Alright... yeah so christmas present.

The next chapter will be 2.5;;; just so you know because I failed at compacting everything. however 2.5 will most likely be infinitely shorter.

I actually have a cold... TT_TT which is why I've been slacking. My bad yo.

anyways,, I hope you like the chap. and keep in mind Chapter 2.5 will fill in the gaps so be patient--------- that'll be out in about a day, I RPOMISE you.

Disclaimer: I don't feel like it.

Chapter 2

The depths of her steal eyes, was frightening and what she could see reflected back in the pools wasn't something she recognized; it was mind-boggling. She stared a little longer, losing herself in the event horizon that was this new character, it was almost impossible for her to pull away from the gravity of the entity. Like matter drifting in open space, the dense atmosphere of this character sucked her in so easily. Her mystified trance was broken though as Kyoko moved an anxious hand to her shoulder, having stepped forward from her previous position against the wall.

"Moko... Are you sure your okay?" The shorter girl's voice pierced through the character's gravitational force, allowing Kanae control over her own emotions.

"I... I'm fine." Kanae murmured in a shaky voice, half trying to convince herself, as well. Kyoko felt reluctant to accept her quivering reassurance, but seeing as she didn't want to push her friend she gave in.

"We should get to the office then, we wouldn't want to be punished for neglecting our duties." She let the subject matter drop, and hoped dearly Kanae would do the same for the incident with Shou, but-

"Later… we'll finish this." Moko-san sounded out behind her as she turned to unlock the bathroom door; Kyoko felt a cold sweat build from her own nervousness.- She just wasn't that lucky. Kanae herself was well aware that Kyoko was reluctant for good reason to speak about what the bastard had done to her, and she reasoned with herself that this must've been what had set off her internally budding character. As the two girls made their way toward the office, Kanae lingered on the thought, trying to pinpoint just where she ended and Kaito began, it was thrilling in a weird way, because even now she felt the lines between her self and him were blurred. Usually even if she became enraptured in her character she could still separate herself out afterward, this was different however, because the foreign rage she could still feel trapped beneath the surface bubling. It was as if she was angry, not at the situation, but at Kyoko herself for letting Shou kiss her, and in a way she felt jealous even, and Kanae knew that, that didn't make any sense. Shivers racked her body at the disturbing thought that she had been channeling a character that she had not even fully developed yet, the influential strength of the presence was staggering. This however, wasn't something she felt she should dwell to long on.

Kanae chanced a glance in the direction of her best friend, and she felt herself smile sideways at her bouncy atmosphere. She could see how excited her friend still was, and the mutual feeling seemed to erase the previous feeling of anxiousness at her growing identity crisis. She still felt oddly dazed because of the news; ever since the Kyurara commercial she'd always anticipated the next job they would do together. No doubt Kyoko would one of the most enthralling partners to act with, and this proved right when she had watched the first episode of Dark Moon and saw the way she entranced and petrified the costars she acted alongside. Kanae felt an odd warmth bubble inside of her, filling her with an intense sense of pride for her friend.

"Moko-san?" Kanae blinked, shaking her head as she realized she had been staring once again. Kyoko stood in front of her, her head tilted slightly and hand reaching to check her temperature again, in the crowded office, in front of everyone there. She caught her friends wrist in its trajectory for her head and scolded her with the slight blush still warming her cheeks.

"Yashiro-san you can't seriously still be upset with me." Ren sighed as he drove his car toward the president's mansion. He had been called halfway through his photo shoot to schedule a meeting between the two, because of a matter the president wished to discuss personally. Yukihito was tagging along solely because the president's home was conveniently placed near the shoot. To say he was still angry was an understatement; honestly, it was getting harder and harder for Yukihito to deal with his charge's constant excluding from his personal issues, but now that it had somehow started to seep into matters of work, it was simply aggravating. He couldn't believe the audacity of this man, to say he wouldn't go accepting any other roles so hastily, without consulting him, after the whole BJ incident and then do it again. It wasn't even that he was mad at him accepting this no doubt difficult role, but some fair warning could've been nice. BUT NO, he had to be bombarded by Takenori and handed the additional details for the production with absolutely no knowledge of his own talent having accepted. Gods, it was embarrassing. He huffed in his seat again, intent on being pissed for a few more hours with Ren, until he had to actually start doing his job again after the meeting with the president.

