Chapter 1: I'm So Popular, Don't You Know? (1)

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"Reo-kun!"

"I love you!"

"Please look this way!"

Female chatter and excitement permeated the air as national heartthrob 'Shishigane Reo' exited a van. The crowd went wild. He had just gotten off his 'Once In a Lifetime Love Tour', singing about his complicated relationship with his Oscar-Award Nominated girlfriend, Takano Hana.

He looked at the crowd of people, each clamoring to come closer and be in his presence. It never failed to please him, the way these people acted around him. He was nothing special normally, but here - in the spotlight, around the glitz and glamour - he was the main character, the only one who mattered.

He was adored.

He smirked as he vacated the red carpet, taking one brief look at his fans before flashing his signature smile. Then he left, pleased and full of confidence. That is until he crossed paths with his rival. Son of the Director, Aoba Motomu.

Truthfully, being the son of the Director wasn't even why Aoba was famous. He had enough aura to debut without using his father's name. No, it was his honesty and stoic handsomeness that drew fans to him like a moth to a flame. Aoba was Reo's junior.

Even though he couldn't stand the guy, Reo knew he had to keep up appearances. He decided to act friendly. Contrary to his real personality, his star persona was bright, cheerful, and refreshingly gentle. Why should he stop acting that way around Aoba? A performance is only convincing when it's rooted in effort. So, he attempted to smile.

"Hi, Aoba-kun!", he began. "Got an interview today too?"

Aoba shifted his body in his direction before answering. "No, senpai. I'm just here to pay my respects."

So that was it. He was here to grovel. Reo smirked.

Even when Reo was a newbie, he would never personally meet directors. It set a the tone. He usually sent an assistant with a goody bag or some cheap flowers. It seemed like Aoba was doing it the old-school way, though. What an idiot.

"Is that so? How harsh! You don't have to do it this way, you know? You're so popular these days, after all."

A compliment following an insult is always better than stunted silence. Aoba had a habit of ignoring everything around him, and truthfully, Reo didn't care about Aoba's exploits. But seeing his only real competition suffer like this? He'd be lying if he wasn't a little happy.

Aoba blinked before saying, "I think you're misunderstanding, senpai. I'm only here to thank the team from my previous drama. They worked hard and yet I'm the only one who's benefiting. It didn't seem fair."

Of course, they aren't benefiting, thought Reo. They were just ants!

Reo collected himself before answering. "I was just trying to give you some advice. You're my precious kouhai, after all. If you continue like this, the press might attack you. It's too bad."

Aoba continued: "And truthfully, I don't like what you're insinuating. We should always show our gratitude. I'm a little disappointed in you, senpai."

Reo was shocked, and in the confusion, he didn't register Aoba leaving.

"I always thought your smiles didn't reach your eyes. I never thought you were really like this."

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

Those words rang inside Reo's head, and with it, ugly memories flowed to the surface. He didn't want to remember. He couldn't easily forget. So he swallowed his frustration, plastered on a refreshing smile, and continued towards the filming area.

The stage came alive as he stepped in, refreshingly greeting the host, before sitting down. An amateur might have needed the rehearsal. He was no amateur.

He was Shishigane Reo, the nation's treasure!

The interview flowed naturally. He did his best to come up with answers that were a little unique, entirely predictable, or contained (fake) personal experiences. And just as he thought, the crowd loved it. Wrapping up, the host asked him:

"It's been an honor having you, Reo-kun! I'm sure the crowd will agree," and the crowd did.

"Closing off, what is the one thing you've always wanted? The fans want to know!"

Even if it was a totally unoriginal and deeply cliche question, Reo found it hard to answer. His confusion must have shown on his face. He composed himself, before answering:

"I...am a very lucky human being. I just show up, play characters written by brilliant people, and get to do all kinds of fun things. Yet I'm the one people talk about, I'm the one people think is brilliant. I'm really not." Reo turned to the audience. "I was asked about the thing I've always wanted. I want...those behind the scenes to be acknowledged too. It's no fun if I'm the only one who gets to experience all this fame. So, Director Hamoto! Costume Designer Chie! Assitant Dan! This moment is for you too. I'm sorry, and thank you!" And he ended it brilliantly with a gorgeous smile (that this time, reached his eyes and made his seem lovely and sweet.

The crowd went wild. They were standing up, giving applause. And Reo knew he had cleared this obstacle as well.

