Banned

She wanted this more than anything in the world when she was younger, so what was wrong with it now? Why did she feel the need to continue taking her birth control without his knowledge, after he told her that he wanted children with her? Wasn't something like that a true sign of devotion from him? She shook her head and looked at her sleeping husband. No, it was just another one of his ways to tie her to him. She knew now. She knew about his manager, about his fans and mistresses that he claimed were just made up stories by the tabloids to ruin him. She smelled the cheap perfume and sex on him when he came home to her after a concert tour or, late night interview. She saw the missing buttons and the lipstick stains on his boxers. She pretended not to notice the other names that slipped from his lips when he fucked her. Yes, that is what she called it because he certainly didn't love her. That much was obvious. Love did not exist.

"You are certainly lucky to have someone that will stick by you through everything, Fuwa." A male voice commented as she stood outside the door to the greenroom where he waited for his interview.

"Pfft, of course she does. That's what my parents trained her to do. She's nothing more than a well trained dog. A maid with benefits. She doesn't even care if I help myself to other women." A very familiar voice bragged to the other male in the room.

The door flew open to reveal a very pissed off, cold goddess of vengeance. She looked at the male sitting across the room from her husband to notice Tsuruga Ren and nodded to acknowledge his presence. She looked to her husband and calmly informed him in a low, spine chilling tone. "Shotaro... I'm leaving you. You will hear from my lawyer." She turned steeled her composure and hid her pain. "Don't bother trying to feed me any of your lies, they stopped working on me a year ago." She calmly closed the door and walked away.

Ren cleared his throat and looked down. He couldn't bear looking at such a despicable person. A man that could say that about the woman he was supposed to love and cherish. He stood up to leave the room. "Sorry, I need some fresh air." He excused himself from the stifling room.

Yashiro approached him as he left the greenroom. "Ren, where are you going? It's almost time for your interview."

Ren turned to him. "Tell them I suddenly took ill or, something. Something made me sick. I'll see you tomorrow." He told him as he walked away, down the hall to the stairwell. He needed a little exercise to shake off the desire to return to the room and punch that asshole for the way he treated his wife.

"Corn... Why didn't I make you take me with you? Why did I ever think that he could actually feel love for anyone but himself." He heard a sigh. "It's alright. I'm okay. Everything will be just fine. We'll go see Mother and Todoh-san. File for divorce and send everything to him tomorrow. God I was so stupid not to believe them when they showed me all of the evidence. No... No... I will be just fine." He heard another sigh. "You always work your magic." Her voice sounded a little more upbeat now. He peeked around the corner to find the beautiful ravenette hold up a familiar blue stone that changed to amber colored in the light. It's her...

He searched for her. It didn't take much to find her and if her ex-husband had bothered to look for her or, at least get to know her when they were married, he would have known where she was. At the moment Ren was standing with his faithful manager in front of the Maître D of a very exclusive, high end restaurant, known for its excellent service and exquisite dishes, The Meadow. The Master Chef was said to be a woman with unparalleled talent, beauty and creativity.

"Ren, what are we doing here? I thought you didn't like to eat." Yashiro asked with confusion. The most he could ever get this guy to eat was a tuna onigiri between takes.

Ren smiled. "Just thought I would try something different this time. You don't have to come if you don't want to." He told him then turned to the Maître D and smiled. What he was about to do was risky. "Reservation for Hizuri Kuon."

The man nodded, looked down at the leather book on the podium. "This way Sir." He then began with the cordial, standard greetings, the listing of Chef Specials and paired wines as he led them to a secluded table close to the kitchen for quicker service. "Your waiter will be with you shortly." He informed the two men as he handed him a menu and filled two crystal glasses with ice water.

"Thank you." Ren replied.

The man left and Ren pulled the little contact lens case from his pocket to remove the little disks that would hide him from her. He knew this was reckless, but how else would he be able to make her recognize him. He had wished that his hair hadn't been dyed, but that would have been far too risky. At least his eyes were a little more subtle.

Yashiro gasped when he saw the change. "Ren? I didn't know your eyes were green. Wow..."

Kuon chuckled. "Yeah... Had to take them out. They were bothering my eyes." He lied. Wearing them hadn't bothered him in years, in fact it had gotten to the point where he forgot he was wearing them most of the time.

