Chapter Text
It’s clearly a picture of him. That bleached job and broad shoulders were definitely him, and beside him to his left was a tuft of teal and a cheeky smile that was definitely *not* him. From what he could see was a horribly awkward conversation between two perfectly grown men in a situation they didn’t want to find themselves in. Yet the small print right underneath it was the words ‘Interview with Sou Hiyori at the season finalé premiere’ His own name was nowhere to be seen but he still found himself shocked at the thought of being in a very popular article.
Keiji hummed, reliving the exchange in his head, before going onto his twitter; tagged in many posts regarding the same article and a couple of memes. Some tweets made him cock an eyebrow and audibly question them out loud.
Joe m a ma @joetazuna
Wowo?! I’m so happy to of seen Mr old last night! Glad to see the boomer actually lighten up a bit!!!!! Loved your part in YTTD man,, hope you get more lines in S2 tho! Someone @ Gashu for me lmao
Feral woof noises @ginibushi
Bark! Mr Shiba Inu in the last ep was hilarious!! :DD @keijishinogi !!!! I can’t wait for S2 ! Wanwan🐕🧡
samurai girl @sarachidouin
*img attached*
@keijishinogi Hope you don’t stink of coffee still
[img desc: Keiji staring at his coffee-soaked hand as if he had no will left to go on, “BOTTOM TEXT”]
>reply to @sarachidouin
Joe m a ma @joetazuna
GHATS SO FUNNY PLEAESF SEND THAT TO ME
Keiji inwardly chuckled before he saw the tweet right underneath it by user @souhiyori-
Okay, let’s back up a little.
To understand the story fully I’ll need you to know how we both met and we’ll go from there, ok? Cool, hehe.
Yesterday evening, as Keiji was rubbing hair paste throughout his roots, a ping emitted from his phone. Keiji Shinogi a rookie actor, mainly known for his teen years who only recently resurfaced through YTTD, opened up the message on the group email. Who even used emails still? He rolled his eyes and tapped to read it. It was just another friendly reminder about the season finalé premiere.
It took around 12 separate days to record it all, being over 40 minutes of suspense. Not to say it wasn’t worth it! The cliffhanger even made Keiji sit at the edge of his seat, reading the script. And it was being premiered that night so all cast members were expected to arrive and participate with the media.
He massaged his roots and added more volume to the front. Keiji had to admit, his hair looked way better than it did at the start of the season, it was almost a running theme to make fun of episode 1-3 haired Keiji. God, he would never be able to live down that horrible bleach attempt before he got dragged into a professional stylist. The amount of memes still gave him a shiver.
Surprisingly, though, despite being a background character for most of the show, he had a lot of positive feedback from fans and he always smiled at the couple of fan edits he saw now and again on his timeline.
It was almost 6; he had time to spare.
He checked his outfit again, a simple black tux and black dress shirt with no other accessories besides silver cuff links. Completely neutral, he checked his face. Old acne scars, slight dark circles that added just the right amount of character to his face, yup, still the same old Keiji.
Thinking of it now, his home audition tape wasn’t anything special. He remembered he was cast so they could round out a female lead with the buff, ‘guardian’ character and he was average, probably, looking so he could not complain in the slightest.
It sucked about *those* fans, however.
Season 1 was fun to be apart of, meeting the younger actors and actresses still made him feel as if he had responsibility for them despite being lesser-known. He’s made it quite known that he was going to stay as that figure for a very long time. What made him wonder was that the season 2 character auditions were being held to the public. New faces were going to be added.
Whatever, right? He would get along with them hopefully. Besides, the plot for the first episode hadn’t even been written up yet but he knew Gashu was working hard on it along with his son, Kai Satou. Speaking of which, he rarely saw the long-haired raven apart from onset. Unfortunate really, they seemed to be around the same age if not, Keiji was just a little older. What was he thinking? Not like he was trying to form a relationship or anything. Yet the thought would be... Nice. If he had to say so. Kai wasn’t his type anyway. He never really gravitated to men that looked more feminine; despite liking a height difference between himself and his partner.
Okie dokie, he was getting off track now... He pulled on a pair of brown boat shoes and grabbed an apple for the journey. Hopefully, he’d be able to see someone there.
Entering the scene was more difficult than he anticipated, Keiji showed up yet his friends were occupied, he was greeted by Kanna who enthusiastically smiled up at him. Though that all ended when the green-haired girl got called away and he was left to his own devices. It would be rude to check his phone, right? Besides, he was still early... little paparazzi were around...
