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As the best friend of a world-renowned actress, it only makes sense that said friend would be quite skilled at acting too, right?
No? Well then, how do you explain Yuna's ability to ensnare many to unearth the truth? It could just be natural skill, but the technique was nearly flawless.
Penelope was almost stunned by it when she saw Yuna in action, but even more so when her friend would offer to help her memorize her lines and blocking. The actress would also be awed by how attentive Yuna was to her form and steps, as if she'd studied the artform in her rare freetime.
Yuna's flamboyant general fluttered her hands while extemporaneously detailing her purpose in intercepting the protagonist's party. Penelope would freeze a bit too long when Yuna's smile would dazzle at the right angle - which was most angles.
Penelope adjusted her false glasses, trying to feign composure to oppose the theatrics of Yuna's general. "Be careful now, you know your nose runs when you get angry."
The two women were on their twelfth run of this scene, due mainly to this next part. Yuna would puff her cheeks out, square up her shoulders and lean from her position in the prop chair to shout in an angered and flustered tone: "No, I do not!" Then sea-blue eyes would shine at Penelope vying for a ceasefire from her character's teasing.
This would be when Penelope would mess up.
The first few times, it was a missed cue.
Then she wouldn't say the line clearly enough or lack the emotion needed to be seen on stage.
Then there were takes where Yuna would posture and pout so childishly that her own prop glasses would nearly fall off and Penelope would snicker about it and fall into a fit of laughter. Which only invited the reporter-turned-actress to be more dramatic. Though it had been a while since she’d had worn something besides her clogs, she ended up nearly tripping over her own feet, and Penelope reflexively met her halfway to keep her from falling.
Harmless was the moment, but for the two - it was priceless. Yuna gave Penelope a soft smile. “Mon cher, I was going to be fine.”
Penelope sighed, “You broke character again. Now we have to start from the top. Let’s take a break.”
“Well, ze blame doesn’t sit with me for zat.”
“How not?” Penelope went to the desk to grab the crinkled scripts, flipping pages back to the start of the scene.
Yuna patted an open space on the fainting couch beside her. “Because I wasn’t ze one missing my lines.”
Penelope pulled off the auburn wig before freeing her hair from the thin wig cap. "Well, you were overacting again."
"Really? Guess zat means I'll be in need of a refresher course or two." She chuckled while Pen gave her a knowing glare. "Zese two, ze were friends as children, oui?"
The actress's eyes softened as she looked at the script in her gloved hands. "... I believe so, it says they shared the same teacher. Their fates became more intertwined after a life-changing incident resulted in the loss of that beloved professor."
"Even though they are on opposing paths, zey seem to care about each other." It was then that Yuna leaned to rest her head on Penelope's shoulder.
"Haha, you think so? They have a funny way of showing it. But I suppose we do too."
A small hum of contemplation rang from the reporter. "I suppose we do, if you find my acting as an odd way to show I care for you."
Penelope pushed her weight over Yuna so they both fell to lay on the couch together. "You know that was not what I was referring to. Besides, your transgressor friends' skills left a lot to be desired. But I found a new appreciation for the craft."
As dramatic as ever, Yuna threw a hand over her face in dismay. "Zey were so abysmal I wanted to swear off acting forever."
The most adorable giggle resounded over her heart while Penelope readjusted to wrap her arms around her favorite person. "Well, that's a lie."
"But of course…" The two smiled as the space between them was closed, only to be interrupted by their glasses knocking together, thus sending the women into a shared fit of uncontrolled laughter.
Turquoise elbow-length gloves reached toward Yuna's frames.
"Can I keep ze glasses? I feel dastardly intelligent wiz zem."
"No, now let me take them off so I can kiss you."
"Aha– zat was why you were so distracted. Another mystery solved!"