Mai Sakurajima
"That's impressive," Izumi Kotomi said with admiration, already forming a guess about who Utaha Kasumigaoka was talking about.
"Would you like to know her name?" Kasumigaoka teased, hinting that a little encouragement might prompt her to reveal this Sobu High School actress's identity.
Ignoring the bait, Kotomi replied directly, "It's probably Mai Sakurajima, right?"
"Uh-huh, nice try, but the answer is— Wait! How did you know?" Kasumigaoka's eyes widened.
"It's easy to find out who the popular students are at school. I'd say everyone knows about her. She's in Class 2-A at Sobu High School, right? And with her level of fame, it would be hard not to know."
Mai Sakurajima was a household name. Probably every student at Sobu High School knew of her, if not most people across Japan. Such recognition was simply a fact, not even an exaggeration.
Having debuted as a child star at six, her first show had record-breaking viewership, making her an instant sensation. She starred in a slew of popular dramas, movies, radio shows, and commercials; you couldn't turn on the TV without seeing her.
Although her initial popularity surge calmed down a few years into her career, she quickly gained loyal fans who respected her as a talented actress. This itself was a major feat since most former child stars in Japan tended to either retire early or fade into obscurity as they grew older.
But not only did Mai manage to sustain her career into her teenage years, she hit another peak at fourteen. When she starred in a movie that year, her mature and stunning beauty drew renewed attention. Within days, every magazine cover showcased her radiant smile.
However, there was something curious about her filmography—none of her roles ever included romance scenes. According to her agent, who also happened to be her mother, Mai preferred to avoid roles that involved romance, turning down even the best scripts if they contained any romantic scenes, no matter how minor. This selective approach limited her roles, but her talent and popularity more than made up for it.
Despite appearing in only a few projects, her acting skills were undeniable, with each performance earning high ratings. Her TV shows and movies held an impressive 8 to 9.5 rating range on Japan's strictest review sites, often breaking viewership and box office records.
"You knew about Mai? Here I thought I'd surprise you with a big reveal," Utaha said, sounding slightly let down.
"Anyone at Sobu High School would know about Mai Sakurajima," Kotomi replied. "It's just rare to see her on campus."
"That's true," Kasumigaoka chuckled. "Compared to Mai, I'm the more diligent student—at least I show up to school a few days a week. But Mai? She hasn't shown up once since the term began."
"That might have something to do with wanting to avoid being held back a year," Kotomi pointed out.
Kasumigaoka burst out laughing, unable to mask her own amusement, and eventually replied, "Ahem. Well, maybe attendance is part of it, but let's go with my love for learning, shall we?"
"Is that really true?" Kotomi asked, dubious.
"Of course! Oh, my adorable little kouhai, let's not be too blunt," Kasumigaoka said with a grin, giving Kotomi's cheek a playful pinch.
"Alright, alright, I get it! I'm sorry!" Kotomi said, quickly giving in.
"Good. Consider it a lesson in social grace from your senpai," Utaha replied, releasing her grip on Kotomi's cheek.
The irony of this moment was not lost on Kotomi. Here was Kasumigaoka, not exactly a model of social finesse, teaching her the ways of the world. Kotomi wasn't sure whether to laugh or sigh.
"Speaking of which, where are we going to watch the movie? And if we're going to the cinema, why meet at the amusement park?"
"Well, it's close to where I live," Kasumigaoka said with a smile. "My apartment's just a few blocks from here, so I thought it was convenient."
She pulled out her phone and, before Kotomi could notice, found a nearby cinema through the ticketing app and reserved two seats for a new movie starring Mai Sakurajima. Originally, Utaha had considered spending the day in the amusement park, but seeing Kotomi's apprehension toward roller coasters, she decided on a more relaxing movie outing.
Turning her phone around to show Kotomi the screen, she said, "Here's what we're watching—The Ring."
Kotomi froze, barely avoiding a stumble, and forced a shaky smile. "S-Senpai… are you sure Mai is in this movie?"
"Yup! Look here, the cast list confirms it. Mai Sakurajima as… Sadako."
Kotomi's eyes widened as she read the cast list where Mai Sakurajima's name appeared unmistakably next to the role of Sadako.
"Mai Sakurajima… playing Sadako?"
Despite her disbelief, the confirmation was clear on the screen in front of her.
To think that Sobu High School's idol, known for her elegance and charm, was cast as Japan's most terrifying horror character—this was beyond her wildest guesses. Kotomi's mind buzzed with images of Mai as the infamous ghost with long black hair and a white dress crawling out of a well.
"Why are you so quiet?" Utaha Kasumigaoka noticed Kotomi's complex expression and asked with some concern.
