Disclaimer: The characters within this story all belong to Nakamura-san.
Warnings: Clean.
Summary: Kyoko plans for Tsuruga-san's birthday.
Completed: February 7, 2010
Tanjobi
by: Kagome-reincarnation
Kyoko hummed happily as she exited from the web browser that she'd been lingering on. It was only three days until Tsuruga-san's birthday and this time she'd gotten the day right. She'd ordered his gift only moments before, but she had no doubt that it would arrive on time – the location was only two streets down from the Darumaya and she intended to pick it up on the ninth. That way, there was no way the gift could be late, and if something went wrong, she'd have at least twenty-four hours to look for something to use as a replacement.
It would be much better than the smile he'd requested last year. Yashiro-san had, in fact, been helpful when she'd asked for advice. Although he sometimes teased, he'd mentioned that Tsuruga-san didn't watch the dramas or movies that he acted in much less look through the magazines for which he posed in the many photo shoots that he was invited to. He'd mentioned that Tsuruga-san had once flipped through an Armandy magazine to see if he'd done his work accurately, but that had been the extent of his curiosity.
Both Yashiro-san and Kyoko had agreed that such a lack of interest in one's own work was bad for the health, especially when the only one that could truly value the work behind each scene were those involved.
And so the hapless Kyoko had gone about to order a series of dramas and movies that Tsuruga-san had acted in. The pay from her more recent jobs would easily cover it and leave her some money with which to offer to Okami-san and Taicho for letting her stay. She was aware that they'd protest but she was firm in her offerings. She couldn't freeload off of them – it would be rude! – and it would make her feel as though she were back at the Fuwas' main inn with Shotaro and his parents.
A scowl came to her face at the thought. Stupid Sho had caused so much discord in her life – there were times when she wanted to visit chaos and doom and all sorts of destruction upon him but she simply filed those feelings into the box reserved for revenge upon him.
But no – Kyoko couldn't think about such disgusting things! The girl checked her appearance in the mirror she'd acquired before grabbing her small purse and heading for the door. Yashiro-san had imposed several conditions for his advice and one had been a meal with Tsuruga for each of the three days preceding his birthday and dinner made by Kyoko herself on the day itself. She'd demurred, of course, protesting that Tsuruga-san would surely prefer something made by an official restaurant or something of the sort.
Of course, Yashiro-san had immediately stomped out her protests by pointing out that she'd researched professionally made Kyoko-style Japanese cuisine for her time with Hizuri Koo. Unable to argue, Kyoko had conceded. She guessed that she had enough pocket money to afford some high quality restaurants for Tsuruga-san, but she wondered if he had the time for her. Yashiro-san had said that his schedule was clear, but what if he'd wanted to look over some scripts or something…?
Kyoko shook her head, heading down the stairs of the Darumaya. She'd do her best for Tsuruga-san because these few days were reserved for him as his birthday was fast approaching. If she, his junior in all things showbiz related, didn't defer to him and show him the proper respect – especially with his birthday of all days coming up! – she'd be being horribly rude.
She thought back to what Yashiro-san said as she left the restaurant after giving her farewells to Taicho and his wife.
"Just be yourself, Kyoko-chan. Ren will be glad to see you."
AN: Don't have a heart attack, but this is actually going to be chaptered. Not for any suspicious reasons, but because it'll be weird to have three or four of Tsuruga-san's birthday relevant vignettes all separate. Might as well put them all together, right? So yeah. This is going to be chaptered.