Kaorin71: Hey again. I have nothing much to do, except my homework. And I wrote this idiotic and crappy story out of extreme boredom. This is just a two chapter story about Kyoko and Ren's abruptly broken romance when one of them died… Anyway, if you can then enjoy this one!
Disclaimer: I do not own Skip Beat. *sigh*
Embrace: Chapter 1
The green meadows stretched before her. The gentle breeze swept her hair down, refreshing her entire body. Not a single tree blocked her path, offering a gorgeous view of the plains below the hill. The sun shone faintly, casting a pale shadow behind her as she slowly walked on the grassy area.
From the distance, a lone sakura tree stood as the peak of the greenish hill, its leaves swaying in rhythm with the wind. Pinkish leaves fell from its branches, danced in mid-air then carried of by the gentle breeze. The autumn season was coming, and the tree was shedding its leaves in preparation for it.
A weak smile crossed her features. Despite her present condition, seeing gave warmth to her body. Slowly and painfully, she made her way towards the tree, her breathing getting labored with each step. Her body screamed at her, demanding for her to go back to her private ward in that hospital, to the bed that made her feel safe and comfortable. But her mind steadily refused, not wanting to waste the remainder of her life holing up in some room.
Her shoes crunched the grass as she strode to the top of the hill. She looked awful, she knew. She didn't have enough time to dress properly as she was in a hurry. What she wore were the first clothing that she caught sight of, which were a plain black shirt and a faded pair of jeans, an outfit that matched well with her worn out sneakers. That setup looked well with that grief on her face.
Gasping, she reached her destination. As she neared the said tree, she raised one hand and traced a curved line against its bark. It has been five years since she last saw this place. Five years since the day her sempai showed her that place.
Five agonizing years since his death.
Kyoko sighed deeply. She sank down on the ground then looked at the view in front of her, observing the nearing sunset. She leaned her back on the tree as she looked up to the sky. Closing her eyes, she tried to feel cool air around her, to feel the warmth of the sun's rays on her fragile skin. Then, she drifted to her thoughts, remembering the memory of the past.
Five years ago, I was still that amateur actress, Kyoko thought. I was still an 'unknown' in the industry, a newbie. I was still the same happy-go-lucky Kyoko Mogami who fought for stardom. I used to be that.
She shifted her position, still with her eyes closed. Then I got famous overnight, an event that remains a mystery until now. I got more jobs. By and by, I was offered more challenging roles. I got out of my shell and I soared, just like a caterpillar that turned into a beautiful butterfly. And it was all because of my friends... and my sempai.
Yes. Without his help, I wouldn't be where I am today, she silently sighed. I wouldn't be the famous Kyoko Mogami, the most sought after actress in present Japan. I wouldn't have succeeded. Because it was he who helped me break out of my shell. It was he who taught me how to love without limits. It was he who taught me the value of that feeling.
It was his embrace that restored my feeling of love.
Her hair glowed faintly against the light as she coughed loudly. Inhaling deeply, Kyoko reached inside her pockets and produced a tablet like medicine. She quickly planted it on her tongue and swallowed it, calming as she did so. Her chest felt heavy and she sighed sorrowfully. Even without someone telling her, she knew that her condition was getting much worse. She knew fully well that she isn't that far off from death.
Ren, she breathed, holding unto her stomach. I wish you were here. I wish we were still together. If only…
Again, she coughed. Covering her mouth with her arm, Kyoko hastily took out a handkerchief. That's when she felt something warm and slimy on her arm. Taking her arm away from her mouth, she noticed dark red splotches on it. She grimaced when she found out what it was. Blood.
Kyoko stared at it for a few more seconds before wiping it away. She knew it. She really was getting worse. Even with modern technology and proper medication by her side, nothing can stop her life from fading away. All of those weren't enough to spare her life. Not enough.
She wiped the remaining blood on her now purplish lips. Her body appeared frail, probably due to her constant treatment and loss of good blood. On her face, a pained look could be seen. Under her eyes, one could see dark little rings forming, perhaps due to her lack of sleep. Her skin, which used to be healthy and pinkish in color, was now dried up and sickly white due to her illness. This once healthy girl became weak and sickly when she was diagnosed with a fatal illness.