“Do you know what a majority vote is..?” Keiji abruptly turned just in time for a figure to bump into his shoulder. They staggered backwards and released whatever was in their hands. Though, they both went to grab for it without realising it was a paper cup of warm coffee and that paper cup of warm coffee got crumpled in his fists and emptied all over his hands, and spilt all over the front of his shirt. ‘Just- great,’ he thought with a petty grimace. “Oh crap. I’m so-“
Simply enduring the condition with drying coffee dripping down his hand he didn’t make any attempt to listen to what the other guy was saying. Sticky, ugh it just felt sticky. He didn’t have any logic to say anything, just glanced an annoyed look at the stranger so that he at least knew what Keiji was contemplating.
He was distinctly trying to think of a way to help, eyes shifting back and forth but not making any sort of contact. They were also... bright blue -if that helped at all. He didn’t look suspicious though, a simple look over told Keiji he was genuinely feeling immoral about the situation. In his left arm was a small booklet that was being held a bit excessively. Whatever it was, he was presumably distracted by it and that’s why he wasn’t looking where he was going? Along with all that, he had a mop of green-toned hair that stuck up almost childishly. He looked a bit too mature in the face, maybe 21 years old at most? His voice was that of an adult's at least.
The fluffy-haired guy stepped closer, “you should... Get that cleaned up.” They made eye contact for a second. Keiji didn’t realise he was having to look down so much-
What was he thinking? None of this matters! He shouldn’t be dwelling on all the small details! (That’s what you get for being too observant at times.) All that mattered was that he was letting his blazer get infused with the stench of cappuccino and an overflowing amount of confusion was being shared between the two men.
“It’s. Fine,” Keiji spared another glance at the man, feeling as if he was intensely familiar. Green, blue, teal, something about it was similar and it was right at the back of his mind, green...
“Sou, where- Ah! Keiji, your blazer!” A girl he instantly recognised, what with stairs as a hairstyle, jogged over to them, “Hold on, come with me.” Sara had a mark on her face that was ultimately a bit funny as she scooted him over to the restrooms. Keiji commented on how it was just a funny miss-step but Sara still scolded him despite it all. He only laughed.
“Are you okay?”
“I’m all good, Sara, thank you for the help.” Keiji waved a hand of dismissal at the steel-minded girl and entered the men’s bathroom, taking off his blazer and weighing out his options. He could either go for the ‘intentionally’ messy look that didn’t really go with his personality or he could just rock up to his first professional premiere in a soggy blazer. Right, the first option.
He groaned, running fingers through his hair with a bit of water, scrunching the waves and swooping it slightly to the side. Okie, that didn’t look so bad. Keiji observed himself in the mirror and opted to take out the cuff links and roll up the sleeves of his dress shirt, it suited him yet it was far out of his comfort zone. This was fine. He could make it work. Hopefully.
Dampening the blazer with a wet tissue and folding it over his arm. He actually looked really decent. For a moment he saw the ‘tired-dad-look’ fans would say and peered around before smirking at his reflection. Not shabby, Keiji Shinogi. Black made his workouts noticeable.
He left the restroom to see Sara in her knee-length blue dress, tapping her flats against the floor rhythmically, “all fresh,” he quipped.
“Oh, good,” she smiled back at him and they started walking to the venue, “you are so lucky most of the paparazzi were over with Kai or Sou. Yet weren’t you with Sou? Ah, yeah just hope no pictures have circulated around.” She physically held back a small snort. Sara was someone Keiji wanted to get to know. Over time, they seemed to grow a friendship just like that of in the show, they were close and Keiji appreciated that Sara could go to him for help. Of course, he’d never tried to overwrite Joe's position of number one best friend in the world. Speaking of which.
“Sara!” The brunette bounded up to them, “some people wanna interview you, come on! Oh,” Joe took a few seconds to look Keiji up and down, “Hey boomer!”
Keiji blinked, “how about we not call me that here,” Joe barked a hearty laugh as the two of them left to go to the entrance again, more people were by the sidelines with cameras and microphones. He knew it would get crowded. He was unreasonably worried someone saw him with Sara too and misread the situation from afar. He scoured the few of the celebrities. In particular, a small crowd leaning over the line of rope separating who was invited and who was not.
“Sou!”
“Mr Hiyori!”
“Sou, please look into the camera!”
Ah right, that fluffy haired guy from before. Yet this time, with a microphone in his face and questions buzzing all around him. Yet this time, Sou was smiling cheerfully and no longer looked like the guy who just accidentally stepped on a cats tail but more like a charmer serenading this group of people. Sou Hiyori. It was a name he knew. Popular was he and of course was the one that bumped into him.
Keiji was not fond of Sou.
Yeah, he remembered now, Sou Hiyori was a notorious actor aged 26 compared to Keiji who was just about turning 29, he played in many films that hit the top charts in the past few years. He seemed as if he was always busy and occupied by work and yet he looked like a porcelain doll, fragile as a leaf that couldn’t do anything for itself. To top it off he looked very... nice? He couldn’t explain it, but by just looking at him he was a whole aesthetic embodied within a form. This was not the Sou Hiyori he didn’t like though.
