"Why is it that nowadays, no matter what dream I have, it always ends up being about filming Ju-On?"
The next morning, Edward let out a huge yawn, then dragged himself out of bed. While rubbing at his drowsy eyes, he puzzled over this question with a faint trace of bewilderment.
Last night, Edward had a dream.
Dreaming, of course, was nothing unusual. After all, most people do dream. The real difference lies in whether one can clearly remember the scenes from the dream afterward, and even more so, whether one can attempt to control the dream. That latter kind of dream is usually called a lucid dream—something relatively rare, a little mysterious, and, to many, strangely fascinating.
A lucid dream refers to the state where, while dreaming, a person suddenly becomes aware that they are dreaming, and then consciously shapes and directs the dream's development, making it unfold according to their own wishes. That is what's meant by a lucid dream. But Edward had never experienced such a thing before, and he often doubted whether this kind of dream even truly existed. After all, it sounded almost too outrageous to be real.
Think about it—if a person could freely control their own dream, then wouldn't that mean they could truly become an all-powerful tyrant within their own dream world? In such a dream, becoming Superman to save the world, or directing and starring in some surreal horror piece like Mirrors, would be no problem at all. On the internet, there were indeed plenty of people claiming they had experienced lucid dreams. But whether these accounts were true or merely boastful exaggerations remained a matter of debate.
But the dream Edward had last night was definitely not a lucid dream.
Perhaps because during the day he had been focused on working out the script for Ju-On, when he fell asleep, his dream naturally revolved around filming that very project. What puzzled Edward, though, was that in the dream, a very strange fellow had barged onto the set. This oddball stumbled into the filming location unexpectedly, then brazenly went upstairs to provoke Miss Kayako.
And then—things took a bizarre turn. Somehow, the actress playing Kayako suddenly transformed into the real Kayako, and she dragged that poor intruder away, ripping his lower jaw clean off. The bloodiness of it all was shocking. Yet, in his dream, Edward actually praised the scene as a brilliant addition. He even grabbed Kayako—the real Kayako—and started discussing how they could film the follow-up plot.
Even more bizarre, Kayako gave her own suggestions.
"…Truly surreal. Almost as surreal as that one dream I had before, where I actually slept with Kayako." Edward pinched the bridge of his nose. This dream was utterly absurd. But when compared with some of his past dreams, it was almost tame. After all, he had once dreamed of having an intimate encounter with Kayako.
Of course, Edward always believed that one particular dream had only happened because, back then, he kept hearing people repeat that ridiculous online catchphrase: "If you're bold enough, even female ghosts will take maternity leave." That constant repetition had burrowed into his subconscious and produced that dream.
It definitely had nothing to do with some strange kink.
Yawning again, Edward shuffled into the bathroom to wash up. But while brushing his teeth, a curious thought struck him. The Kayako from his dream last night… it actually gave him some inspiration, and even helped him shape a clearer definition of the kind of actress he wanted to play Kayako in reality.
Once he finished freshening up, he went out for breakfast. There, Zoroark was already waiting, arms full of thick documents, munching on its own food.
"Boss, here's the preliminary list of actors we filtered out according to your requirements."
Zoroark pushed a thick stack of files over.
Edward twitched the corner of his mouth. He knew there would be a lot of applicants, but he hadn't expected this many.
"You've already eliminated the ones without any yoga or dance foundation, right?" Edward asked immediately as he took the documents.
"Already removed, Boss. But because you needed these materials urgently, some of the actors here haven't gone through full screening for acting skills yet. After all, applicants came pouring in from all over different regions." Zoroark sighed helplessly.
Indeed—yesterday, after Edward mentioned that for his next horror film he needed a female lead to play a ghost, Zoroark had passed the word along to the company's departments. The result was overwhelming. Applications came flooding in by the handful. Even with the added conditions, the number of qualified candidates was still massive, and growing daily. If Zoroark hadn't insisted on giving Edward this smaller pile first, the stack would probably have doubled in thickness.
Strange as playing a female ghost might seem, it was still a chance to rise to stardom.
"Alright then." Edward flipped through the materials. He didn't bother reading them in detail. Instead, he focused directly on the ID photos.
Yes, ID photos. Not casual selfies or lifestyle shots.
Why? Because ID photos, taken under strict conditions and unflattering lighting, tend to reveal a person's true appearance. In the entertainment industry, people joked that an ID photo was the ultimate "demon-revealing mirror." If someone still looked beautiful or handsome in their ID photo, then in real life they definitely wouldn't be far off.
Zoroark peeked curiously at its boss. It was the first time it had seen Edward select actors purely by face value, ignoring everything else. What kind of horror film was he planning this time?
Edward's productivity was absurd. Most directors took half a year to a year between projects, and even that was considered prolific. But Edward? He churned out film after film, each one of remarkable quality. Few in the industry could compare.
The only precedent in the Pokémon League's film history was an older director, once infamous for financial ruin. In order to pay off his enormous debts, that man had frantically accepted every film job he could get, and in just five years, he had shot twelve films.
But the cost of that insane productivity was clear: ten out of those twelve films were outright trash. The man was ridiculed as a "trash film director." It was only by sheer luck—one later masterpiece that won him Best Director—that he finally managed to redeem his reputation.
Now, Edward calmly continued flipping through photos, searching for his Kayako.
Kayako, the core ghostly figure that defined nearly the entire The Grudge series, was undeniably the soul of the film. Casting her was critical. Too beautiful was no good—such a Kayako would lack menace and eeriness. Too gentle or too soft-looking wouldn't do either. Ultimately, it came down to instinct and first impressions. That was why Edward only cared about ID photos.
