Chapter Text
Tick Tick Tick Tick Tick Tick Tick Tick Tick Tick
The sound of ticks really fills the room when you got nothing else going on.
Well, mostly.
No music, no TV in the background, no nothing.
Just a man, sitting at his desk, living in his old and run down apartment in the middle of Tokyo, staring intently at his even older and even more run down laptop.
I’d been at it for the past 20 minutes.
I’d been like this for the past 6 years.
Just… struggling to write.
It’s not that I won’t, it’s just that I… can’t.
Gun to my head, I honestly couldn’t put anything from mind to screen.
“…”
Nope.
Nothing.
Nada.
Not a single thing was coming to mind.
Click
Creeeaaak
Slam
“Hey, Greeny! You in here?” My roommate and best friend, Himiko, yelled as she entered our shared apartment, wearing a secretary uniform, blonde hair tied into a ponytail, dropping her jacket onto the couch in the living room.
“Anywhere else I’d be?” I responded pretty sarcastically, leaning back on my chair to look out through the open door to my room.
“Looking for a job, maybe?” Himiko said with a bit of bite behind her words.
I, in turn, gave a small chuckle at her tone. “Hehaha, I am at my job, actually.” I said playfully to the blonde as she leaned on my doorframe with her arms crossed. “See?” I said, gesturing to my laptop, holding a goofy smile on my face.
Himiko just scoffed and rolled her eyes at me. “A failed screenplay isn’t gonna pay rent.” She said as she walked off to her room.
“No! No! Not fai-“ I gave a short nervous laugh. “Not failed, in progress .” I said, walking to my doorframe and pointing a finger at my roommate as she entered her own room.
“You’ve been saying the same thing since college!” She complained before closing her door shut. “Just get a job!” She said muffled through her door.
“Already do!” I responded before walking back to my desk and sitting down on his chair, putting my eyes back on my screen.
“…”
Nope, still nothing.
“Fuck.” I cursed quietly, slouching back on my chair, rubbing my hands down my face and keeping them closed over my mouth, now staring at the ceiling instead of my laptop.
I look over to to the clock on the wall and-
“Wait.” I said, wide eyed, startled and suddenly sitting up straight.
I scooched over closer to my laptop to double check the time on the corner.
I whipped around to check my alarm clock on my bedside table.
They were all the same.
They all read 6:22PM.
“FUCK!” I yelled in a panic before getting into action.
Quick as I could, I slammed my laptop closed, shoved it into my backpack along with a charger, a mouse and a folder filled to the absolute brim, I put in my signature red sneakers on and started bolting it straight out of the apartment, through the hallways of the building, down 8 flights of stairs and out the front door of the building, running through the cold streets of snowy Tokyo without my jacket because, of course, there's no time to go back for it, running down to the subway and-
“Attention, the train will be behind schedule due to technical difficulties caused by a villain attack. Please stay patient as the next train will arrive 30 minutes from now.”
Fuck!
With no other option, I bolted back up the stairs and decided to just make a run for it through the city, passing by regular people, street performers, pro heroes I would otherwise ask for autographs from, a bank heist in progress, a giant villain attack and just about a shit ton of other things.
I am so glad I was in track and field back in Senior High.
…18 straight minutes of running later, I finally had Nash’s, a 50’s style diner in front of a T Intersection down hill in my sights.
But wait! NO! She’s leaving!!!
“MS. TSUKAUCHI!” I yelled from the top of my lungs, waving my hand up in the air just trying to catch the woman’s attention.
I saw her mouth my name but couldn’t quite hear her.
I was just so… sooooo close but-
“WOAH!”
Ice was slippery.
“AAAAAHHHHHH!” I flailed my arms like crazy as I fell down at high speeds.
You’d think I just fell flat in my face, right?
Oh… if only life was that easy.
“URGH! AGH! UGH!” I just kept fucking falling, before, finally, hitting my chest on a street lamp.
At least I finally stopped.
I got up on my feet.
…But ice was still slippery.
I was literally on a slippery slope.
“OH FUCK!” I yelled as I just kept on rolling down, finally- and I mean finally stopping when I hit the wall at Nash’s.
“Urggghhh… I think I broke a rib.” I let out in pain as I forced myself to roll on my back.
“You okay, kid?” Ms. Tsukauchi asked as she bent over to look at me.
