ACT.214

First Star Overhead ~Distant Dream~
ACT.214
Character/s in the cover	Kyoko Mogami
Volume	36
Original Release	July 20, 2014
Arc	Technicolor Paradise arc
Chapter Guide
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ACT.213	ACT.215

First Star Overhead ~Distant Dream~ is the 214th chapter of the Skip Beat! manga series.

Plot

Setsu is now reunited with Cain during the Tragic Marker shooting in Guam. Manaka doesn't stop on bothering Cain and always tries to get his attention, much to Setsu's annoyance. Setsu gets enough of Manaka and throws her down. What is Cain's reaction? What will Murasame think of Setsu after this? Will Manaka finally stop annoying Cain now?

Chapter Summary

The sea waves are splashing about on an island. A plump man in glasses is holding a machine gun. Looking tense and hurried, he breathes heavily as he walks through the forested area. He looks up in surprise to see a tall, dark, hooded figure standing in front of him.

The figure is holding a bloodied blade that drips onto the ground. The man screams and shoots at the dark figure. After the sounds subside, the dark figure hasn’t moved an inch. The clouds reveal the sun, which in turn reveals the face of the dark figure.

The man is startled to see the dead-looking eyes of a decaying figure staring back at him. He grows pale and fear has suddenly gotten a grip on him.

He instinctively falls back but he loses his footing. Tthe dark figure is fast floating toward him. It comes nearer and nearer. The man can only close his eyes, whimper, and wait for his fate.

The director calls "Cut" and declared the scene good for the moment. They’ve decided to temporarily stop filming up to this point because the sunlight is too strong. They’ll have to verify the scene then they might re-do it again, so the actors are on hold. Cain takes this as a cue to leave. The middle-aged actor looks scared of him. A staff member approaches and asks Kaneko if he is alright. Kaneko apologizes and says that he is okay.

The staff member hopes the scene they just shot can be used for Kaneko’s acting is simply amazing, so true to life. Kaneko laughs and shares that he truly was very scared. He was so scared that it sent a chill down his spine and he couldn’t help but scream.

The staff member asks whether falling down was an improvisation on his part. Kaneko sheepishly answer that it wasn't. Due to the strong sunlight, Kaneko clearly saw that guy’s face...and it is exactly like what Murasame said:"‘that guy’s eyes don’t have any emotion." Kaneko continues to explain that even if Cain is acting as a "moving corpse" it’s too real... the depths of his eyes are empty.

Kaneko actually felt like "prey" and for Cain to stand in front of him, one would also forget that HE is also an actor, a living person. The staff member gossips about Cain a bit more. “Did you know that wearing those kind of clothes, in this kind of weather, that person didn’t even have a single drop of perspiration.”

By the bench, Kyoko is perspiring. It's another hot day having to wear Setsuka Heel clothes.

Even though what she is wearing is more comfortable than the day before's outfit, Kyoko is covered in perspiration. She compares herself to what Ren is wearing. The ventilation throughout his clothes ought to be very poor in addition to being all black. So, how can Ren can look like he's not even feeling the heat?

Kyoko had asked Ren about it during breakfast that morning. Cain told her that as an actor, once you gain enough experience, you can learn not to sweat.

While Kyoko is in disbelief over that, Setsuka calmly asks how that is done. Cain tells her that it's hard work and guts—also, self-hypnosis. "I don't sweat. I don't have sweat glands." Kyoko knows that she qualifies for hard work and guts. Given her tendency to engage in fantasy, self-hypnosis is possible, too. She just might be able to do this better than most people. If she tries harder, she just may become a great actor like Ren.

Her bubble burst when the next words out of Ren's mouth were: "Just kidding." He couldn't resist the joke since she's so easily duped. He actually doesn't know how he pulls it off; it's just always been that way. Anyways, he still perspires from the neck down; it's just that people don't notice because he's covered.

But there is a secret technique that might be helping him out, too. Kyoko’s eyes sparkled and she asked what the technique is, excited at the chance to learn a true actor's skill. Cain looked at eager Setsuka, acting out of character. Poking her on the forehead, he told her that he'll tell her once she becomes an actress. He then calmly berates his sister for suddenly developing an interest in acting.  

