04: Hate
The sound echoed through the conference room. Kuon could feel a piercing, hot stinging sensation rippling through his left cheek. Clicking his tongue, he slowly turned his face to her and tried to ignore the unfamiliar pain that plagued him. He opened his mouth once again, but instead of sly flirty remark, he had other words for the woman.
"How dare you?" She snapped angrily, cutting him silent for a second time. "You bastard!" Kyoko shouted.
Kuon leaned back in his chair, and despite himself, he began to smirk. "Don't pretend like you didn't enjoy it, Kyoko-kun," he teased. "The way you worked that cherry colored tongue of yours, I'd say you wouldn't mind another taste."
Her mouth fell open at the audacity of his words. Shoving into a stance, Kyoko towered over him, her petite hands balling tightly at her sides. "Just who the hell do you think you are?" She quipped fumingly. "You heard me call his name. You should've corrected me, not take advantage of the situation!"
Kuon smoothly found his feet as well and now towered over the short actress. He slipped his hands into his front pockets and snickered. "You're a beautiful woman. I took advantage of you because I had an opportunity to do it. What's funny is that you're standing here yelling at me, when you are just as guilty."
"Excuse me?!" Kyoko practically shrieked.
Bringing his face to hers, he dropped his voice and glanced hungrily to her round little mouth. "Ren has black hair and this uncanny habit of dressing like a slithering lawyer. I have blonde hair and an irrefutable charm that my brother lacks. Yet you made out with me anyway."
Slamming her palms against his chest, Kyoko shoved the foreigner from her face. "I thought that Ren was—" Stopping at a sudden realization, she tossed her hands up and shook her head. "No. I don't have to explain myself to an ass like you!" Quickly gathering her things, she stepped away from the desk and began her trek to the conference room doors. As her manicured fingers reached for the knob, a large hand smacked against the wood, holding the wooden barrier securely in place. Glancing over her shoulder, she clenched her teeth and yelled to him, aggravation rising. "What the hell are you doing? Let me go, you crazy person!"
Taking her bicep in his free hand, he forced her around and pressed her back to the door. Pinning her back helplessly, Kuon lightly brushed his lips against hers. "You are quite a remarkable woman, Kyoko-kun," he whispered to her, his breath heavy and erotic.
Kyoko could feel her heart skip as her body flooded with an arousing heat. Gritting her teeth even more, she could feel a sharp pain in her jaw.
Kuon unexpectedly looked into her eyes, drawing her full attention. Seeing the lovely honeyed hues of her irises, he felt himself drowning in their depths. "Shall you tell him about our little kiss, or shall I?" The pressure of his lips upon hers lifted slightly. "Or should we just keep it our dirty little secret?" he flouted.
With those taunting words, her attraction was replaced with hatred unlike anything she had ever felt before, even that which she felt for Fuwa Shotaro. That's it, she thought immediately, a bright light going off in her head. As Kyoko tried to wring herself free of him, she quickly gauged that the relationship between Ren and Kuon was anything short of peachy. Thinking rather hastily, she began to snicker.
Pulling back, he regarded her curiously. "Don't tell me you're going insane? I know I'm a great kisser, but damn—"
"You're pathetic," Kyoko interrupted rudely.
Kuon fell silent, eyes narrowing at the prey in his claws.
"It's sad when you have to resort to such petty tactics just to get under your brother's skin. What's wrong? Daddy didn't give a damn when you were younger?" Kyoko watched his expression visibly change from amusement into one of hurt and anger. Just like that the actress felt utterly horrible for saying something so bitchy. Her painted lips opened to apologize, but she was further silenced when he roughly released her and stepped back towards the table.
"My, my. You really are perfect for my brother," he muttered with distaste. Recognizing the apology that was come, Kuon kept talking. "Why don't you leave before I do something more damaging than a simple kiss?"
Closing her mouth, Kyoko swallowed and quietly turned around. Her hand settled on the knob as she hesitated, but the actress knew that this would be for the best. She could tell that Kuon's presence had some sort of negative affect on her beau. It would be better for everyone involved for her to keep her space. Turning the open she swung the door open.
"Just so you know," Kuon called out behind her. When she looked back at him, he was leaning up against the table with his arms folded across his chest. "Ren isn't everything you think he is. He has a dark side you should be wary of." Pushing off the table, Kuon strode up to Kyoko. With one last moment of locked eyes and racing hearts, he stepped past her and left her to her solitude.
Forty-five minutes later, Kyoko sat beside Ren in his white Porsche GT3 as he raced down the surface streets, heading for his apartment. After the director had departed, Lory and Ren had a rather uncomfortable discussion about the Hizuri sibling blowing back into town. Thankfully Lory Takarada is a man of stature and contacts. He was able to completely re-arrange not only Ren's normally busy schedule, but also Kyoko's.
