Kill the Lights

Chapter 2.2

Ch. 2 Part 2

Mason, who lived a rough life fighting in the Afghan, died and now became a Hollywood scapegrace star who flirted with Raynoah and attempt to suicide. Every time he tried to close and open his eyes, this was the reality.
 
He felt little bit relieved realizing some reality while feeling greatly confused. He started to think it’s not a bad thing at all. No, it’s definitely a good thing.
 
He looks weak, but he looks pretty and tall. I think it’s better than before body. I was living dirty and poor and now I’m a ‘Hollywood Star.’ –I think this guy is getting hated by everyone though, still- This is like turn around in my life. At least I don’t have the bullet in my head, and no colleague will point a gun at me.
 
“……”
 
Mason took his eyes off the mirror and looked around. Tony was looking outside the window and murmuring to himself. Those disgusting paparazzi. Those demons. He was cussing at someone, and Mason just stood up. They said I was overdosed or attempt to suicide, but my body wasn’t bad at all. He felt his body was little bit heavier than before, but it wasn’t that bad.
 
“Excuse me, Mr. Bridget.”
 
Tony got surprised that Mason called him and turn to him.
 
“Ju, just call me Tony.”
 
Mason thought about it little and said it informally, “Okay, Tony.” He looked at him little awkwardly, and Mason smiled.
 
“I want to get discharged.”
 
“A, already?”
 
“My body is already fine, so there is no need for me to stay here. Haley, no, I, don’t even have my memory, so I have to think of a way to earn money.”
 
Mason said it while he was stretching his body, and Tony screamed.
 
“You are gonna retire?”
 
“No don’t say it too fancily… I can’t even act anymore right?”
 
He never even participated in any of Christmas shows in the orphanage. All he ever worked was tough jobs so just because his body changed, he can’t work as an actor normally. Of course he doesn’t want to become a mercenary either. He never really had a time for himself to think about what he wanted to do, but he knew wanted to do something if he was born again.
 
“Wa, wait. Quit? What if your memory comes back tomorrow?”
 
“If my memory come back, I can be the actor then.”
 
“Do, do, do, do you think becoming an actor is a piece of cake?! If a celebrity is forgotten once, then that’s it!”
 
Tony screamed with desperate, but Mason calmly replied, “Is that so?” If the memory is back, then that means this will not be me, and after that is none of my business. I felt little sorry for this body’s owner Haley, but I can’t wait forever for him to come back. And I don’t even know this guy, so I can’t waste my bonus life sympathizing him. I don’t know how this life started, so I don’t know how to end it. I might have few days or few hours.
 
Mason tried to calm Tony down.
 
“Still there is nothing I can do. I can’t even act.”
 
“No. What do you mean you can’t? You can do it. No, you might not have memory of this, but you are actually…”
 
Tony was trying to convince Mason holding his clothes and looked at his vibrating phone. He stuttered to answer the phone, and Mason gave him a sign to answer the phone. He answered, “Yes, yes. This is Tony.” He was answering the phone subserviently. Mason left him alone and started to dig the closet. He was looking for the clothes that he wore when he was coming to the hospital, but there was nothing.
 
“No. What do you mean died?! He didn’t die. He is already awake. Liz! Don’t go out!”
 
Tony ran to Mason to stop him. Mason was trying to get discharge from the hospital. Tony grabbed Mason in front of the door and talked to someone on the phone with desperate voice.
 
“No, it’s not that. He ran because he wanted get to the filming set fast as he can… Huh? No! Of course. We will definitely be there even if we die.”
 
Yes. I know. Yes. Of course, Director. Tony was obsequious for a while and hung up right away he turn to Mason with a scary face.
 
“You must be busy. If you tell me the address…. I’m not a homeless right?”
 
“You said you are fine right? You want to be discharged?”
 
Mason didn’t think it was weird if Haley was a homeless, so he asked Tony. But Tony asked questions instead of answering the question. His eyes were like a soldier in a middle of a war. Because of his atmosphere, Mason stuttered a little bit.
 
“Huh? Ah yes….”
 
I’m fine…. Right after he said that, he grabbed Mason’s arm and ran outside of his room.
 
“Why? What’s wrong? What are you doing?”
 
Mason staggered little bit, but Tony was keep running and pulling Mason. He was breathing heavily with his chubby cheeks and put Mason in the car. He heard people with cameras appearing everywhere shouting ‘It’s Haley!’ ‘Over there!’
 
“Huk, huk, Tony?”
 
This body was so weak that he barely ran that much, and it was already out of breath. It was really crowded with people charging at them with flash and pounding the windows.
 
“What the, you should at least explain what’s going on…”
 
Mason was wearing the hospital’s patient clothes and slipper. He calmed his breath and asked him. He stared at the paparazzi with scary eyes and stepped on the gas. Mason automatically grabbed on to the seatbelt tightly.
 
“—will kill you if you don’t come right away.”
 
“What?”
 
“If you don’t come to the shoot today, they told me they will cut your role!”
 
Tony screamed desperately and turn the handle dramatically and charged at the paparazzi. Somebody looked like he fell on the ground, but Tony avoided all those people strong and fast like artistically.
It was a skill that he learned after being trouble maker Haley’s manager for 16 years.
 
“What the…”
 
Mason saw the car’s wheel avoided a person’s head by 1 cm. He looked at Tony with shock, but Tony had more serious face than before. It was like he was protecting a princess whose life is in danger.
 
“—hold on tight.”
 
Tony told him with his teeth closed, and Mason, instead of asking why, held the handle with his life. And after that, the car went like a bullet.
It was like fast and furious.