Disclaimer: I will never own Skip Beat even if I did poop gold.
Two. The same day he missed her.
Three days.
Tsuruga Ren had not seen her for three days. For a normal person, such time period was not actually that lengthy. Before, weeks or even months of working pass without even him noticing it. However, these mere three days bothered him so much and it was all due to the absence of Mogami Kyoko from his sight.
His manager, Yukihito Yashiro, was very much aware of what's happening to his charge. After all, he is the number one follower of the Ren and Kyoko pair. He also believes that it is a part of his job description to attend to the welfare of his charge and that "welfare" includes the love life of Ren, and love life of Ren is equal to Kyoko. Therefore, he had taken the responsibility of being the bridge between the two by tracking the actress through her schedule. Oh the things Yashiro does for his charge.
"I'll take care of the business upstairs. Kyoko-chan is at the LA Hearts. I know you've been dreading to see her after three days." The spectacled man said with a chesire cat grin and his charge gladly appreciated it together with the teasings that come along with it.
Thus, under the late afternoon, he found his feet leading him to the restaurant with a cap and sunglasses in disguise. There was no difficulty in finding her upon entering LA Hearts. She sat alone in a secluded corner beside the window, gazing at nothing through the streets of Tokyo. With her chin rested on her palm, she fell into deep thought and the air that surrounded her held everyone from disturbing her. Her presence lured occasional glances from the customers and as the rays of sunset kissed her skin, she became more radiant than she already was. Her image was a piece of art. The sight of her never ceased to mesmerize him - she was simply ethereal and utterly beautiful. His wishful thinking only hoped that it was him who contained her thoughts.
The actor approached her table. Still trapped in her own world, the actress failed to notice his presence, and with an amused look, the actor removed his disguise and leaned towards her in scrutiny.
"Tsuruga-san!" Her golden eyes widened in recognition and surprise. She bowed and greeted him and the two of them sat together. In the eyes of the customers gazing at them, the sight of the girl alone had already been beautiful. But with the arrival of the man, perfection came.
"Is there something wrong Mogami-san?" He asked when he saw the actress place her hand over chest.
"Yes. One day I'll have a heart attack and it will be your fault." She accused him jestingly. Oh if he only knew the complexity that hand gesture held for Mogami Kyoko.
He laughed at her accusation and said that it was her fault for being so unaware of her surroundings. In the short span of time of three days, he truly did miss her. Who knew that one day he would come to testify the cheesy statement that seeing the one he loves would be enough to make his day complete. He then wondered, what if those three days turned into weeks or even months? Certainly, he would not be able to take it. He was like a man forever trapped in a cave and who saw the light for the first time, and he cared not for the overstatement.
For him, there was actually progress in their relationship. With their work and the roles they played, somehow they became closer as friends. She was comfortable around him unlike before. They were still in the last name basis but this was Mogami Kyoko he was talking about. Stick and stones won't break her politeness. Despite this, he gave himself a pat in the back at the improvement he was making. It was a good thing that he had not scared her away yet. He would rather be the tortoise, slowly but surely, rather than the reckless hare in the race for her heart.
A waitress arrived to take his order and he was blind to the advancements that the woman was making to the actor. Very much like a boy in love, Kyoko was the only one he could see.
"Latte please." He said to the waitress. "Would you like to order anything Mogami-san?"
She shook her head in response. "I'm okay, I already ordered a while ago. I'm just waiting for Moko-san for our dinner date. What brings you here, Tsuruga-san?"
All efforts of avoiding the man vanished as he appeared with all might and glory in front of the actress. It was as if he was pouring gas and fanning the flames that she has for him. When she did manage to attain peace and serenity in her heart a while ago, the actor threw all those out of the window. However, a part of her desired to embrace his company. It had been a long time since the last time she had seen him, mainly because his movie for Black Jack has already been finished together with the end of the Heels siblings. Somehow, she missed him and she was reluctant to admit it.
"Yashiro and I dropped by for some business and I decided to look for you and wait here. We still have a late night talk show to attend to later and I think I could use some coffee while I'm at it." He already expected the next thing the actress would say. "And no, coffee is not my late lunch. I am proud to say that I finished a box of bento a while ago."
She looked at him with an eyebrow raised, as if scrutinizing if he was lying or not. Gradually, her mouth curved into a smile and she chuckled, saying that she couldn't believe how eating a bento could be a huge accomplishment for him. That was so Tsuruga Ren. She found herself liking this part of him, and then hates herself for liking it.
One the other hand, the actor noticed something for the first time. There was something odd in her. He couldn't quite place it. He was not even sure if it was good or bad.
"Is there something on my face?" Kyoko asked as she caught her sempai staring at her heavily. She was sure that there wasn't anything on her face though. Her heart beat quickened and she unconsciously ran her hand through her chest again. His dark brown eyes pierced through her as if he was seeing through the depths of her soul, and she wondered if he could she the turmoil that was happening inside of her. If he only knew the effect he has on her. Their gazes were locked like magnets and they continued to stare at each other until the waitress arrived.