Stealing a look at his beloved, Ren could feel his heart tighten inside of him. She looked out the passenger window, her head propped up with her hand. The actor could see her lost-thought stare and for the first time in many months, he felt afraid.
As he pulled up to a red light, he squeezed the steering wheel and found the courage to speak first. "Please, say something," he muttered quietly, kicking himself for being so doleful. When he received silence, he turned his face to her again. "Kyoko?"
Startled, she gave him her attention and sat up straighter. "Yes, Ren?"
Their eyes met in a moment of tense awkwardness. Returning his eyes to the road, he shifted into first gear and peeled out as soon as the light turned green. The wordless company continued to stretch as Ren parked his car. They strode into the elevators and walked down the hallway to the apartment's door. As the actor unlocked the door, Kyoko started to take a step back.
Ren walked inside and realized that his girlfriend was not following suit. Quickly going back to the hallway, he found her escaping to the elevators. The fear that blanketed him grew blacker. Chasing her, he managed to crawl into the small space right as the doors closed. Hitting the large red button to halt its course, Ren cornered Kyoko. "Where are you going?" He asked simply.
"I…" she began, but found no reasonable lies in mind. Shifting her gaze from him, Kyoko licked her lips. "I should really go finish my LoveMe work—"
"Stop that," Ren interrupted sternly. When she didn't look at him, his chest stiffened further. "Just stop running from me, Kyoko."
Closing her eyes, she fought the guilt-drenched tears that threatened release. "Please, Ren. I just need some space."
"And just like that, you're just going to walk out?" Ren roared vulnerably.
Alarmed by the unusual emotion in his tone, Kyoko finally looked into his eyes. Her soft mouth fell open. "Ren…?"
Pressing his hands to walls on either side of her face, Japan's number one bowed his head and sighed greatly. "I'm sorry. I should've told you about him. I didn't mean to betray you like this."
Shaking her head, Kyoko let her bag drop to the floor so she could wrap her hands around his neck, where she affectionately stroked the tips of his long black hair. Why are you apologizing? I'm the one that messed up, Ren… her mind screamed agonizingly. I'm the one who betrayed you…
Defeated, his lifted his chin and regarded her with a desperation that she had never seen. "Please, come back inside. Let me explain everything to you. Please, Kyoko."
Sliding her hand around, she pressed her fingertips to his lips. A glistening tear fell from her eye rolling down her cheek, leaving a pale trail in her pristine makeup. "There's something I need to tell you first."
Kuon unlocked the door to his spacious studio apartment. As he skipped down the three steps from the foyer to the living room, he threw his bag onto the floor and his keys onto the wooden coffee table. Stripping off the leather coat, he tossed it onto the couch and made his way to the back right of the apartment where his bedroom area was.
As he reached the king size bed, he saw that the figure he had left there last night remained comfortably sleeping. Snickering, he unbuttoned and unzipped his pants as he walked over to her side of the bed. Sitting down on the edge, he peeled the sheet and lasciviously admired her naked back.
"About time," she mewled in British accented English. The young woman rolled onto her back and grinned sensuously to the Hizuri twin. "I've missed you."
Leaning down, he kissed her passionately. "I'm sure you only missed certain parts of me," He teased, making her giggle cutely.
"So, where did you run off to?" She inquired, pulling herself into a sitting position. The sheet dropped down to her thighs, revealing beautiful, C-sized breasts with dark cocoa nipples. They were round and a portrait of perfection. Her caramel brown skin had a lovely dewy sheen to it. Long, dark brown hair fell in an erotic tasseled mess around her shoulders.
Kuon looked into her large, almond shaped grey eyes and smirked handsomely. He admired the definition of her jaw and cheeks, the brown Cara Delevigne eyebrows that enhanced her full lashed stare, and natural strawberry pink color of her full lips. "Have I told you how beautiful you look when you're so very naked?" He flirted, leaning closer. Hooking his hand around her neck, the American kissed her like a starving, ravenous animal.
Perfectly manicure, black nails quickly grabbed the edges of his cotton shirt and shoved him away. "Nothing for you until you tell me what you've been up to."
Sighing, Kuon laid back onto the bed with a plop. Entwining his hands, he pillowed his head and stared at the beams of his apartment. "I went to see my brother," He finally confessed.
"Bullshit!" She rang out with shock. When he glared at her with mild irritation, she laughed harmoniously. "Well, do tell darling! I must know all the details!" Shoving the sheet aside, she laid down beside him, head propped up with her slender hands.
"Oh Kaila, can't we just fuck and forget about that tyrant?" Kuon begged cutely, switching back to Japanese.
She shook her head.
He pouted.
She laughed.
He groaned.
