and they say she's so lucky

by cinnamonvibes

Summary:

“And the Oscar for Best Actress goes to—”

Kira held her Oscar-winning sister’s hand, looking between her and the stage as Mikey Madison opened the envelope. What a feat it would be for the Timurov sisters to take both Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress.

“Yumeko Kawamoto in her debut movie!”

--

(a little bit BET, a little bit maXXXine. the hollywood! au that didn't leave my head all weekend.)

Chapter 1

she's so lucky, she's a star

but she cry, cry, cries in her lonely heart, thinking

if there's nothing missing in my life

then why do these tears come at night?

--

Kira Timurov had rehearsed her speech in the bathroom a thousand times. A million, even. As the daughter of a billionaire film producer, she had learned what the word Oscar was before she’d even learned how to say Papa.

She’d planned meticulously the outfit she would wear. It would match the glisten of her eyes and showcase her adoration for the color blue. The baby blue silk gown would be covered in Swarovski crystals, and atop her shoulders would rest an ethical— her publicist Suki’s words—vintage, beautiful white fur shawl. Kira’s pictures would be shown next to vintage iconic greats, her jewelry compared to Audrey Hepburn’s. 

It was the ultimate honor to be at this year’s Oscars representing her father’s movie. Both she and Riri had been cast as the main and supporting characters. 

The film had been a box office success. Kira had been the Golden Globe’s and SAG’s darling, and the film had swept at the BAFTAs where most of Arkadi’s film endeavors originated from. Tonight she would cement herself in history as one of the youngest Oscar winners. And tomorrow, her father would release a PR statement that Kira would be the successor to his production company.

--

“And the Oscar for Best Actress goes to—” 

Kira held her Oscar-winning sister’s hand, looking between her and the stage as Mikey Madison opened the envelope. What a feat it would be for the Timurov sisters to take both Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress.

“Yumeko Kawamoto in her debut movie!”

Kira and Riri’s movie would go on to win Best Film, but the damage was done. She could feel her father’s piercing stare soldering a hole into the back of her head, disappointment evident in the way his shoulders drooped when acknowledging Kira.

He waits until they’re all in the limo to talk.

“It was nice of Yumeko to acknowledge your performance in her speech.” His grip is playful, dangling the cup of gin on the rocks between the pads of his fingers. It looks as though it could slip from his hand any minute, but Kira knows his control even in these situations is certain. “Vanity Fair featured her on the cover last week as this year’s rising star. Is it time to hire a new publicist, or are you washed already?”

Guess her Teen Vogue cover held no clout in her father’s eyes. “The industry loves a sob story, and a shock factor marketing tactic. Pretending they’re better than the Golden Globes for picking the underdog—”

“Enough—” her father puts down the cup with a loud smack. “—with the excuses. You failed to execute.” Arkadi sounded exasperated. He didn’t give Kira much of an opportunity to respond, shifting his eyesight to Riri now.

“Riri,” he raised the glass, this time in adoration. “I am so proud of you. You will be a great CEO to Spade Studio. This decision, my daughter, was made long before tonight. Thank you for proving me right.”

Kira didn’t seethe in silence; instead, she grabbed a glass cup of her own, launching it at Riri. The glass skimmed the edge of Riri’s visible eyebrow, shattering on the edge of the leather seat. With a soft spot for each other, Riri chose not to react. She sighed in reaction, looking at her father who merely chuckled. He had always encouraged this hostility, while their mother was mute, as always.

“Much growing up to do, Kira.” He said in their native tongue. 

Kira responded with a sad tone, much like the one she always had in childhood. “But I won the Golden Globe… the BAFTA, the SAG. Is nothing enough for you?”

Arkadi didn’t have words for that, but instead a cold back hand to the cheek. “Your loss tonight is a stain to this family.” Their car finally came to a halt at the Arkadi mansion home. “Have your agent reach out to Yumeko. Maybe she could teach you a thing or two.”

--

It had been so long since Kira’s place in Hollywood had been challenged. She’d been compared to child acting prodigies in her younger years, tabloids saying her own child acting debut was better than Millie Bobby Brown in Stranger Things. 

Yumeko had come from seemingly nowhere. IMDB citing one lone performance, and one solo award. The most important award.

She’d reached out to Mary, her agent, the day after the Oscars. She’d spent Oscar night crying back at her shared apartment with Riri, both with their masks off.

“I’m so proud, and happy for you, Ri.” she meant it, looking up at her sister. Riri continued combing Kira’s hair, pushing dark bangs out of tear stained eyes. 

“I’m proud of you too, Kira.”

“I don’t even want…" Kira rambled. "It’s always been your thing.” 

Riri nodded in understanding; Kira had been thrust into the desire by their father, who had so obviously wanted a first-born son.

Kira’s mother had been a famous actress, having met their father on set — the same set he fooled around with the director. Riri had inherited the production bug, having an eye for picking out wildly-successful movie scripts for their father to produce. Kira had, too, but at a much smaller volume than Riri. She had brought equity to the family name through multiple hit franchises, but not with enough prestige to appease her pompous father.

“You’ll win next year, Kira. And the year after that, and every year that you put out a movie.”

Kira laughed, but in appreciation. She knew statistically that couldn’t be true, but it was a welcome warmth in her belly. At least someone believed in her.

--

They get something on the calendar a month later, after the bruise on her cheek has subsided.

Yumeko exposes herself as a threat, asset and friend all at once. It’s not at all what Kira expects.

“Oh my gosh, it is so amazing to meet you.” Yumeko is even more beautiful in person, a factor Kira hadn’t even taken into consideration until now. The wind is a paid actor as it blows through Yumeko’s sleek black hair, her bangs lightly lifting to expose large, inviting eyes behind sunglasses. “I was pretty shocked when Mary said you wanted to meet me. I’m a huge fan.”

Yumeko pulls her into a hug, right then and there in the cafe, sliding into the seat across from Kira with a fairy-like quality. It’s a direct opposite to Kira’s uptight shoulders and strict demeanor. 

“Really? What have you seen me in?” It’s a bit of a test, but also a way to boost her ego.

“Oh gosh,” Yumeko leans back in her seat in thought, pulling her glasses off her eyes so that she can look Kira in the eyes. Yumeko’s either done her research, or she really might be a fan of Kira. She names some raunchy college comedy film Kira did when she first started, attempting to rebel against her father’s pretentious preference. It had been a box office flop, but one of her favorite sets to work on. She’d kept three life-long friends and allies from that movie: Dori, Chad & Runa.

“We have a groupchat to this day,” Kira gives Yumeko some inside tea, finding herself laughing more than she anticipated.  

“So,” Yumeko’s smile is bright. She takes a sip of her cocktail, vibrating in her chair with a visible excitement. “Did you watch my movie?”

The question catches Kira off guard. She hadn’t, and though she didn’t feel guilty about that on Oscar night, she oddly does now.

“I have not.” 

Yumeko deflates. Kira finds herself reassuring a little too quickly, “But I can watch it tonight.”

“Great! You’ll have to text me all your thoughts and commentary. And suggestions too, I’d love to get your feedback.”

Yumeko shoves her iPhone right into Kira’s hands. The action, paired with Yumeko’s words, makes Kira’s stomach flip pleasantly.

“Yeah, sure. I’m not going to go easy on you, though.”

“I’d be disappointed if you did.”

--

Her eyes are glued to Yumeko in her performance. She’s touched in a way that a film hasn’t moved her before. The girl delivers lines with an expression that transcends the camera. Kira has notes for Yumeko, but it isn’t too much. She'll be sure to add more to build character, though.

“What are you doing?” Mary interrupts her Yumeko deep-dive, strolling into the apartment with girlfriend Riri in tow. “Are you watching Yumeko videos? Oh my god, babe, I tolddd you.” 

Mary’s got that maniacal laugh she sometimes explodes with, attacking Kira verbally into a corner.

“You have one minute to shut your pet up before I get her blacklisted.” Kira vocalizes with a deep and threatening stare at Riri.

