Fanfiction: Rule of One Third

Chapter 1: Where It All Began

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Masaya chucked yet another shot down his greasy fucking throat without so much as a blink. As much as I hate to admit it, this bloody mammonist was way better than I was at handling liquor. That said...

"Oi, why are we back here again?!?"

Imagine my surprise when the place he reserved for us after the dinner was also the place me and my damn mouth proudly proclaimed to Aqua-kun that "pros never get drunk", and he had to haul my bawling wasted ass back home afterwards...

And there's the mammon-worshipping producer with his shit-eating grin on his face.

"What~? The young 'uns just turned twenty today! Legal drinking age!" - the middle-aged fart shrugged with his hands spread out. - "Plus, you don't want Miyako to-"

"Ey ey ey, shut."

I pinched the blud's lips before he could finish the sentence. Aqua turned away, his hands trying his best not to let the snicker leak out.

"What's this about Miyako?"

Asked Ruby. Till this day, I still couldn't look properly straight at her eyes whenever we conversed. As much as it's an understatement to just say Aqua took after his father, the same thing should be said for how cruel genetics is. The young girl resembled their mother so much my heart never failed to skip a beat or two when her countenance, especially those eyes flashed through mine. And the last time I looked straight at those shimmering amethysts were when they were closing, with tears welling up and about to fall on the slender face on which they belonged...

Masaya waved his hands and laughed to deflect from his blunder.

"Ahahaha! Nothing, nothing, Ruby-kun! Just an old man's rambling to another!" - he then proceeded to throw his arm over my shoulder. The invasion of personal space made my urge to just give the dude a knock on his chin boil

"Yeah... yeah, that's it..."

The younger twin crafted a perplexed smile on her face, with her eyebrows forming a shallow ridge on that otherwise young and perfect youthful face. Her expressions no longer bridled as the child-like resplendence seemed to have returned, just like when she first restarted B-Komachi with Miyako's help. Twenty, huh... So you've finally outlived your mother, kiddos. 

I had tried to forget. They say a man is usually two drinks... from... Ahh, who cares.

"Drink up! Drink, I say, dammit!"

I stood up with a jerk, throwing Masaya's arm off my shoulder. With the full shot raised up high in my hand, I remembered proclaiming something I knew I'd regret, again. This time, even Aqua was giving me the commiserate look. I squinted, my eyes blurred. Why are you giving me such look, huh?! Why were there two stars before me...

...

I remembered telling the prodigy that the filming wasn't about art. It was about business. From a perspective I would say for certain I can agree with that point of view. The young and fresh out of art school might have a rosy view of the industry, but those who survived to become grizzled veterans know there has always been only one concern, and that is your pocket line. But there was always a catch, even if in hindsight that catch is still ultimately for monetary purposes. After all, each generation of actors and actress will no doubt one day watch the sun of their careers set on the horizon, so there has been  a constant drive to foster the talents of and competition amongst possible newcomers. An investment, in a sense.

"Even if just one newbie survives, it's already considered a great success." - said me to the prodigy baby.

How Aqua then gushed about his mother, though I had not deduced that at the time, never failed not to occupy a spot in my memories. I dismissed the notion of how being a top-grade idol could amount to anything of cinema relevance, and yet, I couldn't also deny that this girl might truly be a real deal. Her acting was dime a dozen, nothing too extraordinary. Though, somehow I also felt a sense of familiarity in the way she acted... The way she drew people's gazes in just screamed "Look at me!", and look at her we certainly did. The camera, the fellow actors, the staff members on site... and yes, even me. 

When I saw the final cut, vexing wasn't what I felt; nor was it resignation. Just a sense of pure... nonchalance. The fuck was I going to do then, arguing against the visions of the bigwigs. I did what I was paid to do. But to say it didn't irk me that so many scenes with her in it were cut was a bold-faced lie. And I do not like to lie.

And so I responded to the then little squirt's complaints with something I came up with out of the blue. I gave him the bartering proposal. We met a month later, at a dirt cheap filming set at a forsaken backwater place that I also got permission to film at for a cost that was more like they were giving it away for free. The prodigy baby did as excellently as I envisioned he would. And things would not be anything noteworthy if the proposal hadn't bartered his inclusion the film in exchange for a role for his mom. Little did I know what that proposal would bring...

"Director~"

"Taishi-kun~!"

Why were you two so... similar... 

Why did you have to remind me of... that...?

Ah, I remember now. They say a man is only two drinks and a wink from throwing everything he holds dear away. 

And little did I know, the past I tried so hard to run away from could come back to bite me.