Kyoko is embarrassed at the memory of having dropped character, especially so close to the end of the Heel siblings. Ren must've been ashamed of her. "When you become an actress," he'd said. No one had ever called her an actress, not even herself. Kyoko feels embarassed for even thinking that. She has very little experience and is signed on in the agency's talento section.

The door opens and Manaka calls out to Murasame, who is sitting by the patio where Kyoko is. Manaka invites Murasame to come inside where it is cooler. Holding a fan, Murasame thanks her but declines. She asks him if he is observing Cain again, which he's been doing ever since Cain spoke of blessings for an actor in a role. Yet, he still gets furious when Cain is late.

"You must be feeling passionate friendship toward him, too..." Manaka muses aloud, causing Murasame to loudly deny it.

Manaka asks him to please not insult her #1 idol, and asks if Murasame still feels hatred toward Cain.

Murasame proclaims that he doesn't ever intend to like Cain Heel. Right now, he hates Cain even more because every time he sees his perfect BJ, he realizes how much of a novice he himself still is. "He pisses me off, but that dude's a good actor."

Manaka doesn't share the sentiment. Watching Cain doesn't make her feel like a novice, it just makes her want to pee herself because he's so scary. She suggests that Murasame stop watching Cain if it makes him so agitated.

Murasame would rather die than run away. He feels that if he doesn't study Cain's acting, he won't learn enough to be able to outperform him next time. He knows that it won't happen during the shooting for this movie, but he'll work on improving his skills so that Cain will be forced to acknowledge him as an actor.

Kyoko, who has been listening to the conversation completely perplexed by Manaka sudden feels a strong surge of kinship with Murasame. While he is angrily muttering about broadening up his acting skill, Kyoko is moved and thinks of Murasame as her comrade because someone else feels the same way after watching Ren act. She itches to talk about it with him, but she can't as long as she's Setsu and not Kyoko.

She also wants to become the best, strongest, first-class actress who can portray any role. In order to make that happen, though... Her thoughts are interrupted when Manaka happily calls out to Cain. Cain approaches Kyoko who immediately slips back into character as Setsu. She greets him and they talk together in English about how the shooting went.

They continue speaking to each other in English, talking instead about getting out of the heat. Cain wants to her stay in the green room, but Setsu refuses. She won't stay somewhere cooled off while he works outside in the heat.

While Manaka is puzzled, trying to understand what they're saying while she gets ignored. Irked, Murasame believe they have to be talking about something perverted since they are so warped. Manaka perks up and interrupts them to try to persuade Cain to take his break inside the green room where it's cooler. Murasame can only lamely call out to her. He thinks that Manaka really won’t quit going after Cain, and he has already given up in stopping her.

Clinging on to Cain's arm, Manaka offers to bring him any of several types of bottled water. Aloud in English, Cain asks if this girl’s brain is really like swiss cheese, for how many times does he have to say it for her to remember. Manaka looks up at him eagerly, happy that he's saying something. Cain corrects himself that Manaka doesn’t understand English. Just when Cain is going to swing his arm to get Manaka off him, Manaka is sent flying away. Murasame calls out to Manaka who lands on the floor on her behind.

Cain is staring at Setsuka, not having expected the violent move. Just when Murasame protests that Setsuka didn't have to toss Manaka, Setsu steps forward and speaks in Japanese.

"I'll only say it once. So listen up. You little brat over there...”

Alone together at LME, Jelly has passed on Ren's message to Lory. She confirms that was she told him was word-for-word what he said. In her thoughts, she doesn't see any hidden meaning. To her, Ren expressed that his future looked so dazzingly bright no one could cast a shadow on it. Lory's expression softens, which makes Jelly smile.

Elsewhere, Okami-san is sweeping outside the store when someone is standing in front of her. She stands up and welcomes him but lets him know that they are still preparing to open the store. 

Pulling down his mask, Sho says that he has another reason for dropping by.