Unexpected

Part 56

Matsuri Airi, a former member of the idol group Sakura Gakuin and an active actress, joins me on Friday. After the practice sessions are over with, we go out to eat. With our busy schedules we rarely see each other face to face. That goes for many of my friends and family. If they don't make it to a race, then we often communicate via smartphones.

Just like with Honoka, first we catch up on celebrity gossip. I ask about our mutual friends, who's secretly dating whom, and if any scandals-in-the-making are going on.

"Yes, with me," she jokes. "I have a new drama starting soon and my costar is so nice and handsome. I may fall in love."

"Ooh, who is it?"

"Itagaki Mizuki. He used to be in the group M!LK. The script is about a couple who get married after meeting each other once, and then they fall in love."

"Yes, love scenes. I'll look forward to it."

"Yeah, even though I knew what I was getting into, some of the scenes make me blush."

"Such as...?" I prompt her. "You can't leave me hanging."

"I have to be in a bra on several occasions. Pretending stuff."

I laugh at her avoidance of using the word sex or making love. "Make sure you guys have realistic kissing scenes. I hate those 'He just kissed me and I'm going to stand still like a statue for several seconds and stare straight ahead with my eyes wide open' kisses." I shudder. "Ugh. If you're truly surprised you would step away and push them back. Immediately. Not think about if for ten seconds. So awkward."

She laughs. "We may have one of those, but my character falls in love in the first episode and tries something right away. Which is also unrealistic, unless we're talking about lust. I think most of our kisses are gonna be good." Then she blushes. "By good I mean not eyes open."

I burst out laughing. "I'm glad. Speaking of good kisses, Kanojo wa Kirei Datta had an amazing one. Did you see it? Last episode."

"I did, for research purposes. Somebody taught Nakajima Kenta how to kiss."

"At his age he ought to be good. And with a group name like Sexy Zone, if your kisses aren't sexy, you're doing it wrong."

We talk about other costars she kissed, who was good and who was not. Gossip she heard from other actresses. Who to avoid if possible.

"Do you have celebrities asking you for your contact information? Or asking you out?" she wonders.

"I do. For the contact info, it depends on if we interacted and if I like the person. If we just met and they say, 'Hey, give me your phone number' then I politely decline. But if we've been talking and having fun, then absolutely. Sometimes I'll ask them for their info first. As for being asked out, I used to say yes before Sangil, if I wanted to. Now I say no."

"Because you don't want a scandal or because you really like him?"

"Because I love him."

"I see. And how does he feel?"

"I know he likes me. But we haven't had a serious conversation about it yet."

She nods. "I know what that's like. Once I fell in love with a costar, but he didn't return my feelings. It took me a couple months to get over him."

"If I get emotionally wrecked, I'm sure my on track performance will suffer. Nissan will not be happy. So for now, I'm not asking. And now that I've fallen in love, I really hope that WGM will let us stay together until the end of the F1 season."

"You guys are extremely popular, according to the comments I read. Many viewers think you guys are the real deal, although some think you're still acting."

"I'm not an actor. My one-on-one interviews with the staff are torture. I feel like I can't be one hundred percent truthful. I wanted to be, at the start. But I find that saying the truth might hurt Sangil. So I have to compromise."

She laughs. "Yes, I remember how you said the reason you chose him as your husband was because he had a mic on."

"There was no other way to tell! Sebin was more interested in me than he was. And it turns out they didn't tell him that his future wife was going to walk through the door, so he wasn't giving me any secret signs. Someone on staff did a poor job coordinating that event."

"How many fans mention WGM when they meet you?"

"About one quarter? Some watch or come to F1 races just because they got to know me through WGM. Nissan says that I've brought in thousands of fans, and several sponsors, and they're grateful. Although I know plenty of fans didn't come from WGM, but just because I'm a female in the highest pinnacle of motorsport."

"Will you be staying with Nissan next year?"

"Most likely. Another team is interested, but all things considered I think I'll continue with them. We'll probably announce the news soon after I sign the contract. But I think that Esteban has a desire to go to another team."

"So you might get a new teammate?"

"Yeah. It's not unusual in F1."

"I guess it's more similar to a drama, where you have different costars, than an idol group, where you can have the same members for years."

"True. Speaking of idol groups, do you have any expectations for your experience filming with WGM?"

"Not really. Some hand holding, I hope."

"For sure. Initiate physical contact if you want it. The film crew loves that."

She laughs. "Especially for you, I take it?"

****************************************** 

The kiss in She Was Pretty (Japanese version) was nice.

I have the dates of dramas all mixed up. They weren't out in 2019, and She was Pretty came after Shanai Marriage, but whatever. This is fanfic.