"Fine, fine. I paid him a visit last night. I just wanted to see if he really had become what everyone makes him out to be." Kuon began talking candidly, lowering his voice as he ruminated over the past 24 hours. "It was a very good thing that I decided to just drop in unannounced." Turning his head, he looked smugly into her sparkling grey eyes. "He has a weakness, Kaila. One that I can exploit the shit out of."
"Uh-oh," she muttered, lying flat upon her back to match her lover. "Why do I have the feeling it's a woman?"
Kuon chuckled.
"Ah, so it is!" Kaila shouted victoriously.
"She's definitely an interesting one, this woman."
Kaila sat up and looked down at the devilishly handsome Hizuri. "You better careful, darling. Don't go falling in love with the enemy." When he didn't respond, she cocked a brow with a snort. "What am I saying? As if Hizuri Kuon even knows the bloody word."
Wrestling her back down to the bed, Kuon crawled on top of her and kissed her keenly, picturing Kyoko in his mind. After the moment passed, he continued. "She is one helluva kisser, I'll admit that. But she's far from being love worthy. I can't wait to break that one."
Laughing, Kaila wrapped her arms around his neck. "You must really hate him to go through this effort."
"I'm just sick and tired of taking the blame for his sins. I've always been labeled the 'evil twin' when all I've ever done is protect him. I just think it's time to make him realize who the 'evil' one truly is."
"Lemme guess, you're going to want my help with it?" She guessed in a jesting manner.
"Well, of course, darling," he mocked. "I can't think of anyone better. He's going to lose his shit when he sees you!"
Ren looked into the glass of amber in his hand. He swirled the liquid around and around as he listened to Kyoko speak. When she was finished, he quickly found his throat to be extremely parched. Lifting the glass to his mouth, he downed the double shot of bourbon. Adrenaline coursed through his veins with the mounting intoxication. Shoving into a stance, he found his fingers tightening around the crystal.
Kyoko stood up beside him and extended a hand out to him, but it never met its course. Turning around abruptly, he threw the glass clear across the room, where it shattered upon the wall. Tiny, gleaming shards went flying this way and that. The actress shrieked and sat back down.
Raking his hair back, Ren exhaled loudly. "I'm sorry," he finally spoke in a soft tone simmering with fury. Turning to his girlfriend, he knelt before her and rested his forehead into her lap. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to frighten you."
Reluctantly, Kyoko stroked his hair. "You have every right to be upset, Ren. What I did was unforgiveable."
"No, Kyoko." Absorbing the situation that was explained to him, Tsuruga knew that the only real person to blame in all of this was that bastard look-a-like that was now roaming the streets of Tokyo. Raising his eyes to hers, he forced a strained smile. "I don't blame you, or hold you responsible. I can't. For one, I never even told you that he existed. Second, you said you called my name. He chose to take advantage of you. He is the only one responsible for what happened." She palmed his cheek and he quickly grasped it, holding it close. "I'm sorry that I'm angry. He makes into something that I'm not proud of."
Sliding off the couch, Kyoko joined her boyfriend on the carpeted floors, kicking her legs into his lap. "I always thought that twins were really close to one another."
"Yeah right," Ren ridiculed. "We are about as close to each other as heaven and hell." Hunching forward, he rested his forehead upon her shoulder and pulled her body into his arms. "My brother and I have never been close. Ever since we were little, he has wanted to destroy me. He hates me, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't feel the same to some regard."
Sinking her hands into his hair, Kyoko tugged lightly causing him to look at her. "You guys are family, surely there is some way you can absolve your relationship?" Ren said nothing and her heart wilted. "Just what did he do to you, Ren?"
"I…" He opened his mouth to answer automatically, naturally. It still amazed him how comfortable he was becoming with Kyoko more and more with each passing day. In a way, it also made him terribly scared. The more that he opened up to her, the more vulnerable that he would appear before her. Is that even something she wants? Or did she want the calm, collected Tsuruga he pretended to be to the world that didn't really care?
"Ren?" Kyoko repeated, lightly caressing his nape. "What is it?"
"Talking about Kuon, let's just say that it's not a topic that comes easily to me. I just want to ignore my past, at least for a little while longer. Is that okay? Am I asking too much of you?"
Smiling compassionately, Kyoko shook her head. "Absolutely not. Don't force it. When you're ready, I'll be here."
Ren kissed Kyoko with all of the love that he could muster. That love quickly turned to passion and then finally possession as he pictured his brother doing the same. They parted, panting. "I love you, Kyoko." Before she could reply, he laid her down upon the carpet and began to hike up her skirt. Slipping his fingers in between her thighs, he yanked the panties aside and drove his digits inside of her.
She moaned and writhed. A large part of Kyoko didn't want to do this. She wanted to just hold him and comfort him in intimate ways that didn't involve sex. But she also knew his temper and how jealous Ren could be. Recognizing that this was something he needed more than anything, she unclasped the restraints holding her at bay and gave herself willingly to his bidding.
