LALALAI Theater Building, Practice Room
Having just finished warm-ups, Kitagawa Ryo seized the break to impart as much acting wisdom as possible to Kurokawa Akane.
"During yesterday's morning lesson, I taught you about the 'Seven Abilities' and 'Four Sensibilities' every actor needs. Do you remember them?"
Ryo guided the child through a review of what she'd learned.
The bright five-year-old Kurokawa Akane only needed a moment's thought before answering fluently:
"The Seven Abilities are: keen and meticulous observation; positive and stable concentration; rich and active imagination; sharp and sincere sensitivity; accurate and rational judgment; agile and nuanced adaptability; and vivid physical and vocal expressiveness."
"The Four Sensibilities are: authenticity, imagery, humor, and rhythm."
"You remembered perfectly, Akane."
Ryo nodded approvingly. As the junior he'd personally recruited into LALALAI, he held high expectations for her.
"Thank you for the praise. So what will we learn today, Ryo-senpai?"
Akane's attitude was always studious and earnest.
"Yeah yeah, what're we learning today, Ryo—senpai~?"
Unfortunately, a certain former top idol chose that moment to barge into their circle without reading the mood, making Ryo's eye twitch involuntarily.
"Ai, don't cause trouble now, alright?"
"I'm not causing trouble~ I'm a genuine newbie actor who just joined the troupe too! Teaching one is teaching, teaching two is teaching~"
Hoshino Ai put on an innocent expression, effortlessly making the decision for him.
After their joint appearance as commentators on Don't Be Fooled by the Wolf, the internet had buzzed with comments like "Their chemistry is unexpectedly good" and "Way more natural than previous female guests."
However, their casual use of each other's given names ("Ai" and "Ryo") instead of formal address had raised some eyebrows.
Under Saitou Ichigo's orchestration, LALALAI's director Kindaichi Toshiro soon announced Ai's return to the troupe after four years, along with news of a new play starring Ryo and Ai at year's end—barely explaining their seemingly more-than-collegiate rapport.
Some of Ryo's solo fans even "clarified" that they were using stage names rather than given names, since Ai had always gone by just "Ai" professionally.
(When it came to self-comforting mental gymnastics, they were truly professionals.)
"If you're really that free, I'll have you teach Akane instead."
Ryo shot Ai an exasperated look. After three years of intensive training from him, she still had the nerve to play the newbie.
"Then you'd better teach her yourself."
At the suggestion of mentoring Kurokawa Akane, Ai immediately waved her hands in refusal. In her few days back at the troupe, she'd already witnessed the terrifying potential of this youngest member.
To put it bluntly, Ai was genuinely afraid the child might publicly outshine her someday.
"Besides, she probably wouldn't want me teaching her anyway."
Ai chuckled cryptically before leaving.
Having shooed away the faux-newbie, Ryo shook his head and turned back—only to find Akane missing. A glance behind revealed the girl hiding at his back, clutching his sleeve with only half her face peeking out.
Indeed, for all her genius as an acting prodigy, Kurokawa Akane had one fatal flaw: crippling shyness.
Her parents had enrolled her in the troupe specifically to improve this aspect of her personality.
The realization made Ryo feel like some sort of preschool teacher.
Again.
(He already had another junior, Arima Kana, under his wing at the talent agency.)
Getting a taste of life at thirty-six when I'm only sixteen...
As he mused, Ryo gently guided Akane out from behind him:
"Is Ai that scary? No need to hide like that."
"Hard... to handle."
Akane shrank back as if dazzled by the sheer radiance of Ai's exuberant personality.
Though she'd been with LALALAI for a while, aside from Ryo (whom she knew from TV and who was her acting teacher), Akane hadn't expanded her social circle.
The lack of similarly-aged children in the troupe didn't help either.
"This won't do. You might share the stage with Ai someday, and even if not, you'll still need to face other actors—and audiences."
Ryo stroked his chin, pondering solutions.
As one of the most audience-proximate performance arts, stage actors can clearly see front-row spectators' expressions. Many actors perform flawlessly in rehearsals only to freeze onstage, experiencing blank minds, rapid breathing, pounding hearts, or even muscle spasms.
Psychological tension often triggers physiological reactions. While Akane had mastered theory, she'd never participated in even small-scale rehearsals, let alone actual performances.
"Let's do relaxation exercises today."
Having devised several training methods for this issue, Ryo clapped his hands together.
"First, eye contact practice. You need to learn to look people in the eye while speaking without getting nervous."
"I'll... try my best."
Akane nodded obediently.
Ryo promptly recruited five other troupe members—male and female, aged twenty to sixty.
"Just follow my lead."
With that, Ryo stepped forward confidently, meeting the first person's gaze effortlessly:
"Hello, I'm Kitagawa Ryo. Pleased to meet you."
He then gestured for the actress to crouch to Akane's eye level.
Gently tilting Akane's chin up, Ryo knelt beside her, guiding her to meet the woman's eyes as he coaxed out the words:
"H-Hello... I'm Kurokawa Akane."
Under Ryo's guidance, Akane stammered through introductions with all five.
"You did wonderfully, Akane. Try greeting people like this before every morning lesson."
Though her performance was far from perfect, Ryo believed in encouragement-based teaching and didn't skimp on praise.
"Next, trust exercises."
"You need to learn to relax your body—though relaxation isn't the same as laxity. Proper relaxation eases inner tension."
Kneeling beside Akane, Ryo explained patiently, his voice like warm syrup slowly filling her ears.
"Close your eyes now. Count to thirty in your head, then let yourself fall backward."
"Try to eliminate unnecessary tension, trusting that the person behind will catch you steadily."
"At first you might feel afraid, but once you overcome that psychologically, your body will follow—relaxed and at ease."
"What you need to experience now is this sensation and physical change."
Following Ryo's instructions, Akane slowly closed her eyes. With vision obscured, other senses heightened—making Ryo's voice seem even closer, as if gently brushing the surface of her brain.
Meanwhile, Kitagawa Ruby—having slept in and arrived late—finally pattered up to the second-floor practice room.
She knew this place intimately, sometimes borrowing empty rooms to practice dancing.
Though not a troupe member, as the adopted daughter of LALALAI's director and sister of its star actor—not to mention her own adorable charm—Ruby enjoyed princess-like status throughout the theater.
"You won't fall."
A familiar voice. Familiar words.
At the far end of her vision, Ryo caught the backward-falling Akane.
The little princess tilted her head in puzzlement.
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