Okaa-san had the same illness, Kyoko thought.
That's right. She found out about that when someone from Kyoto informed her that her mother had passed away, leaving a message in a tattered piece of paper. It described how her mother figured out that she had a terminal disease a month after Kyoko's birth which made her decide to leave her. But she didn't leave until she was six years old for she said she had always wanted to care for her own daughter. Not wanting to let her see her in pain, Saena left with a heavy heart.
Kyoko laughed without warning. It was a hoarse and miserable laugh. And to think, of all the traits I can inherit from okaa-san, I got this. She gave me a disease that would kill me. I have to thank her for that. Because now, I can finally be with him. When my time comes...
Tears then sprang up. Kyoko shook this away, forcing herself to remain strong. But then, she coughed, spilling more blood on the grass. She covered her mouth as she could not stop that coughing fit.
If he was here, I could've endured all this, she told herself. If was here, he could've held me in his arms and comforted me. If he was here, he could've taken all my pain away.
If only he didn't die that day.
The coughing stopped. Kyoko thought that her heart stopped as well. When she removed the handkerchief from her lips, it was colored red with blood. She pushed this thought away in her mind as she put the cloth back in her pocket.
That day. Kyoko could remember that event clearly. That horrible incident. And it was all because of her. Ren wouldn't have died if she didn't say yes. Ren wouldn't be gone if she just knew how to say no. She should've refused.
Sitting down comfortably, Kyoko once again closed her eyes as she recalled the events of that day…
Flashback…
"Mogami-san."
Kyoko immediately turned upon hearing the voice. She could recognize the owner of that silky voice anywhere. And she was right. There, standing behind her, was the dark haired, six footer actor, looking at her with a warm expression. He had his hands shoved in his pockets as he gracefully went up to her.
"Hello, Tsuruga-san," Kyoko greeted, bowing down in respect for her sempai.
Ren chuckled a bit. "You know, there's no need to be so polite. We're not at work."
"I know that," she answered bluntly, shuffling nervously. "But I still need to be respectful."
At the moment, they weren't in LME. And they weren't in some location shoot, either. No. They were in a nearby park. Ren had asked her yesterday if she could meet up with him there for some important reason. Being an obedient girl she is, Kyoko couldn't refuse. Now, both of them were there, wearing their disguises on, so as not to get mobbed by Ren and Kyoko fans.
The actress continued to shuffle nervously. "Uh, Tsuruga-san, what exactly are we going to do here?"
The actor scratched his head, an action that was so unlike him. "Actually, Mogami-san, this isn't the place I wanted to show you."
"What do you mean by that?" Now she was confused. Kyoko thought that they were going to some fancy place to practice their acting. And she almost had a stroke just thinking about what to wear. It seemed odd, but lately, she gets hot whenever he's around her although she brushed it off, being the dense girl she is.
Ren gazed curiously at her. "You mean you don't remember?"
"Eh?" Kyoko eyebrows shot up. "What should I remember?"
"So you really did forget about it," he said, sighing. He glanced around them before he answered. "Our anniversary."
"Anniversary?" she nearly choked out. Wasn't that a couple thing? Did she and Ren become an item without her knowing? That's not possible! "Uhm, are you sure we have an anniversary?"
Kyoko was getting hot and she knew it. And not to mention the fact that she was actually blushing. To hide this, she bowed her head down, avoiding any eye contact with Ren. Her hands trembled, and her knees buckled as she waited for his reply.
It was Ren's turn to raise his eyebrow. "Of course we have an anniversary. It's our fifth year being kouhai and sempai."
"Oh." The blushing disappeared, replaced by embarrassment. Idiot, Kyoko scolded. Why am I thinking of that kind of an anniversary? Arrrghh! Did I lose my brain when I bumped into Sho last week?
Focusing on Kyoko, Ren smiled. He could see the troubled expression on her face. It somehow gladdened him that Kyoko misinterpreted what he said. Well, that's what he thought. Besides, he wasn't only observing her emotions. He also studied her clothing. She wore a lacey blue sundress, with a white silk sash tied just above her waist. The dress was a sleeveless one so Kyoko was forced to wear a purple jacket to cover it up. With that kind of outfit on, Ren contemplated if he could still keep his hands off her.