Ren was very intoned to his manager's hostility toward him, and he did admit to the blame, but there wasn't any way he could've waited, he was just too captivated by the script itself. There was no way he could've waited, and truthfully he knew he should've called his manager, even after accepting; to give him the heads up, but with how scatter brained he was from the sleep deprivation it completely slipped his mind. He sighed for the sixth time since he had met with his infuriated manager at lunch, and as he pulled into the small parking garage, he locked the doors to his Porsche as his manager was attempting to leave. The man turned to him rigidly and glared, and he could've chuckled but he reigned in his own amusement in an effort to salvage their important actor manager relationship. That thought alone made him want to laugh though, and seeing as his manager could read the amusement in his features; it only became a catalyst to the further worsening situation.

"Hear me out, Yashiro-san." He opened the conversation with a smile, trying to calm his manager. That didn't work very well though; if Yukihito's sudden spasmodic tic was any hint. Ren dropped the difusing smile and let out yet another long sigh, contemplating the best way to convince Yashiro of his sincerity. Ren dropped the difusing smile and let out yet another long sigh, contemplating the best way to convince Yashiro of his sincerity. Coming up with absolutely nothing, to excuse him from his actions, he once again repeated himself.

"I'm apologize Yashiro-san, I should've called you; however, I haven't actually slept yet so-"

"WAHT?" Yashiro's incredulous vociferation cut him off and Ren turned startled to see his manager once again in a conniption fit. Yashiro fisted a clump of hair and gritted his teeth intent on informing Kyoko-chan of this man's idiocy as soon as they met again.

"Yashiro-san?" Ren asked, honestly oblivious to his error in words, causing his manager further worry induced stress. Yashiro straightened up again and sighed, rubbing at his temples. Honestly Ren was just full of surprises lately, but as the temporary anger simmered down, he could now see the error in his charge's course of action, and saw no harm intended, by the negligence shown toward him. After all no matter how much he appeared to be, Ren wasn't a fully functioning adult, as of yet. He still lacked a certain mindset, one of which being the common sense to choose sleep over an interesting script; however, most actors were like that…it was their job after all. He accepted the blunder and had basically had already forgiven Ren already, but that wasn't going to stop him from using the situation to his advantage.

"Honestly, what would Kyoko-chan say, if I told her, that her great sempai was skipping sleep, because he disregarded the time in favor of a script." He scolded, purposefully bringing Kyoko into the equation to both measure for a reaction, and punish Ren for his carelessness. Ren did quite noticeably flinch and Yashiro sighed again, taking the meddlers seat as he berated him.

"You… Whatever you've done now, you may not be able to come back from. Honestly, I leave you alone with her 10 minutes, and now she's running away from the both of us, like we're serial rapists." Ren flinched once again, and Yashiro became extremely terrified at it.

"Oh GOD, you didn't-?!" Ren cut him off, slamming his head down into his hands, which laid on the steering wheel, and succeeding at triggering the horn.

"No!" the loud denial was still audible over the horn, and as his charge jumped away from the wheel and kept his face hidden in a hand, he could tell that a blush colored his cheeks. Yashiro, had to believe the man, it wasn't as if he thought Ren was capable of assaulting anyone…well no, he came pretty close with the Fuwa incident the other day. In any case, he didn't think the man capable of THAT assault. This was clearly true in the oddly pure response he got out of the blushing Casanova.

"Ah… then what did occur between you and Kyoko-chan?" He asked purposefully in a still skeptic voice, to give Ren the illusion that he still doubted him. His charges posture changed, and he clearly took offense, as his shoulders rose, and his posture straightened he unknowingly blurted out the truth.

