小火星

Chapter 223: Sacrifice (4)

As a result.

Good, well go with either the fifth or the sixth.

Director Kyotaro was able to capture the scene he wanted. Thus, the rather challenging first scene of The Eerie Sacrifice of a Stranger was completed. However, the set, including Director Kyotaro and dozens of staff from The Eerie Sacrifice of a Stranger, became even busier.

After all, they had only just finished the first scene.

Fog!! More intense fog!!

Yes!!

The director wants another light added!!

Were setting it up now!

Props team!! Wheres the other wooden boat??! We need to add one more camera!

Well get it ready!!

Before they knew it, it was past 8 PM. The local onlookers, excluding the journalists, film company and distribution company staff, and the actors, had mostly left. The fishing village Ine Funaya had become even more eerie.

Due to the filming cooperation, the village lights other than the street lamps were further dimmed or removed, making it almost pitch dark.

Especially around the filming area at the dock.

Only the soft lighting focused on the filming was there.

That was when.

-Thud!!

The sound of the slate echoed again. Following that, Director Kyotaros signal resounded loudly across the filming set.

Action!!

Simultaneously, Kang Woojin on the wooden boat unleashed Iyota Kiyoshi with his whole body. Instantly, the vitality in his eyes vanished. Expression? It was always mannequin-like, but now it was several times harder to discern. Darkness shrouded Woojins face.

Of course, the cowering Konakayama Ginzo also brought out an evolved version of himself.

Unlike the initial squawking, the current Konakayama Ginzo exuded a vibe of an adult child forcibly suppressing fear.

Kang Woojin surveyed the fog-filled sea and spoke in a dried up voice.

Do you remember Toka? Misaki Toka.

Toka. Misaki Toka. That, thats right. You! Youre Kiyoshi. Iyota Kiyoshi??

Correct. Youre finally remembering.

Is, is that really you, Iyota Kiyoshi? You?

Long time no see.

A greeting devoid of expression or emotion. Meanwhile, Konakayama Ginzos breathing became unsteady, his eyes bulging with shock.

Whydid you.

Do this to me? would complete the sentence, but Ginzo couldnt continue. Kang Woojin, calmly breathing, remained silent. However, inside his heart, parched by drought, a wind was blowing.

Anger? Frustration? It wasnt anything like that.

It was more like realization. Ginzo recognized me and changed his thoughts. As evidence, the sense of crisis in his voice slightly faded. One must notice every change visible in the opponent. Any hesitation could ruin everything. Kang Woojin became utterly lukewarm.

He lowered the temperature of his previously calm mindset even further.

And he turned cold.

The camera captured such Kang Woojin with a chest-up shot, and Woojin slowly began to speak.

Ginzo. This is a fishing village near Chiba.

In reality, Ine Funaya was in Kyoto, but the movie setting changed it to Chiba.

And its also Misaki Tokas hometown.

Ki, Kiyoshi. Dont tell me this is because of when we bullied her a little back in the day??

Of course not.

Ha ha, right, right. You were magnanimous. As I thought, its just a joke, right?

But Toka is dead.

Instantly, Ginzos head filled with a panorama of the forgotten past, everything about Toka, and her death, including his own relief.

But he didnt show it. He had to hide it at all costs.

That, thats!

Right. She threw herself. But its no different from being pushed by many.

Ginzos lips trembled as he looked at Kang Woojin in front of him and alternated his gaze to the man dressed like a homeless person in the boat next to them. Expressionless, Kang Woojin stared back at Ginzo and dryly asked,

How much of that pushing force was yours?

A brief silence spread. Here, Director Kyotaro cut the scene. Its an OK, but change the composition and action again. The shooting continuity sheet was turned one page over.

Next scene.

Starting with Ginzo slowly lowering his head in response to Iyotas question. His eyeballs were rolling incessantly. In the midst of it, he was calculating.

Crazy bastard. What the hell are you fucking talking about now? Revenge? For that Misaki Toka?

Why bring that up now?!!

More importantly, does this damned guy know everything? No way. That cant be.

We had that bitchs weakness, and she didnt have the courage to talk about it recklessly.

Ginzo, looking down at his bare feet, gradually lifted his head. Kang Woojins dry face became visible, clearer now that his eyes had adjusted to the darkness.

Ginzo made up his mind.

Kiyoshi. You have some kind of misunderstanding!

He decided to deny everything.

I! I actually treated Toka well! Yes, its true that the kids bullied her a bit. No! It was severe. Yes, thats right. But I felt pity for her. I even tried to stop them instead.