"This one won't do. A Kayako with baby fat? I wouldn't be able to keep a straight face."
"This one either. Her eyes are way too seductive—she should be playing a temptress, not Kayako. Her temperament just doesn't fit."
"…This one looks like a man. A tomboyish character could work in another role, but not here."
Edward rolled his eyes. Despite the mountain of applicants, very few suited his taste. He did, however, set aside a few that seemed "passable" for later consideration.
Then, suddenly, he froze. His eyes landed on a particular dossier.
[Takako Fuji]
Member of the Johto Hyacinth Theater Troupe. Has extensive stage acting experience.
Edward blinked. That name was… interesting. On top of that, her photo matched perfectly with the image of Kayako in his mind. She was practically a natural-born Kayako vessel. The only question was whether she met the other requirements.
He quickly read through her file.
Twenty-four years old. Still technically a student. But because her mother was also a stage actress, she had joined theater productions early, accumulating rich performance experience. Currently enrolled in Johto Film University's Acting Department. A small-time actress, known only among local theater enthusiasts.
Trained in dance and yoga, with excellent flexibility. In fact, she could even contort her joints into unusual positions, a skill considered an advanced yoga technique.
"…Now that's interesting. And her name, too—it even resembles the actress who originally played Kayako in Ju-On." Edward looked at her photo, feeling very satisfied.
Twenty-four years old—still young.
Kayako required heavy makeup anyway. Though there would be a few scenes where she appeared human, most of the time she would be in ghost makeup, crawling about to terrify the audience. A younger, more flexible actress would mean fewer stunt doubles were necessary.
"She's the one. Check her availability." Edward pulled Takako's file from the pile and set it aside on the table. Then he casually slurped up some noodles. The hotel breakfast buffet had noodles that morning. Not being a picky eater, Edward had gone with that, and they tasted just fine.
"Understood, Boss. I'll arrange for her to come audition." Zoroark reached for its phone.
"No audition necessary. She has stage experience. Just ask if she'll sign the contract." Edward waved him off, calm and decisive. Theater actors rarely had poor acting skills. Their greatest strength was always their mastery of lines. True, Kayako didn't need much dialogue—mostly just chilling, gurgling throat sounds—but that didn't matter.
"…Eh? Alright." Zoroark was stunned, but after re-reading Takako's file, it didn't object further. It dialed the company to have them handle the official contact and contracts.
Zoroark knew this young woman was lucky. Being chosen by Edward meant she was guaranteed to star in a movie. And judging by his current pace, there might even be sequels.
So far, the only series with a sequel under Edward was Sherlock Holmes. But Zoroark had already noticed him drafting notes for Ju-On 2.
At that very moment, Edward himself was already brainstorming Ju-On 2, even chatting idly with Shizuka over the phone while doing so.
Recently, Edward and Shizuka had been in regular contact, their relationship warming subtly. But with Edward busy shooting films, and Shizuka tied up with League government work, they hadn't yet met in person. That thin layer of window paper between them remained unpierced—for now.
…
Meanwhile, at Johto Film University.
"Takako!"
A woman burst into the cafeteria, calling out anxiously. Her loud voice made many students turn their heads.
"Mom? Why are you here?!" Takako leapt to her feet, hurrying to steady her mother, her face full of confusion.
Her mother's expression softened with relief when she saw her daughter safe. But after glancing around at all the onlookers, she tugged Takako outside into a quiet corner where no one else was around.
"Takako! You're about to become a big star!" Her mother whispered excitedly, almost trembling.
Takako blinked, dazed. She had no idea what her mother meant. Was it some award for their theater troupe? A sudden opportunity?
"Aiya, never mind the details. Hurry, come with me! We're buying plane tickets today—we're flying straight to Hoenn!" her mother exclaimed.
"Hoenn?" Takako's brain whirred.
Then she remembered: yesterday her mother had mentioned that Director Edward was recruiting an actress to play the female ghost in his next film. The requirements included having dance or yoga training. Her mother had quietly submitted her profile on her behalf.
"Wait—it's… Director Edward?!" Takako gasped in surprise and delight.
"Yes! Edward himself chose you without hesitation! He wants you to sign the contract!" Her mother was almost crying from excitement. This was Edward Stone—the hottest new director in the entire film world, a man armed with cutting-edge technology, hailed as the most powerful director alive. Everyone in the industry begged to work with him.
And he was known for catapulting people to stardom. Anyone who had appeared in his films had at least doubled their pay since.
Now, her daughter wasn't just joining—she was playing the female lead. Even if it was a ghost, it was still a starring role!
Takako was ecstatic. She wanted to scream in joy, but mindful of eavesdroppers, she restrained herself. Quietly, she sent her class advisor a leave request on her phone, then hurried after her mother.
Though she was still a student, she knew well enough how treacherous people could be. The film academy was filled with examples of jealousy, rumors, even malicious sabotage.
Yes, Edward had chosen her. But what if someone tried to intercept halfway?
So, she held her excitement inside—until she finally got into her mother's car. There, she let her smile burst out.
"…A ghost role, huh?" Takako gazed at her reflection in the mirror, touching her face.
She didn't think she looked like a ghost. Why would Director Edward pick her? It was a mystery.
But no matter. Whether a ghost or something else, as long as Edward had chosen her, she would give it everything she had. She absolutely would not let him down.
(End of Chapter)