"For God sake, I only kissed her on the cheek, it's not as if I could've molested her in the dressing room!" Yashiro froze in his seat, a slow forming grin over taking his face. His charge had just inadvertently admitted to thinking, if not fantasizing of molesting little Kyoko-chan, to some other degree. He wanted badly to cackle out front at the delicious stroke of karma the man in the seat next to him suffered, as he realized the implications of his own words and slapped a hand to his forehead. He almost did when Ren turned to him and glared a spiteful glare, knowing he had meant for Ren to admit to what he'd done, and in turn had gotten even more juicy details. The car was silent as Yashiro grinned smugly and Ren glared, with an extremely aggravated aura.

"Not a word, Yashiro-san…not a word." Ren finally sighed as Yashiro, was close to tears in holding his laughter in. A chuckle burst from the small man and he pointed a mocking finger at Ren.

"Really, your image doesn't match you in the slightest." He would've thought, his charge well versed with love and the like…but apparently that old saying about books came in handy here.

"What do you mean?" Ren's sudden curiosity nagged at him.

"Ah…nothing. So Kyoko-chan's composure crumbled at a little kiss. You should be proud Ren, you've effectively lived up to your co-star killer title." Yashiro showed a bit of pride in the well-played tactic his charge had executed, intentional or not, he'd erased the annoyance that was Fuwa Shou from Kyoko-chan's mind. However, it seems Ren himself did not. Another sigh sounded through the car as Ren slumped over the wheel and submitted to his manager's nosy ways.

"It's not like that… I've scared her off more than anything; she won't even pick up my phone calls. You saw how quick she was to scurry away at the end of the shoot yesterday." Yashiro stared in amazement at his charge… he really knew absolutely nothing about women.

"Ah, Ren, I don't think that's wh-"

Knock

The sudden tap to Ren's window alerted them both to the small head of brown curls that peered through said window at them. Maria giggled at both of their surprised looks, and she tapped the window once more. The window rolled down and she hugged Ren through the opening exclaiming in happiness.

"Ojisan was wondering where you two were, even though he was told that your car got here 20 minutes ago." Maria explained as she let go of Ren but proceeded in latching onto his hand as soon as he stepped from the car.

"Ah, Gomen I would've hurried up if I'd known you were waiting as well." Ren smiled at the girl, he really was fond of the child. Even more so now because of her personality resembling that of the girl he was in love with. Maria gave him a skeptical turn of the head as they ascended the stairs to the main foyer and tugged a small hand on his jacket. He turned to her and let out a friendly "hmm?"

"Ren-sama… do you know why nee-san doesn't feel well?" Ren jolted at that, and Yashiro did as well from a distance behind them. He was on alert all at once, expecting something fairly critical to be getting the worried look from Maria.

"Ah, What do you mean?" He masked the intensity in his voice with a fairly decent nonchalance. Maria, hesitated a moment, before responding.

"It's just; Nee-san came by today too, but she got here by a company car…so I thought she'd wait for you here, with me to get a ride back, but she left almost as soon as she was done. She looked tired… and when I told her she should stay and wait for you, she got this weird look on her face and her entire head and neck turned REALLY red!! Sniffles Nee-san…nee-san- nee-san isn't going to DIE RIGHT?!?" The girl before him burst into tears and he couldn't help but worry more on just how "Nee-san" had planned to get home, regardless he leaned down and patted the crying girl on the head consoling her, and assuring her that Kyoko would be fine, as she had said, she was probably just tired from the day, and whatever the president had talked with her about. As an after thought he made a mental note to question the old man on what he was bothering her with now. But Maria didn't seem to calm at his consoling and, she looked to him with wide eyes, as crocodile tears welled in her eyes.