The other girl, as always, is unfazed. She invades Kira’s space to lock eyes on the content of Kira’s phone. It is, in fact, Yumeko’s newest Hot Ones interview.

“I take it the meeting went well?” Riri asks, defending Mary with her body instead of words. Her arms wrap around Mary’s shoulders from behind, chin on the top of the shorter girl’s head. They both knew at this point in time not to take offense to Kira’s defense mechanism. 

“She’s a doll, of course,” Kira says with a groan. “But how much of it is real? Do we know anything about her publicist? Her agency? This could very well be a fluke to knock me off my game. We run in the same circles, you know? She could be trying to steal my auditions.”

Kira’s head was conjuring up scenarios a mile a minute. Instinctively, she was setting up a plan to battle any situation, already furiously typing a long message to Suki.

Get me all the info you have on Yumeko Kawamoto. Who’s her agent? What projects does she have up next? She better not be encroaching on my A24 contract.

Oh hunny, I’ve had a file ready for weeks. Sending you everything to your email now. Pictures of you both together are BIG on Twitter right now. Log in to retweet. Don’t be a bitch, lean into the lezzy, Queen.

Suki was insufferable, but he’d gotten Kira out of multiple PR pickles and even boosted her profile by securing a PR relationship with Jacob Elordi last year. The break up had swung heavily in her favor, thanks to a well timed cheating rumor Suki deployed.

“Mary tried poaching her after the Oscars,” Riri mentions as she lets go of Mary, accepting the plate of food brought by their private chef.

“Oh — I’m allergic to zucchini.” Mary makes a disappointed face, prompting Riri to grab the steak knife the chef’s included and stab him directly in the hand. The man holds his hand to his heart, their security guard escorting him out. Ri whispers something in his ear as he leaves, excusing them for the night. She drops the plate of food cautiously into the trash, far away from her girlfriend in consideration.

Mary kisses her in thanks, the gesture making a secretly jealous Kira roll her eyes. She’s unperturbed by Ri’s other actions.

“Okay, and? You clearly don’t have her so what happened?”

“Nothing,” Mary says earnestly, taking a seat across from Kira in the loveseat, making room for Ri to cuddle next to her. “She said she’d been with her agent Ryan from the start, and it was good now. But she’d let me know if she was ever looking for new representation.” 

“Ryan Adebayo is her agent? Oh, that is beneath her.” Kira finds herself complimenting. “What’s worse than losing an Oscar? Losing an Oscar to a one-hit-wonder that fades into obscurity. She needs my help.”

Ri’s eyes knowingly smile at Mary.

--

Operation free Yumeko was put soundly in place the next day. Kira, a product of her father, had typed up a full-page of technical feedback. She’d given direction mostly with Kira’s physical acting, noticing small things like making a cup of coffee look too light in her hands. Or, throwing her body to the ground too quickly after being shot.

She’d delivered it to Yumeko with no preamble, just a big block of text filled with feedback like her father would send to her. Kira just hoped the recipient would take it much better than she often did.

Hi! Thank you soooo much. This is, like, perfect. I actually have a role I’m freaking out about. Are you free sometime soon to help me practice?

Kira didn’t expect for Yumeko to be so bold and unafraid. Typically Hollywood prospects were terrified of her and the Timurov legacy. 

“Maybe Yumeko is an alien. ” She’d joked with Riri, batting her eyelashes up to allow their daily makeup artist to prep her face. “And that’s why she doesn’t know about me, and isn’t scared.”

“Mary said she lived her whole life in Japan before moving here to act.” Riri’s logical, her voice devoid of any humor that lets Kira know maybe she has to reevaluate this. 

--

She tries to push down the paranoia she inherited from her father on her way to Yumeko's apartment.

Kira’s dressed to kill, an ensemble consisting of a tight black bodycon dress with a blazer and her signature Louboutins to class it up. She applies the blue matte lipstick in the private, underground parking lot of Yumeko’s complex, checking herself out in the sun visor mirror. 

She isn’t nervous, but instead anxious. Her father’s words echo, Oscar night replaying in her head. 

“Hi — nice to see you again!” Yumeko says, pulling Kira into a hug before stepping aside to let the girl in. If Yumeko noticed Kira’s stiffness, she doesn’t comment. 

“Interesting place,” Kira attempts conversation, eyeing the penthouse apartment with vintage casino decor littered all over the place. Her fingers run against the soft petals of a bonsai cherry blossom that welcomes them on Yumeko’s coffee table. 

She curiously picks up a small Poker chip that’s resting atop scattered magazines — one even of her father’s Forbes magazine cover — and scripts. Yumeko seems to notice this, and practically diverts Kira away from the mess on her table. She grabs the Poker chip from Kira’s hand with an awkward laugh, which raises a red flag to Kira. This time, Kira doesn’t comment.

“Sorry — it was my mother’s.” Yumeko’s hands are firm as they land on Kira’s shoulders, directing her away from the living room into the large gorgeous balcony overlooking the Santa Monica pier. “It’s, like, my fidget toy when I’m nervous. Michael calls it stimming or something.”

Kira rolls her eyes, remembering the loser co-star Micheal she’s worked with before too. Kira can already imagine his strong eyebrows furrowing, and feels a pang of annoyance in her stomach. 

“Are you nervous that I’m here?” Kira says, unconsciously circling Yumeko like a hawk, finally deciding to take a seat on one of the sleek lounge chairs she has on the balcony.  

“What — no?” Yumeko laughs, the tension diffusing, sitting across from her. “Should I be nervous that you’re here?”

Kira feels small as Yumeko leans into her; she’s this larger than life personality on screen, and even more so in person. She towers over Kira, resting her hand on her palms, elbows on the bistro table between, stretching forward to get in Kira’s face. “I’m actually super excited you’re here. Do you want to play a game?”

The question catches Kira off guard, and she visibly laughs in Yumeko’s face. “You’re insane,” she says, but there’s no malice in her tone. Being called insane only seems to brighten Yumeko’s features more. “What the hell, sure,” Kira quotes the meme she's learned from Suki, but gets no laugh from the other girl.

“Iced tea or diet coke?” Yumeko asks. 

Kira quirks a small smile. “Diet coke.”

“Okay, now you ask me something.” Yumeko’s enthusiasm is infectious, but Kira’s father always taught her how to remain professional. She doesn't match the energy as much.

“I know how 21 questions works,” she can’t help herself, rolling her eyes. Yumeko seems unbothered. “What’s your favorite movie genre?”

“To watch: romcoms, to act in—” Yumeko takes a moment to think through, biting her lip in contemplation. She gets up to get them both a cold Diet Coke from the fridge in the open room concept. Kira’s eyes watch her as she floats across the room, coming back with the grace of a dancer. “—Probably sci-fi or action/adventure. That’s what I needed your help with. There’s a lot of physical acting required for my next film, and you’re the only one who noticed I was struggling with it.”

Whether or not Yumeko means to boost Kira’s ego, she does. The sensation fills Kira with a flock of butterflies she hasn’t felt since her (somewhat secret) ex-girlfriend. 

“Is this really a game if there isn’t anything to win?” Kira says in lieu of asking Yumeko to ask another question. She takes a sip of her drink, blue lipstick left on the metal that Yumeko’s eyes seemed drawn to.

“Knowledge is a good prize, wouldn’t you say?” Yumeko takes her own sip of soda, never breaking eye contact with Kira. “And we’re having fun getting to know each other, right?” 

Kira doesn’t confirm or deny, simply waits for Yumeko’s next question. “Boyfriend?” Kira scoffs in response. “Girlfriend?” Kira takes a drink of her diet coke.

“None of the above,” blue stained lips says cooly, “Always my career.”

“That’s—” Yumeko doesn’t waste a breath “— sad. What a loss for the girls.”

Kira seems to miss the underlying compliment. She stands up, annoyed, “Did you ask me here to insult me? What game are you playing?”

