Transferred into Hakuou!? (Hakuouki Fanfiction)

Replay 15: A Streetcar Named Akamine Jun

I stand outside the big office building, staring at it anxiously. Pacing up and down, I stop and glance at the time on my smart phone. My first audition of the day is about to start in five minutes, and my heart cannot be calmed down. I try taking several deep breaths but it only makes me hyperventilate. Passers-by gawk at me curiously as I huff and puff like the big bad wolf in the three little pigs tale.

When the five minutes are up, I rush into the building and push open the door. There is a big counter and I go up to it, asking for directions to my audition setting. The receptionist look at me for a second before shifting her eyes back to her computer screen.

"Your name, please."

"Akamine Jun."

She types my name into her computer and frowns at the screen. "I'm sorry, but what time is your audition?"

"It is supposed to be at ten o'clock..." I feel like my hopes are about to be dashed, but I still gaze at the receptionist hopefully.

After another moment, she meets my eyes apologetically. "I'm really sorry," she speaks sincerely. "But the system tells me that there are no auditions to be held today."

My heart sinks to the bottom of my stomach as I thank her quietly. I guess it is to be expected since behind every winner is a failure. I shrug casually and walk off to the next entertainment agency.

I auditioned at the second agency, which turned me away the moment I started speaking the first lines of Hamlet.

The third thought that my acting was too 'fake'.

The fourth? They said that my looks weren't up to their company standards.

The fifth told me they want 'female acting' and turned me away.

Finally, after a rather dejected acting in the sixth agency, Exertainment Entertainment, accepts me. My eyes widen in disbelief as one of the judges tell me the good news after discussing among themselves.

"You can start your training next week," she says smiling, and I feel like I am floating on air. I return home, tired and lightheaded, and tell my father the good news during dinner.

Instead of being happy for me, he scowls. "Did you just say Exertainment Entertainment?" He asks, jabbing a lobster leg off his plate. When I nod, my father's eyebrows furrow even more. "I don't know about that company, but I've heard some rumours about them. I don't think you should go back there again."

My elated expression drops. Is my own father trying to dampen my spirits? He and my mother used to do that all the time--that was the main reason why I had drifted apart from them in the first place. "I don't care if you don't like me," I hiss. "But please don't crash my dreams like that." I shoot up from my seat, glaring at everyone on the table and leave. Yamada hurriedly clears my dishes after me as I stomp up the stairs back to my room.

I hop onto my bed, my eyes in tears. How can my father do this in front of strangers? It makes me feel as if being excited about my dream is childish. This is embarrassing to say the least. I punch my pillows in frustration and glare at the snow globe by my bed. I cannot bear the thought of throwing Souji's birthday gift into the bin for some odd reason. My chest hurts like someone is pressing down on it and my head throbs as if there are a thousand nails stuck in my brain. I grab the globe and throw it into my drawer.

Someone knocks on my door and I yell for them to come in. Yamada does and starts talking in a straightforwardly manner. "Jun-kun, your father is right. Please quit that company--they have really bad reputation in the industry."

"He said it himself--they are only rumours." I pout stubbornly. "Also, I'm an adult now. I'll do whatever I want."

"Most adults don't act as immature as you," he says in exasperation. "We are just worried about you."

I give him my death glare and he flinches. "Get out of here before I'll do it myself." We have a short staring showdown before he sighs in resignation and leaves my room. I wipe the tears that are beginning to fill my eyes again. Ever since I woke up from my coma, I have been a crybaby. I used to be able to hide my emotions well but right now is a different case.

My nails dig into my palms and I suck in a breath. I cannot be a crybaby forever--I have to be strong for the sake of my dreams. My dreams are the priority. Starting from next week, I will be stronger as a trainee in Exertainment Entertainment.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The long-awaited Monday has finally arrived. Right after class, I run out of the school to Exertainment Entertainment's office building. They are a rather small agency but there are about one or two actors or actresses who are friends with my mother. My mother is a fame-hungry monster, so it doesn't make sense why she will hang out with people from a company with a bad reputation. Perhaps my father is thinking too much about it.

On the previous day, the receptionist called me to tell me that I will have a short meeting with the directors of Exertainment Entertainment. They had known about my mother's previous achievements before she went missing, and wanted to introduce me into the industry as her replacement. I was--am--so excited when I heard that. My acting debut is about to start! Even though I'm not exactly experienced, I am certain that I will be exceeding in my role.

The receptionist told me that they will all be in a hotel room, and I have to dress my best in order to please the directors. I quickly change out of my school uniform and settle for a white collar shirt and short black skirt. The outfit makes me look like a university student but I have to admit that I look good in it. Pleased with myself, I take the lift up to the eleventh floor.

I stop outside room number one hundred and seventeen and knock on the door, my heart pounding excitedly. In a second the door swings open and a woman smiles kindly at me.

"Please come in," she speaks gently. "The directors are waiting." I nod at her as thanks and step into the room. She shuts the door with a click, the sound of the lock sliding into its place. The room is lit with yellow lamps and there is a small table in the middle. Surrounding it is three men sitting comfortably on their sofa. They kind of look like pigs, I giggle to myself.

"Welcome, Akamine Jun-chan." The way he addresses me causes me to shift in discomfort, but I think that he just likes to be familiar with all his staff. His brown eyes examine me from head to toe. "Why don't you take a seat?" I gulp nervously and obey, oblivious to what the three piggy men are scheming.