Kyoko's eyes darted on the asphalt. She could feel her sempai's gaze on her, something that made her blush. She cursed herself for blushing so much. Even though she wanted to avoid eye contact, she took a quick peek at him to get a view of his clothing. All she saw, however, was his checkered shirt and an ordinary pair of pants. Well, with a body like his, anything could look good on him.
"Shall we get going, then?" he asked, offering a hand to Kyoko.
Although she was quite unsure if being alone with him is safe, she gingerly took his hand and let him lead the way. He told her the place was relatively near so they didn't need to ride his car. Kyoko just trusted her sempai's words and followed him.
They went two blocks north of the park. Kyoko was genuinely surprised when they arrived in front of a hospital. Why was Ren taking her there?
When she looked at the actors face, it was filled with amusement. He said, "This isn't the place."
Once again, they walked. The embarrassed Kyoko decided to remain quiet, lest she says or does something unlike her normal self. Her head felt light just by thinking about how Ren held her hand. She even prayed that no one would see them. If someone happens to recognize them, Kyoko would rather die. Being romantically linked with the actor was the last thing she needed to calm her heart.
Kyoko suddenly noticed that they were going upwards. It was like they were walking on a very steep hill. Then she looked beneath her. There she saw grass. That was when she grew confused all over again. Where were they headed?
She didn't have any time to ask. Before she could even open her mouth, her eyes wandered around the place, awed at what she saw.
They've reached the top of the hill. And around them, vast plains off green covered the ground. The plants swayed back and forth, some of them brushing against her legs as she made her way to the edge of the area. She looked down and saw a magnificent view of what seemed to be an endless stretch of grassland.
"It's beautiful!" Kyoko chorused, dancing around like a princess.
"It's quite enticing, isn't it?" Ren asked her, stepping beside the girl. "You know, I found this place when I was just wandering around."
"Really?" She asked, eyes twinkling. "Isn't that magical?"
Ren nodded gingerly. "Yeah. Magical just like the fairies, ne?" Then he leaned close to Kyoko, as if he was to tell her a secret. "You know, they say this place is a paradise for fairies."
Eagerness began to radiate from her. "Then does that mean I could go look for fairies here?"
Chuckling, he said, "Sure you can."
Nodding vigorously, Kyoko set her fairy hunting scheme aside for a while and turned to the sky. She could clearly see the position of the sun from where she was standing. It was a little late and she observed the sun as it was about to plunge down. It would be nice if she could watch the sunset from there...
Suddenly, a pair of hands grabbed her on the waist and heaved her up. Surprised, Kyoko squealed. Then did she realize that it was Ren who was holding her. Her surprise quickly gave way to bashfulness.
"Tsu-tsuruga-san," she stammered. "Wha -"
Her statement was cut short when Ren raised her up again, like a father playing with a baby. She squeaked silently this time. As she got a hang of it, her squeals turned into giggles. Her hands, without her knowledge, gripped Ren's hands to prevent herself from falling.
Ren probably got tired. Eventually, he let his arms relax and put the still giggling Kyoko to the ground. Seeing her like that made him laugh as well. He was glad that she was happy to be there with him and that she was enjoying her time with him.
Delighted, Kyoko sauntered around Ren like a mischievous little fairy. She stopped, smiled at the actor then sat down. It seems like Ren wasn't the only one who was tired. He made a resolve to sit beside the girl, gracefully crossing his legs.
"Do you like it here?" asked the actor.
"Yep," Kyoko confirmed with a grin on her face. "It's really like a fairy wonderland here!"
Unable to resist the moment, Ren took her into his arms. Unaccustomed to this kind of behavior, Kyoko stiffened. She felt her blood run cold but her face got warm. She silently sighed. She couldn't understand her own feelings anymore.
Slowly, she relaxed her body which relieved Ren. Kyoko breathed evenly although her heart felt like bursting. Like an innocent child, Kyoko carefully raised her head up. "What's this for?"
Ren shrugged. He also didn't know how to explain this. "It's practice."
