Disclaimer time! I am just borrowing these characters and the plot. I'm not trying to gain money by writing this fiction and I do not own any rights to the manga or the anime.
Spoiler for every chapter available!
What? Where are we? Extravaganza galore! Velvet curtains! Gold details everywhere! Expensive furniture! A hellabig TV! A paused love-game...! Oh... I know where we are.
Let's see...Yep, there we have them, the cool-looking middle-aged man, smoking and smirking away, and the handsome youngster of a man, sitting opposite each other. One calmly leaned back, one hanging his head. Everybody ready? And... action!
Lory Takarada waited calmly while the young man before him gathered his courage. Or not so much gathering his courage, Lory corrected himself, as carefully picking his wording. to censure something, perhaps...? At any rate, the sentence "I need your help" had already been spoken, so Lory was all ears. Suddenly, the young man before him breathed in, raised his head and said in a mixture of longing and matter-of-fact:
"I need more of her".
Rewind...
Ren sat lost in thoughts, still in the role of Cain Heel, but on a "break" since Setsu was cooking a late dinner. Recalling the events of that day, Ren had some serious thinking to do. Because at that time, when Murasame decided to let them both fall...
/ At that time, I did not really care whether I would die or not. I had already won the fight, so at that point, nothing really mattered anymore. And then... /
Brother!
Ren shifted, suddenly feeling uncomfortable. Her yell had woken him from that cold, dark place, but -
/ Even then, when I was falling head first from such a height, it was Setsu who called for her brother, Cain. Even if she in that situation clearly would be forgiven if she slipped up and used my real name, she didn't. But then, why did she say "Tsuruga" the other night? Certainly, this situation must have been a greater shock? /
"There, there, little frying pan, don't get too hot..." was heard softly from the kitchen, and Ren had to snort to hide his sudden laughter. It was true he and Kyoko gave each other moments to be their true selves when they could, but her true self was just too cute! Nothing like the intense and yet nonchalant Setsu, who wold cook his food quickly to return to his side as soon as possible.
Yes... Setsu's like that...but -
/ I knew Kyoko is a good actress, but... To so fully be able to accept anything her brother does without asking, even though Kyoko herself would inquire about the situation further... I even gave her an invitation to ask. It's almost as if she prefers to be Setsu rather than Kyoko... Or maybe she doesn't want to know? Or is it just her warped sense of responsibility? /
Ren fidgeted were he sat. By now, he knew Lory had been right; Kyoko was his lucky charm and he needed her. But the one who was there for him, was it really Kyoko, or was it Setsu?
/ The other night, she spoke Japanese and called me Tsuruga, so she was out of character then. But why did she in that case let me embrace her and allowed me to hold her while I slept? Had she been Setsu, she would have slept well, happy to share her brother's bed. But she had a sleepless night... That girl. Would she really do that just because it's her mission to help me? /
"Brother!"
Just then, Setsu called for her brother and Ren hastily laid his pondering aside, but not at all forgotten.
Later the same evening....
"Brother?"
Cain lifted his gaze from his cup to meet Setsu's intense stare. Everything about her energy and face screamed she had something important to say. Likely, he wouldn't like it. Let's grasp that Cain-feel and playing' it cool.
"Yes, Setsu?"
"You love me the most, right?"
Years of training ensured that for all the shock he felt, all that could be seen was a slight surprise on Ren's face. Cain quickly came back and covered it up. Playing' it cool!
"...what are you really asking, Setsu?" he said, and put down his cup. Yes, that was Cain's way of both being caring and avoiding.
Setsu bit her lip - too endearing! - and blushed. She hesitated a bit, then she said:
"It's about before... when you fell."
Kuon, Ren and Cain held his breath. He had thought this topic to be over and done with - heck, he was actually disappointed that it was over and done with just a while ago! And yet, now that it was brought up, he felt cold streaks seep though his veins. Regardless if it was Setsu or Kyoko asking, this could lead anywhere. As if she felt him steel up, Setsu quickly continued before he could harden himself too much:
"I fell asleep, so I do not know how you ended up like that." Before Cain could begin to explain, Setsu continued: "And I don't really care. But, brother... Even if BJ is a soulless monster... Isn't there a part of you that is still YOU when you act?"