Yumeko is not like anybody Kira has ever met in this industry. In a dog eat dog world, Kira was often faced with bumbling puppies or large pit bulls trying to stake claim over her. She doesn’t quite know where Yumeko falls: maybe she’s in a category of her own.

“Of course not, Kira-san.” With a large smile, Yumeko shakes her head. “I like surrounding myself with only the best competition, and you are the best, are you not? I think I’d learn a lot from you.”

Kira smirks. She wishes her father was here to listen to this admission.

--

They manage to keep their game of 21 questions going. In between questions, Kira provides pointers on how to practice keeping her limbs still when doing a death or injured scene.

“Do you know who else auditioned?” Kira asks, now sipping on a glass of chilled wine that came with the dinner they DoorDashed. 

“For my role? Ryan hasn’t said much. I know Blake Samuels is the favorite for co-lead, but you never know in this industry.”

“Of course Ryan doesn’t know,” Kira says matter-o-fact. “What does he have on you? Surely an Oscar win would have catapulted you into much better representation. A sci-fi film is a downgrade.”

“It has its audience,” Yumeko shrugs, munching at the fries that came with their steak frites. “And it’s a challenge. Acting in front of a green screen and green mechanics? I think I’d want to try acting in every genre.”

It’s a commendable feat, but not one she can empathize with. Her father had been clear that there was no room for flops in her filmography. That typically meant sticking with Oscar-bait scripts, and keeping her circle small.

“Good luck with that,” Kira says. The alcohol’s buzzing politely in her system now. They’ve somehow ended up on the couch, knees touching as they both face each other. They’ve lost count of how many questions they’ve asked that night, but Kira has one burning on her tongue all day.

“Why do you have a copy of my Papa’s Forbes cover from, like, 10 years ago?”

It seems to be the only point in the night where Yumeko’s been knocked off her game. Maybe if Kira were sober, this would be more of a red flag. Yumeko’s reasoning sounds real. “The movie is a Spade Studios production. Figured I should know the future team.”

The film must have been one of Riri or her father’s cash grabs. Kira nods in understanding then, patting Yumeko on the knee. “Smart girl.” That seems to brighten Yumeko’s megawatt smile. “I should get going. It’s late.”

Yumeko grabs Kira’s forearm in protest, shaking her arm up and down. “What! But we were just getting to the good part of the game. It was my turn.”

Her child-like wonder and antics pang Kira in a different way. Her father would have never allowed such blatant excitement growing up.

Always a few steps ahead, Kira knows her next move. She stops in the wash room located right by Yumeko’s front door on her way out to re-apply her lipstick. For unexplainable reasons, she leaves a kiss on the glass mirror for Yumeko. 

“I’ll see you very soon,” she uses her fingers to wave at the other girl on her way out, glancing behind her shoulder to catch Yumeko staring at her, chewing on her own lip. “Bye Yumeko.”

--

When Kira gets to her car, she dials Riri. “Call Blake Samuel’s agent. Tell her the role has been cast. Spade Studios will not be going with her.”

Chapter 2

Summary:

By the 5th week of filming, both Yumeko and Kira are starting to feel a little stir crazy. It’s a pretty typical feeling for actors stuck on location in smaller cities.

They’d both been lounging out by the pool on their SAG-mandated week-long break between filming, indicating the half-point of the movie being done. Yumeko had mentioned off-handedly how much she loved the hotel crepes, and Kira had come up with a bright idea.

“Don’t! Eat! Those!” she’d said so dramatically, slapping out the fork from Yumeko’s hand. “I know a place in Paris that sells the most amazing crepes. Let’s go NOW.”

And really, there was no way of getting Kira out of that mania.

With very busy schedules, texting had been minimal between them. But Kira had woken up the next day to a picture of ruby red lips kissed right next to dark blue. The picture had made Kira hot all over her body.

She washed away the sensation with some cold orange juice. 

“What are you smiling at?” Mary had interrupted, using that obnoxious know-it-all tone that Riri encouraged. “Did Yumeko send you nudes? Let me see.”

Kira’s anger was out much more in the privacy of their home. “I will skin you alive, Mary.”

“Alright, damn.” Mary raised her hands in defense, indicating the conversation was over. Kira only hears the tail end of Mary’s sentence, “That’s why you’re single, bitch.”

Stuck in her own world, Kira ignores Mary and saves the picture for later.

--

The movie begins filming at a remote studio location three weeks after Kira and Yumeko’s hang out. Kira had spent all three of those weeks regretting her choices, but the feeling had begun to fade as she read through the script. It wasn’t your typical, cheesy sci-fi flick. The director and script had come highly recommended from Jordan Peele’s team; a connection Riri had made unbeknownst to Kira; the Riri as CEO choice only seemed clearer now.

Her character acted alongside Yumeko in just about every scene. The story concept wasn’t new: they were camp counselors at a NASA space camp being preyed on by an unseeable force. But Kira could read between the lines, discovering the plot twist way before she flipped to the final act. She liked the environmentalist agenda it was pushing, wondering to herself momentarily if that was something Yumeko had liked about the film too.

She shook her head, willing herself to rid the thoughts of Yumeko out of her head. Relationships were a distraction in this industry. A way of keeping her away from focusing on films. Yumeko didn’t seem to have any relationship rumors necessarily; a lot of coworkers were crushing on her, but her crush—according to Hot Ones—was the Lucky Little Devil slot machine at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. 

The answer had perplexed Kira. It seemed like Kira could figure out a film’s plot twist within 5 minutes, but she couldn’t quite figure out Yumeko just yet.

--

Yumeko doesn’t seem bothered at all that Kira’s standing outside one of the studio’s conference rooms, while they wait for their first official table read. Instead, she’s all happy screams and hugs when she sees Kira.

“Why didn’t you tell me you were in this movie too?!”

Kira flinches upon contact, though the gesture isn’t really read by Yumeko. Instead, the girl holds Kira by the shoulders, locking eyes in a way that challenges Kira to keep eye contact too.

She can’t help but be guarded; Kira doesn’t break the gaze when she says, “Didn’t realize we were on that level, Yumeko.” 

“Well, we will be now,” Yumeko says, dragging Kira by their hands to the center of the table, taking up two seats. Yumeko’s all smiles as the director and the crew fill up the remaining space. 

It doesn’t stop being comical seeing people cower as soon as they walk into the room, noticing Kira sat right next to a beaming Yumeko. Michael obnoxiously grabs Yumeko in warning, whispering loudly ‘What’s she doing here? She’s bad news!’ 

“Only as bad as your obvious eyebrow lamination,” she insults, watching as his expression is all the more dramatic and embarrassed. “Now are we going to start or are you going to cost my father more money?”

The room shushes around, except for Yumeko who completely breaks through the tension. “Who’s ready to make a movie?!”

Michael makes a fuss the entire day; he especially throws a fit when he discovers his trailer has been moved to the other side of their very large outdoor set. Kira and Yumeko have trailers right next to each other, Michael’s name notably painted over and replaced with Kira Timurov. In the distance, you can see him with tears in his eyes, pouting as he stares at Kira and Yumeko laughing before entering their trailer.

--

They rehearse lines for an hour or so, and though Yumeko tries to make conversation in between, Kira’s a serious soul on set. They build an easy conversation flow between their characters, two legacy camp counselors. 

They decide that Kira’s free-spirit character is obsessed with Addison Rae and Doechii, and Yumeko’s slightly more serious counselor that’s here to save the day loves Noah Kahan and Hozier. And though the characters each have male love interests, they both decide their gals are going to be girls that put each other first.

Their chemistry’s so heated that Kira doesn’t even know if it’s Yumeko or her character Emi that grabs her hand and laces their fingers when she says the next line, “I’m so excited to spend another summer together.” 

Kira almost breaks character, suddenly realizing how different her character, Abi, is to her — including a whole different hair color. It made sense why they were looking to hire Blake. But she’s a professional, and puts on a voice that would rival any ditzy blonde, and a smile from someone who's talking to their best friend ever. “You know you’re my favorite part of summer.”

