A/N: Another nother insomniac update. God, I need sleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep. Why why why?
Setting and time: Fast forward to where Kyoko is a woman and a professional in her own right.
Dedicated to oOoLyL for posting the picture on her blog that inspired this... thing. For lylbunny's Skip Beat! Cover Challenge.
Enjoy.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything. I am totally a n00b compared to lylbunny. Ten out of ten who read Second Chances agrees.
Carried Away
Kyoko-chan. Be a love and greet an old friend in my stead. Tomorrow at high noon...
"A LoveMe request?"
It had the look and smell of Lory Takarada's involvement. Mogami Kyoko, or "Kyoko-chan" to her expansive fan base, turned the handwritten LoveMe request in her hands many times. The broken seal oscillated to various memories flashing through her mind.
The message consisted of flowing calligraphy penned in golden ink that one could read in the full moon after breaking the thick waxen seal.
"Thank you," she said to the man who had delivered it to her on a silver platter. The man bowed deeply with a flourish of his feathered cap, and then he mounted his steed.
Despite her annoyance at the untimely painful reminders of her past after a hard day's work, a smile lit up her mouth and her eyes, underneath her scarf and her sunglasses. These accessories were a permanent fixture on her game face. Lately she had been heckled for walking out on her old company gig and straight to their competitor's office. Well, herself, other actors, and talented workers who had tired of the company's illicit means of not paying them.
While her old company had given her a big step towards the top, there were no elevators. It was a rocky climb up Mount Fuji. In a typhoon. On a flatulent mule.
I made more doing janitor work for LoveMe than the high profile jobs at IMO... and better friends, too.
The sting of a hard lesson was fresh in her heart. No, I made more at IMO... more aggravation, more time tracking my overtime hours, more time researching my non-existent rights at that company, more tears with my fellows... She was right to leave. Money wasn't everything... LME educated me, too. I had it good.
Kyoko refused to stand in distracted nostalgia; a crazed fan some odd years ago had forced her to build public shields. It was bad enough that she had been caught off guard, and was by herself. Her Chanel heels clacked reluctantly to her Nissan Figaro, but Kyoko was already thinking of the days she would kick around her bike in her knock off Converses. Young Kyoko would have spun tales about the white horse with the braided tail that Takarada had sent her. There were even pink flowers in the glistening braided mane.
Would I have had the nerve to request a ride, in turn? Kyoko's hands flew up to her blushing cheeks. Oooh, with a lovely horsie into the mysterious night! You bold girl you!
As Kyoko drove down the block, her mind's eye navigated the corroded passages in her memories. The location he penned was on one of the higher rises of the company. He definitely wanted her to pander to an A-lister. Apprehension rose in her stomach as she considered this "old friend." The first name that came to mind made her yank the gear with more force than necessary to stall the car. Actually, it was three names that came to mind, but in rejecting the sole owner of those names, she quickly crossed off the three.
Three times the name, three times the pain. Her mood plummeted as she had to give credit to him for teaching her how to drive.
To which face of yours should I forward my thanks? Kyoko thought snidely. The President-Kyoko still thought of him only in that title- would know better than to deliver her to that person. If the President could detect the instant someone became infected with romance, then he could surely predict the clean-up that would span many, many generations of LoveMe from the resulting bloodbath.
Apprehension gave way to guilty excitement. Kyoko absentmindedly climbed 20 miles above the speed limit. What if it was- it was-
"F-FADDY!" Kyoko's eyes grew dewy. Despite Kuu's association with the man who soured her trips into memory lane, she could feel the weight of her long work day flying off her body the way her Figaro flew on the road. Tomorrow, she might scrape up the imprudence to call him "Daddy" like a properly affectionate son before stuffing him with savory meats and cakes that she'd been dying to try for weeks.
Grumpily, Kyoko acknowledged that she would have given him tried-and-true recipes had her time not been eaten up with financial and legal troubles.
Or perhaps she could tease him with a plate of crunchy scrambled eggs.
Kyoko's giddiness brought to mind the old, but unfaded, jump suit that had its own closet in her condo. She could put that on only for tomorrow to surprise him. And she would march into the office where he waited to dote on her. Or would back flips be more appropriate?
She was jolted out of her silliness by her ringing cell phone. Normally she would have allowed it to go to voice mail, but a familiar number caught her eye.
