"Your first kiss wasn't with JOJO! Kono Dio da!"
After repeating the scene for the seventh time and finally watching his performance on the monitor, Alex nodded in satisfaction. For a few seconds, the entire set fell into an odd, almost solemn silence-no technician dared to comment, some even avoided looking at the screen, as if Dio's twisted expression were still too dangerous to keep displayed. A visibly shaken assistant hurriedly turned the monitor off.
Only then did the film crew release a collective sigh of relief. At last, they could take a break.
At the edge of the set, Raymond and the other onlookers wore deeply exhausted expressions. It was hardly surprising. Alex's performance in that scene was so exaggerated, so absurdly memorable, that merely closing one's eyes was enough to summon the image of that contorted face, accompanied by the hypnotic echo of "Kono Dio da," repeating like an inescapable curse.
Ray couldn't help but be dragged back by memory to several years earlier, when he had taken part in The Mermaid, directed by Stephen Mansur. The critics hadn't exactly been kind, but the film had exploded in popularity. His character, thanks to the over-the-top expressions and lines loaded with double meanings, had quickly become endless meme material-the kind of fame no one ever truly escapes.
One scene in particular still haunted him: the moment his character drowned and, in complete defiance of logic, emerged from the water singing Rainman while using a penguin as a surfboard. The film was so packed with bizarre moments that some critics even wrote reviews dripping with poetic sarcasm: "The director was so inspired that I swear I saw green smoke coming out of the screen. I inhaled it for so long that I ended up hungry afterward."
Those were the kinds of analyses it received-or worse.
Ray could only sigh in resignation as he imagined what would be written once JoJo finally hit the screens. If that didn't become infinite ammunition for critics and internet users alike, then nothing ever would.
Even so, an uneasy premonition took root in his chest. Watching Alex adjust his posture, his body still far too tense for a simple rest, Ray was certain of one thing: this version of Dio would be even more viral. It would probably become more famous than any role Ray himself had ever played.
In silence, Ray glanced at his aching joints and thought that if he tried to reproduce even half of those poses today, he wouldn't be leaving with memes-he'd be leaving in an ambulance.
…
"There's still a problem. Let's do it again."
Just as everyone was beginning to believe the day's shoot was finally over, Alex's voice dropped like a bucket of cold water, instantly crushing the mood on set.
"Alex… I mean, Director Alex… w-what is it now?" Melissa asked with a pained expression. Her stomach growled shamelessly, and all she wanted was to leave and eat something-anything that hadn't come from the catering table.
"I'm not the problem. You are," Alex replied, casting her a sharp sideways glance. "You forgot that your character is being forcefully kissed by someone she hates. In that situation, you should be resisting-not looking like you're enjoying it."
The words fell like a verdict.
Alex had noticed the issue for a while now. During the forced kiss, Melissa's reaction as Erina was far too weak-there was even a subtle hint of pleasure there, completely out of place. It did no justice to the scene or to the emotional impact it was supposed to carry.
At his words, Melissa's face flushed bright red. Some of the men on set-clearly admirers of more… delicate scenes-looked away or wore awkward smiles, struggling to maintain a veneer of professionalism that was already starting to crack.
At that moment, someone from the costume department muttered, almost like a heartfelt complaint,
"This Dio outfit should come with a medical warning."
It wasn't an exaggeration. The stiff boots, the heavy cape, the tight collar around his neck-everything conspired to push Alex deeper and deeper into the role. It was hard to come out unscathed when even the costume demanded maximum intensity.
"Director Alex… could we maybe leave this for tomorrow? It's… hurting a little," Melissa murmured, pointing at her visibly swollen lips.
Alex felt awkward when he noticed. He had gotten too carried away with the performance and completely lost track of his strength in the heat of the moment.
"Alright, alright. We'll wrap it up for today. Everyone worked hard," he said, waving to the crew and officially ending the day's shoot.
…
Two weeks after filming for JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Phantom Blood began, the production had already entered the latter half of its schedule.
Rockie Babori, who played Uncle Zeppeli, and Raymond , cast as Speedwagon, were utterly exhausted after being "tortured" by Alex scene after scene. Deep down, both of them dreamed of acting in something like Bleach, wielding spiritual swords in battles full of elegance and grandeur, where the greatest physical exertion involved a stylish strike and a graceful pose.
But JoJo was a different universe altogether.
The exaggerated movements and poses that defied any sense of human anatomy-or self-preservation-were practically an assault on two veterans edging dangerously close to their forties and fifties. Even so, seeing Alex play two roles at once without a single complaint, neither of them had the nerve to open their mouths and protest.
During a break, Melissa picked up her phone again, scrolling through the screen with eyes full of envy.
"Alex, Rebeca Verne has already started filming another movie… and, as always, it's a massive cast."
Since her debut, Rebeca had always acted alongside top-tier stars, some even with international fame. In the entertainment industry, there was hardly an actress who didn't envy her.
"Worse," Melissa added in a gossiping tone. "People on forums are already saying they've seen leaked photos from our set. They're arguing about whether Dio looks too handsome and whether Jonathan got betrayed outside the script."
Alex cast a casual glance at the phone screen. There was the news: Rebeca would be acting alongside Raymond , Su Youpeng, and other big names in a new film.
"Ah… same as always," he murmured. "Same kind of production, same ending."
In his mind, the failure was practically guaranteed.
"Wait," he added suddenly. "Tell the marketing department to make use of this in the promotion."
He was thinking about the fact that Rebeca had turned down the role of Erina. That was pure gold for publicity. In the past, her mother had already refused Alex's offer for Rebeca to participate in Bleach. The result had been cruelly ironic: Bleach became an absolute phenomenon, while The Four Great Detectives sank without a trace. The internet-and her haters-never let her forget that contrast.
Now history seemed to be repeating itself, and Alex had no intention of wasting such a perfect opportunity.
"Alex, you're really awful," Melissa muttered, already understanding exactly where this was going.
"But you like it, don't you?" he asked with a mischievous smile.
Under that gaze, the young college student felt her body tremble slightly and lowered her head, unable to respond. Alex laughed even more, lifted her chin with his fingers, and gave her a quick kiss.
There was just one small problem…
He was still wearing his blond hair and Dio's full costume.
To JoJo fans, that wasn't just a casual kiss-it was Dio grabbing Erina and refusing to let go.
And somewhere in the afterlife, the poor Jonathan Joestar could only feel his scalp itch, as if a magnificent pair of horns were about to sprout, overflowing with jealousy.
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