Work Text:
It all started with a script for the new contest film. A script that was going to be the most beautiful script Ichikawa had ever written, the most glorious film he'd ever directed, the pièce de résistance of his high school film career. It would be a whole new genre that Ichikawa had never done with the film club before, all for a masterpiece that would stretch the new third years' filmmaking abilities to their limits: a tragic action film.
And it would, of course, absolutely kick the pants off last year's third years' so-called action film because he, Ichikawa Giichi, would not bend to the whims of everyone around him.
Take that, Director Kikuchihara.
(The response he got when he sent this challenge directly to Jin, late one night when he was in the middle of his second revision, was a sticker of a cartoon cat figure crying with laughter sent thirty seconds later. He'd get his revenge one day.)
And that, of course, was why he had to spend summer break working on the film and only the film.
No regrets.
INT. GANG HANGOUT - DAYTIME
DELINQUENT 1 and DELINQUENT 2 are waiting inside a room that looks like a beaten-up shack. It's cluttered with things stolen or taken from the trash in an attempt to make the room more comfortable. Close at hand are makeshift weapons, the kinds of things that can easily be found out on the street and used however the gang needs them to be used. The roar of fighting outside is faintly audible.
DELINQUENT 1 : They're here. Our guys, we've gotta let them know—
DELINQUENT 2 : Wait.
DELINQUENT 2 slips a knife from his pocket and hands it to DELINQUENT 1.
DELINQUENT 2 : I'll go get them. You stay here, guard the base. This is all this gang has, we're nothing without it.
DELINQUENT 2 turns to leave, but as he does, DELINQUENT 1 catches his arm. He looks hard into DELINQUENT 2's eyes and his gaze is returned by DELINQUENT 2 , their expressions both set into poorly-disguised worry. The fighting outside has gotten slightly louder, like it's getting closer. DELINQUENT 1, still holding DELINQUENT 2's arm, holds the knife out to him.
DELINQUENT 1 : You'll need this more than me. Stay safe.
DELINQUENT 2 looks like he wants to protest, but takes the knife back. DELINQUENT 1 lets his arm go and picks up one of the makeshift weapons nearby.
DELINQUENT 1 : Let's show them what we're made of.
(Lingering shot of DELINQUENT 1 and DELINQUENT 2 looking intent at each other)
"I thought you didn't want to do another bl film for this year's contest?" Runa asked, bangs falling away from his eyes as he tilted his head questioningly at Ichikawa, a copy of film script draft number three in his hands.
"This isn't — I don't —" Ichikawa sputtered. "My story isn't a bl, it isn't at all beautiful like bl should be! And there isn't any romance anyway!"
Runa's answering snort sounded more than a little sarcastic.
Back to the drawing board, then.
EXT. BRICK WALL - EVENING
DELINQUENT 1 and DELINQUENT 2 are standing back to back, each armed with a makeshift weapon. They're obviously hiding just outside a huge fight going on, the roar loud in the background, and watching each other's backs. There's an especially loud clang next to DELINQUENT 1, much closer than the other noises, and DELINQUENT 2 looks over just in time to stop an attack on DELINQUENT 1.
DELINQUENT 2 : Don't you dare touch him—
DELINQUENT 2 is pulled into the attack, fiercely defending DELINQUENT 1, who is in turn trying to fend off blows aimed at DELINQUENT 2.
DELINQUENT 2: (to DELINQUENT 1) Just get out of here! I've got this!
DELINQUENT 1 : But—
DELINQUENT 2 : Go!
DELINQUENT 1 hesitates, but is shaken out of his hesitation by a blow being aimed directly at DELINQUENT 2. He stops the blow and takes out one of the rival gang members around them before turning away, moving through the melee with fierce determination. DELINQUENT 2 throws himself into the fight with even more hunger for revenge.
DELINQUENT 2 : Don't touch him again.
"I didn't know there was action bl. We could get some really good shots of fighting if we stage it right, but will there be a romantic ending in the finished script?"
Mao was serious, pen ready for notes on a copy of film script draft number five.
"It isn't romance — why does everyone think —" Ichikawa's indignant words sputtered to a halt. There was a long pause, Mao's eyebrow arching knowingly, before Ichikawa reached over and plucked the sheaf of papers from Mao's grasp.
Maybe next time would be the charm.
EXT. BRICK WALL - EVENING
DELINQUENT 1 is holding an obviously gravely wounded DELINQUENT 2 in his arms, surrounded by the aftermath of a vicious fight. There's still the distant sounds of fighting, but it's in its last blows. DELINQUENT 2 shakily tries to hand DELINQUENT 1 a knife.
DELINQUENT 2 : You'll…need this more…
DELINQUENT 2 's voice trails off and his hand drops back down, knife still in it.
DELINQUENT 1 : Hang on! You got us through this far, we'll get you through!
DELINQUENT 2 : Show them what…
DELINQUENT 2's eyes close with a sense of finality as DELINQUENT 1 looks on in shock. He takes the knife from DELINQUENT 2's hand and drops it on the ground next to them and pulls DELINQUENT 2 in, clutching him close.
(Closeup on DELINQUENT 1's face as silent tears start to fall.)
"Of course, this would be a wonderful role to play to play. It's a fascinating change from last year's film," Honjo said, beaming serenely over film script draft number eight. "I'm very curious how you'll choreograph your fight scenes to transition into the tragic romance here."
Ichikawa's mouth opened and closed without a single word uttered. He sighed, his shoulders slowly slumping in on themselves.