When she wasn't sitting in her office going over the books, she was in the kitchen directing her staff. She was more dedicated to her restaurant over this past few months than she had been for a very long time, only leaving for the six to eight hours that most used for sleep. Sometimes she wouldn't even do that. Some nights, she would sleep on the small sofa in her office, clean up and change the next morning, in her personal bathroom, to start over again.

Her small apartment, that she had moved into the week after the incident at the TV station would wait silently as it always had. She had removed all traces of her existence from Sho's apartment the night she left him and brought all of her belongings here, to her office. The next morning she called her mother to tell her that she and Todoh-san were correct and to prepare for her to sign the divorce decree. She was glad he and his parents had basically forced her to sign a prenuptial agreement or, her restaurant would have been split between them in the divorce. She suspected it was the only smart thing she had ever done for herself.

"Mogami-sama..." A timid voice came to her door and knocked.

Kyoko looked up. "Enter."

"Mogami-sama... We have a special guest." Her head waiter announced a little flustered.

Kyoko looked at him expectantly. "Well?"

"He's... He's asking to meet the owner." He told her nervously, being very vague on who it was.

It couldn't be... She could feel the bile rise up in her throat. Well, I suppose I would have to face that ass sooner or, later. She sighed, stood up, straightened herself and steeled her nerves. She would not let him see her falter. "Show me to his table." She commanded as she slipped on her black suit jacket and straightened her red silk slip-dress.

The first thing he noticed as she approached his table was how her dress complimented her porcelain white skin and matched her ruby red lips. Her long raven hair was wound tightly into a neat French twist. Her makeup was impeccable. Her walk and posture was positively regal and her golden eyes were like a precious molten metal. He noticed the little furrow in her brow as she approached, showing her confusion. Apparently he wasn't who she expected. He chuckled to himself and was glad he wasn't the who she expected when he noticed that she wasn't wearing the tell tale wedding ring.

She bowed elegantly in greeting. "If my staff has offended you or, if you find anything lacking, please allow me to make amends." Her voice was humble and to his ears, like soft chimes blowing in a spring breeze.

"No... No, not at all. I just wanted to meet the person responsible for such an exquisite dining experience." He smiled softly and Yashiro just sat there dumbfounded, wondering what the hell had come over his charge.

"T-thank you, dear patron." She straightened and glanced at his eyes. Her eyes went wide at the familiar, unique gem quality green that gazed back at her.

"Kuon... Hizuri Kuon." He smiled.

She swallowed. "Corn?..." She whispered.

He gave her a small smile and nodded. He noticed the tears that started to well up in her beautiful eyes and quickly rose from his seat pulled her with him into the hall across the dining room, while his manager sat wondering what was going on. He asked if there was a place they could go that was more private and she directed him to her office. Once there, he pulled the sobbing female into his arms and consoled her. "I'm so sorry, Kyoko-chan... I'm sorry." He murmured into her hair as he gently caressed her back. "I'll never leave you again. I'm so sorry."

She giggled into his shirt. "I guess you're not a fairy?" She looked up at him with a small smile and wide eyes as her hand began to caress his cheek.

He chuckled and shook his head. "Are you disappointed?" He asked quietly.

She shook her head. "No... You're still beautiful." She told him as she lost herself in his eyes.

A knock came on her office door. "Mogami-sama..."

She answered and her Head waiter was awaiting her on the other side. "Um... I was wondering what you would like for us to do about your other guest, Master Chef."

She giggled. "I will tend to them myself. Please show..." She looked at Kuon.

"Yashiro..." He smiled.

She smiled and nodded. "Please show Hizuri-san and Yashiro-san to the Regal Room."

"Yes, Mistress." He bowed low. "Please follow me Sir." and led Kuon back to the main area where they picked up Yashiro and were then taken to the richly decorated private dining room and personally waited on by the owner herself, who later joined them.

For a full year, Tsuruga Ren would enjoy three square meals a day at his favorite restaurant, made by one of the most notable young chefs in Tokyo, sometimes in the Regal Room other times in the office of the owner herself. Many people would say that his acting in the Romance genre had improved dramatically. He had bulked up in muscle and his appetite had improved.