“Me? Urgh- Yeah, yeah. Couldn’t be better.”
“You just said you broke a rib.”
“Did I say broke? I meant bruised.”
“That’s not much better.”
“My body’s used to it.”
“That’s not a good thing.”
“Everything’s not a good thing if you think about it.”
“I don’t know, those pancakes I just had seemed like a pretty good thing.”
“I think your dietician might disagree.”
She rolled her eyes at me but held a small, fond smile on her face.
“Get up, kid.” She said, offering me a hand up which I graciously took.
“Than-Urgh!” Fuck, my… everything still hurt. “Thank you.” I managed to get out, strained as absolute hell while clutching my (definitely NOT broken) ribs.
“I think we should get you to a hospital.” She said worriedly.
“No, no. I think those pancakes you mentioned should help.”
“I think your dietician might disagree.” She said with a sly smile.
I smiled back of course while I opened the glass door into the restaurant and walked in.
I immediately bumped into a waitress and spilled a pitcher of water on myself.
“…well, at least I don’t have to put ice on my bruises.” I muttered which, at the very least, got a laugh out of Ms. Tsukauchi.
Now, I think I’ve mentioned her name like, twice by now so I should probably give some context for anyone in the crowd who didn’t know.
Tsukauchi Makoto’s a pretty big name in the film industry. She used to be Captain Celebrity’s General Manager before he retired and after he did, she went into the film industry, coming in and doing a damn good job as an agent and a producer. Nowadays, if you get her to put in the good word for you, it would take the might of God to keep studio hands off you.
Anyway, after the waitress and I eventually stopped apologizing to each other, we eventually sat down at a table next to a window.
“So, onto business?”
“I thought we’re getting you pancakes first?”
“Thank you for thinking I had the money.”
She laughed and seemed to have thought it was a joke.
It was not.
“It’s fine. I’ll be paying.”
“You’re a gift from God, you know that?”
She laughed again.
That wasn’t a joke either.
“Hahaha! But in all seriousness, let’s see what you got.”
With that, I pulled my laptop out of my backpack while Ms. Tsukauchi ordered the pancakes and even some hot cocoa.
Genuinely, that woman is an actual gift from God.
I opened up the old machine, opened up the file and turned it to her.
To say that I was anxious while she read through it would’ve been an understatement. I almost couldn’t eat the pancakes she ordered me.
Almost.
By the way, if you could, go to this place. I mean it, cause DAMN those pancakes were good. Finished it in five minutes. Seriously would’ve ended up eating the plate itself if I wasn’t careful.
Still though, my heart was practically vibrating the room with how hard and fast it was beating. I think I would have had an actual heart attack that moment if her reaction didn’t make my heart stop.
She was crying.
Now all I was thinking was ‘Oh my God! Is it really that bad!?’
“Kid, this is-“
“Oh, Fuck! That bad, huh?”
“What? NO! No! This…” She wiped a tear away with her hand. “This is beautiful.” She all but whispered at me.
“Wait…” I was so confused. “S-Seriously?” I honestly couldn’t believe it. I was half expecting to be bombarded with cameras and the entire thing to be revealed to be one of those prank shows.
But it wasn’t.
It was real.
“But…”
Oh, fuck.
“There is just one problem.”
“Uhhh- L-L-La-Lay it on me.”
“The ending.”
Ah, Right.
That.
“It doesn’t have one.”
“Y-Yeah, I’ve just kinda been, y’know- I’ve been…” trying to think of an excuse for not having an ending. “Struggling.”
“Well, if you want me to bring this to life then you need one.”
Wait, what?
“You’re doing it!?”
“Hell yeah, I am! This is gold!”
“Oh! Oh-ho-ho!” I ran my hand through my hair and let out a breath “Hoah… Wow, tha-thank you. Thank you, really. Thank you.” I could feel tears pooling up around my eyes already. “I-I-I just been through a lot lately and… God . Thank you.”
“You still need an ending though.”
“Yeah, yeah. I mean, this is a happy moment right here so I might get inspired right now.” I joked.
It was complete bullshit but she didn’t need to know that.
“Good. So, we got a deal?”
“You really gotta ask?” I said sarcastically, the both of us giving a laugh. “So, do I have to sign anything?”
“I’ll send you an email when I get back to the office.” She said as she stood up and shouldered her bag.