The actor squinted his eyes in a deductive manner. "Something is odd. I think you want to tell me something, or rather, you're hiding something from me." He released his gaze as he stirred his latte and the disconnection left the actress in terror. She had no idea what to say.
"Why do you say so? Don't tell me you're a mind reader." She managed to cover her panic with an amused smile.
The actor chuckled at her question because the answer was simple – he is in love with her. He could notice even the simplest things in Kyoko – how her eyes reflect her emotions, how she falls into her own dream world every now and then or how she places her hand on her heart whenever she is nervous. He was an idiot in love after all.
"We have been friends for a little less than two years Mogami-san. I think that it is just right that I know these things. What kind of friend and sempai would I be if I didn't?" He answered in a matter-of-fact tone. He should be correct because it would be unfair if he wasn't, compared to how she reads him like a book. She knows when his smiles seem fake, when he tries to hide his anger and even when he reverts to his old self. The only thing that he cannot understand is why she couldn't see that he is madly in love with her. Well the person in front of her is the number one love me member anyway. But aside from that, he cannot help but realize that he has been silently pursuing her for almost two years! Is this how much of a coward he is?
Now it was Kyoko's turn to stare at the man in front of her. His statement surprised her for two reasons: 1) She wasn't aware that her sempai regarded her as a friend, a close one even and it kind of made her happy; and 2) His observation was a blow to her ego as an actress. To think that she was confident to hide her feelings and act normal in front of him. This man truly was irritating.
Her lower lip quivered and unshed tears began to form on her golden eyes. She tried to speak but no word came out from her mouth. One could clearly see the pain crushing her inside and the actor felt his breathe hitch at the sight. It pained him to see her like that but before he could even ask what is happening, she spoke.
"I don't know how to say this but …" In the softest yet most frightened voice, a whisper came. It was as if her voice could break a glass. Her eyes glistened like gems and when a single tear fell, she dropped her sentence.
"I think I'm pregnant Tsuruga-san."
The man in front of her didn't know what to think. He knew that this was all an act but a part of him doubted it. She couldn't be serious. It was impossible. Yet her expression was so true that it almost breaks his heart. He shouldn't believe in this but the shock unable him to think straight. He could only look at her in devastated surprise.
The actress immediately regretted her prank upon seeing how her sempai took it. "I was kidding Tsuruga-san. I apologize. I won't do it ever again. It was a bad joke. It was wrong of me to joke about something so serious. Please forgive me." She rushed with one breathe in panicked nervousness and once again the actor was speechless. The urge to apologize and drop into a dogeza surged through her but before she could do it, she raised her head upon hearing the good-natured laughter of her sempai.
"I knew from the beginning were fooling me. An actor must always know how to school a perfect expression of surprise. You should thank your dear sempai for showing it to you, my little kohai." He said patronizingly along with a smirk that reminded Kyoko of her sempai's American attitude of brushing things off. It was the Tentekomai and Dark Moon party incident all over again. The actress couldn't help but to chuckle at the poor attempt of reasoning of the man. But then again, she let it go because at least she was able to escape answering his question.
"Whatever you say my 'dear sempai'. Whatever you say."
The man was clearly aware on how ridiculous he was right now but the sound of laughter coming from the girl he loves made him forget about it. Her little act shocked all of his nerves awhile ago, but he truly was amused on how the actress managed to wrap him easily around her finger. This had been the second time she had fooled him, the first being kiss mark incident. He could never learn not to repeat the same mistake again but it brought him nothing but amusement.
As he finished his latte, the laughter of his companion renewed and he wondered what ridiculous thing he had committed right now. The actor however could not care more of what it was, because what proceeded after was definitely worth every embarrassment, so much that he would be willing to do it over and over again.
The actress cannot help but laugh at her sempai who is currently wearing a milk moustache above his mouth. His innocent look makes it even worse and she hates herself for giving in to the charms of the man. She stops herself for having dangerous thoughts but then fails. Undeniably, Tsuruga Ren definitely is the cutest right now. Unaware of what she is about to do, her hand grabbed the napkin from the table and she leaned towards him to gently wipe the moustache off her sempai.
"There." She smiled, removing the final remains of white as her eyes twinkled in laughter. She was emphatically fond of the childlike Ren in front of her. The desire to see him more like this burned in her heart. Seeing him like that made her want to spoil him in anyway possible. However, upon meeting her sempai's eyes, she saw his shocked expression and for the first time she recognized the mistake she had done.