"B-bbb-but That's not it!!! When Nee-san went to leave, a black car pulled up to the house, she looked really scary when a blonde guy got out; Nee-san didn't talk, but when she moved around him, he grabbed her, they started yelling, and then he whispered something at her, she looked really scared! And then the strange blond man took her away!!!" Maria sobbed again as she retold the events, happening not too long ago. Ren immediately identified the strange blonde man, as well as Yashiro, who had caught up. Both mutually distressed with this new knews… but neither had any chance to leave, seeing as Ren still had a meeting and Yashiro didn't have a driver's license, not to mention neither of them knew a location to where the two had gone off to. Maria sobbed harder as she caught sight of both of their growing anxiousness, and Ren started at this.

"SEE! I knew it!! I knew I should've gotten Pablo to shoot him! It's all Jiji's fault!" Before Ren could even ask, Maria scurried away and a moment later a loud slam was heard. Yashiro sighed and moved toward the stairs intent on getting the meeting done as soon as possible. Ren following suit moved from the place at the base of the stairs and cleared his hostility from his features.

"Ah, Ren… You're late." Lory said in an entirely too cheerful voice for his previous phone call, as both Ren and Yashiro entered his home office. Ren sat down in the chair opposite Lory's and Yashiro sat in a corner table by a window out looking the president's courtyard and estate. As Ren sat, the cheerfulness left Lory, in favor of a more serious tone.

"And I see you've made my precious granddaughter cry." Lory glared lightly at Ren and before Ren could say anything a knock resounded at the door bringing forth a short tanned teen completely clad in black.

"Presidente… la blanco ahora está en un restaurante próximo.

Los coordenadas que usted pedido…"* The small Hispanic- from what Ren could now infer- boy said as he handed a slip of paper to Lory steeping back from the desk, as soon as the paper left his hand.

"Ah, Gracias Pablo. Bueno trabajo." Pablo bowed respectfully and left the room as response. Lory re-fixed his eyes on Ren as he acquired a small navigational system from his desk, typing in an address.

"As I was saying… The one responsible for Maria's tears would be you…should've let Pablo shoot him." Ren added as a grumbled after thought. Lory caught this and a shit-eating grin donned his face as he taunted.

"Now, then that wouldn't been any fun, now would it Ren." Before Ren could get angry at this comment, Lory slapped down the navigational device and slid it to Ren. "I've taken precaution… I'm well aware there is something wrong with that Fuwa being as audacious to show up here of all places." Ren nodded silently as he took the offered device and stood to leave immediately, however Lory stopped him, with another offered object. The envelops were getting to be a bit much, he had already received several including the one he now had in hand.

"That's, regarding your new job… I won't say much, though I want you to be mindful of this particular job and keep an eye on Mogami-kun, this will be very difficult, more so since it is such a demanding debut." The words sent a shock through Ren, and Lory realized his slip almost immediately, but sought not to cover it up again, it was better this way.

"Mogami-kun will be co-staring, along with her partner, Kotonami-san… although I can't tell you who she'll be playing, I will grant you this much." Ren nodded once again taking the information in slowly and not deciding whether he was happy with the chance to see her constantly or hesitant to their awkward situation as of then. Disregarding that, Ren turned to Lory and gave a low bow, turning and wasting no time in exiting, he could hear the president call after him as he left the office, envelope in hand, and Yashiro at his heels.

"Be careful." The odd warning rung through his subconscious as the previous nights readings came to the forefront of his mind, and the cold pit of something dreadful hit him square in the stomach; a certain excerpt came to mind

Provocatively breathy moans filled the apices of the moments passion and a core of sinful greed was all that evoked him into the tight heat, over and over. He knew what he was doing was wrong, and yet he didn't care… He couldn't care. The skin pressing slick and heated against his own flesh held an intoxication so great he lost himself before he could try to reign in the right and wrong of the situation.

"Miru"

The slow, rhythmic creak of the small bed below them and the harsh panting elicited by the small body underneath him… it was worse than intoxication, it was inebriation.

Yes…this would be a difficult job indeed.

