Again, so much thanks to all those who followed, favourited and reviewed. Thanks to my little sis, tophwannabe, for giving this a quick read over... there may be some mistakes as I wrote it very quickly with a little bit of editing.
(88)
Recap: Lory has put into action damage control regarding the revelation of the shower scene. He tells Ren he can't keep scaring off Kyoko's suitors. It's dinner time, and Sho is dying to confront Kyoko, as is Murasame.
(88)
"Mo, I still cannot believe you were a part of such a big and weird project!" Kanae exclaimed quietly to Kyoko as she dunked a thin Belgian biscuit into her café-au-lait.
"Mm, well, being a member of the Love Me Section, I'm kind of ready for odd missions – like when I cooked for Mr. Hizuri." Kyoko replied. "It was like that, but for my sempai."
"Mm. Still. It's the most bizarre Love Me mission to date, I think." Kanae said. She kept her expression calm, but she was scrutinizing Kyoko's reactions for anything odd. She was determined to make sure her friend was alright with all that had happened. "So, you really walked in on him?"
Kyoko only sputtered slightly, and with all the chatter around them, few people noticed. "Err, y-yes. But honestly, Moko, I thought he was drowning! He'd been a little odd that day, and he was over forty minutes in there!"
"Mo! I understand, I understand – you weren't trying to get a peek at his junk!"
Kyoko went red, and her mouth flapped open and shut in astonishment. "I-I-I! I!"
Kanae waved her hand dismissively. She leaned into Kyoko and in low tones asked, "look, nothing you didn't want to happen happened, right?"
"Well, no," she replied with a furrowed brow.
"But something did happen...?" Kanae pressed.
"A few odd things, but not like what you're thinking, Moko," Kyoko clarified. "Um, could we discuss this later? I'm not comfortable talking about it here."
"Of course! Mo, if you prefer, after this do, we could go for coffee somewhere and talk."
"Mo-! Mo-! Mooookoooo! Oh my goodness!" Kyoko exclaimed with ecstatic delight. "I truly am a dear friend to you! Late night coffee meetups for girl talk!"
Kanae tried to wrench her hands from Kyoko's clasp without drawing much more attention (the few who knew Kyoko well smiled to themselves, whereas others gave her a disturbed look). "Mo! Yes! But if you keep acting like this at every little thing, I'm going to stop!"
"Right! Will do so, Moko!" Kyoko saluted, thus freeing Kanae's hands.
A tidal wave of press had shuffled over to the table – the majority were around Ren, and a few more were pushing their microphones under Kyoko's nose. Ren had his gentle smile on, and Kyoko tried to follow his lead with her own polite one, but it was still rather annoying. Both she and Ren accepted a few more questions, before the President interrupted, asking the reporters to leave the table as the diners were not yet finished their meals. After they had departed, he warned Ren and Kyoko that once they left the dining table, they would be free game for the press to approach.
Frankly, Kyoko was a little unsettled by all the attention from the reporters – it wasn't in as controlled an environment as a press release, and there were more interviewers than for just one magazine or television piece. Still, once she stood with Kanae in a corner of the room and was swamped with bodies, she still smiled and waved Kanae off to have fun. Kanae departed with a dubious look, but left Kyoko, though she stayed within view, should Kyoko need assistance.
Kyoko answered the barrage of questions as best she could, given the speed they were coming at her and how quickly they moved from various events and topics. So far, none had broached the topic of Kyoko walking in on Ren's bath time, though they had asked about the uncomfortable topic of Ren-as-Cain's behaviour on set. She kept her answers short and polite, with a bright smile. But the questions kept coming, most were repetitive, and with a crowd of bodies so close, the oxygen was being stolen by those screaming the questions at her – not too comfortable.
Cool air surrounded her as Sebastian rescued her from the mob, and it was a welcome relief. After thanking him, she was led out of the hall to speak quietly with President Lory, but about what, she did not know.
"Um, President?"