It feels like a great place for a kiss, so much Kira even sees Yumeko leans in, but they’re both pulled out of the scene by the stylist. They’re still holding hands, Yumeko’s palm warm against her own.

She pulls it back as though burned, excusing herself from the situation. Yumeko never seems to notice these nuances, simply giving Kira a larger than life smile and compliment before Kira leaves the trailer, “You’re going to look so beautiful as a blond.”

--

Kira has never changed herself drastically for a role, typically being typecast into the dark haired, bright eyed vixen. She gets fitted into a few different style wigs, finally landing on one the closest to her current haircut, with a blonde flattering her skin tone.

And Yumeko wasn’t lying, the hair looks good on her. Her eyes still look remarkably blue, but it softens her features.

“What did I say?” Yumeko barges into her trailer, standing behind Kira. They lock eyes via the mirror, and the notion almost knocks the wind out of Kira.

She recuperates quickly though. “You would have been stupid to think otherwise, Yumeko.”

Kira stands up, turning around so they’re both face to face. She smirks at her, noticing that her swift moment briefly topples Yumeko to take a step back. Kira catches her by grabbing her wrist holding her steady. Yumeko looks at their wrist, then at Kira. 

They both laugh when the stylist clears her throat. “I need to take a few pictures of you, Kira, and then you can get back to whatever this is.”

Kira raises an eyebrow in the hair stylist’s direction. “Sure,” she plasters a fake smile on her face. “I’ll meet you outside, Yumeko.”

It’s more of an instruction than a statement, but Yumeko starts, “No! I can definitely stay—”

“Yumeko. Out. Now.” 

Kira’s glad Yumeko actually listens.

--

When she finally walks out of the trailer, Yumeko’s waiting a few steps away. The action makes butterflies erupt in Kira’s stomach, reminding her of a teenage movie where the boyfriend waits for the girlfriend outside of class.

“I didn’t want either of us to get lost on set!” Yumeko explains, linking their arms together. Yumeko looks behind her shoulder to see the stylist's torso and hair drenched. “What happened to her?”

Kira looks behind her shoulder to give the stylist a very pointed stare, before looking back at Yumeko with a devilish smirk. “Don’t worry about it.”

--

The first days on set are always exhausting. It’s a lot of socializing with different people, learning where the main components of the set are, and working out all the audio kinks as they get suited up.

By the time they finish with the first few scenes, it’s already close to midnight, and all Kira wants to do is order room service and soak in a hot bath. Her and Yumeko were separated after they had finished their scenes, both sent to work with the love interests. 

She hadn’t expected Yumeko to be waiting for her at their trailer. Nor did she expect Yumeko to comment on Kira’s yawn.

“Did I tire you out?”

Kira laughs in response, the innuendo making her warm. “Oh you’ll need to put in a lot more effort to tire me out.”

Yumeko’s smirk is devious. “Challenge accepted, Kira-san.” A pause. “I’ll see you tomorrow, and every day after that.”

--

It’s three weeks of vigorous movie making — Yumeko and Kira fall into a small routine of drinking their iced coffee together at the hotel lobby in the morning, but their storylines part a lot more than Kira would have liked. It doesn’t help that Michael’s obviously in love with Yumeko, on and off-set. 

Yumeko’s a convincing actor, too. She watches them sometimes, right before it’s Kira and Yumeko’s turn to film together. It’s crazy how Yumeko slides in and out of the role whenever the director says cut. 

Kira thinks maybe the biggest difference is that her character, Emi, touches Michael’s character a lot more than Yumeko. Or maybe selfishly, she’s just hoping Yumeko’s only touchy with her.

--

By the 5th week of intense filming and crazy stunts, both Yumeko and Kira are starting to feel a little stir crazy. It’s a pretty typical feeling for actors stuck on location in smaller cities. 

They’d both been lounging out by the pool on their SAG-mandated week-long break between filming, indicating the half-point of the movie being done. Yumeko had mentioned off-handedly how much she loved the hotel crepes, and Kira had come up with a bright idea.

“Don’t! Eat! Those!” she’d said so dramatically, slapping out the fork from Yumeko’s hand. “I know a place in Paris that sells the most amazing crepes. Let’s go NOW.”

And really, there was no way of getting Kira out of that mania.

--

Yumeko had been all chat and conversation on the way to the private airport; it wasn’t until they got onto the actual private jet that something had shifted in the energy. Kira, always attentive, had asked — albeit a little more annoyed than one should be, “Are you okay? We’re literally on our way to Paris and you look like you’ve seen a ghost. Are you scared of airplanes or something?”

Sometimes Yumeko did this — she’d get lost in thought while they would talk about their lives and family. Like she’d go into a far away place where Kira simply had to wait for Yumeko to come back down to Earth. It wasn’t a nice quirk, especially not for someone as impatient as Kira, but she’d learn to accept that about Yumeko.

“Hey — we should get into our seats,” Kira prompted again, signaling to the flight attendant to grab Yumeko and her bags to put away. When she looks back, Yumeko’s back to normal, nursing two alcoholic beverages for both of them, taking the seat right next to Kira.

“Wow, Paris! I’ve never been. Can we go to the Eiffel Tower?”

Kira wasn’t too keen on tourist things, but she rolled her eyes and with a smile said, “Sure, babe, whatever you want.”

--

Yumeko surprises Kira with two blonde wigs as they’re about deboard the jet. “I figured we both don’t want to be bothered.” She’d said with a grin, sliding Kira’s wig onto her head, then asking Kira for help to adjust hers. All Kira could think about was how good Yumeko looked.

Their first stop in Paris is the cafe with the crepes Kira is dying for Yumeko to try. She lets their driver and personal assistant know to “fuck off until I need you again” and instructs them to make sure their bags are fully unpacked when they get back to the hotel.

Kira pulls out all her knowledge of Paris to impress Yumeko, pulling her by the hand down secret routes and into secret little bars that just scream French locale. She can tell it’s working by the way the spark and excitement never leaves Yumeko’s already expressive face. 

It’s nearing sunset when Kira finally pulls them into the Champ de Mars, bringing them to a perfect view of the Eiffel Tower. 

“Well, there she is, I guess,” Kira says, genuinely unimpressed. When you travel so often, these wonders start to lose their charm. But what she does find charming is how ecstatic Yumeko is to see the sun fading away, and the lights start illuminating the length of the tower like glistening stars. 

“Thank you, thank you, thank you!” Yumeko says, pulling Kira into the tightest hug she’s ever experienced. She’s shrieking in Kira’s ear, and while that would typically bother her, she actually enjoys the warmth of her breath in this cold weather. Surprising herself, Kira wraps her arms around Yumeko’s waist, bringing them closer together.

“Let’s take a selfie. I wanna remember this forever.” Yumeko says, still never deviating from their hugging position. She pulls out her phone, extends one arm out, and presses their cheeks together to snap a pic. 

Kira feels like she doesn’t recognize the girl in the picture. Yumeko’s there, all bright eyes and smiles with an obvious wig on, but Kira’s also all bright eyes and smiles with an obvious wig on. She just can’t shake the nagging feeling that someone like her isn’t meant to be this happy. The last time she was this happy, it didn’t last long.

--

They get back to the hotel around 1am, having spent the rest of the night walking around Paris, holding hands. They’d talked about everything and anything, finally landing on the topic of exes on their balcony overlooking the Eiffel Tower and the city. 

“I’m gonna need a lot more alcohol for that conversation,” Kira had joked, but Yumeko obliged. She’d gotten off the couch to refill both their white wine glasses, coming back to squeeze into the space next to Kira. 

In a brave movement, Kira had actually pulled Yumeko by the loops of her jeans to land on Kira’s lap. They really should have gotten into PJs, but none of them had wanted to stay away from each for longer than a second. The only thing they’d both ripped off immediately was the itchy wigs.

Getting right to the point, Kira blurted out. “My ex-girlfriend died in a plane crash.”

