To Fall or Not to Fall... In Love?!

Practice (Hyodo Juza)

You could say with complete confidence that you loved writing.

You and Tsuzuru often used each other as sounding boards while you were writing scripts, the conversation filled with passion and easily flowing between the two of you. He always had interesting comments that left you thinking and he'd said you always had such vividly thought out ideas that he was jealous. The two of you didn't often have the chance to write together and as you sat at your desk now, you wished he was there as a sounding board; you loved to write dialogue but it could be so hard to imagine if the character you'd written would actually say what you'd put down.

You paced around your room as you tried to visualize it in your head but without an actual voice, it just wasn't working properly. You stepped out into the hall and are delighted to see that Juza doesn't look busy, excitedly calling out his name and watching as he whipped around in surprise.

"...What do you need?"

"Come read lines with me! Pretty please! I need to hear this dialogue out loud for this love scene and-!"

Anything you'd said after mentioning it was a love scene is lost on Juza as he stared at you with wide eyes, wondering if he could jump out of the closest window and survive the fall. He glanced away as he didn't want to admit he didn't listen to the rest of your words and before he knows it, you're dragging him back to your room where the script awaits. It only takes you a few moments before you quickly scribble out the lines for him to read and push the piece of paper into his hand, standing in front of him.

"I might move you around, too, just to make sure I'm seeing the scene right, okay?" Juza nodded as he suddenly began to sweat despite the fact your room was almost always ice cold.

"Okay, scene start!"

"How do you actually feel about me? I don't want... your flowery words or your fake smiles anymore! I want to know if I can truly trust you with my heart," Juza stumbled between some of the words, not delivering them with the confidence you wanted from the scene, but you thought nothing of it as they had at least sounded good. "Do you really love me like you always say?"

"You know that I love you! I've told you countless times and you never believe me... Do you think that poorly of yourself?" The two of you make eye contact, the intensity of the scene not lost on Juza; you were always one to write things in a dramatic, showy way and this was no different. The two characters clearly cared for each other but were frustrated as humans could be with one another, waiting and watching to see if those much needed words of affirmation would be said.

"You wouldn't be the first to tell me I'm unlovable." Juza feels a pang in his chest, not knowing the details behind this character's story but realized that it was an all too familiar feeling. To be able to slip into this character's mindset would be easy for him, if only it wasn't a love scene being played out with you of all people. Perhaps that should make it all the easier for him, but the look in your eyes right now... How could one person be so beautiful?

"But that's not what I'm saying at all! You're everything to me, I've believed in you since day one and I still believe in you now!" Your eyes grew teary and Juza's heart stuttered in his chest, having to remind himself you were speaking in character, not to him.

"Ever since..." Juza diverted his eyes and realized from your thoughtful expression that you had something to add, so he stopped and waited. After a few seconds of you clearly in thought you approached, having him stand a bit straighter and lifting his hand close to your face.

"Place your hand here after you say that next line, okay?" You showed him what you wanted him to do, moving his hand to cup your cheek lovingly like the character would do in the scene. Juza's fingers lightly brush against your soft skin before retracting as though you'd shocked him, taking a few steps back and inhaling sharply before looking at his lines again. You're about to ask if he's okay when he continues on the with the scene and you return to the headspace of your character, who was finally getting everything they'd always desired.

"Ever since the day I first met you, I knew you'd be the one I loved for the rest of my days," Juza approached you with confidence, thinking about how awful it would be if he accidentally punched you in the face from nervousness instead of performing the action you wanted, but thankfully his nerves seemed frozen as he acted out what he needed to. "Please, take my heart and keep it safe."

"...Always." You finished the scene with a soft smile, your hand meeting his that was still on your face, squeezing his fingers ever so slightly; you turned and leaned into his hand in a loving gesture, your lips nearly brushing against his fingers before he pulled away. He hoped his face wasn't completely red despite the heat that must be radiating off of him at the moment.

"...Is that all? I have somewhere else to be."

"Yep, that's it! Thanks so much!"

You took a seat at your writing desk again, scribbling out a few more details in your notes while completely missing the longing look Juza sends your way.