Oshi no Ko: The Maestro

Chapter 49: Behind The Curtains

The filming crew bustled around, adjusting lights, setting up cameras, and moving props into place. Renjiro, standing off to the side, glanced down at the script Harumi had handed him. He flipped through the pages with an air of superiority, raising an eyebrow before smirking.

"Well, well, Harumi," he said with a smug tone, "you finally did something good."

Harumi remained quiet, glancing at Renjiro without a word, his expression unreadable.

Suddenly, the director strode onto the set, clapping his hands loudly. "Attention, everyone!"

The bustling ceased as the crew members and actors all turned to face him.

"We're going to skip a few scenes today," the director announced, "since Hiroshi is absent. Adjust accordingly."

A murmur rippled through the crew, but they quickly returned to their tasks, adapting to the last-minute change.

Renjiro leaned against a nearby prop, chuckling as he spoke, "Looks like the pressure finally got to Hiroshi, and he ran away with his tail between his legs."

The director shot Renjiro a stern look. "Hiroshi's not one to back down that easily, Renjiro. In fact, he said he'd do his scenes in one take."

Renjiro's smirk widened as he burst out laughing. "One take? That's absurd! No one can pull that off."

The director crossed his arms, his expression firm. "Believe me, son, no one can predict that boy. You'd be surprised at what he's capable of."

Somewhere else...
On an empty stage, dimly lit by the soft overhead lights, Kana stood in silence. Her breathing was steady, though her heart raced with excitement. The Tokyo Blade stage play was only a few days away, and she knew she had to make every moment of practice count.

Taking her position at the centre of the stage, Kana shifted her stance, one foot forward, her weight balanced perfectly. Her hands raised the sword in a graceful arc, her movements fluid and precise, as though she were dancing with the blade itself.

With a dramatic gesture, she thrust the sword forward, then spun, her voice strong and clear as she delivered her line, "Name's Tsurugi-sama, one of the sword owners!" The words echoed throughout the empty theatre, her tone embodying the fierce yet composed persona of the character she portrayed.

Her breathing steady as she prepared to deliver the next line. She lifted her sword in a dramatic pose and took a deep breath.

"You either give up that Allian-"

SLUUURRRRRRP.

A loud, obnoxious slurp cut through the quiet theatre, echoing in the space. Kana's eye twitched, but she stayed focused, ignoring the distraction. Professionals don't lose composure, after all. She cleared her throat, raised the sword again, and continued.

"You either give up that Alliance Sword, or-"

SLUUURRRRP.

This time, it was even louder. Kana's grip tightened on the sword as she tried to keep her voice steady. "-or you fight me!"

But just as the words left her mouth, another slurp pierced the air, followed by an exaggerated gulp. Her eye twitched again, and her calm exterior cracked just a little. Her patience was running thin, but she powered through.

"Or you-" SLUUURP. "-run aw-" SLURP. "THAT'S IT!"

Kana whipped around, glaring into the audience, her nerves finally snapping. "Okay! What the heck is going on out there?!"

She scanned the empty seats and squinted into the darkness. Finally, she spotted him-some guy casually sitting in the middle row, holding a big sized cup with a straw.