"Ah! Kyoko! Glad for a break, I suppose?"
"Yes, thank you. It was getting a bit hot and claustrophobic," she smiled.
Lory chuckled. "Reporters are a bit eager alright... boundaries tend to be pushed. Anyway, Kyoko, I want to thank you for doing such a great job on this mission – it was a long one, and a lot was required of you."
"Ah! You're welcome. I gained quite a bit of experience on the mission."
"Kyoko, to be exact, I want to commend you on taking care of Ren. I thought he might have issues with this film – what issues, I cannot say, that is Ren's place – and I thought you would be the perfect lucky charm to protect him."
"Lucky charm? Me? B-but I didn't do that mu-"
Lory gave Kyoko a fatherly smile. "Kyoko, please, don't put yourself down. You did a great job and helped Ren to work through this film. You probably made it a lot easier for him – you're his lucky charm, though I think I'd have to wrestle that admonition from him."
Kyoko didn't really know what to say at that point, but she began to wonder if the President knew of Ren's trauma, and knew that issues in the film would result in odd behaviour – if so, had she been sent to keep him safe from himself? Why let Ren work on a film which could have ended his career? And why her?
She decided to ask the last question. "Why me, President?"
"Kyoko, you walked in on Ren Tsuruga in the bath," Kyoko turned red and averted her gaze down, "and you didn't look, take a picture or use it against Ren. You are a kind, conscientious young woman, Kyoko, and you do your tasks well. You would not exploit Ren, you get along well with him, and he holds you in high regard."
"Ts-tsuruga h-holds me... in high regard?" This time, a softer blush from the flattery dusked the cheeks beneath her dewy eyes.
"Yes. Did he not listen to you, and react as you asked during this mission?" She nodded. "I don't know the exact status of your relationship with Ren, but I think he considers you a friend, not just as his kohai."
Kyoko was a little uncomfortable at this point. A lot had happened during her time as Setsu that had her questioning her relationship with Ren and the boundaries between the two. The latest statement from the President confirmed that the relationship had grown closer and that it wasn't just her perspective skewing things. If others could detect the change, and from such little observation, Kyoko was going to have to watch how she acted around Ren from now on – even when it was just the two of them. Having made this decision, she did her best to stop the feeling of disappointment from blooming up in her torso.
"Kyoko, you did a great job," Lory praised. "However, there's a lot of publicity with this job. You are likely to encounter some less than pleasant behaviour from jealous individuals – look out for die-hard fans of Ren. You will need to be careful in how you handle yourself around them – look for help, stay polite, do not get dragged into it. Tomorrow you will meet with Sebastian for some training in how to handle such situations." Kyoko nodded. "As you know, the character of Setsu was cocky and sultry, to which her attire complimented. You need to call me, or anyone else if you are approached by unsavory men."
"Ah, but President," Kyoko interrupted. "It's unlikely they'll bother a girl like me-"
"Kyoko, you need to get rid of that mindset now." Lory said in a deadly serious tone. "Bad things happen to good, plain, and evil people – to all people. Call for help if you need it, or feel like you are in danger. Better safe than sorry."
"Yes, President." She didn't agree with Lory's thought exactly – who would approach her when she was just plain Kyoko? But he did make a good point about bad things happening to all people, even the plain, ordinary ones. Better safe than sorry.
"Now, the last matter to discuss with you tonight," Lory started once more. "Murasame Taira – I've heard that he expressed an interest in Setsu? Led to tension with Cain?"
"Ah, yes." Kyoko confirmed. "I think he was annoyed by how both Heel siblings were reclusive and cold to the staff... He and Cain didn't interact well."
"Do you feel like he is a threat to you?"
"Huh? Ah, I didn't really think of him as one," Kyoko replied honestly. "I was sometimes anxious when he and Cain were together, but I don't think he is a threat to me. Why do you ask?"