Yumeko didn’t seem to have much of a facial reaction, but instead raised her hand to caress Kira’s cheek, the other arm wrapping around Kira’s neck to hold them both in place. The touch was more comforting than Kira could have ever expected.

“I’d love to hear about her, if you want to talk about it,” Yumeko says in the softest tone Kira has ever been spoken to.

The media had known little about Kira and Sayaka—S for short. Kira had done one interview while S was still alive about their relationship on the Call Her Daddy podcast, where she chatted about how they had met on the family’s jet plane, where S worked on their hospitality team.

She said they had gotten close on trips Kira would take alone back and forth between shooting movies on two different continents. For obvious reasons, she had been the favorite of the team her family rotated from.

She’d gracefully dodged the mile high club question with an “I don’t fuck and tell, ” which had only ignited more of her fans and shippers. 

Riri had been the one to deliver the news to her, explaining to Kira that her father had tried calling earlier, but Kira hadn’t answered. Kira would swear up and down that she never received a call from him, to which Riri had told her to make sure her phone wasn’t on airplane mode.

“Was it better or worse that Riri told you?” Yumeko hadn’t stopped caressing Kira’s face the whole time. Though Riri and Mary had tried to push her into therapy, Kira had emotionally detached from the situation the moment she called back her dad, and he hadn’t answered.

Kira couldn’t help the tears that pooled into her big blue eyes. “I just wanted my papa, you know?” She wipes away angry at her tears, ashamed for crying. She momentarily disrupts their seating position to try and reach for the wine glass, but she’s stopped by Yumeko’s hand landing on top of hers.

She uses that motion to bring their hands in between them, reaching for the other so they could linger in between them. Yumeko has now fixed herself in a straddling Kira position, looking down at her and their joint hands in between them. “Believe me, I know.”

Kira shakes her head, a different type of embarrassment this time. Yumeko, famously, was an orphan, her parents having died in a car crash. “Fuck, I’m sorry. You don’t even have parents.” Kira shakes her head one more time, annoyed by her inability to put cohesive and emphatic sentences. She blames her father for that. “Fuck, Yumeko. I didn’t mean it that—”

Yumeko silences Kira with a kiss. It’s not the moment Kira expected their first kiss to be, but it’s probably the perfect opportunity. Kira feels all the sadness, anger, confusion that she should have felt mourning S in the weeks after her death. And in return, she feels Yumeko’s own hot tears falling on her cheeks.

It doesn’t progress to anything more than bonding through hot tears and hot kisses with teeth, eventually the day catching up to them.

When they finally change into their PJs, Yumeko doesn’t leave for the separate room Kira’s booked for her, but instead slides right into bed with her. Her arms snake around Kira’s waist, taking over as big spoon. 

Yumeko kisses the back of Kira’s neck tenderly, watching as Kira opens up her Instagram to tag her in a carousel post of three pics: a picture of their crepes, the selfie they took together as blondes with the Eiffel Tower in the background, and the picture of their blue and red lipstick stains on Yumeko’s bathroom mirror.

The caption reads: coming soon to a theatre near you… 💞

Notes:

ahhh why are these characters so fun to write?? hope y'all enjoying :) trying to see if i can squeeze the ending into one more chapter, but stay tuned!

Chapter 3

Summary:

Kira and Yumeko take their relationship to the next level, but it ends just as quick as it begins.

When Kira wakes up, Yumeko’s already beaten her to it. Her lithe fingers squeeze at Kira’s chin, pulling her into a morning kiss before she can even devolve into worry about last night. Whether it’s intentional or just Yumeko being Yumeko, Kira can’t confirm.

She focuses her energy instead on pushing Yumeko deeper into the pillows, straddling her to take even more control. Kira’s in her true element: a beautiful girl underneath her, calling out her name, asking for more, more, more. She’d hidden this part of her for so long, too long; kept it locked away until the tabloids had forgotten it was a thing about her at all. 

Maybe this was some kind of self destruction, risking the Timurov heir her father so desperately wanted as her final redemption. But Kira had made up her mind; she would cease to exist if she could not have this girl all to herself for the rest of forever. 

She could do without the morning breath, but that was a conversation for later.

--

They spend the rest of the morning in bed, taking turns making each other cum and only getting up for room service. 

Yumeko never fails to surprise Kira, opening the door naked “as a treat ” for the room service guy who’d been ogling them since they got to the hotel yesterday. Kira had let the food go cold, pulling Yumeko right back into the sheets, fueled by her irrational jealousy.

--

Yumeko’s activated by the sun setting, up and out of bed, dressed to the nines and coaxing Kira into her own skimpy outfit. Her hands never leave Kira’s body for a second. Yumeko already cared so little about respecting Kira’s personal space before, it’s only intensified now post their kiss. And really, Kira isn’t stopping her.

Blonde wigs fasten into place, and they disappear into the night crowd of lovers in Paris. Yumeko pushes her out of clubs and into alleyways, lit only by the small bulbs of Parisian street lamps. 

Yumeko kisses her like Kira could leave at any second. Compliments are non-stop from her too, delivered against her blue mouth like a prayer. Kira refuses to speak affirmations in return, but hopes to convey how much she wants to be here through actions. She cups Yumeko’s face, leaving faint imprints of red on her jawline from where she’s gripping her during the kiss. 

--

They end up back under the Eiffel tower, in a section of the park that’s mostly empty. Kira’s slipped a teenage couple a few thousand dollars to steal their picnic set up, speaking in fluent French and surprising Yumeko in the process. 

“I thought the French started drinking at 11 years old. They really had no alcohol? Do you think we could Postmates something here—”

Yumeko isn’t listening, that much is apparent to Kira now who looks to her side to Yumeko leaning her whole body against her. Her fingernails scratch patterns up and down Kira’s arm, voice melodic when she whispers against Kira’s exposed shoulder, “Do you like it when I touch you now?” 

Kira feels her body go up in flames, ignited from where Yumeko’s lips are closest to her skin. This really was not the same Kira from weeks ago, flinching away instinctively from physical touch. She tries not to focus on her giant misstep: assuming Yumeko had been ignorant to it all. Had she lost her touch in reading people? Was Yumeko clouding her senses with some type of compulsive manipulation? 

She isn’t given much time to focus on the downfall, Yumeko appeasing her touch starved skin with the body heat she so desperately needed to get out of this stupor. It’s as though Kira’s face was made specifically for Yumeko to cradle, her gentle hands finding themselves pinching Kira’s chin tenderly. 

Time seems to move slowly around them, the noises of Paris drowning out behind them, curtained in their makeshift world behind two blonde wigs. Kira finally musters the courage to nod, giving Yumeko the closest thing to an approval she has.

Fame really isn’t all it’s caked out to be — even her PR relationship couldn’t be broadcast like this. The industry had changed, rambunctious newcomers and influencers rewarded for their messiness, but Kira wasn’t afforded those luxuries. The Timurov name was up in the ranks with the most famous of Hollywood elites, good and bad. They were known for their serious demeanor, their billion dollar box office runs, and for carrying a posh demeanor only the original Coppolas or Royal family could compare. They didn’t party, they weren’t swept up in scandals, and they were always fashionable.

“I wish America had more strict paparazzi laws,” Yumeko sighed, cuddling more into Kira. They end up on their backs, looking up at the night sky polluted with light from the city. Yumeko had an arm extended over Kira’s stomach possessively. “They’d be blocking my view of the Eiffel tower right now.”

Kira hums in agreement, dread of returning to set and real life dawning upon her. “What I’d give to never have to deal with paparazzi or Jimmy Kimmel ever again.”

Yumeko’s body vibrates with her laugh, nose scrunching in a way Kira hadn’t noticed before. It makes her heart flutter, and she keeps at the joke in hopes of eliciting the same reaction. “You haven’t been on his show yet, right? I can already see him doing a silly martial arts segment for you.”

Yumeko shakes her head, laughing as she says, “Note to self: don’t book Jimmy Kimmel. I’d love to do The Drew Barrymore Show though.” 