Ren's mind swirled. What was he supposed to answer to that? Of cause it was, the problem was just that BJ in so many ways was like Kuon, and he himself IS Kuon, so yeah, he was very MUCH himself... but that was not the self Setsu's referring to, she meant Cain. And of Cain, there hadn't been much, except for the initial dislike towards Murasame for leering at Setsu. But Kyoko/Setsu had no insight in this, so -
/ What is that girl thinking about? /
"...Aa..." Cain said, distant. Setsu frowned.
"I'm not an actor, I do not know these things. But to me, you come first in everything. It's just not fair that you for lengths of time can forget me!"
Setsu was livid. Inside, Ren was too. Cain was calm and picked up his matches to light a cigarette.
"Have I said such a thing?" he asked, not batting an eyelash at Setsu's clear dislike at him smoking while talking to her. Really, she was too polite sometimes...
Setsu rose and banged down her hands in the table, leaning towards Cain. Her eyes and whole body screamed out her frustration. Ren concentrated on watching her face - nothing else! - through Cain's lazy gaze and allowed his ears to be flooded with words.
"You let yourself fall!" / Good start! / "You said I saved your life by screaming, didn't you?" / I might. / "Then that means, that while acting BJ, you were never really thinking of me!" / What? / "Because if you did, you would never in a hundred years let yourself fall! You love me too much!"
Setsu stared. Cain stared. Then Setsu sat back down with a huff, crossing her arms and facing away.
It was quiet. Just as Cain thought to say something, Setsu muttered:
"I know I'm being spoiled... but it's not to much to ask of you to at least stay alive for me."
It was quiet. Then he answered:
"Aa..."
...
"So that's what happened, huh..." Lory mused. "She basically tells you to always think of her - more or less live for her - and your conclusion is that you need more?"
Ren sighed. He should've known Lory would see things in that light. Tired and emotionally worn out, Ren rubbed his brows and said:
"It's not her, Boss. It was Setsu talking to Cain, not Kyoko to Ren - and that's what's killing me now. While acting, we are closer than I have ever been to anyone before... emotionally," he clarified after an outraged glare from Lory. "But as soon as the act is dropped, we're back to last-name basis and work-related meetings."
Lory nodded. "Well, you are just coworkers from the same agency after all." he said calmly and poured some more liquid into his glass.
Ren glared. "That was not funny and you know it!" He did not expect Lory to drag him down further, even if he was prepared to be teased. However, Lory did not seem to be in teasing-mode. He took a sip from his glass, a slightly troubled look on his face.
"I'm not joking, Ren. As a matter of fact, I am as disappointed as you, but this is reality. To Mogami-kun, you are nothing but junior and elder in this branch- aside from her love-me-mission. And I can't do anything to change that."
Fast forward...
Kyoko lay in her bed at the Daruma-ya. Due to the events of that day, the director had decided that the Heel siblings should take a short break from set at least one day. Since Jelly Woods was in town, Ren decided that they should take a break from the characters as well. Sleep-deprived as she was, Kyoko was somewhat thankful for this, but on the other hand...
" Aa..."
Setsu narrowed her eyes unhappy. / And what kind of lame answer was that, brother? / Otherwise, Setsu did not care anymore. After all, a promise from her brother was a promise.
Kyoko knew there was more to it, though. Because the hidden emotions she saw in Cain's eyes just then were kindred to the lost panic she had seen before, despite the emotions being completely unrelated to each other. The similarity was...
/ ... lack of limits. As if he... whoever "he" is in this case... plunges down every emotion, without restrain and borders, be it anger, sorrow or... /
And there, Kyoko refused to think more. It was too much, to alluring and too frightening to think about, too easy to be deluded by. Because at that time, those eyes shining with - what seemed to be THAT - was turned towards Setsuka. Just as they had been once turned towards Mitsuki.
Kyoko turned on her side, feeling more sad than she wanted to acknowledge.
/ Maybe... I can no longer hide behind the acting mask. And I don't know what'll happen then. But it's Tsuruga Ren! There's no way this could end happily... /
...
/ ...even so... he still needs me. So it's not like I have a choice. I only wish... /
Kyoko exhaled softly before closing her eyes, willing sleep to take her.
/...one day, he'll look like that while watching me.../
The end.
Long time no writing. And this story is annoying, because I've left out the grande finale yet again. Oh well.