He left the stage and entered his van behind the studio. Greeting his elderly assistant manager, Kozue, he was largely silent during the long ride home. He was thinking.

'I wonder how that brat will feel once the episode airs?'

You see, dear readers, Shishigane Reo was not refreshingly gentle. He wasn't kind, and he was not conscious of other people - only when he wanted to crush them.

Truthfully, the encounter with the rising star Aoba Motomu angered him. How dare that little chaebol heir act like he knew him? He was the Director's son! Unlike him, Reo had to claw his way into this business! But Reo was smart. So, since he couldn't go off in a rage, he decided to use that brat's words as fuel. He was a petty man. And amazingly, it worked!

Checking his phone, he saw the tag #ShishiganeReo was trending.

'Huh...so the interview was live...?' He hoped Aoba had watched.

The difference in ability should be enough to shock a spoon-fed brat like him. He didn't know what Reo had gone through. How dare he, when he only offered him genuine advice?!

Giddy with excitement, Reo didn't notice the sudden strange sound. Something, in the darkness of the car, had clasped onto his leg. He tried to move it, but it didn't work!

'What in the world??'

He directed a panicked glance towards his driver, the always cheerful grandmother, Kozue Kenma. But she looked a little...off.

"Kozue-san! Kozue-san, something's wrong! My leg is restricted! Please stop the car and call for help!"

The lack of movement freaked him out. So did Kozue's strange silence.

"Kozue-san?"

"Why should I call for help?"

...Eh?

"You thank all those people on live television, yet you fail to remember who helps you the most."

"I---what?"

Kozue kept driving. She turned towards him, tears welling inside her eyes. Reo was terrified.

"I am your assistant! You're supposed to notice me! Not those old greasy men, not that daft old woman, ME! I am the important one!"

'It's no use...she's in the midst of a total breakdown...was she always like this?'

"Kozue-san, please! This is crazy! You're the same age as my mother! You can't possibly-"

"You mean your dead mother?"

Reo stilled. "How do you know that?" 'That he was an orphan...that fact wasn't known by the public...!'

She ignored him.

"Kozue this, Kozue that, that is NOT my name!" She removed the glasses and hat, revealing a young woman.

Sure enough, this was not Kozue.

"Ah! Whatever your name is! Watch the road!" All throughout this confrontation, the Kozue impersonator was recklessly driving. It was clear that the more they talked, the more unfocused she became.

This was dangerous.

"I won't! This is your punishment! I loved you so much Reo-sama, how could you not notice me? Even wearing my grandmother's tacky clothes, you're supposed to know! You...You were supposed to be my prince charming!"

Her deranged rambling only increased the bumpy driving. Reo felt pungent fear in his heart.

This might be it. He might really die.

"The real Kozue... where is she!" Even if Reo didn't care about most people, he cared about Kozue. Due to the nature of an actor, he was prone to having long days filming. Those days, the only constant face he saw was that of 63-year-old Kisaragi Kozue. Even if their relationship was that of a celebrity and his assistant...

Reo had a weakness for the elderly, and he treated her well. He cared for the old woman. She was the closest he had to a real mother.

"Where is Kozue!" This was the wrong thing to say. She turned around fully, anger in her eyes.

"Why are you talking about her? She's nothing! She was keeping us away from each other, don't you see?! That woman's purpose is fulfilled!"

Now, usually Reo respected women. But faced with the prospect of his adoptive mother figure's safety, he acted. He grabbed the deranged woman's collar and glared.

"I don't care what delusions you've convinced yourself. I am not your lover, I don't know you, I will never be your lover! I only care about Kozue. About your grandmother, and she'd better be safe." He threatened. "Or else, I will ruin you."

The woman sobbed, confused. "But--I--you're not gentle, you're not Reo-sama! Imposter! Imposter!" she screeched.

Reo grew tired of her screeching. "Yes, yes, imposter. You're the one who stole your grandmother's clothes and job, yet I'm the fake."

"Shut up! Shut up! I knew I should have killed that woman!"

Reo's body trembled with rage.

"What did you say--" but before he could finish, the car crashed.

Six hours later, the car was discovered and they were rushed to the hospital. The story of the crazy stalker and the nation's pearl, Shishigane Reo, circulated and caused much distress. Because both the stalker and Reo had entered a coma, and it seemed unlikely that they would ever wake up.