"Moshi moshi?" Kyoko asked nervously, dialing down her travel speed.
"I changed my mind. Come immediately." Click.
No. Nonoononono. My grand plans! My home cooking! The poetic reunion with Faddy coming full circle! The distant memories had omitted the President's ruthless whims. This time sad tears fogged her vision.
"Crazy BEEP, learn to drive!" Many fists and other demeaning gestures were rightfully shaken at her as she careened through traffic and negotiated tricky and probably illegal turns.
She received an altogether different reaction from Security. The earnest man at the desk had leapt up and knocked over his walkie-talkie in an attempt to scrounge up paper and pencil.
"Kyoko-chan! I'll never hear the end of it at home if I don't get one autograph. I have three girls who love you. Aaah, but they'll tear each other to pieces if I don't get one for each." He was flustered to the point of telling her other crass matters.
Kyoko herself was flustered with his reaction. She had tip toed through the front door as though expecting to be kicked out for her offensive garb. Poised confidently before the beefy, rambling man, Kyoko realized that she filled out her tailored, burgundy skirt and flouncy blouse. She wasn't dressed up in these rich clothes. She was simply dressed.
She was late, too.
He bowed to her many times, waving around her thrice-signed LoveMe request with much gusto despite the late hour.
What a good father. Kyoko thought as she located the only serviceable elevator in the building. But I'm going to meet the best Duh duh Dad there ever was!
She felt as though an eternity passed as the double digit numbers dinged for each floor. Forget this! You can take the stairs!
Her face darkened. For a second, she had wished for wings like Corn. She shook off the inappropriate thoughts, getting down to business and throwing down her scarf and shades. Then she kicked off her heels and hitched up her taut skirt, wondering if Kuu would forgive his son for cross-dressing. The five remaining flight of stairs fell away as she climbed to the top of LME. A pang twinged briefly in her, but it was an old regret that she had not climbed to the top of LME in the sense that mattered. Would father forgive that, too?
She hadn't quite forgiven herself for that.
Despite Kyoko's misgivings, old and new, she skipped merrily to the sole carved door-a work of art in its own right-and executed a lunge that would have made Koengi Erika take notice.
He was standing at the window, the city lights somehow more luminous on his blond head.
Kyoko was tickled by the idea of making a loud noise and scaring him. But what if he got too excited and went through the window? Or maybe he would do it to teach her a lesson! Faddy was an accomplished stuntman as well as an impeccable leading hero.
It's not like President couldn't afford the damages, Kyoko thought uncharitably. She admired his figure, thinking that Kuu was in great shape despite his compulsive eating. Kyoko wondered if she could take him to a restaurant that would allow her to specially prepare several courses, but first, she had to greet him. She edged close to him, afraid that her sudden appearance would push him over the edge.
Kyoko meant to say hello in English, but the language that she used came from her soul. "It has been a while. I'm happy now that I'm with you," she said breathlessly, cradling her heels over her gushing heart.
Then he turned his head, and she saw his face and her mistake in one fell swoop.
There's always a reason to hold back, Kyoko concluded, her delusions shattered nicely around her bare feet. She felt her face and her toes pinch as she stepped into her heels. When she straightened up from her bow, Kyoko stood much taller. He watched her intently as she smoothed out her appearance, and her voice.
"Excuse me, sempai. I have the wrong Hizuri." Clipped with only a touch of thorns. Like an English rose.
"It has been a while, Mogami."
Kyoko bit her tongue, reminding herself that this was a LoveMe assignment. Though her fuzzy pink book was just outside the city, this assignment mattered. She thought of Sho's earlier advice when she had had trouble arguing with her old company about payroll.
Be calm. Be cool. Be out, before they see you sweat... pansy. That was his unsolicited opinion, but it had seen her through a company rumored to have dealings with the Yakuza and it had seen Sho through the downs and the downers in between the stardom. She softened, her ruffled affection for Sho soothing the tension out of her neck. Perhaps it was the remembrance that Tsuruga hated him which amplified the conciliatory feelings she'd found with Sho.
"If it's not a bother, please inform the President that I've completed the assignment as per your request." Once again in English. Cool, calm... Kyoko's mind stuck, disappointed that he wasn't talking or throwing himself down to be forgiven- something to that effect.
She pivoted on her heel, and walked away like the most beautiful woman in the world. Despite years of experience, Kyoko knew that there was something off about her movements. Perhaps it was because the most beautiful woman should be striding to the most beautiful man.
