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If there was anything that frustrated Matsuda, it was trying to get the perfect scream that would evoke the most painful experience in the audience watching that explosive instant. "Can we not do this scene? Like... I can't visualise how this is going to go down??" He raises an eyebrow as he flips through the script. Sitting right next to him is none other than Hagiwara Kenji.
"Damn... I exploded..." Hagiwara facepalms, unable to speak much more for lack of words. "Will I be getting more screen time?"
"I'm sure you will... Probably in flashbacks, or something like that..." Matsuda scratches his head as he highlights a few parts of the script and scribbles some notes on them.
"But I just... die???"
"Yeah."
"They only just started knowing my face and what I do... And I just die????"
"Yep." Matsuda pops the 'p' in his one-word response.
Hagiwara sighs loudly in resignation before he asks, "It's just us today, right?"
Either Hagiwara has the weirdest timing, or the universe is set against him, with his words almost akin to his fate in this show he's acting in, Furuya Rei and Morofushi Hiromitsu arrive on set.
"Working hard, Matsuda?" Hiro passes a cool bottle of water to Matsuda's hand as he asks casually.
"I hate my job sometimes." The complaint begins the moment Matsuda opens the water bottle cap. Zero chuckles while Hiro smiles awkwardly.
"How's the progress?" Approaching Hagi, Zero asks while sneaking glances at Matsuda.
Hagi points at the script, and his last line before the stage direction says "EXPLODES".
Zero looks at the word Hagi is pointing at, and starts snickering.
"Furuya-chan... I thought we were friends..." Hagi dramatically retreats into a facepalming stance as he sinks into his chair, his tone as if tasting a thousand-year betrayal.
"I bet I explode the next time." Matsuda rolls his eyes.
"Don't say that, Jinpei-chan~..." Hagiwara sighs as he closes his script. He then peers at his phone to check the time. "I'm sure that you'll avenge me while alive!"
Hiro passes another bottle of water to Hagi. "Good job so far. You still have the last scene to go, right?"
Hagi picks up his phone and shows both unexpected visitors the time, "Yes, I'll do the scene, and then I'm done for the day!" He grins widely as he puts his phone in his pocket, "How about we go for dinner tonight? I'll take full responsibility for the fees."
"You sure about that?" Hiro sneaks a slight smirk.
"Don't you dare start pushing any evil ideas on my wallet!" Hagi flinches backwards as he dramatically protects his purse, glaring at Hiro with suspicion.
"The real person you need to watch out for is Matsuda." Zero points at Matsuda, who is covering his face with the script not to show his mischievous smirk.
"Jinpei-chan!" Another dramatic gasp escapes Hagi's mouth as he tightens his grip on his purse. "Please spare my wallet!"
Matsuda slowly pulls down the script from his face, giving him the widest smirk Hagi has ever seen.
Hagi is devastated. His desperation to save his purse somehow made his acting on the skyscraper more believable.
Before the shoot, however, Hagi came to Matsuda's ear and whispered something, prompting Matsuda to let out a one-take scream for Hagi. He still refuses to elaborate on what Hagiwara whispered in his ear.
Soon, night comes, and Hagiwara's wallet is getting increasingly thinner as Hagi silently weeps for his finances. The dinner is going great with one slight problem.
"Hey, where's Date?" Hagi asks, realising that there is one guy less in the usual five-guys meal.
"Oh, he's um..." Hiro smiles awkwardly.
"With his girlfriend?" Matsuda rolls his eyes.
"With his girlfriend." Hiro sighs.
"I should've known..." Hagi facepalms, "Dinner with girlfriend... He's forgetting us single guys!"
"Oi, what are you talking about?" Matsuda glares daggers at Hagi, "I'm gonna get a girl! I'm totally gonna!"
"You're drunk..." Rei awkwardly chuckles as he pulls the beer glass away from Matsuda, "I thought he could hold his liquor, but I guess not."