"What do you want?" The question was simple enough in terms of normal situations; however with the intensity of Kyoko's concentrated hatred bearing down on him, Shou honestly had to ask himself the same. What had he come here for? Retracing the sequence of events leading up to this. Ah, Because that bastard did something-

"-to you!" Shou unknowingly blurted the part out. Kyoko, clearly confused with this, furrowed her brow and slapped down the menu in front of her. After her initial refusal to his demand that they talk, she realized it was better they get whatever they had to settled before work came into play, this of course was thanks to some forced consideration on Shou's part. During the meetings and promotion they needed to be civil at the least, toward each other, and taking that into account she was strictly incoherent to anything pertaining to what had occurred between them the day before. If she didn't think, or acknowledge that kiss it didn't happen, in fact it wasn't even a kiss. She smiled smugly remembering Ren's advice to her, but in turn that triggered a recount of the previous event between them. She shook her head furiously as a blush threatened to stain her cheeks. This is bad

"What are you blabbering about? Are you sick in the head?" She questioned Shou, attempting to refocus on whatever it was he'd been trying to say. Shou, wasn't as oblivious to her lack of focus as she'd have liked and unfortunately for her he seemed to know exactly what she had been thinking of.

"What did he do to you?" Shou's hostility to the man seeped into the core of the question, making the inquiry more of a declaration of hatred. Kyoko averted her gaze completely, and the blush that stained her cheeks infuriated him.

"What goes on between Tsuruga-san and I is none of you're concern, let alone of interest to you." Kyoko was being oddly timid with this answer, clearly denoting that against Shou's hope, something had happened.

"It IS of my interest, so fucking tell me!" His anger was boiling over and as the demanding response made contact with the already cataclysmic atmosphere it acted as a catalyst, sparking fire.

"Regardless, of your own concerns Fuwa-san, I have no recollection of owing anything to that of your own personal satisfactions." The cold response it generated from her was of a much more vicious nature than any angered response, the clear cut tone used, almost like a knife cutting him from her in any personal fashion, the sting was much greater, than any insult. As she moved to get up from the booth, slapping down her money for a tip, not even having eaten anything, Shou felt what little control he'd gained over her slip from his fingers at this and his own control along with it. Shou fisted his menu in a strong hand, crumpling the thick material, and gritting his teeth, his hand shot out as Kyoko moved to pass him, seizing her wrist and yanking her toward him in a swift motion. Kyoko, losing balance, ended up to her own disgust, almost completely on the bastards lap, and with no way around the detestable appendage coiled along her waist, she sat still, waiting for the bastard to release his hold. He didn't, though, and the grip he possessed on her wrist tightened, causing her to wince painfully. Shou ignored this as he glared his fury into her, but with no outward response to this, his anger doubled, and finally he couldn't take it. He pulled her wrist high, dragging her unwilling body closer to him and he entrapped the other behind her back in a conveniently immobilizing position. He glared into the suddenly alerted pools of amber, the spark of pure hatred he saw there, satisfying him to an extent, before it once again disappeared, out shadowed by a bigger emotion that somewhat disturbingly excited him… fear.

Kyoko was just starting to realize the situation she had once again gotten herself into. She had promised Ren that she wouldn't let her chastity be compromised in any manner again, and already she was being halfhearted in this approach. The fear encompassed her, at the thought of losing Ren anymore then she might have already, thanks to her cowardly avoidance. She struggled then, to free herself from the annoyance below her. Very easily she slipped her thin wrist from behind her with a slight shift of weight, and she would've been free, had he not seized the freed arm immediately and brought it to the same height as her other. He grinned in her face, as her struggle with him was fruitless, she was a girl after all, no matter how strong; she couldn't fight against Shou seriously. That pissed her off, her inferiority to someone so vile, just pissed her off. She removed the fear from her posture as well as any type of interpersonal feeling and glared hard, her Mio surfacing again.

"Fuwa-san, kindly release me, I don't see fit to be entangled in any type of situation with the likes of you." Her cold monotone voice was laced with a deep rage, but the formal speech weighed it out, and again Shou's temper flared.