Its unfair. If Toka were alive, I would have told them to let her live.

That so.

Th-thats right. Ah! How about this? Ill help you.

No, if it were Toka, she would have chosen forgiveness over hatred for you.

What?

Kang Woojin let out a bored sigh.

Ginzo. You really are clever.

What do you mean?

Even now, youre calculating. Whether I know everything or not. Yes, keep denying it.

Wa, wait. Kiyoshi.

Do as you think. Its okay.

Its okay. This single phrase was terrifying to Ginzo. Or rather, to Yasutaro, who was playing his role. He wasnt sure why. It was just a dry tone of voice, but it felt as if he could his death. The dull eyes of Kang Woojin were the same.

Damn it. How can he act like that?

Yasutaro, who unknowingly felt envy, returned to Ginzos mindset. Theres no front or back. Only the sea. Whats the depth of the fog-filled sea like? Deep? Scary. I want to live. However, not a trace of hope was visible in that guy Kiyoshis demeanor.

The camera filmed Yasutaro, who had become increasingly anxious, from the side. He suddenly twisted his body backwards and shouted toward the eerie village.

Save me!!! Here!! Here!! There are people here! Please save me!!

His own voice echoed from the mountains beyond the village.

But his voice returned like a boomerang, with no response whatsoever. Instead, there was a response from expressionless Woojin.

Youre only making it hard for youself, Ginzo. Theres no one here. Do you remember the bubble era from decades ago?

What?

This place aimed to expand as a tourist destination back then. Lodgings, restaurants, they increased indiscriminately. But the bubble burst and it all failed. No one comes here anymore.

It was like an abandoned village.

Theyll probably find out if they investigate tomorrow, but for now, no one knows youre here.

How, how did I get here?

By car.

Kang Woojin pointed to the homeless man in the boat next to them.

He drove. I sent a message to your wife, Ginzo, from your cell phone.

Hey.

You often meet women under the excuse of business trips. You frequently stay out overnight. Your wife probably doesnt suspect anything. The three of us will stay together until tomorrow morning.

Are you hungry?

Ki, Kiyoshi. I am.

If not that

Woojin, having finished speaking, made a move. He pulled out a cellphone from his pocket. It was Ginzos.

Make a call.

What? To whom?

To Horinochi Amie. Shes the owner of the karaoke bar you were at just before coming here and one of our nine classmates.

In the script, before coming to this sea, Ginzo had been drinking at the karaoke bar run by his classmate Horinochi Amie. And she was also one of the nine names written on the crumpled piece of paper that Iyota Kiyoshi possessed.

Ill tell you what to say. Just deliver the message as I tell you and then hang up.

AmieWait a minute. Kiyoshi, are you really taking revenge for Misaki Toka?

Woojin, shaking his head quietly, spoke in a dry voice innocently.

No. Its just something that I need to do.

Just something that needs to be done?

Homework.

Ginzos body trembled more violently, and he furrowed his brow deeply.

Look, if this is some kind of joke, stop it. Why? Why would you, Kiyoshi, take revenge for Misaki Toka You were nothing to Toka?

Thats right. Im just a stranger.

At this point.

Cut! OK!

Once again, Director Kyotaros signal spread. This time, it was OK in one take. Everyone was so focused that dozens of staff members swallowed their saliva and watched their acting intently.

Then, the reorganization was completed again.

Compared to the first shoot, the pacing of the current shoot was much faster. Not only Kang Woojin, but also Yasutaro and the actor playing the homeless man, had greatly improved in quality. Amidst this, Yasutaro experienced for the first time since becoming an actor the process of stepping out of a role.

The difference between being Ginzo then and now was stark.

He had to control the intensified emotions and maintain them. No, he did not want to let go of the vivid threads of Ginzo that enveloped his whole body.

Have I ever experienced this before?

For Yasutaro, it was the first time as an actor to be so immersed in a role. Thats why he was greedy. He found acting enjoyable. When Director Kyotaros action signal rang out next, the cynical Kang Woojin in front of him instantly changed. The vanished Kiyoshi appeared in just one second. The speed was jaw-dropping.

From the dry lines delivered by Woojin, Yasutaro realized that his current acting ability.

Make the call, Ginzo.

Was not purely his own.

Iyota Kiyoshi. Yes, Kang Woojin. Its because of this Korean actor that I was able to do it.

He was influenced by Kang Woojin. He was dominating this vast filming location like a solid beam. Yasutaros acting ability was merely boosted by Woojin.