Not through oceans. Oceans of water. Oceans of your lies. Kyoko thought.
Her heart and her guts leaped to her throat when she lurched back, his large hand clapped soundly around her upper arm. Kyoko swayed as her heart and her guts battled it out.
"Lemme go!" she squawked. Within ten seconds of being around him, the famed Kyoko-chan had reverted to a chicken. All she needed was the Bo costume.
"I did. That was my mistake," Ren said to her. Each note of his sentence struck brittle chords in her heart. Though each word was a lie, she was strung in. She was touched.
"Please Mogami. Hear me out. I did not post the request. Seeing you was the last thing I wanted to happen."
In a way, Kyoko had waited years for him to say those words to her so that she could move on past the rejection. What a cruel beautiful man. She was the worst thing in Japan to him? Though he was probably doing the right thing, she wanted to run away before he could leave again.
She eyed his hand on her distastefully; Ren let her go immediately. Cursing the flimsy material of her blouse, Kyoko rubbed at her arm. He had done worse than bruise her arm; he had warmed it, reminding her how cold and still she was compared to her wild energy in the wonder years.
Considering that he assaulted her, he might have plopped on the only couch a little less comfortably, a lot more guilty. How infuriating. The only seat in the expansive suite and his perfect legs took up what space was left over. This was probably a metaphor for her heart, Kyoko grudgingly concluded. Now that he had gotten her to listen to him, his audacious smile and easy charm returned in full force. It made her look at him, really look at him.
Kyoko was disgusted with herself that she noticed subtle details about him, like his hair. It was a shorter cut than she remembered, and it was a couple shades lighter than when he was her sempai. She noticed the pierced ear. She noticed his weight loss. She'd thought that people who went to America got fat. Ren probably woke up every morning and charmed every suspect Calorie into muscle. While the common born resorted to Pilates.
"Since you're already here, Mogami, have a seat," he said huskily. The crispness of his collar at this time annoyed her further. If she didn't know he was a workaholic, she could've convinced herself that he'd had to make the effort to look flawless. It was like flipping a magazine, watching him take off his blazer and roll up his sleeves against the backdrop of their city. It was a magazine she would have bought twice. One to preserve forever. One to wear away with her sighs.
"You have the only one," Kyoko said, feeling the pain in her arches. Those five flights of stairs were wasted on this guy.
"I am the only one," he corrected her, patting his lap and eying her expectantly. So much for not wanting to see her. He was suspiciously good at making the best of their unexpected meeting.
"I decline," she bit out, and folded her arms. She had agreed to hear him out, but there was no reason to put herself in danger.
"That's a good trick you learned," he said. "Who taught you to cover up your cowardice that neatly?"
Kyoko's nostrils flared in outrage, but she kept her poise. "You did." She was beginning to love her role as the frigid, English rose.
"And your refined sense of humor. Those are handy, but don't use them against a master." Ren waved off all her years of soul-crushing work. "If you ask me, I will tell you that I am disappointed in you."
She wanted to say that!
"I expected a better reaction from you."
Stolen line number two!
"You are afraid that you'll get drawn in and carried away by one superior to you in talent and presence."
She hadn't thought about that, but now that she heard him say those words, she really really wished she had uttered that first.
"You took the words right out of my mouth," she said. Inwardly, Kyoko was screaming I AM BUTTER YOU ARE GLUE! NEHNEH... Inner Kyoko stuck her tongue out as far as it would go.
"Could I take your mouth instead?" Ren nailed her with his scorching eyes.
"I accept your challenge," Kyoko murmured silkily, each clack of her heel punctuating each word.
Ren sat up almost too quickly, but he masked it well. He raised his brow and stared straight ahead where he could see Tokyo Tower, making some insignificant motion of his hand. A golden opportunity had offered itself, and he couldn't bear to watch it happen.
She weighed nothing, but he could feel her as though every nerve in his body strained to be where her bottom rubbed at him. Had he dared a glance, he would have seen her incensed expression at being ignored. Kyoko curled up on him, dragging more of her luscious hiney on his crotch. Ren brought his arm around her, his fingers spooning the curve of her body. He expected her to jump up and scream at him like the hysterical virgin he once knew.
"I picked up other talents," Kyoko said. "Doesn't that interest you in the slightest?"