"Tell me, and I'll let you go." Her response to this was a blatant disregard to his offer.

"Why do you care?" His rage peaked at this, because he couldn't answer this… and she knew that. He didn't have any right to know; he shouldn't even care… but he did. Shou's iron grip tightened down another notch and Kyoko gasped in pain as he pulled her up farther bringing her flush against him, he glared into her eyes as a spiteful sneer overtook his face.

"Tell me, Kyoko, did he fuck you in his dressing room?" The reaction was completely dead shock. Kyoko's face lost all expression, as the weight of what Shou had actually just said. Her entire body reacted as if the vulgar word he'd uttered was an electric current, paralyzing her. She was in a comatose like state as Shou chuckled darkly, his rage bubbling just below the jealous laughter.

"Is that what you're so afraid of saying, hmmm? That he took you into his room and had his fun with you? Honestly, I never thought you'd be so hasty to give it up." His words cut like a saw through butter… complete overkill. None of what he was saying held any truth, but the tone and nature of them was smarting. Just enough to restart her body and cause the rage daunting just on the edge of her mind to reposition itself in her veins, igniting them like the swift lick of fire. She trembled as he inclined his head towards her, moving in towards her ear.

"Hmm, well if you're so easy that you'd do something like fucking in a dressing room, you won't mind repeating the process for me." With that statement the fire in her veins extinguished in favor of a more prominent dead cold. Fear clouded her eyes as the statement settled in. She didn't have time to react as Shou forced her down onto the cushion of the lengthy seat. She struggled fruitlessly as a disturbing glint flashed dangerously from Shou's gaze and the fear, turned into a paralytic terror. She'd experienced this before… No not her, but she'd… she'd- Kyoko's body went slack as her head rested against her chest, releasing all pressure from around Shou's hands. Shou, surprised at this, inclined his head once again.

"You giving in? That's good, it's time you realize I don't like to share what's mine." The line came out exactly how he'd intended it too, owing no affection from himself, but the response following from Kyoko was disturbing.

She smiled.

Kyoko herself felt the darkness of her own subconscious seep around her like a gooey, membranous skin, completely engulfing her. She'd been hear before, the place where her others sat waiting for an opportunity to take the seat of consciousness. Words sounded around her "…realize… share…mine" brief sound bites were all she made out but with each word a pulse, starting out faint became stronger. And as the beating pulses came to an apex a young girl resembling her, but with a grinning insanity stepped forward and into her space, into herself. Kyoko dully realized that this was neither Bo, Mio, or Natsu, and as a hazy like sleep came over her, she realized who it must've been.

Naomi…

"Would you be able to live with yourself if you raped me?" The giggling response from the previously petrified girl, was a disturbing shock as Shou gazed down at a woman he held no familiarity to. She was Kyoko, but there was a eaten out hollowness in her eyes and a misplaced wide grin stretching her full lips. All of a sudden, he could feel the blood leave his features, with the odd premonition that this was dangerous… she was dangerous. Shou however was arrogant and headstrong so in all his stupidity he grinned and pressed forward, pinning her hands down again and whispering against her lips.

"It's won't be rape, if your screaming my name halfway through." He leaned to in to close the last few inches, but something wasn't right. There was a shift in the manner in which she laid there, and Shou realized a second too late that she'd gotten a hand free as it slammed, hard in a fist against his temple, momentarily blinding him. He staggered backwards onto the seat behind him as she climbed from below him and reversed their situation straddling his hips and bringing the steak knife from a set of utensils on the table to his waist.

"Tell me, and it won't be murder if you're only screaming half the time… Right?" The insanity pooling sickly in her excited eyes, a lit a fear deeper than what he'd just caused. He shivered as the girl above him brought the knife up to tap against his face in a playful manner.

"Hmmm, or should I just cut your prick off, and have you play with it yourself?" The words were like knives to the ears as they seeped from the mouth of the one genuinely pure girl known to him. Shou didn't know what was happening, but he was all to quickly tremebling at the hands of this woman, he knew it wasn't Kyoko though, it couldn't be. As she trailed the knife lower on his body, he began to panic.