Soon the day came when he revealed to the public, the love of his life and put his stage name to rest. It had been something he had wanted to do from the day that they had found each other, but she had been insecure, at least until he placed that little ring on her finger and vowed to stay by her side for all time, forsaking all others. They had kept their relationship out of the public eye for a year and now he was proudly presenting to them his new bride. Friends, family and fans celebrated and approved the union and when he wasn't with his manager his was by her side.

Six Months:

Here he was standing in the entryway of one of the most elite restaurants in Tokyo with his companions for the evening. Only the best for him and his dates. He had heard eight months ago, before he went on tour, that this was one of the best and Tsuruga Ren ate there frequently. It was rumored that the man didn't like food, but he made an exception for this place, so it had to be good. After all, if the former number one bachelor and several other Tokyo and Hollywood elite dined there, it had to be good enough for him.

He arrogantly stood before the stoic Maître D, in his flashy VK style with a big busted female on each arm.

"May I help you Sir?" The Maître D asked. He knew who this guy was. He was the man that had almost ruined his lovely boss. He smirked inwardly at the mischief at hand.

"Yeah... We want to eat here. I heard this place is pretty good." He answered cockily, thinking that being the number one musician meant something in this particular establishment.

"Do you have a reservation Sir?" Tanaka Yoshi asked.

Sho scoffed. "I'm Fuwa Sho, I don't need a reservation. I'm the number one musician and number three bachelor."

Yoshi nodded. "Indeed you are Sir. Follow me." Through the main dining room, down a hall, up stairs to the private dining rooms, down stairs, through another hall, past another small, private dining room and then Tanaka held open a door for Sho and his guests, shutting it behind them after Sho strutted through confidently with his females. The three had gotten so turned around, they never realized that they were now standing in the alleyway next to a large garbage dumpster and a grease trap. "What the fuck!" He yelled then began pounding on the door.

He stomped back around to the front of the building, with his floozies following behind. "I want to speak to the owner!" He stormed in and started making a scene. At this point the girls had decided that the evening was going to be a bust and their idol wasn't as well connected as he led them to believe, so they left quietly without him noticing as he fumed, sitting on the small sofa in the foyer waiting on the owner to appear.

"Fuwa-san... Hizuri-sama will be with you shortly." Yoshi told him.

Sho snorted. "It's about time. Say good-bye to your job."

Yoshi nodded to him. "Of course Sir." He went back to his job of greeting guests, answering the phone and writing in reservations.

Several minutes later he heard a male speaking to a familiar female as they approached. "So... I'll see you tonight?"

She giggled. "If you wait a few minutes, I'll be done here and we can leave together."

Sho's eyes went wide as he watched Tsuruga Ren follow a familiar female, who was smiling more brightly than she ever had for him and she was very pregnant. Something that she had told him many months before their divorce couldn't happen.

Kyoko turned to Kuon. "Could you wait right here?" She asked in the entryway. Kuon nodded and the look he gave to Sho sent chills down his spine. She cocked her head to the side and put on a very professional facade. "You wanted to speak to the owner Fuwa-san?"

He stood up and sneered. "Yeah... The owner not a waitress."

Kuon and Yoshi tensed.

She giggled at his attitude and stupidity. She pointed to the plaque on the wall. "Fuwa-san, I am the owner and Head Chef of The Meadow. Is there a problem?"

"You damn right there's a problem! I came here to eat and that idiot took me to the back alley instead of to my table, like I was a nobody!" He ranted.

She smiled at him and turned to her Maître D. "Is this true Tanaka-san?"

Finally... Sho calmed, waiting for the stupid man to get chewed out by the woman that couldn't resist his charm when they were younger.

"Yes, Kyoko-sama. He's on the list for all twenty of your establishments." Tanaka-san reminded her.

She nodded. "Very well, please give Fuwa-san the list of establishments his name is on for life." She smiled sweetly and took Kuon's hand and walked out the door.

"Let's see... hmm... Ah yes, here it is. Your list Fuwa-san." Tanaka told him as he handed a list of bars, clubs and restaurants owned by Hizuri Kyoko and Kuon in Japan and abroad. Tanaka-san smiled cordially and snapped his fingers, at which two burly security guards dressed in suits stood next to Sho. "Please be sure not to lose that list Sir, after all we wouldn't want for you to embarrass yourself again by being evicted." He reminded him.

Sho looked down at the list and across the top was written in big bold letters, BANNED.