His fingers squeezed her bottom before he could control himself.
"Since you are interested, I know just the thing to help a man relax," she cooed, undoing his tie. As turned on as Ren was, jealousy also burned in him. Who had taught her to talk like the most beautiful woman in the world? And he was not thinking of his mother!
Kyoko noted his clenched jaw, and sensed the end close at hand. She snarled at the characters warring inside of her for release. This is my victory! He is my prey.
Kyoko leaned in until her breast flattened against his hard torso, under the pretense of winding off his tie. Her hand went under her chin as she sized up her progress. He was breathing heavy. Wantonly, she licked her eyeteeth and allowed her bottom lip to droop. "As for presence, can't you feel me... Kuon? Haven't I grown?"
"Knock it off Kyoko. You don't know what you're asking for." The last shred of Tsuruga Ren put up a valiant cry.
"I want you..." She didn't get to add on "to get drawn in and carried away" because she had broken the seal he had painstakingly constructed.
His dominant arm dragged her down to him. He took her words and her mouth in a kiss deep enough to draw blood, but not without a fight. She was almost strangling him with his undone tie, but he ripped her defenses away. He crept under the low cut of her blouse and nibbled wherever he could reach.
A strap on her lacy black camisole snapped like his control. He could see her breast through her fine blouse, even more so when he teased her nipple with his teeth.
Kyoko screamed and pushed off of him, landing hard on the floor. Her disbelieving eyes strayed to his erection as he took in her breast, the skirt hitched up past her stomach, and the crazed bend of her legs. She flipped onto her stomach and started crawling. He pounced before she could scrabble closer to the exit. With his vice grip, he easily manipulated her under him. While a bed would have been far more accommodating, the floor would have to do because she wanted him.
Or did she? He was starting to feel the bruises on his own knees; her soft little body had to be feeling her bruises, too. How could he have missed the sob that was tearing up her throat?
"I'm sorry," Kuon said. He smoothed her bangs out of her swollen eyes and dabbed at her cheeks with the sleeve of his shirt. "I love you, I won't hurt you." He felt like hurting himself. But even messed up and afraid, she looked far too ravishing. Kuon settled for a quick peck on her forehead.
Then he froze, realizing that the game was up. He lost, because he told her everything. As all his stubbornness left him, Kuon slumped onto the floor. The red eye to Japan on a last-ditch plan had been for nothing. He'd foolishly come back with the hope of saving her.
Kyoko pattered over to him, one heel in her hand. It would be perfect if she would off him before he was totally lost to his despair.
She put the heel on the floor and rolled to her side, wincing as the floor pressed the marks he'd left on her body.
"It's okay, it's okay." Until she shushed and hummed at him, he hadn't realized that he was teary-eyed. He absolutely hated crying, especially when it was over his own weakness. But it really was okay as she drew closer to him and held his head, letting her expensive blouse-which he'd demolished-soak in his tears.
"I- um, love you too, except that you did hurt me." She wasn't talking about the brutality of tonight.
"How?" He had been so careful not to see her, hear her, or interfere with her life negatively. He had cut off Yashiro without hesitation to make sure no sloppy loose ends could reach her.
"Every day you didn't come back. Every failed call. Every e-mail. I had to stop when I got back the unopened letter I wrote to you. If you'd stop being stupid and come back-"
God, none of it made sense, but at least he felt like breathing again. He wondered if Kyoko felt the same.
"I lied to myself to come here, pretending that I would see Fuh- Fuh-"
Kuon looked at her worriedly.
"Faddy," Kyoko mustered out, embarrassed that she still needed to rehearse.
"Are you talking about my dad?" Kuon asked. He started laughing despite being choked up in his own tears and phlegm.
"Shut up Kuon, it's a work in progress."
"He wants to see you, too. Come with me to Hollywood."
"Oh! I'm really glad that he wants me to visit."
Kuon shook his head and sat up. "No, Kyoko. I mean- come with me to Hollywood to move in with me and give him grand kids and marry me." He double checked his shaky Japanese. "Not in that order."
"WHAT?"
At her yell, he allowed his face to sober up despite being drunk on her presence. "Japan's not safe for you anymore. I flew out as soon as the Boss told me about what you did! You caused IMO to lose stock. Big stock."
"If they'd taken better care of their employees, it never would have happened," Kyoko pouted. "No one should take their abuse lying down."