"The only reason I'm not getting girls is because of Hagi!" Jinpei pokes at Hagiwara's shoulder, his face flushing red from the alcohol.
"Oh?" Hiro raises an eyebrow as he takes a sip of beer, "Why's that?"
"Because..."
"Because?"
"UGH!! WHATEVER!!!" And then Matsuda slams his face on the table, snoring.
"That? From half a glass of beer?" Zero is, needless to say, shocked.
"I was this close to getting the details..." Hiro mutters with a frown of disappointment, taking another sip.
"What... details...?" Zero slowly turns to Hiro with a confused look.
"Hmm? Did I say something?"
"You totally did."
"Nope."
"You did."
"I did not."
Zero facepalms and waves Hiro away, "Fine, fine, you win..."
Hagi stares at Matsuda's snoring form. Then he facepalms.
Not drinking was the right choice. He's hauling all the boys back to their houses, respectively, isn't he?
I'm gonna ask them all to pay for my gas bills.
"So much for revenge, huh, Jinpei-chan~?" Hagiwara was laughing his head off as he looked at the script Matsuda had passed to him.
"Oh, shuddup." Matsuda retorts quickly, "You exploded, I exploded. And on the same day."
"So we're twinning?"
"No."
"We so are." Hagi glances with a mischievous smirk. Matsuda glares at him with suspicion before rolling his eyes.
"We are not doing this."
"Aw~..."
"You know, maybe I just don't wanna get this kind of treatment." Matsuda sighs as he pulls the script away from Hagiwara's hands, and then flops his entire body onto the hotel bed, face forward.
"Getting bombed?" An eyebrow slowly rises from Hagi's face.
"Mhm. I'll probably get more screen time with the flashbacks..."
"Going out with a bang?"
"Shut up."
"I think they're gonna give us some screen time for another gig on some past memories of us." Hagi leans in on his right hand, arm supporting his head as he looks at the Matsuda that's currently playing dead.
"For real?" Matsuda perks his head up.
"For real."
"Sweet."
"Like Pop Rocks?"
"Stop with the explosion jokes."
"That's a fizzing joke, like when you shake a can of Coke-"
"It explodes..." Matsuda takes in a deep breath to not lose his shit, "So you were waiting for me... here..."
Hagi breaks into laughter.
The doorbell rings. Hagi checks his phone for the time before opening the hotel room door.
"It's you guys again! Of course!" Hagi smiles as he opens the door wider and lets the guests inside. They are none other than Hiro and Zero.
"Heard your bit is coming up in the future?" Hagi probes to start off this conversation.
Hiro chuckles, "Yeah! Near future."
"You're probably also gonna die..." Matsuda sits up and ruffles his already messy hair.
"Also?" Hiro's suspicion sensor is tingling.
"Oh, he dies." Hagi glances at Matsuda before snickering as he speaks.
"Dang it..." Zero passes 500 yen to Hiro's outstretched hand.
"You were betting on my death?!" Matsuda is exasperated and flabbergasted, represented by more ruffling in his already messy hair.
"Still, though, I can't believe that Sato would see something in you, Jinpei-chan." Hagi shrugs as he puts his arm around Matsuda, "You have no female attraction! In real life!"
Hiro nods.
Rei also nods.
"YOU TWO AGREED?!"
Matsuda's disappointment is immense, and his day is ruined.
"Hagi, you're buying dinner." After a short pause, Matsuda snaps back with his ultimate comeback: Wallet Attack.
"What?" It is now Hagi's turn to be flabbergasted.
"I'm in." Hiro raises his hand.
"Me too." No complaints from Zero.
"Not again..." Hagiwara sighs. Perhaps he's going to be the piggy bank in the entire friend group.
"Good luck with your um... explosive scene... Matsuda..." Hiro is trying his best not to burst out laughing on the spot.
"Banger performance?" Zero smirks. Hagi is wheezing.
"IS THIS THAT AMUSING TO YOU ALL!" Matsuda shouts in frustration at the tease.
