We’d gone to the driving range to start our day. Dad gave us each a bucket of balls and let us loose. While we hacked away, the camera crew would focus on each of us in turn. They would use the shots as b-roll later.
Then Mr. Otsuki arrived and set the scene. The four girls watched the three guys hit balls. Misaki, Kana, and Ai discussed the merits of each boy, while Haru’s character stood shyly, embarrassed they would talk about such stuff.
It helped highlight how our cultures differed. Haru’s character’s sweet innocence was probably the way girls behaved when my grandmother was young. It reminded me of middle school so much that I honestly expected them to be passing notes with checkboxes asking whether you liked someone or not.
I’ll admit I thought some of the innocence was missing in America today. But there were other aspects of Japanese culture as it was portrayed that bothered me. Everything seemed awkward, and no one wanted to admit that they liked someone. Girls were regarded as too forward if they expressed an interest in a boy and were then considered the ‘wrong kind’ to bring home to Mom. Guys became frustrated and would act inappropriately, which would get them slapped down and shamed.
I may have read too much into the script because if Japan were really like that, no one would ever find their significant other.
Plopping my character into the middle of all this shy, awkward innocence was the catalyst for the J-drama. No one would consider me a player by American standards, but I wasn’t a good boy, either. In this series, I played someone who was out for a good time and wasn’t awkward about it.
A good example was how they wanted us to notice the girls. In my case, I would look over, smile at them, and go back to talking to the guys. But Jiro and Kenta would either glance over and quickly look away or position themselves so they could see the girls without looking like they were interested. It gave them a sneaky, stalker vibe, in my opinion.
During a break, Kenta wanted to talk to me.
“How do I buy an American girl dinner? Every girl I asked has told me ‘no.’”
“I make them buy.”
“You are so arrogant. Is that what they expect? Am I being too respectful?”
“No, I’m just that good-looking,” I joshed.
Kenta ducked his head and nodded. The poor guy apparently thought I was serious.
“Do you have your eye on someone specific?” I asked.
“Could you put in a good word for me with your assistant?”
“What’s in it for me?” I asked, still teasing him. “I’m not sure I want you bothering her.”
Kenta’s eyes got big.
“No. I would never,” he began and then saw my grin. “You are awful. It’s just that … I don’t know.”
Yes, I did know. Lexi was a gorgeous woman. I was afraid she would destroy Kenta. She would figure out she held all the cards in their relationship and either string him along or get bored with him.
“I’m not sure she’s right for you. Perhaps we should find you an American girl with training wheels before you set your sights so high,” I suggested. “The girl who delivers scripts seems nice.”
Kenta looked away and blushed.
“You already struck out there, I take it?”
“She threatened to report me,” he admitted.
Oh my! That wasn’t good. Perhaps my creepy-stalker feeling wasn’t too far off.
“I probably don’t want to know what happened,” I conceded.
Kenta gave me a sideways, shy look.
“No. It’s probably best I not repeat what happened,” he said, and then straightened up. “I’m not the only one. The girls want to meet American men. They seem to like one in particular.”
“Maybe I can introduce them to him.”
“I’m sure you could,” Kenta said with a twinkle in his eye.
Tami calls me ‘stupid boy,’ and I might be slow sometimes, but I picked up on that and let out a heavy sigh. I didn’t need the girls chasing after me.
“They are aware I have a girlfriend, right?”
“Oh, yes. Haru and Jiro have both told them they have no hope. But that doesn’t seem to dissuade them; it makes it more of a challenge.”
If I was wise to what they were up to, then I was safe. I’d fended off plenty of girls with no trouble. All I had to do was remember Brook, and they suddenly held no interest. It was a little startling to realize that. I knew I loved her, but never expected it would make me feel that way. I was a guy, after all.
Then I had an idea. My character was supposed to stir the pot, romantically. Why not give it a little truth? I would ask one of the girls to lunch. The logical choice was Misaki Hayashi because she was the first of the group who would make a run at me in the J-drama.
◊◊◊
I was reading lines with Hana when Lexi popped her head into the room.
“Caryn received a strange request. Gordon Parker from Springbok, the shoe company, wants to meet with you and your dad. He suggested dinner tomorrow night.”
“Did he say what it was for?”
“No. Do you want me to find out?” Lexi asked.
“I’m just trying to figure out if I need an agent or manager there or not,” I said and then scratched my head. “He requested Dad and me?”