"No one who wants to live. Kyoko, honey, I don't want to scare you, but I truly believe you are in danger. The rumors about IMO and the Yakuza are watered down. What you've heard about them is tame compared to what goes on back stage. I want you to leave with me. Tonight. It absolutely cannot wait. I guarantee you that at least two or three major newspapers are waiting on an order to print your tragic obituaries from an anonymous tip-off."
Her hands flew to her face. Kuon made a note on what size he should scale down the big, fat engagement ring waiting for her.
"What about the others? I got them in trouble, too!"
"They'll be roughed up," Kuon said grimly. "All of them will be intimidated into their thankless jobs since they don't have your backbone. You are their only target. You don't have any family who can't protect themselves. You will probably lure more of their clients away to other agencies. Do you know how much a hit on you will be worth? You can't come back until the current leaders are overthrown by young ones."
"Let me call everyone before we take off. Thank God I got my purse!"
"You'll come with me? It has to be now!" He almost jumped up and danced around.
"One question."
Kuon stared her down intently.
"When you said that seeing me was the last thing you wanted... how does that fit in with wanting to kidnap me?"
His mouth quirked at her use of the word "kidnap."
"That's the Boss's fault. There were arrangements to explain the situation to you calmly, schedule a liaison to facilitate the transfer of your belongings, and so on. To you, I wasn't supposed to be in Tokyo. He gave me the keys to his private jet and sailed away. No planning, at all. I should have known by how smoothly and logically he talked me over." His eyes were wide with horror at the Boss's irresponsibility.
"You came back for me."
"I did." Best idea ever.
She smacked him roughly over the head, a move that caused many of his fans to have nightmares. "You should've done it sooner! You're lucky that I love you, otherwise I'd raise up more Grudges!"
"I know, I know. Let's go home."
Kyoko exhaled, realizing that she had been holding her breath for those words all this time. Out of all the people who should have said that to her-her mother, her guardians, Sho-none of them had made that offer to her.
She'd followed a boy and she'd followed her dreams. The only thing left to do was to follow her heart.
"Yes Kuon!"
"Wait until my mom hears what you call dad."
"It's NOT funny!" In a bid to be taken seriously, she attempted to straighten her skirt and her blouse, blushing to her tips at her ruined camisole.
Kuon's smile fell away like it never was. "I'm not laughing at you." He stood up and offered her his hand. With the one that wasn't holding up her camisole, Kyoko took it.
"We can't have anyone seeing you like this," he said, placing his blazer on her shoulders, in the interests of his extreme jealousy. On her, it was like an overcoat.
Kyoko shook her head. "I don't want anyone else to." She bit her lip anxiously and he gripped the lapels of his blazer, pulling her to him again to kiss her swollen lips. His hand slipped inside the blazer to cradle her.
He was so gentle that it started up her tears all over again. Instantly, he pulled away. Kyoko frowned and blocked his path. "I'm fine, Kuon, if you promise to take me with you if you ever leave."
"Yes, I do. I love you." He was disgusted with how he couldn't stop touching her all of a sudden.
"Good. I love you, too." Kyoko said. "Um, how are we getting to Hollywood again? I don't have my passport."
"I've taken care of everything."
He didn't have wings, but he flew the both of them safely towards happily ever after.
He'd felt overheated from watching those two make amends.
Lory Takarada sipped from his cold glass and had the white king rescue the white queen on his chessboard. He decided not to EVER tell anyone about the rumors he'd circulated about IMO in his rebellious years.
"What are you up to Grandpa?" Maria toddled in, rubbing at her eyes. As always, she was quite on the mark.
He quickly switched off the TV set as Kuon's mouth trailed south for-
Fortunately, Maria was adorably sleepy and allowed him to tuck her in.
"I was planning a wedding," Lory finally said. "Maria would be the most beautiful flower girl in the universe."
"That's no good," she said tiredly. "I want to be the most beautiful bride. Tell Ren to come back and make me his beautiful bride!"
"Not Ren," he said, firmly, not after seeing the things Ren did to his lady love. Absolutely not a fate for his grandbaby!
Somewhere in the world, Maria's soul mate shivered, as though having a premonition. Whether it was complications related to Lory or Maria fueling the premonition, it is hard to say. It's love, after all.
HAPPILY EVER AFTER SOLD SEPARATELY