Chapter 48: Lucine and the Master Manipulator

Sis Saori is talking to Kara right now. I’m standing by the door while sis and Kara are talking. The dressing room is not big and I can hear their conversation.

“I really like Sho a lot. But…” says Kara.

“Mr. Rye is swaying you?” says sis Saori.

“No… It’s not that. Me and Brook aren’t like that.”

“Kara, think about it. Does Mr. Alonso still like you?”

“I don’t know… He’s been cold to me lately. It’s like he’s avoiding me.”

“I will ask you this, Kara. Do you really not feel anything for Mr. Rye?”

“I… am so confused.”

“Simply focus on the job. You will figure this out soon.”

“I hope so. Thank you for listening to me complain, sis.”

“I am here for you. Anytime.”

Kara stands up and acknowledges me. I open the door for her. She leaves the room. After she leaves, I close the door.

There’s been a lot of these counseling sessions. She comes to ask sis Saori for advice a lot. Most of them are about love.

The first time she came for advice, I admired how sis Saori talked to her and gave her advice. Soon, I realized she’s not doing this out of the kindness of her heart. Am I her accomplice?

“Sis, are you sure you’ll continue this? Haven’t you done enough?” I say.

“I told you already, sis. We are doing this until the filming is over,” says sis Saori.

“But this is their love lives we’re talking about.”

“I am only saying a few words to them. They are the ones who talk.”

“That’s true but…”

There’s a knock on the door.

“Let us talk about this later. Our friend is here.”

I welcome him inside. It’s Brook, the actor playing the second male lead. Sis Saori has them come on different times. They don’t know that she talks to all of them. He sits down and speaks.

“Master! It really worked! Being forward with Kara about my feelings has made her notice me.”

“Great. You need to keep this up.”

“Really, thank you so much. I thought I didn’t have a chance, but your advice and personal story really inspired me.”

“Believe in yourself. It is not a guarantee of success. But if we do not take action. All we create are regrets.”

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It sounds so good, but it’s filled with lies and bad intentions. The only reason sis Saori started talking to him was when his acting sucked. Wait, he was already bad before… when his acting got worse. Because he fell in love with Kara. He couldn’t concentrate on scenes with her and always had a sad face.

Sis then approached him after that. Sis made up a story about her trials and tribulations to convince her husband to marry her. She talked about how her husband loved someone else. A sweet childhood friend with an enormous chest. They were together since they were babies destined to be with each other.

She told him of how she fought with her burning love. How she had to work hard to get him to notice her. In the end, her love reached him and she became his wife.

I saw a grown man cry. He was so touched by her story. He now follows all of her advice. Her story?

All lies! What hard work? You both fell in love. He proposed days later! I’m also pretty sure I’m the inspiration for the childhood friend in that story!

I can’t believe I stuck with him all those times and he didn’t even ask me out! That dense brother of mine! Why was he only dense with me?

Also! No! I’m not jealous! Understand?

This is also their fault. If they could only act better! They can’t even separate work from their true feelings. Now they’re being manipulated like puppets on a string.

The director and the staff are also complicit! They spoil sis way too much.

“You gave me the courage to succeed! Regardless of what happens, thank you!” says Brook.

“It is not over yet. Strive on,” says sis Saori.

They bump fists. Brook leaves the room. Silence. There is another knock on the door. This time it’s Sho.

As you can tell by now… She is a triple agent and she’s managing a triangular operation.

“What should I do? Brook and Kara are getting closer these days… Should I confess now?” says Sho. Sis Saori gives him a slap on the head.

“You fool! Why do you think Kara fell in love with you? It is through your professionalism! Do you want to remove that image? Out of the question.”

“But Brook has been forward lately. Kara might forget me…”

“Listen here, idiot. We are Champions. We don’t stoop to the level of beggars.”

“But challengers can upset champions!”

“Did I say challengers? I said beggars! Do your ears work?”

“But…”

“Do you not feel the love between you in your scenes? You need to use those to entrance Kara and make her yours.”

“I see! You have enlightened me, master! I’m sorry for doubting you!”

As you can see, she has different methods with each of them. I can say that they work. They work too well, to be honest. These guys get convinced too well. They might be the type that gets scammed a lot.

Sho leaves the room invigorated. It’s almost time for filming, so we also leave after.

We are on set right now. Akio (Brook) is taking Rina (Kara) out on a date. In order to keep her secret, she agrees to Akio’s request. Rina is wearing her disguise as a guy and she enjoys her time

It’s a pleasant scene. The conflicted look on Rina’s face while also having fun is perfect. Akio’s joy is also on full display. The acting and atmosphere is perfect.

If I look outside the scene though, there’s Sho with a dark face. He seems to say something. If I read his lips, he seems to say: ‘Just wait for my turn’. Well, it looks like he’s using sis’ advice to heart.

Sis Saori then hugs my arm and looks at me.

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“See this scene, sis? I am only doing what is best for the show and their acting careers. Wonderful.”

Sis Saori is scaring me more these days.

For the best of the show? In the beginning, maybe… Right now, though, I’m a hundred percent sure she enjoys toying with them.

Is she not aware of it?

She should see the sadistic smile on her face.