"It's nothing, really. I just can't quite imagine what Mai Sakurajima would look like playing Sadako," Kotomi admitted.
Kasumigaoka nodded, fully understanding. "Although Mai has acted in plenty of thrillers and mystery films, this is her first time playing a ghost in a horror movie. When I first heard she'd be playing Sadako, I actually called her up to confirm. And do you know what she said?"
"What did she say?"
"She said that while she'd always wanted to play a horror role, the opportunity never really came up. With her popularity, she could easily land any role, but she'd always been known for her beauty. Suddenly playing a terrifying character like Sadako? The PR team thought it would make for some great buzz. Plus, she wanted to wait until she felt her acting skills were good enough."
"So by taking this role now, she's saying she's confident in her skills?" Kotomi asked.
"Exactly." Kasumigaoka nodded. "I saw the concept art for her character, though. Her face is completely hidden behind long black hair, so no one can see what she looks like anyway."
"That's why the role is challenging. Even without showing her face, she has to act with full intensity. And this time, she gets to do that in a role she's always wanted," Kotomi replied.
"True. I'll have to congratulate her properly when she's back at school." Kasumigaoka smiled.
The two quickly reached the theater, where Kasumigaoka scanned the QR code on her phone, and the tickets printed out.
"Since we've got about ten minutes before the movie starts, shall we grab some popcorn and drinks? Kotomi, what do you want to drink?"
"Cola."
"Coke or Pepsi?"
"Pepsi."
"What? You like Pepsi too? Kotomi, from now on, we're soul sisters!"
"Soul sisters!"
They each bought a large popcorn and soda, their hands full as they walked into the theater, taking their seats in the seventh row, right in the middle. Just as they settled, the lights dimmed, and the film began.
"Theater's pretty empty, huh? Well, maybe because this cinema isn't as crowded. This is like getting a private screening on two tickets. Score! I'm totally going to tell Mai that I booked out a theater just to see her movie!" Kasumigaoka joked.
Kotomi chuckled.
The film started with a dark screen that faded to text:
"September 5th, Sunday."
Four students who had watched a mysterious videotape mysteriously died exactly seven days later. This strange event catches the attention of a journalist, Asakawa, who begins to investigate. During her search, she stumbles upon the cursed videotape and watches it herself.
Convinced that everyone who watches the tape will die, she teams up with her ex-husband, Ryūji Takayama, to find the truth. As they delve deeper into the mystery, her young son watches the tape too, unaware of the horrors it will bring.
The sound design and performances worked together to build an eerie atmosphere. Beside her, Kotomi noticed Kasumigaoka leaning forward, fully absorbed in the film's suspenseful atmosphere. When Kasumigaoka turned to look at her, she found Kotomi practically sunk into her chair, trembling.
"Kotomi, you okay?" Kasumigaoka asked.
"Uh, sure…" Kotomi took a shaky breath, gathering herself enough to explain.
"See, Utaha-senpai, some people walk into haunted houses without getting scared, while others can't even take a step. Ever wonder why there's such a difference?"
"Um…not really?" Kasumigaoka admitted, laughing. "I've never actually been to one. Horror movies are as close as I've come."
"Same here."
Kasumigaoka tilted her head, confused.
Why would Kotomi start asking her about haunted houses in the middle of a movie?
Realizing she might need to explain it differently, Kotomi tried again. "Alright, let's look at horror movies and comics, then. Different people can handle different levels of fear. Some find horror terrifying, others find it…not scary at all. Do you know why that is?"
Kasumigaoka shook her head. This was definitely outside her knowledge range.
"Each person's fear tolerance depends on a gene called the serotonin transporter. If the activation sequence of this gene is long, it produces more serotonin in nerve cells, reducing feelings of unease. In short, people with long sequences don't scare as easily. So, horror movies, novels, and manga don't faze them."
"Ohh, got it. Now that you mention it, I think our bio teacher once said that fear is humanity's oldest, strongest emotion."
Kasumigaoka nodded, but her eyes twinkled with amusement as she looked at Kotomi. "But what does this have to do with our movie?"
Kotomi's cheeks reddened as she whispered, embarrassed, "I have a short activation sequence…"
"Oh! I get it now! So you're basically saying… you're super scared!" Kasumigaoka's laughter bubbled over. "Kotomi, you're adorable. Instead of just telling me you're afraid, you go into a whole scientific explanation. Is this what they call high EQ?"
Low EQ: "I'm so scared. My skirt moved. I can't watch this!"
High EQ: "My serotonin transporter gene's activation sequence is short."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
40 Advanced Chapters Available on Patreon:
Patreon.com/DaoOfHeaven