He came off as someone who didn’t deserve it. Any A-list actor would be arrogant and cocky; narcissistic and full of themselves. There was a large group of ‘anti-Sou’ people on the Internet. And despite not liking him that well either, he still found himself a bit sick in the stomach at the thought of such a large hate following. Keiji wasn’t jealous, no, he had his taste of fame right here plus why would he envy having something so vile against him?
Besides, maybe it was because Sou was visually pleasing, a nice bit of eye candy for any teenage girl to see in a Netflix spin-off, right? Keiji didn’t want to point fingers or judge a book by its cover.
Then again, he did get coffee spilt all over himself.
Keiji stared at him. Sou wore a tight-fitting, pastel blue tux, his shirt was tucked neatly and his shoes were not scuffed nor looked worn. He looked filthy rich yet humble and it made him look away, a bit ashamed for checking the guy’s ass out in public. The lack of his signature green beanie was probably what threw Keiji out of the loop, he usually had it on, right?
When he looked back, the other had gone stiff in front of the sea of paparazzi, flushed pink and his head turned away from onlookers. They must have asked a horrible question. If it were anyone else, Keiji would’ve stepped in. But he didn’t know the guy...
“Sou!”
“Kanna!” Joyously, the man greeted her as he went to whisper in the green-haired girl’s ear. Keiji watched her nod, then suddenly look up and make eye contact. They were talking about *him.* Had Keiji really been lurking that much?
“Mr Shinogi,” the petite girl enquired, along with a few eyes from the watching audience. They all went quiet apart from one man clad with blue glasses.
“Keiji Shinogi! Glad to see you’re doing well. Love the outfit,” Keiji awkwardly walked up to the duo, Kanna grabbed at the fabric by his waist, it was like she was shielding herself by using Keiji from the paparazzi. Instinctively, he moved closer towards Sou. Who looked up at him.
“Thank you.” He replied.
The man took this as an offering as people behind him fumbled around to press more cameras in their face, “You wouldn’t know about the season 2 cast, would you?”
“No I wouldn’t,” he sent a subtle glare at one camera that was going overboard, “auditions are still ongoing.”
“Right, right, but you must have some insight to tell us. You auditioned like this, correct?”
“Don’t think it will be easy. It’s hard and people need to know you’re capable of performing long term.”
“Sou, Kanna-“
“Please don’t ask questions that non-cast members would not know. Now if you mind,” Keiji smiled with no bite, and placed an arm around the small teal man. He’d have to apologise about that later, “*we* must get going. Let’s chat again, eh?”
“What? The premiere does not start for a while, please stay and talk with us more! I’m sure fans would love to hear from you more!” He saved a glance over to the cameraman who was nodding frantically.
“Ah, how about it. Kanna, could you find Miss Sara for me?” She nodded as violently as the cameraman and returned one last tug to his dress shirt before running off. It must be hard for a kid actor. She was so young and people looked up to her so much. Now, “um, what would you like to know.” He unknowingly let his hand slip down to pull Sou a bit closer.
“Wow, you home auditioned? I didn’t know that.” Sou mumbled to himself, he was trying to separate the two of them from the paparazzi. He was uncomfortable. Keiji needed to help somewhat. Let’s just focus on a conversation between people who have definitely talked to each other before. Of course, two actors could replicate that...?
“Yeah, it’s somewhere on the Internet. Ah, that was like a year ago though.”
“When you had black hair?” Sou slipped out, still in the hold of his left arm, he looked up at him with an almost embarrassed face, instead keeping his lips parted and eyebrows raised. He blinked. He had sort of even brighter eyes up close.
“You thought I had hair like this for all my life?”
“Well, how would *I* know,” a smile split on his face and Sou breathed out a laugh. Keiji felt himself laughing back.
“Are you two friends?” They both took a double-take, completely forgetting their situation as if on a- “then again it wouldn’t be much of a surprise considering you’re both near the same age... Have you two worked together before? How did you meet? How about-”
The questions floated around in his head but before he could answer, Sou piped up, “not long! Perhaps... 4 months now?” Said the man of a face he should *not* be liking, lying straight through his teeth.
“Really?!” The reporter addressed with a tone Keiji really did not appreciate, “we hardly see him interacting with anyone but Sara-“
“My social life is not open to the public. I haven’t had the chance to be in any interviews. I’m grateful for the level of privacy I have.”
“Right,” somehow Sou appeared more offended than Keiji did, “besides, you wouldn’t know much about him. Like his, uh, romantic life too.” He let go of the tight grip he didn’t know he had. “Let’s hurry along, Kei-“
“Hold on- please! We-“
At the drop of a pin, Sou had already lead them both inside, scratching at his neck slightly. “I am. So sorry, I-“
“Can I sit next to you?”