"Well, if I've heard correctly, he was a delinquent in his teens. As well as this, he may seek you out to discuss Setsu – perhaps to see if you are like her or not."
Lory watched the young woman before him, and understood Ren's desire to protect her. She was a little too naive regarding others and the potential harm they could do to her... He had thought that with this mission there was little chance of her making ties with others, given how closed off the Heel siblings were meant to be, but there was something about Kyoko that seemed to draw young men in. Lory couldn't quite decide if it was her, her looks or her acting that attracted them. She also seemed to be attracting a few oddballs – Ren, Reino, Sho and now Murasame – and those were the few he knew of. 'There are probably a few more,' he mused for a moment. 'Still, might be best to create a class on how to deal with members of the opposite gender and unwanted attention. The first of its kind at LME – a class in repelling men!" Little did he know that even with these classes, Kyoko would still probably get unwanted attention from some of the weirder ones.
Lory said his goodbyes, leaving Kyoko in the hall. She decided to take a breather and think over what the President had said to her.
'The President said that he thinks Ren sees me as a friend... does he? Or maybe as something more?' She smacked her palm against her forehead. 'Don't be silly, how could the multi-talented, handsome Ren Tsuruga ever see me, his kohai, in such a way? No, not me, not like that...' She threw her head backwards against the wall. 'Stupid! No, he's a professional...'
Her palm rested on her chest, and Kyoko couldn't really explain the pain of such a thought. Thinking she wasn't attractive had never really been this painful before – so what was exacerbating it now? And what about when he was teaching Setsu about leaving a kiss mark... her heart sped up at the memory.
She leaned against the wall, deep in thought, until the door opened into the hall.
(88)
Though it appeared that Ren was mingling with a calm enthusiasm and cheer, underneath it all, he was brooding a little. As a result, his gentleman's smile was out in full force – scaring Yashiro and Kanae a little. But to everyone else, it looked as though he didn't have a worry on him.
However, when he had the chance, he was brooding inside. He could have liked to talk a little more with Kyoko about tonight's revelation, but any idea about that had been crushed when he heard her making an appointment to have coffee with Kanae Kotonami. His mood didn't improve as he saw Kyoko being engulfed by reporters. He wanted so badly to stalk over there and establish a wide personal boundary between them and her, but too much interaction would raise suspicions... He was very much tempted at one point to rescue her regardless, but Sebastian rescued her.
Now Ren was brooding because he was wondering what the hell Lory was saying to Kyoko, and what ideas he was putting in her head. 'If he encourages her to find someone... the whole point of the Love Me Section is to look at love in a positive light. He might make it a mission for her...' It was thoughts like these that blackened Ren's mood, though it was hardly palpable to the strangers around him.
It was then that he realized the President had been quite apt about Ren chasing away suitors from Kyoko, and he began to wonder if he was hindering her from growing. What right had he to chase suitors away from Kyoko? Was he right to? So far, he concluded, he had – Reino was a creepy guy who would not have looked out for Kyoko, even if she had accepted him. And she most certainly deserved better treatment than what she had received from Sho. But, should he keep his nose out of that aspect of her life...?
He had never wanted to heave a sigh more in his life than at that moment. But the smile stayed in place, shining all the more brilliantly.
(88)
Sho was still internally raging at the fact that no reporter had yet approached him, yet Kyoko was being swamped by a mini-mob of dictaphone-wielding reporters. He pretended that he was surveying the room as he stood beside Shoko, who was talking with a veteran actor about his upcoming revenge drama.
The only thing he had to smile about at that moment was that Ren and Kyoko were separated – and it could have just been Sho, but he almost swore that Ren Tsuruga was looking a little tense around the eyes – and did his eyes just flicker over to Kyoko? 'Does he really have feelings for that boring country bumpkin?'
That thought alone had Sho's mind spinning off into a fantasy where he stood lording over a pitiful, weeping Ren, with Kyoko clasping his side as she looked up at him in wonder. 'If he does... and if I win her back...' Little evil demons started spinning around, throwing images of Sho trumping Ren at his minds eye.
