Lori Takarada was a flamboyant man. And as such, there were very few things that 'surprised' him. Strange foods, exotic clothes, over-the-top cultural highlights, he's seen it all. He's done it all. Thus saying, 'surprising' him wasn't possible. When Mr. Yashiro contacted him on a strictly emergencies only number, he wasn't 'surprised', he was intrigued. He knows Yashiro would never let something physically happen to Ren (and furthermore, the duo-life actor could handle himself very well in many tight situations, thanks to Kuon's later years). When Mr. Yashiro called for a meeting at his earliest convenience, he only felt distinctly put out that he couldn't be able to help Akita-sama find his true love in Hiroto-san sooner (they were meant to be, it was only a matter of time, he'd figure out how to play them into holy-matrimony if it was the last thing he did!), but insisted to Yashiro that his lovely actors came first, and he could set aside important meetings if Yashiro was this concerned.
So here Yashiro had sat for the last fifteen minutes, more fidgety than President Lori had ever seen him. He had just finished explaining the situation. Ren had a friend who was a chicken. And Kyoko just so happened to be the person who played the chicken. Kyoko, who played the chicken, hadn't told Ren. If Ren found out, it might spell disaster. And Kyoko, for whatever reasons, had made her own decisions to keep quiet about it.
Lori wasn't 'surprised'.
He was horrified.
He stared at Yashiro, disbelieving. "How… how…"
Yashiro nodded emphatically. "Exactly, which is why I came to you, surely you can smudge the part in her record that says she plays Bo? Something?"
"How…"
"It might hurt Kyoko, but if you can find her a new job, and replace her, I'll simply let Ren know the manager told me the person quit without looking back, and it could resolve things that way…"
"How…"
"I know, I've tried to think this through, but I just keep getting stuck on why such a good girl like Kyoko would get herself into this kind of… um, sir?" Yashiro glanced again at the president, noting his facial expression hadn't changed since he had finished his story. "… Mr. President?"
"How… How did I not know this?"
"…what?"
Lori fell to the side of his couch, dramatically prostrating himself like a woe-begotten man who realized the despair of his life. "Yashiro, you don't understand. I am their biggest shipper, and this escaped my notice? AHHHH!" He threw his head back, hands covering his face in apparent agony. "I have failed my lovely actors! Failed!"
Yashiro twitched slightly, arm partially extended as if to assist his employer. The only problem is… he wasn't quite sure what was going on. "I-it's okay- I mean, no- H-How do you mean, sir?"
"How do I-" He vaulted forward, turban slightly askew because of the motion, but he ignored it, intent in staring down the very nervous manager. "Ever since Love Me Number One-"
"All capitalized?"
"In all caps- ever since Kyoko came to me, the goal to help her find how to Love again has been a top priority. When Ren went and foolishly fell for her, I didn't ask questions, I encouraged it! I assumed he had seen her beautiful face, her passion for her work and polite attitude and had been drawn in because of this. But now I know I don't know things! What if there's something else? What if-" He leaned in further, but by this time Yashiro's visage had become just as serious. "What if there are aspects to this relationship we don't know?"
Really, he had known both had shadowed, mysterious pasts and unique darkness's that dwelled within their character, but he never acted on that realization, never acknowledged what a dangerous web they could weave! He had already made them Cain and Setsu: the two dangerously loving siblings- because short of telling them to date, there wasn't many other forms of subtly he could take on. Kyoko wouldn't acknowledge the love struggling within her heart, and Ren wouldn't damage the fragile relationship he held with the younger co-worker.
Honestly, young people these days. He had to do all the work.
But this- this additional thread didn't exist on his interwoven pattern of binding them together! It was a wild color- completely going its own path in his crafty plan. And if there was one, there was bound to be another. It was unacceptable.
Yashiro drew back in horror, coming to the same conclusions. "No! Impossible- there can't be more than this!"
"How can there not? How good of friends is Ren with the chicken, Mr. Yashiro? How have they come to be friends, what did they do together that differs from the sempai/student relationship she has? What are we missing?"
Both were now staring into space, eyes wide with horror at the implications. Yashiro's mouth was hanging open with the possibilities. "Ren, who never comes to me with problems, might have gone to others for help…"
Lori was just as struck dumb, though clearly more annoyed. "Why didn't the girl come to me when she built up this fiasco? The things I could toy with if I had known…!"
"She's looked to her sempai for help…"
"I could have been teasing him for months with hints…!"
"He might have shared really important things…!"
"She's playing the field instead of me…!"
Yashiro recovered himself, straightening. "Mr. President, we have to do something. This can't continue, they'll end up in a train wreck of relationship disaster!"
Takarada reclined in his seat, pensively thinking as he smoked an Irish cigar. Those sort of things appear around him. "I agree. We need to first know what we don't know. Then once we actually have all the pieces together, we can ship them properly to their happily ever after."
"Yes, of course." The manager nodded his head emphatically before pausing. "… Sir, is there, anything I should… know…" Lori looked the nervous man in the eye, shrewdly guessing what he was trying to ask. "Well, Ren's past seems..."
The President of LOVE ME Inc. waved a hand, though with an air of regret. "I'm sorry, Yashiro," He reclined back, posture the epitome of 'kingly'. "But only I get to be the ultimate shipper. Do what you can with what you already know."
"Of course, sir."
"And call me as soon as you get any details." Lori pointed a finger warningly, satisfied when Ren's manager nodded seriously.
"Absolutely, for the sake of Ren's horrible social circle circumstances…"
"For the sake of my ability to manipulate others…"
They clasped hands, staring off into the distance in determination. "We will find answers."
Eeeeey lovelies! Sorry it took a bit, but I hope you laughed a great deal. :D I can't wait to get our favorite couple in there to admit little bits of their past that has Lori and the future army of Kyoko/Ren shippers freaking out at all the obliviousness in their lives. Sooooo fun~~
Please leave a review to let me know what you thought, and what you would like to see in the future!