“What? I, no, I stepped out of line there. This is my fault. I noticed you, and Kanna-“
“Is that a no, I can’t sit next to you... or?” Keiji wanted to instinctively divert his anxiousness, like a frightened kitten of some sorts. Yes, that was the question he asked, “can I sit next to you?” He said more clearly.
Sou gazed down and then around, they were situated in a hallway. Sou had done himself a favour and sat down at a red leather couch that was besides a large vending machine loaded with sugary filled drinks and unhealthy snacks. He took a moment to come back to his senses, “can... can you sit next to me?” He said as if questioning Keijis own thoughts.
“Sure,” The blond couldn’t help himself, granting him space.
“You should go inside.”
“Why can’t you?”
“Aren’t you in this show? Wouldn’t you like to know how the last episode came out?”
“It doesn’t matter much. I already know what happens. Shouldn’t *you* go inside?”
“If you’re staying out here, I can just get you to tell me, right?” There was the ease of stress melting off his face, that’s what Keiji was looking for. Sou looked much calmer. “We sure bump into each other a lot, huh?”
“Literally.”
“Hehe, uh, about that-“
“It’s fine honestly, I look better like this anyway,” Keiji leaned forward to let his elbow rest on his knees before letting out an uncharacteristic chuckle, “I’m only joking; Sou was it?”
“Yup, that’s me, Mr Shinogi.”
“Keiji was just fine.”
“You’re older than me, and a stranger at that. I just want to be polite to you. I don’t know you after all.” Sou elaborated, scratching his cheek.
“Keiji was just fine. Everyone just calls me Keiji.” He’d have to ask about Sou knowing of his black hair another time, “so does that mean you’re impolite to those you do know?”
“Has anyone told you you’re quite the comedian.” He stated more so than asked. All of a sudden a different feeling crept from his stomach.
Keiji laughed and let a hand absentmindedly reach up to his neck, before answering someone came round the corner towards the vending machine. No one he recognised, but he heard the simple clank of a bottle on metal. And waited for them to leave. Daring to look at Sou now was a different story, the guy was more visibly relaxed and had a mischievous grin on his face.
“Can I ask something?”
“Shoot.”
“Don’t you get annoyed when people mention you two?”
“Who? Sara and I?” Sou nodded, looking at him intensely, “of course I hate it. *Everyone* hates it. I don’t want them to ruin our friendship. But I don’t want to interact with Sara less.”
“I see. Well, Keicchi,” A sigh escape him, “nice chat. Thank you for helping me out there. And I’ll make it up to you!” His eyebrow raised.
“How would I know I’d see you again?”
Sou shrugged and made a sound between an ‘I don’t know’ hum and a giggle. Before frantically hurrying along, checking the time on his phone.
Okay,
now flashback to the start scene.
Keiji is reading the news article. It had been 2 whole weeks since then yet articles and interviews were only then trending. There’s nothing on there about him except the photo. It was somewhat blurry but you could make out his bright yellow hair contrasting against a tuft of teal as bright as daylight. It’s about *him* being in season 2. Nothing noteworthy, skimming over the article was all the same about little details leading up to this confirmation. What struck him, however, held a video at the bottom. A trimmed clip of highlights from Sou’s interview.
“Sou!”
“Mr Hiyori!”
“Sou, please look into the camera!”
He paused the video almost immediately and groaned realising he’d be in this too. He decided to scale through the video, watching the frames move until he got to where he appeared. Okie dokie, now just a few minutes before that was-
Sou had just answered a simple question, something unnecessary like ‘what did you eat for lunch today’ but knowing that he ate a full meal of lasagna and chips made Keiji feel better for no underlying reason. He listened as the man in the video chuckle and look to his left before abruptly turning to the side. Ah... so it wasn’t a bad question... he was the one that distracted Sou.
He was the one that distracted Sou.
Keiji really shouldn’t be reading into such small situations. Maybe the detective side of his character was finally getting to him?
He scrolled through his twitter ideally reading through the ones his friends were making before settling on one in specific.
Sou-p @souhiyori
Ayayayeyh miss Sara @sarachidouin gues who you’re gonna be seeing ???
>reply to @souhiyori
samurai girl @sarachidouin
Oh shit... it’s a rat
>reply to @sarachidouin
Sou-p @souhiyori
I’ve already read the script!!! S2 looking great so far hehehehjd
Keiji took a second before following him, liking and retweeting the last tweet in the thread. 10 minutes later into scrolling through Sou’s tweets and liking every one of them, he got a tweet @ mention.
Sou-p @souhiyori
*img attached*
@keijishinogi
[img desc: the same picture of Keiji and the coffee cup. It seemed to be getting popular. This time, the coffee cup was edited with *@keijishinogi started following you* screenshot poorly photoshopped over top]
>reply to @souhiyori
Keiji @keijishinogi
I hate this y’know. This is the worst one yet.