Noa zipped her suitcase shut with a dramatic thump.
"Done. I'm officially free from glitter lube and fake moans."
Ren held up a pink vibrator he found in the mini fridge.
"Almost free."
She groaned. "Why was that next to the bottled water?"
"Vegas is lawless."
---
They were packing to leave. Their final day.
The studio contract was fulfilled. No extra scenes. No hidden clauses. They were told to rest, fly home, and "think about their future." Whatever that meant.
As Noa rearranged her makeup pouch, she found it.
A **USB stick**. Small. Matte black. Taped to the underside of her hairdryer.
Ren stared.
"You hiding porn from me now?"
Noa peeled off the tape.
"It's not mine. Must've come from set."
He plugged it into his laptop.
There was only one folder:
> "DO NOT OPEN (but we know you will)"
They looked at each other.
Clicked it.
---
The folder contained **video files**. Labeled:
- "DryRun_Audition_1"
- "Training_Sequence_MirrorRoom"
- "LockerRoom_TensionTest"
- "ChemistryCheck_BehindScene_Cliff"
All were **footage of them**.
Not scenes they signed for.
Not camera angles they remembered.
**Candid. Hidden. Personal.**
---
They watched.
There was Ren adjusting Noa's mic, brushing her hair away.
There was Noa asleep on set, Ren tucking his jacket over her.
There were arguments, laughter, genuine moments of **non-sexual intimacy**—all caught on film.
Noa sat back, chilled.
"They filmed us… all along."
---
The last file was audio-only.
A low voice. Male. Calm.
> "Subject pair A-47: spontaneous chemistry confirmed. Natural escalation without script. Recommend long-term tracking. Potential for Japan crossover project. Public intimacy sells. Let's monetize authenticity."
Ren's mouth opened.
"They were testing us?"
Noa's voice was quiet. "We're not actors to them. We're data."
---
A knock on the hotel door broke the silence.
Ren jumped up. Peeked through the peephole.
A man in a **black suit and purple tie** stood there, holding a sleek envelope.
He opened the door cautiously.
"Mr. Kurosawa, Miss Aizawa?" the man asked in perfect English with a Japanese accent.
"I'm with **Lotus Entertainment Japan**. We've reviewed your trial run. You've passed. Phase two awaits. May I come in?"
---
Noa and Ren exchanged a long look.
There were no words. Just a thousand unspoken questions.
He held the envelope.
She held the USB.
The man smiled, completely unaware that he had just ruined their sense of peace.
> "The plane leaves tomorrow. Tokyo awaits. This is… only the beginning."
---
That night, they didn't speak much.
Ren sat by the window, watching the neon buzz.
Noa opened her journal and wrote:
> "We thought we escaped.
> We thought we chose.
> But it turns out… we were never off the script.
> And now we have to decide—
> will we write the next one ourselves?"
She drew a rectangle.
Labeled it:
> **USB**
Then added:
> **TRUTH, or another performance?**
---
**TO BE CONTINUED.**