tightness in my chest loosen slightly. "I'm still so sorry about hurting you."

Yuki touched her cheek, smiling ruefully. "Hey, at least it'll make for an interesting story someday. 'Remember that time Akane Kurokawa attacked me on set?'"

A startled laugh escaped me. "That's not funny," I protested, but I felt the corner of my mouth twitch upward.

"There's that smile," Yuki said, looking pleased. She stood up, offering me her hand. "Come on, let's get cleaned up and see if we can salvage this scene."

I hesitated before taking her hand. "You still want to work with me? After this?"

"Of course," Yuki said, pulling me to my feet. "We're all learning here. Just promise me one thing?"

"What's that?" I asked.

"Next time you're feeling overwhelmed, talk to someone," Yuki said. "Me, Nobuyuki, Mem-cho, Akira even Aqua. We're all in this together, you know."

Without thinking, I stepped forward and wrapped my arms around her. Yuki stiffened for a moment, surprised, then relaxed into the hug. I felt her arms encircle me, patting my back reassuringly.

"Thank you," I mumbled into her shoulder. "For understanding. For being so kind."

Yuki chuckled softly. "That's what friends are for, right?"

As we walked back towards the crew, the first drops of rain began to fall. I tilted my face up, letting the cool water mingle with the remnants of my tears. For the first time in weeks, I felt like I could breathe again.

{Akira's POV}

I stepped out of the school building, squinting at the darkening sky. Fat raindrops splattered on the pavement, quickly turning into a steady downpour.

Crew members scurried around, packing up equipment and seeking shelter. I spotted my driver, Tanaka-san, waiting by the sleek black Lexus. As I made my way towards the car, I noticed Akane standing alone under the school's awning, her shoulders slumped.

I changed course, walking over to her. "Hey, Akane. You need a ride?"

She looked up, startled. "Oh, Akira. I... um..." She glanced around, seeming lost.

"Come on," I said, gesturing towards the car. "It's pouring, and I doubt the trains are running smoothly in this weather."

Akane hesitated for a moment before nodding. "Okay. Thank you."

We dashed through the rain to the waiting car. Tanaka-san opened the door for us, and we slid into the plush leather seats.

"Where to, Akane-san?" Tanaka-san asked as he started the engine.

Akane gave her address, and we pulled away from the curb. The rain drummed steadily on the roof, creating a cocoon of white noise around us. I glanced at Akane. She stared out the window, her reflection in the glass looking small and tired.

"You okay?" I asked, breaking the silence.

Akane turned to me, forcing a smile. "I'm fine. Just... it's been a long day."

I nodded, remembering the incident with Yuki earlier. "Yeah, I heard about what happened. That must have been rough."

Akane's smile faltered. She looked down at her hands, twisting them in her lap. "I messed up. Badly."

"Hey, we all have off days," I said. "The important thing is how you handle it afterwards. From what I saw, you and Yuki worked it out pretty well."

"She was so kind about it," Akane said softly. "I don't deserve that kindness."

I frowned. "Don't say that. Everyone deserves kindness, especially when they're struggling."

Akane looked at me, her eyes searching my face. "How do you do it, Akira? You always seem so... put together. Like nothing phases you."

I couldn't help but laugh. "Trust me, I'm far from put together. I just hide it better, I guess."

"Really?" Akane asked, sounding skeptical.

I nodded. "Really. Look, this industry... it's tough. It can make you doubt yourself, push you to extremes. But at the end of the day, we're all just people trying our best."

Akane was quiet for a moment, processing my words. Then she asked, "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure," I said.

"If this wasn't a show... if we were just normal teenagers at school together... do you think..." She trailed off, shaking her head. "Never mind. It's stupid."

I raised an eyebrow, curious about where she was going with that thought. But I didn't push. Instead, I said, "Listen, Akane. I know we're not super close or anything, but if you ever need someone to talk to, I'm here. No judgement, no cameras. Just... a friend, I guess."

Akane looked surprised, then grateful. "Thank you, Akira. That... that means a lot."

The car slowed to a stop. I looked out the window and realized we'd arrived at Akane's place.

"Well, this is me," Akane said, gathering her things. She paused with her hand on the door handle. "Thanks again for the ride. And... for listening."

I smiled. "Anytime. See you next week?"

Akane nodded. "See you next week."

As she stepped out into the rain, I watched her hurry towards her building. Just before she disappeared inside, she turned and waved. I waved back, then settled into my seat as Tanaka-san pulled away from the curb.

I stared out the car window, watching the rain blur the city lights. My mind kept replaying the scene with Akane. Her tears, Yuki's kindness, the crew's whispers. It was all there, captured on camera.

"Shit," I muttered, rubbing my face.

"Everything alright, Hoshino-san?" Tanaka-san asked from the driver's seat.

"Yeah, just... thinking about work stuff," I replied.

Work stuff. That's one way to put it. I thought about how the producers might edit that scene. Would they show Akane's breakdown? Her vulnerability? Or would they focus on the drama and stop the episode right after the slap?

I knew how these shows worked. Drama sells. Conflict gets views. And the internet? They'd eat it up.

I could already see the tweets:

"OMG did you see Akane SLAP Yuki? #LoveforRealDrama"

"Akane needs to go. She's unstable! #KickAkaneOff"

"Poor Yuki! Akane's just jealous because no one likes her #TeamYuki"

It wasn't fair. Akane made a mistake, sure. But she didn't deserve to be torn apart by strangers online.

My phone buzzed. A text from Marin:

"Hey baby, you on your way home? I'm thinking about making curry!"

I smiled despite myself. Marin always knew how to brighten my day. But as I typed a reply, my thoughts drifted back to Akane.

What if it was Marin in that position? What if she made a mistake and millions of people judged her for it?

The car pulled up to our building. I thanked Tanaka-san and headed inside.

In the elevator, I made a decision. I pulled out my phone and dialed a number.

"Kaburagi-san? It's Akira. We need to talk."