"Huh? For what?"
"For your future roles," he hastily explained. Then he held her tighter in his embrace. "You see, you've only used to bully roles and such. One day, you're bound to get a role that involves romance. Drama. So that means you'll have to practice getting hugged all the time."
She just nodded. There was nothing else she could do. If her sempai says that this is for the greater good then she'll gladly accept it. Besides, she was getting entertained by hearing the rhythmic beating of his heart. It was slow yet clear, she observed. To make sure of this, Kyoko even put a hand on the man's chest, trying to feel the thump made by his heart. She almost jumped when she felt it but she didn't remove her hand.
"Mogami-san," he whispered soothingly by the ear. "Tell me, what do you feel right now?"
Kyoko stared. What did she feel? Well, she felt glad, confused, excited, curious, embarrassed and other sorts of emotions. In short, her feelings were in chaos. She didn't know what she should've felt. All knew was that her emotions were mixed up and she couldn't bring herself to find an explanation for that weird feeling on her chest.
As she continued to stare, Kyoko noticed that their lips were only inches apart. She didn't know what made her notice that kind of thing. But, as she locked her glance at him, those lips suddenly appeared inviting to her. It was as if she was being tempted to kiss him. As if she was being tempted to throw away her sanity and do what she was not supposed to do.
Ren caught her watching him. He was actually observing her, too. Like her, he was also tempted to forget all the other people in the world and do something illicit to her. That seemed immoral to do but at that moment, it appeared to be the best action.
The distance between them thinned. Ren's forehead was already touching hers. Her cool breath made her skin tingle. And his eyes. Kyoko couldn't tear her own eyes away from his, as if she was in a trance. Her body, which was already warm, grew scorching hot as Ren leaned closer to her. Instinct made her close her eyes, but not because of fear. It was something else. It was excitement. Excitement on what he was about to do to her. Excitement on what she was about to feel when he does kiss her.
When both of them thought that it was going to happen, a sound came ringing in the background.
Both jolted up. They stared at each other eye-to-eye then hastily looked away, embarrassed. The sound carried on ringing and Kyoko fumbled inside her handbag to see if it was hers. When she found out that it wasn't, she turned to Ren. He already had his phone on his hand, pressed the button and then greeted the person on the other line.
While the actor was having a conversation with someone else, Kyoko tried to calm herself. Her heart was beating way faster than normal. Her chest was heaving up and down. Cold sweat formed on her skin. She couldn't help but scold herself for what she had wanted to do. Imagine, she actually thought of wanting to kiss her sempai! No matter what, she shouldn't have thought of that. It was wrong and illicit.
Sighing, Kyoko saw Ren ending the call. An emotion which couldn't be read was on his face. He turned to face her but not before wiping that expression on his face. Smiling faintly, he stood up.
As is a reflex, Kyoko stood up as well. The girl was glancing at Ren. What could've made him wear that kind of a sad look on his face? Kyoko wondered.
"I have to leave," Ren said, not looking at the actress.
Nodding, she said. "Is something bothering you?"
He shook his head. "No. It's just work." Then he scratched his head, as he did earlier. "Listen, uhm, Mogami-san. If you have nothing to do tomorrow, could you meet me here again? That is, if you're not busy."
"Alright," Kyoko replied. "I don't have work tomorrow afternoon. I'll wait for you."
"Thank you," he smiled. It wasn't that fake smile. That smile was 100% genuine, a smile that nearly melted Kyoko's own heart. "I'll come here at five in the afternoon, just before sunset, maybe. Please don't be late."
Nodding once more, Kyoko bid goodbye to him. He offered to ride her home but she refused, knowing that Ren had a job to attend to. Having nothing to do with her decision, he reluctantly left her, disappearing from her view.
When he had left, Kyoko went her own way. In her mind, she was wondering what that feeling earlier was. She couldn't understand that fluttery feeling in her stomach. Nor could she comprehend the reason why her heart was thumping extra fast when she was hugged by him.
It can't be love, can it? She asked herself. Even if it was Ren, she wasn't sure if she was ready to love again after what that bastard did to her.
Maybe, just maybe, I'll find out tomorrow, she sighed, leaving the place.