Chapter 38: I Have Some Insights into Acting
"You three children... each seems to have your own unique strengths," Mr. Kindaichi commented after watching their individual performances.
With filming set to begin shortly, the three child actors wanted to use their remaining time to reinforce their acting skills. At Aqua's suggestion, they had come to the Lalalai Theatrical Company as a group. Kindaichi wanted to see the level of these kids, so he grabbed a random script for them to perform.
However, the script he chose was... unexpectedly subtle.
Aqua stood beneath a pile of props, holding Akane Kurokawa's hand. Before the lens of a non-existent camera, their small hands were firmly clasped together.
He lowered his head, making a move as if to kiss Akane.
Here, he utilized the "forced perspective" technique. Though from the angle of Kindaichi and Kana Arima, it appeared they truly kissed, it was actually just an illusion.
For some reason, Kana Arima felt a wave of irritation and began to stomp her left foot rhythmically.
Mr. Kindaichi, meanwhile, felt a bit conflicted. The actors were so young that he couldn't feel a shred of immersion; instead, a massive wave of guilt washed over him.
Aqua and Akane separated after a momentary touch. Akane looked quite shy, her small face flushed bright red.
She maintained this state for thirty seconds, then suddenly slapped Aqua across the face, sending him stumbling back.
After taking a deep breath, Akane snapped her head down, staring at the ground with eyes tightly shut. Her blue-violet hair veiled half her face, but it was still obvious that her eyes had long since blurred with tears.
"Why are you so experienced at this?! How many times have you kissed Kana?! Just how far do you plan to push me away before you're satisfied?!"
Aqua clutched his right cheek, looking at Akane in shock.
But before he could explain, Kana Arima appeared from the end of the "intersection."
Suppressing her fury, she walked toward them step by step. By the time she drew near, two streaks of clear tears were visible on her face.
*(Kindaichi: As expected of the genius child star who can cry in ten seconds!)*
Kana Arima cradled her head in her hands, looking as if she were having a complete breakdown.
"Why did it turn out like this... I finally found someone I like. I finally found someone I could be friends with for a lifetime. Two happy things overlapped. And those two joys brought me even more happiness. I should have gained a dream-like, blissful time... But why, why did it turn out like this..."
Large droplets of tears kept hitting the floor. She wiped them away messily with her hands, but they wouldn't stop.
"It was me. It was me first. It was supposed to be me first... the kissing, the hugging, and falling in love with that guy."
"Kurokawa-san, you clearly knew Aqua-kun was my boyfriend. Why? Why would you do such a thing? You were even encouraging me when I lacked the courage to face him... I treated Kurokawa-san as a good person... as a friend... I'm begging you, *I'm* Aqua-kun's girlfriend. Please don't get close to him anymore."
The friendship between best friends shattered in an instant. Akane Kurokawa responded with her own tearful plea.
"I don't believe the two of you can find happiness. You will only have misfortune. Because... I have always loved Aqua... forever."
She slowly pulled out a nata (machete).
Aqua felt a sudden chill around his waist.
"How wonderful, Aqua-kun. Finally, it's just the two of us."
As Akane Kurokawa's final line fell, she plunged the machete into Aqua's stomach. The slender, blonde boy twitched and then collapsed completely onto the floor.
"Cut!"
Kindaichi shouted, walking over with a satisfied grin.
"Perfect! Absolute geniuses! Among the child stars I've seen, without a doubt, you all possess top-tier talent! Though you walk completely different paths of acting, the final result was outstanding!"
Kindaichi first looked at Aqua: "You use Method Acting, don't you? I didn't see much 'improvisation,' but the traces of 'Emotional Memory' are very clear. When you were stabbed and fell, you were likely mimicking an adult's performance. Because of the height difference, the position of the twitching was a bit off."
*Sharp eyes,* Aqua praised inwardly.
He was indeed using the Method. As for his target of mimicry, it was Ai's behavior when she was stabbed several weeks ago. The scenarios were so similar that he had mimicked it subconsciously.
Kindaichi turned toward Akane Kurokawa: "I know Akane well. She has always followed the path of Method Acting (Stanislavski System/Experience School)."
"In this short time, you must have completely grasped the character's personality, haven't you? That's why you could be so invested, as if you *were* the person herself."
"To do this with just a few lines and one scene... truly terrifying talent."
"As for you." He finally faced Kana Arima: "Peak technical acting (Presentation School)!"
He spoke with certainty, beginning to gesticulate excitedly. "I originally thought you were like Akane, a practitioner of the Experience School, but upon closer observation, I realized that's not the case."
"You shed tears while reciting lines not because you felt the character's emotions, but because you believed that *this* is the moment one *should* cry!"
"You saw the 'ideal shape' of this character and then shaped yourself according to that image, thinking with the logic that belongs to the character."
"You seem immersed, but in reality, you are completely independent of the script! You are calm, restrained, and governed by reason! It is precisely this rationality that allows you to design the character's reactions from an observer's perspective, constantly moving toward perfection!"
"As expected of the genius child star Kana Arima." Kindaichi quickly approached her. "Do you have an agency? When does your contract expire? Interested in joining the Lalalai Theatrical Company?"
"Even though it's all just the truth, I'll accept your praise." Kana Arima looked a bit smug, her peripheral vision constantly darting toward Aqua. "I already have an agency, and I have no plans to jump ship."
"What a shame. If you change your mind in the future, feel free to contact me immediately."
Kindaichi replied jovially. "Well then, I won't disturb your practice. I hope you all achieve great results in the upcoming production."
Once Kindaichi left, Kana immediately ran to Aqua's side: "How was it? My acting?"
Aqua praised her without a hint of falsehood: "The level is very high—a standard I cannot reach."
"No way! Your performance was great too! Didn't that uncle say it? Even if the schools are different, the final effect is about the same!"
"I've studied the Method too, and I don't think there's anything wrong with it. Even if it's a bit of a shortcut, being able to quickly find a similar scene to mimic is a talent in itself!"
"As for you..." Kana then looked at Akane Kurokawa, saying somewhat hesitantly, "Your acting is... alright, I guess. I mean, it doesn't compare to mine, but it's decent."
Akane fidgeted with the hem of her clothes, hiding behind Aqua. "Yes, I will keep working hard."
She was exactly like a fan being lectured by her idol.
Aqua felt that Akane seemed to have a bit of an inferiority complex. After thinking for a moment, he spoke up: "Actually, in my opinion, your performance was on par with Arima's."
"It was very impressive," he said plainly.
"...Thank you."
Akane accepted Aqua's praise, her expression not changing one bit.
This made Aqua realize in an instant that her inferiority might not stem from her acting. If anything, deep in her heart, she might even be a bit proud—proud of her skills.
So where did this sense of inferiority come from?
Akane didn't elaborate further, and Aqua had no way to probe. Thus, the answer remained buried in his heart, waiting for the day it would be unearthed.