Unfamiliar Territory (Chizuru Ichinose x Reader)

(30) Brain Forecast: Clear

Chizuru's POV:

After the play ends, I get changed from back into my normal clothes. I approach the area backstage where the famous director could be, hoping to be picked. However, once I get there, I see him shaking hands with Shiori. I hear overhear some of the other girls from my drama group:

Girl #1: "...Apparently, she's known him since the was in grade school thanks to being a sponsor's niece or something..."

Upon hearing this, my heart shatters. Nepotism or not, if I was good enough, I'd have been chosen. Perhaps I'm not cut out for this. 

I leave the theatre, politely declining invitations to any after-parties from my acting friends. I glance back at my notes, days spent trying to perfect every small detail, all to have fallen short in the end. My hands start to tremble as I hold them. I try my best to control myself.

I mean honestly, what chance did I have? There are many others out there just like Shiori who can actually afford proper acting classes. They can learn how to act from professionals, while I merely learn the scraps of it by using people's money in exchange for a date. And I actually thought they'd pick me? Ha!

There aren't enough words to describe how I'm feeling at this moment. Regardless, I snap out of it as I meet a familiar face outside the theatre.

Y/n's POV:

Chizuru: "Yo." she says casually, smiling.

Y/n: "Hi... you... you were amazing!" I say, awestruck.

"E-Every single thing you did was perfect! Seeing it a-after knowing how hard you worked took it to a completely other level. You may not have been the main character, but you were easily the star of the show." I say very quickly, thrilled at what I had witnessed.

She doesn't respond, just watching me as I go on about how great she was, and how I wish I could've seen her on stage sooner.

Y/n: "I bet that director went up to you as fast as possible eh?" I ask, thinking that they must have chosen her, after all, no-one was a match for her on that stage.

Chizuru: "...It didn't work out." She says quietly as I almost jump in shock, confused.

Y/n: "What? How could they not choose you?" I ask, incredibly surprised.

Could they not see how stupendous she was? No, that can't be, everyone in the theatre was captivated by her. I thought as she slowly responds:

Chizuru: "...Because I don't have the talent." She says smiling

"That's just how it is sometimes. There are many people better than you, and in a field of work as competitive as acting, it's no different. I know you're my friend, but it's okay to admit I wasn't the best, so there's no need to pretend any longer." She says as my heart sinks. I look down for a moment, saddened and angered.

Sad because she didn't get the role, for whatever reason (I suspect favouritism) and outraged that she thinks she didn't do good at all. I know I don't know a lot about acting, but the reaction of the entire audience should speak for itself! I thought, my anger increasing the more I heard from her:

Chizuru: "...I'm not exactly acting material now that I think about it. While others can get into acting schools on scholarships with their talent alone, here I am, a rental girlfriend. I take the money I get from playing the dreamy girlfriend and spend it on my own dream. A dream that will never come true with my lack of talent." She finishes, looking far in the distance as I'm pushed further and further towards speaking out.