Hiro nods.
Rei nods.
Hagi joins the nodding.
"You're sick."
"We've all been sick." Rei glances at Matsuda.
Hiro slowly turns to Zero.
"... Sorry, guys, can't relate."
"YOU'VE NEVER BEEN SICK BEFORE?" The other three grown men shout the same question at the same time, entirely in sync.
The conversation never continued, because Hiro refused to elaborate on how he has the strongest immune system and the best of luck.
"Kanpai~!!" Four actors cheer as beer glasses clang against each other. Hagi's wallet is, as always, in excruciatingly short supply of money.
"Kyahhhh! That feels so good..." After taking a few gulps of the beer, Matsuda exclaims.
"Congrats on wrapping up your shoots of the living version of you." Hiro smiles as he takes a piece of edamame and peels the outer coating.
"Congrats on dying." Hagi raises his glass. This comment is revenge for his wallet.
"I didn't die."
"My wallet did."
"Stop complaining. You started the teasing."
"But my money-"
"Financial compensation."
"Jinpei-chan's so mean to me!" Hagi wipes a fake tear.
"Suck it up, Hagi." Matsuda slams the beer glass on the table. He's drunk again.
"... Half a glass? Again?" Rei facepalms, "We need to train his alcohol tolerance."
"We really need to." Hagi pats Matsuda's back as he watches Matsuda's face pressed against the table.
"No, we don't," Hiro smirks. Zero suddenly feels chills down his spine as he snaps his head to look at Hiro.
"What are you thinking?"
"What might I be thinking?" Hiro smiles innocently.
"You're up to no good again."
"Oh, Zero, how can I be up to no good?"
"Don't give me that face." A slight retreat from Rei.
"Matsuda~..." Hiro taps Matsuda on the shoulder. "Do you like girls more than Hagi?"
"Mmmm? Girls..." Matsuda mumbles in his drunken state.
"Jinpei-chan..." Hagi wipes another fake tear.
"Mmmmmm... Date-hanchou..." Matsuda mutters before he starts snoring.
"Out cold, huh..." Hiro sighs, "At least I know now that Matsuda lies when he's drunk."
"What?" Zero blinks.
"What?" Hiro responds.
"Speaking of Date..." Hagiwara picks up his beer glass, "Girlfriend?"
"Girlfriend." Rei and Hiro respond at the same time.
"Always leaving the boys behind, huh..." Hagi sighs.
Hagiwara proceeds to ask everyone to pay him for the taxi bills the next day.
"Wow. This is tragic." Rei looks at the script, "Does nothing happy happen to me, or what is this?"
"The phone and the clothes are going to be ruined in red..." Hiro sighs as he closes the script.
"That's not where the focus is, Hiro!" Zero facepalms with a frown, "You died!"
Just then, Hiro's phone buzzes alive. He fishes it out of his pocket, and there it was: Hagiwara's name as the contact.
"I lost the bet."
"What bet?" Hiro asks, unable to hide his smirk.
"I lost my bet against Jinpei-chan..."
"On my death in the show?"
"..." The silence is telling.
"So you're gonna crossdress? That's the loser's deal?" Hiro deliberately stresses this message aloud so Rei can hear it.
"Crossdress?" Rei leans in.
"Stop saying that out loud!..." Before Hiro can tease Hagi a bit more, Hagi's quick thinking makes this bet everyone's problem: "You're doing it, too."
"It's your bet."
"Too late, I bought 4 dresses. You're paying for dinner as well."
Rei covers his mouth, "Oh, snap. You got tricked."
"Shut." Hiro squints his eyes at Rei before returning to the conversation, "We're getting pictures."
"You really don't mind?"
"It's just crossdressing, how bad can it be?"
These are the last words Hiro has ever said before the shoot.
"Say cheese!" Hagiwara smiles widely with a selfie stick as four grown men dressed as maids stand together to take this blackmail-worthy photo.
