Entering the Stage.

Dim, reddish light filtered through the half-closed curtains. The rays refracted in the dust particles before they hit the assortment of slightly reflective film posters. A TV stood opposite from the bed, a PC by the window.

The desk was stacked with worksheets and folders from school. Books on film editing and direction piled up next to them. The bookshelf in the corner was filled with screenplays and Blu-Ray discs just as well. Clothes lay scattered across the floor.

Someone turned around in the small bed in the middle of the room. As he shuffled the sheets, Takurō’s bare back got exposed beneath them. He quickly pulled the sheets up and groaned at the cold.

A gentle knocking at the door. “Breakfast ready in twenty. Hurry up, we still have to dress you up properly, yah!” His mother’s voice sounded almost disgustingly awake. Standing up on a Saturday morning this early should have been forbidden. But there was no use. It was the first day of the cultural festival.

Takurō tried lifting his chest, but a weight clasped to his body. “Just five more minutes, yah?”

He turned his head at his girlfriend. “You know how long it takes to dry your hair and you also have to dress up, y’know.” Takurō’s hands traced along her waist.

Akimi didn’t look exceptionally happy about his objection—grumbled. She pulled herself up at him. Skin on skin, slightly sweaty. The bedsheets smelled amazingly like her. “Fine,” she said and gave him a short kiss before standing up. “Love ya anyway!”

“Love you as well.”

The weeks leading up to the cultural festival had been stressful to say the least. It had been a great experience, but to finish everything on time, he hadn’t gotten a whole lot of sleep.

Warm water from the shower streamed across Takurō’s body.

The first draft of his screenplay had already been done by the end of the first week. It was not very long, but in face of the limited time, he tried to evade risks bigger than absolutely necessary. He had still given his best to make it as impactful as possible.

Akimi stuffed the breakfast into her mouth, while Reina tied the waistband of her cute idol-inspired dress, she was wearing today. Takurō blow-dried her hair in the meantime.

After the screenplay was done, he had turned his story into a storyboard. It depicted a sketch of every shot, every cut and transition with rough timings. Asahiro then helped him turning it into a temporary previsualization cut. He showed it to everyone he could find: His mom, his friends from the literature club, Toyoshima and Hakoda, Rakuko and Ririi. With their feedback, he fixed the last issues as soon as week two was already over.

They closed the door, leaving behind the apartment building with the small flower shop. In order to advertise their classes Karaoke Contest, Akimi wore a cute, pink idol dress.

Ikaritake’s friend from the art club had turned out to be as fast as a printer and was happy to help, as he could also use the final short movie for his portfolio. They decided to recreate Akimi’s art style with photographed backgrounds and fantasy creatures painted on top of them. Due to the time constraint, they would not be defined illustrations, but rather colored sketches. In a single weekend, Takurō made, developed, and scanned all the background photographs.

Holding hands, the two made their way towards the school, like many other students preparing their activities for the cultural festival.

In the remaining weeks, Asahiro helped his brother to finish the incoming scenes up. He asked a few of his colleagues and some agreed to help a little. Color grading, background music and refining the camera moves in the post credit work. For the narration, he asked Hakoda. He had a gentle voice with a nice tone, that suited a fairytale narrator extremely well. Up to the last day, Takurō added more and more final touches, until he finally exported the short movie.

“When will your parents show up?” He asked.

“Around one, I think,” Akimi said. “We all should eat together, f’sure. When will Reina-chan show up?”

“I can write her to come at the same time.” They both walked through the gate.

“Does this work with your shifts, yah?”

“It should, f’sure. I think, I have to get back to my club at quarter to two. Maybe I could take all of you to show you our works.”

She edged closer to him. “Can I come and visit you beforehand? I finally want to know, what you’ve been brewing up, now! I can’t stand the secrecy anymore. I promise, I won’t tell anyone.”

Takurō chuckled. “Guess, then you can also wait a few hours longer, yah.”

“Ohh … so cold!” She nudged him in the side. The sweeping skirt of her idol dress brushed his leg.

He smiled, looking at her. “You look really cute!”

She looked down at herself in the dress. “So, I normally don’t, huh?”

“Cuter than usual.”

“No … Sorry, that chance passed. Finally, I know what you really think about me, yah.”

They both chuckled. Takurō smiled, but it slowly morphed into an absent expression. Today it would all come down … It would turn out if all the sleepless nights had been worth it, all the sweat, blood, and tears.

“By the way, I … uh … already browsed a bit through apartments in Tōkyō. There are quite a few nice spots here and there, y’know!” Akimi gave him an encouraging smile. “Don’t you want to reconsider coming with me?”

Takurō sighed. “I’d love to … I really do and I’m sure we’d have a great time, but I’d have to somehow get into Tōkyō Geidai, when even Ōsaka Geidai will be a hurdle high enough for me with Hiro’s support, now.”

“Yeah … but there are also Private Universities, y’know.”

Takurō sighed. “We don’t have the money for that.”

“Well …” Her thumb stroked across the back of his hand. “… we do.”

He swallowed. “I really appreciate that, f’sure … but that’s much more than I could accept.”

The gears in Akimi’s head seemed to keep turning. If things worked out, her headaches would not be necessary anymore. He gave her hand a slight squeeze, as they entered the building.

“Let’s talk about this a little later, yeah. I’m sure, we’ll find a suitable solution sooner than you’d think.”

She brought out a weak smile. It hurt a little, seeing her this way. She had to think he was just dismissing her thoughts … and to a degree, she was even right, but just a few hours … just a few hours!

He squeezed her hand a last time. “I’m aware this sounds like an excuse, but I’m honest, f’sure. We’ll find a solution. Like you said it: We’ll make this work.”

She giggled slightly at his comment and nodded, this time with an honest smile. They took their slippers from the shoe lockers and parted ways.

He went towards his club room and Akimi towards their class. Because she did not have a club anymore, she was more deeply involved in the organization of their karaoke contest … and its advertisement.

He looked back at her a last time. With that idol dresses, their class wanted to advertise the contest. A few guys also wore boy group uniforms. It would surely be a success. Just like his movie!

Takurō opened the door of the literature club room and several people turned around to him. “Prez!”

“Takurō-kun!” Even Toyoshima stood in the middle of the room, behind him a big contraption with a laptop. “The beamer is at your disposal!”