His fantasy was quietened by the stunning smile Ren bestowed on a female reporter. 'Maybe I did imagine the tenseness... Pfft! Doubtful a star like him would be interested in Kyoko, no matter how much she dresses herself up. More likely she has feelings for him. But... she denied it so vehemently.'
The circle of his thoughts led to no definite conclusion, and Sho wasn't too interested in rationally thinking the matter through. He cleared through the circle with thoughts of confronting Kyoko, and ensuring that she still belonged to him. He wanted his curiosity about her 'work' with Ren as Setsu satisfied completely – then it would torture him no more.
His attention was drawn once more to Kyoko as an odd man in a weird attire separated her from the group of reporters and took her out to the hall. Quickly striding towards the door, he managed to catch a glimpse of the LME president just before the door closed. 'Why is the president himself calling her out? And about what?'
He plonked himself down in a chair, surveying the door through which he assumed the LME president would return to the room. It was then that two reporters decided that he was worth interviewing.
'Crap, your timing sucks...' he thought angrily, but greeted the duo with a cool smirk.
He answered their less-than-imaginative questions, basically summarizing his speech on stage and what he had said in a prior interview. When asked about his impression of the movie, he kept his answers broad, and refused to mention Ren Tsuruga's name. 'Like hell am I going to take attention from me in my own interview.'
His attention was grabbed by the LME president's powerful strut back into the room, and Sho immediately resented the two interviewing him, delaying his interrogation of Kyoko. He could be missing his only chance to talk to that idiot because of the two idiots in front of him! He quickly toned down his coolness level, becoming less engaged with the reporters and their questions. He sped up the process by excusing himself with a smirk and a cheeky wink.
His stride faltered as he saw a tall, dark head exit the door, heading straight for Kyoko. 'What the-?' Sho couldn't exactly waltz out the door and intimidate Kyoko with that guy there. 'I'd better check this out first.' It was one of the few times in his life where Sho decided to coolly assess the situation first.
So, he headed to the other exit door further down the room, the one that would take him directly into the corridor to the kitchen. From there he would be able to stalk on Kyoko and this mystery man.
He only had a momentary twinge of conscience, but it went unnoticed by his conscious operating section of the brain.
There was thankfully no waiting staff around the area at the moment, and Sho settled against the wall perpendicular to Kyoko, keeping his phone to his ear should anyone walk by.
'Now, who is this guy, Kyoko?' Sho thought maliciously. 'Another idiotic interested party?'
(88)
Kyoko was very surprised to see Murasame walk through the door towards her, particularly after her conversation with Lory. Remembering Lory's warning, Kyoko put herself on guard, and made sure that her phone was in her dress pocket.
"Ah, Murasame, hello," she greeted with a formal bow.
"H-hello, S- er, Kyoko, is it?" She nodded. "I was just wondering if I could have a minute to talk to you."
"Sure. What about?"
"Honestly, I find the whole situation really weird. Even weirder that the Ren Tsuruga was that monster Cain Heel... but, first, um, you don't seem like Setsu at all." The uncertainty in his tone had Kyoko taking the statement as a question.
"No, I'm not like Setsu at all. I wouldn't be as confident in front of people acting in such a manner or dressed in such, um, small clothes. She's a really powerful character. I'm not really like her at all," Kyoko smiled.
Murasame seemed dubious for a moment as he gave Kyoko a look-over. As his gaze settled on her eyes, his expression settled into one of acceptance, and another determined look stole over him.
"Listen, did you ever feel like you were in danger around 'Cain'? I mean, there were moments on set where that guy was out of control, and honestly, I don't care how dedicated Tsuruga is to his craft, it seems like the dude has some serious issues and-"
"I never felt in danger around my sempai," Kyoko interrupted, telling a little white lie. "There may have been a moment or two where Tsuruga had gotten stuck in his character, but that has happened to me as well. It just something that happens to some actors-"
"You cannot seriously expect me to swallow that!" Murasame sounded angry. "You mean you honestly trust that guy? He's dangerous!"