"I WON THE BET! WHY AM I IN THIS!" Matsuda shouts in the hotel room that Hiro and Zero are staying in.
"How are you so easy to trick?" Hiro sighs as he pinches the maid outfit again.
"I don't know!!" Matsuda yells in frustration, punching the air.
"Also, Hiro, you're paying for dinner."
"Why me?"
"You're the reason for this bet."
"You made this bet!"
"Suck it up, Hiro." Matsuda points at Hiro's chest, his fingers forming a makeshift gun.
"Gunning your life away, am I right?" Hagi fingerguns.
"I swear..." Hiro takes in a deep breath to calm himself against the ragebait he is receiving, "I'll pay. I'll pay, alright?"
"Woohoo!! My wallet's finally free!" Hagi cheers.
"I thought you paid for those outfits." Rei folds the maid outfits that they took down nicely together.
"Oh, I told the seller I'm just going to use them for a few minutes, and I'll return them on time. She was nice and said I don't have to pay." Hagi smirks.
"You're a devil." Hiro stares at Hagi with a serious face, "You seriously are a real devil."
"Devil Hagi." Matsuda chimes in.
"Devil Hagiwara..." Zero holds back a chuckle as he covers his mouth.
"... You're still paying for dinner, Morofushi-chan." Hagi attacks Hiro's wallet. It is super effective.
"Thanks for the treat, Morofushi-chan~." Hagi snickers as he clashes his beer glass with Hiro's.
"Devil Hagiwara." Hiro rolls his eyes, "Exploded since episode 304."
"You're a doughnut, Morofushi-chan, the red jelly-filled kind," Hagi responds with another dark humour joke.
"You two are sick." Rei chuckles awkwardly, "Has anyone told you the dark humour from you two is just on a different level?"
"It's peak comedy." Hagiwara shrugs.
"Hagiwara gets me on that." Hiro fingerguns, to which Hagi returns with fingerguns.
"You're as weird as Hagi..." Matsuda is, somehow, already drunk once again.
"Wish Date is here. I heard that his scenes are coming up." Hagi sighs as he pulls Matsuda back against the back of the chair so that Matsuda's face wouldn't be drooling on the table again.
"He's with his-" "Girlfriend." Hagi interrupts Hiro, before chuckling a little, "Do you think he would appear on the day we have dinner for his shoot?"
"Hm... Let's ask Matsuda." Hiro taps on Matsuda's shoulder, "Do you think Date-hanchou will come to our dinner when it's his shoot?"
"Mmm... Yeah..." Matsuda mutters.
"Okay, Date will not be coming."
"What?" This is the question both Hagi and Rei have.
"We can bet if you don't think so-" Hiro smirks mischievously.
"No, we're good." Both sober individuals decline the challenge.
"No fun..." Hiro sighs, "Well, we'll see about whether I'm right on the day of shooting."
This time, Hiro paid Zero's and his taxi bills, while Hagi paid Matsuda's and his. Surprisingly even.
"What?? You're not coming to the dinner? Date~!" Hagi sighs as he tries to continue the phone call, hoping to convince their team leader.
"See, I told you." Hiro nudges Zero.
"Does Matsuda have precognition skills or something?" Zero asks out of curiosity.
"I think so, maybe he does." Hiro shrugs; this small conversation is oblivious to Matsuda, who is too busy with the Rubik's Cube.
"Is it your girlfriend? You have a dinner date?" Hagi sighs again, "It's okay, Date, go chase your girl and your dreams..." The call ends as he turns to the boys. "We're on our own, guys..."
"Oof." Zero comments.
"So, four of us, dinner tonight?" Hiro raises an eyebrow.
"Jinpei-chan's paying."
"Hell nah!" Matsuda glares at Hagiwara.
"Too late." Hagi smirks.
The night goes on as the boys sit together and drink together. Rei smiles while looking at the three bickering with each other.
"Whatcha smiling, Furuya-chan?" Hagi catches the smile with the corner of his eye, immediately directing the conversation to Zero.