Kira had quickly corrected herself. “No, no…  you definitely have to do Jimmy Kimmel once. Especially when this film flops — we’ll need all the publicity we can get.”

“So quick to negativity,” Yumeko challenges, fixing herself now so that she’s on her stomach, holding her head in her hands, upheld by her elbows. Her feet kick behind her childishly, she sounds eager when she compliments Kira. “You are the publicity, Kira-san — everything you touch turns into a billion dollars.”

If only that were true; she’d heard that exact opposite statement from her father too often. And even when her movies did hit that threshold, the goal post was moved: It only hit a billion dollars in America — what about China & the U.K? 

“Were you just born nice?” Kira says, backhandedly complimenting as a trauma response. “Or is that just your way to get roles?”

Yumeko frowns at that, moving back an inch that Kira instantly notices. “Do you think I’m acting now?”

Kira can’t help that her walls threaten to go up. “I think everyone in Hollywood is always acting. Why would you be any different?”

Maybe someone else would see this as a huge red flag, something to fight back about. But Yumeko wasn’t that type of person. She was light personified, bringing clarity to everyone around her. “This isn’t an act, Kira.” Their eyes lock. “I don’t think you’re acting right now either.” 

It’s something Kira didn’t know she needed to hear, but she’s incapable of stopping the word vomit. “Maybe you just don’t know me at all.”

“Do you even know yourself?” Yumeko bites back in her own special way, diving Kira into manic introspection.

“You’re clinically insane if you think you can talk to me like that.” The wig falls off her head from the intensity of her movements. She gets up, scrunching the picnic blanket and knocking over the sparkling cider the teens had bought.

She doesn’t expect Yumeko to grip her forearm, halting her in place. Kira’s breathing heavily now, etchings of a panic attack threatening to swell forward. She can’t tell if the flash of lights is from a camera or the gimmick that is the Eiffel tower behind them. 

“Kira — don’t go.” Yumeko’s voice is breathy; desperate in a way Kira has only ever heard from Sayaka before. It halts Kira immediately. “I don’t want to do this Hollywood thing without you.” 

Kira’s as soft as she can be in tense situations. 

“Partners?” Yumeko says. 

Kira doesn’t know what that entails, but she’s so in.

--

The ride back to the hotel is comfortable, giggles breaking through the silence when Yumeko sneaks her hand up Kira’s skirt, losing all their innocence in the backseat.

--

The next morning, Yumeko showers her with kisses to wake her up, squealing about the good news Kira’s undoubtedly had a hand in.

“Thank you, thank you, thank you—” Yumeko repeats over and over, celebrating, then squealing, “—I’m going to be on The Drew Barrymore Show!”

Getting straight to business, Kira follows up, “Remind me to get you in touch with Suki before the appearance. He’ll let you know exactly what you can and can’t say.”

--

Yumeko catches a first class, commercial flight back to set since she’s scheduled to start filming earlier, while Kira decides to stay an extra day in Paris to network with Vogue. It’s a day filled with meetings, filming content for Vogue’s TikTok, and Zooming with Suki and Mary about proposed marketing strategies for when the movie releases. 

In between this, she’s also rang Riri to discuss the disposal of last night’s driver, ensuring their privacy. Riri never asks why, just delivers.

Kira’s ready to indulge in a hot bath at the end of the night when she’s shocked by the presence of her mother in the hotel suite’s living room. She’s much frailer than she remembers, sporting concealer that can’t hide bruises at this shade in the healing process. Kira already knows in the pit of her stomach why her mother’s here. She just didn’t expect to get caught this quickly.

“Did your father’s bastard set you up with her?” The words are cold, accusatory. Kira’s bothered by the disgust that drips from her mother’s mouth about Riri more than the jab at her sexuality. She’s come so far since being that young, scared girl standing behind Sayaka as S came to their defense. “We thought this was fixed years ago.”

“There’s nothing to fix, mother.” A beat, Kira holds her ground standing directly across from the woman. “Show your step-daughter some respect. She runs the business that pays for all this now.” She throws her hands in the air to indicate the grandeur of the hotel before pointing at the large, smarmy jewelry smothering her mother’s neck. 

“And you’re okay with her just taking everything that you worked for, just like that?”

“No,” she says honestly, vulnerable in a way a child naturally becomes in the presence of their mother. Her mother shows no intent to comfort Kira. Rather than cry about it, she threatens, “Tell your private investigators to fuck off, or I’ll let father know why you’re always in Spain.”

“You wouldn’t dare. You know what your father does to me!”

“And you think fucking his business partner is the solve to that?”

Kira knows she’s overstepped; the slap that follows echoes off the tile floor. A dot of blood drips next to her eyelid. 

“Language, Kira. I didn’t raise you to be vulgar,” her mother says to have some semblance of control over the situation.

“You didn’t raise me at all—” She faces her mother, owning her anger and rage like a badge of honor. “—Get the fuck out.” 

--

Yumeko’s there to greet her the moment she enters her hotel back at the filming location. Kira’s sporting oversized glasses, strutting with a cold aura around her that frightens everyone, but Yumeko, out of the way. The bellhop is quick to leave, dropping all her bags in a haphazard pile near the door at her request.

“Hi partner,” Yumeko floats to Kira’s side, arms snaking around her waist to bring her into a hug. Kira, more sensitive than usual, pushes Yumeko—albeit gently—away. 

“Not in the mood,” Kira grumbles, attempting to make herself busy by grabbing a suitcase and throwing it on her bed, starting to unpack. 

“What’s wrong?” Yumeko questions, concerned. She doesn't move from standing directly next to Kira.

“It’s been, like, 5 minutes and you’re hovering over me.”

“Sorry, not sorry,” Yumeko replies, perma-smirk glued to her features; she never seems bothered by Kira’s attitude. It almost seems to entice her more. “I missed you.”

“It’s been, like, a day. I’m sure Michael kept you company.” Once she starts, she can’t stop the onslaught. “Probably fucked him too, right?”

Yumeko frowns, but doesn’t take the bait. She’s reassuring, like always. “The only person I want to fuck is you. Right now, later, tomorrow. Genuinely any time, whenever.”

Kira snorts, the tension she’s been holding from her talk with her mother slowly dissipating. She pulls her glasses off to reveal the smallest inkling of a cut. Her mother’s strength wasn’t comparable to her father’s, but the solid rock her mother wore on her ring finger left a different type of damage.

“Baby,” Yumeko immediately springs to action, the term of endearment slipping from her so naturally it makes Kira’s heart rapidly thump. “Your eye.”

“Stabbed myself with my nail,” she pouts, putting on a real Oscar-worthy performance. Kira’s so exhausted, reeling from her mother’s neglect yesterday, that she lets herself be cared for by Yumeko, accepting the kisses sprawled on her cheeks, eyelids, nose, and everywhere else on her body.

--

Kira’s quick to manipulate the situation. They’re in the middle of rehearsing lines that same night when Kira starts to cite her contract to Yumeko, outlining why she has to remain publicly single and hide the relationship. 

Yumeko doesn’t contest the situation, simply shrugging and pulling Kira on top of her, letting them both know they’re done with practicing lines for the night. “I like being your dirty little secret.” She flirtatiously loosens the buttons on Kira’s shirt, but with some seriousness to her tone adds, “What other secrets are you hiding then, Ms. Timurov?” 

Kira plays back with a smirk, “Not any more secrets than you, I’m sure.”

Yumeko's the one who snorts this time, but there’s a tension that ravishes her body that makes Kira raise an eyebrow. 

--

Filming the movie is fun. The vibe on set is much different than Kira’s A24 and Wes Anderson filmography. There’s lots of TikToks being filmed, and pranks that are never aimed at her, but somehow still include her. The cast’s most viral TikTok is of course one of Kira speaking in Russian, her fans completely taking over the comments.

It blows up even more when Yumeko comments My wife on the video.