“Okay, sweet. Uhhh.” I closed my laptop, stuffed it back into my bag and got up to my feet too. “Thanks again for giving me this chance.”
“My pleasure.” She said. “Really, that story you got there is something else.” She said as we walked out of the restaurant together.
“I sure hope the studios think so too.”
“Trust me, if they don’t want it then they don’t deserve it.”
“If you say so.”
We were outside and Oh My God, I regretted not getting my jacket so much.
She must’ve noticed cause next thing I knew, I had her jacket around me.
“Uh- Thank you.”
“Anytime, Pancakes.” She said with a smile.
“Pancakes?”
“I’m officially your agent now and I like to give all my clients nicknames.”
“Alright, then.” I said, ending with a laugh.
She put her hand out for me to shake and said “I’ll be seeing you around and hopefully with that script all done.”
“Me too and I honestly can’t say this enough but again, thank you.” I took her hand and shook it.
I honestly couldn’t tell whose hand was sticky from the maple syrup since neither of us actually washed our hands after and they really loaded those pancakes up.
I should probably go back in and wash my hands but I really didn’t want to ruin the moment.
Anyway, we went our separate ways, I almost slipped on ice again on the way up but fortunately enough, I made it back without a hitch. Just the casual robbery here in there on the way but hey, that's the price you pay living in a Pro Hero society.
By the time I came up to the apartment, it was already around 7:15 and when I walked in, I found Himiko lying down on the couch, watching TV with a bowl of-
“Is that my popcorn?”
“You weren't eating it.” She responded with a shrug.
“It was meant for movie night.”
“I thought you canceled with your mom.”
“I thought that I’d do it with you this week.”
“We can do it now.”
That… was a good point.
Sighing, I went over and gestured to move her legs so I could sit. I plopped down and grabbed a handful of popcorn and stuffing most of it in my mouth.
“Went anywhere? You were in a hurry.” She asked, not even looking away from the TV. “A job interview, maybe?” She said sarcastically.
“Haha, very funny.” I replied driely before stuffing the rest of the popcorn in my hand into my mouth. “But yeah, more or less.”
That actually got a reaction from her.
Kinda offensive that it did but I let it slide.
“Wait, seriously?” She asked, sounding genuinely shocked, prying her eyes away from TV to me and sitting up straight, putting the bowl of popcorn on the coffee table.
Again, the reaction was a bit offensive but whatever.
“Ohhhhhh yeah.” I said in exaggerated confidence, leaning back and doing that thing where I put my arm behind her. “Just some Hollywood bigshot, no big deal. Made her all emotional with my screenplay.” I said, continuing this whole macho act thing.
“Holy shit! HOLY SHIT! YOU’RE NOT FUCKING WITH ME!?” She got way more excited than I thought she would, even got on the couch and started jumping on it.
“Ye-Yeah.” I said, dropping the act cause I was caught completely off guard by her reaction. “Ms. Tsukauchi agreed to be my agent.”
“HOLY FUCK! YES!” She screamed before launching herself at me.
Again, completely unexpected but this time, it hurt physically instead of emotionally.
I mean, I appreciate the enthusiasm and that she feels happy for me but damn, I was not ready for that.
We both ended up on the floor with her on top, practically strangling me with how hard she was hugging around my neck.
“Ca-Can-Can’t breath.” I managed to weez out which got her to actually let go and sit up, straddling me.
“Oops! Sorry, overreacted I guess.”
“Yeah, you acted like I proposed to you.” I said after catching my breath. “I’m just surprised you didn't kiss me.”
“Tempting but I couldn't deny your girlfriend the opportunity.” She said as she got back up on the couch.
“‘Tempting’?” I asked playfully as I got back on the couch too, grabbing the bowl of popcorn and putting it on my lap.
Himiko gave a small chuckle. “I’m teasing.”
“Right, right. As if you'd fall for my charms.” I said sarcastically.
“You'd be surprised.” She muttered absent mindedly.
“What?”
“What?”
No seriously, what? We stared at each other for a bit, both of us starting to get a bit flushed.
“I cleared my throat and silently went back to watching the movie, and it seemed like so did she. I couldn't tell you if I wanted to, I was trying really hard to look at her.
It was really awkward the rest of that night.
Happy, but awkward.