Chapter 4: Hazy Night

"Um, Tsuruga-san. H-hello," Kyoko said, not stepping outside the doorframe. Her hair was pulled out of her face and her shirt was covered in flour. "I was—I've been cooking," she explained, flushing, and beating the flour out of her shirt. He smiled.

"Sorry to intrude. It's just that the president wanted us to go on a few dates to get the word out that we're dating. And I was wondering if you'd like to go on one now."

She blinked. Over all the years that she'd daydreamed what it might be like to go on a date with Ren, this was not at all what she'd imagined. For a second, she considered closing the door and walking back up to her room, pretending that this hadn't ever happened.

Instead she said, "Tsuruga-san, you don't have to do this. I don't want to bother you."

He softened. "You're no bother at all," he promised. "Go get changed. We'll have fun."

Her heart thudded hard in her chest. She answered his smile before she could help herself. "Okay," she agreed shyly. "Um, I'll only be a second. Please come in."

Hesitantly, he stepped into her house. "Oh, Tsuruga-san! Nice to see you again," the okami-san greeted him warmly. He could suddenly feel a headache coming on.

Kyoko padded quickly up the stairs and pulled on the first outfit she laid hands on. She glanced in the mirror and was immediately cast into despair by her plainness. Hastily, she dabbed on as much makeup as she could, outlining her eyes and adding color to her lips. She still didn't look anything like someone who could go out with Tsuruga-san, but at least she looked a little better. She went back downstairs and caught Ren glancing nervously from the heated stare of the taisho and the almost unnerving sweetness of the okami-san. She was acting like Ren was her future son-in-law or something.

"Um, I'm ready to go," Kyoko managed.

"Oh." He smiled at her again, making her heart stop. "Then shall we?"

She nodded, turning a little pink, and followed him out of the Darumaya.


"Um, Tsuruga-san? Why are we here?" They were parked in front of a bar. It was clean, brick, and there were only a few neon signs hanging outside. A classy bar, but a bar all the same.

"Some models I know like to hang out here. I figured it's as good a place as any to get the word out that we're dating." Plus, he could really use a drink. "Oh, and we should probably call each other by first names. Nobody's going to think we're going out if you don't even call me Ren."

She blushed. "O-oh. Okay. But, Ren? I don't drink."

"You're twenty now, right? So it's legal. They serve soda here too so you can have that if you don't want to have any alcohol."

Still a little uncertain, she unbuckled her seatbelt and got out of the car.

Inside, the place pulsed and pounded. Groups of people gathered around pitchers of frothing, golden beer, shouting over the music. All kinds of models, singers, actors, and actresses, laughed and hooted in the multi-colored light. They were all so beautiful. Kyoko felt as plain as ever.

A tall, blond woman with sparkling green eyes noticed Ren walk in and smiled coyly. "Hey there, Ren. Want to have a drink with us?"

Say no. God, please, say no. There was no way these people would believe he was going out with her. Not when he could be going out with someone like that.

He casually slung his arm around Kyoko's shoulders. Her heart leaped at his touch. "Sure," he called, and strode through the bar. Kyoko closed her eyes for a moment. She could do this. She could do this. She opened her eyes and saw that beautiful girl staring at Ren again. The girl was holding a martini, looking elegant and grown up…everything Kyoko wasn't. …Maybe she should get a martini after all.

A few more martinis and several less models later, Kyoko was finally starting to relax. She was almost sorry his friends had to leave early since they had a shoot the next morning.

"You're not drunk, are you?" Ren asked cautiously, noticing the strange aura coming off of her.

She laughed a little harder than necessary. "No. I'm not drunk." Her words slurred together.

He chuckled. "Oh, of course not. I don't know why I even thought you were." He gulped down what was left of his beer and asked for another. His head was buzzing warmly, but he figured another beer was safe.

"Hey, do you think I'm pretty?" she asked, studying him very seriously.

He took a swig of his beer and gazed at her for a second. "Yeah, Kyoko. You're…beautiful."

She frowned deeply. "But you…you think that other girl's prettier…." she muttered, staring at the counter.

His eyebrows pulled together. "Who?"

"I…dunno. She wanted you to sit with her."

"Oh, Mizuki-san? "

She let her forehead fall to the counter with a hard thunk. "Sure," she said to the polished wood. "Mizuki-san."

"You are so drunk," he observed, grinning.

"You are."

He laughed out loud. "Kyoko, I don't even like Mizuki-san."

"She likes you."

"And I like you." The words were out of his mouth before he could stop them.

She propped herself up on her elbow and glared at him. "I don't mean like that."

He knocked his forehead against hers, an amused smile twitching up the corners of his mouth. "Neither do I." Her breath smelled like liquor.

Her eyes widened with shock. Then she giggled. "Yeah yado."

"I don't," he insisted, taking another gulp of beer.

She leaned towards him and studied him suspiciously. "That's mean, Tsuruga-san. …I mean…Ren."

He laughed again. "I'm not making fun of you. I'm telling the truth."

"I don't…believe you. Prove it."

"How?"

There was a moment of silence when she tried desperately to think, but her brain wouldn't put things together properly. She was about to give up when her eyes fell on a black-and-white picture of the owner's wife in her wedding dress. "Marry me," she ordered. She was kidding…sort of.

He blinked. There was definitely a reason why he couldn't do that…but…he couldn't seem to remember what it was. He loved Kyoko, they were going out, and she wanted to get married. Why not? "Okay, let's go."

Her eyes widened. "Really?"

"Yep. Come on."

"Okay," she agreed happily and stumbled after him, out of the bar.


"Which ring do you want?" Ren asked, gesturing at the sparkling insides of the expensive jewelry store. Her eyes glimmered with awe.

Her gaze landed on a ring in the middle of the display case in front of her. It was brushed just slightly with pink, and the band was silver with delicate rose leaves surrounding the gorgeous stone. The label read, "Rose Diamond." "So beautiful…." she breathed.

"You want it?"

She turned to him, not sure if she could believe it. "You're…really gonna marry me?"

"Of course."

She giggled. "Yeah. Then it's gotta be this ring."


"…Do you, Kyoko Mogami, take Ren Tsuruga to be your husband, to have and to hold for as long as you both shall live?" a man wearing a cheap suit with sleeves too short for him, asked.

She grinned at Ren and tightened her grip on the three flowers they'd picked on the way there. "Yeah."

"And do you, Ren Tsuruga, take Kyoko Mogami to be your wife, to have and to hold for as long as you both shall live?"

"I do."

"Then you may kiss the bride."

And he did.

They laughed and talked for most of the drive home.

"D'you…y'know…love me?" Kyoko asked.

"Yeah."

"Oh my God! I love you, too!" she exclaimed, the way teenage girls freak out when they find out about such an awesome coincidence. "I'm…really glad…." Her eyelids started to feel heavy.

"Me too." He glanced at her and chuckled. She was fast asleep, leaning her head against the window of the car. "Aren't you even a little excited?" he teased, parking the car and walking around it. He unbuckled her seatbelt, lifted her out of the car, and carried her up to his room.

"Mmm…Ren?" she murmured as he laid her down on the right side of his bed.

"You're awake?"

"I'm not gonna remember...any…of this…t'morrow…am I?"

He laughed softly. "Probably not." Frankly, he wasn't sure if he would either.

"…That's too bad. It was fun today…marrying you."

"Yeah. It was."

"Mmhmmm. G'night."

"Good night, Kyoko."


A/N: Sorry if there was any OOC-ness in this chapter. It's surprisingly difficult to depict Kyoko drunk without feeling like I'm being over the top. Thanks to everyone who reviewed. ^^