"Just feeling a little sentimental."
"Three of us here are dead, and you're alive, kind of sentimental?" Hiro digs the dark humour in.
"Not that..." Rei chuckles, "More like... Hanging out with you guys is always fun, so I want to hang out a bit more."
"Awwww~!" Both Hagi and Hiro exclaim in unison.
"Of course we'll hang out more after this show's finished, right?" Hagi pats Matsuda on the shoulder.
"Nah..." Matsuda mutters.
"Then that's guaranteed." Hiro laughs.
The next morning, Matsuda demands that Hagi pay back the taxi bills.
"Date!" The five guys finally meet together for the movie shoot of The Bride of Halloween.
"How were the dates, hanchou?" Hagi nudges Date.
"Dates? They went great!" Wataru scratches his cheeks a little as he blushes, "She's beautiful."
"You never told us her name." Hiro probes a bit more, "Who is she? What's she like?"
"Why are y'all interested in his love life?" Matsuda retorts, "Can't you get a girlfriend yourself?"
"I would like to see you try." Hagi raises an eyebrow."
"Oh yeah?!"
"Oh yeah."
"Her name is Natalie..." Date responds to Hiro's question after some careful consideration.
"Write that down, write that down." Hiro pats Rei on the back.
"She's such a nice person, really warm and considerate..."
"Oh~?" Hagi is listening in officially.
"... And her cooking is nice..."
"She's a furnace, got it." Hiro jokes.
"Why not an oven?" Rei asks.
"Oven's for later," Hagi smirks, glancing at Hiro, who also smirks back.
"What is this secret code bullshit you're pulling here?" Matsuda glares at the two pranksters.
"You guys have definitely gotten a lot closer than the last time I saw you all." Date chuckles a little as he watches the boys bicker amongst each other.
Rei looks at the other three, "Yeah, probably because of the dinners."
"The dinner that I missed last time?" Date asks.
"We host dinners whenever someone in this friend group dies in the show."
"That's awfully dark."
"They think it's funny. The dinners are fun, though."
"At least we're all having fun."
"You should join, Date-hanchou."
Date smiles awkwardly, "I um... have something big coming up... so I can't join tonight's dinner, too..."
Heads turn.
"Girlfriend?" Hiro asks.
Date nods, "Sorry..."
"We're on our own again, guys!" Hagi dramatically puts his head in his hands, fake weeping, "Date-hanchou has abandoned us for his girl! We must stay strong together as bachelors!"
"You're being dramatic." Matsuda slaps Hagi's back, making Hagi stick his tongue out with a wink of apologetic joke.
Without Date, the dinner felt like it was missing something. Everyone expected this to be the final reunion, but their team leader seemed to be busy with his relationship and his life.
"Dang... Maybe I should get a girlfriend." Matsuda looks at the ceiling.
"That's your 304th time saying that." Hagi glances at Matsuda with a hopeless chuckle.
"What are you all gonna do after this show's finished?"
"Hm..." Hagiwara thinks for a little while, "I was thinking of trying out a gig at this other show where there are doughnut monsters and souls with swords."
"Bleach?" Hiro raises an eyebrow.
"Yeah. I'm gonna try out a minor role or something..."
"Interesting... What about you, Zero?"
"I think I'm currently doing one on competitive basketball."
"Slam Dunk?" Hagi leans in, engaged in the conversation.
"Yeah, and Hiro, you're in the one where there's a whole bunch of wizards and magic, right?"
"Mhm. A professional trapper."
"Crafty as always." Hagi smiles.
"... Now all that's left is Matsuda..." Hiro taps on Matsuda's shoulder, "Matsuda, what are you gonna do after this show's over?"
"Hmm...?" Matsuda isn't all the way out just yet. He tries to sit himself up a little, "Some crafty snake guy in ninja suits or something."
"No way." Hagi blinks, "Naruto?"