"I'm sorry Tsuruga-san, did it bother you? I didn't realize that I slipped into Setsu." The actress hoped that he would believe her excuse. She got too caught up with the atmosphere that she let her guard down. What was she thinking, stepping beyond the line of their relationship as sempai and kohai? She prepared herself for rejection from the actor in front of her but what she saw was beyond her expectations. Tsuruga Ren was giving her his warmest smile, one that could almost break her resolve and leave her enamored to his spell. She grimaced, thinking how she would have preferred his gentleman smile. Once again, she felt herself repeat the gesture of covering her hand to the hummingbird beat of her heart.
He felt the time stop when he saw her lean close to him. He could almost smell her scent and it was tantalizing - so much that it overpowered the smell of his coffee. If she only knew how a simple act could consume him. He was a greedy man. With one taste of closeness, he was left hungry for more.
"If you only know how badly Cain misses his sister." His voice was velvet while his look longing and Kyoko felt her that she would melt under his gaze. The feeling was mutual and it made her heart ache. She missed the closeness they shared as siblings, as well as the security and interdependence. It was like she couldn't breathe without him for he was her breath, she wouldn't be able to live without him for he was her life. But the pain in her chest intensified at the thought that such intimacy will only be possible because they are siblings. Never will it be because they are lovers.
"I miss you too." Kyoko breathed in defeat. No effort was done to attach Setsuka's name on it. She was sure that her sempai will never misunderstand her. He only saw her either as a kohai or a sister.
For a long moment, they gazed at one another. Both are conveying the same message, but it never managed to reach both ends. Both of them held their own interpretation and understanding, they never wanted to expect anything because of the fear of being hurt. For Ren, he could only wish that she was saying that as Kyoko, and not as his sister.
"I hope I'm not interrupting something important." An annoyed voice broke their atmosphere and they saw the raven-haired actress, who was clearly not happy with the sight she had witnessed between the two.
"Moko-san!"
Kyoko threw herself at her best friend who surprisingly hugged her back in return. The orange-haired actress hugged her like a lifeline. Seeing Kanae was seeing salvation. If she had not arrived she probably would have drowned in her emotions. Kyoko silently thanked her friend in her mind for rescuing her from a difficult situation. She just didn't know how to continue her conversation with her sempai for all she could hear was her frantic heart beating.
While the number one Love Me member was busy hugging her friend, she had been completely unaware of the encounter occurring behind. Ren found himself pinned by the glare of Kotonami Kanae. He knew very well the cause of her vexation, which was the intimate conversation he was having with Kyoko. Kanae had always seen him as a competitor in claiming his kohai's affection but he didn't really want her to see him as an enemy. After all, he wasn't planning to be Kyoko's best friend. He wants nothing but to be her lover. However, it seems that number two Love Me member does not intend to understand his motives at all.
"Good afternoon Kotonami-san." He greeted with genuine politeness and she responded with a sharp nod. She shifted her attention to her orange-headed best friend and with a rushed "Let's go," she held Kyoko's arm and led her to the exit of LA Hearts. Kanae was definitely going to squeeze some answers from Kyoko as to why she saw them behaving so ... intimately. It irritated her and that damn Tsuruga annoyed her the most.
With one last bow and smile from his kohai, the actor felt like Kanae stole Kyoko from him. He scolded himself for having such thought. He knew Kyoko was not his ... yet. He wished that if only Kanae arrived much later, he would have been able to talk more with Kyoko. He would be glad to listen to her about anything, be it serious or mundane. As long as he would be able to spend time with her, that was the only thing that mattered.
"Ren, your face is slipping."
The startled actor covered his face and stood up by the time his manager arrived. He did not fail to see the goofy grin planted on Yashiro's face.
"Let's go. We still have a talk show to attend to." The actor said and he proceeded to pay for the bill. He waited for the fan girl Yashiro to strike at him and without disappointment, the attack came in no time. It was foolish of him to hope that his manager would let go of it.
"So... care to explain why I saw our number one actor smiling like a lover boy? Surely something good happened between you and our dear Kyoko-chan." The manager asked with his eyebrows wiggling. The man was truly skilled in fishing gossips, so much that if he was not a manager, he would probably be a successful reporter instead.
Knowing that his manager won't stop pestering him until he gets some answers, the actor decided to tell the truth and nothing but the truth, just to feed his friend's curiosity. He paused from walking and looked at his manager seriously with all honesty and sincerity.
"She told me she was pregnant."
The spectacled manager stood dumbfounded in disbelief. "You could have come up with a better excuse Ren."
Now it was Tsuruga Ren's turn to laugh.
There was one thing though that continued to bother the actor's mind. Kyoko never did answer his question on why she was acting strange today. She obviously avoided answering his question and somehow it worried him. He decided to push the thought aside for awhile, he was sure that he will be seeing her again soon anyway.
Oh if only Tsuruga Ren knew how wrong he was.
A/N: I apologize if there are any grammar mistakes! I would also like to thank those who reviewed, favorited and followed this story. Please tell me what you think of this chapter because your reviews make my heart swell! See you in the next chappy! :D