"No, he's not!" Kyoko flared up in defense of her sempai. "I trust him with my life!"
"Why the hell would you do that?" Murasame hissed angrily. "Do you like, love him or something? Why are you so defensive over such a dangerous sempai?"
"Don't you dare imply something so, so, so! Urgh!" Kyoko's balled fists banged her temples, freaking Murasame out somewhat. She quickly stopped and looked Murasame square in the eye. "As Setsu, people misjudged me – some thought I was dangerous or a floozy, a loose girl that one could approach easily."
Murasame looked quite uncomfortable with Kyoko talking of the perception of Setsu by others. He himself had a few ideas about her simply from her appearance. 'But I was also intrigued by her personality,' he thought in defense of himself.
Kyoko continued. "I was approached by a group – I was really scared... but Setsu handled the situation. Unfortunately, my decision to act as I thought Setsu would put Cain and I at risk... he saved me. He almost got hurt because of me."
Murasame was confused as to why she had just referred to Ren as Cain... but she had done the same for herself as well. Did she honestly see the characters as a separate part to her and Ren?
Looking at Kyoko, Murasame was inclined to believe her. Her eyes were so fiery and determined, and the emotion in her voice firmly declared that she truly did believe that Ren Tsuruga was a good man. Maybe Ren wasn't all that bad... but, that terrifying, cold look of his... it had to come from somewhere, from some experience. It was not anything that could just be mimicked by an actor. In all his time as a teen delinquent, he had only seen such a look on the gang leaders with the most terrifying histories – the real cold bastards.
'So... is Ren Tsuruga a good enough actor to mimick a dangerous, heartless killer or is he a good enough actor to pretend that he is a normal, charismatic man, thus hiding his murderous side?' And tricking a gullible girl like Kyoko would be dead simple.
For now, he decided to backtrack a little. "So, you feel safe around him?"
"Yes." Kyoko answered firmly.
"How... how do you..." Murasame suddenly broke eye contact with Kyoko and began to look a little flustered. "What do you think of me?"
"I? Think of you?" Kyoko was surprised. She didn't think her impression of Murasame really mattered to him. He didn't seem like the self-conscious type to her. "Ah, I... I think you're a good actor. I don't really know much about you as a person... other than you're a little hot-headed."
Murasame looked away, and rubbed his neck a little in embarrassment. "Yeah, look, I'm sorry for provoking Tsu- Cain." Well, if he wanted to get to know Kyoko better, he had best get on good terms with her first.
"Ah, no, no, no! It's okay, really!"
'If you don't ask, you won't receive,' Murasame thought to himself. He straightened up his shoulders and tried to look Kyoko dead in the eye. However he failed, and his focused instead on the midpoint of her forehead.
"Kyoko... ah, I suppose I shouldn't really be addressing you by your first name..."
"No! It's fine, I simply go by Kyoko in this industry," she explained, blushing a little (little did Murasame know, but she was reminded of her encounter as Setsu with Sho near the toilets).
"Really? Okay... Kyoko, I was wondering if you would go on a date on me?"
"EH?!" Kyoko exclaimed in shock, her eyes wide and her jaw hanging open. Blood flooded through the veins in her face, causing her to glow red. She first started waving her palms in front of her, then pushed her palms together and bowed, asking forgiveness. "I'm sorry, Murasame, but I just-"
"Well, isn't this cosy?"
(88)
Argh! I keep switching between American and English spellings -_-"
Anyway, holy crap, I updated quite a bit earlier than I normally do! It might be another little while before I update (I have the plot in my head and on paper, but I have essays due for uni...)
So, thoughts, opinions, criticisms? Do you think I'm putting in the thoughts of too many characters/not enough characters? Or do you think it works well as it is?
Thanks for reading!