"Yes way." Matsuda rolls his eyes.
"All of you are insane." Zero leans back and chuckles, "I auditioned for One Piece once. I almost got the role."
"No way."
"Yeah, he did." Hiro nudges Rei.
"Furuya-chan... You're a genius."
"Where is this coming from?"
"Nowhere."
"Not even in heaven?"
"You're getting the hang of the dark humour, Zero." Hiro raises his beer glass.
The four glasses clash as they cheer, another night to their hopes and dreams.
"You're so cool in the recent movies, Furuya-chan~..." Hagi sighs as he wraps his arm around the blond's neck.
"And you're doing great in Bleach." Sideeying Hagi, Rei snickers.
"I wish I could do more, man..." Hagi retrieves his hand as he keeps walking.
"Liar, didn't you get a big supporting role?"
"A blond guy. With a sword."
"That narrowed down so many options..." Rei sighs as he follows Hagi.
"Hiro and Matsuda should be around here..." Hagiwara looks around before waving in a direction, "Here!! Jinpei-chan!"
Hiro and Matsuda run towards where Hagiwara and Furuya are. "Finally! We found a time when we could all meet." Hagi smiles.
"Finally..." Matsuda sighs, "About time!"
"Hungry?" Hiro eyes everyone, and they all nod.
"Furuya-chan's paying."
"Wh- Since when?"
"You're still in the show, so you're paying, Zero." Hiro teases Zero a little.
"Fine!..." The resignation is quick. He does wanna get his turn, too.
It's been a while since the four sit down and have dinner together in a pub. They sat down, talking about what they've been working on, before the beers came up.
"Kanpai!" Glasses clang, the sound always so satisfying.
"Kyahhh! That felt good!" Matsuda exclaims as he puts down his glass.
"It's been so long..." Hagi chuckles as he puts down his glass, too. "I wonder if Date would come, too..."
"Did you invite him?" Hiro asks.
"Oh, I didn't organise the dinner tonight, actually." Hagi gestures towards Rei, "Furuya-chan did."
"You've matured." Hiro puts both his hands on Zero's shoulders.
"... What-"
"Did you invite Hanchou?"
"Of course I did."
"Matsuda." Hiro turns to Matsuda quickly, "Is Date coming?"
"Mmmm... Maybe, I think he might."
"He's coming here then." Hiro and Hagi respond at the same time.
"What are you two up to?" Matsuda looks at both of them, very confused.
After a few more exchanges, someone enters the pub and approaches them. They all raise their heads up in unison.
"Date-hanchou??" Even with Matsuda's prediction abilities, seeing the real man in the flesh is still surprising.
"I'm here, just a bit late." Date smiles warmly, while Hagi immediately pulls another seat for Date to sit on.
"What brings you here, Date?" Hagi starts this conversation smoothly.
"I'm here with something very important for you all..." Wataru reaches into the bag he's carrying. He takes out four letters. They are wedding invitations.
"No way." Hagi gasps as he takes the invitation.
"It's FIANCE NOW??" Matsuda exclaims, taking the invite with shaking hands.
"Congratulations!" Hiro takes the invite with both hands, calm as always.
"So that's what you meant when you said you're planning something..." Furuya takes the invite while nodding a thank you.
"I hope you'll come to our wedding, since all of you are my best friends." There's a slight blush forming on his cheek as Date speaks.
"Dammit... Hanchou beat us to it!" Matsuda punches the air.
"You're um... gonna get your turn." Hiro smiles a little.
"I know you're teasing me, Hiro! I just know!"
"I applaud your self-awareness."
"When I get you, Hiro... When I get you..."
Everyone is laughing. The night is young.
The five actors, five best friends, enjoy their time together in the pub.
This will last forever.
BONUS:
Furuya Rei wakes up from his sleep, feeling more relaxed than usual.
That was a nice dream. He thought to himself.
Perhaps... There is a life where all of us will be together. He looks at the picture on his computer.
There will be a life like this... right?