"Does it really seem like a romance?" he asked, already resigned to the answer. Honjo didn't even need to speak it aloud, the intensity of his serene energy saying everything Ichikawa didn't want to hear.
INT. GANG HANGOUT - EVENING
DELINQUENT 1 and DELINQUENT 2 are inside the gang hangout, sitting close on a busted-up couch that has more than seen better days. DELINQUENT 1 is carefully wrapping DELINQUENT 2's hands in bandages. (Brief closeup on bruised and bloody knuckles being cleaned and tended for.) Nearby are some of the weapons that obviously caused the injuries, bent and broken, but outside the world is quiet. They have a refuge from the violence for now.
DELINQUENT 2
: (Quiet) Thanks.
DELINQUENT 1 is occupied with his bandaging and doesn't seem to hear DELINQUENT 2, but it's soon obvious that he is simmering with anger. Once he finishes bandaging DELINQUENT 2's hands, he throws the roll of bandages with anger.
DELINQUENT 1
: After you left, I thought I'd never get to see you again, Jin
"Absolutely not," Ichikawa said out loud to his computer screen as he held down the backspace key, deleting every single line from film script draft number eleven.
There was a text waiting for Ichikawa when he finally gave up on writing for yet another night and threw himself into his bed with phone in hand, a how's the film going? from Jin.
The film. The beautiful, glorious, pièce de résistance film that had been the reason he couldn't spend summer break anywhere but here with the club. This had been a perfectly fine way to spend the last two summers — what else could he possibly want to do over the summer break besides perfect his art? — but it was starting to feel a little less enjoyable this summer.
Not that he could say that to the person whose film he was absolutely intent on crushing to smithereens. Even if it was that person's fault that Ichikawa maybe possibly might prefer to be curled up with him to writing alone at home and thus screwing up all his attempts at this script. He'd said he had to stay here to work on the film and so he would stay here to work on the film and would absolutely not be telling Jin how much he might now regret saying it.
Instead, he just found himself typing out a question: would you read a draft for me?
As late as it was, Ichikawa didn't expect an answer right away, but almost as soon as he sent the text, he had his response, like Jin had been waiting right there for him to answer.
of course. send it to me.
With a sigh of feeling that was somewhere in between relief and trepidation, Ichikawa sent the most recent mess of a script over to Jin and set his phone aside for the night. Surely if anybody could help him feel better about where the script was going, it was his boyfriend (even if Jin still couldn't say no to anyone about changing his own scripts, like the terrible director he was).
The buzzing of a call woke him the next morning, and he fumbled for his phone sleepily, not fully realizing who it was until a warm Giichi answered his mumbled greeting.
It hadn't been that long since he'd talked to Jin, not really, just a couple of days. Not at all like the torment of last year's exams — he was never going no-contact again, not for something that wasn't really, really important like finishing this script before Runa confiscated his phone and blockaded him in the clubroom again. But the sound of his name from Jin, the soft syllables so different from Jin's usual brashly confident tone, suddenly made Ichikawa want to cry.
"—reminded me of that manga you gave me before exams, with the yakuza and his bodyguard. I didn't think you wanted to make another bl film after the music videos, but…Giichi?"
Jin's voice was low with concern, and Ichikawa was suddenly painfully aware that he hadn't said a word, hadn't even really heard a word Jin had said beyond his name.
"I miss you," he blurted out. "This script wasn't supposed to be a romance at all, but all I can think about are characters being separated."
"I miss you too."
Jin's voice was even warmer than before, the words easing Ichikawa's urge to cry.
"I was thinking maybe once I finish this script, I could come visit—"
"Actually," Jin cut in, his voice now sounding distinctly sheepish, "I'm at the train station now on my way to visit you. Rei said Yoshino called him about you and then you sent me this and…well. I wanted to see you. Is that okay?"
The words is that okay? echoed through Ichikawa's mind like he couldn't quite believe he'd heard them. Was it okay for Jin to come visit him all the way from his university when it felt like forever since he'd last seen him? Was it okay? It was every bl plot he'd ever hoped would come true in his own life, right exactly when he needed it, how could it not be okay?
"You said once that you'd come running if I called, and I could never leave you alone either, so…Giichi, are you still there?"
"Of course I'm okay with it!" he burst out, only just stopping himself from telling Jin that he was an absolute idiot for thinking he'd be upset by a visit from someone he'd wanted to touch for months. "I'll be waiting for you at the station. Let me know when you're getting in."
Jin laughed and promised to text when he changed trains before hanging up. And with that, all of Ichikawa's problems with his script seemed to melt away.
Maybe he didn't regret staying home to write quite so much now.
INT. GANG HANGOUT - EVENING
DELINQUENT 1 and DELINQUENT 2 are inside the gang hangout, sitting close on a busted-up couch that has more than seen better days. DELINQUENT 1 is carefully wrapping DELINQUENT 2's hands in bandages. Nearby are some of the weapons that obviously caused the injuries, bent and broken. They're both clearly the worse for wear, with DELINQUENT 1 intent on caring for all of DELINQUENT 2's many wounds, but outside the world is quiet and they're finally free of the violence that's been following them for so long.
DELINQUENT 2 : (Quiet) Thanks.
DELINQUENT 1 is occupied with his bandaging and doesn't seem to hear DELINQUENT 2, but once he's done tying bandages in place, he lifts DELINQUENT 2's hand and presses a kiss to the bandages. He looks up at DELINQUENT 2 and kisses his bandaged hand a second time, slowly and deliberately.
(Lingering shot of DELINQUENT 1 and DELINQUENT 2 looking intently at each other.)
(Fade to black.)