Because its realistic. Because he is Kiyoshi himself, it feels like Ive entered the world of The Eerie Sacrifice of a Stranger.

The Eerie Sacrifice of a Stranger was Kang Woojin, and Kang Woojin was The Eerie Sacrifice of a Stranger. Yasutaro felt this watching Woojin right in front of him. And so did Director Kyotaro monitoring from the screen, and Akari, the original author, would feel the same.

It was as if the set of The Eerie Sacrifice of a Stranger was laid out in Kang Woojins hands.

Normally, if the acting partner was weak, an actor had to somehow portray the role alone. Then naturally, the camera captures the disparity between the two performances. This is also referred to as the scene being jarring. The Japanese actor Yasutaro had countless experiences of this.

But it was okay. There was no problem.

Because I only had to focus on my own part.

Getting the scripted lines right and acting a bit over-the-top was enough for an OK. More than the synergy between actors, more than the acting quality, a striking image was crucial. That was the current market in Japan. However, The Eerie Sacrifice of a Stranger was not like that at all.

In this place, centered around Kang Woojin, Yasutaro had no reason to exist if not as Ginzo.

Ha, Kang Woojin. The presence of this actor is simply too immense.

-Creak.

Soon, from the slightly shaking wooden boat, Kang Woojins dried up voice rang out again.

The message you need to deliver to Horinochi Amie is simple.

What, what is it?

Just say Misaki Toka has returned.

Toka has returned?

Yes, thats all. Then Ill send you home.

Really?!

Of course. Ill really send you home.

Expressionless, Woojin extended Ginzos cellphone to him.

Just so you know, no mistakes.

No! A mistake, I wont make one. Absolutely not.

Its okay, Ginzo. Its okay even if you do make a mistake.

Its okay?

Like telling Amie about your current situation or asking her to save you. That would be fine too.

Ah, no! I have no such intention!

Thats fine too. The scenario will just change a bit. But then, youll be ravaged and found naked tomorrow morning.

Ginzos arms trembled uncontrollably as Woojin spoke emotionlessly. Nonetheless, he managed to take the cellphone. He then called Horinochi Amie from the list. Ginzos hands were respectful as he held the phone to his ear.

Ah, Amie.

His gaze shifted to Kiyoshi across from him.

Misaki Toka has returned.

It sounded like a loud womans voice could be heard over the phone, but Ginzo slowly lowered the phone. Woojin took it from him. Then he moved to the wooden boat where a man dressed as a homeless person was.

You did well, Ginzo.

The man in the guise of a homeless person moved to the wooden boat where Kang Woojin had been seated. They swapped places. Ginzos eyes flickered anxiously, and that was when Woojins calm lines were heard.

Now Ill send you home. Though itll be hard to do so alive.

A little later.

Kang Woojin could be found on the rooftop of the tallest building in the fishing village. Two cameras filming him were behind him. And on the rooftop railing, the man who appeared to be a homeless person who had been with him earlier stood. It was a familiar setting, only the location was different.

Yes, it was like the last scene of Misaki Toka and Kiyoshi.

Soon, the homeless man, who appeared to be in his sixties, looked down from the building. The port and the moonlit sea were visible. On it, two wooden boats floated; one of the boats had a naked man lying in it. It was Konakayama Ginzo.

For some reason, he was motionless. Was he asleep?

Whether he was or not, the homeless mans gaze drifted far off to the moon.

By tomorrow, the world will be turned upside down. The detectives will chase you madly. Dont let your guard down thinking youre hiding in the fog.

Kang Woojin. No, Iyota Kiyoshi responded with an expressionless face.

You dont have to go that far, Misaki Shutoku ssi.

It seems the mans name was Misaki Shutoku. He shared the same last name as Misaki Toka. The man laughed heartily.

Thats right. But now, I want to see my daughter.

Death is death. Saying youll see her after that is just superstition.

Haha. Youre the same as when I first saw you. Iyota Kiyoshi, Im sorry for entrusting you with such a heavy burden.

Its not a burden.

Yes, yes, its your homework. You said it yourself, didnt you? I just need to stay silent and the detectives will be thoroughly confused. Even though I am of sound mind, I lack the courage to stay quiet. Thats why I am asking you, my daughters strange friend to take on this burden.

Kang Woojin did not respond anymore. It wasnt that he did not; he could not. The man at the railing had already disappeared, just like Misaki Toka.

The homeless man. No, he was Misaki Tokas father.