--

“What is wrong with you?” Kira barges into Yumeko’s hotel room, utilizing the skeleton key Riri had provided her for all the rooms in the hotel if she needed it.

“Breaking and entering? I don’t remember giving you a key, but I gladly would have,” Yumeko’s reading a book in the corner of the living room; her eyebrow perks up inquisitively from behind the dark green cover in acknowledgement of Kira's presence.

“Cut the shit, Yumeko. Can you keep a secret or not!?”

“Believe me, Kira-san, I hold many people’s secrets.” Yumeko has a fire in her eyes that petrifies Kira for the first time in a long time. Things between them had been bliss, so much Kira had begun to forget she had any suspicions about the girl at all. “It’s just a little PR. Trying to prevent it from flopping, duh.”

Kira doesn’t have the patience for games. “Listen, Yumeko. You’re fresh blood. People don’t give a fuck or have opinions about you made yet, but I’ve got a brand that needs to be protected, and all that’s happened since you’ve come to the scene is ruin everything I’ve built up.”

Yumeko’s eyes are watery as she replies back. “Is that how you really feel?”

Kira lies through her teeth, “Yes. We should probably take a break from—” She clears her throat, unsure of what to call them. “—This partnership. Keep things professional.”  

Yumeko doesn’t stop Kira as she stomps out of the room; Kira’s devastated by the sudden realization.

--

The last week of filming is hell. Kira and Yumeko have stayed away from each other, only interacting on set or during cast meetings. Kira had selfishly thought Yumeko would break through her boundary, resolving this that same day. Without Yumeko to take up her time, Kira’s made it her mission to make everyone’s life around her miserable. 

She occupies her nights chatting Riri’s ear off, and Mary by association, on everything that went down in Paris and on set. She saves face about her mother, excluding that part of the story for Riri’s sake. She does mention the spying though, alerting Riri that even after this silly CEO competition between them had ended, they were still being watched and tested. It was really starting to feel like there was no escape to this family’s prison of expectations. 

“There’s no Yumeko Kawamoto records found anywhere on the internet,” Kira brings up at some point in the conversation. It’s a delightful change for Riri and Mary that have revisited and psychoanalyzed their Paris picnic top to bottom. “No news clippings, or public records in Japan on her parent’s car crash. No death certificates. Nothing. Nada.” Mary and Riri can see the light bulb going off in Kira’s head. As though she’s cracked the case, she loudly says, “She’s a fucking industry plant! I knew the Oscar was bought.”

Kira digs herself into a spiral, catapulting Riri with a hundred and one more theories. Mary isn’t scared to speak the raunchy truth on FaceTime, hundreds of miles away from Kira’s physical assault. “You’re suffering from orgasm withdrawals. Yumeko is sexy, and every second you’re not with her is a second you’re interrupting your sister and I from very important quality time.” It turns into a rant that Kira’s already bored of. “I don’t get to see this one much anymore now that she’s in Forbes 30 under 30, and when I do — she’s freaking busy worrying about you. So, please, do us all a favor and get a damn girlfriend already.”

“I’m hanging up now.” Her features warp into disgust, and she gives Riri a look to handle it. “Fix whatever your marital problems are before the next time I call. I don’t want to hear it again.”

--

Filming wraps up, and Michael’s booked a local venue for a mini cast wrap party, inviting the leads, crew, and background actors portraying the other camp counselors. She’d thought against going, pretending to be sick, but Kira had begun a new plot: uncovering Yumeko Kawamoto's secret, whatever it was. She’d need to be there for recon. 

Yumeko’s already at the bar when Kira gets there, fashionably late and making an entrance. There’s a silence when she walks in, all eyes on her and the navy blue gown that hugs at all her features. Kira’s eyes instantly lock with Yumeko; icy blues don’t miss the way the other girl’s tongue darts out to wet her lips, sizing her up like a predator. 

“Mother cuntress has arrived, ladies and gents. The party has officially started,” Suki, who doubles as a DJ for parties like this, welcomes her in and shifts the music to something much more upbeat and loud.

Spotting her at the bar, Kira sidles next to Yumeko, pulling the drink right out of her hand to take a sip. She’s feeling emboldened by her quest for answers, hoping to one-up Yumeko and catch her off guard. Yumeko squeals at the quick moments, breaking into a laughter and proclaiming, “Michael! What are you doing?”

Kira’s face immediately drops into a comical frown; the gesture’s matched by Yumeko.

“Kira…” she says cautiously. “Didn’t expect you to hang out with the flops tonight.”

“I’m networking,” Kira answers curtly, placing the now finished drink on the bar next to the other girl. “Would look pretty bad for optics if the two leads didn’t share a few pictures together at the wrap party on Instagram, right?”

Yumeko’s smiles don’t really reach her eyes, but she nods in agreement. “Come here then,” she instructs, pulling out her iPhone and snapping a picture of them shoulder to shoulder. It’s like electricity when their bare skin makes contact, electrifying Yumeko right back into her old self. “I miss you, Kira. Every day.”

“Then why didn’t you follow after me?” Kira says in an attempt to be snarky, but it comes out sounding dejected.

Yumeko’s eyes are soft, but holding that intensity that always made Kira feel tiny. “Maybe I want to be chased too."

And with that, Yumeko exits the conversation, calling out, “Hey, Michael! Great party…” Their arms loop together, disappearing into the crowd and leaving a fuming, jealous Kira with much to think about.

--

Later in the night, Kira’s phone vibrates with a notification saying she’s been tagged in an Instagram post.

It’s the picture Yumeko took of them earlier, the caption is filled with butterfly, heart, and flower emojis: Love this girl.

Notes:

🤭 we'll get to the murder plot next chapter

Chapter 4

Summary:

Michael's wrap party turns deadly.

“Kira,” Yumeko says, eyes glistening with tears. “You came for me.”

She’s hunched over a man’s limp body, his shirt bunched up in delicate hands, red lipstick smeared on his lips. There’s a half-filled whiskey glass with the same imprint on the bar. They’re secluded in the upstairs VIP area, housing just a small bar area and some leather couches.

“Is that Michael’s father?” Kira’s been a product of Hollywood and Hollywood men her whole life, so the worst brews in her stomach. She hangs back at the door, carefully analyzing the situation; it’s the most unhinged she's ever seen Yumeko. 

Tears fall in a small puddle that pools right in the center of his chest, she hasn’t let go of the fabric, scrunched tightly in the same way Kira’s heart feels squeezed. 

“He killed my parents.” It’s soft at first, barely legible, but Kira’s so attuned to everything that is Yumeko that she hears it clearly. Does she believe it? Of course she does. Michael and his family only rose Hollywood ranks because of their back door deals and silencing of insurance companies under her father’s direction. 

The gears turn in Kira’s head, and though she’s grown a fondness to Yumeko only comparable to one other woman in her life, her family and family legacy come first. She’s broken out of her thoughts when Yumeko screams at the top of her lungs, anguish dripping from every word. They’re lucky the music is loud, masking the dilemma happening upstairs. “He killed my parents! ”

“I’m calling my father.” Kira says, mostly to ground herself, offering her back to Yumeko as she begins to walk away. She’s unprepared for the Yumeko that meets her, flying up from her position on the ground to aggressively knock the phone out of Kira’s hand. They wrestle for the item, hands on each other as it slides across the floor. Kira distinctively notices that Yumeko bolts to the other side of the room, grabbing for the glass with whiskey and downing it instantly. 

Kira reaches her phone too late, Yumeko already in front of her, grasping onto her head to force a kiss on Kira’s mouth. It’s suffocating in a way that Kira hates that she finds pleasant, churning in her stomach with the reminder of all their time in Paris. They bump into tables and chairs, eventually almost tripping when they hit Gabriel’s dead body on the ground. Kira put two and two together earlier, but she didn’t expect the outcome to involve her too. She claws against Yumeko’s stomach, gripping onto the material to violently push her away. 