" Kyoko, stop." The knife traveled ever lower.

"S-stop!" She had the button to his jeans twisted in her fingers.

"ky-" They were unbuttoned-

"KYOKO!" He practically screamed, grabbing the knife from her grasp, and pulling himself up, he held her face in his hands and he couldn't understand why but, tears ran rampant down her cheeks. He swiped and swiped at the tears trailing down her face, trying to will away the complete motionlessness that encased her body The vacant look in her eyes wasn't leaving. So he continued to call her name out. Finally the crystalline amber returned and Kyoko sat upright in a bolt as if she'd woken up, the girl present before, leaving in a rush. She gazed at him startled at his close proximity and a baleful frown tainting her pretty features. Kyoko didn't fully understand what had just occurred between them, but she knew he was touching her the most that he had. She pushed her thin arms between them and wrenched herself away from the clinging man. He made no movement to catch her again; his vehement fury already dispersed from his body, and a bit of horror setting in for what he had almost done. More important though was Kyoko. He turned to the now standing girl and in a much calmer fashion slipped a hand around her wrist, stilling her from buttoning up her jacket. The hazy glint still remained in her eyes, at the corners of her posture, waiting to rear its ugly head. Shou proceeded with caution as he looked away from her petulant gaze, his voice a mere whisper to them both.

" I... I didn't mean to... I just-I 'm sorry." The uncertainty in his low quivering voice stilled the atmosphere around them, Kyoko made no movement as his apology lingered in the stagnant air. Then, just as Shou looked up to her, attempting to gauge her reaction a swift current of air came down on his cheek followed by a resounding slap that echoed in the small private booth. Shou felt the sting in his cheek throb with an unprecedented pain and he winced as he turned his head back toward the copper haired girl wrapping her arms around herself to quell her body's movement. The shivering racking her body was so much more obvious, as she attempted to squeeze into herself. He couldn't see her expression with the feathery copper tufts shadowing her eye sight and although he knew he should be angry, he should be yelling and raging about her assault, but a feeling of tremendous frailty coming off the girl stopped him. Kyoko opened her mouth and took a breath of air, feeling it shudder past her lungs and not quite understanding why it caught painfully in her throat, clogging it like a bad cold. She repeated the process as she spoke.

"Since you're an idiot, who doesn't listen I'll remind you again. My life is my own. I don't contend to satisfy others anymore Shotarou… you can say all you'd like about me, but do not insult my Sempai!" The last of her words came out significantly more passionate than the first half and as they left her mouth the clenching in her throat became unbearable. Kyoko turned, quick on her heels as a ragged gasping noise escaped her and fled, she saw absolutely zero benefit from letting the asshole see her this vulnerable… it was just weak. Despite her hearing his voice momentarily calling after her, it faded quickly as she exited the building containing the restaurant they had been at and by the time she reached the opposite street she could no longer hear anything but the rush of passing cars and staccato clack of heels against the pavement around her. This is what she loved about the city, which had an oddly similar effect as the forest in Kyoto.

Both here and there, she could become lost in the background hum of life. Whether it be the endless beat of footsteps around her that engulfed her in the crowd, taking her God knows where, or the rushing water that drowned out her sobs as a child, the effect was the same. Here she could run blindly through this crowd with tears streaming down her face, and no one would be there to question her or worry, or hurt her, but Kyoko knew that wasn't good, because despite the seclusion helping her to feel at ease in letting her emotions go, she also knew it to be a lonely place. At lest without him, it was-

Suddenly her wrist was seized and pulled backward against her forward direction, causing her to lose balance, she turned half ready to slug Shou in the jaw, but it wasn't-

"Kyoko…" The voice was enough to numb her senses… dread coursed through her…

why was he here?

agh to tired to say anything.

Mappy Chrikuazukkah!

XD

2.5 will be out tommorow. look forward to it. :)

SID