Loveless (Book 1) [Completed]

Chapter 58.

LEARNING TO BUILD CHARACTER.

That evening, the ride back to the hotel was a silent one. It had been a long and tiring day for Hizuri, so he wasn't feeling particularly chatty since meeting all those acquaintances after so many years. On the other hand, Kyoko also had a lot to deal with in her mind, so she silently pondered on Hizuri's advices about accepting her job offers.

When the two finally reached the suite, instead of setting out for the Dark Moon location like she was supposed to, Kyoko sat down on a chair and shared her thoughts about her career with Hizuri.

"You're saying that I should just accept those roles," she began, "but I don't think I can create a character with more depth than Mio."

"What's your point?" Hizuri asked straightforwardly.

"The thing is," Kyoko tried to assemble the tornado of thoughts in her mind and put them into words. "I've poured my heart and soul to breathe life into Mio. Personally, I don't think I could have played her any better. So if I accept a role similar to her, I wouldn't be able to portray it any better either. Then how am I supposed to learn anything new playing it?"

Hizuri slapped his forehead. "You still don't get it." He let out a sigh. "Let me put it very clearly. You think that just because those roles have a darkness in them like Mio does, they're the exact same. Well, you're wrong. What you don't see is that there's a variation. A quality that every single person has which is unique to them. It's like the spirit of the character. If you can learn to differentiate this detail between two similar characters, then you will be unstoppable. You can play any villain with the same darkness and intentions as Mio, but as long as you can't show the variations between the two, you will fail."

"But I," Kyoko looked down to avert her eyes, "don't know how to do that."

"You learned to create Mio, right?"

"Yeah." Kyoko remembered all the advices Ren had given her before she was finally able to play Mio. If it wasn't for him and his guidance, she would have never succeeded at building her character.

"If you already know how to create a role then this shouldn't be too hard," said Hizuri. "You want to know how? Well, the only answer is to use your imagination."

Hearing such a plain response from him, Kyoko slumped down in her chair and put her arms on the top of her head. She was even more discouraged now. "I really can't do it," she cried out.

Hizuri scrutinized her for a long moment of silence. At last, while stroking his chin, he reflected, "it seems that your talent is remarkably inconsistent. How can we help that?" A small frown appeared on his forehead as he brooded long and hard about something. "Hmm. The role should be suitable to use as an example and it should be easily explainable," he muttered quietly, more to himself that to Kyoko.

"Um... what role?" She tried asking him but he didn't reply. He wasn't even talking to her anymore.

"It can't be too lenient either, or it wouldn't help her," he muttered again.

Kyoko did not bother asking this time.

A short while later, breaking out of his reverie, Hizuri snapped his fingers. "You," he pointed at Kyoko. "I'm going to give you an assignment for tomorrow, that is if you're up for it."

"An assignment?" Kyoko was puzzled.

"You have to construct the character of a role I'm about to give you. And you have to do it in your own style." Hizuri explained. "You will show me your acting skills."

Kyoko blinked questioningly. "What's it for?"

"This is a special training for you to improve your character building and your power of imagination. I'll give you a few details of the role you will be playing. The rest you'll have to imagine yourself. And then, for the rest of the day tomorrow, you will become that person. Under no circumstances you're allowed to break character, understood?"