“What kinda poison is in the whiskey?”! Kira’s voice is loud now, fighting against the music so that Yumeko can hear her. She looks at her arms, the white dress her stylist chose to portray the innocence of her character now stained brown from the alcohol.

“Call Ri,” Yumeko says in lieu of an answer. Her tear stained eyes are dry now, burning with a different fire. Kira had never been scared of Yumeko before, not fearful for her life like this. It dawns on her that Yumeko’s requesting her sister, and it stings to know Riri’s surprised her yet again. 

The poison is fast acting, but Kira still has the right mind to be an asshole. “You can call her yourself, since you’re both fucking traitors.” She shapes her hand into a fist, placing it to her head as a sudden pain jolts through her. 

Everything around her blurs; the room melts in a way she always imagined an acid trip with Chad would look like. Yumeko looks to be in bad shape too, but there’s purpose in her eyes as she pulls Ray’s lifeless body behind the bar for security should someone come upstairs. 

“What was the plan?” Kira accosts, yelling with some of the final energy she has left. Yumeko must have been microdosing to build up her tolerance, because she’s fighting through the effects much more easily than Kira is. The walls melt into whiskey, the flashing lights of the neon decorative signs turn to the bright lights from the Eiffel tower, and it breaks something inside Kira to know she's been deceived by her father, sister, and her… partner.

She’s always been determined. A fighter, too. It’s why she would have more bruises than her mother, or even her sister, always choosing to be the first line of defense. Her entire body rams into Yumeko’s, jamming the other girl in between Kira and the wall. Her hands are everywhere on Yumeko, rustling into the pockets of her coat for an antidote. Kira’s verbal barrage doesn’t stop either, despite Yumeko’s menacing silence. “Answer me or I’ll kill you!” She grips the collar of Yumeko’s dress, unable to admire the way it hugs her body as Kira lures her closer. 

“The plan was—” Yumeko corrects herself, seemingly done with putting up a fight against Kira. They both know there’s consequences they’re better off facing together now. “—is to kill everyone involved with my parents’ deaths.” 

Kira shouldn’t be surprised, her family runs in darker circles than she’s even privy to, but to be so vocal about it? Things like these were swept under the rug, buried with a well-timed and placed suicide or overdose story. Kira could already imagine the one Suki would write for this victim now, probably even claiming Kira was traumatized from finding the body for brownie points.

“At a public party? What were you fucking thinking? No, scratch that, you weren’t thinking at all. This entire time you haven’t thought through anything at all,” It dawns on Kira, the betrayal. She funnels all that sadness into well-placed anger, “That’s why I’m in this fucking situation. You and your—” She wonders if she’s hallucinating, or if the poison is some type of truth serum, because she finds emotions she’d never willingly say out loud, dripping from the depths of her soul. “—Everything.”

Kira can swear she sees Yumeko soften, but it’s more evident by the disarming drop of her shoulders. Finally, Yumeko pulls out her own phone, dialing a number labeled Wendy. It’s not shocking now to Kira when it’s Ri’s voice that answers. 

“Yumeko.” Riri acknowledges in greeting. It’s tactical; she often answers Kira with a direct insight about her day, spilling secrets they only felt comfortable relaying to each other.

“How much do you love your sister?” There’s no hesitation in Yumeko’s words. The call is on speaker, giving Kira a front row seat to her own demise. 

“What are you talking about? Kira — are you okay, are you there?” 

Typically Riri’s voice would bring her comfort, a feeling of safety, but there’s a hatred in Kira now that creates irritation.

Before Kira can answer, Yumeko speaks over the music. “Send me the other files.” 

“Or what?”

“Your sister and I die tonight. Together. Romantic, right?”

Kira doesn’t even have time to protest, because Ri is bending to Yumeko’s request. Kira doesn’t know how to feel about that. 

“And you have to tell her—” Yumeko’s voice is strained from the poison, but is said with a jest in her voice that reminds Kira of a Batman movie villain. “—what you told me.”

Her ears perk up at that, and she gets in a few words. “Tell me what?” The poison pangs at her, making her lurch in pain. Yumeko reacts the same way. 

“Hurry…” Yumeko says through clenched teeth, the phone falling in between them from Yumeko’s weakened grip. 

Kira can hear a sigh from the other line as Riri responds. “Haven’t you put her through enough already?”

“Tell me or I’ll drag you both to hell with me,” Kira feels like she’s going to collapse at any second, her head exploding.

“I’m moving in with Mary.”

--

Kira hardly remembers the rest of the night; Ri gets clean up done from across the country in less than 10 minutes, the upstairs section closed off and the body moved without the party below it even being bothered. She could dismantle nations from the comfort of her couch if her father asked for it.

What she does remember is Yumeko rubbing her back, holding her hair, cooing sweet words in her ear. She was lucky that Kira’s pain tonight was aimed at her sister, hurt that secrets continue to be withheld from her. 

“How long has this been going on?” Kira’s jaw is clenched as she sits on the hotel corner chair, Yumeko sitting across from her directly on her bed. They’d showered in silence, Kira having gone first to put as much space between her and Yumeko. She’d ignored Yumeko’s attempt at witty jabs, happy when she’d taken Kira’s glare as a warning to simply shut up.

Yumeko looked relieved hearing Kira speak. “Not long. I had my contact poke around some Spade Studio digital files and found some tax fraud documents linking my parents to—” Kira already knew the answer. “—your father, and some other names.” There’s a hesitation as Yumeko continues. “Ri’s name was on it, too.”

Kira raises an eyebrow, but there’s a sickness in her stomach. “How? What did it say?”

“My ‘parents—” Yumeko does air quotes around the word parents, “—wired over 10 billion dollars to some offshore account in her name.” 

The envy that courses through Kira is comical; racked by how her father’s managed to undermine her in every single way, long before Kira even had consciousness to fully understand. She’s too exhausted to devise a plan now. “Great. Maybe her and Mary are cashing that out and getting the fuck away from this god damn terror of a family.”

Yumeko looks as though she’s contemplating saying something else, chewing at her lip.

“Spit it out. Nothing else you could say now would surprise me,” Kira says, bringing her knees up to her chest to hug them as she waits for another bombshell. 

“I wasn’t lying when I said I loved you." The other girl shakes her head, looking down at the floor, gaze away from Kira. "Typed, whatever.” 

Kira’s breath hitches, she grabs haphazardly at the blanket around her, making an attempt to get up and leave. She doesn’t want to have this conversation now. Maybe ever after tonight.

“Kira,” Yumeko sounds broken, worn down by the day just as much as Kira is. She’s not used to empathy, effectively shutting out that feeling at her father’s demand. “Why can’t you see that we should be on the same team?”

It’s a tempting offer, one that makes Kira turn back to a hopeful looking Yumeko. They have so much more and else to talk about, but Kira doesn’t know how else to start a conversation if it’s not related to business. 

She gives Yumeko as close to a team plan as possible, “Be ready tomorrow, 6 am. We’ll need to debrief Suki, and chat our options on how we go to the press with this.” Her anxiety’s already through the roof, a million and one ideas on how to spin this already coursing through her brain. 

“And you can sleep there,” she makes it clear, throwing the small blanket she’d used on her lap on the end of the bed bench. "I'm not letting you out of my sight. Who knows what you'll do next."

“You’re kidding, right?” Yumeko eyes the tiny surface area for her long limbs with distaste. 

“Does it look like I’m kidding?” 

Yumeko doesn't test her luck tonight, curling herself up at the end of Kira’s bed like a pretty pet.

Notes:

sorry for the delay, y'all! both kira and i have long term roommates moving out this month, so been hanging out with her while i can! wanted to get an update in to celebrate the season 2 renewal too!!

also please.. can kira catch a break?? in this fic, other fics, the show?? 😭

Notes:

i love kira sooooo much. just an amazing character with so many layers. you know a show is good when all you want to do is write, and explore characters/different ships/everything!

hope you enjoy this crazy au i couldn't get out of my head.

please send through any prompts or headcanons to tumblr: lesbianreginageorge :)